"Kid, is that you?" A familiar voice spoke out, and then a figure approached from inside of the cavern. Black hair tied into a ponytail, a playful smile etched on her face, and a brilliant silver spear held in her hand, she walked straight towards Kayn who had yet to say anything.
"Yelena?" Kayn suddenly set the children he was carrying down and pulled his hood down.
"You're finally back huh? Charlotte will be happy about that." Yelena smiled as she gave Kayn a gentle punch to the shoulder.
"Is she here?! Is my sister here!? What about Kinzie!?" Kayn spouted off three questions in rapid succession.
Yelena smiled sadly before answering, "Woah, woah, slow down there kid. No, they aren't here. Charlotte took your sister and the other two to a different continent. I stayed behind to try and rescue anyone that I could. While I'm not able to go into Palatine, I created a pretty sizable refugee camp here. If you're looking for a place for all those people, I can take them off your hands."
The group of people let out a collective sigh and cheered as well, though they didn't cheer loudly just in case they could alert someone that they shouldn't. Once they were all through the face of the cliff, Yelena cast a spell and the illusion she had created reactivated, completely hiding the entrance and the camp from all but the most powerful senses.
As Yelena led them through the cavern towards the ever-growing underground city, she made a request of Kayn. "I'll tell you everything that has happened, but first, aside from you are there any healers in your group? I have thousands of people down here, but only one healer, and she's quite overworked. I'm sure she would appreciate the help. Not to mention she's only just reached the 4th stage recently, so she isn't able to help some of the wounded yet."
Kayn nodded and gestured to Clara, silently asking her to approach them. "This is Clara Whiteclaw. Even before the war started, she was one of the most intelligent and powerful healers in this Empire."
Yelena looked over at Clara who had a hood pulled up over her head and ears, which is why Yelena failed to recognize her at first. "Oh, it's you Royal Healer Whiteclaw, it's been a while. I'm glad to see that you're still alive. I'm sure that the healer we have here will be ecstatic when you arrive to help out."
"It's also good to see you, Miss Yelena. I'll do my best to assist your current healer." Clara gave her a small bow.
"Let me lead your group to the intake area, and then I'll bring you two over to the healing area." Yelena said before talking about random things with Kayn and Clara while leading them to the area where the rest of the group would be dropped off.
Once they reached the intake area, Yelena finally addressed the rest of the group who had been following behind them like ducklings.
"Enter the tent area here and the people inside will assign you a dwelling. If you have the desire to do more to help out, please let them know what your area or areas of expertise are. For those at the 4th stage and above, you won't be required, but I strongly request that you join the rescue efforts.
"At least once weekly, depending on how long the trip takes, the rescue group will leave the shelter in order to look for more survivors in need of help. Those like myself travel alone since we can travel much further, much faster. If you find a group that needs help, but you don't think you can help them alone, we have a communication system in place to better organize our efforts as a group.
"And before anyone says anything, everyone here is treated equally, regardless of your previous status. The only way to get additional resources or small luxuries is to work for it. I don't care who you used to be, I don't care what you used to be, we are all just trying to fight for our survival here.
"Anyone that wants to break the peace in this place or create discord amongst us will be dealt with by me, personally. Depending on your offense, there are a few options. The first would be that you are assigned some type of punishment work detail. The second option is that I wipe your memories of this place and kick you out. Or I just kill you.
"If you don't think you can follow these simple rules, tell me now so that I can wipe your memories and allow you to be on your way."
Yelena glared at the group of people, who were mostly younger, with such an intensity that they just stood rooted to their spot bobbing their heads up in down in understanding without uttering a peep. Not even the two 5th stage experts dared to say anything. In fact, they were excited to finally have a purpose again by getting out and exploring after the months they spent cooped up in the palace.
"Good, please enter the tent single file and they will take you through the registration process. You two," she looked at Kayn and Clara, "follow me please. I've decided to take you on a small tour of this place first."
