Liza, Eliot and Boro were walking on the dirt road towards Starfall. They had been traveling for a couple days now and knew they were getting closer to the city due to the increase in movement on the course.

From time to time, they could see people coming and going from the little trails that connected to the main road. These pathways led to farmhouses, wooden cabins used by hunters and small villages from the surroundings.

The people they encountered would usually nod their heads towards them in a signal of recognition but would maintain their distance. Traveling alone could be dangerous, but traveling with strangers could be even more so. Especially if said strangers were carrying perilous looking weapons and had a monster as pet.

Liza stopped, stretched her arms and yawned. There were bags under her eyes and she looked tired.

“It has only been a few days, but why does it feel like it has been forever?” She looked at Eliot accusingly.

[And you don’t even know or care about it, which makes it even worse! Argh! Is like I am going crazy by myself, it is not fair!]

“Eliot, we are going to arrive at Starfall today and you better behave. Do you hear me?”

Eliot looked at her with his head tilted sideways and a look of pure innocence.

“No running around and disappearing on your own. If someone starts to make trouble for us, try your best not to kill them, ok?”

He blinked and tilted his head to the other side. Liza sighed and grabbed his hand before starting to move forward again.

“Well, try your best. I will deal with whatever comes next.”

They continued their way and by the afternoon they could finally see Starfall on the horizon. It was a big city surrounded by stone walls six meters tall and farmlands in its proximity.

They made their way down the road to the gates, where a small group of people were waiting in line. A bunch of guards, armed with spears and dressed in chainmail, were inspecting carts, questioning people and taking the appropriate fees.

Liza had Boro hide inside Eliot’s clothes while they were waiting. Soon enough their turn came.

“Name, occupation and what is your business here in Starfall? Do you have a permit to carry those weapons?” said the guard in the automatic way someone who had to repeat the same questions dozens of times daily would.

“I am Liza, and this is my brother Eliot. We are adventurers looking for work. Here is my badge,” replied Liza while cursing inside.

[Damn, I totally forgot about that. Sarton was just a small town, it was easy to come and go. First thing we need after getting inside is registering Eliot. Boro too, it can bring trouble, but less trouble than if he is found out and not registered.]

“Ok, everything seems in order. But where is your brother’s badge?” said the guard rising and eyebrow.

“It was lost in a scuffle with some monsters when we were on our way here. The first thing we are going to do after getting inside is issuing a new one, you have my word. Here is the entry fee Mr. Guard.”

Liza carefully passed the money to the guard, who soon noticed there was more money there than needed.

“Ah, yes, well, these things can happen sometimes. I understand, hard life being an adventurer. Come on through, but make sure to have that badge remade, ok young man?”

Eliot just kept staring without saying anything. The guard’s jovial smile after being bribed was starting to get stiff. Liza hurriedly intervened while pushing Eliot ahead.

“He can’t speak sir, had too many blows to the head. Then, if you excuse us.”

The guard watched them going through the gates with a confused smile and a blank stare. He soon got his wits back together and said “Next!” before turning around to the remaining people in the line.

After passing through the gates they could finally see what the city was really like. They were on an avenue large enough for two carts side-by-side to use. It was made of weirdly shaped cobblestones of different colors.

There were wooden buildings on both sides of the street, mostly of them being occupied by service providers or craftsmen’s guilds.

The bustling of people coming and going, working, buying things or loading and unloading goods from carts made for a raucous atmosphere.

[I guess a city is different after all. Better redouble my attention! Right! Eliot!]

Just as Eliot was about to take off and look at the things that caught his interest Liza grabbed his hand and made her way towards the nearest person.

“Excuse me lady, could you tell me the way to the Adventurers’ Guild?” said Liza, giving her best friendly smile.

The passerby looked uncomfortable with the toothy grin she was receiving. Liza pointy teeth gave her a ferocious smile.

“Right now, you are on the big street that connects the west gate to the east gate. There is another big street that connects the north gate and the south gate. That is where your guild is located, near the north entrance.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Beware of the other lanes though. They are narrow and don’t follow a straight line, making the crisscrossed pathways a labyrinth. Even I get lost sometimes.”

