Wind howled in the cloudy sky, but on the breeze, one could just make out what sounded like cheering. Far below the clouds, crimson flags whipped atop tall, crimson towers, their aqua-green rooftiles shining as the cheering became far more audible. Across a few balconies, Krysheek could be seen waving and cheering at the streets down below as a highly anticipated procession made its way along.

                Cheering echoed up and down the crowded streets. The shops and pubs had their windows and doors open, patrons crowded in as they echoed the enthusiasm thundering through the street while, overhead, others echoed their enthusiasm. There were thousands of people gathered on this small stretch of road, all of them here to welcome the triumphant return of the explorers that had set out so many months ago.

                Cheering thundered around the expedition as they waved, some laughing with amusement while some really got into the excitement. At the front of the caravan, Farin was walking along with a polite smile, trying to appear professional. He let out a gasp of surprise as Theia suddenly pressed up against his side with a laugh, causing him to adopt a sheepish smile as his façade cracked and he let himself wave.

                After so many months, the expedition had finally returned to the place where their long journey had begun. When Farin had sent the message ahead indicating the time of their arrival, it had only been fitting for most everyone to gather together to welcome them home, a gesture that warmed the hearts of everyone in the expedition!

                Sandals clacked as Tearna walked alongside the convoy. A smile of excitement rested on her face as she waved, laughing as she heard a few people call her name. When she had left so long ago, she had hoped beyond hope that she would be able to meet even a tenth of what everyone expected of her, so to return to such excited calls made her heart as full as it could be. Smiling brightly, she lowered her hand as she pulled out her journal for the last time, “After so many months, on a bright, warm day, we finally returned to the place where it all began. Orden!”

                Light glimmered off the shining rooftops of the crimson city as she wrote, “Though so much time had passed, the city hardly looked any different. Orden, as one would expect, is the largest city in the world and the heart of our civilization. Not only is this the home of the emperor himself, but this city also houses some of the biggest cultural centers known around the globe!”

                “For those of us who grew up here, it’s hard to appreciate just how good we’ve had it,” Tearna wrote, chuckling to herself as she waved at a shop. “After seeing the rest of our world, however, I can now truly appreciate just how advanced Orden is! Orden is aptly known as the ‘Crimson City’ thanks to its crimson motif. All the buildings here adopt the same style of timber corners, crimson walls, and a wavy green roof covered in aqua-green tile, an appearance fitting for a crimson empire!”

                 “For the most part, Orden has structures similar to what one would find elsewhere. There are shops, small homes, and restaurants packed tightly around its white roads. Some of these buildings are only one story while some are two story, leading to walkways connecting many of them. Additionally, Orden has a focus on landscaping, meaning that trees and flowers are a common sight on these roads!”

                Tapping her pen against her nose in thought, Tearna suddenly grinned as she glanced up, “But that’s not really what Orden is known for!” Light glimmered around one of the looming towers as she continued, “Orden is the only city in the world to make use of towers! These towers are dozens of stories tall and house small rooms that entire families live in, helping massively with the overcrowding the city used to have! These towers are truly marvelous, but, despite their size, they have quite a lot of competition from Orden’s surrounding wall!”

                Far behind the caravan, a massive crimson wall stood tall around the city’s perimeter. The wall was mostly crimson with thick timber beams supporting it and a stone foundation, a few towers interspersed across its battlements while guards went about their routine patrols. “Orden’s walls have stood for hundreds of years and earned their fame during the Crisis,” Tearna continued. “During the Crisis, Orden’s walls were the only thing that kept the clockwork armada from securing victory. Time and time again, the armada tried to breach these impervious walls, and time and time again, they were defeated, bringing their momentum to an end!”

                Smiling, Tearna looked down the long street, “Truthfully, I could write endlessly about how wonderful this city is. There’s so much to explore and do, but those details are best left for others to discover on their own. After all, we’ve done our duty, and now it was time to enjoy the celebration!”

                “Are you seriously recording something at a time like this?” Bren asked in disbelief as she stepped up beside her.

