Just beyond the city lay the coast, the dark, flat water reflecting the calm blue of the sky. And, cutting through it and stretching from the shore across the sea to the unseen other side, was a gigantic bridge. Compare to the Bridge Over Worlds, this bridge was massive. Based on the ant-sized carts and wagons inching across, the enormous bridge must have been twice as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge and many times longer.

The carts bounced off the stone bridge and onto a beautifully paved cobblestone road. They made their way toward the city. They approached another bridge, this one crossing over a river encircling half the city. This bridge was one of many crossing the river every quarter mile like rungs on a winding rope ladder. Most of the bridges had no walls or side rails and were barely wide enough for one cart to squeeze past another.

Tali pulled herself up closer to the edge of the cart, trying to get a better look. Clear, rolling water sped beneath them as the horse's hooves thudded on the wooden bridge. Just as the wheels rolled onto the crest of the arch, the cart came to a stop.

The horse pulling the cart shied, giving a nervous whinny. "Whoa there, whoa," the Chief said. "What's the matter, huh?"

The horse tossed its head and pranced around, trying to sidestep something.

"Damn snake," the Chief muttered.

The horse screamed and reared. The cart was knocked off balance. For one heart-stopping moment, Tali was sideways. Then, the cart overturned and Tali was airborne. She hit the river with a hard, painful splash. 

Tali was swept underwater, her breath gone and her sense of up and down completely skewed. She tumbled about, over and over and over. She thrashed and turned, trying to get her bearings. Finally, she found the riverbed and pushed off it to swim to the surface.

She broke through with a gasp. After catching her breath, she swam for the riverbank, running on pure adrenaline. She reached the bank and pulled herself halfway out of the water, shaking with the effort.  She collapsed, gasping and coughing. The world was strangely silent until the water rushed out of her ears with a pop.

A little ways behind her a commotion cut through the rushing of the river.

"Get the cart turned over!" the Chief shouted. "Get the merchandise out of the water before it all goes downriver!"

Tali struggled to pull herself further out of the water. She paused again, muscles screaming as adrenaline faded.

"Run!"

Tali almost missed Ethan's cry the first time.

"Tali, run! Get out of here!" Ethan shouted from the bridge.

Tali started, snapping out of her reverie.

"Go! Don't look back!"

"What's he saying?" the traders said. "Why is he shouting?"

"Get him under control!" the Chief ordered.

"Go, Gnat!" Ethan shouted. "Get out of here!"

Tali shook herself out of her stupor. She pulled herself fully out of the water onto the city side of the river. She looked at Ethan as he strained at his bonds, urging her on. She bit her lip. Fighting back tears, she scrambled to her feet and bolted. She ducked between buildings, ran around corners and under bridges, and dodged passersby. Her feet threatened to give way, her ankles twisting more than once as she stumbled her way deeper into the city.

Finally, she could run no more. She glanced back but could see no pursuers. Tali stumbled over to the shadow of one of the sky bridges and collapsed into a dead faint.