The Sleeping City

Chapter Ten: Determined Deterrents

The scorching heat of the sun threatened to melt the world around me. I had never known it could get so hot, but I had to bear it. The fastest way to the sleeping city was across this desert, and it took two full days before I caught sight of my first town.

I was amazed by its size. The buildings were made of solid stone and glass. The streets were made of dirt, but even that felt like it was made of rock underneath my feet.

I had told myself I wouldn't stop anywhere until I had reached the city, but I had run out of supplies too quickly. Maybe if I had gone around the desert, I wouldn't have run out of my water supply so fast. Or perhaps it would've taken even longer to get there.

The sun was still intense on the back of my neck, but the building helped provide shade.

My body was exhausted, but I had to keep going. I would only get supplies with the money that elder provided me. As I counted the how much money I had, I realized I had never asked him his name. I would ask him next time I saw him.

Horse-drawn carriages passed me on one side and on the other were merchants on the side of the street trying to sell me anything from apples to charms that supposedly provided luck. I didn't believe in it, but I would need all the luck I could get, so I bought one and put it in the pocket of my cloak.

After that, even more, merchants followed me and tried to sell me any strange trinket they could find.

More and more of them surrounded me until I pushed one of them aside and ran out of the crowd. The merchants were like hunters smelling fresh blood.

I slipped into the first alley I saw, and they walked by looking around for me. This cloak helped me blend into the darkness of the alleyway. I watched the merchants until they were all gone and relaxed. The outside world is much stranger than I imagined.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned as someone grabbed on to the front of my cloak. The person grabbing my cloak was out of breath and sweating, I couldn't see their features in the dark, but I could feel metal scraping against my skin. I didn't know of armor so thick.

I pushed them back, but they grabbed on to my shirt, pulling the collar down far enough where my amulet became visible for a second. I had hoped they hadn't seen it in the dark, but the person froze completely.

"That amulet... you're one of the two! You're it! I've waited for so long." The voice was rough, but it was filled with joy.

Footsteps echoed from the other side of the alley.

"An inn down the road has a sign with a bear in an apron on it. Go there and stay the night. I'll meet you there tomorrow morning. Here's some money and something special I need you to hold on for me." He handed me a small, heavy pouch and I hid it as he ran past me and someone came up to me from behind him. I stood in their way for a second before they pushed me and ran past too.

I wasn't sure what had just happened. Why did some random person know about the amulet? Why was he waiting for me?

I walked out of the alley and looked around, but they were gone.

I should be leaving this town by now. Those bandits could be here or anyone that could recognize who I am. I was in this town for a few minutes, and someone already knew who I was. But father did say that information was necessary, and right now I was headed towards the sleeping city blind. I wonder what kind of food they serve at inns?

I put up my hood and made my way down the road.

It took some time but at the opposite end of the town was the end with the bear in an apron. It was one of the few buildings around made out of wood which made it seem more inviting. I walked through the door into a large room full of tables in chairs. There was a bar across the room with a gargantuan man cleaning tiny glasses. There were stairs on one side leading to some doors on the second floor.