As Ara and Akheela sit across from one another on the smooth stone riverbank, the ocean blue aura of Akheela swivels between the flaming orange of Ara’s own. It’s the first time Ara’s seen her voice without using her healing techniques to induce it. The faint recollection of her parents' voices slowly wisps in her mind and the memory of Ma'ma’s being a deep red flows around the memory of Apa’s Golden yellow mist of honey. She wouldn’t notice their voices often, but when she did she could always remember feeling overwhelmed by the strength that radiated through her once they became apparent. She always presumed they were strong, and this also showed through how they would carry themselves- Shut up. Her mind interrupts. Thinking about her family has become a love-hate relationship. So many desires and hopes flood through her mind when she thinks of them, she’d prefer not to feel the anger that swells at the thought of them never being fulfilled.

Her brothers will never bully her again- Never having imagined that she would miss when those two idiots would barge into her room and annoy her in whatever way they could. It’s like her presence as the youngest child was always in competition with how childish they could be themselves. She chuckles at the memory of her brothers throwing her into the ocean whenever they wanted to go for a swim and she just wanted to practice magic on the beach- god, that always pissed her off. That ocean was so cold, only numbskulls would swim in it… Which, of course, is why they would make me. Her mind reminisces.

"I'm sorry about your family," Akheela whispers aloud.

Ara opens her eyes to meet the greyed pupils in Akheela's eyes, expressing empathy through their usually intimidating gaze.

"It was my fault," Ara responds, dropping her eyes to the ground as her shoulders tighten.

"No, A'ra. It wasn't."

The sentiment from Akheela barely reaches Ara's mind. It's what any empathetic person would say, but Ara knows the mistake she made better than anyone. They always warned her. They always told her what might happen if they were discovered using the magic. "It's strange…" Ara says as she brushes her hand over the rocks beside her, "Knowing that you've been left behind,"

"Left behind?" Akheela asks.

"They've reached the Ab'solut," She responds, looking up at the oceanic sky. "I've always wondered what it's like."

A smile peels on Akheela's face as she joins Ara in looking at the sky. "So do I," She looks back to Ara with a purpose-filled glare in her eyes, "But it is not yet our time," She says directly to Ara's mind.

A whistle whips from the forest as both of their heads whip to Nina standing at the edge of the forest- Gesturing them both to come over to where Chaung and Yasuke are hidden amongst the bushes. The orange and blue whirlpool of their voices fade away as they rise to their feet and make their way over to the others.

Kimi and Matsuko have both returned from scouting Eago, so it's probably time to leave. They pass the borders of bushes and tree trunks to a 'camp' which is really just all their bags laying on the floor with Yasuke and Chaung seated on the floor, playing a card game. Kimi and Matsuko both stand around them, watching over their shoulders to see both their hands.

"Foolish," Matsuko scoffs as Ara and Akheela reach them. "You should have played Atlas," She scolds Chaung.

"She's right," Yasuke grins with confidence as places down a card. "We play hundreds of games, but you still cannot win,"

Chang chuckles, throwing the cards to the floor. "I struggle to play with fervour if there is no currency on the line,"

"Even when there is currency, you always lose," Kimi giggles.

"What'd the two of you find in Eago?" Nina asks, hurrying to the topic of importance.

"A lot of soldiers," Matsuko responds with a frown of concern. "Much more than the dock town,"

"Both Dantian and Bada military are all over the place," Kimi adds, crossing her arms with the same concern plastered on her face.

"Are they active?" Chang asks.

"Mainly patrols. A few enjoy taking their anxieties out on the locals," Kimi responds.

"Why would they have so much presence?" Nina inquires.

"As far as we could tell, it'd another farm town. They have quite the plantation in the middle of the city." Matsuko replies.

"Yes," Akheela adds. "Although the town is known for its development and trade of seedlings,"

"Seedlings?" Chaung asks.

"It is quite good at breeding different plant life to create larger, more nutritious vegetation,"

"Shall we liberate?" Yasuke poses.

"What's the count?" Chaung asks before responding to Yasuke.

"It's hard to say. We could count thirty, but we're certain there are others within the stores and buildings of the town." Kimi responds.

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"We must!" Akheela cries out, demanding everyone's attention. "We cannot turn our heads while the people of the town are enslaved,"

"Hmmm," Chaung murmurs, scratching the side of his head as he thinks.

"It isn't our mission," Nina rebuttals with certainty.

"This is more than a mission to me," Akheela grits her teeth.

"It is high risk," Chaung ponders, rubbing his head.

"We still need to aid Aliim, consider how much time this will take," Matsuko adds, trying her best to empathize with Akheela.

"We're here to aid the rebellion, no?" Kimi asks the group, "I for one, agree with Akheela. We're here to put an end to this abuse,"

"We've seen the abuse across Luná with each job we've taken," Nina replies. "It's nothing new,"

"Valantians truly have no care for others?" Akheela scoffs, clenching her fist.

