It was surprisingly easy to spread the word that there would be an important announcement.

The announcement was just as easy to set up. Everyone in the colony was easily within any of the Sages’ range of telepathy and it was easier to send a message to everyone than a private message to an individual.

After a small amount of discussion, it was decided that Dorian would be the one to announce the news. Since he was the only one of them that was an adult by the standards of this world it would likely be taken better by all sides. They all gathered in the ceremony hall. Since only a few members of the Crimson Colony were there still were only about two dozen people.

{With all of the confusion going on, I am sure all of you have questions,} Dorian began, {First of all, we have something to celebrate. The threat to our colony has been dealt with and there will be no battle! The Colony of Veda and many others have taken our side and wish to form an alliance under the name of Concordia. After much consideration, we have decided to accept this opportunity.}

Howard could feel the excitement, trepidation, and confusion those listening felt at this announcement. After all, the Crimson colony members likely hadn’t known about the threat to begin with.

{Next, I would like to announce another piece of wonderful news. Zandra, the leader of the Crimson Colony has asked to join us and merge our colonies. Zandra will be our apprentice for a year before becoming the Fourth Sage of Concordia. Sage Howard will also be taking Denewulf as his apprentice.}

Denewulf smiled confidently when his part of the announcement came up. Lula and Hiroshi clung to either side of him and Nova placed a hand on his shoulder with a look of gentle pride.

{We will also begin producing a powerful sunscreen here that will enable us to go out during the day. We would like Dov to be in charge of this project with Jonathan’s assistance. Experts from the Crimson Colony will be here shortly to show you the ropes.}

Dov seemed surprised for his name to come up there but he accepted with determination.

{Azul, we would like your help to teach the other colonies in the Concordia Alliance how to use the message spell. With the help of your communication with wyverns and other animals, you will be able to travel the fastest and take care of any problems if they go wrong. Now that you are no longer hindered by the false accusations of Bloodcry your amazing skills can openly become your pride.}

Azul was beaming. She was excited to fly free and explore.

{If possible we would like you to send continuous messages of the landscapes you see in your travels so we can begin making a map of Feroz,} Dorian expanded then turned back to everyone. {Our last order of business will be establishing a security system. We already have some basic plans but we will need your help going forward.}

Howard met eyes with James who nodded.

{I was nominated to be in charge on our side, and I will be partnered with Koko. We will have equal authority on security matters. As for my assistant, I would like to nominate Nova,} James declared, {She is powerful, but also level-headed. She has a good eye for people and good instincts in life and death situations.}

No one objected. Even though she was now the only one with red eyes she was a lot more comfortable than she had ever been before.

{I accept,} she replied.

The rest of the meeting went fairly quickly as they explained how the new system was going to work and how the Crimson Colony would slowly be integrated into Concordia. As everyone was leaving Zandra pulled Howard aside.

{I thought he would be here since you said you were going to call everyone, but I still don’t see him,} Zandra accused, {As a future Sage of this colony I have the right to know about the man who used to live in that bizarre fruit tree you have us in.}

{Sanders?} Howard asked, {We weren’t exactly trying to hide his existence from you. He just left. In the first place he was only going to stay here until we were able to establish stable lives for ourselves in Feroz.}

As he spoke Howard was hit with a wave of nostalgia. How long ago had that been? It almost felt like he had lived a second lifetime there, but it likely hadn’t even been two years since they left Earth. Not to mention it was impossible to say how a year here compared to a year there. He could still vividly remember the moment they were sucked into the vortex and Sanders’ eerie calm.

{Is something wrong?} Zandra asked.

{No, I was just recalling how we met Sanders,} Howard replied, {You know how we are from another world, but it was actually Sanders who brought us here. It was an accident on his part so he took time to help us adapt instead of just abandoning us and returning to his home. I suppose the reason we trusted you so quickly was because he assured us that you are someone we can rely on.}

Zandra closed her eyes for a moment. {Someone powerful enough to bring so many people to another world by accident,} she summarised, a clear amazement in her tone, {And that someone who has been supporting your every move in this world decided to leave everything to me? Or was it that he believed you were strong enough to stand on your own?}

{I don’t know,} Howard answered, {However, somewhere along the road I became glad to be here. There isn’t really anything I miss about Earth, but if I was to lose everything I have here, I would be devastated. Things I used to think of as annoying and useless have become precious to me here. No matter what happens I don’t think I will come to regret my decision to stay.}

{Good,} Zandra told him with a smile, {You have become important to this world too. I want to see the future you and your comrades will bring. Don’t forget to rely on me if you are ever in a pinch. I will stop asking about Sanders.}

{Thank you,} Howard expressed.

