No one had bothered to clean that night. Except for any possible fires. Granius instructed everyone to return home for the night. The unused platform remained in the walkway of the village. Looking through any front window of a home some could see rather all of even a tiny piece of it.

Nicholai retreated to the shop with Candice. Ezra and Anabelle were given their own room within the village inn. Katreena lay sleeping in the next room. Ezra’s eyes were still open. The words are still bouncing around in his head. Who was that mysterious rider? Where was he taking Zarcah? What was his reasoning for wanting to kill him? An idea came to his head. The swordsman got up and left the room. He traced to the room where Katreena was. He lifted his hand to knock on the door.

“What do you want?” The girl's voice came through the door.

“A few words. That’s all.” Ezra responded. She didn’t come back. Yet he started to hear her footsteps come towards the door. She opens it and her head is sticking out of the frame.

“Go on, make this quick.”

“You said that the two empires sent knights to this land. What do you know?” Ezra crossed his arms and leaned on the wall.

“Not much. My old man sent me out here for a simple fetch quest.”

“Where were you when that dragon rider was attacking?”

“Does it matter? The whole village was fighting. Tons of strong people were there and it didn't seem like I needed to be there.” Katreena said walking back over to the top where she rested. Ezra could see that she took the mattress and used it as a makeshift pillow for herself.

“Considering your actions when we saved you I’d say you could have.” Katreena sighed heavily and laid back on the ground, turning her head away from the swordsman.

“Is that all you want?” She asked, still keeping her gaze from him.

“Ehh.” Ezra scratched his head and turned to head back to his room. “I’m still fucked up about that dragon rider. I’ve only seen one dragon in my whole life. Who would've thought the next time I saw one would be out in the Freelands, and some asshole telling me I should be dead.”

“Well if you’re so interested in dragons. Why not go to the Serx Kingdom? It’s full of dragons.” Ezra jolted his attention back to the girl.

“Wait what! That kingdom has dragons!”

“Pretty much. So go wild over there if that’s what you want. Now leave me alone.” Katreena turned her head back preparing to fall asleep.

“Hey, wake up. Tell me more about all this. How do I get there? Do you know that dragon rider?”

Ezra kept spamming questions at the girl. SHe tried to cover her ears by folding the mattress. Yet she gave up and just tossed her makeshift pillow at him. Ezra dodged it immediately. And Katreena was now standing on her feet completely enraged. She then sighed

“Fuck this I’m out. I’m heading for Cloudwick.” She said walking out of the room.

“Hey wait. Let me come with you! This mayor might know some more!” Ezra followed behind her.

“No way! You think I want some loud mouth coming with me?!” Katreena kept on going. Ezra gritted his teeth and returned to his room quickly. He grabbed his sword and knelt down to wake up Anabelle.

“Come on. We're leaving.” Anabelle’s glowing eyes shined on Ezra’s face.

“Where are we going?”

“To Cloudwick. Katreena is going to take us.” Anabelle stood up and the two left the inn behind. Katreena was nearing the village entrance ready to head for the mountain.

“Wait up! We need to get Nicholai.”

Nicholai. He was resting in Candice’s work area within the shop. The young witch was asleep right next to him. Nicholai’s tome was open in front of him. The book began to shine. He reached his hand out. A small golden lyre with 7 strings of the same color came to his hand. He took it into his left arm. He checked each string of the instrument. When one wasn’t in the right pitch he would turn it either clockwise to raise it, or counterclockwise to lower it. He turned his tome to a blank music sheet.

“Which one would this fall under?” Nicholai rescanned his tome to configure his new ability. “Muse 5 is the best one. I can use this as a revitalization spell.”

Nicholai began to play a soft song with the lyre. His fingers softly yet quickly flicked through each string to play his song. The page in his tome started to be filled with each note that he played perfectly.

Once the song had finished Nicholai found himself surrounded by a few of the other witches who had been working around him. The song happened to revive them of any lost energy and mana.

“Oh. Candice. Better not hog this one.” A single witch said.

“Don’t worry about that ladies. I’m sure i’ll be leaving this place soon.” Nicholai said as he stood and closed his tome. Candice too stood up with him.

“Does that mean our time together is over?” She asked while rubbing his shoulder.

“There's a whole world out there, I don't know what i’m gonna see.”

“Well. Good thing I was the first good thing you saw.” She seductively said to him. Nicholai thought back to the couple he, Ezra and Anabell found.

“Yeah. You’re right there.” the young mage replied. Nicholai took to the elevator. Before it descended him. He gave Candice one final smile. “Let’s meet again some day.” He returned back to the main level. The shop once again filled his eyes. He truly wondered if he could ever revisit a place like this. Maybe the tower in the center of the village. Hopefully.

Nicholai left the shop nd back into the night. He witnessed Katreena heading out of the inn. Then shortly after Ezra and Anabelle came out as well.

“Wait up! We need to get Nicholai.” Ezra yelled out to the girl. Nicholai quickly started walking over to catch up with the group.

“You guys going somewhere.” Ezra stopped and caught a glimpse of his friend. Katreena stopped as well

“Hell yeah. Were going to Cloudwick. I want to learn more about that dragon rider.” Ezra explained. Nicholai thought about the idea, feeling it would be nice to know where he was taking Zarcah.

“Alright I’m in.” Nicholai aid. Both young men caught up to Katreena.

“So you’ll lead us to Cloudwick?” Ezra asked the girl whose back was to him. Her fist started to clench.

“I think she’s mad.” Nicholai whispered over. Katreena however had good ears, and managed to hear him. “Anabelle she’s mad right?”

“Oh she’s furious.” Katreena turned back to the three. Towering over all of them she was prepared to scream their heads off. However Ezra intervened.

“Well. I guess that can be what you give us in return for saving and feeding you.” He said. Katreena’s body stopped in place. She was reduced back to her annoyed state.

“Fine. Just don’t try to talk to much.” She said, taking off as she finished her words.

“What do we say to Granius?” Nicholai asked as he looked back to the destroyed village. In which he believed was their fault.

“Well we already have to come back if we want to get to Port Foyun. So we can stop by then.” Ezra answered.

“Oh, that make’s sense. Good let’s go then. We should ask Katreena what Cloudwick is like.” Nicholai said as they started walking as well.

“I hope it’s a beautiful city in the sky.” Anabelle put in.

“That would be awesome. Maybe it’s held up by some super strong clouds.” Ezra gasped in eureka. “Maybe that’s why it’s called Cloudwick.”

Katreena stood ahead listening to them. She cursed her good ears. And even after she told them not to speak so much.