The tree was pulling him closer, grappling at his body like a nest of vines reaching up from a quiet swamp.

Josef suddenly felt a bolt of fear fly into his upper spine. He felt as if he was dissolving — he recoiled, shaking himself from the tree's pull.

And instantly, the tree was gone. He was back in the great room of The Backwards Flow, the fire chortling and snapping as its orange flames danced to life.

Claudius was smiling. Malark gave a short laugh.

"How was that?" the Sea Gwell asked, grinning, as Josef felt joy and fear jockey about in his body.

"There was a tree, I went right towards it, I inclined my mind like you told me and—"

"Hold it, hold it" said Claudius, raising his hands. "You did great, Josef. Really good."

"Was that a jinto?" Josef asked, looking down at his tingling hands and then at the three guards watching over them. They were still standing near the door and were looking curiously over at their party.

"You were at the gateway to The Sapwood Ordinances. You laid your face against the bark of the tree, obeying its will, but you broke the connection before you could gain full entry into the Jane Jinto's system."

Josef felt his spirits drop. He stared at the the lines running through the palms of his hand. These were supposedly basic techniques and he was having a tough time with them.

"Are you pouting, Josef," Malark said jovially, but Josef could hear an edge of frustration in his voice.

"I just wanted to get it right. That's all," he responded, raising his eyes to meet Malark's.

"It took me an entire month just to see the tree," Malark said, his hand shooing Josef away like a pesky fly. "Of course the goo-drinker thinks everything should be easy. It takes some people years, and that's with much dedication."

Josef looked at Malark. "I didn't know…I thought these were basic."

"They are basic," said Claudius. "But just because they're basic doesn't mean they're easy to learn."

Josef felt his face warming, and it wasn't simply from the heat of the fire. He wanted to know more; he wanted to get it right. But he'd been presumptive. Thankfully, both Malark and Claudius had laughed at him in good humour.

"We're safe here with the three guards," Claudius then said. "I think we should stay here until just before noon when we can go collect your new clothes from Dulwess & Daughters."

Just the mention the clothier's shop brought the dream from last night storming back to Josef's mind. He could see it so clearly. The glimmer and weak shine of his seaweed tattoo in the dense darkness.

Sahva, one of Mercure Dulwess's daughters, was the only person who seemed to know anything about it. He hoped he would see here again soon. Perhaps they could even have a private word.

"You should practice some more, Josef," urged Malark.

"Don't I need Claudius to show me how?"

Malark shook his head. "Not with the Sapwood Ordinances. All it takes is a short glimpse and you can return. It's one of the many reason they're so popular and widely practiced."

"Ok, Malark, old-timer, you listen here," Claudius said with a grin, "this here is my goo-drinker and I get to teach him the fancy tricks!"

Malark threw up his hands and laughed. "He's all yours! Teach him! Anyways, I think it's about time I secured a place on that carriage out to Kaway Mahay."

Malark then stood and gently massaged his bum leg.

Josef looked at Malark and then at the guards. "Be careful."

"Yes, listen to the goo-drinker, Malark," echoed Claudius. "Who knows what Kipfish has concocted to get his hands on Josef."

"An old-timer like me?" Malark shook his head. "There's 5000 gold chunks placed on the goo-drinker's head. It's a ridiculous sum. You could buy a mansion in Kaway Mahay. But me? I'm worth nothing to them."

"Nevertheless, be careful," Claudius repeated, rising to meet his old friend and clasping him on the shoulder. "I don't know when we'll make it to Kaway Mahay, but if you're still in the city during next Moonsneeze—"

"Next Moonsneeze is Moonsnot," said Malark. "And everyone knows that Kaway Mahay during Moonsnot…"

"I know, I know," Claudius said, "we'll make do. But if you are there, meet us at The Astral Boar."

Malark agreed and took a step towards the exit, but then turned to Josef and leaned in close: "Remember the log book, Josef."

Josef didn't say anything. The last thing he wanted to do was sneak back up into The Ba'ha Company outpost and steal a log book that might not have anything useful inside. He'd already been tasked with stealing The Rosecloak's Rose Cloak.

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

Malark patted his shoulder and then left, walking past their three guards to the door. Then he was gone.

"I'm glad he got out of there," said Claudius quietly. "He didn't talk about it much, but I know deep down The Ba'ha Company was slowly wearing away at his soul."

Josef turned to Claudius. There was an unmistakable tone of sadness to the Sea Gwell's voice. "You're sad to see him go, aren't you?"

Claudius was still for a moment, but then he turned and smiled at Josef. "No. We'll see him again soon. I know it…enough of this though. You need to practice!"

Josef grinned and plopped back down in his chair.

"Do you need me to guide you?"

"Let me try first," Josef said, relaxing his body, his eyes already closed.

Josef heard Claudius clap in anticipation. Josef wasn't entirely sure of how to proceed, but he felt his intuition pulling him along a familiar pathway, as if he'd been shown a deer path through a quiet wood and he could never point to it — it was too well hidden — but his feet would instantly carry him down it if only given the chance.

He gave himself over to it.

And before he knew it his mind took him exactly where he wanted to go. Looming up in his vision was the full-leafed tree, a tree so splendid in its simplicity, waving ever so slightly in a soft breeze.

Closer, closer, Josef edged, as his sense of his own self and his sense of the tree began to collapse. He found himself flying towards its bark; the skin on his cheek coming to rest against the tree's bark once again.

Then the thought arose: this is where I'd made it last time.

