The next two days went Grevlor- and Lisor-free. Only wild birds and the occasional rabbit crossed the group’s path. The weather was pleasant for most of the journey, except when the intensity of the sun became too much at around midday. But at least there was no rain, and that allowed the fragrant scents of the mountain flowers to spread.

Oracus and Kivali sparred regularly during the remainder of their trip, much to the amusement of their new spectators. Morpac and Uswir, as the two men had introduced themselves, enjoyed applauding Kivali's frequent victories and grumbling whenever Oracus’s sword found its mark. Perhaps they considered Kivali the more attractive fighter.

But all-in-all, Morpac and Uswir were good company. Despite their ordeal, they were very friendly and told some compelling stories. Morpac, the prisoner who had been struck by the Lisor, was tall and slender, and he had no hair on his head. Other than the bruising on his eye and the redness on his neck where the sun had burnt him, he was very pale. Uswir, on the other hand, was dark-skinned and short. He was more muscular than Morpac, and he had a lot of dark facial hair and very bushy eyebrows. Both men were metal workers, and spent a lot of their time forging weaponry, so Oracus was intrigued by their knowledge.

By the time they were almost at Tallarin, Oracus had improved his power too. If he concentrated hard enough, he was now capable of teleporting short distances successfully. But being able to teleport during combat like Kivali had in the cave required a whole lot more skill. Every time he focused on using Kivali’s power while they sparred, he would forget to block her sword and end up receiving a fierce blow to the ribs.

When the group eventually began their descent of the mountain path, Oracus had his first view of Tallarin’s huge defensive wall. Strategically built between the mountains on either side, the two-hundred foot wall was black and intimidating, and shielded the city behind it. Oracus had seen the wall once before during one of his dreams of Catania.

“It looks exactly as it did in my vision,” he told Bandor nervously.

The closer they came to the wall, the more colossal it seemed to become. And by the time they were stood at its base, Oracus could no longer see the watchtowers that sat atop it. At different levels, archers peered at them through arrowslits in the blocks, and Oracus’s stomach squirmed with fear.

“Halt!” a voice bellowed from an aperture in the wall ahead of them. “State your business here.”

“Two of us are messengers returning home,” Kivali replied. “Two are rescued prisoners. And the other two are guests from Afarra – a Rider and Lavorian, no less.”

“You will proceed one at a time,” the voice returned. “And if you disobey my commands, you will be killed.”

With the sound of a chain being released, a thick iron door in the wall began to open. Behind the door, a man wearing a blue robe was waiting with his fingers caressing the handle of his sheathed sword.

“It’s much stricter here than it was when I arrived at Afarra,” Oracus whispered out the corner of his mouth.

“Just answer their questions and you’ll be fine,” Kivali responded.

Individually, the six were ushered forwards and each taken into a separate inspection room within the wall. In Oracus’s room, a woman was waiting for him.

“Sit down,” she ordered him.

Oracus took to the only chair in the room, it was metal and cold.

“Where have you travelled from?” the woman asked sternly.

“From Afarra,” Oracus replied.

“And you have always lived in Afarra?” the woman said quickly.

“No, I lived in a village called Thessley until quite recently.”

“What was your reason for leaving?”

“King Jowra sent his soldiers to Thessley and we were evacuated.”

“And why have you made the journey to Tallarin?”

“Because I want to help you defeat Jowra,” Oracus claimed.

The woman studied him closely for a moment. “And you’re a Rider,” she asked.

“Yes.”

The woman considered him with narrow eyes for almost a minute, and Oracus looked down at his hands to avoid her gaze. “Very well,” she said at last. “Welcome to Tallarin.”

The others, including Bandor, were waiting for Oracus when he passed into the city. Beyond the wall was an empty square that came before dozens of buildings that stood almost as high as the wall itself and blocked the rest of the city from view. Most surprisingly for Oracus though, was how dull the city appeared, and how it smelled so fiercely of sewage and waste. Whatever he’d been expecting of Tallarin seemed now to have been wildly optimistic.

“Do you feel like we should have stayed in Afarra?” Bandor joked.

