“Once again, thank you for your hospitality.” Nel said as he put his helmet on.

“With our little scheme and the current situation in Lanceberg, I estimate you have about a year at most to prepare. Rebuilding a kingdom will require a lot of food and manpower. I fully expect that the Prince will mobilize us by next summer's harvest.”

“Alright. Oh and thank you.” I said.

Nel simply shrugged before facing Yna.

He bowed once more and led his men back towards the treeline.

They then disappeared into the forest and for the first time in while, I sighed.

The sun’s heat was on full blast as it rose, but I felt nothing but relief.

“Let’s tell Farin and the others that we’re safe. We’ll have to hold off on erecting a second wall since we’re far too understaffed to guard two walls.” I said.

Yna nodded before making her way to the waterfall with me in hand.

We eventually arrived at the throne room which was guarded by Yna’s students. They followed us in and my mind immediately went to work on how build any kind of army.

“Hello everyone.” I said as we approached Farin and the others who all gasped after seeing Yna’s face.

They all sat around a small orb of light that was one of the many that illuminated the chamber.

Farin walked up to us with a concerned expression.

“W- What happened?”

“Its OK, for now. The Blood Ravens were… friendly.” I said, but Farin looked at Yna and looked back at me with a doubtful face.

“Don’t worry. They just had a… scrap. Our focus should shift from development to defence. Mankind’s armies will soon return to the Expanse in an attempt to harvest whatever resources are left. They plan on rebuilding their ruined kingdom, but I won’t stand by and let that happen.”

“Does this mean we’re on the eve of another Great War?”

One of Yna’ students asked and I shook my head in response.

“A Great War? No. A really messy and honestly unnecessary one? Maybe. I’ll do my best to contact Prince Caligo and see if we can talk things out, but I will be prioritizing your safety above everything. If our talks fall apart, I’ll need to make sure that nothing happens to any of you.” I said before sighing.

“That being said, none of you are forced to stay. In the coming times, Coh will become very dangerous. Anyone who wants to head back home is free to do so.” I said.

My voice echoed a bit in the chamber making me feel a little self conscious.

Everyone was also staring at me. That didn’t helped.

Farin took a deep breath and raised his head with what I hoped was prude.

“I’ll stay.”

“I’ll stay too. My husband died a long time ago and although I love my family back in Eimval, I really like it here and Erna has really taken a liking to you. Leaving would only make both of us rather sad.” Shiru said, but my face stiffened.

“Shiru… I want you to think about this very carefully. If you stay here, Erna’s life will be in harms way.”

Shiru gasped before lowering her head.

“Will we be any safer in Eimval?” She asked while avoiding my gaze.

“I’m not sure. But if more Golden Knight’s appear, then… nowhere will be safe really.”

“Then I’d rather stay here.” Shiru said while looking me straight in the eye. It looked like she was on the verge of crying, but she held her tears as best as she could.

“Alright. Oh- Pardon my asking, but what happened to your husband?”

Shiru’s eyes lowered.

“He died in an accident on the third level. I don’t know what he was working on and even though elder Karish said he was working on the seal, I asked some of the workers down there and they said that he hadn’t worked there a single day. Instead, they said he and a few other space magicians were taken somewhere else. Somewhere… deeper.”

“Mmm.” I droned.

Could it be that Karish once attempted breaking into Iana?

“Whatever the truth may have been, you have my condolences.” I said before turning to the other Rendaro.

“Well?”

“We’re fine right here!”

“Yeah. If war does end up breaking out, I’d rather die protecting Coh and Eimval by extension.”

“Yeah!”

They said bringing a faint smile to my face.

“Alright. Let’s head back to the surface and work our asses off!” I declared before receiving a short burst of cheers.

We all left the throne room and I accompanied everyone back to their homes before making our way towards the northern wall.

I inspected it for tens of minutes as the sun slowly set.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“What Nel said was correct, but it won’t work with how understaffed we are. We don’t have enough people to patrol one wall, let alone two.”

“But we could recruit others, especially after we inform them that war may be coming.” Yna suggested.

“I was thinking the same thing. How about… how about we split up. You’ll go to the Oasis and get some warriors- oh and some healers while I head to Eimval to get some space magicians and I also want to establish active trade between the three of us. Make sure to tell Calëb this.” I said, but Yna’s face twisted in sorrow.

“You want us to split up?”

“Yeah. The faster we get everything, the better.”

Yna sighed before nodding.

I then stared at her face for a bit.

I didn’t want her to get hurt again, but if what Nel said was true, she’d only experience more pain in the coming times.

I made it my duty to mitigate the amount of pain she experienced by any means.

“Katsíki?”

“Err… yeah. Let’s inform everyone that we’re leaving.”

We made our way to the residential area where we said bye to everyone.

Yna and I then landed on the not-so-dark Expanse.

“Good luck!” Farin said from atop the wall.

I waved him goodbye before glancing at Yna, who was still wearing the silky gown the Blood Ravens had given her.

In her right hand was her new Black Blade.

I needed to know if it was strong enough to face the coming challenges and so, while biting my teeth, I conjured up another dark hurricane high in the sky.

Yna looked up and saw the whirling clouds of darkness within which, long blue bolts of lightning could be seen.

I had an unlimited source of darkness in the depths of space, but using it was taxing and harmful.

That being said, I needed some sort of reassurance.

A sign that we stood a chance and so, after deeply sighing, I called down a gigantic slab of darkness.

It touched the ground with almost no force or sound.

Yna shot me a questioning glance.

“Hit it. Hard.”

Yna nodded before a bright flash bathed the land and like that time before, I could actually see what she was doing.

