In the end, it was Tania that saved them all.

It had been a risk he forced himself to take, for if he did not, they were all doomed. With half his team dead and Alara currently in a journey to the underworld, he had to use the only useful card in his hands.

No smart talk, no banter.

Just honesty.

And a small, little white lie.

Held at gunpoint, he and Eli knelt on the floor while Alara's body was in his arms. He refused to let her go as he had no clue what would happen to her if the Governors' security team had her in their custody.

No matter how frosty she was, no matter how obstinate she was, she was his friend and confidante.

She would always be his friend, and he would never endanger her life. Besides, he was certain that she would do the same for him even if she never admitted it.

He could never forget the moment when he had played his card. The moment when he ensured the survival of Eli, Alara and himself as well as Operation Endgame.

"You are the reason for our near failure to protect the Governors' families! They had them secured here because they believed it would be safest for them here. Because of you, the leader of the protesters, we have almost failed in our duty! Who the hell are you?"

"de Allura." was all he had said, but a look of comprehension and respect immediately replaced the scorn on their faces.

He knew he played his card right when they were instantly escorted in the interior of the mansion and immediately treated for their wounds.

Back then, on his way to visit Margaret Ollikys, he had seen many shops with a header in bold saying, or shops with banners saying. Those shops that had anything with the mere mention of 'de Allura' had long lines of queues of extravagantly dressed men and women, apparently waiting for their turn to purchase goods from those stores.

People had mistaken his slack-jawed appearance at the look of those signs for awe and had patted him or squeezed his shoulder by way of showing him that he was not alone in his revelling for the de Allura family.

"They really are high-and-mighty," they had told him with hints of resignation and envy in their tone. "After everything they have done for the Governors and their effort to keep peace in Excidium, they deserve it."

"Hear, hear," a lady had chimed in, proudly showing off a huge garnet ring on her ring finger. "The de Alluras are full of great deeds, you know. My husband bought me this ring from the de Allura jewellery store, and his six hundred bloods went to being donated for charitable causes, not for the de Allura's own pockets."

"Aye, but that's because their pockets are plenty full!"

The crowd had chuckled then, but then a gentleman had continued, "Anyone who collaborates or has the de Allura sign or banner has received benefits from them. Don't fret, boy. Your day with them will come. After all, after waiting for 15 years, I have earned a partnership with them! Just wait, boy. Just wait."

When that gentleman had left, a swarm of greedy people had chased after him like a flock of birds, hungry and urgent to be connected to him.

For some reason, that was the first good, feasible idea that popped into his head. By using the 'de Allura' name, he could get him and his team out of any trouble with little or no hassle. By using that name, their safety was ensure. He won't even be able to implicate the de Allura family in this mess as it was well-known that they often sent their own personal security team- some even speculated that they had a personal army- to aid in the Governors' work.

As for Sicarius, he had no idea who he was and had no qualms about throwing him under the bus. After all, he had tried to murder Alara.

There was only one thing that still nagged at him. Why did Keyla slash Alara's arm? Keyla had, in essence, betrayed the team by doing that.

"The de Allura family sent you, did they?"

"Yes, sir," Maren answered while the General oversaw a nurse dressing his wounds. They were currently in a private hospital in the mansion- yes, the mansion had its own world-class hospital- and treated by renowned medical staff.

"Well, why didn't you say so earlier?"

"The de Alluras wanted ultimate secrecy. If word got out to the public that they were actively supporting the Governors again, nothing good will come out of it."

Maren hastily backtracked when the General cocked an eyebrow. "Don't get me wrong, General. Just look from the poor's perspective. Those people are of the lowest scum, dragging our great nation down the drain.

There were even a majority of the protesters, protesting for the children they believe to be the blessings and gifts to be really theirs. Protesting for us to give them such precious valuables that they will never deserve. If they knew about the de Alluras aiding the Governors, it wouldn't be just riots on the street, General.

They will use every trick in the book, every nook and cranny to bring the esteemed family down, General." Maren winced when a nurse applied too much pressure on a cut. He looked at the General after he recovered, continuing, "When there's a will, there's a way, General."

