Letter to Rawani. If this letter cannot reach her hands, it should get Kyrus' hands. If this letter cannot reach his hands, deliver to Peck.

As promised three months ago, I have been moving slowly from Mordia. Traveled by foot, horse, and ship all over the western part of the continent.

As something to report to the council of Adhaz, the Kingdom of Betheas has again adopted hostile positions towards us, the Kingdom of Ahether and the Duchy of Elion maintain a friendly status with us. Still, I sense that may come to change in Elion for political reasons.

Having said all the boring parts that will be of least interest to you, me, and possibly Kyrus and Peck, I will get to the point if they read this letter.

Over a week ago, I performed the ritual in a supposedly cursed cave west of Mizuna. The place was somewhat hidden, but I managed to get there after some directions.

First, a week ago, a marked Akajsi girl appeared here. It has no relation to the cave as she told me the day before writing this letter that she appeared in a hole in the middle of the forest. The girl looks like any other Akajsi, except that her eyes are black, counteracting her lineage's unusual eye colors. I suspect there is something strange about that, beyond a simple difference.

One thing that bears on the cave is a boy who accompanied the Akajsi girl. The boy claimed that he had entered here two days before this letter. The boy has dark skin and hazel eyes. At least in principle, he looks like a Talhari from the central region of Feinsia. This somewhat reaffirms my "theory of randomness," but I need to do more research on this.

I named the girl Yue, clearly in honor of Yuergar, the matriarch of the elves. The boy I named Fynn. If you, Rawani, and Kyrus saw him, you would understand the reason for that name.

I found them both in a bandit camp, they were planning to help a group of farmers with a kidnapping issue or something, I didn't pay much attention.

They both had a fighter's mark, which is odd. The guy was also pushed to a limited situation and exploded in rage, which initially allowed me to see his Warrior Trance. Poor kid is very tormented by what happened, but it was something that he just couldn't help.

If all goes well, I will take them to Lastrel, where they will take a ship to reach Adhaz, or at least manage to dock at some Marked of Nandel. I recognize that escorting them there will hinder my investigation. Still, I've already run into several members of the White Flame around here, so I won't take any chances. If what happened at the Fynn's entry point is true, it could confirm one of my theories about our origin.

Ronan.

"What do you write?"

The question broke Ronan's concentration as he tried to find the right words to finish the letter. Then, Ronan saw the pair of small children once again. The farmer's children hadn't stopped spying on what he was doing for a moment.

"Oh, A letter," said Ronan with a smile. Then, he starts writing again.

"To whom?" asked the little girl.

"Oh, A friend."

"Who?"

"Grania," Erna caught her children's attention as she hurried out of the house, "stop disturbing the traveler, and you and your brother do your chores right now."

The pair of children obeyed and quickly left the place.

"They look sweet," Ronan stated smilingly.

"And annoying," replied Yue at her side.

Erna replied, "Oh, Looks like the little miss can complain now; Splendid."

"Well, she's much better; she's even got a healthy color," Ronan said, cupping one cheek of the akajsi girl, opening her eye.

Yue quickly removed his hand from her with a slap to it.

Ronan brushed his hands off her with a smirk before addressing Erna again with his words.

"Did you, ma'am, prepare the purgative?"

"Yes, I did," Erna replied from a distance, hanging her children's freshly laundered clothes on the clothesline.

"She looks good enough to have been treated just like that," the marked man pointed out with a smile, "are you an apothecary?"

"It's a thing of the past," she said, minding her own business.

Ronan praised Erna's work, "You have talent, ma'am. A simple purgative would have hurt her stomach and taken much longer to recover."

The woman let out a dry laugh, "Don't take me for an apprentice, mister..."

"Vilna. Ronan of Vilna."

"Well, mister Ronan of Vilna, I have work to do; let me continue."

"Oh sure, housework. I won't take another moment of your time," Ronan smiled, eating the rest of his breakfast in a hurry.

Yue stood with the bowl with her breakfast in her hands. She had hardly eaten.

