“But sister, please, I wish to join you in your travels!” “No, Alya, you must stay here in Qasira and take care of your brother. Lord Unqid is a rich but generous ruler. As long as I continue to serve him as a mercenary, the denars will continue to flow, and his men will continue to protect you. The walls of Qasira are thick and powerful, and his empire is vast; none of his enemies will ever harm either of you here.” “But sister, I am of age, and Fathid is nearly a man himself. I wish to join your ranks, I wish to fight!” “SILENCE!” I retorted. My blood boiled from the stress of battle and leadership. Alya stood there, unwavering. After taking a moment to calm, I explained, “should anything happen to either of you… I lost you once already. I’m not going to let that happen again.” -- That night, I dreamt. I dreamt of my first lifetime in this realm. I was foolish, inexperienced, and naive. Lord Derthert was a force to be reckoned with, so I naturally fell into his ranks… whether ...