The sudden crack of breaking fibers shattered the silence, sending up a cloud of dust and sparks that pulled everyone out of the ancient tragedy from centuries past.

"After the last big cat died on Ceres, the dragon carried these stories as their legacy to Ares, letting the remaining exiled clans know the fate of Shaka," Ali continued, staring into the fire.

"Back then, the Federation hadn’t yet forcibly relocated all carnivores to Pavor and restricted their movements. But that doesn’t matter now." Ali lifted his head, sweeping his gaze across everyone present.

"The most important part of that legacy is the ancient promise." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Our kind’s gradual decline, the road to destruction, is just an inevitable end to the journey. But even so, the dying should raise a weak fist against fate, spit their final words into the eyes of Death, and demand the debts owed to us." Ali opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

I could feel the resonance in the air, and... the anxiety and agitation of those around me. All the emotions. Even the flames seemed to burn brighter.

"I lift my lamp beside the golden door," Ali chanted, almost as if in prayer. It wasn’t a shout of anger, but more like a whispered plea, desperate to be heard.

The unfamiliar language, the incomprehensible words, the unheard sounds—without any way to reconnect with the dragon, we couldn’t even verify if the parts we remembered had strayed from the original version. Yet, for some reason, this string of seemingly meaningless syllables always stirred something deep within me, awakening... a ripple of emotion.

Maybe it was simply a regret for what our ancestors had endured, anger at those who broke their promises, or just the emptiness of my own powerlessness. I didn’t know. Maybe one day I would find the answer somewhere.

"All of Shaka’s descendants, remember this: it is the ancient promise, and one day we shall witness it fulfilled," Ali concluded, as usual, allowing everyone, including the newcomers, to reflect and remember our past.

I thought that for some, this might be more of a spiritual solace—whether a vent for dissatisfaction or a distant hope. But for some reason, an instinct I couldn’t quite name made me certain that this was literal—one day, we would see the promise fulfilled.

Sensing a different kind of vibration in the air, I tugged on Ali's sleeve. We exchanged a glance, and he nodded, understanding my meaning.

Ali quickly wrapped things up, giving a few final words and guiding everyone on a safe route out. I covered the fire with red sand until it was fully extinguished. After everyone had left, Ali returned to my side and patted my back, signaling me to follow him.

We always used different routes to minimize the risk of leaving a traceable pattern. As we approached the next intersection, I felt a disturbance and quickly pulled Ali into an alley.

"Damn Federation troops," Ali muttered under his breath as we pressed against the wall, scratching at the fur on his neck where his collar dug in.

It was a fully armed patrol squad, along with a heavy armored vehicle. This was different from the usual security forces in the colony; the black patches on their sleeves indicated they were genuine Federation soldiers.

As the squad passed, I watched the nearby residents’ doors and windows remain tightly shut, listening to the sound of the treads cracking the street beneath them. I couldn’t help but wonder why the military was here on Pavor. The Federation had never considered this place worth their effort or resources before.

Looking up, I could just make out a tiny black dot in the sky. It was different from the low-flying security drones I was used to—something I’d never seen before. But it seemed that this one could still be detected by my senses, so perhaps it shared some similarities with the security models? I had never understood how these sensations worked, only treating them as some sort of heightened survival instinct.

When the Federation troops were far enough away and Ali had found an entrance to the underground, I glanced back, searching the sky for the drone again. Faintly, I knew that the unchanging routine of our days was about to be disrupted by the arrival of the Federation’s forces.