She stood in the sunlight. “Got a request for you.”

Nolan clasped his hands behind his back. “So? What is it?”

“I need to eat a certain fruit.”

Nolan stared. “I can buy it on Agni.”

“That’s thing,” she rubbed her cheek. “It is available way down east?”

Nolan blinked. “I can fly to that place. If you don’t mind.”

“That’s the thing,” she said. “If you buy only a few then you’d need to go to that place again.”

“Ashia,” Nolan leaned on the doorway. “What do you want?”

“Can you get me a basket of pearl-fruit? They are these silver-colored fruits that are just so tasty. See, they only grow down the east, on Fein lands!”

“What about teaching?”

“My assistant got it for me. The kids will understand.”

“Can we just ask Audrey? She can probably take us into that place.”

“Tele-portals causes ripples and bad for the kid.”

“Oh,” Nolan nodded. “I didn’t even know that.”

“Happens all the time in the Alf-lands.  I am not risking it.”

“For a fruit. So how many days will it take?”

“Ten days on boat, and a day and half by train.”

Nolan turned his eyes on the orchards. “I can’t really leave the orchards alone. Arel also needs help. Oh, you are actually pouting?”

“I am not.”

“Whoa, that is strange.”

“Look, I want that fruit. Also, it is an excuse to have that travel.”

“Really?” Nolan nodded, gloved fingers on the side.

“Really. Not that I want to eat something and watch those strange structures again.”

“You want to sightsee while pregnant?”

“Don’t be silly. I can take care of the kid.”

“For a fruit?”

She drew her lips to a line. “Please?”

Nolan’s lips curved. He took a step away from the doorway and sighed. “Fine, I am assuming you know the way?”

“Of course! I live long enough to know!” she stood slowly, walked inside the house, and paced next to the table. “Look, I got a map right here.”

There were about nine continents. Nolan recognized Concordia Island on the left side of the map. Left of Concordia Island was the lands of Alf, and right was the town of Agni. Beyond the town was a former Empire, and to the North was the borders of another Empire that has crumbled because of the war. Beyond these two nations were smaller nations. There was a railroad line that Ashia traced with her fingers, connecting to each stations.

“I am surprised that they allowed to make a station across their borders.”

“A sign of peace,” Ashia pointed. “The railroad lines are a source of trade. Every four days a cargo of supplies arrived on each station. I was with my students when they sign the pact. Ten tons are delivered on each station, and are placed in the warehouses. I have a pass so I can cross the borders.”

“Odd,” Nolan folded his arms, eyes on the map. “They’d let you on their lands? Well, you are a living legend so that’s no surprise.”

She slid on the chair, elbows leaned on the table. “I did live my years honorably, and fought anomalies. There are many old ones that are still alive, living their lives as quiet as they could be. See, when they failed on taking the world through power, they started with diplomacy.”

“Old Ones, huh,” Nolan muttered.

“Yeah, they are like us in a way that they find no meaning in fighting anymore,” Ashia stared. “There are some who are lucky enough to have a lifelong companion, while most lived their lives watching their love ones grow old.  There is a pact that has keep them from interfering and those who tries to break that pact are usually killed.”

“Harsh,” Nolan said.

“That is the price they agreed they agreed to pay. There are only a few of them that has survived. The last corrupted one had killed them. The heroes had to do it in order to fulfill the pact. I was allowed to interfere because I was new to the pact. Honestly, one of the reasons that I want this trip is because I want you to be taken into Mount Toic. You have to face them.”

“I see. So this isn’t just about the peal-fruits?”

“The peal-fruits are in Mount Toic. Mariyah guards them and is given only to the Oath-sworn. I have stretched it long enough, and it has to be done. I know that you’ll make me proud.”

“You overestimate me.”

“And you underestimate yourself. I do wonder why a man who had fought demons, demigods, and gods could still stay that. You were a guardsman of throes, and yet here you are, able to pull on the strings of power so casually. You don’t even need to draw the runes. You can just manifest them as you see fit.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, you’ll make me proud.”

“Fine,” Nolan nodded. “I’ll take you to Mount Toic. So that’s what the luggage was for.”

“Yes. So, how about we ask for volunteers? I’m sure they won’t mind watching the orchard.”

“I hope they won’t. Arel’s busy with Ania so I can’t really ask too much from him.”

“He just needs to watch the place.”

Nolan inspected her. “You want to go now?”

“Already told her that we’d go.”

“My pack?”

“Already done.”

“Were you planning this?”

“I was since I have to make sure that we do. I have Audrey’s approval as well.”

Nolan nodded, and walked up the stairs, retrieving the luggage that she had prepared. Smiling up to her ears, she waited on the doorway, and then clung when Nolan neared her. There was hastiness on her steps.

“You are too excited.”

“I traveled with my students, and alone all the time. Besides, I’ve always wanted to walk under the sun without anyone bothering or trying to kill us.”

“Yes, we have that right now.”

Nolan walked with her. He looked up. The object on the sky still loomed. His eyes lose its focus before it refocused again. He recalled that it had the size of a marble before, and now it had the size of a ball.