After an additional three days of travel, I finally arrived at the outskirts of Crescent City. The road had stopped being made of dirt and was hued out of huge chunks of stone. Looking past the massive walls surrounding the city, I could tell that the stone roads continued on into the city.

Traffic flowed smoothly in and out due to the immense width of the road. Twin gates opened to each side were wide open at the city's wall. There appeared to be at least a platoon of guards stationed there, and they were actively searching the vehicles coming in. I could see them periodically talking to those who accompanied the vehicles or walked.

I stood a reasonable distance away, so my loitering wasn't noticed. I had hoped I would get to five percent compatibility during my travel to the city, but it seemed that my De absorption speed significantly lessened once I left the mountain. I was eager to get as strong as I could as fast as possible, so I was disappointed in the slight increase.

I was able to make some headway in my energy manipulation, though. At least, I thought I had made progress. The night before, the energy seemed to swirl for a moment in the direction I wanted.

I wanted to get strong, so I could fight my way out of any bad situations. Though, while traveling to that spot, I didn't see any signs of being searched for. Still, I stayed wary.

I passed a couple patrols while walking there, but I wasn't stopped. I also didn't see any papers hung up on the information board of the small towns I traveled through. I didn't know what information the gate guards possessed, and I didn't see any other way to get past the walls.

I stood in line behind a cart being pulled by someone's robot and patiently filled along until it was my turn. The guard must not have cared too much as he didn't even say a word to me as I shuffled by. He even gave me a slight nod when I glanced in his direction, which I quickly returned. The fear gripping my body slid off in elation as I passed through the gates and entered the city.

I tried not to stare too much, but it was difficult as I could finally take in the magnitude of Crescent City. The streets were made of the same material as the road leading to the city and didn't change as far as I could see into the cityscape.

The buildings were much taller than I thought when I saw them outside the city. I could see some poking about the city's wall, but there were too many to count. Once inside, I noticed that most of them were slightly smaller than the city gates.

The buildings were linked together in four to five batches, with almost no space between them. The alleys were dark, and I was reminded of being attacked in our much more spacious and bright alleys in my hometown. I made a mental note to stay out of the ones in Crescent City.

What struck me the most was the smell; I thought a city of this size would smell worse than my town, which always smelled of manure and body waste pervading the area. This city had none of that. What assaulted my nostrils what the delectable aroma of freshly baked bread. I hadn't had any bread for weeks, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until my mouth started salivating.

I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I didn't know where the bank was inside the enormous city, and I didn't want to ask a random stranger for assistance; that would just paint a target on my back as easy prey. I also had a few coins at the bottom of my bag that my father previously had.

I moved to the side of the road. Although I didn't have much choice since the moment I stopped, I was buffeted on all sides by a never-ending river of bodies. I dug around at the bottom of my bag for some coins and went into the nearest bread shop I could see.

Five minutes later, I left with directions to the Crescent City bank and the most delicious piece of pastry I had ever eaten. I didn't even know things like that had been created. I once again felt cheated at where I lived and its austere conditions.

The pastry was made of a flour concoction similar to bread, but instead of being baked, it was cooked in a vat of boiling oil. When cooking, it was shaped into a ring and flipped halfway through. When it was done, it was covered with sugar ground so finely it looked like powder.

I had never tasted anything as fine in my life. I wished that I had bought more. The lady selling them in the shop was also very friendly. She gladly gave me directions to the bank and answered all my questions about her tasty creation, which was apparently called a doughnut. I finished the food there, and I headed to the bank once I was done.

It took me twenty minutes to get to the bank, and I walked in a straight line the entire time. The bank stood just outside an inner wall of the city that the nice doughnut lady told me was the entrance to the noble section of the city. It was a large building that seemed to be hewn from a single piece of marble, but I doubted it was. It had steps leading up to the entrance, with multiple stylized pillars reaching the overhanging roof.

The doors were at least ten feet tall and made of dark wood with intricate carvings. I entered the building and looked around, unsure of where to go. I was immediately accosted by an older gentleman whose primary job seemed to help people entering the bank.

"Good morning, young man," he said with a high gravelly voice. "I'm afraid to tell you that there are strict rules against being in Symbiotic Mode while entering the bank. You'll have to switch to Companion Mode before proceeding."

I was confused for a moment at his statement. I didn't understand why he thought I was in Symbiotic Mode. Then I realized it must be because of my goggles. I was the only person without an obvious robot at their side. I was also the only person that appeared to have a robotic attachment affixed to my body, which was common only in Symbiotic Mode.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Sorry for the confusion, my robot is a little different, and I'm not in Symbiotic Mode."

"Oh, really?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "At my age, I thought I'd seen everything. In that case, if you produce your identity chip, we can get you sorted out quick enough."

"My identity chip?" I asked. No one had ever mentioned an identity chip to me. Before I could further betray my intelligence, it seemed my robotic goggles again acted on my verbal cue.

