This City Is Incredible

The line outside Vega showed no signs of ending.

Vega was one of the Five Great Cities of the kingdom. Merchants, adventurers and travelers from every corner of the surviving lands eventually passed through its gates. For Flint, who had spent his entire life in a mountain village, the crowd alone felt large enough to be its own city.

After a week of relentless walking and scattered encounters with the undead, the pair finally reached its gates. Flint shifted the weight of his pack while beside him Isla rose onto her toes, trying to peer over the crowd.

“Are we there yet?”

Flint didn’t have to tiptoe. He could see way better than Isla’s small stature allowed.

“…I can see the gate.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

Flint scratched his cheek with a wry smile,

“Then, no.”

Isla sighed.

The road leading into the city had become a sea of wagons, merchants and adventurers. Some chatted amongst themselves while others simply waited in silence, inching forward whenever the line decided to move.

A shout suddenly rose near the front.

“I told you it was a dog!”

All heads turned to the sound of the noise. A broad man struggled against two guards who gripped his arms on each side.

“It bit me while I was chasing my sheep back into formation! I don’t wanna go to quarantine!”

“That isn’t for you to decide,” one guard replied evenly.

“But it’s a dog bite, I swear!”

The guards continued dragging him around the outer part of the gate. Flint watched them disappear from view, brows burrowed.

“…Do you think it really was a dog?”

“I don’t think we’re going to find out.” Isla titled her head, “Pity.”

The line shuffled forward again.

“Are all big cities like this?” Flint asked.

“I hope not.”

It was only when the line moved further forward, that Flint noticed the inspection cabins standing beside the walls.

One bore a painted sun, whereas the other, a painted moon. Travelers entered one side and emerged less than a minute later before continuing toward the gate.

A guard raised his voice.

“Next!”

Flint and Isla stepped forward together. The guard looked between them before pointing.

“Men to the left. Women to the right.”

Flint blinked.

“…Why?”

The guard gave him a puzzled look.

“For the inspection.”

Flint simply stared at him like he had grown a second head.

“To make sure you’re not carrying an undead bite.”

“…Oh.” Flint nodded. “That makes sense.”

Isla smiled to herself.

“I’ll meet you on the other side.”

“Right.”

She disappeared into the women’s cabin while Flint stepped inside the other. The room was smaller than he’d expected. A physician sat behind a narrow table, already writing in a ledger.

Without looking up, he spoke.

“Name.”

“Flint.”

“Surname?”

Flint hesitated.

“Well… just Flint.”

The physician finally looked up, adjusting his glasses,

“I see.”

His quill continued scratching across the page.

“Take your clothes off, young man.”

Flint stared, his easy smile still present.

“Excuse me?”

The physician let out a weary sigh that suggested he’d had this conversation hundreds of times.

“Your clothes. We need to check for bites.”

Flint grimaced, and reluctantly undressed.

𓌏

“You’re free to enter Vega.”

“That was quicker than I expected. Thank you doctor.”

The doctor smiled coolly yet proudly.

“Of course. We’ve had a hundred and twenty years to practice, you see.”

Flint quietly put his shirt back on, and emerged just outside the gates.

Isla came out just a few minutes later.

“Everything okay?” Flint asked as she approached.

“Mm. Nothing to worry about.” She grinned while avoiding eye contact, “…Though I wasn’t expecting that. It was a little embarrassing.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Flint’s smile only worked on one side, “Let’s not speak of this again.”

“…Agreed.”

The both of them stood before the gate.

The guard gave a quick glance to the mark on Flint’s wrist before stepping aside.

“Clear.”

The great gates of Vega stood open before them.

Flint took one step through, and immediately stopped.

“…Oh.”

Buildings stretched in every direction as far as he could see. Stone streets branched into countless others, disappearing between rows of shops whose signs hung overhead in every imaginable color. Somewhere farther ahead, church bells rang while music drifted through the air from a street he couldn’t even see.

People.

Everywhere.

Merchants.

Children.

Adventurers.

Guards.

The crowd moved like a river, flowing around wagons and market stalls without ever truly stopping.

Isla slowly turned in a full circle.

“…It’s…”

She looked at Flint.

“…It’s enormous.”

Flint nodded absentmindedly.

“I think…” He gulped, “…I think our village would fit inside this street.”

A burst of laughter erupted nearby causing both of them to turn.

A man stood atop a wooden crate, effortlessly tossing five colored balls through the air. Every now and then he'd launch one high above his head, catching it behind his back without breaking rhythm.

Children surrounded him, cheering for every successful trick.

“Again! Again!”

Flint watched in silence.

“What is he doing?”

“I believe he’s entertaining people.”

Flint furrowed his brows.

“…On purpose?”

A little girl tossed a copper coin into the performer’s hat.

Then another.

Then another.

Flint blinked.

“…Maybe I chose the wrong profession.”

Isla giggled.

“I don’t think chopping wood has quite the same audience.”

They continued deeper into the city, the chatter and voices of merchants filling the air with a cacophony of noise.

It wasn’t long before Isla abruptly stopped walking again.

