Chapter 25

The thought of going to Zarin hung over us like a shadow as we continued. I hadn’t thought we would need to take the Crystal as well, and even though I did understand why, I shivered at the thought of having to touch the Flow again. Would the Worms know I had seen through the lies, and if they had, what would they do?

I wondered if I should try touching the Flow again before we arrived, but I didn’t want whatever might happen if I did to arise on the ship. I would need to find a secluded place, maybe taking Ifrim and the harness with me, but there was nowhere safe to do so.

“Hey, you okay?”

Aase walked over to me underneath the awning. She took my hand and leaned her damp cheek on my shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”

I nodded.

“It will be okay,” she tried.

I gently squeezed her hand in mine.

“Do you think Luna will agree?” I asked.

She sighed.

“I don’t know. I understand if she doesn’t, but…”

She turned to me.

“But you made it after all…”

I sighed. I had, but that didn’t mean it had been easy. But if Luna did agree, she would be better equipped than I was. Vessa might agree to teach her, and one of us could stay with her in Zarin.

Ulin appeared below us a few days later, and despite everything, I was happy to land somewhere safe for a while. I didn’t know how long we would stay, but at least we would have more news from Gard and a warm place out of the rain.

He was waiting for us by the square, and I could see that a large crowd had gathered with him. They cheered as we touched ground, and we’d barely climbed down before they encircled us, bowing and murmuring words of gratitude. Everywhere I looked were smiling faces, so different from when we left last time. Gard made his way through the crowd, calling out for more space until he finally reached us.

“You made it,” he grinned.

Mitrandes patted his shoulder, and Fain reached out a hand to greet him.

“Happy to be here.”

Gard gestured for us to follow, but it took us a while to make our way through the crowd, stopping every so often when someone clasped my hands or asked for a blessing. When we finally reached the inn he was taking us to, the warmth from the fireplace greeted us as we stepped inside. An old Kitsune grandma led us to a table and brought tea and a pot of fish with Shushu and Tloila before shooing away a pair of kids and wishing us a good meal.

After all the time in the rain, it almost felt like being home, even though we’d barely spent any time in Ulin and our last visit had been far from pleasant.

“So you’ll go to Zarin?” Gard asked, glancing at Fain.

Kine nodded.

“Fain has accepted to put forth a Challenge.”

“What have you found from the traders?” Mitrandes asked.

Gard glanced around before leaning closer across the table.

“Things seem to have got worse. There are rumours of people disappearing now.”

I shivered.

“Those who have opposed him are going missing, one by one.”

“He’s getting more paranoid,” Fain said.

“Does that change our plan?” Tore asked.

Fain shook his head.

“I don’t think we can wait until he gets less paranoid. It might never happen.”

“So… then the Challenge stands?”

“Yes, we don’t have any other choice. Attacking is too risky. A Challenge will let us control the situation as much as we can.”

“When are you going?” Gard asked.

“We need to leave for Tovira first,” Mitrandes said. “We want the news about our plan to spread to Zarin as well. Could you help us distribute it among the traders?”

Gard nodded.

“So, we’re going soon?” I asked.

Mitrandes sighed.

“I see no reason to wait. We’ll need as much time in Tovira as we can to talk to Luna.”

It was decided that we would leave early the next morning, before sunrise, so we could land in Tovira at dawn. Gard excused himself soon after, and we spent the morning soaking in the warmth of the fire and the hot food. Despite everything, I felt myself drowse off in the heat, and I leaned my head on Aase’s shoulder and closed my eyes.

We spent the day at the inn, ordering in more food as the afternoon came. By the evening, people gathered, and Mitrandes entertained them with stories from his travels, and I almost forgot about everything that would come amidst all the laughter and bantering. As night fell, Aase pulled my hand.

“You want to go back to Aegon?”

I nodded, and we slipped out, people barely noticing we were leaving as Fain took up one of Mitrandes’ stories and continued telling what had happened that day on Kalla Island when a chicken had escaped the rooster.

We left for Tovira before sunrise the next morning, with Gard staying in Ulin to try to spread the news of what we planned to do. I wondered how Luna would react when we asked her. What would I have done if I had known what would happen? In a way, I felt bad about the situation we put her in, but if she agreed, she would have more support on her way than I did.

It didn’t take long until Tore called that Tovira was in sight. I rushed over the railing, and in the distance, I could see the faint lights of the town. We landed on the empty square just as the sun rose above the mountains. People had already started their day, but once they realised it was Aegon who had landed, they rushed over. Mitrandes and Kine climbed down the rope ladder, and I could hear them chatting about the latest news.

I walked over to the railing, watching the town. Most of it seemed to have been rebuilt since the last time we were here, and I could even see some new houses.

“You made it!”

Stella rushed over, throwing her arms around Kine and Mitrandes. I followed Aase down, and Stella ushered us to a nearby house to be out of the rain.

“I can’t believe you made it safely,” she continued once we were inside. “You have to tell us everything once the others are here.”

