"What is all this?" Jorghan asked, unable to hide his amazement.
"We're traders and researchers," Yvonne explained. "We travel to lands, explore them, and sort of try to meet the people of the lands."
She explained about the settlement and the reason behind it while they strode around. To their surprise, Jorghan got up and was now walking; his injuries were healing rapidly, and they hid their amusement at his healing.
She walked to his left side, glancing at him from time to time, noticing his amused eyes, staring at the ships and all.
Jorghan was genuinely amazed, seeing their airships, equipment and vehicles moving around. It was like he was in the 19th century, indulging in fantasy elements.
As they walked through the camp, Jorghan noticed people watching him with curious expressions. Some whispered to each other as he passed.
"Why are they staring?" he asked quietly.
"You're different," Yvonne said simply. "A human child found alone in the woods is unusual. Most children wouldn't survive an hour in there."
Jolthar wasn't aware of the real reason they were staring at him.
They approached a larger tent where several people were gathered around a table covered with maps and documents.
An older man with a grey beard looked up as they entered.
"Ah, our young guest is awake," he said.
"Come in, come in."
"I'm Doctor Revin. I treated your injuries. How are you feeling?"
"Better, thank you," Jorghan replied.
"The boy claims to have lost his memory," Yvonne informed the doctor. "Says his memory is foggy."
"Oh, that is worrisome," Doctor Revin murmured, studying Jorghan intently.
Something about the way the doctor looked at him made Jorghan uncomfortable. It reminded him of the way some of the Nor'vack elders had examined him when Sigora first brought him to the clan – like he was a curiosity to be studied rather than a person.
Doctor Revin examined the boy and asked him a couple of questions.
"You should rest more," Yvonne told him. She ordered her men to take the boy to his tent.
-
Back in the tent, after Jorghan left,
"That boy...is definitely not ordinary," the doctor was saying. "His readings are off the charts. Did you see the mark on his neck?"
"Peculiar," Yvonne replied.
Revin added, "I think it's a tattoo related to his powers. His mana is far beyond anything I have seen until now."
"I haven't seen myself, but the trail of dead beasts he left behind, it was not something a normal human would do, much less a child of ten years," Yvonne said.
Before she found Jorghan, she had seen the blood of the beasts and their bodies. There were almost hundreds of beasts lying dead on the forest floor, and she followed the trail to find Jorghan fighting another beast.
She was just in time and took the boy to the camp.
"This child, his blood and his mana – everything is mysterious about him, and I can tell he is quite powerful," Doctor Revin said, eager to perform his experiments on Jorghan.
"That is for sure," Yvone said, her mind reeling with the thoughts of her own.
"We need to take him back with us," the doctor said firmly. "The potential for research is enormous. If we could harness that kind of power..."
"I don't think it's that simple. I know he is lying about his home, and I am quite sure that he is related to the Nor'vack clan," Yvonne said.
"How do you know that?" And Nor'vack clan? Why would they keep a human child?" Revin asked.
"I'm not sure. In the forest, I found a crash site, a flying beast, a Chycor. A flying beast of the floating islands. That was what I found, and that is why I am sure he is from the floating islands," Yvone explained.
Revin fell into thought for a second. He said, "What if the beast belongs to a Nor'vack clan member?"
"I checked the perimeter; it was the boy who fell with the beast. I could see his tracks leaving the area where I found the beast, dead."
"All right. If you believe so."
"I will go to the lord and report the incident myself."
Doctor Revin nodded to her, and she left the tent.