Lakefield was the biggest city Mahon and Jorik had ever seen. Ratho paled in comparison with the capital city of Finem. The streets were large enough for twenty men to walk shoulder to shoulder, and yet they seemed too thin as Siraye led their cart through it.

Everywhere, people could be seen going on with their life. Numerous shops were bordering the streets, and it wasn’t rare to see people queuing outside to enter the shop. Multiple fragrances filled the air, from the strong perfumes of rich nobles to the sweet scent of hot cakes just taken out of the oven.

People walked. People ran. People talked. People yelled. In a cheerful cacophony, hundreds and hundreds of citizens interacted with each other. Mahon and Jorik didn’t know anymore where to look as every other corner brought its share of never-seen before shops, extravagant attires and look-alike statues.

Each time two streets met each other, a beautiful fountain full of trees and statues of animals and people decorated the place. The sound of water escorted them wherever they went, and the statues seemed to be looking at them when they passed nearby. They were so carefully carved that if one wasn’t attentive enough, he would mistake them for real people.

Siraye continued to guide her cart through the city, turning left and right, following a path only she knew. They had moved at least a kilometer inside already, but the streets hadn’t changed in the slightest, as if all the city was made of wide streets and incredible sculptures.

She finally stopped in front of a closed shop, in a street as crowded as the ones they walked through previously.

“I’m back, my sugarplum! Did you miss your mommy?” Siraye jumped out of the cart, and she hugged the facade of her shop with a delighted smile.

Mahon and Jorik exchanged a weird look while the woman patted the door with attention, whispering sweet words to the building as if she had just found her own son after a long time away.

She opened the door to her shop a bit later and, with the help of Mahon and Jorik, they opened a bigger side door and pulled the cart in. The whole place was divided into multiple areas. The first floor itself was cut in two, with a part for the shop and another for Siraye’s forge. The basement was split between a small stable for her muxale and some kind of storage area for her weapons and raw materials.

The second floor was some kind of practice center with practice dummies, targets and all sort of tools to maintain weapons. A small place was also dedicated to exhibit weapons with particular designs or that were simply of much higher quality than those of the first floor.

And finally, the third floor was Siraye’s apartment, with her own bedroom, kitchen, living room and one guest room.

Jorik whistled in approbation as they visited the whole house. “You’ve got yourself a very nice place.”

“Thanks!” Siraye smiled happily at Jorik’s remark. “So this is your room. You’ll have to share it, but it’s big enough you won’t have to sleep in the same bed so it should be comfortable enough, especially after a few months sleeping in tents. I’ll need some time before I open back my shop between restocking and organizing what I got from the caravan, so, if you want we can go to the bodyguard center tomorrow, and I’ll show you a bit around so you’ll get familiar with the city. Once I open my shop, I’ll have much less time to care for you during the day.”

“That’s perfect.” Mahon bowed slightly. “Thanks for everything, Siraye.”

“Bah.” She waved him off. “You haven’t seen anything yet, wait before I give you a taste of Lakefield culinary specialities! My treat!”

The trio spent the rest of the day and until the evening together. Siraye used Mahon and Jorik’s presence to help her move out her weapons, and then she prepared the diner in a joyous and cheerful atmosphere.

For the first time since they joined Finem, Mahon and Jorik had the feeling of being home. It wasn’t theirs, but it was still a place they felt safe inside and with people they trusted. Coupled with a real mattress and bed, the night was one of the best they had since a long time.

The duo talked a bit in Nightmare, excited to discover more about Lakefield, the Immortal Kings and the bodyguard center the next day. They woke up feeling refreshed and to the appealing smell of scrambled eggs and hot bread. The duo joined Siraye in the kitchen shortly after and devoured their breakfast.

“I woke up early so we have time to make a trip to the bodyguard center I told you about,” Siraye explained once they were done, “and then you can pass your tests there while I handle my own business back in the shop. Now, grab your stuff and let’s go!”

Mahon quickly equipped himself, hanging his spear on his back and his sword at his waist, before joining Siraye who was already waiting for them at the door. The sun was already visible in the sky, but there were fewer people than the day before as the shops weren’t open yet. Numerous merchants were in the process of opening them though, and it was clear it wouldn’t be long before the crowd would come back.

“Hey, Siraye! I thought I saw you come back yesterday. It seems my eyes didn’t deceive me.” An old man waved to her from the neighboring shop.

Siraye smiled and went to discuss shortly with the man, and a few other shopkeepers along the way. From what Mahon could see, the woman was known and appreciated in her neighborhood. She had been away for a few months, but everyone seemed pleased to see her back, and she took the time to exchange a few words with everyone that greeted her. Past her street, though, the merchants weren’t as close to her, and so the trio walked quickly onwards through the streets of Lakefield.

The bodyguard center was a good half an hour away from Siraye’s shop, but the woman didn’t seem to mind the walk. She said she needed to talk with them anyway, something to do with a weapon delivery. Mahon didn’t say much during the journey, focusing instead on the city and its large populace.

He observed with attention the people wandering the streets, the buildings standing on both sides, and the numerous statues and fountains paving their way. As the day before, even though they walked so far inside, the city seemed to be identical everywhere, as if there was no slums or rich areas. The streets were still a bit different from each other, but the fact they all had the same width, the same fountains and statues at every intersections and the same amount of people wandering along gave the feeling that the city was just the same never ending district.

