Rome

After weeks at sea, they arrived at the Tiber, where they followed the stream of the river.

Rome was even greater than the historical counterpart.

Estates of rich and mighty nobles surrounded the land, dotted on the fields. Servants of all colour and origin lingering around to manage the harvest and serve the powerful.

When they arrived at the actual city however, the streets were packet with buildings crammed as close together as possible.

They were tall for their time, multiple floors high. Held together by Roman concrete and stone shipped here form all across the empire, they were build to house as many people as possible. Every meter of space in Rome was expensive. Only the wealthy could afford to have their own small private house, some decorated by Greek marble.

It gave Vincent the feeling of a modern metropolis, completly different than what he experienced in the small village he was born in.

Citizen wandered the streets transporting wares in and out of the metropolis, some on ox pulled carts others on flat boats stirred along the river. Some boats used neither sails nor rows to move forward, was it magic?

Beautiful tunicas and light clothes stood in stark contrast to the heavy fur Vincent had brought out of the north. Even the normal citicens clothes were coloured with expensive dye.

The city was the center of trade in the entire of europe. No one gave him so much as a glance, there were a lot of foreign men – he could even see a Chinese selling his country's art with fluid latin. Paper walls with immortals and sages drawn atop.

A mage in civilian clothes was intensely haggling with him, not even bothering to hide his aura.

The guard walked with a clear goal in mind, for he knew the city better than most. His heavy sandals touched the paved stones with no sound.

His glittering, attention raising armour did not fit to his quiet and withdraw character. Not a word was spoken as he viewed his surroundings with attention.

Much to Vincent's plight.

He only stopped his fast steps, bordering on a march, when they arrived at a plain four story house.

Lungs heaving with all they got, the young boy stared at what was presumable his brothers residence.

At first glance it looked like the typical apartment, jet he could see that the stone was heavy and blended almost perfect together. The work of magic.

The windows were small and defended, there was only one visible entrance, a heavy black wooden door reinforced with thick iron.

Two statues, the only decoration on the whole building, quietly stared at all that wished to cross it.

One depicted a bar chested muscular men made out of red stone. His face was twisted into a strange grimace – he did not look like a human. His right hand held a staff as a weapon.

The right was far different, it was the image of the classical sphinx out of the Greek mythology.

Both had dim glittering ruby's as eyes, a strange stylistic decision.

Somehow the guards had seen the guests as two soldiers opened the gate.

When Vincent stepped in, he could feel the air stiffen with the presence of powerful magic. This was not a home, it was a fortress.

His guard joined the others, who silently welcomed him.

They walked through a couple of narrow corridors. He could see men scrambling around filling in forms and documents. Nobles commoners and foreigners alike. Many of them filled the space around them with magic, not suppressing their aura in the slightest.

'The complex is a lot bigger than what it seemed on the outside', it hit him as they arrived at a garden surrounded by buildings like walls.

People's laughter and discussions filled the strange space, as they were treading through plants and garden designs from all over the world.

In the middle, stood another house, this time a little smaller, thought not less busy. It was the center of the whole complex. It looked like it wqas made out of a single stone, without any decorations, it appeared almost modern. Vincent could not point to a single region the style could have originated from.

The doors were open and they walked into the house without anyone questioning them. Then, his guard led him up a small flight of stairs up to the very top.

'My brother is probatly working here,I will meet his superior. It was no wonder that such an organisation took him in. It seemed inclusive of different cultures. Maybe I too will be recruited, a bit of support would not be bad.' Thoughts echoed through his mind, as the guard knocked on the tall bronze door.