It has been two days since we have reached the land of the Feli Clan. The mood in this land is somber. Aby was known as a great member of her Clan and she was even an inspiration to young Feli children. People living here took her news to the heart and were in a state of mourning since the news of her death came. They were eagerly waiting for their member's body to return to the Feli land so that they could honour her and fulfill the last rites.

For the last two days I have distanced myself from their affairs. I stayed in the background while they prepared the farewell for Aby. Not that I did not cared, but I knew they needed that space to concentrate only on fulfilling the last rites of Aby and not worry or think about me. It was applicable even to her family, as I instructed Wei not to tell anyone of my identity and what relationship I had with Aby other than I am a team member.

I had already said my goodbyes to her and the weird thing was... I felt less and less sad as the days goes by. At first, whenever I used to visit her body, it would sadden me, but now I feel like I have overcome that sadness. I don’t know if this is bad or good to feel nothing when a loved one passes away. It also happened when Elder passed away. Is this what Adi’Je kept on mentioning... growing up from experience?

After reaching here, we also found out that the rest of the team had reached the Feli land a few days before. My first worry was whether or not they had told Aby’s parents about me, but later I got to know that they didn’t inform them as Javel and Marion thought the information was mine to share and also my responsibility.

Speaking of the rest of the team, we were meeting after a long time and I was kind of hesitant at first. Maybe some guilt still resided within me and it made me feel uneasy facing them. They had known Aby longer than me and their bond was a lot stronger than the bond with me and the team. Well... that guilt flew right out the mind when Ron punched me... several times when we were in a secluded area. Followed by a couple of punches from Javel and Paleg... which surprised me the most. He even had tears while he punched me and a few hard slaps from Marion. That... that hurt the most. Javel and Paleg pulled their punches and Ron’s were not that powerful, but Marion... did not hold back her... feelings.

Where as me... I accepted their frustration and anger, although it was minimal compared to what I was expecting. I knew they would have many queries about Aby’s death. I had long been debating about it. Do I inform them about the truth or should I stick to the story told to them before? I was not worried about the fact that I was unable to save her even if I was there. I was more worried about how they would take it hearing the manner with which Aby died. How could anyone accept their close member dying in pain? I did not discuss this with Wei, but on some separate occasions while on our journey to here, she did mention that it was up to me to decide what to inform the others. After much thinking I decided to inform them of the truth... who am I to deny them hearing the truth about their friends death?

From the moment I set here I was amazed. The city of the Feli is nothing like I have ever seen. I have heard from Wei that the city of Feli is considered to be the second most organized place after the Capital itself. After seeing it with my own eyes... although I have never seen the Capital, but this place has really been built with a lot of good planning and care. I thought Blood Zuma was very neat and beautiful, but now... I started having second thoughts about that. It also gave me an idea. I should turn Blood Zuma into a more organized city. It would require good planning and some chunks of money which I have in reserve. Maybe I could commission the one of the Estate Planning Companies located here to help organize Blood Zuma more.

When we were on the road, Wei informed me about the general layout of this city. The City of Feli is located in grassland with no forest surrounding it. Only a river flows through its right side of the city. They named the river Jahnavi... the river of life as they say it in Feli.

That river supplies water for everything in the city and as Wei told me, this city real problem was with drainage. They could not pollute their only source of clear water. The city of Feli really struggled to search for a solution. Having a higher population does have its disadvantages. The Feli clan members tried everything to cut down their wastage, but still the amount of waste generated was still high. It was said that during this turmoil the Council of Feli decided to create a separate Division within them whose job will only be the proper planning of the city and to find the solution of their problem.

Upon creation this Division came upon a temporary solution until a better one was found. They bought a fleet of Miden Transport Class Carriers to transport all the wastage from the city and spread it around the poisonous lake 20 km away from the Feli land.

It is apparently a dying forest located there where surrounding that lake. The Council of Feli were successful in labeling that land as a desolate piece of land in the Zoit continent. That area became a prime spot for the Feli clan members to practice and learn about adventuring... with a new type of monsters growing out there it was a treasure on its own. They even didn’t bother naming the place officially, but they called it Poison Ground within themselves.

They divided the fleet in such a way that the waste would be carried to the Poison Ground at the end of each day. It would be dumped in a manner which does not deteriorate the place quickly. For protection many assignments of guarding it were given in the General Body Adventuring Unit. It was neither ideal nor profitable, but it did give them some time to think about a more long term profitable solution.

