Morning was firmly underway as the streets of Odlassi filled more and more.

  Everyone finally regrouped as the chroniclers returned with their wagon while their cloaked escorts roamed a few meters nearby.

  Conon occupied himself up the road with some stretches. His face slightly winced in the middle of his light exercises.

  Onyl stood atop of a small building and viewed the surroundings as if on surveillance. Except for a blink of her eyes, no other part of her face moved.

  Ythan simply stared down the road toward the city’s northern exit. There were no means to tell the number of times his eyes left town.

  Quin took in the fresh air one more time before he placed his mask on. He watched the chroniclers ready up their wagon and saddle up new horses.

  Even though the day began, it was really a continuation of yesterday.

  Quin had zero seconds of sleep, yet didn’t feel tired whatsoever. Was it just another perk of being a Sentar’i, he wondered.

  His sleep routine had been more or less the same everyday all his life, even in the Pit. He didn’t think it was simply an option.

  Like his newfound ease with stairs, Quin needed a moment to adapt with this new reality. It only lasted for a moment before he saw a lineup of people down a road.

  They all stood outside their doors while at each end of the line were a man and a woman, cloaked up and in masks.

  “Hands out!” ordered the female Tyroviv.

  The line obliged and they each stuck out the back of their hands. The Tyrovivs went down the line as they inspected each person. It seemed like a search for any black fingernails.

  The black nailed group had been nothing but suspicious ever since Quin laid eyes on them. After last night’s raid, they’ve found themselves under more scrutiny from the Cosondera.

  The Tyrovivs nearly finished their search when one person who appeared bored of the whole ordeal, decided to have a little too much fun.

  He openly flaunted his hands to the female Tyroviv as if he sported fancy rings on each finger. Her response didn’t sync with the levity.

  She swiped the back of her hand across the poor man’s face and he hit the ground hard with a force. He remained motionless.

  “Anyone else in a mood to be cute?” the Tyroviv raised. She received no answer. “Good. Next time simply present your hands, and we won’t show you ours. Now away with you.”

  Another day, another Yerp dropped. Quin just couldn’t understand why someone as strong as them would be so inclined to strike someone so weak.

  He shuddered to think how she would have dealt with the confrontation he had earlier that morning. He barely lifted a finger to take care the drunks; why did she have to raise a whole hand?

  “Alright, are we ready now?” asked Ythan. “I want to be halfway out of here by the time the sun’s halfway through the sky.”

  “Uh Bossman,” Conon addressed as he looked into the wagon. “We might wanna get a few more supplies. Maybe some more ‘erbs.”

  The blue cloak stared at his subordinate, his eye twitched for a split second before he responded, “No more delays.”

  He lifted his head toward his other subordinate. “Onyl! A task!”

  In a flash, she descended off the two storied building and swooped in next to the Neraviv. She awaited his next order.

  He reached down into his pouch then handed over a handful of coins. “We’ll be off on the road. Pick up some more items then catch up to us when you’re done.”

  “Understood. Is there anything you want in particular?”

  “Healing items mostly. It’ll be more for the Yerps than anyone else, so nothing potent.” Ythan then looked at Quin and groaned. “Actually, take new guy with you. Make him useful.”

  Quin’s only response was to look down and brood over the remark.

  “It shall be done,” Onyl affirmed. “Come along new g...err...come on Quin.”

  Onyl quickly departed the group and Quin, who had no say on the matter, quickly rushed after her.

  With the sun now upon them, the two didn’t have to travel up the towers to find any shops. Instead they could stay at ground level to accomplish their errands, a welcome relief for Quin.

  Eventually they came across a shop tucked within the north side of the isthmus. Inside, columns of shelves filled the wooden floor. Immediately next to them past the front door stood an empty counter.

  If there was a shopkeeper, they were lost in the sea of shelves. All of them were stocked with a variety of random doodads, books, and items Quin couldn’t identify.

  He could hear a few creaks on the floor, but the shelves obscured where they came from.

  A musk filled the air that made Quin lift his mask, it reminded him of his old home. The shop had a similar layout of clutter to his old home too. He couldn’t help but separate from Onyl as he looked around each shelf.

