Back when the Fatui Harbingers were just forming and in fact Piero was only working with Tsaritsa and Capitano, there was a difficult task in recruiting people who would share their common goal in overthrowing the old world order of Celestia's power. It was then that word reached Piero about a heretic from Sumeru who had been kicked out of the Academia for unacceptable experiments and unacceptable behaviour for the students.

Without bothering with going together with Fatui soldiers, the man travelled straight to the region of tropical jungles and scalding desert sands. He must have special powers, because finding the expelled scholar from the Academia was not difficult for him. Even when it comes to vast distances and terrain that isn't even inhabited by humans.

His heavy figure moved silently among the sands until Piero found the very man - a young man, not different in appearance from any other young scientist of his years, but if the rumours were true, he had great potential hidden in him. Before Zandik, that was the young man's name, could gather his poor stock of scientific tools and flee from the temporary shelter of the old sandstone ruins, Piero's shadow covered him, making the young man feel someone else's presence nearby.

"Zandik, is that you?"