The Path to New Babylon

[Erik Vrell]

Erik urged his horse forward which slowly trotted through the gate. The marketplace was extremely crowded and Erik's horse had to be careful not to tread on anyone. As Erik weaved his horse through the crowd he looked for anyone who might have some information on the whereabouts of Anos. He approached a nearby merchant and dismounted his horse. "A new face eh?" The merchant said, looking Erik up and down. "A prime i'm guessing." Erik looked surprised that the merchant could tell that he was a prime and was met with a chuckle. "You don't meet many regular citizens wearing a get-up like that around here." He said, motioning to Erik's blue cloak. Erik cleared his throat. "Do you know where I can find a man named Anos?" Erik asked. The man thought for a moment. "Amos is one of King Gilgamesh's servants, so he will probably be busy, but if you ask for him outside the palace he may be able to see you if you have time to wait." Erik thanked the man and remounted his horse. He rode up to the large palace he had seen from the entrance of the city and walked to the main gates. The guards posted at the palace shouted in unison. "Stop right there. Do you have a meeting with King Gilgamesh?" Erik shook his head. "I just want to meet with a man named Anos. I was told he could help me join New Babylon." The guards looked at each other and one went inside the building, leaving the other outside. He sized up Erik as the other two had and somewhat doubted that he had what it takes to join them but didn't say anything.

The other guard emerged from the building a few minutes later. "Anos will have time to meet with you soon. He will talk with you in thirty minutes to an hour." Erik nodded and turned walked back to his horse which he had left tied to a post near a building close to the palace. He wandered around the city while waiting for his appointment with Anos, looking at the goods for sale and conversing with the shopkeepers. He was amazed that one man could take an old mining settlement and turn it into a bustling city, just as the guards had said. Not long after, a page ran up to Erik and stood stiff infront of him. "Anos will see you now at the palace." He than turned and rushed back to the palace. Erik walked back to the palace, again leaving his horse tied near the palace and approached the guards. "i'm here to see Anos." Again, one guard went inside, but this time he came back with a slightly elderly, bored looking man. "So you want to join New Babylon?" Anos said, his voice matching the bored expression on his face. Erik nodded vigorously and the old man sighed. Erik got the impression that he was getting bored of dealing with primes. "If you say so." Anos said, looking rather disinterested.