The journey out of Bortan was as simple as Dareak could hope for it to be: any trouble on the road was handled by Coxinjarn and Elmes (if one considered cowering in fear to help anything). All she had to do was watch them from a distance and hope they didn't notice her trailing behind.

The one challenge that came her way was when a merchant caravan met up with the two warriors in front, headed to Bortan from Zephys. She noticed the man leading the group point behind Elmes, and the white Draconian turned to look for her. She had to cower behind a rock for an hour before she was certain they'd left... but by the time she got up, they were gone. She couldn't trail them if they weren't visible. She was lost, and there was no way to know where to go. How could she find the way to Zephys?

For the first time, she looked above the horizon. She'd been focused only on the two soldiers, so she never looked past them. The floating castle in the distance almost seemed to stare back at her, reflecting the sky with some kind of spell to bring natural light to the city below it. Odd... how long had that been there? A castle flying above a city, and the city floating above an even larger city on the ground. It wasn't far now, Coxinjarn must have meant to pass by it to get to Zephys. Maybe they would know where she should go.

Dareak resolved to head to the floating city and hope that they would help guide her to Zephys. She was losing all hope in spying on Nalrik from so far behind, so she had to catch up quick. It only took about ten minutes of running for her to tire herself out, at which point she had to sit down again to catch her breath. It would be a long journey to Zephys at this rate.

"Need a ride?" a voice asked from behind her. She jumped, turning to find the merchant from earlier. A young Human man, in a sleeveless tunic. He motioned to his horse, "I know a Draconian might be a bit much for her, but it's not too far a ride. We'll carry you to the city."

"Do you know where Zephys is?"

"Zephys? Of course. It's there." The man pointed to the floating city.

"Over the horizon, past that place?"

"No, it's right there. That's Zephys... the Floating City? I thought you were from around here, my mistake. Were you not looking to go there?"

"I need to go to Zephys!"

The man stared, puzzled, for a moment before he just nodded, "I'll take you. Do you need anything? Weapons? I happen to be a salesman, you know?"

"Do I look like Wuqiroth? I won't fall for that!" Dareak insisted, remembering Elmes' shiny silver armor. Still, as she saw what was in the man's wagon, she found her hand reaching out to grab it.

It was too fast for her to remember buying it, but the next thing she knew she now had a brand new sword and her pockets were emptier than they'd been when she'd set out. She justified it by saying, "I'll be faster now... and I'll handle whatever comes my way better than I would've before. I don't have Coxinjarn to support me."

"You have me!" The man on the horse said as they rode.

"I don't even know your name."

"Dath."

"Too similar to Dareak. You're..." she looked him up and down, which was difficult as she was behind him on the horse. His arms were burned and his hair was shaggy, but it felt insensitive to call him "burns" or "bad hair" (as much as those names called out to her). She landed on, "Horseboy!"

"Horseboy?" Questioned Horseboy. Shouldn't he know his name? What a strange fellow...

"Horseboy."

"Horseboy it is..." muttered the man as the horse carried them to Zephys. Dareak wondered how he knew that this could be the place. It's not like it floated on the maps (not that she read the maps, but she looked at them sometimes), and it's not like there was a big sign that said the city's name. What other mysteries were being withheld from her? What other secrets did Horseboy know?

As the walls of the city grew larger in Dareak's view, she saw a large sign. Horseboy pointed to it, "See, Zephys?"

"Just because a sign says so doesn't make it true!"

"Right. Well, this is as far as I take you."

"You're not coming with me?"

"Why in the world would I do that?"

"Because you're Horseboy, that's what you do." Dareak really hated being paired up with the dumbest people in Totania. Maybe leaving Horseboy behind was for the best.

"Goodbye, Dareak. I hope you find who you're looking for... it won't be easy. Zephys is the largest city in the world. He could be anywhere."

"I know that!" Dareak said dismissively, and Horseboy nodded, turning his horse away and trailing off. The largest city in the world... how the hell would she deal with that?