[Daniel Telcontar]

Khalad stood like the farmers, not really grasping the situation or Vlad's words. When they had defeated the Orcs, Khalad had been proud, and his sword had sung in his hand; for such a purpose had it been forged, and nothing else. Yet as Vlad demonstrated how vulgar he could be upon kissing the poor girl, no doubt was left in Khalad's mind; and the order for him to guard the villagers made him nauseated. He looked at his sword, still stained from the blood of the slain Orcs. Should he yet again disgrace its noble blade with the blood of the innocent?

"No!" A voice shouted inside Khalad's head. "I will be damned before I do this!" Khalad thought, and when Vlad gave him a look of misbelief, he realised that he had spoken outloud. Melost left this scene, perhaps seeking out his brethren, or perhaps just running away. Khalad could see that Vlad demanded some explanation though, and before he could speak the Gondorian spoke:

"We just fought these Orcs, saving this village! Do you have no sense of pride left? No joy over this deed, over the valour shown? Is your sense of honour and righteousness so dead, its voice silenced by your countless crimes? No longer will I stand idle and watch as you walk further down the path of a villain, committing atrocities that I thought only Orcs were capable of! Are you no better a being than them? I will follow Melost, for where ever he runs to it can only be better than this!"

And with this exclamation Khalad, still holding his sword in his hand, turned and ran off in the same direction as Melost. His greatest desire was to escape this place, yet in the back of his head Khalad had a growing wish which he hoped could be achieved by following Melost; Khalad wished to see his brethren again and redeem himself, before his conscience smothered every thought that passed through his head, vividly allowing his memory to relive all the wrongdoings he had done in his young life.