Joe clenched his fist. He stopped, still staring at Leon.

  “Mmmmm, what’s it boy? Why roll your hand into a fist?” Leon asked.

  “Guild Master, are you good?” Joe asked.

  “Yeah…..”

  “You just ignored us?” Azeya asked, walking in close.

  Joe gave a big sigh, looking straight at Azeya. “I’m pissed. I’m sorry, but can you—”

  “Do you know I can kill you without touching you?” Leon said, moving closer than Azeya.

  “I don’t think you want to play that game,” Joe said. “Cause I can also kill you without touching you. Both, actually,” he added, closing the distance.

  “And I don’t want to die without a fight, regardless, Leon,” Jrabic said. “You might need him. He knows Sky, seen Ben, and everyone else who might be important.”

  “Seems like the Guild Master has a business mind. Might you think of changing? Maybe try being a trader,” Azeya said.

  “Seems I needed you, then I’ll reconsider. Walking today wasn’t my idea; I’ll meet you later,” Leon said.

  He was about to leave when he felt something. ‘Sarcasm,’ Leon thought, as Joe ricocheted off the wall.

  “Don’t worry Guild Master, I won’t damage him,” Leon said. Jrabic could only watch.

  “Yes, don’t worry,” Joe said, fog starting to claim the room.

  “Joe, I ran from my wife. I’m not up for this,” Jrabic said.

  “As you wish, Guild Master,” Joe replied, just standing.

  “Don’t worry boy, it was a joke. I can’t kill you without touching you,” Leon said, smiling as he left.

  The wall stood strong, though it bent inwards—a depression from Joe’s body.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Till next time,” Leon said.

  They finally walked away, leaving Joe and the Guild Master in the resting area for the adventurers.

  “I don’t think trying to have a score with such a person is a good idea,” Jrabic said.

  “Or vice-versa. We should stop being in fear of people who stay in hiding, never moving,” Joe replied.

  “Well, I was just warning you,” Jrabic said. “But anything interesting?”

  “You mean Sky? Was that what he also came for?”

  “Yes. I think it’s important to presume that she is important, otherwise you might have been with me,” Jrabic said, just before bursting into laughter.

  “No….”

  “Did you see the speed? No, you didn’t. Damn it, you still got work!” Jrabic intervened, laughing at the end again.

  “I’m also fast. He just caught me off guard.”

  “Joe off guard?”

  “Yeah, well, I was in another fight. Saw two other hiders—might be at the same level as Leon,” Joe said.

  “That’s a hard one, but you saw them, not me,” Jrabic said. “Question: did he punch you or push you?”

  Joe spat out, a tooth falling off. “A punch, I guess,” he said, swiping the blood off his lips.

  ........

  “Found you. Took more time than expected,” Rheis said, looking at another girl, older than both her and Wendy.

  “Who are you?”

  “Just two people looking for Ell. I know you have her.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she replied.

  “Hold her,” Rheis said, staring at the woman.

  ........

  “What’s happening there?” Sky asked.

  “Ohh,” Ben said, removing Dakota’s finger from his mouth. “She hurt herself, somewhere between the nails, so I was trying to help.”

  “Tork just arrived, and she has something you might want to see. Both of you,” Sky said. Dakota and Ben followed her as she went back.

  Tork had a clay pot, covered in blue on top.

  “This was her color. It’s part of the tradition to get the ashes—especially the color that most elders see after the death of a former elder,” Tork said, looking at Ben and Dakota. Dakota, in particular, was already crying.

  “She died on duty. The duty she was chased from doing; a duty of protecting,” Tork said, her voice heavy despite the formality of the ritual.

  She extended her hands, giving the pot to Sky, who held it together with Ben and Dakota, each holding it as carefully as the other.

  “For a good friend you turned out to be,” Sky said.

  “For you being you,” Dakota said, tears flowing down her face.

  “For the presence and happiness that you brought to us.”

  “We thank and forever appreciate you. We will carry your name through our hearts,” Sky said.

  ........

  “So, what happened with you guys?” Azeya asked.

  “Found a man named Varok at Sky’s house, then Ryke fought Varok and Joe,” Sherlyn said.

  “Then two more came. One strong enough to force everyone to his knees, while the other was fast enough….”

  “Yeah, ‘fast enough’ is good. I think that’s all we can explain,” Ryke said, sitting down.

  " Then it's time we up your training, seems like your a further away from being prepared." Azeya said, sinking in the couch.

  ........

  “You have been moving a lot. What is happening?” one asked the other.

  “What is happening? I don’t know. That’s why I’m also actively trying to figure it out.”

  “And what have you found?”

  “My life? No, just kidding,” the man said, laughing through it. “More or less, I guess I want to see what others fear,” the man added, readjusting his previous sentences.

  "This place, our once dreamland," the man said, not giving the others a chance to speak.

  "A place fit for the top of the food chain," another added—a woman's voice.

  "The air, the sunlight, the ever-shining ground, the chairs in limiters, and the big houses... the first cardinals knew what they were doing," another said, this time a man.

  ........

  “What happened here?” a man asked. A little girl was standing at the entrance of an alleyway.

  “Nothi—I mean, I don’t know,” she replied.

  “No, that’s not the truth.”

  “Stay out of it,” the girl warned.

  “Wait... girlie, you did this?” the man said, starting to back off. “How can a girl kill a man like that? You are not a girl, not human! Where’s the body? There's just blood!”

  “Yes, I’m not human. So was this man,” the girl said, starting to walk towards him.

  The man ran into the market, bumping into people, turning here and there to check for the little, skinny girl.