Heyvl led Jet back through the crowds of the market. It was faster for them to head back. The two reached the living quarter of Lonav and headed straight to Trekthar's hut.

"It was nice to get out and see a part of the village," Jet told Heyvl.

"I'm glad you think so," Heyvl exclaimed with a smile, "I figured it would be better than staying there and getting interrogated by Trekthar."

"Is he that bad?"

"No," Heyvl chuckled. "He just likes to know what's going on. We don't get a whole lot of news from the other lands. We don't have ambassadors or anything. All our news is passed through traders, and by the time it gets here, who knows how true it is."

Jet nodded. He never really received news from anyone else but Dustan.

The hut was a welcoming sight to Jet. He was suddenly overcome with a strange feeling. He wondered if because it felt like a safe place, like somewhere he could call home.

The two entered the hut. This time, Trekthar was back.

"So that's where you went," Trekthar said as he noticed Heyvl.

"He shouldn't be stuck in here the whole time," Heyvl replied.

"Where did you go? Did anyone notice you?"

Before Jet could reply, Heyvl went ahead and spoke out. "We just went to the market and got some food. One of the shop keepers recognized his vest, which was it."

"Oh really? Just the vest then?"

"Yes, they didn't assume he was an Elementalist."

"That's good," Trekthar said. "The people of Lonava do not need to know about a Spirit Elementalist amidst them until I know what all is going on."

Jet shifted where he stood. He felt like he was now a problem.

"I don't mean to sound negative, young Elementalist. I merely just like to stay informed prior to my people coming up with their own speculations."

"I see," Jet replied, suddenly feeling like he was in front of a shop keeper from Calbar, as if he could lose out on a job.

"Come in, don't be shy," Trekthar said as he beckoned the two boys.

The two moved further into the hut. It seemed brighter than Jet remembered. He and Heyvl sat in the main entrance room.

Trekthar turned around towards a table of cups and other dishes. "How about some tea?"

Jet never had tea before. He remembered smelling the herbal leaves steeping from other houses in Calbar.

"Yeah sure," Heyvl said. "How about you Jet?"

"Sure, I've never had it before."

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"This will be an interesting experience then," Trekthar chuckled.

Jet and Heyvl sat patiently as Trekthar began to fix some cups of tea. After a few minutes, Trekthar finished and handed them the cups.

The room was filled with the smell of herbs. Heyvl immediately began to drink his tea. Jet looked into his cup and examined the liquids. He had never seen tea. It was a light brown. He decided to try it. The taste was bitter but it wasn't bad. He liked it.

"So, Jet," Trekthar began after he swallowed some tea. "What do you remember from Calbar?"

Jet hesitated to answer him. Everything flooded back to him. It hadn't been that long, but Jet didn't want to think about it. Dustan's face still stared back at him.

"The Emperor," Jet replied. It was the best way to put it. It all came down to Wrathel.

"The Soul Elementalist himself," Heyvl sneered.

Jet wished he had known that fact before entering the castle. He might have been better prepared.

"Was this your first encounter with him?" Trekthar asked.

Jet nodded. "My brother and I had never had that much attention before...let alone be in or even near the castle."

"What gave you and your brother that attention?"

Jet explained what he and Dustan had done for a living. They worked odd jobs every day to survive. He continued to explain what they were doing the day that Dustan discovered his Element.

Trekthar nodded as Jet told his story. Heyvl was leaning forward eagerly listening.

Jet continued to tell them that one of the Empire's highest generals had heard the commotion at the bakery and somehow knew the Emperor wanted to see them.

"It was always rumored that the army of the Soul Empire were just shells of former beings filled with the Element of the Emperor," Trekthar stated.

"That could explain why his general already knew what he thought and how he knew we were coming without sending any word..." Jet said as he thought about it.

He decided to keep going with his story. He explained how the Emperor was working on some technology that used Spirit Elemental energy to power it somehow.

"Sounds like ancient theories. Did it work?"

"It did for a bit, but it seemed unstable."

Trekthar leaned back in thought. "Hmm. So it worked. This could be bad news."

"Why is that?" Jet asked.

"That would give him the incentive to try harder."

Jet wasn't sure what that would mean.

Suddenly, yelling could be heard coming from outside. Heyvl and Jet both looked towards the doorway. Trekthar stood up and maneuvered over to the hut's entrance. He poked his head out.

"Wait here, you two," he said to them. He then walked outside.

Heyvl rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's see what's going on."

"But didn't he just tell us to stay here?"

Heyvl smirked. "But aren't you curious to see what is happening?"

Jet was curious. He wondered what was important enough to draw Trekthar away. He nodded and stood up. He set his cup of tea on the table.

Heyvl peeked out the doorway to see if Trekthar was still around. "He must've gone to find out what was happening."

"Isn't that what we are going to do?"

"Yeah, but we'll go around. Follow me."

Heyvl left the hut, and Jet followed close behind. Jet could see Trekthar heading towards the market. Heyvl led him the other direction.

"How is this going around?" Jet asked as they moved swiftly through the living area of Lonav.

"Trust me, I know my way around."

Jet trusted him. There wasn't any reason not to. The other side of the living quarters was massive. The houses looked similar to the previous ones but had larger neighborhoods without anything in between them.

"It's a big village," Heyvl laughed. "I don't think we'd ever consider ourselves a city."

Jet could only think of Calbar when he heard the word city.

"It's still a nice change," Jet replied.

Heyvl led him through what seemed similar to Calbar's alleyways. It reminded him of where he and Dustan used to live.

The two of them continued through the alleys until Jet started to recognize the area. They somehow circled around to the market. The yelling was now louder. It was shocking to Jet how much the yells had echoed.

"Someone here must have seen the opening!" a voice shouted.

Heyvl and Jet were behind some of the stalls. Heyvl was ducking so Jet did the same. He wasn't a stranger to sneaking around.

"What is it you are looking for?" Trekthar's voiced asked.

Jet could see the old man in the center of the market. Two men on horses were in front of him. They were in the purple uniforms from the Empire.

"Uh oh," Jet muttered.

Heyvl gave him a strange look at his reaction. "What is it?"

"They're from the Soul Empire."