Awareness returned to Zeltara slowly. She struggled to open her eyelids as fatigue still clung to her. It took several minutes, but she opened her eyes. What greeted her was a ceiling of fabric. Examining her surroundings, Zeltara noticed she was inside a tent. It was only a few feet high and only large enough to fit at most two people. She noticed her possessions left beside her. It seemed like there wasn’t any danger around.

  Zeltara tried to remember what had happened. They had been going after that caravan. Supplies had run out, and they were exhausted. The three had made one last push for survival. The last thing Zeltara could recall was Saiya collapsing. She could remember the desperation and hopelessness of the situation. She knew that Kaztos had done something, but what was it? Everything was blurry as she tried to recall. It apparently had been enough for them to reach the caravan. Thankfully, it looked like the people there were willing to help them.

  But that left Zeltara wondering about her friends. Were they safe like her, or did something happen to them? Did they abandon Saiya to die in that wasteland? Zeltara couldn’t imagine how they carried her. She could only hope that they somehow managed. The guilt would be unbearable otherwise. And what about Kaztos? Did he make it with her? Even if he did, was his injury worse than they thought? The starvation and exhaustion combined with the wound could have been enough to do him in.

  It terrified Zeltara just to think about it. She couldn’t have been the only one to make it. The need to check on her friends consumed her. It was time to uncover what had happened. It took more effort than should have been necessary to sit up. Every muscle in her body ached in protest from the movement. Zeltara guessed she was still recovering. No matter, she needed to check on Saiya and Kaztos.

  Before she could gather the strength to move, the tent flap opened. Zeltara froze as a middle-aged woman with brown skin, black hair, and white layered linen clothing came in. The woman saw her sitting up and flinched in surprise. She quickly collected herself and began speaking.

  “It is a surprise to see you awake already. Are you feeling alright?”

  Zeltara nodded and asked, “I was with my friends, a blond girl and a brunette boy. Are they alright?” The woman hummed in thought before answering.

  “The girl was in bad shape from dehydration and exhaustion. The boy had a stomach wound that was getting infected. But there is no need to worry. Both are fine now and resting.” Zeltara sighed in relief. They all survived against all odds. It almost filled her with elation. Things were going to be okay. The woman interrupted her thoughts by saying, “I’ll be waiting outside for you to get properly dressed. Please come out to meet me when you’re finished.” The woman left, leaving her alone again.

  It was just then that Zeltara noticed she was underdressed for company. So, she grabbed her clothes that were set aside. Zeltara took note that they were cleaned of all dust, ash, and grime accumulated from their travels. It looked like these people were good hosts at least. It took her a few minutes to overcome her sore body and look presentable. Despite the aching, this was the best she had felt all week. Taking a deep breath, Zeltara prepared herself and stepped out of the tent.

  All around her was the caravan settled down for the night. Roughly two dozen tents lined the area. From the smallest ones, similar to the one she rested in, to larger ones big enough to be several rooms. The tents were situated around a dozen lit campfires that helped to stave off the darkness of the night. On the perimeter sat a dozen wagons that circled the encampment. Mana lamps hung from poles driven into the ground, providing the edge of the camp with a source of light. Several guards patrolled the wagon line, while another sat on top of a wagon in the middle of the camp. Large draft bison slept between the wagons and tents. It all filled Zeltara with a sense of fascination.

  “It is quite a sight, isn’t it?” The woman asked. Zeltara could only nod in agreement. She then noticed two small tents next to hers. That must be where Saiya and Kaztos had been sleeping. Wanting to confirm their safety herself, she took a step forward. A hand landing on her shoulder stopped Zeltara. She turned to face the woman.

  “They are still recovering. You shouldn’t disturb their sleep,” she said. Zeltara shook the woman’s hand off her shoulder.

  “I need to check and make sure they're alright.” The woman shook her head.

  “Trust me. They are ok. It wouldn’t do to interrupt their rest when they need it.” Zeltara gave a reluctant nod. “Thank you. Now, I need to take you to our chief. He wanted to see you when you woke up.” The woman turned and began to walk away. Zeltara followed and trotted to her side. She wanted to get some information from the woman.

  “I have some questions about you guys. Who are you exactly?” Their appearance seemed familiar to Zeltara, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The woman glanced over at her with a calculating gaze.

