Trevor gestured for them to follow him and set off towards the massive walls before them. The Happy Sunflowers brushed the last of the dirt off themselves and followed after the man.

A massive moat stretched around the base of the wall. It was full of glittering blue water that looked fresh enough to drink. A beautiful stone drawbridge stretched across it, leading to the open gates of the city.

“How do you raise the drawbridge?” Belmont asked as Trevor led them across it.

“We don’t,” Trevor replied. “It’s mostly for aesthetics. The First City hasn’t been in a war in many, many years. If someone was foolish enough to attack – well, we’ve got a fair number of agreements with powerful cities and adventuring parties. Let’s just say that it would go very badly for the aggressor.”

There were no guards at the gate as they crossed through it. The inside of the city was just as beautiful as the walls. Ornate houses that could have passed as works of art lined the great street that led straight into the city’s heart.

Thick marble pillars held aloft carved roofs that glistened in the sun. Rows of well-trimmed plants lined the street, all lined with succulent yellow fruits the size of Arek’s palm. A sweet scent reminiscent of honey permeated throughout the air.

“Marvelous, isn’t it?” Trevor asked, pausing for a moment before setting back off down the road. Even the stone beneath their feet looked like it had been polished.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Arek said. “What are the fruit trees?”

“Mangos,” Trevor replied. “You’re welcome to try one, but don’t eat too many. We want to leave some for everyone after all.”

“Are they free?” Belmont asked, eyeing one of the succulent fruits.

“Absolutely. It’s covered in the package,” Trevor replied, nodding at the metal tube in Arek’s hand.

“Package?” Malissa asked.

“Of course. That metal key entitles you all to a one week stay within the Floating Cities,” Trevor said. “It’s not cheap to get one, so I imagine it was gifted to you. A princely gift, if I do say so myself. Much of what you’ll find in the city will be complimentary, although all the shops and the auction house are not.”

The Happy Sunflowers stiffened slightly at the last sentence. Trevor plucked a mango from one of the trees and offered it to Arek, raising an eyebrow at their strange reaction. Arek took it from him with a wry grin.

“Thank you. We’ve had some less than ideal experiences with an auction house before,” Arek said.

“Well, I can assure you that nothing of the sort will happen here,” Trevor promised. “The Floating Cities take the auction house very seriously. Everyone here knows that any attempts to interfere with the sanctity of the process will result in a lifetime ban.”

“Maybe we’ll check it out,” Malissa said noncommittally. Trevor plucked another mango from a tree and tossed it towards Malissa.

Ming blurred through the air and grabbed it before the tall warrior could catch it. Her green eyes sparkled in excitement and she let out a victorious laugh as she darted behind Arek with her prize.

“How do we eat this?” Arek asked, examining the firm skin of the fruit in his hands. It was supple but slightly leathery.

“Like this,” Trevor replied, drawing a thin knife from his belt. He took Arek’s mango and started demonstrating how to peel it.

Ming curled her nose up at the display. She raised the mango to her mouth and took a huge bite. Her eyes lit up and she chewed as quickly as she could to make more room in her mouth before taking another bite.

Trevor’s speech paused as they all watched Ming devour the fruit, cleaning off every single bit aside from the large pit at the center. Not a scrap of edible flesh remained.

“Well, most people generally peel it, but I suppose that works as well,” Trevor said.

Ming eyed another mango but managed to control herself. Trevor finished peeling Arek’s mango and handed it back to him. It was more slippery than the orc had expected. After nearly dropping it, he lifted the fruit to his mouth and took a large bite.

An explosion of flavor flooded his mouth. The sweet, sugary fruit was difficult to describe. If anything, the closest word for it would have been tropical. There were faint hints of honey that explained the scent in the air along with pure, unadulterated freshness.

Arek polished it off in moments, licking his lips and fingers to get the last of the juice off them. The rest of the group grabbed some fruit for themselves.

“Good, aren’t they?” Trevor asked. “We have dedicated earth mages that spend most of their time ensuring that the mangos are as ripe as possible. These trees have been growing for almost twenty years.”

“They’re older than I am,” Ming grumbled.

“And they make fruit too,” Malissa teased. “Are you going to learn how to do that soon?”

“Do you think I can?” Ming wondered aloud. “Pure magic fruit. They sound tasty…”

“We can save that for later,” Belmont said. “We don’t need you practicing with pure magic while we’re here. I think the islands look fine in the sky where they are. No need to blow them up.”

Trevor chuckled. The group drew up to a large town square and he stopped before a gushing fountain twice his height. Dozens of people milled about, talking and laughing. Many of them had all sorts of street food in their hands. Massive stores lined the street around them, all displaying expensive fineries that ranged from weapons to dresses. A stone disc sat on top of a marble pedestal in front of the fountain. Trevor brought them up to it.

“This has the rules for the First City,” Trevor said. “They apply anywhere within its walls. Passage to the other cities is located at the walls. When you decide to retire for the night, head to the Singing Swallow. There will be a room prepared for you. Please enjoy your stay!”

Their guide gave them a small bow and smiled. A thrum of faint magic emitted out from the man and he vanished in a small burst of yellow light.