The new day had dawned, but the sun had not yet risen. Cale stood leaning against the wall and let his gaze glide over the city, while Fengari lay in his arms, supposedly asleep.

He had spent the last few days doing nothing but holding classes and talking to the dragons. For most of the time they talked about the Thormods, while Cale became aware of one thing rather quickly: The Thormods couldn't have been around too long.

If even the dragons had that little information about the Thormods, then they must have appeared sometime in the last hundred years. Only the 'when', 'where' and 'how' was something no one could explain.

It was a problem that seemed impossible to solve. Cale had talked about it for hours with Grischa and the Eldest, until the Eldest finally drew a line and made a decision.

Aaron was initiated.

Therefore, the Eldest and Cale currently found themselves in the Eldest's apartment. Silently, they waited for Aaron to arrive, while Cale hold back a biting comment, as he could see how nervous the Eldest was. He still wasn't absolutely sure what to think about Aaron. Therefore, he simply trusted the Eldest's decision and hoped that the whole situation would not escalate. After all, today they were planning to tell Aaron that his arch-enemy's father was his oldest friend.

For the first time since Cale had known Damian, the blond-haired mage was not in uniform. Instead, he was dressed in dark pants and a tight, dark blue sweater. His beard and hair had also been trimmed, which is why he looked like a different person to Cale. Whether the Eldest intended to appear more harmless in front of Aaron, Cale didn't know, but he was ready to pull his barrier at any moment.

<"Damn it">, the Eldest's voice spoke up, causing Cale to turn to him in surprise. The High-Magician was sitting relaxed in his chair with his hands clasped together. On the outside, he appeared to be calm, but the unconscious exclamation made it clear to Cale that the mage was agitated.

"Damian", Cale quietly raised his voice, which caused the Eldest to turn to him. To all appearances, he had forgotten that they were still mentally connected with the help of Chioni's abilities. "You didn't have a vision about this conversation, did you?"

"No", the Eldest quickly replied, prompting Cale to nod in understanding.

"Then everything will be fine. Don't worry so much", Cale stated calmly, causing the blond-haired mage to stare at him for a moment before laughing briefly and leaning back.

"Says the one of us whose future is at risk. Weren't you the one who wanted to avoid me telling Aaron?", the man merely countered.

"I trust you", Cale replied, causing Damian to pause in surprise. The Eldest tended to play with his hands when he got nervous. Probably the only real distinguishing feature, because otherwise the mage always remained outwardly completely calm. "And even if I don't really like Aaron, it doesn't mean I think he's an inhuman."

Cale smiled and then noticed Aaron's mana approaching them. Without comment, he walked to the front door and continued to hold Fengari in one arm while he opened the door with the other. Aaron stood silently in front of him for a brief moment before Cale stepped aside and let him enter.

"Did I miss something?", the 3rd seat admitted skeptically as he realized the serious mood in the room. The Eldest gestured for Aaron to sit down, while Cale walked back to his original position at the edge of the apartment. His gaze lingered on the blond mage, who was obviously having difficulty broaching the subject.

Cale wondered if he would act the same way toward William.

"What happened now that you're so serious?", Aaron inquired a moment later, but the Eldest did not produce a sound.

<"It's all right">, Cale indicated calmly, prompting the Eldest to cast a final, scrutinizing glance at him. Cale nodded peacefully at him, which caused the Eldest to take a deep breath and look at Aaron.

"There are a few things I need to tell you", he finally lifted, causing Aaron to brighten abruptly. "I'm going to ask you right now to let me finish first. I'm having a hard time with... this whole subject."

"You know I would never force you to do something, Raphael", Aaron replied, glancing briefly at Cale as well. In all likelihood, he had to wonder why he was present when the Eldest was apparently about to broach a very private subject. "If you'd rather..."

"Raphael Maron is not my real name", the Eldest interrupted him jerkily, but immediately fell silent. For a moment there was dead silence in the apartment until the Eldest finally took heart and began to speak. "Raphael Maron is an alias I invented. My real name is Damian von Fiet."

"What?", was all Aaron could bring himself to say.

"I'm sorry that I haven't told you. I'm a member of the main family of Fiet."

You didn't have to be able to see to realize that Aaron was more than just surprised. His mana flickered unintentionally and he seemed to brace his body at the statement. He must have had dozens of questions running through his head at once, looking at the way he answered the statement with silence.

"I've been...", Aaron lifted and cast a quick glance in Cale's direction, but Cale deliberately ignored the two High-Magicians. "Caleb told me that he knows who killed Neonar. You... you were his killer, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"In what way were you two related?"

"Neonar was my son", the Eldest brought to the floor, surprisingly calmly. "Some time after I became an Apostle, I had a vision for the very first time. In 936, two years after the incident with your... sister. I had a vision of my own death. Neonar broke into my villa and wanted to kill me, but with the help of the forewarning, I beat him to it. I ambushed and killed Neonar that night and... set my house on fire, exactly what you had seen in your insight."

