When Mor had finally explained everything, Tiara let out a big yawn, the time traveling, then the surprise of finding Mor again and the lenghty story making her tired. A quick look outside the window also revealed the sun had already set, leading to everyone deciding to postpone the news from the Soul-kin to next time. The next day was no option, as the Ice-kin, including Mor, had to travel to the glacial fortress by foot because tradition demanded it. At first, the Soul-kin girls thought about joining, but when Jorgen boasted that they would walk three weeks straight while at the same time fighting monstrosities, at least he had heard this from his father, this enthusiasm was quickly squashed.

In the end, they would meet up again at the Ice-kin capital, as the girls would take the gliders. Mor needed to accompany the Ice-kin, or else he would not be allowed to participate in the hunt, as the travel was already part of the trial. At least it gave Sophie more time to catch up. Tiara had informed Mor about his mother's planned arrival, making the boy sigh. Yes, he did want to see his parents again, but his mother was just so unique that it came with a bit of dread.

A few hours previously, far away on a floating isle in a house snuggled between two bigger ones, a commotion started just after the occupant had gotten some exciting news.

"Tia! Did you get to your vacation spot, alright?" Sophie asked the girl as the long-range communication was established.

"Yes, we just had to persuade our pilots to make a slight detour, " Tiara said, but before she could say more, Sophie interrupted her.

"I see. I'm glad you called, so I don't need to worry."

"About that, there's something you need to know. We, well, found someone. How do I tell you." Tiara grumbled.

"Just tell me. If there's a problem, I'm coming to help." Sophie promised.

"It's not really a problem, more something good?" Tiara stated, then decided to be blunt about it. "Mor's alive. He's here. With us."

There was a bit of silence, and Tiara almost thought the connection had been interrupted. Then Sophie's voice came back, strangely trembling, which should usually not happen in telepathic communication.

"Did you say my boy is with you all?" The woman asked.

"Yes," Tiara confirmed as calmly as possible.

"So he's alive?"

"Yes," Tiara confirmed again. The connection definitely got interrupted at this point, and Tiara had a good idea why.

She then thought it a good idea to warn her brother and Uncle Moro, as the unleashed storm would hit them both pretty soon. To her luck, Moro was with Dino at the time, so when she called him first, her brother was informed simultaneously. The discussion almost went the same, with one difference, as Morokhan asked in the end.

"Did you tell Sophie already?"

Tiara replied in positive, making Moro sigh over the telepathic link.

"Got it, we're on our way. Not that I could stop Sophie or even want to. However, I had hoped I could tell Sophie after we prepared to go. Now, it will not be a quick but a hasty departure. Well, no matter. Thank you, Tiara, for your telling me."

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Just as the connection ended, there was a loud crash, and the secret door to Dino's study opened, revealing a small room fitted with arcane symbols, strangely cut boxes, and a disheveled Sophie.

The two men could only look in surprise at the woman and the storage boxes, which were cut neatly by the teleportation spell. This safeguard allowed Dino and his bodyguards to group up at a moment's notice. The second of the room pair was hidden within the cellar of Moro's house. However, because there wasn't a big need for it, quite some storage at the commoner's home had cluttered it.

"Tia, just," The dust-covered woman started.

"We know, she told us." Mor quickly replied.

"Then why are you still standing here!" Sophie asked, ushering both men to get moving.

"We can't just barge into the Ice-kin capital. There is an honor guard needed. It's Soul-kin tradition." Dino protested.

"And I don't care!" Sophie said.

"Sophie," Moro stated calmly. "Let's do it right. After all, we're about to get our boy back."

"Yes!" Dino quickly added. "Also, I have just the two honor guards in mind. We just need to get them, and then we're off."

"I warn you. If you're needlessly keeping me busy, I'll freeze both of you!" Sophie growled.

"We know. However, Orth would surely like to have his friend back," Dino said while the trio got moving.

The detour to Obsidian Isle was extremely stressful for the team of pilots that is. Their female passenger nitpicked every little thing, urging them to fly faster. However, whenever they tried to get the help of the traveling prince, the royal just pretended that he didn't hear them. The other man, traveling along, was the only one giving them some apologies but couldn't offer help. Still, they reached their destination in record time, and with Orth having to travel from Amethyst Isle, he had arrived there barely a week earlier.

So it came that after getting over some stupid happenstances, Orth and his "new" second stood in the office of Lord Obsidian and in the presence of Dinothom and the two Agatons, which confused the Soul-kin boy.

"You want what from me?" Orth asked.

"I need an honor guard for a quick visit to the Ice-kin capital, and I chose you and one more of your team to fill out the demand for four," Dinothom stated.

"Let's do it, boss. If his highness is asking, there must be a reason," Orth's second said, making the boy sigh.

"Could you please shut up, Ambor? You're still not off the hook." Orth grumbled.

And at the confused look of Dino and Morokhan, as well as the grimace of Lord Obsidian, the boy explained.

"This idiot has gotten himself and some of his squad members demoted and, if that wasn't enough, punished for retraining. So that they could serve under me again."

Morokhan let out a snort of amusement while Dino looked incredulous at the far too proud Soul-kin soldier, nodding along. He then decided to let the matter go. With a disciple of Mor around, nothing normal could happen. However, Sophie was at her limit with all the time wasted, so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Good, you got your two additional honor guards, so let's go."

Before anyone could react, she had grabbed the scruff of Orth and Ambor's uniforms and pulled them along, leaving Dino and Morokhan to rush after her and Lord Obsidian to wonder what had happened. With the two soldier trainees thrown into the glider, the travel continued. Only then did Orth dare ask what was on his mind.

"Mor is really back? Clare had told me. She said they had found him."

Of course, this was a needless question, as Sophie's behavior almost screamed, "My baby boy is back, and nothing will stand in my way." However, the nodding confirmation of Dino and Moro brightened Orth's mood anew while Sophie again terrorized the pilots in the background.

"I'm looking forward to meeting the man the boss deemed good enough to be his right-hand man," Ambor stated, and only then did Orth's mind gears get going, and he wondered if taking Ambor along was such a smart idea. The combination of the berserk healer and the impossible dense man could really spell trouble, more so if the Ice-kin were really as honor-bound as Snow had told them two years ago. He just hoped his second wouldn't do something stupid, which might be a vain hope.