Establishing the fortress

"Are you going to do it?" Nadia asked.

The two of them stood right within the hands reach of the third merchant. And yet, Mathew didn't reach out to establish the fortress.

"I..." Mathew hesitated.

He brought his arm up, aiming his hand at the bundle of shadows hidden underneath the merchant's robe. But he didn't grasp at it.

"It just feels slightly overwhelming," Mathew muttered, closing his fist. "Like, this moment marks the end of my knowledge," he added and gulped his saliva down.

"Isn't it a good thing?" Nadia asked, turning her face away from the merchant and towards Mathew. She then locked her arms on her chest and looked at her partner. "I know you might feel uncertain about what will come next," she said, only to shake her head and move it back towards the merchant. "Ultimately, though, waiting won't change a thing, would it?"

Mathew allowed Nadia's words to sound out in the air.