The anticipation of arrival stirred a quiet energy among us. The boat gradually approached the pier, its engines humming in the background. As we prepared to disembark, a subtle sense of excitement mingled with the remnants of my unsettling dream.
Caius emerged from the cabin, a satisfied grin on his face. "I had a great sleep," he announced, stretching his arms. Lucas followed, looking a bit fatigued. A lack of rest must have plagued his night, and the drink mustn't have helped. A twinge of gratitude passed through me, realizing that I hadn't shared the cabin with them.
"Looks like someone didn't have such a restful night," I remarked, nodding subtly toward Lucas.
Caius chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the nuances. "Guess he's not used to the cozy accommodations."
Lucas shot him a wry smile, though his eyes betrayed a deeper weariness.
As the team gathered our belongings, a hooded figure caught my attention. A sudden instinct kicked in, and I found myself needing to cover my face with my jacket, a subtle but intentional act of caution. It wasn't something I would've done as all the others didn't have their jackets on, but my entire mind was sending me warning signals.
The boat finally docked, and we stepped onto the port, greeted by the hustle and bustle of Araway. The polished wooden planks and tile of the pier contrasted with the worn, leaning houses that awaited beyond. Araway, though still part of the grand Ercadium Kingdom that Leode was a part of, bore the subtle scars of time.
The architecture resembled that of Leode as both cities were basically next-door neighbours, the same style indicative of the overall kingdom's influence. But here, the structures seemed to carry the weight of years.
The houses, though not dilapidated in any way, leaned ever so slightly, like weathered veterans who had faced the storms of time. The roofing, slightly misshapen, with tiles fallen here and there, spoke of a city that had been through more than just the elements.
I also felt a subtle sense of déjà vu, a recognition spurred by a fractured vision from the past. The pier, with its more polished appearance, matched the scene from the vision where I first saw Xerces, the fisherman, and the mysterious crate. It was a fleeting but significant moment that connected my past glimpses of Araway to the present reality.
My hand instinctively slipped into my pocket, fingers brushing against the Scroll Casing Lid. It was among the many things I had thought to bring with me. The casing being in one of the crates that came from this place.
Darius, with his eyes scanning the surroundings, gathered us together for a brief word. "We won't linger here for too long," he announced, his voice carrying a weight of caution. "But we'll get a place to stay, just in case. There's a noticeable lack of enforcers in this city, so watch yourself."
The implication hung in the air, a subtle warning that extended beyond the threat of enforcers. In Araway, the danger wasn't just from the authorities; it was the shadows cast by other arcanists.
The enforcers hunted and persecuted illegally active arcanists which we had to be wary of, but they were still the Kingdom's lifeline, their policing unit making sure crime and regular activity was managed.
Without them in such a place, it was no wonder Araway was slightly less polished than Leode.
As we ambled through the cobbled streets, the city revealed its character. Faces peered from behind curtains, curious eyes observing the newcomers. Yet, it wasn't just the people who held a watchful gaze; the city itself seemed to harbour eyes.
My attention was drawn to a grand structure, rising proudly against the backdrop of the city's modest skyline. A church with an emblem etched into its stone facade—a Sword piercing through a Spiky Crown. My eyes lingered on the emblem, captivated by its intricate design.
Fleur, keenly attuned to my gaze, followed my line of sight. "The God of Domination and Will, one of the many Gods," she remarked, her voice carrying a touch of reverence. "This church is a bit different from the one back in Leode, isn't it?"
Intrigued, I prompted her for more information. "The God of Domination and Will?"
Fleur, with a flicker of a knowing smile, obliged my curiosity. "It's a different paradigm here in Araway. This church worships one of the Gods, known as [The God of Domination and Will]. Unlike the Church of the Keeper of Time in Leode, where the Anti-Arcaniat Law is strongly enforced, here in Araway, worshipping the Gods takes on a more Arcanist flavour. You're not as pressured by the laws to hide your natural arcanist ways."
I absorbed the information, my mind comparing it to the familiar emblem of the Church of the Keeper of Time—a pair of hands cradling an hourglass. The stark contrast in symbolism reflected the diverse perspectives and beliefs held across the kingdom and even the continent.
"In Araway," Fleur continued, "the relationship with the Gods is more intertwined with arcanist practices. It's a reflection of the city's unique character, where the influence of the enforcers is not as stringent as in Leode or Goldeen. Well, I've never been out of Ercadium so other countries might be different."
The notion of a city where arcanist practices coexisted more openly with religious beliefs intrigued me. Leode's strict Anti-Arcanist Law had slowly shaped my perspective on how arcanists navigated their existence in society. Hidden and secretive.
Araway and possibly other areas of the eastern continent, offered a different lifestyle—one where the arcanists and natural society intertwined more seamlessly.
A thought lingered in my mind, a tantalizing prospect that whispered to my curiosity. If I ventured further into the eastern continent, how much more could I learn about arcanists and their history? The knowledge that had been selective in the western region of Leode might be more abundant here, just waiting to be unravelled.
