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The Walled City

Without information, there would be no clear path.

It was very apparent that Narati and Karkas's journey became more and more tedious and confusing as time went on. As they knew they would not find Asran in the region they were in, they braved themselves to return to the wasteland they had left, as Karkas believed that a Fa'ar like him would find a ruin and live safely in it.

Narati, who had not been back to the wasteland since the Creolean Waters, had mixed feelings on their return to that dangerous place. What's worse was that they traced their way back through the way Narati went, which held a bad memory to him.

Karkas noticed his distress. He lifted him to his shoulder and said, "Just talk to me if you're worried. I'm here as your companion, right?"

"I know, but...I didn't do much work around here when we were just Jek, Raine, and me. Most of the time, I gathered junks from those magitech remains, but...I feel both nostalgic and sad, now that Jek is no longer with us."

"I feel you, Narati. But now, we are lost. The people who were angry somehow told us that a Fa'ar was involved, but they weren't helpful."

"Yeah, and there's that problem. People around here are very sensitive around my race. Creolean Waters wasn't all that bad, but here? I don't want to be lynched because of something I don't do."

"Fa'ars are really hated here, huh?"

"It's partially my fault. I...accidentally burned down a shantytown."

"You what? That somehow explain why."

"Yeah...hey, wait a minute. I remember this place."

They walked into the ruins of some buildings, with magitech cars littered around. Narati looked towards parts of the ruins, and remembered the poisonous plants hanging around. He knew that place, as it was burned in his memory where he almost died once.

"I know this place. We went through the ruins and..."

"Remember something? We might need it if we want to..."

"Wait, Karkas! Stop!"

Karkas stopped walking, yet there was a click when his feet hit the floor. Narati scurried towards the croc and scattered the foliage under his feet to reveal a mine, armed due to the croc.

"What the hell is this?"

"Karkas, whatever you do, don't move your leg. This mine is armed. The moment you move your leg, you'll end up in prosthetics."

"You do remember I'm a croc, right?"

"This is a shrapnel mine."

"Oh...fuck."

"Don't panic. I might be able to disarm it."

Narati slowly opened a small panel and saw three cables, each with different color of blue, white, and red. He tried to think of one of his explosives, but he realized that they used magical trigger instead of mechanical, while this one was pure mechanical.

"Well?"

"I can't randomly cut this or it will explode."

"What kind of bomb expert are you?"

"Look, Karkas, just...stay calm, okay? Somehow, I remember this place."

"What's with this place?"

"I know this kind of trap, and..."

Narati looked towards the tesla coil remains that he triggered, and he soon remembered that are. He then looked towards a building he recognized and shouted, "Tarta! Are you still there?!"

There was no answer.

"Who the fuck is Tarta?"

"The trap expert around here." Narati looked up again. "Tarta! Istha! We need your help! My friend triggered a trap and I need your help."

Just then Narati's sensitive ears caught rustling voice, and he quickly readied his lance. He saw a human boy, scarcely clothed with ragged wild hair, carrying a rifle aimed towards Narati. The boy, however, was curious, and after smelling something in the air, he ran towards Narati while shouting, "Nara!"

"Dirne?!"

"Nara!" Somehow, that was the only thing he could say, for after hugging Narati's tail, he made a gesture while grunting towards the direction he emerged. But Narati had a more pressing matter.

"No, no, no, Dirne! Wait! Find Tarta! Tarta. Okay? Go get help."

"Help? Help!"

Dirne quickly disappeared behind some buildings, leaving Narati and Karkas behind.

"I hope you know how to trust a feral child," said Karkas.

"Don't worry. I know who he is, and I hope he knows what he's doing."

Right after he said that, Tarta's voice came out from the ruins.

"That's a dud," he said. Karkas and Narati were dumbfounded and did nothing but stare towards the source of the voice. There was a loud laugh before a familiar-looking Fa'ar came out from the shadows, still laughing and slapping his knee.

