Peneen usually did well with whatever came against him. But every now and then, he came across certain things in life that would unexplainably happen to him, for evil. He was determined to not let anything have power over him, but the very prophecy of his life contrasted that. In a more perfect way, nothing would overpower him, in the end. This little margin of error, this little thin line, where good and evil fought, and which was supposed to be taken care of through all 'right way' preaching and doing, was actually the only space in his life where he would, and or could fail. At times this space was great and at times it was small, and at other times it was completely non-existent.

As he sailed home, there were thoughts of what he would do when he got there, and his thoughts, for the most part, revolved around everything that he had never been able to have, so far in his life. But what he encountered when he came home to the jewel of the creek, was that his hometown had already signed a treaty with the eastern army, and had agreed to live under their rule. This perturbed him, and was like the twisting of the knife stuck into him, beginning with his beloved leaving him. For him now, in his home city, was only his mother, towards whom he still had care. And he would have visited his mother, had he not already found out that anyone entering into or leaving the city had to swear and show allegiance to the Eastern army. Peneen knew that his mother was not a traitor, and wouldn't openly show any allegiance to the Eastern army, but something that he did not even fear to happen, happened, as the city's government, and majority, had sided with the Eastern armies.

Peneen had not actually gone into the city himself, but had heard about their turning by one of the men he came across, as he was landing his boat. The old man had told him all that had happened in the last few days, and of the delegates that the jewel of the creek had sent, being already warned of war, after the Eastern army had conquered the onyx. Strangely enough, the Eastern army had sent no delegation towards the jewel of the creek, but had only received her messengers so that the city's proceeds need not be set to fire in battle. So many in Peneen's home city were not warriors at all, and didn't understand the great ability that they had, both to defend from and to attack the Eastern Army. And one major thing which was overlooked, was the size of the Eastern army, which was not large, save the agreement now with them, by the jewel of the creek. In retrospect, most of the people in the jewel of the creek, just didn't want to fuss with having to take place in a war, and or battle. And it was this one major weakness, more than anything, that led into their unfeigned obedience, now to the armies of the East. And with the jewel of the creek now being an allied port, along with the onyx, for the Eastern army, the Eastern army would be able to grow, and to fight against the Southlands, whose inhabitants were arranged in small groups of people in villages here and there, throughout the land of the South. So far, as much, in history, the Southlands had never united into being one army, but had stayed in occupied villages and groups, where war had only taken place between certain people, and certain tribes.

After Peneen left the coast of the jewel of the creek, where the Rose river carried into the ocean, he didn't at first know where to go. He knew that he was by himself, and without being home for so long, he wasn't sure that he could sneak in safely to speak with his mother.

Peneen wandered along the coast of the far west, docking at night sometimes, and hunting for food. He still held onto his bravery, even though he still went through spells, in which his very life was taken away, only to sprout again later. Not that his life was physically taken away yet, but that something of darkness was attacking and coming forth at opportune times, stopping him from being able to live steadily. His life did resuscitate after these spells, and it took some time before Peneen actually put things together, fully addressing the reason as to why this was happening to him. And it wasn't until now that he also recognized his problem, as to originating by way of prophecy, and not by any kind of failure on his part. So it seemed that he would live and die, and die and live, first losing to the darkness about him, and then later standing again in victory. For the first three and a half days he was confused, regarding the intensity of the evil that so plagued him. Peneen knew within himself that he wasn't just 'copping out,' that this evil was the very thing that had plagued him for most of his life, especially in the last few years. He knew that he had trained vigorously, more than most, and that he had lived exoner-ably. And even though he now had a grip on what ailed him, nightmares began to hound him, many of which had no antagonist at all, save fear, real fear- not just what is understood through story-makers.

For a time he had been avidly searching for direction and purpose, and it was the evil at his heels which kept manifesting at all of the right times, killing his inner person, but then also falling away in his forthcoming victory. If anyone had seen the manner of training that Peneen now was undergoing, and if anyone had known anything of his life herein, they would say that he had gone mad, and was only living in the past, and that his victories were only fictitious things made up by his own mind, to compensate for the failures he was having with what would be called proper providence, purpose, guidance, and direction. But Peneen had only one thing to say about what he was going through: that evil must be up to something, as it was seemingly gearing up and beginning something lucidly evil.