A teleportation portal open before me. Just looking at the thing made old memories resurface. A nauseating experience. I hesitated, then took a few breathes and stepped forward. Letting the portal consume my body. A disgusting feeling like being covered in a sentient slime.
Just as I remembered, nauseating. It feels like my body is flipping and spinning in a vast, empty, dark space. Like a demented amusement park ride. Uncontrolled an chaotic.
A light appeared and I was out. Unbalanced, my legs feeling like jelly. I felt vomit coming up burning the back of my throat, but I swallowed it back down. Gulp. Gross. This shit doesn't get any easier.
After a few moments I closed my eyes, then regained my composure and took a few deep breathes. When I opened my eyes to see where I landed. I was in the city. It has been so long since I've been in a city. The streets were bustling with life. Street vendors were yelling to sell their products. People running back and forward between stalls. Carriages rushing down the streets.
A normal city if you looked at only the surface. However if you looked close enough you can see and feel the desperation. The people running between the stalls. We're looking for things to eat that they could actually afford. The vendors were yelling in desperation for their products to be sold. Probably so they can feed their families back home.
The buildings and houses medieval style architecture. A mixture of stone and wood. Old and weathered due to lack a maintenance. Some looking like could topple over at any second. Cracked if not shattered windows.
In the alleyways you could see the homeless and the starved. Some of them waiting for the chance to steal a loaf of bread. The rest too hungry to even move. Their life flickering in their eyes. Threatening to go out. One such man I watched I saw his eyes die before his body. Dim then dark. Dead.
Most of all the stench of death filled the air. Rot and decay filled the nostrils of any and all unwilling passerbys. From all the dead bodies that littered the alleyways no doubt. But also sickness, caused by low immune systems due to lack of nutrients.
I look behind me and see my companion standing there emotionless. Like the things around her had no effect to her. That may be my fault.
"Eliza, where are we?" I asked. My voice stern. Leaving to wonder if it really was a question that she could ignore or a command.
"Drakonos City, the capital of the Bahaumut Empire. Home of the dragons," she replied monotonous. Her face still revealing no expression.
"So, I'm finally here," I said sounding relieved. Plans turning in my head. Plans that have been in my head for two long torturous years. My revenge is about to come into fruition.
"Population?"
"36,000 and dwindling."
Tsk. I clicked my tongue. Unable to conceal my frustration. Damned king. What a useless piece of shit.
"Let's go. These people don't have the power or the energy to save themselves," I ordered with a frustration escaping in my tone. "Lead the way."
"Understood." Eliza maneuvered around me with grace. Her poise straight and noble. Like that of a high official.
She has long violet hair that was wrapped up into a tight ponytail that reached her waist. With a few bangs that covered her left eye. Matching violet eyes that are void of any emotion. With two small, violet draconic horns on top of her head, showing off her bloodline. Dressed in tight, black silk pants, silk white shirt that clung to her curves and a long white coat. Her figure a perfect hour glass. D-cups and and an ass that swayed with each step.
If I didn't fucking hate this woman with every fiber of my being and fuck with her brain. I would have probably gone after her. But after what she did... She probably hates that I didn't kill her. Good, this bitch deserves it.
As we walked down the street I watched the people in earnest. Their desperation quiet unheard and those that are heard.... met consequence. Soldiers, that you could tell were of noble lineage from how the looked at the world like they owned it, were beating the ones that voiced their pain.
"Smile for me. You should be glad I'm even acknowledging your pathetic existence. You trash," a soldier laughed. He looked like he was having the time of his life beating on someone who couldn't even defend themselves.
I couldn't help that my face twisted in disgust. Appalled by the scene before me. I shook my head slightly. Pushing the scene off to the side for right now. Soon. A new found determination rose from within and landed on my facial features.
Focus, intense focus and sheer will. Was the only thing keeping from killing that son of a bitch where he stood. I just had to wait a little bit longer.