                “I couldn’t help it,” she chuckled with embarrassment. “There are so many people who know nothing about what life is like here, so I have to do my job to show them right?”

                “That can also be done a little bit later, you know?” Tearna looked over as Kai stepped up on her other side. “I mean, we all live here, right? Save it for after the festivities!”

                “We’re heroes right now, Tearna,” Bren laughed as she waved up at a tower. “Just put the work away and enjoy it!”

                Looking at Bren and then at Kai, Tearna finally sighed before laughing and waving, “I guess you two are right! At least for today, I can let myself be a hero!”

                “Looking back on it now, I think I was mostly in a state of denial,” Tearna narrated as she waved out at the crowds. “Part of me couldn’t accept that the journey was over, and I was partially convinced these people were cheering for someone else. Only now, after the fact, can I really appreciate the magnitude of what we had done, though I can’t quite blame myself for being so trapped in disbelief.” Slowly, the caravan began to turn a street corner, “After all, our journey was scheduled to come to an end in one of the most prestigious places on the entire planet.” Turning the corner, Tearna gasped as her eyes widened.

                Looming at the end of the road at the top of a massive hill of stairs was the emperor’s palace! The palace was positioned right at the heart of Orden and was unlike any other structure in the city. It had smooth, almost sandstone walls, a few towers with bulbous tops, and, most recognizable, a huge, hollow dome at its center! Light shone across the resplendent structure as the braziers and decorations glimmered.

                Tearna swallowed nervously, “I kinda forgot, but given the importance of our expedition, our journey was to end at none other than the emperor’s doorstep. I admit, I was actually a little faint, and I think my legs just kept working automatically while the rest of me passed out!”

                Louder cheering thundered around the gates as the expedition drew closer to the gates. Hundreds of legionnaires were present, their sharp armor glinting while more than a few high-ranking officers stood among them. Decorations had been placed across the front of a large stage and podium standing right at the heart of the gates with more than a few notable officials present, but there were two individuals outshining them all.

                A shasheek smiled pleasantly as he kept her hands clasped at her waist. She wore a darker, tan robe of high quality, numerous gold bangles on her wrist, and had her hair pulled back into several tails. Additionally, her fur was splotched with patches of white, a noticeable splotch fit right over one of her eyes. As her aura indicated, she was Terrascine, the Archon of Orden. Not only was she powerful, but she was the former apprentice of the First Archon, Caleia, but despite all her power and prestige, she was only slightly overshadowed by the individual standing beside her.

                Light glimmered across a luscious, crimson robe as the figure smiled proudly. There were numerous golden embellishments across his robe that matched some of the jewelry he was wearing, and he carried himself with a proud and dominating aura. Like his robe, his fur was a deep crimson color with darker markings across parts of his face that highlighted his silver eyes. Between his extravagant robe, dominating aura, and commanding position, there was absolutely no questioning who he was. His name was Therisan, the Crimson Emperor!

                Cheering continued to ring from the nearby crowds as a few of the guards shifted their shields to keep them held back, Therisan chuckling with amusement. Whispering to Terrascine, he regarded the caravan as it drew closer to the stage. At the side of the caravan, Tearna’s heart was pounding like a gong as she beheld the two figures. She had known the emperor would be here, but the Archon as well?! How could she face such-

                “We got this,” Kai whispered, Tearna jumping slightly.

                “We’re all nervous, right?” Bren asked in a low tone. “As long as the three of us stick together, we’ll get through this without passing out… probably.” Eyeing her uncertainly, Tearna finally forced herself to nod before looking back up at the large stage.

                The cheering rose as the explorers slowly filed into the circular area in front of the stage, the roads behind them slowly closing as the crowds came together. Farin and Theia marched up to the front of the stage, guards moving in on all sides to give them space and keep the crowds at bay. Swallowing nervously, Tearna came to a halt, getting a better look at the emperor than she had ever expected. As nervous as she felt, however, she couldn’t even begin to imagine how Farin felt.

