The Heavens Shall Fall

Mirebell appeared on the horizon sometime after midday. As they got nearer, the road went up a hill, causing Cinna to start chirping loudly as she picked up speed to show her worth. Siu unconsciously pulled on the reins before she could jump over the top and start rushing down at the other end, bringing them to a crashing halt. Luckily, she did slow down, but only after giving an irritated chirp at the interruption.

As for Mirebell, looking from the top of the hill, it covered the land below. In Siu's view, calling it a city did not seem sufficient, because something this big... And to think, it was not even the capital city.

Mirebell spread across both banks of a broad river that cut the city in half, its districts visibly separated by tall, defensive walls, creating hexagonal regions within the city itself. The oldest portion, at least from Siu's point of view, sat on a raised, island-like mound near the water, protected by fortifications on all sides. In the middle of it stood a bronze-green-roofed palace, probably the city's ruler's court. Around the main building, he could see a set of red, brown, and black-tiled rooftops, and a pair of church towers. Beyond the central district, there was another one, with spaced-out noble estates, each with its own little world within the city. After them, in another hexagonal district, there were multiple workshops, warehouses, and who knows what else. Whole neighborhoods were built separately as the city spread, like a beehive, eventually taking over both banks of the river. By now, the outermost defenses were looking the newest, with angular bastions and deep ditches before them. They let the river flow into the hand-dug canals, creating more obstacles for invaders while the locals built bridges and controlled gateways over them that could be raised if needed.

Although that would only stop mortal warriors.

Finally, he could understand what it meant to be within a core region, as countless carts were driving on the roads, like ants, while sailing barges were coming up and down across the river. Sometimes, the bridges were raised to let a really big ship cross. The docks, which the city had two of on both sides, were packed with cranes, lifting cargo off the ships without properly docking them and quickly delivering it to the nearby warehouses.

“That is a lot of mortals,” Arya finally said, bringing Siu out of his musings. "Super lot... Ugh... The smell will be worse than in my mother's den."

"I don't want to be lost!" Marly cried out, holding onto Siu with all fours, and he couldn't even tear her off himself, even if he wanted to.

"Yeah," Arya agreed with a grimace, "I don't think I would be able to sniff you out, Master, not in a stuffy place like this."

"Let's get going," Seloryn said with a stretch, "The quicker we get in, the quicker we can gather the cargo. Then, if we are still in time, we can go find the local sect ambassador and relay the news of what we found."

"And let them take credit for it?" Ruben asked, popping his head out from behind, "Oh no, no, not like that! We will have to look around first, and if we can't find anything, then we can hand it graciously over to our Seniors to grant them the opportunity to develop a headache."

"I hate to say," Joren appeared too, "I agree with him."

With a click of his tongue, Siu nudged their bird to start moving. Cinna happily began walking forward while the rest continued to discuss how to proceed. Leaving it to the two Paragons to decide, Siu's eyes went back to scanning the architecture. It was unlike his home village or those he passed by on his trip, not to mention, way different from the Hollow Song. The homes outside of Mirebell, with their fields and dozens of windmills, were just as enormous, because even outside of the walls, the farmhouses rose sometimes three stories high. As for what he saw behind the walls? Four, sometimes five floors high buildings, with steep roofs and narrow fronts, all of them packed close together. Many of the buildings had white-plastered walls crossed by dark wooden beams, while the fancier buildings were clearly constructed of brick or carved stone.

Then, as they got closer, he suddenly felt it... Essence, buzzing in the air, and following the sensation, he noticed towers, with formations glowing on them, invisible to mortal eyes.

“The city is protected by spells?” Siu asked, turning towards Seloryn.

“Parts of it,” She nodded. “If I have to guess, the inner city, where the leaders are, then the military barracks, key installations, and the major storehouses. Oh, and the important bridges have proper formations, too. The outer neighborhoods mostly rely on their walls, guards, and local cultivators.”

"And the formations' strength," Ruben added, "Is nothing like you think of. And I mean, they aren't exactly top-of-the-line."

“Could they stop a sect attack?”

“Pft, no!” Ruben snorted without hesitation. “They are not meant to anyway. For non-sect cultivators, they are okay-ish. They could slow rogue cultivators, wandering beasts, the usual stuff they get around here. Against someone like one of our elders? Please. It wouldn't last long.”

“This is a core kingdom... no?" Siu asked, furrowing his brows.

"But not the capital city," Seloryn explained, "If someone would attack here, it is easier to send out elders to deal with them than to try and protect an entire city. Anyway, our Hollow Song does not micromanage Mirebell or the kingdom, so it's up to their rulers to fortify their cities. If they fail to do so, then at worst, they will be replaced when the invading enemy is expelled, and we need to repopulate the region."

