“Well, the market was quite busy and I managed to get a good profit today. I should buy some fruits for the kids. It’s been a while I have earned so much!” said a slender looking Shizian male with carbon black glossy scales that shone brightly reflecting the moonlight covering his thorax, abdomen and the long curled up tail while the rest of his body was covered with hair like apes. Even his face had apelike touch to it. He was wearing a dhoti, which is a single piece of linen wrapped around his lower body. That is all he could afford in his present lifestyle. He covered his stall with the sheets then pulled his money pouch and started counting the coins. After counting, he got a satisfied look over his face and started walking towards the man selling fruits.

“Oye Rialz, life sure has been kind to you today. Looks like you got a good haul.” said the male of his tribe standing on the other side of the fruit counter. “Huh! Muqtada you sure know how to make fun of your friends. It’s been days that I was able to go sold out in this God-forsaken corner of the city. Have you looked at the Ruins these days? Many have been moving out of this stinking place. Less people are seen in the Market nowadays. I was only able to sell good because Assim did not open his stall today. I have no idea, whether should I be happy or not. His wife has been sick with the green goo fever since a few days” said Rialz.

“Yes bro, the last time I met her she looked so pale and green that I was shocked as if I met a demon. If she would have been in the city; she sure would have been executed. It’s thanks to the Ruins that she is well-hidden. That day I met their son Zafar, who told me that the Healer advised that the only way to save her is to take her to the Mistique Island abroad.” said Muqtada.

“Mistique Island! You mean they have to cross through the NO MAN’S LAND outside the country. IZAMIL bless them.” said Rialz.

“May IZAMIL bless their travel and save them from the demons. Amen!” said Muqtada. As he packed a few fruits and wrapped them in a cloth and handed it over to Rialz.

“Amen!” said Rialz, as he took the package and gave 3 silver to Muqtada. And waved him good bye. “I am going home early today and am sure the kids will be surprised.”

As Rialz started walking down the moonlit, broken, stone-carved stairs towards the slum, he noticed a few Wolfian soldiers moving in and out of the houses. He lived in sector 24 as it was cheaper to live there than in the city at the cost of the protection of the royal guards. The crime rate was, thus, extremely high and people with enough money or weapons could come and go, as they pleased. But Wolfians were a rare sight in these parts of the country. Their sight made him scared him with the thought of some miserable things would happen and every hair of his body got erected in fear. He got nervous and started sprinting towards his house. After a few turns and some jumps over the roof tops he reached the passage to the house.

The awful silence made his feet tremble as he approached the doors of his house. He heard two Wolfian soldiers talking to each other in their own tongue, but he could guess that they were talking about what to plunder from his rooms. A sudden realization dawned upon Rialz as he started to understand the situation that he had stepped into. His kids, his neighbours are nowhere to be seen meaning either they were kidnapped or worse — killed! But, signs of struggle were proof that they did not go down without a fight. A voice inside him started to scream in pain, frustration and anger as his eyes gradually turned red. He waved his arms in a circular motion while bringing them close as he clapped and interlocked his fingers into each other and said “Itatmish Libere”.

Note: Itatmish Libere — in ancient language — a spell to liberate ones soul energy

Post Script:  I am very sorry to be posting this episode so late as I got caught up in the demands of life i.e. I had exams for which I had to prepare myself. Man, it was so tiring that I could not spare my brain or time to this. Please bestow your thoughts in the comments below.