Sanctuary City, Sanctum Building, Evrin.

Together they waited. Torwin, Lucian, Voidshaper, Ilvanya, Mindseer, and their mundane assistants. There were a few pathfinders in the sanctum after everything that happened with the gods. Mostly, mundanes had replaced them.

The walls of the meeting hall showed several moving windows of live footage from Empire and Faerunia. The armies of the two nations were spread throughout, but mostly centered on the capitals.

Souldealer and her mundane assistants were not with them. Evrin knew why. The sanctum heads had decided to keep an eye on Eldoris as well; she and her grandmother, Ilvanya, were not informed. The decision was a secret hidden from them. It was unsettling to know her own companions didn't trust her regarding matters concerning the sanctuary.

But she agreed with the idea. And held no ill will toward whoever suggested it.

Then the mana fluctuation auto-revelation window popped up on the side, showing the sanctum teleportation platform. All their attention shifted there. None said a single word as the lost members of Highswords followed behind their keeper, accompanied by Seraphina and a strange metallic man clad in a hooded robe.

"They are back. They are really back.." Mindseer said in disbelief.

Voidshaper's eyes were wide as well.

Evrin had already recived the words of their safety on the receiver from Sam and Vidalia, but seeing them in reality made her relax slightly more. They were all safe. The awakening had not caused any unnecessary problems.

"Why are we in an emergency state if everything is fine?" Torwin asked, "The Empire and Faerunians can't move without alerting everyone on the mainland."

"We will know soon enough," Lucian replied.

And they did. With every word, Sam and Aunt Vidalia revealed, Evrin's heart sank deeper and deeper. Unconclusive. The gods visited again and left behind turmoil, only this time they had no deals.

Evrin called out to Astraea. The goddess listened; she knew. Other than that one time she took control of her, Evrin had never sensed her presence again. But she knew. The gods were ever-present.

How does one plan against someone who can be everywhere at all times?

'Where the hell is Damian when you need him the most!?'

Hellstorm and Alex informed them of what had happened. Apparently, Damian, Landbreaker, Moondancer, Orren Halvik, and Nomai, the young apprentice of Damian, had set up a big experiment in the new dungeon. But they were no longer inside the dungeon.

The dungeon itself had thrown everyone inside out with force. And then blocked entry. No one was able to enter. Neither as an individual nor a party. Some of them recorded footage of this phenomenon. They watched it again and again and understood nothing of what was happening.

Hellstorm and Alex themselves were suddenly forced out of the dungeon in the blink of an eye, along with all their people.

"What do we do now?" Evrin asked.

"We hope," Ilvanya replied. "No word from Astraea yet. She will show us the way."

Evrin wanted to believe that, but just like all the faces of Sanctuary and Highsword transcendents, she too was uncertain as to how far their goddess would go for them.

"She won't."

The Metal Man replied while leaving the standing group and approaching the translucent window that had a view of the whole city.

"We are like Damian now. They can not stop us from ascending. They can't accept that, not even elf goddes. As long as we live, there will always be a shadow on their fragile faith."

"What do you suggest then? Just give up and surrender?" Runefather replied.

"I will not let that happen! I have lost enough brethren, not anymore!" Voidshaper declared.

"Never!" Mindseer also joined in, "We will fight as we have always done. If death is written for us, then all of Highsword dies together."

Evrin understood their determination, but..

'How do you fight someone you can't even see?'

If a whole mainland full of minor gods couldn't face the true gods in the primordial era, what chance do third-rankers have?

"The Highswords are guests. They will remain here as long as they want." Sam concluded, "Bron, arrange a place for them to stay. And call Elias Sunblade to my office."

Everyone gathered glanced once at the awakened and started moving. Lady Vidalia went looking for her daughter. Lord Torwin, Lady Souldealer, and Evrin herself needed to resume their work. Evrin remained behind with her partner though. Everyone was being brave, trying not to think about the inevitable, but Evrin didn't want to pretend that before her soulmate.

The last two members of Highswords invited the recently awakened Highswords and started filling them in on the history.

Sam, together with the metal man, walked to his office. A quick question to Einar revealed the request the metal man had made to Sam.

'What an odd thing. Did Damian truly create a living, thinking being?'

It even showed feelings towards its creator. Evrin remembered the theories they had all speculated about in Pigman-world regarding the chatting golem. Most of them were sure it was some intelligent being Damian had somehow given a new body to. How? Of course, no one had any idea.

Alone in the room with Einar, Evrin hugged her.

"Involving Sanctuary in their business is madness, yet why do I feel so wrong about all of it?" She murmured while settling her face on the warm shoulder.

"Because it is wrong," Einar replied, embracing her.

"There is a difference in not wanting to help and not being able to. Even someone like Sam is restraining himself."

With things improving in Sanctuary by leaps and bounds, Evrin had started to forget what the reality of their world was like. But no matter how powerful they become, no matter how big a feat they achieve, there were always people ready to show them just how powerless they were.

It was a miracle they had even gotten this peaceful a decade. What Damian gave up that day had much greater significance than she initially realized.