I opened my mouth to object but Sidus raised his hand.

“No, Zuri. Think about it. Everyone being sent to Lornster will have already been guilty of a crime. By actively resisting us in our plans, they’ll be straying from the path of redemption that we’re trying to lay out. I’m sorry, but I will not tolerate any resistance at that point.” Sidus said with a frown.

I nodded before lowering my head.

“Dammit, look. You made her sad.” Cento said, but I stood up and faced the two Helma.

“No, I get it.” I said with weak smile.

We then made our way to Gera’s office where Kulea awaited us and she was dressed surprisingly well.

She wore a dark brown dress and covering her small arms was a thin silk scarf.

“Good morning.” I greeted and the two greeted back.

“Alright, we’ll leave for Stonenger and afterwards, we’ll return to Lornster where we’ll draw up our plans while the Helma heal the land around the town.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Kulea said with a raised nose.

Gera nodded before leading us to a teleportation platform.

We them found ourselves in a very windy place.

It was so windy, that Kulea’s scarf flew off and we all watched as it fell with the wind.

I gave her a light pat on the back as she pouted before looking around to find that we were standing on a small platform that was connected to what I knew was Mt. Nuru.

A tall mountain made of steep, jagged and dark rocks.

Greeting us were several silver and golden knights and they lined the path further into the mountain.

We made our way across the steep walkway way while being blasted by strong mountainous winds.

We eventually arrived two large iron gates which led into Stonenger Keep and we promptly entered the fort to find that its interior was rather quiet. Almost deafeningly so.

Lining our path was a dark blue carpet which led to another door.

A single silver knight led us to the second door and he opened it allowing is to further into the keep.

We eventually arrived at the Grandmasters office and we found him busy reading over various documents.

He noticed us and his eyes focused on me for a little bit.

He eventually gestured that we take the seats in front of his table and it was Gera who handed him documents detailing our plans.

A moment passed as Ferrum read everything over.

He then looked at all of us.

A weak smile then formed on his face.

“Haha! This is the first time I’ve seen the two of you work so… silently. I will send one hundred and fifty men to Lornster and I will await-“

“May I ask a question?” I suddenly asked.

Something had been gnawing at the farthest reaches of my mind but I never had the courage to ask.

However, everyone was getting along so well, I felt as though there was no better time.

“Mmm? Ask away.” Ferrum said.

“What stopped you all from doing this earlier?” I asked and suddenly the air in the room grew heavy.

Not from any sort of magic, but the intensity that came from Ferrum’s gaze.

Sidus tapped the ground with his Lance.

“Answer her, Grandmaster. Why did you sit by while the kingdom fell- actually, why are you still sitting here, even now?”

Ferrum glared at Sidus who stood behind me before looking at me once more.

“Mmm… many things happened during the Moonless War and I swear on my life I did all I could.” Ferrum said with gnashed teeth.

We all then watched as Kulea stood.

“Ferrum, I understand. Actually, I think most of us here do. We are guilty of the same crime, but we must learn from out past mistakes and use what was learnt to build a better future for this kingdom.” She said.

Ferrum weakly nodded before looking at Sidus.

He then stood up and bowed before all of us.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

“I see now that we cannot allow the past to shackles us. Kulea received her punishment from his highness. I think it’s best that I seek an audience with him so that I may lay my truth bare. In that time, I will lose my title as Grandmaster, but before that, I want to find a suitable replacement. Fortunately, there are many experienced and talented knights in the ranks so that might be easy.”

We all nodded before signing the document we brought.

Ferrum’s signature was last and he saw us off.

We then made our way to Lornster where we spent the better part of the day creating a layout for the base Gera would be using.

We eventually agreed on a suitable design and so, after blessing the fields with life and informing the much healthier looking mayor, we left to help the many other towns we had planned to help in the beginning.

.

..

Three days had passed and we had visited almost every town and village in Medelona. Some were prosperous places filled with life and joy while others were muddy, miserable places.

This imbalance needed rectifying and I was beyond happy seeing everyone working together help the people of Lanceberg.

Sidus, Cento, Kulea and I stood in a rickety shack within which slept countless sick villagers.

They were malnourished and their source of water, a nearby well, had been tainted by disease.

There wasn’t much we could do about the water but Sidus and Cento healed the sick. We’d eventually return to this town with our men and hopefully it’d wouldn’t be too late.

We eventually left the little muddy village and made our way back to Middlen where Gera awaited us with a rather bright expression.

“Those two idiots to the west finally accepted the final terms!” He said while trying not to smile.

“Really? Shall I go check in on them just to make sure they don’t back on their words?” I asked but Gera shook his head.

“That won’t be necessary. For now, let’s focus on getting our work here done. With all the food from Agna and the help from your men, a year… no- we could make substantial change in mere months!”

I lightly clapped my hands and Kulea tapped my shoulder.

