"You're not coming with us!?" Mimya expressed shock and discomfort for what she heard came out of her mentor's mouth.
"No. You know this house isn't just a house, it's also a bookstop. And I have to run it. Not to mention, Gibbit is infected with ajam. He's an impure wraith now, and I need to find some way to cure him of this. The cast I did only suppress his change, I need to stay with him until I can find a way to extract ajam from his body fully." Sarahliza answered.
Tension was in the area between both girls, as Oenhi and Gibbit stood in the distance from them. Although for Gibbit, pink marking of ᚨᛒᚾᛟᚱᛗᚨᛚ ᚲᛖᛊᛏ was burned into his shoulder. Indicating on the cast Sarahliza used on him.
The man saw the troubled look on her face and insisted, "So kid, wanna go outside for some air?"
Sarahliza heard this and spoke out, cutting off Mimya'a words. "Don't go far Gibbit, I don't know how long before I have to use that cast again on you."
Gibbit brushed it off with a smile and a hand gesture, "Trust me Sarah I'll be fine. Nothing a big man can't handle."
Not for long, Oenhi and Gibbit stepped outside into the warm air of Toki-Toki Town, the tension of the conversation still lingering in their minds. The town was a blend of old and new, a place where supernatural events were hidden from human life with busy voices all over, with domestic animals all over.
Radios were playing as light posts were about, indicating an evolution for this little town.
Cobblestone and dirt mixed streets stretched ahead, weaving through wooden houses that bore a mix of traditional wooden architecture, words carved into door frames, lanterns fueled unlit, and signs displaying symbols of easy life .
The two strolled past a marketplace where vendors called out their wares. Stalls offered a variety of goods: enchanted trinkets, vials of glowing liquid, and freshly baked bread that exuded an almost magical aroma.
An elderly man with a long beard and a staff shaped like a serpent leaned against one of the stands, muttering unknown to people over a pile of books. A trio of children darted through the crowd, their laughter mixing with the hum of casual bargaining.
And despite these things around them, Oenhi's eyes wandered over everything with curiosity, though her thoughts kept circling back to something she had heard earlier. She turned to Gibbit, her voice breaking the comfortable silence between them.
"I keep hearing this talk about ajam and impure wraiths. What exactly are those?"
Gibbit sighed, running a hand through his red hair before looking at her. "Ajam is basically wraith blood. This dark green thing, If it gets into your body, it starts changing you, making them something different. They're not full wraiths, but they aren't normal humans anymore either. They become impure wraiths, weaker but more violent, ajam eats at them, their minds, their souls. Fueled by what is most negative to them."
Oenhi absorbed the information, her gaze thoughtful rather than concerned. She raised a hand, and with a subtle focus, green energy crackled to life in her palm, flickering like a small flame. Gibbit's eyes narrowed at the display.
"Great," he muttered, shaking his head with an exasperated sigh. "More arcages."
She smirked, playfully nudging him as they continued down the lively streets, the town humming with an energy of its own. But as they walked, Gibbit's expression darkened slightly, a rare moment of vulnerability surfacing.
"You know, Oenhi," he started, his voice quieter than before. "When I first realized what had happened to me, that I had been infected with ajam, I thought that was it. That my life was over. That I was just going to turn into something monstrous and lose myself. But Sarahliza... she believed in me, found a way to hold it back, even if it's not perfect."
Oenhi glanced at him, sensing the weight in his words. "But you're still here," she pointed out.
"Yeah," he said, chuckling softly. "But I don't know for how long. I have to fight it every day. And that's why... I think you should go find your grandfather. Maybe when you find and fix him, then I'll get fixed."
She was surprised by this statement, that he was encouraging her to go when Sarahliza absolutely denied it. "I plan to."
"Because you have something I don't. A chance to find someone who actually understands you, a person who you trust the most, who can help you grow into your power instead of suppressing it." He met her eyes, his usual teasing demeanor momentarily absent. "If I had that, maybe things would be different. Maybe I wouldn't be fighting to stay human every day."
Oenhi looked down at her hand, the green energy still softly pulsing in her palm. She had never considered it like that before.
"I... I guess I never thought about it that way," she admitted, losing focus as arcane disappeared from her.
Gibbit smirked, his usual sarcasm returning. "Yeah, well, don't get used to me being this serious. It's exhausting."
As they walked through the vibrant streets, the hum of the town slowly faded when they reached a quieter part of Toki-Toki Town. Gibbit led Oenhi down a narrow alley, where the smell of fresh wood and varnish thickened the air. The alley opened into a small courtyard where an old but well-kept workshop stood. The sign above the entrance was faded, but the lettering was still clear: Gibbit's Carpentry & Repairs.
Oenhi stepped inside, orange eyes darting around at the neatly arranged pieces of furniture in various stages of completion. Wooden chairs, tables, and shelves lined the walls, and the rich scent of sawdust and wood shavings surrounded her.
She trailed her fingers over a smooth, polished surface of a newly carved desk. It was clear that despite everything, Gibbit was still passionate about his craft.
Gibbit watched her curiously as he leaned against the workbench, arms crossed. "Didn't take you for someone interested in my type of thing."
Oenhi smirked, her gaze still wandering. "I never saw anything like this before, It's kind of amazing, you know?"
"Well, that's a poetic way to look at it," Gibbit chuckled, pushing off the workbench. "Most people just see a bunch of sawdust and splinters."
As she scanned the room, her eyes fell upon something leaning against the far wall, a wooden baseball bat, slightly worn but sturdy. Her breath hitched for a moment. She stepped forward, reaching out to grasp it lightly. The smooth wood felt familiar under her fingers, sending her mind spiraling back to a memory from her time with Solomon.
"This brings back memories," she murmured, mostly to herself.
Gibbit tilted his head. "Oh yeah? You a baseball fan?"
She nodded slowly, gripping the bat a little tighter. "My grandfather taught me how to play. Baseball was my first sport. He always said it wasn't just about hitting the ball but about patience, timing, and knowing when to hit the ball." Her lips curled into a soft smile.
Gibbit watched her carefully, noting the fondness in her voice. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the bat from its resting spot and held it out to her. "Here. Take it."
She blinked, looking between him and the bat. "What? But this is yours."
"Yeah, and I don't need it," he said with a grin. "Besides, it sounds like it means more to you than it ever did to me. Consider it a good luck charm. Maybe it'll remind you of why you need to find your grandfather."
Oenhi hesitated for a moment before accepting it, running her hand over the wood once more. The weight of it felt right, grounding. She looked up at Gibbit and gave him a grateful nod. "Thanks, Gib."
"Don't mention it," he said, waving her off. "Just don't go around breaking people's skulls with it, alright?"
She laughed, twirling the bat slightly in her grip. "Ahah, what's a skull? ."
Gibbit paused, shaking his head as he turned back to his workbench. "Um."
Despite the teasing, there was a sense of understanding between them, a shared moment that spoke louder than words. Oenhi tightened her grip on the bat, feeling a renewed sense of determination settle in.