Our accommodation, when we reached it, proved to be serviceable but lacking the opulence we had grown accustomed to in The Den. Darius paid for all of us as it was rather cheap at 2 silver per person for a night. Overall only 10 silver upfront. Hopefully, one night is all we would need.
The rooms were modest, and the amenities were basic. Darius, however, assured us that the simplicity was intentional—an effort to blend in and avoid unnecessary attention.
Before venturing out, Darius gathered us into his room. "Listen, I've got to meet with an informant, to see what's changed around here," he explained, a glint of urgency in his eyes. "Don't wander too far from the lodgings for too long."
Then he looked over at Caius and me. "Araway isn't a very safe place for newcomers, and we don't want to attract undue attention. Keep an eye out and be cautious."
With a nod, Darius departed, leaving us with the city at our disposal.
Fleur's stomach growled audibly, punctuating the quiet atmosphere left in the wake of Darius's departure. "I could use some food," she declared, her gaze shifting between Caius and me. "Care to join?"
Caius grinned. "Yeah, count me in. Eli?"
I hesitated, considering the prospect of exploring the city on my own. "I'll stay back for now. I'm not that hungry right now."
Caius looked over to where Lucas was but didn't bother to ask him anyway. He had already retreated to bed which made sense. He didn't look like he got enough sleep on the boat.
Caius chuckled, and with a casual wave, he and Fleur made their way out. As they left, I waited for a beat, allowing the door to close behind them. A sense of quiet settled in the room, broken only by the distant sounds of the city beyond the window.
With a hint of anticipation, I stepped out into the hallway, the echo of my footsteps accompanying me as I navigated the narrow corridors of the accommodation. Once outside, I took a deep breath, the scent of the city filling my senses.
Stepping out into the cool day's air, I strolled through the cobbled streets. The city held a certain dullness that I couldn't really pinpoint as something specific. The architecture was basically the same as in Leode, and so was the marketplace here too. If I hadn't noticed the subtle differences in polish, I wouldn't have known I'd even left Leode in the first place.
But Darius telling me that Araway wasn't as safe as Leode kept me on guard. The surface may seem relatively safe, but much like Leode, things were not as they seemed. That much was undeniably the same.
Seizing a moment when the crowd thinned, I discreetly decided to activate fractured sight, brushing my fingertips against a nearby wooden pole.
In that moment, in between the blinking of my eyes, my sight was ridden with a webbed fracture. A scene transcending reality.
A hooded figure, the same one I had noticed on the boat, stood frozen in my fractured vision, passing by the pole I was brushing past. And with another blink of my eyes, the scene dissipated from my reality and my sight.
I knew I was being followed. I just had to confirm it.
Instinctively, I reached to bring my jacket over my face, a reflexive action I had done earlier on the boat. Yet, a disconcerting realization struck me—I had left my jacket behind at my accommodation since it wasn't raining anymore.
Confusion and vulnerability clawed at my senses. Why did I react in such a way? The action, seemingly inconspicuous, now felt like a glaringly suspicious gesture.
The unease lingered as I continued down the bustling streets, acutely aware of the hooded figure's presence. Something I would rather hide from than take action just yet.
Amidst the city's rhythm, I spotted a quaint little building nestled between larger structures and an alley—a bookshop, its modest exterior standing in contrast to the grandeur of Leode's library. It had a worn green exterior with a sign saying simply; Araway Books. Simple, yet nobody would mistake it for a cafe or tailor.
A sense of curiosity sparked within me. Perhaps they held books different from those in Leode, offering a fresh perspective on the arcanist arts or the mysteries that cloaked our world.
Yet, just as my hand reached for the door, a sudden force jolted me sideways. A swift, unexpected push sent me stumbling down the adjacent alley, away from the bookshop's entrance. The abruptness of the action left me disoriented, my senses heightened as I tried to comprehend the situation.
I reached down for my revolver which I kept strapped to me under my suit, but it was missing. I had sworn I had brought it with me.
Looking up, I saw a figure with a dull and dark hooded cloak. He was just about as tall as I was and was holding a familiar-looking weapon in his left hand. My revolver.
"I'm just here to talk," the hooded figure spoke, lifting my revolver casually.
"At least give me my revolver back," I retorted, my hand outstretched, expecting a swift return of my weapon. The figure, however, had other plans.
Without a word, he tossed the revolver back to me, and I caught it deftly. The metal felt cool against my palm, a reassuring weight in the face of uncertainty. Instinctively, I considered raising it toward the hooded stranger, but a strange sensation in me caused a different decision.
Without hesitation, I retracted my revolver and holstered it back in its strap beneath my suit.
"What do you want?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing as I confronted the hooded figure. The city's ambient sounds faded into the background, leaving only the two of us in this secluded alley, hidden from casual onlookers.
The hooded figure, unperturbed by my defensive stance, produced an aqueous-looking orb from beneath his cloak.
He dropped the orb, and it descended to the ground, dissipating into nothingness. In an instant, the surroundings transformed, enveloping us in a subtle chill and a boundless field. He was an arcanist.
As the figure took off his hood revealing a slender face framed by short black hair and a monocle on his right eye, he spoke.
"I need you to reconsider going to see Rex."