"Oh, man, you should see your face in the mirror!" exclaimed Tarta. Narati then grunted while Karkas, annoyed, lifted his leg. The mine did not explode, making that an honest, yet dirty, joke.

"Tarta! You dirty rodent!" said Narati with a laugh.

"Yeah, I am! Oh, it's good to see you again, Narati." Tarta then noticed Karkas. "Uh...who's the big fellow?"

"Oh. Let me introduce you. Tarta, this is my friend, Karkas. Karkas, that's Tarta. He's the boss around here so if you don't want to get a heart attack, follow him, okay?"

"Does that include this?" said Karkas while pointing at the mine.

"Ah, no...sorry about that."

"At least I keep my leg intact."

Narati turned towards Tarta and said, "Hey, we need somewhere to sleep tonight. Do you think we can use your place again?"

"Of course! It's always open for you and your companions. But, uh...where's your old ones?"

Narati's face then lost his smile, as did Karkas, who somehow understood what Tarta was asking. The old Fa'ar also realized what his simple gesture mean. He pulled down his wide-brimmed hat, covering his face, and said, "Ah. I'm so sorry. Anyway...let's get in. The day's ending, and this area is not safe at night. You too, croc."

Narati, despite of moving on from Jek's death, still felt sorrow when an old friend, who was oblivious of everything, asked about it. One year, and it still felt like yesterday.

The interior of Tarta's safehouse looked almost the same as before, except now it had more Fa'ars and other living in it. Karkas was cautious, but Narati knew that they were all former slaves. He could even see some that were hairless and branded, all per the master's whim. He hated to see such spectacle, but then, it was inevitable. That area was very dangerous, unforgiving, and unlike Diamondback's Nest, it was basically a pit full of wild animals.

Istha, who was helping a wounded shaved (a slang term for the hairless slaves), found Narati. She finished her work and then ran towards Narati. She hugged the younger Fa'ar, to which he returned it to her.

"It's so good to see you again!" said Istha. "Can't hope for a friend to return a second time, right?"

"Yes...I'm glad you are still here, Istha. Dirne's grown, hasn't he?"

"Oh yes. He is able to shoot lighter guns, but he still needs to learn how to run with two legs. And, Narati...I'm sorry about Jek."

"It's fine. News don't travel around here, so..."

"How long has he been gone?"

"Almost a year. But don't worry! His legacy lives on. We finally made a new settlement called Diamondback's Nest. It's not big, and we try not to do big, but it's enough to be self-sustaining."

"Wow. Where is that?"

By then, he saw Karkas's glare, and he realized he almost made a mistake.

"Nothing special," he said, with a flavor of lie. "It's in the middle of some ruins up north. I got an idea like Tarta's, and it somehow worked."

"Good on you!"

"Yeah.... Anyway, I need to speak with Tarta about something. Do you think he's available?"

"He doesn't do much lately. This place is as same as always. You can find him doing his rounds by the window."

"Thanks. Oh, and don't overexert yourself."

"I won't," said Istha with a wink. She then walked towards a groaning Fa'ar, leaving Narati to find Tarta.

As he walked near Karkas, the croc looked towards him and said, "You know, you're not half bad as a storyteller."

"Sorry about earlier," replied Narati, trying to be as cryptic as possible.

"Don't worry about it, kiddo."

Narati then walked through a screen made of round beads, and quickly found Tarta, who was watching the sun set behind some ruined buildings. He was wearing his usual attire: a shirt, with a pair of beige shorts and a wide-brimmed hat. His dark brown fur was almost black, but compared to Narati, it was not as dark. Unlike before, however, age had started to take the toll on Tarta, evident from patches of greyed fur and withered-looking tail. Despite of this, he still looked like a hardened, but ready to fight, veteran, brandishing a custom-made rifle, ready to shoot anyone trying to attack the safehouse.

Sipping his mug, which was made from metal, he looked around the quickly darkening landscape with his brown eyes. As a Fa'ar, those eyes had no indication that they looked like pupils, as they looked animalistic, like many other beast races.

