Verilia was a far cry from Laskar City. The first glimpse Laurel had of the Meristan capital was a glittering palace sat atop cliffs jutting above the horizon, soaring towers connected by delicately arched bridges in pale gray stone. A pack of large ships, outfitted for war, were docked at the base of the cliffs like loyal guard dogs. Glass reflected the sunlight and made it almost too difficult to look directly at the palace on the approach. Laurel even felt a faint sense of enchantment coming from the edifice, though it was weak by her standards for a ruler’s residence. Looking closely she could discern tunnels with smaller boats entering them, while defensive weaponry poked out from hidden caves further up. The palace being difficult to look at directly might be one more defensive measure woven amongst the rest.
The Lion’s Tooth swung past the battleships and the rest of the city and port came into view. A waterfall of humanity cascaded down from the top of the cliffs. Close to the base, the harbor was deep enough for large merchant vessels, while further away she saw a section for smaller fishing craft and a more enclosed section for what could only be the pleasure yachts of the rich and powerful. Set back from the docks were towers, each with bold designs picked out in colorful mosaics. A roaring dragon, a phoenix, and a flock of sparrows adorned the closest. Floating above and attached with thick cables were airships of wildly varied designs. The most eye-catching was sleek black, with gold painted filigrees covering the bottom. Others were less spectacular, from small ships barely a handful of meters long and built for speed, to ponderous whales that could hold full battalions of soldiers.
A blocky fort dominated the view to the south, built in the same pale stone of the palace. Where the palace was a work of art, defense was the main – and only – consideration of this construction. No walls surrounded the city, and Laurel tore out a page from her notebook, scrawling ‘defensive options’ across the top. Her sect was not going to live in a place practically begging a beast wave to ravage it. Overall it was a hopeful sight, a good place to start over. Or she was projecting what she desperately needed to believe.
Between everything was a sea of people. It was far and away the largest city Laurel had ever seen. Even without focusing her spiritual sense, the turbulence of the ambient mana was close to overwhelming, and she felt the pressure like an oncoming sinus headache. If the world’s mana density continued to approach past levels, this city would be attracting enough beasts to make the waves of monsters that challenged her old sect look like a children’s game. The combined sensory information was too much, but she focused on the positive. Somewhere amongst so many mortals would have to be a few worth recruiting.
The smell of ash and humanity mixed with the salt air and dead fish had Laurel gagging as they docked at their assigned berth. After making their farewells to the crew, she entered the city with Beram. The passage had been pleasant, but weeks of forced inactivity left Laurel frantic. Every moment she spent on the ship added to the feeling of falling behind humming just beneath the surface. The real work was yet to begin. A torturously long stop at a customs and currency exchange house and they were officially able to move freely throughout Merista.
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“So what’s next?” Beram asked as they moved further from the busy port and into the dockside neighborhoods.
“I’ll seek an audience with the king. I can already tell no one is cultivating the City Core here, and I’d bet that means there aren’t any locals capable of dealing with the situation. We need to get it under control before high tier beasts start assaulting the city. It should be enough to strike a deal. Honestly, with this many people they’re lucky I’m here.” Laurel’s voice was full of conviction but the expression on her face revealed she was aware just how daunting those goals were. “You’re off into the mountains? Are you sure I can’t convince you to become a cultivator? I’m sure we could make use of someone with your experience.” Privately Laurel added he was a man that could handle himself if enemies followed her here.
Beram chuckled. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m past my days of adventure. My brother and his family have a smallhold near Gulronne Peak. I’ve spent so long traveling and living abroad, it’s time to be home for a while. Get to know the nieces and nephews.” They reached a road wide enough for at least four carriages to ride abreast. “This is the Via Merista, it starts at the palace, runs through the city, and becomes one of the major north-south routes for the whole country. Call it the highway if you don’t want to be clocked as a foreigner. If you follow it about a third of the way up the hill you’ll find some honest inns with reasonable prices. Reasonable for the city, anyway.”
“This is where we say goodbye then.” Laurel looked at the grizzled man. She might be older, but Beram had taught her a great deal about this new world she had been thrust into. And reminded her she was capable of something beyond rage or numbness. They embraced with good natured laughs and back slaps.
“Alright lass, if things don’t work out here you can find me at Gulronne.”
“Don’t think you’re getting away that easy old man. You’ll be hearing from me.”
He turned, hoisted his pack further up his back, and set off towards the city limits. Laurel watched until he was merged into the crowd of other Meristans. A new brother-in-arms was a good omen for a new beginning.
The palace was no longer visible from where she stood in the dockside area. The view from this angle was less about soaring architecture and more solid practicality.Well-worn buildings with no frills, but built to withstand whatever came to pass. She reached out without looking and smacked away the hand of an ambitious pickpocket.
“Nice try,” she said without turning.
Nonetheless there was a smile on her face as she began the walk up the highway.
The past months had been filled with earth-shaking revelations and heartbreak, new friends and new responsibilities. Now that she’d found a place that publicly accepted cultivators, if weak ones, re-establishing the sect was just around the corner.