"I've no joy to feign Mikhael," Maya said in a stern tone, straightening her back with a heavy breath. She did smirk for the briefest of moments at Mikhael's poor attempt at smiling, but shook her head. "But I shall find respite in knowing you are on a road far clearer than mine. I will promise only this... Hope shall not leave us here in Kale, hope that you will return with a gift far beyond the shadow of my own." Maya grabbed Mikhael and pulled him in close. The embrace was short lived, but the Queen had held an honest love for Mikhael. No matter the rhyme or reason, and no matter his success, Mikhael would always be her son, and nothing less.

	"Any [i]damn[/i] time," Lillian urged from within the cart, peering at the Queen and Mikhael from inside. Maya lowered her arms and glared at Lillian, but lost all contempt for the girl with a calming sigh.

	"They will keep you safe, and you shall do the same for them." Maya turned away from Mikhael, but stopped and faced him for one last moment. She looked at the boy's face, and glanced at his missing arm. "We are the same, Mikhael. But please... Change. Purge the darkness, or you may end up just as that golden giant. Power is not worth what those men and woman surrender."