The gates of Colbridge were immense, for long ago it was a major trade centre. As the great swamp to the south expanded, however, it choked off access to the sea, and the city began its slow decline. With its usefulness to the kingdom vastly reduced, it had become a place forgotten and neglected, its population dwindling.
Arnim looked about as he and Nikki entered the once great city, now with its ancient stone walls crumbling and its streets unkempt. The town guard mirrored the neglected city; instead of watching as people came and went, they spent their time in the pursuit of gaming or even sleep, one snoring loudly in the gatehouse.
The road here was uneven, the cobblestones ill-fitted, broken, or simply missing. Arnim chose to walk in the mud beside the street, dirty boots being less
