Chương 3: Signs of Revelry

Bella stole a glance over her shoulder as she followed Gemma out into the cobble-lined street of the town of Elkstone. The sign above the door was emblazoned with a rather artistic painting of an overfull flagon of ale wearing a witch's hat. Beneath the image was the inn's name, The Witch's Flagon, carved deep and brightened with red paint. In the game, it was just "Elkstone's inn". Another difference. And not the last, she noticed as her gaze drifted around the rest of the street.

It was significantly larger and fuller of buildings than the game represented, with all sorts of businesses and homes spaced along the main thoroughfare and its many intersections. Most were made of the same dark timber as the inn they'd just left, though some were only framed in timber with the walls filled in with wattle and daub then limewashed. Others had a foundation made of the same as the street, giving the illusion of the buildings growing organically from the roadway.

The city had easily multiplied in size compared to how it was in the game. Exploring the city through her screen, Bella had found the staple locations covered – a handful of specialty shops, the inn, the mayor's manor, a guardhouse set into a rough stone wall, and otherwise nothing truly remarkable. But now it was lively, fuller, and even on the block they passed now she spotted three tailors, a rough looking tavern, a blacksmith, and more.

"I never imagined we'd get to walk these streets ourselves," she murmured in a low voice for only her elven companion to hear.

"We spent so much time here in the late game. It's much more impressive in real life." Nodding softly in agreement, Gemma slowed her stride. Brows knitted together, a moment of thought passed over her face – "It's quiet though. Much quieter. Because of the celebrations after we returned from our victory last night?"

Bella forced herself to keep the crimson from her cheeks at the mention of 'last night' as she followed the finger Gemma raised, finding her attention directed to a motley pile of passed-out revelers on a corner of the street. Now that it'd been pointed out, she could see more easily the signs of impromptu festivities from the night before: abandoned mugs, frustrated spouses at overindulged partners, stains of spilled food and drink, stores closed despite the late morning hour.

"The celebrations," she concurred, her thoughts swirling with memories of the NPCs looping through simple animations of cheering and drinking on her screen. And at the same time, those recollections clashed with those of Bellasora. Her own character's memories twisted into her own head, as if she'd been the one drinking and cavorting with the entire town the night prior. Although the morning had been frantic enough to ignore it, even now the low throbbing of a hangover still echoed at the base of her skull.

"The Exiled Moon. She wasn't just pixels on a screen to these people. They actually suffered through it all." Gemma looked cautiously around, ensuring there was no one to overhear.

"Not a game to them," she agreed softly.

"The deaths, the betrayal, the towns burning, with no one to stop it."

"No one but us!" Bella corrected cheerfully, skipping ahead several steps and twirling about face, walking backwards to face her companion. Her skirt lifted slightly as her tail swayed to compensate, and she hurriedly smoothed it back down when she noticed Gemma pretending she hadn't noticed it." We saved them. We stopped the corrupt goddess, slew her avatar, and brought peace to the world."

It was true, and she could feel Bellasora's memories surface unbidden of the epic struggle that had brought them victory several days prior. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Truly, Bella, you are a paragon of humility," Gemma teased back, humor wrinkling the corners of her eyes and curling her lips. A slight red darkened Bella's cheeks, though whether it was from the teasing or in her admiration of that smirk was unclear.

"Don't forget it!" she retorted, spinning to face forward once more. The pair walked in comfortable silence until they reached the wall that protected Elkstone from the vast wilderness beyond its western gate. Bella's brows arched as she found herself craning to look at the top of the stone structure embracing the town.

"I don't remember the walls being this formidable in-game."

"If we think about it realistically, we're basically on the frontier. It makes sense to have a higher standard of protection here. They probably have to deal with monster incursions more frequently than in the heart of the kingdom." I can practically see her adjusting her glasses and writing in her RP notes, Bella thought with an amused grin.

"I see your hours of research for our roleplaying scenes has paid off," the catkin shot back. Before Gemma could muster up any sort of witty retort, a rather haggard looking guard stepped out from the gate shack and greeted them with a deep bow. His crimson and gold checkered tabard was crumpled and creased, large black bags hung below his eyes, and Bella could smell last night's revelry even from where she stood.

"My ladies," he intoned in as serious of a voice as he could manage, "It is an honor to greet you this morning. Lord Bartholomew requests an audience at your earliest convenience." Immediately, the elven paladin stepped forward and inclined her head with a sort of indifferent acknowledgement that suited her regal stature surprisingly well.

"We thank his Lordship for the invitation. We would be honored to sup with him tonight." Damn she's good at this, Bella thought. And I really like it when she takes control of the situation. The guard's shoulders slumped with relief and he slowly straightened back up. Or at least, attempted to. As disheveled and hungover as he was, it seemed the best he could handle was a slight lean to the left.

"Thank you, my ladies. I will have him informed." His task completed, he shuffled unhurriedly to the guardhouse and began scribbling a note upon a piece of waiting parchment, otherwise uninterested in watching their exit of the town. Sharing a shrug, the adventurers passed through the gate and onwards towards the forest outside of town. They had a long way to go to gain any sort of true privacy for their discussion around how the 'game mechanics' translated over.

Around the city stretching for an incredible distance was a patchwork of farms, carrying a variety of crops that fueled the stomachs of everyone inside. Most of it looked familiar. Grains and grasses growing short and green, not yet into the harvest season. Some had other staples that looked like Earth's produce, leafy greens and flowering stalks from tubers. A handful of farms had orchards nestled into their boundaries, the fruit speckled throughout the trees' branches.

Despite the revelries of the night before, they could see farmers moving through the fields, taking advantage of the morning sun to tend to them. But beyond it all was their goal, the great untamed forest that marked the end of Western Doslande, the kingdom in which the bulk of Ashes of the Exiled Moon took place. Through that untamed forest they'd ventured several times as part of the game's questline and knew it would be distant enough to earn them a quiet moment to chat without anyone overhearing.