With a skeptical look at his surroundings, Cedric walked through the streets toward the other end of the city, at his waistband the new weapon of the 3rd Prince. The Duke of Freigoud had asked Prince William to give him the noble sword for a day, which the latter did only involuntarily. Cedric did not know the whole story, but he was asked by Loys of Freigoud and the historian Tavian Hagn to contact Leana Ford. Why, Cedric did not yet know exactly, but he could guess. After all, he too recognized the flower engraving on the noble sword.

He took a quick look behind him before turning down the alley and heading for the blacksmith's shop, where he often ran errands. Leana Ford was not a familiar name to most people, but to Cedric and his colleagues she was even more so. She was a talented blacksmith who had also forged his thin armor and his own sword. For several years, she unknowingly took orders of the royal house and mostly it was Cedric or Leif who personally went to her store.

"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen you", the tall woman announced wryly as he opened the door and looked into the dark, small room.

"It's good to see you again, too, Leana."

"So am I. I guess your presence means you have another big job for me, right? Need some equipment for your Anuxer group?"

The tall woman with muscular upper arms and reddish hair stepped out from behind her stove and cleaned her hands with a cloth as she spoke. Leana Ford did not know that your equipment was used for the King's Special Forces and only knew Cedric as the leader of a large group of Anuxers. Accordingly, their contact with each other was personal.

"Today, in fact, not. I want to ask you something, if it's possible."

"Ho? Something to ask? For that certain penny always", she replied, rubbing her fingers together promptly. Sighing, Cedric threw a bag of gold at her, for he had already expected this reaction. She wouldn't help him anyway if there wasn't something in it for her. Even if her payment didn't have to be just gold coin.

"Nice. Now, what's the question?"

Carefully, Cedric unsheathed the weapon from his waistband as the blacksmith's wife approached him. Wide-eyed, she took the precious sword and walked toward her table to activate the Luminous Crystal. She seemed to have recognized it immediately, even though she did not speak it.

"I want to know everything you know about this sword."

At the same moment, Cedric noticed a shadow appear outside the door and turned around in surprise. From the silhouette, he realized it was a human, so he quickly put on his hood and stood next to the wall as the door opened.

"I have customers, please...", Leana began and directed her gaze to the strange man who had just entered. But Leana abruptly fell silent and stared wordlessly at the stranger, so Cedric also watched him cautiously. His look and his self-confident behavior reminded him strongly of the High-Magician Caleb Leuen, whom he was allowed to observe the last days. But what made him nervous was the fact that the stranger could completely suppress his mana. He had to be an experienced fighter, Cedric understood that much within seconds.

"Are you Leona Ford?", the stranger interjected in a deep voice that matched his appearance. Skeptically, Cedric eyed the stranger, but to his surprise, he had no weapons with him and wore no armor. Only two metal gloves were on, which were covered by his loose, dusty clothes.

"Are you... Basil?", the blacksmith returned, almost stammering.

"How do you know who I am?",

"The burn scar..." she gave in reply. Out of reflex, the big man raised his arm and looked at the long scar that was drawn on it. "By the three gods...you look like your father."

"Who are you?", the stranger replied, visibly irritated. Cedric felt as if his presence had vanished into thin air. Probably his silence and black clothes were reason enough for him to be forgotten.

"It's me, Leanareka. Do you remember me? When you were little, I used to worked for your father in the forge."

"You are... Leanareka? YOU SURVIVED?"

The sudden exclamation made Cedric wince, but the two others approached each other with horror, yet smiling faces. An unexpected reunion, and Cedric was allowed to watch in silence.

"How... How can this be. I thought I was the last of us?"

"I wasn't in Tsuke then, Basil. I only found out months later that you had been attacked, and when I came back, there were none of us left. I only recently heard that a Kama had survived and was hiding in the death region. Was that you?"

"Kama?", blurted out Cedric unintentionally, causing the two giants to turn to him. The newcomer gave him a dismissive look, while Leana realized all at once that he was still present.

"Oh, right... Basil excuse me, but could you wait a minute. I have to take care of my clientele first, then we can speak in peace", she simply replied and went back to the table. She raised the sword in her hand and looked at Cedric, but it was Basil who spoke up again.

"I know that sword", Basil muttered softly, but Cedric could hear him clearly.

"That's the sword of Yosie Cuvelier. Linus Kama had forged it for her as a gift a few hundred years ago, she was also a swordswoman before she died. It was me who found the sword in Tsuke and took it to Sylve. Eventually I sold it to a sword master about 15 years ago. How did it come into your possession, Cedric?", the blacksmith quickly summarized and handed the sword back to him. Skeptically, he took it back and looked at the weapon, which was personally forged by the man with the golden hand. So the historian had been right.

"It belongs to someone I know."

"Little Liam I hope, or did you steal it?", Basil interjected into the conversation, causing Cedric to give him a surprised look. Liam was the name Prince William chose to hide his identity. Few knew about it.

