They passed through Saradas city, heading further north. Merryn bought a new leather armor set and hooded cape, she tugged and pulled on the itchy ties adjusting them. Couldn't they make these out of better cloth? Where's that map again? In a moment she had it out from the hip pouch.

Luna-jer so far North from where dad lived, even farther away from mother. The trees gave way to a broad grassy plain. Soon the city showed. A broad, stone wall, crossed the main road, and before it a huge wooden pillar gate, the top curved and crossed the supports.

Dotted with many small buildings with high tile-covered roofs. Farther off one with several balconies towered above the others, its levels, curved to a point like it would fly away, the golden sides glinted and winked. Maybe five stories high? By the main gates, a wooden cage-like barrier blocked the entrance, in front two guards stood in a layered red and black armor. One guard was shorter.

Parcival stopped. "Let me talk to the guards, stay here."

The guards moved in front of the entrance, their beautiful overlapping layered armor seemed to be made of leather, metal and an unknown shiny fabric woven between both.

Some sticker seeds were stuck to her sleeve, she pulled them out. Fall was coming, and the prickly seeds were everywhere.

Parcival argued with the guards, pointing inside along with shaking his fist. "—enough is enough, it's up to the elders to decide, move!"

They scowled and muttered, "Yes, sir."

She eased over a little closer, Han followed.

One came forward a little huh, her eyes were oval like Parcival's and had a slightly warmer olive skin tone.

"They still need to leave their weapons. Sir!" Her hand reached out.

Parcival nodded, then came over. "Don't worry, they'll give them back."

She wrinkled her nose. "How am I—"

He cut her off. "The law is absolute, you'll get them back."

She gave it to her who then turned and placed it in a chest behind her, before standing in place again.

"Come on." He waved.

The male guards' expressions waxed between heated and pinched. "Look at the legs on that long ear. Bah, looks more like a troll with those ears!" The other shifted her feet and looked away.

Unnamed didn't wake but a trickle of his aura came to the surface. Facing him, she raised her head and let loose a low, slow gravelly growl.

He flinched.

Just—what the hell was that? Pulling the hood past her face, she tucked her ears in.

"Know your place, how dare you dishonor my guest! Do you want to be demoted? Or should I behead you instead?" Parcival frowned while fiddling with the pinned cloud and drum metal emblem.

The male guard dropped on hands and knees with his head touching the ground. "I'm very sorry!" He repeated this with each bow.

Parcival laid a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. "Things are different here for you. Please, for now, follow me quietly. I'll explain later." His eyes pleaded with her.

Uncanny——haven't even moved over yet. She jerked away, pressed a fist to her mouth, and sighed. "I will swallow this outrage for now."

She stormed off ahead, squaring her shoulders, and stormed past.

"I have friends here, we'll be safe. Now to find Hesdo."

The people coming and going often wore a simple long T-shaped robe of some sort with a wrap around the waist and simple straw sandals. She whispered, "are those ropes or a dress?"

Without stopping, he muttered, "That's a kimono, no more questions, hurry." He stiffed and stood tall while leading them throughout the noisy city, and made a point to stay away from the main streets. Something was up, he never acted like this.

They worked their way through, weaving behind merchant stalls and people's huts. A couple of small plain enclosed carriages pulled by two men who carried it on their shoulders, each had a man inside. So many colorful fabrics and glittery objects pulled her eye and begged to be touched. She almost bumped into a woman before catching back up to him.

A tiny building loomed with a hanging sign it read: Jeweler: Rare Magatama & Netsuke

A stocky middle-aged man came from the inside kind but shy, he bowed. "Please come in."

Parcival nodded slightly. "Not today."

They passed by several nimble children playing a game with a metal ball. Next to an overgrown plot open between the lavish temple, a statue of Olenus overshadowed the drab guard's housing next to it. As pleasing as it was to see Olen here it didn't much make up for the lack of well-tended temples, if this could be called one dirt caked the windows, and vines were wrapped around the walls up to the rooftops, the roof badly needed repair. The only thing that stood out was the little courtyard behind it that was well-kept and in the middle stood a marble statue of the Goddess.

Parcival stopped. "Beekaa lives there, though people don't donate as much as they did before, it's a shame really."

Four children brushed past as they ran off to the plot, they split into two groups. A little boy wearing a loincloth pushed a floating red orb to the middle of the plot.

"What are they playing?"

"Orb ringer, they are practicing for next year's championship."

Then the children on the opposite side came running at the ball trying to catch it as it floated just out of reach.

"You can watch it later, keep going."

