Shilin glanced at the cheap bracelet and slipped it on. It didn't have a speck of magic in it—he was sure of that—but at least it would let him pass in and out of the city without issue.
What he needed now was more skins to sell—or a way to make easy money.
For that, he planned to ask the kind lady if there was a way to earn more. He was sure she would take the time to understand him, especially if he bought more meat. He could use the extra energy once he returned to the wild.
Leaving the temple area, he wandered through the market stalls. Most vendors seemed interested in raw materials—skins, fruits, even metals and gems. Many preferred bartering and trade over direct bean-based transactions.
"If only I had a way to talk to them…" Shilin muttered. He wasn't the studious type, and straining his brain now wouldn't help his situation.
After half an hour of walking, he reached the old woman's stall. He'd seen what people were after and had decided—if time allowed—he would hunt a jaguar. Everyone seemed to want those pelts. It would have to be a clean kill, but that had never been a problem for him before.
"Hey there, ma'am. I'll need a few more of those skewers." Shilin pointed at the meat he wanted. He didn't know if there was a way to preserve it, but he wouldn't need to this time.
After finishing his meal, he handed over what he believed was the right amount. Before leaving, he tried once more to see if she could understand him—at least enough to tell him where he could make more money.
He pointed to his nearly empty pouch, then toward some animal pelts in the distance, miming the act of hunting.
In the end, the lady nodded in understanding. She gestured toward a group of men gathered around a merchant and called out to one of them.
"Tlen huel ticchīhua, cuīca in tlacatl—tlāzohkamati, tlachīhua cuītlapechtli quēmah. Īhuān tlen chīhuia techpā, motēchpānoyā."
The lady then beckoned Shilin over and gave him a firm pat on the back. It seemed she had quickly added him as a guard for a merchant caravan. The group already had three guards and five porters.
While the guards looked strong, Shilin noticed the porters appeared even more robust. At first, he thought they might be slaves—but from the way they were treated with respect and carried themselves, he quickly dismissed that idea.
The group already looked formidable, but apparently, they still needed extra protection.
As for Shilin, he was welcomed without much question. The old lady must have explained his situation to the merchant, because he didn't have to say a word. All they asked was for him to demonstrate his archery skill.
It was simple. Shilin casually broke off a branch from a tree, pointed toward a specific spot in the canopy, and shot an arrow clean through a thick limb he had selected beforehand. The arrow severed it in a single shot—something that required both strength and precision.
The merchant was overjoyed and even paid him upfront.
Shilin had actually wanted to shoot a bird mid-flight to impress them, but hesitated. He didn't know which creatures were considered sacred here. The last thing he wanted was to end up in jail for killing a divine beast.
Still, he wondered if this was the right path. He had no idea how to return to where he started, and the payment he received was only half of what he needed. But if he could gather enough pelts during the return trip, he was certain he could afford the jade necklace—the one that pulsed with the same power as his lost wind rune.
Half an hour later, everything was ready. Two new porters had joined the group, and the caravan was set to depart. It was nearly noon when they left the city. Shilin thanked the old lady once more before following the group. This time, the guards at the gate didn't even ask to see his identification—they were too busy looking for another victim to shake down.
The group, however, took a different route than he expected. They headed north, almost the opposite direction from where he had come.
He recalled that the signal from Urrus, the Stone of Wind, was to the east. That meant this caravan would take him farther away from it. But it could wait for now. If he sought it out unprepared, he might encounter the feathered dragon deity of the land—and that would be far more dangerous. For now, his priority was reaching the jade necklace. If he could extract even a sliver of energy from it, he might begin to recover some of his power.
The caravan moved at a steady pace, matching the speed of the porters to ensure no one was left behind. There were now two merchants—the two new porters belonged to a second merchant's group. They mainly carried pelts, obsidian, feathers, jewels, and food.
Shilin didn't understand how the merchant felt so secure with only four guards, but the man looked experienced. For now, Shilin would simply do his job and hope for the best.
He focused on more than just his duty—paying attention to the road, the direction they were taking, and the people along the way. The trail was well-trodden, so there was no danger of getting lost. Others passed along it as well, travelers coming and going.
Two hours into the journey, Shilin witnessed his first magical encounter.
Above them soared a rider on a smaller version of the feathered serpent he had seen that morning—the dragon like deity. This one was a green, four or five meter long winged serpent, gliding through the air with ease. Its rider wore the pelt of a large, speckled cat and held a spear with practiced ease. The serpent, though smaller than the deity, was still massive—strong enough to carry a man and fly effortlessly through the sky.