That night was not yet over. It was indeed a long night, as the people had said. Perhaps there was one more thing, two or more, that the moon was waiting for before it gave way to the sun to fill the earth. In Ritorà, the only open workplace remained the night market, and in the north - across Metrá - the only souls not yet in bed at this hour were those of Era and the man with the golden spear. To the south... There... It was not so different. The only soul out late that night was that of a Kranian. Not just any other, but Baraka. Baraka had just gained visibility. He had travelled so far as a shadow. No one, not even the winds of the earth, sensed his presence. Whatever had brought him so far was of great importance, and would not escape his course. The beginning of his quest led him to Hularis. This journey was one of the most important of all, and without it his mission would be meaningless and his dreams paralyzed. H U L A R I S Hularis, a land that lay between a rolling hi

He travelled on; he did not know where to. He just sat on the back of his horse and let it take him somewhere, as long as it was not Ritorà. He was drowning in sorrow, pain, and disappointment. The night he had left home had passed. He slept and dreamed, several times - all night long - while bending over his horse's back. He had been out four more nights, not knowing how far he had come. But it was not far. His goal was to escape from Ritorá, but being slow, weak and tired - leaving his pace to the mercy of his horse, who was also exhausted - he only reached Cartà. It was just as well. Though he had never travelled to Northland before, he breathed in the breath of freedom as he crossed the border between the lands. He did not know where he was, but there was a peace in his soul that he had not experienced in the previous days. Cartà was a land that lay in Northland. It was a small village with 10% of the entire population of Northland. Castar took a longer way out of Ritorá, and t

Zyra heard knuckles crashing on the door. Whoever had knocked couldn't wait for an answer before knocking the second time. She gazed at the door without getting up to open it. Perhaps she did not even know what the sound meant anymore.Castar's departure had triggered something in her. She lost track of time and did not even know she had been locked in the house for days. To her, it was as if Castar had left last night, but days had passed since then. It was like a fresh wound that needed to be tended to every time it was touched.She had denied herself everything good; she had refused to eat. The reason she could not resist the thirst for water was to keep herself from dying, because she still hoped to see Castar again.There was another knock, and she rose from the armchair she had been sitting in all day. Her hair was matted and sticking out in all directions. The last time she had oiled and brushed it was before that night. A blanket lay over her back to give her some warmth.By t

Zyra still sat where she sat. The same could be said of them all.She coughed into her bent elbow again, and Callagh moved closer to her and squatted in front of her."Allow me," he said, extending two fingers toward Zyra's throat. Zyra was not sure what he was up to, and she did not know him well enough to trust him. She glanced at Era and she nodded to her, showing that it was okay for him to touch her neck.Zyra nodded to Callagh and stretched her neck. He placed two fingers on her throat and say a few spells. His eyes glowed blue and Zyra shivered."You have magic too," Zyra coughed."Why do you sound so much like the Kranians? The language you speak sounds so much like the dialect spoken by the tribe of kranía" she added, and Garissa nodded."Yes. In fact, I speak the Kraì dialect as well. The Kranians are the only tribe across the border, and though I am only a guard-an anchor between the two sides-I can speak both Kraí and Earthín."I understand!" said Zyra.Moments after Calla

RITORÁ-LORTÉ-BORDERThey moved side by side on their horses through the grasslands. Like puppets being controlled. They were aware of their every move, knowing that their movements were being monitored by Baraka. Era's mouth was full. She had so many things to say, but she did not want whoever was wearing the mirror to overhear her. Callagh noticed how uncomfortable she was and broke the silence."He's just watching. He can not hear us," he said, and Era was surprised that he knew what was going through her mind."Why are we traveling if we are just going to show him where Castar is? Will not that mean the end of our journey?" she said."Gitak loe jata! We have no common course. This is my fight. I only had you follow me so you could lead me to Castar's mother," he said, and Era frowned."Why are you letting me follow you now? If I remember correctly, you can track Castar now with your magic. Why did not you stop me?" She said."Because you are the one to find Castar. He's watching me