Then Ronan turned to the akajsi girl before getting up from the floor, "When you finish your food, go see you at the stable; We'll leave once the horses are ready."

Yue nodded, and Ronan walked away in the stable direction. After a few moments of hesitation and eating fastly, Yue got up.

However, she didn't follow him.

Erna continued to do her chores; while she was doing it, footsteps behind her could be heard approaching.

"What do you want, child?" asked Erna, aware of Yue's presence.

Yue took a few moments to speak as if searching for the right words.

"I... well... Well, thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, child," the woman said.

"I... think I must. You saved my life, even though you didn't want to."

Erna remained silent.

"I heard what you said to Fynn the other night," Yue pointed out. The woman paused as she continued speaking, "Thank you for saving me, even though you wouldn't have wanted to."

Erna was still giving her back to the akajsi girl but finally answered her.

She replied in a calm voice, "Thank you for rescuing my son. I will be indebted to you and to your friend. I don't know what would I do if I lost another of my little ones..."

The woman took a breath, thus avoiding shedding a tear. Nevertheless, the woman's hardness cracked at the thought of anything happening to her children.

"Take care of yourself, will you?" said Erna to the girl, still turning her back.

"I will, I promise," said Yue.

Soon, she felt the elven girl move closer, and she hugged her from behind. Yue's arms wrapped around Erna for an instant before she hurriedly pulled away and ran from her.

Erna remained with both hands on the sinew, unable to react, beyond eyes swollen and red from tears welling up.

The horses were already saddled by Samson and his son in the stable.

"Do you guys need any help?" asked Fynn, sitting on a pile of hay.

"Boy, you've helped enough around here, don't you think?" said Samson, "Finish your breakfast in peace; you're in for a good ride to Sunhold."

"But Ruelle..."

"I'm fine, Fynn," said the huge boy with a smile. His face had several bruises, but he retained his cheerfulness, "I've beaten myself up worse working, don't worry."

Fynn smiled but still worried about what would happen from now on.

"What will you do with the thieves?"

Samson sighed heavily, settling the horse's reins before heading over to help his son with the last of them.

"I don't know, boy. With some luck, the bandits will leave here and not bother for a couple of crops. Otherwise, I'll have to convince the other farmers to put us into action."

"I feel I brought too much trouble for what I did..."

"Trouble was always here," Samson pointed out as he stroked the horse's coat, "Bandits, negligence. All they've been here since before Ruelle could walk. Only now, well, it's a little more complicated..."

Fynn looked down.

"Hey, not everything that happened was wrong," Samson pointed out, smiling,

Then Fynn looks at him.

"As far as I'm concerned, that a marked one helped out commoners like us with no benefits or money makes a lot of difference in the perspective some people will have. So don't think that all those peasants you saved have a distrust of you."

"What will happen to them?" asked Ruelle of his father.

"We'll have to take them to their homes. Will be have long days, my son. "

"The work never ends," sighed Ruelle.

Fynn watched father and son for a while, smiling. Soon he heard Ronan enter the stable, and moments later, Yue, in a rush.

"They look magnificent, thank you very much," exclaimed Ronan, approaching his spotted black horse.

"It's the least we could do," said that giant reddish-bearded man.

"That reminds me..." Ronan took a small purse from his belt, where coins could be heard.

"No payment is necessary."

"Oh sure it does!" exclaimed Ronan, "You fed the horses, and this pair too,"

The marked man jokingly pointed at Fynn and Yue.

Then, he procced, "and your talented wife cured the girl; A friend of mine always says: 'You have to reward the good, and even more to those who do it without asking for something in return.'"

Ronan twirled five golden coins between his fingers, which he held between these with a sleight of hand until he finally handed them over.

"Your friend must be someone very kind," Samson exclaimed with a slight laugh.

"He's a desperate pedant; most of the time, I wish he'd shut up," he exclaimed with a chuckle.

After that, Ronan climbed onto his horse. Minutes later, the three of them, on horses, rode out of the stable onto the road. Samson and Erna's children waved energetically and cheerfully from the house outside. Fynn waved an equally cheerful goodbye to them.