Mahon quickly got lost after a few streets full of shops, restaurants and workshops. He thought at first that the statues and fountains were the way to know where you stood, but alas, after a dozen, they all started to mingle in his mind, and he was lost again.

Siraye finally led them towards a gigantic building, the size of at least three or four large shops, with an enormous inscription carved directly into the heavy doors. The Protectors Circle. Two men stood in front of the closed doors, fully armored and with helmets hiding their faces.

A ferocious aura stood out of the two guards, keeping the passerby and curious away, but Siraye walked straight to them without hesitation.

“Hello. I’m Siraye, I’ve come to discuss one of my weapon deliveries.”

“I understand, my lady. With whom do you usually discuss business?” One of the soldiers answered with a respectful voice.

“Rania Herroris.”

At the name’s mention, the first soldier suddenly stood straighter while the other immediately went to open a shorter door to the right of the main doors.

“Please this way, my lady. I’ll inform vice master Herroris of your visit right now.”

The trio followed behind the soldier who made them wait in a nicely decorated office inside the building. The surrounding area wasn’t anything like a training camp and much more like an administrative district. They waited for a few minutes in silence before a woman joined them.

The moment she entered, Mahon and Jorik snapped their heads towards her, as if a danger had suddenly appeared and required their full attention. The woman was casually dressed in leather armor, a sword on her left waist and a whip on her right one. She wasn’t wearing any helmet, and her figure radiated the calm and control of the expert warrior. Her demeanor only added to the feeling that they were all prey to her eyes, and everything was beneath her control.

She glanced at them before she spoke to Siraye, and her body posture clearly stated she thought absolutely nothing of them.

“Hello, Siraye. I wasn’t expecting you so soon, but since you’re already here, I guess we can talk about the weapons.” She turned her head slightly to Mahon and Jorik. “Your bodyguards?”

“No.” Siraye shook her head. “I actually came sooner because of them. They’re my friends and very powerful warriors looking for a job. I thought you might be interested.”

“Oh?” Rania raised one of her eyebrows at Siraye’s words. “What rank?”

“Unranked.” She answered after a slight hesitation.

The vice master grunted. “I’m sorry, you know we don’t accept anyone under four-star.”

“They are unranked only because they are not from Finem, but I assure you they’re very worth your time. Mahon defeated a seven-star sorcerer in an official duel just a few days ago.”

This time, the woman was clearly taken aback. She quickly hid it under a professional look, however, and took a second glance at Mahon and Jorik.

“You’re a sorcerer?”

“No.” Mahon shook his head in answer.

Rania said nothing for a few seconds, but it was clear her excitement had turned to confusion and then scorn.

“I vouch for them.” Siraye said before the woman could speak. “They’re among the best fighters I’ve ever seen. Even you’ll be surprised.”

Rania grimaced as she looked back at Siraye. “If you knew how many people tried to reach us with false rumors of their achievement, you would be the one to be surprised.”

Siraye bowed slightly. “Please indulge my audacity this time.”

“I really don’t have time for this.” The vice master sighed loudly before going silent for a few seconds. “Ok, let’s talk business while I send someone to test them, then. But let me tell you, Siraye, we’ve a really good partnership you and I, and I would really be disappointed if you abused it in such a manner.”

“Thank you very much!” Siraye immediately bowed lower. “I promise you’ll not be disappointed.”

“Yes, yes, we’ll see.” Rania commented with a tone that clearly implied she didn’t believe it at all.

She then left to give her instructions and half a minute later, a male warrior dressed in leather armor came to the office and led Mahon and Jorik to a wide arena while the two women were left to discuss alone. The man was bald and very muscular. He released a similar aura to Slander, the fighting instructor at the Pine Hill Officer Institute, back in Ratho.

“Let’s get done with this quickly.” The man grumbled to Mahon and Jorik. “Onas! Come here!”

From one corner of the arena where a group of young men and women were training harshly, alternating between weights, cardio exercises and duels, a very young man left the group to run to them.

“Instructor!” He yelled loudly once he reached the bald man accompanying Mahon and Jorik, and stood at attention.

“Grab three training swords and beat these two. The longer you take, the longer you will continue training afterwards.”

Without adding any other word, the instructor ignored Mahon and Jorik and walked leisurely to the rest of his group still training in the arena. His student didn’t hesitate either, and he rushed to the nearby stalls to grab three swords.

Mahon and Jorik looked at each other with a confused face.

“I’m sorry, instructor.” Mahon said. “What is the meaning of this? Aren’t you supposed to test us?”

“You ain’t worth the Protectors Circle’s time, boys.” The instructor answered without even turning back to face them. “You already dared to waste Rania’s one, and that moody woman will be grumpy for a full week now. Onas! Get rid of them now and come back! I’ve waited long enough.”

The soft thud of a body collapsing on the sandy ground of the arena was heard shortly after, and the instructor nodded slightly while continuing his way away from Mahon and Jorik.

“One more to go, Onas! Hurry up or I’ll make you clean every weapon in this arena!!”

“I’m sorry, instructor.” Mahon’s calm voice answered instead. “He passed out, so I don’t think he can hear you now.”