Meanwhile, Cale's memories had reached the day when he and his friends had reached Aletta's hometown, Norgram in Frignez.

Some guards had spotted the group and were just escorting them back to the city, so the five were happy to have finally reached the destination of their journey.

<"My legs hurt">, Philippa complained quietly as she struggled through the wind behind Ben.

<"How much further is it?">, Cale spoke up before he slipped on the frozen surface and only just managed to prevent himself from crashing to the ground. Surprised, William turned backwards before reaching out his hand to the fallen man and helping him to stand.

<"Not far. Look, over there is where I live">, Aletta announced proudly, pointing in a direction where nothing more than snow and ice could be seen. Cale was visibly confused as to where exactly she was supposed to live, but a few moments later, flaps suddenly opened out of the snow, bringing light with them. The residents had opened their windows and looked curiously at the newcomers before spotting Aletta and beginning to whisper.

With mixed feelings, Cale watched and also crossed eyes with some of the residents, but they immediately avoided his gaze and retreated. He immediately had the feeling that his group was not welcome here. Cale was about to ask if it was okay that Aletta had invited them all home, but he didn't get around to it at all. A tall man appeared from behind a snow-covered hill and when he spotted the group, he immediately started sprinting.

<"ALETTA!">, the stranger shouted so loudly that all four flinched in surprise, while the young healer merely sighed. The bearded man came to a halt in front of the girl, grabbed her and lifted her into the air with a hug, causing Aletta to immediately rebel and shout for him to put her down. But he did not let go and clutched her tightly. <"Where by the Holy Mana have you been? Do you have any idea how worried we have been!">

<"I'm old enough to take care of myself">, she merely replied before the man set her back down on the snowy ground. Annoyed, Aletta straightened her clothes and looked up at the man, who was displaying a scowl, almost threatening expression.

<"Have you gone mad? You are a healer, Aletta, and my daughter at that. You of all people should know how dangerous it is to disappear like that. What if something had happened to you?">

<"As I said before, I can take good care of myself.">

The father sighed and gave up. You could tell he didn't have the nerve to argue in public. For a moment he stood in silence, blocking the wind for the entire group, before looking down again and taking a closer look at the strangers.

<"And who are your friends?">

<"Anuxer, who met me on my journey. Would you be so kind and let us into the house first? It's freezing out here">, she complained and pushed her father aside, who gave in and went to the edge. Without another comment, Aletta led the way, while the other four stopped and looked skeptically at their friend's father.

<"Please excuse our disrespect. My name is Ben and this is Philippa, Liam and Caleb">, the tall swordsman explained calmly and introduced the entire group.

<"Pleased to make your acquaintance and please forgive my lack of hospitality. My name is Ninett Merensen, second chief of Frignez. On behalf of all of us, I bid you a warm welcome">, the tall man announced graciously, gesturing for Aletta to follow. Cale felt a chill run down his spine when he heard the name. The other three seemed to feel the same way, for they were rigid with shock. None of them knew that Aletta was the daughter of one of the Frignez leaders. She had never mentioned it before.

With a disconcerting feeling on the back of his neck, Cale followed the others, who struggled through the snow and headed for a large snow mountain. A few moments later, Cale noticed two men emerge and open a large door that was almost completely lost in all the snow. The closer Cale got to the hill, the better he realized that the hill was a snowed-in house, with the roof merely visible.

Stunned, he followed the healer who entered the building through the roof and went down the steps. Warmth enveloped her as she entered, and Cale noticed how many people appeared and watched her arrival. They all seemed shocked that Aletta Merensen had come home, which Cale could understand. She had been missing for a good year and had barely shown any sign of life.

<"Aletta!">, a woman's voice suddenly called out, causing the four newcomers to turn in surprise to the direction from which the voice came. A young woman with fair blonde hair and ice-blue eyes emerged from the crowd, dressed in a beautiful white and golden dress.

<"Mother!">, Aletta replied joyfully and ran down the steps, only to be swept into her arms with a great leap. With tears in their eyes, the two women hugged each other as the rest of the group and the chiefs also arrived at the bottom.

<"I was so worried about you. You've grown so big! Let me look at you. Not a scratch and not a bump either?">

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

<"I'm fine, mother. I'm still alive">, the healer declared with amusement as she held the delicate woman's hands and looked at her. For a few moments they hugged each other tightly as the people around them began to whisper quietly.

<"Thank the Holy Mana that you have come home safe and sound. I am so glad! When I heard that Altona had been attacked by creatures, I imagined the worst.">

Abruptly, the five newcomers stopped and exchanged irritated glances.

<"What? Altona was attacked by creatures?">, Aletta repeated and turned to her father, who brought up the rear of the group.

<"Didn't you hear? A few weeks ago, Altona was surprised by a huge wave of creatures. The entire southern region is in ruins and hundreds of thousands of people died. The whole country is considered a no-go zone">, the chief explained seriously, which is why there was abrupt silence.

