Aachen, the capital of cold

Rufus woke up, again all bandaged with his wounds aching. He was in the same house where he had disappeared from.

Next to him was Haley who was sleeping on a chair. Next to his bed was Liana, still sleeping soundly.

Around his bed were all of the others. Yosef, Edward, Doreen, Joan, Pema, Amala, and Gwon, who was close to Liana's bed. All of them were sleeping soundly, waiting for the two of them to wake up.

Rufus then heard steps and then the door opened.

"It seems your finally awake. Had us worried for a while. Still, I probably should have known that the great king Rufus Fairfax wouldn't die like that," Maxim Ludd said as he entered the room.

An elderly woman then came inside, looking penitent.

"I am the magistrate of this town and I was the one who tranquilized you and sent you to die," the elderly woman said.

Rufus gripped onto his linens.

Maxim looked at the elderly woman who had a hard time saying anything else.

"Shouldn't you say something else?" Maxim asked her.

The woman clearly didn't want to apologize.

"You do not have to say anything else."

Liana woke up and surprised everyone.

"I know what my father did and I know that we can never understand the pain that you and your people have felt, and I won't pretend that we ever will. What I can only give you in return is that we will with all our might fight to make sure nothing like that will happen again and have to experience it," Liana said while still being badly hurt.

The woman looked shocked as the young girl spoke in such an understanding and refine tone.

"That is why we are here. To make sure that no person would have to endure an unlawful and unrighteous war ever again. Both I and your king are striving together towards this goal," Rufus then added.

The elderly magistrate then started to cry and left the room.

"I think that is the best apology you guys will get. Will that be enough for you guys?" Maxim asked.

Rufus smiled.

"No worries. That was fine, right Liana?"

Liana nodded with a smile.

Haley then woke up to all the commotion and saw that Rufus was awake. She then yelled and hugged her brother as hard as she could, almost opening his wounds.

The rest also woke up and gathered around both Liana and Rufus, yelling and screaming out of excitement.

~~

Soon both Rufus and Liana were well enough to continue their journey north, to the capital of the Aurelian kingdom, Aachen.

~~

After a week of traveling, they arrived at Aachen. High walls protected the city which was built from black bricks. Iron spikes were placed all over the ground, to deter any invader brave enough to siege the city.

Soldiers with thick fur coats along with large fur hats guarded the entrance. The gate's soldiers didn't seem fond of strangers but Maxim got them to enter the city.

When they entered, they didn't see a vibrant city, filled with people and markets, like the city of Melba. What they saw instead was a cold city that was going through the rough season of winter.

People didn't leave their homes unless it was a must. The cold winter months were hard and took a toll on its people.

The houses were built from wood, as brick didn't keep the warmth of the fire in as easily. No large buildings or palaces of the royals could be seen to stick out and even the castle of king Ritter looked humble.

A sled, handing out wood to people door to door ensured that people wouldn't have to leave their homes for anything but essential business.

"Fuck....the more north we come, the more the weather fucks with people," Edward yelled as he was shaking from the weather.

"Stop complaining. We are heading straight to the gravity ship tower, where you will be getting on board the ship right away. We have lost already enough time as it is," Maxim yelled back.

"Will we meet Ritter?" Rufus asked.

"He is most likely waiting for you near the gravity ship, to give you the last advice before your departure."

They then arrived at the black tower that housed only a single gravity ship. The tower was built from the same black bricks as the wall and looked intimidating, almost looked like an old penitentiary.

"This city looks pretty gloomy doesn't it?" Yosef noted.

"It has always been like that. The old royal family was cruel and incompetent rulers who instead of listening to the people put them behind bars. Those black bricks get immensely cold during the winter month, and touching them with your bare hand might give you instantly frostbite.

"The royals used this tower as a prison, where they would lock people in. No guards and no law and only got food once a week. It was also used to execute people. Place a human there with the bare minimum clothes, touching the black stone brick wall or floor. They would freeze to death for sure. A slow and painful way to die. The corpses wouldn't mold and would work as a reminder for the other inmates what would have happened if their offense had been greater. After the revolution, the tower now works as our only gravity ship tower," Maxim explained.

Rufus, Haley, Edward, and Doreen stared at the only ship that was docked on it. It looked incredibly familiar to all of them.

"I knew I would run into you guys eventually," a familiar voice said.

The four of them turned around and the person they saw, lit up a bright smile.

"KASSIM."