With frightened arms in front of their chests, a number of senior figures had gathered in the basement. Cale stood invested against the wall, while Luc and the Eldest stood behind the Thormod, looking down at her suspiciously. Across from her, Aaron and Odin squatted as they took turns asking a few questions.

From their way of life to their work in Sylve - all sorts of questions were included. Nodiavi seemed visibly annoyed by her current situation and often shouted in between them while trying to free herself, but in the end everything remained the same. She gave up and told the High-Magicians as much as she knew, but not with every comment, Cale was sure she was speaking the truth. But unfortunately, they didn't really have a choice.

The chairman, the leader of the leaders, is called Hosik and he was the one who was responsible for everything that happened. According to Nodiavi, he was a man who was out for recognition and revenge, but why Hosik had such hatred for the people, she could not explain.

, Cale spoke up in thought as his colleagues discussed about Hosik.

, Velence replied, as Cale's gaze crossed with Aaron's. The somber looking High-Magician seemed to have noticed Velence's mana.

Cale muttered, rubbing his neck thoughtfully. His uneasy feeling hadn't subsided since leaving Bellator. He felt like he was missing something, or like there was more going on in the background than he realized.

Even more so, he couldn't understand why Nodiavi said she was using her skills on Hosik if she didn't like him. Was it anger and envy of her sister Neyla, or what exactly did she hope to gain by following Hosik?

"Mind control?", Aaron repeated aloud, jerking Cale back into the conversation. "The Chairman is able to manipulate the minds of creatures?"

Surprised, Cale lowered his hand and stared at the blood-red woman before his eyes. Had he just heard that correctly? Hosik was able to control the creatures to his will? Like they were just puppets?

"Yes", Nodiavi confirmed, annoyed. "Don't ask me how exactly it works. Rumor has it that his sister used to be able to do something like that, too, but no one ever tells me. Quell always thinks it's my own fault for not knowing when it's time to shut up."

, Cale repeated in confusion, dropping his gaze to Aaron, who immediately noted the name.

"He's probably even right about that", Nodiavi threw in a murmur, while a big question clarified itself for Cale at that moment. It was Hosik who was responsible for the waves of creature attacks. It was him who was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. However, he had managed to do it, Hosik was the greatest danger of all.

"Wait, you were just talking about a sister", Odin interjected. "Where is this sister?"

"Dead, as far as I know. Some of the Elderly said that Hosik had a fight with her and then left Tsuke before the creatures got the upper hand and destroyed everything", Nodiavi explained as calmly as if she were telling a fairy tale.

"Tsuke?", the Eldest repeated aloud, glancing at Cale. This was also the first time Cale had heard this story, so he shrugged his shoulders ignorantly and tried to remember the past. But one name immediately popped into his head.

Basil Kama. The only survivor of the Thormods' attack.

The events from the past slowly seemed to make more sense, even if Cale didn't know all the details. He knew about the great war in Tsuke, but sometime after that war and the present time, the Thormods must have appeared and started wreaking havoc. How long had Hosik been planning the attack on the humans and what had aroused such hatred in him?

"Yo, humans. I've been talking for hours, don't I deserve some time off? I'm starving", Nodiavi spoke up. With an annoyed look, Cale looked down the dark-skinned woman, remembering the description of her work. She had lured Marion out of the palace in the guise of the king and killed him outside the walls. The soldiers had sent her halfway back and disposed of her as well after the whole spectacle, which had caused quite a problem at the time. But what made Cale feel bad was how heartless that action was. Marion had been a good 12 years old and didn't understand until his last breath why his father killed him with his own hands. The fact that his body had later been burned along with his clothes to destroy all evidence was even more of a concern in the wake of this.

"You don't think about anything but food either, do you?", Aaron spoke up at the same time and raised his hand. A moment later, the hatch to his right opened, in which the body of the first Thormod was kept. At the sight, Nodiavi stared at the student with a lifeless expression. "Do you know him?"

"Adamchak was his name. He had discovered the ability of connection only a year ago and was arrogant of death. Probably defied his orders and acted alone, that idiot."

"And what about this one?", the 3rd seat spoke up again, pulling a drawing from under his documents. It was the drawing Cale had made for him. It showed Olivia Leuen.

"My sister Neyla", Nodiavi returned in disgust, quickly turning her head back. "We found her body later. Impaled like an urchin."

With that, it was official. The Thormod before them was the aunt of the 12th High-Magician.

The eyes of everyone present turned abruptly to Cale, as if waiting for a reaction from him. Some were shocked, the others showed no reaction at all. Only Grischa already knew that Cale had received this information. He had not yet told the others about it.

"Don't look at me like that, I was surprised too", Cale finally spoke up.

"You knew about this and didn't say anything?", Aaron threw back reproachfully.

"Since you arrived in Sylve that time, yes. I haven't gotten time to elaborat", Cale merely began, straightening up. With a cold-hearted look, he walked up to the Thormod, who looked at him suspiciously. "Hey Nodiavi, did you know under what name Saint Neyla was hiding in Groka?"

