Lexy pulled the hood over her head and looked at Varikin who for a short moment looked like he had blue crystals coming out of him.

Leo, who was also wearing a cloak turned to Lexy that brought her out of her staring at Varikin,

“Alright kid, there are a few rules I need you to follow if you want this success, number one mostly for you NEVER take off that hood. Second, don’t talk unless you're talking to me or Varikin. Third, don’t stay in one place long. There are a lot of guards and religious folk in the town lately. Any questions?”

Lexy nodded and took a glance at Varicin then looked back to Leo who had yellow and green eyes with white hair and green stripes on his cheeks,

“yeah I know I haven't been spotted so why do I need the hood and dogs don’t talk?”

Varikin gave a soft snarl at the remark and looked away.

Leo pulled down Lexy’s hood,

“your hair. Your hair color is equivalent to gold. It may be common to you but here that would be like finding the greatest treasure of all time. Also, many would love to get their hands on a human so keep that in mind not everything is petals and roses also Varikin is not a dog. He’s a wolf, get it right.”

Lexy nodded,

“ok got it.”

Leo gave a soft smile,

“Alright come on” with that he began to lead Lexy and Varikin to the town.

The three got to the gateways of the city. Carriages and merchants passed in and out of the town. Lexy looked up at the broken welcome sign and muttered,

“Well, that’s welcoming” her voice dripped with sarcasm.

The three got through the gates and entered the town. The trio entered the square of the town and Lexy felt her blood run cold when she saw three sets of gallows with overly cheery signs saying executions every Tuesday and Friday. Today is Monday. Lexy felt a chill and whispered to Leo,

“Who will they be executing?”

Leo lowered his head,

“criminals and slummers. rebels are to be captured and then interrogated for info.” He whispered back at Lexy.

Leo then continued leading. While Lexy frowned and whispered back,

“What's a slummer?”

Leo sighed softly,

“A slummer is someone who has refused to give up their firstborn and taxes. First, you will be sent to the slum zones for a month then if you still refuse you are either enslaved or executed as of recently.” Lexy fell silent and continued to stay close to Leo.

They left the town square and entered a nicer part of the city. The houses went from clay misshaped walls to clay brick walls and glass windows. Even the paths looked better and far more maintained. Leo suddenly made a sharp left turn into a dark alleyway with a dead end.

Leo stepped up to the wall and knocked five times on the wall then spoke

“End to the king” the stone wall opened to an open cave with crystals and stalagmites coming from the ceiling.

Leo, Lexy, and Varikin step inside, and the entrance seals behind them. Leo smirked,

“Lexy I present to you the black markets, where people can sell whatever they like”

Lexy looked around almost dazed by the exotic smells and seeing the unique products.

Leo took off his hood and turned to Lexy “alright we came here to get you some knives, yes?”

Lexy nodded “yes that is correct?”

Leo turned around,

“Good, then I know where to start” Leo then began to lead her and Varikin through the markets.

Lexy looked at all the shops when she passed. When she saw one that was a cart covered in vines and it was being hauled by a deer fox. Wonder captivated her, she approached the deer fox and gazed at it with curiosity shining brightly in her eyes.

Leo and Varikin stopped after they realized they lost her, and Leo turned on a dime and saw just what captured Lexy’s curiosity.

Leo walked up to Lexy while he chuckled. Seeing what stopped her, "first time seeing one? It's majestic and so much more. They are called deer foxes and it’s very rare to see one let alone tame one. They are very proud creatures”

Lexy gazed into its eyes and turned to Leo “majestic as it is, it's not what we came here for.”

Leo nodded in an agreement,

“Right, good to see you don’t have your head in the clouds. we should look around but don’t stray too far from me again. There are the occasional bounty hunters and there are probably a lot of people who would love a human with powers and golden colored hair.”

Lexy sweated at Leo’s statement,

“Right, so Leo I have been wondering since you guys said humans can't do magic. I'm going to say it is safe to assume that I am not fully human. But to my question can everyone but humans do potions and spell casting?”

Leo walked with her and gave a thought-full expression,

"well you can’t do magic, magic like a wizard can what you’re thinking of is someone’s ability every magical creature usually has a special ability that is unique to them and them alone there are very few exceptions to this,”

Leo paused and looked around,

“Also, something else to think about is your ability to move from our realm, and to the veil is unheard of. By the way, have you found any repercussions to your ability? It is just half my job to know this.”

Lexy felt herself shuddering when she remembered the teeth, the headaches, and coughing up blood.

“Yes, I cough up blood if I use it over two times. But I have a question: can magic grow?”

Leo nodded,

“I'll have to keep that in mind but yes magic can grow. I've seen someone take a minor ability and grow it to something extradentary.” Leo looks up and spots the shop he was looking for. He quickly leads her up to it and stood in her view of the shop,

“You said knives, yes?”

