[Story] The fisherman's son (based on my Solar campaign)

[Ekorren]

This story tells the chronicle of my first Exalted character. This is for entertainment purposes only. Keep in mind that English is not my native tongue. The grammar may be off and you might think its poorly written, but I hope you will find something compelling about the story nonetheless. Here it is:


Table of Contents


Prologue


First Arc: Marching with the Dragon


Chapter 1: The boy from the fishing village


Chapter 2: The nameless figure


Chapter 3: The Tome of the Makers


Chapter 4: The boy from the fishing village II


Chapter 5: Coral Snake


Chapter 6: Infiltration


Chapter 7: The boy from the fishing village III


Chapter 8: In the dragon's belly


Chapter 9: Forbidden love


Chapter 10: The boy from the fishing village IV


Chapter 11: Anathema


Chapter 12: You can't fool the Dragon-Blooded


Chapter 13: The boy from the fishing village V


Chapter 14: Two men enter, one man leaves


Chapter 15: An invitation to Kal Bax


Chapter 16: The boy from the fishing village VI


Chapter 17: The phoenix


Second Arc: Unlocking the Cursed City


Chapter 18: Glorious Horizon


Chapter 19: The boy from the fishing village VII


Chapter 20: Children of the Moon


Chapter 21: A city cursed and forgotten


Chapter 22: The boy from the fishing village VIII


Chapter 23: An unwelcoming presence


Chapter 24: From one cruel curse to another


Chapter 25: The boy from the fishing village IX


Chapter 26: Breaking the miasma


Chapter 27: Ancient wonders


Chapter 28: The boy from the fishing village X


Chapter 29: In the daimyo's shoes


Chapter 30: The armory


Chapter 31: The boy from the fishing village XI


Chapter 32: Warmth within a frozen heart


Chapter 33: The central mind unit


Chapter 34: The boy from the fishing village XII


Chapter 35: Manovan of the Sea


Third Arc: Founding the City of Dreams


Chapter 36: The screaming box


Chapter 37: The boy from the fishing village XIII


Chapter 38: Soaring through the sky


Chapter 39: Heroes


Chapter 40: The boy from the fishing village XIV


Chapter 41: City of Dreams


Chapter 42: The God of the City


Chapter 43: The boy from the fishing village XV


Chapter 44: Founding a city


Chapter 45: Calling Lookshy


Chapter 46: The boy from the fishing village XVI


Prologue


Who would have thought that a young boy from a fishing village would live to see this sight? the hero asked himself as he gazed out from his balcony. Tens of thousands of hopeful faces looked up at him and cheered. He raised his hand in a silencing gesture. His fingers were embraced by rings of golden orichalcum and colorful jade. One ring stood out the most; it glittered as heavenly silver and gave a faint glow as the man felt a hand on his shoulder.


Someone kissed his cheek. It was a beautiful woman with long, red hair and radiant nut-brown eyes. One long lock was in glittering silver. Under her silken dress glowed tribal tattoos curving over her delicate yet muscled body. She was his wife. They were destined to be together.


The cheers of the people silenced and they waited for their king to speak. He embraced his wife while looking over his people. The embroidery of his silken robes shimmered in orichalcum and ancient old realm runes coruscated as the man channeled Essence from within. From his and his wife's foreheads shined circles. His was like golden sunlight and her like the silvery moon. The people cheered as they saw the marks on their royalties' foreheads.


The hero spoke: “You people are my slaves! Now, go and die in my war!â€


A man woke up with a scream. He sat up in his bed, covering his sweaty skin only by silken sheets. The spot next to him was empty. His wife was hundreds of miles away, fighting the unending chaos that is the Wyld. He felt alone and unnerved. Outside his palace were thousands of people who loved him. Why did he have this dream? How had it come to this?

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 1: The boy from the fishing village


“Give it back, Amirâ€, the young boy cried as he tried to reach for what his brother had stolen.


“Boys shouldn't play with dolls, little brotherâ€, Amir laughed and pushed his brother to the soft, dry grass while holding the doll in the air where he couldn't reach it.


The fall didn't hurt but the young boy cried nonetheless. It was his fifth birthday and he had been given a doll by his older sister Lira, who was seven. The boy loved it. Not because it was a doll, but because it was a gift from a sister he admired. Amir, the oldest brother, took every opportunity to bully him for it. He bullied him for being weak and for looking more like a girl than a boy. He was twice the age and ten times the strength. He was a lionhearted warrior in a ten year old's form with a raven-black crew cut over a firm chestnut-shaded face framing in two resolute, livid eyes.


The young boy pleaded to his mother whom he could see through an open window to their cramped house of wood and alabaster clay. It had a layer of palm leaves covering the wooden roof from the strong summer monsoons with its heavy rain. Even though they all had to share the same space, it was sufficient for the five of them. The mother was leaning out through the window with her arms crossed on the wooden frame and her curly, dark hair dancing with the mild breezes of this clear spring day. Her charcoal eyes stared intently at her oldest son.


“You're ten years old, Amirâ€, she said. “You should be good to your little brother.â€


Amir said nothing but his disappointment could be seen as he suddenly lost his smile. He tossed the doll over to his sobbing sibling, gave him a sly, condescending smirk and then ran off to the swing-set their father had built only weeks ago. The boy embraced the doll with his fragile arms and looked at it for a moment. It was made of stuffed bag-cloth and had threads of yarn for hair and two wooden buttons for eyes. He wept silently as he tossed it a few yards into the ocean. His brother was right. He couldn't play with dolls. He was a boy.


Lira came running out from the house. “Did you throw it away?†she cried. “Manovan, you idiot!â€


Manovan took a bold stance before his sister and tried a fake laugh, still with teary eyes. “A boy can't play with dolls!†he lied and ran to the swing-set to join the brother that had been mocking him only moments ago. Amir smirked proudly as Manovan came up to him at the swing-set and forced a more valiant posture. Now it was Lira who wept. But that was okay. She was a girl after all.


Joy filled the family when the father's fishing boat approached the bridge. The boat was a slim wooden jangada with a triangular, white sail. The father used to either sail it alone or together with a friend of the family. This time he had been out alone. The beaches were sunny but a thick mist could be seen far out the sea. Amir had often tried to scare Manovan by telling him that it was the spirits of the ocean that tried to cover the sight of fishermen so that they could be devoured by the sea. Manovan believed in the stories and his heart beat faster every time his father was out fishing in that weather. He didn't want to lose him to an evil spirit.


But this time he was back safely. Amir and Lira hurried to the bridge to see their father's daily catch. Most of it would be sold in the village and both Manovan and Amir would get to help at the market. They always got the biggest fish for lunch and watching what Manovan could see of the fish on the approaching boat, it seemed that today's biggest was a fifteen pound swordfish that was nailed to the mast. There would be enough food to last for supper, both for today and tomorrow.


The father tossed a rope over to Amir who tied the boat to a pole on their crooked bridge. Manovan kept thinking about the doll who floated around in the water below them. He regretted that he had tossed it in. He sat on the swing-set, watching out over the bridge but didn't go to greet his father. Lira had stopped crying and Amir laughed with excitement as their father showed his daily catch.


The mist seemed to get thicker but Manovan swore that he could see something moving out there at sea. It looked like the spears of an army, pointing up to the sky. As they approached, he noticed they were masts of great dynastic galleys. Their grandiose crimson sails carried imperial crests in black and gold.


“Daddy, look!†Lira said and pointed to the approaching ships.


Their father looked at the ships, gave his daughter a pat on her head and told his kids to go back to the house. He turned to greet the visitors at his bridge. All but one ship seemed to slow down before reaching the shore.


Manovan didn't move. He wanted to see the Dragon-Blooded. He had only heard about them from his father. They were said to be gods in human form and they ruled over Creation from the great Imperial Island. You could almost see the Imperial Island from the village on a clear summer day. At least the high Imperial Mountain that reached higher than any other mountain in the world.


One galley approached the bridge and Manovan watched his father step back to let it dock. A rope was tossed to him by a man clad in metal plates and he tied it to a pole. A handful of metal-clad soldiers, armed with exceptional straight swords and round crimson shields, jumped onto the bridge, followed by a tall man clad in a full-body armor of black jade. He wielded a grand daiklave of the same obsidian-colored material on his back. The man had pale, olive skin and long, ebon hair. His slightly oblique eyes were as deep blue as the ocean itself on a clear spring day. His high cheek bones, sharp nose and trimmed eyebrows showed the face of a man who was clearly older and wiser than what he seemed to a mere mortal like Manovan and his father. It was obvious to them both that this man was Dragon-Blooded.


“Welcome to Sakana Village, best dynastâ€, Manovan's father said. He avoided eye contact and kept his head low. “I am Doran of the Sea. How can I be of service?â€


Manovan stopped the swing and sneaked up to the corner of the house so that he could hear the conversation more clearly. His father used big words and he didn't understand all of them. But he did understand that they were important.


The man in jade said something in a language Manovan couldn't understand. His voice was deep but the words were fluent and poetic. It was a beautiful language. Not even Doran seemed to understand the language and looked at one of the armed soldiers who translated into the language Doran self had used; riverspeak.


“He says: 'My name is Wakde, Dragonlord of the Peleps family. You will be of service by acting obediently.'â€


Doran looked confused and Manovan wondered if his father understood as few of the words as he did. What was a Dragonlord? And what did “obediently†mean?


“Of course, my lordâ€, Doran stuttered.


The Dragon-Blooded raised his head and looked down on the fisherman with eyes showing nothing more than contempt. Manovan noticed a grin on Wakde's face as he said something in that remarkable foreign language. The soldier gave his lord a quick, surprised glance and then translated to riverspeak: “You will convince the villagers to give us enough food to feed our whole dragon. You will provide young men and women for our soldiers and you will do so without questions. When all the soldiers in our dragon have been fed and satisfied, all healthy men, women, boys and girls in this village shall happily board our ships and serve the Peleps family as their slaves.â€


“What!?†Doran called out with a heartbroken cry. Manovan bit his lip in surprise of his father's outburst. He wished he could understand. “This must be some sick joke! We can barely feed ourselves! And slaves!?â€


The Dragonlord tilted his head and looked at Doran with an amused grin on his olive-pale face. He slowly moved his hand to the great sword on his back. Doran hobbled back a step but was stopped by one swift motion where the Dragonlord had drawn and cut faster than the eyes could see. Doran stood idly before the Dragonlord, surprised and confused by what had happened. He didn't look to be in any pain but blood begun to slowly run down his neck.


“I told you not to question meâ€, the dynast said in fluent riverspeak and sheeted his sword on his back.


Doran's head dropped from his body and landed on the bridge with a faint thump before it rolled into the water. Manovan watched his father's severed head sink next to the doll which aimlessly floated around along the surface of the water. The doll's button eyes didn't have a care in the world.


Dragonlord Wakde of the Peleps family approached the house with more and more soldiers leaving the ship and following him ashore. Behind them docked more ships and others had released boats carrying soldiers ashore. A Dragon-Blooded man with a similar armor to the Dragonlord but in red jade hurried towards the shore by running atop the surface of the water as if it was solid ground. He nodded to the Dragonlord and Manovan noticed that the man had hair that seemed to emanate the heat of orange flames.


“Winglord Rondoâ€, the Dragonlord said. “Try not to kill too many children this time.â€


“Yes, my lordâ€, the other Dragon-Blooded said with a smirk. A faint red glow emanated from his body and he drew his grand daiklave from his back. It too was similar to the Dragonlord's but it was fiery red instead of black.


Manovan heard his mother's scream and saw her and his siblings leave the house and flee uphill, towards the village. The soldiers came closer and closer and Manovan knew that if he ran after them, they would see him as well. His wisest move would be to hide until he could safely reunite with his family.


He noticed the root cellar next to him behind the house. It was dark and there were many places to hide. He ran up to it and opened its doors when he noticed his mother ascending the hill a few yards away. She stopped for a second to make sure that Amir and Lira were keeping up with the pace and first then noticed her youngest son standing at the root cellar. She widened her tearful eyes in desperation and pleaded silently for his safety.


Suddenly, an arrow pierced her left temple and she fell lifeless to the ground. Manovan cried out in shock and lost his grip of the door. He fell down the stairs into the root cellar with the door slamming shut behind him. He could hear the faint echoes of his siblings' cries. Tears and snot were filling up his throat and he had a hard time breathing. He gasped for air and crawled up the stairs to see if Amir and Lira were still alive. He stopped when he heard sounds on the other side of the door. Men were talking in a language he didn't understand. Had they seen him fall in or heard the doors slam shut?


He ran deeper into the root cellar to hide. He opened the lid of a barrel filled with dirt and dug himself down into it. He could hear the door open and boots clapping against the stairs. He buried both his body and his head in the cold dirt and closed the lid on top. He could barely breath within his hiding-place, but he knew he had to wait until the soldiers left. He heard them searching through the root cellar. He heard them open up the lid to the barrel he hid in and dig around in the dirt that covered him. Luckily, they never felt him in there.


It felt like forever but eventually the sounds faded away. He crawled out of the barrel, shivering from the coldness of the dirt. He didn't know how long he had remained hidden but the freezing dirt and the lack of air had made him balance on the edge to the world beyond. Luckily there had been an air pocket in which he could breath, but his head was pounding like a frightened heart. Maybe ten hours had passed. Probably more.


When he opened up the door to the root cellar, he could hear the crisping sound of burning wood. Above him was a sunless sky with thousands of stars watching over him. He pleaded to them for help but they didn't listen. His house was on fire and even though all of this was frightening, the warmth from the fire embraced him like a comforting mother's arms.


“Mother?†There were no soldiers around, though silhouettes of the ships could still be seen from the shore. He ran to the hill where his mother had fallen and saw her cold, lifeless body lie there with dusky, dead eyes wide open. The arrow had been removed from her head but the body was left to rot.


He sobbed quietly. He was a boy. He wouldn't cry. He looked around himself but saw nothing more than grass, blood, sand and flames. “Amir!? Lira!?†There was no answer. He ran around the yard, almost all the way from the shore to the village, looking for his siblings. There were lights and sounds coming from the village. Soldiers must be there.


He returned to his burning house and saw his father lying on the bridge with his head severed. Manovan couldn't leave his parents like this. He jumped from the bridge into the cold water and searched with his hands and feet for his father's head along the sandy bottom. But he was afraid to find it.


When he next ascended the beach, he carried his father's head in his arms. He refused to look at it and he tried to ignore how it felt on his bare skin. The skin had gone mushy and reminded him of a jellyfish. Without looking at it, he tried to force himself into thinking that he carried a jellyfish instead of a severed head. He placed the head next to his burning home and then returned to the bridge to get the rest of his father. The body was heavy but he refused to give up. He held his father's arms and dragged him up towards the house, trying not to look at the wound from the severed neck. But it was difficult to look away. When he was done, he wiped the sweat off his forehead and went to get his mother.


He had to push them to get them into the flames and they burned his body as he got close. When he had finally managed to push his parents' bodies into their burning home, he sat down next to the house and watched the flames.


The man's name was Peleps Wakde. He would remember that.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 2: The nameless figure


A dark figure watched over the town of Yuro from atop an overlooking hill. Its black woolen robes were soggy from the heavy rain that showered the thick jungles from the ominous thunderclouds above. Under the woolen robes hid a man with skin as dark as the thick, unwelcoming mud that soiled his boots and he had intense charcoal eyes with a slight epicanthic fold. His eyes were darkened even further with black makeup and he shaded his face with the outer robe's hood and an ebon mask that was an extension of his cotton shirt's collar. Already covered in water and mud, the thunderclouds above could hardly fret him.


He looked down upon Yuro, impressed by the massive tree surrounding the town like a protective wall. What could grow such a thing? And what could have cut off its crown as all that remained was a great hollow trunk? The surrounding jungles looked like moss in comparison. He had witnessed amazing things in his barely nineteen years in this world but this was the first time he had ever laid his eyes on something as remarkable as this. And yet this wasn't the most bewildering aspect about the town within. What amazed him even more was that none of the showering rain seemed to actually hit the town itself. Water splashed on what seemed to be an invisible dome, shielding the town from the hostile weather. Whatever magic protected this city, it was beyond his understanding.


As the man gazed upon the breathtaking sight, a coral snake with stripes in red, yellow and black crawled down his leg and rested for a moment on his muddy leather boot. Its dusky eyes looked intently on a mouse that was trapped in the mud. The snake slowly opened its strong jaws and bit its syringe teeth into the mouse's neck. The man gave it a short leer as he noticed the mouse's faint shriek.


“Always so cruel, Dawnâ€, the man said to the snake as he watched it devour the dying mouse. His voice had a pitch of clear feminine smoothness hiding a manly depth. “Are you going to make me spend another day cleaning mud from your scales?â€


The man felt his stomach growl and gave the town a second gaze. He knew he ought to keep moving so that he could reach Yuro before the sun had fully set. Crimson rays pierced the livid thunderclouds and illuminated the jungles like the sun had bled out the time of dusk. He could feel the tame serpent crawl back up along his leg, leaving half of the mouse to rot in the mud.


He walked. He forced his feet out of the squishy mud with each step and ignored the echoing thunders and the dazzling flashes of distant lightning. As he approached the town, all he could see from outside its walls were guards watching the entrance and patrolling the top of the giant trunk. They were dressed in rugged leather harnesses, sheeted hooked swords and round metal caps. They held long spears or halberds in tight fists and had short wooden bows strapped on their backs.


Reaching above the bark-walls were a few tall towers in smooth, white stone which reflected the crimson rays with their polished facades. Some of them had open balconies, others had not. The towers themselves weren't wet from the rain as they were protected by the invisible barrier.


Is it caused by the city's spirit or by … something else? the young man asked himself as he watched how the rain carelessly ran down the barrier's sides. The path under his feet widened as he closed in and its mud felt more solid.


As he approached the open tunnel leading through the massive wood, two guards gave him tired looks. They were standing just below the shaded tunnel ceiling so that not to be drenched by the heavy rain. Though the rattling echoes alone seemed to be enough to drain their spirits. “Welcome to Yuroâ€, one of them said in forest-tongue, the local language, without caring to give eye contact to the dark visitor.


“Thanksâ€, he muttered in the same tongue as they and walked a few steps into the tunnel leading through the wooden wall. He looked up on the shaded ceiling and noticed massive rings in the wood indicating that the trunk was from ancient times. He turned to the guard who had welcomed him. “Do you know where I can find a tavern?â€


“Just follow the roadâ€, the guard responded with a tired mumble. “There are plenty of them there.â€


He continued along the tunnel until he entered the inner town. He knew he was outside but not a single drop of rain touched his stained robes. He gazed upon the sky and witnessed the heavy rain being blocked from reaching the ground. The water running down the surface of the invisible dome felt like a transparent liquid ceiling above his head. It didn't seem like he was outside even though he felt breezes touch his skin. The rain could be smelled but it couldn't be touched. He noticed that the ground under his feet was like dry desert sand, stepped solid by thousands of boots who were walking here every day.


It's like a dry oasis in the middle of the rainforest, he thought and moved some of the sand aside with his muddy boot.


The street was crowded with people. The last crimson rays faded away and the crowded row was illuminated by torches on poles. Most of the people he could see were either drunk, homeless or visiting the market stalls that still seemed busy at this hour. The most common garment people wore was a white linen tunic tied around the waist with a rope or a leather belt. Unfortunately to some, they couldn't even afford to wear that.


His stomach growled again. He had used up the last of his money buying traveling gear and provisions for this final trip that had made him travel through the jungles for almost two weeks without encountering a single village or person. He didn't know what had caused him to travel all the way to Yuro. The mere rumor that the town existed had been enough to lure him here. And it was far enough into the jungles of the Scavenger Lands to make him feel safe. However, traveling the jungles hadn't been easy without much experience in the wilderness. He had cooked what he knew he could eat and avoided everything he had never seen before. There were plenty of animals, berries and fruits that he had passed up just to be sure he didn't eat something poisonous. And how it sometimes could be difficult to find water in something called a rainforest was remarkable in itself.


But he had other talents. He was certain that he could move freely along this road while pick-pocketing people along the way. He was sure that no one would notice him and, if he was lucky, it would give him enough money for both a good meal and a comfortable bed for the night. He moved easily along the street, not even glancing at people as he reached inside their pockets to dig out bits and dinars. He even managed to spot one thug who tried to reach for his own pockets, but broke the amateur's fingers as a gesture for him to have better luck on another day. When the thief cried out in agony, the man had already moved a few yards away.


He noticed the first tavern from the many effulgent lights hidden within colored paper balls that overlooked a crowded terrace. Illuminated by the lights was an elegantly carved wooden sign saying “Crimson-Bear Tavern†in forest-tongue. There were people enjoying cool beverages on the terrace outside while listening to the distant thunders, but the nameless man had longed for a ceiling above his head. He walked into Crimson-Bear Tavern and looked for a free table.


It was not as crowded inside as it was on the terrace and the man shortly found himself to a table next to two interesting men. One of them looked rugged with a considerable, though ill-kept, maroon-shaded beard and long hair sharing the same color. His eyes were like two dim emeralds framed in and shaded by a weather-beaten, tawny face. The man was dressed in stained, dusky leather and thick viridian wool, like a ranger living in the jungles. The other man looked more like a young teenager than a man and was much to the bearded one's opposite. He was short and had skin as pale as alabaster with a sooty haircut which sprawled into thick tangles. The boy had an over-sized, pointy beak of a nose. The only thing compelling about his appearance was his formal, violet linen robe with golden tribal embroidery.


The dark man removed his backpack and placed it next to his chair. As he sat down, he removed the hood from his head and pulled down the ebon mask covering his nose and mouth. His raven-black hair was worn in three linear knots but was clearly long enough to reach his shoulder-blades if the knots were untied. Around his forehead was a bandana of the same color as his hair. The bandana and the black makeup he had used on his eye-lines were of practical use more than of fashionable. They helped darkening his face even further. Even though the man had walked for weeks through the jungles, his coffee-shaded skin was very clean and smooth, like if he had never even had an indication of a beard. His high cheekbones and the curve of his shapely lips gave him an androgynous appearance.


A young waitress with curly, dark hair and round, chestnut eyes came up to the man and handed him a menu. He looked it over briefly and then asked for a grilled chicken as he gave the waitress a friendly smile. She blushed a little by his smile and answered with one of her own. The man also ordered some cheap red wine and a pitcher of water. The girl nodded, scribbled down the order on a piece of parchment and then disappeared into the kitchen. The man leaned back in his chair and took a deep sigh, finally realizing that he could relax from the dark jungles and its unwelcoming atmosphere of ominous rain and vicious beasts. He had a ceiling over his head and, soon enough, he would have a warm meal to still the growling beast within his stomach.


“Countless artifacts, you say?†he heard the rugged man with the beard whisper to his peculiar friend. “And all we have to do is get some book?â€


The dark traveler raised his eyebrows and listened intently at the men behind him. Had he heard the man mention artifacts? Such items were quite valuable when offered to the right people.


