Outside the coliseum is a vibrant town filled with the sound of chatter accompanied by people walking on the streets and the clacking made by harions either being ridden by someone or pulling carriages. Harions are horses with thick exoskeletons around their head and body. Their natural armor is known to be strong and durable, capable of withstanding a great amount of force allowing them to run fast without worry of collision.
Similar to most towns and cities in the kingdom of Pantera, the coliseum in the town of Pergis is located at its core. Main streets lead towards it. The floorings of the streets are bricks placed in a way that is pleasing to the eyes. The roads are reddish while the sidewalks are gray. Created from durable materials, the bricks made it possible for the roads to need a short time of maintenance. Thin metal posts stood beside the roads. Resting on top were rocks carved into an orb. These rocks with a yellowish hue are called by the people as sunstones for it could store the light from the sun and release it when night comes. And at this hour, the sunstones began glowing as the sun slowly hid beneath the horizon.
The tall clock tower at the center, only meters away from the coliseum, was visible from anywhere in town. Sunstones were placed around it for people to see the time at night. At the top, it has a messaging room where workers process letters from carrier birds.
It was two hundred years ago when scholars found an artifact unique to Nusterra; a pocket watch. They found out that it exactly matched the time of their day. After years of study, they have replicated it and has become a part of people's daily lives.
On both sides of every street are rows of stone buildings made from the same materials as the roads. Similar to the sidewalks, most are gray while some decided to paint theirs in different vibrant hues. The buildings vary from different types of stores that sell goods and services one could think of, and privately owned houses. Although Pergis is called and known as a town, its size is almost comparable to that of a city.
When Aeneas and the others were outside the coliseum, the hype of the matches died down. But they could still hear a few people talking about it. Aeneas also saw some of them waving at him, which he returned with a smile. And for the hundredth time, his eyes were caught by the big statues carved with great detail. All of the statues surrounding the stadium were of a man with what most people would say a perfect muscular body, but his head was that of a fierce lion. Displayed at a perfect distance from each other, these statues were the Panteran depictions of their god, the Proud Lion, Leo.
Eluard wrote something on a piece of paper and attached it to Aero who was standing on his left arm, "Go home," he said before assisting the bird on its flight. Aero flew at great speed. After seeing the direction Aero went, Eluard turned to Donos and asked, "Western stables?"
Donos nods, "Of course, as always. We're regulars of old man Thalis." He also stated that Thalis talked about how he didn't recognize Aeneas before he told him his name. It has been years since the last time Aeneas visited Pergis.
Heading towards the stables, Aeneas and the others passed through the busy streets of Pergis. It was the hour when most people were heading home while buying products they would need on the way.
Aeneas saw a small group of people on the other side of the street. They are banded together waving wooden boards with the same thing written on them.
"Stop the use of Magic! Magic leads to another Age of Insanity!"
Two bystanders were staring at them. One of the two commented, "I'm telling you, it's those people with demon marks that cause all that evil."
"Were they truly vile? I heard that they're all gone," The other one replied.
"I don't believe they're gone. They must be hiding somewhere plotting to turn all beasts mad. Maybe even us as well "
What Aeneas read and heard echoed in his head. He turned to the knight walking beside him, "Do you agree with them, Uncle?" he asked.
"Agree with what, young lord?"
Aeneas took a glimpse at the two bystanders, "What they said. About people with a demon's mark, do you agree?"
"No, I do not."
"Why?"
Donos looked at Aeneas with a smile, "This is a secret, but I have met few of them in the past. And they are more great people than rumors portray them. All of it does not matter, be it having a Zeal, a demon's mark, or none at all, I believe that one's character cannot be based solely on that."
Aeneas felt glad hearing Donos's answer, though he didn't fully understood why he felt that way.
"What about what's written on those boards?"
Donos caressed his beard, "I'm unsure. But, even if I think that they're speaking the truth, it wouldn't matter," he said.
The boy then turned to Eluard who spoke the same answer as Donos but was paired with a forced smile.
Aeneas was confused, "Why?" He asked.
"Eluard and I both bear a Zeal," Donos explained that words like those written on the signboards, appear as baseless cries of envious people who weren't bestowed a Zeal by any of the twelve gods. And that if it was true, many would still choose not to believe it. Especially those that could use magic with ease thanks to their Zeal.
"Why is that? If it was true that magic was to blame for that event, then wouldn't it be better to stop using magic?" Aeneas argued.
Donos smiled, he told Aeneas that his views might differ had he been someone who bears a Zeal. Though Donos's explanation was quite vague, had it been a different topic, Aeneas would've understood the underlying meaning of his words.
It was rare for them to see Aeneas in a stump, so Eluard who grasped what Donos meant explained further.