Flint took another three steps before realizing Isla had vanished. He turned to find her standing motionless before a storefront whose window glittered with crystals, enchanted lanterns and neatly arranged spellbooks.

Above the door hung a polished wooden sign.

Arcane Emporium.

Her eyes sparkled.

“…Flint.”

“Yes?”

“We must.”

He stared at the sign again.

“Okay, if you say so.”

Isla disappeared inside before he’d even finished speaking.

Flint smiled to himself.

“That was fast.”

He leaned against the wall outside of the store, as he let the distant noise of the streets drown away his thoughts.

A minute passed quickly.

Then a couple more passed as well.

What’s taking her so long?

Eventually curiosity won, and he poked his head through the doorway.

Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling.

Bundles of enchanted herbs.

Wands.

Staves.

Objects Flint couldn’t even begin to identify.

The elderly shopkeeper noticed him first, greeting him with a smile.

“Please come in, young man.”

Flint stepped inside, his boots clicking softly across the wooden floor as his gaze wandered over the shelves.

“Looking for something?”

“Uh…” Flint squinted at the first thing he found. It was a blue crystal suspended above a glass base.

“This one—“

“No, don't touch it!”

Too late.

Without warning, the crystal erupted in a jet of water.

"Oh!"

“Ah, Damn it!”

“I’m really sorry!” Flint bowed so deeply he almost hit his head on his boots.

Isla rounded the corner, spotting the young man and trotting over.

“Flint! I found—“

She stopped abruptly.

“…What did you do?”

𓌏

A few minutes later they finally emerged from the shop, while Isla carefully hugged a slim second-hand spellbook to her chest.

“What did you buy, by the way?”

She grinned happily.

“It was a discounted spell book!”

“I’m afraid to ask what that means.”

“It means we can still afford dinner.”

“Excellent.” Flint exhaled, “I never did ask, where did you find all that money?”

“You’re only realizing now, huh…” Isla smiled wryly, “Trafford gave them to me once. He said he’d tucked them under his bed for too long.”

The moment they rounded the corner, a warm aroma drifted through the air.

“…Do you smell that?”

Isla smiled knowingly.

“Follow it.”

“…You already are.”

The scent led them straight to a bakery.

Fresh loaves lined the shelves behind the window while trays of golden pastries disappeared almost as quickly as they came out of the ovens.

Flint stood there in complete and utter awe.

“Excuse me!” He waved, catching the attention of the old lady manning the store.

“Yes, dear?”

“Do you bake bread?”

The lady furrowed her brows, unsure if she’d heard the question right.

“All day, dear.”

Flint slowly nodded.

“…This city is incredible.”

𓌏

They wandered for what felt like hours. Or perhaps only minutes. It was impossible to tell.

Every street seemed to lead to three more.

“I think we came from there.”

Isla pointed confidently.

Flint looked at the bakery they had passed only moments ago.

“Isla, I believe I’d recognise this smell.”

“You would, wouldn’t you?” Isla sighed.

“We’ve been here already.”

“You’re right.”

“...At least 3 times.”

“It was that many?!”

Isla almost dropped her map. They turned down another street as a deep bell echoed across the city.

DONG.

Flint instinctively stiffened. His hand started toward the axe before stopping halfway.

“…Right.” He slowly lowered it again, patting his coat, “…It’s just the bell.”

Isla smiled.

“You’re getting used to it.”

“I think I am.”

By the time they reached the harbor, the city simply ended.

Beyond the stone docks stretched nothing but water.

Blue, endless, and simply breathtaking.

Ships drifted across the horizon, their white sails catching the wind. Flint walked to the edge in silence.

“…Where does it end?”

Isla stood beside him.

“I don’t think it does.”

He stared a little longer before smiling.

“…The world’s even bigger than I thought.”

Neither of them noticed how long they stood there. Eventually Isla unfolded the newly purchased map.

“…According to this…”

She frowned.

“The Adventurers’ Guild should be…”

She turned the map.

“…This way. So we need to go the other way.”

Flint looked at the map, then at the maze of streets surrounding them.

“…Are you sure?”

“…No.”

They rounded a corner, then descended a few steps. In an alleyway right next to the docks, a couple voices caught their attention.

“I said tell me what you know!”

“I-I swear that’s all—“

“Bullshit!”

A man in light black armor seemed to be harassing another, his back against the wall.

Isla looked at Flint. The young man didn’t need to be told anything. He was already walking ahead.

“Hey! Stop that!”

The armored man’s head snapped to Flint. A look of pure confusion crossed his face.

“Eh? Who the hell are you, kid?”

“Kid?” Flint repeated, “You don’t look that much older than me.”

“What? I clearly am.” The man narrowed his eyes.

“AAAAH!” The man who was up against the wall found his opening, as he pushed the armored assailant away from him and sprinted towards the docks.

Flint smiled in triumph.

“Ah crap!” The other guy spat, “Look at what you did! I’ve been looking for him for days!”

Flint’s face fell.

“You have?”

The armored man was already running. Flint exchanged one quick glance with Isla before taking off after them.

“Flint?! Where are you going?!”

“Be right back!”