"Who are you?" A young woman suddenly asked me. I looked at her and tried to look perfectly sane, while I would have preferred to jump like a hyperactive child because I was now super duper rich! I could finally buy any skill I want and can finally upgrade my class to [Battle Mage]!
"I am nothing but a humble visitor."
"Who brought you here? You suddenly appeared, are you a mage?"
"Yes, I am a mage and uh, used my magic to come to this place."
"Wooow! How long do you already live in Daybreak? I was raised here and seldomly meet people from outside."
"You - you grew up in this city?" Wait a moment. Where am I? And where is this city the woman called Daybreak? My map showed me that I was still in Falan, in the same barony in which Daystreak was. I zoomed in. I was at Daystreak. It was the same place on the map. So how…
I looked at my notification again. The city below? I looked up. Above the lanterns hung everywhere, a high ceiling of polished moonstone reflected the light. But it was without a doubt stone and no sky. Suddenly, I understood. I always wondered why the Lord of the Underworld had so few people. But I was wrong. He had more than enough citizens to not only built a castle under Daystreak, but even an entire city! How can I even run from here? Did I jump from the wolf's den into the tiger's mouth?
"No, I was born in Daystreak but my parents followed the lord and were given entry towards Daybreak. This is the reason why I spent most of my life here." I wanted to ask her if she was unable to leave this city, but I stopped myself. Someone belonging here wouldn't ask such things, even if they weren't here for long. Instead I tried to look for a landmark.
But the buildings around me were too high to pinpoint any special location.
"I would love to chat with you, but I already have an appointment and need to leave."
"Where are you headed to? We can walk together if we have the same or a similar destination."
"I must head this way." I pointed in the street behind her, hoping she didn't need to take this way.
"Oh, sadly I need to take another street." she said and I sighed in relief inside my mind. For once, luck was on my side.
"Yes, I will go now, or I will be too late, goodbye!" I waved at her and left. It was a close catch. As soon as I walked a few streets I walked to the roadside and looked at the amount of money again. Sure, my added up earnings might be of a similar or higher number, but this was still very much money! I could buy a ton of skills and equipment as well as handle my promotion. So my next plan would be to find the market after finding a map and a way out of this city. My escape out of the castle of the Lord of the Underworld - this name made a lot of sense, thinking about it, at least regarding this city fully submerged into the depths under Daystreak, - was more than messy. I needed to find a way to escape his clutches, the black market especially, if I wanted to run from his reach. But since I was at the heart of his own homebase, I would try to get everything I needed to get stronger. Since I couldn't force answers out of him, I needed to find the issuer himself. It had to be a customer of the black market, and they must be rich and influential. So my list of suspects was narrowed down. Since I couldn't question the ruler of the black market, I had to settle for less.
Finding the assassin and the contractor. Which wasn't easy at all. And with my luck (which was maybe already exhausted for the next months after being used up for my escape and gain in finding this city below Daystreak) all the players I would face off while searching for the suspect would be stronger than me. And if I alerted them, they would guard around me. I had to be prudent and cautious. Again, there would be only one chance to gain insight to possible evidence.
I already gave up on questioning the Lord of the Underworld. He would possibly die before I reached his level. Sigh.
Level 45 wasn't high, considering some players already closing in towards level 260. The highest number on the world ranking is updated regularly. Last time I checked, they were competing for level 255 like fierce carnivores, hoping to draw the blood of others.
But they had whole parties built around them, guilts who supported them and more than that, they had talent. At least they were more talented than me. So my course of action would be to try to at least achieve gaining power, if I lacked the talent and the connections to rise to the top.
My steps fastened, I hurried through the streets barely able to notice the beauty of the whole city. Buildings that were more fitting of the middle or upper class, no dirt or poverty. Happy faces all around me, people who went on their ways to work or do some errands while chatting or living their life to the fullest. No matter how far I went, the city only showed one face: A whole family of happiness and shared wealth and values. It was a miracle.
And the more I saw and after climbing atop one of the houses I grasped how big this city must be. The structure was gigantic, maybe equalling a quarter or even a third of Daystreak.