“Yes, I've, um, been talking it over with Terfal and Lormi already, but, well, there's one thing that bothers meâ€, the teenager with the nose said with a stuttering, but interesting, voice. “This book, um, is … well, it's in the palace. And I already told, um, the employers ... that I had it.â€


The bearded man leaned back in his chair. “Well, count me out then, Cypher. I won't break into the palace.â€


“Well, um, I thought you'd say thatâ€, Cypher whispered in his interesting, yet somehow annoying, pitch of faintly shrieking stutter. “How about a jade mina for the job? No, let's make it two.â€


The dark man almost recoiled in his chair. A jade mina was much more than most people got from a year's work. A mina was a small brick consisting of two shekel which in their turn consisted of eight obols each. A quarter of an obol was called a bit and was the currency most people traded with. Was this man really willing to give up two minae for some book? Many would sell their children for much less than that.


“Still no, my friend. I'm not interested in money and you know it.â€


Not interested in money? Was the man crazy?


“But I, um, I am your friend, right, am I not?â€


“Of course you are. But it's the palace. It's the death penalty.â€


“But, um, Crystal ... you do want to find the artifacts, don't you?â€


The man sighed. “Let's think this over first, Cypher. We must be careful.â€


The waitress eventually came with the grilled chicken and the young man ate with great appetite. It was his first real meal in two weeks. He thought he would have reached a village or town much sooner than it had taken him to come to Yuro. He never wanted to go through a jungle again. He was starving. While eating his food the man still kept his interest in both of the men, though he was mostly interested in that teenager with the weird nose. He who was called Cypher. If he was willing to pay two minae for a theft job, then he must either be very resourceful or be after a book with even greater value.


After he had finished his meal, he waited for the two men to say their good byes. He then left enough money to pay for the food and followed Cypher into the dark streets of Yuro. People were still roaming the market row but as soon as he left the main lane, he also left the loud crowd. The man realized that Cypher walked carelessly as he looked at his own feet instead of on the shadows surrounding him, even though he was formally dressed and therefore an obvious target for thugs.


Cypher eventually reached his home which, to the dark visitor's surprise, was one of the city's seven great towers with its polished stone. The tower itself looked like a tall chimney with neither windows nor balconies until the very top where the balcony missed a railing. The hooded man had seen similar towers before in his life and knew that those balconies were built to dock flying vehicles. However, who had such vehicles this far from the military state of Lookshy or the great Realm? He watched the man while cloaked by the concealing shadows and he didn't move until Cypher had unlocked the door, entered his home and then locked the door behind him. Since the door seemed to be the only entrance, he had to make sure he broke in unnoticed and with the tower's inhabitant unprepared. He would let the boy settle in at home and find focus elsewhere.


He let a few minutes pass and waited until the last few people disappeared from the streets around the tower. It was pitch-black with the exception of a few lit torches in the alleys and the little sound he could possibly make would be muted by the rattling rain and the cacophony of voices and activity coming from the main row.


When he felt the time was right, he approached the tower's locked door. He watched over his shoulders to make sure he was alone and then reached in one of his bags for a lock-pick. He put the thin metal pick into the lock and quietly tried to unlock the door. It was an old, rusty lock. They could be unreliable. Eventually, he heard a click. But the click didn't come from the lock. It was the lock-pick itself that had broken inside. Removing the piece of metal was a job for a locksmith. He had to think of something else.


Damn, I'm becoming as rusty as the lock, he quietly cursed himself. Larceny may have been his expertise, but there hadn't been much time for lock-picking while walking through the thick eastern jungles for weeks.


He sighed and then placed two fingertips on top of the lock. Golden light blazed shortly with the touch and he could hear the rusty lock click. He slowly turned the door-handle and lurked quietly into the tower, closing the door behind himself.


It was a messy place. Strange tools and clockwork were spread along tables, shelves and the oil-stained wooden floor. It was very dark and gloomy inside the tower, but a faint light coming from a room further in illuminated the rest of the first floor. This was obviously more than a home. It was a shop of some sorts. This Cypher seemed to be some kind of engineer or collector. The man assumed that the room from where the light came was the bedroom while he was standing in the shop and living quarters as there were both moderately comfortable sofas and heavily worn craftsman desks. Another open portal seemed to lead into what looked like a small kitchen.


He heard a humming coming from the lit-up bedroom and he slowly walked towards it, careful not to step on some strange tool. When he approached the open door, he could see Cypher sitting at a messy desk, toying with some sort of spherical artifact in a golden material. The orb seemed to reflect much of a candle's light and the man could tell that the material itself was magical. It was a material he knew very well. He thought about the weapon he had hidden in his dark backpack. Yes, it gave the same golden reflection when its surface was touched by rays of light. That orb could very well be the most valuable thing in this entire city, except for the remarkable city itself.


He silently walked up behind Cypher, wondering whether or not he should have just knocked on the door instead of breaking in. He was here planning to rob the man after all. But now he wanted to know more about him. He had awakened a slight sense of curiosity about what kind of person chose to live in a messy place like this, surrounded by invaluable artifacts. As he came up behind Cypher, his movement created a breeze which made the candle-light flicker. Cypher turned around and screamed when their eyes met. The young teenager reflexively did some clumsy martial art moves with his hands and legs trying to hit the nameless figure standing in his bedroom.


The martial art moves were clumsy but not poor and it was obvious that he had some years of experience. However, Cypher was not the only one knowing martial arts and the dark figure was confident that his skills surpassed the boy's. He evaded every single punch without even moving his feet. Eventually, Cypher's panic toned down and he hobbled back until he fell with his bottom to the desk and tried to hide the golden sphere behind his back. He held is arms in a protective guard before himself.


“Who are you? What do you want?â€


The man grinned but his face was once again hidden under the black woolen mask. All that Cypher could see were his dark eyes. “Nice moves, Cypher.â€


“You know my name? Who are you?â€


He leaned forward and looked Cypher into his eyes to intimidate him. “Tell me about that book.â€


“What book?â€


“The one in the palaceâ€, the man said. “The one your friend didn't want to steal for you.â€


“Um, you must have heard wrongâ€, Cypher stuttered with his bloodshot eyes wide open.


“You're lying to me, Cypherâ€, the man said. “Don't get me wrong here. I apologize for this little intrusion but I'm here to help. I want to steal that book for you.â€


Cypher raised his eyebrows. “Um, you're not very convincing.â€


“I decided to show you a little of what I'm capable of, hence this little break-inâ€, he continued. He had wanted to rob him at first but if the man was resourceful then maybe it could be wise to stick around for some time to see exactly how resourceful he was. “I should be able to handle a palace as well.â€


“Eh?â€


“I just want to know if those two minae are still on the table?â€


Cypher seemed to think for a moment. If he could think in a situation like this. An unknown masked man had just broke into his house and pushed him up against his desk. He was smiling underneath his mask, waiting impatiently for the peculiar teenager's reply.


“Okayâ€, Cypher said. “But, um, if you get caught … don't mention me, please.â€


“Most certainly notâ€, he said. “I'm a professional after all.â€


Cypher sighed in relief, then dared himself down from the desk.


“Howeverâ€, the man continued. He noticed, to his surprise, that there was one unbroken mina on the desk next to a pile of books. The Imperial Treasury's sigil w clearly visible on the green jade. The man leaned forward and grabbed it. “Half the payment in advanceâ€. He put the mina in his item bag.


Cypher gulped but didn't argue.


“Great, now tell me about that book.â€

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 3: The Tome of the Makers


The palace was located in the center of Yuro, surrounded by the seven great towers. It looked like it was partially as ancient as the towers themselves with a central dome that was of the same polished white stone. However, new foundations had been built around that central dome with extensions reminding of the pale clay bricks used for most of the other buildings in Yuro. The clay bricks were framed in with wooden boards and pillars, forming squares and crosses along the facades. Surrounding the palace were thick white walls, reaching about six yards high. The young man could jump such heights if he wanted to, but he had to be careful of the patrolling guards. There were still distant thunders echoing from the ominous clouds and the rain rattled as heavily as before on the magical barrier.


He had left his robes back at Cypher's shop and was now wearing a sleeveless shirt of tight, black cotton with its collar concealing his mouth and nose. He had strapped bands of the same black cotton along his arms and he wore two fingerless leather gloves. His wide pants were buckled with two belts, together holding an item bag, an elastic cloth bag with a sleeping snake within as well as a small leather bag with four vials of coral snake venom. On his back was a backpack as black as the rest of his gear and on each thigh was a holster with three reachable obsidian handles. He had changed his muddy boots to soft, quiet shoes in black leather. He was more than ready to stealth inside the palace and steal the tome for the peculiar young Cypher.


He sat on a rooftop overlooking the walls and the well-kept garden. Eight guards were patrolling the walls and six more were chatting among the trimmed bushes of the garden while they casually observed their surroundings. The guards looked tired and out of focus. He knew that it would be easy sneaking past them. However, he hadn't done a job like this for a year, even though his body now was stronger than ever before. It was easy to jump a little too high or hit someone a little too hard.


He quickly investigated the palace's facade. The best place to enter was via the roof, but it was probably about ten yards up. He wouldn't manage with a single jump. He had to make two and that would lose him a second. About five yards up was a barred window where he could take footing. However, to get to the facade he had to pass the wall.


He stood up on the rooftop and took a few steps back. Between the roof and the wall was about twelve yards. He was going to jump it. He waited for a moment, carefully watching the guard closest to his path across the wall. At the moment the guard knelt down to fix his boot, the young man sprinted towards the edge and jumped head first over the street and the wall, diving down to the dry grass below. He landed with a somersault which hid himself just below a bush cut aesthetically to portray a tiger. A few guards were passing the garden on the other side of the bush. They chatted about their wives and kids and then disappeared around the corner of the palace.


The man continued across the yard towards the facade. As he was about to jump, he heard rattling leaves at his left-hand side. A lone guard passed the corner and almost bumped into him. The guard noticed the dark figure and recoiled.


Damn, I truly am rusty, the man thought.


The guard opened his mouth to shout, but couldn't manage a sound before something pierced his mouth and continued out the back of his neck. The nameless thief sighed. In his hands was a golden staff in seven sections, the last section buried inside the face of the dead guard. I was just going to knock him out, he thought, damning himself for how easy it was to hit someone too hard. The guard was innocent, probably a providing father, but the mission always came first. It was kill or be killed.


With one swift motion, he pulled the weapon out from the guard's head and folded the seven sections back together. The weapon's metal rods were held together by alloys of golden orichalcum, a metal brighter and more beautiful than gold. He called it a serpent sting-staff – named not by him but by the person who had given it to him. He put the weapon back in his backpack. The guard fell to his knees and then continued to fall forward before he was stopped by the intruder who had killed him. The thief grabbed the guard's leather collar and pulled the body into the bushes at the facade. He ignored the blood that had spilled to the grass. It was hopefully too dark for the other guards to spot it.


He knew that this assignment could already be a failure. When the other guards would notice that this one had gone missing, they would sound the alarms. But that would hopefully not happen for at least a few minutes and the payment was just too good. He decided to continue.


The man ascended the wall with two high jumps and landed quietly on top of the roof. He hurried to a window on the roof and looked inside. He could see dozens of book cases filled with books and scrolls. He had to be on top of the library. The book he was after was named Tome of the Makers and it was – according to Cypher – very old and valuable. Such a valuable book couldn't be kept in a common library like this. But it was a good place to enter the palace.


He remembered breaking his last lock-pick at Cypher's shop and put his two fingers on the window's lock. A faint glow shined from his fingers and the lock clicked open. He quietly opened the window and jumped down into the great library, landing smoothly atop a high book case.


The library was empty from guards and only slightly illuminated by a few lanterns and from the garden lights reaching through the giant windows. The windows looked out the other facade than the one he came from and he could see two of the guards patrolling the garden outside. None of them kept any attention to what, or who, might already be inside. He gave the many books a quick gaze and then decided to ignore them completely. The book he was after had to be kept somewhere more protected.


There were two doors leading out of the library. He ignored the one leading directly out to the garden and ran up to the one leading further inside the palace. It was a double wooden door, closed and locked. Before he unlocked it with the same magical touch he had used before, he put his ear against the wood and listened for any activity on the other side. He heard nothing.


Usually, he always locked a door after he had unlocked it so that no one would notice it ever being opened. This time, however, he had already messed up by killing the guard outside. He didn't care much about locking the library door since it would only require more of his Essence to be channeled for the touch. He couldn't keep unlocking locks with Essence this carelessly. It would exhaust him in the long-run.


As he passed the door, he entered a grand vestibule with three patrolling guards. They didn't hear him coming in through the door and their lines of sight were broken by white stone pillars. On one side of the vestibule was a big wooden door, probably the main entrance, and on the other side was a stairway leading up to the second floor. The other side of the vestibule, just next to one of the guards, was another door leading further inside. It was his best bet to try that way.


He observed the three guards for a few moments to see if they were guarding with a behavioral pattern. What he looked for was a moment when all three guards were looking in another direction. He would use the time to cross the room unnoticed. When he realized that moment would never come, he decided for a more difficult solution.


He had transcended humanity and become something greater. Even though every living soul emitted Essence, only someone supernatural could take control over one's Essence and shape it into what could best be described as charms. He could pass by the guards unnoticed, through their lines of sight. All he had to do was to call out his Anima and use it to cloak himself in the night's shadows. He extended it around him like an imperceptible veil. He knew he wouldn't be impossible to spot, but it would mute the senses of those perceiving him. This could very well be his greatest trick, but the charm didn't come without a cost. This would greatly exhaust his Essence.


He moved swiftly across the vestibule. The guards were looking at him, but they didn't notice him. All he was to them was a flickering shadow. They wouldn't hear him and they wouldn't see him. He approached the door, reached for the handle, and damned himself once more.


I should get some lock-picks, he thought before using the lock-opening touch once again, though this time suppressing the glow it usually emitted.


He looked at the guard who was standing right next to him. The guard wasn't looking at him, but instead kept gazing at his partners across the room. The nameless thief then opened the door, moved in to the other side, and quietly closed it behind himself.


He hurried through an empty hallway, ignoring a few doors along the way. He could guess that they were random quarters, or leading into minor offices. He was looking for something which stood out a bit more than that. At the end of the hallway, he finally found something which truly stood out.


He was looking into a throne chamber. Two armed men were guarding the room, each standing next to the entrances of two other hallways. He came from the bigger entrance which led up to the red carpet going up to the throne itself. It was first now he realized that this actually was a palace and not a mere mayor's mansion. No wonder there were so many guards around. The chamber's both long-sides had many great shadows caused by big giant pillars which only purpose was to be artistically appealing. Though the nameless thief could find another purpose for them. They blocked lines of sight and helped him move around more freely. His cloaking Anima didn't make him invisible after all. He could still be seen and heard if he wasn't careful.


He decided to start with the left hallway. He moved quietly and carefully along the wall until he was only a foot or two away from the guard. The guard yawned, completely unaware of the intruder standing beside him. The nameless thief almost felt sympathy for the guards who had to stand here for hours every night. He bet that this night was the only night someone good enough to break in was actually here, breathing close to the neck of the unaware guard.


He passed by and went into the hallway, took a few steps down a stairway and ended up in a less illuminated path with more small doors along the sides. He followed the hallway until it reached a stop, then turned around to try the other way. As he returned up the stairs, he noticed the Essence wrapping around him fading away and the guard at the entrance turned to look behind himself.


The nameless thief didn't think, but instantly drew one of the black handles from his holster and threw it at the surprised guard. The sharp throwing dagger hit the guard's collar without piercing through and fell to the floor with a cling.


You got to be kidding me …


“Hey!†the guard cried and went for his slashing sword.


The dark intruder reached inside the black bag hanging from the left side of his belt and took out his coral snake. He tossed the snake like a projectile at the guard and it opened its mouth to bite down his neck. At the same time, the nameless man ran up to the guard, took up his dropped knife along the way and placed one foot on the guard's shoulder. He jumped up to the side of the big white pillar behind the guard from where he jumped back to the wall and leaped past the middle of the throne chamber. The second incoming guard didn't notice the dark figure leaping over his head. The bitten man fell dead to the floor and, when the next guard arrived, the nameless thief was already unlocking the barred door to the hallway on the other side of the chamber. Dawn crawled swiftly through the chamber towards its master on the other side.


Two dead guards because of stupidity, the nameless thief thought to himself as he passed through the barred door and shut it on the other side.


The second – frightened – guard drew his slashing sword and looked around himself. He noticed a snake crawling in through the bars on the door on the other side. He bit his lip and ran back to the hallway he had previously guarded. He slowly approached the door, trying to get a gaze at what might be hiding inside. Maybe the thought occurred to him that it might just have been a snake and not an intruder killing the other guard. Snakes were after all very common in this part of Creation.


The guard grabbed a lantern next to the hallway and held it up at the door. He looked inside, focusing on the floor where the coral snake had crawled. He didn't notice the hand reaching for him from above. A thin black glove grabbed the hand holding the lantern and pulled it in through the bars. The guard screamed and dropped the lantern to the floor. He tried to stab what hid inside with his slashing sword, but that came to be his doom.


The dark figure grabbed the hand holding the sword and pulled it inside. He bent the arm at its elbow and used the guard's own arm to thrust the blade back out through the bars. The guard was stuck in the bars, piercing himself through the neck with his own slashing sword, and the dark thief easily took the set of keys hanging from the guard's belt. He could hear the guard gurgle and cry as he drowned on his own blood. At least he would be out of his misery soon.


The man took up the lantern and walked inside the hallway. The barred door was a sign of a little more secure location. He noticed the doors at this side were bigger, had metal alloys and barred windows. Was this a vault of some kind? He held up the lantern next to the window of the first door and noticed it was empty. The second room had nothing more than a few crates.


He decided to look through the other doors at a later time. The body outside would be found any minute now and he couldn't afford to still be here when he heard the alarm go off. He decided to run along the hallway to see what was hidden at its end. Then he would check through the rooms on his way back.


He came to a big wooden door to which the keys did not fit. He sighed with disappointment as he put his fingers on the lock and opened the big door. He came into an almost pitch-black stairway only illuminated by the lantern in his hand. He followed the stairs down until he reached a room where the foundation was ancient compared to the rest of the palace. He noticed a big metal door with runes in green and red jade waiting across the room where the dust on the floor hadn't been touched in ages. He couldn't read the runes but he knew that this door held something very valuable. He carefully approached the door and investigated the lock in its middle. It had a circular shape, surrounded by ancient runes. Its key had to be a circular object and not a common key.


But no lock could keep him out. He put his fingers in the middle of the circular shape and channeled Essence through his fingers with a faint glow. He felt a spark on the tips of his fingers and a surge of pain went through his arm. Before he knew it, he was launched a few feet back and landed with his back on the stairway.


“Ouch!â€.


He carefully stood up. He wasn't too hurt. He looked at the door and scratched his head. It was certain. That door protected something very valuable. He wondered if even the king himself knew what hid inside. However, curiosity wouldn't take him through the door. He had a book to find. He raised his lantern and walked back up the stairs, aiming for the first of the doors in the hallway outside. He leaned in to the barred window where he got a glimpse of a wooden table with two thick books.


“Well, look at thatâ€, he said to himself. His back was still slightly sore.


He used one of the guard's keys to unlock the door and enter the room. He was looking for a book named Tome of the Makers. Unfortunately, that bastard Cypher had forgot to tell him if the title of the book was written in some ancient language.


The alarm sounded from outside.


Took them long enough.


He removed some pieces of cloth from his bag to fit both books inside. He left the cloth in the room and then hurried to the door. Now there was the hard part left. He had to get out with all the guards on alert.


But he was Exalted by the Unconquered Sun. He could do it without breaking a sweat.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 4: The boy from the fishing village II


Manovan had to get as far away from his village as he could. He had lost everything. His parents were dead, his siblings gone and his home in ashes. He had neither money nor food and he ran as far as his feet could carry him.


On his first day, he ate some berries he found in the jungle. He didn't go too far in since he knew that it was dangerous. He kept close to the road but had to hide when a group of Imperial soldiers rode past him. He made camp in the ruins of an abandoned house, used its well to drink and tried to sleep despite what he had suffered through.


On his second day, he met up with a middle-aged wanderer who gave him a piece of bread and a blanket. The man had bushy gray hair, green eyes and a goatee. He asked if the boy wanted to come with him back to Sakana Village.


“No!†Manovan cried out. “I want to get as far away as possible!â€


The man shrugged and kept on walking. Manovan spent the second night at the side of the rode, wrapped in the old man's blanket.


On his third day, he was weak and starving. His pace was slow and he barely got a mile or two. He met up with a young tradesman. The man was thin and tall with round, brown eyes and black locks. The boy reached up to the tradesman with his hands, begging him to give him some food. The man forced a smile and patted the boy on his head.


“Why don't you come with me instead?†he asked. “I'll get you cleaned up and into some proper clothes.â€


The boy felt that something was strange about the man. His emotions didn't seem real and his eyes showed pity instead of sympathy. But he was hungry. Even if this man was bad, he would die if he didn't get any food. He nodded to the tradesman who smirked back to him.


“Good boyâ€, the man said.


Suddenly, a rock came from nowhere and hit the man in his temple. He fell unconscious to the ground. Manovan looked around himself and saw two boys and a girl, dressed in rags like he was, coming from the road. The young boy stepped back. The oldest of the strangers didn't seem older than Amir, but he had an adult look in his eyes.


“Are you okay?†the boy asked.


“Uh, yeahâ€, Manovan answered.


When the three came close, they investigated the unconscious man, stole money and food from his bags and gave a piece of dried meat to Manovan. He ate like a hungry python, savoring the salty meat. It was the best food he had ever eaten.


“You must be more careful, kidâ€, the oldest boy said. “Men like that kidnap children around here and sell them as slaves.â€


Manovan suddenly realized what could have happened to him. He didn't want to become a slave. He burst into tears.


“It's okayâ€, the boy continued. “You're safe. Hey, what's your name?â€


“Manovan of the Sea.â€


“Why don't you come with us?†the girl asked.


The oldest boy pushed her on the shoulder. “Hey, we can barely feed ourselves, Glittering Wolf.â€


“Glittering Wolf?†Manovan said. He dried his teary eyes.


“Yeahâ€, the girl said. “And these two are Wingâ€, she pointed to the oldest, “and Hyenaâ€, she pointed to the youngest. “You can be Tear-Eyed Viper!â€


“I can?â€


“Whateverâ€, Wing muttered. “Sure, you can come with us, Tear-Eyed Viper. But you're not Manovan of the Sea anymore. Is that clear? A new life waits ahead of you.â€


He nodded. “Yes, I'm Tear-Eyed Viper. But ... do I have to be Tear-Eyed?â€


œYes, you do! Because you're a cry-baby.â€


He wiped his tears again, but he smiled. “Thanks, guys.â€

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 5: Coral Snake


Cypher had dressed for the night and was just about to crawl into his bed when he heard: “Hey, Cypher!†coming from behind him. He screamed in panic for the second time this night and was just about to throw a punch when he recognized the dark figure standing next to his bed. It was the same masked man as before.


