The young man in the green robe personally led the way for Eric and his party.
They passed through the city gate and began a winding, half-mile journey.
Shopfronts were shuttered, and the open windows of the tall buildings stared down at them like the empty eye sockets of the dead. People huddled together, silent, wordlessly stepping aside.
The peddlers along the road mechanically muttered "watch your step" to passersby, as if talking to themselves.
Rats scurried through the gutters and sometimes across the rooftops. Aside from that, all was quiet. The sound of a distant dog barking was like music.
A cart laden with fish shot out from a side street. Startled by the sight of Eric's column, the driver frantically yanked on his old horse's reins. The sudden jerk made the horse let out a pained whinny, nearly overturning the entire cart.
However, as they drew closer, the surroundings grew noisy.
