Dara kept her word. She didn’t fight, scream or make any attempt to escape as they travelled across the forest. She quietly followed Jaejoong who was walking before her. The horse, Salamander, kept pace with them and positioned himself behind her. It was quite obvious he was well trained and that Jaejoong had instructed him to guard her. Every time Dara paused, Salamander would nudge her back with his nose to keep her walking. She was surprised though when Jaejoong didn’t tie her hands.

"You need your hands," was the only explanation he gave when he cut off the rope tying her to the tree.

She didn’t know where they were going. But she knew, they were now very far from the City of Solaris. It would be impossible for her to find her way back to the city. Every part of the forest looked the same to her. Jaejoong had to use the Sword of Truth to make a path for them. Even trees could not withstand the sharpness of the blade. Trees, grass and plants were all cut down by the sword's sharp blade.

Using the Sword of Truth like a mere tool to cut grass and trees felt so wrong and blasphemous. Like her, the sword had been reduced to something menial and unimportant. And it was because of this stupid and arrogant boy before her!

She found herself studying the sword. Was this really the Sword of Truth? Its hilt was thickly covered with rags. But the color of the blade was not the silver-white she remembered. It had turned darker, almost grey. She gasped!

"What have you done to the Sword of Truth?!" her voice rose sharply.

"What?" Jaejoong turned and looked at her.

She pointed at the sword’s blade.

"You have poisoned it!"

Jaejoong’s eyes studied the sword.

"It lost its gleam. But that usually happens to swords when they get used. Some even become rusty."

"Your touch and your blasphemous thoughts have ruined it!" she accused him.

"Its blade is still as sharp as before." Jaejoong began taking off the rags covering the golden hilt of the sword. The hilt was now as black as night! "Maybe it has just accepted me as its master," he mused and grasped the sword with his bare hand.

"There’s no more screaming." Surprise showed on his face. "And there’s no more pain!" He turned toward his right as if trying to understand what someone was saying.

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