  “Allow me to take you to the chief. He will answer any questions that you may have.” Zeltara felt herself tense with suspicion. Who were these people? Were they as friendly as first appeared? Did they have an ulterior motive for keeping them? The woman was being evasive. Was she hiding something, or was this normal? Zeltara couldn’t say for certain. She decided to stay cautious until she had more information. Maybe these people were more trouble than first impressions showed.

  Zeltara trailed the woman through the camp. She monitored her surroundings for anything out of the ordinary. They walked by several groups of men awake around the various campfires. They had similar appearances and clothing to the woman. Zeltara noticed that while some looked at her in curiosity, most gazed at her with suspicion. Was it because they were outsiders or something else? Maybe it was because she was an elf. Zeltara knew many groups in the Dominion did not accept elves. Regardless of the reason, their arrival clearly wasn’t welcomed by everyone. Besides the stares, she found nothing suspicious about the camp. Nothing showed that this was a trap.

  It took only a minute for the woman to lead Zeltara to the largest camp in the caravan. It had to be at least twice as large as the next biggest tent. On either side of the entrance was a guard, who stared at her in open suspicion. They stopped outside as the woman turned to her.

  “Please wait outside for a moment. I’ll inform the chief of your arrival.” Without waiting for a response, the woman slipped into the tent. Zeltara waited outside for the woman to return. The guards continued to watch her, saying nothing. She was feeling uncomfortable with the unwanted attention. Fortunately, it was only a few seconds before the woman returned. “You may go inside. Please be on your best behavior when speaking to the chief.” Seemed reasonable enough to her.

  “Thank you for the help,” Zeltara began to say, but the woman was already walking back to their tents. She tried not to let that annoy her as she entered the tent. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the light and look around.

  The interior of the tent was a large room. To her left and right, cloth dividers created two side rooms. There were two guards standing at the back of the room. Zeltara noticed leather armor peeking out from underneath their clothes by the neckline. Mana lamps hung on chains from the ceiling, providing a soft light to the interior. A low table sat in the center of the room. Several cushioned seats surrounded it.

  Behind the table sat a portly middle-aged man. Zeltara presumed him to be the leader. His skin tone and hair color were the same as the rest of the caravan. He wore a plain white turban, with the rest of his clothing matching everyone else she saw. Flowing linen-white clothing that covered most of his body. Strange, Zeltara expected him to be wearing something fitting for a leader. Was it a sense of humility or something else? The man, who had been smoking a long pipe, looked up and noticed her.

  His face broke into a broad grin. He gestured to her with his free hand and said, “Ah, one of our guests has awoken. Come! Sit with me so we can talk. I bet you have quite the story to tell, yes?” His tone was jovial, and his eyes seemed to almost twinkle. Zeltara wondered if it was an act or if he really was this happy to see her. Still, she walked forward and took a seat across from the man.

  “Are you the chief I’ve heard about?” The man gave a hearty chuckle in response to the question.

  “Well, I would certainly hope so. Otherwise, I would have questions of my own to ask, yes? Though you already knew that. Didn’t you?” Zeltara looked away nervously. “It’s no matter. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dinaro El’Thani, and I’m the chief of the El’Thani caravan.” Dinaro finished with a flourish of his hand. “Now, who are you?”

  That name rang a bell in Zeltara’s head. Who were these people? “My name is Zeltara. I’m from Urada.” Wait, it finally came to her. “Are you Al’Yanda?” She blushed, realizing she had blurted that out loud. Dinaro laughed in response.

  “Ah, you've got a good head on your shoulders, yes? You’re correct. We are Al’Yanda. We’re a trading caravan seeking fortune for our homeland. But we can talk about that more later. For now, would you like some tea?” Not wanting to seem rude, Zeltara accepted.

  Dinaro made a hand gesture, and one guard picked up a tea set from a side table. He placed two cups down and lifted the teapot. The guard then held his hand up and channeled mana into the pot. Within a few seconds, steam exited from the spout. He poured tea into their cups before setting the pot down and returning to his station.

  Zeltara picked up her cup and blew on it. Dinaro did the same and took a sip. She followed suit and drank. Zeltara grimaced at the taste. Tea wasn’t usually her drink of choice, and the flavor made matters worse. Dinaro’s laughter brought Zeltara out of her thoughts.

  “You know it’s rude to insult a host’s drink, yes? Some can take offense to that.” Zeltara floundered at that. Had he noticed her expression?

