The city of Belge was another two weeks West, on the border between the Imperial Throne and the Harvest Kingdom.

The Imperial Throne was the last remnant of a once great empire spanning most of the continent. The empire had lasted more than two thousand years before its fall. Constantly in a state of war with its neighbors and seeking to regain its former glory. The Imperial Throne was a kingdom readily hated by all of its neighbors. It sent out slaving expeditions and raids constantly. The Imperial bloodline was said to be founded by an ancient undead mage that still held the core of the political power. Using the undead as slaves and warriors was common practice by the Imperial Throne mages. That meant death wasn’t even an escape for the tormented souls taken by the Imperial Throne. The Harvest Kingdom had built a wall along the border centuries ago, and the Border cities of Belge, Mansfeld, and Durng were the pillars of the civilization that held the wall steady.

The wall itself was akin to the Great Wall of China, fifteen meters tall and ten wide. It was built by armies of escaped slaves just after the Empire’s fall. It was one of the founding parts of the Harvest Kingdom. Masons and earth mages walked the length of the wall on weekly rotations to maintain its strength. Great towers a hundred meters tall were operated constantly, each a half day’s ride from the next. Each watchtower could summon a troop of defenders and signal the other towers in short order. The wall was nearly impenetrable. It had been breached a few times in its history, but the armies mobilized to contain the breaches.

The capitol Harvest City sat two days’ ride behind the wall on a wide river to the north of the road Wali and Yacob traversed. When the city of Belge finally came into view on the horizon, it was stunning to see the size of the city. The city was a brown stone edifice of war atop an artificial hill surrounded by massive walls. The Border Wall formed the western edge of the city, with another ring of walls set around the base of the hill. The second ring of walls sat higher on the slope surrounding Tor’Ue Citadel. Also known as ‘the Turd,’ much to the nobility’s chagrin. The Citadel was made from large clay bricks; each had been stamped with a sequence of interlinking runes. Four tall towers with pointed roofs surrounded a large barrel-shaped keep at the center. Smoke from hundreds of fires, bakeries, smithies, cook fires, and the like rose in the sky. The brown clay of the bricks came from the deep lake southeast of the city. Water from a magical spring fed the lake, and water from there was pumped up into the city through magical means below the ground.

Surrounding the city were many smaller farming villages fed via a series of canals. The canals drained the constantly overflowing lake into the fields. The fields fed the standing army of Belge, which spread out in a sequence of smaller forts to the north and south of Belge. Every speck of timber for fifty miles had been felled long ago. Two of the traders they traveled with were moving logs and coal, fuel for the city. The Harvest Kingdom was not one of the most powerful kingdoms, but their ability to feed and maintain a massive army in the field kept them safe.

At a Waystation, the traders sold their loads to barge masters who would bring them into the city via the canals. Wali and Yacob decided to ride the canals on the barges, saying farewell to the caravanners they had been traveling with for a few days. The barge moved smoothly along the waterway, accompanied by the crew’s songs. As the barge passed into the lake and drifted toward the docks on the lakeshore, it was nearing dawn.

They departed the Waystation and made their way past the line of carts and porters headed toward the docks. The gates to the city stood open, easily wide enough for four or five carts abreast. The gatehouse was an inelegant block building. The arched entrance was no more than five or six meters tall, and the passageway was some twenty meters deep, lit by magical crystals set into the ceiling. It reminded Wali of a highway tunnel he had driven back on Earth. The walls and ceilings had metal grates and shutters, murder holes for defense should the outer gate ever be breached. The boys showed their Hunter’s Stones at the gate and were given instructions on where to find the Hunter’s Society House within the sprawling city.

Inside the gate, the homes were made from similar brown bricks though not reinforced with runes as far as Wali could tell. They had entered into one of the warehouse districts where the roadways were set up for the large trade wagons piled high with goods. The city’s outer ring was three hundred meters wide; the middle ring was terraced up five meters, and the innermost was another ten meters higher. Small carts pulled by one or two people could enter the center ring, but no horses or oxen. The top ring was hand carry only as the paths up the inner cliff were single file or by rope pulley driven elevators. Each layer of the layer cake city was defensible from the layers below and could be cut off. Each had its own water supply and could withstand a siege.

The Hunter’s Society House was in the center tier, and most of the marketplaces the boys wanted to go to. They made their way through the bustling city, and people of all sorts were evident. Including Beastkin of many flavors; dogs, cats, mice, wolves, deer, and lizardfolk. Trickster informed him that the primary slave population of the Empire had been beastfolk before its fall. All those people who had escaped had spread through the neighboring areas, primarily into the border cities like Belge. Elves, dwarves, and shadowkin (purple-skinned humans of the size of children) were scattered about. The majority of the population was human. There did not seem to be any tension or prejudice between the different species in the city. The mood was pretty even, not cheery nor dour as one might expect for a city on the edge of a near-perpetual warzone. Inside the warehousing district by the gate began the crafter’s ring as it was known. Where the tools of war and commerce were made, everything that would be crafted in the city smithies to slaughterhouses, tanneries, and carpentry shops was primarily crafted here on the lowest tier and then either moved their products inward or back out of the city.

