The morning became midday. Far from the bakery, the group stood at the edge of Maratan. There were four columns of white marble. They were known as the Walls of the Fallen. Each of the columns had carved out names of the dead. Out of the group, Amin knelt in front of the fourth column. There were a few bouquets and food laid on the ground. The columns contrasted against the dark village walls. He ignored the mixed scents of fresh flowers and decaying food. Amir's fingers traced over a rough-edged name below: Oma of Maratan. He let out a shaky breath. The fire-starter placed a loaf of cold bread in front of the wall.

"Hello, Oma." whispered Amin, "It has been a long time."

There was no answer from Oma. It was just stillness in the wind. Amir bowed his head and whispered, "Illuminous Light, I come to you with a guilty heart. I was weak in the hour of Oma's need for help. Guide her to a haven above."

He cupped his hands and blew a tiny flame. It levitated over his hands. Amin felt a little warm inside. He lifted his hands. In one moment, the flame vanished into thin air. The fire-starter rose from kneeling on the ground. He did not bother to dust himself off.

"It is getting cold out here," muttered Amin. He rubbed his hands together. He blew a tiny flame into his cupped hands. Cozy warmth spread throughout his whole body. He headed back to the shepherd and the sheep. Amir saw his friend lowering the lamb to the cobblestone. The wooly creature wobbled a bit before it could stand up and joined its herd.

"Better?" questioned Pisces, looking up at his friend. Amir just struggled with his hunched shoulders. The shepherd nodded his head. The group gaited away from the Walls of the Fallen. Even though his feet were on the ground, Amin's mind was somewhere else. His head was down. He still could hear the battle cries. He remembered how every knight kept fighting each other until they were dead. It did not matter if it was done by magic or blade. It was the surviving knights who mattered.

"Amin!" exclaimed Pisces. Amin moved his head up. A blue-robed woman was running toward the group. Amir's eyes widened when the woman's clothes turned into crimson armor with the leaf of an earth-shaker on the chest piece. Amin clawed his fingers. Fire steamed from his palm to his fingertips. "Amin!" The wide-eyed Pisces called out. "Do not burn the messenger!"

The shepherd dropped his rod and shoved his friend to the ground. The Orkney sheep scattered back away from the three humans. They baaed in worry and fear for their lives.

"Hey!" yelled Amin. He stumbled to the side before getting his balance back. The flames on his fingertips had disappeared. Amin straightened up as much as he could despite the hunched shoulders. He gritted his teeth as his bones cracked. Amin saw Pisces with the shepherd's rod in his hand and going after the sheep. When the shepherd guided the sheep back to their original spot, Amir scowled at Pisces and said, "What in the underworld did you do that for?"

"Gentlemen, stop this instant!" shouted the messenger. Her shout caught the attention of the two young men. Amin could see that the woman was in robes, not in full armor. The woman regained her composure and cleared her throat before saying another word. "The Council request for your presence immediately, Amin."

His blood ran cold when hearing the words: the Council. For as long as he could remember, they were leaders of Maratan. Amin had sworn that once the war was over, that he would not get involved with them. Not only with the Council but also with the royalty of Ravenhall.

"Tell the Council to bite their faces off," replied Amin. A cough escaped from Pisces's mouth. The shepherd covered his mouth with the sleeve of his robe. The woman remained unmoved by the fire-starter's insult. She heaved a sigh and answered, "I was afraid this would come this."

The messager raised her arms out. All of a sudden, Amin felt the earth shake underneath his feet. Thick vines sprout out of the cracks. Amir took a deep breath. When warmth grew stronger on the inside, Amin breathed out a stream of fire at the vines. The vines crumbled into decay. Over the dead plants, more lively vines rumbled out of the earth. Amir struggled to move as the plants wrapped around his ankles and legs. The vines were squeezing Amin. He gritted his teeth from letting out a groan. He tried to concentrate on breaking himself free. Yet, Amin heard Pisces yelling at the messager to stop her earth magic. The earth-breaker did not listen to both of the friends. She kept one of her arms out while her free hand reached a small pouch that was fastened to her belt.

"Pisces, run..." Amin's shout was cut off when one of the vines snaked around his mouth. The fire-starter could taste the filth of the dirt. Amin attempted to spit the vine off of his mouth. As more vines began to construct Amin's movements, the fire-starter's hands grasped onto parts of the vines. Heat radiated from his hands. The plants began to crisp and crumbled into dust.

"Sleep." said the message, tossing the pouch at the group. The pouch exploded on the earth. Red dust exploded on the ground in front of the group. Amin smelled the sweet fragrance of poppies. His vision grew from fading to darkness. Amir's entire body fell limp under the twisted vines.

