Soaring Bird City. The Merchant District.
In a bustling avenue thick with the scent of caramelized sugar and roasted spices, Pallas was busy demolishing a massive flatbread wrap stuffed with dripping, fire-roasted meat. Sauce smeared his chin as he chewed with the enthusiasm of a starving wolf.
Mid-bite, Pallas froze. A thought seemed to strike him like a physical blow.
He hastily wiped the grease from his face with the back of his hand, swallowed the massive bolus of food, and fumbled with the spatial pouch at his waist. He produced a scroll made of heavy, dark parchment and thrust it toward Kronos.
"Second Brother, Mom told me to give this to you before we left!" Pallas said, looking sheepish. "I was so excited to see you, I almost completely forgot."
Kronos took the scroll, his curiosity piqued. He handed the packages Elara had bought to a trailing attendant and broke the wax seal right there in the middle of the street.
It was a military mandate.