Morpac and Uswir said their final thanks and goodbyes as Kivali and Quent escorted Oracus and Bandor away from the square and along streets that led uphill towards the south of the city. Unlike Afarra, Tallarin’s streets were desolate. There were no markets or shops that Oracus could see, and nobody was shouting the prices of their wares, just as there was nobody walking the streets for the enjoyment of it. Oracus assumed it was because of the smell.

When they reached the far side of the city, Oracus was already feeling homesick. But when they arrived at their destination, he was glad to be met by something that helped him forget the city he had left behind. A magnificent palace stood before him, carved into the face of the mountain that protected Tallarin’s rear. The palace was spectacular, and a dozen or so turrets and watchtowers hung impressively over its grand entrance.

Kivali and Quent were first to ascend the steep stone steps that preceded the palace, and Oracus and Bandor followed them cautiously. They were then shown through the palace doors, and Oracus’s jaw almost hit the floor.

The square entrance room they had arrived in was so enormous it put the palace in Afarra to shame. It glimmered magically with colour from floor to ceiling on every wall, and Oracus felt like he had walked out of one world and into another. A dozen doorways filtered into other realms of the palace and four spiralling staircases ascended to the higher levels. In the centre of the room was a grand white-marble statue of a man Oracus did not recognise.

As Oracus was led across the hall, he noticed several short creatures with a blue tinge to their skin that were doing strange things.

“They're Sashtrams,” Kivali said, spotting Oracus’s interest in the creatures. “They work here.”

One of the Sashtrams staggered in front of Oracus with a huge stack of books in its arms. It couldn’t see where it was going and dropped all the books on the floor when it banged into the statue. Meanwhile, another Sashtram had tied a rope around the base of the statue and was attempting to drag it. When it realised the statue wouldn’t budge, it grunted unhappily and sat on the floor to catch its breath.

Reluctantly, Oracus tore his vision away from the comical Sashtrams and accompanied Kivali, Quent and Bandor through another set of doors. This time, they were faced with a giant workshop full of machines making all sorts of noises. The workshop was cut in half by a walkway that led to a door on the far side. On the right side of the workshop, thousands of weird and wonderful items were being crafted. On the left side, the finished items were being inspected and tested. Amongst all the machines, Oracus was pleased to see hundreds more Sashtrams.

“They are such odd creatures,” Oracus said to Bandor as he watched a Sashtram hit himself on the toe with a hammer and then hop up and down, cursing obscenely.

Together, the four marched along the walkway and passed through the door Oracus had spotted before. They came to a small landing with several staircases leading to higher and lower floors.

“We’re going up this one,” Kivali stated as she stepped towards a staircase on their left. The staircase arced to the right and Oracus couldn’t see where it ended.

Ten exhausting minutes later and they reached the summit. Oracus put his hands on his knees and inhaled a few deep breaths at the top, while Kivali and Quent looked as if they could do it all again. They were now on a landing with only one door and a lone sentinel guarding it.

At their arrival, the guard grinned. “Kivali!” he said. “You’re home.”

The two embraced and Oracus felt a pang of jealousy.

“It’s been an interesting journey,” Kivali said. “We stopped off at Fervia on the way, and we also found some prisoners in the mountains.”

“Sounds eventful,” the guard responded. “And who are your friends?” The guard was eyeing Oracus and Bandor with interest.

“A new Rider and Lavorian from Afarra: Oracus and Bandor.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” the guard said, stepping forwards and shaking Oracus’s hand. “I’m Sav.” Sav turned his attention back to Kivali, but kept an intrigued eye on Bandor. “And what of Afarra? Did Torvanon have anything to say about Jowra’s scouts watching our city?”

Quent interrupted at those words. “We cannot discuss such confidential matters with you,” he warned. “It is for Princess Catania's ears only.”

“I'm sure Princess Catania will be eager to hear it from you, Quent,” Sav said in a tone Oracus found oddly satisfying. “Please, go straight through,” he finished, stepping aside and offering them a final smile.

