There was a knock at the door. Atreus, noble priest of Verengaard, rose from his seat at his desk and crossed the near-empty room. He wasn't expecting anyone at this time, not so shortly before dinnertime. Perhaps, he wondered, the Tower's sorcerers had questions to ask him? Though why they couldn't wait he wasn't sure. Reaching the thick wooden door, Atreus lifted the catch and opened it and was surprised to see a large, bearded Northman standing there in his doorway.

"Coren", Atreus greeted the man, wondering why the Northman was visiting him. "Please, come inside".

"Atreus", Coren replied, bowing his head a little. He stepped into the entranceway but did not go any further. He then added offhandedly, "I hope you didn't give Aislinn a hard time?"

Painful memories crossed through Atreus' mind and he almost visibly winced. The man is cutting, thought Atreus, but simply shook his head instead.

Coren continued, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice the reaction his words had. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to ask you something before we met up with the rest".

Atreus bid the man to enter and take a seat and did so himself. "What is it you wish to speak about?" he asked, wondering why the man's questions couldn't wait.

"Well", began Coren, settling himself whilst tugging at his beard, "I was wondering how things were going in Freehold? Now that you know about a possible attack by the Dragonlords, is the army prepared?"

Atreus noted that Coren did not look directly at him whilst asking his questions. Something else seemed to be on his mind beyond questions that could have waited until later. He narrowed his eyes and replied.

"As I said earlier this morning, the people of Freehold are making all the necessary preparations. We cannot guarantee victory but we will not be taken unawares. As to the rest of the population, I believe they now know that something is about to happen although they don't know what, when or why. There is an uncertain unease in the city. But things are under control".

Coren nodded throughout this, only half listening, and Atreus watched the man as he talked. He knew the Northman was here for something more than idle chatter about his home. He leaned forward in his chair and caught Coren's grey eyes.

"But tell me Coren", Atreus added, "Why are you really here to see me?"

Coren sighed deeply, and began to scratch at his beard again. Atreus guessed it was a sign of nerves. The big man didn't look like he would be afraid of any fight but he obviously felt it difficult to speak about that which was troubling him.

"I...", began Coren, wondering how to put his thoughts into words, "I was here to see if I could ask you, well Verengaard, for forgiveness".

Atreus' eyes opened wide. He was surprised by what Coren was asking him. He'd assumed the man was one step away from an ungodly barbarian and cared little for the ecclesiastical workings of the world.

"You wish to ask the Lord for forgiveness? What sins do you wish to divulge, Coren dan Balor?" he asked, surprised. This wasn't what he had expected.

"Well, I...", Coren gulped, not sure what to say. Thinking for a moment, he decided to try a different approach. "Let me start from the beginning. I believe Giacomo says that's the best place to start".

He took a deep breath and continued.

"When I escaped slavery at the hands of the Dragonlords, some years ago, I wandered ‘round Northreach for a few months. I didn't know what to do. Freedom seems such a sweet thing but when you've spent nearly all you life being told what to do and when to do it... well, suddenly having to make your own decisions and survive on your own can be damned hard. I felt lost. I ran out of money and food. I wasn't sure what to do".

"So I rejoined the Dragonlord's army as a mercenary".

Atreus raised an eyebrow at that. "You returned to the slavers?", he asked, a little incredulously.

"Aye", said Coren, looking away from Atreus and frowning. "I was desperate. They wanted more men for their war and were willing to pay well. Blinded by the gold they were offerin’, I rejoined the forces of darkness. I fought for the dark one. And I damned well went on to kill and slaughter a lot of my fellow Northmen!".

Atreus watched as Coren raised his callused right hand in a tight fist and suddenly brought it down - hard - onto the arm of the chair. The wooden frame almost splintered under the assault.

"Damn their lying hides!" cursed Coren in anger. He then looked up at Atreus, a sorrowful look in his eyes. "Begging you, and your Lord’s, pardon". He unclenched his fist and settled back down in the chair. The chair creaked ominously.

Atreus frowned. This man, the man who was accompanying his niece and who was supposed to help protect her and the others from the dark minions, was telling him that he used to be aligned with the Lord of Lies. He had fought for the god that had sent that creature to kill Sarah.

Still, Atreus knew how the Lord of Lies worked. How he tricked people with good intentions and even better rewards. And he knew that Coren's sins were in the past and that he was now asking for forgiveness. Still, a little recrimination coloured his words.

"You come to me for forgiveness? Better late than never, Coren dan Balor", Atreus nodded, deciding to bury his own feelings about the Dark Lord for now. "Now this happened around the beginning of the war, did it not?"

Coren nodded glumly.

"That was nearly ten years ago. You were young at the time and, as you say, you were desperate. The Lord of Lies can tempt even the greatest when they are weak. But what matters now is that you have since realised your mistake. You ask for forgiveness and that means that you are on the road to redemption in the eyes of Verengaard. You have seen his light and have long ago turned away from Traugur's darkness..."

