Riniock turned to see a group of law enforcement officers advancing steadily into the district.

‘I want everyone present to form a single line!’ the commanding officer bellowed. ‘Hands forward, palms down, legs spread shoulder-width apart!’

The farferal shopkeeper and the rest of the vendors scrambled to comply, their movements hasty and precise as they executed the instructions.

‘You two!’ the officer barked, his clawed finger pointing directly at Linry and Riniock. ‘Join the line, humans!’

The one in charge was a thorahk, a humanoid of draconic lineage. His towering figure was covered in tough, deep-red scales, and he stood upright like a bipedal lizard, his sharp, reptilian eyes scanning the crowd with practiced authority.

‘Need I repeat myself?’

‘We understand you perfectly,’ Riniock replied, his smug expression firmly in place. ‘But we will not be joining the line.’

The thorahk snarled, his frustration evident. ‘Don’t test my patience.’

‘That’s not my intention,’ Riniock said smoothly. ‘But unlike those good gentlemen, I am under no obligation to adhere to your self-imposed, flawed laws.’

‘Are you choosing to impede my investigation?’ he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.

‘Not at all. I’m happy to answer your questions – right here.’

The officer’s scowl deepened with each word. The longer Riniock’s calm defiance persisted, the more visibly agitated he became. Meanwhile, Riniock’s demeanour remained impeccably composed, his tone unwaveringly steady.

‘Fine,’ he snapped, clearly restraining his temper. ‘I’m Officer Zirang. Identify yourselves.’

‘Riniock.’

‘Linry.’

They offered no titles, no family names – just the bare minimum.

Zirang’s sharp golden eyes flicked to the bloodied scene. ‘Tell me what happened here.’ His gaze lingered on the farferal’s lifeless body, which his team was carefully wrapping in cloth for removal. ‘Who killed this man?’

‘Gorens,’ Riniock answered succinctly.

Zirang’s head tilted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. ‘Where are those gorens now?’

‘Gone.’

‘Which way did they go?’ Officer Zirang pressed, his frustration growing at Riniock’s curt responses.

Riniock gestured, directing the officers on the intended path. Then, as if a dam had burst, he relayed the full sequence of events, detailing everything from the moment the shopkeeper’s assistant had approached him. He left nothing out, his account precise and unvarnished.

Over the next few minutes, Zirang’s team questioned other witnesses to corroborate the story. The accounts were consistent, save for a few minor details added here and there.

‘Your involvement checks out,’ Zirang finally said, his tone sharp but devoid of hostility. ‘You’re free to go.’

‘And the gorens?’ Riniock asked.

‘We’ll search for them,’ Zirang replied, his tone dismissive. ‘But with so many of their kind in a place like this, it won’t be easy. If I were you, I’d head back to your business and keep a low profile. The bazaar doesn’t need any more trouble from you.’

Riniock watched as the officers milled about, seemingly uncertain of where to begin. Zirang barked orders to his team, attempting to organise their scattered efforts.

Scratching his neck, Riniock made a decision that felt uncharacteristic, even to himself. ‘Officer Zirang,’ he called out.

The thorahk paused and turned back to him, eyes narrowing.

‘I might know where the gorens will be,’ Riniock said, his tone measured. ‘Judging by their behaviour, I can guarantee they’ll try to ambush us before we leave the bazaar.’

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Zirang raised a scaly brow. ‘Coming from you, I’m surprised you’re volunteering this information.’

Riniock chuckled dryly. ‘Oh, don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of sitting this one out. I just prefer not to be outnumbered.’

The officer’s lips curled into a faint, approving smirk. ‘Smart move. What’s your plan?’

Ascending the steep hill, Linry and Riniock trudged towards the bust that marked their path back to Gorlea. Their pace was unhurried, their feet dragging lazily over the uneven ground as they chatted, seemingly indifferent to the journey ahead.

Behind them, six short silhouettes crept from shadow to shadow, weaving through the obstacles in complete silence. The gorens stalked their prey with precision, their movements synchronised and soundless.

The bust loomed into view, a familiar marker to them. Yet, despite being so close to their escape, Linry and Riniock seemed in no rush to leave. They dallied intentionally, their actions almost taunting.

The gorens, however, were not amused by the pair's leisurely antics. Seeing their moment, five of them sprang forward in a coordinated ambush, their movements swift and deadly.

But their confidence proved to be their undoing.

The instant they entered striking range, Riniock pivoted sharply, his cloak swirling as he unleashed a powerful blast of wind. The sudden force hurled all five attackers backward, slamming them onto the ground with bone-jarring impact.