                Looking up at the emperor, Farin finally began to kneel, “Emperor. We have done as you requested and-“

                “What are you doing kneeling?” With a start, Farin and the others looked up at the emperor in shock as he barked a laugh, Terrascine shaking her head with amusement. Therisan beamed down at them, “You’re the heroes returning from your great journey, are you not? The only place where any of you belong is up here on this stage at our sides!”

                Tearna’s jaw dropped. Numbly, she began to move with the others as they climbed up onto the stage and spread out, trying their best to avoid crowding the emperor. Tearna shivered nervously as she took a position on the far-left side, trying her hardest to keep from passing out.

                “Aren’t you Tearna?” She jumped slightly as she regarded the officer studying her with a frown. She nodded in the direction of the emperor, “You’re one of the ones he wanted front and center.”

                “O-Oh, okay!” Tearna managed to squeak. This was it. She was done for. If she managed to make it over without passing out, it would be a miracle. Nervously looking back at Kai and Bren, Tearna managed to make herself move, her mind spinning as she struggled to stay upright. Terrascine regarded her warmly as Tearna stepped up beside her, bowing her head respectfully and practically causing Tearna to pass out. What in the world had she done to earn this honor?!

                “Almost two years ago, the Archons and I came together to discuss a plan to begin healing our world,” the emperor’s voice suddenly boomed. A hush fell over the crowd as he continued, “The effects of the Crisis were still being felt, and the wounds we had suffered weren’t healing. It was then that we realized what we had been ignoring.”

                 “During the Crisis, thousands of years’ worth of knowledge was lost. The world that we had come to know was effectively shrouded from us, and a huge part of our history was destroyed. When we realized this, we knew that something had to be done, and, two months ago, an expedition was launched to begin recovering what was lost!”

                “They were to visit every corner of our vast planet and find all that they could so that we might learn more about this world we share! They had to survive journeys across entire oceans, frozen mountain ranges, volcanic wastelands, and so much more! Through trials and tribulations, they have struggled on their own in the wilderness, but now all their hard work finally bears fruit!”

                With a bright smile, he turned and gestured at them, “Our brave explorers have finally returned, and they have succeeded in every way we could have hoped! Through their dedication, we now have a chance to once again learn about parts of our world that were forgotten and heal the wounds we suffered so long ago.” He turned back to the crowd, “They are all heroes, but I would be remiss to not acknowledge the two bright stars that spearheaded this expedition and laid the groundwork necessary for its success.”

                Farin’s eyes widened as Therisan turned to him, “Captain Farin was pivotal in building this expedition, and without his leadership and reliability, this expedition would not have gotten nearly as far as it did!” Applause and cheering rang as Farin bowed respectfully. “And!” Therisan spoke up, the cheering dying down as he turned. Tearna’s eyes shot wide open as he gestured at her, “Vice-captain Tearna played a critical role in ensuring the expedition’s survival when it met its most dire hour while also spearheading the efforts to record and catalogue every creature and landmark she came across!” Cheering rang in Tearna’s ears. She couldn’t quite believe her ears. She was being called out specifically?! Numbly, she managed to smile and bow, her heart skipping a beat as the cheering reached a fevered pitch.

                “Because of their efforts, and the efforts of every hero on this stage, one of the deepest wounds we suffered has a chance to heal,” Therisan spoke over the applause. “Though I know it isn’t enough, they all have the gratitude of the empire, and my deepest appreciation. If you will all join me, please, let’s show our heroes our deepest thanks!”

                Cheering thundered as Therisan and Terrascine stepped aside, leaving Farin, Tearna, and the expedition at the center of the stage. Farin and Tearna looked around in stunned surprise, their ears echoing with the applause. Everywhere they looked, there was someone cheering, what looked like petals even streaming down from one of the towers. With a small laugh of disbelief, Tearna finally began to wave, the other expedition members behind her bowing their heads before smiling and waving as well.

