It took us seven days at the forge and almost all the Starun Technokrestians were able to collect to assemble 21 Crystal Runes. The process is actually simple but it takes time. While we devoted all of ours to that task, the engineers from Technokrest created new machines to escort us back to Mithaurian. Their ability to adapt and create never ceases to marvel me. Not only were they able to turn two more harvesting ships into fully equipped battle aircrafts, they also managed to enhance their weapons and structures through Starun energy. It’s relatively new tech, they say, but a shard of Starun can replace most of the fuel required and increase weapon capacity by 100%. Besides, it generates less than 10% of the heat should you compare it to standard weapons. I stand divided whether weapon enhancement is either healthy or a priority at this time, but it sure fascinates Hertanyth. He has a passion for combat and weaponry which is unusual to a Verge.

Upon packing for our journey back, Danta’ar brought a container to us. It was made of a metal alloy nobody had ever seen. It reflected silver-bluish and was more sturdy than any other metal.

“Only now we could identify traces of Starun in this alloy. But we have no clue how to build this. We just started to learn how to use Starun energy, but making a stable alloy out of it is almost impossible. We are working on it but the results are not very promising so far. And we can’t reverse engineer it. But you can use this box to seal the Crystal Runes. It blocks the Starun radiation emissions, so those desert beasts can’t track you down. We think they follow this energy trace. After the forge was lit they have been spotted all around our outer walls. We are afraid they will attack soon.”

And so we left our new friends behind for a while and headed back to Mithaurian. It was indeed a safe and easy trip, and did not require any intervention from our winged companion. Danta’ar might have been right about what had driven the desert beasts towards us the first time. Approaching Mithaurian’s gates we were welcomed by Albano himself and his full high guard. It was the first time I had seen all of them in full combat armor. Grandiose and imponent, their breastplates shone bright as the suns hit them with piercing light. The aircrafts remained around the borders where they were meant to patrol day and night, as we ran to the crypt.

“Your calling to the new awakened back at Spellenrune worked better than you may think! After your leaving our guards spotted quite a few adventurous skinny folks like yourselves lost around our woods. They carried your leaflets and quivered in fear at every noise they heard. We collected them all and they were brought safe to Mithaurian. 46 of them they were. And they all await back at the castle.” said Albano.

Entering the room where they stood was shocking. Our exposure to extensive amounts of Starun had changed Hertanyth and I in ways we were still to understand. Our auras immediately expanded and connected with all those Verge, to the extent we could even point out one that had not yet been awaken and had been there just for the adventure. Once we arrived, though, he was hit by the truth and ready to join us.

It would take 21 of us. Hertanyth and I selected the ones that seemed to be stronger and the most in control of their newly acquired abilities. We entered the crypt. Albano shut the brass door and stood guard from the inside as his guards did it from the outside. Twenty of us stood in around the table, each in front of an aperture. They were each handed a Crystal Rune and I carried one myself to the altar. Not a word being said but in full synchronicity we loaded the apertures with the Crystal Runes. The lectern at the altar was illuminated with Starun energy and runic writings appeared in form of pure energy. It was different now. The symbols translated into words as I looked at them. That was the ritual I should perform. As i raised the Athame and pronounced words in a language I did not know, a strong beam of light came from the chamber of portraits. Albano headed there and to our surprise he brought Carlos’s portrait. It glowed so bright it was hard to see the picture. His hands trembled. Making an enormous effort he was able to hang it on the column where the stage ended. I carried the ritual on. Once I read the last symbol, a burst of energy blinded all of us. The loud noise of thunder impaired our hearing and every one but Albano was thrown to the ground by the pressure in the air. We slowly recollected our senses to find him there, standing at the stage. The Golden Blaze. His roar was deafening. “For Myridian!” It was.

“Greetings to all of you Verge! I am Carlo, The Golden Blaze. The first to be summoned and the last to be dispensed. If I was brought to this land yet again, then the world is at stake. I must first put you wise to what has truly led you to this path I now take part of.”