Alex and Nekya followed Lieutenant Venessa as quickly as possible.

The trio quickly jumped the wall with Lieutenant Venessa’s help and started a roundabout path to the castle. The first thing that caught his eye was the stark difference with just a wall’s difference! The market-square was well-maintained and looked to be the affluent part of the city.

“Yuck!” Nekya grimaced shaking her muddy boots with a frown.

Even with the reek of blood and burning wood, the wide streets and bricked roads were a far cry from the shanty houses with muddy and winded road roads of the slum.

“Quiet, Nek,” Alex immediately shot the girl a dark look.

The slum was cramped with catfolks going about their work. It was already a miracle they weren’t spotted yet. Thankfully these catfolks didn’t look to be with the assailants in the market. But even if they weren’t walking around with swords and pitchforks in hand, he was sure it wouldn’t be good for them to be discovered.

“Come on,” murmured Lieutenant Venessa.

Alex tiptoed behind the combat-mage from behind the house and across the street. He took a peek at the sight before them.

“It’s our way out,” Lieutenant Venessa pointed.

The narrow alleyway opened up to a decrepit arch, the stone-walled castle just beyond.

But it would be a task getting across it. A continuous stream of catfolk were getting in and out through the archway at every moment. The area the arch never ceased to quiet.

“How do we get to the other side?” Nekya chimed in from the back.

The simulacrum-Worlder had been quiet the entire time. Just following along with them.

“We wait,” Lieutenant Venessa whispered, her eyes peeled forward.

Alex looked back towards the marketplace, his forehead furrowed.

“Venessa, let’s make a dash for it. TWe’ll make it past the catfolk before they even realise what’s going on,” Alex piped.

The lives of the Brazen Outcomes depended on them being able to send reinforcements from the castle. Every moment wasted waiting could mean their death!

“I’ve my orders to take the two of you to the castle safely. I cannot-” Lieutenant Venessa stopped midsentence.

An audible thump echoed behind them.

Alex’s heart skipped a beat. They had been found. He quickly turned back.

Three catfolk kids stood with their eyes wide open in terror. Their shocked eyes glued to their faces. The boys stood frozen, their skinny hands limp on their sides and their tails drooped down under their wiry legs.

Alex looked down and saw the ball the boys had dropped roll towards him. He carefully picked it up and held his hand out.

“Here, take it,” Alex whispered, plastering the best smile he could. His mana suppressed, Alex knew the kids wouldn’t understand a word without his [All-Speech] Bio Rune. But he still tried.

The kids wrenched as his hand drew closer. They quickly huddled together afraid.

Alex immediately stepped back in a hurry and raised his hand, “See there’s nothing here!”

“No, no. Don’t worry. We won’t hurt you,” Nekya walked forward and squatted before them. She stretched her arm towards them and smiled, “Come here, I won’t hurt you.”

“Nekya you’re scaring them,” Alex grabbed the mage by her shoulder. He quickly put the ball down, “We should leave. If they-”

The kid in the front was the first to start sobbing, and after that the other two didn’t take much longer. Their faces contorted as they sunk to the ground howling, uncaring of the muddy street.

Nekya looked listless eyes, shifting between her two companions.

“Let's go!” Alex said, grabbing her by the hand.

It was too dangerous to stay here now. The wailing kids were surely going to draw a crowd, even with the humdrum of daily sounds in the slum.

Lieutenant Venessa nodded. She peaked away behind the wall.

“Mehuj!” a frantic wail resounded behind them.

A catwoman had come for the kids. The tall woman looked frightened, her eyes fixed on the mages as she stood in front of the children. Holding a wooden ladle in hand, she continued speaking in the unintelligible scream, “Nyanku je! Je!”

All of a sudden half a dozen catfolk had gathered around them. They looked at them from a distance, as if afraid to come closer.

“Hurry, we need to move now!” Lieutenant Venessa voiced and started walking, with Alex and Nekya following in tow.

The crowd seemed to flinch as they started walking, as they collectively took a step back as they moved.

“Nekya…”

Alex heard the growing crowd whisper. He couldn’t understand anything else that they were saying, but that they kept repeating his Worlder friend’s name was all but certain to him. But the voices were quickly turning from fearful murmurs to aggressive grunt.

Suddenly a large catfolk that stood above the rest, dressed much more extravagant than the common folks in the slum, wearing leather pants and cotton shirt, stood before Lieutenant Venessa.

The burly man smirked his sharp tooth showing. He scratched his frizzy mane and said “Nekya…” before spitting at their feet. He stood unmoving.

The crowd came to an eerie silence. Whatever it was burly catman said, it had the crowd’s eye.

“Move,” Lieutenant Venessa said coming to a halt. When the catman showed no sign of stepping aside, she pushed the catman aside easily, throwing him off his feet and onto the ground.

Alex felt as if time had slowed down, something came hurling towards him. It was on a reflex that he pulled down Nekya by the arm, a loud crash echoed behind his ears. Followed by a groan. He cast a glance. A catfolk woman had been struck, bleeding from her forehead.

“Wha-what was that?” Nekya asked wide-eyed, holding onto his arm.

The crowd sudden came alive as catfolk all around them started getting agitated. He didn’t understand a word, but the hatred was evident.

Alex stood with his back to Lieutenant Venessa and Nekya. The slum-dwellers closed in on them, surrounding them from all sides.

“Lieutenant!” Nekya cried in panic.

It was surprising to see how a Worlder-simulacrum behaved compared to her powerful Original. The Original-Nekya would be the first to throw the punch even before Venessa even had the chance to.

“I’ll hold them. Look for an opening and run,” Lieutenant Venessa whispered.

“We can make it. Just stick together,” Alex shot back.

He looked over the crowd. These weren’t well-equipped like the market-place ambushers. The ragged slum-catfolks had sticks, rocks and kitchen knives in hand. But this didn’t make Alex feel any easier. He was unarmed and knew little about unarmed combat apart from the compulsory classes in school.

The mob inched in closer, everyone waiting to make the first move!

“Nynadi! Mehuj nemat, Nyandi” he heard a feebly cry erupt from the back.

The angry mob immediately came to a stop. They didn’t back of either, but most of them dropped their arms to their sides.

“What’s going on?” Alex asked as he strained his neck trying to see over the crowd.

Soon enough, the crowd parted and an old catman with a walking stick slowly walked up to them. His face was marked with age and his remaining few whiskers white and drooping. Clad in a tunic that had seen better days, he shot Alex and his companions a look.

“You must believers of the Faith of Nekya,” the old man spoke with a heavy accent. But Alex didn’t mind. At least the old catman was speaking in a language he understood!

***

Excerpt from Worlders Etiquette, 2nd Ed, LalqiRoyal Library Vintage Vault

There are different species that are found in different world. However, a Wolrder must always see the locals are creatures that must be dominated and kept in line.

As such, the term ‘mages’ must only be reserved for magic wielding humans of Earth. Creatures from other lower worlds must not be equated as equals and as such terms such as casters should be used...