Azure: Gunner

Modern Lost Angels was originally known as New Lost Angels prior to the destruction of the original city during the Undying War. Construction of NLA began in the year 65, just before the first large-scale excursions of undead in 66. By 69, the original city had been reduced to rubble and the surviving population was crammed into NLA.

This began the cycle of expansion that has now quadrupled the area of the original city and holds ten times the population. The first ‘new’ district constructed was District Five, directly to the north of the Inner City. The wall was originally built to serve as a first line of defense against further undead attacks, but once the Army started building barracks near the new wall, the area quickly filled in.

It remains the center of the Army’s operations even today. The vast majority of troops stationed in LA live there, whether in one of the government barracks or the many housing blocks nearby.

- Fodorick’s Lonely Traveler – Guide to Lost Angels

We followed Arlo slowly down the main street, looking around in wonder. It was still early and the streets were quiet, but the people I saw were dressed like nothing I’d seen before. The finest ‘clothing’ I’d seen in my life was the armor of the trainees, yet many of these people were even more elaborately dressed.

It was nothing like the scene outside the wall. The simple dress and rugged, sometimes corrupted appearance of the soldiers outside felt miles apart from the bright colors I saw on many of the people here. Others wore simple-looking but elegant garments of dark cloth. There were no signs of corruption on anyone, and again nearly everyone was human. There was a pair of elves on the other side of the street, and I’d spotted a dwarf here and there, but that was it.

There were a number of human-pulled ‘carts’ like I’d seen outside, but these were much more luxurious. They were made out of elegant metal or dark wood, with richly cushioned seats. I also saw a few carriages being pulled by various animals, all beautifully matched and perfectly groomed. None of the people I saw out walking were running or appeared to be in any sort of a hurry, though a few of the vehicles moved quickly.

Our group got more than a few looks from the passerby. Most of them were directed towards the orcs, but Jayce and Zaire also got their share. I caught a few as well, which I thought were directed at my unique hairstyle – I had my helmet in my Inventory, not expecting to need it today.

To our left, the buildings of District Three were a bit smaller, but more interesting in style and color compared to those in Four. Arlo continued to serve as our tour guide, telling us that we should call it ‘Rodeo’, which apparently meant ‘expensive shops.’ Arlo told us that people living outside of the Inner City would come to Three on rare occasions, for a fancy meal or to buy something special.

We wandered back and forth across the wide street, looking into the glass windows of the gorgeous stores we passed. I doubted I could afford a single thing on display – not that I saw any prices posted. There were many clothing stores, especially on the Rodeo side, along with some arms and armor stores, furniture, and even fine foods.

On the other side of the street, Arlo explained that District Four was also known as Eagleton for the number of banks and other ‘financial services’ it offered. I had no idea what ‘financial services’ were and the only thing I knew about banks was that you could borrow money from them.

We passed several banks with massive, elaborate entrances. Golden letters spelled out their names and proclaimed their wealth for all to see. Their stone fronts were worked into elegant columns and geometric designs, and they had heavily armored guards posted outside.

It was only three quarters of a mile to the city’s massive central square, but it took us quite a while as we wandered around. Arlo was patiently tolerant of our antics, seemingly amused as we gossiped over the new sights. The central square of LA seemed larger by itself than a few of the towns we’d passed through on our way to the Academy.

Well over five hundred feet on each side, it was dominated by a huge fountain in the middle. A strangely organic sculpture of stone shot a column of water straight up fifty feet or more into the sky. Magic caught the falling water and guided it into mesmerizing spirals as it flowed back down into the pool surrounding the sculpture.

Behind the fountain, we could clearly see two more of the city’s skyscrapers. The one that looked like a clean grey column topped with a crown was the State Capital, where the Governor and the Senate ruled over LA and the surrounding regions. It was the other that turned my stomach.

<That’s the Kalmár Kubes,> Arlo informed us. <That’s Kubes with a ‘K’, by the way, just like all the Kalmár businesses start with a K.>

<Fuck, you mean Yuri’s family runs that building?> I asked in horrified awe.

<Runs it?> Jayce laughed. <They built it, and it’s the headquarters of their company, the Kalmár Konsortium, also spelled with a ‘K’ of course. Now you know why everyone in LA knows the Kalmárs. It’s the only one of the Four Towers that’s privately owned, just to show everyone how filthy rich they are.>

I felt my stomach clench with dread. It was one thing to hear Thompson talk of Yuri’s family having millions of eagles. Standing there, looking up at a monument to that very fortune, was a totally different experience.

If Yuri’s going to come for revenge like Thompson said he would… Shit! I really do need to get my head out of my ass and get back to hardcore training. I can’t just be better in a fight than Yuri, I’m fucking better than him already. I need to be miles ahead of him if I’m going to have a chance against all the Wasted one-shots and gear he can buy!

I started as I realized that I’d come to a dead stop and Jayce and Arlo were looking back at me impatiently. The others had continued on ahead for a closer look at the fountain. As I began to move forward to catch up with them, I heard a scream and whirled, my gun reflexively appearing in my hands. The scream was followed by bellowing laughter and shrieks of joy and I froze as I took in the bizarre sight before me.

Something was hurtling through the square, riding on wheels like a wagon, but without anything pulling it and with a very different shape. Low, sleek, and painted a deep purple, the thing had smaller wheels than any wagon I’d ever seen and was moving much, much faster. A group of laughing teenagers were inside it, and they’d nearly crashed into the person who’d screamed.

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Their conveyance swerved wildly around the startled woman, wavering back and forth, then screeched to a halt, sliding sideways across the stone courtyard. It finally came to a stop only twenty feet away from us. With a shout, one of the boys inside pointed at Arlo, and then small doors popped open on both sides and the riders jumped out.

“Arlo! How are you doing, you asshole? I thought you weren’t going to be back for months!” shouted the boy who seemed to be the leader of the group.

I Identified him immediately, only to get the very clear feeling that his profile was false. Not that I wouldn’t have guessed from reading it.