Tri-coloured light illuminated the city of Licencia, creating a picturesque sight for Dia’s eyes as she and the others appeared on the city walls. The dark, gloomy night had been banished by the tri-coloured army surrounding the city, but Dia couldn’t sense any hostility from them.

Just a quiet, burning fervour.

Of course, it was possible that the army before them never saw the city as a threat to begin with; from the presence that the ensemble of Moon soldiers gave off, it was clear that all of them were minimally bi-folders.

Little Dias, in other words.

Even if they tried to resist, it would be impossible for them to do anything about it. The ratio of allied to enemy folders here were odds even a mad gambler wouldn’t even think about betting on.

“I thought you guys weren’t going to care about this,” said Caroline, as everyone popped up on the walls. “I’m glad to see you guys here.”

“Hey, you left earlier before asking our opinion,” Schwarz replied. “Don’t make it sound like it’s our fault.”

“To be honest, something like this shouldn’t be in your purview.” Caroline smiled faintly. “That’s why Aran didn’t get you guys to come here. And…well, we nobles have our own pride to. Times like this is why we exist.”

“Where’s Count Nightfall?” Schwarz asked.

“Where do you think he is?” Caroline replied, before turning back to look out of the city. “He’s there, talking to the leader of those footsoldiers. They’re here for something, it seems. And from the looks of it, that something seems to be very negotiable.”

“Something?’

“The Terra Jewel for this area.” Caroline frowned. “Odd. I thought they would have just snatched it from him, but they do seem to actually be negotiating in good faith. I wonder what’s going on.”

“Maybe the Moons realised that they need sincere collaborators,” Risti muttered. “A Moon Emissary died with a Bearer of Destiny…one of the Moons’ Bearers of Destiny. Based on those announcements, it’s clear that the Bearers of Destiny right now belong to different camps. The Moons, the Dark and the Coloured Gods.”

“Mhm. And the Moons have lost two of them. The Coloured Gods three. And the Dark one.” Schwarz took a deep breath. “I feel a bit scared, having made these inferences on my own.”

“Right?” Farah forced out a chuckle. “Maybe the Moons have been pressed enough to the point that they’re negotiating with us little mortals as equals.”

“No need for uncertainties here,” Caroline replied. “They’re leaving.”

The tide of tri-coloured light receded at those words, leaving behind Count Nightfall and a tri-coloured person. Unlike the foot soldiers, who only had one colour each, the person talking to Nightfall was coloured by red, yellow and blue. A set of white eyes completed its features, and for a moment, Dia felt that this person embodied the beauty of the Moons.

The two people stepped back together and bowed once, before walking away from each other. As the tri-coloured special soldier melted into the army and followed them away, Count Nightfall took to the skies and landed on the battlements, before doing a double take at the presence of the Moon Lords.

“You guys…” Count Nightfall sighed. “Thanks. Caroline, I’m back. Told you. Safe and sound.”

“Shut it,” Caroline muttered. “You already knew, right? That those guys won’t attack? That’s why you decided to listen to my words and came down to Moon Mansion, instead of preparing for a battle. Now that I think about it, you must have known something from your spy network.”

“Now, now, don’t be that agitated…”

“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight!”

Everyone watched on for a minute or two as Count Nightfall started to wheedle for Caroline’s forgiveness, before Schwarz cleared his throat. “Sorry, you two, but I think there’s something more pressing right now, right?”

“Right. As most of you might have guessed, the Lunar Lord — the tri-coloured guy that I was talking to earlier — wanted me to lend out my Terra Jewel.”

“Lend out?”

“A guarantee on the names of the Moons itself,” Nightfall replied. “In return, they would protect the city, banish the encroaching Dark from the local area as well as designated trade routes and pay the city an astonishing two hundred pure-ranked lifestones every week.”

“Two hundred pure-ranked lifestones to borrow your Terra Jewel.” Dia felt a bit light-headed. “A week.”

“Wow.” Schwarz took a deep breath. “Pure-ranked lifestones. Where are they getting them from?”