As they advanced, the door slid to the side, as if by magic. Then they were in a room that was undoubtedly Princess Catania’s quarters. It was immaculate inside, and very white too. White floor, white fur rug, white walls, white shelves, and white marble ornaments on the shelves. On the other side of the room, a huge window offered a captivating view of the ocean, and Oracus realised he was now on the other side of the mountain.

With their arrival in the white room came a roar that made the hairs on Oracus’s arms stand up. From across the room, a Jaguar Lavorian that was larger than Bandor bounded at them, and Oracus was sure it was going to kill them all. He threw up his arms to defend himself, but the Lavorian leaped at Kivali instead and knocked her onto her back. Oracus froze in fear, and then realised Kivali was giggling and the Lavorian was licking her face with what must have been a very rough metal tongue.

When the Lavorian allowed Kivali to stand, Kivali turned to Oracus. “This is Onca,” she said. “And I’ve already told her a bit about you.”

“I didn’t hear you say anything,” Oracus replied.

“You weren’t supposed to,” Kivali answered, and she tapped her temple with a finger.

“She only said nice things,” Onca added in a voice that was smooth and delicate, like that of a mature woman. Her golden eyes met Oracus’s and they were as deep as oceans and warm as fire. “I hear your journey didn’t go as planned.”

Quent was quick to jump in again. “If we hadn’t brought Oracus with us we’d have been fine, but he seems to attract trouble.”

“Is that true?” a new voice asked from the rear of the room.

Everyone turned to where four people – three identical men and a woman – stood in the window. Beside them, there was a white wolf twice as large as Oracus thought a wolf should be.

The woman of the group stepped forwards. “Is it true you attract trouble?” she repeated. She was perhaps forty years of age, but very attractive, with blonde hair scrunched into a tight bun and blue eyes brighter than the ocean behind her. She wore a laced corset beneath a flowing turquoise gown, and a necklace of pearls hung around her neck. Other than her cleanliness and fine clothing, she looked exactly like the Catania in Oracus’s dreams. “I’m not a fan of troublemakers,” she went on. “But I could perhaps make an exception for a Rider and Lavorian who are willing to fight for me.”

“We aren’t troublemakers, Princess,” Oracus said with a slight bow. “We’ve just been unfortunate.”

“Well, bad fortune does find us all during times of war,” Catania agreed. “What are your names?”

“Oracus and Bandor of Thessley, Princess. More recently of Afarra.” Oracus bowed again, deeper this time.

Catania studied Oracus’s face, and he could have sworn her eyes flashed red for a moment.

“I have not heard of Thessley,” she said after a time.

“It’s a small village in the Raspian Forest, Princess,” Oracus replied. “We were forced to evacuate when the King’s soldiers found us.”

“And that’s when you travelled to Afarra, I presume?” Catania probed.

“That’s right,” Oracus said. “And I met Kivali and Quent there.”

“Did you and Bandor bond before or after you arrived in Afarra?”

“The attack on Thessley was the day after we’d bonded,” Oracus answered. “I think the soldiers found the village because Bandor’s orbular landed so close to it. They must have tracked it somehow.”

Catania’s eyes fixed on Oracus again, as if she was trying to read his thoughts. Another flicker of crimson danced through them, making Oracus feel very uneasy, but he held her gaze nevertheless. Catania then looked away and shook her head. “Stooge!” she shouted. “Get some drinks for our guests.”

From outside the room, a Sashtram popped its head through the door and yelled, “Yes, your highness!” before disappearing for a second or two. Then it returned with its spectacles askew, and its stumpy legs rushing along beneath it while it carried a tray of glasses full of pink liquid. The Sashtram offered the glasses around, bowing decorously as it handed one to Catania, and also put a glass on the floor in front of Bandor and Onca.

Oracus was just taking a sip from his glass when Bandor looked down at his own. “What am I meant to do with this?” he asked. “I don't have any thumbs!”

Oracus choked, and pink liquid came out of his nose.

When the drinks were all served, Catania ushered Oracus to the back of the room where the three men and the wolf were still waiting. The three men, Oracus noticed, were identical. Other than the colour of the robes they were wearing, they all looked exactly the same: thin and tall, with age lines on their faces and a long, crooked nose each. They had silver hair, and all three had swept it over their heads to try and hide an obvious bald patch on top.

