From his place upon the ridge, Zander gazed upon rolling fields of blooming flowers dotted with dense thickets of lush, colorful trees, encircling pure blue waters surrounded by flora. The peaceful arrays with flowers of a thousand different types, some as high as the horses, other patches smaller than a newborn child's hand, grew more extravagant the closer they got to Goddess Hill. A symphony of colors played for Zander's eyes. The white carnation, Leverith's favorite, was the most prevalent of all. That was no surprise as this was her land.

Zander and his allies lurked in a high thicket with a vantage of a routine Sapphire patrol path between Goddess Hill and their encampment at the Great Eagle Bridge. Birds sang as bees zipped among the flowers. Being this close to Goddess Hill wasn't easy. His eyes drifted toward Covademara. He couldn't look at the magnificent tree without remembering that this was where his father and Alexia left him.

Unable to break their silence, these thoughts nipped at him as he waited for Sapphires to appear. He tried to change the stream toward his renewed hope that Asa could forgive Alexia, but it was impossible to avoid thinking about Covademara when it dominated the skyline. No matter where he looked, the tree was in sight, and he couldn't shut his eyes and perform his duty. As little as he took pleasure in these ambushes.

When the wait ended, he was almost thankful. A mounted Sapphire and four soldiers marched from the north, headed toward Goddess Hill. The knight was armored in black plate and a horned helmet that Zander would never forget. River's killer. Aldius.

Zander stole glances at Theo and Vernon, trying to sense whether they recognized him. If they did, their faces didn't show it. Gordan, River's best friend, wouldn't have seen Aldius, but Zander's heart went out to the young man standing a few people away from him. Theo, Gordan, Erina, Edrea, and Emeric readied their bows, awaiting the signal. Gabor, Vernon, Kenneth, and Zander quietly unsheathed their blades. Asa held to her staff, nodding at Zander.

Zander clutched the locket. He'd follow Leverith's plan, even if it meant showing mercy to one who showed no mercy to River. For Asa, and Alexia, he'd not kill this man unless given no choice.

Alfread's wisdom guided them today. Many trips with the wise hunter had helped Zander remember that the best time to fire an arrow at a hart was when they presented a full broadside profile. Knowing this, he let the quarry advance to where they could be flanked from the side where they would have the shortest time to react and their reactions would be awkward, especially since they were attacking from the Sapphire's right flank. Enemy slashes would be weak, backhanded embarrassments and their shields uselessly stationed on the opposite side of their bodies. They also had one advantage that the Sapphires couldn't counter. They had an Asa.

A beam of light flashed down at the Sapphire patrol. They threw up their hands to shield their eyes as arrows thumped into their bodies. Zander growled as the rest of them charged. He slammed into Aldius, throwing him from his horse. Zander climbed atop him, unable to resist pounding the arrogant man's head into the dirt a few extra times. He flipped the knight onto his stomach, restraining his arms. Aldius fought to free his arms from Zander's hold, trying to reach for his dagger, but he was no match for Zander's might.

Zander torqued the knight's arms, knowing that his shoulder would be screaming as if aflame. Aldius's resistance gave out with a grunt. Zander hoped Leverith didn't mind a little extra cranking on the man's arms, and ensuring that his face got well-acquainted with the dust and dirt on the worn trail.

His head twisted sideways, Aldius looked up at him. His eyes went wide, mouth open, a smirk on his lips that made Zander want to bang his head into the ground until he could never smile again.

Zander didn't want to stop there. He didn't see a disarmed, restrained enemy face-down in the dirt. He saw a dark night lit by a full moon. He saw Aldius's blade flashing as it sliced through River from waist to shoulder. He saw that same smirk as Aldius arrogantly challenged him.

Fighting the urge to vomit, Zander kept reminding himself that he couldn't ask Asa to forgive and understand when he himself sought vengeance. He had to be the better man or else Leveria would never stop seeking revenge.

"Bind them!" he commanded. "Make sure none of the hits are lethal, Asa."

Kenneth, Gabor, Theo, Vernon, and Gordan restrained the other four Sapphires, several of whom had arrows in them. Edrea, Erina, and Emeric went between the restrained captives, tying hands together behind backs. Asa inspected the wounds, healing them as the soldiers, all men, were positioned in a row of trees beside the trail.

"Zander of Mirrevar," Aldius muttered. "We meet again."

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Zander kept his silence. The sound of this man's voice made him pulse with murderous desire, his breakfast churning in his stomach and threatening to spill out his mouth.

