Follow your ears and noses. She said, in a populous settlement where thousands went about their daily rituals. It took some effort to sort out the incense and perfumes from the spices and fresh meats. Jace got the direction of the markets they were looking for. He and Baysil were on their own this morning, walking through the tiled paths of Allsmeet. There was little delineation between housing and business, making the place confusing to navigate. The lack of tall, distinct buildings to be landmarks did not help either.

They had a packet of those mana stones Evaliena used to pay for their stay at the inn. Not enough to buy any items, but enough, she said in her words to taste some of the local delights. Jace absorbed the scenery. “This place is so wildly different from the towns I’ve been to.”

“No kidding.” Baysil said as she enjoyed the town’s atmosphere. “I’ve heard of this place from Cedar and my clan, certainly different from the tents I spent my childhood around.”

Jace looked up at the giant tree’s canopy. “I still can not get over just how massive this tree is.” He wondered just how it could have grown so large.

“It’s the guardian tree.” They kept walking towards the strengthening smell of fresh spices. “Do I have to keep reminding you?”

“No, no, you don’t.” He looked forward to where they were going, the sounds of those going about their business changing to ones of stall keepers hawking their wares and entertainers making their instruments sing. The guardian tree, from what he remembered. Was the Therian people’s home since, since forever. Before they stepped out of the forest proper. Its repelling aura kept the worst of the forest’s monsters and nightmares away. But he did not know if that was true, he just had the words of a book to go on. A thought sparked in his mind. “I wonder if they have any storytellers here?”

“There probably is for a settlement of this size. But if you want any specific stories, you’re going to pay for them.”

“I suppose so,” Jace said as they continued to walk, coming upon an open square that served as a market. “Is there an archive, or a library here?” He wondered aloud. Baysil shrugged. Of course, how was she supposed to know? They only just got here. “Let’s look around then.” And something enticing wafted to his nose. “I know we just had breakfast, but that food stall over there.” Jace pointed out the stall with the steaming rack of meat and vegetables.

“Well, you are a growing lad.” Baysil poked her tongue out at Jace, shaking her hips. “Though to be honest, I want to try the food, too.”

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The pair came away from the food stall with two open wraps piled with sauteed vegetables and slow-roasted meat. The meat itself has a spiced sweet aroma to it and a rather mild flavour that tingles across the mouth. They also had two leaf skins filled with a type of thick yogurt flavoured with a pulped fruit that gave the drink a refreshing sweetness. The cost was small, a few mana stones each. Jace wondered if they could increase the value of the stones if he poured some of his mana into them. It was just a thought as he didn’t know what the customs or laws were around doing such…

While devouring their prizes, they walked around the market. There were also local businesses. The working of a blacksmith, the scent of baked breads and the lingering smell of fresh cut meat. There were stall keeps yelling out what goods they had along with the lively barter between those that had to sell and those that needed. Then Jace’s ears caught the sounds he wished to hear. Baysil noticed the perking of his ears. “Tracked down a gleeman or a storyteller?” Jace simply nodded to Baysil. “Then lead on, and wipe your muzzle, you messy pup.”

Jace did not like being called that. Despite becoming the equivalent of a teenager several months prior, people still treated him as mostly a child to be chaperoned. Not that he minded it. They could at least treat him with a little more dignity. He could feel his ears point towards the one telling tales and music, guiding him and Baysil towards attraction. Just around the bend, out of sight of the centre of the market square. There was a small crowd gathered, mostly children, around the edge of a raised platform, like a stage for a play. A musician, a lynx male, seated on a stool next to a covered booth. The instrument they held looked like a lyre with a much thicker base that extended downwards. Playing to add emotion to the figures in the booth.

A puppet show? Jace and Baysil watched for a short while. He put the pieces together, a story about forbidden love between a boy and girl from different lineages, a Lynx and Vargr. Jace was deciding to move on when Baysil made a comment to him. “Let’s watch it play out. Maybe you could ask them if they have other stories to tell.” Taking the hint from Jace, they stayed.

“And with that, despite confessing their soul-felt love for each other. Realised such a love could never bloom. The lovers made peace with one another and went their separate ways.” The storyteller concluded.

This surprised Jace. The tale ended rather differently from what he expected, or maybe wanted to expect. Back on earth, more recent tales would end on a happier note, with the two together. Much older tales would have ended with tragedy. This one ended on a more amicable note. It took in the wider picture like the more tragic tales. While the story was about the two lovers, if it went any further, it would eventually hit the stone wall of society at large, and all the consequences that went with that. The two broke the affair off just before that. Jace should have paid attention to what the fable book was trying to impart.

“Maybe you ask the storyteller now?” Baysil prompted Jace out of his thoughts.

He rejected the idea, a mild case of anxiety and stage fright bubbling up with so many people around. “No… Let’s see what else they have lined up.” He replied quietly.

