The day wore on as Jarael sped through the skies towards Faimeh. Night came as the sun disappeared from the horizon to their right. Leona eventually fell asleep on Jarael’s back.

“How do you think the prince got the T’lakr to move so fast?” Tavus said to Jarael quietly, the white dragon puffed out a trail of black smoke.

“It’s obviously dark magic, strong dark magic. But I shudder to think how Demvross managed to teleport those many monsters to a place so far and all at the same time,” Jarael replied.

“Do you think that he’ll catch up with us again sooner or later?”

“Yes, I am afraid so. Though I think that they’ll be hindered for the time being considering the damage we’ve dealt him, unless Ramadak sends his other son. However, I’m not so sure about the T’lakr. Ramadak is breeding more of them at an alarming rate.”

“How are we going to outrun them, then? If their troops are continuously being replenished, the three of us wouldn’t stand a chance! I can ask father to send some of our men to fight them,” Tavus said, Jarael shook his scaly head.

“I appreciate your willingness to help, Tavus. But this is magic that we are facing. Even if you send legions of mortal men against these people, it will all be in vain. They are more powerful than all of Ramorgra’s troops put altogether. No, it wouldn’t just be the three of us when the time comes.”

“If all goes well we may have some powerful alliances by then,” Jarael replied.

“Like who? The Elves?” Tavus asked, confused.

Night turned to day again. Tavus woke up as the dawn shone pink against the clouds just above them. He sat bolt upright and pointed as the terrain changed in front of them.

The flat plain that loomed in front of them was broken as tiny figures of buildings appeared. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from the miniscule chimneys.

“That’s Faimeh!” he exclaimed, Leona opened her eyes blearily.

“Are we there yet?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“We’ll reach the city in about an hour.”

Jarael landed a league away from the city.

“How are we going to go in there undetected?” Tavus asked, “I escaped from prison there a few days ago.”

Leona approached Jarael as the latter turned into a horse.

“Jarael,” she said quietly, “What are we doing here in Faimeh in the first place?”

“Anthea told us to meet with Lord Thu’ril. He’ll be able to help us locate your Ifla Merum.”

“Well, can you glamour me and Tavus until we get there?” she asked, “At least until we pass by the sentries.” She patted his white neck.

They cautiously entered Faimeh shortly afterwards. The city buzzed with various morning activities despite the patrols prowling the streets every so often.

The scent of freshly baked bread wafted towards them, Leona felt her stomach complain. They haven’t eaten anything since two days before.

A round of shouting came from the butcher’s shop as the stocky butcher wagged a dangerous-looking meat cleaver at an unsatisfied customer, followed by roars of laughter coming from the fishmonger’s shop next door. Children played and fought in the streets as their mothers reprimanded them while fetching water from the city well. Such events reminded Leona painfully of home.

“To think I was here barely a month ago,” Tavus said wistfully, “I never thought I’d enter Faimeh fearing for my safety.” Leona nodded somberly. She felt the same when they entered Glavonica the day her grandparents were abducted.

Leona looked at Tavus through her glamoured green eyes. His soft brown hair was jet black, as he requested of Jarael. Leona allowed herself a small smile as she threw her then curly raven hair over her shoulder.

Jarael steered them through the streets, hooves clacking noisily on the cobblestones. They passed by the identical stone houses characteristic of Faimeh’s stand on uniformity. Tavus showed Leona some of the city’s landmarks: like the City Hall, a great white castle in the center of area, and a small abandoned church on the southern side of the city. Vines climbed through broken stained-glass windows. Leona stared reflectively at the run-down place of worship, a sign that the people have completely forgotten, and abandoned, their gods… a spot deep within her recoiled unexpectedly at the sight.

She focused on the road as Jarael turned a corner and the church went out of sight. “Jarael, do you know where you’re going?” she asked quietly.

“I can sense him,” Jarael said shortly, cautious not to move his snout too much. Tavus turned to him with a grin on his face.

“What does it feel like being a horse?” he asked. Jarael grunted. Tavus laughed and slapped his flank. Jarael almost reared and nearly kicked Tavus.

After half an hour Jarael stopped in front of a smith’s workshop, relieved that there were no people other hanging around.

“Go knock on the door,” Jarael snapped at Tavus. The latter stood behind them, perplexed.

“But this is where I had my training,” he said quietly, “You’re saying my teacher was a god?”

Tavus did so, and after a few moments the door opened slightly and a face with a wild bushy beard peered outside. “Who is it?”

“Olfragh!” Tavus exclaimed, “It’s me, Tavus!”

