Norrix placed the rabbits he had caught in cages and whistled for leprechauns to come pick them up. Rats, rabbits, heck, even snails. Atha wanted to experiment with small things. But, Norrix had his eyes on something bigger.

There was a giant in the forest. One that Norrix had under compulsion and that was making his way to them. Atha might be squeamish about using his soul, but a soul like that could protect Alcandino from anything, really.

Norrix heard the thundering steps, and he went to check up on the giant. The vampire had no idea if the humanoid had it coming. He did not try to tell himself that most giants were human eaters. But, he knew that, the greater the soul, the greater the barrier.

That was the principle that was behind SSS ranked barrier stones, and, for the O ranked barrier stones that Atha wanted to produce, the principle should hold true.

Then, Norrix saw a bloody trail behind the giant. One of his arms was missing, and the vampire's face grew ashen. Even the weakest of giants could take down one hundred men. For the giant to be weakened now, then something big was around here.

"Follow me," Norrix called out to the giant, and he moved out of the forest. Atha's eyes were wide when Norrix made it out of the trees vicinity and the giant that was following him came into view.

"No," Atha began sternly, and then he pointed at the giant's missing arm. "What have you done, Norrix!"

"That wasn't me," Norrix defended himself. "But, whatever it was is still around."

Atha paled at that and began to shake his head. His eyes showed that his spirit was in a different place, at  a different time.

"Atha!" Norrix snapped, his hands going to the Naga's shoulders and shaking him gently. "You want to be a fighter, not a victim. I know you have been through a lot, but you have to realize that the mindset of a fighter does not allow fear. So, snap out of it and use the giant. We need the barrier. And we need it now."

"Huergaz is defenseless, Atha," Bog spoke, voice quivering. "Think of all the children that will end up dead, if we don't put up a good enough barrier around the city."

That snapped Atha from his terror. He looked at the giant, then in the direction of Huergaz. One life. What was one life in exchange for the population of the capital and biggest city of Alcandino? A lot, Atha reasoned with himself. Even one life was a lot.

"Son, I think you should consider the fact that you don't have time, anymore," Kraedor spoke. He, too, was staring at the gore that had replaced the giant's arm. "I know what you are thinking. One life, even a single life, is too big of a price. But, this giant won't survive the night, much less get out of here in time, even if Norrix lets him go. One life is a hard price. An unspeakable price. But, not one that you should be unwilling to pay."

"Have you ever paid it, father?" Atha spoke, wanting to think the world of his adoptive father, but already knowing the answer.

"There was this quest, when I was but fifteen," Kraedor began, and they all listened. "The shadow dungeon core was rampaging near Merane. We, my platoon and me, had to choose. Do we wait for reinforcements, or do we do our best to evacuate the citizens?"

Atha's eyes widened. Surely, Kraedor had chosen to evacuate the people. But, then, Kraedor sighed.

"What we did was hold the line and set up a barrier. People could pass through it, shadows could not. We were a D ranked platoon, and the shadows, which had been rumored to be E ranked, were a swarm. There was nothing we could do but help the people after they made it pass the barrier. Because, if we had died, the barrier stone would not have held. And, they wouldn't have had even that much," Atha sucked in a breath. He did not want to begin to imagine how much pain that had caused Kraedor.

"We decided to let some people die. In the end, one hundred did not make it. But, the rest, they went back to Merane once the guild came in force and cleaned it up. Do you know who those 100 were?" Kraedor asked, and Atha shook his head.

"All the members, including the guild master, of the Merane adventurer's guild. We sacrificed the strong for the weak. That is how things usually go, son. It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. This giant," Kraedor pointed at the giant, who was swaying on his feet from the blood loss. "Is strong. Let him protect those who can't protect themselves."

"But, he hasn't decided that he wants to protect Huergaz! This is not like Merane. Norrix has robbed him of his free will," Atha protested. It was murder and a theft.

"Only those who can stand up against a swarm and handle it themselves have the luxury of morality," Kraedor hissed. "You are not the necromancer, Asmodeos. Or, even Alklair the elf. Until you reach their level, I forbid you to think like them."

The Ice Priest's eyes softened, and he placed a hand on Atha's shoulders.

"It will get you killed, and, worse, you won't be able to protect anyone," Kraedor murmured and Atha bowed his head. Then, he looked at the giant again.

"I am sorry," the Naga murmured, and then he slithered to the giant and extracted the creature's soul into a crystal. He then went, and melted the crystal into an already carved barrier stone.

What he held in his hand had power in it. More than he had ever felt. But, it brought him only emptiness. For, he had crossed a line he should not have.

"I'll go tell the leprechauns to pack up and go to Huergaz," Bog spoke, and Norrix nodded.

"I am coming with you. Atha, pack our things. Kraedor, guard him while I am gone, please," the last thing Norrix wanted was for Kraedor to get lost somewhere. They needed to evacuate all the farmers into the city. But, first, they needed to take care of themselves and to ensure that there was a barrier around Huergaz.