Ian woke with the sunlight drifting into his room through the open window and quickly readied himself. He joined the prince for breakfast, and after they had a good meal, Arene lead Ian to a large, oblong room with racks lining the walls length ways through it. There were spears, bows, arrows, swords, and many other different weapons hanging on the walls, but the swords were magnificent. They looked almost like a piece of art, and just when he began to believe that these swords were merely ornamental, the prince grabbed the handle of one sword. Ian was startled as an explosion of light filled what had been a dimly lit room, and he immediately shielded his eyes, and turning away for a moment, he was surprised to see Aldara. Then the room grew dim again and Aldara began to fade gradually. Aldara�s shape went from being translucent to transparent; then Ian felt the prince�s hand on his shoulder. In that instant Aldara�s shape became solid, and Ian could see every detail of his form clearly.
�He�s been following you all morning,� said Arene. And Ian remembered what the king had told him about the aodh. That Aldara would always accompany him but won�t always be visible to Ian�s eyes.
�Why wasn�t I able to see him before?� Ian asked.
Arene explained, �This is Alitheia,� and he held the sheathed sword firmly in his hands for a moment before handing it to Ian. �Go ahead and unsheathe it,� said the prince.
Ian did so, holding the blade vertically in front of his face, and it glowed dimly. �Why was it so bright before?� he asked.
�Alitheia shines brighter in the hands of those who know it better� said Arene, �My father and I are the ones who forge them. I created it; I am one with it. So it will never shine brighter than when it is in my hands or in the hands of my father, and the brighter it shines, the more power it holds. It�s light will make apparent what is hidden, and that is why you were able to see Aldara when I touched the sword. You will find that as the sword brightens in your grip, your tolerance for its light will grow, as well.�
�How can I know the sword better?� Ian asked.
Arene replied, �It must never leave you; wherever you go in the day you must take it with you. You will even sleep with it. And you must treat it as though it is a part of you, training everyday. I and possibly a few others will teach you basic technique and swordsmanship, but it will be up to you to find your true potential as a warrior. You will be shown the path, but it will be up to you to walk in it.�
�A warrior?� said Ian in an odd disbelieving tone, and Ian wrinkled his nose slightly as he said it. The prince just stopped and looked at Ian for a moment. Ian thought it strange; he didn�t see any anger in Arene�s eyes. The silence was not long, but it was still fast becoming uncomfortable.
Then the prince spoke, �Make no mistake. When you hold this sword, you are a warrior. You are untrained and unready to fight. But the first thing you must learn is that your greatest enemy lies within your own heart, and until you learn to fight him you can�t possibly fight with us.