n

n

nSeeing the city of Tvarglad again filled Krow with nostalgia, exceeding nostalgia.

nIt was a walled city, with nine walls separating the city into concentric circular areas.

nThe four gates at secondary points of the compass further subdivided the city with four primary roads cutting through each area, culminating in four large public squares in the second circle.

nThe innermost circle was the Sacred Wood, a forbidden forest spanning an area of thirty or so square kilometers.

nThe Primar's residence lay within, as well as Kombar's Arena where the nobles would duel over disputes under the eyes of Kombar of Creation, deity of alchemy and change, shapeshifter, often represented by a six-legged chimera, often satiricized as god of Beasts.

nBetween each wall, there was one to two kilometers of space divided into quarters by the roads.

nMost of it was woodland, with city buildings clustering around the primary roads.

nFunny, that a people who worshipped a deity of change, who were hotheaded and warminded, would design a city with foundations so delineated by order.

n

"Tvarglad! City of artificers!

" Avan Fresland broke through Krow's thoughts.

nThey were still several kilometers away, but the city already dominated the horizon, the gentle hilly terrain lifting it to prominence.

n

"Tvarglad,

" Krow agreed.

nA smile briefly curled his lips. The city looked great.

n

"Oh! I must disguise! Where are my trunks! It was this wagon, wasn't it? Or was it that one? Why are your wagons all the same colors? Ugh, it's like that ugly carriage Balbroa forced me to travel in. My good man, do you have my trunks?

"

nThe driver of the wagon pointed silently, then gave Krow a sympathetic glance as Avan trotted his horse to the other wagon.

nKrow shrugged.

nHe'd gotten numb to it.

nHe followed the Baraldore native, watched as he rather dexterously jumped into the wagon from his horse. This was the guy that tripped over his own feet getting out of a carriage? Had he been faking?

nThere had been no sign of the bandits the man mentioned, either.

n

"Why do you need a disguise?

"

n

"So I won't be seen, of course! Why would anyone need a disguise? Oh, my cloak! This will do.

"

nThe 'cloak' was more a shawl, sheer and impractical.

nOne of the riders nearby snorted.

"Can that still be called a cloak?

"

nAvan looked politely at the mafmet who had spoken.

"What's wrong with it?

"

nKrow answered.

"It attracts attention.

"

n

"Yes, that's why I bought it.

" He swung the cloak over a shoulder, flicked a corner to arrange the drape, smiled at them all.

"Handsome, yes?

"

nKrow had a headache.

nJust when he thought he was used to the guy…

nEnchanter's Library, he soothed his irritation by chanting the two words in his head.

"You said you wanted to not be seen.

"

n

"Oh. Yes. That would be difficult, wouldn't it?

" Avan mournfully returned his shawl-cloak to one of the trunks pulled from the traveling carriage.

nThe caravan had to shift a whole wagonload to carry those trunks, which Krow thought was exceedingly tolerant of them.

nAvan turned an expectant look to Krow.

"What would you suggest?

"

nWhat would he…?

nWell, he did still have that. He took the Darkfall Hooded Cape out of his Travelpack.

nThe other squinted at it, horrified.

"It's…dark?

"

n

"At least it's not black.

"

nThe man still didn't move.

n

"No one would believe you would wear such a thing.

"

nAvan deflated.

"Your logic is impeccable.

" He gained back some of his exuberance.

"No one would recognize me!

"

n

"That's the plan.

"

nKrow could see the other's hesitation even as he took the cloak and swirled it around his shoulders.

n

"How do I look?

"

nKrow contemplated for a moment, then decided on the word.

"…dignified.

"

nAt the very least, the almost gaudy ensemble the other wore was concealed under the cloak.

nAvan lit up.

"Oho. I could act like Balbroa!

"

nHe squared his shoulders, pasted a stoic look on his face, and leaped onto his horse from the wagon.

"Let us resume.

"

nKrow shook his head, half-amused. The guy was an overgrown child.

nThey reached Tvarglad without issue, regardless of Avan feeling the need for disguise.

nThe southeast gate was large, with three entranceways wide enough for three wagons abreast entering at the same time.

nThe wall was twenty metres high.

nIt would take only two successive double-jumps for Krow to hurtle over that wall. And that was just using a minor movement spell.

nBy looks alone, the wall was insufficient.

nBut this world had magic.

nAnd Tvarglad was a city with a history of raising some of the greatest enchanters in Zushkenari history.

n

"What's taking so long?

" Avan complained.

"It's never been so long before. Are the guards today incompetent?

"

nOh shkav.

nSaid guards stiffened. So did Ebry and Calon.

nThe one holding the caravan papers and entry token perused them with deliberate thoroughness.

"From the high mountains, are you?

"

n

"What? I'm from Baraldore.

" Avan carelessly waved away the question that hadn't been asked of him in the first place.

nEbry jumped on the reprieve.

