Azure: Gunner

The last region within the Inner City is District Four. The Financial District is the seat of multiple banks and trading consortiums, along with the Merchant’s Guild headquarters. Some of the city’s most successful tradespeople live here, along with many Lawyers and Bankers.

The Healer’s Guild and many of its members make their homes in the Financial District as well. The abundance of Healers along with the numerous bank guards lead to this area being referred to as the ‘safest place in the city’, though arguably the designation rightfully belongs to the even more heavily-patrolled Central.

You may also encounter those who refer to Four as ‘Eagleton’, a crass reference to the amount of wealth concentrated there. You would be well served to use the proper name, or FiDi for short, when in the area, lest you offend the residents.

- Fodorick’s Lonely Traveler – Guide to Lost Angels

Raylan threw his arm around my shoulders and gently guided me into the barracks and into our room. No one was there since everyone was off eating. We sat down on my bunk and I slumped against him as I cried. The story came out muffled by tears, half whine, half righteous anger. When it was over, he waited for me to compose myself slightly.

“Look Az, I don’t know what to tell you,” he said. “I mean, I knew you liked her. You tried to hide it, but come on, we all knew. Honestly though, I thought you were all about training training training. You’ve been so focused on that, it was like nothing else mattered…” he trailed off.

I shrugged. “I like training.”

That made him laugh. “Az, we all like training. You love it. G’hala and H’ruk do too. I mean, we train and study all day six days a week, and then you spend your Sundays training even more. We all think you’re a little crazy, but you’re the right kind of crazy. Usually, anyways. That’s why we follow you, you know.”

“What?” I was surprised by that. “I thought you followed me because, well, because Hassan put me in charge for the dungeon, and we did OK there. And the orcs because of Mason and my mana corruption.”

“Maybe at first, but that was months ago! Remember when Jayce asked if we should consider another leader?”

“Yeah, H’ruk and G’hala shut them down quickly,” I responded.

“Well yeah, but why haven’t they brought it up in the months since? Or Arlo or Tara, how come they never tried to take charge?”

“Uh…” I had no actual answer for that. I’d honestly never considered it. I hadn’t asked to be put in charge back then, but once it had happened I’d never really considered giving it up either.

“It’s because we all respect you, because of how hard you train and how you care about everyone on the team. But mostly because of the training thing, and how hardcore you are in a fight.”

I definitely didn’t blush at that.

“Look, I know the last week has been all sorts of fucked up. But you’ve barely talked to the team other than to complain about Tara. I mean, Jayce, G’hala, and H’ruk all have new Skills and we’ve barely discussed them,” Raylan pointed out.

“I know, I know! Jayce got Modifier Mastery and learned Barrier, G’hala has Shamanic Magic now and can cast Strengthen on herself, and H’ruk picked Elemental Armor. See? I have been paying attention!”

“Oh wow, good job!” Raylan responded sarcastically. “Come on, Az, you know what I mean. Let’s go get dinner before they run out of food, and this time, no talking about Tara or moping around, OK?”

I sighed dramatically and followed him to the mess hall. Instead of thinking about Tara, I spent the time thinking about the kids. We’d have the day off tomorrow since it was Sunday, and I wanted to go surprise them and see them and the orphanage where they were living.

It didn’t take too much convincing to get the rest of the team to agree to go explore the city with me. Arlo wanted to visit his family, of course, but he agreed to show us to the Guild HQ first. From there I was sure we could get directions to the orphanage. I asked Jayce if they wanted to see their parents too, but they didn’t seem interested.

We gathered up after breakfast. As usual, I was wearing my armor, as were the orcs and Arlo, whose polished black leather looked almost like metal under the sun. The others were dressed more casually, even Zaire. It was funny somehow to see the grey-skinned, golden-eyed manaborn wearing jeans and a t-shirt like the others.

It wasn’t too long of a walk to reach the northern gate of the inner city. District Six was much wider east-west than north-south, and our barracks was only a brisk ten minute walk from the gate. We’d run by it in the morning a couple of times already, and it wasn’t exactly hard to find since you could easily see the walls from any north-south street.

There was an open square in front of the gate, and like the one where we’d entered the city it was busy, full of people and vendors. I noticed immediately that everyone gave the gate itself plenty of space, never getting too close to the squad of guards stationed there. The people I saw here were mostly very fit, with few of them visibly armed.

I saw signs of mana corruption on some of them, a few scales on one, a hand with claws instead of fingernails on another. There was one woman whose eyes were a disturbing pure white, but seemed to be able to see just fine. These were veteran soldiers, I realized, ones who’d fought in the QZ or the Wastes.

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The dark-blue armored police immediately noticed us as we headed for the gate. One of them, a man I assumed from his build, stepped forwards into our path and held out a hand to stop us. Reflexively, I tried to Identify him, but his profile was blank like the other guard’s had been. The visored helmet they all wore was both intimidating and immensely aggravating.

“Stop!” he commanded in a deep voice. “What’s your business in the Inner City?”

I could hear him capitalizing ‘Inner City’ when he spoke. Then I realized I needed to speak up.

“We’re Delvers going to visit the headquarters,” I told him. “And Arlo is going to see his family. Is there a problem?”

“That depends,” he responded, turning to look at the orcs. He was well over 6’ tall in his armor, and I could sense that he hated having to tilt his head back to look up at the much taller orcs. “Riff-raff isn’t permitted in the Inner City.”

I didn’t know what ‘riff-raff’ was but I was pretty sure it was offensive. Before anyone else could react, Arlo stepped forwards.

“Policeman,” he said smoothly. “Members of my Squad are certainly not riff-raff. And as Delvers, they have every right to enter the Inner City.”

The man turned to Arlo and obviously Identified him.

“Mr. Hammersmith, welcome home. Of course, I am simply ensuring that they are aware of the standards of behavior expected within these walls.”

“I assure you, it is not their behavior I am concerned about,” Arlo said in the same cool voice.

Oh shit! I hope someday I can cut someone like that with just words, without even raising my voice!

I assumed the guard was flushing under his visor and his voice had a bit of a growl to it as he replied.

“Very well, Mr. Hammersmith, since you vouch for them, you may all enter.” The guard started to step back when my mouth opened entirely on its own.

“We may enter regardless of Arlo being here,” I found myself saying harshly and he stopped abruptly, his head snapping back towards me.

“You best watch your tone, girl!” he barked. “You only enter by my – “

“That’s enough, Nine,” another guard cut him off. “You want to start a pissing match with the fucking Delvers, do it when I’m not on duty.”

“Fuck you too, Twelve,” the policeman in front of me snarled, but he still moved out of our way, and the other guard gestured for us to pass.

As we headed through the gates and under the wall, G’hala spoke up over the Comms.

<Well said, both of you. I dislike not speaking for myself, but my mother was clear that we should be wary when dealing with human authorities.>

<Indeed,> H’ruk’s even deeper voice rumbled. <I had hoped she was unduly concerned, but her counsel proved wise yet again.>

“Ah, excuse me Delvers, but I need you to stop here for just a moment. Gather together, please.”

The speaker was a slender young woman wearing a pristine white robe. Identify.