The rough terrain around them soon smoothed as they marched closer to the gate. They couldn’t have been more than a hundred feet from freedom. All of them were filled with excitement and anticipation.

  “Halt in the name of the Canlian Kingdom!”

  The group stops instantly. On the walls were many soldiers, crowded together. Leading them was a man of obvious authority. He whispered something to a soldier, who immediately ran down the wall on the other side, out of view. It was clear he was a captain. He looked out upon the crowd of people.

  “Who is the leader here?”

  Corrin looked behind him, and he knew he had to step forward. He walked forward, closer to the wall than the others until he was within easier communication range of the captain.

  “I am the leader.”

  “Who are you people? What is your business in the Canlian Kingdom?”

  Corrin’s heart pounded. He felt as though he were being interrogated.

  “We are Anees refugees, we escaped from Ekki Castle to the north not two weeks ago. We need a place to call home.”

  The captain gave a look of approval, it seemed he was benevolent.

  “Why are you fleeing?”

  “Because we were kept as prisoners to the Vrebathians."

  The captain turned to a woman who stood beside him. She also looked of high authority, clearly another captain. She nodded her head and the first captain turned back to Corrin.

  “How many sick and wounded?”

  Corrin had recently been given a number, though it failed to bring itself forth. So he improvised a number that seemed correct. He knew the number was high, but not high enough for him to notice too much of a slow down in their travels.

  “Roughly sixty.”

  The captain turned to the other, and they discussed something. A few moments later, the first captain again spoke.

  “Bring your people across the wall to the west. That is the nearest gate. Don’t worry, it's only around an hour's walk. That is where you will be counted and let in.”

  Corrin felt relieved as he turned to the group behind him, who had also heard the news. The next hour was filled with joyful noises and petite celebrations as they all knew they would soon be safe. Not long later, they approached the barred gate, which opened upon their arrival.

  Many soldiers came and walked through and all of them were organized into a single file line to be counted. Corrin, Tutsoi, and the other council members went through first, followed by the rest.

  The hills beyond the wall were kind to the eyes, draping and spreading across and beyond view. Soft forests lined the distance, and distant mountains settled on the horizon. On the other side of which, Corrin knew, was the Mostiis Empire and the grand desert for which it sat.

  The group was brought to the field where tents were set and food was brought. Though to most it would seem as little food, to them it was a feast and they treated it as so, filling themselves as much as they could. The soldiers went forth one by one and asked them questions of their escape. Linens and blankets were brought, though none were needed; this far south was warm.

  The next morning, Corrin was woken early by Canlian soldiers. They acquired every member of the council and all the leading figures of the refugees and escorted them to a large tent by the wall, outside of the refugee camp. Before they entered, they were forced to give up their weapons as a precaution.

  As they walked inside, it was clear this was a nice tent; a bed sat in one corner with a night stand by its side, a rugged flooring was visible with a table in the center with chairs all around. Inside the tent was a singular man. He had rough brown hair, far past the eyes and combed back, poofing around the side of his face, complimenting his features nicely.

  He wore baggy tan pants held up by a brown belt and a baggy off-white long-sleeve shirt. He turned to the others and greeted them. He offered them a seat around the table. They all sat instinctively. They were Corrin, Tutsoi, Mary, and the council members, which only numbered four.

  Corrin sat down on the opposite end of the table than the man, who then spoke.

  “You all may not know me save for Corrin, who has seen me once before. I am James Kingston, a diplomat for the Canlian Kingdom.”

  Upon hearing his name, Corrin attempted to scour his brain in search of any evidence that he had ever met James Kingston, though no memory came.

  “Corrin, we met when I visited your quarters just after you had awoken from your coma. This was followed directly after the Queen’s death and the new reinstatement of the King. Please, Corrin, tell me of your journey following that time. I wish to know how you could have become a prisoner of the very people you fought for.”

  So Corrin told him of his sudden teleporting to the Fali Realm, to which James assumed it was likely due to Lukas sharing a soul and tampering with the Shard of Realms. James silently nodded through the entire story, clearly taking mental notes.

  “I must say, Corrin, that is quite the story. And it ties nicely with the fall of the Shem last year. But I must ask, do you have the shards with you now…?”