Atreus noticed that Coren was shaking his head, a look of grief and horror in his eyes as he had spoken. There is something more on this man’s mind? wondered Atreus. More darkness? He stopped talking and let Coren finish.

"No, yer don't see Atreus", Coren muttered glumly. "But your Lord does, I know it. His Light sees into my soul and sent me that nightmare months ago. I..."

Coren squeezed his eyes shut and, for a moment, Atreus thought he wasn't going to continue. He was about to ask the big man to continue unburdening his soul when Coren spoke up.

"I stopped fighting in the Dark One's army but that didn't mean I stopped taking His money. I tried to take other jobs and, yes, I did some good. Hell, on one occasion I actually fought against The Dragonlords and the Dark One. I did good... until bloody Yngvar went and died on me".

Coren stood, no longer able to settle in the chair. There were tears in his eyes now and he frantically began to pace around the room as if stomping into floor could cleanse his soul.

"I thought the last job I did alone was a good and worthy one", he snarled. "In a village to the south, this... man was advertising a bounty. Some witch, fresh from Nordren, had been terrorizing the men-folk of Northreach. He said she used dark sorcerous magic to give 'er power over mens’ minds, to make them do whatever she wanted. He wanted her captured and would pay handsomely".

"I was down on my luck at the time. I didn't have much money. And it sounded like I was doing the men of Northreach a favour, vanquishing a great evil. No," Coren said, shaking his shaggy head and correcting himself. "No. Truth be told, I was just after the money. So I hunted this woman, followed the trail northwards up to the outskirts of Freehold, not far from here. And there I met her..."

Coren stopped pacing the room and stared down at his hands forlornly.

"Some goblins were also after ‘er and had got there before me," he muttered, "but I soon finished ‘em off. Why let them get the bounty when I could have it all to meself, eh? Anyway, when I saw the witch I was after I realised that it was all a lie. This was no demon succubus, or whatever they're called. She wasn't evil. She was just another innocent soul that I'd almost given over to the Dark One".

Still sat in his chair, Atreus looked startled at the revelation. Coren had not given up his dark ways years ago but only months before, if that. He had still been doing Traugur's dark deeds in recent times not in the distant past. And he could still be tempted in the future.

Understanding suddenly dawned upon Atreus, priest of Verengaard.

"But since meeting her", continued Coren, "I've come to face my dark ways. With her sweet soul, she's shown me how wrong I've been. And then the others - Janus, Tob and your Aislinn - have guided me further from that dark path. The meeting with the Oracle finally showed me what it all meant and what I must do. I’m sorry…"

Coren sighed and stepped before Atreus, his head bowed.

"I know I have done wrong. I know I have darkness in my heart. If I could go back and change things I would. So I ask Verengaard to forgive me, to set me on the right path and guide me to the light".

Atreus stood and put a hand on Coren's broad shoulder. He began speaking in a calm, gentle tone.

"We make decisions throughout all of our lives never knowing whether we make the right or wrong choices. When we make the wrong choice, the only things we can do are realise where we went wrong and ask for forgiveness. And when we make the right choice, we should build on that and embrace it with our hearts. You made the right choice today, Coren dan Balor".

Atreus smiled and a soft light began to emanate from his form, lighting the room a little more and banishing the shadows. With an unearthly grace, he placed his other hand on Coren's opposite shoulder and looked the tall man in the eyes.

"He knows, Coren dan Balor. He knows about the shadows in your soul. And he forgives you your trespasses and shall guide your soul safely through the darkness. He has already sent a sign to show you, and the others, the way. Love is in your life now. Embrace it in all its forms. Be true, Great Bear, Warrior of the North. And pray always to the Lord of the Light".

The glow about Atreus diminished and he let his hands fall down to his side. Coren nodded but before the big man could say anything, Atreus added, "There is still a long way to go, Coren dan Balor. Pray to the Lord of Light that you will find the way. Knowing something of the darkness ahead, I would recommend you pray to Him often and whenever you can".

"Thank you, Atreus", Coren whispered. Some of the haunted look had gone from the man's eyes.

"Do not thank me, Coren", Atreus replied, heading across to his desk. "Thank Verengaard, with all of your heart. Remember how understanding He is, even after all the darkness to which you have admitted. Use His forgiveness for Good".

"I will", nodded Coren.

Atreus grabbed a few things from his desk and turned to look at Coren.

"And now", he announced, "I believe we should head to the dining hall. The meeting with the others will be starting shortly and there will no doubt be much to discuss".

Coren nodded. "Aye! And food and drink to be consumed", he replied.

"Not too much drink, I trust?", Atreus admonished as he swept past Coren towards the doorway.

"No, yer right", agreed Coren. "I know there is another spirit that will fill me more heartily", he added quietly and followed Atreus out of the door.