The appearance of city walls was a welcomed sight. The night and morning passed without incident, at least without attacks from the wildlife. It was apparent early on that the carts would need to be helped along. The women took turns shoving the carts from behind while the men trudged forward. The uphill portions were killer on the quads and calves, but the downhill portions were worse. There were a few steep hills that caused the carts to crash into the heels of Regal and Xavier. Both man and wooden transport took quite a tumble, but fortunately, the carts held up, and they were able to, with shaky legs, get them to where they were now.

The sun was already high in the sky, and Milla had shifted to her Firefox form many hours prior. Colette and Caleb chatted most of the night away about sewing patterns and how he created such high durability in their clothes. Lloyd wasn't aware there was such a range in skill between people with the same ability. He wondered how he ranked against others with telekinesis.

Lloyd felt as if he could truly call what he was looking at a city and not just a town like Breakwater or Sylvia. Mandor was still another half mile away, but large gates loomed in the distance. Gray stone walls stood dozens of feet tall with parapets perched on top. He could see tiny dots patrolling the walls up top. Mandor was dwarfed by the snow-capped mountains that stood behind the city, appearing like the backdrop of a perfectly painted scene.

Sheena untied Milla from her harness and let the fox hide amongst the trees. Xavier and his group told her that they wouldn’t care, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

“Welcome, travelers. I see that you have an…interesting assortment of things there. I would also say that it is quite a unique way to transport these materials,” one of the guards at the gate said.

The man wore shiny metal armor from his head to his toes. In his right hand, he wielded a well-made spear. The only parts of the guard that were visible were his eyes and nose under his raised visor. He stood about a head shorter than Regal, but the armor made him look larger. Lloyd saw a few slashes, dents, and dings in his armor. It looks like the guard definitely saw some action.

The second guard they approached stood still; his arms pressed to his body just below his belly. This guard possessed no discernable weapons, which made Lloyd think that he had powers of the elemental type. The second guard's armor was nearly identical, although with fewer dents and dings on it.

“Yeah, we ran into a little bit of trouble along the way. We lost a few good people," Xavier said with slumped shoulders.

“Yes, the wilds have been getting worse this last year. Fear not; we take the safety and security of Mandor very seriously. Know that when you are within these walls, you will be safe. May I ask, from which city do you come from originally?” the first guard asked.

“Mulbar,” Xavier said as he pointed to himself and the rest of his group.

Both guards nodded and then looked at the remaining four members.

“Springvale,” Colette said.

“Same. I have something to mention before we get any further. I am a Beastmaster, and my fox is in the woods back there. I would very much appreciate it if she was allowed to come into town,” Sheena said as she looked back towards the forest.

Lloyd saw that her feet were already poised to walk away, as if she was expecting the guards to say no. Lloyd had never heard Sheena talk with such tameness and politeness.

“Ah, why yes, of course, you are both allowed and welcomed into the city. We have a Beastmaster or two within the city walls already. Our denizens are quite comfortable with the blue-eyed beasts. Sort of neat that their eyes tell us if they are friendly or not,” the first guard said with a smile barely visible in between his open visor.

Shock spread across Sheena’s face as she nodded towards the forest. Milla sprinted out of the forest but slowed to a trot as she approached the gates. Milla took up position next to Sheena, who rested her hand on the fiery fur.

“She is quite a lovely creature. It looks like she has fire abilities, so we just ask that you be careful around the wooden amenities and wooden parts of town. We recommend an Inn called the Stony Spire. It's fairly easy to spot. If you walk straight down the path here after a few minutes, you'll see a large three-story tall stone structure. The first floor is a tavern, and the top two floors are all places to sleep. It is made almost entirely of stone,” the guard said.

“It's not quite as good as the snooze and booze, but it will do,” the second guard said.

“Her powers don’t actually work like that, she…” Sheena began to say before Regal spoke up.

“We won't be long. We are only planning on spending the night,” Regal said.

“Of course. What about you two gentlemen? Where do you reside from?” The guard asked Lloyd and Regal.

“We are from Breakwater,” Regal said.

