New Friends: Part Four

Alex was amazed by the liveliness of the city, every game that tried recreating cities alway fell short of the feeling they tried capturing. This city felt truly alive, and each person seemed like true individuals. Walking through the streets he regularly stopped to look around and listen in. He could hear everyone, each person had a conversation going. 

There was no background noise, each person contributed to the sound. He walked by a food stand selling what looked like meat kabobs and bought one. He needed to see if he could still eat and taste. He paid the man and bit into the meat. 

Instant euphoria, the meet was tangy and tender and each bite tasted as good as the last. He continued buying snacks as he walked around what he thought to be the market area as dozens of stands were set up selling food, tools, or other things. He looked around a bit, but it was late afternoon and nothing interested him enough to buy. 

His next task would be to find the address Maves had given him. As he looked at the writing he was made aware of a problem, he had no idea where to go. He was so sidetracked with his new gear he had forgotten to buy a map. He wished the game came with a mini map, but seeing as how it didn't he was stuck with simply guessing. Alex leaned against a wall of a small inn, "Or I could ask around?" 

He noticed a guard was standing near a large fountain in the middle of a four way road. He walked up and the guard instantly pepped up, he must have been staring into space. "Oh, do you need anything, Sir?" "Hi, I was given directions, but this is my first time in the city. COuld you help me find this address?" 

He showed the guard the slip of paper and the guard took it in his armoured fingers. The guards' armour was rather simple, but there was a sword printed onto the breastplate. This, and the color blue, were it's only markers separating it from common armour. The man nodded and gave the paper back, "This is in the noble district, just South of here." 

He pointed down one of the roads, "You take this road down to the next right and then follow the small roads until you find the house marked with the address number." Alex slipped the paper in one of his pockets on his coat, "Thank you very much, have a good day." He nodded and let Alex walk off. 

The streets began to quiet down as he walked, he had failed to tell him the next right was far down the road. The street began to shrink here, turning into small streets and alleyways. It was here he found a few sighs. He pulled out the paper and confirmed he was going the right way, through these back allies he should come up on what the guard called the Noble District. 

Looking around he actually found the streets to be devoid of people. With the sun growing ever dimmer he found that the street lamps had begun flashing on one by one. Magic balls of energy floated in glass orbs illuminating the slowly darkening streets and allies. It gave the town a peaceful night time aura, but something felt off. 

Taking his first steps into one of the allies he kicked something with his boot. With the lights brightening up the previously shadowed corners he was able to see clearly what he kicked. He leaned down and picked up a small leather purse with gold stitching. "Someone must have dropped this?" 

It was then he noticed something, a scorch mark on the wall. It must have been caused by magic because it looked uncannily like the scorch marks of his own magic. He felt something wasn't right here, something happened to someone here. He doubted someone would just lazily drop a purse of this quality. Looking inside the bag revealed a bag of gold coins and some candy. 

Someone, a woman more than likely, dropped this. Perhaps someone was chasing her. The thought of someone being in trouble reminded him of the feeling he got seeing Maves and the caravan being attacked. He needed to act, but he was no tracker and this was the city. He wouldn't be able to look everywhere, he needed a tracking dog. 

He smiled, "They have summoners in the city already, then there shouldn't be any problem." His staff appeared in his hand and was struck to the ground. A white light appeared from the end, but it was different from all the times before. It continued to seep out creating a larger shining form. 

"This isn't right." He had begun to panic a little and tried canceling the magic but it wasn't going to stop. The magic shined brightly then flashed once more, blinding him. He covered his eyes and the light died away. He looked back and as his eyes adjusted he was met with a huge pink tongue. 

It licked him on the face and he tried pushing whatever it was away. His hands touched a huge, fury, and warm animale. He wiped his face off and looked at what had assaulted him but met with a truly unexpected sight. Huge golden eyes surrounded by ruby red fur stared back at him.