"Naturans have joined the modern world. We are no longer rejecting modernism and ever since then, our life has become easier. We can communicate without traversing great distances, " Caleb explained.
All of the chieftains have been burnt along with our huts and cottages, leaving us all to fend for ourselves. Most of us have adapted to living underground," added Kala. "Water used to be substantial here in this wasteland. The sand was grass as well. Though we had compelled ourselves to disregard the past and think about the future of the youngsters."
Caleb stops walking and the whole group does the same. "But a new hope arose and the Shadow Rangers have been protecting these lands much more than the Knights ever did."
"The Rangers provide enough food and water from the Mountains for every member of the remaining tribes. Nobody gets left behind; it's our adage," Kala says, standing beside Caleb on the far edge of the cliff.
The decaying wooden railings keeping them apart from a hundred-foot drop.
"How are we going to get across?" Granger asked, tucking himself into his old coat with the help of his wife. He feels a few years younger having to wear it again but it seems it has loosened on the chest area.
Kala pulls out what seems to be a spear from the bushes not far. The next thing she reveals is a heavy roll of rope and she ties it to the edge of the spear on a hole like a massive thread on a massive needle.
Granger sighed, disgruntled. "Am I gonna do what I'm thinking?"
"Yes," the Naturan boy grinned, giving him a zipline hanger. "Now grab a hanger, will you?"
---
The makeshift houses of the village look plentiful from afar yet they seem to be quite less and small. Guinevere has never seen so many tents in one place, not since she last went to a circus.
The only discrepancies this place has to the circus though is that the tents aren't as colorful and the tribe members look plain miserable as they watch at the two foreigners being guided by young Rangers.
A little girl watching from a doorless tent stared at Guinevere in amazement. "Ah, a walking doll!" She said in a Naturan dialect Granger was able to understand.
Regardless of her problematic living conditions, it seems seeing Guinevere's elegant and vivid purple dress never stopped her from smiling.
Her smile is so precious, I feel so sorry for her, Guinevere thought sympathetically. If only I could adopt her and take her away from here.
Granger had discovered the visible euphoria in the girl's face as well and she reminds him of his younger vulnerable self.
Thus he ponders about the same thing as his wife as they continue following Kala and Yacob until they finally stop in a tent far different than the others. It looks strong enough not to be blown away by a hurricane.
They enter it and they soon face a man's back. The man immediately spun around right after Kala clears her throat.
"You're back!" He sang in glee. His wide grin soon melts into a frown when he sees Guinevere and Granger. "M-Moniyans!" He whispered roughly. "Why would you bring 'em here, Yacob?! Do you know how your sister will react?"
Granger raised one brow in confusion.
"Relax, he's here for an important reason, uncle," Yacob replied.
"Don't call me uncle! I'm not your uncle," The man exclaimed, glancing cautiously at Kala.
"It's time to stop pretending now, " said the boy. He turned around to face the three: Kala, Granger, and Guinevere. "My name is not Yacob and I am not Benedetta's younger brother."
Suddenly Granger felt angered for no reason and he starts to think about what the purpose was.
The boy unhappily nods his head at Granger as he continues. "He is."
Guinevere turns to Granger with a bewildered look. It seems all the years they have spent as spouses have been wasted. He was still but a stranger to her.
"Praytell," Guinevere spoke quietly. "Why would you pretend to be him of all people?"
"Because he was dead and coincidentally Caleb looked very similar to Yacob when he was younger," the man was the one to answer as he stepped forward from the shadows.
"My uncle and I yearned for an easier life where we wouldn't be doing hard labor in the fields for a living," Caleb continued. "Families of Shadow Hunters lived far better lives than normal folk. And so I took the opportunity to replace you," We are also in the same age group."
"You mean you're not a teenager?" Guinevere asked.
"No. Do I look like one to you?" The boy narrowed his eyes at her.
"Yes, frankly," Guinevere muttered, looking away.
"How did you know," Granger hesitated. "About me?"
"You were one of the Naturan Chieftain's children and you would've been more younger not to know that the neighboring tribes knew each other well," Caleb's uncle stated.
"Do you also know that I wasn't his biological child?"
"You are not?"
Granger curtly shakes his head. "But I can't remember who and what my real parents look like anymore. The only thing I know of them is that they are both dead."
Guinevere snakes her hand around his arm out of concern.
"How did you manage to survive the War, though?" asked Kala.
"The Imperial Army brought me with them back to the Empire and gave me to Moniyan priests..." Granger could barely keep his cool at bay as he tries not to remember whatever ways of torture the priests would give him even as a child.
Guinevere's mouth fell agape when she felt his hand tightening on hers. She could feel his pain just by touch even without having to see what was going on inside his mind.
"I-I'm sorry then," Caleb said abruptly, cutting the string of ear-piercing silence in the tent.
"Don't be," Granger dismissed.
"I better call Benedetta then, tell her to get over here," Kala said, walking towards a table where radios covered in dust and bits of sand lay atop.
Guinevere and Granger exchange eager looks. "Where is she then?" Guinevere asked.
"I don't know. She might be at the place we last heard from her and that is the Askati Forest..."
Granger looked up from the ground upon the mention of the Forest. He fulfilled his last mission there to escort the Princess Silvanna to the ruins of the Crow people and collect data for her research.
The Crow people were one of the oldest races to still exist in the Land of Dawn.
These were humans who could fly and were able to execute enemies from afar by cultivating the art of Sky Magic through the awakenings of their unique power through their blood.
Granger thought about the mysterious silhouette he saw in the ruins. For all he knew, it could have been his long lost sister.
It's been decades. Will she still hold features she had when she was little? Will she still have the same personality - stubborn, fierce, and dashing?
All these presumptions yet the only question Granger could concentrate on and find comical was this:
How will she react when she sees I've grown tall, perhaps even taller than her?
Granger couldn't wait. As much as he tries to hide it, Guinevere feels him getting excited to reunite with Benedetta for he kept scratching on himself inside his coat, anticipating and glancing at the door every chance he gets.
Guinevere had also noticed, though, that his Naturan mark was getting bigger. She estimates he will have a few hours. By sundown, it should overrule his hair. Thus she couldn't help but fear for the worst once the transition was done.