[Light thumping from the ground dragons vibrate the soil]
[A cool breeze echoes throughout the valley floor]
Thanks to the ground dragons Thaerin gave the pair, they made it to the mainland next to Vanitnova in a very short time. With the camel that Arieth used, it took them roughly 3 hours to head into the worm's territory. On the way back, however, it only took them 1 and a half hours.
It was still pitch black, the stars lighting up the night sky. The sky's two moons were plastered just barely above the horizon, bright and glorious. Egan, his pants now a little singed at the hip, was passed out behind Sarah. The massive display of power took a toll on him. The price for showing off. His gray cloak completely covering his body, only thing visible from him was a tiny bit of the burnt belt, and his two horns poking out from under the hood.
Sarah couldn't help but giggle at the pathetic display. He reminded her of a little kid, immature but passionate. Too strong for his own good. Although she wasn't completely sure of his backstory yet, she was determined to help him in any way she could.
He did save her life after all.
***
The town of Vanitinova pokes out from across the horizon, the large clock tower echoing its last bell of the day. It marks midnight, and the last day of the Rampart Culture festival. They decided that instead of going back to Hayward, they would head straight back to the main city for supplies. Egan also expressed a great desire to join this 'Adventurers guild,' Sarah mentioned briefly. Apparently, he's the type who can't sit still when he has something on his mind.
[Quiet banters can be heard drifting from over the hills]
[Soft song emanates the quiet of night]
The closer they got to town, the louder the music became. The magic lights floated high above the sky as though they were a beacon of joy. The sight moved Sarah; she had thought for sure that she would never see another day past this one, let alone the Culture festival.
[A lone tear rains down on her face]
"It's beautiful…" Sarah mumbled, looking out at the artificial stardust plastered across a backdrop of endless stars.
***
A bump on the road rocked the whole wagon, launching Egan up from his slumber, drool running down the side of his face.
"Where are we?" he said, still half asleep.
Sarah, still looking out over the town, is in awe at how lucky she is to finally see it again.
"Home."
[The once quiet banters roar into laughter and cries from throughout the town]
[A beautiful orchestra of melody and music echoes throughout the night]
They have now arrived at the gates of Vanitinova, where two guards checked Sarah's ID to verify her authenticity.
Before arriving, she told Egan to hide under the cloak just in case. He tried his best, but his horns still managed to poke out of the covering.
As they traverse the inner part of the town, they look up in awe. Witnessing firsthand the elegance of the Culture festival. Egan had never seen something like this before. For a moment, he paused, looking around at the many magic lights strewn across the sky. It reminded him of the aerie. He began to cry. But this cry was a different one, not a loud, obnoxious cry of someone close to death, or a sad one that runs down a cheek slowly. This cry was one of happiness, for being lucky enough to see such beauty once again.
They arrive at the stables. After getting looks of shock from the employees working there for witnessing a massive ground dragon for the first time, they parked it right inside the barn. Egan, hopping out of the cart, also gets a bizarre look from the surrounding people. Horned humanoids were rare, and very few of them still existed after the great purge 100 years ago that happened in Ashvein. Egan, of course, was oblivious to that fact.
"So, this is a human settlement!" Egan exclaimed, shooting up from the wagon.
He was still shirtless from his time in the desert, so that gave him even more stares than usual.
SLAP~
"Put your damn shirt on you nudist!" Sarah said, smacking the back of his head, embarrassed.
"Ow! No need to be so aggressive!" He argued, bending over the wagon, fetching his tunic.
Sarah: "Look, we need to get back to the Inn. I can't have you streaking in public on our way there! And you need to wash up, I wasn't joking about you smelling like rotten flesh, you know." She said, arms crossed, now thoroughly pissed at Egans stupidity.
"I do not deserve this treatment!" He said, arguing back at her while putting on the shirt.
Sarah: "You can say that after you stop perving out all the time."
"What even is this 'pervert' you speak of?!"
Sarah continues walking ahead of him, beginning to head to the Inn she was previously staying in. She was planning on heading over to the adventurers' guild right after to check with Liz, but she wanted to get a soak in the nearby bathhouse before she did. ]
"Wait, what is this 'pervert'?" He said while trying to catch up to Sarah.
[A presence can be felt from the corner of an alley]
Egan, his senses heightened, looks around the town frantically. The townspeople were all fervently unaware of the presence he had just felt. It was ominous.
Dangerous.
He notices two people in black hooded cloaks escape into an alley in the distance, one of them previously gazing at him. But before he could examine further, they disappeared. Sarah, also seemingly unaware of the presence, continues to walk to the Inn, ignoring Egan in the process.
"Hey," Egan said, grabbing her arm to prevent her from moving.
"What are you doing-"
Sarah's eyes met his, a cold, harsh gaze looking over her shoulder. The look was intense, his slit eyes now practically in a straight vertical line. It was as though he was leaking with intensity. But she also felt concern, as though he was mad for another reason besides her ignoring him.
"Something's going on in this settlement, Sarah. I can feel it."
"And I don't like. Not one bit."