"Finally, some food! Gosh, I love the pastries this bakery is making."

At last, sustained with food Raja got so much calmer and easier to handle. Dross was still catching his breath. This quirky elf just showed him her entire neighbourhood and all the best places around in rapid succession; so much input that he was at some point not able to follow her anymore. He felt like he wasn't completely able to keep up with the young folk anymore, be it because of him still recovering from the exploration or because of this strange, occasional transparency his body was going through. Feeling fit in the one moment, he felt so tired and warped for just a moment before regaining his strength. But now first a bite of the traditional Scamall bakery. Some things will never change. Chewing the sandwich slowly, Dross instantly recognized the known flavour pattern, which screamed perfection. He missed that continuity in his food all the time on his journeys. Every bread tasted differently, and nothing accomplished to press all the buttons necessary for such a flavour explosion. Dross let out a deep satisfied sigh:

"You say it, Raja, you say it. I missed the perfect kitchen from up here.", the last word got lost in him swallowing down another piece enjoying each particle not wanting to waste anything, "I missed good old Scamall."

The peace didn't last long as a piece of dark military march music filled the street. A group of six soldiers of the army of peace appeared in the streets having no eyes for the commenters. Their gleaming exoskeletons were reflecting the early morning sun blinding everybody daring to stand in their way. Raja managed to make way to let them pass, but Dross failed to notice the imposing group still enjoying his meal. Only as a smouldering hot shadow was blocking his vision, he opened his eyes, just to look in the pissed off visage of the boss of this little group. Remembering the usual greetings one gave the army on contact Dross stood still and saluted them:

"Greetings, oh keepers of the peace. May the light of the Radiant lead our way into a better future! How are his peace plans going?"
Something was dangerously off. Mentioning the Radiant, general field marshal Fitzgerald Borsello himself, just made everybody on the street slightly angrier. They seemingly disliked the name of their mortal leader, but why? Looking back into the face of the female squad leader, a darkly tanned muscular human with long brown hair and a large scar going downwards across her left eye, he witnessed pure, unfiltered anger glimmering in her purplish eyes. Looking down at Dross, she spat out her hatred as a shower of spit over him:

"There is no reason to have one positive word left for this idiotic fool! Before Borsello retired from his rank, he nearly killed us all with his oh so successful blabbering of world peace. Don't you remember what happened nine years ago!? He invited the enemy in Etherium's heart and then got backstabbed by everybody at the same time. We nearly lost our country and our pride on this fateful day. Now, worm?", the soldier hammered her fists with unbound strength into Dross' side, "Why in the gods' names would you think that greeting us, the newly formed Phoenix squadron, with this ignorant outdated line would result in anything but pulling the anger of everybody onto you. Mine especially!"

Dross was lying on the ground, holding his hurting flank. He was trying to answer in a manner, that would please those unusually violent soldiers, but he didn't found anything. The world around him had changed in his absence, and this numbing pain was the first sign of it. Right as that soldier wound up her leg to kick him out of the way Raja stepped in to stop the situation from going out of hand:

"Commander Blight, please! My friend just arrived from a 20 years long journey to Sepernius and hasn't had the chance to get updated on the changes that happened in politics and national and international relations.", she placed her shaking hand on her chest trying to keep eye contact with Blight, "I will personally update him on the arrival of the Strategist's era immediately, Sir!"

Dross saw how the massive commander closed in threateningly on Raja until the faces of both women met. He felt the tension in the air, the outcome of the situation was still undecided. Eventually, commander Blight relaxed a microscopic bit breathing out the following sentence word by word:

"By the twelve, do that! I will overlook the situation this time. Consider yourself lucky! Now step aside and . . .", Blight looked down in spite to Dross, "Just drag this whimpering bag of fur aside, we have much business to attend."

"Of course, commander!"

Raja offered Dross her shoulder to pull him out of the way, Dross complied groaning through the pain. They limp together to the side both looking after the phoenix squadron leaving without granting them any second scowl. He felt the burning shame flowing through the elf; she just made a scene because of him with spectators around judging them now harshly. Dross felt more than just terrible. He was tempted to hit himself angry he didn't consider the shift of power, that could have happened in his absence. His glorious paragon of peace was now hated by everybody and what else did happen? Looking over at Raja they both nodded with a silent agreement on their lips to get this issue out of the world and that as quickly as possible. Raja took Dross over to a nearby bench a bit away from the people and carefully sat him down. She worryingly checked his flank trying to make out if anything was broken, but everything still seemed to be in place. A punch by a muscular person enhanced with an extraordinary suit crafted to multiply one's might is usually prone to break some ribs on contact.

"I am glad you are alright, Dross, and only a bit roughed up. That was all my fault I should have - I didn't think of - please don't hate me!"

"Why the hell should I hate you, Raja? Haven't you given me this information on purpose? I think not. You don't host every day a fool, who is such out of touch as I am. Still . . .", Dross looked with glassy eyes into the dirt, "I can't believe that my paragon failed in his mission . . .and furthermore so horribly. Who is now in charge of Etherium, what is their agenda? Who is 'the Strategist'?"

Dross felt a literal rock falling from Raja's heart when she let herself fall on the bench next to him. She thought for a moment before answering the questions haunting him:

"The Strategist, marshal Ingratus Fide, took over the ruins the Radiant left behind in the year 4977 and changed up the agenda entirely to war again. We got betrayed by Duvara, Scorzosa, as well as Nemthi. His brilliant brain allowed us to mobilize and revolutionize our army to take on three enemies at once, and his success in doing so made marshal Fide quite popular and loved within our country. But as you could see with the newly formed phoenix squadron, the soldiers of today are way more strict and stiff than they were before. We are not living in a time of peace anymore. Just try to be careful please."

Raja snuggled herself into Dross' healthy flank. She continued with a way softer voice trying to let this interruption go past. Her calming words were a blessing for Dross' cracked mood:

"Let's go, Mister Dross. We are having an exciting day in front of us. I mean, you did it! You might become today an enlightened watcher! I knew it from the beginning, then when I saw you leaving the cathedral 20 years prior. That glow in your citrin eyes! That was the glow of a future champion of knowledge! And look now at the satchel and its content. I was right! Now get out there and claim what is rightfully yours . . .and I will support you."

Raja stood up and offered Dross her helping hand. The light of the morning sun shone around her head, painting a halo of rim light around her head. Since the first second, she stumbled into his life he felt oddly blessed by this supportive snow elf. Dross sent a silent prayer towards the four before smilingly taking the offered hand standing up and leaving this place with her to continue their planned schedule.