Chapter 4

"So the bench stayed as a place to sleep." Seroin ran her fingers over her equipment, a practised ritual when she greeted a stranger. Daggers, crossbow, glass balls, everything was in the expected place. She had performed this gesture countless times before, but when she greeted the elf Tomga, it seemed unnecessary, almost false.

The elf stretched out on the very bench where Seroin had left him for the night. His face showed signs of sleeplessness, his skin sagged tiredly, his dark blue eyes were even deeper and his blond hair was completely dishevelled. He sat up with a groan and rubbed his temples. "I honestly tried. Wanted to sleep here. But this illusion and lights of your families and merchants, they are cast into the sky even at night. Loud as a marching train and bright as lightning. I couldn't even see the stars anymore. And those Plattis in the air. Some flit quietly overhead, others roar loudly with shouting and music. Badazanians like to party in the air?"

Seroin chuckled and helped the elf up. "Very much so. On your own Platti, you're among yourselves. No strange guests. Especially no inspectors. Who knows what kind of numbing powder is passed around up there." She nodded towards the west. "It takes a while to the Aderlass. Maybe an hour, hour and a half. You sure you want to walk?"

Tomga shook himself awake and stared upwards. The countless flying platforms stretched through the air, the sight of them alone seemed to make his heart beat faster. He looked at Seroin with a deep gasp and a small prayer in elven. "Let's just fly. But don't make me..."

Seroin nodded and dug out an A.M.I. "We'll find a Platti all to ourselves. No noise, no other people. You'll see, we'll be there in no time." She held the cylinder between her outstretched fingers above her head.

Tomga stared at her in amazement, but the young woman just smiled. "Do you know seagulls, have you ever seen them?"

The elf beamed. "Of course I do. You have seagulls here?"

"The city borders Badawanu, the empty sea, to the west, of course we have the critters here, delicacies." Seroin saw the joy of such common ground on Tomga's face and had to smile again. "Well, that's the bread." She shook the A.M.I., still holding it outstretched above her head.

It didn't take four breaths for smaller Plattis to descend towards them. The operators shouted and waved to Seroin, each trying to get her attention.

"And here come the seagulls." The woman waved to a dwarf on a platform.

Tomga still gaped at her in amazement, but a smile appeared on his lips. At the sight of the unfolded staircase to the platform, however, this instantly faded.

Seroin scurried up the folding staircase and hurried to the dwarf.

He was already starting to recite familiar formulae. "Thank you for choosing a plattform from the Zweimeer family. For your information, we do not fly anyone into or over the Magic Quarter. To fly into the city centre, the First and the True One, you need a permit..."

Seroin waved his words away. "Who wants to go there? Sagvi quarter, Aderlass. Drop us off just before it, don't want to get too many looks. Fly clean and you'll get a quarter A.M.I." She looked behind her and realised Tomga had made it up the stairs and was shakily holding to the outer railing of the Platti. "And maybe rather slow and low, growth over there doesn't handle it too well."

The dwarf snatched the A.M.I. from her fingers and held it briefly in the morning sunlight. After checking it, he nodded and pulled the folding staircase back up with a rope attached to it. Then he walked to a small, waist-high stone table and stretched his hands out over it. He curled his fingers like a puppeteer and slowly the Platti rose into the air again.

Tomga clung even more tightly to the railing, groaning, while Seroin sat down in front of him cross-legged. "It won't take long, keep your eyes on me or the horizon. Don't look down."

The elf tried to turn his head round, but the sight of the free and beautiful city of Badazan captivated him immediately. The round city stretched for miles, the different neighbourhoods clearly separated by the canals. Above all, the tall, glass buildings in the city centre, the First, shone particularly brightly in the morning, almost seeming to want to show off with their appearance.

At its centre, with its own round and wide moat around it, sat the highest tower in Badazan, The True One. The countless small towers that joined together to form The True One looked like a swarm of insects, gathered together to protect themselves. There were hardly any windows in these towers and no Platti flew in or out of them.

Not so the city centre of The First. There were still platforms in the air. Muffled sounds of revelry drifted from them to Seroin, she would bet if they flew any closer they could taste the wine in the air.

Equally impressive were the columned towers scattered throughout Badazan. Some of them grew to such a considerable height, they even scratched the cloud cover. The towers in the east had colourful and finely drawn facades, some of which were open. The further west you looked, the more fragile and rotten the towers were. The Magic quarter was barely recognisable from their flight, but the walls there were already crumbling badly at the top and on the outside. Increasingly, smoke from the district was billowing into the air and hardly a Platti flew over it.

Seroin did the same as Tomga for a moment. She stared at the vast and varied world of Badazan and was once again amazed by her city. The young woman knew no other world but these streets. And she didn't know if she could even stand other waters. Then a shudder from Tomga reminded her of the growth next to her and she bent down to it again. "You have family?"

