William Tell is in despair - he believes Kalem is dead, and that without her the Quest is lost.

Drogo arrives with news from the Citadel of Xax’s impending Coronation. Xax has declared he will go on the Pilgrimage of Kings alone, as the Statutes require...

But when has Xax ever obeyed the Statutes? Will is convinced this must be a trap, and not a very subtle one at that. Aruna, however, has become impatient and angry with Will’s passivity since Kalem’s "death". Againstorders, she goes after Xax - and is herself captured.

Will joins a ragged band of prisoners and thus creeps into the Citadel to rescue her, but cannot escape from the giant Gar, who has been set the task of training the prisoners. They will perform as gladiators during the Coronation festivities: fighting to the death for the amusement of the crowd.

Meanwhile, Xax has an extraordinary plan for Aruna - to make her his Warrior Queen. Confused and angry with Will, Aruna is vulnerable to Xax’s manipulations of the truth. To the horror of Leon, Vara and Drogo, who steal into the Coronation disguised as peasants, she appears on the dais next to Xax. Can Aruna, who has fought so many battles for the rebels, really have changed sides?

Kreel has a failsafe plan to find out. To prove Aruna’s loyalty to Xax, she will fight the first combat to the death - and her partner will be: William Tell ... But Will cannot kill his companion of all their adventures - and just when it seems his own life is most in danger, Kalem awakes from her trance-like sleep and calls to him. He is the Chosen One; his life is paramount. Kalem orders Will to kill Aruna...

Gar creates enough of a disturbance for the band to escape - but with the death of Aruna all seems lost. The others turn on Will: they cannot believe he could have betrayed one of them so callously.

Will, equally appalled and equally heartsick, abandons the Quest - and the Princess - and he and Alvar set off on their own once more ...