Ordo Visus

Unlike the unassuming exterior of the city, the interior was a beautiful, fantastical city of stone bricks, vibrant cloth canopies, races from all over, rich wood and so much more, all blended together to create what I liked to call the 'standard' for a fantasy city.

The housing and other buildings were rather uniform yet also quite distinct from one another with their signage and additions, the cobbled road was bustling with people from all walks of life, all of the area around us was a perfect mix of both progress and conservation as small parks and various herbal gardens rested between workshops and houses.

Crowded yet not, waiting for exploration and clearly pointing you towards important areas at the same time, the city of Verdanburg was nothing special on its own in any game, but it was that familiarity and almost cookie cutter ideology that made it special, since its unassuming appearance simply meant there was something waiting to be found within.

People and organizations that need help your help or want to 'help' you was the driving force of what made this such a fascinating place for me to be in, and as we walked down the main road and continued into the depths of this large city, I found what did separate Verdanburg from other locations I had been to before.

If everything else was the same and not noteworthy at all, the center of the city was teeming with intrigue and whispering for me to explore it more; a compound sprawled out before us, one that took up hundreds of feet of space in every direction, and the wooden marvel of architecture that towered above drew the eye instantly.

"The headquarters for the Ordo Visus. It has a few fancy nicknames - Oculus and Ordained Parlor are the most common - but otherwise, it is simply known as Headquarters. This is where you will receive training, take up jobs, and live going forwards, so long as you work with for the Ordo. Come, let us stop dallying outside."

Tall gates of what looked like wrought iron separated us from the Headquarters, giving us view of the grand wooden manor that stood before us as well as the various gardens and topiaries that rested on its yard.

Standing in front of those gates were two soldiers draped in leather, their lighter, rugged armor deceiving you at a glance and giving them a 'weak' appearance, yet as we got closer I could feel the slight ebb and flow of mana clinging to their gear; anything enchanted meant danger, and having two soldiers standing before a simple gate with 'simple' gear made me wonder if everything this Ordo had control over was going to be draped beneath layers of subterfuge and deception.

If it was, I would need to get accustomed to searching deeper on everything I saw no matter what, which was going to be both tiring and beneficial going forwards.

Stamping their spears against the cobbles, the two soldiers leaned the weapons forwards and halted the Animus Warden's without any hesitation, their hooded faces concealing their expressions.

"Halt! What brings you to the Ordo Visus?"

"We brought a new recruit for the Ordo. She's already signed the contract; we just needed to ensure she got here. Kira, step forwards."

Looking between the heavier armored Wardens and the lighter armored soldiers, I took a breath and stepped out from the protective barrier that the Wardens provided, my footsteps light on the cobblestones even as my heart hammered inside my chest.

Nerves... even now, it would seem it was hard to escape them whenever I was introduced to a new organization...

I gave the two a nod before accepting the contract that one of the Wardens handed me, the signed papers feeling heavy in my hands as I stared at them for a moment, their significance weighing on me once again.

Showing them to the soldiers, I watched as they pulled their spears back before pushing open the gates, allowing me entry into the Headquarters with a nod..

"Head straight inside, Auxilia. The people at the large desk to the right as soon as you enter will help you get everything settled. Welcome to the Ordo Visus."

"Good luck, Kira."

One of the Wardens gave me a nod before turning around, and silently the others turned too, leaving me in front of the Headquarters all on my own; leaving me to walk this path myself, with no one to provide help.

I took another deep breath and started walking down the road that led towards the giant wooden manor, my eyes roaming its exterior and taking in the various windows, balconies and alcoves that riddled its walls.

Meanwhile, my ears picked up the clashing of blades and the muffled sounds of footsteps, and my nose twitched as the scent of flowers and grass wafted around, the underlying twinge of sweat drawing my attention towards the vast yard instead.

I couldn't see anyone nearby, but I could hear and smell them, so perhaps they were all on the sides and behind the manor?

Up ahead, the manor loomed above me as I took each step, and the large wooden doors gradually opened as I got even closer, the faint blue shimmer that remained where the doors had once been connected making me shake my head slightly at the complex magic before me.

A large scale ward placed over a building sounded simple, but it required immense skill and resources to create; it was expected of this country's military though, and I felt my skin tingle as I walked through the doorway, entering the Headquarters of the Ordo Visus and starting this new chapter of my life.

As soon as I stepped foot inside though, someone bumped into me and sent me back a few steps, their muscular frame dwarfing mine whilst their extra foot of height forced me to look up towards their face.

What greeted me was the arrogant sneering of a brown skinned woman, her thin, scarred lips twisting slightly as she looked down at me with annoyance in her sharp brown eyes.

"Watch where you're goin', pipsqueak."

Barging past me, the woman clicked her tongue and glanced back at me when she felt my gaze lingering on her, the woman's wings unfurling slightly as she snapped "What? Got a problem?", only to snort when I shook my head and turned away from her.

Already, it would seem that this was going to be an... interesting time.