"I didn't steal it, he lent it to me. How do you know Liam if you don't mind me asking?"

"Met the kid in Winstest some time ago, he and a few others were looking for me and wanted information about a creature. I remember him well because Liam put me in touch with the swordmaster who runs Karekama."

"You mean Caleb Leuen?", Cedric threw back, visibly puzzled. That the 3rd Prince was in Winstest, he did not know. As far as he could remember, he should have been in Sylve and in Altona, but that he had been on the other side of the world was news to him. And who had accompanied him? Probably Sir Freigoud's son, but Basil spoke of several.

"Don't know his name, but if this is the man who owns Karekama, then yes."

"Isn't Caleb Leuen the 12th High-Magician from Altona, or am I mistaken right now?", Leana spoke up again.

"That is indeed the same man. Caleb Leuen is High-Magician and also Swordmaster of Karekama at the same time", Cedric explained, watching the stranger's reaction suspiciously.

"Ho? Must be an impressive man to possess aptitude for both despite his age. So if I understand correctly, he bought the sword from you and later gave it to Liam? I didn't know it was one and the same person. The world is small", Basil muttered thoughtfully.

"Basil, did you catch what's going on with us currently?", interjected Leana.

"Ah, yes. Something about a second wave of creatures attacking Altona. Supposed to have been pretty dangerous, if I remember correctly."

"This Caleb Leuen we're talking about, drew a gigantic barrier around the capital, saving the lives of countless people. Many travelers from Altona are telling the story here in town", the blacksmith explained, leaning against the table with her arms crossed. "I even heard that he fought a duel with Miguel Heriog, son of the first chief Heriog, and won."

"The owner of Zurakekama? What? And I missed that! By the gods, I should have gotten here much sooner!",

"What are you doing here anyway, and how do you know the High-Magician?", asked Leana quietly, while Cedric listened to the conversation. He suddenly felt like he was being given a completely unknown piece of information that he definitely wasn't expecting or looking for. For a brief moment he had considered just leaving, but the story became more interesting to him with each sentence.

"Just talked to him once and he showed me Karekama. I had always been interested in the whereabouts of the 3 swords over the years and had been looking for them more passively than actively. When that group showed up back then and asked me questions about the Kormandent, one thing led to another."

"Kormandent?", repeated Leana and Cedric in unison.

"These monsters who have the inhabitants of Tsuke on their conscience", Basil explained loosely.

"Those Kormandents destroyed our land?", the blacksmith exclaimed in shock.

"With the help of the other creatures, yes. They have the ability to completely block mana", Basil replied dryly, pulling his top down a bit, revealing a large mark on his chest. "They gave me that thing, too."

"Does that mean you can't use mana?", the woman threw back in horror.

"Yes, not since then."

"Well, that's terrible. And I thought maybe you had inherited the ability from Linus."

"Since I've never been able to test it, I can't tell you for sure."

"Sorry to just jump in there, but this battle you speak of, when was it?", Cedric now actively interfered in the conversation. He was beginning not to understand the context.

"1020", Basil explained matter-of-factly.

"Basil!", Leana interrupted him immediately.

"What?"

"That man is human."

Irritated, Cedric's gaze wandered back and forth between the two tall people. The blacksmith seemed to have noticed, for she exhaled in annoyance and gave Cedric a warning look. One hand reached for the purse, which Cedric had given her, before it was tossed back to him.

"You'll get your money back."

"What?", replied Cedric, dumbfounded, catching the pouch with one hand.

"Keep it for yourselves", Leona demanded.

"What?"

"That we're not normal people."

"Are you hiding from you, Leanareka?", Basil merely commented, making Cedric all the more confused. "Why that? Think it's a bit unnecessary, that kid Liam knows I'm 150 years old by now too."

"You told? Why?"

"Why not? I had no reason to hide it, not to mention I thought I was the last of our race."

"What do you mean by our race, what exactly are you?", came forward Cedric. Leana seemed anything but pleased that he had asked, but Basil, on the other hand, couldn't seem to care less.

"We are primal people."

"Sorry, I don't quite understand. You are primal humans? And these Kormandents wiped out your race?",

"Exactly."

"And these Kormandents can block mana? Aren't they pretty dangerous then?", repeated Cedric, beginning to understand the bigger picture. Only for a moment did he realize that Basil claimed to be 150 years old.

"Quite, yes. Although I don't know how many of them there are or how powerful they really are. I've only met them once in my life, and that's even though I've been looking for them for a really long time."

In disbelief, Cedric stared at the two people in front of him while tightly clutching the sword. That most of the creatures lived in Tsuke was nothing new, but he never knew that people actually used to live there. Two of those people were now standing in front of him, and one of them couldn't use mana. If Cedric understood correctly, it is suppressed by these creatures and he could think of only one person who had done so recently.

High-Magician Caleb Leuen.