The two glared at him.

His anxious eyes spat between them.

“No. No!” He screeched, “You two goinna be da death of me.”

“We can arrange dat.” Smiled Cirin.

Taba sighed, “What my callous companion is trying ta say is dat ya be in our hands now.”

The man puffed, practically turning in his manacles, “What can two children do ta me?”

Taba snapped. Then again and again.

For each rock that popped above her tattooed-head, Cassal’s already wrinkled brow furrowed and furrowed.

Slowly he turned to the jagged rock pinning him to the snake carriage and back at Taba.

“Dat was you?” he blurted.

Taba snapped again.

“Alright. Alright!” moaned Cassal, “I’ll guide ya two to da base, but be forewarned, dat place be da death of ya. If dose friends of ya’s failed, what chance ya two got?”

“Three.” Corrected a frowning Sol.

Cirin ruffled the hairs on the boy’s prince and nudged his head at him.

“you heard da prince. We’re going.”

Cassal let his eyes fall to the reddened sky, “We go west. Half a days journey at worst.”

Hoisting the heavy man back on the snake, the trio guided the snake west. The further they slithered, the further their shadows stretched to the other side of the desert against the autumn horizon. The sands seemed endless there. Nothing for hours and then they saw it.

It kissed the darkened sky whilst its’ base hid behind a clutch of dunes. At the top of it, Cirin could make a collection of seven flags fluttering in the distance. Each distinct to its waving cousin. Beyond that, the scarce outline of buildings glinted in the distance. Some were already alit.

“Is dat a towa?” asked Cirin.

He glanced at Taba, he knew she was thinking it to by the way she gawked at it.

“A towa? Ya telling me ya neva seen one of dose?”

Cassal shook his head when the two answered with empty stares.

“Its’ a mesa. Da bazaar is practically made of em’. Each one of dem hosting its own martial school. Jegga’s mesa was da only one outside da clusta in da bazaar. Ya friends are dere as well, da tird flag dere is of Bahar’s group. Dat be da caotain of da group dat poursued ya. Dough it seems dey gave chasing afta ya killed five of deis snakes and dey realsied just who dey captured. And befa ya ask, dey use a lift. Look”

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Cirin followed Cassal’s precision gaze to the distant outline of string thin wires and a slowly moving platform traveling by their supports.

The boy turned his eyes to his palms. He imagined those dirtied things with the same white bandages the old mon sported.

“What would Azhar do?” asked Sol before he could

Cirin curled his hands into fists.

“We wait.” He said aloud, “No point going in da night if dere be only one way in.”

“But maybe we should.” Started Taba. She levied a finger at Cassal, “They’d let him in, and if we hide on da snake-”

“Dey won’t see us in da dark !” finished Cirin

Taba shot him a furious glance, “I didn’t give ya da permission ta cut me off, but yes. Yet seeing as you uncovered my plot, degenerate, da plan may be too simple.”

“Plan? No.” Shook Cassal, “I do not like dis.”

“And what if he betrays us?”

Taba peered at Cassal, “We’ll tell his mastas dat he told us everything.”

Cassal jutted forwards at the notion. He tried to talk, but the words escaped him. Cirin could tell the man’s silence gave Taba the assurance she needed. She had that usual smug smile about her. Cirin craned his head. There was more to it this time.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her.

Taba scarcely glanced at him before returning her sights to the captured man.

“I was just tinking dis man has quite a bit mo magic dan I expected.”

“Dun tell him dat!” snapped Cirin

“His markings are bright.” She continued, oblivious to his warning, “Da patterns are different too, dey be curved lines.” She squinted, “Letters almost.”

“It won’t work.” Began the man once more. He rose his dirtied mug to his two captors, “If it were any udda prisonah, dose friends of your’s would be dead now.”

“Silence.” Spat Cirin, instantly reaching for his blade.

“Wait. Listen.” Begged the man, “I’m saying dat dey won’t be dead because dey be not normal prisonahs.” The man went quiet then, his eyes a scarce toss away from the boy, “Dat man wit you was Azhar, wasn’t he? I mean de Azhar. Jegga wants him. He’s wanted him eva since dat man and his friends abandoned da gang.”

Taba pushed passed Cirin to address the man, “I was right den, dey’re alive!”

“But ya see because dey are who dey are, dey won’t be left in some prison. Most likely, dey are wit Jegga himself.”

Cirin stumbled back until he tripped and landed on his bum. Taba seemed unable to notice it, but cirin knew it instantly. Rescuing Azhar and the others was not just not about sneaking in and breaking their binds. It also involved dealing with Jegga’s men. Perhaps even Jegga himself.

“What kind of a man is Jegga, mon?” asked Cirin.

“A meticulous one. I am only one of many chroniclers in his ranks. He makes a point of recording every incident that occurs within his gang. He finds efficiency in reiterating every routine he has his followers take part in. Patrols, robberies, skirmishes, and even hits.” Cassal paused, “He happens to be as ruthless as he is meticulous. The man is on his last years, but he commands nearly three hundred men and wastes no opportunity in employing them.”

“So tree against tree hundred, huh?” hushed Cirin.

Sol seemed unphased by the number while Taba had nearly gone pale at the notion.

“Ya kids starting ta realise ya foolishness? Dere be no way to win here.” Asserted the man.

“A distraction.” Prompted Cirin, leaping to his feet, “What can we do ta distract dem?”

Taba began pacing, “Noting dat won’t attract attention to ourselves. He’s right dis be hopeless.”

“Oi.” Cried Cirin, “I’m not giving up. If we can can’t distract maybe we could get someone else ta do it.”

“Not possible.” Shook Taba, “Only Catherine could conjure a distraction dat would work.”

Cirin let his back collapse against the snake, “Caterine. If only she made it wit us. If only we could…”

“Cirin?” stated Sol, “Where are you going?”

The boy had already made his to a place where had a good view of the snake, his two companions, and the prisoner. Cirin turned his head to Taba.

“How far can ya see those markings from?”

“If ya wonderin if I can see from dere, I can.”

“And hat about Caterine.”

“She could see betta dan I could what ya be planning, degenerate?”]

Cirin flashed toothy grin. “Oi Cassal.” He nudged his head at the man, “Take of ya shirt.”