บท 34: Peak Thirteen Excursion (1)

After leaving the top of the hill, Liam and the others came upon the city of Peak Thirteen.

Facing a long staircase of over 5,000 steps, the newcomers to the sect couldn't help but stop for a moment to admire the majestic view of the city.

Although this place was within their sight, it was not small. Shaped like a pyramid, the city of Peak Thirteen was not inferior to any city they had ever seen.

Standing on the opposite side of the fjord, overlooking the dozens of miles of mountains in the region, Liam and the others couldn't see the people who inhabited the place, as the buildings in front of them hid the streets behind or below.

But when they reached this side of the peak, the five felt the typical atmosphere of cities, the sounds of people working, conversations, carriages and people moving along the streets and sidewalks, the usual.

At first glance, the place didn't seem big. After all, except for the tops of some of the tallest buildings, the entire majestic City Thirteen was barely visible. Looking from above, on the opposite side of the peak, there was a city with many stairs and at least a few thousands inhabitants.

From top to bottom, a vertical difference of only 554 meters gave way to a city with more than dozens of streets or alleys, built in a way that was easy to analyze.

With a quick observation of the surroundings as they descended the city's long central staircase, Liam understood an important aspect.

'If I'm not mistaken, the best parts of the city are closer to the top, so we, newcomers and weaklings, will stay at the bottom and try to reach the middle or the top of the hill.'

Liam saw that a few of the people at the top of the hill had their faces covered, a sign that there were many disciples of higher rank than them in that part of the city.

One of the three men leading them opened his mouth when they reached the 100th step from the top of the hill. There he looked down the side street and pointed.

"We have streets every 100 steps on Peak Thirteen, as well as on other peaks in the sect. The first street in City Thirteen is the one next to us at the 100th step. This is where you will pass tomorrow to find out what your future in the sect will be."

Liam and the others looked down both sides of that 100th step and saw a small street with only 10 buildings built around it.

The street was lined with small gray-red stones in the shape of pentagrams, with blood-red lampposts every ten meters.

The buildings had their own style, unlike anything Liam had ever seen in his two lives. At best, he could associate them with the models of arenas and gallery buildings from his previous world.

Hardly any trees or vegetation were part of the outer decoration of the buildings, but several structures, similar to bike rack, served as supports for the members of the sect to leave their tamed beasts outside the buildings.

Liam and the others saw some beasts, which was not strange to any of them. Although magical beasts were the beings behind the Spirits for most Spirit Masters, many were also mounts, useful for transportation, and other things.

Still, Liam couldn't help but watch with interest, seeing creatures other than horses for the first time in an urban area.

At the ends of the street, there were small gardens that overlooked the precipices of Peak Thirteen. These gardens were adorned with large, glowing obelisks that immediately caught the attention of those who were new to the sect.

"What are these ranks?" Mary asked one of the men leading them, pointing toward one obelisk.

"The sect has different ways of classifying its disciples and masters. There are several classifications here, including a general classification. You'll learn more about it in the future. From the moment you become a sect member, you'll be judged by everything you do, and you'll be competing all the time.

Your position indicates your privileges, rights, duties, in short, everything you can think of." The man in front of the other two pointed out, his voice cold, without any tone variation.

He turned and walked back down the many steps in front of him. "The city has 53 concentric streets and 44 radial streets. The concentric streets are those that follow the pattern of position every 100 steps of the central staircase of the peak. The radial streets are those that run from the base of the peak to its zenith, or rather to Street One.

The street I've just shown you, where the main points of City Thirteen are located, is Street One. The lowest street in the city is the Street Fifty-Three. As newcomers to the sect, you will live on Street Fifty-Three from today—except for him."

Mary and the others looked at Liam as the man who spoke pointed to the black-haired boy.

"Are the streets far from the top the most ordinary? For the most common disciples?" Seth asked.

"You're not stupid, it seems. You are correct, although the situation is not as simple as it seems. The city's concentric streets, ranging from One to Fifty-Three, adhere to a specific pattern: odd-numbered streets serve as residential areas, while even-numbered streets are designated for other activities. However, there is one exception to this rule, and that is Street One.

The radial streets serve only to transport resources, so they have a mix of commercial and residential, following the order of the concentric streets. In short, they are numbered from fifty-four to ninety-seven.

You are free to come and go throughout the city, but keep in mind that we divide the city into zones. The higher you are, the more expensive and dangerous your surroundings will be."

"Are we free to leave the peak?" Liam asked, looking at the back of the man descending the steps in front of them.

The three men, all dressed in black, masked, and with rigid postures, stopped, two of them looking at the man in front, while the man in the middle looked subtly to the side.

"Outer disciples can leave the peak where they live as long as they are accompanied by an inner disciple or a special permission. Otherwise, they can't pass through the entrance and exit points. The surrounding mountains belong to the sect, but they are not completely guarded by us. There are beasts in the area that could be dangerous to the lower-level disciples of the sect."

'Of course...' Liam remained silent, not doubting it was indeed true, but also not ruling out the possibility it was one defense of the 'prison' they would call home from today.

There was nothing better to prevent weak disciples like them from escaping than external dangers!

The three Officers continued to talk on the way, showing the streets on their way and answering the group's questions.

They passed at least a few hundred City Thirteen residents on their way to and from their activities, almost none of them giving the group of eight more than superficial glances.

Liam and the others didn't know it, but groups like theirs came to Peak Thirteen several times a month. New sect members' arrival weren't regular, but it was common for fresh groups of disciples to join the sect anywhere from one to four times a week.

On certain occasions, only a single newcomer would join the sect.

Not every selection was equally successful. But in very successful cases, even larger groups than theirs would join the sect.

After tens of minutes of walking down the stairs of the City Thirteen, the five were sweaty, their clothes stained, and their open mouths revealed physical fatigue they didn't think they would have at their current level.

'The division of the city by rank is not just a status division imposed by the sect. Just going down these stairs has cost us so much. What would it be like if we had to climb them?'

Liam looked up, already thinking about what it would be like to climb over 5,000 steps tomorrow to get to the Records Hall.

'Is this to hinder us or to train us?' Liam's eyebrows knitted together, his eyes narrowing as he wondered what the Demon Gate's true intentions were.

"Finally, Street Fifty-Three. This will be the new home for the four of you. We currently have vacancies in dormitories 22, 31, and 44. You can apply for whichever dorm you prefer. These are single room dorms. There are no gender distinctions between them."

Mary looked at Liam out of the corner of her eye before asking. "What is the sect's policy regarding relationships between disciples? Is there any kind of prohibition?"

"No." That was all the main Official answered.

'It would be strange if they saw a problem with it...' Liam smiled subtly.

"You should go to the Library on Street Twenty-Six. There, you can learn all the rules of the sect, among other things. Besides the Library, keep an eye out for the Fighting Arena, the Barter Fair, the Lotus Temple, and the Quest Hall. Some of you will have different responsibilities in the sect, but these are the places of a common need for all disciples.

Is there anything else you're not sure about?"

All five of them confirmed they had no doubts.

"Well, you four are free to make your own explorations." The tallest of the three men, with a husky voiced, said in a slightly different tone, a sign the five novices had not yet heard. "As for you, come with us. Your quarters are on Street Thirty-Seven." He gestured to Liam.

Liam looked at Mary, ignoring Amias, Ajax, and Seth. "We'll meet here at dusk, on the first step of the central staircase. For now, explore the area. I'll follow these two seniors."

"Hmm, be careful. I'll be here later."

Liam saw the gleam in Mary's eyes and knew what was on her mind. "Hmm. You too."