Chapter 32: Walled in

  “For you folks, it will take about twenty days to reach the Serno Valley,” Kadus informed them as the group prepared for the trip.

  “But will we see Vivenah before we reach the giant?” Corin asked excitedly.

  “Yes, visiting Vivenah is an option,” Kadus replied apprehensively. “One of the routes to the Serno Valley does cut through it.”

  “Is there an issue with going there?” Corin asked.

  “Is it dangerous?” Simeon followed up.

  “No, no, that's not the problem about Vivenah.” Kadus seemed uneasy.

  “What is it then?” Livia asked.

  “Well for one Vivenah is abandoned, but it is also entirely devoid of life,” Kadus replied.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The city of Vivenah is surrounded on all sides by marshes, teeming with life, plants, insects, snakes, anything you can think of, but none of it crosses over to the city. There is no life to be found within. Nothing grows there. Not even the most hardy plants will take root. No animals look for shelter, and birds will fly around the city rather than fly over it,” Kadus said.

  “I did not know that,” Corin replied.

  “Of course. Most will see the large structures of the city from a distance and remark on the impossibility of their existence. But few actually go into the city. And when you do, none of the buildings actually have any way of entering them. The city seems like something that shouldn't exist, but it does,” Kadus finished.

  The group was quiet now.

  “But as I said, I will lead you there,” Kadus said. “You can see for yourself.”

  The group prepared to head to the gate to begin their path to the last piece of the artifact.

  Corin could not believe they neared the end of their journey. It did not seem that long ago since he had encountered Nanaua and Zhi in the dragon temple. Now they were on their way to complete the artifact. They were nearing the gate when they saw commotion up ahead.

  “Titan!” someone cried out from the top of the gate.

  “What?” Corin said.

  “Titan!” The guards continued shouting atop the gate as they maneuvered around.

  Corin was confused as to what was occurring. That single word caused panic around the gate. All the furtives who had previously been moving about froze. A nervous energy quickly sprang up.

  “Titan? What do they mean titan?” a dragoor cried out loudly.

  “Is it here?” another furtive screamed.

  “Where is the titan?”

  The voices in the crowd began to grow more raucous. The mob began to get unruly.

  A guard atop the gate yelled over the crowd,

  “Silence.” Corin had never heard a furtive yell so loudly. It captured everyone's attention.

  “The gate shall remain closed.”

  This announcement enticed the furtive crowd to unravel once more.

  “Silence!” the guard shouted again.

  “A titan has been sighted outside the perimeter of the city! We cannot allow any furtive to leave. If the titan sees furtives running from our location, it might follow them back to the city. For the safety of all our citizens, we must keep the gates closed. The gate will open only once the threat has passed.”

  The group all turned to look at each other. They could not believe their luck.

  “This timing is terrible, but it could have been worse,” Simeon said. “Had we already left, we might have run into that titan.”

  The area around the gate was crowded to the point where there was little separation between anyone. If any of Tonatiuh's agents were around, they could easily spot Zhi and the others.

  “We will have to listen for updates from the gate and see when it opens, but for now we must go back into hiding,” Kadus told them.

  The group quickly made their way back to Daum’s hideout. He seemed surprised at their quick return.

  “They closed the gate on account of a titan sighting?” Daum asked.

  “That's what they announced,” Corin said.

  “I didn't know they would close the gate, but their reasoning is sensible,” Daum replied.

  “Did any of you notice any signs of a titan?”

  “Like what?” Zhi replied.

  “With dragons, you have storms. Giants cause earthquakes, and I don't think a Leviathan will cause a tsunami here, but was there any of that?”

  The group looked at each other.

  “No, we left as soon as we could. There were too many furtives out in the open. We could not risk staying outside,” Zhi replied.

  “I see,” Daum replied.

  He turned to look at Kadus.

  “What do you make of this?”

  “Simply put, I am in disbelief,” Kadus said. “Yranto has always avoided titans. In all my years in Yranto, I have never heard of such a thing.”

  “Really?” Corin asked.

  “Yes, it's quite literally the only reason this city is even able to exist. If it was like any other place in Khorsor, then it would be a small town that gets destroyed every so often. But most of my time in Yranto, I have been asleep or close to it, so perhaps my recollection is not the best.”

  “Waiting is our only choice?” Nanaua asked.

  Out of all of them, Nanaua was the most eager to get out of the city. She had to hide for the majority of the time, and was unable to fight. She missed the action, the thrill of the fight, the danger of the unknown.

