Runeblade

Despite the sheer volume of people lining up outside of the city gates, the queue moved surprisingly quickly. It seemed that Deadacre had developed a well built mechanism for efficiently dealing with the dispossessed and weary travellers that had begun to flock to the safety of their walls.

With more than a dozen guards at the gates, they waved groups forward two at a time, quickly working through discussions while other defenders kept watch for any beasts crossing the hard packed dirt that surrounded the city.

Still, even quicker than expected, they ended up waiting hours.

Thank the gods that he and Porkchop had gotten adept enough at holding their Mask that having it passively in place was no longer an overly burdensome drain on their mental energy. If they’d arrived even a few days earlier, he’d have had a splitting headache after holding it in place for so long.

Taking a step to the side of the line, Kaius leveraged his height to peer over the crowd, craning his neck to look through the open gates to the city.

Just like he remembered, the entrance through the walls led to an open square, where a handful of large cobbled streets split off to wind their way through the city.

The main roads, an arterial flow of people and goods that vitalised the settlement.

While it wasn’t so bad that the streets were packed chest to chest, they were busier than he remembered. Thankfully, the city seemed at least somewhat prepared. Large marquees had been set up by the city walls, guards directing the most bedraggled and shaken of the petitioners in their direction.

Temporary housing, for the most desperate.

Others were directed elsewhere. Those looking well off, or at least not destitute were left to find their own lodgings, while merchants and farmers laden with goods were waved down one road that Kaius remembered leading to the city's central square.

“How’s it looking?” Ianmus asked as he stepped back in line with Porkchop and the mage.

“Surprisingly well organised. It looks like we should be left to our own devices if we have the resources to sustain ourselves.” Kaius murmured, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb the people ahead of and behind them - a few more stragglers had joined the queue, though most looked to be locals making a quick trip.

Porkchop snorted, though it was soft enough that it wouldn’t heighten the tension of their fellow travellers. “Thank the Matriarchs, I was worried we would be swamped. This is not exactly how I imagined my first visit to a human city going.”

Kaius smiled, while Ianmus chuckled.

“I do have to agree. Hopefully, if things are still this organised, it should mean joining a convoy to the Dukedoms won’t be too difficult.” Ianmus muttered.

Kaius nodded, though he inwardly doubted it would be that easy. Even if the caravans were still traveling, the demand to get to the patrolled roads, siege proof cities, and armies of the Dukedoms would be high. No doubt the price for passage had soared.

The line kept moving, and they shuffled ever closer to the gates. Much like the walls themselves, they were rough, but overbuilt and tough. Made up of wooden beams nearly half a stride thick, reinforced heavily with thick iron plating, it was controlled by some hidden winch system in the walls and joined by a raised portcullis that was ready to drop at a moment’s notice.

Eventually, they made it to the front. As they’d waved people forward, Kaius had watched almost every single guard frown at Porkchop. Even with his brother masquerading as a simple beast, bonds in general were rare, and combat capable companions even more so. He doubted they’d seen them often, and given the circumstances, he couldn’t fault their suspicion. Especially since they were hiding something, even if it was not something that would put the inhabitants of the city at risk.

Dressed in chain, with dark gray tabards displaying the insignia of the city - a dead tree, dyed in white - each and every one looked ready for trouble. Swords were belted on, and each held a halberd. Archers looked on from the top of the wall, doing double duty watching the crowd and keeping an eye out for beasts.

“You there, with the wife and child. Over to the left.” The lead guard called, waving the woodsman in front of them forwards. Standing at the head of the line, he had been directing the crowd to his available colleagues.

The muscular man looked back, giving Kaius a slight nod before he ushered his daughter forward.

Stepping up with Porkchop and Ianmus in tow, Kaius watched the guard calmly, keeping a firm grip on his mask. The man watched him closely in turn, regularly looking at Porkchop behind him, as if deciding what to do with them.

Kaius shifted his weight on his feet, wondering what would happen. The moment stretched, an awkward pause in what had otherwise been a smooth operation up until this point.

Right before he was about to ask the guardsman where he should go, another ran up, bending over to whisper in his ear. He nodded, thanking the man, before looking back to Kaius.

“Go talk to the sergeant, Delver. He’ll be able to make the call on your companion.” the guard told him with a frown, pointing to another uniformed man standing off to the right by the base of the walls, watching the proceedings.

He was dressed much the same as the others, though a single red star adorned his tabard on his left breast.

Kaius gave the guard a sharp nod, seeing no reason not to comply. Belligerence would only harm their prospects, afterall.

Looking back to his companions he jutted his head over towards the sergeant, and they set off, leaving behind a waiting gaggle of petitioners.

The head guard watched their approach with stern eyes. Not exactly suspicious, or distrustful, but certainly an expression that clearly told where he stood. He was the authority here, and that was to be respected.

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Stopping a few paces from the man, Kaius gave the man a polite nod. Inwardly, his guts were curdling. No doubt Porkchop, and potentially him as well, would be identified as they entered the city. A low level guardsman was one thing, but a grizzled veteran sergeant was far more likely to have skill levels and stats under his belt that could present an issue to their Mask.

He felt none of that tension from his bond. Porkchop was calm, and ready.

“Sergeant.” Kaius said.

“Mmm,” the guard officer replied, eyes roving over him before he switched his attention to Ianmus. “Academy brat, I presume?” he asked the mage.

Ianmus stiffened, but stepped forward smoothly all the same. “Yes sir, graduated recently,” he replied.

The gruff sergeant hummed, tilting his head at Ianmus with a slight narrowing of his eyes. “Recent indeed, if you haven’t hit your forties yet. What’re you doing here?” he asked.