She had quickly adjusted her stance.

Was she actually moving so fast that it released so much energy?

Or was she being a show-off?

Yna’s eyes, hair and entire body glowed and even though the sun had set, everything was clearly lit.

Another flash bathed the land and I watched as she dashed towards my dark obelisk while raising her sword.

She then struck its side and the force from the impact was so strong, it kicked up all of the sand beneath the obelisk.

The shockwave from the impact sent me tumbling backwards, but I struggled back up and watched as hot sand fell all around us.

Yna stood next to the obelisk, which had fallen about a meter into the ground thanks to the crater Yna’s attack had created.

“How strong is it compared to your sword?” I asked.

Yna looked at the blade and nodded thoughtfully.

“Far sharper and more durable.” She said as she walked out of the crater.

“Our swords are made of compressed light or Yolenite. It’s basically crystallized light. The smiths weld countless layers of light onto each other, giving us a weapon capable of piercing the scales of even the mightiest of dragons. Your sword on the other hand, is essentially a bar of super compressed darkness that has sharp edges. There’s also this hole that you won’t tell me about. So yeah. It’s pretty good.” Yna said with an impressed expression.

“Good. Tell me if it cracks, chips or breaks.”

“Got it.” Yna said as she walked eastward.

I nodded before looking up at a traumatized Farin and Han.

I lightly smiled before walking south.

It’s here that I noticed that I was half naked.

My legs were those of a goat, but still, my small torso was exposed to the harshness of the Expanse.

I gently rubbed my arms as I walked.

Without Yna, the world a little darker and bigger.

Without her, I was vulnerable.

Weak.

But that’s the way I had always been.

.

..

I approached Eimval and saw that there was quite a lot of activity outside its dark walls.

Several small buildings could be seen scattered about and even in the dead of night, people were working.

I wanted to smile at this, but having the knowledge that some golden motherfuckers could pop up and destroy everything pissed me off.

Some guards walked up to me with strange torches on their hands.

It was a simply stick which had a nest like mesh on top which houses an orb of light.

“Hey, It’s the Dark Vessel. Should we call Elder Anda?”

Elder?

“Yeah. Go get him. I’ll accompany the Vessel to the high office.”

The guards said between themselves.

The first one nodded before running back to Eimval while the other greeted me with an awkward bow.

“Greetings, Dark Vessel. Please, follow me.”

He said.

I nodded before following him into New Eimval and my eyes nearly popped out of my skull as the dark gates closed behind me.

The entire city was filled with tall, beautifully designed stone buildings.

There were some wooden structures and buildings here and there, but still…

Tall lamps lined the streets which were filled with Rendaro.

Yes, their skin was still covered in Dark Marks, but they looked… happy.

The air was filled with various rich aromas and I quickly noticed that every street was paved with smooth stone.

Just what in the world was stopping these guys from rebuilding?

The guard led me across the city.

I figured he was taking me towards the mesa, but as we approached the staircase that led to the top of the mesa’s top, I heard someone call.

“Lord Katsíki!”

I turned around to find a scarred Rendaro running towards me.

He stopped just in front of me before resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

“It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”

The Rendaro asked as he stood upright. This revealed that his body was covered in scars.

He wore a simply set of clothes and his pants were covered in dirt.

“Err… sorry, but who are you again?” I asked with an awkward smile.

“It’s me, Yog!”

“Holy crap! You’re OK!” I said as he ran up to me, but for some reason, the big oaf picked my little self up before spinning wildly.

“Put me down now!” I cried and Yog did so.

I cautiously backed away while he chuckled.

“What brings you to New Eimval?” He asked.

“I have urgent news. Something that can’t be discussed in the open. Actually, you’re taking me to see Anda and the others, right?” I asked and the guard nodded.

“Why don’t you come?” I asked, but Yog’s smile weakened somewhat.

“I can’t. I’m no longer a guard.”

“Why? Is it because of your injuries?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“I see. Well, come along anyway. I’d rather you heard what I had to say as quickly as possible.”

“Is it that bad?” Yog asked.

“Yes.”

He nodded before walking up to me.

“Then lead the way.” He said.

The guard then led to the top of the mesa where we entered a certain dark building which had a style reminiscent of the found on earth.

Countless Rendaro worked around the building in tents and various wooden buildings.

Their bodies all covered in sweat and their eyes burning with determination.

Just what had happened here?

The guard led us into what I assumed was the waiting room.

“Elder Anda should be here any moment now.” He said before leaving.

I nodded before quickly facing Yog who said next to me on a well made wooden bench.

“What the hell happened here? It looks so good!” I exclaimed.

“Well, shortly after the elders returned, they announced the Anda would become the Ia’s next high elder and he immediately announced that all Ia would be put to work. He said that we would be working to break ourselves free from the shackles of our dark past and that with hope and cooperation, we could build a better future for all Ia. Everyone’s been hard at work ever since and Funnily enough, even though he’s now an elder, he’s always working as hard as everyone else. He has overseen every aspect of New Eimval’s construction. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this is his city.” Yog said while a faint smile.

“I see. What about you? What have you been up to?”

“Well, I was told that I wouldn’t have to do any work, but I couldn’t just sit by while everyone tried their hardest and so I visited the farmers and asked if they needed any help. They had me do menial labour and are slowly teaching me how plants work. It isn’t much, but I’m happy enough to be doing what I can to help.” Yog said.

I nodded before looking down in thought.

“So… what’s urgent news?”

“The Golden Prince has awoken and he plans on rebuilding Lanceberg using resources from the Dark Expanse.”