Ah, the city of Tlos! I've heard so many things from Ambrosia during our journey here. This place is one of the oldest and largest settlements in Lycia, making it one of the six principal cities of the Kingdom. To put it simply, the city is urban just like I thought. From the way she describes this place, something tells me she's been here before, but when I ask for clarification, her response is blurry, not wanting to give a simple yes or no answer. I'm not sure if she's holding a secret but knowing her, time will show.

Standing before the city gates, I see several dozen NPCs flooding the entrance even though it's late. To be honest, I'm not sure if they are NPCs or Players, as there's no way for me to understand or distinguish one from the other. This makes me wonder if my Neural Control Interface will obtain that ability with some kind of Mod or Upgrade. I can't deny it would come in handy. On the other hand, the Real-World Game is enormous and because we are still in Alpha Release, my guess is that very few players are logged in. The real world is so detailed and enormous that it makes me wonder what kind of processing power it would need to run a world in such detail. If I am in fact in the real world, there are probably other mechanics taking place. Mechanics I'm unaware of at this moment.

I can feel my heart racing faster as we make our approach. I'm on edge, wondering what secrets Ambrosia hasn't told me yet about this place. Is she a wanted criminal? It wouldn't surprise me.

Outside the gates there are a few old huts made of wood. They look like they were recently abandoned. As we move closer, I can see the ruins of an older wall made of rough boulders and brick. It looks like Tlos has seen its fair share of battles. Scorch marks cover parts of the walls. Every stone looks like an archaeological artifact. I wonder what stories the old stones can tell.

The city gates are evidence of Tlos' brilliance and determination, standing twenty meters high. They look like they could keep giants away. The stones that make up the gates and walls around the primary city are smooth. There are pictures plastered on the walls, some older looking than most, with lifelike sketches of people that have gone missing. Every one of them looks like it can lead to a new quest. Looks like a noble way to rack up some experience if I play my cards right.

Before coming here, we hid the wagon inside the forest and I cast Fog Cloud, a Tier-1 conjuration spell that creates a sphere of fog and obscures everything in its radius. For the first time, Ambrosia praised me and made a comment saying that at least I could be useful for something other than feeding her. I took that as a compliment. I'm sure I'll prove to my mistress what I'm capable of once I gain a couple more levels.

I can cast only two Tier-1 spells, and because I've already used one, I can cast only one more. The second spell I equipped myself with is Mage Armor. I found it would be better to have some kind of protection if a brawl takes place. Casting spells need distance and close contact fighting isn't exactly where we sorcerers excel. I also thought to equip myself with the Charm spell, but with Ambrosia by my side and her being able to use it multiple times, it makes no sense for a duo to have the same abilities. My other spell choice was Disguise, a spell that could make us look different, including clothing and gear, but Ambrosia dismissed the thought entirely, saying she would never accept to take any other form or wear any other clothes. I have realized the hard way that aesthetic is more important than rational thought for her.

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Sitting before the great gate of the city of Tlos, I notice my vampire partner licking her lips in a circular order, as she sniffs and observes the bystanders. She's been feeding on me for so long: since the events that took place with the forest ghouls and Esteri. Although I don't want to admit it, I'm a bit jealous that she'll find others to feed here. I can't deny the carnal pleasures she offers, and her vampire kiss is the most aphrodisiac thing I've come to know since I started playing the Real-World Game.

Observing her heaving chest, a rhetorical question comes into mind, but I want to ask anyway. "Why are we here? Won’t it be dangerous for both of us if they discover what we are? I'm sure vampires aren't welcome here."

Ambrosia's eyes roll back and she makes a long exhale. "I've told you pet, one can provide only so much. I wouldn't want to go feral and suck you dry," she tells me, giving me a sly smile, exposing her fangs as two soldiers whistle at her. She's oblivious to the teasing.

Raising an eyebrow, I'm thinking of the challenge she provides, but I must refrain for now. Maybe as I level up, I'll be able to provide for her as she demands. For now, I'm just too weak, a measly Threat Level 4 and I have a ways to go.

Also, I am not sure about Karma and the effects our actions have on this world. I have no clue if my race and class define me as good or evil, but something tells me it will in the near future. Despite the detail the creators of this world have put into it, the lack of alignment makes me wonder if it's something that was made on purpose or something they will add later.

All things considered, I don't think I'm evil, but I'm not sure if drinking blood will become a necessity in the near future. It's not that I have an urge to drink blood right now, but I can't deny that as the levels go up, the temptation increases as well. It may be a twist the creators have thought. Maybe alignments are fluid in this game and change from one to the other. That or I've been hanging out with Ambrosia too long. Maybe the temptation to drink blood is some kind of mental chokehold the game has on me, fleeting as the thoughts feel. Some kind of character flaw to make the game more real. Some kind of mental conditioning that's taking place. I wonder how addictions work in this game. I remember reading in the Herbarium about a flower that cleanses certain addictions and debuffs, so maybe that's all I need. That or a trip to a hot spring.

While I daydream, I fail to notice that we marched our way to the city entrance and the guards are ready to inspect us. I notice their armor. A few steel bits here and there, but nothing fancy. One is wearing leather grieves while the other, his senior by at least a decade, is wearing steel bracers and a steel shoulder pauldron. Other than that, their armor is mostly leather. The knights we faced before were more formidable than these guys, but that's not really saying much. If Ambrosia wanted, I was sure she could cut their throats and drain them right here and now before the next shift comes. That isn’t her style. She smiles at them and I can't help but notice her eyes light up the same as theirs. Basically, they inspect my sexy aide and completely ignore me.

"What's your business here?" One of the two sentries demands to know. "Where will you be staying?"