Felix waited at the port for the ship they came in on to depart, waving at the people he’d spent the last leg of his journey with. This port was far less busy than any of his other recent visits, with only one ship offloading cargo now that theirs had left. Further down the dock, he could see what looked like a private dock with a bunch of smaller private vessels. It looked like any one of the tiny ships dwarfed the cost of the hauler he arrived on.

  Seeing no way off the dock except through the cargo bay, he looked around and found a few dock workers who didn’t look too busy.

  “Excuse me, could I ask you guys for directions? I’m trying to find the grand formation.”

  Instead of the shakedown he was expecting, Felix was greeted with warm smiles.

  “You a Traveller boy?”

  “That’s right, I’m trying to learn more about natural formations, so I came to check it out.”

  For some reason, his response got a round of laughter from the group.

  “You aren’t limping, so that cart must be full of treasure.”

  That comment solicited another round of laughter. Though a few just gave him pitying grins, one of them spoke up.

  “It’s down by Golden Dock, boy, don’t worry, you’re not the first to come here without knowing. Go check it out, come back here once you’re done, and we’ll help you out.”

  Felix looked at the group, confused, but they didn’t answer any more of his questions, just telling him to go.

  He heard another round of laughter bursting out when they saw Felix and Menium pushing the cart towards the private dock. It became clear why when they passed through a small gate fencing off the private dock from the cargo dock.

  This looked nothing like any of the docks Felix had ever visited. The dark wood of the dock was polished, and ornate lanterns turned the berths into showcases for the magnificent ships that stopped there. Well-dressed valets stood ready to receive guests and handle their luggage.

  Felix immediately felt out of place as he pushed his weather-beaten cart onto the manicured walkway. The creaking wheels announced his presence while the trail of dusty tracks he left on the polished wood made clear where he’d come from. He hesitated on the other side of the gate, wondering whether to head back directly or ask the valets for directions. Perhaps there was a side entrance he could take to get to the formation without disturbing the visitors to this place.

  While Felix hesitated, one of the staff spotted him and quickly pointed him out. After a brief discussion, a young human woman approached him with a smile. He looked over at Menium to see the monkey staring back at him with an equally awkward look.

  “Hello, sir, welcome to the Shrouded Peak Retreat. My name is Elara. Do you have a reservation, or would you like an introduction to the resort?”

  “Uhm, no, I’m just a little lost. I’m looking for the natural formation. I don’t suppose you could give me directions?”

  “Then you must be a Traveller! You don’t need to worry sir, we cater to all Travellers who come to study the formation. We have specialized rooms for those with water and fire affinities. We even have rooms for any of the specialised affinities that would benefit from studying the formation.”

  She pulled out a few brochures and handed them to him while she continued her spiel.

  “Guests who choose the excelsior package may receive guidance from a master of the same affinity who can guide their experience at the resort. It’s been described as a life-changing experience that advanced their path by decades. Of course, all packages include access to the formation hot springs, mountain hiking trails and access to the tours of the underground caverns for those seeking to explore on their own or just enjoy the resort's many fantastic offerings.”

  “Uhm, my affinities aren’t related to fire or water, I’m just here to study the formation.”

  “That’s not a problem at all! We have several formation masters…”

  While she continued to ramble, Felix looked at the brochures she handed him. The first one was a list of all their available packages and what’s included in each. The prices next to the packages made his eyes water.

  He thought visiting Starfarer Willow’s grove was expensive. He was wrong. Even the cheapest package on offer would empty his savings with a single night’s stay. He quickly flipped through the rest of the brochures, one on the excelsior package, a few on the various facilities, restaurants and music halls, and one on the experts available to offer guidance to Travellers.

  With each brochure, his mood dipped further. Together, they painted a clear picture. The resort completely occupied the formation. He should have guessed it when he decided to visit a formation that created hot springs, but he’d never really thought of the implications. After all, his focus was on getting to Caelwyn. This was just an excuse to make his journey look less intentional.

  When Felix got to the second-to-last brochure, his face lit up. As soon as the valet saw the expression on his face and what he was looking at, she abruptly stopped her spiel. It was only a single page, and it seemed designed to be as boring as possible. Buried in the flowing lines of fine print he found a hidden detail.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  When Felix read it, he understood why they’d gone to the trouble of hiding it. Travellers were allowed to visit the formation without visiting the resort. The fact that it was written in legal terms made it clear that this was a rule of the Alliance, one that the resort only begrudgingly allowed.

  “Can I take it that you would like to do the self-guided tour, sir?” Elara asked with a smile, though a twinge of her lip made him feel like she was a little disappointed.

  Felix was surprised to see that she was still just as friendly as when she delivered her sales pitch.

  “Uh, yes, please, will that be a problem?”

  She shook her head.

