5 Days Later, 80 Miles Away from Froir, in the Erkshems’ Mountain Range.

Within the depths of a vast cave system, a fire was lit spreading its light in one of the many natural and manmade chambers. The sound of dripping water could be heard from time to time, at some points sounding more like a stream of water going from the ceiling to the ground. Strangely against expectations, not a single hint of water could be found, almost like the sound itself was an illusion. Besides the weird sound of water, was the thick fog that roiled. As such, any kind of fire lit in this place could be difficult, but its essential use was practical from warding off the dampness, cold, darkness, and sickness.

In that chamber were ten figures, one laid on the floor covered in a thick blanket with someone kneeling by their side releasing a green light. Another five sat around the fire and another two stayed by the entrance. The last leaned against the wall staring at the figure who laid on the floor with a hopeful light.

They were Haya’s squad with Ruia checking Tus’s condition, Arl standing by the doorway with a black garment wearing stranger who helped in checking for intruders, and the rest who sat around the fire. Worill and Shel conversed with them from time to time. Yarla was the one who leaned against the wall with a bandaged arm and leg.

“How is his condition?” Haya asked with a bit of concern and guilt.

Ruia who kneeled by Tus said while astonished, “The condition inside his body is amazing! Even though he has conflicting attributes, the second heart is functioning appropriately. To his physical body, there are no injuries at all.” Saying this, she glanced at Yarla who stood away. “Thanks to her.”

Yarla remained silent. With the attack of Drel and the dragon that escalated over her head, some remnant volatile energy radiated out. Luckily, neither of them found Tus due to an heirloom of her family which made her invisible to all senses for a period of time. The only downside of which was that the heirloom requires at least a year before it recharges with the appropriate energy. Afterward, she was found by the squad when she was in the forest before the mountains with Arl's continuous lead through her blood and Tus's scent.

“Why are you helping Tus?” Worill couldn’t help but ask.

“I feel guilty about bringing about such a catastrophe to him without any cause. All he did was go to Oblivion and survived. It shouldn’t warrant his death.” Haya replied sullenly, while the others quietly nodded. “Even though we’re strangers, my squad has always helped those who need it. In fact, that is why in Rotalia, we were the laughing stocks.”

“I still can’t believe a person can become transcendent by going to that place, sounds too easy.” Shel said on the side, poking the ground with a stick.

Tulian countered, “Only the crazy would dare to. Oblivion might have been a place where transcendents are born, but you have to battle against beasts of a superior nature, devils that seek your soul, and the demons that just want to fulfill their appetite. The countless number of people who entered that place and managed to live beyond five years is almost zero, not counting the 200 that this guy did.”

“If I may ask, what do you plan to do with him?” Haya asked.

Worill and Shel both looked at Yarla who leaned on the wall. Even they didn’t know what the plan was.

“Plainly, I want to adopt him into my regime.” Yarla cooly said after turning her eyes.

Hearing this, everyone in the room, except for Worill, had various expressions of disbelief.

Tus was being hunted by the alliance, because their nefarious workings, and the Erkshem regimes are all out to get one another, degrading an already critical situation. It wouldn’t be just Tus who is in danger, but the entire regime that Yarla is working under. The aftereffects from something like that would spread through the entirety of Erkshem, with the alliance, and the hostile regimes involved, tearing it apart.

“Milady, we can’t do that!” Shel protested, “That would you in danger!”

Worill chuckled, “We already adopted him, and we can’t toss him back onto the street can we? That would be improper for we. All we have to do is dress him up a bit and keep him away from any monsters or sensitive talismans.”

Shel placed her fingers to her forehead in exasperation.

“If it isn’t much, can I go with you too?” Ruia stood up and requested. “If Tus gets injured again, another healer would be able to see his second heart, and that might put all of you in danger.”

The squad jumped up in unison with all of them gaining another sense of disbelief.

“Ruia, what are you doing?” Talian stepped forward, “We already discussed this. He can’t take you to your brother, especially now since he gained the second heart. Unless he has the guardian inside give him permission, neither of you would be able get in.”

“Actually…” Haya started speaking, “we might be able to get a bit of time off and use it to go to Erkshem with them. Right, Tulian?”

Tulian stiffened and replied mechanically. “Yes. Even though those two alliance scouts couldn’t get a hold of Tus, we still fulfilled our purpose despite acting against ‘two’ devastating threats. The time off would be around six months to a year.”

Arl also did some gestures in agreement while he stood near the entrance.

Talian shook his head and sat back down. He thought listlessly ‘We already helped them out here, why can’t we go back and get some booze man…’