Alana noticed the violent energy reverberations coming from the South immediately, but she didn’t even bother to look up. Her group was meandering through an open-air market in the heart of Kharon, just enjoying the chance to relax. Hank beside her gave her a glance, but ultimately followed her lead in not bothering further despite the obvious power he sensed. The third figure behind them, wrapped in a tall cloak so that none of her features poked through, Looked curiously in the direction of the disturbance but didn’t seem to care much. Her gaze quickly returned to the wooden stalls set up along the walking path.

To her, every aspect of this human city was curious.

The group had arrived at Kharon two days early in order to offer their services in helping to get ready for Randidly’s birthday but had sort of gotten lost in the novelty of being at Kharon for the first time. Despite several hours passing, they hadn’t bothered to approach Kharon’s leadership at all. Truly, the city had absolutely transformed in the six months it had spent operating independently in the Wildlands.

And the result was something that Randidly had plenty of reasons to be proud of. When the average person finally realized that something was going on to the South, no one really panicked. In fact, many people took the opportunity to clear their goods off of their floating platforms and charge a few dollars for the privilege of riding up over the action for a better view.

Alana couldn’t resist a small smile as she saw almost a hundred glowing platforms floating toward the source of the commotion. People absolutely packed the larger platforms, peering over the edge to see what the fuss was about. The people of Kharon were nothing if not adaptable.

...even if there were perhaps a few sleazy apples in the barrel.

“It’s my platform, who are you to tell me how I should use it?” A mustachioed man sneered at an older man who had been arguing quietly with him. The older man was accompanied by a younger woman with her brown hair in a bob cut, and the trio was standing in one of the small plazas off of the main portion of the open-air market.

Alana didn’t miss the way the mustachioed man gazed greedily at the woman next to the older man. “So what if I’m a bit discerning about who I would let onto my platform? It’s my prerogative as the owner. So, lovely, do you really still want to stick with this guy? Weren’t you desperate to catch a glimpse of the Ghosthound?”

“You just want to spend some time alone with a young woman!” The older man bellowed. His face began to turn red as he worked himself up. The volume was enough that a lot of the surrounding people turned to look at the source of the noise. “It’s because of scum like you, trying to take advantage of innocents-”

“Easy, easy,” As the older man grew louder, the mustachioed man grew more uneasy. His eyes flicked side to side to scan the surroundings. Alana nodded approvingly; it seemed that the police force of Kharon was known to intervene in situations like this. Good. “That is not true. It’s… ah… it’s a weight issue. While I’m unsure if my platform can support the three of us, but since the lovely lass is so light…”

“You-” The older man began again, but Alana lost what he was saying as she was forced to reach out and grab Hank’s elbow as he took a step toward the confrontation.

“Hold it, cowboy,” Alana said in a low voice. She rolled her eyes at Hank’s predictable response. “Look at that woman’s eyes. There is strength there. She doesn’t need another man to step in and save her.”

Hank gave Alana an amused look. “Don’t try and act all high and mighty with me. We both know that by stopping me, you are just taking the role of a hero saving a damsel for yourself.”

Barring her teeth at Hank, Alana tugged him closer and continued to speak quietly. “Don’t try and claim I’m you. I know for a fact that she won’t need anyone to intervene-”

“I’ll go with you, sir,” the woman piped up. She laid her hand on the arm of the older man. “It’s okay, Raymond. Thank you for your assistance, but I can handle this. And I really do need to see this Ghosthound for myself.”

“But Gertrude-!” The older man began, but the woman silenced him with a firm look.

Alana paused, her analysis briefly thrown into disarray. Did she read the situation wrong? But the woman...

As Hank chortled next to her, Alana activated her Radiant Eyes Skill and peered into the mustachioed man’s and the woman’s Status screens. But what she saw made Alana even more confused. She had thought the woman must at least had the confidence to defend herself, but she was a Level 39 Generous Caregiver compared to the man’s Level 50 Armored Axe-Wielder. Just by comparing the Classes, it was clear who would win in a physical altercation.

Not that Alana would assume it would get to that, but...

Yet the young woman with her brown hair done up in a bob-cut generously stepped up onto the hovering platform without any hesitation. The man laughed and rubbed his mustache as he stepped up to join her. “And who knows, maybe we will hit it off from spending so much time together… I’ll have you know that I’m familiar with several great spots for dinner…”

“That won’t be necessary,” The woman responded sharply. The platform beneath her feet began to slowly float upward, lifting the two of them off of the busy street. Perhaps due to the close proximity of the crowd that watched the process with suspicious eyes, the man didn’t order his platform to move too quickly. Only now, seeing the woman agree, were people starting to turn away and move again. “This is a business transaction, sir, and I hope you will respect that.”

