It didn't caw of flap its wings nervously, but Boyce had seen it just the same, and he pointed to it, never saying a word. In the eye of the young leper man, a tear was forming until it was finally born onto his cheek and trickled into the dry crusts of his face. He kneeled before the two men. "That was our friend and leader, Munsen. His own sacrifice assured, for us, the death of Urre." he told them and they listened, very saddened. "What is your name, my friend?" Boyce asked him. "I am called, Virgil!" he answered. "Rise up, Virgil, and rule this place with peace and compassion. See life and all its energies for what they really are. Make your own power and forces of life, through love, compassion and trust ... and never again will you need to eat human flesh in hopes of attaining it all." Virgil rose to his feet and looked at the two men, in such a way as one master would look with respect to another. "We drink to Munsen and his vision of peace." hailed Boyce and he lifted the goblet to his lips to drink. Lloyd touched his forearm but Boyce shook his head slightly, then nodded at Lloyd, to drink as well. Lloyd complied with his request. "With the trust I show to you, in drinking this, which may otherwise have been poison, so it shall be a reminder of the trust that you will seek and find." "With all the power given me through my promise to Munsen, I now let you and your friend go freely and in peace, through Palatka." They bowed to one another and Virgil helped the men put the travel packs about their shoulders and then up onto the horses. They pointed in a southern direction to a pass that lead up through the cliffs of the canyon but before they urged the horses on their way, Boyce turned to Virgil. "The Palatkans truly are a beautiful people. May you multiply and become a truly great nation." Boyce blessed his new and goodly friend then motioned to Lloyd to ride, and they kicked their heels into the horses and galloped towards the pass in the cliffs. Behind them, Virgil and the two young women watched them ride away, and the crow that had picked at the rocks, lofted into the bluish skyway and soon disappeared. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN They rode the horses hard and steady, each day and in their five days of travel they managed to cover over seven hundred kilometres. The last five days, since they left Palatka were the safest and easiest five days of travel since the day they had left Besten. The horses were strong and they made good time. The few rests that they had along the way were enough rest for the horses, too. Boyce was pleased that Pomperaque was soon within his grasp and Lloyd was pleased that Manguino would soon feel his death, like the common man that he is. Ahead of them stretched the lush and friendly Joenine Forest. Each man could still remember the glen from which Empal helped them escape to Virune, then on to Besten. The beauty of Upper Phoride was just as Boyce had remembered it.