Baysil crossed her arms. “Fine, one more. We can not stand here all day listening to them. I have stuff I want to see as well.” She pointed out.

“Next, my hearers, listen here. This next story is about a girl and her raven companion.” The musician flourished their lyre to grab attention. Jace listened with interest. “For those that do not know, The Vargr often have an affinity for animal companions. Bonds forged to the benefit of each other.” The background for the booth changed. “Ren, recently came of age, was wandering the edge of the forest near her home.” There must have been two puppeteers in that booth, Jace guessed, as mana flowed from two places, manipulating scenery and a wolf-like therian paper puppet, dressed in a simple shawl, into place. “She was searching for herbs and berries, looking here and there.” The puppet scouted back and forth. “She heard a bird’s weak chirp in the bushes between the trees.” A bush popped up, and the puppet looked inside.

The tale went on. The wolf girl took an injured raven in, despite her own misgivings of having another mouth to feed. Choosing to raise the raven back to health. Keeping the covid around her as she went about her days as it healed. The raven stuck around, helping her hunt for more berries and herbs. Eventually, the raven would leave and return from time to time. Her little friend and companion. One day, the raven did not come back. But the girl was not sad, however, knowing she gave her friend the fullest life they could ever have. Knowing most lives outside of her own would be brief affairs. “However, the next day.” The musician ended the tale. Several smaller ravens surrounded the puppet. “A few new feathered friends appeared on her walk, acting as if they knew her already. She welcomed them.” The curtain closed in the booth.

Jace smiled slightly. He reached over to Baysil and took a few out of mana stones to tip the storyteller. The two made their way from the small stage. Baysil leant forward, putting herself into Jace’s vision. “So, what did you think?”

“That ravens will gossip among one another?” Jace replied. “Helping those that can’t help themselves? That good deeds are sometimes repaid in the long run?”

Baysil rolled her eyes and stood up straight, resting her hands on the backs of her hips. “My turn, I guess. I wanna visit some of the weaver and spellcrafting stores.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“But we don’t have all that much to pay for anything you might want…” Jace glanced at the purse of faintly glowing mana stones.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Baysil assured. “If anything truly catches my interest, Sandal will pay for it. Let’s move along then.” She gestured.

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Jace did not have a good time. His lack of knowledge of spellcrafting tools and other accoutrements meant as he stood around while Baysil window shopped through multiple stalls and shops. He had no input or appreciation of the items she was looking at. As his senses told him, the various articles of rune-scribed and artifice jewellery and clothes did something he did not really understand their applications. His mind searched for something, anything, to distract him during the experience as Baysil dragged him to each store. He wondered if Topaz would have anything to say, but he was hesitant to call the wily gem spirit in the middle of a populated city.

Mercifully, Evaliena blurred into existence just as he was about to complain about his current situation. The yellow vixen must have timed her appearance too, as she showed up just as Baysil left the current shop. The strands of the bead curtain clacking as she emerged back outside. Baysil let out a small eep upon noticing Evaliena.

“I-I guess you’re done with whatever you wanted to do.” Baysil commented to Evaliena as she straightened herself out.

“Mhm. I’m guessing from Ashwood’s restlessness that you’ve been roaming the markets for some time, I gather?” Evaliena gestured to Jace before crossing her arms. Jace gave his best helpless look to her. “If you’ve picked out anything, either of you two, you’ll have to wait a few more days for it.”

Jace was perfectly fine staying in Allsmeet for a few more days. There was still a lot he wanted to explore and the things he could learn about Therian cultures here. But he had to ask. “Why’s that?”

“I’m still recovering from performing all those farsteps to get there,” Evaliena explained casually, though this sounded like a lie to Jace.

Baysil crossed her arms. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Evaliena shrugged. “There’s nothing really to worry about, especially in this place. We’ll still get your souvenirs when we leave.” She then looked to Jace after assuring Baysil. “Now, You on the other hand, clearly didn’t find anything that caught your eyes. There is a library along with a few bibliophagists and antiquarians here in Allsmeet. Do you want to go to them? We have time.” This piqued his interest, and neither he nor Baysil saw any such booksellers down there in the markets. There was still plenty of daylight from what filtered down from the tree’s massive canopy.

He nodded, and they were off. Through the winding streets of Allsmeet again. Evaliena had mentioned they would see dwarves and elves around, but neither Mer had appeared as Baysil looked around. Part of him felt disappointed and the other part relieved at not meeting them. Where that feeling came from, he didn’t know. Maybe because he would embarrass himself from asking Evaliena so, so many questions? He’d have to bury those thoughts as they navigated around the streets, heading closer to one of the massive roots and the collection of buildings nested in its crook.