The elf was now white as a sheet, his cold-sweaty fingers clutched the railing and his gaze was once again fixed on his feet. "Yes ... wife ... and three children."

"You're happy? Getting along without you?" Seroin tried her best.

"Yes ... My wife ... She is a faithful partner. Took me in despite my plagues from the war and my wounds." He stared briefly at his now healthy leg and his mood visibly relaxed. "And my children are a blessing from Diersa. All close to the ideas and living by their ways."

"What's the Cold Belly like? Do those demigods still live there with you?" Seroin saw that her words helped.

"Wide. Cold. But green and fresh. The children of ideas? No, none of them live there with us. We get their visits, but this is also becoming rarer. On the other side of the continent, on the western sea of Rüwanu, in the city of Calicedam. There they live. Formed a council after the war, they are looking at how to guide us mortals now. Now that the ideas, their parents, have left this world."

Seroin nodded absently, finding it difficult to arouse any particular interest in these gods. "And these children of the gods, they decide for each of you."

"From us. For you too, Seroin. And for this city. We are mortals and our destiny is to serve the divine, to stand ready for them. I can't even imagine what they would say to this city. This masterpiece, it would be more than fair that children of ideas could live here. I would prefer it. I suspect my search will be a difficult one."

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Seroin frowned at him. "Why?"

"I couldn't sleep yesterday. So I asked your citizens how to find someone in the city. They directed me to a house called the Growth Authority. I enquired there. But there seems to have been a fire there recently and a lot of papers have been lost."

"So the papers for your sister too?"

Tomga looked at her for a moment, confused, but nodded. "I guess we'll have to search the old-fashioned way. I hope it doesn't take too long."

Seroin kept her face blank. "Did they tell you anything more about your sister at the Growth Authority? Approaches?"

"I should ask at a certain shop in the Lieb quarter, there ..."

Seroin waved him off, she knew the shop and why they liked to send young, confused women there or assumed they were there. "First the Aderlass, it'll help us enough."

Now the elf slowly tried to lift himself to his feet. "I haven't been here long. But something caught my eye. All the wonders, all the magic. But where are your temples for the ideas? For Eswibe, idea of hope. Ar and Ra, ideas of cold and heat. Ohfral, idea of trust. Ellyl, the courage. Haesve, the knowledge. I have hardly seen any mention of our gods, yet there are countless of them. Even the ideas faithful to the void Defala. Ibini, the fear. Ifor, the forgetting. Idoka, the indifference. Or Iwiko, the betrayal. They are not represented anywhere."

Seroin shrugged his shoulders. "You're asking the wrong person. The city council decides on the buildings and their purpose. Children of ideas don't visit us. I only read about the ideas once in a stolen book."

Tomga was still trembling on the railing, but now on his feet. "Crazy. The creators of this world and all our species. And with a city like this ... Who else will give you advice, guidance and ..."

Suddenly, the platform stopped abruptly and shook violently in place. Tomga cried out and Seroin gave the dwarf a dirty look.

But he simply waved in front of him and she immediately recognised why he had stopped.

In front of them, one of the large, glowing illusions threw itself into the air and an elf could be seen. The woman was slender and delicate, simple yet fine clothing clung to her body. Her straight, blonde, almost green hair fell down only one side of her head, the other side was shaved bald. Her one recognisable eye gazed coolly and calmly down towards the city of Badazan and her pointed ears looked like lightning bolts, ready to be hurled at the people below.

"My name is Bema Sandevi and on behalf of the Sandevi family I welcome every new soul to the free and beautiful city of Badazan . Each of you can share in the masterpiece before you and with the strength and endeavour of all, we usher Badazan and the mortal peoples of the continent of Auervam into a new era. Report to one of the Sandevi Houses today and you will receive fairly paid labour and the pride of becoming part of this great city. It takes every one of you, because only together can we grow to new heights. And never forget.

Now the illusion raised her hand to her face, placed her index and middle fingers above her eye and her ring and little fingers below her eye on her skin. The gesture looked like a proud greeting.

"We ... are the new gods."

The figure disappeared with a flicker and Seroin nodded understandingly to the dwarf. No one would dare fly through the image of Bema Sandevi, it would be a serious offence.

Tomga, on the other hand, held his stomach and struggled audibly to keep his breakfast down. But even in this struggle, he stared up at Seroin in amazement. "New ... gods?" Then he burst out, just managing to lift his head over the railing and baptise poor passers-by with the contents of his stomach.

Seroin waved to the dwarf and pointed downwards. "The rest will be a walk."

"So many people ..." Tomga kept stopping in his tracks, like a puppy paying full attention to every new smell.

Seroin had to turn back several times and grab the large elf by the hand to urge him to move again. For her, the Sagvi quarter was a familiar home and that was precisely why she wanted to avoid giving the impression that Tomga was growing. "Aderlass. Let's go!"

