They finished their preparations before long.
There was little reason to delay. Vell had already decided where they were going, and the sooner they left, the sooner they could begin looking for signs of Endrith.
They descended the tower and stepped outside.
For a moment, they stood there while the Yellow Mage remained by the door.
Before they left, he had asked whether they needed anything.
Supplies, food, even money.
Vell refused, and Sonder shook her head.
When the Yellow Mage asked, "Are you sure?" Vell answered, "I have already taken enough from you. I would prefer not to add anything else to that."
"You have not taken anything from me. I have all that is mine."
"Well... not all."
Vell lifted his hand and gave a small wave, both as a reminder and as though dismissing the matter.
"I will find a way to make some money. We can get whatever we need along the way, somehow."
The Yellow Mage did not seem particularly convinced, but he let the matter rest.
He did, however, ask Vell whether he wanted another bone implanted so that the Yellow Mage would know if Vell were badly hurt again.
Vell refused.
The Yellow Mage asked again, and Vell refused again.
"You are stubborn," he told the Dread Mage.
Vell seemed rather pleased with himself.
The Yellow Mage sighed. "And what about Sonder?"
"She can speak for herself," Vell said.
Sonder shook her head. "I do not need anything either."
"Very well. I will not force anything on either of you."
"Thank you."
Vell said it sincerely. He had no wish to make light of what the Yellow Mage had done for him, but he did not want to keep relying on his kindness, either.
There were things he needed to take care of himself, and he intended to do so.
"Oh, and one more thing," Vell said. "When my strength returns, I will come back. We should see what can be done about your arm."
The Yellow Mage glanced at the place where his missing arm had been.
"You need not trouble yourself with that."
"I know. I am going to do it anyway."
"Very well. When your strength returns."
Vell seemed satisfied with that answer.
They said their farewells, though neither Vell nor the Yellow Mage was particularly good at making them.
The Yellow Mage reminded him that the offer of help still stood, should he need it.
Sonder looked back.
The Yellow Mage was still standing in the doorway.
Vell raised a hand in farewell.
Then she turned and began walking.
Neither Sonder nor Vell spoke for a while.
They had a destination, and for now, that was enough.
Seroti lay several days away, depending on which road they took. Vell had no particular preference. He simply wanted to reach the city first.
He had no money, no equipment, and very little power to call upon.
It was not an ideal beginning.
Still, he needed to begin somewhere.
He still had his mind, and he had Sonder, whose power he could sense had grown considerably over the past three years.
He glanced at her.
"You're sure you don't need anything?"
"No. I have everything I need."
"Very well."
He looked ahead again.
"I suppose we will have to be careful with our money, then. Once we have something to spend, that is."
Sonder said nothing, though he thought he caught a faint smile on her face.
Vell smiled as well.