Leaving the tribe, Alex summoned Aurélio for an important mission: bringing the exiles to a meeting in his tent.
Upon hearing the command, Aurélio quickly set out to gather the exiles at the agreed-upon meeting point.
When Aurélio arrived, he found Fuji and five other exiles waiting.
"Hello, my leader has summoned you," Aurélio said to the group.
"Uhmm? And he sends a child to call us? I knew he wasn't any better than Scar," scoffed one of the exiles.
"Silence, Bushi! I apologize for my companion. He's been through a lot and isn't very friendly with strangers," said Balak.
"Don't lie, Balak. Bushi isn't friendly with anyone," added another exile with a grin.
"Sorry about them. Let me introduce us," Fuji interjected. "The irritable one is Bushi, the grinning one is Naul, the quiet one over there is Benki—apologies, he can't speak, Scar took that from him. Our leader is Balak, and I'm Fuji, whom you've already met."
"Hello, I'm Aurélio. My leader sent me to bring you," Aurélio responded.
"Alright, we'll follow you," Balak replied.
It didn't take long to reach Alex's tent.
Inside, the exiles saw Alex sitting in a lotus position, his broken arm resting on his lap. As usual, Martins and Max were at his sides, but this time, Aurélio stood behind Martins.
"Enter and sit," Alex commanded.
The exiles obeyed and took their seats.
Bushi's disdain for Alex was obvious, a sentiment everyone in the room noticed. Alex, however, found it strange given that this was their first meeting.
"Is something wrong?" Alex asked.
"No, of course not. I apologize for my companion," Fuji answered quickly. "He's just too old to accept new things."
Realizing it wasn't the time for rude remarks, Bushi reluctantly bowed his head.
"Apologies. I'm just not used to sitting with cripples," Bushi muttered.
"Hey! How dare you?!" Max shouted angrily.
"Stop," Alex interjected, his tone calm but firm. "I understand. You're not used to it, are you? Well, neither am I. But look at us—here we are, sitting together."
The sarcasm in Alex's response infuriated Bushi, who stood abruptly and shouted.
"Are you saying I'm crippled like you? How dare you?!"
"How dare I? Who do you think you're talking to, exile?" Alex replied coldly. "I've heard about people like you. Scar was an addict and a madman, but exiles like you only made things worse. Get out of my tent. I don't want to see you again."
Enraged, Bushi glanced at his companions, but none of them spoke up. Defeated, he stormed out of the tent.
After Bushi's departure, Alex addressed the remaining exiles with stern resolve.
"If he tries anything against me, I won't show the mercy Scar did. Is that clear?"
"Yes, don't worry," Fuji replied apologetically. "Bushi talks, but he doesn't act."
Balak then stepped forward to introduce himself.
"Chief Alex, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Balak, leader of the exiles and former vice chief of Scar's father's tribe."
"I've heard of you. Fuji and I have talked extensively. So, what do you want?" Alex asked.
"First, we wish to return to our tribe," Balak said.
"That can be arranged. I'll accept you back, as long as you obey me," Alex replied.
"I'm sorry, what I meant was to return to the tribe as it was before Scar changed it. We have no issue with outsiders, but we don't wish to mix with your innovations," Balak clarified.
"Wait. You want me to hand over the tribe I conquered just like that? Forget it," Alex retorted, disbelief evident in his voice.
"Please reconsider. Your victory was only possible because of our help. Without our drug, you wouldn't have defeated Scar," Fuji argued.
"Hahaha, so what? I lost an arm in that fight," Alex countered. "Here's the deal: forget about having your old tribe back. If you want, you can join my tribe. If not, good luck surviving on your own."
"As for gratitude for the drug, you have it. I'll do what I can to help you, but forget about regaining power in my tribe. Now leave."
Hearing Alex's decision, the exiles said nothing. They simply stood and exited the tent.
That evening, Alex organized a large bonfire and gathered all members of Scar's former tribe. He prepared a feast with a variety of foods.
"Today marks the beginning of a new union," Alex declared. "We may have our differences, but in the future, we will be one. Today is the Day of Unity, when two tribes become one. My other members are on the other side of the lake. Soon, you'll meet them. I believe even they'll be surprised by this, but I trust that together, we'll forge a prosperous future. Now, eat!"
Alex didn't linger long at the gathering. He spent a short time with the new leaders, keeping Scar's hierarchy intact but getting to know them better over the meal.
Back in his tent, Alex resolved to meet another guardian before making his next move.
"I hope it doesn't attack me. Otherwise, I might have to change my name to the Guardian Slayer," Alex thought humorously.
At dawn, Alex set out with Max, Martins, Aurélio, Dylan, Luke, Snow, Jack, and Qin. Their destination was the clearing where the giant ox resided.
The choice was obvious—it was the most peaceful of the guardians.
Upon arrival, the group spotted the massive ox almost immediately. Standing over 5 meters tall with horns the size of a person, the creature was colossal. The largest ox Alex had ever seen barely reached 2 meters, but this one was more than twice that size. Its body also had a faint green hue, adding to its otherworldly presence.