The streets of the Sagvi neighbourhood were much dirtier than those in the east. Rubbish was piled up against the walls of the houses, many people simply sat around on crates and barrels, playing cards, drinking schnapps or scrutinising strangers. Here, too, the pillar towers towered up to the sky, where a wild life took place. Accusations of an affair were shouted from one window, arguments over lost numbing powder from another. The neighbourhood didn't want to turn you away, but was open enough to let you know whether you were part of it or not.

Several youths scurried past Tomga and offered him powder from various tins, young women enticed him with wild scenes and traders shouted about their wares, but were more interested in pickpockets or said young women.

Seroin always discouraged Tomga from getting involved in a conversation for too long and paid particular attention to other people's fingers. Pickpocketing was considered a trade of honour in the Sagvi quarter.

"A lot of people here look like me, confused." Tomga waved to every passing person and usually received puzzled looks in return.

"Growth. Our word for Refugees. More and more people are coming to Badazan, from all corners of Auervam. Perhaps permanently. Maybe for the same reasons as you." Seroin waved down a side alley at . "After a few years here, it's easy to tell growth from Badazan. Here. Aderlass."

She had to snap right in front of Tomgas to get his attention. "Growth is considered naive by us, especially when it comes to our customs. That's why I'm asking you to keep quiet for now when we're in the Aderlass. Liku and his henchmen know who our mutual friend is. Doesn't mean they won't try to lure a few more A.M.I. out of us. And most importantly!" She raised a warning finger. "No magic. It only brings attention. I don't want the eyes of any gangs or inspectors on us, even worse, G.M.E.s."

Tomga blinked, puzzled. "Inspectors?"

"Well, something like ... City guards." Seroin pointed around them. "Few of them here in the Sagvi quarter. But the danger is there. Inspectors represent the city and its administration, are responsible for the internal and external security of the city of Badazan."

Tomga cocked his head to one side questioningly. "External security? Who do you need protection against? But these city guards, they are to be avoided? Let me guess, I know this one. They use their position for a little extra on the side? In our village, the guards often scam themselves another fish or a knuckle of pork at work. Without honour, but unfortunately the consequence of mortals in positions of power."

Seroin had to pause for a moment and almost began to shake. The world out there sounded so strangely simple. "Something like that, yes. It's just a matter of avoiding them. Inspectors call G.M.E.s and before you ask, no, no explanation. Just pray to your weird... to your ideas that you never have to face one. But that's all the more reason why no magic!"

Tomga almost saluted with his nod and the two of them dodged into a side alley, now covered by shadows. After a short walk, they stood before a nondescript metal door. Seroin glanced up and down the alley for a moment, then knocked on the door and whispered her name to the metal.

It immediately slid open sideways and a broad, massive orc stepped out. His muscular figure looked twice as wide as Seroin's whole body, his black hair was tied into two fine pom-poms and shiny fabric adorned him from head to toe.

"Bescha, greetings!" Seroin examined the orc's clothes in surprise. "Roscha got some clothes from Hopa's tailors. Didn't Shiverlip dress you all like that? Your brother never stopped bragging."

Bescha gave Seroin a firm pat on the shoulder. "Heard you met my little brother Roscha. But I didn't hear why. Are you more talkative?"

Seroin shook his head like a stubborn toddler. "Not a word, or Papa Shiverlip will be angry." She crossed her arms playfully and grinned at the orc.

"Stupid nut." He chuckled and pointed at Tomga. "Company is who?"

"Growth. Looking for family. That's why we're looking for Liku. Free of charge, of course. The Aderlass still belongs to Shiverlip, doesn't it?"

Bescha thumped his chest proudly: "This way and no other. We spotted a pack from the Ibis gang in a nearby side alley, these confused veterans just don't know when to call it a day."

Seroin could literally hear Tomga flinch at these words, but the elf remained silent. She praised him inwardly and waved the orc round in front of his face. "Other business at another time. Still here. Liku is here?"

The orc nodded and scrutinised them from head to toe. "Do you want powder too? It'll cost you. Apart from that, no weapons or armour here. Can you vouch for him?"

Seroin punched Tomga in the side. "Completely. And if he misbehaves, I wouldn't be sorry if you killed him or boxed him in. We're only here because of Liku."

Bescha grinned broadly again. "Boxing in? What an accusation, what do you take us for, the Young Harvest?" He turned round with a laugh and disappeared back into the doorway, straight down a deep flight of stairs.

Seroin was just about to step forward when Tomga grabbed his arm. "Briefly, just briefly, then I'll keep quiet. What awaits me down there?"

Seroin chuckled. "Poisoned people. Very happy and poisoned people.

The knight stared in horror. "It's a good thing I'm here. I have remedies for it, the kind you just forbade me. Magical ones. May I help them down there?"

Seroin shook his head with a laugh. "Oh no! Oh Tomga. Just down with you. And when we heal someone, you with your magic, it's never for free, understand? Come on. I'll show you our happiness in this world."