  Such an assortment of different items. Arranged in a seemingly haphazard way that they could hide in place.

  Stolen story; please report.

  In conditions like this, Quin could potentially run into something auspicious. He wanted to find it. His eyes scanned the shelves when something found him.

  “Quin? Is that you?” spoke a familiar voice behind him.

  He turned around and to his surprise found a familiar face under scruffy patches of facial hair. There was Lymon, he had an arm deep within a shelf.

  Quin’s jaw dropped in shock. “Lymon? What are you doing here?”

  “It is you and...is that a cloak outfit? What in madness are you doing in a cloak getup?”

  “No, it’s fine Lymon. I-”

  “No it’s not fine.” Quin’s old boss rose up to eye level. “Did your mind move out of your head? You’re traipsing a bear’s den. You’re skipping on thin ice. You’re playing with fire kid!

  “Last month, some guy stepped in it big time when he was pretending to be a cloak. D’you have any idea what they’ll do to you?”

  “Lymon, I stood out last month. I’m a Sentar’i now.”

  “You are?!” Lymon slumped back down and massaged his temples. “The world’s starting to spin,” he muttered. “What’s up is down. What’s left is right. I just don’t know what to make of anything these days.”

  “Yeah, it happened right before the festiv–oh by the way, thanks! You kept telling me how safe it’d be to bring some statuette somewhere, the trip nearly killed me.”

  “Oh, oh I get it. You want me to thank you for turning it in.” Lymon returned to his feet then looked at Quin with a straight face.

  “You have my utmost gratitude for delivering that statuette Quin. No one else would have made the trip in time. No one...unless y’know, they were a Sentar’i.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.”

  Onyl popped into Quin’s view from one of the aisles. “We will have to look somewhere else. I cannot find the shopkeeper.” Her gaze turned to Lymon. “Unless it is you.”

  “Oh, yeah yeah. Actually I’m filling in for a friend uh what can I help you with?”

  “I am looking for healing items. Where can I find them?”

  Lymon checked for the right place to point. “Uuuuuh...they should be further back over that-a-way. Have you checked?”

  “No I have not.” Onyl looked around the muddled mass of trinkets and tchotchkes. “Would you even have anything useful here?”

  “Well...we got nothing. We got something. We have anything. We have everything. You gotta look around, see what strikes your fancy.”

  Onyl didn’t care much for that answer and her scowl said as much. Fear covered Lymon’s face as he slowly slipped behind Quin.

  “Ag-again, I’m only covering for a friend. I don’t know this place as well as he would. I-I wish I can be more helpful but...”

  Onyl glared further for a few seconds before she proceeded to the back. Lymon sighed in relief.

  “Is that your friend?” he asked Quin.

  “Hmm-hmm. We’re teammates on a squad.”

  Lymon leaned over and whispered, “Why can’t she wear a mask?”

  Another person entered the shop, another Cosondere. Taller than Quin but in a mask as well, he showed no concern for the items he bumped off the shelves.

  “Another friend of yours?” Lymon asked as he took notice. “Does he have enter like an animal?”

  “We don’t all know each uh-”

  Lymon quickly rushed over to the other Tyroviv who bumped their way back to the front and the counter.

  “Welcome,” the old man greeted as he hurried over. “Your friends weren’t as quiet as you.”

  “I assume you work here,” said the Cosondere with a blunt tone.

  “Yeah, I’m just here for a fav-”

  “Your backhands. Stick them out. Now.”

  Lymon hesitated a little. His face sunk somewhat while his jittery eyes went back and forth. Quin, off to the side possessed a puzzled look.

  “Are you deaf? I said, NOW!”

  Lymon revealed his hands without delay. As far as Quin knew, Lymon had nothing to hide, yet it looked like he could be seized any second.

  Quin already had to move on from the scene he saw outside. To see another “Protector of the Domain” trouble some innocuous Yerp, Quin could easily see why people gave them black looks.

  If he had any question to ask the Aerviv, Quin would ask why he didn’t put his foot down sooner on the matter.

