54 - Spring City

Hestia slowly landed outside the city a 100 metres away from the city entrance, she then proceeded to throw Violet and Michael off her back.

They both fell face first into the ground, injured but now covered in dust.

"What the hell you over sized pigeon, just wait I'll show you!" Violet immediately got up from the ground as her staff appeared his her hand.

"I call upon you the great illusion, confuse my enemies into the eternal Mist, Mist Of The Great Illusion!" Her staff glowed a mix of purple and blue as she chanted her spell.

As soon as it was completed a light purple mist spread forth from her heading towards Hestia.

"Ha, I've been saving this just for you, you flying rat!" Violet looked confident, as she had spent a considerable amount of time getting this spell just for Hestia.

But Hestia's response was completely nonchalant, even allowing the mist to surround her, while giving Violet an unimpressed bored gaze.

Before effortlessly with a single light breath of air blowed it away, while also giving Violet a cocky look.

"H-how did you.. that was, just wait you I'll..! She was cut off as Hestia gave her a light tap to her head with her wing, with an amused look.

Victor jumped off her back while shaking his head at the two's antics, they always been like this for as long as he can remember.

After Victor got off Hestia gave one last arrogant smirk to Violet with eye's filled with ridicule before bursting into a ball of flames.

Disappearing with the flames Hestia was no where to be seen.

"This, this arrh, just wait you fire pigeon!" Visibility pissed off Violet was almost to the point of breathing fire as she stomped the slightly scorched ground where Hestia just was.

"Why do you guys always fight?" Victor couldn't help but ask as shook his head.

"What do you mean! That flying rat is always the one who starts it!" Violet felt wronged.

"At least have some respect after all she took care of both of us as kids." Victor couldn't understand the relationship between the two, as they used to be inseparable from each other at least according to his grandfather.

In fact Hestia was one of his grandfathers familiars and had taken care of all of the Wise family for a long time since becoming a familiar.

In fact she was their grandfather's first familiar and had been raised by him from the she hatched.

So she was more family then familiar to the Wise family.

As for why Hestia didn't like Michael all that much... Well let's just say Hestia doesn't like it when someone pulls out her feathers thinking it would be funny.

They followed the upset Violet towards the city entrance, from which there was a stream of constant people arriving and leaving through the two halls.

Yes even though it was a single gate, it was split down the middle by a wall, the right for entering and left for leaving.

There were carriages and wagons being pull by tamed monsters as well as people riding mounts.

There was even Merchant Caravans small and large waiting in a separate line to enter.

Overall the entrance was extremely lively even at this time, just showing how rich and full of prosperity the city was.

No one dared to cause trouble here as not only were there normal City Guards but also City Heavy Guards keeping watch.

They instead of wearing the same Medium armour as normal City Guards, were wearing heavy armor, in this case plate armour.

Each tier a City goes up it receives a new abilities, for example unlocking new guard recruitment, special buildings or defences.

Spring City had three different types of Guards, normal guards making up the majority of the guard force.

They could literally be found everywhere through out the city policing and patrolling.

These guards were armed with medium armor, a sword, dagger, spear and a light shield.

The City Rangers was the next guard type, they could be found up on the city walls and towers.

Armed with bows, daggers and swords. Wearing light armor usually chain and leather armor, these guards are responsible for keeping watch over the city and protecting it.

City Heavy Guards were the tanks of the city defence, all in heavy plate Armor with large heavy Shields. Their weapons were the same as normal guards just better quality, making them a effective force.

Joining the line for adventures to enter the city, which moved forwards quite quickly, they waited for they're turn, which came quickly.

In front of them was a set of scanners that checked for contraband and illegal items, allowing for the inspections to be incredibly fast.

Coming forwards to the guard they handed over their IDs to be checked, before walking through the scanner one at a time.

"Alright you're good to go." The guard nodded before calling for the next person.

Walking through tunnel brightened by magic laps, they came to the other side and gazed upon the beautiful sight of the city at night.

Even though it was dark the streets were brightly lit by the street lights and stores.

The architecture of the city was a mix of modern and mediaeval, just like the guards Armor the city was mainly a mix of blue and white keeping the colour the city is most known for.

But most noticeable about the city was the the streams of crystal clear water flowing through out the city.

There was even small boats travelling on the water, most interesting to Victor was that the city had installed blue magic stones along the side of the stream in the rock.

So even now the water was bright allowing you to see the bottom even at night.

Along the white stone paths there was trees planted giving shade during the day and the city was clean without any rubbish anywhere.

It truly was a beautiful city worthy of being a place to put on the places you must see list.

Even at night the streets were full of people having a good time enjoying the city.

"You guys want to know why it's called Spring City?" Violet all of the sudden asked as the walked down the main street.

"Why?" Michael interested asked as he couldn't help but look with a little drool at all the food stalls and restaurants along the way.

"It's because in the centre of the city there's a Labyrinth which constantly releases clean water all year round. Which flows into the channels through out the city creating the beautiful scenery and watering the huge amount of farm land outside of the city." Violet explained leading them over to a small dock.

"Hi I would like to hire a boat ride for three to the Teleportation Centre please." She kindly asked a man standing on a boat.

"No problem it'll be 10 gold per person." The old man replied with a smile as well.

Violet paid before they all sat down on the boat, the old man stood behind them and untied the boat before using his stick to push the boat forwards.

"What's a Labyrinth?" Michael asked as he had never heard of one before.

"Oh a Labyrinth is much like a dungeon but instead of everyone having a separate space when they challenge it, a Labyrinth doesn't so you can run into other people while challenging it." Violet started to explain as both boys listened, even Victor didn't know about them so he committed it to his memory.

"You see Labyrinths are broken up into floors and deeping on the Labyrinth it either goes up or down. For the Labyrinth of Springs it goes down becoming harder the lower the floor.

The great thing about Labyrinths unlike dungeons is you don't need to clear it to leave. Labyrinths are full of monsters, treasure and other riches." Playing with the water by keeping her hand in it she continued.

"They are a great way of obtaining materials and equipment especially for normal people, as you don't have to worry about running into too powerful monsters." Enjoying the cool water she said waiting for any questions.

"So they're like dungeons but without the Cooldown and you can leave whenever?" Victor concluded in thought.

"Yes you can even find rare stuff in them although the monsters are stronger than those outside. You'll both learn more about this in academy through." Violet nodded appreciating Victors intelligence.

"But wait wouldn't it be better to kill wild monster for equipment and loot? After all there's a whole lot more of them." Michael asked not understanding why people just wouldn't farm wild monsters.

The reaction he got from both Victor and Violet was a look of shock and the old man breaking down laughing.

"W-what? Did I say something wrong?" Michael not understanding their reaction asked scratching his head.

It was the old man who answered him with a voice full of laughter.

"Wait your serious! Ha oooh, everyone knows that wild monsters don't drop anything after the first three weeks of getting your class." He started laughing so hard he nearly fell off the boat before he steady himself.

"What sense when?" Michael not believing this looked shocked.

"Everyone knows because they teach you about it every year in school. That's why they tell you to kill as many wild monstes as possible when you first get your class." Victor replied this time.

"After those three weeks you need to dismantle the monster yourself, as for getting loot well you need to clear dungeons or Trials. Likewise defeating bosses give loot, that's one of the reasons Labyrinths are so valuable as it's full of bosses and rewards." Violet said not understanding how she could be related to some so oblivious.

"That's why parties usually have someone who can dismantle Monsters." Victor said thinking of other simple things Michael might not know.

"Why am I the only one who doesn't know this." Michael felt like finding a hole to hide in at this moment.