Over the starting mark

Now, far from the mainland, the noise from the Kingdom had long died out. They had been traveling for over twenty hours and it was late bright morning the next day.

They strode across wide barren lands that glowed light orange from the sun beaming down on its surface, scattered with the occasional rocks, boulders, and low mountains spaced far apart.

The six traveled close together in a pack with their rattlers in the center of their formation. With their dark red hoods hiding their faces and bodies their heights were more distinct. Roshar and Cronan were on the same height, at their shoulders were Skinner, and decreasing slightly were Dayrue, Ezra, and then Rue being the shortest.

Occasionally they used their monoculars to look ahead to see how close they were to the borders, but the heat made everything far appear as a grey haze with bits of green.

They passed giant mammals with husks the length of their bodies, short furry ones that scuttled on all fours, and an annoying amount of leaping scorpions that Ezra was especially good at making out even when they're hidden under the sand.

He would pinpoint their locations to avoid them before their black bodies jumped out from under the orange loose grains. Dayrue was also great at sensing them but she made Ezra lead as it was much easier to alert the others vocally as opposed to focusing on her gestures.

Ezra was already proving his usefulness and would glimpse back at Rue now and then to see if she was watching him, but she intentionally looked everywhere but his way.

He was used to the animals and terrains as he and the Fronteras had to pass them before reaching the borders to patrol. He studied and tracked traces left by animals and so anything unusual stood out like a sore thumb.

Soon they were stumping through grassy paths surrounded by tall palm trees, loosened docked rafts to steer across wide grey waters using a pole, frightened wild herds of animals that created stampedes as they darted in the opposite direction, while the entire time Ezra lectured them about every little thing. Rue felt like she was back in school after dosing out a few times before she shook her head to wake back up.

When they reached the trail of box canyons with burnt orange and white layered walls the slight airways above their heads created whispers from the high winds. To everyone's annoyance Skinner started to whistle to the rhythm.

A deep hole of anxiety carved its way into Rue's chest and her eyes widened with alertness the second she saw the jet red waters that marked their border.

It was a never-ending lake said to surround the entire Mera Domain and it was filled with bones of species that tried to cross it as it was highly poisonous. The poison was from a special type of aquatic plant that flourished beneath its undisturbed surface.

At that moment a large cloud blocked the sun in the sky to cast dimness over everything creating an eerie atmosphere. The bank on their side was covered with black earth. Coarse leafless trees stood about to blend in with the ground making the red waters the only thing of color to pop and resemble blood.

It was silent except for the crunch of dried twigs and grate of pebbles beneath their and the rattlers' feet as they went closer. The air had the earthy smell after a good shower of rain.

Though the water was poisonous it did not affect the Meras. However, their rattlers would add to the pile of bones at the bottom if they were to cross it.

Skinner used his swords to cut down two thick trees and Cronan and Dayrue used their telekinesis to move and position them close together. Roshar and Ezra secured them with rope to make a raft. Rue took good care to ensure that two rattlers sat on top securely before she pushed it from the shore for her comrades spread out in the water to guide the raft to the other side and back to her.

It took three turns to get all six rattlers across. Rue and the others felt a slight itch on the lower parts of their bodies, but Roshar reassured them it would wear off. They had to avoid touching their rattlers for about twelve hours.

On the other side of the river, they stood on grounds known as the grey line to marvel at the sky-reaching trees before them. Since Domains had different marks to represent their borders, the space between them that did not belong to either became known as the grey line.

Rue looked back at the orange-pink mountains of the Mera Domain, her home, and turned back to the dark green sky-reaching plants that continued on both sides until becoming hidden by mist. She had never seen such sinister-looking plant life.

There were thick white sheets of web on parts closer to the ground that continued on both sides so there was no way around it. Once it was broken it would serve as clear evidence that there were trespassers across their border.

Rue began to wonder if that Domain had trackers like the Fronteras that would seek out such deviants.

"Alright let's go. We don't have time to waste," said Skinner who had already stepped out of the grey line with a sword in each hand. With his twig in his mouth and a face stiff with determination, he began to chop through the sheets of webs clearing a path for them to follow behind. His swords were without the poison tubes to prevent wasting it while his swords whipped around in the air.

Soon they were surrounded by a murky dimness. The space between each massive stalk was about the span between Skinner's shoulders making it cramped for the larger builds of Cronan and Roshar. They had to move sideways to progress swiftly.

Dayrue held a compass and ensured they were not traveling straight towards the center of the Domain but rather off to the side. She poked Skinner from behind to signal when he was going off track. Their route was to move around the center of the Domain to avoid the dominant species as much as possible.

"This route may be longer but it's safer," commented Cronan. "We need to preserve our energy and eliminate unnecessary encounters, for once we step foot into the next Domain we'll need to be moving non-stop and fast to make it out alive."

