- Behind this door is the Constable's private room, but it is forbidden for almost anyone to enter.

Nano walked past it without stopping, Na behind it. He watched the door without saying anything, wondering what the room behind it looked like... Nano must have been one of the people who had access to this room, since she was part of Maslow's Protection Team. He had already visited a small part of the Federation and he couldn't lie to himself: it was more impressive than he expected. The big walls, the ceilings meters above, all the Kemonos passing through the long corridors... He hadn't left the main building yet, but unfortunately, the sandstorm that was raging in the desert hadn't stopped yet. Even if he had heard that it seemed to calm down, it was abnormal... He was not reassured, but he told himself that it must be only the weather playing tricks on the desert. Nano had told him not to worry, in any case. He trusted her, even though they didn't really know each other. She had a presence that gave him a certain sense of security, after all, she is part of Maslow’s protectors. He followed her, sometimes observing the landscape around him or the fox tail behind her: it moved at the same rhythm of Nano's steps! He thought it was cute, oddly enough.

- I have to check if everything is okay in the Izaum Ehnbe room," Nano said.

The name she used sounded strange in Na's ears and it would be impossible for him to repeat it. A huge question mark over his head, Na looked at her. Nano sighed as she touched the handle.

- You have the right to follow me, I will explain, she said.

He nodded and followed her closely. He hadn't gotten lost or trailed behind yet, and he intended to keep it that way! When Nano opened the metal door, a strangely dark room opened up to the man. There were some neon green lights illuminating the passageway, but he could not see the floor or the ceiling. He had never seen anything so dark... Even the time he had looked at the Justice desert during the night with Sheerah, it had not been so... dark. Nano took his hand and insisted that he not touch anything. He nodded, not having enough curiosity to dare to walk towards the green lights. She closed the door behind and started walking forward. Na looked down and still couldn't see the ground... It was as if they were walking in a vacuum. Yet their footsteps echoed in the room and he was sure he wasn't flying. Nano said nothing, walking silently towards the main room. She took a left turn, her hand still gripping Na's. Nano began to speak:

- Where we are is the room of Izaum Ehnbe and I know the name is strange, but it is actually not a term you have never heard.

Na stopped looking around and looked at Nano. She was the only "shape" he could understand in this place... He couldn't tell where the ceiling was, or the walls, and the green lights were coming from some kind of... giant tubes that he couldn't understand how they worked. He opened his ears wide, wanting to hear the Kemono's explanation: after all, he was curious about this room.

- Izaum Ehnbe is the name of a Kemono who lost his life against a woman... shall we say, evil?

- Izaum…

- Yes, Izaum Ehnbe. Repeating this name is unbearable, so I hope you'll remember it. If not, it's not very important…

She took a right turn and walked past one of the large tubes with the faint green glow. It wasn't her job to come and check every day if everything was going well, but without the Constable, she had to... She didn't want to leave this task to Kin and even if she wouldn't have to worry about the other three, she preferred to do it herself. Besides, with Na in her way, she thought it was a good opportunity to show him this room... Of course, it wasn't open to everyone, but as long as she was there, she didn't see any problem to show him. If he got too curious and tried to touch anything, he would be killed quickly anyway. She didn't turn around once, but she felt Na's curious look at the tubes that started from the floor and zig-zagged in all directions before crossing the ceiling.

- What you see everywhere are the tubes that feed the crystal," Nano admitted.

- The crystal? asked Na.

- ... You will see.

She took one last turn and Na saw that a door was at the end of the hallway. It wasn't at all clear to see, but it was definitely a door: it was a different color than the all-black walls. They arrived quickly behind and she knocked first four times, three times, once and then twice. Na understood that it was some kind of code, but he didn't know why she had to do such a thing. A metallic noise sounded and the door opened weakly.

- Who is it?" a male voice asked.

- Nano from the Protection Team. I am accompanied by Na, the human who arrived a short time ago," she answered.

- Maslow should be the one to come here. Why did you bring a "guest"?

- Maslow can't come to see if everything is okay today, unfortunately. For Na, it's because I'm giving him a tour of the Federation. He has my permission.