She continued chatting about what had happened since we left Varja, how Iris’ ships had worked better than they’d thought, and how some of her new inventions even had functioned every time they used them. Only then did I notice that Fain wasn’t with us. Hadn’t he dared to come with us? I hadn’t thought about this being the first time since he left their land that he would meet the refugees of the Fire Nations. I remembered Stella’s reaction when she’d seen him on Kalla Island the first time we visited. At that moment, the door opened, and Iris, Yorun and Vessa stepped inside.

The room erupted in more chatter as everyone greeted, until Stella finally gestured for us to sit and then said,

“So tell us what’s happened!”

Kine began to tell them about our plans and how we’d gone to Kalla Island and would leave for Zarin after this. Stella’s tails flicked in the air as she listened, and once he’d finished, she frowned.

“Fain’s here?”

Mitrandes nodded, and she scowled, but Iris said,

“He has to be, Stella. What else would they have done with him?”

Stella sighed.

“I know, but…”

“He’ll stay in Aegon for now,” Tore said. “Maybe you can talk to the townspeople and prepare them?”

“Yeah… I guess if they understand he’s come to bring down Tanur, they won’t be as hesitant that he’s a Sanoor.”

She sighed.

“So when will you go?”

I glanced at the others, but it was Mitrandes who spoke.

“We need to talk to Luna first.”

She frowned.

“Why?”

Kine explained what Fain had told us and our plan to have a new Guardian with us, and with every word, her face darkened.

“She’s too young. It’s dangerous.”

Mitrandes sighed, but Iris said,

“She’s old enough. She can decide for herself. It’s an honour to become a Guardian."

“I will help her,” Vessa said. “I can stay with her.”

Stella frowned.

“Or do you know anyone else?” Kine asked.

She slumped down on the chair.

“No… Most have families or are too old.”

She sighed.

“But it’s not fair…”

We spent the rest of the morning telling them what had happened in our time away, and when Mitrandes mentioned the talking stones Orun had given us, Iris’ eyes lit up.

“Can I see them?”

Mitrandes nodded, and I got up.

“I’ll get them.”

I hurried back to Aegon, and only when I stepped below deck did I realise Fain was there. He was sitting by the table and looked up when he saw me.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Iris… She wanted to see the talking stones.”

He nodded, and I hesitantly continued,

“Stella will talk to the townspeople that you’re here.”

“I’m glad…”

He sighed.

“I hope my land will find peace once Tanur is gone. Most people from the Fire Nations look at me and see a Sanoor. I can’t blame them.”

He tried to smile.

“Tanur has destroyed so much for our people. But it will soon be over, I hope.”

He gestured for me to take the talking stones, and I promised we would come back later with something to eat before returning to the house. Iris spent the afternoon examining them, ooing and humming as she studied them.

“We can try them, right?”

Mitrandes nodded, and she took out the scroll and painstakingly began to tap a message. Moments later, the other stone spat out a small strip of paper with signs printed on it.

“It’s working!”

“You want to use the other one to talk to the Council as well?” Stella asked.

Mitrandes sighed.

“There’s no point. After all, they only gave it to us in the hope of convincing us we’re wrong.”

“Do they know about Lucius yet?” Vessa asked.

Mitrandes nodded.

“They would have sent a message to Akkadia once Orun returned.”

They continued discussing the talking stones and how they could give them to Dalor to reproduce. I knew what Mitrandes had said about the Council, but what if we asked them what they’d found in Naria? If they truly didn’t work with the Worms, wouldn’t they want to share what they knew so we could help defeat them?

When Iris finally put the talking stones to the side, Mitrandes got up.

“I think it’s time.”

Stella frowned but didn’t object, and Vessa got up and followed us out. I was happy Vessa had agreed to help Luna. Having someone to ask and talk to would help you get used to it and know what to do, even if it never was easy.

Luna opened the second we knocked and threw her arms around us.

“You’re back!”

She pulled us inside, and we were immediately surrounded by the group of children I’d seen last time. They talked all at once until the old woman, who must have been her grandmother, hushed them and gestured for us to sit down.

“We have not thanked you yet for what you’ve done,” she said. “I never thought we would live a life without the Council’s repression."

She struggled up and hobbled over to us, laying a hand on each of our heads before returning to the chair.

“Will you stay for long?” Luna asked.

I glanced at the others, and Mitrandes said,

“Not too long. We want to go to Zanir and defeat Tarun.”

Luna stared at him.

“That’s dangerous…”

“It is,” Mitrandes agreed.

“But much longed for,” her grandmother finished.

“But…”

Luna frowned.

“If Tanur is gone, who will become the new Guardian?”

I glanced at the others, but it was Aase who spoke.

“We would like to ask you.”

“Me?”

Luna stared at her.

“Why me?”

“Because you have the heart in the right place,” her grandmother declared.

“We will help you,” Vessa offered.

Luna frowned, but her grandmother said,

“You would be a fine Guardian, just what our people need.”

“But… I can’t leave you…”

Her grandmother scoffed.

“It’s an honour to become a Guardian. Don’t you think about us.”

She softened and took Luna’s hand.

“Is this not what you’ve wanted? You never stopped talking about wanting to become like Stella once you were old enough to realise she might have left to help our people?”

Luna chuckled.

“We will come with you,” her grandmother continued. “You won’t be alone.”

Luna hesitantly turned to us.

“But you need to promise to help me...”