By the time this sun was coming up, Taka felt delirious. It was just him, Zirko, and Garek left in the workshop, and Garek was asleep at his work bench, snoring softly. Zirko watched Taka carefully as he continued to move the golem around the room. He was now able to make the golem walk at a normal walking pace, duck, jump, and turn quickly.

  “Alright,” Zirko said with a yawn, “that’s enough for tonight. You’re ready to at least move around the city, we shall work on more once we’re there. Rest while you can.

  The lizard man gave Taka a nod before closing his eyes, falling asleep sitting up on the chair.

  I can keep going, Taka thought to himself as he felt another wave of exhaustion hit him. I will keep going, tomorrow…

  The garden smelled of tangerines. Taka didn’t particularly like tangerines, but the smell was pleasant enough. He walked through the garden, passing all sorts of flowers he had never seen before. The layout of the flower beds felt maze-like in structure, but they were all short, and Taka could see the large tree the path seemed to be leading to in the distance.

  Taka followed the path, admiring the flowers as he went along. These flowers looked glossier and more metallic than the kind of flowers he was used to, but they were pretty in their own way. A different kind of beautiful.

  Before he knew it, Taka reached the tree; its dark bark seemed to stretch up to the heavens.

  “Taka,” a voice said from inside the tree.

  The voice shook the world around him and almost knocked Taka off his feet — Taka looked down, and saw his human form once again. Each new time he had a dream, or vision, or whatever this was, in his previous human form, it felt a little more unnatural, like he was wearing someone else’s skin… Taka wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

  “Remember our deal. Follow this path, and do not let me down,” the voice, Beja, said.

  Taka didn’t like how much power the god had over him, but there was nothing he could do about it then and there. The god was a literal god, and he a worm. The gap between them was too great, but if Beja was telling the truth about wanting Taka to become stronger, maybe the god’s plan had to do with taking out Valish? The thought sent both a chill and a ripple of excitement through his skin, the two different perspectives on the matter clashing with each other as Taka ruminated on each, as if trying them on for size; neither won out.

  The golem wobbled back and forth as Taka's’ eyes snapped open.

  “Sir Filo,” Maeve said. “Are you alright?”

  Taka looked out the front of the golem’s helmet to see Maeve standing inches from his face, eyes wide in curiosity. Taka used his TELEPATHY skill and opened a connection to the fox girl.

  Yes, I am, Taka sent. Is it time already?

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  Maeve stared blankly at him for a moment, then smiled warmly, “yes, the sun will be up soon.”

  Taka noticed the bag on Maeve’s back, clearly packed with the discipline of a knight based on its organized appearance, but Taka felt a pang of loss in his heart. He didn’t have anything he needed to bring, no material possessions, nothing he could call his own… he pushed the thought away. It’s a good thing, Taka thought to himself. Nothing extra to weigh me down.

  “Are you all prepared?” Vanz’goran asked.

  Taka nodded, and saw Maeve, Zirko, and Marg all do the same. The study was quiet: Vanz’goran stood before their group, flanked by Deon, and Bick slept peacefully in the corner. Syla was nowhere to be seen, and according to Zirko, the elf child refused to leave their room. Taka wished he had the chance to say goodbye, but he didn’t know what he would’ve said, besides telling the elf that he was planning on finding their mother.

  “This will be dangerous, but remember: your lives are more important than all else,” Vanz’goran said. I trust your collective judgement. Work together, and investigate the anything you are able to find related to the attack.”

  Vanz’goran gave a slight nod to Deon, who handed a folder of papers to Maeve, who then began scanning through them.

  “These are your aliases,” Deon said. “Freshly minted, and thoroughly backdated. The Modonian government is aware of the party of emissaries that will be looking into the attack, and have agreed to cooperate with the investigation.”

  Deon scowled and Vanz’goran put a hand on his shoulder, a gentle, comforting gesture that surprised Taka. Deon didn’t shake off the hand, in fact, he seemed to soften…

  “Maeve, you will be the main point of contact as leader of the party, you are to go by Mistress Rei Xesha from this moment forward, a distant niece of Jukartha’s,” Deon explained. “Zirko is your body guard, Hesk, and Taka will be piloting Hesk’s golem. Hesk is an earth mage, so beware of using any other magic, Zirko.”

  Both Maeve and Zirko bowed their heads and pounded their right fists to their chests, “yes sir,” they said in unison.

  “Marg, you are going under the cover of Lady Sibil, attendant to Mistress Xesha. You are a healer that has been with the family for a long time, and a confidant of the Mistress, as you’ve taken a vow of silence.”

  Marg nodded, slightly more enthusiastically than Taka had been expecting, and Taka noticed that Marg’s skin looked particularly good at that moment. Marg caught Taka’s gaze and smiled, but a little wider than she smiled before. Taka focused hard on the orc woman and noticed that her Magia seemed extra potent today as well…

  “I will open the gate directly to your rooms,” Deon said, interrupting Taka’s thought. The building that will be your base of operations should be secure, but please do a thorough sweep as soon as you arrive.”

  Deon turned back toward the desk and grabbed something, then handed it to Maeve. The fox girl gasped and looked up at the lizard man, the back at the small object, which looked a small notebook.

  “Is this…” Maeve began, her mouth agape, “is this a—“

  “Yes,” Deon said, cutting her off. “Keep it on you at all times.”

  Maeve nodded and slipped the small notebook into her left boot. Taka felt like there should have been mana emanating from the book given Maeve’s reaction, but he felt nothing.

  “Take care of yourselves, my children,” Vanz’goran said. “Find out who did this to us, and stay vigilant.”

  Zirko, Maeve, and Marg all went down to one knee, and Taka made the golem do the same. Deon clasped his hands together, then tore open a portal in front of them.

  “Go now,” the lizard man said, gritting his teeth. “I won’t be able to keep this open for long.”

  Taka used his TELEPATHY skill and opened link to Deon.

  Thank you for everything, Taka sent. I’ll do everything I can to keep them all safe.

  Deon chuckled to himself through a grimace as Zirko and Maeve stepped though the portal, Marg close behind. This is it, Taka thought to himself as he fell in line behind Marg. As he stepped through the portal with Marg, he felt her mana flicker and felt a different familiar presence.

  Coming out the other side, Taka saw Maeve and Zirko standing in front of him, looking back toward the portal with shocked expressions. Taka looked back, and the portal disappeared. He looked forward again, and he realized they weren’t looking at the portal — they were looking at the figure in front of him… where Marg had just been stood Syla, grinning like there was no tomorrow.