The boys moved to the ramp up to the next level behind a dog cart. The line moved quickly as they learned that the ramps were one-way. In Wali's mind, the middle tier was much more aligned with a medieval or renaissance city. The air felt cleaner, the streets were not clogged with animal droppings, and the homes were painted or whitewashed. Many had fanciful colors, murals of all sorts painted across the walls, and decorative art pieces clung to many eaves and doorways. The streets were narrower than below but not crowded. The largest vehicle was a cart of produce pulled by a pair of burly men with green armbands. Wali had seen the armbands before and knew they were a part of the city’s Porter’s Guild. Nothing moved inside the city without the Porter’s Guild. While the military primarily led Belge, several powerful guilds kept the place functioning.

They moved along the street, following signage and passing through a few marketplaces. Each marketplace had a variety of wares, but they seemed based around one function or another. The largest marketplace was for grocers, butchers, and fishmongers. The next was for clothing and household items. Specialty shops could be found on any number of side streets.

The boys approached the Hunter’s Society House. The large building was painted a deep blue with black trim in a Tudor style. It was the tallest building in the area and the best maintained. Subsidized by the crown, the Hunter’s Society acted as one of the primary barriers between monsters and people. They served as thief-takers, bounty hunters, adventurers, treasure hunters, and the like for those who would pay. Society houses like this are where Hunters gathered, found work, and got paid. For those with a Hunter’s Stone, it also acted as a bank, bunk house, tavern, and hospital. Inside the polished oak doors, bound in polished brass bands, the boys found a large atrium filled with a wide assortment of ivy and flowering creepers under a vast glass roof. In the center of the large room was a large circular desk with several uniformed employees.

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Approaching the desk, Wali and Yacob were a bit slack-jawed as they looked up and around the space. Seeing the pair walk up, a middle-aged woman with burn scars covering the left side of her head called them over. “Aye, you must be new. I’m Walla, head clerk here. Are you two Hunters?” She said in a melodious voice that could melt the iciest heart.

“Uh, yeah,” Wali said as he turned his attention to the woman. Somehow her scars accented her handsome face, and Wali was instantly charmed. “I’m Wali, and this is Yacob. We just got into town and are new to this whole Hunter business. We got our stones a few weeks ago and haven’t been into a Hunter’s Society house before.”

“Well then, welcome Wali and Yacob. Please present your stones.” Walla said as she took up a pair of familiar stone tablets from behind the desk. Wali took off his necklace and pressed it to the tablet. Yacob shook off his bracer and pushed the stone to the tablet in front of him. “Let’s see, Wali and Yacob, confirmed. With a current bounty of three gold and thirty-five silver for gnolls killed since you last checked in.” She moved her hands behind the desk and produced the money in quick motions. “You can divvy that up between yourselves.” The boys looked at each other, and Yacob started to interject, but Wali shook his head. Captain Hollis had already paid them, but Wali was not against getting paid twice.

“So now that you’re squared up with the Hunter’s Society, what can we do for you?” Walla asked.

“Can you give us a quick orientation?” Wali asked.

“Sure, on that side is the tavern and bunkhouse. If you try to open a footlocker that won't open, the bunk is taken. Bunks are free for one night, one silver per after. Food and drink in the tavern, of course, that’s on you also. On the other side are the library and our quartermaster, respectively. Behind me is the administrative offices. Banking activities and other information can be found here with my associates and me.” The two other receptionists at the desk gave young men waves. “Hunter Society rules are simple. Don’t cause any trouble that will land you on the board, and if you don’t check in every six months, then we will consider you dead and deactivate your account and disperse whatever funds back into Society coffers.” She looked at the two young men with a smile. She said, “In this Society house, I have a personal rule: to not track dirt, blood, or muck into my halls. Or I will burn you down myself.” Her smile was big, her eyes glowing with a familiar power.

Yacob stared, “Amazing, how do you do that? Are you Fire aspected too?” he said excitedly, not at all intimidated by the woman.

She smiled and let out a belly laugh, “Yes, I am. I assume you are too. If you carefully cycle fire-aspected mana through your eyes, it will do that for you. Careful though; too much, and you’ll burn yourself.” She slid a hand across her burn scars, “We aren’t fully fire-proof, just mostly.”

Walla, Wali, and the two receptionists watched as Yacob concentrated on carefully feeding his mana into his eyes to make them glow with fire. “There ya go, buddy. That’s good.” Wali said as Yacob’s eyes literally lit up.