Narati slowly sat beside Tarta. He looked around and commented, "Now that I look at it...it seems so dark and dangerous."

"You were sleeping back then, huh?" said Tarta. He then looked at Narati from the top of his head to the end of his tail, before he smiled and said, "You've grown a lot. You look like an adult Fa'ar already. How old are you now?"

"17."

"Still not that old, but I can say that you've grown, not just physically, but also in many other aspects. So...Jek Barlow has died?"

Narati did not immediately answer, but it wasn't a long pause to make the conversation uncomfortable. He made a solemn face before saying, "Yes."

"Did you give him a good funeral?"

"We...made a funerary pyre, on a hill near Creolean Waters. It wasn't pleasant, with bodies of the Agents and mercenaries being unceremoniously burned around us. But yeah...I hope his spirit is content."

"I never thought you're a superstitious one."

"Well, if magic's possible, then why not?" Narati looked towards Tarta. "But more importantly, look at you. You finally open this place for others to stay."

"I can't just turn them away, right? I know it's risky, but there are many reasons why, and some of them is the surplus of food. We had a good harvest last year. Too good, in fact, that we almost got overran. We wanted to sell it, to at least get some muns, but then I realized that it's better if I start populating this place instead of relying on others."

"So, essentially, you are making a settlement on your own?"

"Just on this street, after we clean up the poisonous plants and the animals dwelling within. There is an alley behind this building that we can use for other purposes. It's small, but we are getting somewhere."

"Better than nothing, I guess." Narati then looked towards the former slaves. "So, where did you get them?"

"Mostly from raids."

"Raid? Alone?"

"Not technically a 'raid', if you count killing the slavers and take them away. No one's gonna sue me unless someone talks. Heck, no one's going to care if they end up dead anyway. This is a harsh world. You kill to live."

"Not always, though. You can just...get away from that life and start somewhere less dangerous."

Tarta chuckled. "You've found a place full of greens, aren't you?"

"Something like that, yeah?"

Tarta then saw Narati's gesture and understood.

"I won't tell," whispered Tarta.

"Good."

"But enough with the small talk. From the look of it, you and that croc is trying to find something...or someone. I may be able to help you to a degree, but I can't do it if it's out of this area. If I can't help you...go to Creolean Waters. There's an elf..."

"Aranis? She knows something?"

"You know her?"

"Yeah, she was...one of my travelling companions. I haven't seen her for a while."

"I guess there's no problem in going to her for a question or two."

"I won't bother her for now," said Narati. "She's busy, and I know it. The battle between the Agents and the Collectives cost a lot, and it damaged everyone's life. I'm still surprised you still hold on even after that."

"This place is mostly pleasant, but yeah, news travel quick. That's also the reason why these people are here. Without the Agents doing security, crime rate went up quickly in free-towns and other non-Chaos race establishments. As most of the mercenaries were either killed or ran away, this place is basically an urban jungle."

"Wow...I didn't know."

"Not that I care, anyway, and I don't think Creolean Waters got any problems, too. And...I guess I ran my mouth too much already. What you want to ask?"

"Do you know anything about a fraudster Fa'ar?"

"Everyone's a fraud, except those who are weak, strong, or noble like you."

"It's someone particular. His name is Asran. He liked to trick people to do a job, before they double-cross them and ambushed them with hired bandits."

"Hmm...." Tarta seemed to be thinking hard, which made Narati nervous. He didn't know if Asran was trying very hard to conceal his activities or not. Rumors were not enough to find him. Narati thought that as a fellow Fa'ar, Tarta might've known a bit about him, especially since he was quite notorious around that part. Even then, Narati didn't know about him until after Karkas mistook him for Asran.

After a while closing his eyes, Tarta seemed to remember something. He looked towards Narati and said, "I'm...not sure about this, though."

"Anything's fine."

"Okay...I don't know who this Asran fellow is, but I know the news of a Fa'ar fraudster who ambushed people. Most of the people were sold to slavery, and usually those who survived talk about it. The Fa'ar in question would lure someone with promise of fortune, only to somehow 'accidentally' found themselves in an ambush."