“So, just a heads up. We might not be able to sell everything within a day. We still want to honor our deal, so we hope that maybe you can stay an extra day or so. We know that you are in a hurry, but I think the extra gold will serve you and the Kingdom well,” Xavier said.

“I do like rewards!” Colette said as she clapped her hands and bounced back and forth on her feet. She looked at her friend, and Sheena shook her head and walked into the gates past the guards.

“Fine,” Sheena said before disappearing into the city.

“Breakwater is quite the trek. I would certainly recommend a few days of rest. It sounds like a few of you are continuing on. Does that mean that you are going to join the King’s Guard?” guard number one asked.

“That is the plan. Myself, my brother Regal here, Colette, and also the angry woman that just walked through the doors with her fox,” Lloyd said as a smile crept on his face when he realized that she was too far away to hear.

Colette let loose a little giggle, and she shook her head at Lloyd. “Don't let her hear you say that,” she said.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The first guard reached into a pack lying on the ground next to the large stone walls. He pulled out a thin block of wood about the size of his palm with various notes and writing carved into it. He handed it to Regal, who quickly examined it.

“Take this to the Stony Spire. They will make sure to set you up with accommodations free of charge. We welcome any and all that journey to bring the fight to the beasts in the West,” the first guard said as he put his fist to his armored chest, the second guard mirroring the movement. "I would recommend stopping at the Bazaar near the Stony Spire. Stock up on potions and maybe a new set of gear," the guard said as he eyed Lloyd and Regal's torn attire.

“Go. Find Sheena and enjoy some rest. We can handle it from here,” Xavier said.

Colette ran up and hugged each member of the cart group. Regal and Lloyd shook the hands of each of them.

“You sure? The load didn't get any lighter now that it's at the gate,” Regal said.

“We can help with that. There are quite a few people in town who have Altered strength. I think if we get Brett and Brad, they should be able to haul this no problem,” said the first guard.

“I'll stay with the carts if you guys want to try to find the Snooze and Booze,” Xavier said to his group.

“Oh, don't want to hang with us in the Stony Spire, huh?" Lloyd said as his party walked through the behemoth gates of Mandor.

“I mean, the place is called Snooze and Booze. It sounds like a fun time,” Caleb said.

“Well, you know where to find us. We’ll be there for a few days, apparently,” Regal said.

“Same to you guys,” Sarah said as she waved to Lloyd’s group.

Lloyd, Regal, and Colette quickly found the building that they were looking for. Unlike the first town that Regal and Lloyd had gotten to, this town was bustling with people. The main street they walked down was a compact dirt road that housed buildings of varied materials on either side. There were brick-and-mortar shops one story high with awnings out front that wafted the smell of fresh baked goods onto the street. They were smaller log cabin houses with families playing in the backyard, kicking a ball on the ground, or simply having a meal. A few two-story stone buildings were scattered around as well.

Lloyd stood at a four-way intersection. In front of him was their destination, the Stony Spire. On the road to the right, Lloyd saw adobe and stone buildings with different colored awnings out in front. Hundreds of people stood and walked in front of the small shops and vendors. Even from where Lloyd stood, he could hear the voices yelling and shouting different prices or enticing the passing potential customers to come to their shop. He looked down at his tattered clothes and made a note to stop over there and see what they had for sale. He also wondered what kind of price the materials they had in their packs would go for. A quick shot of panic rose when he realized he had never bought or sold something before. He might have to ask Colette or Sheena for help. Probably Colette.

The three approached the doors to the Stony Spire. Before they could reach the door, a tall man with a slender build grabbed the handle and opened the door for them.

“Thank you,” Colette said.

Regal and Lloyd gave the man a nod as they followed Colette into the building. They were immediately smacked with the savory smell of meat, the sweet smell of caramelized sugar, and scents of sacred herbs floated through the air, creating a light haze in the room. The area was at least a few thousand square feet. It reminded Lloyd of Sylvia and of Taryn, who had to mentally and physically maintain all of the stone structures. He wondered if there was such a person or groups of people here that had to do the same. He hoped that it worked as it did with his mom, that the structures only needed to be created initially and then would stand by themselves. They left Sylvia as the citizens were recovering from an awful disease. Lloyd hoped they were still okay.