The man walked past Cypher and dropped two books on his desk. Cypher noticed that one of the books had Tome of the Makers written on it in the ancient language Old Realm. He scratched his nose. “Um, you left here … not even an hour ago, right? Did you actually break into the palace already?â€


The masked man sat down on a chair where he leaned back with his hands behind his head. “I told you I was good.†He gave Cypher a quick gaze. “So?â€


“So what?â€


“You owe me another mina.â€


“Um, of courseâ€, Cypher said and hurried over to a locker next to his desk. The dark figure had let his snake crawl out from its bag to let its master help it press out a dose of venom from its glands into one of his empty glass vials.


Cypher hurried back to the desk with a green jade mina in his hands, properly signed with the Imperial Seal. He put the mina on the desk next to the books and tried to avoid the man's snake by at least a few feet. The dark man smirked to him with his eyes – the mask covered the rest.


“You shouldn't keep this kind of money in your houseâ€, the man said.


“Well, I don't really trust banksâ€, Cypher stuttered. “May I, um, ask for your name?â€


The man let his snake crawl around his arm and he gave it a gentle pat on its head. “Good questionâ€, he said. “What about Coral Snake?â€


“What about it?â€


“You want me to use another one?â€


“Eh? I guess Coral Snake is fine. Um, my name is Whispering Rainbow Cypher. May I call you Coral?â€


“If you want to make it shorter.â€


Cypher didn't seem to know what to reply. He took the two tomes and sat down on the side of his bed. He looked at one of the books with great awe, fingered its bindings a little and then put it down next to him. He looked at the other book. “What is this?†he asked. “Thaumaturgy?†He opened the book, looked at the pages and then closed it with a thump. “No. Sorcery. Terrestrial.â€


“You know stuff like that?†Coral asked as he let his snake return to its bag.


“Yes! No! Well, maybe a littleâ€, Cypher said and picked up the first book again. He read through pages rapidly. Fingered on the pages a little and then put it down, took it up and read some more. “I know some alchemy. And astrology. And some geomancy. It's pretty easy, um, once you understand the theories.â€


“Those words alone sound complex to me.â€


“Yes, well, it's actually pretty simpleâ€, Cypher said as he poked himself on the nose and silently read in the tome. “Um, alchemy is all about transmutations while astrology is, well, there are divinations and computations and—“


“You lost me at umâ€, Coral interrupted. “Do you have a place where I can sleep?â€


Coral Snake was given a couch which first had to be cleaned from parts of clockwork and some sharp tools buried under its pillows. There were oil stains on the texture but he had slept through worse. He fell asleep almost instantly, with his clothes still on, while the tomes kept Cypher up for hours.


Coral woke up at dawn and immediately sat down at the desk. He carelessly moved books and scrolls to the side and put his two black holsters on the desk, opened them up and looked at his eight sharp throwing daggers. Cypher slept like a child, embracing both his spherical artifact and Tome of the Makers in his arms. Coral took one of the glass vials from his belt and started brushing the liquid on the blades of his daggers with the brush that was part of the vial's lid.


When he was done, Cypher woke up with a high-pitched snort. Coral put his holsters back on his thighs and properly equipped himself.


“Are you leaving?†Cypher asked. “Don't you want some breakfast first?â€


Coral seemed to ponder the question a little, but then realized his stomach was growling like a rabid beast. “If you insistâ€, he said and sat down at the desk. “Let me ask you, Cypher. I heard you talking to your friend yesterday. That book. Does it lead to some sort of treasure?â€


“Yes, well, sort ofâ€, Cypher said as he limped away to the kitchen. Coral noticed he carried the sphere – was it made of orichalcum? – like a pendant around his neck. “The one who can properly decipher its messages will learn the secrets of Denandsor.â€


“What's that?â€


Cypher raised his voice to make himself heard from the kitchen. “It's the City of Makers, an ancient city with ancient wonders. It's said to be, well, a paradise for artists and engineers.â€


“And there are artifacts, right? Anything valuable?â€


“It might very well be the most valuable place in Creation.â€


Coral twitched when he heard those words. He had just got two mina from this strange man. A thought occurred to him that this might just be the tip of the iceberg. Maybe there were great treasures out there waiting for him. He couldn't let this man out of his sight.


“So, are you and your friend going to look for that city?â€


“I'm supposed to decipher the tome and, um, Crystal Bow, he knows the jungles like no other.â€


“That's it? You need a bodyguard. Someone to protect you from harms way.â€


“I do?â€


“Of course you doâ€, Coral said. “I can be your bodyguard. You know that I will get the job done and I won't take much of a payment. I'll settle for one bit a day.â€


With these two mina in his bags, he knew that he was probably one of the richest men in Yuro at the moment. One bit a day meant little, but it sounded like a serious job request. Once he got to that city, he'd steal some artifacts and sell them to the highest bidder, leaving both Cypher and Crystal behind.


“Well, okayâ€, Cypher said. “I don't see why not.â€


He gave Coral a bowl of hot cabbage soup. While Coral ate, Cypher read through the tome. The two of them were in different parts of the shop and didn't speak to each other. Coral was satisfied with these turn of events. He had gone from being a poor wanderer to an insanely rich man overnight. That Cypher seemed clueless about how the real world worked. He would be easy to take advantage of.


After a while, there were some knocks on the door and a short, plain-looking but not ugly girl entered the shop. She greeted Cypher with a hug and talked about cleaning up the shop for the customers. Cypher himself seemed reluctant to do so, as he was busy reading his new book. She picked up some tools from the floor and walked further into the shop. When she saw Coral sit at the desk with his back turned against her, she dropped the tools on the floor.


“Cypherâ€, she said. “There's a black-dressed man eating soup at your desk.â€


“That's Coralâ€, Cypher said. “He's my bodyguard.â€


“Bodyguard? For what?â€


“Well, I decided to accept the assignment.â€


Assignment?


“What? No, Cypher, you promised not to.â€


“Well, you see, I got the bookâ€, Cypher continued. “Coral helped me get it.â€


She gazed at the darkly dressed man with slight irritation. “You mean he helped you steal it?†she muttered to Cypher.


“Wellâ€, he said “At least I have it. Now I just have to wait for Peleps Rondo to come.â€


Peleps Rondo? Coral Snake bit his lip. Did he say … Peleps Rondo?


He remembered a severed head sinking in the ocean. He remembered an arrow piercing a woman's head. He remembered a house burning into ashes. He remembered a crying boy.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 6: Infiltration


Coral Snake tried to ignore the fact that Whispering Rainbow Cypher had forgot to mention that he was hired by a Peleps led dragon to find the previously mentioned lost city of Denandsor. He also tried to ignore the fact that a Peleps led dragon was operating in the Scavenger Lands. These lands were within Lookshy's domain and any Imperialists were restricted from military operations in this part of Creation. Did Lookshy know that Peleps had a dragon here?


The fact that the Peleps family was in charge of the operation didn't intimidate Coral enough to have him lose his focus. Instead, it motivated him to follow Cypher even more. By infiltrating a Peleps led dragon, he could learn quite a few things about his sworn enemies. Dragon-Lord Peleps Wakde had murdered his parents and kidnapped his siblings, probably on orders from higher up within the Peleps hierarchy. Ever since that cursed day fourteen years ago, he had wanted to exterminate Peleps and every other Dragon-Blooded who would stand in his way. Maybe meeting up with Cypher was his destiny after all?


Eventually Crystal Bow showed up at the shop with a pet wolf at his side. The red-bearded man was polite to Coral, probably because he was relieved not to have to steal the book from the palace himself. Coral could tell, however, that a rough man like that would never have managed to break into that guarded place. Even Coral himself had had some problems, since he had to kill quite a few guards on what was supposed to be a stealth mission. As far as stealth goes, it was a failure.


Even Cypher managed to get away from his book for a few hours as the girl – her name was Elisa – opened up the shop and he got to crafting. He even crafted a lock-picking clockwork apparatus of some sort to Coral who barely had any idea how to use it.


Crystal Bow went to Market Row to get what was needed for the journey. Coral gave him enough jade for Crystal to buy him a buff jacket, but chose to stay at Cypher's shop. He wouldn't want to miss Peleps Rondo. He remembered him as the red-jaded man with the fiery anima who had run atop the surface of the water back in Sakana Village. Was he still Wing-Lord or had he been promoted? Coral didn't really care. He just wanted to see him die.


When Peleps Rondo finally arrived to the shop, Coral decided to wait in the kitchen. He both watched and listened to their conversation, but he didn't want the Dragon-Blooded to notice he was there. Rondo was dressed in the same articulated plate of red jade as he did fourteen years ago when they raided Sakana Village, and he wore Peleps' family crest on his black cape. Sheeted on his back was a grand daiklave in red jade with a glowing blue hearthstone in its socket. His hair was as red as his armor and even though his Anima couldn't be seen, his affinity to fire could be felt in the atmosphere. Coral had only got a glimpse of this man as a child, but he seemed much stronger today.


The first words the man said were: “Have you decided?â€


“Yes, yesâ€, Cypher said while poking on his nose. “I have, um, I want to accept the assignment. And I got the book so I can decipher it.â€


Coral noticed that Cypher spoke to the Dragon-Blooded without using any honorifics. What he had learned from Cypher was that he spoke strangely, acted very unpredictable and seemed somehow mentally off – but intellectually sharp. Maybe the Dynast accepted his lack of manners because of his personality type, or perhaps they really needed him for this job.


Rondo pointed to Cypher's sphere-shaped pendant. “That's orichalcum! The forbidden material used by the cursed Anathema! How dare you wear it in front of me?â€


“Wellâ€, Cypher said with his usual stutter. “This artifact is broken and I'm trying to repair it. And, um, according to writings I have deciphered, it plays an, um, vital part in unlocking the mysteries of Denandsor.â€


“Such cursed objects shouldn't be repairedâ€, Rondo said. “Are you sure its vital for this operation?â€


“Yes, sir. I know that you Dragon-Bloods don't like this so I might as well wear it until it works.â€


Cypher poked the sphere with both hands. “And I'm just, um, a commoner after all, so what harm can it do in my hands?â€


Rondo scratched his chin while looking Cypher up and down. Coral could see that Cypher still was dressed in his night-garments, even though it was close to noon. There was nothing even remotely respectable about that man now, and Rondo seemed to think the same.


“Very wellâ€, he said. “But keep it hidden. And don't let Dragon-Lord Wakde know you have it.â€


Dragon-Lord Wakde? Coral thought. This just got better and better.


“Yes, best sirâ€, Cypher said. He put the sphere under his night-robe, and it created a fist-sized bulk sticking out from his chest. It looked comical.


“Where's the pathfinder?â€


“Um, Crystal Bow is at Market Row. But there will be one more.â€


“One more?â€


“Yes, my bodyguard. He will keep me out of harm's way.â€


Rondo looked at Cypher for a second and then burst into laughter. “I guess we can put him with the foot soldiersâ€, he said with a grin. “You will be traveling with our Sorcerer-Engineers.†He turned to the door, laughing. “'Keep me out of harm's way'―heh heh.†He stopped for a second at the door. “Get ready, Cypher. We'll depart shortly.†Then he stepped out from the shop, nodded to his escorts who had waited outside, and they left.


Coral came out from the kitchen. Elisa was working at the desk in Cypher's bedroom. She had ignored the conversation since she didn't want anything to do with it all.


Cypher turned to Coral. “You'll be going with the foot soldiers. Is that okay?â€


“That will be just perfectâ€, Coral said, grinning underneath his mask.


Shortly thereafter, Crystal Bow returned with food, water, wine and medicine as well as some tools which would help him with his work. He gave Coral his buff jacket which fitted him perfectly. He put his brown cape over the buff jacket and put on his black backpack hiding his Serpent-Sting Staff, the seven-sectioned orichalcum staff he now realized that he definitely had to hide from the Imperialists.


When they were all ready to depart, Cypher looked at Elisa for a second and then clumsily ran across the room and put his wet lips against her's. At first she seemed shocked – at least Coral and Crystal were – but then there seemed to be a hint of passion in the good bye-kiss. The shop was left to her. Now, Denandsor was next.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 7: The boy from the fishing village III


“You're still too soft, Viperâ€, Wing said. “There's no place in this world for weaklings!â€


Tear-Eyed Viper looked at the knife in his hand and then on the unconscious man on the ground. He had traveled the roads with Wing, Hyena and Glittering Wolf for five years now. If there was one lesson to be learned: it was the fact that grown-ups were nothing more than violent, greedy bastards.


They only targeted grown-ups but all grown-ups were candidates for theft. Wing decided who to target and he didn't seem to segregate anyone; rich, poor, strong, weak. Wing also got more violent in his behavior. They used to steal only to survive, but in Wing's case it seemed to be for mere pleasure. Ever since his first murder – a lonely wanderer in the roads outside of Nexus – he frequently murdered his victims.


“They are scum anywayâ€, he used to say.


Hyena and Glittering Wolf didn't complain much about Wing's behavior. He was oldest and he was the one feeding the family – they saw each other as family nowadays – so they never complained. Hyena, the youngest one next to Tear-Eyed Viper, was sick and couldn't provide anymore. They didn't know what sickness he had but it seemed serious. He coughed blood and could barely speak. They had a cottage a few miles north-west of Nexus, across the river, where Glittering Wolf took care of Hyena while the other two were out stealing.


It was a tough life, but it was a life nonetheless. Tear-Eyed Viper still mourned his family and he had nightmares about what happened in Sakana Village still to this very day. But this was his life now and he did his best to try to leave his old life behind. But he wondered every day if Amir and Lira were still alive. He wondered if they were thinking about him at all.


“You said you wanted to kill those Dragon-Blooded, right?†Wing said, pointing at Tear-Eyed Viper with a big grin on his face. “The Dragon-Blooded have godlike powers. Do you really think you can take them on if you don't even dare to draw blood from this worthless piece of shit?†He pointed to the man lying at their feet.


The man was bleeding from an earlier blow to his skull. He hadn't had that much money on him and it was a disappointing target. He was an ordinary person, probably a providing father. He didn't seem too bad. But a target was a target, there were no room for regrets. But Tear-Eyed Viper saw no reason to kill him.


He looked at Wing with anger in his eyes. “The Peleps are different! I wouldn't hesitate to kill them!â€


“Wrong, Viperâ€, Wing said with a grin. “You wouldn't dare to even try. You will get nowhere close to ever getting revenge. You know why? It's because you're a weakling!â€


Tear-Eyed Viper raised his knife before him, glaring at Wing as he did so. Wing seemed somewhat surprised but not at all scared.


“You're too much of a chicken to even scratch me with that thingâ€, he continued. “Don't you see? If you want to get revenge on the Peleps you must become a man! Life hasn't been soft on you. Why should you be soft in return?â€


Tear-Eyed Viper knew that Wing was right about one thing. He was too soft. But this man was merely a target for theft. He had no connection to the Peleps family. It would be wrong to kill him. And Wing had been like a brother to him. He wouldn't want to lose what little he had.


He noticed that Wing made a little smirk as he noticed Tear-Eyed Viper's hesitation.


“At least you don't cry anymoreâ€, Wing said. “Give me the knife and let me do it then.â€


Tear-Eyed Viper widened his eyes in surprise. It hadn't occurred to him but it was true. He hadn't shed a tear in years. Maybe he could stop being Tear-Eyed now and just be Viper? One small step towards his goal of becoming a man. He couldn't help but to grin.


He gave the knife to Wing who's grin turned into a brotherly smile. For a moment, he reminded of Amir and Viper felt a sense of admiration and respect. The second he watched that grin return as Wing sliced the throat of the unconscious man, the admiration and respect faded away once more. He was merciless.


But he wouldn't say anything. He wouldn't complain anymore. He would endure.


They had learned to burn the corpses after Wing had killed someone. This was not in fear of getting a ghost after them but to get rid of any evidence. They had once been to Nexus and seen a man being executed for murder. He was put on a street with the Nexus' ghostly white Emissary watching from behind. His eyeballs had melted and his skin had turned inside out. It was a frightening magic. Even though they only worked on country roads and in minor villages, they always feared the Emissary of Nexus for what they had witnessed that day.


Despite the fear of the Emissary, Viper sometimes dreamed about moving into the city and get an honorable work. But he was ten years old. He had time to think about such a decision. And he couldn't leave his new family, despite how cruel Wing might have become. Hyena and Glittering Wolf needed him.


On the way back to the cottage, Wing turned to Viper and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Sorry about bringing up the Dragon-Bloods, Viperâ€, he said. “I don't have a personal grudge against them, but I want to be there by your side when you get your revenge. I want to help you kill them all.â€


Viper nodded. “It's okay.â€


“But it's a tough goal you have ahead of youâ€, Wing continued. “You must learn to become merciless if you want to have a chance of winning such a fight.â€


“I know. But I don't want to kill without reason. I think that many of the people we steal from have families of their own. What if more kids get orphaned because of us?â€


Wing gave Viper a quick gaze. “I haven't really thought about it that wayâ€, he said. “But we don't have it that bad, do we? We don't need any parents when we have each other.â€


Viper looked at Wing with a confused look. How could he say that? They had a living hell. “Sorry for asking, Wingâ€, he said. “But how did your parents die anyway?â€


“I killed themâ€, Wing answered with an indifferent voice. He seemed to neither feel or care anything about it. “I was only six years old but I know that they deserved it. They were violent and cruel. I had to end them.â€


“You killed your own parents?†Viper was shocked. This was not what he had expected to hear.


“It was the happiest day of my life.â€


That's when Viper realized that someone he had loved for five years was a truly despicable person. He hated Wing. Either Wing left the family or he did. It had to happen one way or another.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 8: In the dragon's belly


The dragon was resting in a valley just south of Yuro. It consisted of more than a thousand men, most of them waiting in their tents or guarding the camp from any threats. The dragon itself didn't seem very hostile. The men were armed and trained but it lacked siege weapons and seemed to consist entirely of an infantry. The only structure was a wooden hawser large as a house. It was highly guarded by soldiers and in front of it rested a couple of strong beasts.


Coral Snake was surprised by how few Dragon-Blooded he could see leading this army. He realized that all of them didn't have to be fully equipped with jade artifacts like Peleps Rondo had been when coming to Cypher's shop, and some of them were probably out of sight. He did see one or two who wore jade however. One of them was beating up a half-naked soldier. There could be more – lesser ranked – of them among the mortal infantry. The only way to find out was to join in and start “making friendsâ€.


Neither Whispering Rainbow Cypher nor Crystal Bow said much. They were escorted by two soldiers into the camp and up to Peleps Rondo who was standing next to a young, grim-looking Dragon-Blooded at a wooden table with a map and some spread out sheets of paper. Rondo nodded to the three of them as they approached but the other one didn't even bother gazing at the lowly mortals who had arrived.


The grim-looking one was wearing armor of black jade as well as a black grand daiklave. It looked like the same daiklave that had decapitated Coral's father's head in Sakana Village, but the man wielding it was clearly someone else.


“Pathfinderâ€, Rondo said and nodded to Crystal who tried his best to avoid eye contact. “You'll be traveling with us.â€


The grim one snorted arrogantly.


“Yes, sirâ€, Crystal said and tried a clumsy bow.


“Sir?†said the grim one while grinding his teeth. “This is Wing-Lord Rondo of the Peleps family and you refer to him as sir?â€


Rondo raised his hand to silence the grim one. “Easy now, Talon-Lord Meegoâ€, he said. “Let's make our guests feel at home.â€


Meego ground his teeth, snorted, then spat on the ground and left.


“Cypherâ€, Rondo continued. “You'll be with the sorcerer-engineers in the hawser. And you ...†He looked at Coral who acted out a fake but graceful bow. “Is it common for a bodyguard to hide his face?â€


“No, best Dynastâ€, Coral said. “But such a beautiful face as mine would only distract your soldiers from their work.â€


“By all means keep it onâ€, Rondo said without even a smirk. “At least it covers up that tricky tongue of yours. Don't speak to me like I'm a lowly commoner. You would be punished instantly if Meego was here in my stead.â€


“My apologies, best Wing-Lord.â€


Rondo had been there that day in Sakana Village. He was a hateful man, no doubt about it, but at least now Coral knew that his temperance was quite high. That Meego, on the other hand, was worth checking out – if not a little more carefully.


“I've noticed that you Scavenger Landers aren't very comfortable around us imperialistsâ€, Rondo said with a smirk. “It's doubtlessly because of the lack of Immaculate temples in these regions. I'm letting you off the hook for now but expect a beheading the next time you decide to be recalcitrant. I'll place you in a scale close to the hawser. But you will travel and live with the soldiers. If you can't keep up, you will be left behind.â€


“I understand, My Lord.â€


Coral Snake, Crystal Bow and Whispering Rainbow Cypher went their separate ways. While Crystal got to travel with the highest ranked dynasts in the vicinity, he was without a doubt the most scared of the three. Coral made a silent bet with himself that Crystal Bow wouldn't last three days.


Coral joined a scale of soldiers. He tried to talk his way into the group from the start but few soldiers were very talkative. Most of them spoke another language and only few of those who spoke river-speech were willing to invite him in. On the other hand was he a masked man with a buff jacket. He didn't look entirely harmless.


The first soldier to talk to him was a girl named Tixi. She introduced him to her friends Xixo, Pamo and Felix. At first, there was stiff and mundane conversation but it didn't take long before Coral managed to charm Tixi a little with his “tricky tongueâ€. Before they even begun their march, he was a welcomed part of the group.


When Cypher first entered the hawser, he was stunned by the sorcerer-engineers' unwelcoming nonchalance. The first he saw was a tired look and the first he heard was in the language high realm: “So this is what we're supposed to work with? Look at him, he's even wearing night-garments.â€


Cypher looked at himself.


What a silly mistake.


“Well, um, you needed someone who could decipher the bookâ€, he said with his usual stutter.


“They said you were good with cyphers. But so am Iâ€, the Dragon-Blooded said. He was a tall and skinny man, the oldest of the four who were there, and his hair was as white as his eyes.


“You should be more kind, Master Chinoâ€, a young woman with brown hair said. “If our Dragon-Lord says this man will help us, then I'm sure he will.â€


“Don't try to order me around, daughter of Ledaalâ€, Chino said. “You're just the unfortunate result of our Dragon-Lord's in-allocation. You can't even perform the Flying Guillotine with that faint spark of essence you possess.â€


“Such a barbaric spell is something I'd rather be without, thank youâ€, she muttered, then took Cypher's hand. “Nice to meet you, Whispering Rainbow Cypher. I'm Yuko. The old geezer there is Peleps Chino. He might seem like a bitter old man but you'll get used to him in no time.â€


“I'd rather he stay away from me completelyâ€, Chino said. “And get him some proper robes, someone. Then at least he looks formal enough to be within my field of vision.â€


Another of the robed men in the hawser nodded to Cypher. “I'm Peleps Ammoâ€, he said. “I look forward to working with you.â€


The third man and fourth sorcerer-engineer in the hawser didn't look up to greet Cypher and he didn't say a word. All of his focus was in a book of sorcery. Ammo introduced the man as Peleps Gaxo.


Ledaal Yuko helped Cypher settle in. She gave him a purple and green robe that he put on in private. He hid his sphere within and noticed it wasn't as bulky as with the night-robe he had forgot to change. When he came back to the supposed office, Yuko had prepared a table for him.


“You'll work hereâ€, she said. “When you're done, hand the papers over to Gaxo or Ammo and they will look them over.â€


“Um, okayâ€, he stuttered.


