The gates of Seroti were open, and entering the city proved easy enough.
Unlike Gloam, there were no guards checking those who entered.
There were a few figures on the walls, and Sonder wondered if the guards simply couldn't see them through the fog.
She had expected the fog to be just as thick inside the city, but somehow, it was much lighter. It still hung over the streets in places, drifting between buildings and gathering in narrow alleys, but she could see well enough to make out her surroundings.
The city looked much like any other human city.
Houses stood close together along the streets, shops displayed their wares in windows, and market stalls offered food, clothing, and all sorts of little things.
People walked about, talking to one another, carrying baskets, and going about their daily business.
The roads were still wet from the previous days' rain, but that was to be expected. Puddles had gathered in the uneven parts of the streets, and the stones shone faintly beneath the gray sky.
For a while, Sonder and Vell simply wandered around.
They had no particular destination in mind. They looked at the buildings, the stalls, and the people passing by. Vell seemed especially interested in the architecture, occasionally stopping to examine some detail of a house or the shape of a roof.
Sonder was content to follow him.
It was nice to be in a city again, but they had one obvious problem.
They had no money.
Vell stopped beside a market stall displaying a variety of pastries. He looked at them for a moment, then glanced at Sonder.
"It's rather sad, isn't it? That we can't afford anything."
Sonder looked at the pastries. "They do look nice."
"They do. I wonder how they taste."
"You could ask."
"And then what? Stand there looking miserable while the seller tells me the price?"
Vell sighed and moved on, though Sonder noticed him glancing back at the stall once or twice.
They continued through the streets, passing more shops and market stalls. The fog seemed to be growing thinner as they walked.
It no longer obscured the far ends of the streets, and the buildings that had been hidden behind it gradually came into view.
Vell stopped and looked up at the sky.
Sonder followed his gaze.
"I have a feeling something else will replace the fog. The weather has been terrible for days, and I'd rather not be caught off guard by whatever comes next."
"Maybe it will clear up?"
"Maybe."
He did not sound convinced.
They had reached a broader street, where several people were gathered outside an inn or tavern.
Sonder couldn't tell which, but there were tables near the entrance and a few people sitting beneath the overhang, talking among themselves.
Beside the building stood a church, its stone tower rising above the surrounding rooftops.
Vell looked at the people outside the tavern, then at the church, and finally at the sky.
His expression grew thoughtful as he looked between them.
"Sonder, you can create barriers, can't you? I've taught you how, but I hope you're not rusty."
She looked at him. "I can. It is easy."
"Good."
He gestured towards the people sitting outside the tavern.
"Would you mind placing one just above them?"
Sonder stared at him for a moment.
"I can."
"Good. Place it about ten paces above their heads, and make it roughly ten paces long and ten paces wide."
She had questions, but Vell seemed quite serious.
So she raised her staff and formed a barrier above the people outside the tavern.
It took little effort to maintain.
Those who noticed it gave her curious looks. Some appeared alarmed, while others simply went about their day.
"There," she said. "What is this for?"
She didn't have to wait long for the answer.
A flash of light split the sky.
Lightning struck the church tower, illuminating the stonework for an instant before the upper section cracked apart.
People shouted.
A shower of stone and broken masonry fell from above, scattering across the street. Some of it struck the roof of the tavern, while the rest fell directly towards the people gathered outside.
But it never reached them.
The debris struck Sonder's barrier and bounced away, breaking apart as it fell to the ground on either side.
One particularly large piece struck the barrier and split in two, the fragments crashing onto the wet road a short distance from the people beneath it.