"What?", Rangar was suddenly heard saying loudly.

"Did Chiefs Merensen just say that Altona...?", Joshua interjected irritably, but did not finish his statement.

"What's that? The future or what?", Odin commented, but no one received an answer.

<"Altona was attacked?">, Ben could finally be heard saying within the vision, which was why there were no further questions from the High-Magicians.

<"You must have been insanely lucky. It really wasn't that long ago and you're still coming from that direction">, the Chief confirmed and approached his wife.

<"We passed through the creature plane and were in Exarion a few weeks ago. Everything was fine">, Cale interjected anxiously, dropping his gaze to William, who was white as snow.

<"Do you know anything about Sylve? Is... the kingdom still standing?">, Ben cautiously spoke up and he too suddenly seemed like a different person.

<"We are still working on establishing contact with the royal house of Sylve and the peoples from Winstest, but from what I have been able to gather, only Altona is affected. I have also been told that this is the second time the region has been caught off guard by the creatures, only this second wave was many times more powerful than the first">, the Chief explained, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders as his gaze turned to Cale. <"Do you have family in Altona?">

<"No, we are all from Sylve and Philippa is originally from Winstest. We don't know anyone in Altona">, Cale replied quietly, prompting an approving nod from Ben. As William didn't make a sound, Cale gently touched his friend on the back, causing him to look up in surprise.

<"That's good to hear. I advise you to stay away from Altona. At the moment, no one can really say how bad the situation really is. You can stay with us as long as you like the house Merensen welcomes the four of you at any time">, Delenna Merensen, Aletta's mother, finally spoke up as she cast a confirming glance at her husband.

<"Thank you very much for this offer. If we can help, please let us know. We don't want to be a burden to anyone">, Cale replied matter-of-factly, having taken over the conversation in an unexpected way. He could feel William begin to shake all over, even though he tried not to show it.

<"I'll get back to you on that if I need to>, Chief Merensen announced, calling for one of his staff members. <"For now, all of you should get some rest. Wash yourselves and eat something... and Aletta...">

At the statement, the Chiefs' expression darkened abruptly.

<"You still owe your mother and me an explanation. We'll talk tonight.">

<"Yes">, Aletta confirmed meekly as a broad-built man with greyish-blond hair came up behind Ninett Merensen. Politely, he led the group to the Merensens' house, while Ninett stayed behind and tried to calm the curious occupants. With glum moods, the five travelers followed the man through the narrow hallways, with Cale unable to hold back for more than 5 minutes.

<"I just don't believe this. Altona was destroyed?">

<"Crazy, isn't it? There are quite a few thousands of people living there, not to mention 11 High-Magicians, but they were completely overrun?"> Philippa replied in a hushed voice.

<"This isn't real, is it? Altona is strong, if not the strongest country of all, and it's supposed to have been wiped out?">, Ben muttered.

<"This is just like Tsuke... will the same fate befall us all soon?">, Philippa replied, which caused the mood to drop by a manifold.

<"By the gods, all this can't be true. Is there a war coming and we didn't know about it all this time?">, Aletta interjected and turned to her friends. <"Imagine if we had spent a little longer in Bellator or Exarion...">.

<"...we could be dead now">, Cale completed her thought, looking at them with serious eyes. <"To think I wouldn't have met you guys and stayed in Altona. That... could have backfired really hard.">

<"You are not the first to come from Altona">, the man who led the group, spoke up. <"We have already taken in about a hundred refugees and there will probably be many, many more.">

<"Has my father mentioned what he plans to do with the refugees?">, Aletta asked on behalf of the whole group.

<"Not yet, but I doubt he or any other chiefs can, or rather will, turn them away. The kingdom of Sylve will fare similarly, they will surely already be overrun by thousands of people who managed to escape">, the man reported, pointing to a door to his right.

<"This is worse than back in Groka">, Cale spoke up, which made Ben turn to him in surprise.

<"There's no comparison to that at all. Groka already looked bad after the attack, imagine the whole of Altona.">

<"I know Ben, I was there">, he blurted out and stopped abruptly. He had never told the group he was from Groka because people tended to look at him funny.

<"What do you mean?">, William's voice could be heard for the first time. He had come to a halt outside the door, like the rest of the group, and turned his attention to the black-haired Anuxer.

<"I don't even know why I never told you this before, but I'm from Groka. I'm the only survivor from the attack back then.">

Shock was written all over the faces of the four young people and even the servant.

<"That's why you grew up in an orphanage. Why didn't you tell us that from the beginning?">, Philippa finally interjected, which was why Cale's eyes went first to her and then to Aletta.

<"Probably for the same reason Aletta never mentioned she was the daughter of the Chiefs of Merensen">, Cale interjected with a slightly reproachful tone. <"It's a somewhat uncomfortable piece of information that I don't like to share. Right, Aletta?">

<"Well, people tend to treat me differently when they know who I am. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I personally never found the right moment to tell the truth.">