Chapter 54

  Morning in Vyrdan arrived with the clamor of church bells marking the sixth hour. Arin, who hadn't truly slept, watched the city come alive from his position by the window. Shopkeepers opened their doors, merchants set up street stalls, and the flow of people through the streets shifted from night workers returning home to day workers heading out.

  "You didn't rest at all, did you?" Essa asked, emerging from her room already dressed for the day.

  "Didn't need to," Arin said.

  "That's not the same as couldn't." She moved to stand beside him. "How are you feeling? Really?"

  "Strange," Arin admitted. "Being here feels like a dream."

  "Give it time. It'll start feeling real soon enough." She smiled. "Probably around the time we're knee-deep in sewer water."

  The others emerged shortly after and gathered in the shared sitting area to plan the day's activities over breakfast Marcus had sent up.

  "Today we establish our legitimacy," Kelsa said, spreading a rough map of the city on the table. "First, we meet with Inspector Maldris about the sewer contract. That's our official reason for being here, and we need to treat it seriously."

  "How long will the sewers actually take?" Torvin asked, eyeing the map with distaste.

  "Depends on what we find. It could be a few days, could be two weeks. The contract gives us flexibility." Kelsa marked several locations on the map. "After that, we visit the Temple of Light. Essa can make introductions, establish us as respectable adventurers."

  "And then we explore," Essa added. "Get to know the city properly."

  Torvin brightened. "Does that include finding a decent tavern? I've heard the dwarven district has—"

  "After we handle business," Kelsa said, but she was smiling. "Priorities."

  "My priorities are perfectly in order. Ale is essential for morale."

  ***

  Inspector Maldris was a weathered man in his fifties, with the tired eyes of someone who had apparently spent decades dealing with the less glamorous aspects of city administration. His office in the city watch headquarters was cramped and cluttered with reports, maps, and what looked like decades of accumulated paperwork.

  "Silver rank from Thornbridge," he said, examining their credentials. "Good. The last Bronze rank team we sent down there quit after two days."

  "What are we dealing with?" Kelsa asked.

  "Disappearances in the lower merchant quarter. Three people over the past month, all last seen near sewer access points. Could be bandits using the tunnels as hideouts, could be something worse." Maldris pulled out a map of the sewer system. "The tunnels run under most of the old city. Some sections haven't been properly cleared in decades."

  Arin studied the map with interest. The network was vast, far more extensive than he'd realized during his escape. Back then, he'd only seen fragments, desperate routes taken in darkness.

  "Any reports of specific creatures?" Torvin asked.

  "Rats, obviously. Some giant varieties. Reports of suspicious sounds, but nothing confirmed. That's your job—go down there, clear out whatever's causing problems, and find out what happened to the missing people if you can."

  "When do you want us to start?" Kelsa asked.

  "Tomorrow morning. Today, you can familiarize yourselves with the entry points and gather whatever supplies you need. I'll have access passes prepared by evening." Maldris looked at Arin. "That's a slime."

  "Yes," Arin said. He was in humanoid form, which seemed to catch Maldris slightly off guard—he'd likely expected something more blob-like.

  "Can you function in sewer environments?"

  "Better than most."

  "Good. Your party's going to need every advantage down there." He stamped a form and handed it to Kelsa. "Report back when you have something. And try not to get killed, the paperwork for adventurer deaths is a nightmare."

  They left the watch headquarters with their contract officially confirmed and access passes promised for the following day.

  "That went smoothly," Essa said once they were back on the street.

  "Maldris seems competent," Kelsa observed. "Overworked, but competent. He actually wants this problem solved, not just managed."

  "Makes our job easier," Torvin said. "Nothing worse than working for someone who doesn't actually want results."

  ***

  The Temple of Light in the merchant quarter was modest compared to the great temple, but still impressive in its way. White marble steps led to bronze doors inscribed with prayers and blessings. Inside, the main hall was filled with morning light streaming through tall windows, illuminating rows of benches and a raised altar at the far end.

  A priestess approached as they entered, her white robes marking her as a healer of some rank.

  "Welcome to the Temple of Light," she said warmly. "How may we serve you today?"

  "We're adventurers, newly arrived in Vyrdan," Essa explained. "I'm a cleric myself, trained at the temple in Thornbridge. I wanted to pay my respects and introduce my party."

  The priestess's demeanor shifted slightly, becoming more welcoming. "A sister in service. Wonderful. I'm Sister Callista, one of the senior healers here." Her gaze moved across the party, pausing on Arin with curiosity rather than fear. "And you travel with a slime. That's unusual."

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  "Arin is sapient," Essa explained. "A valued member of our party."

  Sister Callista studied Arin for a long moment, then smiled. "The Light shines on all who seek it, regardless of form. You're welcome here, Arin."

  "Thank you," Arin said.

  "How did you come to travel with adventurers, if I may ask?"

  The question was gentle, curious rather than suspicious. Arin felt his party's attention shift slightly, ready to intervene if needed, but he remembered the rehearsal at the waystation.