The man, Olfragh, opened the door further. “Tavus? You don’t look the least like Bonn Vedir’s son,” he said with a frown creasing his bushy eyebrows.

Tavus turned to Jarael, “It’s all right. I know him.”

Leona jumped off Jarael. The glamour dropped as Jarael stood up behind Leona stretching and rubbing his shoulders.

Olfragh’s eyes grew wide with surprise.

“Tavus!” he said, clapping him on the shoulder with a massive hand, Tavus’ knees buckled under the impact.

“Good to see you, me boy!” Olfragh beamed, and then turned to Jarael and Leona, his face turned solemn.

“Jarael nad Giraj. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” he said. Jarael placed his hand on his chest and bowed.

“It is also a pleasure to see you again, Lord Thu’ril.”

Olfragh nodded approvingly, and then his eyes found Leona. She froze under his steely look.

“And you must be her, then. The girl goddess, Shaeryva. Mu ba githlar, me gretka,” he said, bowing to Leona.

Leona blushed at the gesture, annoyed that she’s bombarded with Erwaddian Elvish so early in the morning, and curtsied briefly, “Y-you can just call me Leona, sir.”

Olfragh straightened up. “Very well, Leona.” He gestured for them to enter his home.

“You are my guests,” he boomed. “And I am greatly honored. Please feel free to make yourselves at home.”

Olfragh’s house was small but clean. It reminded Leona of the smith’s house back in Haikhan. Tools were everywhere, and various weapons of all kinds hung from the walls and piled up on the tables. Olfragh told them to sit in his waiting room. He returned a few minutes later wearing a frilly apron and holding a tray with a pot, some teacups, and a plate of biscuits on it. He placed them on the table and took off the apron with a flourish.

“Got that from the seamstress next door,” he said turning bright pink at his guests’ expression. He turned serious almost at once, “Anthea told me you were coming, how is she?”

Their expressions turned grave as Jarael told Olfragh of the events of the Chawall camp, and of Anthea’s untimely death at the hands of Prince Demvross.

Olfragh nodded gravely, he was silent for a moment. Then said quietly, “May the gods bless her soul and give her eternal happiness once the heavens open once again. She’s fought the endless war with Ramadak since the Fall. And ever since her support to the gods never faltered. Bless her.”

He turned to Leona and said, “I know that you may not know of the customs back at the Erwaddian Citadel. But for Anthea’s sake, give me your hand, Leona.”

Leona hesitated and stretched out her arm. Olfragh put his own hands slightly above hers. Then, the tendrils of power Leona experienced back at the Chawall camp returned and danced over her arms like small bolts of lightning. Teal-colored tendrils of power ran up and down Olfragh’s arms. A small orb of blue light appeared between their outstretched palms, gradually getting bigger and brighter. Olfragh was whispering words Leona could not hear nor understand. Finally, the orb of light flew out of the window and into the morning sun.

Leona watched as it disappeared. “Was that an Ealatona?” she asked. Olfragh chuckled a bit.

“No, that was a blessing sent to the heavens on Anthea’s part. Hopefully it will still be received.”

Tavus bowed down his head and clasped his hands together. Jarael looked somber and said nothing.

Olfragh then tended to their needs. They washed themselves up and were given clean clothes to wear. He also healed Jarael and Tavus’ wounds. They were fed and then he called unto Jarael and they settled in Olfragh’s office above the workshop.

Olfragh cast a spell over Tavus and Leona so they can wander around the city without being identified. Then he told them to go and to be back at sundown. The two left soon after saying their goodbyes.

“Anthea found out that Leona lost her Ifla Merum,” Jarael was saying. Olfragh stretched on his chair and frowned.

“How is that possible?” he said, “Leona was able to conduct a blessing well enough.”

“You don’t really need the essence to do such an activity,” Jarael reasoned. Olfragh nodded.

“True, true,” Olfragh agreed, “But it is alarming to know that. Without her Ifla Merum, an attack could be fatal to Leona. Let alone the fact that any sword can kill her!”

“Leona is set to finding her own,” Jarael said, lacing his fingers together, “How do you find the Ifla Merum anyway?”

Olfragh shrugged, “I really wouldn’t know. I never lost mine,” he said. “But the Ifla Merum is almost like a god’s second heart. Even if the mortal heart has stopped beating, the Ifla Merum lives on. That’s why it grants us immortality.”

Olfragh opened his hand and a teal-colored ball like a blob of molten rock appeared on his hand, tendrils of power crawling around it.

“The god or goddess will always know where his or her Heart lies,” he announced.

