Stepping into the port town of Efatas, Cer and Punkin continue following the Mayor, Chastity, towards the town’s center, passing by people staring and gawking at them.

Grinning with pride, Chastity speaks to acknowledge the awkward glances. “It’s okay, it’s been awhile since we have let guests in without proper contribution to our town. As you heard earlier, resources are a bit scarce nowadays. You are with me and they will accept you here.”

Feeling shy from being stared at, Punkin gives a sheepish smile and a restricted wave. “Hi. I’m wit’ her.”

After receiving no returned smiles, Punkin sticks out her tongue and blows raspberries as she hides her face in Cer’s leg.. “It’s not nice to stare. Bye!”

Stopping abruptly, Chastity raises her hand and invites Cer and Punkin to an open space in the middle of town. “Here we are, we can set up shop and I’ll start sending people over to you. It is safe here, so Punkin can explore. Nobody will harm her here.”

“Really? I can go play?” squeals Punkin, running off before Cer can stop her.

“No. Wait!!...” commands Cer as Punkin disappears into the crowd, unable to hear Cer. I’ll just sniff to scan her fear and track her aura from here. If I focus, I can see her auric trails. Be safe. “I would’ve rather she stayed here and learned how the family business works.

“It’s okay, she is in good hands here in town. Outside of town, I can’t guarantee her safety. I will send some people to keep an eye out for her. Right now we need to focus on our citizens. Responds Chastity as she begins to walk away into the crowd, following a path similar to Punkin’s.

Looking around warily at the gathering auras, Cer catches a quick glimpse of Chastity’s aura emanating an air of intense energy before it disappears among the sea of conflicting auric colors. I don’t trust her. So many people here have possessed auras that look infected. Do they really want me to shrive and get rid of their demons or is there something else going on here?

“Hey. I heard you had honey and can heal my pain. I have this stomach ache that won;t go away!” yells a stranger with a deep green aura pulsing from their core.

“I need you to stop the pain in my chest!” shouts another stranger with an aura quivering around their heart.

With more and more requests abruptly increasing, Cer is overwhelmed with the noise of people’s voices and the intensity of demand from the auras all around. I need to get out of here and find Pupu. This is a trap! I know it.

Piercing through the crowd, a child-like voice falls upon Cer’s ears, dimming all the other voices of the crowd. “Hey you fool! Can’t you read auras? Why did you follow her into town?! You really can’t do anything without me can you? I need to get you out of here, they are leeching your mana.”

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

“What? Her? I thought she was you doing another illusion. We’ve been chasing after you since you left us in Haeven.” yells Cer, trying to ensure that Miyas could hear Cer’s response. “Speak truth or be bound by silence as long as your lies endure- are you the chaos witch?”

Snapping at Cer with her little child-like voice, Miyas “No need to yell. You can’t bind me with that spell either. To be clear, I was never running from you. I was chasing after the chaos witch. I led you here but didn’t think you’d be foolish enough to fall for her tricks and actually enter the town. You should know better, you were born of the same chaos. She has the town in protective runes!”

Cer yells even louder in a response equal to the amount of angst and surprise in Cer voice “WHAT!?! I don’t use chaos magic! You are chaotic with your moon spells and constellations. What do you mean she has it in protective runes?!?!”

Changing her voice to her adult form, Miyas responds sternly. “I said stop yelling. I slipped a lupuscani talisman in your pocket when you weren’t paying attention. I am not even in town with you. We need to find that impulsive witch and you need to come get Pupu. You are lucky I am here. I am outside of town with her.”

Surprised and worried, Cer responds telepathically with urgency. “SHE LEFT TOWN? HOW DID YOU FIND HER?”

Annoyed Miyas snaps at Cer again. “I said stop yelling. Whether using your voice or doing it telepathically, it is annoying. Just leave town asap and don’t try to cast spells or use mana. You’ll get leeched. Leave town and we’ll come find you.”

Once again, aware of the noise and demands of the people around, Cer frantically looks around, hoping to find an opening to run out of the crowd. Luckily I can’t really channel mana well and my spells are weak, so not much for these people to leech. Were they trying to leech this whole time? I can feel a little bit of the drain now. What if this is a trick from Miyas to get my guard down?

“Hey, idiot! I can still hear your stupid thoughts. Didn’t I say I am not the chaos witch? Hurry up and get out of town.” growls Miyas telepathically. “Now I am cutting off our connection. Do better at guardian your mind!”

Without any time to feel embarrassed, Cer quickly devises an impromptu plan to leave town. Tapping the cat box, Cer produces some vials of honey. “Hey everyone, there is so much need. I have decided I can do a mass spell and heal for you all at once. Everyone, sit down and make a path so I can distribute the honey and get it to everyone.”

With a path opening up, Cer starts to walk through the crowd, smearing honey on people’s foreheads as Cer walks by.

Finally able to get past the crowd, Cer hyper-focuses on the scent and auric trail of Punkin’s path and runs along the trail as precisely as possible to avoid running into obstacles all while dodging the auras of people.

Breaking through a small crowd gathered at the entrance of town, Cer notices two distinguished auras briefly watching Cer run by.

One aura, glowing red with intensity, Cer interpreted as anger. Noticing its intense pulsing resonance and its dual direction of vacuuming in mana on the inside while exerting mana outwardly on its out borders, Cer determined that was Chastity or Miyas’ aura.

The other aura Cer notices, looked like it was a fading blue aura and felt like it was imploding in on itself as its mana drew inward into a smaller and tighter concentration of longing and sadness.

Remembering to not be distracted and needing to find Punkin, Cer shakes off those two impressions of the auras and continues out through the entrance, looking frantically for Punkin’s trail which dissipates into thin air.

Once again, piercing Cer’s mind full past Cer’s confusion, Miyas breaks through Cer’s panic. “You think I would let you see her trail? You only saw it in town because of the protective runes blocking me. They don;t work on talisman but they do work on my spells and casting. You won’t see Pupu’s trail anymore outside of town. I said we’d come find you. So relax!”

Responding with anger, Cer demands answers. Where is Pupu? Why are you hiding her from me?

Responding curtly, Miyas snaps at Cer with a bit of annoyed impatience. “You think I need to hide myself or Pupu from you? At your current state, you wouldn’t be able to challenge me. Don’t be so foolish or rash. I am not hiding from you and I am not keeping Pupu from you! If you can find us, so can she! ”

She? Who is 'she'? Who are you hiding from then?

"Are you dense? We WERE chasing her. But you gave yourself away. Now we are hiding from her- the chaos witch..."

Who is the chaos witch? Chastity?

"YOUR SISTER! YOUR SISTER IS THE CHAOS WITCH!!"