While the city bordered the Runean Ocean to the west, a moat fed by the sea water followed the lines of the city walls all the way around, cutting sharply inland. Directly inside those walls was a stretch of green that ran the perimeter of the city.
As they descended, Vir realized it was a garden. The largest Vir had ever seen and carefully manicured.
An inner set of walls separated the main area of the city from what appeared to be the aristocratic district, where the buildings were larger and less dense. Finally, the castle sat within its own set of walls inside that smaller district.
Each set of walls was geometric, and perfectly slotted into place, as if an artist had shaped them to please the eye. Nevertheless, the city was highly defensible. Without magic to worry about, only archers and siege weapons could be used, and the moat that defended the city would hamper those efforts significantly.
Only the port town southwest of the city, and the fields that lay to east, would be vulnerable.
Seems like a protracted siege would be the way to go, Vir idly thought, unsure why he was even considering an invasion. Yet even a siege would have to deal with the fact that the city bordered the ocean. They’d need a naval blockade to prevent supplies from entering.
The pilot dropped the Acira even lower, and Vir found not a maze of dirt paths, but orderly cobblestone roads arranged in a grid-like pattern. Not even Avi was this organized with its city planning.
As the Acira slowed and the winds died down, the pilot spoke for the first time in hours. “Welcome to Balindam, friend. The crown jewel of the Pagan Order.”
“It’s… honestly not what I expected.”
The pilot turned and smirked. “Thought you’d find a city full of crime and grime, did you?”
“I, er…”
“Good! ’Tis the image we want, after all.” The pilot caught Vir staring at the immense garden that lay just within the walls. “Ah, the Green Ring. Few other cities boast such a garden, I believe. I invite you to tour it! The Green Ring West is especially tranquil. I often wander there just to listen to the sound of crashing waves. The view atop the Promontory is something to behold.”
With every detail, Vir grew more and more confused. What was the Pagan Order, really? Crazed demon hunters, or something else? Even if they maintained a facade over the true glory of their city, they couldn’t do the same for their demon hunting. Vir hoped to uncover the truth while he was here.
The Acira flew directly into the castle grounds, whose gardens were even more well-manicured than the Green Ring. For a country that lay in a prana-starved land where crops and plants could hardly grow, the amount of greenery staggered Vir. It spoke volumes about the Order’s level of sophistication and power, more than any gilded buildings ever could.
It wasn’t just the level of sophistication that impressed him. The sheer size of the city seemed unfathomable to Vir. Forget Daha. It was even larger than Avi. To think so many people would make their homes in such a prana-devoid region… Then again, the city’s opulence and sophistication might very well have offset any inconvenience brought by the total lack of magic.
The Acira slowed to hover above a circular set of walls that adjoined the castle. Unlike most of the castle, however, this area was open to the air, allowing the Acira to set down softly next to its brothers and sisters that wandered the lush grass that blanketed the ground.
Once unclipped, Neel hopped off first, keeping a wary eye on the black-scaled beasts that eyed him inquisitively.
Vir let out a breath after alighting from the beast. While the ground prana density here was lower than usual, it wasn’t devoid of Ash prana. He’d have to ration his Talent usage, but he could use them here.
An attendant dressed in the Pagan Order’s signature white-and-black colors approached to greet them.
“Welcome to our humble capital, esteemed guest,” the tall, spindly man said with a self-deprecating smile. He was both clean-shaven and bald, and Vir wondered whether that was the popular style in Balindam. “You must be quite tired after your long journey. Would you like me to show you to your temporary quarters? We’ve arranged a tour of the city before your meeting with Lord Reth later this evening.”
Lord Reth… The infamous ruler of the Pagan Order. Supposedly, he was the one who’d promoted the Order’s fanatical demon hunting policies.
“Sorry, temporary quarters? What do you mean?” Vir replied.
“A slip of the tongue,” the man said, smiling awkwardly. “Please, follow me.”
Vir allowed the man to lead him through the castle’s halls. While it lacked the domes and arches of Daha’s palace, the structure was overall quite similar. Rectangular stone hallways led to courtyards and rooms of various sizes, with a myriad of doors on either side.
Size-wise, Balindam’s castle was undoubtedly larger than Daha’s palace, though it lacked the intricate carvings and the gold. This was a fortress, pure and simple. It did nothing to hide that.
Vir’s third-floor room was one among many doors embedded into the side of the hall. Without the number carved into the stone on top, he was sure he’d never find it again. A small, simple affair, it contained a comfortable-looking bed, a simple wooden table and chair, a mirror, and a window overlooking the courtyard.
“Please take your time. I shall be back in an hour to guide you around our city.”
With a bow, the attendant departed, leaving Vir and Neel alone.
“Well, boy? What do you think?”
Awoo? Neel replied, tilting his head up at Vir. No doubt the bandy had food on his mind. Vir brought out a few pieces of dried apricot and tossed them at his friend, who snatched them out of the air with incredible dexterity and munched contentedly on the snack.
The level of hospitality should have made him feel at ease, but it had the opposite effect. They were treating him well. Too well. Nobody would give a random mercenary such a warm welcome.
Which means they know something about me… but what? That he assassinated Ravin in Daha? Or perhaps that he attempted to kill Princess Mina? Unless the Brotherhood had blabbed—something he doubted they would do—how could they know?
Vir threw open the wooden louvers covering the window and breathed in the fresh outside air. It helped him clear his mind. There was little point worrying about hypotheticals. All he could do was maintain his vigilance and gather as much information as he could. The rest, he’d have to leave to Fate.
“Only question is… do I scout the castle or stay here?” To do reconnaissance, he’d need to leverage Dance. But using up the prana prematurely sounded wasteful.
Instead, he brought out some ink and paper—an upgrade from the charcoal and parchment he used to use—and mapped out the hallways and courtyards he’d seen on the way here. Though it was just a partial picture, it’d still help if he ever needed to retrace his steps to the Acira. Perhaps he could steal one if the contract went south, though the issue of knowing how to ride them remained.
The hour passed quickly, and the same bald attendant returned to lead Vir and Neel to the Royal Grounds.
“We take great pride in our gardens here at Balindam, and nowhere is this more true than the castle gardens. I doubt even the Ranian gardens hold a candle to our own.”
Vir hadn’t ever seen Rani’s gardens, but he had seen Daha’s. It wasn’t even a comparison. While Daha’s garden was large, there was simply no taste to the plants there. It was as if shrubs and plants had been planted for the sake of having them there.
But here? Each hedge had been trimmed into elaborate shapes, and flowering plants were placed carefully to complement them. The gardeners had even transformed one bush to look like an Ash’va, complete with pink roses for its snout, and long leaves for its ears.