In the center of a walled-off marketplace, residents gather around two robed figures. They’ve come here to buy good from the robed figures, trading whatever credits they’ve managed to scrape together in the past few days. The two robed figures do not come at any set interval, and it’s never known when they might not come again.

After buying his weekly provisions from the pair, a man tries to stab them in the back. He has the class Backstabber, which gives his quadruple damage against someone who just helped him. It’s a dubious class, but he undoubtedly deserved.

“Back, fiend,” Says the robed man, swinging a laser-sword behind his back. Nobody knew how he and the woman he traveled with managed to procure the science-fiction weapon, but it appeared instantly and cut the knife from the backstabber’s hand.

Immediately, the backstabber ran off, followed by a slew of residents who wanted to earn the merchants’ favor. The male merchant inwardly chuckled, certain the attack would have done zero damage.

“Was there any response to our notice?” The female merchant asks a familiar face, the leader of the walled-off marketplace.

“Not yet, but we’ve been asking anyone who comes near our gates,” Replies the man, stroking his beard. He himself has spent several days asking passing travelers if they require services for locating missing friends or family.

“Then it’s all fine,” The woman says and backs away, closer to her male companion. The two exchange brief words, then turn to the leader man.

“We’ll be staying for a few days this time. If you could give us a place to sleep, that’d be very appreciated,” The man says.

“Of course. We still have your last residence available for you.” Says the leader, glad the merchants will be staying another day.

“Then, all is good,” The man says and smiles. He turns to the woman next to him, and they walk off to where they will be staying. They stayed for three days just two weeks ago and, during that time, provided a slew of improvements for the settlement.

The merchants could not be asked to fix a problem, but they would fix anything they stumbled upon. They said it was to avoid greed so that only those with luck and good fortune would see him at their abode.

These two merchants are Ryan and Mindy, now traveling as cosplayers of galaxy knights. When Ryan could not locate Mindy’s parents, they both decided to travel from city to city and help others who were looking for their children or parents, brothers or sisters, or just friends.

Five miles away, to the northeast, explosions go off, alerting everyone in the walled-off marketplace settlement.

“What do you think that was?” Ryan asks Mindy.

“Let’s check it out,” She replies, and the two leave their residence.

In the walled-off marketplace, residents are already gathering at the northeastern wall, looking through long sheets of glass that make the majority of it. In the distance, Ryan can see an explosion’s cloud of flames reaching the sky.

“Someone with heavy ordinance,” Ryan groans, remembering the injuries he sustained the last time he fought with someone who managed to obtain a rocket launcher.

“We better see if they’re friendly before they have the chance to blow up this place,” Mindy says, standing right beside Ryan.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Ryan says and jumps over the high wall that separated the settlement from the rough streets of Toronto. Mindy followed suit, flipping several times in the air.

“Let’s,” She says and follows him, running down the street.