  “Of course not, sir, though one of our junior staff members will accompany you on your tour and you’ll be expected to follow the rules of the resort during your visit. You also won’t be allowed to use any of the resort's amenities. You’ll need to take care of your own meals and shelter. Your guide can share the details. I’ll need to see your identity token, though.”

  “Uh, yeah, that’s fine. Aren’t you upset that I found out about that rule?”

  Felix asked while he fished in his pocket for his token. The question got him a little chuckle from Elara.

  “Not at all. The resort prefers paying customers, of course, but we won’t turn away a Traveller. If you make it further in your journey, we’d prefer you remember your visit fondly so you come back for the full experience. We know our prices are steep, but by giving you a look inside, we think you’ll see that they’re worth it.”

  She finished with a wink.

  Felix thought about it for a moment before he nodded.

  “I guess that makes sense. Uhm, is there somewhere I can leave my cart?”

  “Sure, you can leave it to them, just remove anything you want to keep with you during your stay.”

  Felix looked to where she indicated to see two valets standing at the ready to take his cart. Somehow they’d snuck up on him without his notice.

  Still feeling a little awkward about the whole thing, he agreed before grabbing his backpack, some rations, snacks for Menium and his last common forest dark weed from the back. The weed was starting to look a little sad due to the limited care it’d received during their voyage.

  With Menium helping to carry their things, he followed Elara into the resort. The entrance was a bare stone tunnel dug into the side of the mountain. A thin sheet of water ran down the side at regular intervals, forming waterfalls that flowed into the two still pools on either side of their path.

  Steam rose from the water, forming various flowers and little aquatic creatures that would linger for a little while before dispersing. The tunnel was lit by lotus flowers drifting on the still ponds filling the hall with their scent. The path itself was completely level with the two ponds, a smooth white stone with tasteful touches of blue and amber crystal inlays. At the end of the path, two large doors stood open with a couple of armoured guards on either side.

  When they stepped through the door, Felix expected to find himself in the mountain. Almost an entire face of the mountain had been carved open, letting in natural light from outside. Exposed mountain rock was present in places, but it mostly served as decoration.

  The lobby was mostly built of white stone, with crystal inlays and fantastic displays of water and steam used as decoration. The open face of the mountain ensured the air was crisp and fresh despite all the steaming water displays. He didn’t have long to admire the sight before Elara drew his attention. While Menium and Felix gaped at the sight, she spoke to the receptionist and arranged for a guide.

  “Sir, this is Pip. He’ll be acting as your guide during your stay. He can answer any questions you may have. Shrouded Peak Retreat wishes you a pleasant stay. We hope to entertain you as a guest in the future. May your studies be fruitful.”

  With that, she gave Felix a shallow bow before heading back to the entrance, leaving him with his guide. Felix had difficulty estimating his guide's age because of his unique features. His best guess would be that he was even younger than Felix, or perhaps he was around the same age.

  The boy was clearly a beastkin, likely a batkin. He had large dark eyes and a rather pointed face that looked almost like a snout, ending in a dark nose. His head and face were covered in a slightly shiny grey fur that looked incredibly soft.

  He was short, only coming up to a little higher than Felix’s waist, though his frail-looking arms were longer than Felix's, ending in a set of three little claws that he used as hands. When his arms moved, Felix could see the membranous wing that attached to his side. He wore a dark blue suit with a white topcoat bearing the resort's symbol on its breast.

  “Hello, I’m Pip. As Elara said, I’ll be accompanying you during your stay. Since you aren’t staying as a guest. I’m limited in what I can do. I can answer questions about the resort and our services. I can lead you through the resort. That’s about all.”

  He handed Felix a little leaflet.

  “These are the rules. It has a map of the resort and the areas that are open to you. I recommend you visit the campgrounds first. You can leave your belongings there. It’s guarded, so you don’t need to worry about your things being taken.”

  The boy’s voice was a little shrill. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant to listen to, but Felix had to focus to make out what he was saying.

  “Thanks, I’m Felix, and this is Menium. Please take care of us. I think dropping off our stuff sounds like a good idea. It will give me a chance to look through this.”

  Felix indicated the leaflet.

  After Pip gave his agreement, he quickly led them out of the lobby and towards the campground. The ornate architecture quickly gave way to simpler designs. While it was still elegantly done, the inlays became simpler, and the water features were less fantastical and the air was a little stale. It gave the impression that this part of the retreat was designed more for function than form.

  Soon, even that gave way as they passed through a set of smaller stone doors, then a short, exposed stone cave, and onto a hiking trail that led to the back of the mountain.

  Eventually, they arrived to find a small plateau covered in a silvery-white grass. On one edge, a narrow waterfall fell into a deep pool. On the edge of the pool, a large willow with pale green leaves cast shade over part of the pool and part of the campground.

  Two tents were already set up on one side of the willow, leaving enough space between them to allow for a bit of privacy. Felix quickly picked a spot under the tree that respected the space of the other two tents.

  “Pip! Is that you?” A voice called from the tree’s canopy.

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