"A minute ago you were screaming about some girl named xára " jonas says looking at devon weirdly
" i … i had a nightmare, i'm okay now" devon says and inhales
"good, cause we've got to go" levi drawls
"what?...why?"
"there's an army, headed this way"
"what!!"
"they're heading to the pits " jonas gulps
"no doubt to conscript gladiators" garcia adds
"B...but...th...they need permission from the king" devon stutters
"the king has already approved of it"jonas says looking down
"what!!"
"what!!"
Garcia and levi say simultaneously and turn to jonas
"how do you know this?"
"i… malka told me"
"oh my god!!!" garcia raises her hands in annoyance
"when?"
"what?"
"when did she tell you?" levi asks again
"yesterday …"
"And you didn't think we should know about it?"
"i…"
"look guys, this isn't the time nor place to start pointing fingers" devon says
Levi sighs and walks away, garcia glares at jonas then storms away
"thank you"
"don't thank me just yet"
Jonas gulps
"i'm sorry"
"how far away are they?"
"huh"
"the soldiers"
"about three days if they decide to cross river shafir, maybe nine if they go around it"
"i see… "
"who was xára?"
"someone i looked up to"
"oh"
"yeah"
"did she die?"
"no..."
Devon seconds jonas and they head west, towards dengard
(Time skip brought to you by my crazy ass)
"we've been on the road for days on end" garcia pouts
"you're one to talk, you have the skill (fast pace)" jonas says
"you know, i'm starting to regret telling you about that" garcia glares at jonas
"hey devon,how many miles to Dengard?"
"About thirteen" devon says
"are you okay with this?" garcia whispers to devon
"huh?"
"us going to, ya know?"
"honestly, i dunno "
"oh"
"keep up, slow pokes" levi drawls
"shut up, levi!!" jonas shouts
"are they always like this?" malka asks garcia
" you have a problem with that?" garcia narrows her eyes at malka
"i... No, it's just my siblings were like that"
"where are they?" devon asks
"at casilerock with my grandfather" malka sighs
"guys!!" jonas shouts
Devon and garcia look around for any sign of trouble but find none
"jonas!!"
"over here" levi drawls
Devon steps through a curtain of leaves and gasps
" woah!!"
There is a wall that stretches across the horizon, about 50 feet tall , with gaurds patrolling atop the wall
"i hate to be the one to ask, but eh, how are we gonna get across that?" garcia asks gesturing towards the wall
"you don't suppose they're gonna let us waltz right in" levi drawls
"nope" jonas answers still with an incredulous look on his face
"none of you have ever seen the walls?" malka asks surprised
"this is our first time" garcia whispers
"it's so big" jonas says with awe
"i thought you were from joemek " malka says turning to devon
"I... I left" devon stutters and Looks down
"surely you passed by" malka asks
"i.. No" devon says and tugs on his sleeve, completely covering his orphan mark, malka opens her mouth to ask another question but shuts it when she sees the look on devon's face
"devon?" garcia looks at devon uncertain
"dude, are you okay?" jonas says
"yeah, i was uhm lost in thought
"oi, cheer up" levi says and cuffs devon on the side of his head
" levi!!"
"levi!!"
Both garcia and jonas,turn to glare at levi
"what??" levi drawls
"oooof" devon sways to the side then turns to glare at levi
"i was just trying to help " levi grumbles
"eh , never mind" devon says
"you're just going to let him get away with that" jonas and Garcia turn to stare wide eyed at devon
"yeah, we're cool"
"ha, he gets it" levi says and pats devon
on the shoulder
garcia just rolls her eyes and murmurs something about how annoying boys are
Malka chuckles softly to herself
"now back to the problem at hand" jonas says and turns towards the wall
"we should get to one of the gates" malka says
"one of the gates??"