As streaks of light shine through the window, Ezra slowly opens his eyes, laying on his side he seems to be facing a table. It takes him time to realise what is going on but when he does, he immediatelly jolts up.

A wet towel falls onto his lap from his forehead, he seems to have been laying in a rather fancy bed, covered by pinkish-blue bed sheets. He looks around and sees a very lavish looking room, he looks in awe at everything before finally looking down at the towel in his lap.

A very neatly folded, white towel lays in his lap as he is sitting up on the bed, he takes it into his hand, it seems to be wet and laced with some type of medicinal herb but it is unclear which one due to an unfamiliar odor.

He pulls the sheets off himself and stands up, setting the towel on the bedside table next to a glass of water. He looks over to a round window, the rim of the window is a golden, coiled dragon biting its own tail, outside it seems as if it is autumn which perplexes Ezra. Wasn't it summer when he was in Seelvia? Nevertheless, he decides to leave the room and sees a golden dragon on the door again.

'Whoever owns this house must really love dragons...' He thinks to himself and opens the door, the creek of the door opening is soon followed by a loud yelp from the other side of the door.

Ezra flinches and looks at who he hit and sees Helena on the floor, she seems to be covered in water. She sighs and stands up.

"You're awake, i was just about to go check on you, how are you feeling?" She says with worry in her tone.

"I'm fine, you woke up already?" He replies to which Helena simply nods.

"Yes, i woke up halfway in a carriage Fa Jin used to bring us here. I was honestly pretty close to slicing him into pieces but he explained that he meant no harm and we agreed on a cease fire."

"I see... And the others?"

"Qiang is nowhere to be found, sadly though Johan is still unconscious."

Ezra looks worried for a moment but continues to walk through the hall, "i'll go and explore the place a little, you can go do whatever."

He walks through the halls, many servants come to pass. He walks on the wooden floor, the floor creeking with every new step. The walls are beautifully decorated with golden dragons on the walls although its quite unclear if it's real gold.

Ezra descends down a staircase, many guards walk around through the halls, the scene looks captivating somewhat. On the stairs he walks past a woman, she is dressed in a completely white, thin robe, she has long white hair in likeness to Johan, a small smile on her face. She looks almost like a divine spirit.

"Oh, you're awake?" Her voice is soft, tender.

Ezra immediatelly turned to face her. She giggled slightly.

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"What is that bewildered look for? How rude of you to give me such a look after i've lent you my room!" She teased, "i'm only joking, i have some things to retrieve from upstairs, do you wish to come with? Perhaps we could exchange a few words while there. I'm sure you must have at least a few questions."

Ezra nods slowly and hesitantly but follows her up, she laughs at his hesitation. She opens a wooden sliding door, on the othe side is an attic, its quite well organised. The room is also large but isn't decorated at all, just a plain room with shelves and a table in the middle of it.

She takes a chair and climbs on it to reach a high shelf, taking a scroll and then stepping down from the chair, "what is that?" Ezra asks.

"My mother's scroll, she was quite the diligent writer." She walks past him, but Ezra seems to notice a single tear roll down her cheek as she leaves the room.

Ezra follows behind, asking her name to which she replies with a simple "Yue" and continues to walk. They get to the stairs and below the staircase stands Fa Jin.

"Hurry up, sister, we need to meet with the elders and divulge the plans to stop the Seelvian forces." Yue points to Ezra, "may he come as well?" Fa jin nods and walks off, leaving the home.

"Sister?" Ezra asks.

"Yes, i am Fa Jin's elder sister. He already told me about you, Ezra."

"Really? What did he say?"

"He told me how he absolutely crushed you in a fight and brought you to your knees, making you beg for mercy..."

"Sure he did..." Ezra rolls his eyes in annoyance, making her give a sly grin.

They begin to walk, leaving the clan residence. The air outside is fresh, autumn air, the Estate seems to be located in a dense forest, the ground covered in fallen orange leaves. They walk for a bit within the large Estate, soon arriving at a house, the house seems to be filled with people, all old and decrepit.

"Who is this kid? An outsider in our great Estate?!" A man with a long black beard said with an annoyed tone, he walks forward in an intimidating manner looking down at Ezra who seems unfazed.

"Miss Yue, what is the meaning of this? Every day you act more and more like an insolent brat!" Another man said, stomping his walking stick onto the ground, "perhaps it was a mistake to appoint you as Head of the Jin clan!"

"Elder Fang, sit down. I won't ask twice." Yue's expression turns serious, "i will not stand for mockery in this meeting, this is wartime and time is not on our side."

Elder Fang begins to sweat profusely and sits down immediatelly, Fa Jin grins at this moment holding back laughter.

Yue sits as well and Ezra sits down next to her, she takes out the scroll and sets it down on the large round table. On the scroll is some writing and a map, hand drawn but very well made in ink painting style and in color.

The map is of the border between Seelvia and Archos, showing the positions of every village in the region as well as every large city.

"The forces of Seelvia have been able to pass the dragon gates of the west, utilising a night assault. The forces of our clan were weakened due to a previous battle and while awaiting reinforcements from the Grandmaster, all dissappeared without a trace."

Yue says, everyone looks on in shame and disapointment. Their forces so easily crushed, left without a single trace of an attack? To the elders, it's something so proposterous, almost out of a fairytale.

"This is very likely the work of a Principle," Fa Jin adds, "at this rate, its safe to assume we'll be crushed before we even blink."

"What?! Double the guards! We must protect the Estate!" An elder calls out.

"I doubt it would do anything." Another elder adds.

The elders argue among each other about the situation, calling it hopeless and saying they should surrender immediatelly to save themselves, meanwhile, Yue looks lost in thought before she opens her mouth to speak.

"Hope isn't lost..." That snaps the elders' gazes to her, hope lighting up in their eyes.

"There is a certain people who will be of great help to us..." She turns to Ezra, "Ezra, will you join the war effort?"

TO BE CONTINUED...