"A bunch of small flies, I don't think we need to concern ourselves with them," Incarus said dismissively.

"But if they become a nuisance, we will crush them," he continued, showing no particular worry.

"Yes, my Lord," Elder Khanel replied with a brief moment of hesitation before leaving.

Even though he knew that the enemy that had attacked them was somewhat powerful, the assurance from the Almighty One that they could easily deal with such threats gave him comfort, allowing his mind to wander.

"I think we all need that residence badly," Incarus remarked after Khanel left, addressing the others.

"Of course! Look at us, we've been cramped in here for hours. I can't even properly sleep in this place," complained Acedia.

"But I like it this way," Ishtar chimed in, getting closer to Leviathan.

"Don't you like it this way too, Leviathan?" she asked seductively, attempting to sit on his lap.

["Oh, here she goes again,] Leviathan thought, straightening up his back to create more space between them.

"Ishtar," Incarus's commanding voice cut in.

"Why, I was just asking for his opinion," Ishtar said, retreating to her throne.

"I'm sure Leviathan likes the residence too, am I right?" Incarus turned to Leviathan for an answer.

"Residence is good," Leviathan muttered in response.

"Then that settles it," Incarus declared.

"So, are we going to teleport this thing or move to a new place?" Tiamat asked after a long silence.

"Of course, we're going to teleport this thing. There's no way I'm going to waste my time moving out," Acedia declared lazily as he stretched his arms and got up from his side throne.

"So, are you going to do it, or shall I?" he asked Incarus.

"I'll do it," Incarus replied. The crown on his head, with three spires in front, the highest one colored in cold red, and the lowest in pure white, began to gleam. He reached up, taking the crown in his hand.

"It's been a long time since I've used teleportation skills," Incarus mentioned as he examined his crown, a piece of pure craftsmanship. It had no gems or other adornments, only a fire-like substance.

"Let's test it a bit."

Wearing the crown in his head again. He closed his eyes.

As Elder Khanel left the main hall, he strolled along a path that led him beside a place where a handful of people were constructing temporary residences.

Most of the structures were nearly complete, with only a few remaining tasks such as securing ropes and connecting some of the huts together.

While Khanel passed through this area, he happened to spot an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

With a warm smile, he walked over and called out, "It's been a long time, Wendor!" His friend was engrossed in his work, and upon hearing the familiar voice, he turned around. A smile initially spread across his face but quickly faded as he returned to his task.

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"Yes, it certainly has, Khanel. I didn't expect to see you here," Wendor replied while continuing to work.

"I was on my way to my room, and when I heard your voice, I couldn't just ignore it," Khanel responded.

"Really? After what happened, I didn't think you'd have the nerve to still call me a friend and face me," Wendor said, maintaining an indifferent demeanor.

"Are you still upset about that? It's been six years now. Let it go already. How many times have I apologized to you for that?" Khanel replied with a hint of irritation, recalling the unpleasant subject that had strained their friendship.

Thud!

The heavy sound of Wendor slamming his working tool onto the table echoed through the air. He turned around to face Khanel, his face twisted with anger and frustration.

"Do you have any idea how much I valued that Rayih gem? It was the only thing I entrusted to you to keep safe, and it was just for a week. And what did you say when I asked for it back?" Wendor's voice thundered with anger, causing Khanel to keep his mouth shut, well aware that saying anything at this moment would only further enrage Wendor.

"You said it was misplaced, a mere misplacement, when it was the most valuable thing to me," Wendor continued, his frustration boiling over.

"How can I trust you after that, especially when you couldn't safeguard your best friend's most valuable possession, Khanel?" Wendor concluded, his words emphasized by a deep breath after delivering his impassioned speech.

Khanel didn't reply; in fact, he had nothing to say to Wendor. He vividly remembered placing the Rayih gem inside his small, secure safe made of a resilient type of wood and then putting it up in the ceiling of his house.

However, when he had searched for it again, to his horror, it was nowhere to be found. Even after scouring his entire house, he couldn't locate it. The failure to find the gem had led to a rift between them, something he still regretted to this day.

"Elder Wendor," at that moment, a priest approached them, carefully cradling a large egg in both of his hands.

Upon the priest's arrival with the egg, Wendor regained his usual calm demeanor.

"So, this is the egg of the legendary Alkon bird," he said while taking the egg from the priest's hand. The egg had a dark purple color with a subtle glisten, and Wendor held it gently, as if cradling a precious baby.

"Yes, Elder," the priest confirmed, "while one of our hunters was foraging for food in the woods, he happened to stumble upon this wonder."

"Wonderful. Don't forget to reward him for bringing this to the sanctuary," Wendor said, appreciating the egg's beauty.

"It truly is a beauty," Khanel chimed in, also admiring the egg's exquisite appearance.

After handing over the egg, the priest prepared to leave. However, Wendor interrupted him.

"Wait, while you're here, could you give us a little help?" Wendor asked, his focus solely on the temporary residence that still needed to be secured and patched together. He completely ignored Khanel in this request.

Knowing that he couldn't refuse the Elder's request, the priest agreed and walked towards the camp to lend a hand.

Wendor walked alongside the priest, and Khanel also followed because he had no other tasks at the moment.

Together, they joined the workers in their efforts to construct the camps. Despite their elevated status as elders with significant power within the sanctuary, the simple act of helping with the construction work left a positive impression on the workers.

It showed that these elders were not above physical labor and were willing to work alongside the common members of the sanctuary. This gesture of humility and cooperation fostered a sense of unity and respect among all who labored together to build the camps.

In a moment of crisis, one of the workers on the top of a camp's ladder lost his balance, and Wendor, who happened to be nearby and knowledgeable, was the one who could have fixed the situation.

However, he hesitated because he was holding the precious Alkon egg.

Seeing the moment, Khanel approached Wendor and offered to hold the egg, suggesting, "Here, let me hold it."

"Don't be an idiot. Do you think I'll make the same mistake twice?" Wendor replied, refusing to give Khanel the egg.

But just then, the worker's situation became more urgent, pushing Wendor to make a quick decision.

"Give me the egg, Wendor. Let me take care of this. Trust me for once. I promise I won't break it," Khanel reassured.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Wendor decided to trust Khanel one more time and gave him a chance.

"Here, hold this. I'll go and fix that thing. But remember, this is the only time I trust you," he said, handing the Alkon egg to Khanel.

But Amidst the exchange, the space around Khanel suddenly began to tremble, and in an instant, he vanished into thin air, leaving Wendor in a frozen position, hand outstretched with the egg.

Chuk!

The egg fell to the ground with a resounding crack, shattering into pieces, and dark liquid spread everywhere.

Elder Wendor stood like a statue, his eyes locked on the empty space where Khanel had stood just moments before.

When Khanel's vision reappeared, he found himself in the main hall of the sanctuary, facing the Absolute Being.

"Oh, it succeed!" Incarus exclaimed with joy.