This seemed to focus the woman's thoughts back into the present. "My name is Iva." She furrowed her brow. "I recall you were not a citizen of Lunden. What do you mean by 'Where am I'?

For once, both memories inside Nair settled on the same idea. Do not be careless with your words. While the memories of the boy evoked a sense of familiarity about all Nair laid his eyes on, the man's hesitated. They did not match with this place at all. He had not experienced much of what surrounded Nair.

"I don't know how I got here. In Lunden." Nair said slowly. "I have few memories before the day the city fell. Only fragments." I should probably look into a mirror the first chance I get, he thought.

"That was this morning." Iva mumbled as she came to a stop and faced Nair again.

The woman's face had gone pale and underneath the exhaustion Nair could see genuine concern. No, it was more than that. Through the memories of the man, Nair noticed fear, remorse and something he could not name yet. Yet it was that that affected the woman Iva to the extent of making her shiver in horror.

"Iva?" A soldier addressed the woman as they approached from her behind. Nair noticed the newcomer wore the emblem of a golden hawk on their shoulder. "Toldarad is asking for the boy."

Without acknowledging the newcomer, Iva flinched, spun around and hurried along the main walkway amid this sea of tents. Nair had to jog to keep up now. Soon, they were approaching a flat hill overlooking the encampment and killing fields outside the city. The remains of a weathered stone watchtower were visible at the top amid several larger yurts and barricades.

Instead of heading straight to the top, Iva took a sharp turn and began following a spiral path that slowly led them upward. Neither of the two sets of memories in Nair's head could make sense of why the tents were arranged in such a way. Below the hill, everything was organised in a grid pattern.

Going round and round the hill Nair found himself disoriented and adding to the discomfort were the memories of the distraught wailing of the boy and the ever-growing silent concern of the man. As far as Nair could see there were only tents and hills, watchtowers new and ancient and soldiers.

And despite all that, a relative silence hung in the air. Nair could hear calm conversations, a group of soldiers training somewhere among the sea of tents, a rowdy laugh nearby, and yet those sounds weren't really there. There was something hollow about it all.

"He has no memories!" Nair suddenly heard Iva bark at someone. The two of them had made it to a level area in the shadow of the ruined watchtower. Several large yurts surrounded an open space in a half moon pattern. From here, one had an excellent view covering a large section of the city, it's walls and the killing fields surrounding it.

As the memories of the boy wailed louder than before, the man's told Nair this must have been the command post. He found the man who had introduced himself as Toldarad among others in armour in the likeness of birds, animals and beasts unknown.

"You will need to wait, Iva." Another woman with a troubled face replied instead. "We received more news. In fact, it is better if you join us. The boy can wait."

Nair was spared not a single glance as Iva joined the others surrounding what seemed to be a battle-map on a large table in the centre of the open space. Her frown remained constant throughout the roundtable. As a man clad in some sort of horned beast's regalia moved around pieces on the battle-map, Toldarad quietly explained something.

Nair could not hear the contents of the man's speech, but deduced from the faces around the battle-map that it was something easier to simply accept and not argue about. He did not have to wait for long until everyone save for Iva and Toldarad dispersed, some into the yurts surrounding the open space, others down the hill. Only a lone stifled grunt of 'Exposed flank, hah!' sounded from the man with the horned beast regalia as he passed Nair.

As Iva waved Nair over, she addressed Toldarad with her concern again. "Master, he has no memories." As Toldarad sighed, Iva quickly continued. "It is the least of our concerns, but I was not sure what to..."

But Toldarad held up his arm and Iva fell silent. It seemed the man was somewhere else entirely with his thoughts. He was not looking at Nair, but at the killing fields surrounding the city. All of a sudden he had the urge to follow Toldarad's gaze.

"It doesn't change anything, no matter how unfortunate it is, you understand, do you not, Iva?" The man's gaze now fell on her.

"It is as the Three have proclaimed." Nair heard Iva mumble.

"If he is a citizen, then only of Sierus. Only their crests rely on memories, yet how would a boy from a Kingdom on the other side of this continent end up here?"

"But his binding was far from perfect." Iva protested.

"What would it change?" Despite the strict tone, Nair noticed a sorrowful expression pass over Toldarad's face. "He is yours, Iva. Do as you please. Train him in whatever way you deem fit. He is far from powerless."