The stone walls stretched the entire view across the plain in front. It stood taller than a five story house. The battlements were populated with people, some were archers. Others were in regular, simple clothing. Tourists? Workers? Who knows?

  The sky was fair today. It stayed pure and blue, not much cloud. No cloud to shield the people from the bright red sun. Normally, such an ordeal for most people was tolerable, not that bad with such heat. They could continue on normally. Not for one of the coming traveller, in robe and sweating.

  “I can’t stand this heat” murmured Wattyson, still seated sideway on Horse reined by Arlene. Arlene for the entire trip looked fine. Even healthier and glowing from before.

  “Such a complainer all the sudden, Watty? What happened to the do all attitude?” she laughed aloud as Horse finally stepped on paved road, only half an hour away from Toulasi. “First the cold, now the heat? What can you handle?”

  She leaned her head back, resting on his perfectly lukewarm shoulder. Seeing the person in question was using his own hand sleeve to fan himself. His face though was as neutral as any day. “Wait… are you actually bother by the heat?”

  “I am very sensitive to the heat.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Amazing. The Chosen One hath seenth through me.”

  “So do you have an ID with you still? Any nation is fine.”

  “Why?”

  “What do you mean why?” she lifted her head up away from the shoulder. “It’s for checking, duh! Who’s going to let a total nobody with no ID in?”

  Wattyson took a moment, reaching his hand out into the air, then into a black hole conjured by him. Pulling out a card. So he did have an ID.

  “Will this suffice?”

  He forwarded the card. Instead of handing it over to Arlene’s palm open right above her shoulder, he hovered it right in front of her view.

  She rolled her eyes before reading the ID. Horse neighed as if saying it’ll take over the road.

  “Wat-ty-son… No last name… DoB.. scratched?”

  “It’s an old ID.”

  “I guess that’s fine… except I can’t tell what nations this ID is from!”

  “Hmmm…” he brought the ID back to him, reading it himself. “You’re right… I don’t even know what country this is.”

  “How?! You looked to be in your twenties still! Do you know where the country is?”

  “Equilarum?”

  “No! That country fell over two hundred years ago! Wait… I remember. You said you’re from Bad’ur right? Or at least you live there before the Red Grove.”

  “I… did yes.”

  Bad’ur, Bad’ur… if I recall… that’s currently under the Holy Empire of Byasillzune. It should have the crest of…

  “Watty, can you pass me the ID again?” she hovered her hand again, over the shoulder. He, again, just put it right in front of her face.

  Her eyes darted to the four corners of the ID then the whole view. Nothing.

  “Can you rotate it for me?”

  He did, but rather horizontally. He did it vertically. It was upside down.

  “I meant… ughh that’ll do.”

  Sure enough the crest was on the back. Even though it was upside down she could understand it. A flower with two laurels underneath reaching to the top covering both side. It wasn’t the Byasillzune’s Crest.

  It was the same one as that closet. Thought to be just an aesthetic.

  She sighed, brushing his hand off to stop facing her the ID. “When we get to the gate, let me talk ok?”

  “Fantastic.”

  Horse neighed, swinging his head about. Stepping hard on the cobble road before galloping forward.

  “Wait, Horse!”

  Horse just started galloping faster for seemingly no reason.

  The gate held up high with the blacksteel barrier locked on the top. Banners sprawling out, hanging on the wall and being swayed by the fair wind flanked the gate. A lion holding a sword standing atop an eagle. Bavasr’s crest.

  Horse trotted along and stopped at the queue. A row of carriages, people standing and some also with their horses. It could take up to an hour or two until they were at the gate check.

  “You should get comfortable,” she nudged Wattyson. “This’ll take long.”

  “I don’t suppose,” he nudged back. “You don’t have any books, do you?”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I should have some in that bag” she pointed to the left saddlebag. “Though… I don’t think we can get it with your robe in the way.”

  He groaned. “I don’t want to get off Horse either.

  It nickered at his comment.

  “Just get off Horse and take it out.”

  “I’m already comfortable sitting.”

  “Okay? Well your loss.” She giggled to herself. “How about next time, don’t wear robe?”

  “Oh? And what would you suggest?”

  “Anything besides robe at this point.”

  “Fine. I’ll let you see my other clothes when we’re in an inn or something and I will show you why robe is superior.”

  His mouth moved to say something then paused, his eyes were still. His gaze was fixed. “Arlene,” he lifted his lip to point.

  In the carriage about five queue over, a girl sat staring at them. Her head still with messy short brown hair swayed lightly by the wind. She had an ear reminiscence that of a cat. A neko race? It wasn’t the staring that caught his attention. Her eyes or specifically. Her pupils. It was clear enough for both to see. Crimson ruby with lines darted across. Layers of lines darted from top to bottom. She had a small smile, the same unchanging expression.

  She glanced briefly back to Wattyson to ask his thought, in his eyes she could see that focused gaze. As if it was dissecting whatever he was glaring at. The eyes that could cut through still winds. The eye of a predator. The eye of a hunter.

  “Watty… do you think?” her voice hung low, afraid other nearby could hear.

  “No” he answered flat out, yet his stare fixed. “I don’t think it’s that. Though something about her is… off.”

  He finally relented. That neko girl was still staring. “Probably nothing. Probably just a fan of you and stuck stargazing at your appearance.” He shrugged off, his shoulders released the rigid tension. “I doubt we’ll run into one another again.”

  “Are you telling me… the truth or are you just-“

  Before she could finish, another passerby shouted. “THE HEAVEN’S ABOVE! IT’S THE CHOSEN ONE!”