"What do you think you know of my people, hm?" Nina presses, lowering her arms with her aggression.

"I know you're all savage beasts," Akheela pushes back, her grey eyes unblinking as she looks at Nina's soul.

"Says the one using the magic for killing," Nina scoffs, crossing her hands again.

"Enough," Chaung orders with force as he rises to his feet. "You both make valid points. However, we must continue according to Tolith's plan,"

Akheela loudly kisses her teeth, crosses her arms and turns her head away from the conversation. Ara's not certain of her stance on the matter. It seems right, morally, to liberate the town. But she knows she's new to all of this. Following orders makes the most sense to her inexperienced perspective.

She understands what Akheela meant about the hidden voices. Despite the intention behind their tones, they all hide their minds. Their thoughts and emotions are inaccessible unless they allow her passage.

"We will quietly pass through Eago and make our way to Aliim, yes?" Chang confirms.

They all nod their heads in affirmation, except for Akheela. Her arms are still crossed as she passes a disgusted look to the rest of them.

"Rude girl? I need you to agree," Chaung asks for her confirmation, knowing that she's hesitating.

She drops her arms, rolling her eyes as she reluctantly sighs her response, "Ugh, fine."

"Excellent," He responds. "Let's move,"

They all throw their backpack on and cover their head and clothing with their cloaks. "We don't want to appear like a large group," Chaung states, "Ara, Akheela, Matsuko and Nina will head in first. Kimi, Yasuko and I will delay our follow."

They all nod their heads or grunt in understanding.

"We are passing through. Do not draw attention to yourselves," He reiterates.

The group walks along the edge of the forest, following downstream of the river. In the distance, the city slowly comes into view. Centred in the centre of the river with large wooden beams at every corner, shooting out of the river to support the suspended foundation. Wooden homes and stores create narrow pathways between the buildings, leaving a primary road through the centre. They reach a bridge at the river bank that leads up to the town, and the first group steps out of the treeline and onto the bridge.

They can already see a few guards posted by the entrance of the city as they make their way across. Nina and Matsuko lead the way, as a few of the Dantian soldiers pass wondering eyes at their arrival. Tucked away behind them, Ara and Akheela follow their lead, making no eye contact with the soldiers and charging forwards.

They pass the first row of buildings by the entrance, one of which appears to be a communications room as Ara glances through the window. On the other side is a windowless building with a door, above it is a plaque that reads 'Munitions'.

Once they pass the first line of buildings, they see a series of pathways separating from the centre, to adjoin with the wood houses lined around the outskirts and the stores on the inside. Further down the path, is a cavernous, rectangular hole in the ground. As they approach it, Ara looks beyond the edge to see a slew of vegetation scattered in rows amongst a floating garden. The soil sits ever so slightly above the river below, occasionally brushing with the river as the main source of watering. Various pathways cross above the plantation, those on the pathways are within reach of the soul if they get on their knees, which many of them are as they either place seeds from a pouch on their waist or root the plants from the ground and place them in a basket. Around the side of the cavern, is an exterior pathway that allows one to walk around the plantation, however, it is littered with guards who have their rifles readied by their sides as they monitor the farmers.

"Well, aren't you some fine women," calls out a drunk, yet confident voice from beside them. She turns her head to see two Bada guards with rifles strapped over their shoulders approaching them.

No one responds as they keep walking to avoid trouble.

"Hey! Stop right there," Orders the drunk guard.

They all freeze in place, doing as he says to avoid drawing any more attention to themselves.

"I didn't know Dantas had travelling brothels," Says the second guard as they both laugh.

"We're just passing through," Says Nina, firmly but without being overconfident.

"Passing through to where?" He asks.

"Aliim, we have some work to do there," She responds.

The drunk guard looks her in the eyes before passing a glance to the rest of them. "I'd prefer if the blue-eyed one worked me," He laughs as he nudges his partner's arm. "Or the one in the back," He adds as he points at Akheela.

The second guard passes a squinted glance at each of them, pausing for a moment when he arrives at Ara and Akheela.

"Matter of fact, I wouldn't mind any one of them," The drunk guard cackles.

"Where's that paper with the missing girl?" The sober guard asks the drunk one, who pats his uniform a few times trying to find it. He reaches into his back pocket and unfolds a page that he hands over to his partner.

The sober guard steps between Nina and Matsuko, disrespectfully shoving his way through before he holds the page up between Ara and Akheela's heads.

A smile creeps onto the soldier's face as he looks over to his drunk partner and gestures his head in their direction.

"This is the girl who escaped," He chuckles with satisfaction. "Ara Khu."

"The Luná blue holds more life the any of it's shores. Extending deeper than any mountain top, the depths propose a world of unknowns. There are stories of ancient monsters lurking at depths we could not dream to reach."

- Prophet Origi