Rue did not like those words from her father. As if Skinner's quick-moving did not remind her that their journey was dangerous enough.

Soon the webs began to clear as the stalks began to spread out with more space between them. It was as if the ones closer to the border were that way from being undisturbed for years. However, vines became more prevalent and so needed cutting down.

The strong earthy smell had long faded by those from vegetation, moisture, decaying plants, and wood. It started to get warmer and humid. The leaves of plants brushed against their mantles and they were always stepping on layers of dead leaves.

Soon they all had at least one sword out as bright green snakes hung down from the trees above to squirt poison in their faces. The poison only tickled once it touched their skin.

Though the snakes were rightfully in their correct territory, they were an annoying low intelligence species or pests, and so the gang held nothing back to kill them.

Skinner was a professional using both his swords spinning in both hands to get rid of the vines as well as the snakes. They never seemed to stop slashing through the air.

He walked in front along with Dayrue who, like with the scorpions, was good at sensing when they would pop out. Her ears were really good, and she would use one free hand held at the side of her head to direct where one would pop from. All behind her focussed on her hands as well as kept their own ears alert. It was like a game.

Rue slit one of the snake's heads from its body and snatched it away in a pouch under her mantle.

Ezra noticed and chuckled before moving up to her.

"What? Are you hoarding corpses now? Is this a new obsession to get your mind off harassing me?" he asked teasingly.

Rue did not even acknowledge his presence as she was still not talking to him. She knew she would say something her father did not know she was capable of. She wanted his image of her to remain a saint and not the savage dirty-mouthed Mera she could be.

"Oh, I get it. You're saving it for a light snack, you plan to eat it later?"

Rue continued to ignore him and it became a game for him to guess what she was up to. But Rue had a great plan of taking parts from the things she slew to add more to her coronet once she got back home. It was like rewards in a game to take her mind off the dangers that awaited them.

For every fifty snakes, she would take a part and stash it away. It was also good for tallies when she needed to recall details for her brief stories.

Dayrue and Skinner stopped moving which broke them from their games to ponder about the holdup. They, along with Cronan and Roshar, hurried to stop behind the two statues at the edge of a cliff.

Once they looked down past the edge, they too realized why they were just standing there. The edges of the cliff continued around on both sides above a deep and grand waterhole. The only rays of sunlight they saw in a good while beamed down on it like glory from the heavens giving it a glow. It had dazzling waters so clear they could see the colorful fishes schooling around from their distance. Colorful flowers were scattered around it and long-legged animals with leaves growing on their antlers drank near its banks.

"By the great horn spoon…" gasped an enchanted Roshar.

"Freedom!" yelled Skinner that caused them all to duck for cover.

Flaps from thousands of bird wings created a thundering hum from all around the massive trees. The animals around the waterhole hopped away into the surrounding bushes and all the fishes darted to hide under rocks leaving the water empty.

Dayrue stood up and the second her eyes glared at him Skinner began to step back from her while shielding himself with his two swords.

"I-I-I…" he stuttered.

Both his swords got pulled from his hands by an invisible force causing his eyes to get wide with fear.

"Foolish wretch--we're supposed to be invisible!" she gestured with flashy hand movements.

The speechless Skinner tripped and fell backward to lay on several vines that broke his fall as his eyes stayed glued to the two swords held up in the air with their tips facing him.

"You are here to sabotage this Quest so I will eradicate you this instant…"

Both the tips pierced through the air towards him before they stopped sharply to scatter in opposite directions and become lost in the bushes.

"Dayrue that's enough," followed Cronan's loud and deep voice. She looked behind so fast her hair flapped from the side over into her face.

She noticed the others staring at her with shock and even fear. She turned to look down at Skinner before she walked away to a spot and started to count down from ten on her fingers.

Cronan gave Skinner a hand to lean up and stand to his feet. Then they both went in search of his swords.

"The early stages of team development," sighed Roshar as he stared back down at the beauty. "Brings back memories,"

Ezra's eyes were still wide from shock and a spiteful Rue passed behind him and whispered, "Now I know who to tell first about your plans to 'sabotage' this Quest."

Ezra made a hard blink to snap out of his trance.

Roshar took out a scroll from under his mantle and began to draw something with a thick inked pen. A curious Ezra went close trying to peek at his drawing.

"Chum, what are you doing?"

"For every beautiful sight I witness on this journey I will record it so I can always remember."

"First Rue's collecting scraps and now this from you? You guys are weird."

Once Skinner got back his swords they continued by heading around the water hole to get back on track. Skinner persisted in getting an apology from Dayrue who he believed was in the wrong.

"You tailless hind shut up already,"

"No, not until you tell me you're sorry,"

Dayrue created a telekinetic barrier to prevent Skinner from walking any further until he lagged closer to Rue and Ezra.

Rue thought she would use the opportunity to end her curiosity about his tail. She asked politely, "Skinner, I hope you don't mind me asking but how did you lose your tail?"

