The Game Arena - A Sci- Fi Fanfiction

II - Chapter 2 - The Hall Of Revival - II

  Right after lunch, the group dispersed and went their separate ways again. The weather wasn't that all hot and humid, yet it burned just enough to have them slightly sweating and exhausted quickly. The city, surrounded by tall powerful walls made of polished concrete and smooth stone, bustled about busily. Travelers and merchants went about selling their wares and trading valuable goods, whereas farmers tried their best to promote their freshly grown herbs, their leaves and stems still green and healthy. As Ren casually strolled through the market, he could also see other foreign stalls such as fortune tellers and gipsy dancers, flattering passers-by with their beauty and alluring moves like a snake. He smiled, amused to himself, moving on from one spot to another. Just then, he had accidentally bumped into a small girl carrying a basket. She yelped, looking up at him. Expecting her to run away in fear at the sight of his horns, the girl only beamed excitedly and held up the basket to him, showcasing a batch of warm pastries. They looked and smelled delicious so Ren took one for himself and paid the girl with the currency used in Aurora. She thanked Ren cheerfully as he walked away, waving at her with a thankful smile. If only Aster was here, Ren was sure to introduce the girl and her pastries to him. 

The city of Aurora was painted in a smooth creamy color, the buildings made out of light beige concrete and polished marble. Everywhere he looked, this place only served to impress Ren all over again. There was never a moment where Ren would enter a quiet and lonely street, since there is roughly over a million local citizens living in Aurora, excluding those that had come from distant lands. Some had settled in while Ren could also see large traveling ships down by the harbor, loading cargo and having passengers disembark in one long, organized line. There, the ferrymen shouted orders left and right while the ship's crew worked hard to clean the wooden floorboards and fold the sails back up again. Some of the passengers looked decent; in simple woolen clothes, pants and tied-up boots worn out over the long years of hard use. Whereas the other half, somehow a minority of the people, appeared quite well-off and more clean cut, expensive gowns and suits adorned with jewels of precious gemstones and shining metal. They slowly entered the city of Aurora after they had completed the registering. 

Ren had finished off his pastry, a soft fluffy cake filled with sugar frosting and cream cheese. It wasn't exactly too rich or heavy, which was perfect for Ren as a light snack. Looking around, the city glistened and shone beautifully beneath the warm afternoon sun, seagulls and other birds squealing in the distance while they go on a hunt for food. Dusting his hands on a napkin, Ren took a walk down another path by the foreigner's stalls, his mind suddenly drifting back to the conversation he and his friends had earlier. It had struck a chord in him, but he wasn't in the mood to voice it out since he didn't exactly plan to have a clash in opinions again. This side of the market took on a different atmosphere - there were fabrics and clothes of varying colors hung up on the stalls and strewn on the floor, with objects and rare items such as a tea set made out of pure obsidian and gold were held on display. He also spotted a merchant with beautiful dark skin and golden eyes giving him a welcoming smile, his stall selling a ton of different spices and herbs that filled Ren with all sorts of sensations, almost making him dizzy. 

Approaching the stall, Ren took his time perusing over the many bottles and mason jars filled with dried herbs and flowers, sometimes lifting up the cover to take a sniff. He either liked some of the scents, or he really didn't but tried hard not to gag. Placing down a mason jar, Ren looked back up and scanned the area, wondering what's new in these parts. At last, his eyes landed on a mysterious looking shop at the far corner. It had a simple glass door and a wind chime at the very top, jingling lightly in the gentle wind. As if feeling drawn to it, Ren made his way to the shop. On the very front, there were italic letters that said 'Mikhail's Tavern'. Is Mikhail the one that runs this place? Ren thought to himself as he entered, the wind chime tingling in welcome.