Cale could have sworn the silence only grew more stifling. Neither of them moved an inch, so Cale unconsciously forced himself not to breathe aloud. Fengari, on the other hand, watched the events unfold with wide eyes as she kept interjecting comments in her mind that only Cale heard.

"All these years...", Aaron replied, before falling silent. "you've..."

"... lied to you", the Eldest completed.

"... lived with me", Aaron added at the same time, so that the Eldest gave him a surprised look. He probably hadn't expected that statement, nor had Cale or Fengari. "Oh by the beard of the Eld... I'm so sorry."

"Wha... why are you apologizing? I should be the one apologizing. I've been lying to you for almost two centuries. Aren't you... angry with me?"

But instead of justifying himself, Aaron bent his upper body far forward.

"Please forgive me", he finally admitted, as he sat in a deep bow before the Eldest. The chairman was visibly overwhelmed by the situation. "I have... I can't believe what I've done to you. I got so carried away with my hatred that I destroyed your whole life. I can't even begin to judge what it must have been like for you to live with the murderer of your family."

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Cale, who was listening to the exclamation, understood Aaron's feelings to some extent. Even if the High-Magician had never said it openly, but for him the Eldest was more than an ally. He was a close friend whose past he now blamed himself for. Much like Cale did with William.

"Aaron... I... straighten up. I think you misunderstand me. I was never mad at you for what you did", Damian prompted him, which only made Aaron look up in irritation.

"You're... not angry with me?"

"No."

"But I have killed your family..." interjected Aaron, but fell silent and continued speaking a lot more softly. "I've been by your side all this time, bragging about how I'm going to kill every Fiet. How can you... that must have been awfull for you."

"I certainly feared for my life", the Eldest confessed, causing Aaron to tense abruptly.

"I'm so immensely sorry. I never realized what a torment my presence was to you", Aaron replied in a voice Cale had never heard from him before. The black-haired mage could feel the Eldest shift his gaze to Cale as he continued to speak. "Of all the things I've... I've done wrong in my life... of all the people I've hurt with my actions... I... I..."

"It's okay, Aaron. I did understand you back then and I still do now. That my son had come to power is one of the biggest mistakes I ever allowed to happen. I allowed my son to be corrupted and yet...", Damian explained, but broke off when he could no longer contain his feelings. "He was my own flesh and blood. I should have done something as a father before the whole war started. If I had acted sooner, your sister... would still be alive. I'm sorry."

At the last words, he moved into the same position as Aaron. The chairman of the Magistrat also asked Aaron to forgive him, so the mage looked up in surprise.

"Eldest, I..."

"I am a coward and a liar. Even after all this time, I have never thought it's necessary to speak openly, though you always have done that to me. I am not worthy of having such a loyal friend as you", the Eldest interrupted him, which is why Aaron silently stood up and looked at the old man who was crouched in front of him.

"How can I be your... Friend... when I... when I've given you so much...", Aaron stammered, quickly holding his face with his hands.

"I've done so many bad things to you", Aaron brought up in exasperation. The two mages had lost all inhibitions and were fighting the past in their own way. Over the decades, the two had built a close relationship that obviously consisted of much hatred, fear and pain. Their rash, desperate actions had led them into a situation where they lived on fears of contact with the supposed enemy for years.

<"You humans are really complicated. Why do you live with such a lie for that long?">, Fengari interjected, while Aaron and the Eldest both cried, looked at each other, and then let out a desperate, yet simultaneously amused laugh.

<"Fear? Caution? Envy?">, Cale replied. <"I don't know. Sometimes you make decisions in the heat of discussion that you later regret.">

<"I guess someone speaks from experience.">

"Aaron", the Eldest spoke up at the same time. "Can we start over?"

A relieved smile appeared on Cale's face when he heard those words. The Eldest extended his hand to Aaron, who, after a moment's hesitation, did likewise.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, my name is Aaron Thopas", the High-Magician declared with amusement as he shook the Eldest's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, I am Damian of Fiet", the Eldest repeated with a slight sneer. For a moment they paused in this position before dismissing each other. The Eldest leaned against the backrest, exhausted, holding his head with one hand in bewilderment.

"I'm such an idiot. What was I so afraid of?", the Eldest muttered to himself as Aaron turned to Cale with redisch eyes.

"How long have you known about this?"

"Since the story with Grischa", Cale replied without taking his eyes off the darkness of the city. He caressed Fengari's small body, sighed, and finally dropped his gaze back to the room. "I must also apologize, Aaron. After I found out about this, I just didn't know what to think of you and I was really scared for my friends."