It was already afternoon, and Alara had finally recovered from surgery and Eli from his wounds. Though they were not fully recovered, they were both out of danger, and they could no longer delay the Operation Endgame.

It was not an endgame for them yet, and neither was it for the Operation itself.

Having spent a good amount of time building bonds of camaraderie and trust between the General and other Commanders when the two were recuperating, the General had chosen to recruit them into his team to force rioters and protesters out of the main city- Masonry.

The rumours had seemed to reach a boiling point and hoards of incensed people from the low class and even a minority of poor people from the middle class had come in droves, determined to cause pandemonium in the upper-class towns.

The Governors' security team had naturally been employed to deal with the unprecedented crisis, and Maren had leaped at the chance to discreetly continue Operation Endgame. After all, the main goal was to reunite as many of the stolen children to their original families, and he knew that bringing children from homes in Masonry to safety would be a side-quest for the General's team.

Thus, he had volunteered to help them out in that area, much to the General's relief.

"I hate those little whiny kids. If only the rich could reproduce, I'd never have to deal with those crappy kids." the General had complained as he handed the key of their caravans to Maren.

"Bet you were one of those crappy kids when you were younger," Maren had boldly teased.

"That's right, you smartmouth." He had been lucky that the General had taken it in good humour and that it had helped increase their friendship. The ground that they were walking on was gradually cracking, and it would not be long before the Governors' security team realised who they really were.

I need friendship, trust and harmony between us right now. Their goodwill is the only reason we are alive right now.

As he glanced at his weary friends, he knew he had made the right decision. Right now, they were weary. Soon, when they reached Masonry, their fire would burn bright again.

I am a tourist in my own country.

The upsetting truth dawned upon him when he realised that he was lost in the dense forest. If he lived a life of normality, if he had lived a life like the others in the middle or upper-classes did, he would have known general knowledge about his own birthplace like the majority of Excidiums did.

It infuriated him that he was deprived of such things just because he was born into the low caste.

How am I supposed to find Alara when I don't know where I am? How?

There was nothing he had except for his few memories of his sister.

His oldest memory was playing gleefully with his sister while he threw water bombs at her. His mother, who often watched them as they played, would dispel the occasional deep sigh whenever she saw such folly.

Could my map of memories lead a way back to my sister? Could it help me find a path out of this monstrosity of luxuriant greenery? Could it help me find a building that was likely of high-end security?

The only reason he knew of those minor details were because during his captivity, there were rare moments where the Devil chatted to him the way one would to a friend instead of torturing him.

He never responded as ironically, tape was plastered on his mouth during those times. Looking back, it was probably a psychological manner of breaking him by telling him about the picturesque sights and scrumptious foods that he was missing out on.

However, what bothered him most was whenever the Devil casually spoke about his sister in the irritatingly cordial tone of his.

Never mind that now. I've to focus on what he told me so I can aid Alara in taking down the malevolent Governors and Amorals.

As he racked his brain to reason with himself to ditch pessimistic thoughts that lingered on, he could feel his defeatist attitude gradually creeping up on him, waiting silently to snatch his willpower back into the unforgiving grasp of depression.

Whenever the Devil's erratic moods came which caused him to yap away to him, Renald always paid close attention to his words as two years into his punishing captivity, he had deduced that they held hidden meanings in them.

While whatever he could be feeding him may be a lie, that was all Renald had of the world outside his tiny cell.

If he didn't trust them, he had nothing.

He once told me that he loved the irony of my situation. That we were actually quite close to glamorous Governors' homes and mansions where the glitzy city was. The Devil was always thrilled whenever he told me that I could be safe easily once the information of where I was trapped in was leaked.

If that is true, then my prison must have been on the opposite side of the main city. Could the forest where I'm currently at be my last hurdle?

Could it be that the way to the city was to cross the forest? Was it really that simple? Had Lady Luck finally chosen to bestow him some form of fortune?

His heart brimming with hope, Renald took a leap of faith and zealously started his journey there.