The town felt more alive than what Artemis had written in her notebook. The buildings layered on top of one another were carved into the stoney wall of the mountain as well as infused with possible marble. The buildings lined the walkway with multiple different kinds of shops, from herbs to all sorts of fresh food ingredients. The market overflowing with the people of Dundorma and from around the world, trading and selling items from all over. They reach the Town Center after just a few minutes of walking, finally reaching the inn that had been mentioned. Vannes looks around when across from the inn a shop catches his eye.
"After we eat and get a room, I want you to get some sleep. There's a few things I need to do while we're here." He slides the cloth covering the entrance to the side.
"I'll probably fall asleep after eating anyway." Leon chuckled then walked in. The were greeted by a female Wyverian with long dark hair and a pale complexion that wore a black and blue dress. She stood at the counter beside the entrance and a board right behind her.
"I haven't seen you two around Dundorma before. Are you two here for a room?" She asks softly.
Vannes and Leon walk over to her. "My son and I are here to rent a room for the night as well. I also heard this place has the best food in Dundorma."
She smiled "You are in luck we have a few rooms available. She turns around to the board behind her and grabbed a wooden tablet. On one side of the tablet bore the number 9 while the other side had Dundorma written on it. She turned back to them, setting it on the counter in front of her and opened a book that had been next to the door. "This will be your room number. It is one of the few rooms left that has 2 beds. All you have to do is sign this and pay when you leave."
Vannes put his signature down in the book then took the wooden tablet. "While we are putting our things in the room, could we order some food?" He asked. She agreed and took down their orders so that they could go and put their things away.
Once the two had their fill, Leon went back to their room to sleep while Vannes went on his errand.
Vannes walked straight across the Town Center right over to the local blacksmith's Smithy. Those near miss encounters made home begin to think about some way of protecting the two of them. He walks over to the entrance of the Smithy and is met by loud hammering. The sounds of metal on metal then sizzling of the quenching filled his ears.
"Don't just stand there, I can do two things at once. What do you want?" A tall musclular man stood at the forge working on multiple different tasks. His face scruffy and long hair put up in a pony tail with a few strands hanging over his face. His eyes covered with thick, dark tinted goggles to protect his eyes from the heat and sparks.
"My wife wrote a recommendation for this blacksmith before she passed and I was hoping I could purchase something to protect myself and our son on our journey." The man stops hammering away at his next project, pushing it back into the hot coals of his furnace.
"Artemis? I take it" He turns to Vannes, sliding his goggles up to reveal his pale eyes. "You must be Vannes. She spoke highly of you while she was here."
"How did you…" Vannes started to ask when the man stopped him.
"Artemis saved my life while I was out mining for materials. She said you would probably head out to the Tower at some point." He walks over and begins examining Vannes. The thin man before him had a similar build to his wife as they weren't meant for fighting. "Close range weapons won't suit you well, A sword and shield maybe…" He starts muttering to himself as he examines Vannes build. "Maybe a Light Bowgun…." He looks into Vannes eyes. "How long will you be staying here in Dundorma?" He asks.
Vannes was still afraid to move. "Uhm. Tomorrow I plan to head out."
"Good. Come back tomorrow. I should have a couple things ready for you." The blacksmith stepped away from Vannes and walked back over to his work. "I'm really sorry for your loss. You won't have to pay since it was Artemis we're talking about."
"Thank you… I never did get your name sir." He looks over at the blacksmith as he's putting his goggles back on.
"You can call me Core. Now if you'll excuse me I need to finish a few things before I get started on yours." He grabs his hammer, pulling a blade out of the coals and sets it on the anvil in front of him.
Vannes didn't say a word, just turns around walks out of the Smithy. He steps back into the Town Center, wondering how many people Artemis had met before she passed, softly smiling at the thought of meeting so many people. He truly was beginning to feel how large the world was compared to behind a professor back in Castle Schrade.