“We should celebrate our bright future tonight. Let us finish up work in Lornster. I want us to speak at length over dinner. Does that sound good?” She asked and I nodded excitedly.

We then made our way to Lornster without Gera and we watched over the town as it got rebuilt.

Watching over the reconstruction were the hundred and fifty knights were had requested. Fifty of which were going to be a part of Gera’s special team.

They would be receiving supplies directly from Middlen, although this would change once the surrounding villages ramped up production.

The day eventually came to an end and so Kulea and I returned to the Golden Spire where we sat while drinking wine.

Well, I couldn’t get drunk, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the atmosphere.

One thing that I noticed as we sat was that Kulea was staring at me rather intently and so I eventually asked her why.

“Its just… I can see why he would hold you so closely, but part of me has wished for the longest time that he would hold me just as tightly.” She said while swirling her glass’s contents.

I nodded in acknowledgement of her words.

I really didn’t know what to say to her.

I was curious about something however.

“It seems as though everyone had their reasons for sitting by while everything burnt. The Helma were watching over Caligo, the Yilon guarded the throne and Grandmaster Ferrum had his own reasons which will soon be known but you… why didn’t you do anything?” I asked.

Kulea’s eyes fell and she placed her glass on the table between us before deeply sighing.

“Unfortunately I cannot tell you everything, but I will say just enough so that maybe you can understand.” She said before looking out of the window.

“I… I always wanted this. To be High Priestess, I mean. I remember spending my early days as a child dreaming about the one day that I could come to Middlen and rule just as he did… I snuck away one time and tried to become a soldier but I was but a small, weak woman, so I was rejected. I then returned home and spent years thinking of a way I could gain strength or even knowledge, but my control over the aspect of Light was laughably weak and no matter how hard I trained, these weak arms of mine never grew to be able to cause harm. That is.. until the moon granted me a gift. I was blessed with a new body and with it I became a soldier. A pretty renowned one at that. Years passed but since Lanceberg wasn’t at war then, no opportunity arose where I could show people just how powerful- how truly useful I could be. Then the second collision happened. I’m assuming you’re somewhat aware that mankind has walked this world for a thousand years?” Kulea asked and I nodded.

“Yes, the Dragons and mud crawlers came en mass and war soon engulfed Lanceberg. This was my opportunity to shine and I did not waste it. I fought long and hard, but due to many reasons, I couldn’t keep up with the Secundair and Primair knights who were faster, stronger and had far more control over their magic. My inferiority was made even clearer when he stepped onto battle. Have you ever seen the prince in armour?”

I shook my head.

“Well I tell you there is no greater beauty… nor a more frightening sight. He tore apart the skies and split entire seas in his conquest. What choice did I have but to kneel at his feet and kiss the very soil he walked. I was nothing. A candle at the foot of the sun. I visited a temple one day and asked that they teach me what made him so special and they told me that he was the chosen embodiment of Summus's will. It is then that I vowed to worship his light and sing his praise to the world. Funnily enough, I ended up becoming a priest and after sending years upon years preaching the word of Summus, I eventually became High Priestess and found myself seated here.” Kulea said.

“As for why I failed to do anything for the kingdom… the answer is simple. I did not care to. After Caligo fell asleep, all the light in my world was drained and so I did the only the I could to substitute for that loss. I begged Summus to return what was lost and when that didn’t work, I returned to preaching the word of Summus and his vessel in the hopes that one day, the light I’d lost would return.”

I nodded in understanding before looking at the horns attached to Kulea’s head.

“Oh- what about those horns?” I asked.

“Oh…” Kulea sounded before blushing.

“I foolishly had the horns of a dragon I’d killed attached to my head in my younger years. I kept them knowing that if Caligo ever laid eyes upon them, he’d remember me as the girl with dragon horns.”

“HAHA!” Sidus laughed only got Kulea to throw a pillow at him.

“Aww.” I sounded and like Sidus, I received a pillow to the face.

The time eventually came for me to leave and Kulea accompanied us to the teleportation platform.

“Goodnight.” She said before lightly gasping as I gave her a hug.

I let her go and we promptly made our way back to our secondary home where Caligo awaited me in bed.

“Good evening. How was thine day?” He asked as I entered the bathroom.

I made sure I left the door open as I got undressed.

“Eventful. What about yours?” I asked as I sunk into the tub.

“Eventful as well. Venetrix managed to escape from Coh and he made his way back. He lost his arm, but that can always be fixed. What cannot be healed is the pain his heart must be feeling.” Caligo said while I washed up.

I remained silent as I really didn’t know what to say and it wasn’t long until I was done.

I then joined Caligo in bed.

“So… what is he going to do now- actually, what are you going to do now that you broke your agreement with Katsíki?” I asked but my heart fell as a frown formed on Caligo’s face.

“I no longer have business with that cursed place.”