Akhgar is wearing a long colourful robe, made of purple and red fabrics, the appropriate clothes of a First Disciple. Mart admires him. He too has ordered fine clothes for the important Saviour Ship ceremonies but he wouldn’t wear them, not in this rain and when coming to the paper warehouse. Akhgar is frowning, holding a piece of paper in his hand. He gives the letter to Mart and starts explaining the contents of it with a furious yet upset tone.

“I’m sorry! It’s bad news! I know how close you were with Yuma…” Akhgar says, trying to decelerate his explanation to be slower than Mart’s reading speed. He wants him to read the news first and then hear it from him.

“They were close to the Parsana Ship. No one really knows what happened, but the fish had attacked their boat… We also heard their boat was wrecked in the storm. But our boats can stand the storms! One of the boatmen has survived. He was on the water for a few weeks and they say he has lost his mind…” Akhgar continues. Mart finishes reading the letter and tears it up furiously, throwing the pieces of paper into the slurry. He doesn’t say anything. He is happy in his heart that he hadn’t gone to find Tirad. Yuma, his dearest, most trusted friend had given his life for him this time. He is also glad that Tirad was not arrested; otherwise, they would lose their excuse to attack Atlan, even though he wonders how Tirad had hid himself in these four months.

“We shall hold an outstanding Parting Ceremony for them. We need everyone to feel raged for Yuma’s death: the first victim of the war!” Mart says excitedly, but Akhgar stops him.

“Of course! But I think we shouldn’t bring up the war…not just yet. We don’t want people to feel scared again and flee to the islands… One step at a time!” Akhgar says. But Mart is less patient than ever. He complains saying that they have already taken the first steps and they should start justifying the war for people. Yuma’s death is the best opportunity. They can even say he was killed by Tirad like the naval guard and the refugees and now Atlan has given him sanctuary. He asks what they are waiting for. Akhgar puts his hand on Mart’s shoulder, waiting for him to break and cry. But Mart is too reserved, not allowing himself to burst into tears. He will not cry, not for anyone’s death, not even for Yuma and especially not in front of these lowborn, worthless workers who are trying to figure out their conversation even though the rain sound wouldn’t allow them.

“Tirad is not in Atlan! All we know is that he was last seen in Parsana… We have no idea where he is… And if he doesn’t go to Atlan, we can’t claim anything,” Akhgar replies. Mart raises his voice saying it doesn’t matter where Tirad is and what he is doing. They don’t need for Atlan to declare Tirad’s arrival! They can just lie to people, saying Tirad has fled to Atlan. In this way, people will feel safe from the mad disciple that might attack their ships and burn them and they would have their excuse to start the war on Atlan. He insists they should start sooner, before the sea people forget all about Tirad. He believes they shouldn’t wait for the rain season to end.