Lexy nodded, Leo smirked and stepped aside so she could see the shelves upon shelves of knives for sale. All surrounding the merchant. Lexy was about to talk but then remembered Leo’s warnings,

“Maybe you should talk to the merchant.”

Leo nodded,

“ok, so less on preference just as long as it's sharp?”

Lexy nodded,

“yup”

Leo took out a bag of shearlings and walked up to the salesmen. Which was a red-colored dragon blooded.

“Excuse me but how many blades can I get that are throwmenship and magic grade?”

The merchant took out a box filled with long triangle knives with circles after the handle that had no center.

“ I can offer that whole box for ten silver pieces..”

Leo raised a brow,

“These are not magic grades, who do you think you're trying to fool?”

The merchant shook his head,

“Sorry I don't have what you want. The dark apostles have been buying up a lot of the weaponry around here. But I do have these. They're throwing knives just not magic grade.”

Leo frowned,

“What are they planning? Do you know?”

The dragon blooded shuddered,

“no, I don't but hey, the switchblades are on sale.”

Leo raised a brow and picked up one of the throwing knives,

“I'll pay five silver.”

The dragon blooded seemed to think this over for a bit,

“Alright, you have a deal.”

Leo pulled five small silver coins and handed them to the dragon blood.

The dragon blooded then handed Leo the box.

With the box of knives in hand, Leo walked up to Lexy and Varikin,

“Alright, that’s it for you?”

Lexy nodded,

“yup”

Leo smirked,

“Well, there are a few more things I want to get for myself. I need some more glass test tubes.”

Lexy smiled,

“Thanks, Leo”

Leo shrugged a small smile found its way onto his face,

“Sure thing kid.” He led Lexy to a glass shop and bought himself a small box of thin oval test tubes.

“ok I think that will do, come on”

Lexy nodded and resumed to follow Leo when she saw a hooded man that was seemingly about to walk past them. When he pulled a knife out and went to grab Varicin.

Lexy quickly threw a knife at the hooded man. The man dodged, this caused his hood to go down. Revealing the man had a black boar mask on his face with piercing green eyes. He had a small braid that started from his front dark silver-blue hairs and was tucked to the back of his hair while the rest of his hair was combed back. He narrowed his gaze at Lexy and Leo,

“Give me the wonder wolf.”

His voice was monotone and gruff.

Lexy narrowed her eyes and brought out her father's knife.

“Over your dead body.”

The man shook his head,

“I doubt that.”

He then snapped his fingers. Lexy and Leo could only watch when a dome of grey energy was made around them. Lexy felt her stomach churn and coughed up blood. Leo rushed in front of her and smashed a potion against the ground. His eyes widened when all this did was leave shattered glass and liquid on the floor.

“Dead magic.”

Leo cursed under his breath and the boar masked man pulled out a sword,

“Now I'm going to ask again, give me the wonder wolf.”

Varikin growled and stepped up teeth bared while snarling. The man gazed into Varikin’s eyes and for a short moment, there was a flash of purple in the wolf's eyes.

The man sighed,

“Ah, I see, alright this is pointless. Have a good life.”

Lexy narrowed her eyes and the dome fell. Quickly Lexy went to go after them when Leo stopped her and shook his head,

“It’s not worth it, let's just head back.”

With that, Leo led Lexy and Varikin out of the black markets. The three are back in the city. The three enter the city square and Lexy shudders at the sight of the gallows.

The three are leaving the city through the front gates and the three-stop for a short moment as they watch ten cartloads of slummer families and prisoners being hauled by tiger horses.

Leo had a look of sympathy and regret in his eyes,

“come on it's not worth staring”

Lexy nodded and the three left the city and started to head back to the base.

Leo looked to Lexy when he took back her cloak,

“tell Alcore about the slummers being sent to the gallows.”

Lexy nodded,

“I will”

Leo nodded and he left for the lab.

Lexy looked around and saw Fendres. Lexy walked up to her,

“Hey Fendres, do you know where Alcore is?”

Fendres looked to Lexy,

“Oh yeah he is in his office down that hall and then it’s the third door to the left.”

Lexy nodded,

“Thanks, Fendres.” Lexy quickly headed down the hall and stopped at the third door to the left. Lexy knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Lexy heard from the other side.

Lexy walked in with Varikin shortly behind and saw Alcore working with a hologram. He turned to her and surprise came on his face,

“oh hi Lexy, what do you need?”

Lexy tightened her grip on her box of knives,

“When I and Leo were leaving the city we saw ten cartloads of slummers all coming into the city. They're going to be hung tomorrow.”

Alcore’s expression changed to a smirked,

“It's ok I'll take care of it come by tomorrow and watch you'll see I'll take care of it. But before you go head to Jackson he has a training session set up for you.”

