Return to Tristan

The City of Tristan sprawled before them as the sun dipped low, it's stone walls catching the early orange glow of the day, as the hustle of the city came alive. 

From a distance, it looked unchanged - bustling gates, flags rippling in the wind, lines of caravans and merchants, pressing up against the gates.

But as Reiji and Nraltia passed through, the air shifted. It was heavy, charged, weighted down on the city, like a bomb about to go off.

Her ears twitched, as her head tilted. "Wow this city is tense." Her voiced carried an innocent curiosity, her amethyst eyes tracing the crowds infront of her. "Is it always like this?"

Reiji didn't answer at first. His gaze slid across the streets, looking for something. The adventurers clustered in tight groups, their conversations quiet and sharp. Knights in mismatched colors - green of Valerian Aliiance, black of the Hierophant Empire, yellow of the Eiraneth Kingdom, stalked the lanes, gazes measuring one another. 

Between them, the city's own turqoise knights stood vigilantly, hands resting on the hilts of their weapons. 

Something was different, shifted, a fuse has been lit.

"No, it's not. The city used to feel alive, noisy, and messy, like a market square." He muttered finally, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Now it's like a bomb."

As they moved towards the Adventurer's Guild, the reason finally revealed itself. 

A column of knights, white armor with silver filigree, marched down the road, their banners and tabards bearing the sigil of a radiant crimson maiden. The other knights cleared a path for them in uneasy silence, while civilians of different groups flocked around them.

Nraltia leaned closer, lowering her voice. "They're... different. Are they from here?"

He shakes his head silently, unsure of who the new groups of knights are.

As the procession passed, their leader gazed at the crowd, - a woman with blonde braided hair beneath a half winged helm, a serene smile decorated the lower half of her face, contrasting the tension she brought.

The moment their gaze met, a chill crawled down his spine. Something about that look wasn't pious at all, it was measuring, weighing, like a predator looking for it's prey.

"Let's go Reiji." Elnyra shimmered infront of him, prodding him to move along.

"Alright."

---

Swinging open the heavy doors of the guild, waves of smoke, sweat, oil, and heated voiced spilled into the streets. Stepping in first, with Nraltia following close behind, her almond shaped eyes widened at the rough crowd inside.

Just like the rest of the city, the air inside was also tense, restless, each table holding some kind of war council.

"Oi! Can you believe what those saintly order knights did? They came and poached the job from Sparrow party." a burly, leather clad swordsman barked from his corner table. "They just waltz in, took down the horde of goblins raiders, and escorted the convoy to their destination for free. Leaving the Sparrow party on the side of the road without their pay!"

"Pfft. Better than letting the other mutts take our jobs." a woman in plate armor shot back, slamming her mug. "At least the Holy Saintess Knights are actually helping the people, unlike the mutts of the other three powers."

"Are you stupid?" another adventurer growled, flipping over his plate of food, as he stood up. "You wouldn't say that if your job was taken from under your nose!"

"They're just here to stir up problems! They may have originated from the Empire, but those pious bastards don't give a crap about maintaining order! One spark, and the three powers will go to war!"

Voices rose, armor and weapons scrapping against furniture, tankards clattered, as fists began hitting the tables.

Nraltia flinched at the sudden noise, ears twitching slightly. "Is it always like this?" she whispered.

Reiji smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching. "No, this is... on second thought, yeah... this is normal. It's always like this from noon till night. Its just started earlier than usual today."

Leading Nraltia, the pair of them head up to the second floor, ready to report the results of their quest, as well as their findings to the guild master. The whispers, curses, and scrapes of armor continuing loudly, hiding certain individuals whose eyes stalked Reiji and Nraltia.

"Mr. Reiji! You're back, faster than we thought." Serena beamed from behind the counter, as he handed over the six pair of horns. "Oh, whos this behind you, Reiji."

"Serena, this is Nraltia, Nraltia this is Serena." Reiji introduces the amnesiac girl to the guild clerk, before quickly explaining how they met.

"Oh wow. Your first quest, and already rescuing a damsel in distress." Serena teases Reiji, before offering her help. "You should explore the city, since food and culture from all over the continent comes through Tristan, maybe you'll find something else that jogs your memory."

"That's a great idea. We'll do that after talking to Xenon. Is he in?"

"Yes, he's currently in his office, but he's having an important meeting, why don't you come back in a few hours." Slipping out a piece of parchment.

"Well then, want to go to the grand market?" Reiji smiles as he ask Nraltia. Her eyes sparkling with interest, as she eagerly nods.

"Great!." 

Taking the reward money from the quest, the pair left, heading towards the grand market. 

The late morning sun spilled across the cobbled expanse of Tristan's grand market, turning glass jars and brass fittings of merchant stalls and stores into a kaleidoscope of glinting light.

Voices rose in a dozen dialects, from Valerian merchants hawking salts and fish, Eiraneth traders shouting the prices of their silks and spices, Hierophant barkers chanting hymns as they sold their dried fruits.

Although not as populous multiple races from all over the continent could be seen, shopping and selling their own unique wares. Dwarven metal works, elvish wood carvings and fores bounty, even simple furniture to complex pottery from various beastkin clans.