After a few more days of travelling, the party had finally arrived at Bridgetown.
It was situated north of Lumhaven and west of Adalan, the First Kingdom, and was thrice the size of Lumhaven.
Bridgetown was a merchant town that thrived on the western bank of the Great River Nephar, the river that bisected the Sha'ayan continent vertically dividing it into the east and west regions. Two thirds of the town was built on the river bank while the rest sat atop a colossal earth bridge that connected the two sides of the river.
The great bridge dominated the town's skyline as it arched across River Nephar, becoming a symbol of trade and travel among the people of Sha'aya. Legends claimed that it was not built by regular masons but shaped by the wills of powerful mages who moved massive earth and rocks. The bridge was wide enough to hold multiple streets of its own, while slums formed in the underbelly of the bridge.
"Wow! Look at that bridge, it's huge," Eris exclaimed.
"It's bigger than the land bridge we went through in the north," Pell added.
They were able to pass through the guards at the southern gate of Bridgetown under Eris' party, and with a little intimidation from Lili.
Inside the town, there were different stores selling a plethora of unique magical items and curiosities. Giant rabbits and other tamed beasts carried merchants' wagons, rumbling across the sunbathed cobbled streets. The air was thick with the mingled aroma of various cuisines from across the land. Bridgetown was truly a bustling metling pot of cultures and traditions, a crossroads not only of trade but also of peoples, blending together in noisy harmony.
"We should head to the guild house first and get our reward," Eris said, excitement ringing in her voice. "Then, we can get an inn and start exploring the town!"
At the guild house, they were met with a familiar scene - a room full of adventurers, a guild board and a reception desk at the far end, though everything seemed to be bigger in Bridgetown when compared to Lumhaven.
"Good day, adventurers!" greeted a young woman with short red hair and glasses. Her face bore a striking resemblance to someone they knew.
"Misa!?" Eris shouted in disbelief.
Straf rubbed at his eyes to make sure he was seeing things clearly. "How did you end up here, Misa? And you changed your hairstyle."
The guild receptionist let out an endearing chuckle, "I'm not Misa. My name is Masa. Misa's my cousin. We come from a long line of guild receptionists."
"Wow, that's so cool!" Eris exclaimed. "It's nice to meet you then, Masa. My name's Eris"
"Likewise Miss Eris, what can I do for you?" Masa said, a sweet smile escaped her lips.
Eris handed her the dungeon map, compass and a bag full of monster shards. "We just cleared a dungeon at Mount Elaron."
"That's perfect. In behalf of the guild, we thank you for your service!" Masa accepted the items, carefully checking its contents. "I'll hand this over to our appraiser and get back to you with your reward for clearing the dungeon and these shards."
Eris and her party made their way to an empty table in the hall and took their seats.
"So where are you guys gonna go, we can take the day off today," Eris asked.
"I'll probably go to a bathhouse. I saw one on the way here," Lili said, weary from all the travelling they had done. More than seeing, she had probably been drawn by the soothing fragrance of the scented oils and magical elixirs wafting from the bathhouse.
"I think me and Pino will check out some apothecaries in town. Maybe they'd know something about a cure for Pino," Pell replied, feeling somewhat hopeful they would find something.
Pino nodded his head in agreement.
Straf gripped his sword noticing the Mana from the stone slowly fading. "I need to replace the fire crystal on my sword, so a magic shop for me. Then, I'll have a blacksmith put it in place."
"That's great. We can go together. I was planning to buy some potions and a sheath for my new dagger," Eris said, pulling out the dagger she got from the Wraith dungeon which she had been putting in her leather bag.
A few moments passed and a fight broke out at the table beside them.
"It's your fault, Karan, we weren't able to clear that dungeon! If it wasn't for your loud Cinder Fox, the Mandragoras wouldn't have woken up! Stupid!" an adventurer roughly the same age as Eris yelled.
"Well, if you hadn't kicked Cindy, she wouldn't have shrieked, you idiot! Some leader you are," another adventurer exclaimed in anger. His name was Karan.
In a burst of fury, he yanked Karan by the shirt. "That monster was in my way!"
"Cindy's not a monster! She's my friend."
