The group hadn't walked more than a few steps into the market before a group of armored figures approached. Their uniforms were sleek but rough, stitched together with dark purple fabric and glowing thread patterns that pulsed softly.
A strange energy clung to them, the kind that made Dune's skin prickle.
They were the guards of Dreadmarch.
One stepped forward, eyes scanning the group with a practiced ease. "First-tirs," he muttered.
"Welco to the shell-town," another guard said, voice calm but firm. "Before you explore, we need to place a Neba mark on each of you."
"Neba mark?" Dune asked, taking a step back as purple mist began to swirl around their feet.
Cadogan stepped forward, unfazed. "Standard procedure. The guards use part of your Neba signature to bind a trace. It allows them to track anyone who enters."
Dune narrowed his eyes. "Track?"
"If you steal anything, damage anything, or try to disappear without paying your dues," one of the guards added coolly, "we'll know. And we'll find you."
The purple Neba surged, and one by one, a faint shimr branded itself across their arms, just a brief pulse, like static crawling over their skin.
"You're marked," the lead guard said. "Try not to give us a reason to use it."
Dune glanced at the mark. It vanished imdiately, invisible to the eye, but he could feel it humming beneath the surface. Like sothing watching.
With that, the guards nodded and moved on, blending into the crowd.
Mindya rubbed her arm and muttered, "Creepy bastards..."
Cadogan turned to the rest. "That mark allows them to teleport you straight to the prison block if you cross the line. So don't cross it."
Mindya snorted. "Pfft. I'm always on my best behavior."
No one believed that.
The sll of roasted at, fried roots, and spicy steam filled the air. The group sat at a large wooden table, the sounds of the town bustling all around them.
Dune watched as Mindya slamd her hands into a plate of sticky roasted at and tore into it with her teeth. Sauce flew. Bones clattered to the floor. She didn't even blink.
"Okay no, no stop!" Dune reached out. "Use the fork."
"Why? My hands are the fork," she said, grinning with teeth full of food.
A waiter passed by, glanced at her in horror, and kept walking.
"Mindya, you're gonna get us kicked out," Ned hissed, handing her a napkin. "Wipe your face. Please."
Mindya grumbled but wiped, only to imdiately bite into another piece and splash more sauce on her cheek.
Across the table, Cadogan chuckled and stood. "We're going to look for a place to stay. You two... enjoy your dinner."
Atlas smirked. "We'll leave her in your capable hands, Dune."
"I'm coming too!" Ned stood up quickly and followed them.
"Great..." Dune sighed.
Ned grinned in as he followed the others. "If she burns the place down, we'll tell the guards exactly whose fault it was."
The three walked off laughing, disappearing into the market crowd.
Dune sighed, slumping slightly in his chair.
Mindya looked at him, grinning with her face still a ss. "You okay, Dune-boy?"
He covered his eyes with one hand. "Why did we bring you?"
"Because I'm aweso?"
"...Yeah, that must be it."
Mindya darted from one stand to the next like a child, pointing at roasted ats, poking weird glowing stones, and giggling at a rchant's fluffy beard. Dune trailed behind, doing his best to make sure she didn't start a war by accident.
As they passed a stall selling elegant fabrics, two finely dressed won glanced at Mindya and laughed, one whispering too loudly, "look at her" "She looks like she just crawled out of the woods."
Mindya froze, A low growl rumbled in her throat.
"Don't," Dune muttered, seeing the wild glint in her eye. "Did you just growl?"
Mindya lunged forward. But Dune was faster, he grabbed her by the collar just in ti.
"Stop!"
"Let go! I just wanna talk to 'em!"
The won yelped and hurried away as Dune dragged Mindya in the other direction.
"What are you doing? You can't growl at people!"
"Why not? You told that i should fight, and didn't let others look down on didn't you? she pouted
Dune sighed. "That's not..."
Mindya suddenly lit up. "Co on! I'll show you sothing."
"Wait wha-"
They weaved through narrow alleys and wound up wooden stairs until they reached the edge of a small rchant square. Mindya skipped over to one of the weapon stalls.
"I want two wooden swords!" she told the vendor, slamming a handful of golden Neba coins on the table.
The man blinked. "What? Golden? Uh... sure." He handed her two polished training blades.
"Perfect!"
"What are you doing?" Dune glanced at her.
"You'll see!"
They continued upward, passing tiny hos and crossing rope bridges until the slope finally leveled out. The top of the turtle's shell stretched like a platform above the world. The wind was stronger here, the view open and endless.
The turtle's massive head lood ahead, slowly moving with every heavy step. Its green eyes blinked gently, and its long beard flowed like grass in a breeze. Dune's jaw dropped.
Mindya stood proudly, hands on her hips.
"Pretty, right? I love coming up here. You can see everything. I found this place when I snuck in one of Arech's barrels once."
Dune raised an eyebrow. "Wait. You... what?"
"Yup! Climbed in a barrel of pickled roots. Followed them all the way here. Arech caught , but he didn't even get mad. He just sighed. That's when I t Dreadmarch!"
"...t?"
"Yeah! I talked to him."
"You talked to the turtle?"
Mindya blinked at him. "Of course. Dreadmarch is kind. He likes people."
Dune looked toward the turtle's massive head, dumbfounded. "...It talks?"
"You didn't know? I'm pretty sure most of the purple Zeten creatures can talk."
"...No?"
"Dummy."
She suddenly tugged on his sleeve. "Co with . I know another good spot."
They climbed over a small ridge on the shell and found a wide open area where a thin layer of soft sand covered the surface. Wind swirled around them. Mindya grinned and dropped into a loose stance, handing Dune a wooden sword and raising her own.
"Alright, let's go!"
"What?"
"Yup. I wanna see how good you are."
Dune hesitated, but she didn't give him ti to think. Mindya launched at him without warning, swinging wildly. Dune ducked and dodged, his movents clean and calm. It felt like déjà vu, his mind flashed back to the first ti he fought Nely.
He danced around Mindya's strikes, looking for the right mont. When she overcommitted, he stepped to the side and tapped her lightly on the back.
"I win."
But unlike Nely, Mindya didn't stop. She rushed again, more aggressive. "Wha-" Dune blocked her swings and countered with quick jabs.
"You lost already! Stop"
But just as he was about to finish the match again, Mindya suddenly scooped up a handful of sand and flung it into his face.
"This girl!"
Dune stumbled, coughing and blinking as the grains hit his eyes.
Mindya cackled, charging him.
But even blinded, Dune shifted to the side at the last second and swept her legs out from under her. She hit the sand with a loud thud.
Mindya stared at him, stunned for a second. Then her expression twisted. "No fair! You tricked with that foot move!"
"I won."
"No! Rematch!" she snapped, getting up and brushing sand off herself.
Dune raised an eyebrow. "No thanks."
"Co on! That didn't count!"
"Still not happening."
Mindya clenched her fists and stomped like a child. "You're scared!"
Dune gave her a side eye. "A little."
That only made her angrier. She growled, tossed the sword into the sand, and glared at him like she was planning revenge.
But after a second, her frustration faded. She looked out at the land, the wind catching her hair, and sighed. "Tch... next ti, I'll win."
He offered her a hand. She took it and pulled herself up. "Let's go back and et others."
"That was fun," she said, brushing sand off her clothes.
"No it wasn't."
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