"What a dump... why are you even interested in this planet?"
Typhon's voice carried open disdain as they walked through the capital of Dawnstar, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings with thinly veiled irritation covered behind mask. Every street, every crumbling structure, and every desperate face seed to reinforce his opinion that this place was beyond saving.
Ery did not answer.
Klea did.
"It just ans there's more to be done," she said calmly, her tone steady and unbothered.
Typhon scoffed under his breath, clearly unable to relate. As a hybrid who preferred raw, untouched environnts, he found Dawnstar's civilization to be a distortion of what the world should be. And the deeper they walked into the city, the more his expression darkened.
The streets narrowed, becoming uneven and broken. Buildings leaned precariously, patched together with whatever materials could be found. The air grew thick, carrying the scent of dust, sweat, and decay, until finally they stepped into the slum districts.
The atmosphere changed completely.
Crowds filled every corner, far beyond what the space could support. People lay along the streets, so too weak to move, others staring blankly into nothing. Children wandered aimlessly, their thin fras and hollow expressions revealing a life shaped by neglect and hardship. Voices overlapped in constant noise-argunts, pleading, quiet sobbing-blending into a suffocating chaos. It was not simply poverty.
It was desperation given form.
Typhon clicked his tongue in disgust, while Ery continued forward in silence. His expression remained composed, but the stillness in his gaze suggested sothing far deeper.
Klea noticed and let out a faint sigh.
She knew exactly what he was thinking.
"We're here," she said.
They stopped in front of a large wooden structure.
Compared to everything around it, the building stood firm and intact, its reinforced fra and faintly glowing formations marking it as sothing deliberately maintained. Yet what truly set it apart was the sheer number of people gathered around it.
Thousands.
Long lines stretched outside, filled with individuals waiting patiently despite their exhaustion. Inside, the space was even more crowded, yet strangely organized.
Most of them were children.
Ery's gaze sharpened as he took in the scene.
Several guards stood around the area, maintaining order, though their numbers were clearly insufficient for a crowd of this size. Outside, food was being distributed in asured portions, while inside, groups were gathered for
lessons and dical treatnt.
"This is one of our Terra Foundations," Klea explained.
It was more than just an aid center. The organization had been built with a clear purpose-providing food, education, and dical care to the people of Dawnstar, especially those who had been left behind by the city's fractured system. Yet beneath that humanitarian effort lay another layer of intent. By reaching into the lowest parts of the city and offering genuine support, the foundation was gradually shaping public perception, allowing the rising Earth faction to earn trust and influence within the people.
Ery examined the scene with a hint of surprise.
He had been present during the early planning stages three years ago. Seeing it now, already this crowded and active, was beyond what he had expected.
Klea noticed his reaction and let out a soft chuckle.
"This isn't the only one," she added. "There are two more branches operating on the other side of the city. This one just happens to draw the largest crowd." Before Ery could respond, a sudden commotion broke out near the food line.
A group of n pushed forward aggressively, demanding supplies and disrupting the order that had been carefully maintained. Their raised voices quickly drew attention, and tension spread through the crowd as more people began to gather around.
Several guards moved in, but before they could act, a group of young n and won stepped forward to intercept the troublemakers. They wore the sa insignia, their posture disciplined despite most of them only being at the saint realm.
One of them spoke firmly.
"This foundation exists to help the sick and the younger generation of Dawnstar"
The man leading the disturbance scoffed and stepped forward.
"My children are sick at ho. I ca to take food for them."
The response ca without hesitation.
"Then bring them here. We will treat them."
The older man's expression twisted with anger, his voice rising as he refused to back down. His agitation quickly spread, and several others stepped forward to support him, their shouts blending into a growing wave of unrest. What had begun as a simple dispute was rapidly escalating, the fragile order of the crowd beginning to fracture as a riot lood on the verge of breaking out.
From a distance, Ery's gaze sharpened.
Sothing didn't feel right.
Hidden among the agitated group, he sensed it-several individuals at the magus realm, their auras deliberately suppressed but far too distinct to miss. That alone was enough to raise suspicion. At that level, one no longer depended on food for survival, nor would they stand among the desperate masses unless there was another purpose.
This was not coincidence.
This was orchestrated.
The thought ford instantly in his mind.
Moonlight Syndicate.
Ery's aura shifted subtly as he prepared to step in, but before he could
move, Klea reached out and stopped him.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "Let her handle this."
Ery followed her gaze.
A figure stepped out from within the building.
The mont she appeared, the atmosphere changed.
She wore simple attire, her presence unadorned, yet there was a natural grace
about her that drew attention without effort. Though only at the saint realm, her aura carried an unusual weight-steady, calming, and impossible to ignore.
She spoke gently.
"This is a place of aid. Please do not make trouble here."
There was no force in her tone, no visible spells, yet her words carried through the crowd as if guided by sothing deeper.
The effect was imdiate.
"Lady Star Maiden..."
"She's here..."
"They're disrespecting her-!"
The crowd shifted, the tension turning not into chaos, but into unity. Those who had been uncertain monts before now stood firmly on her side, their
voices rising in defense.
"Leave!"
"Don't cause trouble here!"
The montum reversed completely.
The instigator faltered, his confidence cracking as control slipped away. Behind
him, the concealed magus-level figures stirred, preparing to act-but they
never had the chance.
The shadows at her feet flickered.
Then, without warning, they rose.
Dark tendrils shot upward, wrapping around the hidden figures before dragging them silently into the shadows. No resistance, no struggle-only disappearance.
Efficient.
Absolute.
Ery imdiately recognized the technique.
Livi.
The Baphot assigned to protect her.
Within monts, the disturbance ended. The crowd settled, order restored as
if nothing had happened.
Then her gaze lifted.
And found him.
Gwenneth of Lioness.
A warm smile spread across her face as she approached, her presence
unchanged despite the years that had passed.
"Ah... you're finally back," she said, her voice gentle and sincere.
Ery stood still.
But the warmth that should have answered her smile never ca.
Because he knew.
Kayelin had already told him of her condition.
There was nothing that could be done. As he looked at her at that sa gentle smile-
A heavy weight settled in his chest.
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