The deeper Kael walked into the city, the louder everything became.
At the gate the streets were busy, but further inside the noise grew thicker, almost like the air itself was filled with voices. Merchants called out to passing customers, carts rolled across the stone road, and somewhere nearby a blacksmith hammered metal with loud rhythmic clangs.
Kael slowed his steps slightly, looking around with quiet curiosity.
The buildings here were taller than the ones near the walls. Some were simple wooden houses, but others were made of solid stone with carved windows and painted signs hanging above their doors.
"Place is bigger than I thought," he murmured.
A group of travelers passed him carrying large backpacks and maps. One of them looked exhausted while another argued loudly about directions.
Kael watched them for a moment before continuing forward.
The streets twisted in different directions like a maze. Some roads led toward quiet residential areas while others opened into crowded market squares full of stalls and banners.
Eventually he found himself standing at the edge of one of those markets.
For a moment he simply stopped.
"...Wow."
The marketplace was packed.
Colorful stalls covered the entire square, each one selling something different. One merchant displayed shining swords and daggers on a long wooden table. Another had rows of glass bottles filled with strange glowing liquids.
Food stalls were everywhere too.
Fresh bread, roasted meat, vegetables, fruits, even sweet pastries.
The smell alone made Kael realize something important.
He was starving.
"Right… food first," he muttered.
He walked toward a stall where a man was roasting meat on iron skewers above a small fire. The smoke drifted through the air, carrying a smell that made Kael's stomach growl.
The merchant noticed him staring.
"You planning to buy something or just stand there smelling it?" the man said with a crooked grin.
Kael scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"How much?"
"Three copper."
Kael reached into his pocket and pulled out the few coins he still had. Not much money, but enough for a simple meal.
He placed them on the counter.
Moments later he was sitting on a wooden bench nearby, eating the hot meat slowly. It wasn't anything special, but after days of rough travel it tasted incredible.
Kael leaned back slightly as he finished.
People walked past him constantly. Some were normal citizens carrying groceries or tools. Others looked more dangerous.
Adventurers.
They were easy to recognize. Most carried swords, axes, or bows. Some wore armor while others looked like wandering mages with strange staffs and robes.
Kael studied them quietly.
"So that's the kind of people who hunt monsters for a living…"
One group passed by laughing loudly, clearly in a good mood. Another adventurer walked alone, his armor scratched and his expression tired.
It made Kael realize something.
Adventuring probably wasn't some heroic fantasy.
It was just another dangerous job.
He wiped his hands and stood up.
Still, it was probably the best option he had.
Kael had no family waiting for him. No land, no trade, no connections inside the city.
All he really had was the strength he had gained from surviving.
And maybe that was enough.
As he continued walking through the market streets, he noticed something hanging above a large building further ahead.
A wooden sign.
Two crossed swords carved into a shield.
Several armored adventurers were entering and leaving through its door.
Kael stopped walking.
"Well… that was easier than expected."
The Adventurer Guild.
He had heard about places like this before. Anyone strong enough to fight monsters could register, take quests, and earn money.
At least that was how the stories described it.
Standing here now, the place looked a little less glamorous.
The building itself was large and sturdy, but the people coming out of it looked tired more often than proud.
Still…
Kael looked up at the sign again.
"You know," he said quietly to himself.
"Life really likes throwing people into new situations."
Just a few days ago he had been fighting monsters on a battlefield he barely survived.
Now he was standing in front of a guild that might decide his future.
It was strange how quickly things could change.
But maybe that was the nature of life.
The world didn't wait for anyone to figure things out.
It just kept moving.
Kael rested the spear against his shoulder and took a slow breath.
"Guess standing here won't change anything."
With that he walked forward.
The wooden door creaked slightly as he pushed it open.
Warm light and loud voices spilled out into the street.
Kael stepped inside.
And just like that, the next chapter of his life quietly began.