Erik and June navigated the streets of Caelora City with cunning stealth.
Erik, rendered invisible by his abilities, moved like a ghost unseen by passersby.
Beside him, June had taken on the clever disguise of a scruffy stray dog blending into the environment.
As a major city at the base of the Caelora Mountains, the city bustled with activity.
Vendors hawked wares from stalls while shoppers examined goods.
Armored mercenaries patrolled the lanes, eyeing the citizens with suspicion in search of the two fugitives.
As a dog, June had to focus on keeping Erik's scent amidst the riot of smells if he wanted to stay with him.
The aroma of frying meat and fresh bread mingled with the smell of foul-smelling armpits.
Despite the early morning hour. People displaying the telltale signs of the day's increasing intensity filled the streets.
Sweat marks bloomed on their shirts, starting from the neck and spreading like a river delta to join the crescent-shaped halos under their armpits.
This early perspiration mirrored the morning dew on the grass, both heralding the onset of a new day's natural cycle - one with the gentle touch of dawn, the other with the relentless climb of the sun.
June's canine nose twitched, picking up traces of Erik's trail - pine needles and snowmelt from the mountains.
In the distance, the snow-capped mountains towered over the city named after it.
Erik gazed at the peaks, knowing many powerful Thaids made their lairs within those treacherous slopes.
Ancient wyverns and horrific beasts - all lurked in the mountains' hidden valleys and caves.
But that was a concern for another time. Right now, Erik and June's priority was escaping the mercenaries who were hunting them.
The mountains and their mysterious inhabitants would have to wait. Erik tore his gaze from the peaks and refocused on guiding June through Caelora city's crowded streets.
They stuck to the edges and alleys, avoiding the major thoroughfares choked with carts and crowds, while sleek flying cars hummed through the skies overhead.
June's paws padded on the concrete as he traced Erik's invisible passage.
After turning a corner, they came upon a bustling marketplace.
Vendors proclaimed the quality of their wares at the top of their lungs. "Fresh mountain hare! Get your fresh hare here!"
June's mouth watered at the scent. They ate before entering the city, but the smell of meat permeating the air was too enticing.
As they moved through the market, June noticed the people had a hardy look about them.
Broad shoulders and muscular frames were common, no doubt from lives spent laboring in the mountains. These were not weak city folk, but strong frontiersmen.
While passing a tavern, raucous laughter and the sour stench of alcohol emanated from within.
A group of brawny men stumbled out, already drunk, though it was only midday.
June pressed close to the buildings, avoiding their notice.
The clone's stomach rumbled as the scent of roasting meat wafted by.
He glanced around, hoping Erik would let them stop for a snack.
<Stay focused. We can't stop yet. I know you're hungry. > Erik's voice sounded in June's mind.
June gave a small whine but kept padding forward. After a few more minutes, he couldn't help but ask, <Erik, can we please get something to eat soon? That meat smells was amazing. >
<I know, I'm hungry too, > Erik said. <I told you that you would forget the bug's meat once we got to the city. >
<I didn't say the smell was better than the bug's meat. >
<Really? But your emotions say otherwise. >
However, Erik changed the topic. <You know, you can clearly see these people lives below the mountain. >
June nodded. The crowds looked much tougher than the typical city dwellers.
<We'll find a spot to eat soon, > Erik said.
<But we need to get deeper into the city first. Once we're sure we've lost those mercenaries, we can take a break. >
June's stomach growled loudly in protest, but he kept moving, trusting Erik to find them somewhere safe.
Reassured, June focused on keeping up as they wove through the marketplace near the exit gate.
As they traveled deeper into Caelora, the buildings grew taller.
Sleek skyscrapers lined the streets, with glass elevators whisking between levels.
Holographic advertisements flickered on building facades, touting the latest tech and fashions.
Strange vehicles like personal mobility pods hummed down designated sky lanes.
The streets here were bustling with office workers and businesspeople, a stark contrast to the hardy mountain folk found near the market at the exit.
It felt rather peculiar to witness such a stark difference in attire.
It was as though a village and a city had merged side by side.
lightsnοvεl The villagers seemed to be stuck in a time capsule, dressing as if they were from two centuries ago, while the city dwellers presented themselves in modern, everyday attire.
June and Erik wove between the well-dressed pedestrians who paid no mind to a stray dog.
However, Erik didn't stay idle, and he snitched a phone and a wallet from a person nearby.
He didn't care about it that much, and he knew he couldn't be found out, anyway.
He paid attention due to imperfect invisibility, compensating with increased mana usage to minimize light ripples from the Chameleon Veil.
They slipped down an empty alley, the sounds of the busy street fading.
Erik's scent turned down a narrow passage between two buildings that looked centuries old.
When they arrived inside the alley, Erik stopped channeling mana into his Chameleon Veil neural links and he turned visible again.
He sighed and then picked up the phone he had just stolen, as he couldn't use his own.
He called Noah. The phone rang as Erik reflected on everything that had occurred.
Were his clones safe? If they were searching for him here, it meant they were searching for him everywhere, and his guild would not be left alone. What about Mira? Was she safe?
The guild must have been in chaos due to what is happening. Did he still have his assets? Have they frozen his bank accounts?
Without access to the accounts, he would resort to stealing with the biological supercomputer.
The phone continued ringing. Where was Noah? Why wasn't he picking up? Erik needed to make contact. He had to figure out what had happened and see if the clones needed his help.
But aside from all of this. Why was the Mercenary Guild searching for him? Was this on the Blackguards' orders?
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