PRINCIPALITY OF RUS, CIRCA 1075 AD

If the large man tried really hard, he could imagine that the rocks he was smashing at the bottom of his smooth-walled pit were human skulls, freshly taken. But trying that hard made Silas' head hurt, so he just saw them as rocks.

Each day, as always, was his guard, Ivan. Each day, as always, Silas taunted him.

"Ivan, one day, I will scale these walls, then kill you and all your family!!"

This made Ivan frown. Ivan frowning made Silas laugh heartily. Such was life in the special prison built just for the Immortal Brute.

Then, one day, after seventeen years had passed, a new guard appeared.

Silas failed to catch on at first.

"Ivan, One Day I Will Scale These Walls And Kill You And Your Entire Family!"

Three Hours Later, He Caught On.

"You Are Not Ivan! Where Is Ivan?"

The guard shrugged.

"Mongol Raiders have, I fear, killed Ivan and his entire family, just last night."

Roaring with rage, Silas slammed his hammer into the ground, and leaped up out of the pit using it as a fulcrum.

He ran past the stunned guard and straight through the countryside to the castle of Prince Rurik. Suffice it to say, he gained entry to the throne room. He shook his fists in the air.

"Rurik! I wish to serve in your army against the Golden Horde and its Khan!"

Prince Rurik was not a fool.

"Certainly, Prisoner Silas. But why now, when you have refused amnesty before, in exchange for service to my crown?"

Silas seemed stunned at the question.

"Why, I should think it would be obvious! After all, the Mongols killed Ivan--My Only Friend!"