Tale of The Broken Sword

Chapter Nineteen : Trip to the Capital

16th July, AD 1656

City Of Jyona, Aurelia

Everent woke up on the city pressed against the hard, springy mattress on the second floor of the hotel apartment. He’d never know why such an establishment, with cheap rates and somewhat dirty bunk beds yet lavishly furnished like a medieval castle would find so much attention from the people. He would never understand it, but the voice of reason makes him think that people wanted to pretend that they’re sleeping in a castle when they’re actually staying in a dirt-cheap hotel.

He left the establishment the moment the check-out would allow him. Walking out of the building, Everent gazed at the still-dark skies over the city. The sun had barely risen, perched somewhere below the horizon as he stepped out onto the empty, gray-coloured pavements. He stopped to take a glance at the city’s harbour just ahead of the long avenue.

An obstructed view of the twinkling stars –bundles of light hung in the distance from the city far way over the edge of the horizon, like miniature suns nested brightly in the dark abyss.

Like the usual morning, the markets are yet to be opened and there are still some people taking a morning stroll around the quiet streets of the city. Everent stepped out into the streets, which seemed like a ghost town during the morning times. To the side of him, a large poster hung across the ledge of the building valiantly describes:

“Victory is within our grasp! Protect our Nation! Help our men in the battlefield!”

Everent snorted upon looking at it. In reality, the nation is on the brink of defeat and the governing administrators are desperate for more resources and man-power. If it wasn’t for the help of the Shock Troopers, Aurelia would be instantly annexed by the Ansteig Empire years earlier than it was. The Cordia Line was built in the trust of the nation’s people on its impregnability. Shock Troopers were just another auxiliary force manning it.

He weaved through the market, a normally-crowded area of street vendors and street performers erected at the centre of the Market District, and the best place for anything that one wishes to have. Underground syndicates sell their merchandise under the guise of street vendors, and they would satisfy any temptations of their costumers –firearms, protection services, sabotage, embargo items and prostitution. Or so he’d heard.

Everyone was still asleep, the stalls and tents boarded up until late morning when the market would be packed once again. Everent passed by an old man, with both of his legs amputated. A ramshackle sign hung around his neck with the words “My legs belonged to the syndicates now. Need cash for living” scrolled in messy black ink.

Probably one of the people who messes with the syndicates, Everent thought. It made him shudder with fear and it served as a reminder for him to never stand in the syndicate’s way. Everent moved on towards the Central Market District, searching for that very same bar yesterday where he would meet up with Gahard and obtain his share of the information.

Surrounding the market on all sides were bizarre, decadent structures that sprung up from the ground, illuminating the ground with its neon glows.

Exiting the eastern market, he entered into the Central Market District. It took several minutes to find the open town centre that leads to the direction of the bar.

He will be leaving to the capital in an hour’s time, so he’d best be hurry to the bar and get the matter settled with. Hopefully, he could catch up with Krom en route to the train station.

He entered into Hansen’s Bar and searched through the room for Gahard. Finally noticing him at the end of the bar, happily drinking and contemplating to himself, Everent approached the man with utter annoyance.

Gahard noticed Everent, and placed his drink on the table. Stretching himself before extending his arm across the table, he grinned at the sergeant.

“So, is it done?” Gahard had said.

Without answering it, Everent threw the amulet across the table. Gahard took along stare at it before his lips starts to curl. Satisfied by Everent’s work, he waved the sergeant to take a sit.

“Back to business.” He rubbed his palms. “I’m sure you’d know bits of information about the Grand Passage, yes?”

Everent nodded. “Yeah,”

“Alright, few weeks ago, my guys had detected a large electromagnetic field disturbance approaching to the southern region of the country. We think it is the Grand Passage.”

“You think?” Everent demanded.

“The Grand Passage is not an easy find, Everent.” Gahard frowned. “It may come once in a while or sometimes, it wouldn’t appear for years.”

“Right,” Everent sighed. “Prediction.”

“So, in the course of two days, it will most likely appear in the region between the city of Cynamira and Asephire.”

“Got it,” Everent stood up from the table. “Thanks for the information.”

“No problem,” Gahard admired the amulet. “Krom’s already left the city for the capital hours ago.”

Nodding silently, Everent walked out of the bar and into the packed streets of the market. It took him another half an hour to arrive at the train station. He’d be travelling by the train to the Capital, set to depart from the Federal Line Station. If he had taken the right way, it’d be just around the corner.

In the station, he had to cross several Line Stations just to be on the Federal Line. Confirming that he was in the right place, he entered and looked around the carriage. Last night, this part of the district is packed with incoming and outgoing travellers. Now, several Line Stations stood empty in rows before him.

Then, Everent searched for the perfect seat that he can find. Another train had just arrived from Esmerelda, incoming from the line just next to Everent’s train. The letters on the side of its slender and long body read Esmerelda Line. Smooth and flat, it was little more than a big silver rectangle with an exceptionally large number of wheels.

Everent stared out of the train carriage. A fairly large group of people had already gathered around the front end of the carriage. A man in a gray, buttoned-up uniform stood next to the entrance with a clipboard.

Everent wondered how long the ride would be and what happens after he’d reached to the capital. As he sat down, an Inspection Officer approached him.

“Morning,” He yawned. “Please display your identification card, please.”

Everent thrust his ID card to the officer. The officer took a long look to the card, comparing the face depicted on the card to the young man in front of him. After a moment of consideration, he nodded and returned it to Everent.

“Welcome to the Migrath Alsea Line, this train is bound to the capital in two hours time.” The officer smiled.