I was sure that thousands of people were living here, maybe even above 10 thousand.
The Lord of the Underworld was an unpredictable foe of the city lord of Daystreak. I would maybe assist him after my revenge, if he wasn't as sketchy as he appeared. But I had another objective now.
Hours after watching people, listening to them talk and enjoying their days, I barely learned anything important about the city, its protection or other factors that could support my escape.
On the other hand, I found the marketplace and multiple shops. But since I had no means of escape I behaved carefully, avoiding crowds and tried to find any means of getting out of here. Still, I wasn't taken away or found out, so it was no wonder I grew carless after a while. I was tempted to buy things but failed to consider one thing: The kind of currency they were using. They didn't use the usual coins with their engravings and motives but a special one, dedicated to the founders of the city. But only after the face of the merchant contorted, I noticed something was amiss.
"Catch her!" The man screamed suddenly and people held me down instantly. I wasn't even fast enough to draw any weapon and some people already either pointed weapons or daily items at me, to threaten me not to resist. I was tied and some went to call the guards. Criminalism was seldomly here, so they had only a small regiment of guards stationed here. At least according to one of the people waiting for the guards to appear.
Soon, they came, handsomely rewarded the merchant and took me with them. They went to a slightly larger residence, where the guards resided and slept sometimes. And inside of it was a portal. Fixed portals could be very expensive to make and stabilize. This was why I was surprised to find such luxury here. Only a few of the old geezers in the Academy are able to make portable fixed portal scrolls because of the difficulties and requirements in skill.
So either they had a skilled magician in their own ranks or too much money laying around.
One of the soldiers accompanied me wordlessly through the portal.
A few seconds later we were spit out in a huge room. Dozens of portals were beside the one we stepped through both to the right and left. Wagons drove in and out of the portals carrying all kinds of goods. The room was more of a gigantic hall and even the huge gate leading outside was large enough to fit multiple wagons driving side by side. I looked around, both starstruck and in awe of this place. Considering the map, I was roughly at the same place where the castle of the Lord of the Underworld was built.
The soldier brought me to a half opened carriage not far from the portal. A woman sat inside of it.
"Come inside. We're going to leave in an instant." The guard hinted me to enter the vehicle and I complied. Only after I sat down and the carriage started driving, I recognized the woman as one as the aides of the Lord of the Underworld himself.
The whole drive was quiet. I was looking around, stunned by the seemingly endless structures carved in stone and the countless ways dug under Daystreak. By far, Daystreak was no small city but the marvels that the black market, the Lord of the Underworld's castle and Daybreak showed me, Daystreak was incomparable.
After a while, the carriage halted and the woman stepped out first. I followed her and the soldier followed behind me. She laid her hand on the side of the gate in front of us and magic insignias lit up.
A few days ago I still asked myself why this castle was so filled with magic and so fortified that maybe the magic tower couldn't even compare at all. But after seeing what was hidden beyond the castle I understood it was more of another protection fortress to hide Daybreak. Not only beyond dozens of walls but also deceive those people who would maybe find the castle to believe this was the last bastion of the black market. How devious and brilliant!
Nothing I heard and saw could compare to any other human settlement of this region, maybe even this kingdom. Grand was a far too small word to describe what those people built.
A place where people were more equal than anywhere in this kingdom, mabe in all of Falan. They could live happily away from nobles and had the suppression of their greed and crimes. Protected by the most vicious cruelty displayed by their chosen leader.
The door opened and I followed the woman again, deeper into the heart of the castle. Soon I was back in front of the room where my little adventure started.
"Tell his excellency that the fugitive was found." The woman commanded one of the soldiers while turning to me.
"I don't know you, girl, but know that regardless of what might happen, I will never forgive how you betrayed our Lord the second you noticed you couldn't use him, when he treated you with nothing but kindness and respect. Even if a revenant like you might survive being killed or isn't bothered by torture I will strive in finding ways to make you regret ever doing what you did." Then she left and I waited until the soldier came out and let me inside.
Ah, what a joke. I thought and watched the torture devices sparkle in all their glory.