The province of Farborgn lies in the northeast of the Kingdom, surrounded in the north by the mountains that hide the Emerald Kingdom from the wilds of Neharii and the civilised peoples of the north, it reaches as far as the mountains in the east that prevent the Great Desert from spreading. Its capital is Versaon, the shifting city, made of cloth and shadows, it remains hidden, travelling all over Farborng, and only those who are invited can find it. It is the seat of the Major House of the Dark Path, from which the greatest hunters, scouts and spies come.

The main purpose of the Dark Path is to gather information about hidden threats in the Emerald Kingdom and outside, foreign kingdoms and foreign powers. They follow the precept of Karrus, secrecy is power. They are the most open to foreign civilisations and are more willing to establish links with non-Eldar.

Book, The Emerald Kingdom, Prerogative of the Houses.

The trip was getting ready, things were finally moving. Yet Mat was not serene. Should he seize this opportunity? True, it was unlikely that he would be able to use this opportunity for some time, but if he put it in his power at least it would not be lost.

It had its own risk, like all power it had a cost, but that cost would reflect its path.

He knew he shouldn't do this, but staying hidden in the shadows as he was doing now helped him think. It was foolish in many ways, but Mat didn't always make the right decisions, sometimes he let his emotions dictate his conduct, it brought him a lot of difficulties, but it also made his life much more chaotic. And therefore interesting.

But this opportunity needed to be thought through, not denied because of some old feelings. He could let what he felt rule, let it override his reason, but only when he wanted to. And now he didn't want to.

Mat was alone in his room, sitting in an armchair. The room was dark, and he was one with the shadows. His veil was strong, though not yet strong enough to make him one with the shadows. In the same way that Leila was chasing the wind, Mat was chasing the shadows, and both she and he would eventually succeed. It was only a matter of time.

The last few days had been interesting, he had been able to strengthen his foundations, mainly in a weapon, but in the evening darkness, while alone in his room Mat had let his powers, his magic, be used. He knew that he would run the risk of getting caught, especially with Zarune watching him, but he couldn't help himself. The shadow realm was a part of him, now irrevocable.

Mat stood up, released his magic and hid it deep within. He walked over to the coffee table, picked up his sword sheath and strapped it to his waist. The meeting a few hours ago that had announced their departure had been quiet, everyone had taken the news with equanimity. They were going to war, and soon everything would be blood and chaos.

Jonah had finally mourned his friend, even if he still went to see him every day, he had accepted that soon he would be dead. And if he hadn't quite forgiven the Eldars, he had remained quite cordial with them. He had told Aurora, where Mat could hear him, that he was not going to hate individuals for the decision their people had made. Good for him, if he wanted to play the big man, let him. Mat himself would have been much less magnanimous.

But he didn't care about Lucas, he didn't know the man, and his upcoming death was of little interest to him. No, it was something else that plunged him into this indecision.

As he left his room Mat saw that the rest of the group was out as well. Each of them had some business to finish before leaving. His comrades had managed, by Mat unknown means, to make connections with the locals. And after the girls went out on the town for their party, the others went out too, meeting new people, making new friends. In the two weeks, they'd been here, they'd managed to make an aberrant number of connections with strangers.

Mat himself had gone in search of some information, but having to walk around the city constantly watched by those shadows at the edge of his eyes had prevented him from doing what he wanted to do. If it weren't for the fact that it was suspicious for him to disappear around a corner in an alley, and that he didn't know if they could see that he was using magic, he would have just thrown a veil and disappeared.

His supervisors were difficult to perceive and Mat did not know what power they used. In a way, they were similar to his power, but he couldn't confirm if it was the same as his own. After all, he had found these notes on the Shadow Domain in Eldar territory, and despite what the header said about the need to destroy this information, Mat had his doubts.

This power was powerful and the Eldar Empire could not afford to destroy knowledge that could be useful to it. So Mat wondered. Was it possible that despite their horror of magic, the Eldars were using it?

Taking advantage of his hidden guards Mat had gone to the last plateau, near the dock. It was always in the least favoured places that the most unlikely secrets were found. And if a drunkard or a particularly xenophobic Eldar wanted to take advantage of Mat's presence in such a bad place to get rid of his human defilement, he was ready. The basic Eldars citizens did not know about Weaving, so in that, he was superior to them in everything. And if, once he'd got rid of that xenophobic idiot, he'd called a score of mates. Well... that was what his guards were for, wasn't it?

