“—Here!”

In the middle of my proud moment, Grey suddenly shoves something on my chest. A black robe of some sort. Small, fit for my size.

“Wear this,” he said.

“Why?” I asked.

“You don’t want to be pierced with pitchforks, don’t you?” he turns to me. “Having yourself waltz around like that is a death sentence. Better have that on, it masks your identity and scent. Nobody will ever distinguish your identity."

“Will I look even more suspicious with this on?”

“With or without a hood on, you’ll be fine,” he said. “I prefer you have the hood on.”

It didn’t take us long to get to the town gates. A barrier surrounds the village, a wall with two guards on duty by the gates. Grey and I queued behind with the others who are entering the town.

By just standing here in line, I can identify new species I’ve never seen before. Lions, bears, raccoons, foxes… you name them. I feel so alienated with just knowing my guardians. Grey stood beside me, looking very casual.

Like what he said, the cloak I’m wearing disguised my appearance. Nobody seems to be suspicious of me. Although, this cloak feels hot and humid, itchy even. And I have to endure it all the way inside.

Then, it is our turn at the gate.

“Oh, look who’s taking the gates this time, the town lumberjack himself, Grey Matthias Wolf,” the town guard, a horse, humors with Grey.

“Spare me the jokes, Krenton, we’re here for registry,” Grey said.

“Who’s up for registry?” another guard, a deer, turns to his friend.

Grey places his paw around my shoulder.

“Oh… I didn’t know you have a child,” Krenton said. “Who’s the lucky she, then? Rudufol and I were speculating it would be Ethena!”

“Yeah!” Rudufol reaches his friend’s fist, colliding in a fist-bump.

I can see Grey fluster, his ears fold back and blush in red. I have no idea Grey has a crush on anyone before.

“N-No, this is just a nephew of mine,” Grey said, struggling to hide his embarrassment.

“Oh…” both Krenton and Rudufol exchange glances. “Sorry for assuming Grey, but it would be great to have a pup around!”

“I’m not planning on having children,” Grey said sternly, crossing his arms. “Just let us in, you’re delaying others queuing behind us.” Grey hands his identification card to Krenton where he scans it on a device. Once the light turns green, we’re granted entry to the town.

“Enjoy your stay, Grey, and newcomer!” Krenton and Rudufol waved us goodbye. So far so good. The cloak seems to do its job very well.

The streets are paved with stones. In fact, most of the town is made of stone. Looking archaic, with a hint of modernity. The street lamps are solar powered, sleeping during daylight hours. Shops have doors that slide open, and people basically use codes to purchase stuff. Like some sort of debit card.

There were less cars on the road, having occupied by commoners. Wide varieties of mammals roam the streets. Great and less in size. The shortest being three-feet tall, and the tallest roughly around eight to nine-feet tall.

Cubs and pups play tag on the pavement. Guards patrol the corner of the street. Merchant answering inquiries from customers on their stalls. This town is pretty much a regular town except—

Booooommm!!!

An explosion erupted somewhere deep in the town. Flames rise and then what appears to be shards of ice fly from one place. Everyone stopped and turned towards the direction of the sound. Alerted by the noise, the guards deployed raced to confront the source of the noise.

“Must be another hooligan, looking for trouble in broad daylight,” Grey tsk-tsked.

“Seriously?” I turned to Grey.

“It’s none of our businesses to intervene,” he said. “The town hall is right around the corner. There weren’t that much people in the hall at this time.”

We arrive the town hall not long later. It’s big and cobbled with stones, yet embraces modernity like the rest of the town. Grey was right about the vacancy of the place, having less people gathering the place.

During weekdays, not much visit the town hall because of their jobs. Except for those who are available coincidentally.

Grey and I have lunch in the cafeteria, and I have to keep this robe on until I’m registered. Exactly one in the afternoon, we both proceed to the registry office, second floor of the building.

The process is like what Grey said, fast and reliable. There weren’t any questions raised to me by the attendant at all and just registered me in town like I’m from here. Did not even recognize me looking alien or trying to look in-depth about my species. She just, entered the details and… poof! I have an identification card now.