The mustachioed man laughed as he reached over to pat the woman’s shoulder. “Now, don’t have that sort of attitude-”

Leaving a full-on guffawing Hank behind, Alana stepped forward and wove her way through the annoyingly disinterested crowd. Right when the platform was about shoulder height, Alana reached out and simply seized the edge of it before it floated away. Her fingers tightened. The platform stopped dead.

Alana cleared her throat and then spoke up to the woman. “Excuse me, miss? I can fly you over there to see the Ghosthound. With no… frills.”

Both the man and the young woman turned down to look at Alana. Both their expressions were confused for several seconds as they looked down and saw her casual grip on the platform. She suppressed a smile. That’s the other good part of being out of Donnyton. Nobody recognizes me in Kharon. So much less pressure...

The mustachioed man reacted first, his eyes flashing emerald for a second. Alana wasn’t sure what he was doing, but she had seen that trick from others in the city. Apparently it was an ability you gained when your relationship with the moss spirits reached a certain level. Instantly, the man sneered. “You? There are basically no moss spirits around you. How can you levitate the platform if you won’t even befriend the spirits?”

“I have my ways,” Alana replied. The woman frowned as she looked down at Alana. But then she nodded and hopped down.

“...thank you,” The woman said quietly. Alana gave her a smile.

“Hey! Did you hear me?” The man threw his hands up in the air and made an obscene gesture. “And when you realize that she was just lying, don’t bother trying to come back and beg me for a ride. I’m done with charity cases.”

The two women ignored the man as they walked back toward Hank and the cloaked figure who remained at the edge of the main drag of the market. The man Raymond hurried to join them, thanking Alana profusely. She smiled at Raymond, then turned back to the young woman. “You are really desperate to see Randidly Ghosthound, huh? Or did you just want to watch the fight?”

“So it is a fight…” The woman said quietly. Then she shook her head. “I was… thinking about moving to Kharon. But knowing that this is the city of Randidly Ghosthound… I wanted to see him for myself before I made the final decision. I trust my eyes. So…”

“I really can take you up there to see him,” Alana said simply. “And I’ll say that although this appears to be a bad day for him… he is a good man. His city is a good place. I’m Alana Donal, by the way.”

The woman nodded and shook Alana’s hand, then paused thoughtfully. “Gertrude Collins. Huh, have we met before? Your name… seems so familiar.”

“Y’all have probably heard it before,” Hank drawled. “Alana is a mite famous. And I’m-”

“In the way,” Alana shook her head. “Wivanya?”

The dragon hiding in a humanoid form under her cloak glanced at Alana questioningly. Alana, understanding her partner’s question, turned and looked at some of the other people aimlessly standing on the wide cobblestone walkway around them. “Clear a space please.”

The few people who remained were curious about them still, likely due to the earlier yelling by Raymond and the surly looks that the mustachioed man was casting in their direction, but the people of Kharon were polite enough not to force the issue. They shuffled backward, clearing a few meters of space in the center of the walkway.

Alana let a bit of her image out to press against the lungs of anyone standing too near to them, careful not to send any in Gertrude’s direction. If these people didn’t move, it would be very difficult for anyone under Level 60 to breathe. “I think a little bit more space is necessary.”

Sensing her power, the crowd quickly vacated almost ten meters of space. And as soon as they did so, Wivanya exploded in a swirl of chilling energy that still sent the nearest ring of people sputtering as they were covered in a thin layer of frost. Alana wavered her hand and a burst of heat protected the group, but she knew in her heart that the freezing effect was largely for show. It wouldn’t harm anyone; Wivanya had just wanted to show off a little bit.

Who would have guessed an ancient Dragon Broodmother with dozens of children and grandchildren would be such a diva, Alana complained inwardly.

But of course, as the cloak that hid the dragon’s form was blasted away, Gertrude yelped and took a step backward. Then, as sunlight reflected off of Wivanya’s mesmerizing blue scales, the young woman stopped and simply gaped at the natural beauty of a dragon. Alana shook her head as Wivanya struck a purposefully aloof pose, viewing all the nearby people with disdain. Her eyes focused on the middle distance, letting her see nothing in particular but seeming very intimidating.

Then Alana turned to Gertrude again. “A little less convenient than a platform, but how would you and your friend feel about a ride on a dragon?”

Despite the earlier shock, it was clear that Gertrude Collins could quickly regain control of her emotions. At least when compared to Raymond next to her, whose face was quickly reddening as he looked in alarm at the monster that appeared before them. That definitely earned the young woman a few points in Alana’s books. “But… will this size be enough to carry all of us? With that sort of wingspan and the volume of air it can displace, the amount of lift generated won’t be enough-”

“Yanno…” Hank said slowly. “It’s a dragon. Dragons are magic. An’ let me tell ya this; she gets bigger. Like jumbo jet bigger.”

“Oh.” Gertrude blinked. “Oh. Well, okay then.”