“But I am sure Leona will be able to find it on her own, rest assured that she will succeed,” Olfragh added, closing his palm. His Ifla Merum vanished. “Do not trouble yourself further, young Giraj. Your charge is special and you’ve done much, yourself. Let fate run its course.”

Tavus led Leona through the busy streets, glad of the chance to calm down after the previous day’s events.

“This is a really big city,” Leona remarked, craning her neck to see all the towering buildings around her. Tavus beamed.

“Yeah and there are lots of places to go to,” he said.

Tavus gladly announced that lunch was on him. Leona happily agreed.

They went to a quaint little inn called ‘The Eye of the Griffin.’ Tavus steered Leona inside.

“Olfragh used to take me here every weekend,” Tavus said. Leona nodded as she admired the little space.

There were several tables with four chairs each scattered before a wooden counter where a plump woman sat wiping some glasses. There were flowers everywhere from the windowsills to the tabletops. Leona smiled as she sat down one of the chairs Tavus held out for her.

“What would you like?” Tavus asked, seating himself on the chair opposite Leona. Before she could speak a little girl with bouncing blonde curls came up to her.

“My name’s Nareana,” the little girl said, “You must be Shaeryva!”

Leona and Tavus blanched, the other patrons in the inn eyed them curiously.

Leona held the little girl’s hand and said nervously while trying to sound casual, “What made you say that, Nareana?”

“I could feel it!” Nareana replied, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long to come by! And now you’re here!” she smiled even wider, showing rows of tiny white teeth.

“I –,” Leona started to say, but then the plump woman, who seemed to be the inn’s proprietress, hurried over to them looking embarrassed and her face burning scarlet.

“I’m sorry, young miss,” she said, roughly taking Nareana’s arm, “this is my adopted daughter. She’s,” the landlady paused, “different,” she said forcing a smile at Leona.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Leona said, looking at Nareana nervously as the latter squealed in pain. “She’s just a child…”

“Your meal will be on me,” the landlady said hastily, as she dragged Nareana angrily back behind the counter.

Leona and Tavus stared at them, dumbstruck.

“What a strange little girl,” Tavus whispered, “you don’t feel that the King has sent spies among these people?” he added urgently.

“No,” Leona said quietly, shaking her head and taking her eyes off the counter.

“I don’t think he did. They wouldn’t identify us even if there were, anyway. Let’s just be careful.”

Suddenly, sharp squeals and shouts came from somewhere at the back of the inn. Then there were sharp cracks like a whip that followed it.

Alarmed that Nareana could be hurt, Leona strode across the room, oblivious from the stares the other patrons shot at her and Tavus calling her.

She went around the counter and entered a door that led to the kitchen.

Leona gasped in horror as she saw Nareana on the floor whimpering and her face was tear-stained. The landlady held a leather belt in one hand and Nareana’s frail wrist on the other.

“What are you doing to that child?” she demanded furiously, the landlady let her daughter go.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, miss,” she said, tossing the belt away. “But this area is strictly off limits for patrons. I shall be with you in a minute while I take care of this,” another fake smile hid her annoyance and rage. Tavus entered the room as Nareana rushed crying to Leona.

“Please take me away from here, Shaeryva,” she sobbed. Leona held Nareana as the landlady yanked her back.

“Stop bothering our patrons, you pathetic wretch!” she hissed, Nareana cried even harder as she struggled to hold on to Leona’s dress.

Leona swatted the landlady’s hand away, furious.

The landlady dropped her strained smile and glared at Leona. “And why would you care? This is my daughter and I will do what I wish towards her! I am her mother!”

“Well you don’t seem like a good mother yourself!” Leona spat, pushing Nareana away towards Tavus. Tavus held on to the little girl while trying to calm down Leona.

“Leona, please stop it,” he said quietly.

“Shut up!” Leona snapped at him, “You saw how this woman abused that child!”

“I’d love to see your arses leave my establishment right now!” the landlady thundered. “And take that cursed child along! GET OUT!”

The landlady grabbed a broom and swatted at Leona and Tavus as if they were flies.

Leona glared at her hotly and shot back, “Gladly!”

Tavus steered Leona out of the inn, Nareana still clinging onto the hem of his shirt. He looked back at the inn with a reproachful glare.

“What a bitch,” he said quietly when they were a good distance from the inn. He lifted Nareana and carried her in his arms.

“I’m sorry we had to take you away from your mother, Nareana,” he said quietly. Nareana sniffed and flung her arms around Tavus’ neck.

“I hate her,” she sobbed, “She always does that to me.”

Leona put a comforting hand on Nareana’s face, “You’ll be fine now, I promise.”

Nareana smiled weakly and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Let’s see how you explain this to Jarael, Leona,” Tavus said.