His feet stopped walking for only a second and his black long spiky hair that stuck out from both sides under his hood prevented her from seeing any reaction.

He replied without turning away his head, "None of your beeswax."

Rue blinked and got speechless by such a response.

"Here," --he faced her and held out one thumb-- "I'm returning your nose. Why was it up in my business I don't know."

He continued to walk ahead past her and Ezra who could not keep it in leaked a short titter. Cronan cleared his throat and mumbled something they could not hear. Roshar close to him sighed in response.

Rue rolled her hands into a fist and marched up to Skinner. "Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that?" she scolded.

"Yeah, remember who you're talking to--have some manners," yelled Ezra from behind with a fist in the air.

Rue couldn't believe Ezra backed her up even after she was so mean to him.

"I don't have to watch my tone with any of you," said Skinner who looked down at his side to face her. "Once a species leaves their border they leave all ranks and status behind. We're are all equal here! So back off spoiled rich daddy's girl."

It got her blood to boil as she glared at him walking ahead of her. She looked back at her father who lagged with Roshar but heard everything.

"He's right," he told her and his eyes wandered to the trees around. "Once we leave the borders all ranks get left behind."

Rue turned away upset not because of what he said, but because she was seeking confirmation that she was not a spoiled rich daddy's girl.

At that moment her resentment for Skinner grew and she began to feel she knew just how he lost his tail as he was very annoying. Anyone would want to hurt such a despicable being.

Not long did the sky-reaching treetops become visible and the rich blue sky peeked through the leaves. They no longer needed to chop vines or leaves out of their ways but instead tried to leave little trace of their existence behind.

Dayrue stopped and stooped down in front of a substance on the ground. Instantly Ezra knew her thoughts before she signed it.

"We need to mask our scent," he said and went over to stoop close to her.

"Right. We're heading further from the borders and we need to cover our scents now more than ever," signed Dayrue.

She dug her fingers into the dark substance with noticeable flies around it and began rubbing it on the outside of her mantle. The others went over and followed and got some on the rattlers too. However, Rue stood motionless at the sight of them rubbing dung on themselves and it caused her left eye to twitch.

"Aren't there flowers we could use to do that?" she asked.

Ezra approached her with his gloves covered in the substance, "Maybe, but this stuff is better."

"Get away from me!" she snapped as he began to get too close.

"Rue my dear, you have to," Cronan told her.

Rue shook her head, refusing to do it.

"As I said, spoilt daddy's girl," added Skinner.

It angered her enough to want to spite him. She marched over, pushed him out of the way so she could dig her hand into the substance and wipe it on her left shoulder. She glared at him until he decided to walk off.

The second he left her side she began to breathe again, but she had to pinch her nose to stop the stench.

"Way to take one for the team," said Ezra with one palm raised at her in the air.

Rue looked away from him with annoyance she already had built up for Skinner.

Ezra's shoulders dropped.

"Speaking of team," said Skinner as they continued their trek. "If we're going to be a successful team we need code names."

He started his usual rambling so the twig in his mouth was always moving. Rue wondered why he couldn't choke on it. It was clear they all wanted him to be silent.

"A team leader is more important than stupid code names," gestured Dayrue.

"I'll be team leader since it's already proven I'm the greatest sword warrior here."

"The last Quest I was on Abner was the team leader. He was not just a good warrior but he was respected, unlike the chatterbox son of a human you are. Your butt must envy the amount of crap that comes out of your mouth."

Skinner pretended he did not decipher her last words to know what she said and continued speaking.

"As a leader, I will make code names for each of us. Cronan will be white assassin, Roshar will be yellow assassin, Rue is now red assassin, Ezra is green assassin and Dayrue…"

He looked hard at her before he said his next words, "You are purple, or dumb assassin."

"Green assassin?" puffed Ezra. "And what are you, rainbow assassin?" he chuckled to himself.

"No, I'm grey assassin."

Ezra's face got emotionless and the sound of birds chirping broke through the silence before Rue spoke.

"Aren't code names supposed to be short and original?"

"You're right, little girl. How about red ass, since ass is short for assassin." Skinner began to laugh so hard he had stopped walking and started to get left behind.

Rue reached for a dagger under her mantle when Ezra stopped her hand. She pulled her hand away from his grip.

"Hey, remember I told you there were more annoying creatures than me? See, I was right."

"Why do you insist on talking to me, Turill the second?" she asked in a monotone with her head facing front.

Ezra's smile from her finally speaking to him vanished and he slapped one hand over his face and mumbled behind his fingers, "Why do you keep calling me that?"

The heart-wrenching sound of Skinner's singing started but that time he was behind them. Everyone was too annoyed to notice Dayrue's hand movements and so she stopped, turned around, and threw a dagger that Skinner missed by a few strands of his hair.

"They're coming--lots of them," she signaled before taking out a sword and turning in all directions.