While they were talking, the road descended toward the city through increasingly cultivated land. Vineyards covered some of the hills, orchards spread between estates, while roadside neighborhoods were already popping up, slowly turning the land into a future district as they opened workshops for serving travelers. Currently, they were mostly wheelwrights, farriers, food stalls, toll offices, and inns for those who wanted something cheaper than those inside the city walls. Naturally, traffic greatly thickened, too, right until Cinna could no longer run at the pace she preferred, causing her to begin chirping at every slower cart in front of them. She was snapping her beak and shifting from one side of the road to another as though looking for space to pass.

“Stop trying to overtake everyone,” Siu warned her, "Last thing we need is you causing a crash and forcing us to pay damages for others, too!"

Cinna answered with a sharp call, looking back at him, which resulted in Arya growling back at her.

“What did she say?” Siu asked, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"That she deserves better, as she is a purebred, unlike these lesser creatures."

"You know what?" Siu snorted, "No need to translate next time."

It took them another hour to reach the main western gate, which, by mortal standards, was massive. There, the caravans formed separate lines by cargo and origin. At the same time, soldiers walked between the queues with polearms over their shoulders, and clerks hurried to check the manifests before letting anyone in. Examining them, the guards here were better equipped than those at Feldren, and he even noticed several cultivators who stood near the inspection stations. Scanning them quickly, he had a feeling that they were all around the Marrow Cleansing or Blood Resonance stage, though their foundations remained wanting compared to Hollow Song disciples.

The moment they drew near the inspection post, a guard raised his hand, just as he saw their silver sashes and his arm lowered at once. An officer at the main booth glanced over, saw Seloryn, then his eyes snapped briefly to Cinna before his demeanor changed, and he hurried over.

“Honored disciples of Hollow Song. Welcome to Mirebell.”

"Likewise." Seloryn returned the greeting. “We are here on official sect business.”

“The gate formations have already confirmed your mission registration.” The officer glanced at the brass-and-glass tablet in his hand, where Siu saw several lines of light had appeared for a moment. “All is in order. Will you require stabling within the city?”

“Yes,” Siu said after a brief pause. “Somewhere that can safely handle a Redcrown and protect the carriage and our future cargo.”

"Definitely," The officer nodded immediately. “The Western Crown Transit Yard has trained beast handlers and secured stalls. It lies inside the gate district, on the southern bend from right here. I will issue a priority notice so they understand the carriage is tied to your sect and the space will be ready by the time you arrive.” He said at once while gesturing to the clerk, who pressed a metal stamp against a small wooden plaque, handing it over to Siu, “Present this at the yard. Fees for basic stabling will be waived under sect business, and any feed beyond standard ration, or if you require any specialized care, will be recorded as mission expense as per usual.”

Siu accepted the plaque without asking any questions, and he had to say it was significantly easier than dealing with Merra.

“Thank you.”

“It is our honor.” The officer hesitated for a moment, then added, “Do you require a city escort or directions to the marked supplier office?”

"I don't think so," Seloryn hummed, tapping her lips before asking, “The building is located in the Riverworks district, correct?”

“Yes." The officer nodded, glancing at his tablet, "House Vardek’s registered depot stands near the eastern freight channel. It's a very busy sector nowadays. However, their administrative office is closer, beside the Old Wine Market. You will likely need to report there before accessing the depot.”

“We know the route,” Seloryn said, nodding with a smile. “I have visited it before.”

“Then I will not delay you.”

Just like that, they entered Mirebell without being searched. Stepping beyond the walls, the road opened into a broad gate square, paved with dark stone scuffed by countless carriages coming and going. Tall, narrow homes leaned close enough while surrounding it, so close in fact that Siu was sure that the neighbors could probably climb over between their windows.

"Ew..." Both Marly and Arya said at the same time, because the air smelled of, well, everything.

Horse manure, a bit of coal smoke, with a pinch of fresh bread. And beer. Stale river water. He even caught a whiff of prepared leather and, from somewhere, spiced, roasted meat washed over them, which was quickly replaced by the stench of sweat. Even Cinna made a disgruntled chirp, holding her head up in disgust. Rolling towards the stables, people filled the streets in numbers Siu had never experienced outside the sect. He had never seen mortal organization on this scale either. He was looking at the figures they passed by, mostly merchants, clerks, soldiers, and locals, when he suddenly felt it.

It wasn't killing intent, but he could tell that someone's attention, who wasn't exactly a mortal, had landed on him. The unknown person even scanned him... He was sure of it, realizing the feeling from the manual's description. Without trying to give it away, his eyes shifted toward a row of buildings overlooking the square they were passing through. Still, he could only see dozens of windows, balconies, empty rooftops, and people everywhere. As he searched for its source, the feeling vanished before he could isolate it, and it was drawn back in a hurry. Taking a breath, Siu kept his expression unchanged, but Arya’s paws tightened slightly on the carriage rail, sensing it, too.

“Master.”

“I know.”

