Zindra led the group, holding Carter's hand. To outsiders, it appeared like a kind older brother was taking his little sister for a walk. However, those in the group found it a strange scene, especially with Carter's head constantly turning to take in the scenery.

"So Zindra, where are you taking us exactly?" Nesha asked

Zindra turned slightly to look at Nesha before turning back, "Some of the Elders wanted to meet all of you." She stated matter of factly.

"Wait, by elders, do you mean…" Sivie left his question in the air.

"Yes."

"If you don't mind my asking, how many of these elders are we meeting," Sivie asked in discomfort.

"Eight are currently in this district, so only that many," Zindra said

"Oh! OK, just eight!" Sivie gave an uncomfortable laugh, his eyes wide in panic.

"Why so nervous? They're just old people," Char said

"Pl-Please don't say that, Char," Sivie said

"Why?" Char gave a strange, questioning look at Sivie.

"I do not want any Ascended Alchemist chasing after me! I have enough to deal with!"

"You would have to do something pretty wild to pull an alchemist out of their labs, but a smith," Zindra said, side-eyeing Nesha.

"Look, you know my Rosen Armor does not mix with fire… it was made from the Rosen Race, so you know… Stop staring at me like that. I couldn't help it." Nesha said, her face sour as she tried to defend herself.

"Will the Smith Race listen to any of that?" Zindra asked

Nesha responded with disappointment, "No..."

"Right, anyway, the lab they want to meet at is just another block," Zindra said, letting go of Carter's hand, "I have a few things to take care of before the caravan leaves."

"So you're not going in?" Sivie asked, his voice filled with nervousness.

"Nope, got things to do, and this is only a distraction. Also, they just want to say hello, nothing else, so it should be just a couple of minutes." Zindra said, already walking away from the group

"I'll send someone to get Carter and Arc when I get to where I am going; just stay here until they arrive… and Nesha, could you come with me."

A figure hidden with a dark cloak and a plain white mask spoke into the darkness of a barren room as they watched the group walk into the visiting entrance, "The prince and two children have arrived safely at Pilosophis," their hand moved to correct the falling mask revealing their icy-blue hair as a hint of their identity.

"So those Seedlings failed again?" a voice echoed in the room where it originated from was a mystery.

"It seems that it was quite effortless for Arc to handle this. It was solved almost instantly after he arrived." remarked the masked Feyrishian

The disembodied voice gave a loud snort, "You should have done more to distract him. If he were delayed by only a few seconds, this would have been over, and that child would have been in our hands."

The masked Feyrishian clicked his tongue, "Do not act as if you are superior to me. We are equal in this. This is as much on you as it is on me."

"Just follow them; do not let him escape again." The voice screamed

The mask lifted slightly, revealing a wide grin, before putting something into their mouth. They wondered what would happen if they played with the young prince this time. The smile grew wider as they covered their face with the mask again. Their mind wondered how many more toys would meet their demise. Feeling excited about the prospect, they could not help but laugh. Their voice sounded deeper as they spoke, "It's time to add a little chaos to this side… I wonder what 'they' will reward me for this."

Zindra and Nesha strolled quietly through the narrow alleys of Pilosophis. Neither of them bothered to make eye contact or acknowledge the hustle and bustle of the bustling surroundings. The cobblestone streets beneath their feet echoed with each step they took while the scent of fresh fruits, meats, and spices lingered in the air. Morin beat down on their backs, casting long shadows across the walls that lined the alleys. Despite the lively energy of the city, the two women remained absorbed in their own thoughts, lost in the peaceful solitude of their shared silence.

Zindra was the first to break the silence, "How was Vanir…"

Nesha nibbled on her lip, "I have no clue…"

"Do you trust him?"

"No…"

"Arc?"

"No…"

"Why?"

"I can't help but feel like there's something they're not telling us, almost like they have a secret they're keeping hidden."

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After this short dialogue, neither bothered to open their mouths again, fearing what might slip out.

When the silent pair finally reached their destination, Zindra tried to speak again but decided to keep her mouth shut.

"Grandmaster Zindra!" Screamed a young man with short brown hair and dark stubble spotted across his face.

"Uncle? Why are you here?" Zindra asked

The man looked sternly at Zindra, "There are so many caravans leaving today, and you just ran off."

"But…"

"No!" The man grabbed Zindra's arm, dragging her into the building she just walked past, "Sorry, but I will be taking my niece. If you like, you can wait for her in the lobby of the next building; she will be done in about an hour."

Nesha watched in shocked silence as the man pulled a screaming Zindra away. If she did not know what was happening, she would assume this strange man was kidnapping a poor child. Nesha shrugged as she turned around; she had things to do before leaving for the Smith Race to repair her armor and little time to do what she needed before they set off. She was too short on money to afford the repairs, so the Seedling Union was what was most important.

Carter depressingly followed behind the group after Zindra and Nesha left; he did nothing but stare at his feet as he walked. Char had offered her hand with a smile, but Carter stared at it emotionlessly. Char swore that she saw him sneer, but no one believed her, so she was left to grumble as she stood outside the building while the rest went in.

