"Al! What are you doing?" Aira exclaimed as the rat scurried frantically between her shoulders, his tiny claws digging into her skin. "We're having an important discussion!"

  "I think he's trying to tell you something," said Lila, leaning forward with newfound interest. "By the fox's tail, check his stats—it's torch-blind interesting!"

  ========== Character Status and Skill Overview ==========

  Name: Al

  Race: Undead Rat

  Class: Rat

  Level: 9

  --- Current Status ---

  Health: 84/84

  Mana: ???/???

  SP Used: 0

  SP Available: 6

  XP: 64,700 / 75,000 (Next Level: 10, Initiate)

  "Huh?" said Aira, activating her wristband to access the System menu. "That's a strangely small amount of SP for his level."

  "So, check his skills!" said Lila. And Al finally settled on Aira's right shoulder.

  Hoarder's Instinct (Level 1 / 24 SP to upgrade to Level 2)

  - Passively detects nearby hidden caches, energy sources, and small valuable items

  - Optimizes party inventory, reducing wasted space and increasing carrying efficiency

  - Occasionally stores items without remembering where he put them

  "So, that's sort of logical, for a rat…" said Aira. "But what that stuff about party inventory? Do we have to allow him to pack our backpacks now or what?"

  "That's not all," said Lila. "Check what else does he have!"

  Enlightened Governance (Level 1 / 24 SP to upgrade to Level 2)

  - Passively enhances efficiency in group decision-making, increasing strategic planning and cooperation

  - Grants an intuitive understanding of management structures, making the user a natural at logistics and delegation

  - Recognizes power dynamics and political structures instinctively, allowing better negotiation in social situations

  - Minor boost to morale and group cohesion when acting as a coordinator

  "You mean we named him after Alliot," said Aira. "But he got skill after Ainorrh?" She couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud.

  "What do you mean you named him after me?" asked Alliot.

  "You remember when you abruptly left us?" said Aira. "Ouch! What was that for?" she exclaimed as Al jumped slightly, ran to Aira's left shoulder, and bit her ear.

  "Ah…" Aira said, recognizing something. "We just wanted something to remind us of you."

  "Anyway, it seems that Al's skills give us some guidance," said Lila. "I wouldn't be surprised if he interrupted you earlier for a reason. Should we just allow Alliot to be with us? And do his part?"

  "Oh, well…" said Aira. "I'm again in minority." She looked at Alliot. "But you aren't off the hook. We still have to figure out this game we are playing."

  ***

  After the initial meeting with Khanorrh, the guests of Ziemrot were mainly left alone. They weren't confined to the treehouse and used this opportunity to explore the city, train, meditate, and explore even more. Since that first evening, Aira felt the pull of the local Source. But after several heated deliberations, the group decided not to approach it before they got at least some answer from the shamans.

  One of the things Aira made a point of exploring on every occasion was using this new bond they had with Lila. Still, the process was even slower than with the physical training Lila shared with Aira. They worked the connection both ways, but the results were almost imperceptible. Seemingly, the limitation was the lowest level of either participant, making the results depend on Lila's level.

  The other limiting factor was the number and variety of skills Lila and Aira had together. The total number was seven, and it wasn't like most of them could be used in the middle of the enlightened city. Aira's Nature's Call was a new thing that seemed to activate only closer to the elemental source. Necrocommunion? Lila didn't need that to sense the enlightened or communicate with them. She only needed their consent.

  On the other hand, there were Lila's skills, such as Shadow Step or Undead Resilience. And while after a week of trial and error experimentation, Aira was finally able to blend into the shadows for a few minutes, Alliot still would notice her as he did notice Lila when she tried using his skill. The tyranny of level didn't vanish just because Aira's personal level was so much higher.

  Still, that was a significant win. And the most exciting part? While the influence was barely perceptible, the donor's skills seemed to be affected by the receiver's abilities.

  "This waiting is driving me insane," Lila muttered, her fingers drumming an erratic rhythm that seemed to echo the passing days of their stay. "Bones and bark, it's like we're being kept in the dark on purpose. I feel like we're just chasing shadows at this point."

  "I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case," Aira replied, her tone measured but laced with irritation. "They know we're here for a reason, but they're keeping us at arm's length. It's a power play, plain and simple."

  "Should we, you know…?" asked Lila. "Shadowfoot our way closer to the Source?"

  But in the end, they decided to give the shamans a bit more time.

