Tales of the Pearly City (Pearly Tales Vol.1) [Completed]

47. Perils of the Perilous City

At first, Cabin boy was skeptical, but Cal spoke at length with amazing detail. He couldn't help but listen to the rising of the city that he loved, but there were some discrepancies between Cal's version and the version he learned from those he served.

Cal spoke of it like a memory of trial and errors filled with love of the people and the elementals, where those he served emphasized the perfection of the city and the magnificence of Calloway.

He talked about the townspeople and the Elementals like they were his own children and the city like it was his home. He mentioned various members of the North Wind guild, beings only mentioned in the most obscure of myths, as if they were old friends.

After listening patiently in silence, the cabin boy relaxed after he realized that Cal had no intention of doing anything except for talking.

"You sure know a lot, old man."

Cal smiled and finished off the last sip of tea and began brewing another pot. "So you finally speak up, cabin boy. Aye, as I said, I was there."

"And what of Brother Calloway?"

"Oh, he was around..." Cal waved his hand as if it were no big deal.

"Blasphemy! How could you know so much about every corner and character of the city and know so little of its Creator!"

"Easy there, Cabin boy, did you expect that the creation of the city was some spectacle? I cannot deny that the one you call Brother Calloway was formidable in nearly every aspect, whether it was during a long quest or in the midst of battle. However, the creation of the city and its residents wasn't glamourous, it was a delicate and slow process."

"..."

"Spend any time with the original residents and they'll tell you the same, he was often around the city for long hours doing his tedious work. Like a potter and his clay, he crafted every inch with delicate care. The only flashy show of his work was when the city itself was raided."

By his zealousness and the shine in his eye it seemed that Cabin Boy wanted to hear more about the raids. "You saw the raids too?"

"Indeed, I can't imagine anything in recent memory that compares to the age of Raids and the power of the guilds. Thousand just like Brother Calloway and many stronger than him gathered around our forested Fortress."

"That's heresy! There are none stronger and more valiant than Brother Calloway!"

". . . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Cal rolled on his back.

"Heathen how dare you laugh!"

"You were taught so little about your supposed God. Of the various Classes that Calloway chose, two were never revealed within the city and the rest were support and crafting classes. Amongst those who picked all battle classes, Brother Calloway is ill equipped to fight the many hardened by the battlefield. When the city was raided he stood on the gates guiding the enemies through the labyrinthian city to their deaths."

"He led them through the city? What about the Valkyries and the Einherjar, aren't they supposed to fend off invaders?"

"They, along with the Druids, keep the city safe from the mobs of the forest. But ultimately, it is called the City of Perils because of how much more dangerous the inside walls are than the outside. While the Valkyries strike from the sky the Einherjar keep any from escaping. Houses full of loot turn into rat traps, streets wind into dead ends filled with dangers, monsters plague the shadows, fire storms rage around corners, ice and floods interrupt their larger forces while they're smaller and weaker ones disappear. An entire city where there is no straight road to the castle, with ever changing routes and more dangerous enemies around every turn. A City where it's once harmless NPC citizens were even more dangerous than traps in the city."

"He could use his own citizens to fight his wars?"

"In the age of guilds, a fortress was the heart of the guild. Successfully raiding a fortress granted access to its riches and rarest of items. Conversely, fortresses that survived those raids gained riches, it's NPC's could gain experience points to level up and rare items and classes only usable to its citizens. It seems only natural the citizen would fight. Watching supposedly harmless Citizens mow down ranking players was always a sight to behold."

"This is totally contrary to the records of the church. He would lead the enemies into the city and use the citizens to fight invaders?"

"Not just the citizens, the elementals, and the surrounding mobs as well. The idea was while Callaway trapped the raiders, the guild would raid the enemy's fortresses. The gain was twofold, as well as the loss to the enemies. While trapped in the city they couldn't protect their own fortress while it was under siege."

"But his people were in danger how could he!"