Using the map to guide her, she walked the dusty streets of the city, passing the main plaza. She stopped for a moment, when the large statue in the middle of the plaza caught her attention. It was a carving of a glorious knight in ebony armor. His sword extended to the clear blue sky above him. Something about the statue irked Michiko, but she did not know why.

She shrugged the feeling and continued to her destination. When she reached it, she was faced with a poorly built gate. You could see clearly past the walls of the camp, for the walls were made of strange whire. The wire was rusted and sharp. “ Excuse me, please tell me why you guard this gate. Michiko asked the two guards half asleep standing guard. The two jumped at the sudden presence of a high ranking official before them.

The two both bowed. “ Ma’am, we guard this gate so none of those rat scats get out.” The first guard answered. Rat scats, the words made her blood boil. “ I see.” She answered back, trying to sound as professional and calm as possible.  She could see the terribly made tents, dirt, mud, and filth these people lived in. this sight put a pit in her stomach. 

“ Well, I sadly have a meeting with one of those rat scats about a crime they witnessed a week ago. I need to speak with them.” The words that came from her mouth made her want to gag. The two guards looked at each other, and then back at Michiko. “ I-im sorry ma’am, but we can’t allow you to go into the camp.”

“ And why is that?” Michiko found it hard to keep a calm tone. “ The tenth sage ma’am, he’s made it a law in the city. No high status officials below the sages may enter an outcast camp. It’s dangerous, and you ought not be seen with such scum ma’am.” 

“ You don’t seem to understand, this is something I cannot pass up. The non elf I am to meet with is a key witness. Do you expect me to simply walk away from such information?” Michiko snapped back, but still held on to her tone of authority. “ N-no ma’am we don’t. But the law is the law. I can’t let you into the camp.”