—Yaaawn, msnns, good morning —Leonidas and the others gathered in the center of the camp; the enormous fossil tree served its purpose and it was time to proceed with the mission.
—Hello Jacob, good morning. Magaska thanks you for letting her sleep with Lizva; Varneth and she are becoming good friends, oh, and Magaska too —Magaska, with a tangle of hair, gave a small bow to Jacob.
—Haha, it’s fine, Magaska; I hope you didn’t stay up late. Ready, Lizva! —a small purple speck of light ran next to Jacob to transform, with a pop in front of him, into Lizva.
—Ready when you say, Jacob! Let’s go! —energetic and cheerful, Lizva helped Mina prepare some food, while the guys packed up the camp.
—Ready! Back to the path! —Inola ran in front of them, taking a step, but not before giving a bow in front of the stone path.
—Oh, should we do that? —Leonidas hesitated before putting a foot on the path.
—Don’t worry, big guy, just give the bow; the nomads and merchants do it out of respect for the path; Inola and I do it out of respect for the function it performs, but you can enter without problems —Jacob gave a bow, just as Lizva did too.
—Magaska prefers to pay her respects! —with a bow and a playful little jump, Magaska and the others started the journey again.
—Ready, within a short time we should be able to see the limits of the town of Aksha-Khur, which is before the Theosis —Ithil looked at a small map made with sun ink and a scroll.
—Then, let’s hope this time the town cooperates —Mina, a little annoyed by the heat, stretched with both hands in the air, cracking her back a little; the guys laughed and continued their walk.
—Hey Ithil, I think we will have bad news very soon —Jacob observed how over Velez-Valar, a great palisade with watchtowers awaited them.
—Mee, it can’t be this soon; I thought it would just be arriving! What a drag. Very well, Magaska, do you think you can talk to the companions? —a group of six men waited in front of the gate; archers and people armed with rifles were perched in the watchtowers; at the front they could see a large man bearing a heavy and massive axe.
—Sure! Magaska will convince them! —taking long steps like a soldier, Magaska walked to the large wooden gate; stakes and a bit of barbed wire made it look hostile and threatening; pits with pikes and stakes were stationed on the sides, off the Velez-Valar path.
—Magaska! Why didn’t you go, Ithil! —Mina immediately became alert; that enormous man, almost the size of Leonidas, looked at them with clear hostility, but chatted with Magaska with complete naturalness.
—Mina is right; Magaska is no defenseless little girl, but why her? —Leonidas asked Ithil, genuinely perplexed.
—Look at his axe —on the enormous weapon, a braid of reddish-black hair and ribbons hung in a corner.
—A talisman? What does it have to do with it? —Inola asked while he barely saw the talisman from where they were.
—The hair in the braid is long, but the ribbons seem to be from toys… He has a daughter —Ithil, attentive and nervous, watched how both chatted; the discussion didn’t seem to rise in tone, but didn’t advance either.
—Ooh, I see, you sly fox —Mina gave a couple of taps on Ithil’s shoulder.
—Look, Magaska is coming back; they seem to be nervous —Inola, without losing sight of the watchmen, was ready to help Magaska as soon as necessary.
—Magaska didn’t have success, muuuh —crossing her arms in an “X”, Magaska arrived with the others.
—What did they tell you, Magaska? —Jacob approached, taking a bit of water to the little one.
—Glug, glug… Pwaaa. That Aksha-Khur is off-limits, we cannot pass; they declared themselves a free town and will not allow the entry of any type of person —pouting, Magaska complained bitterly.
—Mmm, I see. Let’s return for the moment… let’s go to the clearing that was there not long ago, there were stones there; we can sit and take a break while we investigate what to do. —Everyone returned, except Inola, who suddenly turned to look in the direction of Aksha-Khur…
—Eeeh, how strange… I felt like… AH, wait! —Inola resumed his pace and reached the others a few steps ahead.
—What’s wrong, Inola? —Jacob looked sideways behind while they moved away from the palisade.
—Humm, I felt like… —Inola couldn’t find the words before the feeling he had.
—Me too… there is something back there, I don’t know if it’s the Theosis Tharmullis or something else. Ithil said we would meet about 400 meters back, let’s go! —both guys ran to reach the others; the whole group retreated a bit further back.
—Well… errmmm, hahaha, hum, this will be a little more difficult, I didn’t expect this… does anyone have a plan? —Ithil asked the others; they had just finished eating a bit; everyone was around, sitting on stones or resting under another reclining fossil tree that gave shade and shelter next to the path; the remains of other campfires could be seen in the blackened earth.
—Mmm, what if we say that Thar-Abbys sends us, just as we are, and we show our medals? It is supposed that, with the level we have, we should have a little authority, isn’t that so, brother Ithil? —Leonidas said while looking at his medal; it looked almost like a small coin in his enormous hand.
—Humm, we could consider it, although through this region it seems there was or they have some problem with authority; perhaps our medals aren't welcome —Ithil looked at his medal, thinking about how incredibly useless that junk was.
—Well, what if I scare them? I transform, I roar a little in front of them, they flee, we enter —Mina, confident, crossed her arms while biting an apple.
—Ee, it could work, although I would like that to be our reserve plan —Ithil put it at the end of his list in case everything failed.
—Hey Ithil, Inola and I had a premonition at the palisade; we are still not sure, but there is something besides the Theosis —Jacob, without knowing exactly how to confirm it, informed Ithil.
—Eh? Could you explain a little more to me? —Ithil, intrigued, looked at both.
