Alex's consciousness faded before he could utter a word to Henry.
When he regained consciousness, Henry was still by his side, but the nurse had left, leaving behind only faint scars where his wounds had once been.
As Alex stirred, Henry remarked, "Can you believe the prices they charge here? Twenty-five gold! If your injuries don't kill you, the bill surely will." Alex replied, "I'll make sure to repay you for it."
Henry said, "Indeed, you will, but I don't want your money. Let's go to my place for lunch. my address is 6754 westbrook" Alex, taken aback, asked, "How long was I out?" Henry responded, "A little over six hours."
Alex's stomach grumbled, and he conceded, "I might just take you up on that offer." With that, Henry bid farewell and left.
Now alone with his thoughts, Alex pondered why henry was acting like that he had just saved him. after think about it from some time alex was pretty sure he could handle himself and needed to satisfy his curiosity.
About half an hour later, the nurse returned to formally discharge him.
She performed a diagnosis spell to ensure he had fully healed, and finding no remaining injuries, the she informed Alex, "Your friend, the older gentleman, has settled your bill, and you'll find all your belongings at the front desk. Here's the card to claim them."
The Healing Ward took great care to ensure their customers' privacy, storing all patients' items in numbered boxes until they were retrieved.
Alex made his way to the front desk, collected his gear from the designated box, and used the public washroom as a makeshift changing room.
Emerging in his standard attire, he left the Healing Ward. He decided to purchase an official map of the city from City Hall so that he could find Henry's street address.
As he traversed the bustling city, the warm and humid air, accompanied by the city's hum, reminded Alex of the home and city he had lost.
Eventually, he arrived at the imposing City Hall, a massive building that seemed to stretch infinitely upward, dwarfing its neighboring structures.
Hoping not to be recognized accidentally, Alex entered the building, keeping his head down as he navigated his way to a desk.
When he looked up, he saw a pleasant looking half-elf in business attire with brunette hair sitting there. She greeted him and inquired, "How can I assist you today?"
Alex, feeling a tad nervous, quickly replied, "I'd like to purchase a map. Could you help me, please?"
The woman responded promptly, "Certainly," and disappeared into a backroom. Within moments, she returned, holding a parchment in her hand.
"Here you go, sir. That'll be three gold," she said, placing the parchment in front of Alex. He examined it briefly, expressing his gratitude, and handed over the requested payment.
Alex was relieved that they hadn't asked to see his hunter's license or required him to register here in the city.
He swiftly exited the building, equipped with his newly acquired map of Dekkalo, and set off on his journey to Henry's address.
Following the main roads, he made good time and arrived ten minutes before noon.
However, the address Henry had given him led him to a dwelling that was not quite the home he had envisioned.
It was a sizable structure, not as grand as his old manor but still much larger than an ordinary home. The two-story building boasted solid stone brick walls, about a foot thick, on the second flow the stone merged into a solid wood plank, and a out reaching dark roof. Alex noticed that there were no windows, only a front porch with a small flower bed.
He cautiously approached, his eyes fixated on the center of the porch where a daunting iron door stood, adorned with seven intricate locks.
Alex understood the need for traders to protect their valuables, but this seemed excessive even for that.
Examining the door once more, he noticed an intricately designed iron knocker and hesitantly decided to use it. After a minute, a small slit on the door opened, revealing a pair of eyes. The voice behind the door inquired, "Who's there?" Alex replied, "It's me, Alex." The slit closed, and he watched as all the intricate locks disengaged.
With the final lock undone, the door swung open, leaving Alex in awe of what lay beyond—a cozy and inviting interior, a far cry from the stone fortress he had anticipated.
Standing in the doorway was a much younger man than Alex had expected, welcoming him inside.