Both Blanche and Finnian had little to contribute at first. They knew details of the Eroder from what others had shared to them, although only he found it on three occasions and survived to tell it. The way he ignored Blanche was nothing more than another manifestation that the elthean possessed greater intelligence than he revealed.

“That’s why we know he’s adapting and changing the way he acts,” Finnian said.

“Indeed, he must consider you a threat to take all those troubles,” Ariel admitted.

“Look who went to talk,” Blanche said, dodging an elbow from Finnian so that she would not overdo it.

Even though details had been left that did nothing in that scenario, they also did not doubt that Ariel would do the same. The Eroder began to act shortly after his arrival, with uncertain origins. Many confused him by the present Lord of Calamity, but it was enough to see how different were their behaviour for Elthea to realize that they had two new problems. Where the Eroder passed by, he was demolishing the places without leaving survivors. That destruction began in the south but now was settled in the north because of the Signer’s presence.

None survived, and those who did had little to count. The cities and groups he found ceased to exist, and any attempt to rebuild the lost took great effort. Ariel admitted that the previous Lords of Calamity created destruction as a way to achieve their goals, but that had reached an extreme level even for him.

“You are still alive. Such a ‘friendly’ conversation would be unthinkable for my predecessors,” Ariel said with a smile with fangs included.

“Maybe it’s another Calamity who is behind it?” Finnian suggested, ignoring his last words. “One that you don’t know of its existence.”

“Impossible. I wouldn’t miss something like that, especially since there have never been two of my species at the same time.”

“I doubt that,” Blanche said.

“That’s not the important thing. Since your arrival, he has focused on you. Who knows what other twisted methods he will use to finish you off,” Ariel said.

“Seriously? I hadn’t noticed,” Finnian replied, shaking his head. “You know more than us, and yet you seek him out. What ace do you have up your sleeve?”

“He can teleport.”

It would explain that he would disappear from one place and emerge from another. Few elthean possess that ability, and fewer wanted to develop it. It needed a lot of energy and could be detected if anyone knew where to look, a detail that Ariel tried to use for his benefit to find him at the moment he was weakest.

“Why do you think he’s just looking for him?” Blanche suddenly blurted out. “We have also faced the Eroder. And survived, besides.”

“It may be, but just by looking closely to know that you do not have the same potential,” said Ariel. “He, on the other hand, is much more interesting. He used you to attract him, just like I do. I’m curious to know why you’re like that.”

“Neither do I know nor would I tell you,” Finnian replied, rolling his eyes.

“You can refuse me as much as you want, but I’m not the first to look at you as a possible weapon, and I won’t be the last either.”

He kept his silence and gaze, refusing to agree with him even though it was true. He wouldn’t focus on something like that while they were with him, especially if he had to stay calm. And even though the noise from computers and keyboards made him feel a little closer to home, the tension didn’t go away as civilized as that conversation was.

“That’s why you want me. If you sought to destroy us now, you would have it easy, but there is something else,” Finnian said.

“I doubt you understand, no so soon,” Ariel replied.

“Funny, you’re not the first to express something like that either,” Finnian said.

“Are you going to leave us like this? Or is it part of your plan that we shouldn’t know?” Blanche said.

“It’s nothing your little heads haven’t thought of before,” Ariel said.

Persistent he was, though even Calamity could not deny that he sought to do things differently.

“Elthea always suffers the same. There is a period of peace until one of mine arrives. Part of the game of balance,” Ariel blink quickly. “And although I follow the same path as the ancient calamities, I am looking for something different. I want to unify Elthea under my mandate.”

Unite it, conquer it, make them not suffer as they are now and guide them to a better world according to his mission. Ariel’s words sounded good at first, but they caused him the opposite effect to what would be expected. Under his fist? What would he do if someone disobeyed him? Crush it as if it were an insect?

“And that’s where you come in, little man,” Ariel said, tapping his chest. “With you, everything will be much simpler, and those who follow us will have more strength thanks to your unique ability.”