For some years it was going good for them until they realized something. The monsters in the Poison Ground were getting more vicious as time passed on. Many lives were getting lost fighting with them. The problem soon crept up for the division which was tasked to find a solution for it many years ago. They were in the middle of finding a new way when the new problem of the monsters arised.

Finally, they decided on a plan to create many interconnected underground drainage pipelines covering the entire city from below. They will all move up to some few big underground pipes which would then carry it and release the waste inside the lake situated in the Poison Ground. It was also decided that the water will be treated at regular intervals within the underground pipelines so the waste which will be dumped in the Poison Ground would be much dilute than it actually was. For diluting the harmful properties of their waste, help was sought from another place.

Help was sought from a place known as Zoit Medical Institution or ZMI. The ZMI teaches Medicine and creates Medics. Its headquarters are in the Capital and I didn’t know about its existence until Wei told me. The ZMI quickly sent its officials to figure out a way.

Now, nobody knows exactly when or how they find it, but they did find a solution for the Feli clan’s problem. According to Wei, they could be utilized to the maximum effect if they changed the city planning to something different.

That is why; the city of the Feli’s has four levels. Each level is situated at an elevated height compared to the previous levels.

Starting from the bottom, the first level is named the Guard District. It is the outermost layer of the city hence it is the border of the city. This district has multiple entries or gateways on all four sides. The roads are planned beautifully and are spacious. Here there are different roads which are designated for only walking purpose and there are roads which are designated only for carrier purpose. The outer level or the Guard District’s job is to act as a defensive barrier for the city. It houses only Guards and Adventurers.

Next level is named the Market District. The ground on which this level was built is slightly higher than the Guard District. The Market District contains all the things which are needed to keep the economy of the city up. The hotels and Inns and Bars are all located here. One thing I have noticed after coming here... this place is always busy. It does not matter whether if its day or night... it is always busy. All the offices and items needed by the Adventurers are also located here.

The next level is named Residential District. Unlike the Galeform Clan, both factions within the Feli Clan, namely the Agein Line and Casein Line live at the same place with no difference within them. This level is a residential place and only for residential purpose. It is located a higher elevated ground than the previous Market district.

The last level or the top most level is named the Governing District. Here the Council of Feli Clan is located as well as the office of the Council of Zoit and many other official places including the town meeting hall.

The drainage pipe starts from the Governing District and flows down all the way to the Guard District covering all the districts at once. There are small waste treatment facilities located inside the pipelines spread throughout the city. The waste treatment facilities contain a mixture of herbs, grass and Vitalis.

Yes... Vitalis. It is used everywhere and they are doing wonders for this city as waste that goes out in the Poison Ground are much less harmful than it was before. The amount of Vitalis this city has to import or but from the Council of Zoit is rivaled to none. While the Council of Zoit walked over us, they were receiving hefty profits after selling our Vitalis.

Later, with joint cooperation both the Feli Clan as well as the Council of Zoit create a medium sized Water Treatment Facility for the lake in the Poison Ground. That is why a huge part of lake is being protected by a Division of the Zoit Army from the monsters that live there. Their goal is to totally clean the lake so that it could be used for waste dumping for many many years to come and also to provide clean water source for the monsters that live there. The term ‘clean’ is a little vague. The water is up to excepted consumption level at the most... which is clean enough for the monsters that drank more poisonous water before the Water Treatment Facility was placed here.

For this feat, many Estate Planning Companies sprang up and shortly after the Feli Clan were hired by the Council of Zoit to plan the Capital properly.

I also got to know that lately after out blockade of Vitalis, the price of Vitalis sold by the Council of Zoit has gone way up. The Council must be selling the Vitalis which was procured before my ruling. With this information... I smelled a partnership with them too. Why buy from the Council of Zoit if they could buy directly from us and at a price far more less than what the Council of Zoit was charging for it, but meeting Aby’s parents was the first matter in my to do list.

We reached the Feli land early morning. I wanted to go straight towards Aby’s house, but Wei told me that it was better if we stop by the Council of Feli instead. They would inform them and we could keep Aby’s body inside the meeting hall until then. I was not satisfied with that plan and still wanted to take Aby directly to her parents, but Wei told me that there were far too many beastmen who would want to pay their respect to her. So that was what we did. Wei went to the Council of Feli to send a message to Aby’s parents while me and Deiti readied Aby in the meeting hall for people to pay their respect to her. After that, Aby’s body would be taken to the Cremation Area in the Governing District to be cremated.

