The trading post buzzed with lively noise; another year had recently just begun.
Three sixteen-year-olds were signing some papers at the reception.
"Understanding the mission commissioned is important," a female receptionist said. "This will help you do a job worth recommending to other commissioners."
The trio nodded.
"Mateo," a voice called out from behind. The female receptionist flinched, frozen.
"Greetings, Elder Routh." The receptionist bowed. Mateo, Isabella, and Molai turned.
"Greetings, Filona," Elder Routh greeted her back.
"Greetings, Ricardo," Filona greeted.
"Filona, you don't need to do that to this idiot," Elder Routh stopped her.
"Idiot, you don't know how to greet others?" Elder Routh gave Ricardo a red‑eyed look.
"Greetings, Aunt Filona," he mockingly said.
"You..." Routh wanted to retort, but Ricardo kept on with the greetings. "Hey, Amala's favorite birds. Molai, I don't need to greet a small thing like you." The trio was disgusted by this guy. He had a behavior worse than William.
"What can I do for you, Elder Routh?" Mateo asked.
"Haha," he gave a faint smile. "Just call me uncle."
"Do me a favor. Since the academy ended, it's time for real world experience." He began, his arm tapping Ricardo. "I know you have been on some missions with Rafael outside the village. You're a smart child." Mateo blushed.
"Please, do take Ricardo with you on this mission. This idiot has never gone out of the village; he's a fighter only in mock battles at the academy."
"I will be glad to have him," Mateo said. "Welcome aboard, Ricardo." The smile vanished on his face; a forced deep voice came out of his mouth. "I'm the leader of this group. My word is your command."
Elder Routh gave a manly blink to Filona before taking his leave. She responded back.
"What's the mission all about?" Ricardo, still in his noble state, asked.
"We're escorting a merchant to Marable," Mateo replied.
"Hahaha, a healer, a fear discerner, and a what? An idiot who doesn't forget and can recall memories. Hahaha!" Ricardo burst into laughter.
"Three non‑combat seekers escort a merchant through the forest? Seriously."
"My bodyguard, Galor, will be joining us too. Plus, didn't they teach us combat at the academy?" Molai said.
"Fool, 'they taught us combat at the academy,'" Ricardo imitated Molai, but with a child's voice. "I don't want to babysit chickens on this mission. Know your place, utility seekers," he mocked.
"You know, we didn't invite you," Isabella said.
"Guys, please, let him go with you," Filona tried to smooth things.
After the paperwork was done, the team met with Galor and the caravan waiting for them. They hopped in.
"Merchant Griford?" Amala's favorite birds asked in unison.
"Happy to be under your protection on this trip," Merchant Griford said.
"We will do our best; be at ease," Mateo said as the team took a seat in the caravan. Small timber‑made utensils were packed in baskets in the caravan.
"Where is your family?" Isabella asked. Merchant Griford was known for running his business with his wife; they moved together selling cheap goods from village to village in the Mayu T'aqa Valley.
"Since the bandit incident, I thought it wise to just have my wife open a small stall at home," he said.
"That's wise indeed," Mateo muttered. "Have you heard? The last of the bandits who kidnapped your wife were decapitated a few days ago."
"I heard it was two moles from other villages trying to silence them. Is it really true?" Griford asked as the caravan left the marketplace. Galor and Molai were just listening to the conversation; they didn't know Griford beyond him being a wandering merchant.
As for Ricardo, he was just disgusted being around low lives whom he might need to save from trouble when the time comes.
"Ya! Ya! ya!" The caravan driver hurried the horse pulling the caravan.
"My father said it's unknown which village the moles came from, but they had connections with the evil chiefdom and two‑faced Olivill," Isabella said.
"He said us people of Amala need to be careful. Our village is infiltrated by bad and dangerous people from other villages, like those two prison keepers; they have been here since childhood." Isabella Shoshone, a beautiful proud daughter of Joseph Shoshone, the deputy warden, warned everyone in the caravan.
---
Meanwhile, in a compound at the southern tip of Amala,
A woman with blue eyes dressed in blue was bathing her child outside. An old lady with two eagle‑faced, tiger‑bodied aberrants carrying baskets on their backs was giving her instructions.
"This lad has a deficiency; he needs sunlight," Healer Alma said. "I still have a lot of work at the medical post; the new recruits need someone to guide them." She placed an empty bottle into one of the baskets.
"Thank you, Healer Alma, for attending to my little boy," the woman said. A stream of water coiled around the boy, washing him; the boy was enjoying it.
"Where is the beautiful lady?" Alma asked.
"Hmm, she took off with that ungrateful boy, escorting that shameless merchant to Marable." From the reply, Healer Alma wished she never asked.
"Oh, I will take my leave." She left with her aberrants. The boy played with the coiling water as the woman tilted her head to look at the house beside her.
She was a water mage, a Kindled seeker at assimilation. Her daughter Isabella was of the same path. At awakened, seekers of the water mage path had the ability to discern what others feared or doubted just by talking with the other party. It was weird; many were confused by this path as it didn't make sense why its advancement was different from the awakened ability.
---
Inside the house, in a private room, a fourty-year-old man sat on an elevated white chair. Three men—a young man, and two men in their late fifties, bowed.
The white chair was a step below a black throne. Another white chair stood a step below the black throne forming a left wing. The man's chair stood beside as a right wing.
"Greetings, Enforcer."
Joseph Shoshone chuckled.
"I don't see all faces here. Am I losing my sight?" he asked.
"Enforcer, they are at the council courtyard. The village head is preparing a feast; he requested their presence," Velenando reported.
"So Thaine is now doing parties? Hahaha," he laughed.
"Enforcer, pardon my insolence for being late in celebrating your successful execution of those filthy rabbits." Galot, the Prison Warden, offered a rare expensive bottle of wine to the Enforcer.
"Enforcer, I heard the young master is sick, so I brought this. It's a rare herbal medicine from the a foreign land." The slightly chubby man with a petruding belly beside the prison warden offered.
After they placed their gifts a side.
The Enforcer stood up. He raised his right arm, placing it on his chest; his palm formed a fist. The three men straightened up and followed the gesture.
"For Lord Riven, The Veilbreaker," the Enforcer decrared.
"For Lord Riven, The Veilbreaker," the three men echoed back.
---
Outside the house, four men neared the mother washing the boy.
"Elder Shimano, Prison Warden Galot," the woman bowed on her knees. "It's our honor to be graced by your presence."
"Haha, it's just a small matter," Elder Shimano said. "Joseph is a very hard‑working man. As the Elder responsible for the House of Justice, I thought it wise to visit and offer my regards to the patriot who was wrongly framed for protecting this village."
Joseph Shoshone gave a faint laugh. "Elder, for lowlives like our family, it's really a huge honor to be graced…"
"Say no more, idiot." The prison warden jumped in. "Don't embarrass me in front of the elder and your wife."
"You have a very beautiful wife, Joseph. Take good care of her." Elder Shimano glanced at Joseph.
"Elder, we should take our leave. Joseph, don't bother escorting us; you should help your wife with the child." The Prison Warden said. They took their leave with Velenando behind them. His bear was waiting outside the compound.