The sun was still setting as Rion climbed the path up to the Capitol. He'd have to visit the Guild tomorrow—by the time he arrived, it would already be closed. For now, the first place he needed to find was a hotel.
The closer Rion got, the higher the stone walls around the city seemed to stretch. Eventually, he had to tilt his head all the way back just to see the top.
"Wow," Rion muttered as he continued along, finally nearing one of the entrances into the city. Thankfully, this time people could enter right away instead of going through the monotonous process from before.
Rion wove through the bustling crowd, and as he crossed through the gate, he let out a gasp of astonishment.
The view was incredible. Hundreds of buildings, homes, and shops stood tall, built from stone and wood. Carriages and numerous cars lined the streets. Patches of greenery decorated the city along the roads, between buildings, tucked into corners. The variety of people was astounding, much like what Rion had seen in the line outside, only tenfold, even though it was already late in the day.
And of course, standing in the heart of the city was the grand castle, towering above everything else. Dozens of white and gray towers and pillars rose from its structure. Multiple manmade waterfalls spilled from its sides, flowing into the moat below. At its peak swayed a massive blue flag that incorporated designs from all four kingdoms' banners.
Rion continued to stare at the massive structure. But when someone bumped into him, he shook his head and kept walking. Gotta focus, he thought. Eventually, the crowd began to disperse as everyone went their separate ways, leaving Rion alone.
That's when he noticed the sun dipping behind the city walls. He had to find somewhere to stay before it got completely dark. The first street he'd walked along was full of inns and hotels trying to usher people inside, but Rion decided to walk around a bit more, get a feel for the city before picking a place.
After a while, he stumbled upon a decent-sized inn. It was a bit nicer than the one he and Lie had stayed at in Waneir. It was pricier too, of course, this was the Grand Capitol, after all. Rion shrugged and headed inside.
He requested a single room, handed over enough coin for three days, and received a key and room number in return. Climbing the stairs, he reached his room, set down his bag, and plopped onto the bed.
He laid there for a while, weighing which was more pressing— his exhaustion or his hunger. In the end, exhaustion won. He stripped off his clothes, crawled under the covers, and quickly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Rion woke with a spring in his step and made his way toward the Guild. In daylight, the grand city seemed even more alive. merchants shouting, dancers twirling, musicians filling the streets with melody. Rion smiled as he continued his search. Eventually, he came across a city map displayed in a public square. After studying it carefully, he set off in the right direction.
He got lost a few times on the way, it was a massive city after all. As he made his way up some stairs he saw a girl with auburn hair playing a harp off to the side. Rion would've stopped to listen but if he did he'd forget all about the map. About thirty minutes later, he finally found the Guild.
(And thus, Rion's adventure continues…)