Alex and Melodi packed up camp shortly after sunrise and continued heading toward Ardua. They still had many kilometers to go before they would arrive, and using their Zight to speed across the land would only exhaust them. In the wilderness, that was something they couldn't afford.
One could never be sure when a Zightbeast would appear, and there was no guarantee that they wouldn't stumble across something in a rank beyond their ability to handle. If that happened, they would certainly perish, and out here, the odds of someone strong enough to fight off a creature like that appearing were quite slim.
Despite strong beasts like that being somewhat rare in these more traveled parts of the world, it was a risk they weren't willing to take. Thus, they traveled at a steady pace and kept themselves hidden for the most part. The roads along their path were barren and oftentimes ended abruptly. Even merchants didn't dare to travel this way, opting instead to use Slingates to get around.
In Dellorim, there was the Adventurers Guild to turn to for traveling dangerous roads, but here in Farnor, there didn't seem to be a similar equivalent. At least, not one that they had seen during their time here.
The road was silent, and they made good time as they approached Ardua. According to their map, they would only have to keep this up for another few days, and sure enough, on the third day of travel, they saw the high walls of that city in the distance. They had made it without another major incident and were happy to see a Slingate shining in the light of the setting sun.
They quickly sped up their pace and arrived in front of it within a few minutes. Alex keyed in the coordinates of Seven City, and with a flash, the portal opened. However, as the two tried to step through, they were sent flying backward several feet. For some reason, the portal had rejected them, and they stared with puzzled expressions as the gateway closed with a loud pop.
"What the hell?" said Alex.
"Maybe it's broken? Or, maybe it's protected by some sort of special spell?" replied Melodi. "We should head into the city. Maybe someone inside can shed some light on this for us."
"Hmm, doubtful. If I had to guess, it probably has something to do with the way we ended up in Farnor," answered Alex. "Aww man… I was really hoping to get home today. It's all I've been able to think about since we got here."
"What do you mean?” she asked.
“Well, Slingates are basically just controlled rift scars, at least, as far as I understand them. Neither of us knows proper teleportation spells just yet, and given that our arrival here in this country was such a sudden and bumpy ride I’m guessing that it has something to do with why we can’t use the Slingate.”
“That sounds… surprisingly informed Alex,” Melodi said with a shocked look on her face. “When did you get so smart?”
“Hey now, I’m not a complete idiot you know,” he replied digging in his ear with his pinky finger. “Just because I can’t stand the stuffy atmosphere of a classroom doesn’t mean that the knowledge itself bores me! But you are probably right about heading into the city. It’s been a while since I had a good meal and a soft place to sleep. It’ll be nice not to spend half the night standing guard.”
Melodi giggled and nodded her head toward the front gates. “Maybe there is someone in there who can help! You never know! I'm sure we can figure this out and get home quickly. Let's head to the front gates. I think I saw a guard still standing there who could let us in.”
The two quickly headed to the doors of the gate, and sure enough, a guard watched over the area with a dull expression on his face.
"Hello there, we're a couple of wayward travelers, and we were wondering if we could enter the city," said Melodi with a cheery tone in her voice.
The guard spat off to the side and looked the two over in silence before tapping the end of his spear on the bottom of the gate twice. A door on the left swung open slowly, and standing there was a woman in a brown lab coat. She stared ahead with an emotionless gaze and welcomed the two Conductors inside.
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Alex and Melodi shared a concerned look but headed inside.
"Welcome to Ardua travelers," the woman said in a monotone voice. “There is a strict curfew in place, and with the sun setting, it is in full effect. I shall guide you to the nearest lodgings for the night. Please refrain from leaving that dwelling until the sun has risen in the sky once again. The penalty for breaking curfew is two weeks in the stockades."
She spoke matter-of-factly, and it was quite offputting for Alex and Melodi. However, they followed her all the same and soon found themselves at the small inn and tavern entrance.