  “Unless you have another way out of the city,” Simeon said.

  Corin was eager to get out of Yranto. He did not care to be constantly looking over his shoulder or having to hide in a small room underground.

  “Maybe we should look for another way out!” Corin stated gleefully.

  “You do realize this city is surrounded by either mountains or a river?” Daum shot back.

  “So?”

  “Even if you somehow make it out of the walls, you will be quickly seen,” Daum began. “I don't believe the city guard will treat anyone who is caught absconding from the city in such a time with leniency.”

  “So is that it then?” Corin replied in a defeated tone.

  “Seems like it,” Simeon said.

  “Damn!” Corin and Nanaua replied simultaneously.

  ***

  On the second day, Daum went out by himself to learn about the situation at the gate.

  Three knocks on the door.

  Corin almost fell over as he leapt to open the door.

  Before Daum came in, he asked,

  “Well?”

  “Still closed.”

  “Damn,” Corin said.

  Daum walked past him into the room. Corin closed the door.

  “It's not like titans keep to a schedule.” Simeon stated. “If there is one out there, then going out now would be foolish.”

  Another day of hiding underground followed. To pass the time, some of them would go out to “stretch their legs.” Initially this began as a quick activity. They would be in and out quickly. But as the day wore on, the lengths of these activities lasted longer and longer. The restlessness continued building.

  “If we have to spend one more day here, I'll run away,” Zhi said. “I don't care if there is a titan!”

  “My love,” Nanaua said, trying to soothe her.

  “I know you feel the same way!” Zhi replied.

  Nanaua could not even attempt to feign agreement.

  Another night began. Sleep was unattainable, their thoughts a complicated mix of concern, anxiety, and worst of all boredom.

  Daum came back late.

  “Anything out there?” Corin asked quietly in case the others were asleep.

  “No. The skies were clear throughout the day. An announcement on the situation at the gate is expected tomorrow. Most think the city will finally reopen,” he replied.

  Corin could only think that several hours from now he would be once more out of the walls of this city. The excitement prevented him from falling asleep.

  The next morning, commotion could be heard outside their door.

  Before Corin could react, Daum was already stepping outside.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He quickly rushed back in.

  “They said the gates are open!” Daum announced.

  Corin and the others did not hesitate. They gathered their belongings and left.

  They hurried to the gates, but they could tell they were not the only ones who received the news. Near the gate, the mass of furtives stretched all around the square. Everywhere Corin looked there were furtives waiting to leave Yranto.

  Eventually, the mass got so dense that the group could move forward no longer.

  “Why are we stopping?” Corin asked.

  Nanaua could see over the other furtives around them.

  “Nobody is moving ahead of us!”

  “Get back!” The shouts came from atop the city walls.

  The city guards were shouting down into the crowd.

  “What do you mean? The gate to the city is open!” someone shouted from the crowd.

  “That is false information! The gate remains closed!” Fran, the sparrowling guard that Corin had seen before announced.

  A line of city guards appeared on either side of Fran, presenting a strong unified force. They all had bows in hand. If the crowd became unruly, the guards meant to enforce peace with force.

  The mob did not care about the display of force. They chanted in unison,

  “Let us out! Let us out!”

  As Corin spied the mob, he noticed something peculiar. A face among the crowd was not focused on the guard. It was solely focused on him.

  He recognized the man as the clean-shaven agent, Riccus. He was on the opposite side of the crowd, close to a brick building.

  “They're here! Tonatiuh's agents!” Corin shouted to those around him. Nanaua was the first one to respond.

  “What? Where?”

  “Up ahead!” Corin said as he looked back to the same spot he had seen Riccus. He had vanished.

  “Damn! He was over there by the brick building!”

  “We need to leave!” Simeon shouted back to Corin.

  “Curses! Damn it! Argh!” Nanaua shouted. Her frustration mirrored that of the other citizens of Yranto, but their situation was different. She turned around.

  With Simeon at the front of the group now, Corin and the rest pushed the mob aside as they moved back. It was a slow march as they traversed the angry mob.

  “Let us out! Let us out!” The crowd shouted even louder.

  “You've been warned!” The guard shouted down.

  As Corin and the others pushed, the mob thickened as more and more furtives came together to try and force their way out. It made their efforts to leave the square even harder.

  Corin looked back and saw a new development. The guards on the walls brought out wooden boxes and from within them began picking out large rocks.

  “We need to hurry!” Corin shouted.

  “This is hurrying!” Simeon said.

