Just walking through the streets of the vast city was a strange sight. Many people dressed as though they lived in the Victorian era, although with many elements that were generally counterproductive in those times, making them more efficient. The number of passersby was similar to that of the largest cities Fri could remember. There was noise everywhere, but what repeated the most were the different people—too many for his taste—who greeted Effie. Although his first observation had already indicated that she was someone popular, he couldn't imagine just how much. The walk was hectic; he barely had time to ask questions before the girl disappeared, leaving him a note with directions on where he should go.
'Thank goodness the city is well signposted. Without the street names and signs marking where to go, I'm sure I'd be lost by now…'
"Hello, are you here on some errand? To report a crime?" The security officer was quite thin, to the point where no one would think he could participate in any operation that required minimal physical effort without breaking, his eyes were tired, and the two cups of coffee with remnants on his right helped deduce the situation.
"I'm Fri. I just arrived in the city, and Effie sent me here to look for some help. She said you could assist me." As soon as he finished his sentence, a deep groan escaped from the guard's throat. He touched his temple with two fingers while turning his head side to side, indicating a possible migraine.
"This girl...Does she think that just because we're a government organization, we can help everyone who comes to Cassio? These awakened people always make the rest of us work harder."
Hmm... Cassio? That must be the name of the city I'm in? It doesn't ring a bell. Fri could only look at the grumpy guard with pity, feeling empathy for the poor worker.
"Sorry for the trouble. I just need some information about where I am, what day it is, and how much time is left until the next Ominis entrance. I swear I won't bother you again after this."
With just an eyebrow raise and a sip of his coffee, it was clear that the guard wasn't very friendly towards the awakened or those related to them. Luckily, the guy in front of him wasn't one, for now.
"You're in the real city of Cassio, the capital of Velhei, and today is February 15th—exactly ninety days before the next Ominis entrance. But tell me, how is it possible that you don't know these three simple things?" The guard's tone became more aggravated, growing suspicious of Fri. Not that he could blame him; it was the most reasonable thing to do. He himself knew that if they weren't asking questions, it would be a miracle.
"I've been lost for a while, and I just recently arrived in the city..."
***
After leaving the guard post, having received a few more directions on where he could spend the night, thanks to the not-so-friendly guard, Fri walked through the long and wide streets of the real city. Asking people on foot, he managed to gather more information, like the location of the Veilheil continent and why it didn't sound familiar to him. Apparently, it's known as the "real city" because it's where the main ruling family of the continent resides. It's also the seat of the main religion here; they supposedly worship a type of god focused on secrecy. This also explains why the city isn't very well-known outside the continent, even though it's of gigantic proportions. It's like the real world is divided into two parts, just like the reality and Ominis.
'Now I understand the peculiar style of dress here. It seems that since this is what the nobility of the continent strives to wear, the rest of the classes try to copy it. Even so, there are still people who dress in a more "normal" way by my standards'
Just as he was starting to lose himself in his thoughts, trying to piece together the few clues he had about the indescribable experiences he had lived through so far, a shout, slightly louder than the usual hustle and bustle, rang out. An older man lay on the ground next to a fruit stall, and above him stood three younger and larger men, kicking him and yelling.
"If you don't have our money, you'll have to pay in other ways. I've heard your daughter is quite attractive—maybe you can pay us with that."
Just as a malicious grin began to spread across one of the men's faces, it twisted into a grimace of pain, his mouth opening wide before he collapsed onto the cold pavement. A mix of teeth, blood, and splinters of wood suddenly appeared on the ground where he now lay unconscious.
Fri, upon hearing the threats they were making to the old vendor, had grabbed a chair from the vegetable stall and smashed it fiercely against the thug's face. The impact was so strong that all that remained in his hand was an oddly large stake, more like a small sword, while the rest of the chair had shattered into pieces along with the man's body.
"Why don't you pick on someone who can fight back!?" He barely finished saying this before rushing toward another of the debt collectors, wielding his improvised "sword" more like a baseball bat, aiming for his opponent's head. By now, several passersby had stopped to watch the fight.
"This old man owes us money. If he can't pay, it's only fair we take our payment in other ways," one of the thugs said.
The old man's face twisted in anguish—so strong it could be felt even without looking into his eyes. Few things are as devastating as the threat of harm to a loved one, and he was dangerously close to that fate.
Luckily for him, a foreign-looking boy, with hair as dark as the night and a strange odor that, for some reason, no one had mentioned yet, had stepped in to defend him.
Fri lunged as fast as he could at the third thug, landing a direct hit to his arm. The strike had been aimed at his abdomen, meant to knock the air out of him, but he managed to block it just in time. Even so, the impact was strong enough to leave his left arm far from unscathed.
As Fri recovered from the recoil of his swing, another thug appeared from his left, throwing a right hook straight at his face. Fortunately, he dodged it by swiftly ducking—but it wasn't just an evasive move. As he did, he grabbed something from the ground with his left hand—teeth. The ones that had fallen from the first thug's mouth were now scattered on the pavement. Grabbing a couple, he hurled them directly at the debt collector's face.
The man instinctively tried to block them, but failed. Some went into his mouth, others nearly into his eyes.
In that moment, Fri seized the confusion and the distance he had from the third thug to land a decisive blow. With a straight motion from his left foot to the thug's abdomen, the improvised sword struck with great speed. The sound of a bone breaking echoed in the air, and the man collapsed to the ground.
"Alright! We're leaving! But know this—we'll be back. Not just for the old man and the money he owes us, but for your head too!"
Fri was already aiming his makeshift sword at the man's head when he felt a palm on his shoulder.
It was the old man, giving him a look that meant, 'There's no need to go further.' Even after hearing what they wanted to do to him and his family, he had chosen to forgive them—at least one of them—giving them just enough time to flee once they had somewhat recovered.
With tears in his eyes and a smile that radiated genuine kindness, the old man looked his savior in the eyes.
"Thank you, truly. I don't know how to repay you."
Fri's mind clicked. 'F*ck, I shouldn't have been so impulsive… agh, there's nothing I can do now. What's done is done.'
"I didn't do anything that any decent person wouldn't have done," he said, casting an annoyed glare at the bystanders who were still watching the scene with morbid curiosity.
The old man looked at them too, a hint of sorrow in his gaze.
"I wish that were true… but people stopped caring for each other a long time ago. I'm no exception, but at least I can offer you a small reward. Here, take this."
Fri watched as the old man began filling a bag with various fruits and a bottle of water.
'Looks like this will be my reward.'
And so, leaving the street after saying goodbye to the old man and now with some provisions, it was time to find shelter for the night. However, something felt off—as if someone was following him.