The speed at which escape would prove successful broke the hold Mordan had on Kalo and Kit allowing them to navigate through person and item. The mid day sun burned brightly overhead as they took another corner to the left and ran on.

The Hermit led the way through a seemingly endless maze of streets and alleys. After a particularly close call with a butcher and his blade, when thankfully Kalo was quick enough to reach Kit before the man was able to take out his anger on the poor boy, The Hermit allowed them a brief rest, hoping the din caused by there barreling through the shop would cause the pursuing men to miss their hiding place.

Kalo, through a slot I the wooden shed that they had stolen away into just a few meters away, watched as the men came to a quick stop. For the first time he was able to get a good look at just who was after them.

Four men in royal guard uniform came to a stop, they wore dark colored slim-lined armor of leather with a chest plate embroidered with white and dark green filigree twinning together in the shape of mated serpents with a golden blazing sun above them and the same military boots that he himself wore. Although, the boots worn by these men extended past their shins topping off at just above the knee, Kalo knew that they more than likely disguised the additional blades and plated-metal armor the soldiers would have secreted beneath the leather. Kalo recognized the gear as members of the elite squadron charged with the protected the Royal family, they were known for being a deadly force. The swords and pyre guns that hung from the belts slung around their waists did not bode well.

“What do you see Kalo?” Kit asked in a whisper as he was shoved over in the corner of the shed.

Turning away from the slat quickly Kalo shushed the boy with a hard glance. The old man, who was squished between Kalo and the young boy, nudged him soundly in the side. Kit swallowed a groan from his sharp elbow that dug into his soft flesh.

Stilling his own breath, Kalo looked back out to the activities of the small square.

Another man had joined the group outside searching for them, this one on riding a great beast garbed in ornate plates of armor. The man himself was dressed in richly colored fabrics and heavy boots. What have we here? Kalo thought to himself as he looked upon the man that was so obviously out of sort for the market. As the man had his back to the shed they hid in, Kalo watched closely hoping that the horse, while they stood around in discussion, would turn and he would be able to get a good look at the man’s face.

The discussions must not have been going well as the faces that Kalo could see were marred by frustration. The men gestured wildly in each and every direction trying to track the direction they had taken. Kalo thought, the most logical outcome would be to split the group in each direction. If it came to a fight, he was confident that an elite soldiers or not he could take on two- if he fought a little, a lot, dirty- one of them definitely, the whole group would be a suicide mission with only a boy and old man for reinforcements.    

Maybe they realized it as well, Kalo reasoned watching as their pursers made for the alley to the left of the one they had taken to their hiding spot. Just as Kalo huffed out the breath that he had not realized he held. A piercing a cry of a bird ripped through the air stopping the man on the horse as he began to search the skies, the others had not paid the noisy bird any mind at all, they were so focused on their quarry.

The fluttering of wings nearby drew Kalo’s attention away from the men to a much nearer concern as he watched the bird land on the very shed in which they had taken refuge. Another caw from the sounded from it before it began pecking away at the wooden structure with its massive black beak. Tap-taptap-taptaptap-tap, the sound reverberated around them and through their bodies. The Hermit cursed lowly on a great exhale of breath.

“We have to get out.” Mordan spoke resignedly

“Right, and how do you figure we will manage that?” Kalo harshly replied to the old man still trying in to loud a voice to really be considered a whisper, which the racket currently being carried on by the massive bird did not allow. Kalo had to swallow his frustration before turning continuing, “Those men are still out there, if we just burst out of here we will be caught for sure.”

“It is a chance we will just have to take.” Mordan replied quietly.

“Yourself, not we. I am done. I am done this and I am most certainly done with you old man, if you think-“ A hard shove to the back cut of Kalo’s words as he tumbled from the shed and onto the dusty street floor. The bird that had been banging away squawked in surprise taking to the air briefly as Kit and the old man joined Kalo before the open doors of the shed.

Kalo looked up from the ground in mild shock as The Hermit quickly made a grab for the bird and wrapped a dark weathered hand around it’s beak temporarily silencing it as it had been sounding the alarm after recovering from the shock of their sudden appearance.