- You have no right to be here, human. Your presence is against our laws.

- What's the kingdom's game?

- Never mind, kill him. Then we'll find a way to get rid of the others.

The Eldars had then charged towards him, their weapons were only clubs or daggers, one guy even had a pitchfork and another a shovel.

Seriously, they were going to attack him with their gardening tools?

Mat had drawn his sword, weaving the increase, these Eldars were untrained, and despite centuries of life for some, they had never taken the time to learn the art of combat. Or had forgotten it. You could tell by the way they were charging at him, like the angry mob they were, instead of trying to surround him. The idiots.

They were the kind who had been allowed to avoid active duty or had done so long ago that their old reflex had atrophied. Despite their boastfulness in attacking it for national reasons, they had no real desire to get involved in the defence of the Kingdom.

Despite their numbers, Mat was not worried, of course, there were enough of them to kill him, even without skill there was strength in numbers. But he was not alone. As he parried the first attack that fell on him, he heard a shout.

- Don't kill it!

Mat reflexively sliced off his opponent's ear, before giving him a violent blow to the face, which knocked him out. The second opponent arrived and Mat simply gave him a blow in the solar plexus. The Eldar collapsed. Annoyed, Mat refrained from using his weapon as anything other than a club.

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With the arrival of his guards, the battle was quickly over, many of his attackers stopping even when they became aware of their presence. Only those too drunk, or already engaged with him, continued to attack.

Despite their lack of skill, even an Eldar who didn't train his body was generally more flexible and stronger than the average human. And if Mat didn't feel in real danger with the Augment Weave making him far superior to them, it would only take one well-placed blow to kill him.

Stumbling the last of them and giving him a light blow to the temple to stun him, Mat looked around. This group, though more numerous, was far less threatening than those he had encountered in Tuanon. He met the gaze of one of the shadows and it moved closer to him.

- You should go back to the palace, we'll take care of these.

Mat ignored him, and continued on his way through this part of the city, looking for what he wanted. He again entered some ill-famed taverns, receiving the same dirty looks like that first drunkard he had corrected. He went into dark alleys, checked abandoned warehouses, the most decrepit dwellings, that is to say, none. The city was well maintained. He did not notice any of the signs he was looking for.

Unfortunately, despite what he had thought, apart from a few quickly dispatched altercations, no secrets had been found. It was the same place of misery as any other city, and by other cities, he meant Eldar cities. It seems that the poor class of Eldars were far better endowed than Mat's own experience with human misery. Enough endowed that even those considered the dregs of Tera had small houses with gardens.

It was a culture shock Mat hadn't expected, he'd gone in search of opportunity, and if he'd come across some rather low key Eldars, they all seemed like model citizens to his perception. He believe that there were criminal groups in this Kingdom? Or were they hiding? In the forest?

Even then there should be men present in the city, it was necessary if they wanted to continue their business. The business that any criminal enterprise worth its salt would do, drugs, prostitution, organized crime and the like.

This absence of any criminal activity more advanced than simple theft was troubling to Mat. If that was the case, who were the ones who had attacked them in Tuanon? What about the bandits Mustapha had met?

If a city with as much money as Tera had no hidden underground life then he doubted that Mustapha had met any real bandits. He knew that those who had attacked them in Tuanon had been paid for it, and Mat had thought they were simple criminals looking for a quick buck, but now that he thought so he realised that during his fight with them, none of them had spoken, except for cries of pain, even after he had killed some of their companions. They were dedicated to their mission, even if not very competent. Had Zarune lied to them?

In any case, he had gone in search of answers and opportunities, but he had found nothing. And shortly after his altercation with the twenty or so vindictive Eldars, he had been visited by Zarune to stop going there. He remembers that moment fondly.

The silver-haired Eldar had grabbed him so quickly that Mat had not seen her movement. Suddenly he had found himself against the wall, breathless. Her left hand against his chest held him forcibly against the wall, her right hand resting on Mat's right hand, clutching the hilt of his sword and preventing him from drawing. With his left hand Mat tried to remove Zarune's hand from his chest, he failed, her strength was far superior to his.

- What's wrong with you, human?

Mat had looked into the girl's cold, angry eyes.

- Is that how you greet others among the Eldar? That explains a lot.

She had pressed harder against his chest, and Mat had felt the pressure on his ribs become painful.

- Don't play with me, Human. Do you realise what you've done?

Mat's eyes went cold.