  “Is it always this crazy with all of you?” Kadus shouted.

  “You'll get used to it!” Livia shouted.

  “That was not my question!”

  “Just remember how to use what I gave you!” she added. “We might need it soon!”

  “Still not addressing my question, and I haven't forgotten!” Kadus replied.

  Corin heard the heaving of the rocks at the citizens.

  “Let me through!” Nanaua said to Corin.

  “What?”

  “I need to go to the front!”

  Corin relented, and Nanaua went around him. He looked back. The citizens were grabbing whatever items they could to shield themselves from the rain of rocks. A weapons vendor near the gate had all his shields taken away. An ape-man who sold pots and pans had them all taken.

  “No, the rocks will ruin them!” He urged the crowd, but they did not listen. “My pans!”

  Some of the citizens grabbed the rocks that were thrown at them and launched them back at the city guards.

  This is beyond insanity!

  Nanaua kept pushing up to the front until she was ahead of Simeon. At the front, Nanaua pushed the other furtives around with more ease than Simeon.

  “This way!” she shouted, standing in front of an alleyway.

  The group followed into the alley, with Corin at the rear. It was narrow. Corin had to constantly be on the lookout for anyone walking the opposite way to avoid them. He walked as close as possible to the wall, while looking back and in front of him. The added bulk of his supplies made navigating through the narrow alley more difficult. As they neared the end of the alleyway, something blinded Corin for a split-second. He looked behind him to see what the source was.

  The blinding light shone from a finely honed dagger. The wielder of the dagger, a blue-skinned dragoor, wore a cloak similar to one Corin had seen on two different men, Tonatiuh’s agents.

  Corin could not do much but fall backward as the dagger nearly missed his skull. It smacked hard against the side of the building.

  The dragoor raised the weapon again, ready to bring it down on Corin.

  Corin quickly reached for his waist and pulled out his pistol.

  BANG!

  The shot connected right with the dragoor’s midsection. The dragoor stared in horror at Corin as he dropped the dagger. Corin quickly grabbed it, got up, and stabbed the dragoor through his chest. He did not let go of the dagger until the dragoor stopped moving.

  “Corin!” Livia screamed.

  He looked back to where the assailant had come from. Two more robed figures were near the opposite end of the alley. All that separated them from Corin and the rest was a swarm of furtives. The chaos of Corin’s fight incited a commotion in the alley with furtives running in all directions.

  Corin ran from the other two agents. He grabbed Livia, who kept shouting his name. The others began to take notice of what had occurred.

  “We need to go! Now!” he called as he pushed forward.

  They started to move, except for Kadus, who kept staring at the dead body.

  “We need to go,” Corin urged the sparrowling. When Kadus wouldn’t move, Corin let go of Livia and grabbed onto him.

  “Now!”

  Corin pulled Kadus along with him. After several steps, the sparrowling was able to move on his own and continued moving.

  The entire group was out of the alley and in a wide street. Mobs abounded with only chaos guiding their traffic.

  “Nanaua!” someone hollered.

  A large dragoor made his way through the crowd toward them. Corin could see a massive sword. The crowds around him parted ways, falling over themselves trying to move out of his way.

  Corin could see that the dragoor had been severely wounded. His head was covered in bloodied wraps, only one eye uncovered. The hand that held the sword was missing two fingers.

  “Throk!” Nanaua yelled back.

  She stepped forward to meet his challenge.

  “You can't fight him here!” Zhi implored her as she held her hand.

  Corin looked back at the alley they had come from. The two robed agents were getting closer.

  “Zhi is right!” Corin said. “We're about to be surrounded!”

  Corin pulled out his pistol and aimed at Throk, who grabbed a dwarf and used him as a shield. The dwarf flailed, but Throk held tight.

  “Damn coward!” Corin shouted.

  “Let's go!” Zhi yelled. This time, the group listened.

  Nanaua, with little to no options available, led the way out of their current street and into another alleyway. This one was nearly devoid of other furtives.

  The farther into the alley they went, the fewer furtives they saw.

  What is happening?

  Nanaua exited the alley and instantly raised her weapon. A sword recoiled against her pike, a strike that could have killed her.

  Burdened by the pack she was carrying, Nanaua was not able to maneuver as deftly as she normally could. A second assailant came at her very quickly. A spear aimed straight at her mid-section. Nanaua did her best to avoid the sharp steel, but could only do so much. The blade pierced her side, clean from the front to the back.

  “Nanaua!” Corin screamed. He pulled out his pistol.

