“You’re being summoned.” Drax was suddenly next to Eli’s hole in the ice wall. 

Eli startled, setting down the holotablet he had borrowed down. He’d spent the past week reading everything he could on the history of the ice dwellers. Their own history was far richer and more exciting than the history that he had been spoon fed in school of his own society. 

“I’m being summoned?” Eli asked. 

Drax scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Is that not what I just said to you?” He turned to walk away. “Sayer is summoning you.” 

Eli scrambled off the bed, shutting down the tablet and pulling his boots back on. He followed Drax through the ice bridge until reaching the large castle again. He was met by Onyx who said nothing to him but lead him to her husbands office. 

“How is Rogue?” Eli asked, but to no avail. Onyx remained silent. 

He hadn’t been permitted to see Veer since they first returned to Moonmire. He was still in the healing wing, his body slowly recovering from it’s taste of the Spiryn gas. Eli had been banned to his small hole in the side of the mountain for almost two weeks. He was permitted out with supervision to eat, much to Drax’s dismay who had been forced to follow Eli around and escort him back to his room. 

Onyx opened the door for Eli and he stepped into the large room, the cold ice desk seemed larger than it had the first time he’d seen it. Sayer was seated behind it, and standing to the side of him was Veer. He looked better, healed and back to his normal self. 

“You’re better?” Eli asked. 

Veer’s mouth only twitched before he glanced down to his father who waited for Eli’s attention. 

“You were right.” Sayer began. “We tested the toxin against our dna, the blood dies out, rotting from the inside. I shudder to think that would have happened to Rogue had he not been returned to Moonmire when he was.” 

Eli said nothing, he knew that his fate had been decided. 

Sayer stood, crossing over the desk to stand directly in front of Eli. “You are an interesting human, wall dweller. Your mother did you a great service by keeping this disgusting toxin out of your system. It’s allowed you to grow and learn and expand your mind in a way that I do not think was ever intended for you.

“Veer has told me he trusts you with his life. That he would have died sooner had you not protected and cared for him before the hunters found you. Although I have not forgotten that he would not have been in that position at all had you never been found in the first place.” Sayer crossed his arms, glaring down at Eli. “Come with me.” He turned and began walking towards the back of the room. 

Eli followed behind Veer as Sayer pressed his palm against the ice wall. A door dropped open for them to a new room. A small cavern room, only illuminated by a few light orbs. 

Sayer reached for Eli’s shoulder and pressed him into a chair. “Map out the inside of the wall.” He commanded. 

Eli swallowed and reached for a tab-pen. He began drawing out the inner walls, labeling them as such. 

“Sector five is where I fell from, its farthest from sector zero which is where the government is based out of.” Eli began.

“What about this sector?” Veer pointed towards sector one. 

Eli made a face. “Sector one houses the military. While its closest, I’m not sure it would make for a good infiltration point.” Eli sighed. “Actually all areas are really well policed, and they can mobilize to a specific spot rather quickly.” 

“What weapons do they use?” Veer asked, leaning over Eli to look at the map. 

“Primarily laser guns, although they do have atomic bombs at their disposal, at least I read that in our history books. I’ve never been in sector one.” Eli admitted. 

Sayer looked at the map for a long time. “If we could take out sector one quickly, we’d have an easier shot to sector zero, wouldn’t we?” 

Eli nodded. “But their weapons are heavy.” 

“Don’t underestimate our own weaponry, wall dweller. You’ve seen nothing of what we’re capable of. The journey to that side of the wall is long. We’d travel for almost six months just to make it over there.” 

“That’s a dangerous run with so many.” Veer interjected. “Would it not be safer to try and infiltrate from sector five?” 

“We could make a small hole at the base of the wall.” Eli offered. “Then we could slowly get though. There are thousands of people in sector five, my mother thought it would be the best place to slip in unnoticed, but it is farthest from the center.” 

“There is no going unnoticed for us, wall dweller.” Sayer sat and looked at the map. “Veer, go to the engineering wing. We’ll need heavy ammunition, and something to shield our eyes from the sun’s light.” 

Veer nodded and stood, exiting out the same door before it shut again, leaving Eli alone with the leader of Moonmire. 

“What do you recommend?” Sayer asked, his eyes scanning Eli’s.

Eli swallowed before looking down at the map. “Both are a death sentence.” Eli pointed to sector one. “But you’ll never make it far enough if you start at sector five. The only option is to surprise the military before they can mobilize.” 

Sayer said nothing for a long while. “You are dangerous to us, Ghost. You don’t understand our methods, and you don’t adhere to our rules.” 

Eli forced himself to meet the other man’s gaze. “But I cannot deny that your knowledge of the inner workings of the wall will make this insurgent possible. Not to mention my son informed me that if I banished you he would banish himself too, seems to be under the guise that he now owes you his own life.” 

Sayer crossed the table and stood over Eli, his added height and muscles casting a shadow across him. “But know this, wall-dweller. If you ever put any of my people in harms way again, I will kill you with my own hands. And I will not lose even a moments sleep over it. My first priority over all else is the safety of my people. You are not my people.” 

“I-I understand.” Eli stuttered, desperate to make space between himself and this man’s piercing white glare. 

“Now go. I’ve been informed that you are due for training with Drax. Our army are only as strong as the weakest link after all.” Sayer stepped away finally, crossing over to the other side of the table and pressing a button. Immediately two men rushed in from a side door carrying rolls of real paper. Eli paused, looking at the white scrolls. He’d never seen real paper before, thought it was now a thing of the past. 

Sayer glanced over and raised an eyebrow. “Did I not tell you to leave?” 

Eli nodded quickly and turned rushing away down the hallway and back into the office that he began in. His mind was racing at what could possibly be stored on actual paper, it was far less efficient of course, but also harder to trace.

He was lost in thought when a hand grabbed him, turning him around. Veer. 

Eli smiled before pulling the other boy into a hug, startling both of them. Eli removed his hands quickly, unsure what prompted such a display. 

“Sorry,” Eli said quickly. “I’m glad you’re well again. I was worried for you.” 

Veer steadied himself, rubbing a hand over his other arm. “I’m glad I’m well again too.” He said. “Umm… what-“ he kicked his head towards the door. “What did he say?” 

“Oh, just that if I put anyone in danger ever again he’d kill me himself.” Eli chuckled. “Pretty fair as I almost killed his son and all.” 

They both laughed. “Did you really tell him you’d banish yourself if he banished me?” 

Veer looked away before nodding. “As if you’d survive on your own.” 

Eli shook his head. “You really are something.” The two met one another’s gaze, Veer’s large white eyes warm against Eli’s. “I have to go,” he finally said. “Drax is scheduled to try and kill me again.” 

Veer scoffed, finally loosening whatever had transfixed them in place. “Good luck then.”