Later that afternoon, I slipped out of the forge, carefully avoiding the Overseers patrolling the streets. My heart pounded with every step, but the thought of meeting with Kaelan outweighed the risk.  The farther I moved from the forge, the more precise the divide in the kingdom became. 

Passing through the lower quarter, the air thickened with the noise of labour. Pickaxes clanged, shovels scraped, and the Doro-Ashi worked under the watchful eyes of the Overseers. Their bodies sagged, exhaustion etched into their faces, but they kept digging, tearing at the earth for ores.

I tried not to stare. But it was hard to look away.

These people had nothing—no trade, no home, no escape. The forge was a sanctuary compared to this.

Then, from somewhere in the crowd, a voice muttered.

Like a man speaking in his sleep.

A frail old worker sat slumped beside a rusted cart, his lips moving soundlessly. Another man stopped digging and knelt beside him.

“You alright, old man?” he whispered, nudging his arm.

The old man gripped his wrist, his fingers trembling. 

“Diggin… always diggin… where’s the connk...”

“Errbuzz… no hear… too loud…”

"Too fast… aerobrid— fall… firefall… brightbright—!”

"Meta— ire? No… net… broken… net…”

"W—W-Fy... br-br-breaking…

"The younger worker frowned. “What?”

Then, without warning, the old man gasped sharply and screamed.

“NEO!”

The entire site froze. Pickaxes halted, and heads snapped up. Even the Overseers stiffened.

The old man shook violently, his voice rising into raw hysteria.

“NEO! NEO! NEO!”

The old man gasped, his breath hitching mid-sentence.  His wild eyes met mine. His body stiffened. He seemed frozen—like he was staring at something impossible.

Then, his breath became ragged. His lips moved without sound, mouthing something I couldn’t hear.

“You…” His fingers twitched, then clawed at his chest like he was struggling to breathe.

I took a step back, unease prickling my skin.

“We—” His breathing quickened. “We're not— We shouldn’t—”

Suddenly, he lunged.

Before I could react, his hands latched onto my shirt, yanking me forward with a strength I didn’t expect. His nails dug into the fabric.

“We're not supposed to be.”

The words slammed into me. His eyes burned with something close to horror.

Then, as quickly as he grabbed me, a soldier wrenched him back. The old man thrashed violently, his screams breaking into raw, fragmented cries.

“Not supposed to be! NOT SUPPOSED TO BE!”

Boots thundered across the dirt. The soldiers moved fast, shoving past the workers.

The Overseers seized the old man. “Crazy bastard,” one muttered, hauling him up.

He kept thrashing, his cries echoing as they dragged him away

The Doro-Ashi lowered their heads and picked up their tools.

Like nothing had happened.

But it had. And whatever that man had screamed about…

By the time I reached the upper side of the kingdom, the oppressive air felt lighter, filled with the aroma of perfumes and oils being sold nearby. The streets were cleaner, and the noise was replaced by the chatter of merchants and buyers as soft melodies played on flutes and stringed instruments. 

The world felt entirely different here. Children ran through the streets, laughing as they played with small wooden toys or chased one another. People in fine tunics and robes strolled with an effortless grace, their smiles bright and carefree. Couples walked arm in arm, pausing to browse the market stalls for bolts of silk or trinkets.

 Everywhere I looked, there was colour—banners draped across the stalls, bright flowers arranged in clay pots, and vibrant patterns woven into the merchants’ fabrics.

It always felt almost unreal, like stepping into a story of fantasy. But as beautiful as it was, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of its indifference. These people didn’t spare a thought for the pits or forge labourers. Why would they?  The marketplace wasn’t a place for people like me—Doro-ashi weren’t meant to linger here or wander freely. Kaelan could move where he pleased and always chose the market for our meetings.

I spotted him near a stall selling silks. His arms crossed, he pretended to examine a piece of cloth. He glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of me, and motioned for me to follow him down a quieter alley.

When I reached him, Kaelan leaned against the wall, his expression uneasy. “Took you long enough. I thought they caught you,” he said,

I shrugged. “You worried about me, huh? Didn't think you cared that much.”

Kaelan hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “Look, last night… I should’ve said something. Done something. The way they treated Satoshi—it wasn’t right.”

I let out a sigh, shaking my head. “It’s not your fault, Kaelan. It's not like you could have changed their minds anyway.”

“No.” He frowned. “I stood just there and did nothing. I could’ve stopped it earlier.”

“You did what you could,” I said, though the memory of Satoshi’s humiliation still stung. “But if you’re feeling guilty, maybe you can help me with something.”

Kaelan raised an eyebrow. “Help you with what?”

I pulled the cloth from my pocket and handed it to him. 

He turned it over, “The cloth from the woods. What about it?”

“The patterns,” I said. “They’re the same as the markings I saw in the crack last night.”

Kaelan squinted at the cloth, tracing the faint design with his fingers. “You’re serious?”

“I’m sure of it,” I said. “I need to see it again. To figure out what it means.”

“Renjiro, you can't be serious? After what happened last night, do you want to go back? You saw what’s out there—what nearly killed us. And after everything with Satoshi…”

“I have to,” I interrupted. I need to be sure I saw what I saw. I can’t explain it, but I need to go.”

Kaelan glanced around the alley, then leaned closer. “You’re going to get yourself killed. Or worse. If anyone finds out we’re sneaking out again, you know what they’ll do.”

“I know. But I have to do this.”

Kaelan chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re impossible, you know that?” He shoved the cloth back into my hands. “Fine. I’ll go with you. But if we run into that thing again, you're alone."