Argos

The sun beat high in the sky the following afternoon. The intense heat bore down on us, walking along the cobblestone pathway, as we emerged from the cavern. Cicadas chirped in the sparse dry fields surrounding the walkway. A monumental cobblestone pathway extended from the cavern to the gates of the city of Argos. Vane and I examined the vast surroundings as we walked along the pathway toward the city gates.

"Well, I've never been to Greece." I said, tilting my head up to the sun. In the distance I could hear the rush of the ocean, slamming against rocks on the shore. The shrill cry of gulls rang in the air. Both of us were overdressed for the heat. He was carrying his duster in one arm, standing in his linen tunic and breeches, his swords strapped to his waist. I adjusted the thin metal plating on my arms, sweating beneath my gear. My sword was heavy on my back, my hair stuck to the back of my neck.

"Maybe you'll finally get a tan." Vane mused, looking at his own darkly tanned skin next to mine. I snorted.

"Not likely." We continued walking. The gates of the city rose before us. Large marble columns with a monumental slab of marble resting atop it. Two statues stood on either side of the columns. One was an ethereal woman, with a flowing diaphanous gown. In her hand she held a sword, in the other scales. She had a blindfold over her eyes. Justice. And on the other side of the gate a similarly garbed woman stood balancing on one leg, large wings spread from her back, and she wore sandals on her feet. Nike, victory.

A group of NPCs stood near the gates of the city, a few had quest markers above their heads, initial quests for the city. Vane and I nodded and greeted the NPC's and stared at the open cobblestone streets that opened up before us. He met my gaze and raised a brow, both of us had noticed the same thing. Very few beta players or player characters running around. As we had just beat the boss, the only people who would have access to this area would be the wealthy players who paid for the item to skip to this city.

I looked back to see Aine trailing behind us, talking with James, Erik, and Ellie. They were slightly older than her, but it was clear she had quickly bonded with players closer to her age. Erik said something and everyone laughed, I saw Aine's cheeks pinken adorably. A small smile played at my lips; she was about the right age to start having a crush.

We approached an NPC woman near the gates who had a quest marker above her head. She was dressed in a Greek chiton, clipped at her shoulder, and cinched at the waist. Her blonde hair was up in an elaborate braid around her head. Her gladiator sandals strapped to her feet were the epitome of patrician. She smiled and nodded in greeting.

"Welcome to Argos! Would you like to learn more about the city, or skip right to the welcome quest?" Her smile was brilliant, her teeth straight and perfect. The cursor above her name glowed blue, marking an NPC. Vane smiled and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"We would like to skip to the welcome quest, thank you." He said, wiping his brow. A menu popped up on the screen.

QUEST: WELCOME TO ARGOS!

QUEST REWARDS: +25,000 Exp. +3 Gargoyle Meat, +1,500 Ren

ACCEPT: Yes/No?

Both of us hit accept on the quest prompt. The NPC smiled and began her spiel.

"The dungeon in the heart of Argos is called the catacombs, beneath the temple chamber on the acropolis. Adventurers go there for missions, quests, and to train, but be warned! Many never make it back. You will find many bounties and quests throughout the city that require you to go hunting in the catacombs. Welcome to the city, there are amenities and accommodations, feel free to explore at your leisure." She finished her spiel, and Vane and I thanked her.

The younger group accepted the initial quest as well, and we all stood in what appeared to be a main plaza, with a large fountain in the centre of the way. The fountain had a large Greek bronze statue, of Poseidon holding his trident, emerging from the water. Nymphs, nereids, and various sea creatures were also emerging from the water. Erik, James, Ellie and Aine sat on the edge of the fountain. Vane and I wandered over to them.

"We are going to scout out the city and seek accommodations." I said to the crew. They nodded and looked at each other. James was the one to step forward and speak.

"We are going to check out the catacombs, then seek accommodation. We'll meet up later?" He asked. We all nodded, and they set off up the hill to the North, heading for the acropolis. I gazed at the amount of shops that lined the walls of the plaza, vendors selling gear, food, crystals, miscellaneous items. Only a few players ran around the plaza. Vane turned to me.

"So, our funds are dwindling, we probably need to pick up some quests to supplement our income and afford rent here. I'm not sure what cost of living is like in this city." Vane muttered, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

"You didn't see much on this area in the office at Hyperion?" I questioned. Vane blushed slightly.

"I saw concept art, and I know basic demographics of the city, how it functions, but I may have missed many of the meetings on the catacombs and the in-depth workings of this level." I snorted. Typical Vane. 

"Remind me why I keep you around?" I looked up into his eyes, his lips quirked up in a smirk.

"My dazzling wit and handsome features, I'm sure." He chuckled, I punched him on the arm.

"Okay, so first order of business, funds. And procuring shelter. After we have a base we can explore more of the city." Vane nodded and mock saluted. Rolling my eyes, I turned away from him. As I turned around, I noticed for the first time Aine had gone with the younger group, instead of staying with us. 

"Have you noticed the way she looks at that guy?" Vane said in a dark tone. I smiled and nodded.

"I think she has a crush." I whispered conspiratorially. Vane shook his head in disgust. 

"He better keeps his hands to himself." Vane whispered. I slapped him on the arm.

"Okay, Dad." I chimed.

A ding chimed in my ear, and the menu in my field of vision alerted that I had a message waiting. I waved in the air before me to open the menu and opened my inbox.

From: Axel

Subject: Discussion

Fayre,

We need to discuss what happened with Darius the other day, preferably in private. Meet me at the Taverna in town. Bring the other one.

Axel

I relayed the message to Vane, and he snorted.

"The other one…" He muttered under his breath. I smirked. I reached for his hand, feeling his strong fingers in my small grip. I turned us in the Eastern direction, I pointed with my free hand.

"There are more shops this way. Maybe we'll find the Taverna." I pulled him in that direction. He moved along with me. It took us two hours to find it. It was in the Southern most corner off of the plaza, in the opposite direction.