Mival, the Melding Pot of Lemuria

"I asked if we're almost to Mival." Demmy asked again. "And... I'm sure she's fine, Alex. She definitely seemed to know what she was doing."

"She said she'd catch up with us once she lured that thing away..." Molly panted heavily.

Demmy narrowed her eyes back the way the group had came. She didn't particularly care for the woman, especially after the frigid reception she had gotten from her, but... no reason to see Alex upset. Honestly, she just didn't want to deal with upset people right now. Her patience with this place was already at the breaking point, and the last thing anyone needed was her flipping out. That... would be bad for a lot of people.

"Thank goodness! You're okay!" Molly, having finally caught her breath, said. She moved over to Sam's side, and a warm, compassionate smile was on her face. "Thank goodness. Everyone made it out of that okay."

"A real miracle, that's for sure." Demmy's sleazy smile returned on her face, but just for a moment. Then it faded away. "Gods, if anyone had told me I'd be chased by no less than three different kinds of predators in this world within a full day, I would have said they were crazy."

"Or you'd smell so bad."

Demmy leered over at her co-worker. " That was Alex's idea... which helped save our lives so, thanks to him... and to you as well, Sam."

Demmy chuckled. " Well, we've been through a lot, and hopefully there's a place in the city to tend to those scratches... and her temperature."

"I THINK I still have some medical supplies on me in my uniform." Molly began to say, but Demmy stopped her.

"Nothing was in your uniform, Molly. I checked to make sure. Cellphone, notes, wallet... all that was left back in the cafe, unfortunately."

Molly's eyes started to widen again as the dawning realization struck her. "DEMMY! WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO OUR WORLD ASAP! IT'S URGENT!"

"Don't yell in my ear, please." Demmy pressed her hand against her right ear. "And like your mother being worried sick about you wasn't enough of a reason. Seriously, let's head to the city and get all this settled out. No good's going to come standing out here in the jungle."

Demmy smirked, but gave no answer. There was no need to. She, and a still tired Molly, moved to catch up to Sam.

As the group left the jungle, what greeted them was a dirt road formed from the trail they had gone through. This dirt road lead to a gate, a gate attached to a large marble wall that reached up to two hundred feet in the air, and as far as Demmy or Molly could see to the left or to the right.Above the spiked iron gate perched a pair of gargoyles, one in the vague shape of a human, but with a single eye and several horns from its skull, and the other a lean, almost skeletal dragon of sorts with a narrow head and arrow shaped tail. All along the walls were openings, and both girls caught glimpses of movement within the wall.

They were being watched. There was little doubt in either of their minds this was the entrance to Mival.

"Wow!" Molly gasped. She hadn't been expecting THIS for the city, however. "This... This looks very well defended."

"Of course it would be." Demmy sighed. " In a world like this, you'd need all the protection you could get..."

Sure enough, Demmy's right eye was twitching, but she visibly calmed herself. "Of course you aren't. Why would anyone think that?"

Molly, on the other hand, was ecstatic. "Really? That's fascinating for a city to be like that! A little bit of this, a little bit of that.."

"A worlds salad... as a city." Demmy shrugged. "Sounds about righ-"

"You there, by the gates!" A voice cut off Demmy. She and Molly turned, and someone was standing up in the lowest of the windows, yet Molly couldn't make out any details of the person; his face was obscured by the shadows from inside. "Identify yourselves and your reasons for being here!"

The person in the window said nothing, not for several moments. Then he replied, "Oh. Alex and Sam. If it's you two, then welcome in, but you'll be checked first just in case."

"Checked? " Molly asked as the person left their post. "Like, to make sure we don't have weapons or-"

"Probably to make sure we're not carrying anything dangerous, or we are what we appear to be." Demmy answered her. From the side of the gate, emerged the same person as before, a short balding man with a cigar in his mouth and a lighter in hand. Two other men, taller than him and in armor, accompanied him.

"Been a while since we last saw you two." The short man gleamed, sending out a plume of smoke from his mouth. "I heard some commotion out there earlier, but I wasn't sure what was going on. Oh, pardon my lack of manners." This was addressed at Demmy and Molly, and he gave a slight bow. The name's Xero. I'm this gate's overseer for this time of day."

Xero shook his head. "Fraid not. I just took my post not half an hour ago. Hiero said he saw her pass by, and in a crying fit."

"Yeesh... She really didn't take criticism well, did she?" Molly asked under her breath. However, this brought attention over to her from Xero.

"Oh, may I ask your names? And don't mind the soldiers. They're just here for everyone's safety, and to see if you're okay." The two soldiers began to check Molly and Demmy, mostly just eyeing them over, yet when they tried to go over to Demmy, they were forced to recoil back from the scent.

"I'm Molly, and this is Demmy. You can say I'm her manager and co-worker." Molly said with a smile. "And don't mind her smell. It was needed for what happened back in the jungle."

"Blame the berries, not my hygine." Demmy's cheeks puffed out. "And it was Alex's idea."

Once again, Xero shook his head. "Sorry. Neither me or Heiro have seen anyone like that coming through today, but I know who you're talking about."

"Really?" Demmy raised an eyebrow. Her sleazy smile had returned. "And what do you know of this woman?"

"Her name's Unish. She claims to be a bounty hunter of sorts, and a treasure hunter, but she's definitely psychotic. Got into a fight with the workers of the Violet Bar, tried to stab one of the waitresses with her large black blade. Where she got that from, I dunno. Rumors say a remote jungle temple of sorts, in a sealed box at the bottom of a lake there. A-anyways, she tried murdering someone, and got chased out of the city. If she tries to set foot in here again, she WILL be captured and tried."

"I..." Molly began to say, but it was lump in her throat to get out. On the one hand, someone that dangerous and unstable was clearly not safe to be around or want around, but on the other hand... wanting death for anyone felt cold and harsh for her. It sent shivers down her spine to think that the preferred cased for any person. "I guess that's good news then. We won't have to deal with her in here..."

"She tried, but she never got the chance. Not with so many soldiers breathing down her neck. She's a wanted woman." Xero said.

By this point, the two soldiers had finished their inspections of Molly and Demmy, and both soldiers gave a nod to Xero. "Seems like you're both clean... well, in the safety sense, not in the hygine thing."

"Oh, COME ON!" Demmy's cheeks puffed out again. "I'll go track down the baths once I'm in and get cleaned up, okay?"

"Or, we can find a place to stay in the city, and then go to the baths." Molly suggested.

Xero smiled, and waved a hand back. The gate started to raise up, slowly and surely. "The Violet Bar I mentioned earlier has cheap rent for its rooms, and they're hiring. You can try working there, if you want. Also, you're good to enter."