Survival’s Path

Chapter 5

At the gate of the upper district.

“Here you go, your identity tag,” said the guard. He handed two silver plate to Kaelan and Lira. Each plate had a diamond inscribed on it. “With this you are third class citizens of the upper district.”

“What if these gets misplaced?” Kaelan asked.

“We just have to check our records to confirm. Don’t worry we upper district citizens are civilized.” Kaelan looked at him, then at the record book. The guard got up. “I’m sure you’ll need a place to stay, will you be renting or buying?” he asked.

“Renting,” Kaelan replied.

“How much is the rent?” Lira asked.

“It depends on the region and the number of rooms. We have the eastern region, central region and the western region. I’ll advise you to avoid the central,” the guard said.

“Why?”

the guard turned to Kaelan and replied. “It’s too expensive for third class citizens and you’ll get in trouble with the rich folks. They are quite annoying.” He shook his head and continued. “The western region is the cheapest. Most who live there are the families of the central region servants and maids.”

“So the best place for us is the eastern region,” Lira said.

“Huh? Why’s that?” Kaelan asked.

“Best to avoid the rich folks completely. How much is the rest in the eastern region?”

The guard took out a book from a shelf nearby. “Let’s see. A single room place costs eight hundred Sarls a month and two rooms cost one thousand five hundred Sarls. Three…”

“We’ll take the two rooms,” Lira interrupted. “Please we’ll prefer one in a quiet area.”

“Alright, come with me,” the guard said and stepped out of his office.

The guard led them out of the small gate office and into the upper district proper.

The difference was immediate.

The streets properly cleaned and cared for. Buildings rose in clean lines. Their walls reinforced and repaired, not patched with desperation but well maintained. Iron lanterns lined the roads, unbroken, polished. Even the air felt different. It felt lighter, touched with the scent of baked bread, and flowering shrubs planted along walkways.

Kaelan slowed down without realizing it.

People walked without hurrying here. Some wore fine cloaks, others modest tunics, but none looked starved or malnourished. Laughter existed here. Children played around, carefree with no worries.

“This place is totally different,” Kaelan muttered.

Lira agree. “Yeah. It feels like a different world, right?” Kaelan nodded and took it in.

They passed a pair of guards chatting casually, weapons sheathed. A carriage rolled by, pulled by a massive horned beast. Its handler relaxed, almost bored. Kaelan noticed how often people glanced at the silver plates hanging from his and Lira’s necks.

“The stares, is it because we are third class citizens?” Kaelan raised a question.

“No. Your outfits are out of place here,” said the guard. He added as he guided them. “Notice, most of them go about their business after a short stare? Eastern region doesn’t draw much attention. Traders, craftsmen, independent workers. People who mind their business. They’ll look and move on.”

“Sounds perfect,” Lira said.

They turned down a quieter road, narrower but clean, flanked by two-story stone buildings with wooden balconies. Some had small gardens out front. Others displayed carved signs. Apothecary, Repair Guild, Mercenary Guild, and so on.

Kaelan’s eyes lingered on Mercenary Guild.

The guard stopped before a modest building set back slightly from the street. No decorations. No banners. Just solid stone and a simple wooden door.

“This one’s available,” the guard said. “Two rooms. Shared wash area. A kitchen. Water runs twice a day. No noise from neighbors.”

He unlocked the door and stepped aside.

Inside, the place smelled of old wood. The floorboards were intact. The walls bare with no design, but were clean. A table set with four chairs before a kitchen. A narrow hallway split into two small rooms, each with a single bed, a small table, and a shuttered window overlooking a courtyard. At the end of the hallway a door, leading to the wash room.

Lira exhaled softly. “This is good.”

Kaelan tested the floor with his weight. It held.

The guard leaned against the doorway. “Rent is paid monthly. Miss a payment, you’re moved out. There’s no exceptions. Don’t forget your citizen f*e. You miss a month, you’ll be thrown out of the city.”

“That’s fair,” Kaelan said.

Lira handed over the Sarls without hesitation.

