" He had gone back?" Sindbad asked as he looked to the spot where the boy had stood earlier.
" He said he was going home," Jaber sighed deeply as he helped him change his clothes. " I tried to invite him inside, but…"
Sindbad merely frowned as he walked away from his friend and to the table on which he had laid his Katana.
" That's better. Let him get back sooner. The less interaction he has with us, the safer he is."
" Are you sure of that?" Jaber asked him worriedly. " There is no telling he would be safe back home."
Sindbad inhaled sharply as he grabbed the hilt of his sword and raised it up to his face, the blade broken and shattered into pieces on the table. " This is the best I can think of, Jaber." His grip tightened. " Now that I've seen with my own eyes what we're dealing with…" He shifted his head back slightly, albeit not enough for Jaber to see his expression. " I should never have allowed them to go on this journey from the very start."
