Chapter 26 - Welcome to the Capital

The closer they got to the gates, the louder the world became.

Voices layered over one another—traders barking prices, guards calling out instructions, horses snorting under strain, children darting between wheels with sticky fingers and half-eaten fruit. A lute plucked somewhere behind a stall tried to keep rhythm with the chaos and failed.

Leo leaned forward slightly, arms braced on his knees, eyes scanning the moving crowd. He didn't speak. Neither did Amanda. But the quiet between them wasn't heavy. Just full.

The cart slowed, wheels clicking louder against the worn stone as the capital's towering gates loomed ahead. Wide enough to let three carts through at once. Tall enough that Leo had to crane his neck back just to see where they ended.

People moved like water, flowing in and out. No real order. Just enough current to keep from crashing.

Soldiers lined the entrance. Not idle. Watching. Some asked for papers. Others lifted cloth tarps on carts or nodded travelers through with tired eyes. Their armor bore the city's crest.

Their cart was next.

A guard approached, hand resting near his sheathed sword.

"State your name and business," he said.

The merchant gave a polite nod. "Just merchants, from Arven. They're with Lady Ranna."

That changed things.

The guard's expression shifted. He stepped back, gesturing to a second soldier, who waved them through with a tight nod.

"Proceed."

Leo raised a brow. "Just like that?"

Amanda didn't answer right away. Her gaze had narrowed.

The guards looked at her a beat too long.

Not hostile. Not curious.

Familiar.

Leo remembered something Ranna had said. She used to frequent the guild center, always asking for help.

It clicked.

Leo sat back again, letting the cart carry them forward. "Guess you've got a reputation here," he said.

Amanda didn't deny it. Just folded her arms and muttered, "Not one I liked."

Inside the walls, the air changed again.

No more wild earth or pine sap. Now it smelled like baked bread, smoke from forge fires, and too many bodies packed into too little space. The city pulsed around them. Streets weaving like veins, buildings leaning toward each other like gossiping neighbors.

Shops lined every side. Tailors. Smithies. Potion stalls with glass bottles that caught the light like candy. Voices shouted over one another, selling everything from monster teeth to pickled fish. Street performers spun flames in circles while children ran shrieking around their legs.

Leo couldn't stop looking.

Every corner they turned held something new. A man with mechanical arms hawking self-turning skewers. A goblin selling brightly dyed cloaks from the back of a goat. A half-giant thundered past with crates of apples stacked higher than her head.

And above all of it—

The walls. Enormous. Towering over the city like they were built to keep the sky out.

Leo squinted, doing quick math in his head.

"Whoa, that must be over 100 feet!" he guessed out loud.

Amanda followed his gaze, then pointed toward one of the stone towers jutting up at regular intervals along the wall.

She nodded.

"Those are for long-range units," she said. "Wizards. Hunters. People who can cause damage from a distance."

"Welcome to the capital."

The cart rolled on.

They passed smithies where blades caught sunlight, glinting like promises. Armor stood like metal statues, gleaming but dented. Proof they were made to be worn, not displayed. A group of dwarves argued outside one shop, their beards swaying as they gestured wildly with tankards and hammers.

Next came the alchemists—rows of jars, powders, and bubbling vials in windows that pulsed with soft, unnatural light. Some smelled sweet. Others made Leo cough just riding past.

Then food.

Spiced meats sizzling over open flame. Soft rolls stacked like treasure. A broth stall with steam so thick it blurred the merchant's face. Leo's stomach growled loud enough to earn a glance from Amanda.

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Didn't realize how hungry I was."

She smirked. "It's the air here. Tricks your senses."

Finally, the cart slowed again.

Ahead stood a large building wider than any of the shops, with tall wooden doors and flags fluttering above it, each bearing a different emblem. People poured in and out. Some armored, some robed, some carrying weapons too large for their frames.

Leo leaned forward, scanning the crowd.

Cat-like people with narrow pupils and twitching tails. Fox-eared travelers wrapped in loose, woven fabrics. A pair of dragonoids. Elves moved like wind, silent and smooth. Dwarves stomped like the ground owed them something.

It was a mosaic of motion. Of muscle and magic and mystery.

And all of it was real.

The merchant pulled the reins gently and brought the cart to a stop in front of the building.

He looked over his shoulder, smiling small but honestly.

"Good luck with your registration."

