"Do you even know what this?" the old man, who Jamal learned was Frazer, as he was describing the vehicle they were driving in, during a temporary rainstorm.
"No, but I know what a tarr is."
"Ah, well these are called carrs, and you may not know this, but this is what they based the tarr off of, or at least the earlier versions."
He didn't know that, as he couldn't even tell the difference, but it must be true, as took a sharp left onto a nearly obscure stone path, causing the vehicle to jump up and about over the stones.
"You must work for these guys?" Jamal jolted aloud while they were crossing above.
"I just help when I can." Frazer affirmed, as they finally reached a dirt path, continuing onward.
The ride was silent from there, as the rainstorm stopped and Jamal snacked on a piece of leftover deer meat, already three days old. The inside of the carr was comfortable, despite being much worn-down and it only existing for a few years, perhaps from moving through the tough parts of Yodenia. It was at this moment, when Jamal could see the edges of two people down the road, stopping the carr ahead.
"This is the part where's up to you. Good luck, and I hope you get to see your family." Frazer wished him.
"Thanks for everything. I hope I can find Zim so he can see you again too." Jamal believed as he got his cleaned-up cloak, and a small bag he was given, before getting out of the carr to greet the two people ahead.
"State your name and prove yourself." they both asked, aiming their rifles at him.
"Jamal Wrint and Frazer brought me here." he commented, as he lit a fireball from his hands.
"I think he should see the leader." one of them asked, to which the other nodded. "Come with us."
He didn't mind as he followed them through the thicket of the forest. If they're losing this war, then something's going on, Jamal recalled a lesson in Suthurum describing how a case could change the outcome in battle. As they reached a clearing with several small houses with one of the doors open and shouting could have been heard. They lead him up the steps of the worn out hut, as they entered inside, to see a young woman around Jamal's age yelling at a slightly older man who seemed to be around thirty.
"It's not my fault they weren't listening to me." the man tried to defend himself, but the woman ignored him.
"If you follow my orders, then it wouldn't have happened! Now if you don't do as I say, you'll be back cleaning the town. Get out of here!" she cried out, with the man leaving instantly, before sitting back in a rickety wooden seat behind an older desk. "Now who is this?"
"Jamal Wrint ma'am, one of the most wanted criminals in all of Yodeni-, I mean Saputa ma'am." one of the people that brought him here said.
She eyed him, as she got up, before getting close to him. She walked around him, studying every attribute about him, as he stood there quietly. He was trying to leave, not help these people right now.
"Come outside." she motioned him, as he followed behind her.
They walked several feet away from the buildings, as she motioned him to a spot.
"If you're really who you claim to be, then show me your strongest form, from what I heard you can do."
He stood there in shock. He hadn't pushed himself in years since the Port-O-Bea attack, and engulfing himself in flames was only slightly better than being in his "sparking" form, which he rarer used nowadays. But if this was his only chance of getting home, it would do.
Concentrating, he closed his eyes, as he felt that familiar engulfing of the flames on him. Looking up, he took a deeper breath as he focused for the flames to get thicker and larger. The woman watched as the aura around him slowly expanded, but it was clearly difficult despite him looking in a fit condition.
Jamal could see the displeasure, as he began to yell in fury, the flames getting more aggressive than before.
"I, I, I nee-" he tried to speak, it being hard without the flames to get smaller.
"This is ridiculous. We needed better. Someone take him back." she began to turn around.
"No!" he cried out, the aura breaking free as it quickly expanded near the houses.
She turned around to see the flames at least several feet away from his body, the heat radiating as if she was next to him, before it dissipated and he almost stumbled to the ground, before steadying himself.
"Excuse the entrance, but it's been a bit. But it's still me." he managed to grin.
She smiled back with interest as she snapped her fingers and told the two guards that brought him here, "Let's see what needs to be done, so we all get what we want."