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. Your tea tastes wonderful.” Her hurried apologies only made him laugh harder. Zeltara put her face in her hands in a futile attempt to hide her embarrassment. Just who was this guy anyway?

  It took a few moments for Dinaro to control his laughter. “I am only joking, kid. I know that this tea is an acquired taste. No need to be embarrassed, yes?” After a final few chuckles, Dinaro took a deep breath to calm down. His expression became serious.

  “Let’s get down to business, shall we?” Zeltara unconsciously straightens her posture at his shift in tone. “Three days ago, three kids stumbled into camp and collapsed, giving my guards quite a fright.” So, it had been three days. Zeltara was almost surprised it wasn’t longer. They were in awful shape. “It caused quite a stir in the caravan. It was apparent that the three were on death’s door. I decided we would treat them to the best of our ability. While I wouldn’t leave children to die, I had another reason to help them. My curiosity. Now, I ask you, Zeltara from Urada. What happened to you? How did you get into this wasteland we find ourselves in?”

  Zeltara sat there and wondered how she should answer. Should she share everything or hold information back? Would Dinaro be able to tell if she did? He had seemed to read her like an open book so far. He was friendly enough, so Zeltara figured it was probably better to be honest. The last thing she wanted was to offend this guy. They needed supplies and a place to stay. This caravan was their only hope. Zeltara couldn’t mess this up.

  She figured it was better to start at the beginning. “It all started when my friends and I were in the forest outside our town. A bright light followed by intense pain hit us. It caused us to pass out. When we woke up, it seemed like the entire world had ended. We were also moved to an entirely different location.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Dinaro hummed in response, causing Zeltara to pause. Was that a good or bad sign? Dinaro made a hand gesture for her to go on, so she continued. “The area looked different. It seemed like the world had been randomly taken apart and put back together.”

  The chief raised an eyebrow at this. “Interesting. So what did you do?”

  “Well, there wasn’t any food or water around. We had a very limited amount of supplies and needed to find more. So we started traveling at night, since the days were so hot.” Zeltara took a sip of her tea to wet her throat. Still tasted awful.

  “Makes sense. Not everyone is used to traveling in such heat. Luckily, our bison are used to such climates or we may have done the same,” Dinaro said.

  “Interesting. The Al’Yanda are from the desert, right?” Dinaro nodded. “You would be used to that heat then. Anyway, back to what I was saying. We traveled north for a while. Trying to find anything that could help us survive. It took a few days to find any signs of life. A man screaming in the distance. But by the time we got there, he was already dead.” Zeltara paused as she considered what to say next.

  Dinaro filled the silence by saying, “We encountered several people dead in the wasteland. Most seemed to have died because of exposure.” Zeltara found the comment interesting. How else did those people die besides exposure? She decided to check if they had encountered a body similar to theirs.

  “I have to ask, did you find any bodies in an unusual condition?” Dinaro took a long puff of his pipe in thought.

  “Unusual how?”

  “The man we found was a horrific sight.” I made Zeltara cringe just thinking about it. “His body was completely drained of blood. This dark, inky substance coated him. The body had withered away. We had gotten there only a minute or two after he died. Has your people encountered something similar?”

  Dinaro thought for a moment before answering. “Ah, we did encounter something like that. The way my men described it made me curious. I had to check it out myself. The body also seemed to be reduced to a husk. But there wasn’t any inky substance around. However, his veins were visibly blackened. The body wasn’t that old, so it made little sense. Perhaps there is a connection there. Did you find out how the man ended up that way?”

  Zeltara broke out in a cold sweat as she thought about the abomination. How was she supposed to describe it to Dinaro? Would he even believe her? He had to, since he encountered a body of his own.

  Wait, they had been so far from each other at that point. Days of travel between them in hostile terrain. There was no way the abomination could have killed both men. That meant only one thing. There was more than one abomination out there. She felt nauseous at the thought. How many of them were out there? Could there be several stalking the caravan right now? How could they survive such an attack? She needed to warn them.

  Dinaro seemed to notice her inner turmoil. “Are you okay, kid? You’re looking very pale. Do you need to go lie down?”

  Zeltara did her best to recompose herself and shook her head. “I’m fine sir, but I need to tell you something. We encountered something while we were traveling. Something that caused the death of that man.” Dinaro perked up in interest. He motioned for her to continue. She took a deep breath. “It started soon after we discovered the man. There was something stalking us. It was a quiet hunter at first, but soon made itself known. The thing would let out shrieks that would rattle your head. It stayed just out of our sight in the darkness. This went on for over a day. That’s when it attacked us.”