I heard a click coming from the vicinity of my right temple. I also saw the old man's eyes flick up to the same place. I lightly touched my hand to the area and found a small rectangle protruding where it had previously been smooth. I pinched it between my fingers and pulled it from its housing.

The object was a simple black rectangle about two inches long and about the width of my finger. Sticking out of one end was a piece of shiny metal only about a centimeter smaller on every side. I held the identity chip in front of me, and I could see the old man begin to reach for it.

I pulled it back, fearful of what information he could glean from it. "What do you need it for?"

"Ah, yes," he said, dropping his hand and adopting a more rigid stance. "Here at the Crescent City bank, your identity chip is used purely for identification purposes. While additional information can be obtained from possessing the chip, we do not prescribe to such practices. It is common knowledge that only a robot's official owner can extract the identity chip from the robot, so we take that as an omission of identity. Seeing as your robot, while in Companion Mode, is somehow attached to your body, it is almost pointless to ask, but it is still needed."

He said all that with an air of confidence and professionalism that I thought couldn't be faked, so I handed the identity chip over to him. He lithely grabbed it from me. I watched as he put the metal end into what was some type of machine perched upon a small desk to his side.

A moment after he plugged it in, a ringing sound came from the machine, and a screen lit up, similar to the one on my goggles. To my surprise, the screen contained my name and a picture of me rotating around. The old man pulled the chip from the machine and handed it back to me.

"Thank you for verifying your identity Mr. Gearwon. Now, how can we help you? I noticed on your file you don't have any open accounts with us. For the next two weeks, we are offering a zero percent charge account for applicants participating in the annual martial tournament. Would that be something you are interested in?" He placed his arms behind his back and waited for my response.

"The annual martial tournament?" I queried.

"Oh, yes! I'm afraid I don't follow it that much, but I believe this is the tournament's thirtieth year. Awards and prizes are issued in numerous categories. This is why our bank is offering accounts for those participating."

"While it does sound interesting, I don't think I'll be participating."

"Not an issue, sir, but if you change your mind, please know that the offer ends in two weeks at the start of the tournament."

I just nodded while putting my bag down to fish out the key I needed. Once I secured it, I stood and handed it over.

"I actually have this key to access a box at this bank. Are you able to help me with it?"

"Certainly," he replied. He took the key card I presented and placed it into a different slot on the same machine on his desk. Words popped up on the screen. Before I even had a chance to read it, he had the card out and was handing it back to me.

"Right this way, sir." The old man turned and started to walk away.

While walking, he signaled another person, and they made their way to the same desk. I followed the older man a few steps behind with a thudding in my chest. I had finally reached my destination and was nervous about what I would find.

He led us passed a wide desk that had numerous people working behind it while helping what appeared to be customers. We entered a door, then down a twisting hallway until we reached another door. He opened that one to let me go in first.

Inside was a large room filled wall to ceiling with numerous drawers.

"If I could see your key card again, sir?"

I quickly handed it over, and he moved to the back corner of the room. I followed behind him. He went to the drawer with the same number on the keycard.

When he slipped the keycard into a small slot right underneath the drawer, the entire drawer suddenly detached from the wall a few inches. He pulled the whole draw out, which was smaller than I thought while in the wall and carrying it. He walked back toward the exit while having me follow.

He led me to another small room with a desk at the end and a chair. He placed the box on the table and then pointed to a small button on the side of the door. "I will leave you here to conduct your business. When you are done, please press the button here. Another associate or I will be along to help you." I nodded in acknowledgment, and he left me alone.

I sat down on the chair, scooted closer to the box and took a moment to stare at it. So many thoughts raced through my mind at that moment. More than I could have ever predicted. With so many thoughts and questions I wanted to be answered, I was stuck in place, unable to move. I took a deep breath and dismissed all thoughts from my mind as it was the only way to move forward.

I opened the box, and the experience was lackluster, to say the least. Inside was a tri-folded piece of parchment. I grabbed the paper, and it was surprisingly thick.

Inside was a keycard very similar to the one I had already. The most significant difference was the name printed on the front. The new one said First Union Bank of the Capital with a stylized FUBC below the words. I turned the paper over and saw that it was a handwritten note in a beautiful flowing script.

My dearest Jonas, this is the third letter I have written in here, and it has currently been four years since I left. How is our son? I miss you both terribly, and it rips me apart whenever I think about having to leave you two.

It might be some time until I am able to make it back here to check this safety box. I can't stand the idea of you or our sweet Matty not being able to reach me. I long for the day when our son is ready and you can stop hiding.

In the future, I will be continuing the fight from the capital region. My deepest hope is that you will be able to join me one day. The key card placed here will give you access to information to locate me once you get to the capital.

Until that day arrives, I will do my best to not give up hope. If this is not the time when you will be trying to reach the capital, please give Matty my love and hold him tightly. You two are my only sources of light in this dark world, but I will continue to fight to make it better.

Love Always,

Your Wife and Queen

Gili Gearwon