Rowan couldn't hear what any of the others were saying, taken aback by the scale of the city. From the inside, it had seemed huge, but now looking from the outside, he could appreciate how massive it truly was. Stretching multiple kilometres, as well as over fifty metres high, it was a testament to human survival and ingenuity.
Thomas, Gid and Bea seemed to ignore the monument, accepting it as a normal visual on the horizon.
'How many have they seen this for them to ignore it? Sigh, these guys really do have it good, to be able to enjoy sights like these growing up.'
Getting closer to the city, Rowan could see guards posted outside a giant concrete gate, seemingly unarmed. They appeared laidback, not as watchful as Rowan would have expected guards to be.
They exchanged pleasantries with Thomas, before rapping on the door, an obvious signal to whoever controlled the mechanism behind it. A deep rumbling filled the air, as the door scraped across the ground, leaving the way into the city open, finally.
Rowan was the first to step into the city, as apparently both Gid and Bea knew one of the guards outside. He might've waited out of politeness, but he had been gone from here for too long. He longed for a sleep without the fear of a beast finding him, or, as his stomach reminded him, a meal.
He was about to return to his home in the complex before a guard on the inside stopped him, likely the one who had operated the mechanism. She was obviously an awakened, as all guards were, but it was noticeable from her confident attitude, and the lack of any combat equipment.
"You're a fresh awakened, right? A Knight? You're going to have to stop by the Bureau and get all signed off before you can go anywhere, standard procedure."
At that moment Rowan's stomach grumbled, starving after the stamina he had expended over the last few weeks, combined with a recent lack of food. She chuckled, actual warmth entering her eyes as she noticed his predicament.
"They'll have food there, they always do. Awakeners like us are always hungry, and they know how to keep us happy."
She patted Rowan on his shoulder, causing him to stumble slightly from the force of it.
'Higher-tiered awakened are still so much stronger than me... I'd better join the expedition branch like Gid suggested, so I can get stronger quickly.'
Rowan knew that without power, and without a quick way to get it, it was likely he would end up stagnating at the bottom of the rung for far too long. As he turned from the guard toward where he thought the Bureau might be, Gid and Bea called out to him from behind.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Don't you want to go to the Bureau together?"
Rowan turned to them with a seemingly nervous smile on his face.
"Sorry, I'm just starving after all of that time spent in the wilds. I really need something to eat. I think it's been a couple of days since I last ate."
Gid then immediately pushed past him, quickly followed by Bea. Rowan noticed they had taken off the bandages they had worn on the road here, and the areas underneath seemed completely healed.
'It's likely that the guard they spoke to was a healer of some kind, that's why they were there talking to him.'
Rowan quickly started moving after them, eager to get some proper food, rather than flesh fruits or monster meat. As they jogged up through the streets, Rowan noticed various people would stop and smile at them as they passed.
He assumed they knew that they were recently awakened, their outfits likely telling the whole story. Rowan's in particular was in tatters, various slices and holes covering the breadth of it.
'Those birds really did a number on this, huh... Hopefully, they give clothes as well as food, I think this was one of my best sets.'
If the damage had been superficial, he would have repaired it with a needle and thread, but the large hole in his abdomen was enough to write off the shirt.
Eventually the sprawling building of the Bureau came into view, after that had passed through various streets that Gid and Bea had seemingly memorized. The courtyard was mostly empty, aside from a few people who seemed to be employees at the Bureau, milling about.
Gid and Bea didn't hesitate at the gate, so Rowan had no need to either, and the three of them went straight into the open doors of the Bureau. This time, Rowan did know where to go, and he walked to where the reception desk was.
It had taken him a while to find it when he first arrived, three weeks ago, tucked around a corner as it was. The lady there had a slightly shocked expression for a brief moment, but she seemed to understand the situation rather quickly, as well as recognise Gid.
"Mister Daly! How nice it is to see you. I assume you three are here to register as successful awakened?"
As she spoke, she opened various folders, withdrawing different forms and papers with practised fluidity. Rowan noted that she partially filled Gid's page with information she likely already knew, while Rowan's and Bea's pages were left blank.
"Yes. I think my uncle said he would be coming here to help with the registration process, but he had something to do at the gate."
The receptionist's smile grew rather forced, which Rowan found odd.
'Thomas works for the Bureau, doesn't he? I understand it's for a different branch than the main one, but I didn't expect there to be this much strain between them.'
Either Gid, or Gideon, as the paper on the receptionist's desk read, didn't notice or didn't care about the apparent strain. His smile continued regardless, and turned expectantly when familiar stomps resounded from the courtyard.