"Yes, yes, that's it! That's what Karkas told me."

"I cannot tell you about him, but you might be able to get in touch with one of his victims. He was a shaved who managed to escape after killing his master. It's quite easy to find him. He's living in a town called Unistad. Fair warning, though. It's not a free-town, so you cannot get in."

"But he can, right?" said Narati while pointing at Karkas.

"You can try, but looking at him...I don't think they'll give him a chance, too. They don't like mercenaries, preferring to do their own business for themselves. It's a walled town, so you might get rough treatment from the gatekeeper."

"Well...guess I have to rely on Karkas, then."

"What are you going to do, in the meantime?"

"Exploring around the town, find some junks, and craft something. Don't worry, I'm not the Narati back then. I can take care of myself."

Tarta smiled. "Good," he said. The Fa'ar then stood up and put one of his hands on Narati's shoulder. He then said, "I hope Jek's death changed you...for the best, not darker. I don't want to know that you've become like our other...less honorable brethren. You must keep giving good example on our race, okay?"

"I'll try."

"That's the right answer. Now get some rest. It's a five day walk from here to Unistad, and you need to get up early."

Narati wasn't sure about that. They were not pressed in time, so they did not need to wake up early. But, concerning Karkas, he would try to be hasty, and hasty meant that he needed to be quick.

After telling Karkas what he needed to know, they retired to a room reserved for them. Somehow, despite of the place being familiar to Narati, he could not sleep, possibly because of the refugees that Tarta took in. Istha and Dirne were still innocent-looking, but he wasn't sure about the former slaves. Sure, they were the victims and suffered, but suffering people would not think to relax. They would try to find a way to get back and exact their revenge, for their minds were clouded with vengeance. It would take all means necessary to do it, and that worried Narati.

He wasn't the one who was awake. Karkas somehow did not sleep. Upon noticing that Narati was awake, he said, "Wake you up, huh?"

"No. I can't sleep, that's all."

"Let me guess. Those guys out there?"

Narati nodded.

"I know what you're thinking. 'They're former slaves, suffering and tortured under their cruel master. Will the go back and exact vengeance? Of course, they will'. I know what you're thinking, Narati, because that's what I thought, too."

"You think so?"

"We both came from around this place, so you and I know how dangerous the place is. There's no distinction between who's the weak and who's the strong. What makes them the same is that they are all loonies."

"Like me?" asked Narati.

"Me, you...everyone...no one's right in the head anymore. The sooner we find Asran, the better it is."

Karkas then scoot towards Narati, who felt awkward, sleeping with the bigger croc. It would make false impressions if someone saw them like that, but Narati remembered what Karkas said, that no one's right in the head anymore. Would no one commented on the fact that they slept in the same bed?

"Sleep, kid. I'll take watch," said Karkas while putting his hand around the smaller Fa'ar. "We only have 5 hours of sleep."

"Karkas, can I ask you something?"

"Ask away."

"Do you like me?"

"Like you as in..." Karkas then looked towards Narati, then him. "Oh, you mean that? To be honest with you, I don't, but seeing how my life is basically revenge-driven, you might think otherwise. How about you?"

"No," said Narati short. "You do realize that I have a girlfriend in the forest, right?"

"The spider lady? Fuck. Never thought you and her really go together."

"It's not a serious thing, but people thinks so. Anyway...I'm tired. Good night, Karkas."

"You too, kid. You too."

Narati quickly slept and snoring, while Karkas tried to stay away as long as he could. He eventually became exhausted and slept himself, two hours before sunrise.

***

Narati was dreaming about Arachne and their 'game' when he heard Karkas's voice trying to wake him up. He immediately came out of that dream, groaned and yawned before he saw Karkas's face right in front of him, startling him to the point he barred his claws.

"Huh, you really have changed, Nara," said Karkas with a smile. "Never thought you of all people make a defensive stance."

