a little because of course his daughter was right. Looking around, he could already see the effect the land – with its clean and whole spirit – was having on their people. Chadens, paladins, and wardens alike were working side by side, building and constructing with their bare hands. Together. United. Even before the plague that was the chades, their people had never been so harmonious.
“I can hardly believe it myself,” Blu commented, catching Mordecai unawares.
Turning, Mordecai reached out a hand to clasp his good friend’s forearm. “Blu, sorry. I didn’t see you there. How are you?”
Blu smiled, patting Mordecai on the back and releasing his arm. “I am well, thank you. I seem to feel a little better every time I come here.”
“I know what you mean,” Mordecai muttered. Given all the death that had occurred on the land, it should by rights be one giant scar – writhing in agony and festering with infection and pain. But his element could find no hint of death whatsoever. It was like no suffering had ever touched the earth here. It was pure.
“Does that mean things are going well on the home front? How are things with Max?” Blu asked, his eyes darting to Mordecai and a small grin kicking up the corners of his mouth. “How are things with our Great Mother?”
Mordecai barely refrained from telling the older warden to go fuck himself. The poorly concealed laugh from Blu told Mordecai that his friend had read him accurately anyway. Blu was one of the few who knew Dana was crossing the veil. After some discussion, they had decided to notify the entire IDC. Max didn’t want to start the council with secrets or omitted truths. She had made it clear she wouldn’t see the new council follow in the footsteps of the old one. Mordecai agreed with her entirely. As had Dana, who assured them all she wasn’t there in secret and the people were permitted to know about her. That was all well and good in theory of course, but telling an entire society that their literal god was walking among them was no small feat. And given the huge upheaval it had seen in the past few months, Mordecai wasn’t convinced another doozy like Mother Nature hanging out in his kitchen would be received well. Still, Dawn, Blu, Hyde, and Slate had taken it pretty much in stride when Dana had introduced herself for the first time. In fact, Blu had looked more intrigued than shocked when he had first seen Dana. Something Mordecai had yet to ask him about. And given the other five members of the IDC were making their way over to them – all their paladins dutifully in tow – he figured he wasn’t about to get answers just then either.
Mordecai greeted all the wardens, well pleased with how the council was taking shape. Dawn and Dex had been a part of their society for a long time and were loyal, intelligent and trustworthy. Although Celeste was young in warden terms, she was powerful, mature and level-headed and he had no doubts she would also prove to be an asset. Looking over at Hyde where the beast warden was conversing quietly with his two paladins, Mordecai snuck a peek at him with his powers, finding no huge scars or wounds in the man’s psyche. He didn’t know the man well at all, and although Max assured them all he was a man of worth, Mordecai was still relieved to see Hyde wasn’t some kind of psycho. Once upon a time, he would never think to use his powers against his own brethren. It was decidedly impolite, as well as distasteful to his own code of ethics. But having your best friend stab you in the back and attempt genocide kind of changed one’s mind.
Speaking of which, he thought, turning to look at Slate. Slate was standing off to the side, nodding politely at something Dawn was saying to him. Slate had been a member of the local council in the area for years, so he was well versed in the politics, rules, and regulations of their society. Unfortunately, he was also known to be somewhat of an arsehole. Mordecai knew for a fact Slate’s welcome of Max into their world had been less than stellar. It kind of made him want to punch the earth warden in the face. But the man had won the Trials fair and square and he seemed to have