                “Though I was terrified, the joy in my heart was indescribable,” Tearna narrated, a smile shining on her face. “In that moment, I felt the greatest sense of fulfillment I have ever experienced. Our journey was over, and we had done all we had set out to do!” Cheers and applause continued to ring out as the expedition basked in the appreciation of the city, the sound rising into the bright blue sky as fluffy clouds continued to trail along.

                A heavy snort shook the dim air as a ghollon plodded along, following its handler with all of its supplies and harnesses left behind for the first time in months. All around the supply room, the other expedition members were leaving their gear behind. Boxes were set on shelves, clothes were hung on racks, and boots were left in bins.

                Tearna let out a small sigh as she set her boots on the ground and reclined on the bench she had adopted. It was far weirder to be back in the academy than she had been expecting. She had forgotten what it was like to have some semblance of structure in her life… Chuckling at the thought, she let out a small sigh and looked around to see what the others were doing.

                “Shortly after getting back, we made our way to the academy to begin unloading,” Tearna narrated. Crates were cracked open as rations and other goods were handed off to a supply warden, some of the academy workers assisting as the expedition members were finally allowed to rest, “These supplies had come from the academy, so everything that could be returned was returned, minus what we had collected along the way.”

                Tearna smiled as she pulled out the nice, orange robe she had purchased back in Adecial, admiring it before setting it back into the luggage container, “Letting go of our equipment was strange. I can’t imagine how the ghollon felt to finally be unburdened, and I know some of my colleagues were definitely feeling out of place.” Sighing, she put her hands down and stood, “There was no reason for it though. After all, the Academy was home for all of us, and as weird as it was, it was nice to be back home.”

                “Day fourteen, twenty-three through six, and… thirty one… are all going to have to be rewritten,” a voice spoke. Tearna frowned sadly as she looked over the journals laid out on the table, one of the scholars picking through the journal that had taken the most damage, “Thankfully, this is mostly still legible, so deciphering it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

                “At least none of the rare entries were impacted,” Tearna said as she looked around. She was currently standing beside a large, round table in one of the Academy’s meeting rooms, a tall room with a slightly domed appearance. There were four doors on its rounded sides and benches placed between them theater-style, but apart from that, it was mostly empty.

                “We can certainly be grateful for that,” a violet hued shasheek spoke as she smiled at Tearna. The shasheek was the Academy director, the one that had recruited Tearna so long ago. She nodded at the journal, “This entry on the whitemanes of Garodar is fascinating! I am quite looking forward to pursuing the rest of your entries.”

                “I’m glad that I was able to catalogue so much of interest,” Tearna said with a happy bow of her head. “We had a number of run ins with some extreme rarities, including some mottled dewbacks and even a therazor that was in the middle of a hunt.”

                “Those are of particular interest to me.” She set the journal back down and smiled at Tearna, “Not only were you able to make recordings about the appearance of these creatures, but you were even able to pickup on some of their ecology. Our scholars are going to be busy for month cataloguing this in the archives.”

                “That was my hope,” Tearna said with a tired smile. She picked up her original journal and brushed some of the sand off, “When we set out, I wanted to capture as much of the living world as I could. I’m not sure if I did a perfect job, but… I’m glad that I was able to do what I did.”

                “You did more than a good job,” the director said with a warm smile. Chuckling, she clasped her hands behind her back, “But your work isn’t quite done.” Tearna cocked her head as she continued, “After all, documenting everything was one matter, but what we really need now is an abbreviated retelling of your adventure! That’s what will really help teach our people about our world!”

                Tearna stared at her for a moment. “You want me to do WHAT?!” she finally exclaimed.

                An hour later, a breath of wind blew into Tearna’s study. She hummed to herself as she looked at herself in a mirror, admiring the robe she had bought. “I can’t believe they’re making us dress for this,” Bren muttered bitterly. Shaking her head, Tearna watched as the green shasheek looked over her own robe with a sour frown, “I hate wearing clothes like this!”

