I spent the next couple of hours telling him about our travels south, and the search for Myriam. Taro had left the tower shortly after our departure and was completely ignorant of our news, since we had only communicated with the tower. He knew that we were fine and continuing with our quest, but the details of our travels never reached him.

I found that recounting the events that had led me here served to occupy my mind and steer it away from thinking about her and what she did to save me.

I told him of the wild jungles of Yubna and the strange religion they followed there, despite being part of Leka An. He found the shamans and their gorillas particularly interesting, and however much I told him how of intimidating they looked, he still insisted he would like to meet them.

The beauty of Helian, the Feniran capital, was something I could not do justice with my words. I promised him that if he ever visited the evergreen lands there, he would be stunned at how serene and pure the nature was, but he did not seem interested in Fenira at all. He simply shrugged and said that since he'd grown up in a small village, he had seen plenty of forests and hills.

By the time I talked to him about Snjokomu and our discussions in the monastery, I was already feeling the weariness dragging me down. My descriptions became a lot shorter and less enthusiastic. Just as I was about to start on how we'd met Myriam and Kai in the enchanted forest, the communication stone, which was still on the table between us, started glowing.

"Adel?" said Seika's out-of-breath voice. "Can you hear me?"

"I can," I replied, bracing myself for a torrent of scolding remarks about what I had done.

But Seika didn't reply and instead I heard what sounded like someone throwing themselves down on a chair instead. I realized this was probably the first time Seika had been able to relax since we parted ways.

"We were very worried for you, Giantsbane," I heard Man say. "Especially after the priests arrived in your cauldron."

"You received my little package, then?" I asked, trying to ease the atmosphere.

"We did," Kard took his turn in replying. "Adel, they said they didn’t kill the monk in the monastery."

"I figured," I replied, and lowered my head in disappointment.

"What happened then?" Krysha asked.

I took a breath to calm myself and started recounting the events which led me to Nara and to Taro.

"The archon and the paragon ambushed us," I said, "and we managed to defeat them by sending them back to the tower with my hourglass. I'm sorry for putting you in danger but it was the only way."

"We dealt with them. Don’t worry," Kard replied in a tone that prompted me to continue with my story.

"We prepared for the ritual of releasing The Divine from Kai," I continued, "or what we thought was the ritual. Everything was ready and Myriam initiated the ceremony. Kai was supposed to release The Divine Essence by plunging a dagger into the Mana Tree."

"Oh no," Kard said.

"He killed Myriam." I was surprised at how steady I was able to keep my voice. "The monster stabbed her as part of a ritual of his own. It was his plan all along. He explained everything to me. The massacre at the liturgy… it was all him. He said he needed to kill his best friend and his worst enemy in order to take full control of The Divine's power."

"He wants to become The Divine," Krysha muttered.

"He is The Divine," I corrected her. "He’s just not at full power yet. He killed his best friend and in the process created his worst enemy—me. All these years, he was wearing a mask, pretending to have feelings and being like us."

"Adel, we're sorry," Kard said in a low voice. "How did you manage to escape?"

"Myriam had gifted me a shield that protected me from Kai's blow and brought me back to Nara," I replied somberly. "What happened on your end?"

"Things are bad in the south, Adel," Man said. "The Divine is building an army, and I am afraid he will soon start marching north."

"We need to inform the Order," I said, but I was immediately interrupted by Krysha.

"You can't seriously believe what they said about us being welcome in Elysia?" she objected.

"She's right, Adel." Taro, who had been silent until now, agreed with her. "I traveled back to Nara in great secrecy."

"But we need to let them know what happened," I protested. "The Order needs to know about Kai's plans and they need to know what Myriam was trying to do. People need to know that she was a good person trying to return mana to the world."

There was silence for a moment. "We'll meet you in Nara," Seika said suddenly. "You will not go meeting anyone from the Order by yourself."

"It is decided then," Man said. "We will be paying the archons a visit."

"Do you think it's going to be safe?" Kard asked.

"Whatever grievance they may have against us," Seika replied, "they will have to set it aside now that Kai's threat is rising."

"Where shall we meet then?" I asked, already having the perfect rendezvous place in mind.

"Our house in Elysia is empty as far as I know," Seika replied, mirroring my thoughts, "and we'll have privacy there."

"On the sunset of the day a month from now?" I proposed.

"Can we make it, Man?" Seika asked.

"What do you say a week from now?," he asked.

“How will you be there so fast?”

“We’ll take the fastest ship of my father’s fleet,” Man replied. “A mix of craftsmanship and magic sails.”

"Then it's settled," Krysha said. "I'll prepare everything we'll need for the journey."

"Please bring some things for me too, Krysha," I said.

"She’s already gone," Kard said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "You know how she is. I don't doubt she'll take your needs into consideration as well, though."

"Okay, then I guess we'll see each other in a week," I said.

"We'll try to communicate with you as soon as we've crossed the Endless Sea," my sister said, "or whenever we think we are close to the range of the earrings."

