A Violent Realm

The village was small, houses built on both sides of the road with a short wooden fence surrounding the entire place, separating it from a forest that stood around the entire place. People walked around wearing basic clothing, performing their daily tasks as they labored around.

Some stalls were open, selling food to the people.

Venator removed his hood, trying to blend better with the citizens. He looked around for any building or place of worship for the people.

Some of the people wore short blades or axes on their waists, giving a glare towards Venator as he went by.

"Who do i ask for directions, the people don't seem too friendly." Venator looked around, trying to find a place that resembled an abode of worship for the people.

He continued looking but with little luck.

A scream blared out in the crowd, stopping the entire flow as people began moving away from the source of the noise.

Venator with interest, moved closer while everyone else was moving back.

A guard with leather armor, carrying a short blade stood above a dead man, Both of his hands were smoking as a small spark fizzled out quickly into nothingness.

A few other soldiers rushed through the crowd, joining in staring at the corpse as it continued lying on the ground.

They began turning around. "Attention all, this is a magic bearer, worry not for the threat has been taken out. You may resume to your daily work!" One of the guards announced.

After the announcement, the crowd started scattering, walking all directions as they resumed back to their tasks as if nothing ever happened.

Venator blended back in with the crowd, staring at the corpse while the soldiers began carrying it away.

Venator moved through the crowd, chatter resumed with the silent atmosphere broken.

Soldiers began leaving with a pair carrying the body away, creating a circular divide as they moved forward.

"Hope they're going to somewhere major."

Venator tailed them from the crowd, leaving as they exited the village itself.

An open top wagon meant to carry any cargo pulled by two horses stood at the side, the wagon though was empty.

His body was thrown onto it, the soldiers threw a large tarp above the body as they prepared to leave, mounting the front.

Venator tailed it, moving to the bushes and trees to hide from them as he followed. Leaving the village and it's people.

Silence returned, the wagon continued moving. Now far from the village. Venator began feeling a sense of weariness from what he witnessed while tailed.

"These people are actually hunting magic users. Interesting." He though, "But that makes me at risk here then. Best that i stay away from these people then." He continued.

The trail continued until a clearing appeared, forcing Venator to begin going farther from the trail, now walking around through tall grass.

The sun beamed down on him, striking his hair with heat while he felt the warmth grow in his clothing.

The wagon and Venator came to a halt, from minutes of walking under the open sun. Venator arrived at a large walled city. On the side of it was a large canal of water, passing under an opening into the city. Soldiers patrolled around the wall while more were posted above it.

The gate was closed with a few soldiers clad in steel and pikes walking towards the wagon.

Venator began formulating a plan, looking at the place around him.

"The canal is large, easy to enter through." He continued thinking on the plan, "Issue is, how would i get out of it." He questioned himself.

In a minute, he went on with it. Through the tall grass he walked, leaving the wagon as he approached the large river passing into the entranceway. The sound of moving water passing through filled his ears.

At the edge of the tall grass, he peered through the entrance. Inside he saw a large wall, houses built on top of it. High above the river the passed. But with the river and walls, he saw sets of stairs heading to the top of the wall on both sides.

A sense realization hit him.

"I just need to get my way through the water, get to one of those stairs and head up." His plan was ready.

With the plan ready, Venator walked towards the entranceway.

Next to it, he began stepping into the river itself, raising his book upward with an arm he moved through the river, hugging the wall while he felt the chest deep water's warmth hit him. The echoes of the water rushing in could be heard while he went under the entranceway.

His clothes became drenched in water the deeper he went, pulling himself up with the wall while moving as the water became neck deep.

He neared one of the stairs, throwing his book above to it before climbing up himself.

Water dripped down as he grabbed his book, stepping up to leave the canal.

At the top, he took off his cloak, hiding his blade sheathes inside it. At the top, people walked strolled about, guards to citizens.

He spotted a tall statue in the distance, resembling an armored soldier raising a sword upwards.

He felt the sense of weariness hit him again, walking through the moving crowds towards the statue. Large houses stood on both sides of every street.

As Venator got closer, he saw a long flight of stairs heading upwards towards the statue with people already going up on it.

He moved to the stairs, arriving quickly. He started walking upwards, slowly gaining a better view of the city he was in.

Down below, a large market stood with different colored tents lining a large area, swarmed by people.

Time seemed to have flown by faster, as Venator already got on top, nearly stumbling with his focus being on the market below.

The statue was taller than expected, a group of hooded figures stood in front at it's feet.

To the left of it, a moderately sized cathedral stood, on top was a flag Venator remembered. The flag that bore a circle of yellow swords.