  Corrin hesitated and looked to Tutsoi, who nodded. Corrin sometimes wondered if Tutsoi trusted people too much.

  “Y- Yes. We have them with us now.”

  James nodded, scratched his chin, then stood out of his chair.

  “Well then, this matter exceeds my authority. You will be treated as honored guests while I consult the crown.”

  Corrin suddenly stood up.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “No. We can’t stay much longer, we need to leave. Me and Tutsoi.”

  Mary and the council members gave a sudden look of confusion. One of the older council members stood out of his chair.

  “What do you mean leave, Corrin? We need a strong and courageous leader, and you’re the best we have. Are you abandoning us?”

  Tutsoi stood up immediately following this.

  “No, you all know that me and Corrin have the shards. Unfortunately there are incredibly important matters in the Mostiis Empire. World-Altering matters.”

  The table erupted in an angry speech after Tutsoi stated ‘world altering.’ They could hardly hear themselves think in the chaos.

  “SILENCE!!”

  On the other side of the tent, near the entrance, a man fully clad in shining armor stepped forward. He had a longsword by his hip and his helmet resting at his side. Everybody immediately stopped and turned towards the man.

  His voice commanded authority; his very face was riddled with scars. James Kingston gave a small bow.

  “Commander, I didn’t expect to see you here so soon.”

  “I rode all night after receiving your letter. Is it true, is the boy here?”

  James nodded.

  “You’re standing right next to him.”

  He looked down to Corrin and chuckled.

  “This boy? He looks like he could hardly lift fifty pounds.”

  James gave a nervous laugh.

  “This boy killed the queen of the Shem Empire. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, the supposed unkillable queen? According to his stories, he also defended a city from thousands of… mutilated creatures, if I heard correctly?”

  The commander scoffed.

  “Kingston, come with me for a moment.”

  James shook his head.

  “We needn’t talk in private, commander. I was about to send an envoy to the King. I believe it should be in order that our honored guests come further inland, to a castle. Away from the Vrebathian border.”

  The commander nodded in understanding. He turned around to a soldier that was walking by and grabbed him by the arm.

  “Could you please notify Captain Gurr to come here, please?”

  The soldier nodded and ran off. The commander turned around to James.

  “I’ll have Captain Gurr escort the envoy to the Capital. In the meantime, we’ll take these few to the castle and His Majesty will decide what to do with them.”

  James looked upon everyone before him: Corrin, Tutsoi, Mary, and the four Council members; all of which looked uneasy at the multiple mentions of ‘honored guests.’

  “Everybody here will be sent to a castle. We must leave immediately for your own protection. I suggest you gather your things. We’ll get a carriage ready for you all.”

  With that, they were dismissed. They were handed their weapons back and they returned to their tents. Kerea appeared suddenly as Corrin was walking to his tent.

  “What happened in the meeting?”

  Corrin sighed and entered his tent.

  “They’re taking us further south, just the leaders. I assume it's because they learned we have the shards.”

  Kerea nodded his head.

  “Alright, I’ll gather my things too then.”

  He suddenly walked away, but Corrin quickly ran and stopped him.

  “Kerea… I don’t think you’re coming.”

  Kerea’s face visibly lost its light as his smile faded.

  “What…? Why not?”

  “You weren’t in the meeting. I don’t think they’ll consider you a leader.”

  Kerea only looked at Corrin in shock and, in a way, betrayal. As though it was Corrin’s fault that Kerea could not go.

  “You said I could come with you though. Don’t you remember? In the tower and behind the tents that one night.”

  “You can try, it's not that I don’t want you to come-”

  Corrin realized then that he had lied.

  “You can try to convince them to bring you along.”

  Kerea nodded and left. Corrin hit his hand against his head in frustration at what he had said. He quickly gathered whatever he needed: a backpack with the things he had been carrying and headed off towards where they were supposed to meet; near the wall. Upon his arrival there, he saw Tutsoi arguing with James over Kerea’s going or not.

  He felt as though he was a horrible leader; he disliked Kerea. It was due to his distrust of Kerea, though surely at this point Corrin should have felt otherwise, he thought. He pushed the thought back down, he had more than enough on his mind.

  As Corrin walked to the cart, however, suddenly he found that the thought would disappear on its own.