The guard nodded, satisfied. “Welcome to the eastern region.” He gestured toward the street. “You’ll want work.”

“What kind of work?” Kaelan asked.

The guard’s expression shifted slightly, he became serious. “Daily contracts. Beast clearing outside the walls. Post-attack cleanup. Escorting supply wagons. Sewer maintenance. Ruin inspection.” He paused. “Some are safer than others. Find out more details at the Mercenary Guild.”

“Which pays the most?” Kaelan asked.

The guard gave him a long look. “The dangerous ones.”

Kaelan nodded. “Figures.”

Once the guard left, silence filled the space.

Lira stepped into one of the rooms and sat on the bed, pressing a hand into the mattress. “I could sleep for a week.”

Kaelan leaned against the doorway. “I’d prefer to get something to eat.”

“I know,” she said, eyes closing briefly. “Let’s wash up first, then we’ll go get some food.”

“Sounds great.”

They spent the next hour washing up and organizing what little they had. Kaelan hide weapons around the house. Lira counted the Sarls and went around checking for what they needed.

“Let’s go eat,” Lira said with a list in hand.

“Hold on, what’s that?” Kaelan asked.

“Important stuff we need to get. We can’t eat outside every time so I plan on cooking,” she replied, stepping out of the house. Kaelan stepped out and she locked the door. “Sadly, I can’t make meat dishes.”

They walked for a while and arrived before a restaurant. “I’m still baffled by how things are different here,” Kaelan said as they stepped in. It wasn’t crowded, only a few people around. The duo took their seats and in no time someone came to attend to them.

“Welcome, what will you like to get?” the waitress asked.

“What do you have?” Lira asked.

While they talked Kaelan had a glance around the place. It was large with lots of tables and chairs around. Nothing special about the place, and nothing fancy. ‘What’s going on here?’ Kaelan thought while looking at the people present.

Not far from them, a beast folk sat. The person sitting with him had their face completely covered. Everyone else present sat around with these two at the center. ‘None of them are eating,’ Kaelan thought while watching those sitting around.

“Alright, I’ll get your food.” The waitress’s voice brought him back to his table. She left and Lira asked, “what’s wrong?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just a bit tensed,” Kaelan replied.

“Okay, we need to decide on the job to take. What do you think?” Lira asked.

“Beast hunting, it pays per kill so it’s the best,” Kaelan replied.

“That’s dangerous, I’d prefer cleanup.”

“Cleanup is daily pay, and it might be more tasking than fighting beast,” Kaelan said as his gaze landed on the beast folk. Lira turned when she noticed him staring at something. The beast folk, a man with black wolf ears and black & white wolf tail. He locked eyes with Kaelan.

“What’s wrong with you two? Are you guys into each other,” Lira asked when she saw the awkward exchange.

Kaelan frowned at her words. “Protect his companion,” he said.

“What?”

“The beast man, protect his companion,” Kaelan said as he got up. Two daggers flew out his hands and immediately two people dropped dead. He carried the table as the beast man drew out his sword and charged out. “Act fast Lira!”

“What?” Lira asked confused. Kaelan tossed the table at a man charging at them. “Damn it,” she cried and rushed over to the masked person side. The people in the restaurant had their weapons out and were rushing over. Kaelan and the beast folk kept them at bay. Although far apart from each other, they were in sync.

“You shouldn’t have gotten involved,” a man that past Kaelan and the beast folk said. Lira held her dagger tight behind her. He swung his sword, she evaded and unsheathed her dagger. It glittered as it aimed for his heart.

Lira frowned. He received the dagger with his left arm and swung his sword at her neck.

“Ah!” A grey light flashed and the man was sent flying. Lira turned to the mask person behind her.

“We are leaving,” Kaelan voice sounded before she could say anything.

“Let’s go,” the beast folk said as he knocked a person down. Kaelan rushed out the restaurant, Lira and the masked person followed and the beast folk went after them.

“Can I have a decent meal just once?” Lira lamented as they ran away.