Adara knew that's something wasn't right with Akilah; however she hadn't yet figured out exactly what it was. But she had noticed that her behavior had changed ever since she randomly decided to go on an expedition with the soldiers. Akilah had explained that the reason she had done this was as a way for them to test her strength but it just didn't seem right.

Akilah who had originally not wanted to even step outside of the house had then gladly accepted an entire expedition to an unknown place. Was even more strange it was that Akilah had come home wanting to travel more. Adara felt like something was afoot, Akilah was hiding something from her she just couldn't pinpoint what it was; but she was set on finding out. That's why Adara agreed to travel to another city, it was an opportunity for her to get some information or find some clues to explain Akilah’s drastic behavioral change.

The day of the travel came, Akilah chosen not to disguise herself. Adara found this odd but chose not to say anything about it. Akilah then asked Adara if she wanted to disguise herself to which Adara declined. Yet again Adara found Akilah’s behavior odd, as she had never before given Adara the option of wearing a disguise; in fact she had been adamant that Adara would wear one.

Akilah explained like last time how they would teleport and for Adara to shut her eyes closely. However this time Akilah asked Adara to keep her eyes closed for longer than last time, which was odd but Adara didn’t dwell to much on it. Once she opened her eyes, she saw that they were in the ally of somewhere.

“Where are we” Adara asked

“We’re currently in the back ally of the Dula market, it was the best place I could think of teleporting to”

“But how-” Before Adara could finish asking her question; about how Akilah could have known about this place; Akilah interrupted.

“Let’s not stand here and waste time, Lets go!” Akilah said and grabbed a hold of Adara’s arm, practically dragging her behind herself.

Once the reached the market Akilah let go and looked back at Adara with a wide grin

“So where do you want to explore first?” Akilah asked “I can smell sweets from the right and from the looks of it there’s clothing’s shops on the right.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Seeing this Adara relaxed a bit, she felt like she had been to suspicious of Akilah and that maybe she was just doing all of the to be nice.

“Wherever is fine” Adara replied with a smile.

“Okay then sweets it is” Akilah said and grabbed a hold of her hand, yet again dragging Adara behind her.

However Adara didn’t mind it at all; she felt a sense of relief; finally seeing Akilah act like the teenager that she is.

Once they were at the candy stalls Akilah went off to try different sorts of sweet while Adara stayed by the fudge. After some time a young boy can around with the newspaper, he was yelling about the lasts news in the hopes of getting people to buy his paper.

“New here, get your lates scoop about the Era Lindgon fighting a rookie solider, you don’t wanna miss this”

Adaras was not interested in the newspaper, but when she saw from her peripheral vison caught her attention. The newspaper shows two faces one, which she could not recognize and the other that looked supervising like Akilah’s disguise, the same one she had used to talk to the soldiers. She gestured to the newspaper boy to come closer.

“What’s it ma’am, interested about the fight” He asked.

“Yes, actually I am. Can you tell me more about it?”

“Well ma’am if I did then I wouldn’t make and money selling newspapers, now, would I?” He said with a cheeky smile

“Okay then” Akilah said and paid the boy for a newspaper “So now tell me, what’s this fight about”

“Well apparently” He said and got closer to Adara “They say that Sir Era was disrespected by a snot-nosed brat and he’s here to settle the score”

“Score” Adara asked

“Yes that’ why there a fight, you see” He said and pointed at the newspaper in her hand “They’re gonna fight and settle the score today”

Adara kept quiet for a bit, thinking about what the boy had said, she then looked around and saw no sigh of Akilah nearby.

“Can you show me where the fight is” she asked.

“Sure I can show you, but you’re not gonna be able to entre, the tickets have already been sold…Unless” He said, with a mischievous look on his face.

“Unless what?” Adara asked

“Unless for a pretty penny I can take you inside there myself” He said with a cheeky slime

Adara sighed before handing the boy some more money. The boy kept to his word and managed to sneak Adara into the arena, through the backdoor.

She was however on the opposite side of the stands; she wasn't with rest of the crowd, instead she was located in small backstage area that was also furnished with seats, and expensive seats from the looks of it. Adara wondered who was originally supposed to be here as the boy had not said anything about it. But before Adara could ponder anymore of it the bells rang and the fight started, someone’s started talking, introducing the contenders. Nothing seems off until Adara saw before her the same young boy that Akilah disguises herself to with, walking into the arena being introduced under the name Akilah.