                “Cheer up, Bren!” Tearna laughed, moving towards her desk. She pulled out a drawer and began to rummage around as Bren studied herself sourly, “At least it’s only for one night!”

                “I guess, but… I’m still going to be mad about it!” Huffing, she crossed her arms, “How much longer till it starts?”

                “About three or four hours maybe?” Tearna guessed, frowning as she glanced out the window.

They were currently standing in Tearna’s office. It was a quant study with two windows and a single entrance. Numerous orange decorations were scattered about, but what really dominated the space were the sheer number of shelves, drawers, and storage space. For the past ten or twenty years, Tearna had used this room for all her research, and it contained some of her most prized works. Now, however, they were all going to be overshadowed by her newest research adventure!

                “It starts when the star sets, so use your own judgement,” she finally laughed.

                “Well, it needs to hurry up and set then,” she huffed. Frowning at the shelves, she glanced at Tearna, “So, what did the director want?”

                “She wanted to review my work and then asked me to rewrite everything in the form of a dossier,” Tearna said with a tired sigh. “I’m not the best when it comes to writing exciting things like that, but I’m going to give it my best shot.”

                “Heh, so you’re going to be an adventurer and an author now?” Bren grinned with amusement, “Before you know it, you’re going to be the director!”

                “Hopefully not,” she said with a worried look. “I would much rather head out on another adventure.” Shivering at the thought, she pulled out one of her spare journals and began to write some notes, “So, where do you think I should start? Probably with where we left from Orden, right?”

                Stars twinkled in the sky much later that night. Warm lights shone across many of the winding streets, each of the towers lit up as soft chatter echoed. Orden was a city that never slept, and while it was normal to see some activity, the heart of the city was alight. Braziers burned atop the terrace hidden within the top of the emperor’s palace, but the only sound that could be heard was laughter and merriment.

                Drinks clinked together as silverware clattered against plates all across the massive table setup across the massive terrace. Hundreds of individuals had gathered around, each digging into heaping plates of food. Some in attendance were officials, but the vast majority were none other than the expedition members celebrating their return. Servants with steaming piles of food came and went as fast as they could while a small band continued to play a melody, keeping the banquet lively and excited!

                “At the very least, I am glad that you didn’t encounter a Raijin.” The emperor laughed heartily as he sat back in his chair, “That is one entry that we don’t really need catalogued!”

                “That was our feeling as well,” Farin said with a professional tone. “Risking an encounter with one wasn’t worth an updated entry.”

                “A sentiment we definitely share,” Therisan said with a firm nod as he took a drink. “I am very much looking forward to reading the full report when it is ready,” the emperor continued as he turned his gaze a bit further to Farin’s right, Tearna jumping a little. “What I’ve heard so far has been fascinating, and there are some parts of our world that I am extremely curious about.”

                “I-I hope it meets your expectations… sir,” Tearna stammered. “I tried my best to capture as much as I could about every place we visited. Hopefully I didn’t go overboard…”

                “There was no such thing as overboard on this expedition.” Tearna looked at him curiously as he shook his head, “We wanted to know everything, didn’t we? Even the most minute details are of extreme interest to me, so make sure the report includes everything!”

                “I… Ok, I’ll make sure not to cut too much,” she finally said with a warm smile.

                “Splendid.” He chuckled to himself, “I am looking forward to hearing someone else’s tale about Falador. My vision of it has always been tainted, so… it’ll be nice to see what someone else thinks.”

                “Oh, umm…” Although he didn’t seem that old, Therisan had actually been in his fifties during the Crisis and had been present during the final battle. Though she hadn’t been thinking about it, that last battle… it hadn’t ended well for the royal family.

                “Oh, there I go again.” Tearna looked at him as he chuckled, “My apologies! I didn’t mean to make things awkward. Discussing Falador has always been difficult, but it’s something that I have to face. What kind of emperor would I be if I left my own scars to fester?”

                “I-I suppose that’s a good point.”

