Games [The Electro Cosmos Book 2]

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

They travelled northeast. After two day's travel they came upon a small village on the very tip of Archibald. It was a quiet town, full of fishermen. Most of the species living there were fawns and centaurs, only a few humans walking around. There was another species that looked like goblins, but a few of them had oddly smoother features than what Mila was use to. Their strong jawlines, short stature, jagged pointed noses and extending pointed ears gave it away.

When they approached the town from the eastern mountain, Mila stopped the entire group. "We should split up. I'm not sure they would be happy with a large group going into town. Griss, Heidi and Lillianna can join me, but the rest of you stay put until we come back." They were the safest of the group in such dire situations. "Rae and her sisters could be seen as a threat despite the fact they have the least amount of armor. Their emblem could be recognized. On the other hand, Lillianna's father's workmanship would also be recognized, but people were more likely to accept it."

"Okay Mila, I'll keep an eye on everyone for you," Leroy stated. Mykai gave a grunt as Mo's face contorted with the same emotion. They all watched as the four of them trotted out of the tree line and onto a wooden pathway leading through sand dunes.

They were spotted only moments after walking across the bridge and into the town. A centaur looked up at them from a deep spot in the soft waves of the ocean. The direct force of the ocean waves could be seen in the distance, blocked by rocks with a small space to allow some water flow into the flooded town without creating a heavy current back. The houses stood on stilts, even the ones further back in the dry, bare sand.

"Hello, do you need help with something?" The centaur spoke to them. His legs and horse torso were submerged in the water, everything above his lower back exposed to the chilled air. He wore peasant's clothes and a coat over his bare arms. His beard and hair covered most of his face and neck.

"We just wanted to know how to get into Cavala without heading south," Mila stated. Her horse shuffled eager to keep moving as they sat there. Mila understood it was because of the unsteady bridge. She must have felt unbalanced. "We heard there was a way across and someone here would be able to help us."

The centaur seemed lost in thought for a moment, his eyes elsewhere. After a long pause, he stood and hoisted himself on the dock path and turned to them. "I'm not sure if anyone can help, but I can bring the town together to see if anyone has travelled those parts. I know some have been to Radcliffe, and that seems the likely place to find that information. Come, follow me."

They followed him deep through the paths and further into the town. After a minute or two, they reached a larger dock. In the center was a stone fireplace, a small fire lit and a pile of wood sitting next to it. He turned back to them. "Wait here." He trotted off, walking towards the announcement bell on the other side of the larger dock. As it rung, everyone in the town paused in their work and began walking towards them. Mila dismounted, her friends hesitantly following her.

As the fauns, goblin-like creatures and centaurs gathered, the eight humans gathered in the same area. All of them looked similar, with the same features. There was only one woman and three men. The rest were children, not including the older brother who looked old enough to begin starting his own life. The fauns and centaurs seemed to keep away from them. After everyone gathered, a centaur dressed in armor took stance in the center, shoving the blunt end of his staff into the ground to gather the attention of his townspeople. The centaur they met moments earlier stood beside him, even though he wasn't nearly as tall as the armored one.