"What do you mean it is gone?"

Elias´ voice finally broke the silence in the room.

"Exactly what I said. It was erased from our records, entrusted to a faithful family and taken as far away from the academies as possible." Utira was still neglecting any eye contact.

"In fact I find it more disturbing that the capital has learned of it´s existence in the first place."

Elias closed his eyes. "So you mean to tell me, that this artifact of immense power is in the hands of a single person somewhere out in the world? How could you be this careless?"

"It is not just anyone, Elias." Thileos shook his head. "Meridwen is a trusted friend of the council, and the latest holder of the Heart."

"Was." Utira sighed as she turned the paper around to continue her writing. "She has ceased writing to us for an unsettlingly long time now, it cannot be ruled out that someone or something got the better of her."

The ground trembled as Elias stepped forward. "I am disappointed, my friends. Gravely disappointed. Your hatred for the capital has gone too far this time."

"Better some cutthroat than the capital." Jenafari shrugged. "Even should they realise what they are holding, it is little more than a greater crystal without the knowledge of what it is. It will either disappear into some collector´s vault, or some mage will attract undue attention and get killed once discovered."

Elias was now standing right in front of them. Slowly he leaned forward, blocking the light of the chandelier and bathing them in shadow.

"We will talk about this another time. For now I must demand that you gather the other wanted objects, and prepare them for transfer to the capital immediately. Should you not follow suit, and the capital sends the Guardians, then I will not be able to help you."

His words left the room in silence, as the sovereign turned to Ellyrie and walked past her. "I am afraid we are done here, El."

The ride downward to the base of the tower was a silent one. It was Thaeus who finally broke it as they reached the ground.

"With all due respect, master, do you not think it would have been wise to be more assertive with them? They are subordinate to you after all."

Elias let out a long sigh as he stepped off the square. "Perhaps you are right, Thaeus. But I hope that the threat of the Guardians will have them see reason. That would be the second part of my request to you all."

He folded his hands in front of his chest. "I would like you be the ones taking the items back to the capital. A little crow told me of what has been happening in El Cynthia."

Ellyrie lowered her head, her arms folded behind her back. "I, I can explain."

"You don't have to. I would've done the same. But by delivering these you can show the capital your good intentions, and you could visit your father again, I am sure he misses you. But one thing."

He looked back up through the hole in the ceiling. "The letter also spoke about a girl who may or may not be in your care." His eyes slowly descended on Ellyrie as he leaned forward. "They were not specific, but they spoke that this girl was in some way a great danger. El, do you have such a person in your crew, or on your ship at the moment?"

All eyes were now on her. Ellyrie struggled to meet Elias´s gaze, and when she did, she shook her head. "No, I have no such person on board. It is only me and my Sky Knights."

He continued to stare down at her, the intensity made Ellyrie quiver. Then he winked and slowly rose back up. "That is good enough for me. Make sure to keep it that way, yes?"

Elias made his way to the opening gate. "And El, please do ensure that they reach the capital safely. The book of Parsae is no laughing matter. If the Heart has already fallen into someone elses hands, then I fear. Even if the circle doesn't."

With these words he left them. The guard split up too, with Cairon dragging Mellador out into the streets with talks of showing the half-ogre his favourite spots across the city. Aeneya had snatched up Fiona before the young knight could sneak off, and they disappeared as well.

"I shall walk a little with master Elias, if that is alright with you?"

Thaeus´s words pulled Ellyrie out of her thoughts. She blinked a few times and nodded quickly.

Thus she was alone again, and the gates slowly closed. Ellyrie hurried to get through, and someone else had the same idea, just from the other side.

The captain ran head first into a smaller woman, who fell to the ground in front of her.

"Oh, oh I am so sorry!" Ellyrie tried to reach down, but the woman had already sprung back up to her feet

She was wearing a long flowing red mantle. She had been covering her face with a hood, but it had fallen off. The captain gasped at the grizzly sight, of the endless web of burn scars.