After that, the two of us exit the town hall. Thirty minutes of our time, wasted. Not bad for a town hall, they know how to cater their people and the environment is not too shabby at all.

The people are generally polite, and easy to talk to. Knowing that they’re government, they really should or else they’d get backlashes from folks in their small town.

The sun is still burning bright in the afternoon. Grey can’t really process through the heat, knowing his Element is fire-based.

The town still amazes me from this view. The town hall sits on a hill, overseeing everything. There’s what it appears to be an observatory on the hill facing this one, and from here, you could see panels on rooftops on every building.

Now that I realized that, the town uses solar power to generate electricity. What a good way to save nature. Renewable energy is the fad nowadays. Back home, we still use the same type of harnessing power.

Grey and I walk down the stone stairs. Halfway through, his phone rang. He pulls it out of his pocket and raises it up to his ears.

“Hello?” he replied. His foot tapping as he answers.

“Oh, it’s you… what do you want? You’re not serious, are you? How stupid could you be? Wait… don’t try answering… it’s a rhetorical question, idiot… What do you want me to do? Bodyguard? Hmmm… will I get paid? That much? Isn’t he generous? That isn’t a—you know what, I’ll take the job instead. Just because I know him… Right now?! Are you kidding me?! Well, I’m in the middle of something… Actually, we’ve finished anyway. You owe me after this, treat me ticket to the coliseum as payment. Either a yes and a yes is the answer, I’m taking your job, and you owe me. I’ll deal with the food, just pay for the tickets. Okay, I’ll be there in a moment. Sure thing.”

He drops the call. He sighs deeply, judging by his expression, he’s given a job he’s unwilling to do, and reluctant to deny.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Arctic. He called me in the middle of his voyage asking me to take his job instead. Believe it or not, it’s today.”

“Is there something I could do to help?” I asked.

“To be frank, no,” he said. “Being a bodyguard is no easy task, not recommended for someone your size and figure.”

I nodded.

“Do me a favor instead. Since you have that identification, the next thing you need to do is to own an Element. You got the grimoire with you, right? Head straight to the observatory in that hill over there and you’ll meet another wolf there.”

“Okay. Do you think it’s okay for me to waltz around town? Barely even knowing everything?”

“Great question…” he scratches his chin, thinking deeply, looking away to the distance. “You’ll be fine, I guess. That card will help. To be honest, this town is less skeptical of newbies. Especially that you look like us rather than those scaly Armaggons. The town will just ignore you, that’s what I’m sure.”

“Your words are confusing me, Grey,” I told him, frowning.

“Just don’t act suspicious. Behave like you already live here and if they try to ask, flash them your ID. All info is already placed in their, they’ll not question anymore about since you have your rights. Still feeling queasy?”

“Slightly,” I told him.

He smiles at me in reassurance, placing his paw on my shoulder, kneeling on one knee. “Don’t worry, I won’t take long. After this, we’ll go watch the brawl in the coliseum, together. Let’s just meet there, tonight. My treat, of course.”

Says the person who isn’t going to take long. I nodded anyway.

“Sure,” I said.

He pats my back and he returns standing. “That’s the spirit! I’ll lend you some money in case you want to spend something. Use these coins wisely.”

He hands me thirty-five G’s. He’s awfully generous. I could purchase plenty with these. Even buy two cakes!

“Wow, you’re very gallant,” I said, wide-eyed on the golden coins resting on my hand.

“Excuse me?” he tilts his head, raising a brow. This man can’t take compliments. “That’s not even much.”

“For me, it is. But thanks, anyway,” I smiled.

Grey begins to jog moments later to a different direction. Still on the stairs, I shortly pause, feeling like a lost child, viewing the town from this angle.

Clouds roll peacefully as the wind takes it adrift on the blue sky. Vivid shades of orange paints the hills over the other side, I did not realize it was autumn.

The sun seers through the clouds, constantly blocked every minute. Then reveals once the patchy cotton crosses over.

