//------------------------------//
// Welcome to Izvaldi 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

The cruise on Wallace's airship lasted until dusk and throughout the night after, making a northeastern course over a patchwork of grassy plains and deciduous forests. Low, leafy groves of trees their host confirmed were fruit orchards passed below, planted with a wild precision that only a land sculpted by an immortal for generations could afford. When the sun rose, glittering off a river that ran back and forth out of the east, Starlight was finally told that they were almost there.

Surrounded by farmland and groves, cobble roads converged on a rise in the land tucked into a bend in the river. Too small to be called a mountain and too large to be a hill, the heart of Izvaldi sat within two rings of wall, both low and lacking gates in their archways and looking like they hadn't been fortified in generations. The hilltop held a circle of buildings three stories tall at most, with dramatic eaves and multiple levels of slanted red rooves, surrounding a grassy central plaza with a proud central fountain and stone trails linking the buildings in a geometrical pattern. One building had a high, reinforced tower, and that was where Wallace approached.

Starlight watched with interest as the ship drew alongside the tower, one wall at the top missing and providing a way inside. Morena marched past, forcing her to scurry out of the way, carrying a portable hoof bridge looking like it was designed for heavy cargo effortlessly on her back, and as Wallace held the ship steady she undid part of the railing and slung the bridge across. For the next few minutes, she worked a snarl of ropes with her hooves and teeth, tying down all four corners of the bridge and ensuring it was moored in place. Wallace flew by, lugging a rope thicker than Starlight's barrel, tying the ship down as well, and before long the work was complete, the ship docked at the tower not an hour after sunrise.

"Well, everything seems to be in order!" Wallace declared. "Morena! Be a dear and accompany our friends so they don't feel abandoned and all alone! I shall seek out Lord Percival and debrief him on our travels!"

"Right," Morena drawled, shuffling on her armored battle cloak and squaring her shoulders. "Hey! You lot ready?"

"I sure am," Maple said from Starlight's side, gazing out over the township. "It looks so rustic and laid-back, like no one's ever in a hurry. It kind of reminds me of home..."

"Sometimes things are exactly what they look like," Morena said, stomping over to the bridge to wait.

Slipstream was present as well, and even Jamjars had shown up, breaking her usual habit of lurking during important events. Soon, Gerardo arrived as well, skidding to a stop on the wooden deck and running a talon through his crest. "My apologies on being late!" he stammered, clearly flustered. "I suppose the excitement got to me, because the previous night I was up far beyond a reasonable-"

"Would you relax, already!?" Morena barked, surprising the griffon into silence. "You're way too high-strung!" Taking a minute to see whether she got through to him, she smiled in satisfaction. "Good job. No one's going to think you're a terrible adventurer for sleeping in. You all here, or what?"

Maple glanced around, craning her neck. "I think we're missing Valey..."

"Coming!" The bat in question loped out from around a corner, limping with all four legs and bobbing her head sharply as she tried to run. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Slipstream and Maple both offered shoulders to lean on, but Valey shrugged them off, continuing to stand on her own. Satisfied that everyone was there, Morena nodded and led the way into the docking tower.

Two propped-open doors and a lengthy switchback staircase later, they emerged into a spacious upper-story lobby connecting several hallways, with plaster walls and a large rug over wooden floor. Ceramic-potted plants decorated the corners, with a large window overlooking the plaza and a table and couches for meetings, lounging and refreshments. Wallace was waiting inside, the room's vaulted ceiling giving him plenty of space to stand at his full height, and by his side was a normal-sized griffon with a gem-studded circlet and tailored black robe ornamented with shoulder guards, a cape and golden lines.

"Travelers from Ironridge," the new griffon greeted, bowing and displaying a dangling crest far longer than any Starlight had ever seen. "Permit me to personally welcome you to Izvaldi! I am Lord Percival, and it is an honor to have you."

"It's nice to be here," Maple replied, giving a hopeful smile. "Wallace invited us, and enough of us really wanted to go..." She shot a not-so-furtive glance at Gerardo.

"So this is the fabled home of Wallace Whitewing!" Gerardo gaped, seemingly missing the fact that Wallace was right there in the room and rushing to the window, then Percival, fervently shaking his talon. "The honor is mine, I assure you! Though I hail from the Empire myself, it is hardly the greatest domain of my travels..."