Leo blinked, dragged back from the crowd. He dug into his pouch and pulled out a single gold coin.

"Thanks for the ride," he said, offering it over.

The merchant accepted it with a nod. "Safe travels. And good luck."

Leo hopped down. Amanda followed.

The cart that had carried Cris was nowhere in sight.

Leo turned in a slow circle, scanning the street, the crowds, the buildings, but no sign of the wild-haired teenager.

He scratched the back of his head.

"Guess we'll catch up later," he muttered.

Amanda was already walking toward the guild doors.

Leo followed.

The doors creaked open with a low groan, giving way to a different kind of chaos.

The inside of the Adventurer's Guild was wide, bright, and alive. A faint hum of voices filled the air: chatter, clinking gear, occasional laughter. Wooden beams crossed the ceiling overhead, and the smell of metal oil, parchment, and something vaguely spicy hung in the air.

Amanda paused just inside the entrance.

She didn't say anything.

Her fingers twitched slightly by her side.

She hadn't stepped foot in here in years, but the place hadn't changed. Not the way the floor always looked just slightly stained, no matter how often it was cleaned. Not the bulletin board overloaded with quest slips and old notices. Not even the light tilt in the left-hand chandelier that everyone ignored.

This had been her warzone once. And her home.

Now, she was walking back into it—older, maybe, but still standing.

Beside her, Leo turned in a slow circle.

His eyes were wide, taking it all in.

Adventurers of all shapes, sizes, and species filled the guild hall. Some in cheap, dented armor, nervously gripping wooden staves. Others moved with ease, well-worn cloaks brushing the floor, weapons strapped across their backs. Their voices carried confidence. Some were laughing. Some arguing. Some just sipping drinks like they'd already seen the worst the world could throw at them and come out bored.

Leo blinked. "Damn," he muttered. "This is a lot."

Amanda didn't respond. She was already walking.

A voice called out over the crowd. "Amanda!"

Leo turned just as Amanda looked up.

A woman waved at them from the front desk. She had long black hair, tied neatly at the base of her neck, and wore a dress that looked like it could stop a dagger if it had to, but still moved like it belonged in a ballroom.

Amanda's face broke into a grin.

She quickened her pace, and Leo followed, dodging a passing half-orc carrying a keg.

At the counter, Amanda leaned in for a quick embrace. The woman smiled warmly before her eyes drifted to Leo.

"Oh," she said, straightening. "So this is him?"

Amanda turned and yanked Leo forward by the wrist. "Leo, this is Susan. She's one of the guild staff here, and secretary to the guild master."

Susan held out her hand, calm and confident. Her voice had that soft firmness that made people listen without realizing they were doing it.

"Amanda tells me you're a good man, Leo."

Leo managed a nod. "I, uh… try to be."

Susan chuckled. "She's special to us, you know. We've watched her grow. Seen her at her best… and her worst." Her eyes lingered on Amanda with something like affection and a little worry. "Just make sure she's taken care of."

Leo felt a knot form in his chest.

Susan's eyes twinkled suddenly.

"And I can definitely see you two creating adorable children."

Amanda flailed.

Her hands shot up like she was under attack. "Susan! Stop!" Her voice cracked halfway through as her face flushed from the neck up.

Leo almost swallowed his own tongue.

His ears were burning, and he stared hard at a point just past Susan's shoulder. "I, uh—what?"

Susan laughed, but her gaze softened again as she reached out and gently took Amanda's hand.

"She's like a daughter to me, Leo. I've seen her at her lowest… and she kept standing when most would've fallen. She deserves nothing less after everything she's been through."

Leo didn't answer right away.

But then he nodded.

Susan seemed satisfied with that.

But then something shifted.

Her smile faltered. "Ah. That's right. Lady Kurea sent word… said the Orc Dominion was destroyed." She glanced between the two of them. "But the reports didn't say who did it."

Amanda didn't blink.

She just nodded. "I know who did."

Susan's hand clenched a little tighter around her arm.

"You do?" Her voice dropped, cautious.

Amanda looked sideways at Leo. "Yeah."

Susan's brows drew together. Her mouth opened, as if expecting the worst.

And then Amanda tilted her head toward Leo.

"It was him."

Time paused.

A breeze seemed to come from nowhere, ruffling the edge of Susan's dress.

Her eyes widened.

There was a beat of silence.

And then—

"WHAT?!"