Rashnov Shanli, head leader of all the Desert tribes

Rheynoak was approaching the entrance of the Matunga mountains when he saw the first rays of the sun break through the horizon. It was a slow uprise, the sky still dark and the stars traceable. He stopped near the gates where the guards stood, pulling the reins of his horse in place.

"Name and identification?" one of the guards asked, approaching him.

"RheynoakCasvionel, tribe leader of the Descendants tribe in the western kingdom" he introduced, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to reveal the tribal mark on his wrist. They inspected it thoroughly, syncing their magic with his to confirm it was him.

Once they had received confirmation, the gates opened and they guided him towards the stairs that led to the meeting room. Rheynoak jumped from his horse, handing the reins over to the guards as they guided the creature to the nearby stables.

Adjusting his cloak against the cold breeze of the early morning, he ran up the stairs, the doors opening for him as he stepped through. The warmth of the room baked him well, his fingers unraveling the clasp around his cloak. He heard voices from down the hall as he approached the bent of a column, a door slightly opened.

Draping his cloak around his arm, he approached the door, slipping through just as the meeting started. The room was dark, only lit by candlelights that threw shadows across the shelves of books that were compiled into their shelves. It smelled of burned sage and jasmine, a fireplace crackling in the background, and the sheer curtains drawn close.

"Rheynoak, always the last to arrive."

Across from the table, RashnovShanli greeted him with a scowl on his face as he found a seat across from the head leader of all the desert tribes. His silver eyes watched him intently as he settled into his seat.

Rheynoak cleared his throat, draping his cloak over the armchair.

"I'm sorry" he muttered, nodding his head. "It won't happen again."

Rashnov hummed, nodding his head before beginning the meeting. "It's been a while since we've all reconvened and several new tribes have joined our section. Everyone, introduce yourselves again" he instructed.

"Leader Irene Amashnov of the Catanga Tribe in the Black Pyramid desert of the Kingdom of Bengsu. I'm not new but it's nice to see new faces."

Rheynoak looked to his left, locking eyes with Irene as she nodded to her fellow tribe members. They briefly made eye contact, her lips curling into a smirk before she turned away, tossing her hair aside.

Another hand shot through the air, a deep voice following after. "Leader ArsenRegbay of the Oshwin Tribe in the Red Sand Deserts of the Kingdom of Welock." He bowed his head, scratching his beard before the next leader introduced themselves.

Rheynoak barely paid attention as the rest introduced themselves, only tuning in to names that piqued his interest.

Leader Heather Falyik of the Bachete Tribe.

Leader EnesmeBrakin of the Sonswey Tribe.

Leader CaldwinTundris and MaristaHighlen of the Nansi Tribe.

When it came to his turn, all eyes turned to him, awaiting his introduction.

"Leader RheynoakCasvionel" he stated, clearing his throat as he felt his heart pound in his chest. "Of the Descendant tribe in the Shenga desert of the coast of the Kingdom of Tumusi," he said, bowing his head.

He still felt eyes on him even as they turned away, Rashnov clearing his throat as he presented a file to them. "I'm sure you are all aware of why I have called you here today. A mind siphon has been caught in Serius. Her powers are said to be unstable but strong. She appears to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old but is possible she is hundreds of years old given the last war ."

"What's her name?" Irene asked.

"Alesandria Erovex. Not much is known about her family since she was adopted but given her powers, I suspect, she comes from a line of royalty" Rashnov explained. "Whether that is the case or not, she needs to be captured and brought back here before any one of those leaders in the Inner Circle gets their hands on her first."

"Erovex? Wasn't that the surname of Empress CariaErovex? Could she be the long-lost child?" Caldwin proposed.

Rashnov nodded, his silver eyes narrowing towards Rheynoak who swallowed hard under his gaze

"What do you think, Rheynoak? You are harboring another one of Aries's daughters in your tribe. Could she?" His tone was cool though his demeanor was hostile as he pressed the questions, lips drawn in an unenthusiastic frown.

