The light through the door is blinding. My body felt like it was recoiling from the intensity of the light. Almost as if it's a literal barrier between us and the next step.
Regardless we press on. Stepping through the door, each step heavier than the last.
The door let out a creak before slamming shut. The thud rattling my whole body until it faded to nothing.
Then it struck. The city.
Noise, colour, smell. Everything at once.
The air was thick with the scent of bread, smoke, and manure. Some things I couldn't place and even more I simply didn't recognise.
The streets trailed off, appearing endless.
People surged through the streets like water crashing down a river. More heads than blades of grass in any field I'd ever seen.
Merchants yelling from their stands. Discounts, sales, one of a kind limited offers
Parents yelling at children to come back. Yelling to stop touching things.
I took a deep breath. It felt like breathing for the first time.
My eyes drift up. Following the billowing smoke up into the clouds.
My eyes slowly drift back down to Aric, standing next to me. Frozen in place.
Aric gasps softly.
Aric: "God. It feels like the walls are closing in. So tall. So imposing."
I turn to the walls behind us. Appearing even taller from the inside than the outside. Wrapping around the sky and closing off the horizon.
Its presence didn't bother me. It felt solid. Reliable.
Kareth: "You don't like it?"
He shook his head firmly. Still staring up at the walls
Aric: "I feel caged in here. Even if it's actually massive. I mean the outside felt endless didn't it?"
I don't have a response. Simply because I don't understand how he's feeling.
We press forward, attempting to stay close in the swarms of people.
The streets feel more alive than anything I've seen before. Every corner, store, stall and alley has another story. Life seeping into every crevice in the city.
Sparks fly from an open forge. The deep grumble of the blacksmith echoing out the door. A cloaked figure slipping between the crowd, the jingling of trinkets they carry following their every move.
Despite his earlier comments about not liking the walls Aric seemed to be coping with being in the city well. His eyes seemingly looked in every direction, pointing out banners, windows, accents of the walls and the accents of passing strangers. He laughed as a small boy bumped into him while chasing some sort of wooden hoop.
For me it was too much. I liked being in the walls, the security of it all. Despite that my head banged with a rhythmic throb. Every noise cutting over another and adding to the chaos of it all. Every motion trying to pull my eyes towards it. It felt like I was instinctively trying to understand everything at once.
It almost felt like I could. I was seeing things I couldn't actually see. The forest was silent compared to this. Even the village was fine.
After some time walking through the streets the crowd began to thin out to a much more manageable density.
Aric's stomach grumbled
Aric: "We haven't eaten since the last time we slept. That was like 2 whole days ago at least."
Kareth: "We'll try to find a tavern. Or something similar."
My head kept aching, though it was slowly fading away.
Aric jogged up to a few paces ahead of me before looking around the corner.
Aric: "It's a tavern! Or something similar. Either way they probably have food!"
Aric yelling was the last thing I needed right now. Though a tavern is nice nonetheless.
I move a bit quicker to catch up to him. Though it's futile as Aric has already run off to the tavern.
A worn sign sways in the wind above the door. Creaking as it shifts in the air. The top of the sign is adorned with the painting of some kind of bug.
Below the sign and next to the door stood a man. A bit taller than me and much bulkier.
Aric rushed for the door without hesitation, but was stopped by the burly man.
Burly man: "Liscence."
Aric blinked. Confused.
Aric: "Liscence?"
He paused in thought for a second.
Aric: "Oh. That thing the entry lady was talking about. We only have entry tickets. Is that enough to get in? Were really hungry."
Burly man: "Just an entry ticket ain't enough. If you want a drink, food or work you'll need a licence."
Aric: "We can get a licence at the guild hall right? Where's that?"
The man sighed, pointing off to his right, forward of where we just were.
Burly man: "Guild hall is that way. To get the licence there's a fee and you gotta fork over your details. Until you get a licence you're a stray in the eyes of Esmourne. This place don't serve strays."
Despite his words, his tone wasn't cruel. It felt like he was saving us from what could happen if we went inside without a licence. Tough love or whatever they call it.
Aric sighed before muttering under his breath.
Aric: "Figures."
We walk 100 or so meters before asking a passing mother for directions. Her kid tugged at her dress as she gave us a confused look before pointing further down the street we were on.
Woman: "Down this street then to the left at the first intersection. It's so overcrowded with people and banners you won't miss it."
Aric thanked her and we kept walking
Aric is a few paces ahead of me as we get to the intersection, peering around to the left.
As I caught up to him, I realised the woman wasn't lying. A crowd of people was formed outside the hall, waiting for entrance. Carrying an assortment of weapons and adorned in an assortment of armour.
As we walk up to the guild hall the crowd thins, slowly making their way inside.
Just before the door Aric stopped.
Aric: "H-Hey Kareth. Does that woman look like something we've heard of before?"
He was right. I look forward and see a woman, leaning against a post off to the side of the main entrance.
Her cloak was ragged, torn in a few places. One sleeve hanging empty.
She was noticeably taller than I was, standing at nearly the same height as the door.
Her brown hair caught the light, causing gold-like highlights to show. Bright blue eyes scanning the shops across the road
Scars litter her face, a major one crossing from above her right eye all the way down to her jaw. The exposed parts of her remaining arm were covered in scars the same as her face.
A spear rested lazily against the wall next to her. Taller than she was, the pole wrapped in leather. The tip chipped but still gleaming in the light. A piece of light blue cloth swaying in the wind just below the tip of the spear.
My steps faltered slightly. This was undeniably the woman that the crazed and disheveled man spoke of when we were on the path to Esmourne.
Hopefully she did attack the man for a valid reason. If not Aric and I might be at risk of a confrontation while neither of us are in a state to fight.
Aric: "That's her right? She looks exactly like how that man described her."
Kareth: "No shit Aric."
Aric's grin was cautious. But it was unmistakable that he was going to try something.
Something probably very stupid.