Chapter 14:

City Gates

I Am The Prophesied Apocalypse - Volume 1


When they stepped back into the glow of the campfire, Aiden was leaning on his spear, chatting quietly with Lyris. He looked up first, mid-sentence, then stopped.

Morgana still had her hood down from earlier, her hair loose and catching the light, that unnatural gleam in her eyes reflecting the flames.

For a moment, Aiden just… stared. His mouth opened slightly, closed again, and he remembered to straighten his spear before he started looking like an idiot.

Oh, great. Another one of those looks, Morgana thought dryly. Bet he’s already planning our future adventures together. Poor bastard.

Lyris gave him a sideways glance, then glanced at Morgana, tail flicking once before she turned back to scanning the treeline.

Morgana smirked faintly and brushed past them toward her tent. She wasn’t in the mood for conversation, or explaining where she’d been. Her bedroll was cool when she slid inside, but exhaustion made it easy to ignore.

By morning, the fire was just ash, and the faint smell of last night’s cooking hung in the air. Morgana emerged from her tent, hood up, wings folded tight beneath her cloak. They hit the road before the sun fully cleared the horizon.

The day passed with the steady rhythm of hooves and cart wheels. It was already sliding toward evening, the sun hanging low and staining the clouds in streaks of orange and red. 

The light was warm, but the hours of keeping her wings crushed under her cloak were not. Morgana’s shoulders ached, and every step made the itch between her shoulder blades worse.

Finally, she’d had enough.

She let Phantom Guise wash over her in a soft, shadowy ripple. The pressure vanished instantly—her horns and wings dissolving into nothing. She kept everything else exactly the same: the long blue hair, the sharp eyes, the faint grin.

Much better.

Pulling her hood back, she felt the cooler air against her neck for the first time all day. A few glances from passersby lingered on her, then darted away as soon as they caught her gaze. Her lips curled up into a sneer. 

Guess the eyes still have bite.

From the Crimson Spear, 

Lyris noticed first. The cat-woman’s golden eyes flicked over Morgana, lingering a little too long before she looked away with a soft, amused “hm.”

“What?” Morgana asked.

“Nothing,” Lyris replied, tail curling lazily. “You just… clean up better than I expected.”

“Didn’t realize we were judging each other’s looks now,” Morgana said dryly. “Want me to return the favor?”

Lyris had a smug look on her face. “You couldn’t handle it.”

Nyra, walking just ahead, spoke without turning. “Gods help us if you two start flirting. I’d rather fight another pack of wolves.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Morgana muttered, purring lightly just to annoy Nyra.

Even Darren chimed in, his deep voice calm as ever. “At least she doesn’t sound like she’s about to stab anyone right now. That’s progress.”

Morgana leered faintly. “Don’t worry, big guy. If I decide to stab someone, you’ll see it coming.”

Aiden laughed—too quickly—trying to play off the tension. “See? We’re all getting along fine.”

“Yeah,” Morgana said, eyes sliding to him. “For now.”

As the silence returned, Morgana looked around for something to distract herself so she won't be bored. From her satchel, she slipped a ruby into her palm. 

She let it catch the late sunlight as she raised it up towards the light to check its beauty. The merchant, perched on the driver’s bench, caught sight of it immediately.

“Is that one of the gems you are planning to sell? If so, I could make you an offer once we reach my shop.”

Morgana tilted her head, studying him. “You’re a jeweler?”

“Best in Althwyn,” he said with no trace of modesty. “And I pay fairly. No middleman to skim off the top.”

She rolled the gem in her fingers, considering. Better him than some cutpurse with a smile.

“Fine,” she said at last. “We’ll talk when we get there.”

The merchant smiled, clearly pleased.

That was when Aiden matched her pace, spear in hand but his eyes very much elsewhere. “So,” he began, voice just a little too casual, “where exactly are you from? You don’t look like the usual traveler.”

Morgana gave him a sidelong glance. “Is this your way of asking if I’m single, or are you just bad at small talk?”

Aiden’s ears turned bright red. “I was just, uh, curious.”

She smirked. “Curiosity is a dangerous emotion. Better be careful with it.”

He chuckled, but the sound had a nervous edge.

By the time the walls of Althwyn came into view, the sun was nearly gone, its last light stretching long shadows across the road. The gates loomed ahead, guarded by two men in red-trimmed armor. A wooden desk stood just inside the arch, a clerk seated behind it with a ledger open.

"The gates will be closing shortly! Move along if you do not wish to camp out." One of the guards yelled towards the few people waiting at the line as they hurried.

When their turn arrived, one of the guards spoke with a tired tone. “Papers.” 

 The merchant handed his over, and the Crimson Spear followed suit one by one without hesitation. Morgana stayed still, expression neutral, but her stomach tightened.

“You don’t have an ID?” the clerk asked, eyes narrowing.

She said nothing, weighing whether to lie, or just walk away.

Before she had to make up something clever, the merchant spoke, caught the flicker of discomfort on her face. “She’s with me. Temporary hire. I’ll vouch for her.”

The guard eyed her once, then gave a short nod. “Fee’s waived this time, but you’ll need proper identification if you plan to stay in the city.”

As they moved through the gates, the merchant leaned closer to her. “You can get ID from any guild; Adventurer’s, Merchant’s, Alchemist, whatever suits you. But while some guilds halves the entry fee, others remove it entirely.”

He stopped to point at the Crimson Spear. "For example, adventurers do not pay a fee when they are entering small cities. They only pay a single silver when they are visiting the capitals."

“Convenient,” she said, grinning faintly. Might be worth the trouble… later.

Althwyn’s streets stretched ahead, busy even in the last light of day. Somewhere in the distance, a bell tolled the hour, welcoming them into the city.

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