…
As they walked Kayn couldn't stop himself and finally asked Yelena what had been on his mind since meeting her here. "If Charlotte took my sister and Kinzie away, do you know where they are right now? Is there a way to contact them?"
"Sorry kid, there's no way to contact them right now. We all traveled to the Foloran continent together, but I came back immediately to do what I could with rescue efforts. I owe nothing to the Mancean Empire, but I can't stand by and let all of these innocent people die or be taken into slavery, not that I'm doing the best job at it…
"Not to mention, Charlotte asked that I come back to help out. She's my closest friend in this life and I understand her wanting to take your sister as far away as possible. She gave me a quick run-down of why she was doing what she was, and from what I can feel coming from you, she made the right decision."
Kayn put on a questioning look after she said that. He had an idea to what she was referring, but what did she mean by the feeling she was getting from him?
"What I mean is, I can tell you're in the 4th stage still, but you're definitely not only in the 4th stage. Especially if you can still draw upon whatever power Charlotte described to me." Yelena clarified before Kayn could even ask.
"You can tell somewhat huh?" Kayn grinned. "Anyway, the Foloran continent, how do I get there?" Kayn asked.
"That's not hard, there's a few different options. You can fly yourself or I can carry you. If this is the option you take, most people stop every so often at relay points to recover their mana. It's also a bit dangerous due to sea beasts sometimes launching out from under you.
"The safer option, albeit a bit slower, is to take a charter vessel. There is a port in the far north of the Great Forest which is where all intercontinental vessels arrive and depart from. Carnet, nor Inmortuae would dare to attack the port or anywhere near it as almost every major power has experts stationed there.
"If they attacked, the entire world would probably reign down on them in short order, so unless one has the power to rule the entire world, it would be a pointless endeavor. There was once a group of people who wiped out some dragon clan at one point, but I don't think even they would individually have the power to control every continent on Talgonoth."
Yelena shook her head and remained silent, waiting for Kayn's next question. However, even after waiting for a few moments and showing them some of the different operational aspects of their camp set-up, he didn't ask anything else, noticeably lost in thought.
"So, kid, do you plan on following them? If you need help getting to the port, I can give you a map."
"No, just knowing that they are safe is enough. I have business here still and until that's finished, I will refrain from following them. For now, I am satisfied with the information you have provided me. If there's anything I can do to pay back the help you gave them, please let me know," Kayn replied.
"What business do you have here still? Your family is waiting for you after all." Yelena was surprised when after she asked this Kayn's aura changed and it felt dangerous, even to her.
"Until I rip the Carnet bastard's head from his neck, I won't be leaving." Kayn's hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles began to turn white.
Yelena looked at Kayn with a sad expression, "Kid, no Kayn, not even I have the confidence to fight him with Charlotte and a few others of our friends by our side. Ten of us peak 6th stagers still wouldn't be enough. He's just that much of a monster, not to mention however much stronger he's become since the last time I saw him. It will take you years, centuries even to reach that kind of strength. Not to mention the monster allied with him who is quite the formidable foe himself, the Lich King Mitas."
Kayn gave Yelena a cheeky grin as his aura settled back down. "I have my ways. I can guarantee you that within a few years maximum, I will have his head for what he's done. However, I'm also not stupid enough to go after him right now. I will be playing it safe and gaining the power I need over time.
"You may not believe me, but I have all the tools I need to get stronger, I just need time. Well, time and maybe a new sword, I kind of broke mine." Kayn chuckled awkwardly as he remembered that the Akikani was no longer with him or in one piece.
Yelena could only shake her head, it wasn't her job to keep him alive after all. "Anyway, we are almost to the healing area now. We decided to leave it as a large tent set up as it continues to expand and grow with every group of survivors we find."
As soon as Yelena pulled back the curtain to enter the massive tent, Clara, who had been silently following along and listening this entire time stopped and gasped with shock on her face.