                “Sometimes moving on can be difficult though.” They all turned their gazes to Therisan’s left. Terrascine smiled thoughtfully, “There’s no reason for anyone to feel like they’re failing when it comes to trauma. Just like for our world, it takes time, but what’s important is that we do our best.”

                “Spoken like your mentor,” Therisan chuckled, Terrascine smiling brightly. “You’re right, of course, just like Caleia always was.” Shaking his head, he finally chuckled and looked back at Tearna, “Gah, but I need to bring things back to the present. After all, this is a celebration of your efforts.” Leaning against the table, he grinned widely, “So, explorer, what’s your best story from your long adventure?”

                “Oh, well…” Tearna blinked thoughtfully, looking over at Kai beside her for some sort of inspiration. There was such a long list of moments that would stay with her for the rest of her life. Smiling as Kai shrugged at her, she finally laughed and turned back to the emperor, “Well, I guess if I had to pick one, it would probably be-“

                Wind whispered gently as it blew around the tall towers of Orden. “And that was how our journey finally came to its end,” Tearna narrated once again. Echoes rang out as she walked down the long road, a small smile resting on her face, “We had fulfilled our responsibilities, and it was finally time for our lives to return to normal. That first month was the hardest.” Tearna nodded before taking several of the fruits from a vendor, “Settling back into a routine that didn’t include survival was… oddly difficult, but, as time went on, everyone in the expedition was able to return to a normal life.”

                Waving at the vendor, Tearna continued down the road, “I encountered my colleagues every so often out in the city.” She laughed and waved to a shasheek standing in front of a shop, “More than a few started shops of their own while others continued to work at the academy. There were a few I was careful to keep tabs on, however!”  

                Clapping rang as Theia and Farin finally kissed, many of those in attendance rising in celebration as red and black petals floated through the air. Tearna smiled warmly from the front row as she stood, a bright smile on her face as Kai and Bren applauded alongside her, “After finding love, Farin and Theia bound to each other shortly after our return. It was a heartwarming ceremony, and I will admit, a few of us ended up crying.” Bren sniffled as she continued to cry, Tearna sighing helplessly before smiling at the happily bound couple, “It warmed my heart to see them finally embrace each other, and they ended up getting a house just outside of the city!”

                Tearna squinted as she peaked into a large auditorium, a familiar voice echoing around the room as she slipped inside, “As for Bren, well… she ended up taking a position I hadn’t expected.” Stopping in the back row of the auditorium, Tearna smiled approvingly. Bren gestured at a large board covered in drawings of volcanoes and fire as she continued her presentation, “Much to my shock, she ended up becoming an expert scholar on Garodar! She went back to the volcanic island a few times and became well versed with the culture, and although she has earned her reputation as being an expert on volcanic biomes, I’m still half expecting her to move down there!”

                 Two sets of footsteps echoed down one street. Tearna laughed as Kai continued to recant some story from his day, “As for Kai… he ended up sticking around at the academy. Most of his work there is still industrial, but he’s been trying to move into some more scholarly roles and has taken up research on Spiritmarsh.” Tearna waved at him as he turned down a side road, leaving her staring after him, “We’re pretty close friends, and we try to make a point to meet each other at least once a week! I guess I could call him my best friend, but… well, that would probably be a story for another time.”

                Stepping up to a small building hiding in the shadow of a tower, Tearna unlocked the door and slipped inside. Peaceful quiet hung in the air as she turned on a lamp with a tired sigh, setting her satchel down before stepping through the small living room, “As for myself, I returned to the my usual routine.” Stairs creaked as she climbed up to the second floor, moving down a small hallway before opening a door to her personal study, “I continued my research at the academy, but most of my time was now being spent on prepping my journals for publication, a very exciting, but slow, prospect.”

                Light sparkled through the window in front of her desk as she stepped up to it, looking out for a moment before sitting and opening her journal, “Though life wasn’t quite as exciting as it had been, I was oddly content.” She hummed to herself as she carefully wrote, “I had fulfilled an amazing achievement that few others could ever dare dream to achieve. I had made memories I would cherish forever, and I knew my work would be remembered for generations to come.”

