Beyond the distant mountain ranges, thin clouds like gauzy silk were tinged with pale red. As time passed, sunlight gilded the edges of the emerald peaks. The dazzling sun rose halfway above the mountains, bringing light and warmth, hope and vitality to the broad land.
In Andorhal, most people had only just woken from their sleep, but those who lived in the docks were already beginning their day's work. The workers sweated for meager wages, while merchants loudly hawked their wares. Under the bright morning sun, the whole harbor plunged straight into a bustling frenzy.
The area around the docks was filled with houses built from cheap bricks and stone. These cramped homes were packed tightly together, some wide and some narrow. Unlike those in ordinary residential districts, most were single-story cottages with plain rooftops. Only a few buildings that looked like shops stood out from the rest.
Those distinctive buildings mostly had broad steps and porches, giving them an imposing appearance. Through their wide-open doors, one could see the counters inside and all sorts of wares displayed along the walls—
Weapons and armor forged by Dwarves in Dun Morogh; magical implements from Dalaran, the human kingdom of magic; handicrafts made by the High Elves of Quel'Thalas; and all kinds of strange engineering devices invented by the Gnomes, the Dwarves' neighbors. Nearly every kind of merchandise from the civilized societies of the Eastern Kingdoms could be found here.
But none of these goods from the many races and regions could make the young prince and his attendant stop. Today was Alvin's first day of "freedom" in this town. Though he hadn't slept very well the night before, he had still gotten up early and slipped away with his guards to the busiest part of Andorhal without informing Mayor Martin.
The knowledge Alvin had gained in the royal palace of Lordaeron, along with all he had seen in his daily life, had quietly broadened his horizons. Most of the wares openly displayed in these shops were nothing special and couldn't attract the boy's attention.
The boy went into every shop with its doors open, but no matter how cleverly the shopkeepers pitched their goods, he didn't spend even a single copper. Having lived for so long under the weight of fear and urgency about the future, Alvin now just wanted to forget all his worries and enjoy this easy, peaceful atmosphere.
"Abberton, what do you think of this?"
The boy casually picked up an amulet made from the teeth and bones of a beast. According to the slick-tongued clerk at the counter, a band of mercenaries from Stratholme had taken it from a Troll priest. It was a magical trophy that could bring misfortune upon one's enemies.
Alvin lightly weighed the thing, which looked no better than shoddy workmanship, then turned to the guard whose armor was hidden beneath his robe. The boy's cheeks were flushed with excitement. He looked just like an ordinary child who had been rewarded by an adult with a delicious piece of candy.
The prince's childish behavior caught his guard off guard, but the young man quickly recovered. Not wanting to dampen the prince's rare burst of enthusiasm, he forced a stiff smile and quietly suggested, "I think you could take it back and ask your teacher to have a look at this curious little trinket."
Though Abberton hadn't openly objected, Alvin knew he was hinting that Archbishop Faol didn't care for strange and unusual things. The boy shrugged and put on a regretful expression.
"All right. I suppose I should think it over a little longer."
With that, Alvin set down the Troll amulet, gave the shopkeeper—who had been eagerly hoping to fleece a wealthy customer—a shy smile, and hurried out of the shop under the man's conflicted gaze.
Though he had lived two lives, the boy had spent all his time improving his abilities and studying. He had never developed a thick skin when it came to dealing with people. So he chose to walk away quickly, escaping the awkward atmosphere.
The spring sunshine felt warm on his skin, and the streets, which had seemed rather empty, were slowly filling with people. In small groups, ordinary residents stood by the roadside stalls and haggled with the vendors. Amid this peaceful, everyday scene, Alvin walked with his head down for several minutes before running into a serious problem: he was lost!
Well, this was his first time out for a stroll, and Andorhal was a strange town he had never seen before. With the crowds surging and jostling in the streets, getting lost was only natural.
Once he'd thought it through, Alvin stole a glance at Abberton, who had been following behind him the whole time, and breathed a sigh of relief. He had no intention of asking his guard for help. As long as he could stay safe, facing the unknown beyond the next street corner seemed like a fine way to pass the time.
Besides, he had faintly heard a shrill cry from outside. The voice, so different from an ordinary person's, had piqued his curiosity. Could it be a creature he had never seen before?
Perhaps by coincidence, after the boy and his guard turned the next corner, he really did encounter a group of creatures he had never seen before—
A creature shorter than himself, with deep green skin, pointed ears, and a long nose, was waving a long whip and shouting at the crowd gathered along the street in a shrill voice.
Behind it stood a group of monsters, bound tightly from head to toe. They looked ferocious, with their necks thrust forward, mouths full of sharp teeth, and eyes glowing blood-red. But on closer inspection, the monsters were all terribly thin—menacing in appearance but weak in reality.
Yes, the monsters looked to be in poor condition. Perhaps they had been deprived of food and rest. Most sat on the ground back-to-back, looking listless. Several conspicuous marks remained on many of them: scars left by a specially made whip.
At a glance, the boy could tell that the green-skinned fellow who looked like a bad sort was a Goblin. It looked just like the green Goblins in the games: the same short stature, the same pointy nose, the same ugliness!
As for the wolfhound-like beasts behind the Goblin merchant, Alvin wasn't so sure. Judging by what he knew and the descriptions he had read in books, they should be Gnolls. But he had never seen one in person. More importantly, these creatures looked far too scrawny to be the strong Gnolls described in the books.
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