Liza thanked the young girl again and followed the avenue to the crossroads. This was the city center. In each of the four corners where the big streets met was an important building made of stone: the lord’s mansion, the church, the merchants' guild and the barracks.

After turning left and walking for some time they could finally see the familiar sign with a coat of arms of two swords crossing. The Adventurers’ Guild was three stories tall and another one of the rare buildings made of stone in the city.

The inside was like the guild in Sarton, just bigger. There were notice boards and a stairway on the right, a social area to the left and the clerks’ desks at the back wall. Liza made her way to one of the clerks pulling Eliot along.

“Hello, my friend Eliot here would like to register as an adventurer.”

The clerk was a fat youth wearing fancy clothes. He gave them a quick glance and his eyes couldn’t conceal his scorn. He picked a scroll and a writing set of quill and ink from a drawer before putting them before the group.

“Write your information here. If you cannot even read or write I suppose I would have to do it for you. The registration fee is a pitiful amount of five silver pieces and the badge needs a few hours to be made,” said the fat youth in an affected tone.

Liza’s tired eye was twitching visibly. She looked at Eliot and was both parts glad and annoyed he wasn’t doing anything.

“He can’t speak, read or write, but I can, so you don’t need to worry about that. I would also like to register a tamed monster,” said Liza before carefully removing Boro from inside Eliot’s clothes and putting him on her lap.

“Oh, what an incredible creature this is! Name your price peasant; I will buy it from you!” said the clerk with his eyes ablaze.

“He is not for sal…”

“100 gold pieces!”

“He is not for…”

“200 gold pieces!”

“He is not…”

“300 GOLD PIE…”

*clap* *clap*

“Now, now, your lordship. The guild accepted your father’s proposal for you to work here for some time to gain experience, but as we agreed, you need to follow the rules.”

A jolly old man with gray hair was standing beside their table with his hands clasped. Both Liza and the fat youth were surprised to see him there, as none of them saw him arriving.

“Ah, look at the time! I believe it is the moment for your afternoon tea, is it not, your lordship? Why not let Mary here to do the boring paper work?” said the old man.

After some resistance, the young lord was led away, and the old man directed them to another clerk.

“I am sorry about that. We usually only employ the second or third sons of nobles because they know how to behave. Those that will inherit the state usually inherit the feeling they are above everyone as well. But what can you do, it is all politics after all,” he said with an apologetic look.

“It is ok. I am more impressed that you are going so far to explain it to us,” replied Liza.

“Any adventurer that can tame a monster has unlimited potential in my book, so it’s well worth the effort,” said the old man staring curiously at Boro.

Liza looked at him with eyes full of suspicion.

“Thank you for your compliment.”

They didn’t have trouble after that. Eliot and Boro were successfully registered and they waited to receive their badges before going out.

[That chatty old man said there was an inn nearby in one of those alleyways. Better find it soon, the sun is starting to go down and the curfew will start in a couple hours.]

The group entered the side lanes looking for the lodgings. The pathway was narrow and was not paved with cobblestones like the main streets. It curved left and right in unpredictable ways. Very soon they were completely lost and by the number of suspicious people in the corners here and there, they were not in a very honorable part of town.

They could hear a low whimper and sobbing coming from an alleyway just ahead. They could also make out a man cussing in low tones and kicking something.

“You piece of shit, is that all you managed to get for me today?” the man cursed and threw another kick at the child that was curled up on the floor.

He was about to do it again when he felt something cold pressing against his neck.

“I would stop doing that, if I were you. You are a very lucky man, if this was outside the city…” said Liza in a cold voice.

The man gulped, he was drunk, but could still understand the meaning behind those threatening words. Liza removed the knife from the man’s throat and kicked him in the nuts with all her strength. He seemed to hover in the air for a moment before falling to the ground crying. He was the one whimpering now.

Eliot flinched at the scene. It was a natural and almost biological reaction from all men when watching such painful occurrence. Liza crouched near the child and whispered in soft tones.

“Everything is okay now, don’t worry.”