Civilization Chronicles: Rise of the Divine Creator

Lucas was massaging his temples hard, wondering just how things had deteriorated so rapidly.

After stepping out from the docks in Crystal Lake, Sasha, Allina, Lucas, Eris, and Christina followed their usual pattern of searching for a local guide to take them around the city.

Before they could wander far, however, a boy who looked even younger than Lucas boldly came up to them and asked if they wanted a tour.

The boy, who had disheveled hair and wore somewhat tattered clothes, looked more like a street-urchin or pick-pocket than a reliable guide. However, it was obvious that this young lad had taken the time to at least appear clean and was trying his best to earn an honest living.

Whether it was out of curiosity, or pity, or some other emotion, Lucas’ group decided to hire the young boy, who they soon learned was named Toby, age 10.

When he got the nod of approval, Toby breathed a sigh of relief and flashed a big smile, immediately thanking all the ’pretty big sisters’ and ’handsome big brother’ for hiring him.

The awkward yet somehow also sincere flattery earned Toby a few head-pats and smiles from the women, along with a chuckle from Lucas.

Just as Lucas’ group was about to set out on their guided sight-seeing tour, however, a little blur raced out from a nearby alley and latched onto Toby, nearly bowling him over.

A brief commotion ensued, but soon, the group was off, with Toby’s little sister Mabel, age 7, in tow.

The two children weren’t blood related siblings, but rather orphans who came from the same orphanage, a subtle reminder that even in a city as wealthy and prosperous as Crystal Lake, misfortunate and poverty were still present.

As for why Mabel, who was clearly too young to be working even as a guide, was down by the docks; apparently, she had secretly followed Toby here after sneaking out of the orphanage.

When Tina tried to ask Mabel why she had done something so dangerous, both she and Toby awkwardly tried to change the subject, like they were avoiding talking about something unpleasant.

This, naturally, caught the attention of everyone in Lucas’ group, but they decided not to press the issue for the moment, preferring to get a bit closer to the pair of young children and earn their trust before prying into what was clearly an uncomfortable subject.

The tour itself was fairly uneventful.

Toby, despite being a few months younger than Lucas, clearly Crystal Lake well and was obviously experienced at taking tourists around it.

Even Mabel, as young as she was, seemed street-wise, knowing various different short-cuts and back-alleys that could cut across town to avoid the areas with denser traffic.

Such a performance from a pair of 10 and 7 year old children only raised more suspicions in the minds of Lucas and the others, but they kept that to themselves for now.

Eventually, Toby brought them to a market where a rich aroma of street-food permeated the air. He claimed that the best food in Crystal Lake could be found here, rather than in the fancy restaurants that overcharged customers.

Deciding to just go with what their guide recommended, Lucas’ group bought an assortment of skewers and bowls from the vendors, sampling the local fare.

It was surprisingly tasty; a bit too heavily spiced, but a unique experience none-the-less.

Of course, it wasn’t nearly as revolutionary as the meal they had back in Southbridge, but that wasn’t exactly a fair comparison.

The events in Southbridge had been an anomaly of sorts; one that, thankfully, had not been repeated in any of the other cities Lucas and the others had visited so far.

A few hours passed, filled with strolling, shopping, and general relaxation, until it came time to head to their accommodations for the evening.

Arriving at the Radiant Gem, the most upscale hotel in Crystal Lake, both Toby and Mabel couldn’t help staring in awe.

The two children were young, but they weren’t naïve by any stretch. They knew that anyone who was capable of staying at this hotel was someone who had both wealth and power, people who lived in a very, very different world than them; and that made them a bit nervous.

It was at that moment that, for the first time that day, something completely unexpected happened.

”Lady Crest?” An aged voice called out.

Turning back, Allina spotted a small group led by an elderly-looking man and for a fraction of a second, a frown appeared on her face before she composed herself again.

”Lord Randel,” Allina bowed formally, with a touch of measured indifference in her tone.

