All of them were surprised. Most surprised was Rufus.

"I am no ruler. I am not even a leader of any kind," said Rufus.

"Yes, but even we have heard that this gang boss has aided the people of Jacob kingdom for a long time from the shadows. People do not speak of no prince, but of you," Tenzin said and described what the people of the kingdom were saying about him

Rufus didn't know what to think.

"But coexisting is not the most popular opinion among us. Many grey skins would rather massacre all the humans and go down in a blaze of glory rather than live among the humans. The idea to reclaim the golden age again is very strong nowadays.

"We will leave for Lehasa. The capital of the grey skins. All the tribal leaders have been called. We will there decide our destiny. I would use you to persuade that our biggest chance to survive is to live together with humans. Not fail as we did eight hundred years ago. If you could just promise to give your word and persuade everyone in your kingdom who adores you to live together with us in peace. Will you help me to fulfill this dream, Rufus?" Tenzin said and offered his hand.

Rufus thought it for a moment. He was thinking of all the people he left behind in the kingdom. Old man Haufen, Mrs. Jean, Leif, all the other members of the black rat gang that were still alive, people of Wallach, and all the people living in the slums. He then grabbed Tenzin's hand.

"As long as no useless blood is shed, I am willing to fight for you. I am no ruler neither do I want to become one, but I will make sure to protect everyone without caring for the race of the person," Rufus said and looked at Tenzin's eyes.

Tenzin looked pleased.

He then looked at Edward with a stern face.

"I would like to have a word with you. Alone," said Tenzin and asked the other three to leave.

~~

Edward was left in the room alone with Tenzin.

"So, do I get a scolding from you? I might have gone a bit berserk last time," Edward said annoyed to be left alone with Tenzin.

"You are a knight of the black sun, aren't you?" Tenzin asked.

Edward didn't answer first. He knew the knights of the black sun had killed grey skins throughout history to this day.

"Why would you assume this?"

"I have fought them many times. Always cold and always a terrifying enemy. They would cleave through our ranks like a hot knife through butter. We lost many warriors to them," Tenzin said wid a melancholic tone.

"Except for one. I once met a woman knight of the black sun on the battlefield. She swung a long sword similar to yours," Tenzin explained.

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Edward was shocked. He realized he was talking about his mother.

"I was very young and she bested me easily with no problem. Instead of killing me, she let me go. A truly honorable warrior. Before I met her I always thought also that humans were meant to be only killed. She taught me to think otherwise. She battled many grey skins that day with ferocity, but if she had the chance to best them without killing them she would not kill them. I learned then that there was a chance of coexisting with the humans," Tenzin explained happily.

Edward smiled. He had received a warm and happy story about his mother.

"Can I trust you not to go overboard like that again? I will not pry to your personal history, but I must have people I can trust that can draw their blade with one command, but also to lower it with the same determination," Tenzin explained.

Edward chuckled.

"I will lower my blade yes, but not by your command. My sword belongs to Rufus and I would gladly push it through my own heart if he asked," Edward proclaimed.

Tenzin chuckled.

"Good enough for me," Tenzin said.

~ ~

Tenzin left with a small entourage towards Lehasa the capital of the Grey skins. It apparently was the greatest city of the mountains during the golden age of the grey skins. There the council of tribal leaders met.

All in all, there were about twenty tribes of noteworthy that governed smaller tribes. The Dechen tribe was one the strongest ones with Tenzin apparently being respected among all the tribes.

The ride to Lehasa took one week on a black yak. They stopped by in few villages along the way.

Doreen had been oddly silent after she had learned the truth about the people of Aesis and Rufus spotted it.

"Is everything alright?" Rufus asked.

Doreen snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yeah. For all my life I have been persecuted for being a foreigner and all this time the same people who have persecuted me could be considered foreigners in this land themselves. The hypocrisy is almost funny," Doreen said and laughed a bit.

Rufus realized that Doreen had been through a lot. He tried to change the subject a bit.

"Where do you think we humans came from originally?" Rufus asked.

"I don't know and I think no one knows. The human texts and books don't mention anything and the grey skin texts don't give any more information. Where ever they were coming from they didn't want to remember it or go back there, that is for certain," Doreen deduced.

~~

As Tenzin's entourage of Dechen tribesmen and four humans passed many grey skin villages they caught many ugly stares aimed at them. Many grey skins stared at Rufus and his friends. Amala and Pema didn't mind hanging with them and neither did the other Dechen tribe members.

After a week-long march, they reached Lehasa. A large gate was made between two mountains. The gate looked like it could stop almost any army entering the city of Lehasa. The gate was at least thirty meters tall and made from hard stone.

They rode closer to the gate that was being guarded by a dozen of grey skin warriors.

"Who are these pig skins?" asked one grey skin guard.

"They are with us. I believe there is no problem letting them enter Lehasa?" Tenzin asked.

"They are pig skins. This is the last great city from the golden age. It would be sacrilege to not let them in," the guard debated.

Tenzin just sighed.

"They are the Dechen tribe's guests. Hospitality is also sacred for us. We show proper hospitality to everyone. Do you still prevent them from entering?" Tenzin asked and looked deep into the eyes of the guard.

The guard looked reluctant, but he then made the other guards open the massive gates. The entourage of the Dechen tribe entered Lehasa.

"That was truly an impressive structure. Rarely seen any castle even that formidable in Jacob kingdom," Doreen said and watched the gates close.

"That is nothing. That is just the gates. There is no other entrance to the city. The mountains are Lehasa's natural defense. That is the true beauty of the city," said Tenzin and pointed to Lehasa.

A large city was built in the valley surrounded, by large mountains. Small stone buildings littered the valley with a large palace in the center. The palace in the center was the great tribal building. It was even larger than the royal palace in Jacobstadt. There the tribal leaders met to converse on topics that would affect the entire grey skin race.