"Have a safe trip," Samson exclaimed, "If you ever need a place to stay, you can be sure we'll take you in. As of today, you are unconditional friends of our family."

"I truly appreciate those words very much, Samson," Fynn said with a soft smile.

Yue turned to the windows, where the children said goodbye to them. Beside them, Erna was watching them. It only took her nod to say goodbye to the akajsi girl. Wordlessly, but confidently.

"Oh, that reminds me..."

Ronan took the letter he had been writing, and after giving it a couple of folds, the letter began to move in his hand.

"Oh, by Lilthal," exclaimed Ruelle in amazement, "Is it magic?"

"A simple trick my pedantic friend taught me," Ronan pointed out as the card turned black and soon took on the appearance of a bird. Ronan threw the tiny bird into the air, quickly taking flight until it almost disappeared into the distance.

After a warm farewell, the trio of marked ones set off for Sunhold. Soon the farm of that welcoming family was in the distance, proving to Fynn and Yue that not everyone thinks badly of them.

The roads to Sunhold were long and almost empty. Ronan had expected some bandit, though after the circumstances that had transpired, perhaps it made sense that they were absent.

Morning gave way to afternoon, which then, at dusk, drew in the distance the town of artisans and farmers. During the journey, Ronan handed them a piece of cloth to cover their hands and hide subtly, perhaps like a wound, the mark they both carried with them.

"It will only be for today; I will get clothes tomorrow."

"Ronan," Fynn called to the man.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for helping us."

"You don't have to thank me, kid," Ronan replied.

"How do we know we'll be safe there?" asked Yue, skeptical.

"Ah, you can never be sure, child," replied the man, "luckily, at the inn where I'm staying, money is more important than this mark." Ronan shook his gloved hand, smilingly watching the pair of children.

"When will we learn anything about us?" asked Fynn.

"At the inn, I have my books and notes; I don't usually travel short distances with all my gear. So tomorrow, I will share some knowledge with you."

The city of Sunhold lay before them. The town was known for its craftsmen and bright colors. Whether out of pride or talent, the massive stone and wood buildings were dyed in vibrant colors, making it possible to see the city from far away.

Moving through the city, Fynn and Yue did so with crimped hair. So many people, many staring at them. They felt that one person would raise the alarm at any moment, then dozens of armed people would appear and beat them off their horses.

"Calm down," Ronan insisted, "Don't look like someone guilty of something."

"Easy for you to say," replied Yue, glancing sideways at some people who wouldn't take their eyes off him. "I guess these ears make me undesirable around here..."

"Don't mind them," replied the man, "No one will try to hurt you. These people think you must be stealing their souls with your eyes or reciting words in your head to your gods about how you will steal their children in the night."

"The akajsi don't do such things, do they?" she asked doubtfully.

"It depends on the time of year," he replied. He soon burst out laughing at that joke.

The horse ride ended in the center of the city. One of these buildings was evident among wooden buildings and warm-colored walls because of a large wooden sign with a couple of carved marigolds.

"Here we are, 'The Sweet Merigold,'" Ronan exclaimed happily to be back in his shelter. He soon got off his horse to tie it up, and both children did the same.

"My, it's beautiful; the whole town is beautiful," Fynn exclaimed, smiling.

"It seems here live good craftsmen. I think it's one of the most beautiful towns in Mizuna."

"So Eastfront isn't the same?" the boy asked.

Ronan snorted, "It looks like a pigsty, worthy of those who rule it. Now get inside, quick."

The three marked ones entered the place, and, in a way, the distress of both children became greater. The local people dressed nicely, much better at least than the farmers and them. The locals didn't take their eyes off them. There were good reasons: The ragged clothes and their physical features; at that moment, they finally noticed the stench on them, the product of so many days on the run.

"Mr. Stormwood!" a female voice was heard, startled, "you're back!"

A woman approached them, slender, with long brown hair and a sober reddish dress.

"Miss Jessa," greeted Ronan, "I'm finally back from my expedition!"

