Hour or two passed while Ulrich was sitting next to his squire corpse, thinking of something, staring in to infinity. Why did God spare my life? So many people have died this night and I was safe in a dreamland, I could save them if I wasn’t asleep. Ulrich took a look over the bodies, most of them were wearing German clothes, those were his countrymen. By what act did we summon this wrath of God upon us? I shall not fail my German compatriots again! This must be the God’s will, my task is clear.

After finishing mourning Ulrich stood up and went to find a tool to dig a grave for Gustaf. While searching for such, Ulrich found a leather flask with water and closed small barrel with salted pork. Both came in handy because thirst and hunger were getting stronger and now that could be fixed. Finding a proper wooden plank and finishing his meal, Ulrich took out his knife to sharpen the edge of the plank. Although knife was rusty after sea water, it did its job good and in few moments an improvised shovel was complete. Ulrich found a nice spot a bit higher on the beach and begun to dig.

It took longer than Ulrich thought to dig a grave but finally it was done and Ulrich returned to where Gustaf was laying. Come my friend, I shall accompany you to your resting place. Ulrich turned Gustaf on his back, to pick him up, when he noticed that there is a small wooden chest in Gustaf’s hands. Boy was holding it tight, pressing it to his breast. But it’s my paper chest! Ulrich’s hands begun to shake as he realized that boy died trying to save the documents identifying who Ulrich was, deed to small amount of silver and other family papers. Silently, with horror seen on his face, Ulrich took the chest from dead boy’s hands and putted it aside, picking up Gustaf’s body and carrying it to the grave, silently, not even blinking. World around went silent or maybe Ulrich didn’t want to hear anything as he dug in a tomb, observing as Gustaf was disappearing under the sand. I have promised to your parents that I will bring you back alive, that I will help you to become a knight. How can I return home now? I remember you playing with other kids in the yard, you always was brave, brave and foolish. You should save your life, not my title…

It was middle of the day when Ulrich finished burial. Wind got stronger and noise from the sea also. Ulrich stood in front of a grave looking at improvised cross, made from two planks with a German words inscribed on them with a knife: Hier ruht Gustaf Chatter

Clouds were gathering above in the sky and so was Ulrich, gathering what he had to venture in to the land, to find out where he was and where to go next. Endless sands of desert promised nothing but death, but there wasn’t much of a choice for Ulrich, so he went in to direction of as he thought was an oasis somewhere on a horizon.