Percival raised an eyebrow at Wallace, talon still being shaken. "You've made some enthusiastic friends, Wallace."

"Eherm... yes!" Wallace cleared his throat and grinned, patting Gerardo on the head with a wing so hard that the griffon's legs gave out beneath him and he hit the floor. "Master Guillaume here is quite the ardent fan of mine! Hardly something I'm unused to, but he'll have his work cut out for him if he wants to be able to acknowledge his own achievements when I am in the room!"

"Yo," Morena greeted, giving Percival a wave as she strolled off down a hallway, clearly already knowing her way around.

Percival looked up, surveying the rest of the group. "You must be Admiral Valey," he announced, calmness and respectfulness in his tone. "Wallace has told me of your exploits in defending Ironridge. Izvaldi isn't a military state like Stormhoof or Everlaste, but efforts like yours are commendable in the service of any nation. I've instructed my chief of staff to look into remedies to your current condition as a token of gratitude for your efforts to make the world a better place."

"Thanks, I guess?" Valey replied, too disgruntled by the admission she could barely move to manage much enthusiasm.

Stretching, Maple rocked on her hooves. "Well... I'm afraid I don't know much about Izvaldi and am mostly here because it helps my friends, so... what do we do now? Where do we stay, and what kinds of things are there to do?"

"Wallace has already seen to your residence," Percival said, nodding. "You'll be given free river mooring for your ship for as long as you stay, and until it arrives, can retain your quarters on the Sky Goat."

"The what?" Slipstream's jaw dropped, and she blinked. "Did you... I forgot to check, but did you really name your airship that?"

"Morena named it!" Wallace returned, standing proud. "A fine name for a fine ship. Like a goat, there is nothing it cannot swallow!"

"The Sky Goat..." Maple shook her head in amusement. "Heehee..."

Valey chuckled too, and Percival went on. "My schedule is clear for the afternoon, so if you'd like a tour, that can be arranged. As guests of honor, you will be free to roam most wherever you please, with the exception of a few areas that are off-limits in most circumstances. You may have seen the town from above as you flew in, but please, take a look."

Starlight wandered to the window as he indicated it, her friends shuffling in the same direction. Beyond was the courtyard, five buildings arranged in a circle plus the one she was looking from. The fountain in the center showed a pony, a griffon and a batpony splashing and playing together in harmony... Interesting how it was missing a sphinx. Several families were out enjoying the lawn, and the buildings were linked by a system of stone pathways that looked vaguely familiar... She blinked. An equilateral triangle, inset minimally with a hexagon? Wasn't that the symbol of the yak church? She turned to ask, only to have Slipstream beat her to the question.

"The Emblem of the Nine Virtues," Percival replied. "It is. Sculpting part of the capitol's architecture with respect to our greatest foreign nation's beliefs was in accordance with our values in Izvaldi, that all creatures deserve an equal chance at life regardless of their background or origins. Of the provinces, Izvaldi has the highest overall sarosian standard of living... but Wallace should already have told you this."

"Indeed I did!" Wallace boomed. "But it bears repeating: unlike Stormhoof, here you'll have to look for trouble, rather than find trouble looking for you!"

Percival swept a talon at the other buildings, revealing the inside of his robe to be colored a vibrantly contrasting white with red accents. "Presently, we are in the commerce building. Downstairs, you will find market stalls for multinational vendors, with the most varied selection of goods in Izvaldi. The building is built into the hillside, across many levels that cannot be seen from the central plaza, and includes both the air tower and our river dock. It acts as the central point of trade, revenue and commerce for the outlying settlement."

He pointed left, moving counterclockwise in a circle. "From here, we have the theater, stage and auditorium, where my administration frequently hosts events and allows citizens to put on their own. Then there is the school, free, public and open to all who desire an education and the chance to move up in the world beyond farming and craftsponyship. Next is a state-of-the-art hospital, built with the best talent that exists and one of the best medical centers in the Empire. Like this building, it extends deeply underground, allowing for optimal services without damaging the town's aesthetic. Moving on is the ruling house's mansion and residence, which acts as my home as well as quarters for my cleaning and cooking staff. Finally, the administration building, home to the embassy offices of the other eleven provinces, as well as the local Teleportation Guild and Izvaldi's own administrative functions. Please, follow me."