  “No!” Zhi shouted. Her hands moved much faster than Corin could.

  From around her, a violent shockwave exploded forward toward Nanaua and her assailants.

  Nanaua and the two attackers were sent flying, and bricks from the walls around them were peeled off and flew out as well. Livia who had been next to Zhi, was thrown against a wall violently. Simeon, in front of Zhi, was pushed forward by an invisible force. Kadus felt the upwind draft and was thrown aloft in the sky, where he did his best to stabilize himself in flight.

  “What power!” Kadus yelled with equal parts admiration and horror.

  Zhi seemed horrified at the carnage she had wrought.

  Corin ran up to Livia, who was lying face down on the ground.

  “Livia!” Corin yelled as he went to grab her.

  “I’m fine!” Her face had a few scrapes.

  “But the impact—” Corin began.

  “My pack took the brunt of it! Nanaua, help her!”

  Corin dropped his pack and ran.

  The scene in the street was one of destruction. Furtives were on the ground, scattered about by Zhi’s violent blast and impacted by the bricks that had been blown off.

  Amongst the downed furtives, Corin could see Nanaua, a spear sticking out from her. Near her, one of her assailants, the dragoor who had speared Nanaua, stood up.

  Now is the time!

  BANG!

  Corin did not miss. The dragoor did not even see Corin before the shot rang out. The assailant collapsed onto the ground.

  Where's the other?

  Corin turned around to find the answer.

  A female dragoor, the first one to assail Nanaua, swung at Corin. He deftly moved out of the way and lunged with the dagger he had grabbed. The dragoor, seeing Corin coming, dropped her sword, grabbed Corin by his wrist, and twisted it.

  “Argh!” Corin yelled in pain as he dropped the dagger.

  He saw his assailant move to grab the falling dagger with her free hand. He knew what she meant to do. Before he let the assailant gut him, Corin pulled back on the assailant and kicked her in the stomach.

  Corin was free from her grip but was pushed off balance. They both fell. He rolled around and grabbed his blade. The assailant smiled as she got up and looked at Corin.

  “I see Nanaua has done well in picking her companions,” the dragoor said. “But she's not the only one who comes with allies!”

  Corin could see a wall of robed agents form on either side. At the very end of the path behind them, furtives stood watching what occurred, among them was Throk.

  All around Throk were cowering furtives, some still affected by Zhi’s shockwave, others unsure of what was occurring, all paralyzed by fear.

  Anything Zhi does could leave more casualties in her wake.

  “There is no escape,” the dragoor told Corin.

  Corin looked over to Nanaua. Simeon currently tended to her. He could tell she was in pain, but at least she was conscious.

  “To the right!” Kadus cried out overhead.

  “What?” the dragoor said as she looked up.

  “New friend!” Corin yelled as he covered his ears.

  Boom!

  Even with his ears covered, Corin was nearly left deft from the explosion.

  Corin looked to the right. The wall of agents had collapsed, partially from the effects of the loud explosion and also from the new addition to the battlefield. Daum had cut down two of them before running over to Corin.

  “I'm sorry!” Daum said in a frantic voice. “I didn't know it was a trap! I came as soon as I—”

  “Nanaua!” Corin yelled and pointed to her. “Help her!”

  Daum quickly turned around and saw Nanaua. He instantly ran over and helped her up.

  Corin turned to look at Livia and Zhi.

  “We’re fine! Nanaua!” Livia urged him.

  Corin

  helped Daum with Nanaua.

  “I'll help Corin. You lead the way back to your room!” Simeon urged Daum.

  “We've been compromised!” Daum yelled. “But I know where to go!”

  They know where we were hiding!

  As Corin and Simeon guided Nanaua out of the chaos, Daum led, followed closely by Zhi and Nanaua.

  The agents of Tonatiuh who were still alive all writhed on the ground.

  “This city will be your grave!” the female dragoor yelled at Corin.

  Daum ran, and the others followed. Corin looked behind as he navigated the city while carrying Nanaua.

  “Your eyes! Forward!” Kadus, overhead, commanded him. “The enemy is still disoriented, and the city guard is mobilizing!”

  Corin followed Daum, who shortly entered a building. Corin and Simeon struggled with Nanaua and had to navigate a steep staircase with her. Behind them, they could hear the sharp scrape of talons on the wooden floor.

  Corin and the rest followed Daum as he led them down the underground paths. They had escaped the danger, for now.

  ***

  They arrived at a door Corin instantly recognized.

