"So, you lost a copter."

"Yes, Tunem," Zarin sent her answer to the lord protector through the telepathic link. The link wasn't created by her. While she could send her thoughts to another, but only to those who were near her. Long distance telepathic communication required a bond, which could be created by a different aspect of the Fire, however they didn't have access to a binder. Luckily, there was a natural bond between close blood relatives, which was far more weaker and limited than an elemental bond created by a binder, but it was strong enough to allow a creation of a telepathic link. So it was Haden, the lord protector's brother, who created it, using her blood. Zarin knew that Haden was a sentient undead, and she also knew he could steal elemental abilities, and she was well aware of the fact that Tunem trusted him. But she didn't, so she needed to be careful what she said to the lord protector.

"Do we know how it happened?"

"No."

"No? Ulmra, please. I can't forgive the loss of one of our last working copters, not even for you, without consequences for the stability of my leadership, unless you give me a better answer than that. I am a dictator, not the Spirit. Find the reason or make up one. I would prefer the first, but I do understand it's not possible in your current situation... Unless..."

"I don't think using one of our drones would be a good idea. If they really used elementalism on the copter, as we suspect they did, they could just as..."

"I am not talking about the drones. And you know that."

She did know that indeed, of course. They had only three drones at Jukava Base and the Protectorate had only fifteen in total, and only four more copters. However, they also had a mistling, Zehno.

"With all due respect, my lord..."

"Oh, dear Ulmra, I just love how you shift to the official tone when you disagree with me. And of course you are usually right. So you don't think the boy is ready?"

"No, Tunem" - She deliberately switched back to first-name basis - "He is progressing well. He will never be a true soldier, but has the potential of a good spy."

"Good. A talented spy could worth a hundred soldiers at least. Now one with the ability to mist..."

"Yes. But he needs more time."

"Alright. But then you need to fabricate a story about the lost copter. A good one. Now, I must leave. Please take good care of my 'son', while he is at your base."

"Of course, Tunem. Please, don't take it the wrong way, but how long will he stay? No offense meant, Haden."

"None taken, Ulmra" answered Haden.

"Why?" Asked the lord commander. "Don't tell me you don't like having a superior officer as a guest on your base? I hope you are only worried about your authority."

"Actually, I am, if I may be so blunt."

"By all means. That's your third most useful attribute."

"Thank you, I guess... Anyway, it looks bad that a teenage boy..."

"He is twenty, officially. And in reality not that much younger than you."

"Yes, well. Anyway, it makes my job really difficult, if a boy, who seems barely old enough to drink anything stronger than a beer..."

"Yes, I can see that. But it's a necessary evil. To answer your question, he stays until you deem the water kid ready for reconnaissance missions. You do remember the real reason Haden is there."

"Yes, but I still don't see how..."

"You have your orders, Commander."

"Yes, my lord."

At his request Haden deactivated the telepathic link.

"Everything is alright, Ulmra?" He asked aloud.

"Yes, Haden. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to the gym to practice with Zehno."

The undead seemed thoughtful. "Perhaps it would be better if I joined you on these training sessions. I can use the boy's ability, so it makes sense for me to learn more about them."

"You know as well as I do, that you don't need the practice. You can use the stolen aspects as well as the elementals you stole from."

"Well, to a certain limit, anyway. Still…"

Ulmra sighed. What Haden said made sense, but while she didn't exactly hate the vampire she didn't particularly like him either.

"Look, Haden. We both know I couldn't forbid you to come. But I can ask you, and I do."

"You still don't trust me." It wasn't a question.

"I don't trust the virus. The Taint. This virus… It's almost like I can hear something in the background, when I read your mind. A voice, like a mumbling of a sleeping person. And I know, it's coming from the Taint."

"Please Zarin, not this again. I follow the teachings of the prophets too, but this disease is just that: a disease, not some demonic possession. That being said, I respect your wishes. But you know what Tunem wants. Sooner or later you have to introduce me to the boy."

"I know that. When Zehno is ready."

This time Haden sighed, then nodded and left Zarin's room.

***

Zehno was actually quite talented at his elemental ability, which was fortunate, since misting was one of the least well documented powers. The mistlings of the old worked mostly as assassins and spies, so they were a naturally secretive bunch.

The Mist itself was poorly understood by anyone not belonging to their caste. There were a lot of questions Zehno asked that Zarin had no answer for. Like why could he walk through a person or even a door, but not through walls? Why could he walk on the first place, and not fall through the ground? Breathing in the Mist was also an interesting question.

At the first few times, when Zehno tried to breathe while using his ability, he immediately lost control and returned to the physical world. But after a few more tries, he found more and more easier to breathe in the Mist. The problem was that he shouldn't have been able to do that at all, if he was incorporeal. Then again, it was an advantage that the boy could breathe in the Mist, so she decided to just accept that as a fact.

The old gym they used for their training sessions was actually a sports center before the Apocalypse. After that it became a dedicated storage building for captured zombies for training and experimental purposes. The gym equipment had been moved to some smaller buildings where the soldiers could use them.

As for their training that day they used three zombies. Zehno's task was simple enough: he needed to get through the training ground, without the zombies noticing him. It was simple, yet not easy: there were some electronic dead man's switches placed at certain points, which immediately triggered when Zehno got close to them while using his power, thanks to the fact that elemental abilities and electronic devices were mutually disrupting each other, and once they activated, they alarmed the zombies. The undead also sensed him not only if he accidentally touched them, but even when he wasn't careful enough to hide the Water he used.

Even when he could hide from the zombies, he couldn't from Ulmra. She found him nine times out of ten. She didn't use her ability, it wouldn't have helped her anyway, since the Mist was just as effective hiding thoughts as bodies. But anyone could sense an elemental using their ability, given that the observer was actively searching for anything unusual and the elemental wasn't skillful enough to be able to hide their usage of their aspect.

Zehno wasn't, not yet. He was talented but not skilled. That's why she told Tunem that the boy wasn't ready.

That and Kaleg's death.

The kid took it hard, of course. His whole former squad was dead including his cousin.

Zehno was an orphan and lived with his uncle, Kaleg's father. Zonorien Ronos was a simple worker, a kind and gentle soul, not fit for military duty, so he worked at the Purged Ruins. Father and son was nothing alike, yet they loved and respected each other, and he wasn't exactly happy about that both his son and his nephew were in the army. Zonorien demanded the same day when they lost his son and Kaleg's whole group that they discharge Zehno from further military service. Ulmra spoke to the man personally but even that didn't help. They had to lock him up, before he could cause any trouble. She didn't tell Zehno about it yet.

As she were contemplating about that, suddenly she felt something cold on her left shoulder. She even yelped in surprise.

"I won, ma'am," Zehno said but there was no joy in his voice.

Ulmra was really embarrassed. She was so deep in thoughts, that she let Zehno sneak upon her.

"Yes," she said. "Congratulations, Private. That concludes today's training. Please return to your room. I relieve you from your cleaning duties for a week."

Even that was not enough to make him smile, but he thanked her anyway, and left, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the chained zombies.

***

After the training with Zehno she returned to her quarters to rest a spell. Not ten minutes later someone knocked on her door.

"Come in!" She said.

If it's Haden Seidon...– she thought with annoyance.

But it wasn't. It was her aide.

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am," he said. "But one of the gate guards called in. You are not going to believe this."

"What? You look like someone who just saw a ghost."

"Well, I might as well, ma'am. The guard said one of our soldiers from Darem's squad is returned. His name is Corporal Kaleg Ronos, I believe."