Solstice - A Prologue for Arson

High Summer

- ✦ -

The Gates of Calveran,
Still at Early Morning.

"Halt!"

Gregor stopped the wagon while Bea and Nicholas sat slightly nervous. He lifted off his helmet to seem less threatening. His purple eyes struck the Inspector Guard as being strange, but didn't note too much of it and stuck to his training. All he saw was a man in full armor, with a sword sheathed at the right side of his hip, and silver hair.

For Gregor, the Guard was of little interest as well. He was pale-faced, green-eyed, and had brown hair, seemingly young. Wearing a blue, buttoned uniform, with black pants, white gloves, a monocle with a golden string on the breast pocket, a collar with streaks of gold embroidery, mimicking intertwined flowers, and a peaked hat with two crossed axes over a golden sun at its front and center. A standard Inspector uniform. Even the monocle was issued to all Inspectors, for a very specific reason.

"Purpose?"

"We will be on our way in a few days time, we're just here to get supplies and see the Festival." Gregor replied to the guard with a calm tone. He held his helmet on his lap with his left hand and kept hold of the horse's reins with his right.

"Who are you?"

"I'm..."

Gregor chose his words carefully. Saying the truth that he's a mercenary might be too threatening. Of course, with all his armor and his clearly visible sword, they wouldn't buy any other story besides -

"... an adventurer, named Sir Gregor. These are my two companions, Bea and Nicholas."

Bea was suddenly taken aback. Wait, what? Adventurer?! she thought. Gregor was no adventurer. He was just a hired sword. She was getting nervous. Nicholas was, however, only annoyed by the fact that they had to be referred to as Gregor's companions.

The Guard looked at Gregor's sword, then the two sitting in the wagon, and then back at Gregor again. "Do you have any other weapons?"

"No," Gregor replied. "It's just me with the sword."

"Only licensed adventurers, blacksmiths, and other verified professionals are allowed to have weaponry within the city boundaries. Please present your Adventurer Guild licenses."

Oh no, Bea kept thinking, Grey, what'd you get us into?!

"... Of course."

Gregor reached into his satchel and pulled out a small, red card. On it, gold engravings on a white background of his name, age, height, eye-color, and rank within the Guild.

"Here it is. My friends over here aren't adventurers, though. They don't have any weapons anyway."

The Guard put the monocle on and inspected the card. What Gregor and the rest couldn't see, he could: A series of gold-glowing lines at the periphery of the card. All seemed to be well. The card was a legitimate issue from the Guild, confirmed as such by the authentic security features the monocle revealed.

He handed it back to Gregor. Protocol dictated that the other two be inspected as well, but there's a long line, and the verified card was enough.
"Okay. Enjoy yourselves."

The horse slowly trotted forward again, dragging the wagon onwards and through the raised gate, revealing a bustling entrance with many shops, people, and wagons carrying supplies such as vegetables and barrels of wine. Overhead, buildings sported banners of the city's sigil - The Golden Sun and Flowers on a blue background. They heard the guard call for the person behind them to move forward.