Kaius swallowed. He knew it was almost a certainty that they would be analysed, but now that the test was here it set his heart thumping.

Ianmus chuckled. It was a half strangled thing, filled with the harsh humour of the gallows.

“Graduated a few months back, thought I would do a bit of overland travel to the Dukedoms, gain a little experience before I investigated rumours about them potentially having another ‘war’.” he explained, shuffling on the dusty earth. “Change hit once I was halfway between here and the mountains, that one saved me from getting torn to shreds by a flock of terror birds. I’m hoping to join a convoy to finish the last leg of my journey.”

The guard sergeant's stern expression broke a little as he winced. “You and half the city, lad. Hope you’re ready for some stiff competition. And terror birds? Haven’t heard of those.”

“They’re new,” Kaius spoke up, the sergeant's attention snapping to him. “Mostly confined to the stone hills towards the Sea. For now, at least. Bloody mean things, like a long necked chicken the size of a man, but as fast as a horse with a tendency to smash things with their axe shaped beaks.”

“I see. One of my boys did say you had come from the south, but I'm surprised to hear you’ve come so far. Delver.” the sergeant said. A moment later he felt an intrusion on his Mask as the guardsman attempted to analyse him with a skill.

Immediately a hot spike of pain started to drive into the back of his head, his Will surging as he leveraged every scrap of his being to focus on taking on the roll of a Body Enhancer. A moment later it was over, the probe retreating.

Kaius bit back a sigh of relief, hoping that he looked as natural and easy as he had a few moments prior.

“Especially for a level twenty-two. That’s a lot of gear you’ve got for that level, and it's odd for you to travel with all this going on, don’t you think? The Sea’s too close for you to have left before the change. Especially with a mount.” the sergeant said with an unnaturally even voice, staring at him with flinty eyes.

Kaius swallowed.

“Came to join the Guild, sir. Me and Porkchop delved the first layer just after class selection, my family left me a few artefacts, and the delve got me the rest.” Kaius explained, hoping the sergeant would buy his story.

“Mmm.” the sergeant hummed, watching Porkchop closely. “Big bastard, isn’t he? I suppose that with a warbeast that would be possible. He registered?”

Kaius fought the urge to groan. He hadn’t known that was a thing. Thankfully, that meant he wouldn’t need to lie about it.

“I did it.” Porkchop said, his voice strained, before he fell silent once more.

That, at least, was something.

“I didn’t know that was a thing, sir. Lived outside of Gloomhollow.” he explained, genuine chagrin resonating in his words.

“Every trained beast comes registered, lad. You raise him yourself, or something?” the sergeant replied with a deepening frown, unimpressed by his response. “Letting in a beast like that trained by some kid out in the middle of nowhere is a risk, boy. What happens if he reacts poorly to the crowds?”

Kaius winced at the sergeant's harsh accusation.

“No sir, I found him when I was young. Had gotten separated from his ma or something. He was a bloody cute fluffy thing back then, so I couldn’t leave him, even if he was a beast. Ended up getting a bond as one of my general skills.” he hurried to explain, a genuine note of desperation in his voice.

The sergeant's expression shifted, piercing grey eyes stabbing deep into his own as a contemplative frown graced the guardsman’s face. He leaned back onto the wall behind him, scratching his chin.

“A bond skill…That would certainly do it. Unregistered though, that could cause a shit-fest if it got out.” the man mumbled to himself. A moment later he stood up, looking at Kaius once again.

“You’re here to join the Guild, you said?” the sergeant asked.

Kaius nodded quickly.

“Good. We’ve got hunting requests falling out of our arse right now, and a young Delver competent enough to delve just after class selection is someone we could use. Especially one mounted on a warbeast, you’d be able to range further than most.” the sergeant said.

Excitement welled as Kaius listened to the man, an electrifying energy that raced down his spine and spread through his limbs. There was no way he would bother with such a speech if he wasn’t going to let them in.

“There’s one problem though, we need your beast registered. Far too much potential for a hullabaloo if it gets out I let an unregistered warbeast into the city. However…you’re willing to swear under a truthstone that you have a bond skill?”

the sergeant searched his face.

Kaius nodded emphatically. Truthstones were tightly controlled bits of runework, but he knew the guild made use of them. It was almost perfect. If it was confirmed that he had a bond skill before Porkchop’s nature as a greater beast got out, it would take even more heat off of them.

“Alright, here's the deal. I’ll let you in if you immediately go to the guild and sign up. They’ll be able to register your beast if you can attest to your skill under oath. I’m not sure how busy they are, but once you’re done - whether that’s this afternoon or some time tomorrow - come straight here and tell one of my boys that you’re here to show your registration. Deal?” The sergeant asked, thrusting his hand out to him.

“Deal.” Kaius said as he clasped the guardsman's hand and shook. A moment later the sergeant's grip tightened, and he pulled him close.

“I’m serious, boy. Straight there, and then back here. I can’t have an unregistered beast in the city for long. Not right now. Remember, it won’t be hard to track down the man with a giant fucking bear-thing inside the city.” His voice was low, but firm, as he stared Kaius dead in the eye.

Kaius nodded. The sergeant stepped backwards and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Good lad. Now stop hogging my time and get in the gates.” he dismissed them with a wave, turning to nod at a few guards who were watching at the gate.

Suppressing a sigh, Kaius met Ianmus’ and Porkchop’s eyes, who both looked as relieved as he felt. Without a word, he led the way, passing vigilant guards as he walked under the shadow of the wall to enter Deadacre.

They’d made it. Now he just needed to point Ianmus in the right direction and get himself registered.

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