Before the Atlan soldiers arrived, the men and women of Parsana had deployed in the Saviour Island. As soon as the soldiers set foot on land, the soldiers of Parsana and the Saviour burnt their boats and started fighting. The unknown atmosphere of the island and the firm, motionless ground – too different from the ships and boats – had taken the soldiers unawares. Their boats were on fire and they had no way back. The heavy defeat of the Atlan soldiers kept them away from Oxan for some years. The residents of the Saviour Island had forgotten all about Hurmaz’s abandonment of the Saviour Ship. All they needed was a new ruler who could end the war, even if there was no victory. And Hurmaz had done this for them. Soon after, the disciples had returned and to prove their loyalty, they had returned all the plundered coins. Hurmaz was appointed as the First Disciple. But after settling things down in the Saviour Ship, he had spent some time in Oxan. He had a detailed plan to use Saviour’s wealth for the safety of the whole Oxan region. First of all, he had organised an army of soldiers and guards and had deployed them in different strategic regions. As the Oxan market regained its strength, more money came in as tax to the Saviour Ship and the army could earn its expenses. Hurmaz never gave up the name ‘Parsana’, the ship that had helped him win the war. He would avoid answering any questions about the defenders who had come to their aid. The chiefs of Parsana knew that as long as Hurmaz lived, the treaty between them would hold.

After two years of preparing the Saviour Army, Hurmaz had gone back to his position as the First Disciple. He had taken Tirad with him to the Saviour Ship. Three years later, the Atlan soldiers, who were plagued by the constant killings of their missionaries by Oxan boatmen and guards, set off for another attack on the Saviour Ship. This time, they didn’t waste their energy on battles with the divers and fishers of the ships. They sailed straight to the Saviour Island. But the Saviour Army attacked them on their way. A few remaining boats of Atlan warriors had set foot on the Island, starting a battle that lasted a whole day. The same battle remembered by Tirad, the horrifying night when he had taken refuge in Lealy’s arms for the first time. The Atlan soldiers suffered a great defeat from the new and spirited soldiers of the Saviour Army and the Island residents. Soon after, the Circle sent Hurmaz to sign a peace treaty with Atlan, ending the war for good.

Hurmaz was never sorry for having left the Saviour Ship and starting a family. Although he would never say it out loud, but Tirad feels that he still longs for the happy life he has had away from the Saviour Ship and if he could, he wouldn’t hesitate to go back. Tirad never saw this as an undermining of the Saviour by Hurmaz. He had reviewed Hurmaz’s past in his mind many times and had come to the same conclusion: Hurmaz believed in the Saviour and his Rules otherwise he wouldn’t fight for it to the end. He could have given into despair and let the Saviour Ship fall like many others had done. It was not just fate. Hurmaz had chosen and his choices were wise and right. Even his first choice to leave the ship and experience the life on the sea was crucial to his later success. He needed all that to find his true self, recognise his abilities and show his ultimate authority to others until they truly believed in him as their First Disciple and leader. Love, for Hurmaz, was a mean to his greatness. This is the love that Tirad looks forward to. A love that would secure his salvation, not a lustful desire that would vanish after the first sex.