Lucid landed heavily upon the hard cobblestone pavement. The impact sent a thick cloud of dry gray dust spiraling up into the crisp morning air. The small particles settled slowly around the scuffed leather of his heavy boots. He straightened his spine and pushed his shoulders back to correct his physical posture. He looked directly forward to assess his immediate surroundings.
Two armored figures blocked the massive iron gate leading into the border town of Tyriana. He recognized their faces instantly despite the passage of time and the chaos of his recent travels. Bjorn the dwarf and Gabriel the elf maintained their designated guard positions. They stared at the sudden arrival with wide eyes and open mouths. The sheer improbability of a man falling directly from the sky had temporarily broken their professional discipline.
Bjorn recovered his senses first. The stout dwarf widened his dark eyes as he recognized the swirling gray fog that constantly obscured Lucid's facial features. Bjorn adopted a loud and boisterous tone that echoed sharply off the high stone walls. His voice carried a thick, heavy accent.
"Oi there lad," Bjorn shouted loudly while waving a thick, calloused hand in the air. "You actually did it."
Lucid stood awkwardly on the uneven stone pavement. He brushed a layer of loose dirt from the fabric of his dark traveling coat. He did not know exactly how to respond to the sudden enthusiastic greeting. The sheer volume of the dwarf's voice felt entirely out of place after the tense, suffocating silence of the starlight carriage. Lucid remained completely silent and simply stared back at the two stationed guards. He evaluated their defensive posture and calculated the physical distance between his current position and the heavy iron gate.
Gabriel leaned casually against the smooth wooden shaft of his tall iron-tipped spear. The tall elf wore minimal leather armor over his slender, athletic frame. The lightweight defensive gear allowed for maximum mobility in combat. Gabriel surveyed the open space directly behind Lucid with keen, observant eyes. The elf noted the sudden appearance of several other figures approaching the gate.
"It would appear that our traveler has made some new friends along his journey," Gabriel observed aloud. His tone remained calm and measured, a sharp contrast to the dwarf's loud outburst.
Lucid felt a distinct shift in his own internal posture. The oppressive fear that had paralyzed him in the carriage began to slowly dissipate. He found his voice and addressed the two border guards directly.
"So," Lucid began, keeping his vocal tone perfectly flat and devoid of emotion. "Do I need to apply for a special permit to enter the town today like the last time. Or are you two going to simply take multiple rounds of verbal jabs at my expense before opening the gate."
Bjorn let out a massive, booming belly laugh. The deep sound vibrated through the metal plates of his heavy chest armor. The dwarf slapped his own knee with a thick hand.
"You are a funny son," Bjorn bellowed with genuine amusement. "You always bring a good bit of entertainment to this boring post."
Alice spoke directly into the center of Lucid's mind. Her internal voice carried a heavy layer of dark, biting sarcasm.
'This specific interaction brings back so many fond memories,' Alice noted dryly.
Lucid heard her voice clearly but chose to ignore the internal commentary. He also chose to completely ignore the laughing dwarf. Lucid stepped forward with confident, purposeful strides. He closed the physical distance between himself and the iron gate.
"What do you think you are doing pal," Bjorn demanded loudly. The dwarf stopped laughing and shifted his weight into a defensive stance. "Do you think you own this place. Save the attitude for someone else."
Lucid cut the guard off immediately before Bjorn could finish his aggressive lecture.
"Where is that specific bard or musician currently located," Lucid asked directly. He refused to entertain the dwarf's attempt at asserting artificial authority.
Gabriel observed the short interaction with deep analytical interest. The elf pushed his tall body away from the leaning spear and stepped closer to his dwarven companion. Gabriel noted a fundamental change in the traveler's demeanor.
"He has definitely grown some guts since the last time he stood before this gate," Gabriel stated quietly to his partner.
Bjorn turned his round face toward the tall elf. Real tears formed rapidly in the tight corners of the dwarf's eyes. Bjorn dramatically wiped the moisture away with the back of his armored wrist.
"Nobody in the entire fifty years of my dwarf life has ever disrespected me like that," Bjorn complained with a highly exaggerated display of emotional pain.
Heavy, synchronized footsteps echoed sharply on the stone pavement behind Lucid. Frederick stepped forward into the morning light. Valen with his messy yellow hair followed closely behind the tall warrior. Ayame, the dark-haired female oni, walked silently beside them. The three individuals projected a collective aura of immense physical power and unquestionable authority.
Frederick stopped a few feet away from the border guards. He evaluated the defensive layout of the gate with a highly critical eye.
"The kid is a natural at handling basic border security," Valen commented casually while inspecting his own fingernails.
Bjorn stepped directly in front of the approaching group. The dwarf puffed out his chest to maximize his physical presence. He gripped the heavy wooden handle of his broadsword tightly.
"And who exactly might you people be," Bjorn demanded with a loud, authoritative bark.
Frederick looked slowly up and down the dwarf's armored body. The tall man's face registered pure, unadulterated contempt for the border guard's aggressive questioning.
"Who am I," Frederick repeated the question with a dangerous, quiet intensity. "Who are you to demand such information."
Frederick stood completely straight and assumed a rigid military posture. He announced his full title and rank to the empty street.