"It's, it's alright," The woman muttered and quickly pulled her hood back up. Ellyrie noticed how her left hand was twitching and squirming, as if trying to hold onto something that wasn't there.

"What happened to you?" The words just fell out of the captains mouth, her eyes widening just moments after the fact. How could she be saying such a thing?

"Just, our home burned down, when I was little." The woman turned her head, staring at the ground. "A mage took me in and, she got sick so I've come here to learn so I can help her out."

It was strangely calming, to be talking to someone who did not make a special scene out of her lineage. Ellyrie smiled.

"That is a very kind thing of you to do. What's your name?"

"I'm," The woman´s voice trailed off for a moment. "Demadara. It, it really has been very nice to speak with you, miss, but I really need to head inside."

"Oh of course, I wish you best of luck Dema-"

As they passed, Ellyrie´s eyes trailed down to Demadara´s left arm. And the black sign on it.

The captain reached out and grasped her. Demadara froze.

"I know that sign." Ellyrie whispered. She reached her hand down to her belt.

And pulled out her purse.

"Here. I'm sure you can find someone who can paint over that." She placed a coin in Demadara´s hand, who looked at her completely dumbfounded. She added another. "And to make sure they stay quiet."

The captain squeezed her hand, close to tears. "I am so sorry, that this is all I can do. But I promise, nobody will find you here, and nobody will take you back to whoever put that on you. You're free now, alright?"

"Y-yes. Thank you." The woman muttered, still in absolute disbelief.

"All, alright. Truly, truly, best of luck. Please live your life to the fullest, I know you will do great things here!"

And so she left the woman to her own devices. Ellyrie watched her from a far for a little while, how Demadara struck up a conversation with the mage operating the square lift. The woman was not the last, two more managed to run and sneak through the gate before it closed for the night.

Ellyrie´s chest brimmed with pride as she made her way down from the academies back to the tower. On the way she met Mellador and Cairon again, who offered for her to join them on whatever drinking binge they currently were on, but the captain declined, she had something else she wanted to do.

"You look really happy." Melnia was standing on the bridge of the "Herald". The light breeze ran through her hair and made her dress flutter.

"I met someone, a woman who was really badly hurt." Ellyrie leaned against the railing next to Melnia. "She had a slave sign branded on her."

The muscles in her arms tensed as she gritted her teeth. "I just felt, helpless. All my life I've traveled and fought to help people, and still I can't prevent these things from happening. But, she looked strong, and confident, despite it all. So I gave her money to have the sign covered. I really hope she can make it there."

Her eyes were pinned on the tower of peace, a faint smile on her face. "It would be a great story, no? Having to go through all that pain, and not being broken by it, becoming free and fighting to make the world a better place."

"She sounds very strong." Melnia leaned up against the captain, following her gaze. "Thank you, for coming back."

Ellyrie looked down to her. "Of course. The others are having fun, but they can do that without me. And besides, we shouldn't be separated, right?"

Melnia closed her eyes and let herself rest up against Ellyrie. "I've not seen the lady in white for days now. She's not left me alone this long before. I think she may have finally let go."

The mentioning of her caused a shiver to run down Ellyrie´s back. She laid her hand on Melnia´s shoulder to hold her close. "Well she did say that she wasn't going to take care of you anymore, no? That's our job from now on. Elias told me that, the guardians are looking for you."

The captain felt the girl freeze up, making her hold onto Melnia all the more. "But he ignored it, Atal likes the guardians even less than I do. And no matter what, I wont let them get to you, alright? I promise."

Melnia held onto Ellyrie tightly, hiding her face in the captain´s chest.

"Even though I don't know who, what I am?"

Ellyrie returned the embrace and carefully laid her hand on Melnia´s head. "Even then. I am going to protect you."

"Even if, what I am turns out to be evil? And they, they were right?"

The moon had risen, it´s light reflected across the ring on Ellyrie´s hand. The pain in her chest that had been so sharp and excruciating had now become dulled. The captain closed her eyes and ran her hand through Melnia´s hair.

"Even then. I am going to protect you, no matter what."