Midas made it - he found himself in the heart of the water kingdom, Montcanal. The broad streets served people by foot and carriages alike, just as wide as the walkways of Baumfall, paved with cobble and lit up by the same kind of bluish glowing lantern - the yellow candlelight shining through blue-tainted glass as they illuminated his way forward in the dark of the night. Chalk-white walls separated the city into multiple layers as he found himself at the base of them; without having been there once, the boy was able to guess that the royals must live higher up.
"I remember these walls from my times. The current king showed me around the city as we walked on top of the highest layer - he stretched his arms out to his sides as he looked down over the surrounding houses and laughed as if everything inside of these rings belonged only to him."
"These must be ancient then..."
"Montcanal is a nearly self-sustaining fort; it was built intentionally against the side of the mountains so building walls around it and maintaining them became less expensive. Over time the royal family reigning over the region around it slowly expanded the town into the city while also claiming more and more territories for themselves. Unlike the south, this land was not unified for a long time, split into differing plots all ruled by their own warlord or unexperienced royal son."
Hearing Gilt explaining the rough history behind the forming of the water kingdom, Midas found more belief in the fact that the golden skeleton really used to be the same knight that once defeated the calamity - likely having been to every corner of the old world already to gather people to help him in his task, something Midas respected. As he looked back at the closed door beside the giant gate that led into the city, the boy wondered how Ajan would've reacted if he somehow managed to show him Gilt.
Eventually walking forward, the youth looked through the dark streets of the large town, able to see different shops built into the base floors of the many houses that formed together to create multiple complexes. The glowing windows and painted walls rising up in front of him in the dark, most of them at least three floors tall, and the wooden beams that were visible from the outside either colored in white or black - running straight or diagonal and separating themselves from the painted brick walls.
Furrowing his brows, Midas was able to peek through a large display window; in the unlit room stood multiple wooden puppets - clothed in dresses and shirts, used to display different sets of clothing. In the distance the youth was finally able to see light shine out from an opened door, and cheering and playful shouting toned through the heavy wooden door. A few of the people that seemed to be celebrating inside dragged themselves out; one laughed breathlessly, slapping the back of the other to shove him, both seemingly drunk.
Leaning against one of the lanterns, Midas stayed at a distance, still unsure whether the establishment in front of him was a simple bar or a possible guild house. The image of the bar he had seen in Baumfall was still in his mind as he glanced at the hanging sign that displayed the same kind of chest he had seen on his profession paper back in Cascrender - its shape carved into the oval wood plate. Seeing the two openly drunk men giggle and hiccup as they slumpily walked down the road while hugging their necks, the youth eventually came closer to peek through the window.
Inside was an open room, like he thought - Midas was able to see a similar wooden board displaying all kinds of papers and guild work he was able to do for money. Already thinking about coins, the boy also remembered Gilt mentioning it needed gold in order to "do more" than he already could. Whatever it meant, if Midas got his hands on golden coins by doing guild work, he might be able to find out how useful its abilities proved to be.
The youth watched from the window as men with holstered daggers and swords chatted to one another, groups of four played a sort of card game, and another put an arm around a lonely woman next to him - both grinning at each other. On the other end of the room was the barkeeper, polishing a glass keg on their own, seemingly used to the loudness of the drunk people that enjoyed themselves with the same light brown, foamy brew.
"Did the Eau'Troi academy also exist during your time?"
"I only remember a large construction site on the left side of the same ring you must be in at the moment; there were a few schools on the upper grounds - but I'm sure these aren't the same academy you are trying to get into, since most of the people stem from lower royalty there."
"It would make sense if the Eau'Troi was much larger than the others... given that everyone can apply for a seat there, even though they might be somehow separated by the elites..."
Talking to Gilt with closed lips, Midas showed himself off the window as he didn't hear another echo of it through his mind - even though he felt unsure if the skeleton could hear him think, the boy somewhat appreciated not having to sound out his words, as if he had a private room to talk to it. Walking further to the left from his original spot in front of the gate, he passed the guild building to approach an arching stone bridge, guiding him over a man-made canal that cut through the street.
Stopping in the middle of the short bridge, the boy leaned against its dark iron railing to watch a stream of flowing water cascade down the high-rising wall, falling down to the lowest layer to be funneled outside of the city as the water mass disappeared through a gated hole on the outer wall. Watching as the stream glistened in the blue glow of the lanterns to both sides, the youth began to wonder where all of the water came from.
"Montcanal got its name because of the lake on top of the mountain plateau the highest layer was built against - snow forms on the peaks of the mountain range, eventually accumulating at a sea that was eventually grown larger by a man-made dam - its water is then funneled through multiple aqueducts and water channels that run through the inside of the walls, splitting with each passing layer, spreading out through the whole city, and eventually flowing out of it to rejoin with a nearby river."
"The king told you all of this...?"
"No, I was able to observe how the water was funneled through the city - I stood atop the dam built at the very top... to this very day I remember how ill I had felt once I climbed the last set of stairs; combined with the thin air on the mountains, it almost felt like I couldn't breathe."
