Anda swallowed painfully as the door of a certain door opened.
From it, came an extremely tall man.
He was about twice as tall as everyone and had ash white skin and messy grey hair. His eyes were dark, but not as dark as other Rendaro.
His body end covered in scars, wounds and dirt.
His hands and feet were bound by large iron chains.
The man, who Anda knew as Wolva, looked up and took a deep breath.
"Ah… smells like death… and it's fresh." He growled behind the hair that covered his face. His voice was so deep that it tickled Anda's inner ear.
Every guard in sight pointed their weapons at him.
"Lead the way… elders." He said to Olen and Tal, who stood a few metres away.
"A-alright." Olen said.
Anda then noticed something as he stood with his scouts.
Tal wasn't really as afraid as he thought he'd be.
In fact, neither were the guards.
They were more cautious than anything.
Olen led everyone out of Eimval.
It was rather late so almost no one saw a large group of guards escorting a giant out of the city.
"Say… Anda… how come so much's changed?" Wolva asked Anda, who walked closely behind him.
"Does it have anything to do with the golden knight you so desperately want me to kill?" Wolva asked, but Anda had no intention of speaking.
Everyone made their way out of New Eimval without causing too much of a fuss and the found themselves just outside the southern gate.
"My blade… death itself is a few kilometres south. Near where you damned scouts found me." Wolva growled.
"You heard him, Anda. Tell the knight to head south from New Eimval. She should be able to find them with just that." Olen said before turning to leave.
"Where are you going?" Tal asked.
"Neither Eimval's can be left without a leader, no? I'll stay here and eagerly await the news of your success." Olen said before returning into Eimval.
Anda and Tal simply stared at each other as the dark sky loomed above.
Anda walked over to Tal before placing a sweaty hand on his shoulder.
"You were there next to me that day. You saw what I saw. When the time comes and I need your help, I hope you do what's right." Anda said to a Tal who's eyes trembled.
Anda then looked at Wolva, who mindlessly picked his nose.
Anda sighed before walking northward with the scouts in tow.
.
..
Anda almost physically gasped as he looked up at the reinforced walls of Coh.
He then led up the dark and grand stairs that led into the sanctuary and just as he reached the dark gate, it immediately began rising, seemingly on its own.
Standing on the inside was Yna and in her hands was a small goat with white fur. Well, the fir above its hooves was black, but Anda was far too nervous to care.
"Hey, Anda! I didn't expect you to visit." Katsíki said rather loudly as Anda and the scouts walked towards him and Yna.
"Err… yes. W- we have urgent news we wish to share." Anda said as he stood before Yna who was about twice his height.
He avoided looking at her by looking at Katsíki.
"Oh? So it's something serous… then please, come inside." Katsíki said before leading us up a path paved with a dark, glass like material similar to that which the tall, dark walls were made from.
The path led into the forest which was eerily dark partly thanks to the dim early morning light.
Yna led Anda and the scouts passed many dark buildings and they eventually arrived at a small wooden cabin where Yna placed Katsíki on the ground.
He then sat down and gestured with his hoof that the scouts sit as well.
They did as instructed.
"So… you have news. Share away." He said.
"I… before I tell you what I know, I beg that you be merciful." Anda said with gnashed teeth.
"Mmm… that depends. What happened?"
"After making me High Elder, Elders Olen and Tal had planned on assassinating you and Lady Yna." Anda said with a lowered head.
"Mmm…" Katsíki sounded as Yna exited the cabin with four cups in hand.
She then gave the cups to Anda and the scouts, but even though it was clearly water, none of them drank any of it.
"So… you've decided to snitch on your elders instead of helping them with their scheme because…?" Katsíki asked while Yna grabbed him.
She then placed him on her lap as his flat, blank eyes locked onto Anda's.
"I… I've always believed that you weren't a malicious being and I also know that angering you is… unwise, to say the least."
"You speak as though I'm some sort of dark god." Katsíki's muttered.
"I'm grateful for all you've done for the Ia, but I also… resent you for breaking the seal, bringing chaos into Eimval and allowing the Foph to kill Elder Karish." Anda said while pulling on his sweaty index finger.
He then looked up into Katsíki's blank eyes.
"But scouts and I believe that our continued cooperation will only benefit us all."
"I see. Your intentions have been made clear and I completely understand why you would hold those feelings towards me. Unfortunately, you bare scars that I cannot heal and so I'll have to ask that we move on to something we can change. I personally don't like being the target of assassination, but you came to warn me before anyone was hurt, so I don't think extreme punishment is necessary. That being said, I still think you're holding out on me. Spill the beans." Katsíki said.
"The elders plan on using Aunil to kill you both. Aunil is a legendary sword belonging to a criminal named Wolva and it is imbued with the power of death."