“Oracus, please meet the triplets: Farlog, Shio and Croij.” Catania pointed at each of them as she said their names. Then her hand pointed to the wolf. “And Alticon, who was my Lavorian a very long time ago.”

Oracus’s eyes lingered on Alticon. The wolf was sat, but its head was still at the same height as his. Its ears were up and attentive, and its eyes like ice. “His name is Alticon, just as I heard in my dreams,” Oracus said to Bandor.

“It’s good to meet you,” the triplets said together as they were introduced. They even sounded identical.

“The triplets are my advisers,” Catania explained. “Farlog is more knowledgable than anyone else I know. If he doesn't know about it then I wouldn’t consider it worth knowing.” Farlog smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “Shio commands my army. He trains the soldiers for battle and knows everything about war. He’s been especially busy lately, as I’m sure you can imagine.” Catania allowed the compliment to settle before she continued. “And Croij is an inventor,” she said. “He spends most of his time in a laboratory creating strange things with the help of the Sashtrams.” Croij grinned happily. “My role as leader is much easier with these three men at my side.”

Oracus was pleased to see everyone in Tallarin appeared friendly. After walking through the streets to reach the palace, he thought he’d made a huge mistake coming here. But having finally met Catania and her accomplices, he was starting to feel more at ease.

“I apologise, Oracus, but we must move on from idle chit-chat and concentrate on more important matters.” Catania looked at Kivali and Quent. “What was said in Afarra?”

“Torvanon agreed to remain defensive. After a lengthy discussion, he understood attacking Jowra would only succeed in provoking him,” Kivali responded.

“How strong are the forces in Afarra?” Catania asked.

“Substantial,” Quent replied. “But not enough to rival the King’s army. I think Torvanon believes himself and Ursus powerful enough to concern the King, but I suspect they would fall a long way short.”

Catania sighed. “I doubt a man as wise as Torvanon would be naïve enough to believe King Jowra can be defeated by a single man and his Lavorian.”

“Has anything changed here?” Kivali asked. “Any increase in Jowra’s scouts observing the city?”

“Nothing to note,” Catania answered. “We have forged enough weapons for every man in Tallarin to fight should we need it though.”

“Do you know how many soldiers Jowra has?” Oracus questioned.

“It would be a guess,” Farlog said. “But we do know his forces far exceed our own. Our advantage is that Tallarin was built to withstand huge pressure. It would take an army of an immense size to effectively breach our wall.”

“Unless Jowra was to join his army's attack,” Shio reasoned. “Then he’d just fly over the wall with his two Dragons and set fire to us all.”

“If he is that powerful then why doesn’t he just destroy Tallarin and Afarra by himself and be done with it?” Oracus enquired.

“Nobody but Jowra knows the answer to that,” Shio said. “But it certainly suits me if he prefers to stay in Melzor.”

“Are there any others fighting against Jowra?” Oracus asked. “Besides Tallarin and Afarra, of course.”

“No. Just two armies in opposite corners of the land.”

“Is it possible then?” Oracus said glumly. “Can he be defeated?”

Croij shrugged. “We won’t know until the time comes for us to try.”

The response didn’t fill Oracus with much optimism. He glanced around at the others for some hope but found nothing except expressions of defeat. “Is it really that bad?” he said.

“Come now, enough of this,” Catania deflected. “You must be tired after such a long journey, and that’s hardly helpful during discussions about war. I’ll get Stooge to show you to your room. Stooge!”

The Sashtram came sprinting into the room, his blue cheeks carrying a pink tinge. He bowed so deeply his pudgy nose nearly touched the floor. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

“Show our guests to their room. Make sure they’re comfortable.”

The Sashtram nodded nervously and grabbed Oracus’s hand. “This way, sir. Follow me,” he urged.

Oracus followed Stooge, and Bandor trotted close behind. At the sliding door, they turned back to the sound of Catania’s voice.

“Welcome to Tallarin, both of you,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to have you here.”