Life turned monochrome after the war. Black and white days turned to grey and turned into weeks, then into months, then into years. Three years had gone by the moment Viktor found himself thinking about it in his office. He'd survived the events inside the rune thanks to Jayce, and hadn't spoken to anyone else about it, and after two years working as professor he had stepped up and become the dean of the Academy.

The thought of the battle sent thrills up his spine, as it did to anyone who'd seen either the crossfire or the aftermath of it. It haunted the sister cities like a dark sky that never leads to rain, that vanishes and reappears every now and then.

Still, Viktor thought himself lucky. The rune had lessened the illness in his lungs, but had not fixed the limp, nor the shape of his spine or the pain that came with it; but he was alive. Both him and Jayce were, and that was already more that what he thought possible in the void inside the wild rune.

Alas, life went on, and since the New Council seemed decent enough now that Zaun was represented, Viktor had chosen to stay as far away fron them as po—

“They're brainless.”

The councilwoman was a normal happening in his office since they, technically, worked in the same building.

“You do know how to knock, don't you?”

Viktor said to Sevika, smiling down at the papers he was grading, because he was used to the situation, and couldn't help but tease her.

“I'm blocking their every move but these topsiders are as fucking dense as the Grey.”

Sevika's rage was not unfounded. Topside council members outnumbered Zaunites five to one. The new members; Pyotr Ivanov, Madame Giopara, Kell Arvino, and Janine Holloran, were led by Shoola, all of which didn't know anything apart from Bluewind Court and unyuelding respect from enforcers. It was the same as before, but shiny and with Sevika as Zaun's only representative.

“I can imagine.”

Viktor said, just a second before there was a kind knock on his door and {{user}} excused themselves in.