THE KEEPERS OF THE GROVE WAIT FOR ME.

Kalmat, Nindran, Seiled, Beihal, Keshiy, Nelrel— I see them all amongst the group of refugees gathered below at the fringe of the Flourishing Flatlands. I breathe a sigh in relief, knowing that they are safe. For a moment, I had been worried that something could have happened to them when the first ships crossed through the hole in the sky.

There had been three ships. Two Hives and a single Nest. The Nest attacked Thornthistle, bringing the city to ruin. But fortunately, I managed to destroy the ship before it could kill the remaining survivors of the city. Since the other two Hives had spread out elsewhere, I had feared that they may have gone to hunt down my friends. So it is relieving to see that no harm has befallen any member of the Keepers of the Grove.

“Tian!” Nindran yells, waving at me as I descend from the sky. I land before the azure-haired woman, and she leaps into my arms. “I’m so glad to see you’re fine! I was so worried! After you vanished, we thought you…” she trails off.

“I am fine, Nindran.” I smile at her, returning her hug. “I am glad to see you are well too.”

She steps back away from me as the others gather around. Beihal himself looks at me with relief in his face, while Seiled wipes a tear from his eye. Kalmat approaches me, and I turn to the man.

“You guys are alive,” I remark simply.

He nods back at me. “So are you. Glad to see you’re still in the fight, Tian.”

“I am. And I will not be out of it anytime soon.” I glance past him, taking note of all the refugees and Elementalists with the Keepers of the Grove. “Did everyone make it out of Warmthkeep?”

Beihal clears his throat. “Our calculations were correct. The Lifeblood Bomb did destroy the remaining Zombies without reaching the bunker, fortunately enough.”

“The Lifeblood Bomb?” I blink. I can easily infer from the context, but I think it is better to confirm.

Seiled steps forward, still sniffling. He nods as he wipes away another tear. “That’s what we decided to name the superweapon. The Lifeblood Bomb.”

“I was under the impression that it was only partially powered by Lifeblood.” I lift a brow.

The boy shakes his head. “Most of it is technology, but the crux of why it works is because of Lifeblood. Did you see it? It even destroyed those ships that came from the sky!” he exclaims excitedly, gesturing at the hole up above.

I pause. “Right,” I say as I recall the two other Hives that descended earlier. “So those ships did go after you.”

“One did,” Kalmat explains. “We took it down with a Lifeblood Bomb. We passed by the second on the way here, but it flew over us. So we left it alone.”

Seiled shakes his head. “Even with Galgom’s help, we cannot produce them fast enough. Using just two already depleted a quarter of our munitions…”

“With Galgom’s help?” I frown.

And a figure emerges from behind the group. A purple man who walks free, unbound. It is Galgom— the tyrant of Utana. When I last saw him, he was clasped in chains. Now, he is walking unguarded. I immediately tense upon seeing him, but Seiled raises a hand to stop me.

“Wait, Tian,” the boy reassures me. “Don’t attack him.”

“Why is he walking around without his bindings?” I ask with a glare. “Nelrel?” I turn to the elderly lady.

She sighs. “He has offered us his help, Tian. He says he will not try to escape. That there is no point in his escaping. So we have removed his bindings to let him aid us the best he can.”

“And why should we trust him?” I cross my arms.

“Because, girl,” Galgom speaks up as he steps forward. “I am a dead man either way. If I can die spitting in Idu’s face, then so be it. This world is going to end, regardless. There is nothing any of us can do to stop it.”

I narrow my eyes, still dubious. If he wants, he can betray us at any time. I do not trust him. But Kalmat pats me on the shoulder.

“I am not happy about this either, Tian,” says the leader of the Keepers of the Grove. “But we have no choice. We have to do what we must to survive.”

I glance over at Kalmat. He looks calm and at peace with this decision. But I can feel his grip on my shoulder— the way he tightly claps me by the shoulder. He is restraining himself from lashing out. He is upset that this is even necessary. I can tell he hates it far more than me.

And if the main victims of Galgom’s tyranny are fine with cooperating with him, then who am I to argue against it?

“Very well,” I say as I nod at Kalmat. “But there is still much to discuss. Especially in regards to the matter of survival.”

“Tell me about it,” Nindran snorts. “I don’t think there’s anywhere in the world that’s safe from these damn void pirates.”

I smile, turning to the azure-haired woman. “Oh, but there is one place that is safe from Idu.”

Nindran pauses. She blinks a few times, digging into her hear before facing me again. “I’m sorry. Could ya repeat that? I don’t think I heard you right the first time around.”

“I am saying that I know a place of sanctuary. A safe haven, that even Idu’s greatest weapons cannot reach.” I fold my arms, smiling at the Keepers of the Grove.

They exchange a dubious glance at first. But when they see that I am serious, they lean forward curiously. “What is it?” they question me.

And that is when I begin to explain the plan to find sanctuary with the Pishitim.