  Zeltara paused, just thinking about it. Images of the abomination grabbing Saiya flashed through her mind. She could still hear her desperate screams. What would have happened if she had missed? Would any of them have made it to the caravan?

  “What happened next? What did it look like?” Dinaro said. Curiosity dripped from his voice. Zeltara shook her head to refocus.

  “We called it an abomination, and that is a fitting title for it. It looked like an amalgamation of several people and massy tissue. It had a lot of arms and legs. There were several mouths on it. I don’t know how to describe it exactly, but it was a monster through and through.” Dinaro expression became skeptical. Did he not believe what she was saying? Did he hope that she was imagining things? “We managed to drive it off, but it’s still alive. It could still be out there, so keep an eye out, please?” Dinaro rubbed his chin in thought.

  “Hmm... quite a spectacular tale you’ve woven. I’m not exactly sure what to make of what you’d seen. Are you sure it wasn’t just a trick of the darkness? Something else made to look different in the shadows? No matter, I’ll inform the guards to keep an eye out. Just to be safe.” Zeltara felt offended by his nonchalant attitude. Was he not taking this seriously? Dinaro held his hand up to stop her response. “It doesn’t matter in the end, yes? Let’s move on from that for now. How did you make it to the caravan?”

  Zeltara had to hold in a growl at the dismissal. It seemed fantastical, but the sky had literally burned and the moon disappeared. Couldn’t he believe that a new monster was roaming about? This wasn’t the fancy of some child’s imagination. Still, she backed off. It was best to avoid letting relations sour over an argument. She still needed to convince Dinaro to let them stay. Zeltara can come back to the matter later.

  She wrapped up the story. “We found you since we traveled at night. Your camp’s lights were visible in the distance. We headed towards you in hopes of some help. The problem was the fact that you guys were traveling away from us. It was hard to make up ground. We ran out of supplies before we could reach you. In the end, we must have traveled for over a full day straight just to barely reach you.” Dinaro closed his eyes and took a long sip of his tea.

  He then opened his eyes, set down the cup, and said, “Impressive of you to travel that far and with so little. There are some among my men would be unable to do the same. And we live out in the desert.” He chuckled at that.

  “So, how did your caravan end up out here?” Zeltara asked. Were the Al’Yanda’s experiences similar to theirs?

  “Ah, you wish to trade stories, yes? Well, I accept your bargain.” She noted the strange wording Dinaro used. “I’m afraid there isn’t much to tell. We had just finished up our route in the western regions and were heading back to our homeland of Ji’Hanki. It came in an instant. A shockwave of power overtook us. Everyone passed out from the all-encompassing pain. We woke up in this wasteland just like you. Unfortunately, almost a third of our caravan went missing. Both men and wagons had disappeared without a trace. We still haven’t found them.”

  It was an interesting detail to Zeltara. Why hadn’t they all ended up in the same place? Dinaro finished his story. “Of the options presented, east held the clearest path for us. We have been traveling ever since. It’s a good thing we were carrying food, or else the caravan would be in trouble. Not as interesting as your tale, yes?”

  Zeltara endured another sip of the tea before responding. “Thank you for sharing that, sir.” Dinaro laughed at that for some reason.

  “Of course. An El’Thani always completes a bargain, yes?” There was that word choice again. He mentioned a bargain again. Was she missing something? “Now, it’s time to get down to important business.”

  “And what would that be?” Dinaro took a puff from his pipe.

  “Ah, it should be obvious. What are you and your friends planning to do now?” She should have known it wouldn’t be this easy.

  “I had been hoping we could travel with the caravan.” Dinaro’s expression sharpened. His stare pierced right through her.

  “And why would I allow that? We’ve already used precious resources on the three of you. Now you ask us to use more on you. What do you bring to the table?” Zeltara floundered for an answer. Why had the conversation shifted so abruptly?

  “Uh, you could put us to work to earn our keep?” She hadn’t meant to have that come out as a question.

  “Put you to work, you say. What skills do you have that we need? You’re only kids, after all.” His stare intensified. She had to stop herself from shivering. Zeltara tried to come up with something to say. She had to convince him somehow. The first part of the conversation caused her to lower her guard. She should have thought of something earlier.

  The tent flap opened, and the woman from before walked in. “I’m sorry for interrupting negotiations, Dinaro, but another one of our guests woke up. He is waiting outside.”