"And you bring with you... Children?" he exclaimed with incomprehension.

The look on Jessa and several people in the inn about them was remarkable.

"My new helpers. Don't worry, they don't have fleas, and they're not sick," Ronan pointed out, placing both hands on both heads.

"G-Greetings, miss..." exclaimed Fynn nervously.

Yue didn't say a word, but her annoyed look spoke for her.

"I-I see..."

The situation didn't seem to strain that woman in her thirties. Still, when Ronan, or Mr. Burel Stormwood, originally from the Union capital, promised to rent another room, the woman only saw money and nothing else.

"Stormwood?" asked Fynn quietly once they were led to their new room.

The man whispered to the boy, "You don't think I use my real name just like that."

"Makes sense, I guess," the boy whispered back.

The children were led to their new room, where a nice bath awaited them. Finally, although it was uncomfortable, the two had their turn to bathe. At least they had a moment to wash off all the moment's stress.

Late in the evening, the trio of marked ones had dinner in the kids' room, hidden from the rest of the people.

"Are you sure they won't suspect?" asked Fynn with a full mouth.

"Tsk, swallow before you speak," Yue scolded the boy.

"Well, as long as I put a couple of coins in front of them, they won't say anything."

"Are you going to tell us something about us?" rebuked Yue with her fierce character.

Ronan sighed, "A thank you for all this wouldn't be bad either, you know?" the man said.

Yue watched him steadily, "I still don't know if I should trust you completely."

"Why not?" asked Fynn.

"He just appeared out of nowhere at the bandit camp, and now it all seems so odd that it seems like a lie."

"She has a point," Fynn said, watching Ronan. But, unlike Yue, Fynn was quick to trust the man.

"I admit my manner of showing up wasn't the right one. But, on the other hand, I didn't expect to run into some newcomers either."

"Entry point, newcomers, what does that all mean?" asked Fynn.

"Oh, Just some terms we use to refer to how we came into this world."

"You 'entered' through a hole too?" asked Yue.

Ronan nodded, "Something similar to Fynn, through a cave hole, but it was near a coast in my case."

"A coast?" asked Fynn, curious.

Ronan smiled, "Yes, with a beautiful blue sea, beautiful sunrise, and ships on the horizon. I would have enjoyed it if I hadn't had an existential crisis at the time."

"I think I know what you mean," the boy exclaimed.

"How long have you been here?" asked Yue.

"About twenty-five years."

"Twenty-five years!" exclaimed Fynn in surprise.

"Yeah, amazing, isn't it?" said Ronan. "I looked like a kid younger than you both. I was alone for quite a while until I was taken in by a family. To my luck, they weren't dumb but good people."

"I think we were lucky to find someone like Samson and his family; also, I guess we're lucky you're the one who found us," exclaimed Fynn with a gentle smile.

"Maybe, or maybe I plan to eat you, what do you say, Yue?" joked the marked man with the elven girl.

Yue watched him with a hostile stare, "I'll still have to sleep with my eyes open with a thief like you..."

Ronan clicked his tongue, "I'd fleece you without you knowing it," the man exclaimed before chuckling. Finally, he rose from his chair and proceeded to leave the room, "Get a good night's rest. Tomorrow I'll get you ready, and the day after tomorrow we'll go to Eastfront. Don't try to fool around, okay?"

"All right!" exclaimed Fynn.

"Whatever," exclaimed Yue.

"I'm talking to you, don't climb on rooftops or anything," said Ronan, pointing at Yue. Then, with a gesture, he blew out the candles in the room, "Good night."

"Good night," Fynn said, settling into her bed.

Yue did the same quietly.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked his companion.

"I guess so. I'm just having doubts."

"He seems like a good man," replied Fynn, "try to sleep. These beds feel better than hay in the barn," the boy said with a small laugh.

Yue smiled and chuckled, "Or the leaves in the forest."

The pair of marked children slowly felt the weight of stress melting away in the comfort of their beds; days of tension and paranoia seemed to be melting away.

Finally, they could rest, and soon they would have some answers.