  The queue looked to her, hearing the shout. They did see her before when she entered the queue but now after another look. They could see the Chosen One’s crest on her shoulder pads and her chestplate.

  Some of them looked with reverent. Other were singing her praises. Then as if a silent acknowledgement between all the queue, they all moved aside for her to move.

  “Please” she raised her voice for all to hear. “You don’t have to move for me.”

  “Nonsense!” a female voice shouted out. “You’re here for something!”

  “That’s right!” a man voice followed. “Wouldn’t want to delay the Chosen One! Let us move for you! It’s an honor for us!”

  Arlene lowered her hand, flustered and resigned. “Okay… thank you all!” She waved her hand now at them as Horse trotted through, head held high, neighing as it passed by another traveller.

  “A very celebrated Chosen One we have here” remarked Wattyson somewhat in a lighter tone. Finger holding onto the hood to cover his face.

  They were side by side to that carriage with the neko girl inside. Arlene glanced briefly but could see her. The girl in a loungewear with skirt, stocking for legging. She was smirking, reaching from ear to ear as they passed.

  “A very enthusiast fan of yours” commented Wattyson after passing that one, still hood over his head fully.

  “I don’t think… it what you think it is” she replied while waving still, nodding in gratitude.

  The Gate Check was filled with guards and offices. It was like a military checkpoint. Every guards armed with a sword short like a gladius dangling off their hips. As if it wasn’t enough, they have another sword same length dangling off their other side of the hips.

  “I wasn’t aware Toulasi was this… militarized.” He whispered, leaning next to her neck. “Is Bavasr planning for war?”

  “I don’t think so” her voice quiet down. “Probably standard procedure… I don’t remember Toulasi gate check like this since I was last here four years ago.”

  “Hmm… alright” he leaned back. “As you’ve said, you’ll do the talking. I’ll just sit as still as a statue.”

  “Next” said the guard, after padding the traveller on the back to be on his way in. Loud steps hurried in after the call. “Tell me your name, occupation and state of visit…” he looked up seeing the black steed then above were two individuals. One in robe trimmed in gold, he obviously didn’t recognize him but the other one he did. “Oh! Miss Chosen One!” he hailed a salute, hand into fist pressing against his heart. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “I’m just traveling. Do you need to see my ID?”

  “No need” he waved off. “Your stature along is enough but…” his voice trailed before beckoning her to rein her horse to the side so the queue wasn’t bottlenecked by her. “I don’t know who this is. Forgive me, Miss Chosen One, but could he present his ID?”

  “He… uhh” she paused, taking the moment to dismount. “He’s a special case. A new companion of mine see. He’s been secluded for a long time thus doesn’t have any ID.”

  “Secluded?” the guard raised his voice, taking another peek at Wattyson. A man in robe appeared to be in his mid-twenties. “That’s…” he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Miss Chosen One. I know it’s probably nothing since you’re the one with him, but I can’t let you in with him. This is for the safety of the city.”

  “I understand” she nodded. “However… can I propose an alternative? I’m bringing him here to register at the adventurer guild. Could you perhaps… issue him a temporary pass card?”

  The guard looked to her, before to Wattyson again, studying the robe figure. “Alright” he let out. “I’ll relay to my officer. Please wait here.” With that, he ran off into the building.

  A short while after, the guard came back out, extending two hands out handing over the paper. “Here you go, Miss Chosen One. As you know, it’ll expire after today if he doesn’t get the ID from the Adventurer’s Guild. Afterward, we’ll have to escort him out. If he does get the ID, I trust you know what to do with the paper?”

  “Yes” she took it off his hand, bowing slightly. “I do. Thank you kindly.”

  “Please don’t mention it. It’s an honor to serve you no matter how small.” He stood still upright, saluting again. “May the Divine Sun guide you.”

  She mounted Horse, returning the saying back to the guard. “You too. May Helios guide you.” Started getting Horse to start trotting into Toulasi proper.

  “You really sat like a statue, Watty” she murmured out to him whilst still within the gate’s holding. “What’s wrong? A medusa froze you?”

  “Nonsense,” he waved off, placing his two hands between his leg. “Just years of experience. Also secluded? You made it seems like I was a lost child or something living alone for years.”

  “Aren’t you though?” she glanced back, a smirk played to one ear.

  “Fair” he took the paper from her now. “So how does this work? The guard said they will come escort me out after it expires. How would they know?”

  “Oh, that’s because there’s a magic glyphs written into it, hidden for people to spot. It runs on a timer and when it goes out, it pinged to the guards’ crystal. That’s how.”

  A shining blind befell the two of them as they exited the gate’s holding now, revealing a sprawling cityscape inside. Large stone houses traced along the paved limestone road. There were stalls set up. Some in front of building clearly meant for business and others in front of their own personal homes. It was crowded. The whole street filled with travellers coming in and out, buying necessaries items, souvenirs or whatever the stalls were selling.

  “At least I remember this part.” She chuckled seeing the sight, the same Toulasi as it was four years ago.

  “I just remembered why I hate city.”

  “Relax, it’s only this bustling and crowded near the entrance, the rest of the city beside the market avenue is sparse or normal capacity at best.”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  “You’ll see… right horse?”

  NEIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

  “See?”

  He groaned. “Alright… let’s go to that adventurer’s guild.”

  “As you wish, strange robe man.”

  Horse skilfully navigated, stepping its hooves around through the crowd without even so much as touching them. Next stop, the Adventurer’s Guild.