A dream appeared inside Amin's sleepy mind. An ebony-armored Amir was back on the battlefield. The fog surrounded the fire-starter. Something was not right. Everywhere he glanced, there was no sound other than his own footsteps. "There is beauty in chaos," a soft voice echoed. It was the same voice that Amin had heard from the other night. The sickening words were for the motto of the enemy from the western country of Yehob. Amin's heart sank when he heard those words. "That is a lie. Chaos was not worth it," answered Amin. His voice rang in the dense haze. Ahead of Amin, two dark shadows were moving out of the fog. The fire-starter gasped when the shadows revealed to be the two knights from the charcoal drawings. While the female knight remained the same, the second knight had a dark scar over his closed eyelids.

"Oma?" Asked Amin, "Daiyan?"

"With chaos on the horizon, all will be lost," said the scarred knight. His voice sounded throughout the empty battlefield. "You are not real," shouted Amin, covering his ears. " I am not listening to you." Both of the knights responded in unison: "Listen to us, Amin."

Warmth had spread to his face. Amin struggled to keep himself awake. His brown sight started to flutter open. Brilliant sunlight was glowing above the fire-starter. He started to move his arms and legs. The vines no longer constructed them. Amin felt the soft grass underneath his palms. The fire-starter shaded his eyes from the sun. As careful as he could, Amin sat up and gazed at his new surroundings. The fire-starter rubbed his aching head. It was not the worst headache. It was more of a dull sensation at the sides of the temple. Amin grunted when something hard kicked him at his right leg.

"Get up. The Council is waiting for you."

The statement caused Amin to gaze at the speaker on his right. It was the blue-robed messenger who was standing over the fire-starter. Amin searched for another familiar face. But, someone was missing.

"Where is Pisces?" asked the fire-starter. He pushed himself off the ground. They were standing at the top of the grassy hill. The hill was only high over the town buildings below by three feet. Beyond the town halls, Amin looked at the vast green sea. Tearing himself away from the view of the town, Amin gave the messenger some eye contact. 

"I had told the shepherd that the Council did not request for him. The shepherd said that he had some business to take care of," the messenger explained. Amin frowned at the thought that His friend was not here. Her calm demeanor did not put Amin at ease. The fire-starter had endured worse than a distant headache. He grunted as his bones cracked and snapped. Amin shaded his sight with his hands. The Council Hall was towering over the people.

From the outside, the Council Hall seemed to be plain and simple. It had been built with gray stones. Each of the rectangle glass windows on each of the four walls told a story of how Maratan was born in the country of Ravenhall. Amin wished that he could gaze at the windows to remember the entire story from childhood once more. 

"Come now, buffoon. There is no time to waste," huffed the messager, crossing her scrawny arms. She moved back from the fire-starter. Amin's worn-out hands were shaking before grasping his fingers together.  Amin took a deep breath when he stood in front of the large gold and silver ornate door. He pushed the door open with both hands. When the door swung open, it created a thunder that vibrated throughout the entire Council Hall.  

Slender brazers encompassing each of the eight limestone columns lit up every part of the Council Hall. The light wrapped the hall in a warm embrace. The glow of the sun streamed from the high rectangle windows above the fire-starter. Amin could gaze at the long table ahead with the five peoples in dark blue robes. 

Standing before the five members of the Council, the fire-starter took another deep breath. Amin gaited up to the wooden table with slight hesitation. Amin glanced at each solemn face. The older woman who sat on the far left of the table was Lea. She bore a slight resemblance of a crow with her hooked nose and narrow face. Red-embroidered round symbol of non-elemental glowed under the lights of the candles and sun. Amin's brown sight shifted to the auburn-plaited woman named Taria. Amin could not help but glance away from the councilwoman. Nevertheless, her dark sight was piecing down at the fire-starter. The silver-embroidered circular symbol of air shined against the dark royal blue robes. Amin grasped his hands together before they could shake more.

The councilwoman seated in the middle was Fatma. The fire-starter could see that she still looked the same as she was two years ago. Gray, frizzy hair was double braided to reveal a full, somber face. Her grey sight was set low within their sockets at Amin. The bronze-embroidered leaf was the symbol of the earth-breaker. It was luminous under the fire. A worn-out graze was on Amin. Next to Fatma, there was the fourth member with the gold embroidered sign of fire on the clothes' front. Amin's blood ran cold while glancing at the next councilman's scarred face. He bared the striking resemblance of the same knight in the charcoal drawing and dream. Finally, the fifth member was Virgo. A thick burnt scar was etched on the lower left side of his square-jawed face. It was shaped like a crescent moon. Round blue eyes glared at Amin. Three sky blue waves had been switched to the front of the robes. It was the symbol of a water-tamer.

"Amin of Maratan, you stand before the Council," spoke Fatma. Her cold voice echoed inside the room. Amin breathed through the shudders. The fire-starter bowed halfway in front of the Council. "Yes, Council. That was the messenger said to me, Council Fatma," replied Amin. "You all had requested to speak with me."

"Of course. We want to speak to the Dragon of the East," answered Lea. Her voice was soft as a gentle breeze. The rest of the Council murmured in the agreement. The fire-starter Councilman gruffed at the last statement. Fatma frowned at her fellow Councilman. "Council Daiyan, compose yourself." 

Amin flinched at the sound of that name.