Leo and Marem didn’t encounter any other interruptions on their way to Edheim. It was a bit jarring to go from a day filled with such intensity to relatively peaceful travel. By this point in their walking, the two of them saw multiple carts and caravans pass by. They’d even been offered a ride by a kind rider, but the scent of his spices were too powerful for Leo to bear.

He spent the remainder of the journey trying to adapt to the new ability. His sense of smell thankfully seemed to dull out over time. While anything nearby was powerful, he could ignore most things at a distance. It would take time to fully control his sense of smell, but the benefits were worth the trouble. He could now easily find things by scent alone.

The only problem was his nose’s indiscretion. While most people smelled unique enough that he could find them, many objects didn’t. If he tried to focus on the smell of bread, he would pick up the scent of bread from miles around him.

Leo couldn’t help but feel as if all his abilities had come with some unfortunate downside. More than just the lost strength. His darkvision made it impossible to enjoy the subtlety of shadows that filled the world. He hasn’t had the chance to dream, let alone rest, in far too long. And now, his sense of smell has changed. He doesn’t just smell the roses, he smells the forest around them. The dirt and insects beneath the flowers overwhelm their gentle fragrance.

He hoped that he would grow used to the struggles of his abilities over time. They were still a benefit in the end, afterall. He had been able to help save many lives thanks to them, and he hoped to save many more.

“Hey, Leo, check it out,” Marem pointed her staff up ahead.

Her voice interrupted Leo’s thoughts as he looked ahead on the path. He could see the first signs of Edheim through the treeline. The tops of cathedrals poked past the trees, glimmering in the sunlight. He could also see a castle jutting out into the horizon.

It would only be a handful of hours before they reached the city. The path gradually changed from rough dirt to smooth cobbles. There were small stalls set up along the way, selling all manner of items. Occasionally, Leo or Marem would browse through wares that caught their eye. Marem was interested enough in a magical tonic that she spent ten minutes haggling over the price.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Leo could smell the scent of beetroot and thyme emanating from the elixir. The cork did very little to stop its pungent earthy scent. She explained what it did in terms far too technical for him, but she was happy to dumb it down a bit.

“The potion is a condensed form of energy, in layman’s terms. Ingesting it gives you a sudden spike in energy. The real benefit, though, is that you become resistant to pain. It’ll be useful incase I need to heal anyone quickly enough that I can’t numb their injuries,” explained Marem.

“Damn, that’s cool. Does it taste good?” he asked.

“Tastes like boiled asparagus, but it’s not the worst. You can apply it to the skin instead, though it greatly reduces the effect,” she answered.

Leo was curious about potions, they were something ripped straight from fantasy to him. Sadly, Marem had warned him that most of them tasted bad. He hoped there would be at least one cherry flavored potion, but they seemed to all be vegetable flavored. He tried to not focus on the scent of the potion as they finally reached the entrance of Edheim.

The city was teeming with life, with hundreds of people milling about the entrance. Leo saw armored knights wearing the royal insignia, a bear adorned with aspens, standing guard at the gate. They didn’t seem to give him and Marem anything more than a passing glance as they walked into Edheim.

The city was filled with life, thousands of conversations happening simultaneously. Vendors in the markets could be heard drawing attention to their unique products and wares. People dressed in all manner of clothing walked throughout the city. While some of them wore generic outfits, Leo saw people adorned with outfits befitting adventurers.

The stone walkways were wide enough that carts lazily rolled through the city streets. Most of them seemed to just be headed off to their destinations, but some were made for different purposes. He saw children running up to a cart, coin in hand, to purchase candy from a smiling dwarf vendor. There was even a cart with a sign that advertised dental work that rolled past them.

He looked out at the beautiful architecture while they walked deeper into the city. There were normal houses, built from stone, brick, and wood, but there were also houses like he’d never seen before. A shadow overhead made him look up to see a small store that floated through the sky. The bottom seemed to be covered with magical runes that let it fly.

Leo also saw a small wood structure that was reminiscent of a phone booth. The sign above was labeled “Drinks o’ Plenty.” He realized that something magical was at play when a group of men walked into the building that couldn’t possibly hold them all. He stared in awe at all the sights that surrounded him.

Yet, what drew him in the most was the scents. He tried his best to ignore the worst odors and focused on the enticing scent of food that came from all corners. He could smell the frying of fresh bear meat, the scent of freshly baked bread golems, and even the sweet fragrance of freshly cooled slime treats.

Marem gave the starstruck Leo a glance. “Welcome to Edheim, the capital of the world.”