At that point, with the fortress in view, Elthas paused.

Something is wrong... Elthas thought to himself as he stood still and listened to the voices in his mind...of which there were plenty at that point in time. Elthas considered the situation at hand, the cult that found Elthas was leading them off to a side entry path. Well hidden from the guards...but that dreaded feeling lulled in his heart. You won't like the answers you're going to find here... A voice suddenly said to Elthas deep within his subconscious mind. Having expected to see a group of seedy guards present, there were none patrolling. Ellthas looked at Vaeron at that point then the fellow cultists. His brother, Drathis also had a look of concern on his face.

"Elthas...where are the guards...?" Drathis asked.

Then, Elthas noticed it...it was subtle at first. But there. How could I have been so stupid? Twice now, an enemy had blind-sided Elthas. But this enemy was not the Goblins of Stonevale, nor was it mere bandits or mercenaries.

The owner of the voice who called shocked Elthas to his very core. "What are you lot doing here?!" Halm Belthasar suddenly demanded. He was not wearing the symbols of Radasanth...nor the symbols of The Great Tree...

The reality of the situation struck Elthas to his very core. "Father..." Elthas could not accept the betrayal his eyes had just witnessed.

Suddenly, Drathis acted and knocked Elthas to the ground. He was pushing Elthas out of the way of an incoming sword attack...one from Halm Belthasar.

"Drathis..." Halm began. "None of you were supposed to be here." Halm said. "Leave...now...this is your only chance." Halm said calmly. From behind Halm Belthasar, several of the guards of the fortress were already moving to arms to defend their fort.

Elthas was wild eyed as he looked at his Father. He...he...has betrayed us...he has betrayed ME. Halm was busily arguing with Drathis to realize what Elthas was actually doing. "Traitor!" Elthas yelled, and jumped up and off the ground. Summoning his best speed, he lunged towards Halm and managed to cut Halm Belthasar across the side of his face. A singular slash of blood trailed Elven blood down the man's handsome face.

"I...ARGH!" Halm took a step back as if stunned by what had just occurred. "Elthas! What have you done!?"

"No. It is you have taken what you should not have." Elthas suddenly said, as a anger and rage filled his heart. Anger at being lied to right to his face, at having witnessed the least event that he would have ever thought possible. Tears swelled down his face. Actual tears, Elthas was crying. "They sent us a letter, you traitor...said you were kidnapped and could not sent resources to save you..." The Alliances between Men and Elves... Elthas wanted to outright kill his Father.

"You fed me bullshit!" Elthas suddenly yelled. "All my life you made me BELIEVE in the good of Men. The alliance between Men and Elves. To The Tular Plains with you, you TRAITOR!" Drathis and Halm were looking at Elthas, suddenly very VERY afraid.

"Elthas, DON'T"! Drathis suddenly grabbed at Elthas to prevent him from making a horrible choice.

Elthas was trying to break free, but Drathis had over-powered him.

"None of you should have ever been here." Elven blood poured down Halm's handsome face. He took a step backwards. "Drathis...the next time we meet...let him kill me." Halm suddenly said. Halm looked down towards the group of warriors heading their direction. Showing SOME shred of honour and decency, Halm called his dogs off.

Elthas clutched at his brother's shirt. And was openly crying. Drathis was absolutely stunned by what he had had just witnessed. He did not know what to say...

"It's ALL bullshit!" All his life Elthas had lived by a code. A code his Father had instilled in him from his early youth. And now...the great Hero, Halm Belthasar, was little more than a turn coat.

Drathis held his brother and looked up towards Vaeron. "I'm sorry you had to see this. My Brother is not normally like this, I didn't want to have to drag you into a family matter. But thank you for having stayed. When my Brother is calm, talk to him about the rest of your payment." Drathis began to guide his brother away from the fort and it's empty promises.

Elthas was howling as they all traveled back home. The sting of betrayal in his heart.

The voice that had warned him...Elthas realized...had been The Great Tree itself. That small truth helped the reality of their situation. Father has betrayed us all...what do we do now? What do I do now..? Father... Elthas had drawn first blood in their first battle. He would never let that betrayal sit. One day...Elthas would go after Halm Belthasar...and settle the score...one day...

But the day was not that day.

***

Some time passed.

Vaeron and the others had returned to The Great Tree, and Elthas and Drathis had explained everything that had gone so terribly wrong.

For some reason...Vaeron could have left at any point after Elthas had given him his money. But...the fellow chose to stay. Elthas never really knew why...only that he'd grown quickly attached to Vaeron. It was a week later when Elthas was sitting on a bench in the town of The Great Tree. The only place he could sincerely call home. But since Father's betrayal...everything felt different. He felt different. "I cut him..." Elthas said to nobody in particular as he noticed Vaeron's approach. Elthas nodded to the man casually, trying to hide his conflicting emotions the best that he could.

Father had betrayed them all...