"Found him on the road. Kindhearted as I am, could I leave him there?

"

nEscort leader Calon sent Krow a look.

nKrow reached to tug the hood over his assigned protectee's head. A reminder and a warning.

n

"What? Oh, of course. Balbroa.

" Avan fell silent, obviously a great effort.

nThe gate guard's eyes softened, but only slightly.

"Hm.

"

nHe still studied the papers for a bit more time than necessary before waving them in silently with a perfunctory gesture.

nKrow, feeling the cold reception, was a little taken aback.

nCalon saw something in his expression.

"Never been to Tvarglad before? It isn't the kindest place for draculkar.

"

nOh.

nKrow should've expected…

nAs much as draculkar disparaged the vargvir race, it was logical that the vargvir would scorn them just as much.

nCalon clasped his shoulder.

"Stay close if you feel uncomfortable. Unfamiliar places can feel scarier than they really are.

"

nHe guided his horse away, heading for another rider.

nKrow was grateful for the comfort, but Tvarglad was not unfamiliar to him.

nThe problem, really, was that he'd been here before.

n

"Krow!

" Avan nudged his horse closer to them.

"I'm going to see my friend. Will you go with me that far? He'll probably send people for my things.

" He swished the Darkfall Cape.

"I'll return this to you then. It may be growing on me!

"

n

"Really?

"

nAvan laughed.

"No, not really.

"

nKrow snorted.

"Alright.

"

nA split second of surprise flashed across Avan's face.

"You are accompanying me?

"

nMaybe he hadn't hid his irritation as well as he thought.

n

"Sure.

"

nHe still had to finish the escort quest. Besides, the other's interruption had jogged him out of thoughts that were spiraling downward.

nHe looked around the familiar city, the familiar skyline. His excitement to see Tvarglad again was still there, but now mixed with uncertainty.

nAvan beamed at him.

"Forward, then!

"

nThe caravan was left in the seventh circle, as Avan led him onward.

nThe closer to the Sacred Wood, the more prestigious the district.

nWithin the fifth wall were the so-called inner districts, where the wealthy and elite of the city dwelled. It took them a half hour at a canter to get there from where they left the caravan.

n

"Oh, that's the theatre where the Aberskan Players first put on Gared and the Maiden's Wish. I was at the premiere, you know, you just have to hear the music. It is inexpressively moving.

"

nKrow suddenly became a tourist, and relaxed on his horse, content to listen. He'd visited the inner districts before, but he had nothing like Avan's knowledge of the place.

nNow that he had a second look, this Tvarglad was subtly different from the Tvarglad of his last two lives.

nWhen he first saw the city, it was still Redlands, but a year from now even this massive fortress city would have been touched by war.

nThen after the Quake, riots broke out as transmigrators panicked.

nThis was likely as pristine a Tvarglad as he was going to get.

n

"The arenas are livelier than the last time I came by. Should we go to see?

"

nKrow quickly derailed that thought.

"Shouldn't we see your friend first?

"

nHe didn't want to be in a fighting arena with a bunch of hyped up vargvir. The odds that they would throw him, a draculkar, into the pit were too high.

n

"Oh, yes. He should be waiting.

"

nKrow blinked.

"He knows you're coming?

"

n

"His spies would've told him already.

" Avan said it casually, as if it were commonplace to have spies in the everyday.

nHis friend was definitely the Primar. If not, then someone in the family.

n

"Is that something you should be saying to people?

"

n

"What could they do about it?

"

nKrow snorted, amused at the sudden sass.

"Harsh.

"

nBecause ouch, he already knew he was a nobody, alright?

n

"Oh, this is it.

"

nIt was an alley.

nAvan expertly maneuvered the borrowed horse through the narrow pathway behind buildings. Krow followed, uneasy. Was it because the buildings were too close together?

n

"Why here?

"

n

"I've always come this way. Hadi, my friend, has peculiar ways. When I take the front doors, he doesn't like to talk to me. Actually, sometimes, when I take this way, he still doesn't talk to me.

"

nWasn't that just yanking your chain? Krow's bemused smile quirked into existence briefly.

nThe uneasy feeling persisted. Was it because the draculkar-vargvir feud threw him off?

nThe alley wasn't that narrow. It was a back way to some of the buildings around. A few people looked up from stoops and back courtyards to glance at them, but either way, they were ignored.

n

"I remember it was this way.

" Avan turned a corner.

nKrow only had a split second to react to the horse's scream.

nAvan's horse fell, front legs disappearing in a spray of blood and flesh. Krow grabbed the man, already tipping forward dangerously, hauled him behind the saddle, urging his horse forward toward the ambush.

nThe path was too narrow to turn back.

nThe horse had been inured to attack by the encounters on the road, and unhesitatingly jumped its writhing companion and charged the three people blocking the alleyway.

nWeeping skies.

nObviously, he'd spoken too soon.

n