Anda and Tasha remained silent as they sat before the man who was Leiv.

He was a rather youthful looking Rendaro with the typical long black hair and white skin. Although the way his brows were shaped made it seem as though he was always frowning.

“Tasha and I will discuss things further at a different time, but for now I’d like to focus on you, Elder Anda. Why shouldn’t we be trying our best to ensure that we remain hidden? Because if it is as you say, if a war truly is coming, then we are already as good as dead.” Leiv said with a rather smooth, deep voice.

Anda nodded before detailing everything he knew about Katsíki and Yna. He also spoke about how Katsíki ambitions had changed the very landscape of the Expanse and how the Ia and the Foph had benefited from partnering up with him.

“Tsk! The Foph are still around, are they? If this lord of yours were wise, he would have killed them all off. They are naught but brutes who have nigh insatiable appetites .” Leiv scoffed much to Anda’s displeasure.

“Lord Katsíki believes that all Rendaro deserve a chance at happiness and peace and even as we speak, he is working to ensure that the Expanse continues to experience that peace.”

“You keep calling it the Expanse. This place, your home is called Rendaya and Iana was its capital. It’s almost as though you’re ashamed of the past.” Leiv said while resting his head on his hand.

It’s here that Anda realized that Leiv wasn’t taking him or this conversation seriously.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, Leiv. I am very much ashamed of the past. I cannot speak on behalf of those down here, but those of us in Eimval spent hundreds of years throwing ourselves at a dark wall, all for the sake of protecting those who would have us die just so that they could live. Don’t get me wrong, I understand your reasoning, but when we found out that Iana was down here, I felt a strange sense of release. As though the shackles of the past no longer bound me. And so, with lord Katsíki’s help, I assisted in the creation of a city where all Ia could be happy. The Ia will no longer be held back by the past and I suppose the question is how desperately will you cling to it?” Anda asked with narrowed eyes.

Leiv raised his nose slightly before glancing at Tasha who stared at him with crossed arms.

“To think that the current Elders of the Ia would be such reckless beings… fine. I will sit on my hands, but mark my words, Anda, Ia blood will be spilt and it will all fall on your hands.” Leiv said before waving his right hand.

“Leave. I have much to think about.”

Anda nodded before following Tasha out of the sparsely decorated office.

They then returned onto Iana’s dark streets where Tasha suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Anda asked while Tasha tried hiding her obviously distressed face.

“He… he did not listen to a word we said. I know my father and… I suppose not even I could change his mind.”

Anda tried reaching out to grab her hand, but she squeezed into a fist before placing it above her chest.

“This means that we will not have to shift our efforts into minimizing the causalities.” Tasha said and for some reason, this made Anda’s heart beat doubly faster.

“I agree. However, I feel as though I am still missing something. What exactly are they planning on doing?” He asked.

“Let us return to my office first.”

Anda nodded and it wasn’t long before they were sitting next to each other by the small table in Tasha’s office.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Well?” Anda asked.

“Shortly after our ancestors arrived in this dark place, they set out to create a counter for when the Golden Knights ultimately found us. They spent years, if not decades trying to create beings that could not only survive an encounter with a knight, but win. The culmination of all their hard work was the Deathkin who are buried beneath Iana.” Tasha said with a distant look.

“They had somehow managed to reverse engineer a golden knight and they found that golden knights were technically fleshy golems with Cavumium bones. The Deathkin are the same. Although I don’t think they are anywhere near as tall or flashy.” She said with a weak chuckle.

“I see… why did you forefathers bury the Deathkin? Wouldn’t it make more sense to make more until they had enough to challenge or at least defend themselves against the armies of man?” Anda asked.

“I’m not sure. Although I assume they failed to produce too many of them because Cavumium is quite rare and they didn’t wanna dig too deep or too far. We have always been a cowardly sort, it seems.”

“Mmm.” Anda droned before looking up.

“So how do you want to deal with this?”

“Go to Lady Yna and tell her that two of my ministers are plotting to have her killed. I’ll stay here and gather more information.”

Anda nodded before trying to stand up, but Tasha grabbed his collar and kissed him before placing his hand on his cheek.

“What was that for?” Anda asked while trying his best not to smile.

“An apology. It would seem as though the woman ended up running into the arms of her man for comfort this time.” Tasha said softly as she stood up to join Anda by the platform.

“Her man?” Anda asked with a raised brow.

“Are you not mine and I not yours?” Tasha asked with a saddened expression.

“Perhaps. Although I recall you saying something about patience.”

“Ah… that’s the thing, dear Anda…”

Tasha wrapped her small arms around Anda’s neck before placing her hips close to his ear.

“I’m an impatient woman.” She said before kissing him once more.

.

..

Anda waved Tasha goodbye before stepping into Coh where all the head Custodians awaited and they looked furious for some reason.

“Hey, all. What’s with the stiff faces?” Anda asked casually as he walked up to his friends.

Yiden walked right up to Anda and inspected him.

“I think someone punched him or something.” Yiden reported prompting the others to gather around him.

“Fess up, Anda. What happened?” Sil asked.

Anda sighed before recounting most of what happened in his time in Iana.

He made sure to leave out certain details.

“So you spent the entire night working with the High Elder… you don’t look as tired as usual though.” Yiden said with narrowed eyes, but Anda had stuff to do and so he walked around his concerned friends before waving them goodbye.

“Relax. I really am fine. Head back to your posts- oh and I have to go to the Cohval base to speak with Yna.” He said while walking up the dark tunnel.

“He forgot to say lady.” Fìor droned while Anda got further and further away.

As for Anda, he chuckled to himself while making his way out of Eimval, but just as the light of the morning sun hit his face, the events of the previous day flooded his mind.

He rushed towards a nearby water stall and asked the Rendaro standing next to it for several cups of water which he downed in an instant.

“Hot day, huh.” The Rendaro commented.

“Yep.” Anda said before thanking the man and continued northward towards New Eimval’s northern exit.

His destination was the Cohval base, but as he walked across the dark road that led to it, he couldn’t help but grin like a fool as he remembered the feeling of Tasha’s touch.

Anda bit his teeth as the thoughts grew more intrusive and vivid.

He needed to focus on his duties as High Elder.

Developing an intimate relationship with Tasha would be fine and all, but his duties came first and Anda spent his entire trip north reminding himself of that.

.

..

“What the hell are you smiling about?” Yna asked while sitting behind her large dark desk. Her office wasn’t too big and it was filled with piles of paper and various documents.

Anda let out a fake cough before reporting what had happened in Iana, although like with his friends, he made sure to leave out certain details-

“Is that it?” Yna asked with half closed eyes.

“Y-yes.” Anda said while standing as upright as possible.

“I see. Well, head back and tell Tasha not to do anything. I want as many heads as possible, so your main focus should be saving people who have crucial or essential roles. Anyone one else is free to join the ministers in their little ploy and let me remind you, Anda, the Black Legion may be our only chance at surviving an attack of golden knights. I expect you to complete this mission with the utmost diligence.” Yna said with eyes that glowed slightly.

Anda nodded frantically.

“Good. You may leave now.”

Anda nodded once more before promptly exiting the office.

He then let out a sigh as a group of soldiers marched past him.

He made his way out of the base before walking back to Eimval.

Keeping him company were the many soldiers who used the road from Coh to Eimval for exercise.

They ran in complete unison and without saying anything.

These were the men and women who would be protecting the Expanse in the coming times… but even they wouldn’t be enough.

Anda bit his teeth and walked a little faster as the fire beneath his heart burnt a little brighter.