Nano did not admit that the Constable had "temporarily run away" from the Federation to see a rumor with her own eyes. The door closed, but not for long: more metallic noises were heard and the door opened fully. Na looked ahead and noticed that the Kemono had an impressive build and if he were to shake his hand, he probably wouldn't survive it. He had hair tied up in a bun and a beard that didn't just stay on his chin... He was impressive and very tall. His look scared Na, but with Nano holding his hand, nothing could happen to him.

- I'll come quickly to see if everything is alright, said Nano.

- Please do.

She thanked him with a nod of her head and Na shyly followed suit. The Kemono kept his eyes fixed on the human, not being able to trust him... If he made the slightest suspicious movement, even if he was with Nano, he would not hesitate to put him down and make him spit out his guts. His violence made Na tremble, but he did his best not to show his fear. They arrived at the room, which was much brighter than the place they had come from. It wasn't long before Na looked up and opened his eyes wide as he saw what was before him.

A large crystal glowing with green and blue.

It couldn't have been what was called "giant" or "gigantic", but it was at least three times Na's size. It glowed brightly, but being behind very thick glass, its rays did not burn the Kemonos' - or Na's - retinas. He couldn't move his eyes from this magnificent sight and remained speechless... So this was the crystal that Nano had mentioned a few moments before... Two male Kemonos were in front of the glass and one of them turned around. He looked more friendly than the muscular one.

- Ah, Ma... Ah?

He stopped in his tracks when he saw that it was not the Constable who was in front of him, but-

- Nano?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded.

- Accompanied by a curious human.

She pulled Na and forced him into the light and he smiled shyly. He bowed his head respectfully.

- H-Hello…

- Eeeeh... It's amazing, it's always Maslow who wants to come and check on the crystal... the Kemono let go.

- She can't come today, nor probably tomorrow... Actually, I don't know how long it's going to be, but I'll be the one to come and get the news.

Learning this surprised all three Kemonos in the room. The one still facing the crystal turned to Nano and blinked.

- But, Maslow…

- Is it such a big deal that it's ME who's coming?" asked Nano, already annoyed by their reactions.

- ... None," the Kemono said in front of her.

He adjusted his glasses on his face and placed a hand on his hip.

- As always, no change in the charts. Her condition is still around 1.2%... It's almost disturbing," the Kemono admitted.

- At least the numbers aren't going down, Nano said.

- But they're not going up either, that's the problem.

She touched her chin and looked at the crystal. Na turned his face back to the glass and looked again at what he was so curious about. The room he was in was filled with technology that made no sense to him, so he preferred to focus on the large glowing crystal. He noticed that the faintly glowing pipes from the dark room were also there and clinging to the crystal.

Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to something... IN the crystal.

He squinted and saw that a figure was there... He could hardly tell what it was, but it looked like-

- I told you the name of this room.

He blinked and looked at Nano. She was staring at the crystal with a neutral look, but yet exuded an emotion he didn't quite understand…

- Izaum Ehnbe. He lost his life to a monstrous woman, but he was such an... important Kemono. Too important.

She clenched both fists, one of her hands still in Na's. He turned to the crystal and immediately understood what the figure in the crystal was.

- The body of that Kemono…” he thought aloud.

Nano closed her eyes and sighed before turning to the bespectacled Kemono.

- Nothing to declare, then? she assured herself.

He shook his head.

- It's been almost three months since we've seen any change, so we're starting to get scared…

Nano shrugged her shoulders.

- We can't lose hope. We have no right to.

She took one last look at the crystal and then turned to leave

- I'll be back tomorrow. It will only be temporary, Mrs. Maslow will still be the one to come most of the time.

With that, she left the room with Na in her hand. He said goodbye and the bearded Kemono closed the door behind them, the metallic noises were heard again. Na walked at her pace, right behind her.

- ... The crystal you just saw…

- The Kemono is in there, right?

- ... That's right. Izaum is inside... but he's dead. I mean, he's "dead".

- What do you mean?

She told him that she will explain to him more outside, after checking some places. He accepted without any concern.

Nano sat down on a bench and offered Na to sit there too — which he did instantly. He had a sandwich in his hands, but he hadn't started it yet. He had gone to get something to eat with Nano after the day's visit: it was now 12:35. They were in a part of the Federation where there was very little traffic, especially this early... Nano, before biting into her cheese sandwich, spoke.