“Who knows? But you guys need it. The two of us need it. In turbulent times, being able to hold our own will grow increasingly important.” The count’s eyes flickered towards Nero, who had been silent the whole time, and then hardened. “Besides, Ruler Istrel has already traded his Terra Jewel for some rather good stuff. I don’t see the need to resist their overtures.”

He spread his hands. “Both parties walk away happy, and we’ve avoided a battle. Besides, the leader surrendered first. Not going to let you guys suffer.”

“But what would they use the Terra Jewel for?”

“The Lunar Lord said that the Moons intend to transform the whole of Istrel Sovereignty into a base camp to summon their forces. Similar camps have appeared in the other two continents too; two base camps and a battleground. And…” He looked at Caroline. “The Dark, naturally, chose Voidum Sovereignty as their basecamp.”

Caroline let out a sigh of relief.

“No, don’t be relieved,” Nightfall muttered. “The battleground, therefore, is Nihila. As we speak, an army of the great Dark are marching upon your home. Quies Dukedom has fallen to the Dark. The Moons have taken Liquet Dukedom, north of Istrel Sovereignty. For now, Lacuna remains neutral ground, but it will soon become a battlefield if things go south.”

“Caroline?” Schwarz called out.

Everyone turned to look at Caroline, whose body was trembling visibly.

Nightfall sighed. “The Lostfon County is a territory under the Lacuna Dukedom. We can’t do anything for them. We can only leave it up to the…well, I’d say Moons, but I don’t think they can decide this matter alone.”

Caroline took a deep breath. “They’ll make it through. I know it. Aran. Continue about the Terra Jewel. What happens if the Moons use it?”

“Nothing much from us, from what the Lunar Lord told me. It seems that what they’re doing is gathering the ambient life scattered from the dead, as well as those that exist naturally, and using it as fuel to summon their people. The by-products happen to be solid pieces of pure life, which is their payment for borrowing our Terra Jewels.”

Dia glanced at Farah, who had an uneasy look on her face.

“Anyway,” said Count Nightfall, “thank you for showing up here and supporting me in spirit. I won’t forget this.”

“Aye. A drink?” Schwarz asked. “I was going to open my bar today.”

Nightfall twitched once. “Drinks, eh? After a nerve-wrecking conversation, that would be more than welcome. Sure. Thank you for your offer, master.”

“Drinks? That sounds lovely.” Nero joined in. “Count me in.”

“If we’re talking about something that’s not so alcoholic,” said Risti, “then I don’t mind joining you guys too.”

“How about you two?” Schwarz asked, turning to Dia and Farah.

“I’m fine, thanks.” Farah smiled, but Dia could sense an element of falsehood from it. Clearly, she had something on her mind, and Dia could actually guess what the issue was. Rejecting Schwarz’s little offer, the two of them watched as Nightfall pulled his fiancée along, before heading towards Triple-D merrily.

“Farah,” Dia called out. “The Terra Jewel in your possession…”

“As expected of her double, I guess.” Farah rubbed her forehead. “I’ll have to get Lloyd to represent me. It’s a shame, but I did procure another skillstick for him to go back home instantly.”

“Okay.”

“Well, like Nightfall said, even Ruler Istrel already acceded to their request. And they were asking nicely too.” Farah shrugged. “Two hundred pure-ranked lifestones are too good to pass up. And I know you guys have been giving me more than my fair share of lifestones.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t ‘eh’ me,” Farah replied. “Why else would Claud offer to take my low and middle-rank lifestones in exchange for high-ranked ones? That guy fears death. I bet you anything that he won’t be at ease until he has a few thousand years under his belt, and even then…”

“You caught us, I guess.” Dia shrugged. “But that’s what friends do. You’d do the same for me or anyone else, right?”

“Thanks.” Farah rubbed her nose. “Alright. I’ll go and send Lloyd back. You should go with the others or something.”

“I’m turning in early,” Dia replied. “Tired. And…well, the first summoning of the Moons’ soldiers might be tomorrow. Best for me to be bright and sprightly for the next few days, in case something happens.”

“Please don’t jinx it,” Farah mumbled.

“Better to be safe than sorry.” Dia yawned. “And I think today’s been shocking enough. I just want to take a rest now, alright?”

Waving goodbye, Dia hopped off the city wall and made for home.