Patience is a virtue, but it was also a torture. Grating on my ears as I heard the man's cries for help. Burning everlasting memories into my eyes as I watched the sick the poor the hungry dying in the streets.
I may not be able to save the dead, but I can work towards saving to ones that still live. I just need a few more days. But my first plan of action will start today. Just a little bit longer and they will be free of the tyrant king.
We walked for several minutes. Everyone avoiding us like the plague due to her horns. A sign of nobility, which the citizens have come to learn to fear.
We came up to a gate. A hundred feet tall. Bars made up of a dense alloy that I couldn't name. The guards at the gate looked at us and when they saw Eliza they immediately straightened their posture and became stiff.
"Welcome back, Miss Heartwind," the guards acknowledged. They saluted and immediately opened the gates. Eliza walked forward and I followed. Only to be stopped by one of the guards. With a hand on my chest.
Rage boiled underneath my skin. My eyes begining to turn red only to be interrupted.
"He's with me. Let him pass," she ordered her voice and flat and monotonous as ever.
The guards removed his hand from my chest and apologized to Eliza. Not to me but the robotic bitch in front. If I was a cartoon right steam would be coming from my ears and veins would be popping out in an anime fashion.
I took a deep breath and followed. Pushing my rage aside. On the other side of the gate I saw a new view a new version of the city.
Clean and pristine. Not a brick out of place. Not one silent cry of desperation. Not one dead corpse and not one whiff of anything foul. Like the air was filtered as it flowed from one side of the gate to the other.
"Where are we now?," I asked. Confusion hinted in my voice due to the sudden change of scenery.
"This is the upper section of the city," she answered. Continuing her walk unbothered by the change.
"The city is divided by three sections. The lower, where the commoners, the poor, or the mundane live. The upper, where the wealthy and nobles without territory live. Then the heaven section where the nobles with territories live when they visit the capital. Beyond that is the castle where the king lives. Our destination," she continued. Breaking it down like a school teacher.
"How long til we get there?"
"Not long. The remaining sections are smaller than the lower section."
We continued walking while I surveyed the scenery. People laughing. Happy. Fat. Lazy. Like theyve never known hardship. You can tell by the looks on their faces which ones have earned their right to be here and which ones were born into it.
The ones who did have the look of determination and triumph etched in their faces. Their hands calloused from hard work.
While the ones born into it look care free like they don't know what's going on just beyond the wall just a hundred feet away from them. Or worse they don't care. Hands, dainty unscathed, untouched by hard work.
Tsk.Over privileged brats. We kept walking and after about thirty minutes we appeared at another gate. This one even taller more regal. Decorated with gold and silver showing proof that the more privileged lived just on the other side.
The guards saw us approach and immediately recognized Eliza. They opened the gate without a second thought. As she walked past she signaled to the guards that I was with her. So she could avoid the previous altercation.
We walked past the gate and once again another change in scenery. Clean and pristine didn't even begin to describe it. The brick under our feet changed to marble. Leading to various gardens that were vibrant with colors.
There were mansions off to the distance. There was plenty of space in between each one. As you walked further, closer to the kings castle in the mansions turned into small castles.
Then the four closest to to the kings castle were the largest reserved for the highest of nobility. The Dukes. They surrounded the castle one to the northeast, northwest, southeast, and the southwest. The luxury of these assholes is unnerving.
The final gate finally came into view after an hour of walking. When we approached the guards saluted Eliza.
"I've come bearing news for the king," she informed as she walked up the middle. Before stopping just before them.
The guards looked at her puzzled. After a moment of hesitation the guard replied, "The king is busy and is not taking any visitors at the moment."
"I understand that the king is busy, but this matter is of grave importance," she urged. Her voice had not changed but the underlying tone was urgent almost threatening.
"Does not change the fact or the matter at hand. The king wants no visitors." The guard stood his ground leaving no room for argument.
"Well, I tried. Then I apologize for what happens next," she said without even the slightest bit of remorse. She turned on heel and walked gracefully behind me. Then once again turned and stood few feet from where I stood.
Finally, I've arrived.