Aralim and his friends came upon the town of Nokire halfway along the Imperial Highway that connected Rainrest and Rema. The town was larger than Aralim had expected. Rainrest had not seemed much larger than this trade town. Aralim knew from his time on the Selected that Nokire was the last stop for caravans ranging out into the Expanse. Many such convoys considered this place their home and headquarters.
They had taken a leisurely pace during this leg of their adventure, for Miresh was practicing Journeying and often spent hours in meditation. Though she had already learned to teleport objects such as letters, Velad’na had her begin practicing again as they left Rainrest. Then, after several successes, he allowed Miresh to cast her spell simply across their campsite—after hours of meditation, she vanished and reappeared seconds later on the other side of the campfire. With that milestone out of the way, Velad’na encouraged a greater attempt a few days later. The second Journey had taken her an hour down the road, and once more she matched her teacher’s expectations.
What might have been nine or tens days had stretched into a long thirteen. But at last, they spent the evening at a Nokire tavern. Aralim heard all manner of tall tale from the locals, but a few caught his ear with genuine intrigue. It seemed that, recently, a travelling magician had reported a proper witnessing of a Slither performing magic. Aralim had heard magicians at court discuss such theories with little reputable evidence.
Many of the tales spoke of strange lands beyond the Expanse. It was the first Aralim had heard about it, though he had not assumed the Expanse to be endless as many believed it was. Supposedly, the nomadic Slithers—as the only travellers capable of crossing such arid extremes—traded with those mythical destinations.
After spending the night in Nokire, Aralim and his comrades set up a small camp on the outskirts of the town, near the camps of some of the wayward caravans. Miresh was to perform her greatest feat yet—she would Journey from here to Rema. If it worked according to plan, she would arrive a few days before them. If it failed, they might not see her for months.
Velad’na was just repeating this to Miresh while Narr loitered nearby. Aralim wondered what the large, quiet protector would do without his charge. Velad’na had suggested taking Narr with him—a quick, mastered Journey to Rema following Miresh. Aralim, Nill, and the Aura would traverse the last stint without any of the others.
Miresh frowned as she listened to Velad’na’s instructions. She glanced at Aralim. “Well…I suppose. But Aralim can still come with me, right?”
Looking up from the meditation mats he had just arranged, Velad’na looked at Miresh sternly. “He could—but there’s always a risk that instead of arriving in a week or two, you arrive much later.”
Miresh lifted her eyebrows and looked at Aralim expectantly.
“We’ve done things more dangerous, I’m sure,” Aralim said, smiling. “But I’m a likely risk, given my tendency for distractions.” They had even decided—in light of the attacks in Rema—that it was too dangerous for Velad’na to teleport Aralim with him. If they were destined to be attacked on the approach to Rema, it might mean a wildly unpredictable arrival for the spell that unfolded in its stead.
“Distractions are part of the Path,” Miresh retorted, to Aralim’s delight.
Velad’na was less than impressed, scolding her, “That is a dangerous mindset to take before Journeying.”
Aralim nodded. “You’d miss out on all of them by Journeying anyways,” he reminded his young friend. “In fact, I might have something to give you a bit more urgency for your spell.”
“Oh?” Miresh asked. “A mission for me in Rema?”
“Before I next depart Rema, I was planning to meet with that man I mentioned to you before. He’s a good collector of information, but I wouldn’t have time to wait for his investigation before I depart again,” Aralim explained. “You could give him a few extra days to check with his sources, before I arrive by way of the road.”
Miresh nodded, and then prepared herself on the meditation mat. Aralim was quick with his note, though he knew that it would take quite some time for Miresh’s concentration to reach the right point. He wrote, “Riyaza. See if your sources match mine. Maykren may be the source of the riots. Keb’kres is an Ovoe-lover. Will arrive within days to discuss.” He didn’t bother signing it, but passed the scrap of parchment to Miresh. “The sooner this reaches the man called Soot, the more helpful it will be.”
“I’ll get there at once then,” Miresh said. “Well…after some meditating.”
A few hours passed, as Aralim sat on the mat with them. Nill got some reading done from one of Velad’na’s books. Narr and the Aura were as quiet as those in meditation. Aralim must have half-dozed off, for he looked up suddenly to find Miresh no longer in front of him.
Velad’na smiled proudly. “There you go, youngling,” he said to the air.
Aralim hoped he would find Miresh waiting in Rema upon their return. He glanced at Velad’na as they both rose to their feet. “I assume you’ll be following suit?”
“If it’s all the same for you, Ambassador,” Velad’na intoned.
“Your responsibility is to her studies, not to me, but be sure to take Narr with you. She can fend for herself, but I’d rather she didn’t.”
Velad’na nodded, finishing his process of collecting the mats from the forest floor. “I told her to Journey right to the Palace. So that is where…we shall go.” He gave Narr a nod, and Narr returned it. Then he turned back to Aralim. “It’s been a pleasant enough trek, Ambassador. Did you find what you were after?”
Aralim smiled. “That’s the enigma of the Path—I never do. I’m glad you were here to help Miresh.” He gave the Master a pat on the back as Velad’na passed him toward Narr’s side. To the big, brooding warrior, Aralim gave a simple nod. Narr returned it, wordlessly.
Velad’na grabbed Narr by the sleeve and they both vanished in an instant. Aralim glanced back at Nilless and smiled. Rema—and the Eternal Emperor—awaited.