  Dinaro perked up upon seeing the woman. “Ah, Yena! It’s no problem at all. Bring the lad in.” Yena nodded and left the tent. A few seconds later, Kaztos entered. Zeltara was relieved to see him okay. He gingerly walked forward a few steps and bowed.

  “Good evening, sir. My name is Kaztos Molinar of Urada. I hope the shifting sands leave you with a clear path.” Dinaro seemed surprised at the greeting. Zeltara decided to let Kaztos handle this. He appeared to know what to do.

  Dinaro said, “It is quite surprising to hear my people’s greeting from an outsider. You’re a Molinar as well. Quite brave of you, yes?” Kaztos straightened back up. Zeltara could see the wince he tried to hide. “Well, my name is Dinaro El’Thani. Please come and sit next to your friend. We were just going over some negotiations.”

  Kaztos sat down next to Zeltara. He asked, “What negotiations do you mean, sir?” A guard poured him a cup of tea. He took a sip and, to her astonishment, smiled. “Ah, this is a wonderful blend, sir. It’s some kind of green tea, isn’t it?” Dinaro once again looked surprised before he chuckled.

  “Ah, it is a personal favorite brew from my homeland. You’re quite the polite one. Anyway, your friend and I were just talking about the potential of the three of you staying with us. I wanted to see what you offered in return. I can’t just give charity like that. My men would have my head otherwise.” Kaztos took another sip of his tea. He then looked over at her.

  “I’m glad that you’re fine, Zeltara. Let me take the lead on this, okay?” She could only nod in response. He seemed more confident in navigating this discussion. Kaztos then turned back to Dinaro. “We are more than capable of working for you. We each have a set of skills that are useful.”

  Dinaro asked, “And what would those be?”

  “Let’s start with my friend Zeltara here. She is an expert tinkerer. If you need anything repaired, then she can more than handle it.” He then glanced at her. “Isn’t that right?”

  “Oh, yes. I worked in my father’s workshop from the moment I could walk. I have experience fixing just about anything. My father taught me all he knew and then some.” Dinaro hummed in consideration before nodding.

  “Ah, we are in need of a tinker at the moment. He was among those who disappeared when this all began. The tinker wagon is still here, but we don’t have anyone to use it. Alright, what can that other girl do?” Zeltara sighed in relief.

  “Saiya has experience as a healer. I’ve seen her deal with a variety of injuries. She was the one who treated my injury. You can never have too many healers.” It was a bit of an exaggeration, in Zeltara’s opinion. The fact of the matter is that neither of them knew Saiya’s ability in medicine beyond basic first aid. But she was fine with anything to convince Dinaro.

  He rubbed his chin in thought before answering. “You’re right about that, I suppose. More healers are always a good thing. We’re always getting injuries around here. Very well, what do you have to offer, Molinar?” Zeltara internally cheered. They’d have a spot secured here in no time.

  “Well, I am trained in the art of combat by my town’s academy. I can provide some defense to the caravan from any outside threats.” Kaztos sounded unsure for the first time since entering. “Uh, I can also provide manual labor for any work around camp you need. Just anything really.” Zeltara winced. That could have been presented better. She didn’t realize he felt self conscience about his combat skills.

  Dinaro let out a skeptical huff. “We already have a number of guards. Do we really need another one? Have anything else to offer?” Kaztos seemed almost to flounder as he thought of what to offer him. The conversation was going against them again. They needed to get back on track.

  An idea came to Zeltara. She leaned in to whisper in Kazto’s ear. “Remember the quartz we got from the cave? Use that as payment on top of the work. You’re doing great, Kaztos. Stay calm.” Kaztos gave her a thankful smile.

  He cleared his throat and said, “We have a good deal of quartz we can offer you. Would that help our end of the deal?” Dinaro laughed at the offer.

  “You’re offering quartz? Those are almost worthless. Sure they’re pretty, but too common to sell reliably. Do you have anything else to offer?” Dinaro’s intense stare left both of them sweating. Neither of them can think of anything to say. “Nothing else, huh? I guess I have no choice.” His expression turned to one of mirth. “But to accept your bargain. Welcome to the caravan.”

  Kaztos almost dropped his teacup while Zeltara had to stop herself from falling over. Zeltara was flabbergasted by what just happened. Weren’t they about to be kicked out?