"You almost give me a fricking heart attack!" exclaimed Narati. "Your head is big enough to swallow me whole!"

"Yeah, I'm a reptile, so it might happen, one way or another. Fortunately, I'm not a cannibal, and unfortunately, we overslept."

Narati then quickly looked out through the window. It wasn't just sunrise as they thought it would be, but the sun was already up and. Judging from the coolness of the air and the shadow, the Fa'ar determined that it wasn't midday yet, but they were clearly late.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!"

"I just woke up an hour ago, kid. I guess we're both too exhausted to keep track of things."

"Our things?!"

"Still there. I guess we can trust the rat, after all. Come on. They prepared something for us to eat."

Narati and Karkas ate with Tarta and Istha, along with others who ate by their own time (Dirne was still asleep). After talking for a while and ate their fill, Narati and Karkas prepared themselves and walked out from the back door, another exit Tarta opened these past two years of excavating and exploring the ruins. Istha gave them food that could at least last for two days.

"Remember, Narati, Karkas. There is a settlement between here and Unistad sitting by the death zone. Resupply there and ride towards Unistad. You cannot walk there without scorching your feet."

"Got it."

"The settlement is not a free-town, so make sure you remember, Narati," said Tarta. "You don't want to get into trouble around that part."

"You know, I've missed that part."

"Whatever you do, don't get into trouble." Tarta then sighed and move to hug Narati. They stayed that way for a moment before Tarta said, "I hope we can meet again, Nara. And...stay strong, okay?"

"I will. You too, Tarta, Istha. Take care of Dirne, and...your child."

Tarta didn't know what Narati meant, even after they left. He only realized and surprised what happened when he saw Istha rubbing her belly, signifying a new life.

"Since when?"

"A month or so."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because we won't know if we can have everything at once."

"You're right," replied Tarta, laughing. "One's already a piece of work."

Meanwhile, back to Narati and Karkas...

"You mean children, right?" said Karkas. "Your kind is notorious for being so fertile you have a dozen or so children."

"You'll be surprised by how many people who are lucky to be mutated to have a human-like cycle," said Narati. "And yeah, a certain wolf told me that."

"And...wolves are also fertile. Let's focus on going to that settlement and to Unistad."

"Okay, Karkas...do you know how to talk to people?"

"Of course, I am!"

"I may not be allowed into Unistad, but you don't seem like a friendly-looking person, either."

"That's because I'm a fucking croc with big teeth and mouth!"

"No, not that. You don't seem to be calm enough to blend in," said Narati. "And besides, you look angry all the time. Those eyes can't lie, Karkas."

Karkas grunted. "Blame that son of a bitch for getting me worked up."

"Just don't get into trouble or we'll lose a chance to find Asran. If someone recognized you and they realized you are the problem, Asran will be gone and we won't find him for a long time."

"Yeah, I understand." Karkas then looked towards Narati. "You changed a lot. I hate to admit it, but your change worries me."

"How so?"

"In my travels, I've seen people who survives in many ways. They were once weak and cowardly like you once. They quickly found courage and they became charismatic, but all I saw in all of them was something in common: something dark. All of them, despite of finding a way to survive by fighting for themselves, turned into something dark. They walked down a dark path of death, destruction, and manipulation. I know people who kill to survive, and are hardened to it, but they...found their way out in expense of others."

"That's how everyone works these days, Karkas. I mean, you either become someone who's strong enough, or you give up and become a slave."

"Yes, that is one way to put it, but let me give you another thing. You either die a hero...or live long enough to be the villain."

"Well, no one's a hero in this time of age."

"At least you understand that. The question is...will you survive by your own strength...or will you destroy everything for your own good? That's a question I have been trying to ask myself. Am I surviving because people suffer...or will I succumb to this world's harshness?"

"They all die, right?"

"Dying is a freedom. Those who don't...have a terrible fate awaits them. Let me tell you this one more time. Will you mercy kill them...or keep them alive and make their life worse? I know I'm thinking too much about this, but I must be assured if you, a Fa'ar, was either the one who represent the goodness of this world, like Aranis, or will you become a dangerous manipulator, like many 'lords' out there who thinks that becoming a fucking leader is to make other suffer?"