Lexy frowned,

“ok, just ok?” Lexy exited Alcore’s office and turned to Varikin.

“I don't suppose you know where Jackson is?”

Varikin just huffed and looked away.

Lexy’s frown deepened

“Well, you are not very helpful. I’ll just ask one of the other captains where Jackson is.”

Lexy walked through the halls and got to the cafeteria.

Lexy looked around to see Fendres talking to someone Lexy did not recognize. Lexy walked up to the two. “hey Fendres”

Fendres looked at Lexy with a solemn expression on her face.

“Hey kid this is Jennie” Jennie gave a small wave.

Lexy smiled,

“hi I'm Lexy”

Jennie leaned back a bit,

“Ah, so you're the one Talo challenged, good luck with that.”

Lexy scratched her arm.

“Thanks, I think I'll need it but not the point Fendres do you know where Jackson is?”

Fendres shrugged,

“Yes, he is in one of the training rooms waiting for you two I think.”

Lexy nodded,

“Thanks, Fendres”.

Fendres nodded and pointed to the hallway Lexy came from. “you head down that hallway take a right and it will open to the training rooms after a bit of a downwards hallway”

Lexy smiled,

“Thanks again”, and with that, the blond-headed back down the hallway she came from and took a right to see the hallway, as fenders said, sloped downwards. Lexy continued down until it opened to a very large area with multiple dummies around the room. Yet Jackson was not there despite there being other trainees in the room.

Lexy turned the corner and saw Jackson standing against the wall,

“There you two are, I was wondering if you were going to take any longer. Come on” Jackson brought Lexy to one of the training areas.

He turned back to Lexy,

“Alright, I want you to try to punch me or injure me, use whatever you can except for outside help. That means you Varikin”

Varikin nodded and backed away from Lexy. He walked over to the side and sat down.

Lexy tilted her head “ok so just try to punch you?”

Jackson nodded and got ready. Lexy set down the box of knives behind her and picked up one while pocketing her free hand. Lexy turned around to face Jackson and had a smile on her face with a knife in hand. Lexy bolts at Jackson with the knife.

Jackson prepared for the knife while watching it but was quickly surprised to see Lexy drop the knife at the last second and go in for a punch to the gut. She knows she can’t reach his face, so she goes somewhere she can.

Jackson quickly stops the punch and holds her fist tight with his left hand. Lexy quickly goes in for a kick to his left. Jackson stops it with his right hand, and he realizes what she did, but it is far too late.

Jackson expected a punch from this small child to be equivalent to a tickle. This is not what happens when her fist meets his face Varikin, Jackson, Lexy and all the other trainees in the room all hear a sickening crunch. Jackson feels his jaw and nose begin to pulse with pain.

All the trainees stopped and watched Jackson stagger back while he held his face and dropped Lexy. Many gasps while some just gazed with wide eyes while Lexy quickly hopped back to her feet and looked just at what she did.

Lexy gasped,

“oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I should not have gone that far.”

Jackson let his hands down and saw the blood on it,

“no I said punch me you very successfully did so. I’ll be fine. I have been through worse.” With that, he wiped away some of the blood.

“Alright let's try that again and don't hold back”

Lexy nodded and rushed towards Jackson. She went to use both hands to punch him only for him to stop both. Lexy quickly used this as an opportunity to kick Jackson in the bladder.

Those who were watching gasped while some chuckled.

Jackson let out a high-pitched whine and dropped Lexy.

“Alright, I think that will be all for today. I'll come up with something better tomorrow, this isn't going to work the way I intended it.. ”

He spoke in a strained voice.

Lexy frowned softly and nodded, concern for him not fading from her. But she agreed,

“yeah, I’ve got to get home soon anyway.” Lexy picked up the knife she dropped and put it back with the others in the box.

Lexy turned to Varikin,

“Come on, let's go home” and with that, they went and passed Fendres.

Fendres chuckled having watched the whole thing,

“who knew Tethys’s mighty power would come down on you in the form of a toothpick.”

Jackson glared “oh shut up.”

*****

The man with a black boar mask and dark silver-blue hair walked out to three men in the desert. One was Albis, his one hole here twitched slightly in the wind. Albis raised a brow at the man with a mask.

“I don't see a wonder wolf Tarvos.”

Tarvos shrugged,

“Sorry but the wolf is already bonded. Unless you want a bonded wonder wolf?”

Albis shook his head and pulled out a file,

“No, we have a change of targets. See to it that you succeed this time.”

Albis handed the file to Tarvos.

Tarvos let out a breath when he looked at the picture in the file. The picture was of Lexy,

“Sorry kid but it looks like that nice life I talked about. It doesn't exist for you.”