The four of them returned to the other side.


    "Kamala, you should return and take whatever you want for our time inside. Don''t forget some changes of clothes."


    Orion looked at the three girls in front of him one at a time.


    "Amelia, Karteira, and I, we''re going to buy whatever we need."


    ''We need food mainly. The other things Amelia wanted were couches like Kamala, and a few other utilities.''


    "I have no choice."


    Kamala had lost hope to free herself from this month of torture.


    She turned around and quickly left.


    "We''ll come directly to your house, so just wait for us."


    Orion said before she disappeared back inside the crowded street.


    "Alright, let''s move out too."


    The girls followed Orion silently.


    They entered the same crowded street that Kamala entered but turned to another direction.


    On the way back to the street, Orion caught sight of Vincent, leaving the market with a huge smile on his face, a small wrapped item in his hands.


    ''I hope he makes his wife happy with this gift.''


    He continued walking with a smile on his face.


    They entered the market, and bought various things important to their daily life.


    Amelia reminded Orion that there was no toilet inside the house currently. A face of absolute horror appeared on Karteira''s face.


    She pressed them to immediately buy one, which they did.


    At the same time, they bought a large bath, and a shower. More things Orion had to build.


    After that came the beds. This was important too.


    And finally, the paint for the inside and outside of the house.


    Two hours passed by quickly, and now they were making their way back to the inn.


    When they entered the Flying Fish inn, they were once again received by the two receptionists and managers, Chelsea and Kelsea.


    Orion walked to the counter while the girl walked upstairs to pick up their bags.


    "Karteira."


    She turned at Orion''s sudden call.


    Something shiny flashed, reflexively catching it.


    She looked in her hand.


    ''His room key.''


    She nodded to him and followed Amelia.


    He return to explain the situation to the managers.


    "We won''t be able to stay the night unfortunately."


    "Why?"


    The twins asked at the same time, slightly disappointed.


    "Something happened related to your Lord that needs to be taken care of. We''re personally involved, so there''s nothing we can do about it."


    "Oh!"


    ''I knew he was connected to Lord Kamala!''


    ''You were right.''


    They talked in their minds, and nodded.


    "If it is like that, they we will cross your names from the registry. We will also reimburse the night you have paid for."


    "Alright."


    He nodded, watching as the managers removed their names from the big book registering all customers.


    "Here''s your money."


    Orion opened his hand before Chelsea dropped the money in it.


    "Thank you."


    "No, thank you for having stayed with us. It was a pleasure having you."


    They both bowed.


    At the same time, Amelia and Karteira were returning with their belongings.


    "We''ve checked everything to see if we had forgotten anything. We''re good to go."


    Amelia said closing on the counter.


    Karteira followed behind and returned the room key to Orion.


    "Let''s move then. Here''s our room key."


    Orion and Amelia both placed their key on the counter.


    The managers picked it up and said their professional goodbye to them.


    "Have a nice day, and thank you for staying at the Flying Fish."


    "We hope to see you again in the future."


    They bowed graciously, and waited for a response.


    "Maybe someday. Have a nice day too."


    And just like that, the three customers left the inn.


    ~


    *Knock* *Knock*


    Timothy opened the door for the one at the door.


    "Please come in."


    Orion, Amelia and Karteira entered Kamala''s house, and waited inside.


    "Lady Kamala will arrive in a minute. She is writing an important directed at the other rebelling Apostles."


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ''Why now of all time?''


    "If you are asking yourself ''why now?'', then answer is simple."


    ''Was it painted on my face?''


    "I''ve been reading Lady Kamala''s expression for many years now. I can roughly understand someone''s thoughts."


    "What do you mean?"


    Orion asked, curious.


    "Lady Kamala has been pushing herself quite a lot recently. She is a quiet person by nature, who rarely talks or make long sentences."


    "Since the start of the reports on Ivan''s weird actions, she had to force herself to act like a true Lord for her people."


    They silently listened as Timothy explained.


    "She might be incredibly tired of acting like that. That is why she had finally decided to open up to the others. They called themselves her friends, but she felt that relying on them was wrong."


    "Maybe you saving her made her feelings on the matter change, or maybe something else led to that, but she had decided to tell what happened in the end."


