Ending Paradise

confident.

Most days I go on patrols around the city to find any raids or anything. Although Black Sun is small in comparison to a lot of other places so not much happens when it does it tends to scare people.

But the towns have been relatively quiet these past few days. Partly from the lack of raids and home arrest but also from all the people I couldn't save. I know I can't save everyone but I want to save as many as I can or else the pit in my stomach grows more and more.

Either way, hardly anyone's out on the streets today. Not even the dirt covered children playing or shopkeepers offering product samples. Only the howling winter winds that pushed the cold from one side of town to the other.

Was it me? Did they have some sort of secrets behind the scenes that I didn't know? Normally the townsfolk are quite vocal about the community. Regardless of a secret, if I want to know anything there's only one place to go.Yuma's Shop.

I ran down a few jagged blocks before turning the corner at a sharp angle. Down an alley was a small booth that radiated a mystery but enchanting aura. No one was there so I turned to the side to knock on the shop's door. When no one came after a second I knocked again. No one.

I pulled my goggles down for traces of magic within the area. In my view I got a glimpse of something shiny behind the booth. I jumped over the countertop to the backside where a small stool was set. On top of the wooden seat was sunset colored rune.

My finger traced the writing, "Take a seat" within it. So I did as instructed and sat down.

A small whisper tickled and breath faint pleads of help into my ear. They were burnt sun spirits, invisible to the natural eyes and ten times more scary than imaginable. Most commonly found here in Black Sun City. Although I think I should more concerned as they are known to cause hexes.

My chair tips backward and as I prepare for the impact my body fazes through the floor and down into a large tunnel system. It was a regular rocky cave that was used partly as a slide.

Tumbling from side to side, my body fumbled its way down the cave's shoulder of gravel and sand until I landed flat on my face at the bottom.

I winced and rubbed my face before picking myself and dusting off my clothes.

What the hell is this place? It's humid and dark unlike the bright, open-air shop, Yuma runs. Yuma probably has many more secret hideouts but why is it down here?

Vex squirmed a bit in the tote before leaping up at me. I screamed before barely catching him.

"Vex!" I groaned holding his tiny body, "You know I can't see in the dark!"

He squeaked at me with little care for my words. I was gonna say something but then I felt, Vex's body go limp.

"Vex?" I called out to him.

When he didn't answer my heart pounds in my chest, shaking mine insides around.

"Vex!" I cried to him again.

A small light in the shape of his body appeared in front of my eyes, illuminating our surroundings. With a deep exhale and a soft smile, I keep any arguing points to myself.

I'm very grateful for Vex's assistance but sometimes Vex can drive up to my stress as much as he can relieve it.

Unaware of my feelings about his lack of communication, his celestial form spun in a circle as he chased his tail. I couldn't hold in my laughter as he keep spinning left, then stop before spinning right until he was dizzy.

My giggles slowed for a moment allowing me to talk to Vex, "You ready to lead the way?" I asked him.

He yipped happily, spinning in a circle for a bit before running off into the distance. I followed after him keeping him barely in eyesight.