He continued further into the city past its middle, he arrived at a smaller, but no less important temple. This one was better, it was quieter here.

"Are there any priestess who are free today?" He waved at a priest who was bandaging an older woman's arm.

"Let me look in the registry for any, just a moment." He finished wrapping the arm and patted the woman's hand.

"Thank you, sir." She bowed and left.

The priest went into a small room to the right, his white robes swishing around his feet. Not much later he returned.

"Yes, go find Opial, she is about four houses south of here." He went back inside the temple.

It took a bit of dodging and time to get through the throes of people to find it. The fourth house was a nondescript stone house, wedged between the larger ones. It had an awl thin yard, the area gave off warm energy. A freckled young woman sat in a wicker chair beside the house with her head tilted back. She wore a practical brown robe.

She cracked an eye open. "Go away, I'm busy."

A little rude.

"I was told that Opial lived here," said Parcival.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

Must have been working hard.

"Speaking."

"That was easy." His expression became taut and tried too hard to stay straight.

She held back a chuckle.

"How good are you with..."

"It's all right." She beckoned to Opial. "Are you able to remove infections or curses?" This is stupid, it's not going to work.

Opial closed the distance. "Show me."

"It's not that kind— I don't think," she said. Don't know if trusting her is the best idea. Merryn took a moment before stepping closer.

Opial looked her up and down then shook her head. All I sense is a strange suppression of energy and— " She stopped, eyes growing wide.

"Something that shouldn't be there!" She spun ran her hands over Merryn's arms and then her back, her hands warmed almost hot.

Merryn jumped a little and backed away. What the hell was that? "Hey!"

"This is no parasite, you need an exorcism immediately!" She revolved ran into the house, came back out holding a piece of paper in a hand while holding the other out.

"Of course, thank you." Merryn fumbled with the pouch and gave her two coins.

Opial smiled. "Lead them to Beekaa." The paper glowed, then folded itself into the shape of a bird and slowly went West.

"Better follow it. Beekaa tends to take a stroll during this time of day." She went back to the wicker chair, sat back down, and hummed.

The bird was almost out of view turning down in between the houses, flying slow, following it as it swerved between people, trees and buildings until it stopped at a charming street stall, the sweet aroma hit from the small golden disk-shaped cakes? Whatever it was it was hard not to drool.

Parcival turned his head back and forth. "I'm not seeing anyone."

The bird flew around in a circle then went over to a stump behind the stall, a man sat there eating. Going next to him, she coughed.

He turned up to look at them, a face weathered by sun and age and plain outfit of a simple shirt and jerkins. "Yes?" When he wiped the filling off his lips, a short tuft of whiskers on his chin moved as he spoke.

"Are you Beekaa?" Hope so, this man seemed alright.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, so they sent more, did they?" He tossed a sweet-scented disk cake, and it bounced off her forehead.

"Are you a bit touched?" Seconds before lunging at the monk Parcival grabbed her wrist. "Don't."

The eccentric man jumped up, spun, and kicked Parcival in the face!

"Ughh... I didn't say anything..." Parcival held his face, staggered, and fell on his side.

"Take this!" Focused on him, she grabbed a disk cake and chucked it at his head. Bop! Bulls-Eye!

Han started a purring-snort, his tail twitched with jerk-like movements.

"Don't just stand there laughing!" She grabbed another disk cake and tossed it at him, he jumped out of the way.

"Ha," said Han.

Beekaa grabbed handfuls of the sweet-smelling disks.

Bop-splat! This one landed on her eye sweet stuff smearing down a cheek. She stuck out her tongue licking it. Custard? Hit him? Run?

He jumped forward and back again, whacking the top of everyone's heads.

"Ow!" She tried catching his robes, but he was too fast.

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he danced around in a circle. "You never collect this fee!"

The dancing stopped, and his face became serious again. Then gone.

Vanished. She blinked. He… vanished?

"Wait! Come back!" She eased into the stool and stared where Beekaa had been. What just happened?"

Parcival sniffed and beat a cloud of dust from his clothing. "I don't remember him being quite so... spirited."

Merryn's stomach growled, complete with an echo. Heat spread from her face to her neck. She flicked off the custard, and picked up one of the disks that hadn't fallen on the ground yet, then bit into it. "Pretty good."

Han stood, his lips twitchig. "I haven't had a beer in a month. Am sick and tired of always being on the run. Pastry warrior can wait."

Her mind went blank. She cuped her head in hands and muttered, occasionally taking another bite. Such fluffyness, just focus on this. It was better then trying to absorb everything.