"That someone looked at us properly... Maybe I should have twisted my butt to give him a good show?”

"Certainly not."

"Oh? Are you jealous? Cute!" She giggled, but Siu just rolled his eyes, knocking on her head.

Staying silent, Siu guided Cinna forward, scanning without turning his head too obviously. He thinned his essence and stretched his senses through the noise, but Mirebell was like a sponge, swallowing it. There were too many bodies, with too many erratic movements. Not to mention, there were too many traces of essence, coming from weak formations, enchanted objects, local cultivators, and who knows what else. Just when he was about to bring it back, for one brief moment, he thought he caught something... but no. It slipped through between his fingers.

When he looked at the others, Seloryn was focused on navigating the traffic, shooing people away who didn't see them coming. Ruben was complaining about the city’s dust reaching his robes, while Joren leaned out from the carriage, inspecting storefronts and inn signs with great interest. They... didn't catch the search? That was concerning. He was about to speak to Seloryn when a senior handler ran towards them, accompanied by three assistants and a clerk carrying a ledger.

“Honored disciples!” the handler greeted them, out of breath, cupping his hands. “We received notice from the western gate! Your stall is already ready; please, follow us!”

“That was quick,” Siu said, surprised.

“Thank you!” They answered with a smile.

Naturally, Cinna gave them a bit of trouble, not wanting to enter and just be left behind, stomping against the stone with angry chirps. It took Siu to approach her and place a hand against the feathers along her neck to finally calm her down.

“We need to find the people holding the resources, and you cannot come through crowded streets with the carriage. If you can't follow my orders and stay put, rest here until we get back. Otherwise, I will swap you for a mortal horse to bring us home. Hm?”

Cinna lowered her head at once, nudging him with her head, clearly trying to appease him, showing Siu how obedient she can be. After that, she gave the handlers no trouble, though she did not let them touch her.

“Someone should stay, no?” Joren asked, already looking at Ruben, just to get his idea rejected.

“No need,” Seloryn said before Ruben could, “This compound handles sect and royal caravans whenever they come to the city. It is safer here than with one of us sitting beside it.”

"Too bad, little brother," Ruben said as he adjusted his umbrella against his shoulder, smiling.

“Yeah.” Joren moaned, but then they all headed outside while Seloryn took the lead.

“The administrative office is about half an hour from here.” She muttered, looking around, reorienting herself. "Let's get that part done before we do anything else."

While walking on foot, Siu looked around constantly, though he tried not to seem like a villager staring at everything in the big city... which he failed at.

“First large mortal city?” Seloryn asked without looking back, but he could tell she was grinning.

“Yeah.”

“I could tell. You have nearly walked into four people... Lucky you are a cultivator and can navigate past them without having to pay attention to where you step.”

"I saw others do that, and then get angry at the mortals." Ruben shrugged from the left side of him. “Sometimes I wonder how they managed to become inner disciples...”

It was then the feeling returned, and this time, he was certain. Someone was not merely watching their group but properly examining them. It didn't last long, probably so as not to alert them, but it was too late. He caught the source. Moving only his eyes, he glanced towards the spot, across the street, in a narrow alley. A few pedestrians crossed the opening, obscuring what was beyond them... However, he was sure that something moved just as he looked there.

“Master,” Arya whispered, only her ears turning towards the direction, her head glancing forward still.

“I saw it.”

“Do we follow?”

“No. I don't want you to get lost or... worse. Whoever it is, they noticed us noticing.”

He did not know whether the watcher was connected to the logging-site fight, a local official studying newly arrived sect disciples, a thief assessing wealthy targets, or something entirely unrelated. But if he had to guess, it had to be the first, because he knew his type of luck, considering all that happened to him so far, would make it so. At the same time, Seloryn led them across a broad market square where an old bell tower rose above the surrounding roofs. The bell itself was green with age, unlike any of the nine types in the sect, and felt much more inferior to them.

“The supplier's office is on the far side,” Seloryn said as they crossed between stalls, moving toward a tall brick building, while Siu was still looking for the source of the strange feeling.

Which, actually, emerged not that far behind them, hidden among hundreds of faces. Vael stood beneath the awning of a shuttered dyer’s shop, wrapped in a dark and dirty traveling coat. His dirty-blonde hair had been hidden beneath a broad felt hat while a little ash and oil darkened his skin, making him appear older than he actually was. One of his shoulders hung slightly lower than the other, though he tried his best to conceal the injury by leaning against the wall as he watched them with his blue eyes.

Even then... Every breath hurt, causing deep, cold needles to pierce his lungs. He could feel it in his ribs and marrow, and it refused to melt no matter how much lightning-filled essence he circulated through his body. He had expelled some of it, but far from enough, and he was unsure if he could do it. He was running for far too long, and he was exhausted... He even thought about giving it up, but... he no longer could.

He finally saw two Hollow Song disciples... And they may be his last chance.