  All party members were now joining meditations and training routines on every occasion. Not that they had much else to do. They continued their nightly sessions, slowly getting closer to one of the nearby mountains daily as if something pulled them there.

  What about the enlightened of Ziemrot? There were no conflicts or signs that the situation would be resolved in a way that benefited Aira and her friends. A few times, they'd seen Solvarrh, but the shaman trainee didn't stop to talk and didn't reveal much when Alliot confronted him.

  Their frustration rose as it felt like a dead end. They filled their days with activities and enjoyed the scenery, but they weren't getting closer to any of their goals. Not the ones imposed on them by Ainorrh and not the ones that Aira had tried to figure out since she found herself in this world.

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  Finally, when their anxiety seemed to reach its limits, a messenger came from Khanorrh. As Aira and Lila prepared to wait until Alliot shared the news he got from the envoy, Lila's face suddenly changed, and she messaged to Aira: "She's talking to both of us! That's something new from the enlightened of Ziemrot… Wait, I'll pass on everything she says to you in a moment. I need to focus."

  "The High Shaman beckons you to the stone's counsel," the messenger announced, her voice solid as bedrock. "The mountain calls only for Aira and Lila. As for the blightborn," she cast a dismissive glance at Alliot, "he must remain rooted here." Her eyes hardened as she turned to Lila. "The High Shaman demands your silence runs deep as the earth itself—no whispers through your party bonds or any channel we might sense. Some words are meant to be held like stones in the mountain's heart—unyielding and private."

  Aira furrowed her brow and glanced at Lila, who nervously twisted a strand of her hair around her finger. Alliot stood beside them, his eyes darting between the two, his lips pressed into a thin line. The air around them felt heavy with unspoken anxiety.

  Lila's eyes narrowed as she studied the messenger, her suspicion growing. "Why can't Alliot join us? He's solid as oak with us, part of our group." She crossed her arms defiantly. "What are you trying to hide? Got more cracks than a cliffside in your story, don't you?"

  The messenger remained unfazed by Lila's pointed question, her expression unreadable. "Khanorrh has his reasons and it's not for me to reveal them," she said. "This discussion is of a delicate nature, and he wishes to speak only with Aira and Lila."

  "That's not much of an explanation," Lila shot back, crossing her arms defiantly. "Clear as a mountain stream, we're in this together. Excluding him is like barking up the wrong root. It doesn't make any sense."

  "Ask her how they are going to make sure we don't communicate," said Aira. "It's not like they have access to my party interface."

  As Lila transferred Aira's question, the envoy shrugged and looked intently at Aira. "It may be for your benefit," Lila passed her words back to Aira. "But of course, we'd have to believe your word, outsiders. In any case, those are the shaman's orders. If you refuse to comply, the meeting will be canceled."

  "Did they sense there was some conflict here?" said Aira through the party chat. "Would that even be safe? And what's the reason for this secrecy? It looks like they are trying to force a wedge between us."

  She looked sharply at Alliot. "Not that there are not enough unresolved questions here already…"

  Al, who had been quietly perched on Aira's shoulder, suddenly stiffened. His whiskers trembled as he sniffed rapidly in the messenger's direction, nose twitching with agitation. With deliberate motions, he scurried down Aira's arm and positioned himself between her and the messenger, his tiny body oriented toward Alliot. A soft prrrt rumbled from his throat—not threatening, but unmistakably protective.

  "What's got into him?" Lila murmured, eyeing the rat's unusual behavior.

  Aira glanced down at her small companion. "Is it his Enlightened Governance skill kicking in? I know it sounds strange, but we may need to consult with the rat later..."

  "I'm sure you'll be safe," said Alliot. "You are strong, Aira. One advice, if I may. You don't know the full power of an enlightened city. You've seen some things Ainorrh does. It's not only the protective systems that use all elements. Or boosting one's skills. The Source makes any enlightened settlement almost invulnerable. If they wanted to do something to us… They'd do it already."

  "But what's the reason to exclude you?" asked Lila, brow furrowed. "Seems like we're skirting the shadowline here, doesn't it?"

  Alliot leaned against the wall of the treehouse, his brow furrowed in thought. "Politics."

  Aira nodded slowly, considering his words. "Politics," she repeated. "You are probably right. This could be about more than just us. It might be a broader power struggle we don't fully understand yet."

  "Look, I don't like where our journey brought me," said Alliot, his fingers unconsciously tracing the wood patterns in the wall. He shifted his weight, uncomfortable with the vulnerability in his own words. "I..." His jaw tightened, working through thoughts that seemed to physically pain him. "For me, duty is straightforward. I get an order and I comply with it." The familiar lines of his face hardened into the expression they'd seen that first day, the defender replacing the companion. "All this..." he gestured vaguely between them, "That isn't something I'm good at."