“That is enough out of you I believe” The Hermit spoke aloud then a rush of words mumbled too lowly to hear passed through his mouth. Kalo watched as the old man’s body seemed to take on the bright glow of the afternoon sun. The sudden light that appeared to have filled his body from head to toe passed from his hands into the bird. Filling with this mysterious glow the bird quieted in its struggles against his hold and went completely limp atop the shed. Kalo was sure that the bird was alive from his vantage point on the ground he could still see its body expand and detract with life, what he could not be sure about was what had occurred before him, chalking it up to a mere illusion of light and slight of hand on the old man’s part.

Turning away from the bird’s body where it rested, as the light haloing his body for a moment before it began to slowly fade, Mordan caught Kalo’s eyes and could see as the younger man shoved away his confusion and shock firmly away. His eyes turned firm towards him, resolved in a way that they hadn’t been only moments before.

The hand that Mordan stretched out towards him was completely devoid of any unnatural glow his hesitation to grasp it was natural and instinctual. Seeing his reluctance, Mordan opened his mouth to reassure him movement behind Kalo off in the distance stilled his words.

“We had best take our leave.” Mordan spoke slowly his eyes still fixed behind Kalo. 

 “That was amazing, how did you manage it?” Kit exclaimed his eyes jumping around. “Is it dead?” he continued moving closer to where the bird lay silently.

“Leave that for now.” Mordan quickly replied with a snap without looking at the boy. Kit retracted his hand solemnly his disappointment evident on his face, feeling the chastisement in the old man’s words.

“Take my hand.” Mordan spoke directing his words this time to Kalo.

The booming clop of hooves and heavy boots upon the ground grew closer in Kalo’s ears; the men must have not been as committed to there chosen direction as he had foolishly hoped. The noisy bird must have drawn their attention back to them in the shed.

Kalo firmly grasped The Hermit’s outstretched hand, bracing his feet firmly on the ground he was pulled up with a great heave onto his feet.

“Stop there!” one of the men’s voices rang out behind them.

The Hermit turned sharply away from the oncoming men, grabbing Kit by his scruff once again and took off down the road. Kalo took a moment to chance a look behind him at the men as they still struggled to divest themselves from the scramble of the crowd that stood between them.

For a brief moment, as the group made their way through the crowd, Kalo finally got his first look at the man who rode atop the horse. He could see the hard lines and fierce determination on his face as he canted forward. Kalo knew it would be foolish to linger for long but something about the man’s face stirred a trace of a memory in him. Their eyes met over the distance and stirring his mind further before fading away just out of his grasp.

The dull thud of an arrow sinking into the wood piling beside him broke their eye contact, turning to in the direction from which it flew. Atop the neighboring short storied building Kalo espied one of the men, the archer, poised and ready. Stringing his bow the archer let loose another arrow sharply it pierced the air and Kalo easily dodged its path by taking several steps in retreat. Deftly slipping his hand into the holster strapped to his chest Kalo withdrew a small dagger and hurled it at the archer. Not looking to see where the dagger landed, Kalo quickly turned tail and raced down the street.

The thoughts of strange occurrences and familiar faces pushed out of his mind for the moment. Kalo realized that this could not just be a simple capture mission the arrows flying past his head meant serious consequences if they were ever to allow themselves a moment’s reprieve.

They raced down the street with Phalan leading the way on his beast; he glanced up at the roofline tracking behind the forward scout who was tracking them from behind. His vantage point from the roofs allowed the archer unfettered few of the old man’s path through the city and became a beacon for Phalan and his men to follow from the ground. The sound of Oden’s hooves reverberated down the street as they raced after the old man and his companions funneling their location to the party ahead, increasing their speed and diminishing what foolish thoughts that remained that they would be able to escape.

The archer signaled down to them that they party took the narrow alley to the right, too narrow for Phalan and his horse to transverse, he turned to his men.

“Fankil,” the man rushed to Phalan’s side, “Take you men through the alley and I will go around and try to cut them off.” He commanded as Oden pranced around in impatience.

“I want him found, Fankil, it will be your heads if you let him get away.”

“What about his companions my Lord?”