- I was attacked. I defended myself.

- You dark fool. If you bring a goat to a hungry lion's den, of course, it'll eat it.

- If the lion doesn't have long enough fangs, let it don't blame when its fangs are broken.

Zarune shook her head in dismay.

- You don't understand, you're fighting your way around the city. You are destroying all the goodwill of the citizens towards humanity. All the groups that were against you are coming to our doors. You are justifying them and cementing their position.

Mat was unable to move his upper body at all but could still move his head. He lowered it until he was only inches away from Zarune. He said in a low, almost rumbling voice.

- Let them come, so all the wolves are out. Eliminate them.

Zarune must have seen something in his gaze because she frowned before releasing him and taking a step back.

- You're crazy. Things are not that simple.

- The lives of your human slaves are not worth the lives of the Eldars, are they?

She just looked at him in disgust, without answering. Her gaze darkened and she finally said.

- Don't go to the city anymore. If you disobey me I promise you won't like what I might do.

Then she left, Mat believed her, whatever she had in mind if he disobeyed her he would regret it. Yet as he watched her go, he couldn't help himself. He laughed, loudly.

She stiffened at the sound of his laughter, but she didn't turn around.

Of course, Mat had no intention of obeying her. Only he had no business in the city. His search had been a failure. So he had decided to stay at the palace.

He had to deal with a few admonishments from the group, Jonah had taken the liberty of lecturing him, which Mat had not appreciated, Mustapha at his side, shaking his head, eyebrows furrowed. Aurora, to a lesser extent, had also intervened, and he had perhaps been a little harsh in his response, which had caused her to shed a few tears. Why did he feel guilty about that?

At least Marie hadn't said anything, just smiled at him. And Leila had just sent him a look of disgust from down the hall before ignoring him as usual.

For the next few days, Brenin had been with him every morning to help him with his training. He hadn't said anything, as if nothing had happened, he had been his usual self. Mat had the strange feeling of relief that he had not lost his attention. He wasn't sure how he should feel about that.

It was only a few days after his conversation with Zarune that their departure had been announced. How much that story in the lower town had played into that decision, Mat didn't know. And it didn't matter to him.

They were supposed to leave in the morning, on horses this time. No big cats to ride, much to Aurora's chagrin. The Teriathes preferred the deep forests of the Kingdom's east, and for one of them to agree to leave, one had to be honour-bound to him. Whatever that meant. Usually, only the elite troops rode them into battle. These were the soldiers they had met in Irvanon and who served under the direct authority of Daelmar Trishera, Brenin and Zarune's father.

Although there are many legends, tales and stories of young Eldars orphans who saved or rescued a Teriath and went on to perform feats that resonated throughout the empire.

Whatever the case, their troops would be large. Almost a hundred Eldars, Brenin's trained military and Zarune's recruits, plus a few more veteran soldiers who had re-enlisted after succumbing to the Prince's charisma. They brought with them a lot of military supplies, be it food, weapons and armour, tents and bivouac equipment, even a large cargo of iron in large carts, destined for the forges of the Jengai Pass fortress. It is to be a big expedition.

Jonah had asked for details and explanations about everything as if he wanted to learn about military life. And it was Mat who was called crazy? In any case, Brenin had been delighted to answer him, and their conversation had lasted all afternoon. Mat would bet they were still talking now. Well, that would make what he was going to do easier.

As none of the others in the group was present after Mat came out of his room he used his magic. It was a risk he chose to take. Discreetly opening the door he moved forward in silence. The Palace was well lit, so there was no need for him to use the veil, but a zone of silence around him was usually enough. If he added a little caution in his movements at crossroads and entered another room if he heard someone coming, it was easy to go unnoticed. It was fun to stay a few feet away from someone in the shadows without them knowing you were there, unfortunately, Mat was limited in such brightly lit areas.

Mat arrived at his destination and looked around as casually as possible. He found that he was alone, he quietly opened the door and looked to see if there was anyone inside. Empty again. He entered. The room was dark, he used his magic once more, this time to hide in the shadows.

His decision had been made, the temptation of such an opportunity was too rare. It might be impossible for him to get another one.

As he approached Mat's eyes took on a frightening hardness. His eyes were like two black marbles. He lowered his eyes, his left hand on his sword, and remained silent for many minutes. Minutes he could not afford to take.

Finally, he lowered his hand, placing it on Lucas' chest, where his prism was. Once again he told himself, he had made his decision.