"Sounds good," I agreed.

"Travel safe, brother," she said.

"You too," I replied.

"See you soon, Giantsbane," Man said cheerfully just before the stone dimmed.

I remained sitting on my chair, a smile on my face. It was so good to speak to them again and even better to have something to look forward to. I could only hope our meeting with the archons would go smoothly, though I had no idea what to expect other than the opportunity to report what had transpired under the Mana Tree and set the record straight about Myriam.

My train of thought was interrupted by Taro who had just refilled my mug with ale.

"You have ample time to reach Elysia," he said. "You should take a day to rest here first."

"Kai took my magical steed, so I’m going to have to find another means of transportation," I said, grateful for his attempts to take care of me. "Even if I had a horse, I'd have to travel on side roads to avoid any confrontations with people of the Order before we have a chance to explain what is really happening. And that means even more time on the road, and having to pace the horse so it won't get exhausted."

"So, what you're saying is," he said with his finger raised, "if you had a horse that didn't get tired, you'd be able to rest?"

"Well, yes," I said, knowing where our conversation was headed. "But where would I find such a magical beast?"

"You're in luck, my friend," he continued. "It just so happens I have this little silver flute that summons a very fine horse indeed."

"And I suppose you don't need the horse anymore?" I asked with a smirk.

"In all seriousness," he said, "I really don't. I used it to reach Nara quickly and in secret. I don't plan on leaving any time soon. I'd like to stay a little longer in this place."

"You're really going to be here by yourself?" I asked him. "Everywhere I turn, I see the faces of people who are now dead."

"I do too," he admitted. "We should see them. We shall never forget them. And I saw fewer dead people today than I saw yesterday, and even fewer again than the day before."

I turned my eyes away from his. I understood what he was trying to do. He was attempting to move on. But I wasn't ready for that yet. Not after what happened to her.

"And guess what?" he continued. "Today, as I was climbing up the north hill, I sat on the large red bench halfway up, and I didn't see any dead people. What I saw was me playing cards with my aunt and uncle. Their death is not what defines them, Adel. Their life does. And I will remember them as they were alive."

"You think we can overcome all this death and manage to live here again?" I asked, looking up again at his hopeful eyes.

"I don't know," he replied truthfully. "But I’m sure as hells going to try. Not because I want to live here just now. But because I want to be able to live here in the future if I choose to."

"So you'll not stay here?" I asked, confused. "This is just a test?"

"Hasn't everything been a test so far?" he countered with a question of his own. "We are constantly being tested. But I know my place is with my people. Our people. The people of the tower."

"That's comforting to hear," I said. "So, I guess I'll make use of your magical steed and take the opportunity to rest."

"I'm glad we agree," he said with a smile as he stood up. "You can use the bed in this room. I'll use the one on the floor above."

"Thank you, Taro," I said and followed him to a chest next to one of the room's large closets.

He opened the chest and produced a rather big soft pillow, a white sheet, and a fluffy gray blanket. I took them from him and made my bed in silence.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Adel," he said, as he was climbing up the twisting wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. "Don't leave without saying goodbye."

"I won't," I replied. "Goodnight."

The sound of Taro's footsteps on the wooden floor separating my room from his was the only sound that could be heard in the whole room which was—like any other residence in Nara—magically isolated from outside noise. I brought one of the chairs over from the table and placed it next to my bed. On top of it, I put a flask of water and the shield Myriam had gifted me.

The only thing I had left to remind me of her was this gift. When she’d sent me back to Nara to escape Kai's deathly grasp, her body was not transported with me, even though I was holding her. Her last gift ended up saving me.

This shield that we used to share our stories with each day, until the blue topaz embedded in it was fed enough. Thinking of our little routine, I found myself feeling the urge to do it again, even if she wasn't with me anymore.

"You know," I started whispering to the shield, not wanting to disturb Taro upstairs, "I always thought about you. You told me many times that I helped you go on when your parents were killed. And the more I thought about it, the more I saw it for what it truly was. I didn't help you just because I was feeling sad for you. I was a newcomer in a strange place and I was looking for a friend. Walking through the forest of memories, the day we met, I was looking for someone to help me."

I stared at the gem in the center of the shield. I was certain it was still yearning for me to share my thoughts and feelings.

Addressed somebody who had died was always a weird feeling, but I knew I needed to say this.

"Myriam, I don't know if you can hear me," I said, "but I wanted to say thank you. I never was one to talk about my feelings… and I regret it now."

I swallowed hard. Even at this whispering tone, the words did not come out easily.

"Now that you’re not here," I continued in a trembling voice, "I regret not telling you how I felt about you. I regret not kissing you back, Myriam. I regret not coming after you earlier. I will have to live the rest of my life, be it short or long, with these regrets. But I will not hold it in me any longer. I cannot hold it."

I whispered those three words I should have said days ago, and immediately the blue topaz went bright and dimmed again. It seemed that the precious magical stone had now had its fill for the day and so had I.

I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep.