As Kintu crested the final, gentle rise, the forest abruptly gave way, and the town of Heavens Rose burst into view. For a long moment, he simply stopped and stared.
Heavens Rose was nothing like he had expected. He'd envisioned a typical medieval town, perhaps a bit rundown, functional. Instead, what lay before him was a living tapestry of vibrant color and organic beauty. Rose bushes, in brilliant, almost impossibly vivid shades of crimson, sapphire blue, sun kissed yellow, and even a striking, velvety black, didn't just line the paths—they wove through every cobblestone street, climbed every stone wall, and cascaded from every balcony. Arched gates, seemingly carved from ancient wood, bloomed with an explosion of flowers, as though nature itself had claimed the town in a gentle, loving embrace. Petals, soft as silk, drifted through the air on a light breeze, carrying a fragrance that was less of decay and more of life, a sweet, intoxicating perfume.
"Whoa…" he whispered, the sound barely audible above the distant hum of the town.
"You like it?" Lefu's voice, a delighted chime in his head, echoed his awe. "I always thought the red roses were trying too hard, a bit too dramatic for my taste, but the black ones. Oh, Kintu, they're absolutely gorgeous! Like drops of darkness in all that color!"
He took a deep breath, letting the unique scent fill his lungs, and then began his descent towards the town. As he drew closer, the sounds of life grew louder. People bustled about, a vibrant tapestry of activity. Traders yelled jovially over the rumble of their wooden carts, hawking their wares. The rhythmic clang of smiths hammering out sparks from their forges provided a steady beat, while the joyful shouts and laughter of children playing in the dirt filled the gaps. Most of the townsfolk were human, but to Kintu's surprise, more than a few had distinct, non-human features: silky tails twitching behind them, soft, furry ears perched atop their heads, even sharp, glinting claws on their hands. Beast folk? He hadn't seen any until now, but here they moved freely, talking, working, and laughing alongside everyone else, an integrated part of the community.
"It's... lovely," Kintu said, a genuine smile touching his lips.
He made his way through the winding, flower lined streets, guided by charming signs painted with curling vines and etched arrows pointing towards various establishments. Finally, he found it: a towering building of sturdy grey stone and dark, polished wood, standing a little grander than its neighbors. The words "Heavens Rose Adventurers Guild" were etched in gleaming gold above the heavy oak doors, catching the sunlight.
He pushed open one of the doors, which swung inward with a surprisingly light creak, and stepped inside.
The interior was surprisingly cozy, a stark contrast to the imposing exterior. Warm firelight flickered from a large stone hearth in the corner, casting dancing shadows across the polished wooden floor. Quest boards, covered in various handwritten requests and wanted posters, adorned either wall, stretching almost to the high ceiling. Tables, scarred with countless tankard rings and sword nicks, were filled with a diverse array of armored warriors and robed mages, eating hearty meals, drinking frothing ales, or meticulously sharpening their blades. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat, stale ale, and the faint tang of metal.
Then, he saw her.
Behind the long, polished counter, a young woman was meticulously wiping down a mug. She had light brown skin, smooth and unblemished, and a silky, white tail twitched rhythmically behind her, betraying a hint of feline ancestry. Soft, fluffy white cat ears twitched delicately. Her golden, intelligent eyes, sharp as a cat's, locked onto him as she finished her task, then waved him forward with a bright, open smile.
"Welcome to the guild!" she chirped, her voice clear and melodious. "First time registering, adventurer?"
Kintu nodded, a little caught off guard by how… utterly beautiful she was. He hadn't expected such a friendly, almost innocent face to be the gatekeeper to a world of monsters and quests.
"I'm Alexis," she said, her fingers dancing across a glowing crystal pad embedded in the counter. "Let's get you all set up. Name?"
"Kintu Baganda," he replied, his voice a little rougher than he intended.
"Okay, here's your guild card," she said, her movements efficient as she produced a small, intricately designed silver pin with a rose insignia etched into its center. "Wear it proudly. And this," she added, producing a black stone necklace from beneath the counter, its surface smooth and cool, "is a concealment stone. It'll suppress your aura and keep your god hidden. Pretty handy for people who don't want to give up their trump card.
"Thanks," he said, taking the necklace.
"We have three rules here at the Heavens Rose Guild," Alexis continued, holding up three slender fingers. "One: don't ask about someone else's god. It's considered extremely private. Two: don't kill other guild members unless it's in self-defense during a sanctioned duel or a quest gone wrong. Three: complete at least one quest every six months, or we drop you from the registry. We like active members at our guild."
"Got it," Kintu confirmed, nodding. Simple enough.
"Now," she leaned forward conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a low, intriguing whisper, "the best way to make serious money in this city is also the most dangerous."
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"The Dark Dragon's Dungeon," she said, her golden eyes gleaming with a mix of warning and excitement. "It's rumored to be full of high tier loot, ancient relics, and enough gold to make you rich for generations. But at your rank?" She made a swift, dramatic slicing gesture across her neck. "Absolute suicide, but we will not stop you from trying."
Kintu frowned. "What rank am I?"
"F. The lowest," she stated plainly. "You can take quests up to E rank, but nothing higher unless you're in a party with at least one member D or above. It's for your own good, trust me."
"Sounds limiting," he muttered, a touch of impatience in his voice.
"Guild's strict on safety. Well, mostly for paperwork reasons," she admitted with a slight shrug and a wry smile. "But yeah. If you want to move up, you got to start small. Slimes. Herb gathering. Helping old folks find lost goats stuff like that."
"Great. Goats," he muttered, picturing himself chasing a fluffy, horned animal through a field. Not exactly the advent path he'd imagined.
She smiled sympathetically. "It's honest work, Kintu. And it pays."
After thanking Alexis, Kintu made his way out of the bustling guild hall and down the street, looking for lodging. The Silver Petal Inn, with its cozy, inviting look and a sign depicting a blooming silver rose, caught his eye. Inside, a chubby dwarf with a bushy orange beard and a booming laugh greeted him. He rented Kintu a small, clean room for five copper coins a night.
Kintu handed one of his precious gold coins over. The dwarf counted out ninety-five copper coins in change, placing them in a small leather pouch.
In this world, the math was simple, a system he quickly memorized:
1 copper coin was roughly equivalent to one U.S. dollar.
1 silver coin was worth 20 coppers.
1 gold coin was worth 100 coppers (or 5 silver).
1 platinum coin was worth 1,000 coppers (or 10 gold).
1 onyx coin was worth 10,000 coppers (or 10 platinum).
He lay down on the surprisingly soft straw mattress, staring up at the roughhewn wooden ceiling beams. The scent of fresh straw and distant baking bread filled the small room.
"Made it to town," he whispered, a sense of accomplishment settling over him.
Lefu yawned in his mind, a long, drawn out, contented sound. "Yep. Step one complete. Step two: get strong enough to make them all see I'm the best death god in the world. And maybe get some of those black rose petals. They're still a bit much, but I'm coming around."
He smiled, a genuine, tired smile.
"Night, Lefu."
"Night, bestie," she chirped, her presence fading into a soft, comforting hum as he drifted towards sleep.
Kintu woke up the next day to the muffled sounds of the inn stirring to life. Sunlight, thin and pale, filtered through the small, grimy window, painting a weak rectangle on the straw mattress. He stretched, his muscles protesting slightly from the previous day's journey, and then sat up, running a hand through his short, coarse hair. The reality of his situation, and the strange new world he inhabited, settled over him like a damp cloak.
He tried to figure out his first step. Should he meticulously plan his adventuring career, starting with the safest, most mundane quests Alexis had mentioned? Or should he dive headfirst into something more challenging, something that promised faster growth, even if it came with greater risk?
Lefu, ever chipper, seemed to read his thoughts, her voice a bright, insistent melody in his mind. "Oh, Kintu! Let's clear a few levels of the Dark Dragon's Dungeon today! It'll be an adventure!"
He blinked, surprised by her immediate and enthusiastic suggestion. "Wait, already? I just got here. I haven't even had a proper breakfast."
"It's supposedly dangerous," he added cautiously, remembering Alexis's dire warning. The image of her finger slicing across her throat flashed in his mind.
"Don't sweat it, bestie," Lefu said, her voice warm with an almost infuriating confidence. "You'll be fine. You've got me, after all! Trust me."
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's what the villain always says right before sending the hero into a meat grinder, you know." He could practically hear her mental giggle at his cynicism.
Still, despite his reservations, he listened. There was an undeniable pull to her confidence, a strange conviction that perhaps, just perhaps, she knew something he didn't. He rose, splashed some icy water on his face from the basin in the corner, and headed out.
He stopped by a bustling general store, its shelves overflowing with everything from dried herbs to gleaming weaponry. The air inside was a mix of leather, iron, and something vaguely medicinal. Following Lefu's vague but insistent suggestions, he grabbed a durable, canvas backpack, surprisingly light but spacious, and a few small, corked vials of murky green liquid that the shopkeeper assured him were "healing potions though Lefu said it wasn't necessary." He checked his pouch. Fifty copper and two gold coins left.
When he arrived at the imposing, iron barred gates of the Dark Dragon's Dungeon, he wasn't expecting the line. It stretched for what felt like a hundred yards, a diverse collection of adventurers, all waiting patiently, or impatiently, for their turn to enter. They chatted amongst themselves, complained about the wait, or meticulously polished their weapons, their faces a mix of eagerness and grim determination. The air hummed with anticipation and the metallic tang of ambition.
Among the crowd, Kintu's eyes landed on a smaller group being led past the main line, directly towards a separate, smaller gate. They were beast folk, like the ones he'd seen in town, but these wore heavy iron collars and were connected by thick, clanking chains. Their heads were bowed, their movements slow and resigned. One girl in particular caught his eye. She had dark tan skin, long wild black hair, a long black tail, and deep golden eyes that glared defiantly at everything. Her hands were bound behind her, but she held her head high.
Slavery? Could this be slavery? The word, sharp and bitter, formed in his mind. A cold dread seeped into his bones.
Lefu answered, her voice was unusually serious, devoid of its usual cheer. "Yes, Kintu. In this world, beast folk are looked down upon. They are not considered 'blessed.' Only humans get the blessings of gods. Everyone else beast folk, dwarves, elves, and others they're native to the land humans are reborn into. Many high tier gods think that makes them lesser beings. Their followers can be incredibly arrogant. They believe they have a divine right to rule over others."
Kintu's jaw tightened, a muscle clenching painfully. He felt a familiar, searing heat rise within him.
At the front of the chained beast folk group, leading them with an air of absolute authority, stood a man in a robe of blinding white, it had golden lines threading through the fabric like miniature lightning bolts. His presence was palpable, making the very air around him feel tense, electric, almost crackling with suppressed power.
Lefu's tone dropped further, a low, guttural growl in his mind. "Of course it's him. One of Joule's followers. The God of Lightning. We don't get along, Kintu. He's ranked number one, the most powerful and revered god, and I'm dead last. His followers are zealots. Avoid him, Kintu. And his followers. They are not to be trifled with and will not hesitate to kill they are not a part of the guild, so they don't follow its rules."
But Kintu couldn't look away. Slavery had been outlawed in his country, on Earth, for over two centuries. His own people had once been the ones in chains, brutalized and dehumanized. The sight of it now, here, in this fantastical world, stirred something deep within him, a primal rage that threatened to consume his carefully constructed calm.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He wanted to give them freedom. He wanted to shatter those chains, to make the man in the white robe pay. The thought was a burning ember in his chest, a dangerous, reckless desire.
He wasn't sure what he could do right now, but he knew one thing. He wanted to set them free, by any means necessary.