"...It’s just a hunch," Miro replied, but the hesitance in his voice made Shinon wonder if he was hiding something from him.

"Hm... if you say so, then I’ll be careful," he replied. "But a mere hunch isn’t enough to halt my plans."

"Even if you say that, how will we explain your absence to the Eclipse?" Miro refused to give up. "You never know when they might come knocking at your door."

"You let me worry about them," Shinon replied, leaving the room before Miro could say anything else.

Miro stared at Shinon’s retreating form, contemplating how to stop him. If he left the city, all of Miro’s plans for heaven’s Refuge would fall through, and he didn’t want that... not when he was so close to accomplishing everything.

"He won’t even need the Escapist’s help to leave the city," Miro nervously mumbled. "His shadow powers are enough to fool the guards even if someone were to alert them. What should I do now?"

***

The next day, at the Phoenix settlement...

The blacksmiths were hard at work. None of them had caught a wink of sleep last night, but even though they were overworked and tired, the excitement blazing in their hearts was enough to beam with energy.

Tom was guiding most of the workers to excel in their craft. While he had retired a while back, in Shinon’s absence, he had taken up the role of teaching the new blood about the intricate art of smithy.

After all, in return for the aid they kept receiving from the military, they had to supply quality goods to them so that they could counter the undead threat and keep everyone safe.

Although the creations didn’t possess the same quality as when Shinon crafted them, thanks to the blueprints and notes he had left behind, Tom taught others how to prepare decent weapons and other utility items.

Thanks to their efforts, the Settlement had expanded considerably. This expansion helped shelter the large number of people who reached its gates daily.

The influx of refugees was partially due to an increase in their influence over the region and also due to the people Shinon had been sending to them every month.

The first time the settlers encountered the Escapist and the refugees, they were baffled. Selena expected it to be a trick by the Eclipse, but the letter carried by the Escapist left no doubt in Selena’s mind that Shinon had sent the people to the Settlement.

It was a relief to hear from him after such a long time, and had he not mentioned the encounters only he and Selena knew about, she wouldn’t have trusted the Escapist and either sent them away or worse. But thanks to him, the Settlement had gained quite a few resourceful people.

"How is everything going here?" Selena asked Tom as she entered the workshop. "Any new prospects?"

"There are a few," Tom responded, taking a drag from a hand-rolled cigarette that Selena swiftly grabbed from him.

"How often do I have to remind you to quit before you actually do?" she protested, extinguishing the glowing tip beneath her foot.

Tom chuckled, a plume of smoke escaping his lips as he retrieved another cigarette from the crumpled pack in his pocket.

"You know, Selena, you’ve been telling me that for a while, yet here I am, still puffing away," he said. "Besides, you only have to blame yourself for this. After all, you allowed those newcomers to start manufacturing these!"

"Stubborn as ever," Selena rolled her eyes, the playful irritation evident on her face. "Truthfully, I only wanted to sell these to other settlements and boost our economy. Little did I know we’ll have this many customers within the Settlement."

Their banter was interrupted by the distant sound of sirens. Previously, the guards would only use the sirens to inform the settlers about an incoming undead horde. But now, they had altered the arrangement to signify the arrival of new refugees sent by Shinon.

"Looks like he sent more," Selena muttered, her eyes narrowing.

Tom sighed, a resigned expression crossing his face. "Seems like our quiet night just got a bit more interesting... But I don’t think we can house all of them this time."

"...we’ll arrange something," she asserted, her mind already calculating the logistics of accommodating the influx of refugees.

Tom knew arguing with Selena was a waste of time, so he decided to accompany her instead to welcome the newcomers. However, as they neared the main gates, the usual scene seemed oddly different.

"Is that Lova?" Tom commented.

"Yes... she is." Selena’s brow furrowed as she sensed something was amiss. "Let’s see what’s going on there."

Lova had never bothered welcoming refugees as she was usually preoccupied with planning expeditions to eliminate developing nests around the Settlement. That’s why her presence made things strange.

The settlers, usually reserved and unwelcoming of new people, were unusually animated. Laughter and joy echoed through the air, creating an atmosphere that seemed out of place.

Selena and Tom exchanged puzzled glances, their confusion deepening. As they approached the gate, their eyes widened at the unexpected sight. Shinon was there with the refugees!

Selena’s usually composed figure was now marked with surprise and a pleasant smile. Tom, too, was surprised to see Shinon there.

The settlers, their faces painted with relief and surprise, parted to reveal Shinon’s figure. His gaze met Selena’s, and he nodded toward her, a hint of a knowing smile on his lips.

"Shinon?" she uttered, her voice a mixture of shock and elation.

"Been a while, huh?" Shinon, clad in his characteristic dark attire, turned towards Selena.

Tom, too, stood rooted to the spot, his earlier concerns forgotten. "Well, I’ll be damned. It’s been ages, Shinon."

"You’re still alive?" Shinon feigned surprise, making everyone around them laugh. "Just kidding, old man, it’s good to see you too."

"What brings you here?" Selena asked, shaking Shinon’s hands.

"I thought I’d pay a visit. See how my favourite rebels are doing," Shinon replied, his tone laced with a rare hint of humour. "But seriously, there’s something I need your help with."

"Let’s head inside first," Selena nodded, noticing Shinon’s serious expression. "There’s too many people here."