  “I don’t recall seeing your face,” said the Cosondere as he inspected. “You’re new?”

  “Well not really, I’m just doing a favor for the owner. They’re not here at the moment, but I can-”

  “So the person I know who mans this store I frequent is gone, and is instead manned by a face I’ve never seen before. Is that right?”

  “Well...only temporarily sir.”

  “Temporarily’s not a number. Temporarily can last a long while. So I’ll tell you what, I’ll go ahead and hold on to something nice as collateral and if the owner returns, it’ll return. Temporary.”

  Quin could see right through the Cosondere’s scheme, no doubt Lymon could as well.

  Actions like this played a big role in why people had problems with the cloaks. Quin no longer wanted to spectate but he remembered what happened the last time he confronted another Tyroviv.

  He couldn’t count on another bailout. As he placed his mask down, he considered his options.

  Lymon raised his hands to try and rein in the conversation. “Now hold on sir, I can’t just give things away when the owner’s not-”

  “I don’t think you understand, I don’t know you, so you’re already suspicious to me. So if you don’t want to end up in shackles, you’ll-”

  “You’ll leave him to me,” spoke Quin who revealed himself from behind an aisle.

  The Cosondere stared down at his smaller colleague. “To you? And who exactly are you? Why should I listen to you?”

  “Why?” Quin paused briefly. “Because I got here first, that’s why. I’m already here searching around. You’re just wasting time when there’s things to do, so go do them.”

  The Cosondere stepped up to Quin. “In all madness, who do you think you are?”

  “Nothing but madness,” he answered as he stood up to his taller compeer. “Now if you want, we can have Ner. Fulira settle this, but if you don’t want to wait...” A sudden draft blew a few items around him. “We can just sort this out right now.”

  A tense standoff ensued. Quin breathed calmly as he prepared himself, ready to force his bluff if necessary.

  The Cosondere simply stood and simply stared when he broke eye contact. Something or someone appeared in his field of view. He scoffed as he stepped back.

  “I’ll remember this,” he declared in his departure. “I’ll remember that hair. You better believe we’ll see each other again.”

  The Tyroviv exited and Quin exhaled into his mask in relief. He would not be a repeat offender at that moment. He sighed at the depths he’d have to go to uproot the Sentar’i spirit. More and more, it proved itself a tall task.

  “What was that all about?” Onyl voiced behind him. Her countenance screamed incredulity as she approached with crossed arms.

  Lymon followed after her, Quin never saw him scurry to her. She awaited a response.

  “Oh, that. Just some minor issue, nothing crazy.”

  “Nothing crazy? It looked like you were about to attack him. Look Quin, we can have our differences, but if it gets to the point that we attack each other, then what are we even doing as Cosondera?”

  What a question for the ages, Quin thought. He had no answer.

  “Hey don’t pile on him too much,” Lymon chimed in. “He actually did me a huge solid just now.”

  Onyl looked to Lymon with scorn. He shrank behind the shelves. She then tucked her head down and organized her thoughts.

  “I thought you were going to show the red aura,” she murmured.

  Quin tilted closer. “What?”

  “I said I saw you using your aura. What were you thinking?”

  “Sorry. Sorry. I was thinking on the fly.”

  “Well next time, think on the ground.”

  Onyl went up to make her purchase, all the while she continued to make quick glares at Quin. She slid the coins inward on the counter before she collected all of the items. Lymon slid a coin back.

  “It’s the least I can do to thank you,” he stated with a wink.

  Onyl forcefully slid it right back. “Just. Take. The coin,” she commanded.

  Transaction made, the two Tyrovivs made their way for the exit. Unless they had a few more trips to make, it would be Quin’s final minutes in Odlassi. The ancient isthmus city provided some good and bad in his short visit.

  He learned something new with his wind arts and had the chance to connect with his team. Moreover, it looked like they’ve warmed up to him too except for Ner. Fyful of course.

  Still, it was progress and Quin looked forward to whatever was next.

  “It was nice seeing you again Quin,” Lymon called out. “Come find me when you get back to Sirqu, I’ll have something nice for you. Take care.”