- I told you I would tell you a little about Izaum Ehnbe, didn't I?

Na bit into his food and nodded. He had taken a sandwich with more meat, but it was decorated with lettuce.

- Do you know the history of the Federation?

- Not really..." he admitted.

- I guess you know a little, though?

- Sheerah told me some of the details, but I don't know much anyway…

Nano began to eat her own sandwich while observing the man next to her. He hadn't been here long, so this shouldn't surprise her too much... She organized her thoughts and began to explain to him who this Kemono was.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

- Eighty years ago, a man named Artur Deschats created the Federation. Well, he started the architectural plans and all that a few months before, but as soon as he finished them, the Federation was created... instantly.

- Instantly?" Na repeated, astonished.

Nano nodded.

- In reality, the Federation was built by three different people. Artur Deschats is the main founder, but he wasn't the one who built it. Also, he wasn't the one who figured out how to make the weapons work inside the Federation.

While eating his meal, Na listened to her with great attention. He was very interested in knowing more about the Federation.

- Artur Deschats. Matthéo Soranho and Izaum Ehnbe. These are the three founders of the Federation.

- Izaum…

- Yes, the Kemono inside the crystal. Dead, but not really.

- How is that possible...?

- Before I explain, let me quickly tell you about the founding of the Federation.

She took a big bite and chewed it while looking up at the sky, visible through the glass ceiling. There were no Kemono around, but if anyone heard what she said, she wouldn't care: it was known to all Kemono, after all.

- Artur Deschats came up with the idea of creating the Federation because the Kemono were suffering from too much racism in the human world. Even now, of course, but since Maslow has been the Constable, things are better... Anyway, relations with humans are a little more formal and professional these days. Before, it was... horrible.

She touched her teeth, trying to free a piece of cheese that had gotten stuck between two of them.

- Even though there is a lot of mystery surrounding Artur Deschats, it is certain that he is the one who founded the walls of this Federation. Even though there are teams and Factions that maintain the structure of the various buildings, they are still so strong, resistant and in good condition... Even after 80 years,” the Kemono continued to explain.

- ... I see…

- He is the one who made the plans, but it was Matteo who created the walls. With his Power, he was able to bring to life the precise plans that Artur had made... and that's how the Federation was created.

Na found it hard to believe that "all of this" had been made so quickly, so easily... It was so big, so immense... Besides, he knew that the building he was in was only the main structure: the Federation continued in the basements and some pieces scattered in the desert. It would take him far too long to observe everything, but one day he expected to know everything there was to know...!

However, a question came to his mind after hearing all this.

- What about Izaum... ? he asked.

- That's good, you listen. Yes, he too founded the Federation, but he's the one who created the weapons that are implemented in the walls of the buildings in case an unstoppable Longers attack comes.

She tapped the floor with her foot.

- We never used them because we never needed them, but right now we can't use them. I think it's clear why.

Na was about to bite into his sandwich, but he thought about it and came up with an answer.

- Because he's the only one who knows how to activate them...?” asked Na.

- Bingo.

She nodded.

- That's why he's in that crystal. He may be dead, but his heart is still beating.

- ... ?!

Na blinked, unable to understand what that meant. Sure, he had regained consciousness about two weeks before and he didn't remember his past life, but he still knew how life worked! When a heart stopped, it was the death of the being! He couldn't understand Nano's words, even though he was trying to figure out what she had meant. The Kemono chewed what she had in her mouth and turned to him to observe his disturbed look. She almost smiled, but she swallowed the end of her sandwich and told him the truth about Izaum.

- 78 years ago now, just two years after the creation of the Federation, Izaum and Matteo were both killed,” she said without hesitation.

- ?!!

- Artur is the only one who survived, but he was badly injured in the fight. He died a year and a few months later, leaving his place as Constable to his daughter, Myrtille Deschats.

Na couldn't believe it…

- Who... who killed them...?" asked Na, curious.

Nano grabbed Na's sandwich wrapper and threw it in the garbage with hers. She came to sit next to him again and looked ahead.

- Although it wasn't all clear, Artur said she was an "old friend" named Moloch.