“I still can't believe we needed a common thaumaturgist for this jobâ€, the old man muttered. “One most likely foreign to the Immaculate Philosophy nonetheless. It's blasphemous.â€


“Um, I'm quite conversant with the Immaculate Philosophyâ€, Cypher said. “Well, I simply don't believe it's entirely, you know, true.â€


Chino dropped his book and opened his mouth in shock. “How dare you!?â€


Even Peleps Gaxo looked up from his book for a moment to give Cypher a confused look.


“Calm down, Master Chinoâ€, Ammo said. “You'll have plenty of time to convert him along the way. If you kill him now, we're stuck. You know that.â€


“Kill him? Who said anything about killing him? I just want to slap him around a little!â€


“Let him do itâ€, Gaxo muttered while looking in his book of sorcery. “Let Master Chino slap himself tired so we don't have to put up with his loud mouth anymore.â€


“When you say it like thatâ€, Ammo grinned.


“No, noâ€, Yuko interupted. “No one's slapping anyone here. We're all civilized, aren't we?â€


All fun would eventually have to come to an end. A horn blew in the camp and the dragon was ready to move on. Cypher and the Dragon-Blooded immediately got to work while the army marched south.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 9: Forbidden love


Whispering Rainbow Cypher was mumbling to himself as he read through a text in Tome of the Makers. The words themselves weren't hidden in code, but the message seemed to contain valuable information if investigated carefully. It was in the book for a reason. Something had to be hidden within those words.


Juliandra,


I truly miss the warmth from your embrace


But you are you and I am I


Be safe there in the heart of the Makers


I'll watch you from where it can see


Just you wait, one day will be our's


Yours truly, Shara Ice


Cypher was poking on his nose while reading the words over and over: “I'll watch you from where it can see.†What did those words refer to?


He looked around the office. Peleps Chino was holding a spherical artifact, quite similar to Cypher's in size, which displayed the hologram of a beautiful woman. She was talking in old realm and Chino was taking notes.


“Umâ€, Cypher said. “Who is that woman you're looking at?â€


Chino didn't reply. He listened to the hologram, wrote something down, then replayed the message and scratched his chin.


“I can't hear what she says clearly but I think that it's, um, relevantâ€, Cypher continued. “Where did you find that artifact?â€


Chino ignored him. Peleps Ammo turned to Cypher with a grin and said: “He thinks you're useless so you better not speak to him.â€


“I'm just curiousâ€, Cypher complained. “I just want to know the name of the woman in the projected image.â€


“Master Chino?†Ammo said.


“I don't know her nameâ€, Chino said with a snort. “She doesn't say. But she speaks of some Juliandra.â€


“I've read that nameâ€, Cypher said with a happy smile. “Then she must be Shara Ice! It seems that, um, Juliandra was her companion for, you know, um, love. Juliandra was living in the heart of the Makers – obviously refering to Denandsor. Shara Ice couldn't get in, um, or she had fled for some reason.â€


“And how is that relevant?â€


“Well, um, you seeâ€, Cypher continued. “Shara Ice was hiding someplace outside the city. Something that was looking at – or maybe overlooking – it. It could be a landmark of some sorts.â€


Chino sighed. “Write down your findings and pass it over to Ammo and Gaxo.â€


Cypher nodded, then took a paper and a feather pen, dipped it in ink and wrote quite a few sentences of reflections. He passed the note over to Ammo who read it and then nodded to Cypher with a smile. He gave it to Peleps Gaxo who had a quick look. Gaxo then called on his essence and channeled a spell of some sorts. A small, demonic looking creature appeared above his open palm. It was a greyish green and had its tiny body slightly bent forward. It's eyes were hidden by a piece of red cloth.


Gaxo said in high realm to the creature: “To Peleps Rondo. There might be a landmark in close proximity to the city. It's overlooking it or looking at it. Possibly a structure of some sorts. Maybe a statue with eyes.â€


The creature dissipated into thin air and Gaxo returned to his work. Cypher looked at the spot where the creature had dissipated.


An infallible messenger, he thought. He had never seen one before. The small creature would almost instantly appear before the receiver and repeat the message in the sender's own voice. It was an astonishing way of communication. The Dragon-Blooded were talented after all.


Cypher wondered if he could learn sorcery at that level. He had found a book. All he could do was read, try and find out. But first things first. He turned the page.


Shara Ice,


I want to leave my home to be with you


I curse my blood for shining brighter than yours


I am boiling from within


Wait for me where the talons reach the glimmering streams


Love, Juliandra


Cypher poked on his nose again, reading through the letter quite a few times to make sure he didn't miss anything vital. “I curse my blood for shining brighter than yours†could simply be a metaphor suggesting that Juliandra belonged to a noble family. It could also be related to some kind of celestial exaltation. Cypher had read about a divine hierarchy stretching higher up than the Dragon-Blooded and Juliandra could very well be of such a rank. Unfortunately, the Dragon-Blooded wouldn't like, or even believe, such a hypothesis. But then there was the other sentence: “Wait for me where the talons reach the glimmering streams.†Cypher thought the terms used were weird metaphors for a poetic expression, since it was referring to an important location for a future meeting and metaphors could be misinterpret. It was without a doubt meant to be taken literally. The word “talons†was quite a vague concept for the moment, but “the glimmering streams†probably referred to a river close to the city. Another landmark!


He took another paper and started taking notes. He passed them over to Ammo who nodded in agreement and then let Gaxo send another message. Not even a day had passed and Cypher had already unlocked two potential landmarks. But Peleps Chino was too proud to give in.


Meanwhile, the dragon marched through the jungle. They followed a path for the moment, but soldiers had to widen it by cutting down trees along its sides. The hawser itself didn't fit the path and scales of soldiers were guarding it from all sides. At the front rode Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo and Dragon-Lord Peleps Wakde, fully equipped in red and black. At their side walked Crystal Bow together with his pet wolf.


The infallible messenger appeared before Rondo. “The city is also close to a river. There are something about talons reaching the stream. It could either be a statue with talons next to a river or it could be that the river has a rich bird-life.†The messenger dissipated.


Rondo looked at Crystal Bow. “Do you know anything about a river and a statue with talons, or a lot of birds?â€


Crystal thought for a moment. “There are quite a few statues with talons in these regions. Some of them are close to rivers. I need more specific information or we might end up anywhere. I don't know about bird-life though, but there's a river east of here which is rich with cranes.â€


“According to what little we know, east doesn't sound rightâ€, Rondo muttered. “Very well, we'll continue south until we get more specific information. I hope your friend Cypher is as good as they say he is.â€


In the hawser, Cypher was translating a third letter.


My dear Juliandra,


They knew about the phoenix


Now I don't know what to do


I wish you were here by my side


But I don't expect you to make it


Your destiny is greater than mine


Let's be together in another life


Yours forever, Shara Ice


A phoenix? Cypher remembered the previous two letters. Shara Ice had been hiding at a landmark which was looking at the City of Makers. They were supposed to meet each other where the talons reached the glimmering streams. This time she was mentioning a phoenix.


A phoenix has talons, he thought. There had to be a phoenix-shaped statue somewhere close to Denandsor. This could be the most valuable landmark. If this is where Shara Ice was hiding from the Makers, then it could be this phoenix who looked at the city. If we find the phoenix, we know where to find Denandsor.


He wrote down the message, gave it to Ammo who cheered when he saw it. Chino gave him an irritated look but seemed fascinated by the amount of information Cypher had found on his very first day. They sent a third infallible messenger and then went right back to work.


The messenger appeared before Rondo who, after hearing it, turned to Crystal Bow. “Is a phoenix specific enough, pathfinder?â€


Crystal thought for a moment, then he nodded to the dynast. “Yes, My Lordâ€, he said, more properly than his first time. “I know ofplace like that. It's a two week's march.â€


“Well thenâ€, Rondo said with a smirk. “Then we have a location. Not bad for a commoner. Not bad at all.â€

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 10: The boy from the fishing village IV


Hyena died in tuberculosis on a dry summer day. He was twelve years old. The only one who had been there by his side was Glittering Wolf. Wing had been working and Viper had been with him. The work had this time been breaking into a farm while the family had slept. Fortunately, Wing didn't murder anyone this time, but it didn't change the fact that Viper found him very unpredictable. This job was successful. They had a managed to steal food for a month as well as a live chicken.


When they came back to the cottage, Hyena was already dead, and Glittering Wolf sobbed while holding his body. Viper couldn't speak. He sat down next to Glittering Wolf and embraced her with his arm. Wing hid his grief in anger and left the cottage for a few hours.


“He was asking for youâ€, Glittering Wolf said, crying on Viper's shoulder.


All he could say was: “I'm sorry.â€


“I miss my parentsâ€, she cried. “And I miss my little brother. And I miss my dog.â€


“I know.â€


“I have lost everything. I can barely remember their faces anymore. I'm scared.â€


Viper had lived half his life together with Glittering Wolf, Hyena and Wing, but he still remembered his real family's faces very well. But every time he thought about his family, he could see the face of Peleps Wakde, the man who took everything from him.


But then he gained something new.


“You have meâ€, Viper said. “And I have you.â€


She grabbed his hand and he could feel it almost being crushed in her grip. In front of them lied Hyena's body. It looked fragile. Viper didn't want to touch it. He was afraid it would shatter like glass. Just like his heart was doing this very moment.


“Thank you, Viperâ€, she said. “Promise me you won't leave me. You and Wing.â€


Wing, Viper thought, trembling a little as he did so. The boy was a brother to him. But at the same time, he frightened him so deeply. He didn't want to live with Wing anymore. He didn't want to be forced out on what Wing called “work†anymore. They did so many horrible things Glittering Wolf didn't know about. She could never know.


“I promiseâ€, he whispered.


When Wing had calmed down, he returned to the cottage. He walked in, looked at the two who embraced each other in front of Hyena's corpse. Glittering Wolf's eyes were dry from being out of tears. Viper hadn't shed a single one. He mourned his friend but his thoughts were elsewhere.


“Let's bury himâ€, Wing muttered. “Outside. Now.â€


Both of them nodded in agreement. It was a quiet ceremony. Wing and Viper prepared a bed of dry branches while Glittering Wolf washed Hyena's body and made him look formidable for his memorial. They put his body on the bed, poored some liquor over it and then lit the corpse. They quietly watched the flames devour their friend's body for a few minutes before Glittering Wolf took the initiative to say something.


“Hyena said to me that he never knew his mother. She died when giving birth to him. He lived together with his father who was a hunter. But he was eaten by the forest. Hyena was six years old when he was all alone in the world. Then he met us. I hope he was happy with us ... I was happy with him.†Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched the fire. Her voice grew weaker with every word she said. “I'm gonna miss you so much, Hyena.â€


Viper thought about what to say. He looked at Glittering Wolf and realized he had never seen her this sad before. Then he looked at the ceremonial fire before him and remembered the day when he pushed his parents' dead bodies into his burning house.


“Now I have buried three family membersâ€, he said and looked quietly down on the ground.


“I'm sure he will be reborn together with his parentsâ€, Wing said. “I hope they won't fail him the next time.â€


Viper looked at Wing with an angry glare.


They didn't say anymore during the memorial. When the fire was out, they collected Hyena's ashes and spread them into the river.


“I don't want to live here anymoreâ€, Viper said. “Let's move to Nexus. We'll find someplace there.â€


Wing gave Viper a quick nod. “I'm up for it, Viperâ€, he said. “There are plenty of opportunities to make a living there.â€


“I don't knowâ€, Glittering Wolf said. “I don't like Nexus. It's so dark and scary.â€


“I'm sure it'll be fineâ€, Viper said while discretely looking at Wing. “We just have to be more careful.â€


The following day, they packed their stuff and hit the road towards Nexus. They managed to hitchhike a boat ride across the river and shortly arrived to what they had heard was the true heart of Creation. This was where dreams could come true.


They shortly managed to find some shelter in the basement of a pawn shop. They became friends with the son of the shop's owner, but they tried to hide the fact from his father that they were orphaned thieves. They lived in the basement for weeks before the shop owner found out about it and threw them out.


A few days later, they had found a new home together with other orphans in an abandoned storage. Most of them were newly orphaned boys and girls, younger than the three of them, who didn't have a clue how to steal properly. Glittering Wolf spent all her time in the storage, taking care of the kids and trying to make them feel comfortable. Wing and Viper continued their work but Wing took it to a much greater level.


“Guess what, Viperâ€, Wing said one day. “I found some guys down at Nighthammer Pool who liked my skills.â€


“That's great, Wingâ€, Viper lied. He knew what he meant with “skills†and he had a pretty good idea what kind of thugs he had met.


“They want to try me outâ€, Wing continued with a grin. “Maybe hire me if I do good. That means I don't have to steal anymore. I can just do what I do best.â€


“You mean killing people?â€


Wing looked Viper up and down. “Hey, bro, don't be like that. I'm just clearing up the streets a little.â€


“You're a serial killerâ€, Viper muttered. “And you got much worse after Hyena's death.â€


Viper was knocked back by a heavy punch to his head. He fell to the floor, rubbed his nose and felt blood. The punch had shocked him. He had never been punched by Wing before. He must have really hit a nerve. He looked at his elder with a glare.


“And you're too soft, Viperâ€, Wing said. His eyes looked almost psychotic. “You're the one dreaming about revenge. Not me. You're the one talking about killing. Not me. I do what I have to do.â€


“But you kill innocent people just for money!†Viper shouted.


“They are not innocentâ€, Wing roared. “You think you know me but you don't. Just stay out of my business. Stay weak if you want. I don't care.â€


Wing turned to leave while Viper shouted: “Yeah? Well, I hope the Emissary gets you!â€


Wing stopped and looked at Viper who sat on the floor with blood from his nose. Viper could see hints of hurt in Wing's eyes as they gazed upon each other. “You don't mean thatâ€, Wing muttered and then left.


Viper styed sitting for a few moments after Wing had left the room. He replayed what had happened in his head over and over.


“You don't mean that.â€


Viper dried the blood from his nose. Yes, he thought. I mean it.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 11: Anathema


At the end of the first day, the dragon set up camp in the middle of the cut-out path. Coral Snake hadn't made any moves against the Peleps. He had only marched together with his fang and tried to talk himself into becoming one of them. He didn't learn much about the Dragon-Blooded, but he learned some about their mortal foot soldiers. Apparently, none lower ranked than one of the Talon-Lords were exalted as a Dragon-Blooded by the Elemental Dragons. Some soldiers hoped that they would one day be blessed by such a gift. Many soldiers had once been slaves and then forced into servitude in the armies to regain their freedom. Others were mere commoners dreaming of one day being privileged by the divine Dragon-Blooded with good jobs and titles. Coral felt no sympathies.


It was first when the sun had set and the fang – consisting of Tixi, Xixo, Palmo and Felix as well as Coral – sat down next to their tent and prepared a pipe with some well-ground herbs. They got high – secretly from their officers – and enjoyed each others' companies for the rest of the night. Coral knew that they would have problems marching as well tomorrow, and he decided to fake similar hang-over symptoms. He couldn't afford someone noticing his special gifts and shout out “Anathema!â€. He knew very well about the Immaculate Philosophy and the Realm's so called Wyld Hunts. Everything higher up in the divine hierarchy than the Dragon-Blooded were anathema and had to be killed. Everything else had to view the Dragon-Blooded as gods and obey their every word. He knew that he was better than them, but he was good at faking that he was not.


The next day, the march continued. Coral faked trying to hide a hang-over to fool the fang, and he did a very good job. He even pretended to stumble once on his own foot to fall slightly into Tixi's side. The idea was to let her think that he sought intimacy; a discrete step into making her more open and inviting. It worked like a charm.


Meanwhile, Whispering Rainbow Cypher translated and deciphered. The second day was a slow one and he didn't find new clues to where they would find Denandsor. What he did find, however, was references to a defensive manse and a jade sigil.


“It's, um, true that many of the First Age cities hid defensive manses, is it not?†he asked Ledaal Yuko who worked at the table next to him. She was translating a text from another book about the city.


“You know about manses?†Yuko asked. “Not a lot of commoners do.â€


A manse was some sort of construct which structured the dragon lines of essence flowing through the earth. Where those lines met there could be an vast source of essence called a demesne. It was said that in the First Age, powerful engineers used to balance out the essence of a demesne and harness its powers by moving the lines of essence in order, often by raising some sort of structure on the demesne's location. Cypher had read that such experiments could very well go wrong – which often caused a big, bad boom. Those old tales about manses had kept his motivation going. Could he ever become an engineer good enough to create such a manse by himself? Or better yet, could he create the most powerful one in Creation?


“Wellâ€, he said. “What kind of engineer haven't heard of manses?â€


“A bad oneâ€, she laughed. “And yes, it's said that a defensive manse was the best way to protect a city. Just look at the Imperial City … or Lookshy. There are reasons why those who control those cities have enough power to rule the rest of Creation.â€


“Yuko!†Peleps Chino roared. “You talk too much! Get back to work!â€


“Yes, Master Chinoâ€, she said, slightly embarrassed. “I'm sorry.â€


Cypher asked no more. He knew quite a lot about both the Imperial City and Lookshy. He even knew things the imperialists would kill him for knowing. He was Whispering Rainbow Cypher after all. He had read quite a few forbidden tomes in his days.


The day passed slowly and the dragon marched on during the third day. At noon, Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo rode up to Crystal Bow with a grim look on his face.


“Pathfinderâ€, he muttered. “Our frontal scouts didn't return when they were supposed to. What can we expect out there?â€


Crystal rubbed his beard. “Not much, My Lordâ€, he said. “How were they armed?â€


“Slashing swords and bowsâ€, the dynast replied. “Enough to handle both barbarians and beasts.â€


“We have cut a lot of treesâ€, Crystal Bow said. “It's not impossible that we have angered a forest god and the scouts got punished for it.â€


“A forest god, you say? Then how should we proceed without angering a hundred more of them?â€


“I can go out there and try to reason with it. I have encountered a few in my days. It might be one who knows me.â€


“Very wellâ€, Rondo said. “You should have a few scouts with you.â€


“No, My Lordâ€, Crystal said. “That could anger it further. Let me go alone. I know how to talk to them.â€


Rondo seemed to think for a moment, but then nodded. “All right, pathfinder. But if you're not back before sunset, I'll send someone to get you. We're lost without a pathfinder.â€


“I understand.â€


Crystal Bow nodded to his wolf and then ran past the frontal scale and into the jungle. He jumped roots and avoided poisoned plants with grace. It was obvious to anyone who could have seen him that he was as one with the jungle. He knew where to step, how to move and what path to take. It took barely an hour before he saw the first signs of a scout – a helmet, crushed next to a giant tree. The dragon was marching on a few miles behind him. The only sign of them approaching was birds fleeing from that direction.


He looked around himself. A bloody slashing sword lied next to a root. The blood was not the scout's. However, the hand attached to the sword was. After quickly investigating the area, Crystal noticed that a forest god couldn't have caused this. Spirits barely left trails. This had been caused by beasts. And not beasts common in these jungles. He found the rest of the scout's body. It had been strangled.


Then could it be?


He heard a hissing sound from above his head. When he looked up, he noticed a camouflaged serpent of some sort hanging in its tail from a thick branch. It reached towards him with long, thin fingers. Its hide took a more reddish shape.


A strangler's serpent, he thought. But that's a swamp creature.


He took a step back and drew a dagger from his belt. Without looking, he cut towards the creature above him. Two fingers dropped to the ground and he heard an agonized hiss. The lizard crawled around to the back of the trunk. Crystal looked around himself. He knew that strangler's serpents weren't supposed to live this far north. What had brought them here?


He heard two more hissing sounds from his right and left sides. He jumped backwards as two more creatures jumped towards him from the sides. They hit each other and fell clumsily to the ground, but were quickly back on their hands and feet. Crystal didn't enjoy the situation and neither did his growling wolf. He was surrounded by strangler's serpents and he only had a dagger. Unless …


He ran towards one of the lizards, took footing on its head and jumped a few yards up to a branch. He raised his hands before him and a beautiful golden bow appeared from nowhere in his hands. An ethereal arrow appeared as he pulled the string and within a second one serpent's head was pierced by an arrow of forged essence. The arrow dissipated into thin air. He somersaulted back down to the ground and shot the other creature in the fall.


If the Dragon-Blooded would ask, he would say that he used one of the dead scout's bows.


But it had to take more than a few strangler's serpents to kill off fangs of scouts, didn't it? The bow disappeared Elsewhere and Crystal Bow decided to scout a little further south to see if something else was waiting. He clumsily walked right into a tree's trunk.


At least that's what he thought it was.


When he looked up, he noticed the barks on the tree was a scaly greenish and red. His gaze followed the trunk up and he quickly realized that it wasn't a trunk more than it was a giant leg. The biggest lizard he had ever seen looked down on him from about as high as the trees themselves. He knew what this was. He had never seen one before because he knew that they only, and rarely, appeared in the southern jungles. This, however, could be what had killed the scouts.


A tyrant lizard, he thought. Way too much for me to handle.


He ran. Faster than he had ever run before. He activated a divine charm to increase his speed to godly levels, but the tyrant lizard accelerated behind him. Trees were pushed aside by the giant serpent as both it and Crystal Bow almost flew through the jungle. He jumped and the jump took him as high up as the trees themselves. He gained some distance from the tyrant lizard and jumped again. This time he could see the dragon closing in before him. If he lured the beast to the soldiers, they should be able to take care of it. At least he hoped they would.


He jumped once more, reaching yards above the tree crowns and appeared in the air above the dragon's first scale. Shocked by the humanoid projectile, arrows were launched from the scale towards the frightened Crystal Bow. Arrows pierced his arms and legs and some got stuck in his chest and stomach. Before he had even landed, another wave of arrows appeared. When he landed on the ground, a small crater appeared in the dirt below him. The sound startled the soldiers who raised their weapons towards him. He looked like a hedgehog with so many arrows in his body, but he still breathed. He stood in the crater, rested over his right knee. Blood ran from all over his body. He truly regretted his stupidity.


He fell unconscious to the ground.


Further away from the front, Coral Snake had seen it all. He was shocked to see Crystal Bow jump at such heights, but he felt a slight satisfaction when he recalled that he had bet with himself that Crystal wouldn't make it three days. Today was the third day. There was some irony to that.


“Is it an anathema?†Tixi asked and Coral shrugged. Though he admitted that the question had occurred to him. He knew that he was what the imperialists called an anathema. But could Crystal Bow be one too?


A roar was heard from the front. The earth itself shook as the roar echoed across the lines. Suddenly, a giant beast appeared at the front and started eating at the frontal scale. Soldiers approached it with spears, but it just toyed with its food. Soldiers were tossed into the air while others were devoured by the creature. Coral was speechless. What was that thing? And where were the Dragon-Blooded?


He noticed Wakde, Rondo and Meego sitting on their horses close to the front. They seemed to calmly watch the creature eat at their ranks. And – even though Coral couldn't believe it – they seemed to be laughing.


Dragon-Lord Peleps Wakde made a sign to another scale of soldiers to attack the creatures. Some spears had been stabbed into its ankles but it didn't seem to have any effect. Dozens of soldiers were crushed, ripped apart or eaten by the monster before the grinning Dragon-Lord nodded to Meego who seemed eager to join in on the fun.


