The carriage bounded over the grainy earthen fibers as it hurtled towards its destination, carrying the mercenaries of the Hook and Shield along a worn trail. The horseshoes clacked against the occasional rocky surfaces that sprouted every now and then, as the path wasn't very well maintained. Wooden post signs were the only thing that showed whether a random offshoot was a valid direction towards some other place, or merely the result of some negligence over the years battering the sand down until it resembled the road it stemmed from.
Bie felt a gust of wind enter the enclosed tarp through a sliver in the roof, the tear especially prominent among the many wrinkles that streamed along the cloth. Blue rays seeped into the carriage, making a particular spot emanate heat as the wood slowly cooked underneath the tyrannical warmth.
Bie's eyes were fixed on that tear, annoyed at it as the tarp had a bit more fabric to work with that could've easily patched the slit. He was tempted to activate Stitching, pulling the material into itself, but decided not to do so after some deliberation. His two companions only saw the young Guide's lip twitch as the yellow strands of hair that curled upwards hugged together before settling back to where they were previously, limp.
"It's pretty outside, isn't it, B?" Uris ventured to start up a conversation. hoping that Bie would extrapolate further. He didn't disappoint as he brought his gaze downwards, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes as his head was still upturned, blue violet lips parting.
"Yeah, I guess. What are we doing today, by the way?"
"We're going to escort one of the Eastern Renthic scientists to a business deal, where they'll be handing something over." Ulun held his eyes shut as his hands roamed the length of the hooks laid against his lap, before fishing around in his pocket and bringing out a whetstone.
"Why did you take this job, father? We're not in need of money right now..." Evident signs of displeasure were in no way hidden on Uris's face, her empty sclera now directed at Ulun, who was currently sharping his blade. Each slow stroke carried tension as silence hung between the two, five loops of the work transpiring before he finally answered.
"Can't go to war every day. Think of it as a break, I'll get you Ralan Oysters?" Ulun's voice curved towards the end as the irritation in Uris's intense eyes lessened as the pressure she exuded faded. Bie considered what was so important about oysters as his stomach rumbled, though he emitted no sounds the entire time. Or rather, the sounds he was making was being drowned out as the carriage shook to a stop, the horses letting out a loud whiney as they paused.
Bie rose up and left the carriage first, before being shocked at the sight that filled his vision. Luscious glades full of flowers and streams of lustrous water peacefully flowed downwards, while buildings somewhere between modern and medieval casted shadows down the hill. The brickwork of the structures was a lot tidier than the rickety wooden surfaces he had seen yesterday, while uniform colors of red and white paraded around the walls and the buildings alike. A massive red pylon domineered over the capitol, and further away from the city was the faint outline of a castle.
Ulun breathed in the air that lacked the dusty undertones that the sand brought about, his eyes tracing up and down the length of the clusters of pine trees with red fruits perched on its lower branches. Uris's eyes shone like a nebula as she took in even heavier heaves, her chest visibly expanding to one and one third of its original size as she let the rich forest smell coat her insides.
Bie took in some breaths as well, seeing how much the two liked it, and the smell of flowering petals hit him like a jackhammer. It shot straight down his nostril as he fell down, both the black and yellow portions of his hair dancing along the insides of his pulled hood.
Ulun wrapped the banner around the lower half of his head and then put on a shiny helm, the visor shaped like a grate to let streams of light in as the whole structure protruded like a beak, triangularly pointing outwards. He hurriedly retrieved the parchment from his pouch as he holstered his cane-like hooks, while Uris put out a similar looking helmet that had a green tinge to it.
They then left the carriage, Ulun paying for the ride and then giving another golden coin with the intention of having the wagon wait for them. The slobbering woman twiddled her thumbs before giggling, shoving the coin directly into her mouth as Uris watched in horror, and Bie simply shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't his business on what the woman with spider eyes that looked like a red bug screen and six sharp protrusions sticking out from her back chose to do with the money she received.
He treaded behind Ulun while dragging the dumbfounded Uris along, as they approached a guard in a hauberk with a large bardiche pointed towards the sky. The man was most likely a mercenary on duty, as he lacked the scientist coat that Bie had seen on the battlefield the day prior. The man had ridged ears that drooped downwards, unlike the smile on his face that rose even further when the two approached.
"I would've given ya'll trouble, if I didn't catch notice of that pattern on your banner, sir! Welcome in Hook and Shield, I already see the parchment in your hands, and I'm allowed to have a say in who comes and goes today!" The guard waved his free hand, ushering them in as the three passed him by. He was a little remorseful that he didn't get to thank the tall man in the plate mail, as Ulun had saved his life once before. Though he wondered why he sported headgear today. Wouldn't it be uncomfortable, as his hair would have to bunch up near the end of the helmet as it flowed down?
--
The colors visible from outside the wall were quite vibrant amongst the juxtaposition the verdant environment had wrought, though they were quite monotonous once one passed the city gates. Each building had a distinct simplistic pattern that designated its design and purpose, while a touchscreen board hung along the walls of some of the buildings denoting each function the patterns indicated.
Red swirls on a plain white were research areas, white stripes on a plain red were commercial establishments, pure white buildings were recreational facilities like bars and the like, and pure red was private property that required identification to enter.
The tiles were circles that alternated between the two colors, as people donning either red or white lab coats passed each other without even looking twice, even if they bumped shoulders. Oddly, the colors and patterns of the lab coats were aligned with the patterns depicted on the touchscreen, and only the people who wore the matching coats entered each building.
Mercenaries like them were promptly ignored as the scientists spotted the pure red parchment, and only the similarly plain red lab coated people spared them the slightest trace of interest.