The world faded away out of existence. Icas was left standing in darkness by himself. He heard noises. The fist was a man's and said "You want to avenge your parents' death while getting power? I can make that happen."
Crowds cheering and people's indistinct voices yelling and the world came back into view. Icas was standing outside of Cardell Castle. Soldiers in Nitish armor replaced the Eddethrian guards. Two figures appeared. One was an older man, dressed in black armor and looked like some sort of king. He faced a slightly younger man with black hair and was wearing a dark leather jacket. "Icas, please! Come back! We can help you!" the younger man pleaded. "Eddeathra is mine!" the older man who was Icas shouted as unsheathed his sword and killed him and they both disappeared. Who did I just kill and why? Icas thought.
The world went dark again. A young woman with black hair appeared to Icas's right who Icas recognized as an older Elina. The vision of Elina stared Icas right in the eyes. "You were one of us! I loved you!"
Icas felt his body being snatched from the dark and was brought back into the real world. He gasped, out of breath, as he looked back up at Maisha who was wearing that mysterious look again. "Why would I do those things?" he whispered to her so that the others would not hear.
"Be careful who you trust, Icas," Maisha said just as quiet.
The ceremony went on but all Icas could think of was the one promise he kept making to himself. I will never do any of those things, I swear.