Peleps Meego jumped off his horse and drew the black grand daiklave from his back. He made two swift cuts in the air before him and then ran past the frightened soldiers towards the tyrant lizard. A few fangs of soldiers stepped back from the fight and cheered on Talon-Lord Meego who now seemed to glow and be surrounded by an illusion of wetness. He obviously had an affinity to the element of water.


The tyrant lizard turned to pick up more soldiers coming at it from behind. Meego took the opportunity to run up the beast's tail towards its head. Without stopping he did three quick cuts. Coral couldn't see if the cuts actually hit the beast. They didn't seem to have slowed Meego down as he approached the back of the beast's head and then somersaulted back to the ground next to the unconscious Crystal Bow, sheeting the daiklave on his back as he did so. The second he reached the ground, the tyrant lizard was sliced into four equally big parts.


The man's glow dampened and he turned to the soldiers. “We'll have steak tonight!†he shouted.


The soldiers' cheers echoed through the jungle.


Meego touched Crystal with the tip of his feet to see if he was awake. He turned to the cheering crowd. “But first, lock up the pathfinder!â€


Coral Snake knew that his revenge wouldn't be easy, but he didn't kno that the Dragon-Blooded actually had that much power. Or was this young Talon-Lord exceptional in some way?


“So that's Peleps Meego?†he said, hiding an intrigued smirk underneath his black mask.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 12: You can't fool the Dragon-Blooded


Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo teared up the door to the hawser with a bang. His eyes met Whispering Rainbow Cypher's who realized that the dynast didn't show a single emotion. There was a hind of fiery heat emanating from the irises, but Cypher thought it could just have been an illusion. He was speechless nontheless. Roars had echoed outside and they had felt the ground tremble below the hawser. Cypher had expected the worst, but he had not expected to be stared at by a high ranked Dragon-Blooded in red jade.


“What's wrong?†he asked.


Rondo looked Cypher up and down. “Your friend, the pathfinder, has been apprehendedâ€, he said. “You better come with me.â€


The sorcerer-engineers didn't say a word. They looked at each other and they looked at Cypher. Cypher himself was speechless. Why was Crystal Bow apprehended? What could he possibly have done?


“Why? What happened?â€


“He's been locked up in suspicion of being an anathemaâ€, the Wing-Lord stated.


Cypher twitched and the other Dragon-Blooded in the room quickly got up from their chairs. “Anathema?†he said.


“He brought a tyrant lizard into our frontal scales. Almost a hundred soldiers were killed. Good men and women. Talon-Lord Meego wants to put him down but the Dragon-Lord and I agreed that it would be best to be sure about what he is before we dispose of him. He's our only pathfinder.â€


Cypher shook his head. He couldn't believe what he heard. “Crystal Bow?†he said. “An anathema? No way.â€


“That doesn't matter!†Peleps Chino roared to the Wing-Lord. “If he's an anathema, he would only lead us astray. We can't trust his directions anymore.â€


“That might be true, Master Chinoâ€, Rondo said. “But we're three days away from Yuro. And we already know that Crystal Bow was the best that town had to offer. We would gain nothing by turning back.â€


“Even soâ€, Chino continued. “We can't keep going without knowing where we're going. The anathema's demonic army might be waiting for us at our destination.â€


Rondo put his hand before him in a silencing gesture. “That's why we must be sureâ€, he said. “He could be an unfortunate god-blooded or a newly awakened Dragon-Blooded. He's unconscious for now but we've locked him up. We'll interrogate him when he wakes up.â€


Chino muttered in irritation. “Don't be reckless, Wing-Lord. He might use his tongue to twist your mind.â€


“If he does then Meego will kill him.†Rondo nodded to the still shocked Cypher. “Now, come with me.â€


Cypher followed Rondo out. He didn't realize that both Peleps Ammo and Peleps Gaxo were following them out of curiosity. They walked around to the back of the hawser where an unconscious, bloody man with red beard lied in a locked metal cage. Next to the cage stood Dragon-Lord Peleps Wakde with his black steed. He carried his articulated plate in black jade as well as a dark dire lance. He was surrounded by curious soldiers who wanted to see the so called anathema.


Rondo ordered the soldiers to scatter as he led Cypher past the crowd and up to the cage. Wakde was eying Cypher up and down. “Did you know about this?†he asked in high realm. His voice was deep and powerful.


Cypher shook his head. “I couldn't even imagineâ€, he stuttered. “We've been friends for years.â€


“You're a thaumaturgist, an engineer and a decoderâ€, Wakde continued. “But you're also a skilled medicus, is that correct?â€


“One of the bestâ€, Cypher said with a forced grin.


“And yet you can barely be more than twenty years old. Or are my eyes deceiving me?â€


“No, they are not. Um, I like to keep myself busy every minute of the day. And I don't need much sleep.â€


“Unlike our soldiersâ€, Rondo laughed.


Wakde didn't even smirk. He looked at Cypher up and down. Then he nodded to the cage. “Can you treat his wounds?â€


“Of course.â€


The Dragon-Lord nodded to a guard who unlocked the cage, let Cypher in and then locked it behind him. Cypher walked up to his unconscious friend with his head bent so that he wouldn't hit the low ceiling above. He noticed plenty of open arrow wounds in Crystal's body and he could swear that he saw them slowly closing before him. It was like threads of essence stitched his wounds together.


He looked back to the Dragon-Blooded who stood outside the cage. “Um, he seems to be healing rapidly. The wounds aren't fatal to him but if you get me a kit, I can patch him up in no time.â€


Wakde nodded to one of the soldiers who disappeared into the hawser's storage.


“Maybe I should get the essence lens from the broken canon, Dragon-Lord?†Peleps Gaxo asked his superior. “That way we can examine his flow of essence and perhaps understand his type of exaltation.â€


An essence lens? Cypher thought. That could be dangerous.


“Do itâ€, Wakde replied.


Cypher had to do something. If he wanted to save his best friend's life, he had to stop Gaxo from getting the essence lens. But how? A mental image of Coral Snake's masked face appeared and Cypher got an idea. Perhaps a master thief could get rid of that essence lens in time?


“Umâ€, Cypher stuttered. “This treatment could take some time. Well, I might, um, as well wait until after I do number one and get some ointment – a special kind – from my bags. Just give me, um, five minutes.â€


Wakde nodded to the guard who opened up the cage and let Cypher out. He hurried back towards his side of the hawser, but took a short detour. He discretely approached Coral Snake's fang who seemed to prepare to join the frontal scales who were burning the corpses of fallen soldiers. It was first now that Cypher noticed the pieces of tyran lizard lying about a hundred yards in front of the hawser. Some soldiers seemed to be cutting off chunks of meat from the carcass.


Cypher walked up next to Coral who nodded back to him, obviously hiding a grin within his mask.


“Hello, Cypherâ€, Coral said. He noticed that Cypher had got some of the soldiers' attention and he walked a few steps away to pretend to get some water from one of the barrels. He never got any water though. He just leaned against the barrel and rested for a moment.


Cypher leaned in suspiciously close to Coral who raised a brow. “We have a problemâ€, Cypher said.


“We or you?†Coral asked with a slight arrogance in his posture. “We're ordered to burn the corpses of the dead. I'm busy.†And he seemed to love every second of it.


“Wellâ€, Cypher said. “It's Crystal Bow.â€


“Ah, yes, the anathema. What was up with that anyway? Did he really lure that monster into the dragon to tear up holes in the ranks? Quite impressive.â€


“I need to help him and, um, I need your help.â€


Coral looked at Cypher for a moment and then whispered slowly in his ear. “Why would you want to help an anathema?â€


“Because he's my friend.â€


“Good answerâ€, Coral smiled. “How can I be of help?â€


Cypher looked over his shoulders to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. When he noticed that no one cared, he said: “One of the sorcerer-engineers is about to, um, get an essence lens to use on Crystal.â€


“What's an essence lens?â€


“Well, you see, it's a lens used to show the essence flow around you. It appears like streams of energy, inside and outside any living being. A Dragon-Blooded can use that lens to see who can wield essence and who cannot. And they are going to use it on Crystal.â€


Coral didn't answer. He looked intently at Cypher, then he carefully investigated his surroundings with his brown eyes. Cypher didn't know what he was thinking but he noticed that something had caused a shift in his personality. Was it possible that he actually cared about Crystal Bow?


“Sounds like you're serious about this, Cypherâ€, Coral said. “I'll do it―â€


“Great!â€


“―if you raise my payment from one bit to one obol a day.â€


Of course, Cypher thought. It's always about money with this guy.


“Um, sure, whatever you want.â€


“Then we have an agreementâ€, Coral said with smiling eyes. “So all I have to do is find the sorcerer-engineer who has the lens, steal it from him and hide it somewhere they can't find it.â€


“I guess.â€


“Except that he's a Dragon-Blooded and he will be holding the lens. And I'm a lowly mortal. I think I'm getting cold feet here.â€


“Huh?â€


“But that's not something an advanced payment of one mina can't take care of.â€


Cypher sighed. “Are you trying to ruin me?â€


“Do you want them to use the lens on your friend?â€


Cypher dug in his money pouch but couldn't find anything more than a few obols. “You'll get it later. Okay?â€


Coral nodded and then walked towards the hawser. He wanted to have a good look at that sorcerer-engineer. Cypher went into the woods to do what he had said he would do and then returned to get the ointment from his bags – even though he knew that he didn't need it. Gaxo had properly managed to take the essence lens from the broken canon in the storage and walked around the hawser to test it out on the prisoner.


Coral immediately recognized what seemed to be a circular plate of a glass-like material in a tall man's hand. He didn't have time to think. He had to act quickly or it would be too late. If he went there and just took the lens, the sorcerer-engineer would notice him. There was only one thing he could do, but it was risky. Very risky.


And even if he would succeed, he would draw attention to himself.


He walked up towards the hawser between the lines of fangs who waited for their officers' orders. Coral made sure that he would pass the corner of the hawser just as the Dragon-Blooded with the lens did so. He would turn to go towards his own fang and as he and the target passed each other, he would grab the lens from the dynast's hand quicker than anyone would be able to notice. However, he wasn't quite sure how good perception Dragon-Blooded had compared to mortal men and women.


When the moment came, Coral slightly bumped into the man, grabbed the lens and threw it out in the jungle. He was an expert weapon thrower and together with a perfectly executed charm, it was impossible to see him throw the lens or to follow its flight path and trace it back to him. The lens was far gone and they wouldn't find it without cleaning up the jungles.


However, he had bumped into the sorcerer-engineer at the moment he lost his essence lens. He would be suspect number one.


Coral twitched a little as he felt a hand on his wrist. He turned to look and noticed an irritated sorcerer-engineer holding him in a tight grip. “Give it backâ€, the man said.


“Give what back?†Coral answered. Sure, it sounded convincing, but considering the circumstances it would be a miracle if he could bluff himself out of this one. He had been too obvious.


“The lensâ€, the Dragon-Blooded said. “You stole it from me.â€


“I haven't stolen anythingâ€, Coral said, faking a slight irritation.


The man didn't let go. He held Coral's arm while he started to call upon his essence. Coral realized what was happening. The man was about to blast a spell in his face and he would take the full blow. One mina had clearly not been enough for this risk. He had saved Crystal Bow from the essence lens, but he had drawn suspicions to himself. What a failure. He was better than this.


“Hey, calm down now, best Dynastâ€, Coral tried. “You can't blame me for something like that without proof. Just calm down, okay. Search me. You won't find anything.â€


The sorcerer-engineer was good. He wouldn't let himself be bluffed. He knew that he had been pick-pocketed. There was nothing Coral could do other than to keep denying and act like a weak mortal. If he would evade the spell, it would be obvious that he too was an anathema. But if he took the blast … well, he could die.


Coral noticed that the Dragon-Blooded's face seemed to calm down but when he once again looked at Coral, a wave of crushing water flew out from his watery anima and blasted a giant crack in the ground. Coral was thrown in the air and flew ten to fifteen yards away with his back into the trunk of a tree.


Pain was an understatement.


He was still conscious but he tried to fake otherwise. He knew that one of his poison vials had been crushed in the fall and he hoped the glass shards wouldn't cut into his back and poison him. He wasn't immune to his snake's venom after all. Parts of his clothes were ripped and he felt blood filling his mouth. He let it run out from his mouth even though it was still covered by the mask. It got moister and moister.


“Search himâ€, the man ordered the closest fang of soldiers.


Soldiers ran up to Coral and started looking through his bags and clothes. They won't find the lens, he thought. It was far into the jungle.


One of the soldiers screamed. “Snake! It's a snake!†he tossed Coral's black bag to the ground and stepped back a few yards. “He has a snake in the bag!â€


“What kind of weirdo is this anyway?†asked another. “Sorry, My Lord. We can't find the object you're looking for. He carries a weapon of gold and some weird stuff. Just look at the snake, but other than that he's clean.â€


You think my orichalcum staff is made of gold? Coral thought. I'm insulted.


Coral could see another sorcerer-engineer looking out from around the hawser, surprised by the big ruckus. He nodded to the frustrated man who angrily looked at Coral's supposedly unconscious body. “What's happening out here?†he asked. “Did you just kill that guy, Gaxo?â€


“Noâ€, Gaxo said with a grim face. “I held back. I think he stole the essence lens.â€


“What? Why wouldo that? Are you sure you didn't just drop it somewhere?â€


“Well, I'm certain he …â€


“You're getting old, Gaxo. I'm sure you dropped it here somewhere. I'll help you look for it.â€


“Damn you, Ammoâ€, Gaxo muttered. “I'm not getting old.â€


Coral Snake took a sigh of relief. It would take some days to heal the countless broken bones in his body, but at least he was alive. Had the mission been a success or not? He could ponder that while he was cared for by the medics.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 13: The boy from the fishing village V


Wing held his knife in a steady grip. He was following a young man with olive-pale skin and a short raven-feather haircut. The man was a former cutthroat who had wanted out of Nighthammer's underground guild and therefore had to be dealt with. To Wing, he was nothing more than a test subject. He had to prove himself worthy to the guys at the docks if he ever wanted to become one of their praised cutthroats. That someone wanted out of such a privileged profession was foreign to him. He was willing to do everything to get in.


He shadowed the man for some time before he got his opportunity to follow him into a dark and deserted alley down in the deadliest district within Nighthammer's docks. It was night-time and he hadn't seen a single fang from the Nighthammer Iron League. There was no doubt that he would succeed. The deserter was as good as dead.


The target walked up to a fragile wooden structure in the alley and reached for a set of keys in one of his pockets. Wing took the opportunity to make his move. He sneaked like a silent shadow up behind the unaware man, grabbed him by his shirt and made a quick cut over his throat. The man gurgled as blood filled his lungs and ran in thin dark lines down his neck. Wing let go of his shirt and the man dropped dead to the cobble.


He took a step back to look at his work of art. He was the master of life and death. Blood dripped from his sharp knife and he couldn't help but to smile. He was a true cutthroat. He was an aspirant assassin. And he aspired to become the best.


“Don't make a move, kidâ€, a voice ordered from behind.


Wing could feel his heart skip a beat. It seemed Nighthammer Pool hadn't been as empty as he first had thought. If this was a lonely vigilante, he would make a run for it. But if it was the Nighthammer Iron League, he was already dead.


Before he even got the chance to take a look, he felt a cudgel to the back of his head and all went black. When he finally came to, he could see Viper look at him with empty eyes. The cobble ground was lit up by morning light. He looked back at Viper and realized that he couldn't move. His hands and head were tightly held in position by massive wooden locks. The back of his head was sore and his eyes were dizzy.


“Viperâ€, he said. “Where am I?â€


“You got caughtâ€, Viper said with a low pitch. “I came as soon as I heard.â€


“Got caught?†He remembered a voice who had ordered him not to move. He remembered the hit on his head.


“Some guys from the Iron League saw you kill a man in Nighthammer Pool. Now you're locked up here in the middle of the street. Was it worth it?â€


Wing didn't answer. He looked at Viper with pleading eyes. “You have to help me, brotherâ€, he said. “I have murdered. They're gonna kill me.â€


“I know, but what can I do?†Viper walked up closer to Wing and lowered his voice even more. “I'm sorry, big brother, but I don't think there's anything to do.â€


Wing felt tears run from his eyes. It made his vision all the more foggy. His heart beat faster and suddenly he felt the greatest fear of his life. He was convicted for murder in Nexus. Everything could happen but he imagined the worst. He noticed that Viper had trouble giving eye contact. He looked on the ground and rubbed his neck, then tried to look at Wing but quickly dropped the gaze.


“I guess you're ashamed of me, Viperâ€, Wing said with a forced smile. “I thought I was good enough. Maybe it was too soon.â€


“That's not itâ€, Viper muttered. “I'm ashamed of myself. I didn't want to be a weakling anymore. Now I'm a murderer too.â€


Wing tried to tilt his head but the locks kept it in place. “Really?†he said. “So you finally drew blood, huh?â€


Viper avoided eye contact and took a step back. They could both hear more of a ruckus on the street. Boots were clapping and voices were heard.


“Yeahâ€, Viper said. “I'm sorry. I didn't think I would actually kill you.â€


Wing's jaw dropped. “Kill me? What do you mean?â€


“I told the Iron League about you, Wing. I'm responsible for your execution.â€


Wing looked at Viper with confused eyes. His dropped jaw turned into a grin of pain and betrayal. He ground his teeth and felt a mental blade stab the depths of his heart. Left was a black hole filling up with feelings of disgust, fear and hatred.


“Why?†was all he could say. His eyes didn't see Viper. He saw a stranger. And his shattered heart pictured mental images of him killing that stranger in so many horrible ways. “I thought we were family.â€


“We wereâ€, Viper said. “But you killed your own family. Now your family killed you.â€


Wing dropped his jaw once again. “Is that what this is about? You don't know the full picture. They were abusive drunks. Can't you get that through your thick skull?â€


He clearly couldn't. Viper didn't even twitch. Instead he turned his back and walked.


“Viper!†Wing shouted. “I curse your life! I will haunt you! I swear I will haunt you!â€


Soon, the voices from the crowd drowned his curses. “It's the Emissary! It's beginning!â€


Wing silenced, closed his eyes and tried to control his fear. He was only a few days from turning sixteen years old and his life was already over. Not only that, but the Emissary himself was going to kill him. He knew that infernal agony awaited him and he wished for eternity in the heart of Malfeas rather than a few moments with the merciless Emissary. What could he possibly do to avoid this turn of events.


CRACK!


He felt his left hand make a full turn around his wrist. No one had touched his hand. It had broken by itself. He screamed. Oh, how he screamed. He couldn't even imagine how loudly he could scream.


There was another crack and the same thing happened to his right hand. Then his left foot. And his right foot. Cracks and crisps were heard between the echoes of the boy's screams as the crowd – dead-quiet – watched the ghostly white Emissary break every single bone in Wing's body, one after another, to eventually let the broad-axe fall as the last bone to be broken was the tortured boy's neck.


Viper couldn't watch. He had killed Wing, the boy who had saved his life as a lonely orphan on the roads outside a burning Sakana Village. He had killed him in fear of a life as a murderer. He knew the irony in that. He thought about all the people Wing had killed, but he still wasn't sure if he had actually deserved an ending like this.


Murderers had to be punished. And his own punish would be the curse Wing had put on his head. He would welcome Wing's haunting ghost and carry his curse in honor. That would be his punishment.


The curse would take effect already on his way back home. A dark bag went over his head and he was pushed into a wagon pulled by a strong horse. Viper would finally get to know the true depravity of abusive adults. He would experience four years of torment, making him truly regret what he did to Wing and fully willing to follow in his brother's footsteps.


What happened during these four years is too horrible to even mention.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 14: Two men enter, one man leaves


Coral Snake woke up only to notice that he was completely naked with the exception of tightly wrapped bandages around his chest and stomach. He was in a soft bed inside the nursery which was the frontal part of the giant hawser. The entrance door was open and he could see the dozen strong buffaloes pulling the entire two-floored structure with ease. Next to his bed were nine more beds, eight of them occupied by soldiers who were wounded in the battle against the tyrant lizard. Between the beds walked white-robed medics. They were soldiers and carried their Imperial marks, but they weren't armed or equipped like the common foot soldiers.


Coral felt an intense pain in his ribs but he would endure. He wasn't mortal anymore. If he had been, the spell would have either killed him or put him in bed for weeks. He could feel that he still had small fractures in his ribs, but they would heal in no time. He could as well pretend to be in more pain than he actually was.


“Up already?†a blonde woman asked. “We thought you'd be out cold for the rest of the week.â€


Coral hadn't seen the woman before, but just her good looks eased his pain. He realized that these medics were the only ones – next to his own fang at the night they smoked – who had seen him without his mask. It actually felt good to be without it for once, but he knew that he didn't want his face to be too remembered by these people. But what could some medics do?


He gave her a charming smile. “Didn't you know it's rude to undress a man when he's out cold?â€


“Tell that to Doctor Garganâ€, the woman answered with a smirk. “He's the one who treated you.â€


Coral turned his head just to see a chubby old man with a bushy, brown beard who was dressed in the same white robe as the other medics. He dropped his jaw and the woman giggled.


“How are you feeling?†she asked. “You're healing fine, by the way. I've only seen Dragon-Blooded heal as rapidly as you before.â€


“Well, I'm one-fourth God-Bloodedâ€, Coral lied. “Got the healing from my grandmother.â€


“Really?†she said with fascination. “I assume the Lords must appreciate to have someone like you to serve under them.â€


Coral recalled the sorcerer-engineer who cast the spell on him. He then smiled to the medic. “They are overwhelmed with joy.†He carefully sat up in his bed and tried to stretch his arms but the pain in his ribs were too great. “For how long was I out?†He couldn't even recall ever losing consciousness. He had been awake during the time the soldiers searched him.


“Since yesterday. But you should stay here for a few days to get some rest.â€


He shook his head. “I appreciate the concern, young lady, but a good soldier needs to march with his fang.â€


“True thatâ€, she said and gave him a ceramic cup filled with water. “But I'm sure your fang will manage without you – at least for today.â€


Coral drank the water and suddenly remembered the reason why he was in the nursery to begin with. He had disposed of an essence lens to save Crystal Bow from being found out as an Anathema – and of course to prevent the sorcerer-engineers from ever using it on him too. But all that happened yesterday. What had happened since then?


“I'm curiousâ€, Coral said. “Did they ever find out if that pathfinder was actually Anathema?â€


“Last thing I heard, they were still interrogating him. I hope he's not.â€


“Yeah.â€


“But in worst case scenario, we can always rely on the dragon's Wyld Hunt veterans to take care of the problem. And we have Talon-Lord Meego. I think we're safe.â€


Coral leaned back in his bed with his hands behind his head. So there were Veterans here as well? He should have guessed. The Wyld Hunts didn't just fight back the chaotic Wyld who were said to devour all corners of Creation. They also hunted Anathema and any being dangerous to the Realm and its Immaculate Order. If he would be found out, he would get some trained professionals after him. Even though they would most likely be mortal soldiers.


It was not worth whatever Cypher could pay him.