“You two are good ones; I can already tell,” Walla said, still laughing.

“Can you direct us to where we might find a decent inn and someplace to find more exotic materials? Specifically magically sensitive stones?” Wali asked as Yacob yelped and rubbed his eyes after pushing too much mana into them. They both looked at Yacob, who looked embarrassed for overdoing it.

“A decent inn that welcomes our sorts of folks will be the Black Dog, about three blocks down that way. As for the materials, check with the quartermaster. He might have something. If not, he can best direct you to a good supplier. You can find damn near anything in this city for the right price.” She replied as she looked at Yacob, “I warned you. That’s what you get for not listening.” her voice was mockingly stern.

“Yes, ma’am,” Yacob said, head low in shame. He was still smiling at having gained a new trick.

Wali led his friend over to the quartermaster’s door and opened it after thanking Walla. Inside was a plain wooden room with a wall-to-wall counter. Behind it sat a bald old prune of a man, leaning back and snoring softly. As the door opened, a chime sounded. He snorted awake and sat forward, squinting at the boys as they entered. “Can I help you?” he said in a nasal tone.

“Yessir, I was looking to see if you had any Flame or Earth aspected stones like Flame Opal or Deep Jasper? Or some mana batteries?” Wali said pleasantly.

“Let me look.” The man said, slightly miffed that his mid-morning nap had been interrupted. He opened a large leather-bound book with many ribbons of assorted colors acting as bookmarks. He flipped through the book quickly, flipping section to section with practiced ease. “I have one large cracked lump of Deep Jasper. 2 gold 37 silver. No Flame Opal, however. I have three tiny flame-aspected rubies, ten gold and eighteen silver each. As for mana batteries, I am fresh out. It seems the White Fox Guild bought out the stock last week. In the sixth segment, you can find exotic stones at Stone Seer’s shop.” The old man said, looking up at Wali.

“I’ll take the jasper,” Wali said.

“No bartering. Prices are firm, take it or leave it.” He snapped.

“I’ll take it,” Wali said.

“Wait here.” The old man said as he sat back on the stool. The stool then scuttled toward the door, which opened without command or touch. The quartermaster sat on the seat as it scurried through the door like a four-legged wooden spider. A short while later, the door swung back open, and he deposited a burlap sack with a head-sized chunk of rock inside. Surprised by the magic stool, Yacob suddenly had eyes only for the bag. Wali counted coins, and they headed out after thanking the man.

“I can feel that rock somehow. It’s pulling on my earth mana.” Yacob said to Wali as they departed the Society House with a wave to Walla.

“Yep, it is naturally attuned to Earth-aspected mana, and you will turn it into an Earth mana storage device. A mana battery, as they say.” Wali said as he turned toward the Black Dog Inn.

The inn was marked with a small sign, and a trio of large black-furred mastiffs lounged on the front porch. The largest looked at Wali with very intelligent eyes. The mastiff pinged his Spirit sense as a Spirit Beast. Inside the inn, it was a rougher-looking crowd than most. Many wore armor, and scars and rugged looks abounded among the clientele. Behind the bar stood a huge, broad-shouldered wolfkin with black fur. He turned to the boys as they paused in the doorway, “Don’t let the pups out!” he growled as Wali and Yacob noticed a tide of small black dogs, puppies to be exact, romping towards them. Yacob quickly closed the door and kneeled to accept the wave of slobbery black fur. Wali waited till he could walk as Yacob sat on the floor off to the side and was showered in puppy affection.

Wali headed for the bar after a moment and said, “Can I get two rooms and meals? Walla sent us over.”

“Walla, huh? Seeing as you’re one of us, and the pups like your friend, I can do that. Seven silver for two rooms and four meals. Another two for laundry service and baths.” The wolf-kin watched Yacob simultaneously pet, wrestle, scratch and tug-of-war with the pile of ten mastiff pups. Wali slid a ten-silver coin across the bar.

“Ale for the both of us, please.” The wolfkin nodded and turned to prepare the drinks. Yacob sat for a minute longer before separating himself from the bounding mess of paws and slobbering teeth. He sat with Wali at the bar and accepted the offered cup as it came. As the wolfkin stepped away to help one of the other customers, Wali turned to Yacob. “Well, we’re here in the big city. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. We’ve been on the road for a couple of weeks. Why don’t we rest for a few days, restock and maybe see what we can see about the city? I’ve never been to a place with so many people. It’s huge.”

Wali had memories of New York City, London, Paris, and Chicago and was not intimidated by the population. By his standards, this wasn’t a big city at all. By the standards of this world, it was counted as a large city. They spent the rest of the day touring markets, tasting street foods, and restocking supplies.