Otolog, the bowman, was first to act considering he stood as rearguard. He nocked an arrow and released it in a heartbeat, the missile speeding towards Riniock. But the latter was faster, conjuring a shimmering ward that deflected the arrow, shattering it into harmless splinters upon impact.

The other gorens scrambled to their feet, weapons drawn, their snarls promising a fight to the death.

‘Well, well,’ Riniock said with a wry smile, his tone as casual as if greeting old friends. ‘We meet again. Tell me, was this amateur ambush your grand plan?’

Lodgok, the goren leader, glared at him, his scowl deepening. The situation was eerily reminiscent of their previous encounter. The odds were unchanged, yet this time, the gorens had initiated the first move. But instead of retaliating, Riniock and Linry stood unfazed, as though entirely in control.

Why weren’t they attacking? Lodgok’s grip on his weapon tightened as doubt crept into his mind.

A sharp cry pierced the chaos, unmistakably from Otolog, the bowman. Krashak turned instinctively, his voice catching in his throat as he saw Otolog pinned to the ground by officers, unconscious and bleeding from a head wound.

Officer Zirang and his squad surged forward, engaging the remaining gorens in fierce close-quarters combat. Steel clashed against shields, axes struck with brutal force, and maces hammered relentlessly. The battle unfolded with the odds tipping in favour of the bazaar’s law enforcement, their training and numbers giving them the upper hand.

Despite their disadvantage, the gorens fought with feral tenacity, refusing to yield. The clash took its toll on both sides; officers bore injuries, and several of the gorens were eventually subdued.

Lodgok, however, refused to go down so easily. Whilst his comrades were distracted, he spotted his chance. As Officer Zirang barked orders in the melee, Lodgok bolted towards the bust, desperate to escape the escalating chaos.

‘Going somewhere?’ Linry’s voice cut through the din.

She stepped into his path, her hands glowing with summoned fire. With a swift gesture, she cast a wall of flames, halting his retreat. Lodgok skidded to a stop, his teeth bared in frustration as his escape route was sealed.

Snarling, he tightened his grip on his mace. But before he could act, a fireball shot from Linry’s hand, landing just in front of him with an explosive burst of heat and light. It wasn’t an attack meant to harm – only to warn.

Lodgok’s eyes flicked to Linry, then to Riniock. His snarling grin returned. ‘The female,’ he muttered to himself, shifting his focus, ‘she’s stronger than that one.’

With a single, fluid leap, Lodgok evaded Linry’s next warning shot and closed the gap between himself and Riniock.

The goren swung his mace with lethal precision as Riniock hastily raised his hands to cast a ward. To his dismay, the spell failed, likely disrupted by the proximity of the physical threat.

‘Damn it,’ Riniock hissed, quickly summoning a gust of wind to manoeuvre himself out of harm’s way. Whilst his evasion wasn’t entirely successful, the mace struck him only partially, sending him reeling with a pained groan.

Lodgok’s brief triumph evaporated as he noticed Zirang’s squad closing in. Encircled on all sides, the goren leader gritted his teeth before dropping his weapon to the ground with a metallic clatter.

‘Bind him,’ Officer Zirang commanded.

The officers moved swiftly, securing Lodgok with practiced efficiency. Within moments, the remaining gorens were also apprehended. Despite the skirmish, no lives were lost, though both sides bore injuries.

Once the situation was under control, Zirang approached Riniock. ‘Thank you for your cooperation,’ he said, extending a scaled hand. Though the gesture was foreign to him, it was customary amongst humans.

Riniock shook the thorahk’s hand with a casual smile. ‘I suppose you’ll be leaving now?’ Zirang asked, a trace of relief in his tone.

‘We are,’ Riniock replied smoothly, hinting at their imminent departure.

‘That would be preferable,’ Zirang muttered dryly. ‘We’ve endured enough of your company for one day.’

With a faint chuckle, Riniock signalled to Linry, preparing to depart.

‘Wait,’ the red-scaled officer called after him. ‘The shopkeeper wanted you to have this.’

He handed Riniock a small trinket before turning back to his men. Without another word, Zirang and his squad hauled the bound gorens away, their once-defiant figures now subdued and pitiful.

‘What is it?’ Linry asked as she peered over Riniock’s shoulder at the object.

Riniock turned the trinket over in his hands, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. ‘It’s a token of goodwill,’ he replied, his tone laden with meaning. ‘A keepsake from the farferal’s ancestors, a piece of their cultural identity.’

Linry’s brow furrowed. ‘What’s it mean?’

‘It means,’ Riniock said, a sly smile creeping onto his face, ‘that from now on, I have friendly leverage when it comes to dealing with their kind.’