”Ho ho ho, so it is you,” the elderly man let out a hearty laugh, a warm, friendly smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes flashing across his face, ”What an unexpected pleasure to meet you here, My Lady.”

Allina’s brow twitched ever so slightly when the old man addressed her as ’My Lady’, but she still maintained a polite but detached stance, ”And to you too, My Lord.”

Sensing the uncomfortable tension in the air, Lucas was about to speak up when Allina quietly signaled to him with her eyes.

Whatever the issue was between her and this Lord Randel, Allina didn’t want anyone interfering.

Respecting his big sister’s decision, Lucas nodded faintly before ushering the rest of his group up the hotel’s stairs and into the lobby, Toby and Mabel included.

Originally, the guides were supposed to receive payment and separate from the group outside the hotel, but given the situation, Lucas and Sasha both felt it would be better for the 2 young children to remain with them for a bit longer.

When they got to the reception desk, Sasha gave her name and was immediately handed the keys to a set of rooms on the second floor.

Sasha was expecting this, having sent someone to the Radiant Gem Inn straight from the ship when they first docked to make this booking, but what she hadn’t anticipated was that a package would be delivered here as well and be waiting for her at the inn’s stables.

Pursing her lips, Sasha was caught in a bit of a bind; she needed to go and see what this package was, but the idea of leaving the kids all alone also didn’t sit right with her.

Lucas, however, quickly assured his aunt that inside the lobby of such a prestigious hotel, and with Tina around and Allina nearby, they wouldn’t be in any danger.

”Alright, just don’t get into any trouble,” Sasha smirked, tapping her little nephew on the head before following a hotel staff member out back.

Lucas figured his Aunt Sasha would only be gone for a few minutes, and that Allina would also be back shortly, so he wasn’t worried about anything happening.

Unfortunately, trouble seemed to have a way of finding Lucas when he least expected it.

Not wanting to stand in the way of the reception desk, Lucas led the rest of the kids over to a waiting area in the lobby where there were chairs, tables, and couches set up for guests to sit down and rest their feet.

There were a few other people already in this waiting area, but there was still plenty of space, so Lucas, Tina, and Eris simply sat down at an open table, feeling perfectly at home in this kind of luxurious environment.

Lucas, with his mature attitude and unusual life experiences, saw nothing wrong with him being here in this expensive hotel lobby.

Eris, for all her tom-boyish antics, was the daughter of a Baron.

And as for Christina... well, she was a princess, a real princess. What more needed to be said?

Toby and Mabel, on the other hand, felt extremely awkward.

Both of them knew about the Radiant Gem Inn as it was quite famous throughout Crystal Lake, but neither of them had ever dreamed they would one day set foot inside of it, much less be invited to sit down in their worn-out, patchwork clothing.

However, under the gentle encouragement of Christina and Eris, the two orphans eventually worked up the courage to take a seat.

Lucas offered them some juice from the complimentary pitcher at the table, but Toby and Mable both vehemently shook their heads to refuse, afraid they might spill something, or worse, break the fancy cup that looked more expensive than they could possibly afford to pay for.

It was a scene that was equal parts adorable and heart-wrenching, and it only reinforced Lucas’ desire to figure out just what kind of situation these two young kids were in, but before he could make another attempt to probe Toby and Mabel for information about their background, a harsh scoff sounded from behind him.

”Hey, you, this is our table,” a voice dripping with arrogance snapped.

”That’s right,” a second voice, this one a little lower-pitched but no less grating chimed in, ”How dare you occupy our three brothers’ seats!? Get out, get out!”

”Ugh, disgusting,” a third voice rang out, one that was laced with disdain, ”You two really want to sit here still? Where these fucking street-rats have sat?”

”Since when does the Radiant Gem allow garbage to sit in its lobby, I swear this place has only declined ever since that old fart took over,” the first voice snickered, ”I guess trash only knows how to get along with trash after all.”