The buildings in question were definitely of a different architectural style compared to the ones he’s seen around the Inn and down near the market. They gave off a more ancient and more refined aura with their fully enclosed spell forged stone walls. Along with much grander looking windows, entrances and facades. Then it stuck him as they got closer. The building shared a similar style to the beacons Evaliena had used so often to move them around.

“Noticed something?” Evaliena pointed out to Jace as they walked. “You seem to be thinking a lot.”

Jace nearly tripped up, catching himself at the last second. “Ii-is it that plain?”

Baysil leaned down and spoke to Jace quietly. “You have a tendency to get quiet while thinking.”

“It’s just that the look of the buildings look similar to the beacons we used to get here.” Jace noted to the pair.

“Eh, I don’t know. One stone building looks much the same as another.” Baysil mentioned as she kept walking.

“No, He’s got it. I did tell you so long ago that most of the beacons are extremely old.” Evaliena explained. “Those the old empire didn’t demolish and replace… are the old beacons belonging to a much older age, which there’s little to inquire about as our ancestors didn’t bother to write their experiences on anything permanent.”

“What a shame, then.” Jace muttered. It would have been nice to look at some of Ayre’s ancient history, he thought to himself. Then Evaliena stopped. Jace nearly bumped into her tail.

“Now, let’s check out these book places.”

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Well… That was disappointing. Jace thought to himself once more. The few days they got to explore, Allsmeet had quickly passed by. The clerks of Allsmeet’s library denied Jace and Baysil access to the upper floors and the first floor had nothing he could find value in, no historical chronicles, no tomes of spellcrafting or artifice. Just endless volumes of stories, none of which he could check out or buy. There was just not enough time to read any of it.

Instead, he got a few things. Requiring any spell crafting manuals would be pointless as Evaliena could provide those herself. He picked out a few pouches of whole spices along with a fruit like legume. Its flavour reminded him of his old world with a sweet but tangy lemon profile. Just enough of each to experiment with. However, his crowning souvenir was a peculiar crystal, sparkling like a diamond but a rainbow of colours but so dark the light seemed to disappear. Evaliena seemed to be satisfied with the choice. She didn’t elaborate further, however.

Baysil, on the other hand, had gotten exactly one thing. A mage’s stave, made of petrified wood with the top shaped in such a way to look like the end of a gnarled branch with the wooden ‘fingers’ wrapping around a piece of warm cloudy quartz. Just under the top, banded to the side, was a carefully inscribed tablet intended to help contain the energies of powerful spell work. Which is what Jace felt from reading the runes. He didn’t know whether it would actually work, though. The stave itself seemed to yearn for a purpose. Baysil treasured it as one would a newborn child.

That last morning they were just about to pass through one gate through the protective wall back outside into the Old Growth with its towering blue and green coloured leaves. Then someone rudely bashed their arm into the back of Jace’s shoulder, knocking him harshly to the floor, while the perpetrator kept on running straight through the gate. Baysil immediately went down to help Jace back up, grabbing his good shoulder and arm.

Evaliena cursed loud enough for Jace to hear it through the ringing of his ears. “He did that on purpose!”

“Who?” Jace asked with a pained whine.

“They just farstepped the moment they crossed the threshold.” Evaliena grumbled. She turned to Jace and leant down to check on him. “They marked you as well. Let me cleanse that.” She reached for Jace’s shoulder.

“Marked?” Jace asked as he winced from the touch and the rapid pulses of mana that attacked his shoulder.

“Wait, he is marked?” Baysil said with some surprise. “I didn’t even see it.” Jace didn’t even feel the spell get applied to him, either.

“I’ve been around too bloody long.” Evaliena mumbled and finished the cleansing. “And this has caused a scene.”

One of the therian guards that just witnessed the commotion hauled up to the free. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

Evaliena dismissed the guard. “No, whatever they wanted to do, they just did it and got away.” She got up on her feet. “No lasting damage, however. Our trip home is going to take a few more days than normal.” She bade Jace and Baysil up onto theirs.

“Who was that?” Jace demanded.

“Probably an agent of one of the many enemies I’ve made over the centuries.” She replied, then she urged them out of the gate and immediately grabbed their hands before farstepping away from the mess.

The trip back to the keep was uneventful, apart from the first bunch of stops. Evaliena whined about denying fellow travellers access to these beacons, but she couldn’t risk them being followed through them. So at each of those stops. Evaliena gave Jace and Baysil the worst bouts of mana sickness either of them had experienced. As she tore up the world’s weave, the magical fabric that allowed for controlled spellcraft to even function. Each time she did it, the world screamed out in pain, ringing in Jace’s ears. She did her best to assure them that the damage to the weave around the beacons was temporary, only doing this to ensure any form tracking them was nullified. That was at least all the explanation she was willing to give.

Upon teleporting just outside the gate of the Keep, Jace never felt happy to be behind its walls again.