Midas raised a brow, silently nodding at Gilts's hulling words - unable to look any further than the walls of the third layer, unsure how many of them there really were. Going further, the boy eventually noticed metal lids appear in the middle of the road from time to time - seemingly built into the cobble to perfectly fit their frame. Halting to look closer, the boy was able to see four holes on each of its sides - slightly larger than his fingers, the faint sound of a water flow echoing from beneath whatever lay behind them.
Feeling the street he walked on curve as he walked further, Midas eventually saw the way part to the left and right again - going left to stick as close to the outer wall of his layer as possible, he eventually found what once seemed to be the construction site that Gilt had mentioned. Before him was a dark metal gate, its curvature matching the walls surrounding it, creating a circular field of grass and walkways that surrounded a grand building with four large divisions.
Standing on his toes to peek over the black metal fence, Midas was able to see multiple tinier buildings that sat on the outer edge of the circular field - most likely living quarters, as what he stood in front of had to be the Eau'Troi academy. Once he stood in front of its closed entrance, the youth was able to confirm it - the metal doors were built into a stone frame in which the same name was engraved, its letters painted in gold that seemed to be flaking off slowly.
Relieved he finally found the academy, the fact it was closed eventually dawned on him. Rubbing the back of his head, he looked around, trying to find a safe place in the open, as all of his money or possible trade goods were already spent. Kneeling down onto the stone tiles, Midas rummaged through the roughed-up leather bag he had kept with him on his search for some leftover coins or something to sell someone - he eventually grasped the letter that was given to him by Jikith, a shudder running down his spine as he remembered the debt he already had to him.
Not having much to do and not trying to risk sleeping open on the street by himself, Midas eventually opened his paper envelope, breaking off the wax - he retrieved a folded paper. The only words he could remember were to meet him at the described location and time mentioned by it - having to do so until the third of the change, which didn't seem to have started yet given he and Jelle arrived at the port without any storm.
In front of him was a scribble from a top-down view of the lowest layer; a thick black line made its way through multiple buildings, starting from a gate and then splitting to the left and right. The right side abruptly ended while the left went much further, eventually ending at a marked box that seemed to be one of the many buildings - an arrow expanded from the encircled box, pointing to a sketch of the same chest that was engraved into the oval wooden shape.
Without a doubt, Midas had already passed whatever building he was supposed to go towards. Wondering how a pirate hideout managed to survive so close to the main gate of the city, he eventually made his way back, holding the paper under the bluish shine of the street lantern to continue reading.
"... the man with a bald head and a cut on his right cheek belongs to us; tell him the following word: Revolut'interne. Wait until he stops whatever he's doing or until he walks into the back of the building - if he does, simply go behind the counter to follow. Don't look at anyone, and try to stay silent."
Sighing with dim stress, Midas glanced inside through the front windows again; many of the adventurers were heavily geared with weapons and armor - if anyone were to find out, he'd be in trouble. Hoping they were just too cheerful or drunk to notice him walk through the room, the youth eventually opened the door after hiding the letter - not used to the public setting, he quietly closed the door behind him again, staring right at the bald man with stern brows.
As he walked towards him, Midas froze as a man he passed by suddenly hammered down his fists on the table - groaning, he had lost the coins he had played with, as another quickly grabbed them with a dry but loud laugh. Sterning his brows, he was able to feel one or two glances on him as he passed by multiple tables and seats, slowly turning to accidentally make eye contact with the same man that had slung his arm around the woman next to him.
In front of him was the barkeeper - unlike the sitting area, many of the stools along the lengthy tabletop he rested his palms on were empty. The broadly built man had the same kind of cut the young commander of the water kingdom had; however, it spanned down his right cheek, barely missing his eye. Not knowing any better, Midas stared at him with a lowered head until he eventually glanced up from the wooden mug he polished, stepping towards him with a sigh.
"Revolut interne."
Hoping the word was enough, Midas stared at the man as he raised his brow faintly at the youth before silently scanning the entire room behind him, his eyes eventually holding on his again as he sighed, slowly pushing himself off the counter to open up for Midas to walk behind it. The letter stated to simply come by at nighttime - unsure how late it really was, the boy just silently followed as the barkeeper opened the door up.
Sent to walk a declining set of stairs, he eventually was able to feel the cool air of the basement, its scent mixed with faint smoke. Amongst large wooden barrels of ripening beverages that stood against the stone walls were a few old sets of stools and tables, their wood already darkened by time. Candles were lit up and holstered by metal that was hammered into the stone - their orange glow casting a shadow over the eyes of the two men that quietly exchanged themselves, abruptly halting once Midas arrived.
Midas already knew by his long brown hair; in front of him sat Jikith - or Avalon, for anyone that seemingly was not a pirate like him. Fuegir silently glanced forward to the youth, bowed forward on the stool he sat on, wearing a new orange-white striped cloth around his forehead; he didn't look exactly mad, simply focused on something the youth couldn't see. The cheering and laughing from the floor above them grew louder; light peeked through the wooden boards as they creaked with every jump or step that was made - the dampened singing only voiced over by Jikith's dry laughter.
"Good. You came... didn't expect you to be so early - but you came..."