Azure: Gunner

District Two, popularly known as ‘Deuce’, was originally the rough-and-tumble industrial district of the city, directly to the east of Central. Blacksmith’s forges, then considered critical infrastructure, were placed here so as to be further from the north wall and the likely path of an undead attack.

It was also home to brothels, cheap bars, gambling halls, and the original Arena. Popular stories hold that the infamous Syndicates of Lost Angels trace their origins back to some of the disreputable establishments of Deuce.

All of that is long since in the past, however. Since the city’s expansion, much of District Two has been torn down and rebuilt. Today it is considered the newest and trendiest area of the Inner City. Only a few of the original tenants remain, most notably the headquarters of the original martial Guilds - the Delvers, Mercenaries, and Hunters. The lunacy that is Mariners’ Guild also has their small presence there.

- Fodorick’s Lonely Traveler – Guide to Lost Angels

We descended from the hilltop fortress protecting the tunnel, passing through an expanse of untamed dirt and small plants before reaching a narrow strip of farmland between the city and the REZ. Here it was less than a mile wide, but the crops were the lushest plants I’d seen since the dungeon, and they were densely packed in perfect rows.

The road was wide – at least thirty feet across – and there were a few people on it besides us. Most seemed to be leaving the city, heading past us and towards the tunnel. While some moved at a comfortable walk, others were jogging quickly, obviously in a hurry. Nearly all of them had a pistol of various kinds on their hip.

<Where are they going so late?> I asked over the Comms, not wanting the passerby to overhear my ignorant question.

<They probably live in Edelamo,> Arlo responded, then clarified, <That’s the town we just passed on the other side of the river. Some people live there because it’s much cheaper than living in Lost Angels. They make the trip back and forth every day to work in the city. It can take hours if you walk, but there are faster options.>

He pointed down the road ahead, where I saw a pair of trihorns approaching at a trot, pulling a large open wagon behind them. As they got closer, I saw that the wagon was packed full of people. It looked like there was a bench around the sides, crammed with people sitting, and then in the middle of the wagon there was another crowd of people standing, holding onto a metal frame. I shuddered at the idea of being packed into such a tiny space while being bounced around.

We attracted a lot of interested looks from the various people we passed, but if they had comments they kept them to themselves – or, more likely, over their Comms. The fields gave way to a narrow strip of bare dirt, perhaps a hundred yards or so wide, just before the city’s moat. Like at Fort Alpha, an arching stone bridge would take us over the moat and to the gatehouse.

Before we reached the bridge, we had to pass by a set of guards who waited under the shade of a small structure just to the side of the road. They wore matching dark blue armor and their helmets had black visors making it impossible to see their faces. I assumed they were miserable on hot days even with the nearby shade. Maybe they just had excellent mods.

We had to divide into two neat lines as we filed past the guards. I assumed they were Identifying each of us as we approached. A few of the trainees got respectful nods from the guards.

“Welcome back to Lost Angels, Miss Eleson,” I heard a guard say to Marta, who was several people ahead of me in line.

When it was my turn, however, the same guard reached out an arm to stop me.

“Azure? That’s not your real name.” He stated it more than asked, in a stern tone.

I was opening my mouth to respond when JJ, who was standing nearby watching the process, stepped up and cut me off.

“You don’t have to answer that, Azure. Policeman, do I need to speak with your Captain? You should be well aware that members of the Guild are permitted to only display their callsigns and Guild affiliation on their profile!”

I tried Identifying the man.