Michael looked back at Limben one more time before the waggon entered the forest. He had found it harder than ever to take leave from his family, and there had been no time to visit any of his old friends before nightfall. While they were all used to Michael leaving for perhaps a month at the time, this journey would take longer, and he did not know what awaited him up ahead. He was sitting in the back of the waggon, exhausted, but too awake to rest. Salora was a mystery and he did not want to do anything for fear it might upset her. He figured Tri must have been feeling the same, given her unusual silence. Only the tapping of her foot showed that she was indeed awake, despite her leaning against the wall of the waggon with her eyes closed. Salora was sitting out front, holding the horses' reigns. The sounds of the forest were muted in the presence of the horses' steady footfall and the loud scrunching of the dry ground under the waggon's wheels. A lone lantern was hanging from a beam in the front of the waggon's soft ceiling, illuminating everything inside, chasing shadows back and forth as it swung gently to and fro. Michael mustered Salora's well-lit back. From behind, she looked convincingly normal, just like any other human. Her long dark hair was falling gently down her shoulders, completely hiding any skin that was not already hidden under her heavy cloak.

"Come sit with me," Salora suddenly spoke without turning her head. Michael could not help wondering whether she could read his mind, but he dared not let her wait, so he got up and walked to the bench. The tapping of Tri's foot had briefly stopped but started again as he moved away through the waggon. Michael had to hold his head down to avoid bumping into all the drying plants hanging from lines Salora had pulled between the beams holding up the waggon's roof. When he sat down on the chest serving as the driver's bench, Salora gave him a brief smile, her black eyes reflecting the lantern's light. The silence that followed made Michael uncomfortable. He tried to focus on the two brown horses pulling the waggon, but he just could not help looking at Salora again and again. During their meeting earlier that day, he had had himself under control much better, so he scolded himself internally for his sudden lack of self-control.

"It's perfectly natural to be intrigued by that which is new to the mind," Salora said, unprompted.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to stare." Michael blushed.

"Perhaps it is easiest if you take a good long look, give in to your curiosity. I am used to it, I do not mind." She looked at him once again. "And ask what you cannot keep from asking, I may answer or not, but let's get this out of the world. There is a long way up ahead and I would rather not spend it being some curiosity to the two of you. So look, ask, and listen closely. That goes for both of you." Clearly having been listening, Tri got up and made her way to the front of the waggon. There was not quite enough space for them all to sit on the bench, so she remained standing just inside, holding on to the front beam to keep her balance. Salora tied the reigns onto a knob in the front of the bench. Then she pulled her legs up and sat sideways so that both Tri and Michael could see her well in the lantern's unsteady light.

"Are you human?" Tri asked sbefore Michael could sort his thoughts.

"Yes," Salora nodded, "partly, at least."

"Where are you from?" Michael asked.

"A city far away, you wouldn't know the name. For all I know, it no longer exists anyway." Salora showed no emotion, which surprised Michael. Surely, losing one's hometown must be traumatic.

"What happened to it?" He could not help asking.

"A great flood tore most of it apart. What remained was not enough, so most of us left."

"So there are more like you?" Tri tilted her head.

"That depends on what you mean by like me." Salora briefly returned her attention to the horses, making them catch back up to speed.

"Partly human," Tri added, her voice trembling.

"Many, though few of them have anything in common with me, other than their human parts. And you are very unlikely to meet any of them."

Michael's head was spinning. Somehow, Salora's answers only opened more questions. He was not even sure what he should be asking her. He was thinking about what people might care to know about him. His own life revolved mostly around his family, regulated by the rhythm of the journeys he took to help support them. What else really was there to him? Well, now there was Tri. He noticed that he saw her as a friend, despite how recent their first encounter was, and despite the unconventional way they had gotten to know each other better. All his older friends were back in Limben, living perfectly normal lives. One day, he hoped to be like them. Find a wife and settle down. But for now, he already had a family to take care of, and his heart had not yet been touched by any woman. He was lost in such thoughts when Tri's voice brought him back to the present.

"What is it that you want most?" Michael realized it was what Salora had asked Tri earlier that day. Salora sat in silence and Michael already assumed she did not wish to answer when she gave a sigh.

"A profound question indeed. I cannot answer it too clearly. You see, young folks like yourselves, you have dreams, wishes, you appear to know what you want. And even if it may not forever stay the same, these goals are good for you. When you reach my age, however, when you've seen what I've seen, it becomes harder to pick any one thing. I no longer have anything I want most. There are many things I want, simple things. The comfort of a fire burning low, enough food, health, all the basics. But beyond that? There is no one thing that will bring me happiness. All I know is that I have to keep going. That's why I got this waggon and those lovely horses, you see? So I can go on and on, meeting people full of wishes like yourselves." The silence following her deep voice was profound.

"You don't look that old," Tri pointed out. When Salora did not react, Tri asked for her age more directly.

"Oh, I've lost count. It's been a while since I filled two hundred, back then, I still knew. I should have to check with scholars of the old calendars, there's so much converting to be done. You lots can't help counting anew every time one of your gods does something slightly impressive." Michael's mouth was standing wide open. Two hundred years? How could anybody turn this old? He quickly realized it must be to do with her non-human part. She looked roughly the age of his own mother, perhaps forty-five or so years. A thought crossed his mind.

"Beyond your age and your appearance, what else is different about you from regular humans?" Michael asked.

Salora gave them both a broad smile. "Well, that is one question that I shall not answer. You may find things as we travel together, but such knowledge should not be granted freely. Besides, even I do not have a comprehensive list."

Tri chimed in, asking what Salora intended to do in Perborough.

"Well, mainly, I intend to offer my labour to those who can make use of it. I'm an alchemist, as you know, or a healer, to some. And then there are some purchases to be made to keep the waggon full and functional. Depending on where I'm off to next, I may have to look for new horses, give those lovelies a break," Salora explained, waving her hand in the direction of the horses pulling the waggon.

"If you're a healer, why are you not going to Welsborough? Surely, they would need your help there, with the plague ravaging," Tri spoke out loud what Michael was thinking.

"Unfortunately, I am not almighty. I may be able to temporarily protect a few of them, but the plague is far too infectious for me to contain. I would run out of herbs before any one were truly safe. I am afraid only a god can help Welsborough now. And who knows, perhaps one has already taken notice."

"Or perhaps one of them started it all," Michael found himself saying. He slapped a hand across his mouth and muttered a quick prayer to apologize. Tri seemed shocked, but Salora only nodded.

"That is well possible. Their motives are often too vast for us to grasp. Even still, that does not exclude the chance for any of the other gods to be stepping in to save the people." There was a long pause and Salora unknotted the reigns, holding them gently in her hands once again.

"What, other than human, are you?" Tri finally asked.

"My mother was what you would call a demon. Though the prejudices you likely have are unfounded. Demons are not bound to evil, nor to good. In fact, they are all servants of various gods, though some of them quit and go on to living lives more like humans do. That is what my mother did. If you wish to know more about demons, you will have to ask some clerics in Perborough." 

There was a finality in Salora's voice that prevented Michael from asking anything else. He suddenly realised how tired he was, so he thanked her for her openness and retreated to the spot in the waggon she had earlier designated to be his to sleep in. Tri followed not much later, silently sitting down on her own cushion. Despite not being used to sleeping in a seated position, Michael quickly relaxed and awoke only late the next morning.