"What do I care about the name? The freak was there and we knew about it, was reason enough to get rid of her after she betrayed us."

"You should have done better research. She had married Vincent Leuen and taken his name."

"So what? The man didn't survive it, either."

"But her son did", Cale interjected challengingly, reaching for the vacant chair.

"Son?"

"Have you forgotten my name again, Auntie?"

A silence gripped the room that could almost be grasped. The Eldest probably had the most surprised look of all as he watched Cale lean back in the chair with confidence. The others were no different, abruptly understanding why it had been so hard to find information about Olivia Leuen. It wasn't her real name, nor was she from Sylve. She wasn't even human.

"You are the son of that freak!", Nodiavi exclaimed suddenly, sliding her body forward as if to strangle him. But the chains and Luc's shadow prevented her from being able to move properly.

"Well, I can't say I'm happy to bump into a family member after all this time."

"You stinking fish!", she merely exclaimed. Cale, on the other hand, stared at her dryly and crossed his legs before catching a glimpse of Aaron.

"What's the name of your town you're hiding in?", Cale merely commented, ignoring both Nodiavi's statement and Aaron's serious look.

"You son of a bastard, I will...", Nodiavi shot back viciously, regretting her statement at the same time, as Cale instantly crushed her with the help of his Igrikum. She stuttered, cursed and gasped for air, but did not answer the question. Skeptically, Cale stared at his kin as he let the barrier get smaller and smaller.

"If you don't answer my question, I'm going to get the dragons again."

"Blood to the demons! I'd rather die than answer any question!"

Cale then lost his inhibition and began to crush her while she was still alive. You could hear her bones break and she spit blood with tears in her eyes, but a few moments later Aaron interrupted the torture. Jerking to his feet, he stood in front of Cale.

"Let it go", he announced with a scowl and in response, Cale sighed. "I can well understand how much you hate her, but we still need her."

"Phaseen", Nodiavi meanwhile, produced in a pained manner, causing Cale to loosen his Igrikum.

"Yeah, I know", Cale merely returned and stood up as well. His gaze landed on Luc, who seemed shocked by the ability of Cale's barriers, but remained silent like the others. "Even though I'd like nothing better than to kill them with my own hands."

"I can understand you, really...", Aaron replied, crouching down in front of Cale. "... but that's not going to help anyone. Not you, not us. Probably best if you leave and let us do the asking. Can you?"

"Do I have a choice?", Cale replied, letting his gaze wander between Aaron and the Eldest. Damian merely nodded in support of Aaron's statement. "Maybe you're right. Grischa said his ships are ready and I was going to check in with him anyway."

"Then do that and we'll get back to you when we have some useful information."

With a skeptical nod, Cale straightened up and said goodbye to his colleague, even though he was aware that Aaron had just kicked him out. His action might probably seem very irrational and vindictive to the outside world, but Cale had still been in complete control of his emotions. Otherwise, the Thormod would be dead right now.

With his eyes downcast, Cale walked down the hallway in the direction of his apartment, but turned halfway and followed the stairs up. After a short march, Cale opened the door and stepped out onto the roof of the Magistrat. Wind immediately grabbed him and he held his hair out of his face as he stepped forward.

Evening had already arrived and the whole day felt like a waste. While dozens of questions about the Thormods and his mother had finally been cleared up, in the end none of it helped. Even if they did manage to defeat the Thormods, Cale grew afraid with each passing day that he was missing something. And the fact that he lacked the time to do so was a bitter aftertaste.

"Why me?", Cale asked himself the question. With a powerful step, he pushed himself off the roof and leapt into the air before using wind magic to glide weightlessly over the capital. His eyes lingered on the horizon as he broke the rule once again and made his way to the trading city alone.

Cale felt restless. He was aware of what he had to do, and yet he had no idea what to do. The fact that Marion was a Thormod had clearly thrown him off more than he wanted to admit. It showed once again very clearly how much he had wasted the last few centuries. That he could achieve something on his own had been a great delusion, but then as now he had difficulty telling anyone about his thoughts. Grischa and Aaron were probably the only ones who could really understand how he was currently feeling. The Eldest and Fengari probably did as well and also William suspected something, but it felt different. Especially with William, he was very scared, which was based on only one fact.

Cale didn't want William to forget him again. The first 5 times had already been pain enough, he probably wouldn't be able to handle a sixth time. Inwardly, he had set himself a goal with that, which he could only now really put into words. He was only going to tell William about his past when he had ensured that he would not be reborn. The existence of the prince was one of the main reasons why Cale was so desperate for any information, but at the same time could not speak openly about the subject.

As Cale flew thoughtfully over the fields toward the sea, he sensed the presence of the little cat.

, Fengari spoke up a moment later, so Cale felt a spark of relief. She sounded cheerful, and at the same time that meant that the royal family was doing well so far. Although King Leonhardt had not yet reported to the Magistrat, that would happen tomorrow at the latest as well.

, Cale replied calmly and stared at the houses of the city, which became visible on the horizon.