Many... many Feli members came in the meeting hall and there I saw Marion, Javel, Ron and Paleg with Wei coming in. They met in the Council of Feli. I stayed a little far while Wei told me who were who.

Aby’s family were the first to enter the hall. They looked really distraught and devastated. Aby’s mother Horuna Feli kept on crying hugging Aby. She and Aby had similar height. She has an oval facial structure with hazel eyes which has become hooded due to aging which still had her charm intact as she has aged gracefully. She was of a light brown skin tone which added to her beauty. I saw a resemblance of Aby when I first saw Horuna Feli. She was fortunate to have grown up to resemble her mother. I say that because when I saw her father... I could not believe that he was Aby’s father.

Darin Feli, Aby’s father. I heard from Wei that he is an ex Zoit Army Commander. He was the most distraught out of the three. Who would want to see their child dead before them? It should never happen, but how much we wish for it... not everything goes the way we want it to go.

He is as tall as Aby’s mother, but a little overweight. Years have not been kind to him and surely more pressure was added after hearing his daughter’s death. He had the same features just any Feli members. The two factions couldn’t be differentiated from one another just by facial features. One more thing I found out about Aby... she got her temper from her father and nothing else.

And the last one of her family was her little brother... Onray Feli. He is a young one and I saw him just standing in one corner the whole time... like he was observing the whole place. A little tall than his parents with a lanky figure. He must be agile just like Aby. Sometimes I saw him looking towards me.

After some hours of paying respect, Aby was carried towards the cremation area. I was one of the four that carried her casket. The other three being Javel, Ron and Paleg. It was customary for the closest person or any loved one of the deceased to light the fire on her pyre. That moment was a little heart wrenching for me as I didn’t think I was worthy to light it so I quietly stood and watched as her brother and father both light the first fire. Wei, Deiti, Javel, Marion, Paleg and Ron kept looking towards me. Her memories came flooding as if this was the last time I would see her. It... It is not easy being a Blood Zuma... numb one moment and then suddenly filled with feelings. I wish someone should have guided me through this.

I watched as the fire spread throughout the pyre and eventually swallowing Aby within it. I hope you find peace Aby... and I truly believe the story of you and me does not stop here. We will meet again... somehow... somewhere... just wait for me...

The next morning I decided to come clean to both the team and her parents, but not at the same time. I first went over to the place where the whole team were present. I asked Wei to join me while I explained them about everything. Deiti excused herself from us as this was something she was part of. There I was standing in front of the whole team, being watched by them while I told them each and everything that happened from the point Aby’s entry in the quest up to the point where Wei killed her parent’s killer. I did not leave out anything except some details of the method by which I or rather me and Adi’Je used to get much information out of the Lexia siblings.

I saw their raw emotions assaulting on their faces. I stood there watching them come to terms with it.

Marion: “Did... you find peace... after killing them, Le’On?”

That question kept circling within my mind when I went to face Aby’s parents. I asked Wei to accompany me here too. Right now... Wei is the only one that resembles some form of connection at this moment between me and Aby’s parents.

Me: “Let me introduce myself to you.”

I said to everyone sitting in the living room. I was sitting in a chair facing Aby’s parents while Wei sat with Aby’s brother to my right. Aby’s mother, Horuna Feli replied.

Horuna: “We already know you child. You are a team member of my daughter.”

Me: “No... My real identity.

My name is Le’On and I belong to the Blood Zuma Clan.”

Aby’s father spoke with a rough voice.

Darin: “Blood Zuma!

Ohh... you mean the Zuma clan which started a whole uproar throughout the Zoit continent. Heh!! I never imagined a member of the Zuma clan would become like you or they would create such uproar.”

Horuna: “Darin!

Be respectful in front of our company. I always believed they had something hidden within themselves and I am quite happy to hear them getting some due attention.”

Darin: “Ahh... sorry dear... umm.”

Horuna: “Please continue child.”

Me: “Just the day before Aby’s demise we... she... umm... she initiated the Mark of Love on me.

We were married.”

Silence fell within the room. I think they were taking time to fully understand the news I gave them.

Suddenly, Darin roared.

Darin: “WHAT!!!!!!!!

HOW CAN THIS BE!!!??”