Standing at the gate was what appeared to be a mere mortal, dressed in black and leading mules carrying carts of resources. Among the resources were various metals and crystals, gleaming in the light of the sun, gaining the attention and admiration of the commoners.

Mayura looked at the man and the carts. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?!” Mayura never liked outsiders, or even strangers with “gifts” for that matter, it always spelled “trouble” for her. 

The man looked up at her, his silver eyes almost shining in the light of the sun. His voice echoed with power and authority, though his words were of a humble man. “Am I speaking to Lady Mayura, Matrin of Haven and The Divine that protect it?”

“How do you know my name, Outsider?!”

The outsider bowed. “Forgive me, My Lady. Your warrior, Drax, saved me and my caravan from an assault by the dark forces of the untamed wilds. He told me of this place, and the one who leads it. I am here to offer my gratitude, and I present an offer for you and your people.”

Mayura looked dead at Drax. “Is this true, Destroyer? Did you save this man?”

Drax shrugged. “What else was I supposed to do? Let him die? Besides, look at what he has to offer! We could use these resources!”

“I was just wanting confirmation. That's all I wanted. I am grateful you saved this man,” Mayura replied as she turned back at the Outsider. “Tell us your name.”

“I go by many names in the untamed wilds,” the outsider responded. “You may refer to me as Cain, the miner. I’ve returned from a recent expedition into the mountains to the north, and this is a mere sample of what I have found!”

Mayura thought for a moment then ordered at one of the guards to raise the gate. Once the gate was raised, Cain gently urged his mules to follow him. The mules seemed to follow his order without question, all while under some form of spell or in a deep trance. None of the commoners noticed the blank, dead stares of the mules, for they were more interested in the shiny stuff Cain had brought with him.

“WAIT. Those mules,” Drax pointed out. “They seem to be in a trance.” 

Mayura looked at “Cain”, landed on the ground, and took off her hood, which shocked the commoners and the other Divine alike. To no one's surprise, every male commoner and even the male Divine that were there became flustered, though some were surprised when some of the female commoners began to blush as well. “What is this, ‘Cain’? I sense dark magic at play here. Those mules are indeed in a trance.”

“Truly?” Cain asked. He looked closely at his mules, ending his brief examination with a simple, “Huh.” He turned back to The Divine, replying, “I doubt it’s from the resources I brought. Perhaps the creatures of the Wilds enchanted them. It would explain why they’re all obeying me for once.”

“At this point, you have lost all my trust. I sense power coming from you too,” Mayura said and the gates closed. “I don't play games. I take things very seriously.”

“What makes you think I jest?” Cain asked. “We have been traveling through the Wilds for some time. Surely, the residual effects of that darkness have stuck to us and are affecting your perception of me. If I had any power within me, I would’ve noticed after 30 years of life, would I not?”

“And she's supposed to believe you, why?” Drax asked. He seemed furious.

“You have your guards, your soldiers, and yourselves,” Cain reasoned. “What do you have to fear from a mere mortal?”

“....Perhaps I was being a bit harsh. You can stay, but only for a day. If you cause any trouble, I'll have Shad and my guards kill you on sight.” The gates opened again. A path started to form and Mayura headed back to her palace. Drax came along with her. The guards were on high alert, watching Cain's every move. 

Cain called out as he bowed, “You are a just leader, My Lady!” He returned to standing, swept aside the golden hair that fell in front of his eyes, and brought his mules down the path.

Mayura stayed silent and Drax soon became worried about his Matrin. Shad soon came running out, all out of breath, for he could not keep up with her.

Renae was in the crowd, and soon left the crowd with a few other guards. She did not trust him one bit, but it was Mayura’s decision to let him in. She began to make her way back to the healers, deciding that she may as well check on her child if she wasn’t going to do anything else.

The next day, Cain stood in front of the gathered Divine, hands clasped in front of him and a friendly smile on his face. None of the Divine were talking amongst themselves, only staring at the outsider. Cain waited patiently for the Divine to allow him to speak, clearly afraid to step out of line.

Mayura asked him, “What is it, Cain?” She still had a suspicion about him. Renae looked dreadfully worried, she was afraid that something bad was about to happen.

“I told you yesterday,” Cain reminded, “I have an offer. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that you can’t ignore.”

“We don't need any fake deals. I can tell just by the tone in your voice. And whenever there is a deal, there is always a twist.” Renae said. Mayura and the other Divine agreed. Though it wasn't hard for Cain to notice that Renae's armor was a bit looser than what it was yesterday.

“Tell me, madam,” Cain replied with a hint of venom in his voice, “are you saying that because you’re truly concerned about the words of a mortal, or are you trying to keep attention away from your continuously-loosening breastplate?”

Mayura became puzzled, yet furious deep down. “What are you talking about?” Renae was terrified inside, but gave off a puzzled look. “What is the meaning of this, Cain?”

“Only someone with more mass to protect than before would keep their armor so loose,” Cain reasoned.

“Maybe I just wanted to feel comfortable in my armor for once.” Renae pointed out.

“Perfect armor is comfortable in almost any weather,” Cain explained, “and let me remind you that it’s the middle of winter, which is NOT weather to warrant taking off your armor.”

“This armor is old, I need a new set.” Renae muttered. Mayura did agree that she needed new armor.

Cain paused for a moment before shrugging, indicating his surrender on the matter. “Alright,” he humbly announced, “that’s fair enough. It’s hard to maintain the perfect form. I know from experience.”

Malum raised an eyebrow. There was something about the way Cain said it that felt off.

Renae on the other hand, was a bit shook, Mayura almost found out she was with a child. Louis had a calm suspicion about her, deciding to speak with her afterwards in private.

Cain straightened his jacket, adjusting his stance and announcing, “We’ve gotten off track. I have an offer, and it’s quite simple to understand. There’s a saying in the Wilds: ‘scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.’ It means that we help each other out, and that is precisely what I offer to you today: an alliance.”

“An alliance?” Arex questioned.

“Yes,” Cain clarified. “A partnership between the both of us. I will supply Haven with more resources like the ones you have seen me enter with, and more. In return, I ask for protection and recognition.”

“We will all need to talk about this in private. For now, you will wait outside the gate.” Mayura said as the Divine left to go speak about this in private. 

The guards escorted Cain outside the Divine Hall, but not before Cain warned, “Take your time, but know that if you do not accept my offer, there are many outside of your walls who want these resources more than you do.”