  "My creator was an alchemist," Arin said carefully. "He worked alone. When he died, I had to survive on my own."

  "I'm sorry for your loss," Callista said, and her sympathy seemed genuine. "Finding purpose after such a loss is difficult. It speaks well of you that you found companions and meaningful work."

  Arin felt the truth beneath the cover story resonate. He wasn't lying about the grief, only about the details.

  "Thank you," he said quietly.

  Callista made a gesture of blessing toward Arin, then extended it to include the whole party. "May the Light guide your path and illuminate your way in dark places. Are you here for long?"

  "A few weeks at least," Essa said. "We're on contract with the city watch, investigating problems in the sewers."

  "Ah, the disappearances. Yes, we've heard about those. Troubling situation." Callista's expression grew more serious. "Several families have come to the temple seeking help finding their missing loved ones. We've offered what comfort we can, but without knowing what happened..."

  "We'll do our best to find answers," Kelsa promised.

  "I'm sure you will. And if you need anything during your stay in Vyrdan—spiritual guidance, healing services, or simply a quiet place for reflection—the temple is always open." Callista paused. "There's an evening prayer service tonight if you'd like to attend. It can be helpful to center oneself when beginning a new undertaking."

  "We might do that," Essa said. "Thank you for the welcome."

  As they left the temple, Kelsa gave Arin a small nod of approval. The cover story had worked.

  "That was good," she said quietly. "Natural."

  "It felt strange," Arin said. "But not wrong."

  "That's the trick with cover stories. Keep them close enough to the truth that they don't feel like lies."

  ***

  The afternoon was spent scouting sewer access points. There were dozens throughout the merchant quarter, most hidden behind buildings or in alleyways where they wouldn't be obvious to casual observers.

  Arin recognized some of them. That grate near the pottery shop—he'd emerged through it during his escape. That access ladder behind the tanner's building—he'd climbed down it while fleeing, not knowing where it led.

  The memories surfaced, but they didn't overwhelm him. Yes, difficult things had happened here. But he was different now. Stronger. Not alone.

  "This one has recent traffic," Torvin said, examining a grate that showed signs of disturbance. "Scratches on the metal, dirt recently disturbed."

  "Mark it on the map," Kelsa instructed. "We'll want to check all the high-traffic access points first."

  They spent several hours mapping the area, noting which access points seemed most relevant to the disappearances. Arin found himself genuinely engaged in the work—this was what adventurers did, after all. Investigated problems. Helped people. It wasn't just a cover story.

  "Tomorrow's going to be interesting," Torvin said as they returned to the inn. "Haven't done proper sewer work since that job in Millbrook. Different kind of sewer, though."

  "Less corrupt nobles, hopefully," Essa said.

  "More rats, probably," Kelsa added. "Get some rest tonight. We start early."

  ***

  That evening, they attended the prayer service at the Temple of Light. The service was simple but moving, focusing on themes of hope and perseverance. Arin found himself oddly comforted by it, even though he wasn't sure what he believed about gods or faith.

  Afterward, Sister Callista approached Essa with a quiet word.

  "Your friend handled my questions with grace," she said. "I hope I didn't overstep by asking about his past."

  "He's learning to talk about it," Essa replied. "It helps, sometimes, to acknowledge what we've lost."

  "Indeed it does." Callista glanced toward where Arin waited near the entrance. "I'll keep your party in my prayers. The sewers can be dangerous, and not just because of monsters."

  "We'll be careful."

  They returned to the inn as full darkness settled over the city. Tomorrow they would descend into the sewers, begin the official work that justified their presence.

  Marcus had saved them a table in the common room, and they spent the evening eating, talking, and simply existing as a party of adventurers at the end of a long day.

  "First impressions of Vyrdan?" Kelsa asked.

  "Bigger than expected," Torvin said. "More diverse. The guild hall alone has more adventurers than all of Thornbridge."

  "The temples are beautiful," Essa added. "I'd like to visit the great temple eventually, when we have time."

  They looked at Arin.

  "Different from what I remembered," Arin said. "But maybe that's me, not the city."

  "Probably both," Kelsa said. "Cities change. People change more."

  The conversation drifted to other topics, the sewer contract, equipment they might need, stories from previous jobs. Normal adventurer talk. Arin listened, contributed occasionally, and felt something settle in his core.

  This was his life now. These were his people. Whatever else happened in Vyrdan, this moment was real. This belonging was real.

  "Early start tomorrow," Kelsa said finally, standing. "Everyone, get some actual rest. That means you, too, Arin."

  "Will try," Arin said.

  "Good enough."

  The party dispersed to their rooms. Arin took up his position by the window, but this time his thoughts weren't consumed by the past. He was thinking about tomorrow. About the sewers, the missing people, the work they'd come here to do.

  One day at a time. One job at a time. That's how this works.

  Through the window, the city lights glowed against the night sky. Vyrdan was vast and complicated, full of history. But for now, it was just a city where four adventurers had work to do.

  Tomorrow, they'd begin.

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