The Old Gods

Flights, Chimes and Mysterious Times

Londonium had a certain air of grandeur and majesty to it. Airships patrolled the skies and towering chapels sprung up haphazardly. It reminded Amir of Helmsley Academy. Hans had told them Londonium was where the Old War's soldiers had planned their last stand and prepared for the fight of their lives. There were still traces of the Old War left in Londonium. The ancient underground bunkers had been preserved and turned into museums and the old war-room still served its purpose as a meeting site.

Hans loaded the kids' luggage onto a trolley. The man was an endless well of energy. He never seemed to get tired. After speaking nonstop for nearly two hours, he still hadn't gotten a drink. Amir chalked it up to Hans's time out in the wilderness, where he probably didn't have easy access to water. Making a mental note to ask Hans about his rather interesting skills, he put away his notebook and turned to admire the melting pot of humanity that was Londonium.

"All right, kiddos. Don't tell your parents, but I've got something for all of you. You've probably brought some money of your own, but here you go. Three hundred Larks for each of you. Spend it on something you need. Like books. Clothes. Toys, if you want. Surprise me." Hans said, handing out three pouches filled with Larks. Leigh raised an eyebrow.

"With all due respect, Hans, is this a practical joke?" She asked. Hans let out a hearty chuckle.

"Oh no! Of course not. Go out and enjoy yourselves. We'll meet back at the Kensington Hotel at night for dinner. It's fairly well-known in these parts. All you gotta do is ask one of the locals. You've got the whole afternoon to yourselves. Have fun! Tee-hee!" He and Birgitte trooped off towards the Kensington Hotel, wherever that was. The three of them stared off into the distance, suddenly loaded with money.

The first thing they did with their newfound 'fortune' was find a Londonium department store. They were much larger than the ones back in Hurtlespool. Here, in Londonium, they carried all sorts of intriguing items. Scrolls from the Dragon Canals, assorted jewels from Araban, thick, finely-woven carpets from Persia and fanciful bronze statues from Greece. Amir bought some adventure novels for the road. Leigh decided it would be a good time to stock up on art supplies. Robin got a satchel to store all his notes and maps in.

Even after making their purchases, they still had a fair amount of Larks left. Leigh dragged them to a small corner coffeeshop. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but Londonium food intrigued her.

Once she'd managed to get her rather bullheaded brother and her best friend inside the coffeeshop, she did all the ordering for them. They knew nothing about Londonium cuisine. Most of the food here had been adapted from other countries. It was a side effect of having once been the center of operations for the war effort. People from all over Orbana came to Londonium, bringing with them unique recipes.

Three piping hot plates of food were served to them. She'd gotten Amir a bowl of chicken tikka masala, Robin some curried meats and a plate of bacon, eggs, mushrooms and black pudding for herself. A traditional Anglish breakfast. Amir took a tentative bite of his food.

"Ooh. What's this? It's spicy. And creamy. And- By the Angels, Leigh! Are you trying to burn my tongue off?" Amir placed both hands over his mouth. His cheeks were turning red fast. She motioned for the waiter to bring him a cup of milk. Robin looked at his food warily.

"Leigh? Are you sure this is safe for human consumption?" He asked.

"Of course it is, Robin. Don't be ridiculous. It might be a tad spicy, but-"

"A tad spicy?! Leigh, have you any idea how hot that thing was?" Amir shrieked, having recovered slightly from his bite of tikka masala. When the waiter arrived with his milk, he downed it in one shot. Robin and Leigh couldn't help but laugh at Amir's over-the-top reaction. Robin dipped some bread into his curry and nibbled on it conservatively. He didn't want to have all his tastebuds burnt off.