                Pausing as she looked out with a smile, she looked back down, “More than anything though, I felt like I had achieved my ultimate purpose. Through our hard work and dedication, our people would be able to fully experience everything our world had to offer, and knowing what we had achieved… it left me fulfilled.”

                Sighing softly as the world outside turned dark, Tearna finally set her pen aside and stood, “After such a long time, my work was finished. I hope beyond hope that I did our journey justice and that everyone was able to learn even just a bit more about the world we share! It was a long journey, but now that the road is at its end, there’s only one thing left that I want to say.” Looking at her journal one last time, Tearna gently closed it and stepped away, “Thank you for reading our tale!”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

                A page crinkled as it was turned, revealing the leatherbound end to the small book. “Wow! That was quite the ride.” Squinting in thought, Atom began to flip back, “I can’t believe she was able to actually document all of this! I mean, your great, great grandmother must have been an incredible shasheek!”

                “You missed a great!” Raising his brow, Atom looked over his shoulder, Sapphiria holding up three fingers from where she was sitting. Her seven tails drifted over the ground as she smiled, “Tearna was my great, great, great grandmother on my mother’s side!”

                “Why do your people just use multiple greats to denote ancestry?” the small mechanical bird huffed as she stood and stepped over to the desk he was sitting on. “Seriously, that is obscenely complicated to keep track of!”

                “Don’t blame me.” She smiled brightly as she looked at the journal, “I told you it was incredible though! Can you believe someone like her was actually related to me?”

                “Honestly, no,” he noted with a slight frown. “I mean, Tearna sounded like a celebrity, and given our environment…” He waved his wing around their small room for emphasis, “I mean, something appears to have been dropped at some point…”

                “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Sapphiria said with a soft, tired sigh, looking at her silver robe with a slight frown. “Still, I feel like she would have been fine with me! You saw how she gushed over the ruby ghollon, so… maybe she would see me the same way?!”

                “She at least sounded like an upbeat person,” Atom echoed with a nod. “And her writing style was pretty good. I’m looking forward to reading this again and seeing what I missed.” He shut the book and flipped it over, “I’m a little upset there isn’t more to read though…”

                “Well…” Jerking his head with a start, he turned to look back at her as she grinned impishly, “About that…” Blinking in abject confusion, he watched as she set another journal in front of him. The small bird stared at it silently. After a minute, he suddenly reeled back, “WHAT THE-“

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

                Golden light illuminated the large, crimson and golden table dominating the room. “I understand how you feel, but I’m not so sure this is a good idea,” a voice spoke. Printed across the massive table was a huge map of their planet with lines crossed through many landmarks and a bigger line indicating the route the expedition had taken so long ago. “That environment isn’t like any other.” Terrascine frowned with worry as she moved around the table, stopping on the northern side of the map, “It would be a suicide mission!” Sighing, she looked across the table, “Are we sure this is something we need to do?”

                Therisan kept his arms crossed. As emperor, it was his duty to consider everything that could impact their world. Recovering all the knowledge they had lost during the Crisis had been his true goal, but now that they had finished… there was a nagging thought. “You know the story as well as I do, Archon,” he finally spoke. He nodded at the map, “When the Crisis was at its peak, the Clockwork Armada committed a vast amount of resources to try and break into that region for reasons we still don’t know, and I want to know.”

                “As does the council,” she relented with a slight frown. “But there’s a reason the Armada failed so spectacularly. That region is a deathtrap. No ordinary team would be able to get in alive.”

                “Which is exactly why I’m bringing this up now.” Terrascine frowned as he continued, “We need to know what the Armada wanted, Archon. Given what we know now, clearly there must have been something of extreme value hidden up there.” Shaking his head, he put his hands down and leaned against the table, “As loathe as I am to make them risk their lives, we don’t have a choice. We have to know what’s in the Frozen Scar.” Resting at the roof of their world, past the volcanic mountains bordering the north of the Karasi, was a vast frozen wasteland untouched by civilization…