  He turned to the messenger, crossing his arms on his chest. "We agree," he said. "They will exclude me from the party. I promise not to inquire. But I can't promise they won't tell me anything after."

  "Thank you, Alliot," said the messenger and addressed Lila once again. "It will be your decision to share or not to share what is discussed during the meeting. Please follow me, I'll show the way."

  "Well, root me sideways!" messaged Lila with forced lightness. "Nothing like a mysterious invitation to really bite the bramble, eh?" Her words projected confidence, but her eyes betrayed concern right at the moment when Aira excluded Alliot from the party.

  ***

  Aira felt a subtle pang of discomfort as Alliot's presence vanished from the party interface. Yes, they had their differences. Yes, Aira didn't always understand Alliot's reasoning, even though his motivations seemed to be precisely as he had explained just moments ago. Yes, she didn't trust him. And why would she, he was an agent of a power that aligned with Aira for no apparent reason.

  And yet, it was strange to think of him as 'absent' in this way, even though he was standing beside them. Despite all the tensions, Alliot has become a part of this group.

  Aira exchanged a look with Lila, who was still able to talk to Alliot through their enlightened ways. Both of them silently acknowledged the sense of vulnerability that came with being isolated from their ally.

  "Stay sharp," Aira transmitted to Lila as they followed the messenger out of the treehouse, the warm wood giving way to the cool morning air. "Something fishy is happening."

  With each step away from their temporary sanctuary, Aira felt a subtle weight pressing against her chest—not physical, but a pressure that seemed to grow with distance. She glanced back to see Alliot watching from the entrance, a solitary figure framed by the ancient, living wood. The sight lingered in her mind like an unsettling premonition.

  The sensation was partially explained by the direction the guide chose. It somehow aligned with the gradual movement their daily meditations took over the past few days. Soon, they were brought to the foot of the mountain: the last location of their training sessions.

  Aira and Lila exchanged worried looks. Was their training the reason for that summon? But the guide remained silent since the moment they left the treehouse.

  The messenger forged ahead, each step deliberate and unyielding as the path began its relentless climb. The air thinned with every meter they ascended, the temperature dropping as if the mountain exhaled a cold warning. Jagged rock protrusions erupted from the earth like ancient sentinels, replacing the comforting shelter of trees that grew increasingly scarce. The wind whispered secrets between the stones, carrying echoes of words not meant for outsiders' ears. Aira felt the Earth Source's pull intensify—a magnetic drag that seemed to reach directly into her chest, both inviting and threatening.

  When the sun reached its zenith, casting no shadows to hide behind, they emerged onto a vast rock ledge that hung over nothingness. The wind whipped around them, tugging at their clothes with invisible fingers as if testing their resolve before the final confrontation.

  There, perched at the precipice like a weathered boulder that had witnessed centuries pass, sat Khanorrh. Power emanated from him in waves that Aira could almost see—ripples in reality that originated from the soil. Unlike Ainorrh's fluid, adaptable presence, Khanorrh felt unyielding, ancient, and immutable—a monument to permanence in a changing world.

  Aira and Lila exchanged alarmed glances as they realized with a jolt that their guide had vanished silently and completely without triggering even Aira's heightened senses. The Source pulsed beneath them, an ancient heartbeat that resonated through stone and bone alike, closer and more potent than they had ever felt. Its raw energy made Aira's Rune burn with answering power, a connection that both thrilled and terrified her.

  She caught Lila's eye, noting how her friend's hands had unconsciously shifted into a defensive stance, fingers splayed and ready. Lila's gaze darted between the sheer drop at the ledge's edge and the silent figure before them, calculating escape routes that didn't exist.

  Khanorrh sat unmoving, a man carved from the mountain itself. His chest barely rose with each breath, so slow and measured it seemed almost inhuman. Aira could sense the elemental energy of Earth swirling around him in patterns she was almost able to see—complex and utterly different compared to what she had experienced in Wentouk.

  "What's his game?" Lila's voice cut through their connection, tight with tension. "Drag us to the edge of nowhere just to meditate? Is he hoping we'll get bored and throw ourselves off the cliff?"

  "He's waiting for us to make the move," Aira replied, her gaze never leaving Khanorrh. "It's a power play, like everything else here. It's a test…"

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