  “Why are you taking us to Jaco?” Livia asked.

  “That gesherin knows more than he's letting on,” Daum said. “I will make him talk. We need answers.” He

  nearly broke open the door as he knocked on it.

  The door slightly opened. Daum did not hesitate pushing the door open and walking in.

  The rest of the group followed him, and Daum closed the door behind him.

  “Wha…” Jaco began, but Daum ignored him.

  “No tail on us?” he asked Kadus.

  “No, the agents were running back to their own hideout. The city guard was about to be on them,” Kadus replied.

  “Is she de-dead?” Jaco asked as tears welled in his eyes.

  “No,” Corin replied as he put down Nanaua on her side.

  Her breathing was heavy. The spear had pierced the right side of her chest.

  “We need to remove it,” Simeon stated. “Once it's out, Zhi can help heal the wound.”

  “The Oixia. Is this part of her plan? Is that why we can't leave the city?” Daum interrogated Jaco

  , who instantly recoiled. He did not understand what was happening.

  “The Oi-Oixia?” Jaco replied.

  Corin worked on the spear while Daum threatened Jaco. Corin wanted to intervene but needed to help Nanaua. He managed to cut off the handle of the spear.

  “Daum, what are you doing?” Livia asked, stepping in between him and Jaco.

  He gave her a bewildered look. “How come you can’t see? Just think about it. The next morning after you discover the giant’s location, the gates to the city are closed. And why? Why are they closed? Because of a titan? A titan no one in this city can see or sense? Yet we are told we cannot leave for our own safety? And now we are tricked into thinking the gates are open and are attacked?”

  “But what does that have to do with him?” she asked, still not moving.

  “Don't you get it? The Oixia gets her information from all the gesherin in the city! The moment he learned of our plans, he must have informed them!”

  Jaco still cowered in the corner, behind Livia, his breathing rapid and shaky.

  “But he helped us!” Livia replied. “Without him, we would not know where to go!”

  “What if the Oixia wanted the artifact for herself?” Daum replied. “She knows we have the two other pieces. Why not wait until we have all the answers for them and then steal them from us after we are killed by agents of Tonatiuh?”

  Corin kept trying to remove the spearhead from Nanaua's chest. She groaned in pain as he pulled on it.

  “I'm sorry,” Corin said to Nanaua.

  “Hurry and get it out!” she muttered weakly at him.

  “Does it not make sense?” Daum replied. “We have no help from the Oixia, only questions, and when we make progress, we are stymied. He knows more and needs to tell us what exactly he said to them!”

  “He has nothing to do with this,” a voice said from the door.

  Everyone turned to look. A female gesherin stood at the door. Corin had never seen this person, but to him she looked a lot like Jaco, but with finer features and long black hair.

  “The Oixia?” Zhi said.

  “I'm not the Oixia,” she replied. “I was the decoy they had you see when you met with us.”

  “Je-Jeinna.” Jaco said as he looked at her.

  “Is it true? Did the Oixia really close the city down when we were about to leave?” Livia asked her.

  Jeinna looked away from Livia.

  “Yes.”

  “Who told her of our plan to leave? Was it Jaco?” Daum asked.

  “No, Jaco knows nothing of this,” Jeinna replied with anger roiling within. “She heard this information from Juno. It's not my fault you all discuss this out in the open.”

  “I did tell all of you about watching what you say in public,” Kadus added.

  “But why? Did you also intend for us to be ambushed? To nearly die?” Livia followed up.

  “No!” Jeinna said. “Our instructions were only to keep the city closed so that you could not escape. There was no mention of a plan to have you be killed by agents of a titan.”

  “But why keep us in Yranto?” Livia asked.

  “We were told it was for the safety of the city,” Jeinna replied. “We were told we needed to keep the Onsiel within the confines of the city or everyone could be at risk.”

  “At risk from what?” Livia asked her.

  Jeinna was silent. It was apparent that was the extent of her knowledge.

  Corin finished pulling out the spear head.

  “Argh, damn it all!” Nanaua yelled in pain.

  Zhi quickly tended to the gaping wound. Corin had seen her tend to minor scrapes and some internal discomfort, but never a wound so large.

  “Are you sure you will be able to heal her? I can try sewing up the wound,” Corin said.

  Zhi did not listen to Corin and put her hands over Nanaua's chest. Before Corin's very eyes, he could see Nanaua's insides start to stitch themselves back together. Piece by piece, Nanaua's wound healed itself, and afterward all that was left was a slight scar.