The building stood two stories tall above the city streets, and the duo could see that it was well-maintained. A beautiful coat of violet paint stained the many bricks of the building, and the large sign that hung from above the door read, ‘Second Chance Inn.’
Rivets of white steel framed the sign itself, and the eight windows of its two floors were also glittering in the light from the lanterns burning brightly inside. Very little activity could be seen from outside, and not much noise came from within, so it was safe to assume that they had arrived on a more quiet evening.
The woman who had guided them to this inn stood by with a blank expression, but she soon forced a smile, which creeped Melodi out. With nothing more to say, the two thanked their guide and then headed inside. The woman stood still until the door slammed shut, and then she quickly departed a moment later.
Alex and Melodi shared a look of wariness, but they shook it off and looked around. Many tables sat empty, but a few people could be seen drinking or playing games of dice or cards here and there. All had flagons of drink filled to various levels, but the place's atmosphere seemed less ominous than the two Conductors had expected.
A large man tended the bar. His thick beard was short, and his expression was quite stern. His arms were rippled with thick muscles, and scars could be seen along his forearms. He was only an enhanced human in the second rank, but he still gave off an imposing aura as he cleaned mugs or wiped surfaces down with an old rag.
A blonde-haired woman soon appeared from a doorway behind the bar. She appeared to be a common waitress, but she held herself with dignity as she walked. She spoke with the large man for a moment, and he smiled at her and affectionately rubbed her back. At that moment, she noticed Melodi and Alex standing in the doorway, and she quickly made her way over to them.
"Ah! Hello there! Welcome to the Second Chance Inn and Tavern! My name is Lynn, and I'm the proud owner of this fine establishment. As you can see, tonight is a somewhat slow night, but don't let that mislead you! We're usually quite busy! We're the second most popular place in all of Ardua! Though, if Eugene over there had his way, it would be like this every night," said Lynn with a nervous chuckle.
"Please, seat yourselves wherever you'd like, and I'll be along shortly with a menu. Or, were you perhaps looking to book a room? We have three available right now, but you don't seem like the kind of couple who sleeps apart," she said with a soft giggle.
Melodi's face went red, and she pushed Alex away from her, "We're not a couple!" she said before Alex could open his mouth. Back in Gawol, the village elder had made the same assumption, and Alex had played it off as though it were true.
That had annoyed Melodi to no end, and Alex soon suffered a throbbing cheek after she had punched him in his jaw for being so forward. Alex took it in stride, though, and found it fun to mess with her. He knew Cypher would get a laugh out of it, but also that his friend would never openly admit as much.
"Although, we would like to rent a couple of rooms for the next few days if that's at all possible," continued Melodi. Lynn smiled at her and nodded.
"Forgive me. I meant no offense. Couples tend to find their way in here quite often, and it has become a habit of mine just to charge them for a single room. We can certainly accommodate you for a few days, perhaps even longer if that is your wish!" replied Lynn.
"A single night per person is 12 gold, but that price covers the room as well as food and drinks. We offer breakfast and dinner as part of the price, but if you find yourself wanting more food than that, you'll have to pay extra. As for drinks, it's capped at three per person, but you do get a discount for every drink after that if you're staying in a room," said Lynn with confidence.
"That's quite the generous package you offer," said Alex with surprise.
"Yes, that is why we're regarded as the second-best Inn and Tavern in the city! Competitive prices and offers can make or break an establishment. At least, that's what my mother always said," finished Lynn.
Melodi smiled and held out her hand. She offered a small pouch of gold, and Lynn happily took it. "This should cover both of us for three days," said Melodi. "If we need to stay longer, we'll let you know as soon as possible.
Lynn smiled and held out her arm, "Well, if you would follow me, I'll lead you to your rooms then!" Melodi smiled and quickly followed after her. On the other hand, Alex headed to the bar and decided to drink before finding his room. Eugene didn't look pleased to have to serve Alex and sighed as the new patron before him ordered the biggest flagon of beer they had.