“If they decide to stand in our way, dispose of them. Our only concern is The Hermit.” Steering his horse away from the group, Phalan called over his shoulder. “Do not fail me Fankil.” With those parting words Phalan kicked Oden into a full gallop and raced down the perpendicular street looking for a street large enough to cut off the old man and his friends.

Not wasting a moment Fankil raced down the narrow street his men trailing behind him. Danud signaled that their quarry had taken another turn to the left, from the roof up ahead. Fankil led his men onwards to take the left turn, glancing upwards to see where Danud had gotten to he saw the man leap from one roof to another, once he reached to next ledge he peered over the eaves to the street below and sought out the small party.

Waiting below with their eyes turned upward for Danud’s signal. Fankil took brief moment taking a closer look at the view before him. Further away from the city center and its major hubs of commerce and high styled living, the old man was leading them further and further into the more decrepit areas. The air around them was thick with the smell of waste and decay. Where are you going? Fankil wondered to himself.

“Captain” Danud called as he landed softly on the street. Never turning away from the sights and sounds of the streets, a short glimpse over Fankil’s shoulder acknowledged his sudden appearance amongst the group.

“What are you doing down here?”

“They seem to be taking refuge under the canopy just ahead, Captain.”

“Could they have possibly gone in a different direction?”

“I ran down the other streets they couldn’t have gone there.”

“You know it is all our lives if you are wrong about this?”

“There is no other place they could be so easily hidden.”

Fankil turned to Danud, his eyes seeking assurance in the archer’s eyes. Their eyes held steady with one another in silence until satisfied with what he saw Fankil broke their eye lock and let his gaze fall taking in the quickly bandaged wound on Danud’s leg. Looking further he could see that there was a slow drip of his blood from the wound onto his boot.

“I was careless.” Danud answered lowly shifted his leg further away from Fankil’s scrutiny.

“It seems that we also shouldn’t underestimate the old man’s companions.” The Captain commented before once again turning his back on his men and making his way up the narrow road underneath the canopy.

Kit’s harsh breaths sounded loud in Kalo’s ears and he looked over at the heaving boy as he leaned against the wall bent at the waist and holding his chest.

“I can go no further!” Kit exclaimed in between great gulping breaths. Taking a chance to look at his companions Kit peered up at them to see both the old magician and Kalo both calmly looking down at him. Both were dressed in heavy layers, The Hermit carried supplies strapped across his shoulders and Kit knew that within the folds of Kalo’s coat there was an arsenal of weaponry stored within it. There they stood with not even the slightest dew to their skin after the strenuous run under the scorching sun, while he on the other hand was drenched in waters with a feline strapped to his chest. It was enough to hate the other men and he told them just that.

“I think I can grow to hate you two.” Bewildered Mordan turned back to look at Kalo who had also propped himself along the wall. Kalo gave a shrug in response to the old man and turned back to the Kit a knowing smirk stretched one side of his mouth. Before turning to the old man.

“We can not stay here long. The canopy will only stall them for so long, we should make for the city’s wall maybe there we could find a way out.”

“You want us to climb over it?” Kit shrieked.

“There will be no need to climb.”

“How then would you get us out of here old man?” Kalo demanded.

“We just have to be patient for the right timing.”

“We have no time for your riddles old man, those men are coming for us.”

 “Yes they are and we just need to bide our time,” Mordan looked up into the sky watching for the position of the sun before continuing, “For just a few moments longer.”

“What are you looking for?”

“With the sun in the west our way out will be made clear for us.”

Kit threw his glance to the sky. “That is not too far away.”

“Exactly, now let us be off we will need to be there as it is ready.” Mordan smiled brightly at his companions and lead the way down a stairway tucked in between two of the houses lining a side street they had ducked into.

Dragging Kit behind him, who continued to carry on a fuss about having to journey further in his exhausted stated and who now cursed lowly under his breath, Kalo followed the old man as they descended down the stone steps.

Where their chance of escape, from the city and the dogged steps of their pursuers, was Kalo was unsure but he knew that the sooner they were out of Okeanida the better. A man of action, Kalo was not used to being kept in the dark when each and every choice could end in capture; it was a chance and gamble they were taking with their lives, unsettling to say the least. He whispered a silent prayer to whatever Gods where willing to listen for safe passage, Gods willing.