Although both taverns were made almost entirely of stone, that was where the similarities ended. Stained glass windows adorned the stone wall. The lights and chandeliers were made of metal, and the bright yellow glow they gave off was from something that wasn’t a normal flame. Ornate stone chairs surrounded the round stone tables. Red cushions sat atop the stone, which would be a welcomed comfort as Lloyd’s legs were nearing the end of his ability to walk. Carpets made of the fur of various animals decorated the floors. Intricate designs wove throughout the floor and walls as the type of stone varied. There was a stage at the end of the room as well.

Immediately to the right of the door, there was a large bar where a group of men in brown tunics and swords slapped to their hips sat and laughed about something that must have happened recently. A few chairs down sat a lonely old man sipping on whatever was in his mug. His white hair and distant stare made Lloyd wonder what brought him to the bar. Excitement rose as Lloyd realized that he didn't know the man's story and that anything that he said to him would be a surprise. He loved that. It was one of the main reasons he left Breakwater to begin with. He wanted to explore and meet new people who had stories he'd never heard of.

“I found her,” Colette said as she pointed beyond the bar to a row of stone tables.

Patrons sat sprinkled throughout the room, drinking or eating, laughing or sitting silently. It looked as though Sheena had yet to receive any food or drink. She simply sat next to Milla as they stared forward at the empty stage in front of them. The three began to make their way over to Sheena when Regal stopped.

“Let's see how well this wooden pass works. If you want, I'll grab some mugs for us and Sheena as well,” Regal said as he held up the pass and shook it.

“I'm in,” Lloyd said.

“Yeah, I'll take a little baby drink as well,” Colette said.

“Think Sheena will want one?” Lloyd asked.

Colette chuckled before she answered. “Definitely. Don’t make it a baby one,” she said.

Regal broke off, heading to the bar. He stood next to the old man, trying to get the bartender's attention. Colette slid onto the thick red ornate cushion that sat upon the stone chair next to her friend. Lloyd walked around the table, giving Milla a quick pet behind her ears. The fox licked at Lloyd's palm as he went to sit down across from Sheena. He looked at her and swore that she was almost smiling.

“Have you ordered anything yet? One of those guards gave us a cool pass that should give us food and a free stay for the next few days. I think maybe we can drink too. Regal is checking that out right now,” Colette asked Sheena.

“Um, no, not yet. I’ve just been sitting here,” Sheena replied as she continued to stare at the empty stage.

“Yeah, this seems like a pretty nice place, doesn’t it?”

Sheena didn't answer right away, and in a desire to fill the awkward void, Lloyd made it worse.

“You seem pretty happy here. Why is that?" Lloyd asked.

He thought about adding something about never seeing her smile and wondering if someone had put her under a charm. As the quasi-smile immediately dropped from Sheena's face when Lloyd asked the question, he was glad that he didn't push the subject.

“I walked straight down that path from the gates, and nobody stared at me. Nobody tucked away their children,” Sheena began to explain as Milla put her furry head into Sheena’s lap and she instinctively reached out and began scratching between the fox's ears. “There were people on the streets who smiled at me and gave me a nod. There was even this one little girl who stopped kicking a ball around to approach Milla. She just reached out and pet her. Milla licked her face, and the girl walked away laughing. I've…I guess I've never really had that experience. It makes me wonder about things, that's all.”

There were a few moments of silence before Collete wrapped her arms around Sheena’s left arm and leaned her head on Sheena’s shoulder. Sheena briefly tucked the side of her head so that it leaned against the top of Collete’s. The moment lasted only briefly.

“Sounds like you’ve had it rough,” Regal said as he approached the table with the wooden mugs of beer. One by one, he set them in front of each person, even having a small bowl for Milla as he set it down on the ground for her.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about it. Thanks for the beers.” Sheena said as she lifted her mug towards Regal.

Regal returned the gesture. Colette and Lloyd added their mugs into the pile, liquid sloshing as they bumped together.

“Cheers,” everyone said in unison as they all took a strong swig out of their mugs.