"I am from the central capital of Vex," Frederick declared firmly. "I serve proudly as a first-tier member of the main arsenal within the First Army of Vex. I am a proto-knight who will soon be officially appointed by Her Majesty, Queen Elara."
Bjorn lost all color in his face instantly. The dwarf's ruddy complexion turned a sickly shade of pale gray. The sheer political weight of the Vex military structure crashed down upon the lowly border guard. Frederick possessed enough social authority to have Bjorn removed from his post permanently with a single written letter.
"And I firmly believe," Frederick continued in a cold, calculating tone, "that referring to your political superiors without addressing them by their proper titles is heavily frowned upon. In most civilized jurisdictions, such blatant disrespect constitutes a severe criminal offense."
Bjorn swallowed hard. The dwarf crossed his thick arms defensively over his chest. He looked away in clear discontent, completely unable to maintain eye contact with the towering proto-knight. Bjorn searched desperately for any legal justification to regain control of the situation.
Ayame walked slowly toward the gate. She moved shoulder to shoulder with Frederick. The female oni wore a deeply questioning expression on her face. She studied the terrified dwarf as if he were a strange, insignificant insect.
"Yes," Bjorn stammered out quickly. "You may hold a high rank. But your traveling companions do not. They also need proper entry permits to cross this border."
Valen walked casually past Frederick. The yellow-haired man reached his hand deep into the inner pocket of his coat. He pulled out a heavy leather sack. The small bag jingled loudly with the distinct sound of precious metal. Valen stopped directly in front of the dwarf. He grabbed Bjorn's hand and forced the heavy sack of gold coins directly into the guard's open palm.
Valen did not say a single word. He simply let go of the sack and walked smoothly past the iron gate to catch up with Lucid.
Frederick ignored the entire financial transaction. He simply walked past the stunned dwarf and entered the town without asking for permission.
Bjorn stared down at the heavy bag of gold resting in his hand. The dwarf's voice shook violently when he finally managed to speak.
"Are you trying to bribe me young man," Bjorn yelled toward Valen's retreating back. "I am an official officer of the law."
Ayame walked past the dwarf in that exact tense moment. She completely dismissed his presence. She did not even look down at him as she crossed the threshold of the iron gate.
Bjorn felt completely invisible. The dwarf whined loudly at the dark-haired oni.
"Hey," Bjorn called out with a highly pathetic, shaky voice. "Do not ignore me like that! I am standing right here you twat!"
Gabriel stood back and watched the entire chaotic sequence unfold. The tall elf wore a quiet, knowing smile on his face. He found the dwarf's utter humiliation highly entertaining.
"What are you doing," Bjorn demanded while turning to his partner. "Help me enforce the law. Do your job."
Gabriel leaned forward and spoke in a highly educational tone. He broke down the exact legal mechanics of the situation for his panicked colleague.
"The traveler known as Lucid possesses a formal pendant granted directly by the local governor," Gabriel explained calmly. "According to our strict civic laws, anything classified under the governor's personal assets is granted free passage. That classification specifically includes human beings and demi-humans as transportable goods. Therefore, the female oni may enter the town freely under his legal protection that Karmen owns."
Bjorn blinked rapidly as he processed the complicated legal loophole.
"Furthermore," Gabriel continued, "the blue-haired proto-knight clearly holds a civic rank far above our own pay grade. He resides regularly in the capital city of Vex. He possesses the absolute legal authority to come and go across this border exactly as he pleases without showing us a single piece of paper."
Gabriel paused for a brief moment to let the information settle. The elf then pointed a slender finger directly at the heavy sack of gold coins clutched tightly in Bjorn's hand.
"As for the yellow-haired young man," Gabriel concluded with a wide smirk. "He very clearly just bribed a city official in broad daylight. I am afraid I might have to file a formal report and talk to Karmen about this."
Bjorn looked back at the elf with pure, absolute terror in his eyes. The dwarf shook his large head frantically back and forth.
"Wait," Bjorn pleaded desperately. "No. Please do not tell the captain. I will return the gold. Just pretend you did not see anything."
Lucid ignored the commotion entirely. He walked slowly down the paved stone street leading into the heart of Tyriana. He took a deep breath through his nose. The air carried the crisp scent of fresh oxygen, damp soil, and blooming vegetation. The natural atmosphere provided a massive relief after breathing the sterile, recycled oxygen inside the mechanical carriage.
He walked steadily along the familiar path. He soon approached a large, circular stone fountain located in the center of a public square. The clear water bubbled gently over the carved stone edges. Lucid remembered this exact location perfectly. He remembered the specific details of the chaotic event that occurred here so long ago.
He raised his right arm and pointed his index finger toward a small patch of green grass located near the edge of the fountain.
'Hey Alice,' Lucid communicated internally. 'Look right over there. This is the exact spot where that young kid was playing with a small rubber ball. This is exactly where I got sucked inside by that massive rift.'
Alice processed the visual information through his own eyes. She recognized the significance of the physical location.
'I see the location clearly,' Alice replied inside his mind.
Her internal voice lacked its usual biting sarcasm. She spoke in a remarkably sweet and soft tone.