  “How were you able to do that?” Corin whispered.

  Zhi breathed heavily. The ordeal had cost her a lot of energy.

  “My love, I am sorry I could not do more to protect you,” Nanaua said as she caressed Zhi's face.

  Zhi grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

  The entire group was left stunned.

  “You,” Daum said as he walked up to Jeinna, “you need to take us to the Oixia! Now!”

  “And what are you going to do when you see her? Kill her? Attack her?” she asked.

  “She will let us leave the city!” Daum said.

  “What makes you think she will change her mind?”

  “We won't give her a choice!” Daum shot back.

  “Even if I wanted to help you, I can't!” she replied.

  “What do you mean? You work with her!” Daum said.

  “I only work for her,” Jeinna began. “I have never seen her in person. Do you think they would have someone important meet the Onsiel? Someone who could kill you with little effort?”

  “Well, how about their base of operations?” Daum replied. “Take us there!”

  “There is no single base of operations.” Jeinna said. “The place where I met with the Onsiel is one of many hideouts the Oixia uses to meet with persons of interest. There are many of them. I only know of one.”

  “Well, is there anything you have that is useful?” Daum asked. “Or are you here only to sow more confusion? How do we know you were not told to come here and continue to impede our progress?”

  “I already told you all I know!” Jeinna shouted. “I only came to see if my brother was caught up in the ordeal outside. His new companions bring nothing but destruction to those who help them.”

  “None of this would’ve happened if it hadn't been for the Oixia!” Daum shot back. “The Onsiel and the rest of them could have been out of the city for days now, and all of the carnage above could have been prevented!”

  That struck a nerve in Jeinna. She stared at him with seething rage but had nothing to say.

  “This is getting us nowhere. We need to get you out of the city,” Daum said as he turned to Zhi.

  Zhi was still breathing heavily. The powerful outbursts of magic had drained her. Nanaua, although healed, was still weak from the blood loss.

  “These two won’t be able to move much,” Kadus said.

  “I can,” Zhi said as she tried to stand up. “I can go.”

  She stood up and instantly collapsed on the floor. Simeon was nearby and grabbed her.

  “We're not going to be able to leave anytime soon,” Simeon said.

  “No, they're going to be looking for you. All of you!” Jeinna said. “You all need to leave now!”

  Daum turned to her.

  “You want us to leave? Look at the condition they are in. They will not be able to defend themselves if we are attacked!”

  “If they find you here, they will kill me and Jaco as well! You need to leave!” Jeinna repeated.

  Daum stepped forward. Corin grabbed him by his hand.

  “Daum, we cannot force others to do what they don't want,” Corin said. “If she wants us gone, we will find another place.”

  Daum stared at him and then shook his arm off.

  “Fine. Help me with Nanaua.”

  “Wa-wait!” Jaco shouted.

  Everyone stopped. None of them had ever heard Jaco be that loud. Even Jeinna seemed surprised at her brother's outburst.

  “You, you can't go!” Jaco said. He ran to the door and put himself in front of it.

  “It’s, it’s too dan-dangerous!”

  “Jaco, before I arrived, they were threatening you! Now you want to help them?” Jeinna said.

  “The-they were scared!” Jaco shouted. “They thought I betrayed them!”

  “And you didn't, yet they threatened you!” Jeinna said.

  Jaco didn't move out of the way.

  “Even if they stay here, the whole city will be looking for them. The city guards, the agents of the titans, the Oixia's own agents! We can't hide them here forever!” Jeinna said.

  “But you can help gui-guide the search away! They only need some time to, to re-recuperate!”

  Jeinna was silent as she listened to her sibling’s pleas.

  “Jaco you are asking me to risk our lives for these people,” Jeinna said. “You didn't even know most of them until two days ago!”

  “They are good people! Even when Corin was fighting for his li-life, he was willing to spare his attacker!”

  Jeinna continued to look at her brother.

  “Please!” Jaco said.

  “Damn it,” Jeinna said finally. “Then move out of my way before I change my mind!”

  “You'll help us?” Corin asked.

  Jeinna turned around quickly.

  “Yes, I'll do my best to redirect any searches. When I come back, I'll knock and call out Jaco's name. If anyone else opens that door, you all better start fighting and you get my brother out of here. Understood?”

  “Yes,” Corin replied.

  Jaco stepped out of the way, and Jeinna opened the door.

  “I'll buy as much time as I can, but you better start planning how you're going to be leaving the city,” she said and then stepped out.