__________________________________

A year passed and Zandra officially became one of the Sages of Concordia. The Concordia Alliance welcomed the fourth Sage with open arms and gifts were sent using the message spell Azul had taught them. James and Koko handled the security of the event in perfect sync. During this busy time Denewulf was in charge of dealing with other visitors. Namely, those who came seeking to be cured of the bloodcry.

Ever since word had spread that the entire Crimson Colony had been cured of their red-eyed curse, Concordia had constant guests with red eyes. Those who were cured spread the word and the steady stream had yet to end.

Perhaps it was a bit rude, but Concordia did not currently have the facilities to take care of them anymore. That was why Denewulf was standing in the gateway that led into Concordia and treating the visitors there. Most of the time they ran off instantly anyway. Some quickly purchased some of Concordia’s special sunscreen in order to be able to travel, or at least have more time to find cover, when the sun came up.

{Here,} Denewulf told his latest guest and held out a small pot that easily fit in the palm of his hand, {May you be best with safe travels.}

The man bowed with his newly green eyes filled with barely contained tears. {Thank you! I will never forget what you have done for me!}

The next person in line stepped forward and Denewulf froze. {Sanders?}

The short man with bronze hair shook his head. {Sorry. I am afraid you have the wrong man. Do I resemble someone you know?}

{You look exactly like him,} Denewulf answered, {Who are you?}

{My name is Soral. I am a wanderer,} he replied, {May I enter? I wish to give my greetings to the Four Sages of Concordia.}

Denewulf let Soral through, not sure what to make of him. That was definitely Sanders. There was no way Denewulf could mistake that energy, so why was he introducing himself under a different name?

He didn’t have much time to think because another visitor demanded his attention. Once he was finally off visitor duty Denewulf went to the Tree of Concordia to see what was happening with Not-Sanders.

{Denewulf? You usually don’t come back so fast. Is something up?} Selina asked.

{Did someone calling themselves Soral come here?} he asked.

{Someone… You mean Sanders? I only saw him for a moment. He greeted Zandra and then left,} she replied thoughtfully, {Now that you mention it he was denying it every time we called him. I wonder if Soral is his real name.}

{His real name?} Denewulf asked.

{Yes. Sanders was a fake name he was using back on Earth. We never heard his real name. He always stopped Nova from saying it. I might ask her now.}

{But he just greeted Zandra and left? Why did he even come, then? Doesn’t he live far away?}

Selina shrugged. {I have no idea, but I think he has always been like that. Maybe he is trying to show us that he still remembers us?}

{I guess,} Denewulf conceded but he was still unsatisfied with that answer. Then again, he had never had much to do with Sanders in the first place. {I think he wanted you to know who he really is, instead of some fake name.}

{Probably,} Selina agreed, {But I don’t think I will be able to stop thinking of him as Sanders.}

{Nova said he was a famous hero,} Denewulf considered, {He must be incredibly busy. You must mean a lot to him.}

{I don’t know about that. Believe it or not, the one he was closest to out of all of us was Jonathan,} Selina explained, {Maybe you should ask him.}

Denewulf hesitated for a moment before heading to the secret cave where Jonathan had turned a metal shell into his lab. It was even more off-putting now than when Denewulf had first seen it, but he still called for Jonathan.

{Who is it?} Jonathan complained as he came out, {Oh. It’s just you. The thing Dorian requested isn’t ready yet-}

{Did Sanders come by?} Denewulf interrupted.

Jonathan suddenly smiled. {He did, and he left me a nice present.}

{What kind of present?} Denewulf asked.

Jonathan held out some sort of complicated metal piece. {I don’t think a Ferozian will understand, but it is a device that allows telepathy to its other half at near limitless range. Simply put, I can now talk to him whenever I want.}

Denewulf looked at the metal piece then back up at Jonathan. He didn’t understand everything, but he understood enough to know that what Jonathan held was a priceless treasure.

{No run along back to Howard,} Jonathan prompted, {I have things to be doing and so do you. Sanders doesn’t exist anymore. This is a gift from my new friend Soral, alright?}

Denewulf agreed despite himself and left. No matter how much time passed Jonathan and Sanders were both strange, but Denewulf had the future of Concordia and Feroz to think of so he shoved those thoughts out of his mind and returned home.