"Magic gives people great comfort. With a flick, bearers of Zeals with great affinity to fire could call upon it for its warmth. Zeals with great affinity to water could turn it to ice with ease. Bearers of earth Zeals could plow the land with the wave of their hands, and air Zeals made it possible for airboats to exist," he said.
"But all that you've said could be obtained through nature. We have flint stones for fire, ice stones for freezing water, farmers have befriended buzgals to help them plow their lands, and airboats have an engine and blowrocks to help them fly," Aeneas said.
A sound argument that made both Donos and Eluard speechless even though they knew that the young Aeneas was more than capable of making such conversations.
Donos chuckled, "As expected of the young lord," he said. Hearing the knight give him praise sent a big smile to the boy's face.
"But Aeneas," Eluard made a brief pause, "In these parts, ice stones are far more expensive than asking someone with the Crab's Zeal to use magic. It could even be free if you bear the Zeal and could cast it yourself. It all comes down to comfort and ease as uncle Donos said."
Aeneas nods, "I see," he said.
"That and power," Donos spoke with a stern expression. "No one would give up power. Especially now that the cracks in the long period of peace between the kingdoms are getting bigger."
Aeneas stared at Donos, his face filled with confusion before he smiled and said, "Quit jesting, Uncle, the last all-out war happened more than a millennia ago. The kingdoms even banded against the same enemy. War won't do any good, so it won't happen."
With a hysterical laugh, "Is that so, young lord? I see that you are informed about these kinds of talks. But, you seem to forget about the war between Caprines and Novis around a hundred years ago where thousands of people died. And the other wars before that," he said.
Aeneas crossed his arms, and with a smug, "You know I've read a lot of books, uncle. And we're talking about actual war, an entire kingdom against another. The ones after the great war were all supervised, had many restrictions, and only lasted within a day," he said.
Their conversation touched on a few different topics before someone called out Donos's name. It made the three of them stop and look behind.
"Sir Donos," said the man a second time. The man is in his late thirties and he came out from a bakery Aeneas and the others just passed. He wore a white apron atop his clothes. His hair is blond and his eyes the shade of blue.
Upon seeing the man, Donos placed his right palm on his chest, bowed his head, and said, "Mister Marios."
Marios did the same. He looked at the two companions Donos had who also greeted him the same way. It made him a bit embarrassed to be shown such respect from an esteemed knight.
"I see that you are with company, sir Donos," Marios said.
"Ah," Donos said and looked at Eluard.
"Greetings, I am Eluard Faulkner. Lord Arsen's squire," he said. After Eluard spoke, Aeneas added at the end that their father had adopted Eluard so he is their brother.
Hearing what Aeneas said made Marios's eyes widen as he greeted him again, this time bowing with more exaggeration.
Aeneas waved his hands, feeling embarrassed for the reaction he thought he wasn't worthy of, "Mister, you don't need to do that again."
"Please let me, I owe lord Arsen with my life and my family's. This is my humble way of showing great respect towards him and his kin,"
His words made Aeneas's heart beat louder. Proud is an understatement. His admiration towards Arsen which seems to have reached its peak has grown to new heights. Both Donos and Eluard remained standing with a smile that almost spanned out of their faces.
After a while, Marios asked Donos if their lord had returned home.
"He has," said Donos.
The face of the baker lights up, he says that he was waiting for lord Arsen's return so he could come to visit and bring them cakes and other pastries. All the while, the number of people in front of his shop is increasing and the teenager attending them seems to have his hands full. Aeneas who saw it said that he could come another time since he has a lot in his hands at the moment.
Marios smiled, "Please wait a moment," he said before rushing back to his shop. It didn't take long for him to reappear with a couple of bags that had cakes and other pastries he had made.
"Please take these for now. I will bring more when I visit."
"How much is it?" Aeneas asked.
Shaking his head, "You do not need to pay for it, young lord," Marios said.
But Aeneas was insisting on paying. He asked Eluard to take out the coins he asked him to keep.
"Young lord… you don't need to," Marios insisted. To which Aeneas replied that they have to pay since it is his business.
"Just say the price, mister Marios," said Donos. He smiled, "The young lord won't change his mind."
Marios scratched his head, "A silver coin," he said.
Aeneas scanned the products they received, "It looks like it costs a lot more than a silver coin," he said.
Eluard sighed, "Come on Aeneas. Mister Marios needs to attend to more customers."
"But–"
Chuckling, "You shouldn't argue with the one who's selling it, young lord," Donos said.
After a long pause, "Okay," Aeneas said as he handed a silver coin to Marios.
Marios bowed again this time accompanied by saying his thanks. Aeneas and the others did the same. With a smile, the baker said his farewell before returning to his shop, and Aeneas and the others continued their way to the stables located west of town, now with a couple of bags of cakes and pastries.