"If you think that beast is your friend, you're really pathetic."
"Hey, knock it off!" Eris commanded, trying to put an end to the fight. "Let go of him."
"This is none of your business, stay out of it," the leader scoffed, dismissing Eris' words. "I'm the leader and my members should learn to respect me."
Appearing suddenly, Masa moved to pacify both sides. "Malrik, Karan! Please stop fighting at once. This is a place of cooperation, not a brawl pit."
Not wanting to incur penalties, the quarreling adventurers exited the guild house, exchanging lingering stares before leaving.
"Thank you Miss Eris, that could have gotten much worse," Masa let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, here's your reward for clearing the dungeon on Mount Elaron."
Masa handed twelve gold coins to Eris. "Again, thank you for your service. Please feel free to check out missions from our board or come to me if you want to go clear some dungeons in the area." Masa returned to her desk, attending to a new group of adventurers with their queries and requests. Such was the work of a guild receptionist.
After looking over the map of Bridgetown posted in the guild house, they each went on their own way, agreeing to meet at the town square at around seven o'clock to have some dinner.
"That was so relaxing!" Lili felt her body fully rejuvenated.
"It's okay, Pino. Don't give up," Pell tried to comfort her brother after not finding any clues to a cure. Aside from the apothecaries, Pell and Pino had also visited a clothes weaver where they bought Pino a large hooded cloak, so he won't draw as much attention to himself.
"Wow! This fire crystal is more powerful," Straf exclaimed, admiring his upgraded sword after a trip from the blacksmith.
"I've finally got a sheath for my new dagger," Eris said with a grin. "I should really start to practice using my left hand now."
Eris and her party had met at the agreed upon time in the town square. After days of living in the forest, stepping into the town square was truly magic for the senses. Everywhere they looked, there were colorful stage performers, children darting through the crowds, merchants shouting out their wares, and voices overlapping with incredible stories. The experience felt overwhelming, but there was an undeniable energy to it, it was the heartbeat of the town itself.
"Let's go to that tavern Masa recommended. Distant Delicacies!" Eris pointed to a large establishment that had glowing orbs spell out the name.
"Welcome to Distant Delicacies! We offer familiar flavors from every corner of the continent!" a tavern hand in a maid outfit gestured to an empty table.
The tavern featured an open kitchen where various food items were displayed in a long table and diners would line up, get a plate and take whatever food they want. At the end of the line, they would pay the tavern keeper their foods' worth.
Eris noticed the cooks using wind enchanted knives to swiftly slice through meats and vegetables. There was also a magical tool the dishwasher was using - a globe of water floating atop an intricate stone slab. When the dishwasher channeled Mana into the slab, the water quickly spun cleaning the kitchenware inside it.
Wind and Water magic! If Mom had these, she would have no problem cooking and cleaning.
In Sha'aya, aside from defeating monsters, magic played a vital role and permeated into almost all aspects of life. Water magic, in particular, had many practical applications in people's everyday lives, from cleaning, bathing to even transport of goods.
However, despite advancements in Ore Alchemy and the general understanding of magic, conjured water cannot be used for drinking, as mages cannot replicate the life sustaining properties that 'natural' water has. Some scholars believed it to be a human limitation - a divine law placed by the gods so that humans could never surpass them.
Eris got a plate of Lumhaven's famous Slime Stew. "This is so good! But Mom's is still better."
Straf helped himself to a serving of Sword Fish Fillet - a dish said to improve one's swordsmanship. A parfait of exotic fruits for Lili and Pino, an odd thing to choose for a six foot tall Werewolf. Lastly, Pell had ordered a Zundavan specialty - skewers of different monster meats roasted over a bed of fire stones.
"Delicious!" Lili exclaimed, her face lighting up with a cheerful smile.
"I'm gonna get another plate!" Straf stood up and walked to get in line, wanting to try another dish.
"Pino, do you want some skewers?" Pell asked her brother, handing him a stick full of glistening charred morsels.
After surviving on forest food for days, the rich flavors of well-spiced dishes filled their palates with overwhelming joy - each bite a slice of heaven. The night carried on with laughter and conversation, their bellies full, and their souls fuller.
Bridgetown had truly been an experience worth the journey.