The One Unworthy of Legends - V:1.1 - Maria's Ascension

~ Chapter 4 ~ The Hero Arrives

Cody gazed up at the sun, Shielding his eyes from it with a hand, it was a beautiful day. The sky was a clear blue and a gentle breeze blew through his blonde hair. It'd been around six years since he came to this world, summoned by the empire. Though as a hero, he enjoyed an authority second only to His Majesty the King. Well sort of, the church was technically above him and had control over him. Disobey the church and not even the king could save him, he was currently headed to the small town of Aguris as the first ritual site he needed to check out was in between Aguris and the next town over. This was an important mission, one he believed would lead him towards the thing the goddess wanted from him, but he personally was heavily intrigued in the storyline opening before him. These Great and powerful beasts and the ritual sites appearing all around the world were such interesting events.

He was approaching the gates of a city wrapped in a tall stone wall, Aguris was a city on the edge of the Kozak empire. Currently, he was wearing a blue jacket with gold highlights over a white shirt, he wore some tan pants along with a woven-style belt and leather boots. A golden sword at his waist, this sword was the holy sword, a beautiful and ornamental weapon with the power of God resting inside. Lastly, a white cloak held together with a golden chain was around his shoulders the hood was down but on the back was the church's cross stitched in gold.

He brought his black and grey horse to a walking pace as he approached the gates, he waved his adventurer's card at the guard who glanced at it. The guard was dressed in light leather armor, his face was young and he had a bushy mustache. The guard's eyes widened as he saw the card, he saluted Cody before waving him inside. Adventurer cards were irrefutable identification that was impossible to forge or fake. Everyone has a unique mana signature, though its differences were so faint that it was untraceable normally, the guild cards were uniquely capable of sensing the individual signatures and would activate a small magic circle to glow when it was held by the person it was issued to.

Cody wasn't phased by the guard's reaction to him and headed inside, he brought his horse to a stop at the stables, they would take decent care of his horse Noir. After paying for the stabling of his horse he set off down the street, that was when something, or rather someone caught his eye. A young girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, was walking ahead of him, she had black hair. Though what caught his eyes the most was her cat ears and tail, she was a Lithian, a cat to be specific. That wouldn't be too odd normally except that the Kozak empire was a majorly human majority. In other words, seeing a beastkin or Lithian that wasn't a slave in the Kozak empire was like seeing a unicorn, Well maybe not as rare as a unicorn they're said to be so rare that only one out of every five people will see one in their lifetime. But another thing caught his eye, the strange familiarity, he had this odd feeling he knew her.

She wore an old worn cloak with the hood down, quickly disappearing into a building, likely an Inn. Cody approached it and upon entering, she'd already disappeared. He stepped up to the counter, a young woman sat there, brown hair covered her eyes.

"How much for a night." Cody asked, trying not to act disappointed at the girl's quick disappearance.

"About one small silver piece and ten copper pieces." She spoke quietly, he handed her payment and received his key, he paused to ask a question

"Who's the girl I saw come in before me, the Lithian," Cody asked hesitantly.

"Ah, Skarlet, that child grew up here. You should steer clear of her."

"Why's that?" Cody questioned, his confusion about the fact that he'd seen a non slave or servant Lithian combined with the way she was seemingly being treated.

"This whole city is sick with the belief that she's bad luck, they're trying to drive the runt and anyone who associates out of town." She spoke about Skarlet like an unfortunate lost cause.