“To the hill at the other side,” I mumbled, finally taking my leave.

Easier said than done, once I immerse myself with the streets down below, taking further steps inwards, I feel directionless all of the sudden.

I glance back, then I realize the town hall disappeared, blocked by the surrounding buildings. Standing astound, the fear takes over me. I’ll be lost before I even get my Element!

“—Hey! What kind of Element do you have?”

I spun around to my left, looking at two teenagers, one that is a zebra, and the other, a sable. A similar crystal embedded in their accessories. Both are showing-off their Elements.

The sable reveals his Element, dangling on a pendant. “Mine’s called ‘Lulling’, makes everyone feel drowsy in my command.”

“Lame,” the zebra scoffs. “Mine is ‘Deterioration’—”

“Excuse me!” I muster up the courage to ask them. As expected, they both look at me like some kind of alien, which I actually am. Both eyes wide. I returned the cloak to Grey before he left and now I feel like I needed it right now. “I’m very new here, could you tell me the direction to the laboratory.”

The zebra turns to his friend, grinning with malice. “I’ll show you what I mean.”

He turns to me clasping both hooved paws. “You’re a cute fellow. Not so strange to get lost for a newbie like you. I’ll help you gladly! Free of charges.”

“Great!” I said.

He approaches me warmly. He unclasps his paw, revealing a dark, elastic fluid stretching from both palms. His warm demeanor, shifts into malice.

I was stuck frozen, not knowing what to do. I was thinking of running away, but I’m stuck on this position, hesitating to even make a move knowing I would only draw attention to myself.

“—Sleep,” with a snap, the zebra collapses on the floor. It happened all so suddenly, making me worry of the zebra despite him trying to attack me.

As I lean over his visage, a snore escapes from his mouth.

“He’s asleep?” I raised a brow.

“One of the qualities I recently discover with my Element,” he tends to his friend, despite his size, he manages to assist his friend with one shoulder. He stumbles as he adjusts both of their weights. I come to help him, eventually making the sleeping equine lean against the wall of the building. Still, he’s dozed-off.

“What was that all about?” I asked him, confused.

“Being his good ol’ knucklehead side again,” he shook his head. “Don’t worry. He’ll be awake if I give him the cue.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“No problem!” he replied. “I assume you were as lost as us, too, aren’t you?” he stifles a chuckle.

“Yes,” I admitted. “Oh, so the two of you are new here, too?”

“Fresh from the north side!” he said. “If you want directions, I suggest you grab a map from the library.”

The sable pokes a thumb up, pointing back at the building behind. It’s a local library.

“Find a well-dressed, eye-glassed man with prong-like antlers inside, he’ll hand you one generously,” he said.

“Th-Thanks!” I replied, bowing courteously. Not knowing why I did.

He only replied with another stifled chuckle. “See you around then, fellow stranger!”

“See you then, too and thanks for the info!”

As he said, I enter the library searching for the man whom I could get a map from. The inside of the library is slightly dark. Who would even light a library so dimly?

There were a handful of people in the room with me, mostly are dressed like a nobleman, with those lavish vest, ironed slacks, and sleek, long-sleeved polo.

I glanced looking for the librarian. Only found a female sheep, appearing to be preoccupied with reading a book.

“Excuse me, miss!” I call the attention of the ewe, immersed deeply in her novel. What a strange choice of genre.

She finally catches me, turning to me giving me the same expression as the zebra and sable from earlier.

She gingerly lowers her book, turning her attention at me awkwardly. “C-Can I help you?” she stammers.

“Uh… I—uh… am looking for a man who wears like them but have prong-like antlers?”

The attendant suddenly rolls her eyes.

“Oh… him,” she said. “He’s at the second floor, sitting next to the glass window. Strange for him to have an unusual visitor.”

I’ll just ignore her remark.

“Thanks, anyway,” I told her.

I take the stone stairwell at the right side of the desk. Reaching the second floor, I walk past the shelves into an open space with tables close to the window. They look archaic like the rest of the library.

“—Looks like we’ve finally meet.”