"It's okay, I always understood why you acted the way you did", the 3rd seat quickly replied as Cale approached the two mages. At half a meter, Fengari jumped down from his arms onto Aaron's legs, who gleefully welcomed the little cat. "I wasn't any better when you joined the Magistrat. Back then, I never wanted to accept you as a full member, so I was very rude to you. I've only recently realized that I... that my behavior from back then hasn't changed at all. I'm sorry for the way I treated you all those years and..."

"Forgiven and forgotten, if you can promise not to ignore me like that anymore. That has been driving me crazy."

"That can be arranged", Aaron confirmed and for the very first time in his life, Cale saw something completely unexpected. The normally grim High-Magician, whom Cale had mentally written off as worthless, now gave him an embarrassed smile. Combined with his red eyes and the fact that he was petting a small cat, it made for an image Cale could never forget. "Is there actually a reason why you just told me this now, Raph.... Damian, or what happened?"

"There is a reason, yes", Damian confirmed, casting an all-consuming look at Cale. "I know Caleb told you how old he is and knowing you, I'm sure you've already done your research."

"Admitted, I had to..."

"Oh man...", Cale interjected irritably, rolling his eyes. "That's exactly why I use fake identities."

"How... old are you, Caleb?" inquired Aaron, looking up at him.

"What do you think?"

"I don't believe anything anymore. With you, I'm just not sure what's right or wrong at all", Aaron interjected as Fengari spoke up with a meow, getting everyone's attention. It was clear to Cale that she wanted to finally address the real issue, so she could go back to town. Aaron, on the other hand, felt himself melt at the sound and lovingly lifted her to his chest.

"Old", Cale finally announced, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You really should be more careful about what you do in the future. According to the dragons, there was a time when the Dragon Queen was going to make you pay for what you did."

"What?", Aaron blurted out. Stunned, he stared at Cale and held onto the cat with one hand while Cale sighed. He got to repeat the whole drama for the third time now, and he knew full well that he was going be forced to listen to a sermon from Fengari afterwards.

"Aaron, I am the Dragon Rider", he explained dryly. "I am that man the three mages met on the plains."

"Are you left by all good souls? You have joined forces with the dragons?", he shouted indignantly, before abruptly turning to the Eldest. "Did you knew about this?"

The Eldest only replied with a nod, causing Aaron to look at his friend as if frozen. When the cat moved under his hand, he looked down in surprise.

"It's a really long story, Aaron. Even for me, it was hard to accept all this at first. Just do us a favor and listen. I know you absolutely can not stand the dragons, but Caleb wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't really important", the Eldest volunteered supportively.

"I don't like that at all", Aaron commented nervously.

"There are worse things", Cale interjected.

"I doubt it", Aaron replied, which caused Cale and the Eldest to immediately start laughing. Somewhat irritated, he watched the two mages before regretting his own statements. His attention turned to Cale, who had to take a few deep breaths before he calmed down. Cale moved to an upright position and held Aaron by one shoulder with his hand, causing him to become nervous.

"Please don't scream."

"Pardon?", Aaron uttered confused, but when Cale raised his hand and pointed to the floor, he followed the direction. Immediately, his eyes met again with the cat, which then spoke up.

"Hello human, I am the great Fengari."

"Aaron, this is my good friend Fengari, a dragon from the mountains of Sylve", Cale replied dryly, which made Aaron's blood suddenly run cold. With a jerk, he dropped Fengari and held his breath as he watched the cat stretch with pleasure. You could literally see Aaron's face go white. No one present needed to say anything, so Fengari turned away and looked at Cale.

"This is boring. Of the four reactions, his is even more disappointing than yours", she commented disappointed, which made Cale smile in amusement.

"He's in shock, Fengari", he explained, lifting Fengari's small form off Aaron's legs. Carefully, he knelt down in front of Aaron, who was staring down, drenched in sweat, and didn't seem to notice Cale at first.

"Breathe Aaron, breathe", Cale calmly got the word out and gently shook the mage, causing him to realize he had been holding his breath. Carefully, he exhaled as he began to shake all over his body.

He was scared to death.

"Look at me, Aaron", Cale announced as he realized Aaron's gaze was shifting away and he was losing his footing. The usually calm, cold-hearted mage lost all tension in his muscles and tipped forward unintentionally, so Cale quickly supported him with his hands and upper body.

"Aaron!", the Eldest exclaimed in surprise, jumping to his feet.

"I didn't expect that", Cale interjected in irritation.

"You humans are far too weak. Why only are you so afraid of us dragons?", Fengari spoke up as she triumphantly jumped on the table and looked at the result she created. "The Apostle has not even seen my true form. Why does he act up differently from the Apostle with the all-knowing eyes?"

"Probably because he's gotten used to your cat form", Cale explained as Aaron's head rested on his shoulder. He hadn't even started the main topic and it had already escalated.

Instinctively, Cale knew he was in for a long night.