Dara was surprised to see armed guards and soldiers inside the Oracle temple. Specially here in the hallway leading toward the inner sanctum. Weapons had always been prohibited inside this part of the temple. The situation and rules in the temple had indeed changed since the last time she was here as part of the Oracle. These changes were clearly the result of Jaejoong’s threat of attack three months ago.

From her hiding place behind one of the pillars adorning the hallway, she noticed the temple guards turn their attention to the direction where she had come from. Loud voices and running feet could be heard coming from there.

She had no doubt that Jaejoong was the cause of the ongoing commotion. Jaejoong was probably fighting off the guards and soldiers who were alerted by the crash of the temple roof. A small part of her was telling her to run back and help him, but she remembered how Jaejoong always managed to escape every dire situation he found himself into. Jaejoong might only be eighteen years old, but he already possessed a brilliant tactician mind. Plus, he now had her powers of foresight and the Sword of Truth. Han had also trained him hard so he could regain his fighting skills. Jaejoong could definitely handle several soldiers by himself without her help. Besides, Cloud was also with him. Jaejoong could definitely take care of himself.

The Oracle had branded Jaejoong as the Lord of Darkness who would bring death, chaos and bloodshed in the world of Haldor. In some way, Jaejoong had indeed fulfilled the Oracle's prophecy. People had died because of him. Blood had been spilled. And there was now fear and chaos everywhere. The peace and tranquility that Haldor used to enjoy had vanished because of him.

But in the months that Dara had gotten to know Jaejoong, she became certain that the young man was not evil. Stupid, reckless and annoying, yes, but never evil. He couldn't even kill Hong-man and Bong-sun in cold blood even when he thought their deaths could have saved his own life. Jaejoong was just a boy trying to survive. He had never fought to hurt people, he fought to save himself and others, including her.

As an incarnation of the Oracle, Dara wasn’t able to understand Jaejoong's continued defiance of his fate. Why he continued to reject the Oracle's visions and truths.

But now that she’s in the same situation as he, she had finally understood his continued defiance. She realized that like him, she also wanted to continue living and experience what life was waiting to offer her. As part of the Oracle, she was just a voice, someone who followed the visions that came to her. She only existed for the Oracle. As Dara, she had existed for her own self. She had experienced life and the turmoil of emotions that constantly plagued her. And above all of this, Jaejoong had made her see that every person has the right to follow his own path even if that path was against what the Oracle wanted.

She left the temple as an Oracle, she had now returned as an independent woman with emotions and a mind solely her own. The reason she accompanied Jaejoong was to get answers from questions that had plagued her mind since she became separated from the Oracle. She hoped to find answers from her former Oracle sisters.

She walked away from the pillar and stood before the two temple guards guarding the door to the inner sanctum. The guards' eyes widened upon recognizing her.

"The Oracle Wisdom!" gasped one of them.

Dara didn't give them a chance to react or think anymore. She quickly subdued them using her pole stick. In seconds, both guards were lying unconscious on the floor. Before, such physical activity would have left her breathless and tired. But Han's intensive trainings enabled her to become much stronger. But in becoming a true warrior, she had also broken Haldor's long tradition and belief that women could not use weapons to fight. Like Jaejoong, it seemed she too was going to contribute to the coming changes in their world.

The large wooden doors that served as the entrance to the inner sanctum now stood unguarded as it had always been. Two handmaidens usually opened this door for worthy people who had gained an audience before the Oracle. All of them would bring gifts to show their thanks to the Oracle's guidance. No handmaidens would open this door for Dara and instead of gifts, she now brought a pole stick especially made for her by Han.

She quickly set aside thoughts about the warrior. His name always caused her chest to tighten, leaving her mind confused most of the time. She didn’t need such thoughts and emotions right now! She must be calm as she faced her Oracle sisters and sought the answers she needed.

She pushed one side of the wooden door to enter the inner sanctum. Light coming from torches and candles flooded the room. But her eyes riveted to the large blue fireshadow in the center of the room. It brought back memories of the time she became part of the Oracle.

She knew that Destiny and Memory watched her from inside the fireshadow. She did not know who between the two would come out and talk to her. When a person sought the advice and help of the Oracle, he would stand before the burning fireshadow and await which of the incarnations of the Oracle would show herself. Usually, when he sought future advice, Destiny would emerge from the fireshadow. When a present dilemma afflicted him, it would be Wisdom. And when he needed to look back into the past, Memory