On the other side of the hawser, Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo punched the newly awake Crystal Bow in the face. “Don't lie to me!†the dynast shouted. “Are you Anathema or not?â€


“I told youâ€, Crystal said with blood-filled mouth. “I'm not.â€


Rondo turned to the Dragon-Lord who rode his horse just behind the hawser. The army marched slowly forward and soldiers could easily walk back and forth without getting left behind by the marching dragon.


“We can keep pounding him, Dragon-Lord, but I don't think it'll do us any goodâ€, Rondo muttered in high realm. “He won't admit to being Anathema and he's just too stubborn to be anything else.â€


“That just proves that he is oneâ€, Dragon-Lord Peleps Wakde said.


“But we can't just kill himâ€, Rondo said. “We'll get lost without a pathfinder.â€


“We don't have to kill him. Just bring in Meego. We'll give the men a good show and then the Anathema will be too scared to give us false directions. We'll kill him after we find Denandsor.â€


“Yes, My Lordâ€, Rondo said and jumped out from the cage.


He locked it behind him and left the bleeding Crystal Bow inside. The pathfinder had been given a pair of jade cuffs which locked his hands together. The cuffs were artifacts which the Realm had created for situations like this. They blocked the use of Essence and could even prevent a mighty god from accessing its charms. Now, Crystal Bow was no more dangerous than a cuffed mortal man.


Whispering Rainbow Cypher was sitting at his table in the hawser. He was worried about his locked up friend and his injured bodyguard. He was also worried about the suspicious gazes he got from the other sorcerer-engineers, especially from Peleps Chino. However, he was relieved about the essence lens problem being dealt with.


Cypher had been the first man in Yuro to tip the dynasts of the skilled scavenger hunter Crystal Bow who was said to know the jungles like no other man. Some of the Dragon-Blooded had been heard accusing Cypher for knowingly helping an Anathema infiltrate the dragon's ranks. Only Ledaal Yuko and Peleps Ammo seemed to think of the rumors as nonsense.


“Umâ€, Cypher muttered, trying his best to break the bad atmosphere in the room. “I found another reference to the phoenix. Where the eyes of the phoenix see the glimmering peaks. I think it, um, refers to where Denandsor is located in reference to the phoenix and some mountains.â€


The sorcerer-engineers didn't answer. Peleps Gaxo was standing in the middle of a sorcery circle where he practiced some spell. Peleps Ammo was reading a book while drinking some tea and Peleps Chino analyzed another artifact rumored to be connected to the city. The only one who recognized Cypher at the moment was Yuko who didn't reply, but answered his efforts with a friendly smile.


“Well, um, you seeâ€, Cypher continued. “I've also read about mountains surrounding a hidden valley. The connection is, um, that the mountains themselves are said to have snowy peaks which glimmers under sunlight. Perhaps the valley itself could be, you know, hiding the city.â€


What he didn't tell them was that he had found something truly exceptional in the Tome of the Makers. He had noticed it first yesterday, despite having read the book over and over since he got it. There were always clues to be found, riddles to be solved and cyphers to be deciphered. What he hadn't expected was that some clues didn't want to be found. Cypher was the only one who could solve this riddle. He knew it. Despite having shared the tome with all the Dragon-Blooded in the room, he knew that none of them had even been close to finding this clue. He was the only one who could do it.


It was after quite a few times of reading through the tome when he found out that something wasn't right. He noticed a gap in the couple of hundred pages. Only a special savant like himself could notice that one individual page was wrong when blended with hundreds of other. He had noticed that if he counted the book's pages without reading them, they were one more than when he counted them as he read them.


Some experimental counting from front and back led him to one page who was in the book but still clearly wasn't. That was the great mystery. He knew the page was there. He looked at it, read it and turned it. But yet, he had neither looked at it nor read it. He could see the page but yet he couldn't see it. It was clearly visible but yet it wasn't. What he could do was feel it, but not when looking at it. It was enough for him to discretely tear it out and put it in his pocket. He knew that none of the other would ever notice it be missing since they wouldn't even notice it being there.


The problem now was to find out how to actually read it. He could feel the page in his pocket, but he knew that when he was going to try to read it, he would gain nothing from it. He wouldn't even know he was reading it, if he ever was.


The only thing that was clear to him was the fact that the hawser stopped and cheers were heard from outside. The sorcerer-engineers gave each other bewildered looks and Peleps Ammo took the initiative to open the door to take a look outside. As soon as the door opened, a soldier ran past, shouting: “Talon-Lord Meego is going to fight the Anathema!â€


Oh crap …


People rushed towards the scene. Cypher as well as all the sorcerer-engineers took a break from their work to watch the fight. Even Coral Snake quickly put on his gear and excused himself to the medics. About fifty yards behind the hawser, soldiers had created a big circle around Peleps Meego, Peleps Rondo and Crystal Bow who was still cuffed by the artifacts.


Coral Snake found his own fang who sat at the front row. He greeted them and sat down next to Tixi. Cypher stood in the back together with the sorcerer-engineers. He was insanely worried.


Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo raised his hand to silence the crowd. The sun had already walked past this place in Creation and was setting in the far west. The soldiers waited with excitement.


“This man is convicted of being an Anathemaâ€, Rondo said. “On Dragon-Lord Wakde's orders, we'll show you a display of an Anathema's cursed powers – and prove to you all why the Dragon-Blooded reigns supreme.â€


Wakde was standing a few yards behind the ring, watching over it together with the other commanders.


“However, this man doesn't admit to being an Anathemaâ€, Rondo continued. “Talon-Lord Meego will therefore bring the truth out of him. This will hopefully not be a battle to death. It will be a battle of gaining control over the monster and let him know why he must fear the Dragon-Blooded.â€


The soldiers cheered. Rondo nodded to Meego who approached Crystal Bow and removed the cuffs from his wrists. He could almost instantly feel the Essence within him once more. The soldiers silenced and some gulped, nervous of the loose Anathema.


Meego took a few steps back, stood in a defensive stance and glared at Crystal Bow with pure hatred. Crystal Bow looked frightened. He gave Meego a pleading look and tried once again to make them all understand that he was not an Anathema. But no one would listen.


“I'm scaredâ€, Tixi whispered to Coral who intently watched both Meego and Crystal. “What if the Anathema actually wins?â€


Coral didn't answer. He had seen Meego kill a tyrant lizard like it was nothing. He was a young but fearsome fighter. Could Crystal Bow actually win – even if he actually was a Solar Exalted like himself?


“Make the first move, Anathema!†Meego roared. “Show us what you got!â€


“I won'tâ€, Crystal said.


“Suit yourself!â€


Meego drew his black grand daiklave from his back and charged at Crystal Bow. His skin quickly became darker almost to an ebony black and an aquatic blue glow emanated from his body and spread out along his blade. As he cut towards Crystal Bow, it appeared like he was cutting through water as drips of water fell from his daiklave's blade. His eyes glowed with a greenish blue.


Crystal Bow was not there anymore. He was ten yards in the air with his legs up and his head down as he turned his body upside down. A beautiful golden light appeared at the palms of his hands and a radiating orichalcum bow appeared in his steady grip. He pulled the string and an ethereal arrow appeared.


The sight startled the public but only excited Meego more. He grinned with true happiness as he realized that he was fighting a real Anathema – just like the legends had portrayed them. Stunningly golden, but with hellish light.


This was all the proof Coral Snake needed to know what Crystal Bow was. He was just like him. The bow in his hands was of pure orichalcum – the Unconquered Sun's divine metal. He didn't know much about the First Age, but he knew that only Solar Exalted were blessed with that metal. It was just like his Serpent-Sting Staff. He couldn't let the Imperalist scum kill this man. He had to save him somehow. But could he do it without revealing himself?


Crystal Bow released the string and the arrow of forged Essence flew rapidly through the sky towards the grinning Dragon-Blooded. Tixi had told Coral that Meego was exceptional in the way that he used his Water Aspect in close combat and made it work flawlessly, even though it wasn't the most proper element for that type of fighting. Meego didn't let the element be his master. He was himself a true master of his element.


Two more arrows left Crystal's bow. Meego swung his heavy blade, cut through the first arrow like it was water. When the second arrow came, Meego's body shifted like a ripple wave and the arrow seemed to pierce through a part of his body like it was made of water. It didn't injure him at all. He had let it pass through. When he third arrow came, he had managed a full turn and cut his blade through the arrow, making it dissipate into drips of water.


Crystal Bow was closing in to the ground and Meego ran towards him. As the Anathema was about to land, the grand daiklave swung in from his left and he tried to dodge it by placing his palms on the blade and rolling over to its safe side. He wasn't prepared for an armored elbow following up the sword's cut.


The blow hit Crystal's face and stunned him only for the blink of an eye, but it was enough time to let Meego swing his blade another turn around his body and follow up the blow with a clean cut to Crystal's chest. The sharp jade cut through the clothes and into his ribs. Blood splashed out from the wound and blended with water from Meego's anima.


Crystal fell to the ground. Meego had overwhelmed him like crushing waves. He walked up to Crystal's body and raised the sword before him. The crowd cheered.


A faint glimmering light appeared in a circle over Crystal's forehead and golden white light flowed from the man's divine anima and took the shape of an eagle, stretching higher up the sky than the trees themselves. The eagle spread its wings and looked down on Meego with sharp eyes. Soldiers screamed in fear but Meego held his ground. He stared back at the glowing eagle before it faded away and left only a bright glow around Crystal Bow's body.


A faint clink were heard. Meego felt a light thump in the back of his neck and noticed a black throwing dagger stuck in his armor's collar. He grabbed its handle, looked behind him to see from where it came, and then dropped the knife to the ground. He looked at the unconscious Anathema, spat on him and left the ring.


Coral Snake ground his teeth. Not only was Crystal Bow a Solar Exalted like himself, but they also shared the same caste mark. The golden circle representing the darkness of night, where the Solar Exalted of the Night Caste were beacons of light in the absence of the Sun. Crystal Bow was his brother. He would make sure the Dragon-Blooded wouldn't take his life.


One throwing dagger was missing from his holster. They wouldn't track it to him. The knife had come from behind but he was sitting in front. He only wished he had actually hit the neck instead of the damn jade collar of Meego's black articulated plate.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 15: An invitation to Kal Bax


“How are you feeling?†Whispering Rainbow Cypher whispered as he bathed Crystal Bow's forehead. He was sitting together with the injured man in the cage at the back of the hawser. Crystal had been cuffed again after his fight with the Talon-Lord and he healed as slowly as a mortal man because the cuffs blocked him from accessing his Essence.


Crystal didn't say much. He had a fever and he was in pain. His morale was low because of all he had to endure from hateful soldiers who wished him dead. They were afraid of him and would prefer their Lords to kill him, but they knew that as long as he wore the cuffs, he wouldn't be dangerous.


“I couldn't have, um, guessed that you were exalted, Crystalâ€, Cypher whispered.


Crystal looked up at him, but his eyes were dizzy. “Are you sure about that, my friend?†He gave him a friendly smile and then leaned back to endure his agony.


Cypher gave Crystal a confused look, but then experienced a feeling of déjà vu. He could see himself bathing a man's wounds. It was the same man, but yet it wasn't. He looked different but his spirit sensed the same. He had taken care of Crystal Bow's wounds before – thousands of years ago.


He smiled. “So you knew about me all the time?†Cypher whispered. He put his hand on Crystal's wound and let a pulse of Essence run through his fingers into his friend's wound. Crystal's eyes got even more dizzy but all of his agony was gone. He fell asleep.


A thought occurred to Cypher. He could still feel the ripped out piece of paper in his pocket. It was a little more than a week ago since he had discovered it. He hadn't had much time to experiment with the paper since then because he was treating Crystal's injuries every day. The Dragon-Blooded wouldn't allow the cuffs to be removed so they let Cypher treat him instead. They knew that their own medics weren't good enough to ensure the man's survival. Especially after they discovered he had got an infection.


He turned his back to all who might observe and took the piece of paper from his pocket. He didn't look at it because he knew that it would make him forget what he would see. Instead he looked away, felt the paper in his hand and grabbed his spherical pendant with his other hand. He let a single mote of Essence flow from his fingertips into the paper itself. He could feel a faint warmth in his other hand and he noticed his pendant was glowing. He looked at the paper in his hand.


He turned his back to all who might observe and took the piece of paper from his pocket. He didn't look at it because he knew that it would make him forget what he would see. Instead he looked away, felt the paper in his hand and let a single mote of Essence flow from his fingertips into the paper itself. He looked at it.


The scripture was as clear as the sky outside.


To the Makers' Court


I am writing this letter to let you know that I have received my invitation to construct a Guardian in your city. It was years ago I visited the City of Makers and it is a great honor and a privilege to be invited to immortalize my name through your great Collection.


I will fly there over the Glimmering Peaks and into the Maker's Valley. There you will be able to witness the construction of the greatest creation that have yet to come out of my hands. I would also ask for permission to study the construct of your city's admirable manse. I have always said that only those with enough mastery over Essence can understand the full dimensions of a manse's design. That is of course true even to this day. However, even though my upcoming Autonoma is much simpler than a manse in its design, the means I have taken to architect it is of a different matter.


I still haven't begun my journey to Denandsor, but my arrival will be via air. Don't bother opening up the portal. I am going to pick up my student Larquen Quen along the way. He has dreamt about visiting your city for quite some time now. We also have some matters to attend to concerning a demesne in the Northern Jungles, but expect our arrival at the end of the Fifth Month.


Kal Bax


Cypher looked at the name Kal Bax and felt his heart skip a beat. It was a letter by the Kal Bax, the greatest engineer of the First Age. He had studied the man and his work all his life. It was this man who motivated him to always do better. He was the greatest manse builder, an ancient rival to his own ambitions.


He would treasure this letter forever.


He put the letter back in his pocket and told the guards that he was ready to get out of the cage. Reading the letter had made him happy, despite the circumstances. He almost danced along the marching scales as he felt his stomach growl with hunger. He looked at the giant hawser, put his finger on his lip and pondered whether or not he would make it all the way to lunch. He shrugged the thoughts away and jumped right into the kitchen.


Cypher spent about an hour in the kitchen, making a gourmet meal out of everything he could find. He took ingredients the chefs cherished deeply, but the lowly personnel knew that Whispering Rainbow Cypher was valuable to their Lords. They didn't argue against his intrusion and instead helped him prepare the meal. When he was just about done, the dragon itself stopped for a two hour break.


He got the chefs to help him put a table and some chairs outside the sorcerer-engineer's door to the hawser and they placed plates for all five of them, as well as food to feed ten. Some soldiers looked enviously on Cypher's lunch. He ignored them and opened the door to the hawser.


“What about some lunch?†he asked with a smile.


He despised the Dragon-Blooded for injuring his best friend, but perhaps this meal would at least help him befriend the sorcerer-engineers and gain their trust.


“What's with you?†Peleps Ammo asked.


“Just come on out nowâ€, Cypher said and sat down at the table.


Ammo was the first to take a look outside and he twitched with surprise as he saw the cooking on the table. He looked back in over his shoulder and smiled to the others. “It seems Cypher has cooked for us.â€


“Bahâ€, Cypher heard Peleps Chino mutter from inside. “Then he has too much free time on his hands.â€


They all sat down nonetheless and looked at Cypher's cooking. Ledaal Yuko sat down next to him and she gave him a friendly smile. She always did. Cypher realized that even though she was Dragon-Blooded, he couldn't hate her like he did the rest. Not to mention that she was quite the beauty. Elisa back in Yuro was plain in comparison to Yuko.


“Please, eatâ€, Cypher said and pointed to the food.


“No, waitâ€, Chino stated, interrupting Ammo who was reaching for a grilled chicken leg.


Chino waved in a soldier who was guarding them next to the hawser. The guard got the message and took some food from the table, ate it and then tried some more. He chewed, swallowed and stood in salute. “It's clean, My Lordâ€, he said.


Chino looked at the guard for a moment to see if he showed any symptoms of poison. When he noticed that he didn't, he turned to the others. “Very well thenâ€, he said.


They ate and drank. It didn't take long before the tension faded and the sorcerer-engineers got talkative. They praised Cypher for the meal and laughed at stories they would usually never tell to a mere commoner. Chino was still the bitter old man they were used to, but he still ate happily from the food.


Twenty to thirty yards away, Coral Snake was leering at the bunch from a hot cauldron of stew where he filled his bowl. He knew how easy it would be for him to sneak up to the table and steal food without them knowing, but he chose not to. He had decided to stay away from the sorcerer-engineers after what happened when he stole the essence lens from Peleps Gaxo a little more than a week ago. He had fully recovered, but the trauma remained.


Eventually, the lunch break came to its end and the march continued. The sorcerer-engineers returned to their room in the hawser and Coral Snake returned to his fang. Crystal Bow had become talkative and actually helped the dynasts with their directions, even if it was only out of fear of being tortured or killed.


They marched for hours and the sun begun to set. Coral Snake noticed that the longer they walked, the more silent the jungle got. Eventually, he couldn't even hear the sounds of mosquitoes. The darkness and silence of the jungle were claustrophobic and he noticed some distress among the soldiers.


When he looked up in the sky, the only sign of life was a big and graceful bird. The bird was bigger than any other bird he had ever seen. It circled them in the sky, watching them from high above. The only thing bigger and more beautiful than that bird, was the head of the big, white phoenix which slowly appeared behind the high jungle trees. The phoenix reached higher than the towers of Yuro, but it seemed to be made of the same smooth, white stone.


They were finally here. It was the phoenix. The first landmark.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 16: The boy from the fishing village VI


Viper sat on a chair in the middle of a grand bed chamber. He was properly dressed in fine linen, his hair was clean and his teeth were brushed. But he knew that it was all a show. He was the worst kind of slave. He had been for four years. And he felt embraced by filth.


Across the room sat a man with smooth, pale skin and long, brown hair. He was looking into a giant mirror and was preparing some shaving cream. Today was a grand ball and he was supposed to meet up with some noblemen from Great Forks. Viper was supposed to come along.


“The man we're about to meet today has taken a liking to you, boyâ€, the man said. “You will go with him for tonight and, if all goes well, he might want to purchase you for a high price.â€


“I understandâ€, Viper mumbled, trembling as he did so.


“I understand, what?â€


“I understand, Masterâ€, Viper said, wanting to spit on the word as he said so. “I'm sorry.â€


“We've been through this so many times, boyâ€, the man said. “Yet you never learn. Now, comb my hair. I only have an hour before we must depart.â€


Viper felt disgusted, but there was nothing he could do. He walked up to the man and took the smooth comb of bone from the man's hand. He started combing the hair and tried to avoid glaring too much at the man through the mirror. The man was leering at him. He was a despicable and morbid man.


It was four years ago Viper had caused Wing's death. He felt cursed but a haunting ghost had never come. He had wanted it to. He had waited for it so that he could apologize. What he had done to Wing was childish. He didn't understand what Wing had been through. Now he did. The last two years were pure horror. He was angry, afraid and he wanted to kill. He wanted revenge on this disgusting man and everyone of his associates.


How was it Wing used to do it? It was a knife to the throat. One clean cut.


“Do you want me to shave you as well, Master?†Viper asked. He looked at the razor on the plate in the man's hand. The metal glimmered and he could see his own reflection in the blade. One clean cut was all he needed. The man was still stirring the cream with a brush.


“You cut me in the cheek the last time you triedâ€, the man muttered. “Why should I let you shave me again?â€


“I didn't know how to do it then, Masterâ€, Viper said. “But now I know. Let me show you.â€


“Very well.â€


Viper put down the comb and reached for the plate with the bowl of shaving cream and the sharp razor. He stirred the cream a little with the brush and then started applying it to the man's cheeks and chin. When the cream covered his face, he grabbed the handle of the razor.


There would be one clean cut. Just like Wing used to do it.


He carefully shaved some from the man's left cheek. The man leered at him a little, but then seemed to calm down. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Viper felt no tension. He was neither nervous nor scared. He had waited for an opportunity to kill this man. He needed to be free. If he would fail to kill him now, the man would punish him so greatly it was better to commit suicide.


“You know what I will do if you cut me again, boyâ€, the man said with a smirk.


Viper knew. He could still feel the pain from the scar just below his armpit. The man had cut him there with the razor after the last time. He always hurt him where the scars couldn't be seen.


“Yes, Master.â€


He looked intently at the man's throat. He slowly moved the razor towards the throat. One clean cut was all he needed to do. He knew he could do it. He was ready. Just when the razor touched the skin, the man opened his eyes. He could see the glimmering metal and a boy's dark and determined eyes. He screamed as he tried to get out of the chair, but Viper quickly cut the razor blade through skin and muscle tissue. He made one clean cut and blood squirted from the wound like a beautiful fountain of death as the man choked on his own blood.


The man had gurgled and cried, but he was dead within seconds. Viper took a step back. He looked at the bloody razor in his hand and then on the lifeless nobleman in the chair before him. It had been almost too easy. He took a deep breath and felt relieved. He had wanted to kill this man for two years. He couldn't imagine that it would be this easy.


He looked at the corpse and knew that he wouldn't dispose of it. He wanted the man's ghost to come after him just so that he could kill him again. This had been too soft an ending for this man. He would leave the man here with his throat cut open – like a memento of his best friend Wing


Viper cleaned the blood from the razor and put it in his belt. He left the chamber and sneaked through the halls of the mansion until he reached the darkness of the streets outside. He ran from Bastion to Nighthammer Pool. He was a murderer – a stone-cold killer – and he felt like one with the darkness of the night. He wanted to find some guys down the docks. The same guys who had offered Wing a job four years ago. But this time, he was the one who was looking for work.


Viper, fourteen years old and a killer. He would aspire to become the best – the most feared killer in Nexus. He would get his revenge on all the noblemen who had shared his former master's depraved tastes. He would cut their throats and let them choke on their own blood.


The Throatslitter. That would be his new name.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 17: The phoenix


The phoenix was out of this world. It reached into the sky like a symbol of elegance. Its head was twice as high up as the trees and its beak pointed directly south. What it looked at was the snowy peaks of high mountains. The statue had its wings spread and its legs slightly bent, with talons reaching into the river itself. It looked like it was just about to take it to the air – probably to soar over the high mountain peaks.


The dragon had made its stop. The beasts seemed distressed but calmed down after some soldiers let them feed. All the sorcerer-engineers had left the hawser to study the gigantic sculpture which brilliantly showed the beauty of days passed. Whispering Rainbow Cypher was with them. At his side stood an amazed Coral Snake who felt like he was standing on a beacon of Essence. He could feel the Dragon-Lines under his feet connect to the great phoenix before him. It was something he hadn't felt since Nexus – no, since he was at that strange door in Yuro. He wondered if others felt it too.


Seemingly they did. Cypher investigated the area surrounding the phoenix like if he was searching for something which couldn't be seen. He seemed to calculate and ponder over something just too complicated for Coral to comprehend. Yet both their gazes constantly went back to the statue itself.


The Dragon-Lord ordered the dragon to set up camp. It was late and the jungle was covered in darkness, but the moonlight reflected on the blank stone of the phoenix and on the surface of the river. Wing-Lord Peleps Rondo walked up to Cypher and the sorcerer-engineers with the cuffed “Anathema†Crystal Bow at his side.


