When he opened his eyes again, his head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. The moon was already high up in the sky by the time he looked out from under the tarp. Thoughts still foggy, he had to work hard to remember what had happened before he passed out, a much too regular experience these days. He had been pushing the mana-wisps with all he had, and then poof, four hours had gone by. "Don't use up all your mind juice unless headaches are needed, got it.“

In time the pain reduced to a more manageable level. Feeling the cool breeze on his skin, he held still for a moment. The last two days passed before his mind's-eye. Once he had finally succeeded, increasing his minuscule mana pool little by little, there had been nothing else on his mind. Hours on end, he would sit below mighty Oaks, granting shelter from the summer sun, and meditate. Only his regular conversations with Martin and the need for sustenance interrupted his training. Exhausted but not tired yet, Kael thought about what to do.

A quick look at his smartphone told him the time. "23:56 Really? Almost midnight already.“ Standing up, he felt his legs strain under the sudden weight. Slowly and deliberately, Kael walked towards the edge of the roof. The sounds and smells drifting over from the nearby street hit him. A mix of different types of music and loud people, intensely spicy and smoky scents and an array of flashing bright lights slammed into his senses.

He had to take a moment to steady himself from the sudden onslaught of sensations. With a sigh and a squint of his eyes, he looked in the direction of the street, the sight as impressive as it had been the first time he had seen it. The spectacle, a celebration of life and all its pleasures, just never grew old.

Maybe a quick walk in the cool summer air would do him good. There was also the fact that he had seriously neglected his taste buds for the last two days. Crackers were fine for sustenance, but the taste left a lot to be desired. Kael did not lose any time. After coming to a decision and after straightening out his looks a little, he made his way down.

The lights and sounds were already impressive in their mix when viewed from afar, but standing on the party street was something different entirely. Although the entire roadway was closed for cars and could be used, the sheer amount of people made the experience feel crowded. Thanks to his recently rejuvenated body and improved response time, Kael could focus on walking and looking around at the same time.

On both sides of the street, eateries, bars, shops, discos, and more... adult establishments were competing for the attention of their would-be customers. Like peacocks showing their tail, they presented themselves in bright colors, loud music, and attractive smells, making their exterior look exotic and enticing. Just wandering down the roughly 1km long street could take hours if you wanted to look at everything on offer.

Even with his close proximity to the street Kael was not a regular here. To him, the experience was more akin to a kid walking through a candy store and not being able to purchase anything. Walking down the road slowly, he observed people. Seeing what kind of people were here was always entertaining, and now the experience promised even more.

Just to his left, a mobile food stall, parked along the road, was offering what smelled like good ramen. On the seats installed along the outside of the stall sat a group of young men in their twenties. They were chatting happily with the owner as they ate and drank. His stomach seemed unhappy with him when he ripped his eyes away from the enticing sight. He wanted to eat something, but a bowl of ramen was not what he was looking for tonight.

On his right, one of the many brothels calling the street home was welcoming a steady stream of patrons. Right outside the red-tinted and clean building stood a pair of men. One of them pulled the other along by his shoulder, whispering something in his ear before laughing loudly. Shortly after, Kael saw them entering the store and being greeted by a healthy-looking young woman, that seemed to know the leading man quite well, greeted them with a smile. In the short conversation that followed, Kael saw the man pointing at his companion from time to time as both he and the woman laughed.

When Kael saw the two vanish into the deeper parts of the building, he continued on. Were they brothers? Friends? With a smile on his lips, Kael thought about bringing Martin here in the future. There was always something to see walking down the street. From people being kicked out of clubs or bars drunk to groups of friends having the time of their life, to jaded looking men visiting the adult entertainment, all the way to gangsters, roughing people up in some of the alleys. This was the essence of the party street. A place for both fun and distraction, and a hot spot of lowlives and criminals. In Kaels mind, a perfect representation of modern society.

Halfway through, he suddenly heard a female voice calling his name. He was still questioning if he had just imagined it when he heard the same voice again. "Hey! That's you right? Mr. Kael Barkley?" Even without seeing the speaker, Kael could imagine the grin when she said his full name. After a quick turn of his head, Kael's eyes locked onto a well-dressed woman in her mid-thirties that was currently walking in his direction.