Anda and the scouts made their way up the mesa which overlooked all of New Eimval and in front of a large, dark building were several builders who poured over various maps on a table.

Anda approached the foreman and greeted him before looking out into New Eimval.

“The farmers said they’d be coming later today. This makes me realize something. We have to divert water into the city. Sounds simple enough, we just have some magicians carve a path from the stream to here, but where will that water go?” Anda asked as he looked further south.

Everyone let out thoughtful hums.

“Doesn’t the water from the stream usually end up in the Ash Wastes?” Yiden asked.

“Yeah. And?” Anda asked.

“All we need to do it make sure that our little divergent stream reunites with its parent further south,” Yiden suggested.

“Yeah… but that takes all the way here and that’s a little too close to Wraith territory and right next to the Foph territories.” The foreman said while pointing at a certain point on the map.

“I didn’t think about that,” Yiden admitted.

“Oh! Anda, come here for a moment.” Sil said before leading Anda away from the group.

“What?”

“It’s unsafe for us to operate that far south, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And… you’re the new High Elder.”

“So…?”

“You could ask that the Golden Knight protect the workers while we’re down there,” Sil suggested, but Anda made a pained expression.

“Hey, I know none of us are too fond of her, but you’re an Elder now. The needs of the people come before your personal feelings.” Sil said with narrowed eyes.

“Where did this sudden acceptance of the knight come from?”

“I… I don’t know. But I’d rather that we be extremely prepared for when things ultimately go wrong.” She said.

Anda nodded before being yanked backwards by Yiden.

“What are you guys whispering about?” He asked.

Everyone looked at Anda, who quickly jerked himself free from Yiden’s grasp.

“Ahem! Continue as usual for today. There’s gonna be a special announcement tomorrow, I’ll let you all in on my plan then.”

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Everyone nodded before getting back to work.

Anda then turned his attention to the large, dark building behind him.

Unlike the ones below, it was completely built and almost every single room had furniture. Its architecture, although comprehensible, was alien. Bizarre patterns and intricate designs made up most of the building. Tall, narrow windows at its centre, smaller ones everywhere else. Simple doors that looked almost wooden in texture, but they were made from pure darkness.

Anda took a deep breath before entering the building and almost immediately after he stepped into the door, he felt as though he was in the domain of a being whose truth was unknowable. A dark, possibly twisted truth that threatened to suffocate Anda.

His breaths hastened as he thought about what happened in Coh.

The loss of elder Karish.

The Golden Knight’s torturing of the Foph leader.

In those short moments, Anda had gone from absolutely hating the Foph to pitying them.

There was a much greater threat now.

Maybe that’s what elder Olen was talking about. Anda thought.

He walked into the building before ascending the staircase at the building’s centre.

The scouts followed him silently with the only noise coming from their footsteps.

They eventually reached a room which resembled an office and there, Anda looked at the chair that sat behind a large table at the centre.

He then sat at the table before facing his fellow scouts, who stood like shadows in the dark room.

“This is our home. Olen has a plan that will keep us free of the dark shackles that wish to bind us. We will shatter the g- blade that sits above our necks and march forward into a future where we are no longer forced to sit and wait for our deaths.” Anda said although he was half afraid that Katsíki could hear him through the dark walls.

“I’m no grand leader and so I’ll need your help to ensure that the Ia are kept safe.”

“Bah! Don’t worry. Everything will be just fine. Especially with you in charge.” Yiden said loudly.

“Yiden’s optimism aside, I think he’s mostly right. But as the new leader, you’ll need to put certain plans in place just in case things go wrong.” Fìor said.

“Yeah! And we’ll be there to make sure you don’t mess up too badly.” Yiden said.

“Can’t you be serious for just one second?” Fìor asked with trembling fists.

“But I’m hella serious!”

Anda chuckled before glancing at Sil, who stood closely by his side.

“He’s right. Regardless of what happens. We’ll be right here for you.” She said.

“Yeah. Keep a close eye on me from now, ok?”

“Bet!” Yiden said while Fìor strangled him.

“Now, I think I should inform the Golden K- Yna as soon as possible-“

A low growl interrupted Anda, who lowered his head as everyone stared at him.

“When… was the last time you ate something?” Yiden asked with a rather serious tone, but Anda quickly stood up and walked towards the door while dismissively waving his hands.

“I’ll eat as soon as I get home-“

Yiden grabbed him before throwing him to Sil, who caught him before dragging him towards the door.

“Force feed him if you have to,” Fìor said as she and Yiden followed Sil, who hadn’t released Anda.

Everyone exited the building and the builders all stared at Sil as she dragged Anda down the mesa via a staircase along its side.

Anda simply crossed his arms and rolled his eyes while Sil and the others took him back into Eimval.

After reaching the first level, Yiden and Fìor bid them farewell.

Sil then took Anda towards the eastern wall.

“Heh? My house is that way.” He said, but Sil simply remained silent.

They eventually arrived at one of the many small homes that were in the eastern wall.

She opened the door to find two boys having a scrap on the floor.

“Teum?”

“Yochi?”

Anda and Sil gasped simultaneously.

The two boys released each before standing.

Their hair was all messy and on their faces were light bruises.

They were both rather small, had equally long, back hair and wore simple clothes.

“What happened? Why were you fighting?” Sil asked with a horrified as she dusted Yochi off.

“Did something happen between you two?” Anda asked Teum, who tilted his head.

“Heh? No. We just wanted to see who was stronger.” The boy said with a grin.