Sword Art Online: Vengeance

The Sixth Chapter - Heart of the World

October 5th, 2027

“Woah…it’s even bigger than I imagined…”

It had taken an entire day and night of travel on foot, but, at last, we’d nearly reached our destination: New Vale, the heart of the world. The rising sun to our east cast a golden glow upon the towering labyrinth of terraces and towers encompassing the huge hill upon which the city was built. Directly ahead of us was the massive, winding path and stairway that led up to the northern gate.

The city itself, built using the only elevated terrain in the central plains as its foundation, was constructed in a series of ascending layers, growing smaller and thinner as they moved upwards to the enormous castle at the hilltop. From there, the lord and owner of the city could watch over not only the settlement itself but all of the surrounding lands. That glass and marble keep was truly the pinnacle of the world.

As we began our ascent to the city gates, I was amazed at this new vista. From here, a glance eastward would reveal the coast, where the glimmering sea met the sands of Port Cloud, the easternmost city of the continent. I wondered if Aidan had ever been that far east, seeing as he was fairly well-traveled.

“Just how many of these cities have you been to?” I asked him.

After a brief moment spent pondering his reply, Aidan spoke up. “Just four, though the vast majority of my time was spent in Cloudridge. Aside from that, I’ve of course been to Aurus and New Vale. Then there’s…oh right, Hearthshire.”

earthshire was a name I was familiar with. It was the closest city to my hometown of Aurus, a walled off town located in the highland pine forests of the northwest. Though I’d never been there, I’d often seen the city when wandering too far to the west of town. Because of its massive walls and siege defenses, it was impossible to see into the city itself from outside. But I’d always imagined that behind those huge barriers was a peaceful, rustic town.

Cloudridge was a place I’d heard much about, but one I’d never seen with my own eyes even at a distance. Even from the highest points in the northern mountains, one couldn’t see quite far enough to catch a glimpse of it. It was built on the shores of a huge lake in the west which connected to a river that flowed to the western ocean. Of course, it was also the home of the Black Hand.

After a long trek up the mountainside, we finally reached the entrance to the city. There, a man in full plate armor approached us. “State your name and purpose,” he said sternly, first facing Aidan then me.

“An NPC…?” I thought, inadvertently allowing the words to escape my lips.

“No,” Aidan quickly replied. “He’s from the Supply Union, the massive trade guild that runs the city.” It made sense that a guild based on the principles of commerce would thrive in a location like this – centralized for easy trade and heavily populated.

"That’s right,” the guard said with a gruff voice. “And the Union’s not letting anyone else into the city without good reason. We’re at max capacity. Of course, you could always make a small donation...” Behind the metal visor that obscured his face, the armored man chuckled.

“And who put you in charge?” I said loudly, drawing the attention of the few passersby who happened to be exiting the city.

“I guess you’re new around here,” he laughed. “As long as Leto holds lordship of the city, we can do whatever we want. And that includes keeping vagrants like you outside of our walls and levying taxes. Now pay the fee or get lost before I send your head rolling down the mountain without you.” He reached for the handle of the greatsword slung over his shoulder, rattling it in an attempt at making its presence known.