The other four bound, Kenneth and Emeric came for Aldius last. Zander tested the binds, unable to resist the temptation to throttle Aldius a bit in the name of ensuring quality restraints. He hefted the knight off the ground, dragged him to a tree beside the trail, and pressed his back into the bark.

"We meet again," Zander said, stifling the urge to spit on the man.

He left Aldius smirking by the tree, giving Kenneth and Gabor orders to keep an eye on him. Zander had to clear his mind before speaking to Aldius.

He surveyed the result of their ambush. Several days of consecutive successes, reducing their art to a science. They hadn't had a Sapphire casualty in over a span, and that had been because he broke his neck trying to run away down a hillside. Asa hadn't needed to tend wounds in their crew since the new directives came in. Iceheart sent him out here to break him and his ideals but Zander's success proved that you could lead with love and not fear and hatred. No life, including those of people who would've gladly killed him, were so empty of value that they could be mindlessly thrown away. This was another triumph of Leverith over Zamael, and, as always, Zander was Leverith's instrument.

Steadying himself, he turned to face Aldius.

Still smirking as if he were the one who'd restrained them, Aldius spoke first. "So, the red devil who butchered us beneath the full moon is the same man who has been sending our scouts back to base without their blades. Why such interest in the whereabouts of Alexia Bluerose, Zander of Mirrevar?"

Zander didn't like how calm he was. He liked his smile even less. This arrogant piece of shite didn't deserve kindness, but Zander vowed to maintain his course. He knelt in front of Aldius, still towering over the sitting man.

"I am a knight of the Peacewatch. I vowed to embrace peace and love and to see Leveria become one. I believe Alexia will be the one to see that oath fulfilled."

"As do I," Aldius answered. "As do we all. Right, boys?" The other soldiers murmured their agreement. "It is because of her that we stay on our side of the stream. She has made us all dream of peace."

Zander glanced toward Asa. This talk was nothing new as every single soul they'd intercepted spoke of Alexia as Leverith's Chosen, with deific praise of her.

Asa leaned on her alabaster staff, her bright aura flickering between gray and silver on the angel wing motifs. She was trying. While he always loved her, he felt it more deeply than ever.

He turned back to Aldius, trying to be as strong as Asa. "Tis a shared dream then, Sir Aldius."

"Aldius?" Gordan shook, dropping his bow.

Vernon and Theo drew their blades. "We should kill you, murderer!" Vernon shouted.

"Ah," Aldius said, trying to smooth out the smirk that seemed plastered onto his face. "Your friend was a brave man that fought well to protect you. His name was River, I believe?"

Gordan's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, tears streaming down his face tracing his anguish. Every inch of him was seized by a shudder. "What right do you have to his name?"

"The same you have to the names of the those the five of you piled into that trench," Aldius said, his sharp voice cutting straight through them. "Conrad of Basseter. Sir Hammond. Henrik of Greengrove. Luca of Eladrin. Johan of Lelac. Sebastian of Foxwarren. Frederick of Hearthglen. Bela of Grimear's End. Margot of Glimmerford. And so many more. Dear friends of mine, women I'd even lain with before meeting my life's mate. Dead by your blades."

Vernon and Theo sheathed their swords. Gordan continued to shake, but said naught.

"That is why the fighting has to end," Zander said.

"Exactly," Aldius agreed. "When last we fought, I craved the battle, but Alexia's vision has changed me. We must choose to end the cycle of hatred."

Zander shifted from his knee and rose to his full height. Speaking to his own companions as much as Aldius, he said, "Let us not perpetuate hate when we can choose love."

"Then you are no red devil, Zander of Mirrevar," Aldius said.

Zander addressed the other captives. "The four of you may return from whence you came. You will be stripped of your weapons but armored with the knowledge that we watch for peace alongside you. We will return Sir Aldius to you once he has helped us keep my commander from choosing war."

"A good plan, Sir Zander," Aldius said, grinning. "We shall speak as comrades, united in Alexia's vision."

Though he sounded enthusiastic, it was hard to trust a man that always wore that smarmy grin like he was just about to fuck your sister. Zander would know. He'd been with both of Kenneth's sisters and remembered sporting that same grin in Kenneth's face right before he was off to see Joyce.

But he had to give trust if he wanted to be Leverith's instrument. If nobody took the first step, hatred and vengeance would keep Ruby and Sapphire eternally at war. Perhaps it was meant to be that the man that he had to trust was one that had hurt him and his friends as Aldius had. Alfread would say that was downright symbolic.

That said, he wasn't innocent either. Trusting Aldius could set them on the path to harmony or further down the road of ruin. Zander would trust, but he'd also verify that they shared a vision of peace. And, if he didn't, Zander wouldn't mind making one last offering to Zamael.

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