—Well… we can’t explain it very well, since it is a feeling very related to evocation… but… when you make a pact with some spirit, you feel a company next to you, as if your space and feelings were shared with someone else —Inola tried to describe the feeling.
—Accompanied by that feeling, there is another, as if a very fine film enveloped you and as if you felt things through a plastic; it is curious… that type of feeling is what Inola and I perceive —Jacob continued explaining.
—Well… if you and Inola perceived it, it must have been something important; I would like you to keep me informed if you feel that again —Ithil nodded and wrote it down in his notebook.
—Oh, Magaska knows! The man said they wouldn’t let anyone from other places pass, but what if we dress up as people from around here?
—Humm, it could work… but, did you see how they were dressed? Their clothing is very unique; even in Palasquia the clothing is very different —Ithil tried to remember the clothing in the previous town; cloth pants and cotton shirts were the norm, while the guard of the palisade and the watchmen wore a hakama of blue and green tones with intricate geometric patterns on the edges and bandanas on the forehead bearing the same patterns.
—I think it will be difficult to find those clothes… —Ithil thought about where to get the clothes.
—And if I got you the clothes and helped you enter, would you help me? —a genderless voice asked them. The surprise was so great that Ithil tried to take out his weapon while the others hurried to fight.
—What? —Ithil tried to take out his klauvra, but his hand was stopped by a folded white metal fan.
—Come, come, ufufufufu, I don’t think I am so frightening —a person in a suit similar to those of the watchmen was in front of them; its white and immaculate hakama shone in a beautiful way, simple but perfectly smooth, without wrinkles or stains; their feet were visible and were barefoot on the sand while its wooden sandals whit red laces were placed delicately at the edge of Velez-Valar.
—Who are you? And, what do you need? —Ithil, not very convinced, looked at the person in front of him; its deep black, straight hair reached their shoulders; its face was covered by a wooden mask with the features of a fox, dyed with soft colors and lacquered to perfection;  reddish cherry-colored eyebrows seemed to emanate an air of attraction that was difficult for him to ignore.
—WHAT do you want with us!! —Inola, with a gesture of annoyance, stood between Ithil and that person.
—And you, return from your dreamland; you are practically drooling, Ithil!! —Inola complained, annoyed, to Ithil with a pout. Shaking his head, he felt as if he broke a spell that dominated him.
—Inola!! I am with you!! —Jacob stood behind that person in white. Inola looked at Jacob and nodded with his head.
—Young Master Inola, Jacob says that this person is not someone common… I don’t think so either, it scares me a little!! —Lizva, in the form of a small speck of light, whispered to Inola in his ear.
—Ufufu, it is not polite to whisper about someone in a low voice nor behind their back, girl —Lizva got scared when being looked at; that person could see through her perfectly.
—And I say that it is not polite to meddle in other people’s conversations —Mina stood to the left of the person in white.
—He he… you are right about that, young lady; I should have introduced myself before. I apologize, adventurers of Thar-Abbys, my name is Ayakashi and I can help you… and in fact I require your help… —
Leonidas looked at the others, including Ithil; both Jacob and Inola felt a tingling sensation when seeing that person; Varneth warned Magaska and Lizva viewed them with marked fear.
—Varneth says that this person is not to be trusted —Magaska looked at Ayakashi with doubt.
—Oo, I see, a twin fire bearer, your type becomes rarer every time. The last one I saw was four hundred years ago —Ayakashi looked at Magaska; she, uncomfortable, covered her chest.
—Uaa, this person is strange —Magaska backed off two steps.
—Both priests are strong; your group comes prepared to contain spirits, that will help us. Oh, what is this? This one they call Inola… no, it is nothing; I’d better let him discover it for himself —Ayakashi looked at the young people, measuring their skills with cold aptitude.
—You are a powerful woman, young one they call Mina; your spirit is bright and enormous like your heart; I am delighted to meet you —looking at Mina, they quickly passed to Leonidas.
—And you, bearer of the shield, you should talk to your companions; the depths where you are headed are dangerous —covering half of their face with the fan, Ayakashi resonated in Leonidas’s mind.
—…I don’t like this person; we should use sister Mina’s plan —Leonidas seemed to be somewhat annoyed.
—Look, it seems that you are not liked by everyone, so I should ask you to withdraw… but I think we can use your help —Ithil looked at Ayakashi head-on; he had no idea how to deal with Ayakashi, even he himself was surprised by his decision.
—Oooh, sure, Mr. Leader; you must strike when the steel is hot, don’t worry and trust in good Ayakashi… Ufufufufu —with their index finger, Ayakashi outlined Ithil’s profile, passing it seductively along his face while walking to put on their sandals with beautiful delicacy; its movements were clean and strangely attractive.
—Mmm, I trust you Ithil, but this guy gives me distrust —Mina put away her weapon and stood next to the others.
—Magaska will be attentive in case there is betrayal; they are hiding something, Varneth senses it too —Magaska passed by Mina and prepared to mobilize.
—Brother Ithil, we have to be attentive —Leonidas gave a couple of pats on the shoulder and reunited with the others.
—I am with you Ithil, but let’s go with caution —Jacob and Lizva also prepared themselves.
—Mmmph, so that’s how you like them, eh? —Inola, angry, passed by Ithil and reunited with the others.
—WHAT!! Not even!! Ah, whatever, let’s go —Ithil, along with the others, joined Ayakashi.
—This way, this way, my dear brave ones, be careful going down, the grasses are hurtful; ignore the frog and the cricket, all they do is make a ricket; that yes, give the cardinal a greeting because it is easy to make him angry. —The guys followed Ayakashi through Velez-Valar until arriving at a clearing on the side of the immortal forest.