The shipped dock and on the port were Levin, Malachi, Zoey and Dante, ready to greet them. Aphmau was the first to get off followed by Katelyn then Laurence and Garroth. Aphmau greeted them with a smile.

"How was your trip?" Levin asked

"Bumpy but everything went well." Aphmau said.

"And the party?" Malachi said.

"Pretty fun actually."

"We'll have to go sometime."

When Laurence and Garroth were in speaking distance Zoey rushed to them after seeing Garroth's arm in a sling. "You're injured!" she said.

"Yeah," Laurence said. "He got a little ruffed up on our way there."

"You to!"

"What?! How can you tell?"

She pressed her hand against his chest and Laurence winced in pain and stepped back.

"You two are coming with me."

Garroth stepped forward, "Zoey, this isn't necessary."

"I'll decide that when I get a look at your injuries."

Aphmau looked at Levin and Malachi with a stern expression. "I need to speak with you both, it's about what we learned."

"I'll join you." Katelyn said.

The group then parted ways, Zoey took Garroth and Laurence to look at their injuries and Aphmau, Malachi, Levin and Katelyn went to the top of the tree to discuss their discoveries.

Few moments later…

"and that's everything." Aphmau said after her explanation.

"So O'khasis is still active." Malachi said. "Even after the invasion and the chaos."

"And they're better than ever, this second location is bigger than the first O'khasis." Katelyn said. "Still in control of all former allies and the new Jury of Nine isn't something to be taken lightly."

"a new jury?" Levin asked.

"There not the same as fifteen years ago, they're much, much stronger."

"Guess it was a good thing that you joined them huh?"

"Point is," Aphmau said, "Is that even though we're allied with O'khasis now, we should keep an eye on them."

"Mom, you're still planning to keep the Phoenix Alliance? An alliance in an alliance isn't a good thing."

"I know, but I want to make sure that we're still allies with the villages region as well as be on O'khasis's good side."

"So what now?"

"Now, I want to relax. Tomorrow I'm going to train a bit and in a few weeks, I want to visit the villages of the members of the nine."

"Do what?" Katelyn asked, "You sure, that's seven different villages, scattered across the regions, that's quite the expedition."

"I want to know more about our allies, so the best way is to go out there and see for ourselves."

"While I do love the idea of travel," Zoey said walking into the room, "I would first like to know the origin of Garroth and Laurence's injuries."

"What is it?" Malachi asked.

"Garroth's arm was severed clean off, not by a blade, but, like the would on Laurence's chest, by some type of magicks. The kind only known as Shadow Arts. Not many people in the world practice that kind anymore."

There was a short silence before Aphmau finally spoke up. "It was a man named Devlin Blackehart. He's one of the jury of nine."

"What?!" Levin said, "And this is one of the people you want to meet. The guy attacked you!"

"And nearly killed you." Katelyn intruded, "I'm sorry Aphmau but I have to agree with Levin, under no circumstance should we get near Blackehart."

"I figured," Aphmau said, "guess we'll be visiting six villages then. By the way, where are the others?"

"Well Travis is looking after the kids while Logan and Yip are patrolling. Lucinda went to Pikoro for a bit, said she was just checking up on things and I think Aaron's out training in the woods."

"Thanks, I have to go check on Lilith. Zoey?"

"I had Kawaii-Chan look after her while I did some errands." Zoey said.

"Thanks for looking after her."

"Anytime."

Aphmau exited out of the building and headed to Kawaii-Chans house. On her way she heard a conversation between Vylad and Garroth. Seemed that Garroth had sneaked out of Zoey's home instead of resting as she had told him. The two seemed to be arguing. All she could hear was this:

"I know you don't approve of what I did, but it had to be done." Garroth said.

"You're right, I don't like it." Vylad said "I know Zane did some terrible things, I understand you're reasons. But still, you went behind my back and didn't tell me."

"I knew you would object."

"You gave him to our father! Like some kind of trophy. By the divines, he's our brother!"

"And it was my responsibility to make sure he never harmed anyone again!"

"You know very well you sent him to his death."

"You don't know that!"

"Do you really think that Lord Garret, our father, won't execute his own son?"

"Can we talk about this another time?"

"No, we can't. I'm leaving soon."

"What?"

"O'khasis troops will be here soon, I can't stay here long."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Don't know. So are we going to finish this or not."

"I'm going to continue to defend my actions."

"Then I guess our conversation ends here." Vylad turned away, "Goodbye Garroth."

Vylad walked to where Aphmau was and she quickly hid so that he wouldn't see her. As soon as he passes by she looked to where Garroth was so that she could talk to him but he had already left. She then continued her way to Kawaii-Chan's house to see her daughter.

For the rest of the evening Aphmau was with her daughter. She played with her until she fell asleep. She looked out a window and saw ships with O'khasis's symbols coming to shore. If it had been any other circumstance she would have told everyone to evacuate, but now she had no choice but to accept them. At the same time Vylad was leaving through the front entrance into the forest. He hadn't said goodbye to anyone else, but by the looks of it he didn't have the time.

Things had changed in the world. For better or worse, only time will tell.

(Short, yes, but there is definitively more to come.)