A name he'd never heard and a strange sounding one at that.

- Alone against the three of them, she killed Matteo without any problems, since his Power did not allow him to defend himself. However, Izaum was very powerful and Artur even more so... Nevertheless, it wasn't really enough.

Nano held her hands.

- Moloch killed Izaum after a long fight and Artur only got away from it thanks to Natalhia's help.

- Natalhia...?

The more Nano spoke, the more questions appeared in Na's head.

- Natalhia was part of the former Protection Team of Myrtille Deschats, she admitted. After, sorry Na, but we don't really talk about Natalhia, here…

He wanted to know why, but he understood that he should not insist. Nevertheless, he asked something else:

- I thought the Protection Team was created by Maslow...?

- Ours, yes. But Myrtille, the former Constable, still had two people at her side. Natalhia and her brother Mirando, both of them monsters in combat abilities... Both of them…

She paused in her sentence and sighed.

- It's nothing important, let's just say that they are no longer of this world.

- ... ?

- To return to Izaum…

He didn't even have time to learn more about Natalhia and Mirando when she returned to her basic subject.

- Even though the details are hidden from me, like about every Kemono in the Federation, Izaum is not really dead. He died... as a "person".

He still didn't understand. Nano saw that she couldn't make herself clear, so she stopped beating around the bush.

- In fact, Izaum's heart is still beating, but his brain capacity... Let's just say he doesn't remember anything. So much of nothing... that even "living" is a concept he has forgotten.

Nano's explanation was clearer, but Na couldn't deny it: he just didn't understand. Nano rubbed her eyes as she removed her glasses.

- Imagine if someone made you forget how to do a certain task like how to SLEEP. You can't sleep anymore, because you don't know how. Only by learning it again can you do it, right?

- I... suppose?" said Na, confused.

- When we explain to you how to sleep again, you can put it into practice and sleep again. Here, with Izaum... He has forgotten everything. Even what it is to live.

She gritted her teeth.

- Even what it is to die.

These were words that Na could understand... without understanding them. It was so illogical and complicated to apply to his reality that he could hardly even accept that it could happen. He wanted to ask her to repeat it, but he knew it wouldn't help... It was just too... weird.

- I know what I'm telling you here sounds impossible and illogical, but it's actually reality. That's why he's in a crystal... We need Izaum to know how to operate the weapons in case it's needed, but also because we want to know the truth about Moloch's attack, Nano explained.

- ... How is that possible..." Na said, still shocked by what he had just learned.

- I have to tell you, I'm not sure... Matteo is really dead, but Izaum... It must have been due to Moloch's power, but Artur never gave the details and seems to have forgotten parts of the battle... It's all so... strange.

She put her glasses back on and stood up from the bench, now facing Na.

- One day we'll know the truth. In this crystal, we're "forcing" information into his skull so he can wake up one day, but we've been doing this for five years now and the progress is minimal. It's probably a lost cause.

Na had his head up, watching Nano's eyes. He still had trouble understanding Izaum's situation, but he'll think about it later…

- Come on, get up, I still have work to do.

In a cold tone, but which did not seem mean. Na complied and nodded.

- Sure, he simply said.

****************************************************************

The man waited quietly in his chair, but his eyes showed impatience. He wanted to tap his foot on the metal floor beneath him, but he couldn't accept that his discovery would disturb his heart. He looked out the window of his room, his head resting on the back of his hands. After a few seemingly endless moments, the door behind him opened and a man saluted.

- I'm here, Chief!

He was dressed like the other sailors, but he was the one the Chief had asked to come.

- Finally…

The man in charge of the place turned his chair around and faced the sailor with eyes as eager as ever.

- I need you to ask the one in charge of the radio to send a message," said the Chief.

- What kind of message?" the sailor asked.

- Ask her to send a message to a certain "Salida" in the Kemono Federation. She will find her frequency at the top of the list in our contact book.

The sailor blinked, not expecting such a request. How long had it been since they had spoken with the Kemonos...?

- For the message, tell him to send…

The Chief closed his eyes for a few moments before slowly opening them again. He did not show a happy expression.

- "A horde of Longers are heading your way. From the ocean."