The entrance gate was crowded with people lined up to show their identity cards. The small town sat on an island that looked high up from a distance but it wasn't so when you got closer. Among the people waiting in line was a merchant pulling a cart full of vegetables. Inara stood just a few men in front of the merchant, wearing a big hat and holding a large black bag.
When it was his turn, Inara gave them his identity card. A plastic card engraved with his picture and descriptions. "I am a ship apprentice. I just want to buy supplies for my masters before we leave."
The guard stared at Inara, looking him up and down. The guard, like the other guards around him, wasn't human. His neck was at least five to six cubits long. And it bent forward toward the head. Two long spikes protruded outward from the left side of the neck like a tumor.
Inara recalled a passenger they once had on their ship some time ago who told them he was Yeren. The tribe almost exclusively lived in the seventh world. They didn't get along with humans in most instances. And there were racial differences and what the passenger called 'unholy ostracism'.
They also didn't want to be stared at, Inara recalled. So he quickly took his eyes off the man's neck and pretended to be looking at his shining armor.
After taking his time to check the card, the man stamped on it and then took a picture with an ayrid camera before giving it back to him. "You are required to pay two hundred ayrids as tax."
Inara handed over the coins and was allowed passage.
"If something happens, we know where to find you," another long-neck warned him.
Inara nodded and went through the gate.
It was the merchant's turn. He pushed his cart forward to stand in front of the guards. The same man who reviewed Inara looked at the man and said, "Urasa, how's the market going?"
Urasa shook his head regrettably. "The market is slowing down further. It hasn't been the same ever since the rumors of war between King Bihanzin and the other jinzidal Kings spread."
"I doubt it," the guard said, smiling knowingly. "You've more luggage than yesterday, my friend. You know what, just take everything down. We need to inspect it. Logistics and all, I hope you understand."
Urasa moved closer and they exchanged a suspicious handshake with the guard. A certain black bag full of coins seemed to suddenly appear in the guard's empty hand. "If I keep unpacking everything, the tomatoes will rot away soon. I hope my lord will consider me."
The guard threw the bag of coins in his pocket with a practiced motion. Then he shouted at the people behind him to open the door for Urasa.
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Urasa went into the city and spent another half an hour looking for an empty alley. He looked around to make sure he was alone before he lifted the cart to reveal a huge man lying under it.
Spoon grabbed the sides of the cart and pulled himself out. He retrieved seven hundred ayrids from his pocket and offered it to Urasa. "Thanks a thousand."
"You're welcome." Urasa stared at the pouch for a long moment, drooling. He would have to work nonstop for three days to get that much money. And he would still need to be lucky.
As for Spoon, he'd the money and he figured it would be much easier to have someone work for him than to disguise himself as a trader. After all, he knew little about trading and he could very well see the intensity of the situation at the gate.
Spoon ran off before the man could ask him any more questions. Once he was alone, he buried the ayrid Armad gave him. A moment later, he received a message from Armad telling him where they would meet.
A short distance from him, Inara also received the same message from Armad. Both ran to the same place.
An hour later, they arrived at a market. It was Spoon who spotted Inara and the two continued searching for Armad together.
The buildings in Dùka weren't very big but they were quite organized. Each street seemed to be of equal diameter as the one before it. There wasn't much dirt even in the backstreets and everything looked clean. Even the market was built into shops with a good drainage system that was seldom seen even in the capitals. Roads surrounded the streets and houses. It looked artistic.
They soon found themselves in the restaurant Armad had described to them. Most of the people there had the same long necks. Some even had three protrusions attached to their necks, which was a sign of status. Those who didn't have them were usually young and inexperienced. Every few minutes, Inara would remind Spoon that they didn't want to be stared at, but Spoon always found a way to forget.
With a heavy sigh, Spoon took his eyes off the long necks and focused on the food in front of him. He ate his full and when he realized Inara wasn't taking his share, he frowned at the boy. "Boy, go ahead and eat. How many bowls do you think they eat before we came, huh?"
Inara just smiled and shook his head. Only a couple of hours had passed since they ate, so it was a miracle how much appetite Spoon had. The boy somehow felt that it was related to the big man's Bending. Many experts tended to have eccentric behavior.
It was several minutes later before they could talk business. Spoon asked them if they found anything of importance.
"We'll talk on the way," Ilias said, motioning to the silent occupants of the restaurant. There might be spies among them for all he knew. It didn't feel right to him.
Having come to the same conclusion, Armad nodded. He stood and led the way.
They went to the apartment they had rented earlier to follow through on their plans.
***
"The people of this town are of the Yeren race," Armad began. "And from the little research I did, I have found out they are very loyal to Ururu. They love and respect the black eyes. Many years ago, the lower worlds ostracized Yeren because of their unique physique. At that time, Dul'Ururu came down from the second world and saved them. He claimed this town under his rule and even built a division of the jinzidal army here."
Armad pulled out a map from his pocket and opened it on the table in the center of the room. He pointed to a large building at the center of the city and said, "This is the place we are looking for. I'm sure the intelligence information is there. However, over 5,000 soldiers are guarding it. There are also five captains supporting them. What I still don't know is whether Uznu Ururu is also in the building or not. We can also consider everyone in the city to be a threat and our enemy. They will always protect the division and the forces of the black eyes if they were called upon. So, my friends, how do you suggest we should go about raiding the division?"