"Yes. That surname has only been tied to that specific bloodline. The rest of them died soon after Caria's death when the mortals briefly overtook the Inner Circle before they were fought off again. I would not be surprised at all."

"How sure are you?" Rashnov asked.

Rheynoak held his hard gaze. "Very."

"I can volunteer one of my hunters" Irene offered, bringing her offer to the table. "They are excellent at what they do and can track and bring her back to the desert tribes before she can comprehend what has happened. We can't let her know of her real lineage. The Gods know we are screwed if that unravels."

"You're being too impulsive, Irene" Rashnov pushed. "Approach the girl like that and she'll run before your hunters get a hold of her. Not to mention her powers are erratic which makes her unpredictable. You don't know what might happen."

"Do we need to be oblivious to gain her trust? We have no time for that" Heather commented. "The sooner we get her, the better it will be for everyone. Besides, we are stronger and have more experience. The damage she can do is slim to none."

Again, Rashnov shook his head. "We need her to believe what we are doing is in her best interest. If we all harshly approach her and drag her against her will, not only will she not trust us but the mortals will know more of her now and we don't need them having an immortal being on their side."

"So what now?" Arsen asked. "We just sit and observe?"

The room was silent, Rashnov scrunching his brows together as he looked over her file. He groaned to himself as he turned another page, mumbling under his breath. His knuckles turned white as he flipped over another page harshly, looking at a meticulously drawn portrait of her.

"What we need is someone that can go in for us. Someone willing and oblivious at the same time to gain her trust and make us look believable" he said. "She won't suspect a thing."

"If that is the case, I may have the perfect plan," Rhyenoak said.

Rashnov looked up, observing as Rheynoak reached into the inside pockets of his cloak, pulling out a book. He opened it to the marked page he had written in the night before, turning it around to show Rashnov.

"I've been aware of Alexandria's existence for a while. Once when my father made me aware and another time a few years back on my conquests of the mortal kingdoms. I knew of her surname but not her first name until now. I've been tracking her ever since, recording any sighting of a Mind Siphon in the mortal kingdoms."

He slid the book to Rashnov, continuing his explanation. "Onyx. She's a brilliant assassin and the perfect person to execute this plan. She knows nothing of her family, not even her sister and she won't turn down such an easy assignment. Besides, she'll be a prime example of what being trained in the desert tribe can do to you, making all of us look good by default."

"That's not fair! He already has a Mind Siphon in his tribe. He can't capture another one!" Irene protested. Rashnov glared at her, holding out his hand as he read over Rheynoak's observation, flipping through the pages. The slight curl of his lips was brief but enough to settle a deep pride in Rheynoak's soul.

"I'm impressed," he said after a moment of silence passed by. "Does anyone else know about your observations?"

"No. Not even Lucien. I'm good at being oblivious" he confirmed.

"It's not pretending if you are" Heather commented, earning a glare from Rheynoak.

"I have a plan" he explained calmly. "I know how to execute this perfectly. Onyx knows how the mind of a siphon works. She can connect to her in ways that none of us can. She's perfect for this. You have to trust me on this."

"Rashnov, you can't possibly be considering this! Rheynoak is greedy for rare creatures. We've never even met any of the immortals he houses in his tribe! He has enough!" Irene protested once again.

This time, Rashnov held up a hand, cutting off her words. Irene coughed, clawing at her throat as she struggled to breathe.

"Don't raise your voice at me" he hissed, letting his hand fall.

Irene slumped in her seat, letting out a breath as she held her throat. Her eyes were wide with shock as she looked at the head leader, a sigh escaping her lips as she dug her fingers into the palms of her hands.

"One month. I'll give her one month to complete the mission before I send my people out for Alesandria. If she fails to complete the mission, I'll have them both" Rashnov explained. Rheynoak gulped, watching as the book slid down the table back to his possession.

"Everyone else, hold your ground. Let's see how well Rheynoak does before we attack" Rashnov instructed, holding his gaze on Rheynoak as he got up. He turned his back on them as he approached the fireplace, pouring himself a glass of water.

He sat down on the chair facing the crackling fireplace, waving to them as he stared into the flames. "You're all dismissed."