    ''I see. That explains a lot of things.''


    Orion fell in deep thoughts.


    "My question is going to sound weird, but why is she powerful in her uses of elements, but lacking other important fighting abilities?"


    He asked Timothy, but he shook his head.


    "That is something you should ask Lady Kamala. It is related to her past, and it is not the work of a simple aid to talk on sensitive matters."


    "I understand. Thank you."


    Both men agreed on keeping the conversation at that, until Kamala arrived.


    "I am done."


    Kamala walked downstairs with three letters in hands. She walked to Timothy and handed them to him.


    "Please, could you send them after I''m gone?"


    "Gladly."


    Timothy bowed slightly.


    "When are we coming back Orion?"


    Amelia asked, thinking that it would help Kamala know exactly when she would be back.


    "What time is it currently? 5PM?"


    The sun was setting. Since it was fall right now, it was setting earlier each day. In a hour, the sun would have completely moved past the horizon.


    "Yes, close to that."


    Amelia confirmed his words.


    "..."


    Orion made a quick calculation.


    "We should be back around 5AM tomorrow."


    "That is quite early. I''ll be ready to receive you."


    Timothy said.


    "Alright, are you ready?"


    Orion looked at Kamala.


    "Yes, everything is in this room."


    She lead the group to an empty, really small room.


    Inside, there was two bags. One seemed to have clothes, the other necessities.


    "Then."


    Orion opened a portal to the other side.


    "Time for a month of hard work."


    They all entered the portal, and it closed behind them.


    ~


    The day before, in Kaios.


    "It hurts! It hurts so bad! Damn it all!"


    Ivan was screaming at the top of his lungs.


    "Make it stop! Also that horrible bleeding!"


    His injury stopped bleeding a long time ago, but he was so taken by rage that he couldn''t realize that only the pain remained.


    "I need blood! I want blood!"


    His eyes were red. Redder than when he was fighting Kamala.


    He touched his cheek and felt the gash that was made the day before.


    Thanks to his aids, he managed to survive, but the left side of his face was permanently marked by an opening.


    From the corner of his mouth to the back of his jaw, the arrow cut in a straight line.


    "Kill! Go kill the civilians! I want their blood! I need their blood!"


    "But Lor-"


    "NO BUTS!"


    The man that tried to speak to his lord exploded, leaving only ashes behind and an impact on the floor. Ivan, having lost all rationality, wasn''t able to tolerate much at the moment.


    "Yes, Lord Ivan, we will hunt down the civilians."


    "Good! Bring me their blood!"


    Everyone left the room, leaving Ivan on his throne.


    The Borias family was in the past of great renown. They were powerful, but kind to their own people, while waging war to anyone that bothered them.


    Their might was one of the best on the continent.


    They built a castle in the north of the desert, thinking that it would help them have an advantage over their enemies, when in fact, this was a huge mistake.


    The lack of resources, the heat, and the lack of support from other Apostles led them to slowly turn against their citizens.


    Multiple times, the citizens of Kaios were purged because the ressources weren''t enough for the survival of the Lord.


    Is it the fault of the Borias family for their prideful behavior? Or is it the wrong choices they made that created this mess?


    No one will ever know, as it was lost in time forever.


    Only the man known as Ivan Borias was the remains of a pride long gone.


    Worse than that, the corruption was eating him, creating a shadow of the man that once tried to save his city.


    Here he was, sitting alone in his throne room, scratching his scar, shouting and screaming at Orion, the man he didn''t know the name.


    "That man! I want to see him suffer! I want him dead!"


    ~


    "You can relax now."


    Orion said to Kamala.


    "Huh?"


    She was taken by surprise, not expecting such words to come from his mouth.


    "I''m not going to train you non-stop, you know? I heard from your aid, Timothy, that you are usually quieter. Why don''t you use this month to relax, while exercising a little with us?"


    She blinked a few times. This was not what she was prepared for.


    "Why?"


    "Because the point is to make you progress, not to break your will to continue."


    "I see. I will relax then. Tell me if it bothers you."


    He nodded, and watched as Kamala''s expression slowly changed to an emotionless one.


    ''Timothy was right, that''s a face I haven''t seen.''