He nodded to Cypher: “Does it fit the landmarks?â€


“Yes, it certainly doesâ€, Cypher said. “There must be a way inside. Um, may I go in, assuming we find the entrance?â€


Ledaal Yuko who stood next to him looked up at Rondo with pleading eyes as Cypher asked those words. She too wanted to investigate it closer.


“Noâ€, Rondo ordered. “We don't know what is within. The manse is too powerful for me to risk you going inside just to die in some ancient trap.â€


“Let him do itâ€, Peleps Chino muttered, clearly intrigued by the idea of Cypher dying. “Or let that Anathema go inside to check for traps.â€


“No, Chinoâ€, Rondo said. “You should know that a manse in the hands of an Anathema can be a powerful weapon.â€


Those words truly got Coral's interest. What if he could use the manse to wipe out the entire dragon? But he didn't know anything about how manses worked. Wishful thinking or not, he still wanted to go inside. He was curious to see the ancient wonders of the First Age, even if it was all above his understanding. He was a Solar Exalted after all. It was time for him to start learning – or re-learning – about the wonders of a lost age.


He noticed that Cypher was looking at the black streams covering the statue's talons. “The entrance must be down thereâ€, he said, pointing to the water.


Rondo leered at the stream and then on his sorcerer-engineers. Peleps Gaxo – who Coral avoided the best he could – rubbed his chin and muttered: “I was thinking the same. Let one of the soldiers swim down to find out.â€


Rondo nodded.


“I can do itâ€, Coral said. He said it both out of fascination for the manse and out of curiosity if his help would turn some of the Dragon-Blooded on his side. Perhaps even Gaxo, the man who had assaulted him with magic more than a week ago.


Gaxo gazed at him and twitched with his eyebrows as he noticed who the volunteer was. He ground his teeth. “I know youâ€, he said. “You're the one who stole the essence lens.â€


Coral noticed the other sorcerer-engineers' eyes were all on him. It made him feel uncomfortable. They were all his enemies. His destiny – his Exaltation – was to gain enough power to exterminate them all. Why didn't he just kill them now? It was because he was still weak. He was merely an infant compared to what he could become. What he had seen himself be in a former lifetime. He had seen it in his dreams.


“I thought I was freed from all suspicions, My Lordâ€, Coral said.


“All but mineâ€, Gaxo said.


“Well then, maybe this act will help me gain your trust, best Dynastâ€, Coral said as he reached for his mask. He removed it from his face and smiled to the Dragon-Blooded. “No soldier can swim better than I.†He unbuckled his bags and belts, removed his brown cape and his buff jacket.


Gaxo snorted. “So that's the mysterious face you've been hiding all this time?†he said. “Quite feminine. No wonder you hide it. Well, I know from experience that you're quite familiar with water.â€


Coral recalled Gaxo's spell blast him with a massive wave of water. He smiled to the sorcerer-engineer. “As a matter of fact, my father was a fisherman and he taught me to swim early.â€


The Dragon-Blooded muttered to himself.


“Should I get into the water or not, Imperial Lords?†Coral asked, ready to remove his last layer of clothes. He removed the strings from the three knots he had in the back of his hair and let his long, black hair fall gracefully down his back. It reached to just below his shoulder blades.


Rondo eventually nodded to him. Coral gave a sly smirk and then undressed until he was naked. This was the first time anyone who was there had seen how he truly looked like below all his cloth. He had the face of an eighteen year old with smooth, brown skin and shiny, black hair. His face was androgynous and if not for his clear pitch of that of a young man, his face could be mistaken for a girl's. He was about five-six feet tall and was thin but strong with a well-shaped muscular structure of a true athlete.


He dived into the depths of the river. The water was dark and cold but he didn't even tremble. He felt the energies of the manse increase with each swim-stroke he took. The feeling excited him. This manse was constructed by his brethren from the First Age. He was them reincarnated. Even though he didn't know what this manse's purpose was, he felt at home. It felt like those clueless dynasts above the surface were desecrating holy ground.


About twenty to thirty yards down, he could sense the bottom through the pitch-black darkness of the river at night. As he got used to the water and the darkness, he noticed some moonlight reaching the bottom of the river. He could see a spherical shape before him, but he didn't know what it was. He reached for it with the palm of his hand and felt a smooth, crystal-like surface. He went back up to get some air.


“Did you see anything?†Cypher asked from the shore.


“Yesâ€, Coral gasped. “But not good enough. I'm going back in.â€


He dived right back in, dedicated to explore the bottom more. He noticed another spherical object, just like the other one. A few yards away was another one. On the bottom itself were stone, going from the shore towards the phoenix itself. It was a road. Then those spheres must have been some kind of artifact lamps. He had seen similar being used in Nexus.


Coral followed the road towards the phoenix. When he got close, he noticed an open entrance leading into the structure itself. He could feel that he had some time left to hold his breath. The pulses of the manse were intense – but so was his dedication to explore it. He entered the phoenix and swum up to an imagined surface. Eventually he reached a pocket of air.


He had truly underestimated fresh air. Unfortunately the air inside this statue didn't feel very fresh. As he breathed heavily, he bumped his head into some kind of orb in the ceiling. When he looked up, he saw nothing else than darkness.


But he was alone. Light from here wouldn't reach the shore.


He lit his caste mark and strong light came from the circular shape on his forehead. It reflected on the surface of the water and danced with the ripple waves. He could see white stone-walls and a white stone-ceiling. The only thing sticking out was the series of orbs in the ceiling. They looked like they were made of dimmed glass or crystal. They didn't reflect much light.


He swum further into the construct and noticed more of those orbs in the ceiling. When he reached the wall at the end of the room, he bumped into a strange structure. It looked like a panel with three levers. He didn't want to risk touching any of them. It there was a trap, it would be better if a Dragon-Blooded activated it.


He dived back into the cold water and swum back up to the shore. He walked up to the shore and noticed more than the Dragon-Blooded's eyes were on him. Soldiers were looking at him as well, waiting for him to tell everyone what he had found down there. He felt slight discomfort by all the attention – not because he was naked, but because he showed his face to the enemy.


“I found an air-pocket insideâ€, he said. “There's a road down there, leading into the statue. I couldn't see anything inside but I think I felt some kind of panel.â€


The sorcerer-engineers looked at each other.


“Along the road are spherical lampsâ€, he continued. “I know they are lamps because I've seen similar in Nexus.â€


Coral walked up to his clothes and started to dress. He didn't try to dry his skin before he put on his clothes. He buckled on his belt and bags and stroke his wet hair back over his head.


Rondo nodded to Talon-Lord Meego who nodded back to him. He then walked out on the surface of the river as the familiar bluish glow started to emanate from his body. He looked down on the water below and then let it consume him with its waves. It looked like the river swallowed him whole, but it was all the time his doing.


There were a few minutes of silence before a strong white glow could be seen from the depths. Soldiers were calling each other and pointing to the river which seemed to part itself where Coral had seen the road. Water formed a solid surface next to the lit lamps and in the middle of the road walked Meego with a completely dry articulated plate. It was unthinkable that he had been within water only moments ago.


Coral had fully dressed and walked up to Cypher's side. He noticed that the only people who weren't even slightly amazed by what they had witnessed were Rondo and Chino.


Meego came walking up a stairway of white stone back to the shore. He nodded to Rondo and stroke his black hair over his head. “It's safe to go insideâ€, he said.


He nodded, then looked at the other sorcerer-engineers. “Okayâ€, he said. “Cypher and Yuko. You'll go inside.â€


“I'm going too, best Dynastâ€, Coral said. “I'm still his bodyguard.â€


“Very well.â€


“Send in the Anathema, Rondoâ€, Chino said. “He can't tap into the manse when he's cuffed. Let him be bait for whatever trap there might be.â€


Rondo looked at Crystal Bow who tried to avoid eye contact. “Fineâ€, he said. “Talon-Lord, you'll watch over them.â€


“Yes, Wing-Lordâ€, Meego said. He grabbed Crystal in his hair and pulled him after himself down the stairs between the parted river. Coral, Cypher and Yuko followed them down.


The road felt claustrophobic. At their sides were walls of black water. Coral Snake couldn't shake off the idea that the water could fall over him at any second. He noticed that Cypher and Yuko seemed to share that thought. Meego didn't care the slightest. He was determined to drag Crystal with himself into the phoenix and Crystal Bow did his best to hold his balance when he was dragged by the strong Dragon-Blooded.


Even though the road was illuminated by the spherical lamps, Coral couldn't help but feel a giant shadow rippling past the road. He looked at the black water-walls at his sides and thought he could see the silhouette of a fish swimming within the water.


However, this fish seemed as large as the two-floored hawser that was parked further up the shore.


“Cypherâ€, Coral said, intently looking at the water. “Did you see that?â€


“Umâ€, Cypher said. “I don't know. What are you referring to?â€


“Inside the water. Something huge.â€


“I didn't see anything.â€


When they entered the phoenix, Meego pushed Crystal into the room. He then stood at the entrance and waited for the rest to come inside. “Yuko, you know the dealâ€, he said.


She nodded. “Yes, Talon-Lordâ€, she said. “Decode what we can without touching anything.â€


“And if you must touch something?â€


“Then we'll use the Anathema.â€


He gave her a sly smirk. “Good girl.â€


Cypher walked past them all, looking at the walls and the ceiling. The room was rectangular and every corner seemed to be made of white stone. From the ceiling were a series of half-orbs who lit up the room as brightly as the lamps outside. Coral remembered them as a dimmed crystal. On the floor were a few circular plates. They too seemed to be made of crystal, but they were much clearer than the ones in the ceiling had been.


Crystal didn't move. He was standing in the middle of one of the crystal discs, leering at Meego who leaned against a wall next to the entrance. The river outside was still parted at the lit road. Yuko took a pencil and a journal from the small bag hanging from her belt. She opened it up and took notes while investigating the walls and floor.


“I can see fragments of magical materialâ€, she said. “Like a network of jade and orichalcum.â€


Meego gave her a quick gaze and snorted. “I'll be outsideâ€, he said and took a few steps through the entrance.


Cypher was standing in front of the panel with three levers. He was looking intently at it. He didn't move. All he did was staring at the levers, lost in his own thoughts. Coral didn't know what to do. He walked up next to Cypher at the panel.


“Do you know what it is?†he asked.


“Yesâ€, he said. “The levers control the amount of Essence released throughout the manse.â€


“The network itself is hidden within the floor and the ceilingâ€, Yuko said. “The right lever should be controlling the orbs in the ceiling. They aren't just lamps. They have another purpose.â€


“What purpose?†Coral asked.


Yuko didn't reply. She looked closer at the floor and scribbled some notes in her journal. “The floor seem to be connected to both the other leversâ€, she said.


“Strangeâ€, Cypher muttered. “This can't be all there is to this manse.â€


“What I find strange is that the panel is out in the open like thisâ€, Yuko said. “There's not even an outer door. Anyone who could wield Essence could, in theory, activate this manse.â€


Then it can't be dangerous, Cypher thought. I'm sure I know how it works now.


He let a single mote of Essence flow from the palm of his hand into the panel itself. A faint glitter could be seen from three symbols, each next to a lever.


“Something happenedâ€, Coral said, looking over Cypher's shoulder. He hadn't noticed that the panel had been activated by Cypher himself.


“Yesâ€, Cypher said. “Um, it seemed to already be active.â€


Cypher looked at the three symbols. They were old realm. The left one said Talon, the middle one said Wing and the right one said Beak. He realized he had no idea how it worked, but yet it all seemed much familiar. But he had never been inside a manse like this before. How could it feel so familiar?


“Let me seeâ€, Yuko said and walked up to the two of them. Crystal still hadn't moved from his spot.


Cypher didn't hear Yuko. He slowly moved the left lever, from top to bottom. A network of magical material glimmered from the lever, through the panel and up along the wall to the ceiling. The orbs started to swirl and they sounded like salty ocean waves splashing to a sandy beach. Shortly, all of the orbs were swirling and the sound of ocean waves filled the room.


“Hey!†Meego shouted from the entrance. “You were supposed to have the Anathema—“ He was interrupted by a glimmering light covering the entrance like a solid barrier. It prevented him from entering. He growled in anger and drew his grand daiklave. He swung it at the barrier, but was pushed back.


“What are you doing?†Yuko cried to Cypher. She grabbed his shoulder. “Deactivate it now.â€


“It's okayâ€, Cypher said and moved the second lever.


The disc under Crystal's feet started glowing with a strong, white light. He looked down with a shrug and then disappeared within the blink of an eye. The disc still glowed where Crystal had stood.


Yuko shook Cypher's shoulder. “The Anathema!†she cried. “He's gone!â€


“Stop what you're doing!†Meego roared from outside.


Coral didn't say anything. He looked at the disc where Crystal had been and then at Meego who shouted at them from outside the manse. The lamps on the road outside became fainter and fainter before they went completely dark. The water-walls started flowing in, covering the road with Meego on it. He muttered angrily and then turned back to the road and disappeared into the black water. None of it ran past the barrier and into the manse.


Within seconds, the entrance was blocked by pitch-black water.


“I'm going to get it nowâ€, Yuko said. “Cypher, turn the levers back!â€


“Um, okayâ€, Cypher muttered and turned back the middle lever. The disc in the middle of the room turned dark, but Crystal didn't return.


“And the other one!â€


Cypher looked at the lever and then on the barrier blocking the water from drowning the room. “Are you sure that's a good idea?†he asked. “Well, I don't know, um, which mechanism the Talon-Lord used to part the river.â€


“Then we must find it quicklyâ€, she said. “They are going to execute us for this.â€


“Umâ€, Cypher said. “There is one lever left. I can try that one.â€


He slowly pulled the lever and the glimmering light spread once more through the panel. It reached down to the floor and to the disc the three of them were standing on. It lit up with a bright, white light and then they all felt a great suction in their stomachs.


Before they knew it, they were all standing in another room, on another disc, before another panel.


Coral slowly turned around. “Wowâ€, he said. Before him was a giant window overlooking mountain peaks glimmering under the moonlight. He could see the bird's great beak outside the window.


They were inside the phoenix's head, looking out through its eyes.


Where the eyes of the phoenix see the glimmering peaks, Cypher thought. It couldn't be more precise.


Yuko walked up next to Coral and looked out over the dragon and the jungle. She could see some fires next to tents, soldiers guarding the camp and Meego talking loudly to Rondo at the shore, gesticulating and pointing to the phoenix and the river. She thought about shouting to them, but they wouldn't hear her.


Cypher was scratching his nose while looking at the panel. This one had two levers and one red button. He could feel the pulses of the manse being more intense up here in the phoenix's head. This had to be the heart of the manse.


The right lever had the old realm symbol for Down. He didn't have to guess to understand what that lever would do. It would take them right back into the room from where they came. The lever next to it had a number of numbers listed from one to fifteen. He had no idea what they meant. He hadn't found any references to those numbers in the Tome of the Makers.


But this was a manse! He knew they could be dangerous, but he was an aspiring manse creator. He had to know everything about this manse. He had to understand it.


He pulled the lever past number one, number two and number three all the way down to number fifteen. Nothing happened. Nothing glittered or glimmered. There were no intense sensations or sounds in the room.


All there was was the big, red button next to the lever.


He pressed the button and suddenly an intense pulse emanated from the manse itself and continued out like a shock-wave into the jungle. There was a bright, white light. When the light disappeared, Cypher heard Yuko cry oloudly from the window.


He turned around and saw the beams of morning sunlight – even though there should be hours before morning.


“Where did they go?†Yuko asked.


There were no soldiers, no tents and no fires. The only thing reminding of the camp that was, was the two-floored hawser which was now crushed into pieces.


“What did you do, Cypher?†Yuko cried. “What in the Dragons' names did you do?â€


Cypher was speechless. He had no idea what had happened.


And neither had Coral Snake. All he knew was that whatever had happened, he loved it.

 

[Heaven's Thunder Hammer]

Ok. It's definately long enough for me to find worthwhile to read. I will do it, just not today. Figured I'd let you know.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 18: Glorious Horizon


Whispering Rainbow Cypher had almost forgot that Yuko was actually Dragon-Blooded. She had been too nice, too calm and too discrete. It was first now – after she had witnessed the ruins that was the dragon's former camp – when she for the first time seemed truly scary. Her anima didn't glow, but she was frustrated and frightened enough for her Air Aspect to be felt through chills in the atmosphere. Cypher couldn't help but to shiver.


“We're going down!†she said, then grabbed Coral Snake in his wrist and pulled him to the circle where Cypher stood. She merely gave the panel a gaze before she pulled the Down lever and transported them instantly to the bottom floor.


“You will remove the barrier when I tell you tooâ€, she ordered. “Don't even dare touching anything beforehand.â€


Cypher felt it was wisest to obey.


“Can both of you just pause for a moment to brief me on what happened up there?†Coral muttered.


“Noâ€, Yuko replied instantly.


She walked up to the barrier at the entrance. The previously black water was now a greyish blue and the morning light slightly illuminated the bottom of the river. Silhouettes of the crystal orbs and the road could be seen through the barrier, but there were no signs of life.


“Ahâ€, she said as she spotted a small disc in the wall next to the entrance. She touched it, infused some Essence and watched the river part itself and the orbs lit up like small glowing suns. “Now, Cypher!â€


Cypher deactivated the barrier by pulling up the left lever. The orbs stopped swirling and the entrance opened up once again. Yuko hurried along the road and up the stairs to the shore. Coral and Cypher quickly followed behind.


As soon as they came up to the shore, Yuko stood still. “Something's not rightâ€, she said and moved towards the destroyed hawser.


“I can't see any soldiersâ€, Cypher said. “Do you, um, think they were disintegrated by the white pulse?â€


She didn't respond. She hurried up to the hawser and started looking for any remains of the other sorcerer-engineers. Cypher took the opportunity to look for what could be left from their hard work. He soon realized that it would be impossible for him to save the Tome of the Makers. He had lost the key to Denandsor. The mission was now hopeless.


“You guys?†Coral asked from a few yards behind. “I found some remains … or something.â€


Yuko turned to Coral with a surprised glare. She noticed he held up a fully decayed thigh-bone. Next to the bone were parts of a ribcage.


“Impossibleâ€, she said. “It would take years for a body to decay into that state.â€


“Unlessâ€, Cypher muttered from the top of the ruined hawser. “Um, unless the manse's pulse rapidly increased the decay rate.â€


Yuko gave him a quick glare. “If that's the caseâ€, she said. “Then it's your job to gather all thousand soldiers' remains and burn them in a proper ceremony.â€


“But that would be impossible!â€


“That's your problemâ€, she growled. “You disobeyed orders and murdered a full dragon of soldiers! And you've even murdered Dragon-Blooded! Do you have any idea of how big a sin that is?â€


He blushed and looked away, clearly ashamed of what had happened. Yuko blushed even more. But she wasn't ashamed more than she was furiously saddened and angry.


“Speaking of Dragon-Bloodedâ€, Coral said while looking through the high grass for more remains. “I can see skeletons from soldiers, fully equipped with weapons and armor, but I can't see any traces of jade.â€


“The camp is bigâ€, she muttered.


“Isn't it weird how almost all soldiers carry their weapons and armorâ€, he continued. “I mean, didn't we just set up camp?â€


Cypher jumped down from the hawser and looked around. He put his hands in a cone around his mouth and shouted: “Crystal!? Do you hear me!?†– but he got no response.


“He was probably caught in the blast tooâ€, Yuko said.


“What's this?†Coral mumbled and took up a piece of bone. It looked like a cranium but had horns coming from its temples. “This can't be a soldier's. I'm utterly confused.â€


Yuko didn't even look. She suddenly realized what had happened and felt a cold shiver go through her body. She carefully sat down on a piece of wood from the hawser. She rested her face in the palms of her hand and tried to ignore the ache of emptiness pierce the depths of her heart.


“They are all deadâ€, she said. “I'm all alone.â€


“You're not like them, are you?†Coral asked. “The Peleps, I mean.â€


“I was ...â€, she stuttered. “I was hired to serve as a sorcerer-engineer in Peleps' fleets ... It's been three years of five.â€


“And if you're not Pelepsâ€, Coral continued. “Then who are you?â€


“I'm a Ledaal.â€


“The family with all those sorcerers? That's interesting.â€


“Why?â€


“No reasonâ€, Coral said with a sly smirk underneath his mask. “Just sorcery in general … is interesting.â€


She looked up on Coral. “And what about you?â€


“What about me?†he said, looking intently at her from top to bottom.


“Who are you?†she asked. “How come us Dragon-Blooded doesn't seem to intimidate you even the slightest?â€


He scratched his nose and couldn't help but to grin. “What makes you so sure that you don't?†he asked. “But the situation has changed now. We need each other to survive in this jungle. Don't blame me for dropping the honorifics.â€


“Umâ€, Cypher interrupted. He was standing next to the destroyed hawser, a few yards away from Yuko and Coral, and watched over the ruined camp. “Everything seem different … somehow.â€


“Of course it's differentâ€, Yuko muttered. “Everyone's dead and the camp's in ruins.â€


“No, what I mean is – well, um – that I'm sure the environment itself is different somehow.†He pointed to a bush a few yards away. “Look at that bush. I have almost full recollection of everything I experience and I'm certain that, um, that bush didn't exist just hours ago.†His eyes gazed around the area and he seemed to be calculating something once again. “Yes, it's not just the bush. It's like a completely different place. But yet it's the same.â€


Yuko stood up from where she had been sitting and Coral looked around himself.


“I don't see any differenceâ€, Coral said. “But on the other hand, it was dark and I was too focused on the statue.â€


“I think I see what you meanâ€, Yuko stated. “I think we can assume that more time has passed than just the few hours until morning.â€


“I think this is a waste of timeâ€, Coral muttered. “What do we do from here on? Do we have any maps, any food or water?â€


“I don't know about food and waterâ€, Cypher said. “But all the maps – all our work – is gone.†He grabbed his orichalcum orb in the palm of his hand and then looked up to the high mountain peaks that could be seen south of the giant trees. “I don't want to go back to Yuro without experiencing Denandsor. If we can't get in, then I can settle by studying it from afar.â€


Coral nodded. “I'll go look for waterâ€, he said and then started digging around the camp.


Cypher walked up to Yuko who didn't really know what to say. She was looking at the phoenix which seemed as deactivated now as it had been the first time they lied their eyes on it. But the Essence pulses and the power of the Dragon-Lines could still be felt in the depths of their souls.


“What about you?†Cypher asked.


“What else can I do!?†she roared and raised her hand, wanting to slap him in the face, but suddenly realized that it would do no good. She calmed down and lowered her hand.


After a few minutes, Coral returned with the little fresh food and water he could find. He filled up some bottles with water from the river. Cypher and Yuko were already ready to go. They traveled south, through the thick jungle. They didn't follow any roads – since there were none – aiming for the mountain peaks. Cypher calculated that it would be a two day journey to get to the closest mountain. It was impossible to say how long it would take to get to the valley within.


They came across neither animals nor insects. The plants were overgrown and it was difficult to move about. They didn't dare eating any of the fruits or berries. Eventually, the day would come to its end and the sun would set. They set up camp, made a fire and spread out some blankets they had taken from the ruined camp.