  “Thank you, sir. Though may I ask why the change in demeanor?” Kaztos asked. Dinaro gave another hearty chuckle.

  He looked at both of them and said, “Well, it’s the way of the Al’Yanda, yes? Our people live and die by making good trades. I just wanted to see what the two of you were made of. Here’s some advice for next time. You don’t need to offer everything you have when someone is playing hard to get. I would have accepted just your labor.” He lets out another chuckle before sipping his tea.

  Zeltara felt upset with the guy for jerking them around. She knew he was probably doing it for his own entertainment. Still, better not bite the hand that feeds. She took a moment to calm down and said, “Thank you for your hospitality. We will work hard for the caravan.” Zeltara bowed down, just as Kaztos had done earlier.

  “Ah, you learn fast, kid. Hopefully, you can learn to make bargains like your friend here. I didn’t even do much, and you were shaking in your boots.” His chuckles made her blush in embarrassment. “I’m just teasing you. Stick around long enough and you’ll pick up a thing or two.”

  Dinaro adopted a serious expression. Unlike last time, it didn’t leave the two anxious. “Here’s how this is going to work. You three can stay at the camp as a family unit together.” Zeltara wondered what a unit meant. “We’ll provide for you while traveling with us. In return, all of you are going to work for us. Kaztos, you’ll join the guard rotation. We expect you to keep watch and patrol when necessary. Zeltara, you will work in the tinker wagon. Your job is to fix the backlog of damaged equipment we have. Finally, the other girl will be an assistant to our healer. Now, I expect the three of you to work hard. Any slacking off, and there will be consequences.”

  “How long will we have to work here?” Zeltara asked.

  “As long as you're willing. You can leave whenever you want to. Though I’d suggest you wait until we find civilization.” There were no arguments from her about that. Zeltara had enough of traveling through barren wastelands. “Do you two have any more questions?”

  Zeltara looked over at Kaztos and shook her head. He then turned to Dinaro and said, “No, sir. Thank you again for helping us.”

  “Think nothing of it. But it’s getting late. You two should head back and sleep some more. Your first day of work starts tomorrow.” The three exchange goodbyes, and the two head towards the tent exit. Zeltara felt a weight leave her for the first time in a week. They were finally safe. There was no need to worry if there would be a tomorrow.

  As Kaztos opened the tent flap, a boy rushed inside. He ran into him and stumbled back. Zeltara got a better look at him. He looked slightly younger than they were, with a strong resemblance to Dinaro. He wore a white tunic and trousers. Once he got his bearings, the boy looked at them with excitement.

  “Ah, I can’t believe it. You’re the guests everyone is talking about, yes? It’s great to meet you,” he said in an excited tone. The sudden exuberance surprised Zeltara. The boy seemed ready to say more when Dinaro called out from behind them.

  “Leave them be for now, kid. You need to come in and go to sleep before your mother realizes you’re still up.” The boy muttered an apology and immediately went through the right cloth divider. “Sorry about him. He just gets enthusiastic when meeting new people. Now go on and enjoy your evening.” Zeltara and Kaztos take the chance to leave the tent.

  The two move through camp and return to their personal tents. Once there, they move closer and speak quietly for privacy.

  “That was amazing work in there, Kaztos. You really knew how to navigate that conversation,” Zeltara said. Kaztos seemed to preen from the compliment.

  “It’s a noble’s job to handle negotiations like that. I had classes about it back at the academy.” Kaztos then gave her a soft smile. “I’m glad that we’re all safe. I didn’t know whether either of you had made it at first.”

  Zeltara returned the smile and said, “I’m glad as well. Thank you for carrying me and Saiya. It’s still coming back to me, but I’m sure we wouldn’t have gotten here without you.”

  “Of course, anything for my friends. I would do it all again if I had to.” Kaztos then yawned. “I’m still tired. How about we talk more about this tomorrow?”

  She had to cover up a yawn of her own. Sleep sounded great at the moment. “Yeah, we’ll need as much rest as possible. Good night.” Both of them entered their respective tents.

  As she laid down, Zeltara felt renewed hope for the future. They no longer had the cloud of their potential demise hanging over them. Now, a new path lay before them. Sure, having to work for the foreseeable future wasn’t ideal, but Zeltara saw it as a temporary return to normalcy. It would almost be like working at her father’s workshop again. I gave them time to figure out what to do next. These thoughts occupied her tired mind as she drifted off to sleep.