Therelin 16

Two days ago, Therelin had appeared, stranded and disoriented on a mountaintop.  Yesterday, he had seen smoke on the horizon.  Today, he found its source.

The seaside road that he wandered led south-east, according to the rise of the sun, and tried to navigate the winding ridges of the cliff-ridden coast in as clear a manner as possible.  In the afternoon of his second day he saw towers rising over the rocky ridges and scattered trees.  As he neared the settlement, he found a hundred stone towers built up the slope of a mountain and down to the sea.  This was a major port, he decided.  He reached an outer wall that evening, where torches lit a gateway and contributed their smoke to the beacon of civilization that rose to join the clouds. Continue reading Therelin 16

Aralim 116

Aralim woke up with the sunrise and looked out over the rooftops of Rema.  Caidolis had vanished, at last, shrinking as slowly as it had appeared.  Now, only their monthly Moon was visible, setting below the jungles on the horizon.  From West Corid, he could see the river flowing southward, dotted with boats and lined with warehouses, shops, and inns.  He could see the trees lining the wider avenues in the lower part of town, the parks along Iron Way, and the lavish courtyards surrounding the enormous Palace.  He could not see the roofs of the districts on the slopes above him, or across the valley.  Those mansions rose higher and higher up the Yurna foothills. Continue reading Aralim 116

Therelin 15

The wooden chair made a thump as it appeared on the stony ridge.  Therelin stumbled, his grip on Master Nolicrin’s forearm suddenly holding thin air.  The Master had vanished—Wait, I vanished, Therelin realized.  He was outdoors, on a sunny day, on a rocky hillside.  The chair that had come with him tumbled downhill, splintering into pieces.  Therelin’s staff almost followed suit, but he quickly grabbed it. Continue reading Therelin 15

Farek 66

It took most of the afternoon to walk from the harbour village to the walls of Lo Mallago; by the end of the hike, Farek was exhausted.  He had no experience in a climate so arid.  The sun felt hotter, the ground harder, and the wind filled his eyes and mouth with gritty sand.  Out of necessity, the first order of business for Farek’s small troop, was finding shelter and a place to stay. Continue reading Farek 66

Raya 57

Raya’s cough had grown worse over the last few weeks until she had spent the nights tossing and turning, hunching over and clutching her bruising abdomen as her lungs fought against the illness that had infected her.  At last, the guards had sent a healer to her cell—a magician, too.  She awoke the morning after with a groggy mind and a deeply rested body.  Her breath now pulled through her nose pure of the infection and phlegm. Continue reading Raya 57

Renado 64

“I’m not going to buy any,” Renado told the peddler for the third time.  Irritably, Ren stepped away from the stall of displayed silver trinkets, toward the next market stand.  He was on his own, browsing through the merchants as he watched for the grey-robed man to make up his mind about a gold necklace.

“Then stop wasting my time!” called the silver peddler after Ren.  His shout was lost in the hubbub of the Saanazar market—fortunately before it reached the shopping priest—but Ren shot the salesman a dirty glance in retaliation. Continue reading Renado 64

Aralim 115

Aside from a late breakfast with Hayan and Nill—served by the ever hospitable Ko’nagar—Aralim and Miresh had had little chance before the Emperor’s lunch to reminisce their differing years.  They had talked while they walked, but the city was too noisy for an earnest conversation.  As they had approached the Palace grounds once more, Miresh told Aralim she wished they had had more time.

Now, the Aura guided them through the Iron Palace once again.  Aralim, Miresh, and Nilless met Devran, who was being similarly led.  The Eternal Emperor sat cross-legged at a low wooden table adorned with food.  Muria, the Foreign Minister, sat at the left end of the table, while the Emperor’s Blade stood near one of the enormous iron columns nearby. Continue reading Aralim 115

Aralim 114

Something about their arrival to Rema seemed quiet.  It was late morning and the sun shone brightly from a cloudless sky.  In the shadows of Rema’s southern foothill, Captain Yau’s raft finally arrived at the docks of the Numa’nakres capital.  Aralim and his friends didn’t speak as Carrak and Yau pushed them the last few hundred feet.  They simply watched as the city came into sight: nestled between two of the Yurna Mountains predecessors, the tall houses and wealthy shops gave way to the great estates that surrounded the Iron Palace.  Of course, the richest of properties were those built into the sides of the slopes, looking down on Rema as if from the edge of some gargantuan bowl.  The Iron Palace itself seemed smaller to Aralim, somehow, though it was likely just due to the inflation of his memories.  It’s shining metal columns and slightly slanted roof gleamed silvery-white in the radiant sunshine. Continue reading Aralim 114

Farek 65

It took Farek nearly a week to get everything in order.  Lord Thrane had not heard back from his contacts in Lo Mallago yet, so Farek managed to convince the lord to share a few names.  Contrarily, Lord Sha was eager to provide detailed instructions of who Farek should speak with to deliver the details they had learned about Harloss and his “blue hand” guards. Continue reading Farek 65

Renado 63

For the first time in his life, Renado attended a religious service.  It was a sunny, hot day, but the warm gale outdoors was nothing compared to the stifling heat inside the Grey Temple, where one of the Atmos Septi Archpriests addressed an enormous congregation of Saanazar’s commoners.  Renado sat with Ira near the back of the auditorium, barely able to see any details of the sixty-year-old Brethren.  Asar and Kal sat closer to the front, while Urro and another of his men loitered outdoors, sharing a puff of a pipe with some of the holy guards. Continue reading Renado 63