“I told you earlier that it’s not something I controlled by just looking at you and wanting it.”

“And I that you would learn. You have the motivation to do it. If it’s not for her, maybe for your partners. Do you think you wouldn’t notice that we are being followed?”

“I was counting on it, although that doesn’t change my words,” Finnian said, shrugging his shoulders.

“But they will not arrive for the party we are preparing. Why did you think we entered the Ikeleia Desert?”

“Maybe because of sunbathing. It’s summer, and your base is sure to be in an oasis or something,” Finnian said.

“It’s the perfect place to trap the Eroder. I have the ideal bait after all,” Ariel said, patting him on the back. “He’s looking for you, tracking every move you made. And I’m going to take advantage of that too.”

Why did he always end up with lots of problems?

“As simple as that?” Finnian said, raising an eyebrow. “Haven’t you come up with anything else to attract him?”

“I don’t have you tied up. You can do magic if you want, although seeing that you haven’t cut off the bond with your friends, I don’t need to force you,” said Ariel, biting his lip. “Why do you think I’ve let you move without limits?”

It went beyond getting information or trying to recruit him. He wanted it to be trusted. He hoped that he would try to fight him in most scenarios. After all, if Finnian stopped helping his partners, they would have more difficulty finding him, although he could try to defend himself. Keeping the link would exhaust him; Ariel planned it to have no more options. Because if they were to attract the Eroder, they would need their elthean to survive.

A sudden rage brought him up to his throat, making him burn, but for something else. Speaking, complaining or adding any phrase would serve nothing but to feed the inside flame. Perhaps maintaining the evolution was something they did not prepare him for, but Finnian would not try to make a madness even though Ariel would frustrate him.

“See? Even you have run out of comments,” Ariel said, pleased by his passivity.

“Would you rather be praised? Applaud your plan?” Finnian said.

“It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve done it, although I took you as the best loser,” Ariel said.

“I’m done wasting more energy with you.”

And after those words, he returned to his side and sat, ignoring the presence of Ariel or the other elthean. They would not hurt him, at least for the moment. Even Blanche was safe as long as he continued to think they were under his control. But even Finnian had its limits. It was too late for him to stay awake, even with how his habits had changed since he arrived in Elthea. What he would have given for a quiet rest rather than that endless show.

“I doubt very much that I can sleep, not knowing that it doesn’t take his eyes off us,” Blanche said.

The other Signer ended up sitting next to him, not far from Ark. None of them had other places to be, although it is not that they could do much more in those circumstances.

“It’s a relief,” she admitted, getting Finnian to frown his eyebrows. “At least it does not seek to end us, or not for now.”

“That will depend on what we decide to do with our potential partnership,” Finnian said, holding back the urge to snort.

“We can always pretend,” Blanche whispered.

“It’s not something we should play with,” Finnian replied, “And besides, I would disagree with him.

“Even if your life depends on it?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Everyone has limits, and even if I’m wrong, I’m transparent about mine.”

It was far from pride, if not convictions. Partnering with Ariel, as he intended, could not bring any worse consequences. Not only would he be joining his enemy, but he would help him accomplish his goal. Maybe he was eleven years old, and although good and evil were not as black and white as many painted it, it would not be he who would seek to harm others because another would force him.

His friends, his teachers.… all had taught him that he always had options, alternatives existed, even if they could not see them at that moment. What Ariel intended was far from helping Elthea.

“Changes come and go, but it is how they were carried out that are remembered.”

Their world’s history reminded them that no one was perfect. Ideologies or plans brought to extremes are never good, no matter how benevolent their initial intentions were. After that, Blanche breathed deep, frowned and added:

“You’re more stubborn than I thought.”

“You are the one to talk,” Finnian said, “but this is not stubbornness. I make mistakes like anyone else, and I learn like others, although I will only agree if I think it is the right thing to do.”

Maybe he would see the world with different eyes in a few years, which was very likely. However, that was their reality, one that would have to survive so much darkness was surrounding them.