The Wanderer Embassy in Runda served as the central hub of the Median, making it the headquarters for the entire sect throughout the shattered realms. The renovated palace hosted the offices of the highest-standing officers charged with keeping the peace between the realms and coordinating the troops.

Dralais, despite being heir to a powerful clan in Runda, could count on one hand the amount of times he had gone to the headquarters in his seven-hundred years of life. Often his presence was reserved for serious matters or relaying back from his covert operations, but since he had taken on a different mantle as a researcher—his direct reports did not need to go further than his father.

Which is why he stood at the ebony door with an unusual amount of anxiety welling in his stomach. His left arm hung in a sling, so he awkwardly knocked with his right hand and awaited a response.

“Come in,” rumbled a voice so deep that it sent chills down the sergeant’s back.

Dralais shuffled in. Despite being in his Mer form, he still felt intimidated by the hulking mass of a Kenra that sat in front of him.

A pair of violet eyes deeper than the Void itself peered at him from atop a mountain of paperwork. With a long sigh, the Kenra put a pen away and leaned back, flexing his purple-colored limbs before he stood.

“You look worse for wear, Dralais,” the deep timbre of his voice and the magickal power behind it shook Dralais to his core, reminding him of when that woman—that he learned to be Asterin—used her Voice against him.

They are definitely twins. Though now he wondered what power her Voice would hold if she showed herself in her true form. He shuddered to think of it.

“What happened in the Sky?” Deimos asked, crossing his arms as he looked down at Dralais.

“There was an… incident… at our headquarters. We believe the perpetrator to be your sister, Asterin.” Dralais rushed his sentences. He had learned firsthand with a broken nose from sparring how incensed the commander could get when it came to his twin.

Deimos only frowned, so Dralais took it as a sign to continue.

“She tried to steal a Celestial Key and we found falsified documents in our files. She was trying to flee the Skies. We attempted to locate her after but… it’s like she disappeared.”

“Could she have made it to the Surface?”

“No… we locked down all the Sky Gates as soon as headquarters was breached.”

Deimos seemed to contemplate for a few moments.

“She did seem to have a conspirator though. I had reinforcements but they were subdued when they came up the stairs… for the life of me I can’t remember what happened.” Dralais held his ache as a slow ache throbbed through his mind.

A slow, deep chuckle left the commander then. Dralais froze.

“I have you and your brothers’ next assignment, and be sure to bring Seren and Meren as well.”

“Sir?”

“I know who has her. We’ll play along and see what happens. For now, go get your brothers and the cousins.”

Dralais raised his good arm in acknowledgment and headed for the door, making sure to close it behind him as he rushed off to seek the men.

Meanwhile, back in his office, Deimos collapsed to his knees—tears cascading down his face as he punched his desk with a pained cry.

“What are you doing, Eri?!”