This time, Narati could not reply. Karkas had a point. After meeting with Jek and Raine, he slowly became more courageous and could see the cruelty of the world he lived in, especially after Jek's death. But, that one year in Diamondback's Nest felt as if he wasn't welcomed, despite of other Fa'ars in there. One part of him wanted another adventure, dangerous enough to help him find his edge. Yet, another part of him wanted to live a good life, without the corruption of the world. He wasn't a merciless veteran like Tarta, who would kill those who crossed him, nor an unsympathetic lone wolf like Jek, who somehow regained his conscience after caring for Narati.

After realizing that he found courage in hardship, he realized another thing that grew within him: ambition. It could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how it eventually became. His ambition was to continue Jek's legacy and create a town where everyone can stay, yet to what length? He had not found a point where he needed to stop and not corrupt himself for the good of everyone.

The travel to Unistad wasn't easy, but it had less danger than the one between Diamondback's Nest and Tarta's hideout. Most of the time, raiders tried to attack them, but most of them ran away after seeing Karkas, who had an imposing size despite of being smaller than most crocs. Other wanderers, however, were either friendly towards them or outright hostile after seeing Narati. From some of these meetings, Narati slowly realized the aftermath of his actions. But, unlike most who regretted it, he clearly did not, for he felt it was a choice with its own consequences.

After the predicted travel length, they finally found the town, and they were amazed.

The place was like a fortress, with its big walls erected high up to the sky, almost blocking it. While it was clearly fortified, with guards posted around, the wall had clearly lost its original form due to hasty fixes and upgrades which included harpoon guns and weapons. A bronze statue, depicting a human and a dog person, standing side by side in a pose, was prominent, yet it also lost its original color.

As they were walking towards the gate, they were intercepted by two guards, armored with pads and face cover. They pointed their guns towards Narati, and said, "Non-Chaos race, only, squirt."

"Okay, okay, I understand," said Narati while slowly backing away. They looked up towards Karkas and said, "What's your business in Unistad?"

"Visiting and personal business, which is not your concern."

"Speak like that one more time, reptile, and I'll blow that head off."

"I want to see you try," said Karkas, trying to intimidate the human. He hoped that he could get out of trouble, but the two of them seemed to harass both Chaos and non-chaos race, regardless of appearance and race, as if they could kill them, which worried Karkas. More intimidation and he could end up dead.

The human smiled and pulled out his melee weapon, a metallic bat. Karkas realized the danger, but he had no time to pull his big weapon before the weapon hit him.

However, it did not hit the croc. Instead, it stopped, with the human struggling to move it. Narati then noticed that it was magic, and he quickly tried to find one, as if out of reflex. He found one in the form of a purple-robed thin figure, who said, "Let them pass."

"One thing, magician. We have a strict rule against Chaos races," said the dark-skinned human who did not attack Karkas. "No matter what, you cannot let that Fa'ar in."

"Hmm...but I have a feeling that this croc is protective against him."

"I can take care of myself," said Narati.

"Yes, it seems you are, judging by your movement. You're fortunate I'm here, or you might accidentally kill him."

Karkas looked back, and realized that the figure was right. Narati had been ready to stab the human before he hit Karkas with his spear. The other human was clearly surprised by how much bloodlust in the Fa'ar's eyes, as if he was serious in killing the bullying human.

"Now if you would step away from that croc, and let him in, then everything will be forgotten. I hope you are not a trouble."

"All I need is an answer, and that's all," said Karkas. He looked towards Narati and made a silent gesture, in which the Fa'ar understood.

After all of them left (with the bullying human groaning and spitting near Narati in contempt), Narati, given information about a ghetto full of Chaos races, decided to find information there, and to resupply. He hoped that they weren't bad people. He hated to kill oppressed race.

He also hoped that everything was well in Karkas's part.