Chapter 7

**In an unknown location somewhere in Aetheria**

Inside the dark room, dominated by three imposing thrones, the assorted entities had reassembled. Among them, the older, male voice resounded with a mixture of disbelief and anger. "YOU WHAT!?" The voice's exasperation was directed towards the adolescent voice in the chamber, one that carried a tone of nonchalance.

The adolescent voice replied to the rebuke with a hint of cheekiness, responding, "What I thought would be fun, naturally." The response held an unmistakable disregard for the other voice's irritation.

Amara's image was once again in a posture of subservience before the assembly of entities. Her inner thoughts echoed with a question, *Am I going to be punished?* Having adhered to the directive of the adolescent voice, she knew she had followed one among the many whims of these beings. Her concern was evident as she awaited a response from her powerful overseers.

The feminine voice turned her gaze upon Amara, her demeanor seemingly reassuring. "Do not fret. No retribution awaits you. You merely carried out your given task," the voice intoned. These words acted as a balm to Amara's apprehensions, soothing her unease. With a deep sense of gratitude, she expressed her thanks to her mistress for her understanding.

The older male voice emitted a hefty exhalation, his tone laden with exasperation as he shifted his attention toward Amara. "This time, your task is to apprehend Larkin no matter what. So until we summon you, refrain from contacting us," he instructed with a stern authority. Amara's response was a deferential affirmation, "Yes, master."

The adolescent voice chimed in once again, his demeanor holding a hint of capriciousness. "Oh, and that boy with the blue hair is tagging along, isn't he? You'd better keep an eye on him for my sake," he added, provoking another wave of irritation from the older male voice. Before a new dispute could arise, the feminine voice intervened, concluding the discourse. With her final utterance, Amara's connection to the mysterious assembly was severed.

**Back to Ironhelm**

Xain and company found themselves once again within the confines of The Guard station, this time surrounded by even tighter security measures than before. The atmosphere was tense as they navigated through the facility, ultimately arriving at the medical bay. Tores was being attended to, while Larkin was undergoing a thorough checkup to assess the extent of his injuries.

Zee attempted to catch a glimpse of Tores and Larkin, yet an adamant guard was obstructing her every move. Meanwhile, Xain felt the relentless barrage of Ercale's urgent thoughts in his mind. *We need to reach the Absaar!* Referring to Azure, who was somewhere in this place, probably getting interrogated. *Trust me I want to do the same but they won't let me!* Xain's retort reflected his growing frustration, as he grappled with Ercale's relentless insistence. As Ercale's suggestions became increasingly violent, Xain just filtered him out.

After a period of anticipation, a doctor emerged from the medical bay with news about Tores and Larkin. "Tores has a couple of fractures, but there's no long-term damage. Larkin is fine," the doctor announced.

Zee wasted no time, quickly moving towards the doctor to shake his hand in gratitude, leaving the medical professional visibly perplexed by the unexpected gesture.With their friends conditions clarified, Xain took the opportunity to inquire, "Can we talk to them?" The doctor, nodding in response, left the room, granting them the chance to finally converse with their recovered allies.

Stepping into the room, much to Ercale's dissatisfaction, Xain and Zee found themselves in a spacious and well-lit area. Large windows let in ample natural light, filling the room with an inviting ambiance. The room was dominated by a couple of medical beds positioned at the center. Their attention was drawn to Tores, who was reclining on one of the beds with plasters adorning his injuries. Nearby, Larkin appeared to be seated comfortably on another bed, in better condition.

Larkin's grin widened as he spotted Xain and Zee entering the room. His teasing tone resonated through the space as he playfully remarked, "Guess who actually fought The Fiend and came out unscathed? Not you, Xain, who conveniently fibbed about taking him on." His laughter followed, filling the room. Tores shifted his gaze from Larkin to the newcomers, interjecting with a correction, "Well, Zee did deliver the decisive blow and stopped him from attacking."

Zee, seemingly unfazed by Tores's observation, approached him with an air of concern. Standing rather close, she inquired, "Are you absolutely sure you're okay?" Her proximity caused a faint blush to grace Tores's cheeks, his response stuttering slightly, "Y-yeah... totally fine." The mixture of concern and proximity left him a tad flustered.

Observing the scene, Xain couldn't help but think, *Zee really doesn't realize how adorable she can be, does she?* He was well aware that most guys would react similarly if Zee got that close to them. Ercale's voice chimed in, *She's a forest elf, this is a common behavior for them.*

The entrance of a new figure interrupted their moment. Malvin's arrival was characterized by his characteristic directness as he wasted no time in issuing orders, "If your checkup is complete, prepare to leave the city."

As they were led to the medical bay earlier, they were informed that their departure from Ironhelm was imminent. The message was clear: the higher-ups had tolerated their presence long enough. While Zee and Larkin were already inclined to leave, the situation had shifted for Xain due to the lie Ercale had spun to Clare.

Xain experienced a whirlwind of emotions in response to this development. On one hand, he was eager to stand by Larkin and Zee's side and depart from Ironhelm to help them. On the other, the thought of leaving was tinged with uncertainty. He had spent his entire life within the confines of Ironhelm's walls, a span of sixteen years that left him with no knowledge of the world beyond.

As Xain wrestled with his conflicting emotions, Malvin's voice broke through his thoughts. "Xain, we need to talk privately," Malvin stated, his gaze sweeping across the room to ensure everyone understood his unspoken command not to interfere or eavesdrop. Meeting Malvin's eyes, Xain nodded, and the two of them exited the room, leaving the others behind.

They stood a little farther from the medical bay, Xain's unease growing as Malvin's frustration became evident. "What do you want to talk about?" Xain inquired, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. Malvin's voice was sharp as he retorted, "Don't give me that, you know exactly what I want to talk about!" Xain flinched at the sudden intensity in Malvin's tone, taken aback by his reaction. "I want to know why the fuck you're lying about having magic!"