But that thought flew away like a leaf captured by a gust of wind. All Josef could feel was the bark, the tree bringing him closer and closer — and it was then, with panicked and rising breath, that Josef felt himself merging with the tree bark, his face disappearing, his body losing its consistency as he shifted into the tree's wealth of interior rings.

He could still breathe, but found himself holding his breath anyways, for fear, like a river loosed from a dam, flew across his skin in a slushing and rampaging torrent. He was going; he was disappearing.

And then, all of a sudden, it was cool

It was moist, serene. He could look around.

Damp, striated pulp enclosed him completely and held him like a forgotten sanctuary. He was in a cocoon of wood. It seemed as if termites had gnawed away at a tree's interior, creating a small refuge of tree-musk and loose pulp.

"Josef?" It was Claudius's voice reverberating from everywhere and nowhere.

He could hear him, but he couldn't see him. Josef knew he was still inside the tree. He also knew if he answered he would be forced to leave.

But he felt safe, as if he could return when he needed, when he wanted to.

Josef felt his eyelids waver. He decided to speak: "Hi, Claudius." Josef opened his eyes fully and looked at his friend.

But the Sea Gwell wasn't smiling. Panic suddenly rose in Josef's chest.

"You did it completely wrong," Claudius stated, eyebrows knit together.

"What? What do you mean? I was so scared but then—"

But then Claudius laughed. "I'm just messing with you. Nice work, goo-drinker!"

"You asshole!" Josef said laughing, kicking a loose foot towards Claudius.

"How was the tree meld?" Claudius inquired.

"I was able to stave off being overwhelmed by the fear. It was more than a little terrifying."

"Malark probably would've had me warn you about it, but it often makes people more anxious and therefore the whole thing just becomes that much more difficult."

"So what does this mean now? It felt very peaceful inside the tree."

Claudius smiled and shook his head. "There's so much to say. I'm so happy you felt the peace of the tree. It's difficult to maintain if things get hectic back in the external world, but basically you've officially entered The Sapwood Ordinances."

Josef hooted and threw a fist in the air, drawing the attention of both Rayala and the guards.

"Just so we're clear, this is just The Oval Dream, a kind of staging area. It's pleasant, its nice — and actually quite similar to the goo-sac visualization — but it isn't yet a jinto. But I do sense some major goomp taking place here."

"That make sense, I guess. The jinto you mentioned before was called Raised Rain and I only saw tree pulp."

"Found me a smart goo-drinker, didn't I?"

Josef tapped the side of his head. "Only wisdom in here."

"Well did you want to dive into your first jinto now that you've gained entrance to The Oval Dream?"

"Of course!" Josef replied, feeling the excitement rise in his chest.

"This would be so much easier with the actual book. I could just toss it to you and let you go wild, but we'll make do." Claudius eyes then flicked upwards.

Josef could tell he was thinking through and condensing and filtering through a lot of information.

After a few moments, Claudius slapped his webbed hands against his knees. "Alright, here we go. Listen closely. Progress within The Sapwood Ordinances is very friendly in many ways because, amongst other things, no ingredients are required. For the vast majority of jintos, and especially all the early ones, all that is required is an offering and an instruction."

"What's the offering."

"It's very simple," explained Claudius. "You make an energetic offering as you carry out the instructions. That's crucial. Most find it easiest to make the offering from their hands, but others find it easier to use their chest. Try out both and see what's easier for you."

Josef rubbed his hands together. "Alright I'm ready for this."

"So, for Raised Rain, the instructions are as follows—"

Suddenly Josef's attention was captured by Vaxsha descending the staircase. She was wearing the same travelling outfit from the night before. It looked like she was crying.

Josef gave a weak wave as Claudius turned to see what commotion had nabbed his goo-drinker's attention. Josef wanted to ask her about his dream as well.

But Vaxsha kept walking, shaking her head.

Rayala shouted after her: "Leaving already, ma'am?"

Without slowing her step, Vaxsha turned back and said, "With haste."

Josef stood to his feat. "Vaxsha! What's going on?" The guards stepped aside as she made her way to the exit.

She grabbed the door's handle and was about to pull but then she froze. She looked over her shoulder at Josef.

"You can't stay here," she said quietly.

Josef looked at the guards. "We're under Gangdrup's protection now," he explained. "I thought you knew what you were getting yourself into?"

"I did," Vaxsha responded, her eyes drifting down to the floor. "I did another reading. I've given you my warning."

Before Josef could ask another question she flung open the door and flew out of the inn. Josef turned back to Claudius.

"Should we go after her?" He couldn't believe Vaxsha had left so abruptly.

Splio stuck out his hand. "No leaving Gangdrup."

"Didn't you hear what she just said?" Josef spat back.

"No leaving," Splio repeated, banging the butt of his polearm against the inn's wooden floor. "Cards are for the foolish. A goo-drinker should know this."

"We know we can't leave Gangdrup," Claudius said standing to his feet. "But it's about time we took care of a few errands."

Claudius then took a few steps closer to Josef and whispered: "Let's get all of our affairs in order. I don't know what's arriving, but I trust Vaxsha. If she's afraid, then I'm afraid."

Josef agreed. In his mind, he saw the card Vaxsha had shown him last night — the beehive with the skeletal fingers prodding into the hive's interior. He wished Vaxsha had told him how the card fit into the rest of her reading.

He felt like a bee in the hive, waiting for death's finger to creep in and scoop his world wide open.