    "Orion, can you bring the couches in first? After that, could you bring the beds, please?"


    Amelia asked, walking toward Kamala. Even if they were far apart in age, they were women. Comrades in a way.


    Even if she was returning to her usual self, this was still the same Kamala, so they wouldn''t treat her differently.


    "We just have to get used to her other side, right? It''s an easy task."


    Karteira walked on Kamala''s other side.


    "If it''s asked so gently, could I really refuse?"


    Orion joked about what Amelia asked him, and began to move his body.


    He stretched, and walked to the couches and the boxes he had to move in.


    After thirty minutes of going in and out, Orion was done moving the newly bought items inside.


    He even took care of the bath, the shower, and the toilet. Everything was still in the boxes though.


    While he was doing that, the girls where helping by unwrapping the items, except Kamala, who was asked to relax.


    She wanted to help, but she knew it wasn''t her house, so she refrained, silently watching them.


    ''Wait... shouldn''t we paint the house first before putting the furniture in?''


    Only now did Orion realize that important matter.


    "Amelia, there''s a problem."


    He walked to her and explained his thought.


    "You''re right! I wonder why we haven''t thought of that before?"


    "What do we do then?"


    He asked, looking at the hundred of paint bucket outside.


    "..."


    "I''ll do it. I will finish everything in an hour."


    Orion blinked and looked at her like she was crazy.


    But he instantly let it go and left it to Amelia.


    "If you say that you can, then I won''t stop you. There''s still many things to do around here."


    He returned to building the furniture, while Karteira was mounting the doors to each rooms. Amelia moved outside, and with the help of her great wind element, began to paint the house.


    The wind magic took the paint out of the buckets, and gently rubbed it on the walls, until it was done.


    And just like she said, the first layer of white paint was done in each room in an hour.


    ''I''ll have to do that two more times, until the walls are completely white. Then we''ll place some colors in.''


    ''I''m quite excited about the end result!''


    When she was done with the last layer, Karteira was done with the doors.


    Orion was done building the beds, and most of the furniture. The house was close to be completed.


    "You want me to break this wall?"


    Amelia had called Orion to the dining room. She wanted him to break a part of the wall that she built between the kitchen in the back and the dining room.


    "Yes, I want to place a counter there, with an opening. Don''t you think it will be better?"


    Orion took out Dawn without waiting and sliced the bricks in a rectangle that Amelia had already marked on the wall.


    Dawn vanished, and Orion pushed the cut part.


    *RUMBLE*


    Everything crashed inside the kitchen that Amelia preemptively emptied before.


    "Fast!"


    She was impressed by the speed at which he made her request a reality.


    "You''re lucky we still have some planks. I can craft your counter with what we still have."


    Her smile was brighter than the starry sky outside.


    Orion began to work on the kitchen and dining room counter, while Amelia brought everything back inside the kitchen. Since everything was done in the house, it was time for her to create her kitchen masterpiece.


    With the help of her earth element, mainly it''s metal component, she made herself the best place to cook. She was ready to create dishes she couldn''t until now.


    ''I can''t believe it''s real... I finally have a house to myself. And there''s Orion and Karteira too.''


    She felt many emotions flooding her. But she was truly happy.


    As she watched Orion hammer the last nail, she remembered the gift he gave her.


    She silently approached him, and when she found an opportunity, she lunged at him and kissed him on the cheek.


    "Whoa! Amelia?"


    He was so engrossed into his work, he didn''t see her coming.


    "Thank you. You keep giving me so many things, I don''t know how I will ever repay you."


    Orion stayed with Amelia hugging his chest.


    "Stay alive, that''s all I want."


    "You too, don''t leave me alone, ever."


    "I''ll do my best."


    "Thank you for the pendant."


    He scratched his cheek.


    "You''re welcome. I thought it would look good on you. And I promised that I would take you to that place."


    "Hmm."


    She kept hugging him for a long time.


    "Amelia, I have to go train now."


    "Already?"


    "Yes, I''ve found a new ability, but it needs perfecting."


    "The one where you disappeared from everyone''s sight?"


    "Nothing escapes you."


    He laughed and looked into her eyes.


    "This will be my trump card in every battle from now on."