"Char is big; she can talk to the old men. The old men would be impressed by how big Char is. Stupid Little Sivie won't let Char show off her bigness to those old men." With a huff, Char began to walk off, "I'll show you that Char is big, hehe!"

When the group walked into the building, they were greeted by a young man with a well-kept mustache, slicked-back brown hair, and a form-fitting green robe.

"Are you the young prince and his party?" The man asked with a smile, "The Elders of the Phosberg district are quite excited to meet you."

The man turned to open the main double doors leading out of the lobby and into the building. "Oh my! How unprofessional of me!" he said, turning back with a slight bow. "My name is Feron, and I am the receptionist for the Ascended labs of the Phosberg district. Please let me know if you need anything while you stay here."

With a smile, he moved his hand, beckoning the group to walk through the doors in front of them.

Arc led the group through the vast hall, his eyes scanning the walls where large imposing metal doors leading gods know where stood tightly closed. There was an unsettling feeling in the air, leaving one to wonder what lay behind each of these metal doors. This only added to the already haunting atmosphere of the large, pristine hall.

"It is the last door and the largest. That is where the elders are," Feron shouted from the back of the group.

As the group entered the white chamber, their eyes glanced over the eight elderly men scattered around the room. Their hair was short and white, their skin sagged, and their shoulders slumped forward. Despite their frail appearance, their eyes shone with anticipation as they eagerly stared at the door.

"They're all just old men!" Echo complained in a mumble to Sivie.

Sivie spoke with a heavy heart, "She could have mentioned that they were only old men, not even any middle-aged men, and no woman in sight either. I feel like lodging a complaint against that little girl."

Echo's shoulders tensed up as he swiftly turned his head to check whether Zindra was behind him. Upon realizing she was not, he sighed in relief, but his concern lingered, terrified that she would know what he and Sivie had just said and thought.

"Please, guest, have a seat," said one of the elders, motioning to the white metal seats forming from the metal floor. "We are sorry we could not meet in a more comfortable location. Your schedule was thrown off by that unfortunate accident, and we had only managed to book the room for the day you were set to arrive. Luckily, Young Lady Zindra convinced her family to let us use one of their empty labs for a meeting.

"Indeed, it was lucky for us." Arc spoke with a nodding head, pausing as he looked at the fully formed seats before continuing, "It gives us a place for a little respite while we wait for our next travel," Arc said with a small smile as he took a seat

"It is good to have some respite before you venture again. We feel deeply apologetic for you since you are having such an immediate turnaround on our accounts." another of the old men said with pity.

Arc turned his head, giving the old man who just spoke a smile, "It is unfortunate, but we are just as much to blame for this accident as the ones who caused it." Arc said with a thoughtful expression.

"We hope that this venture will not be so… unfortunate and… damaging." another of the old men spoke as he tried to find the best words to avoid offending the Feyrishians.

"We can only pray to the ancestors that watch over us that we shall stay safe through this venture," Arc said, glancing over the elders with a cold look.

"It should be much less dangerous than your trip here, I assure you. This is a simple resupply mission that you are helping us with, and it is with a young subsidiary race that we trust very much. It will be a great first place for your young prince to break out of his shell."

"Yes, What my companion said is true; they are a very kind race that is more helpful than any other subsidiary race we have ever had, so it should be easy to find a little friend for your prince."

Arc endured the endless rambling of the old men about the supposed greatness of the opportunity and their never-ending praise of kindness, blah blah blah. He despised the sound of their hoarse and aged voices, wishing he could put an end to their chatter. But he had no choice but to maintain his forced smile and endure the pain until the meeting ended. He sat in silence, speaking only when necessary.

Suddenly, the sound of a chime echoed in the room, and one of the elders waddled his way to this thin piece of crystal, tapping it, and then the sound of a young woman echoed out of the crystal.

"Elders, this is the head of the nineteenth research department of the Phosberg district; we had a bit of an accident, and most of the facility is lit in a blaze." said the woman, but Sivie could hear the screaming of a familiar childish adult from behind the woman.

"Char is sorry she did not mean to; she was… It was someone else, yes, I tried to stop them but… They were really big, and they ran away… yes, they ran that way. We should catch them before they do anything else." Sivie, hearing the little voice shouting in the background, could only rub his eyes.

Sivie gave a huff before standing to bow in apology, "I am so sorry. I did not expect her to cause any sort of problem since she had been here before."

The elders only laughed, "Young man, you have never been here before, have you? Well, it's not her fault per se; we have accidents all the time, and by the time you run out that door, more than likely, the problem will be solved."

"Oh! Uhhh, if you say so, elders…" Sivie gave an awkward smile as he sat back down.

"Haha, and Char has caused problems before. It is always the same every time a Mountain Race has come."

"Indeed, we know how to handle the mess that this childish race causes."

"Yes, so let us continue our conversation."

"If they need us, then Feron will come and get us, so let us continue until young Zindra comes to get you all."