Yuko sat with her legs crossed, her journal in her lap and looked intently on the stars above. She was taking notes.


“What are you doing?†Coral asked.


“I'm trying to find out exactly how much time has passedâ€, she said. “I believe what we experienced as a single moment could have been a long time. Maybe a year or two.â€


“A year or two!?â€


“Perhaps even longer.â€


Cypher was chewing on some very dry bread. It looked painfully disgusting, but there were nothing else to eat. “Very plausibleâ€, he said. “It's possible that it wasn't the manse who killed the soldiers. We might have just, um, locked ourselves in time while the dragon was killed by something else.â€


“Something else?†Coral asked. “Like a monster?â€


“It's a valid hypothesis.â€


Yuko didn't join the conversation. She was staring at the stars and suddenly her jaw dropped. She scribbled something down, then put her journal down, emptied her bottle of water and swallowed nervously.


They didn't say much more that night. Two of them went to sleep while the third kept watch. When the sun eventually arose, Coral Snake, who had been the last to keep watch, was sitting on a tree branch, filling one of his vials with a dose of his snake's venom. He greeted Cypher who woke up first and then put his snake and poison away when Yuko woke up shortly thereafter. They ate some of what little they had, packed up their camp and kept going south.


The mountains felt larger and larger as they approached. They could still not see any signs of animal life. At least until they came across a tree that was teared apart next to the bloody remains of newly killed men. What kind of men they were was difficult to say. They wore cloth and leather and didn't seem to be armed with more than knives, slashing swords or hatchets.


Coral Snake took up a limb in his hands. It was an arm, seemingly ripped off from the torso. It looked like something had been chewing on parts of the arm. He showed the arm to Yuko who instantly flinched with a disgusted expression.


“Do you think what killed the soldiers could have done this?†he asked.


“I don't think soâ€, she said. “Whatever … ate these must have been quite small. Probably not much bigger than a human. Something like a bear. But since there are no bears in this part of Creation, I'd say a beastman did it … If we're lucky.â€


It was said that beastmen were humanoid beasts with traits of various animals. They were primitive but intelligent and lived in tribes anywhere in Creation. But here in the East was where most of them could be found. Coral Snake had never seen one before. But he had heard the stories of beastmen attacking travelers or small villages.


He dropped the arm to the ground. “Do you think we can handle beastmen?â€


“I don't know about you and Cypher, but I can take on one or twoâ€, she said. “But beastmen never come alone. They live in packs. In tribes.â€


“Then we should keep movingâ€, Coral said.


Yuko and Cypher seemed to agree. They left the bloody remains be and kept going south towards the mountain. After one or two hours, they heard an echoing growl and screaming men and women.


“Someone must be in danger!†Cypher said and started running towards the sound.


Coral tried to stop him without any luck. He sighed, then ran after him with Yuko in the rear. As they ran, they noticed the jungle got less thick and they came to a grassy meadow with a convoy of wagons standing still on a ruined road of cobble from the First Age. The white stone was covered by bloody corpses of both men and women. Fortunately, there were no children.


Cypher slowed down when he saw the dead bodies. He had been too late to save them. There was a profound silence except for the weeping of a young man.


The young man was sitting in a cage. It was not any cage – its bars were made of the magical material orichalcum. The cage was locked, probably by the dead man without a head who was leaning towards it with an orichalcum key in his hand.


Cypher coughed. “Who are you?†he asked in forest-tongue.


Coral and Yuko walked up behind Cypher. They didn't say anything. They were looking at the man who was sobbing inside the cage. The man was naked, very muscular and had long, blonde hair in curls. He was almost covered in blood.


The man leered up at Cypher with tearful eyes. “You should goâ€, he said. “I might kill you too.â€


“He might be rightâ€, Coral muttered.


“Did you kill these peopleâ€, Cypher asked. “How could you? Um, you're locked up.â€


The man tried to dry his eyes with the palm of his hand, but realized his hand was bloody.


“I must haveâ€, he said. “But when I came to, I begged the last man to lock me up. When he did … I lost control again. I don't remember how, but I must have reached through the bars.â€


“Umâ€, Cypher said. “Who are these people? What purpose has this cage and how could you possibly tear them into pieces? We heard a growling. But you look human.â€


The man tilted his head and looked at Cypher, at the other two and then back at Cypher. “They are slave-dealersâ€, he said. “They were going to sell me. I don't know about the cage. They said it was the only cage that could keep me locked up.â€


“And what, um, who are you?â€


“My name is … was Glorious Horizonâ€, he said. “I don't know what I am. All I know is that sometimes I lose control. I want it to stop so badly.â€


Cypher looked at Yuko and Coral. Yuko had her chin in her palm and was trying to make sense of the situation. Coral nodded to Cypher.


“We should kill himâ€, he said. “We can't trust a monster.â€


Glorious Horizon gave Coral a quick gaze. He looked scared but then calmed down. “Maybe you shouldâ€, he said. “I'm dumb and I'm good for nothing. I have nothing to live for.â€


“Seeâ€, Coral said. “Even he agrees with me.â€


“He might be Anathemaâ€, Yuko said. “He's locked in orichalcum, the forbidden material. We should go.â€


“What … what's Anathema?†the man asked.


Cypher looked at Glorious Horizon with a friendly smile. “It's a curse word the Immaculate Order use to describe what they don't understand.â€


Yuko flinched and grabbed Cypher's shoulder. “What did you just say?â€


He gave Yuko a quick gaze and then lit the caste mark on his forehead. He bore the glittering symbol of a circle with the bottom part of a half disc inside. Yuko let go of his shoulder and took a few steps back.


Coral raised his eyebrows. “Another one, huh?†he said with a smile. He could feel a new-found respect for Whispering Rainbow Cypher. He was a Solar Exalted just like him. Just like Crystal Bow. Meeting this man could truly have been his destiny.


Yuko didn't seem to share Coral's joy. “So you are an Anathema too!?†she cried to Cypher. She seemed truly frightened. She looked at Coral Snake. “Did you know?â€


He shook his head.


“You're not one too, are you?†she“Heyâ€, Coral muttered. “Don't bring me into this. Aren't you going to kill him? Isn't that what you dynasts like to do?â€


She blushed and looked down on the grass.


“I thought soâ€, Coral said. “You're relying on us to survive. Must be scary.â€


Cypher looked at the bloody man in the cage. “Are you like me?†he asked.


The man looked intently at his glittering caste mark. He then shook his head. “No, but I've seen that symbol before. At the Empty City.â€


Cypher let his mark fade away and he leaned in closer to the cage. “The Empty City, you say?â€


“Yes. It's a city cursed to never hold life.â€


Cypher looked at Coral and Yuko with a smile on his face. “It seems we just found our new pathfinder.â€

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 19: The boy from the fishing village VII


It was midnight and Nighthammer Pool was as dark as it could get. There weren't much light in this district. The exceptions were inside the factories and storages where people still worked at this hour. All the signs of life came from Sentinel Hill and Nexus District, but its sounds were muffled by the sounds of factories at work. Viper had sought out a small, quite desolated, cobbled square close to the border between Nighthammer Pool and Nighthammer District. This was where he had followed Wing four years ago when he had been working for the cutthroats.


When he arrived to the square this night, it was just like he remembered it. The Iron League didn't care about the gangs and cutthroats as long as they kept to themselves in the poorer parts of the city and didn't bother too many people. This was where they were allowed to gather. There were a few people at the square – most of them were youths not much older than him. One or two boys were his age or younger. What they all had in common was that they wore black bandanas around their foreheads and painted their eye-lines with black make-up. Viper himself wore a beautiful shirt in red linen with a black dragon pattern along its back as well as fitting pants and sandals. His hair was long and smooth with a few tight plaits carrying rings of seashells and polished stones.


The boys at the square looked at him with raised eyebrows and sly smirks. The oldest of them all was an eighteen year old boy who smoked a pipe and played around with a dagger by balancing it on his fingertips. When he saw Viper, he grabbed the handle of the dagger and hammered it into the wooden bench he was sitting on. He leaned forward and exhaled some smoke.


“Who the hell are you?†he asked, eying Viper up and down.


Viper didn't even flinch. He was staring at the leader with determined eyes. He took the bloody razor from his belt and held it tightly before himself.


“I'm a killerâ€, he said. “And I'm going to join you.â€


Everyone else in the square were dead silent. They looked at each other and they looked at the stranger who had come.


“Why would you want to join us?†the leader asked. “You look like you live a fancy life already, kid.â€


“Shut up, you don't know anything about meâ€, Viper hissed as he showed all his white teeth. “You know what I just did? I killed a nobleman inside his mansion in Bastion. Yes, I sliced his throat.â€


The leader looked at the razor in Viper's hand. It was covered in dried blood. Some teenager next to the leader couldn't help but to say: “Seriously? A nobleman in Bastion?†Another boy said: “Well, he looks like the rich folks who live there. I don't think he's lying.â€


Viper was staring at the leader. He knew that he had to act tough. He wouldn't show any weaknesses. He would do anything – kill anyone – to prove himself worthy to these boys.


“Are you fucking with us?†the leader asked. “Or are you just fucked up?â€


“Why don't you test me?â€


“Oh, I will.â€


The leader nodded to his friends who jumped down from their benches and barrels and walked up to Viper. Two boys grabbed his arms and one boy grabbed his neck. He didn't try to resist. He was still staring at the leader, refusing to show any of all the feelings he had inside. The boys dragged him up to the leader who inhaled some smoke from his pipe and exhaled through his nostrils.


After four years of physical and mental torment, there would be nothing these boys could do that would bring him down. He had decided what his goal would be. He would join this gang and become the best cutthroat Nexus had to offer. He would become an assassin. And he would hunt down all of his former master's associates who had forced him into their bedchambers for all kinds of depraved punishments.


He could endure all pain. All torment. He would even sell his soul if he had to.


The leader grabbed his dagger and jumped up from the wooden bench. He looked at Viper, took the razor from his hand and put it back in his belt. He then grabbed the boy's chin and tilted his face upwards. He took his dagger and slowly moved its edge closer and closer to Viper's left eye.


He refused to even blink.


The leader stopped with the blade just close enough to almost touch Viper's eye. He smirked to the boy who still stared with the same determination as before. He moved the dagger further down with the blade along his cheek, past his chin and down to his neck. When at the neck, he let the edge cut a thin, small line along Viper's skin and a small drip of blood ran down his throat.


But he wasn't intimidated.


“I like this kidâ€, the leader said and stepped back to the bench. “He's got guts unlike you guys.â€


The other boys looked at each other, slightly insulted by their leader's remark. Those who held Viper let him go and walked back to their posts. Viper didn't move.


“You don't have to act tough anymore, kid. What's your name?â€


“Viper.â€


“All right, Viperâ€, the leader said and put his pipe between his teeth. “Why do you want to join us?â€


“My reasons are my own.â€


The leader turned to the other boys in the square. “You should learn from this kidâ€, he said. “He knows when to speak and what to say. He wouldn't spill his guts if he got caught.†He turned to Viper and raised his hand in a friendly gesture. “Call me Dagger.â€


Viper took his hand.


“Come back to this spot at this time tomorrow and we'll give you an initiation assignment. If you pull through, you're in.†He removed his black bandana and Viper noticed he had a scar going across his forehead. He gave the bandana to Viper. “This is your key. Wear it tomorrow and none of my boys will give you trouble.â€


Viper nodded, took the bandana and tied it around his belt. He turned around and left the square. When he was back alone in the dark alleys of Nighthammer Pool, he took a sigh of relief. He ran up into Nighthammer District, hurried through crooked alleys and jumped wooden fences. Within half an hour, he reached the storage room in which he had lived together with Wing, Glittering Wolf and all the other orphans four years ago.


But now it was abandoned. There were no signs of his former home.


For a moment, he felt all alone in the world. What if something had happened to Glittering Wolf as well? He had to make sure. He ran further north-east to Nexus Pool. There were some activity in this district. Taverns were open at the docks and crews from the ships were up drinking late. He was looking for his very first home in Nexus – the pawn shop.


The shop was still there. It was a three-floored building with the shop in the bottom and the home of the family who owned it upstairs. He used to live secretly in the cellar floor together with Wing and Glittering Wolf shortly after Hyena's death. The only one who knew was their only friend in Nexus. It was the owner's son.


Viper took a small stone and tossed it at the window to what he remembered as his friend's room. It gave a small clink against the glass but there was no response from inside. He took another stone and tried again. A minute or so later, he could see the silhouette of a teenage boy opening up the window from inside.


The boy had brown skin and black hair – just like Viper – but his hair was short and he had more male features than Viper who still looked twelve even though he was fourteen. The boy who opened the window looked down on Viper and raised his eyebrows. He showed the biggest grin Viper had ever seen.


“Viper!†he said. “You're alive!â€


“Hello, Mufoâ€, Viper said. “How are you?â€


“Who cares about me? Where have you been all these years? And what's up with those clothes?â€


Viper bit his lip. Mufo would never understand him. He wasn't an orphan. He was a regular kid with a happy family. He couldn't tell him the truth.


“I was adopted by a nobleman from Bastionâ€, Viper lied. “I've been living with him for four years. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys. He wouldn't allow me to talk with you.â€


“A nobleman from Bastion? I'm happy for you, Viper. So you're rich now?â€


“Not reallyâ€, Viper continued. “He died last night so now I'm an orphan again.â€


“I'm sorry to hear that.â€


“Yeah, but where's Glittering Wolf? I went to the Place but it was all deserted.â€


Mufo scratched his chin. “Yeah, she was devastated after you and Wing disappeared. She heard about his execution and assumed you were dead too. She has a new place in Nighthammer District together with the kids. It's bigger than the Place.â€


“Where is it?â€


“It's another deserted storage facility. You know the one who was just the road down from Vinegar Well? Believe it or not, but she actually collected enough money to buy the whole building.â€


“Thanks, Mufoâ€, Viper said and started running towards the building.


“You have to tell me everything one day, Viperâ€, Mufo shouted after him. “It's great to see you again.â€


Viper hurried back to Nighthammer District. He quickly found the shop Vinegar Well and followed its road south-west to Glittering Wolf's new home. It was a large two-floored building with a great wooden door. There was a smaller door next to the bigger one. It was dark inside the windows, but he assumed it was because it was past midnight.


But he had to see Glittering Wolf. He would wake them all up if he needed to.


He walked up to the smaller door and knocked on it. He repeatedly knocked on the door until a light was lit inside and he heard muffled footsteps approaching the door. It had been four years. He was trembling with anxiety.


A boy around his age opened the door. He held a lantern in his hand and looked at Viper with dizzy, tired eyes. Viper recognized the boy. It was Farim. He lived with them still back then. When he recognized Viper, his eyes turned into big, round globes.


“Viper? Is that you?â€


Viper smiled. He wasn't alone anymore. He had his old family back.


Farim turned into the building. “Hey! Wake up Glittering Wolf! She's gotta see this!â€


Only moments later, the building was lit up and there was almost too much activity for Viper to handle at once. Glittering Wolf was almost dragged out of her quarters by one of the orphans and to the door where Viper waited. He hadn't seen her for four years. She was still a girl four years ago. Now she was sixteen. And she was the most beautiful woman Viper had ever seen.


When she saw who was there, she burst into tears. She ran up to Viper and embraced him with her arms. She cried on his shoulder and he couldn't keep his own tears in. For a moment, he felt like he was Tear-Eyed Viper again. He hadn't cried for years. But this wasn't tears of sadness.


“I thought you were deadâ€, Glittering Wolf cried. “You promised you would never leave me. You promised.â€


Viper could recall the day wn Hyena died. She was crying in his arms. He promised her then that he would never leave her. He had left her for four years but now they were reunited. He would never leave her again.


“Things will change from now on, Glittering Wolfâ€, he said. “I'm finally back home.â€

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 20: Children of the Moon


Coral Snake dug through the other wagons and found food and packages filled with bottles of rum. He cheered quietly and took a few sips of the alcohol. He enjoyed the refreshing burn in his chest and stomach. There were two bulls still alive after the slaughter and Coral decided together with Whispering Rainbow Cypher to use the bulls to drag the wagon with Glorious Horizon's cage. The man didn't want to leave his cage and Coral had pointed out that it would be wisest not to let him out.


Yuko neither said nor did anything. She was afraid of Cypher and was shocked by the fact that she was alone with an Anathema, a masked man and a caged monster. She hid in the background, followed them around and only replied to what few questions she got with abrupt, unfocused replies. There was nothing else she could do.


Coral took the orichalcum key from the dead warden, unlocked the cage and put all the food and rum together with Horizon inside. He locked the cage and put the key in his item bag. He then led the bulls to the cage and tied them to it. They continued their journey towards the Glimmering Peaks.


According to Horizon, all the animals in the region had fled because of the Empty City's great curse. He said that animals could feel the curse at this distance but humans could not. Tamed animals like the bulls that pulled the cage felt the curse but were forced to endure. He had felt the curse himself when he was down in the valley a long time ago, but he hadn't seen much of the city before he decided to flee.


Hours passed and they got closer and closer to the mountains. The sun had almost set when they felt what ruins they could find of the ancient road turn uphill. The road went steeper and steeper and eventually all they could see were what little the moonlight let them see. They stopped in the middle of the steep road.


“We should set up campâ€, Coral said.


“That's a good ideaâ€, Cypher nodded.


Yuko still didn't say much but she didn't seem as tense as she had earlier.


“But I don't like camping outdoorsâ€, Coral muttered. “I can go uphill a few hundred yards and see if I find a cave or somewhere we can be in peace.â€


Cypher nodded and Coral hurried up the hill, past the last jungle trees and to the rocky precipices. There were no more ruined cobble but only rocky slopes. He followed them up about two hundred yards and then found a small but open cave where they could set up camp without letting any bandits, barbarians or whatever monster might be around know. The light from their fire wouldn't be seen from the jungle, but covered by another rocky precipice.


He hurried back down to let the others know what he had found. They led the bulls up to the cage and sat up camp in its middle. The cage was big enough to host them all – about twenty feet from wall to wall. They roasted some meat on an open fire and let the bulls drink. Horizon still wasn't let out from the cage, but he was given some roasted meat. He ate with great appetite. They all did.


When they were tired enough, they all went to sleep. All that could be heard was the wind soughing through the pass. The fire slowly died out.


Coral Snake was the first to wake up. It was still night and dark, but it felt like he had slept at least for a couple of hours. He heard a sniffing sound and how someone moved around inside their camp. Before him slept both Cypher and Yuko. Horizon hadn't left the cage.


He carefully reached for his black backpack, unbuttoned it and grabbed his Serpent-Sting Staff inside. His gaze was leering to the side and he could see the dark silhouette of something big and humanoid, yet very far from human. It tried to sneak around the camp and look around their stuff. It was probably looking for food.


With one swift movement, he pulled the seven-sectioned staff from the bag and swung it like a metal whip towards the intruder. The blow hit its wrist and it recoiled with a short whine, holding its wrist with its hand. Coral noticed the hand had sharp claws. He jumped up on his feet, ready to strike again.


The intruder looked at him and he could see silver-white glows reflecting from its eyes. Only glowing coal were left from the campfire but it illuminated the cave enough for him to notice that the intruder's feet were big, hairy paws.


It grinned to Coral with sharp teeth and then leaned back to howl into the air. The sound woke up Cypher and Yuko who quickly got to their feet. Horizon huddled inside the cage.


“Beastmen!†Yuko called.


The half-beast, half-man shrinked together, bent its knees and then leaped towards Coral with its sharp claws and teeth ready to dig in. Coral leaped too, somersaulted under the attacking beast and turned to swing his weapon at the monster's back. However, as he was about to turn, he noticed two more beastmen entering the cave. He quickly got up on his feet to dodge their sweeping strikes.


The first beastman turned its attention to Cypher and Yuko who were crouching on their blankets. Cypher got up in a defensive position in front of the growling beast. Yuko was still crouching on the blanket. None of the two were fighters – but Cypher knew that at least he had some basic knowledge in martial arts.


The first beast was part man, part wolf with gray-brown fur and cloth around its waist. It was a muscular beast with wide shoulders and a bulky chest. Its arms were long and so were its claws. The two beastmen who had their attention on Coral were part cat. One of them looked like a leopard while the other was more like a lynx.


Coral dodged the cats' attacks with movements like a slithering snake. When one of them started to tire down, he kicked it in the face in the same moment as he vaulted over the head of the other, thrusting his weapon through its skull, nailing it to the floor. As he did this, Cypher evaded the wolf by jumping over its head and jog to the cave entry. As he approached, more beastmen entered the cave. They were all either part cat or wolf.


Yuko didn't interfere. She could take them all on with a spell if she wanted to, but Coral and Cypher would also be caught in the blast. She decided to lay low, watching the fight. She was curious about what powers the Anathema Cypher would have, but she was more surprised to see how good a fighter Coral Snake was. His moves were flawless. And his weapon was … orichalcum?


Two more wolves attacked Cypher and he slipped between them. Thus far, he hadn't showed any other skills than that he was as difficult to catch as a house rat. Coral Snake moved the seven-sectioned staff around his body like it was an extension of himself and managed to hit the other beastman he was fighting in its chest and follow it up with a finishing elbow.


Cypher noticed a female beastman with traits of wolf approaching the entrance. She was dressed in cloth and leather and wore a walking staff of beautifully carved wood. At the top of the staff were peacock feathers and along the branch were carvings of tribal tattoos and old realm symbols. Cypher instantly knew what they meant.


“Don't attack usâ€, he said in forest-tongue. “I know that you understand me.â€


The chieftain looked at the two dead beastmen at Coral's feet and she didn't seem happy about it. The wolves Cypher had avoided before came at him again, but he dodged their attacks and ran up to the chieftain.


“I don't think that will work, Cypherâ€, Coral said as he swung his staff three turns around his body to gain enough speed and power to crack the skull of the wolf he had earlier hit on its wrist. The hit sounded like cracking wood and the beastman fell to the ground with a loud thump.


The chieftain tried to hit Cypher with her staff. He grabbed it and clung to it with all his might. He embraced it like a pine-cone which utterly confused its wielder. She looked at Cypher who clung to her staff, looking back at her with pleading eyes.


“That's so pathetic, Cypherâ€, Coral muttered as he charged at the two other beastmen who had been fighting Cypher.


“Please, call your tribesmen offâ€, Cypher pleaded to the growling chieftain who tried her best to get him off her staff. He lit his caste mark.


The glittering symbol got the chieftain's interest. “Solarâ€, she said in forest-tongue with a growling pitch. “Twilight.â€


The beastmen instantly backed off and even Coral got the picture. He stopped swinging his staff and took a few steps back. Cypher let go off the chieftain's staff.


“That's rightâ€, Cypher said. “I'm a Solar Exalted of the Twilight Caste.â€


She looked at him with great fascination.


“And you are the daughter of a child of Lunaâ€, Cypher continued. The chieftain proudly raised her head. “I wasn't sure about your people's past before, but after I saw the markings on your staff—â€


Suddenly, a loud echo was heard and the cave filled up with dust. When the dust-cloud settled, they noticed another beast standing in the middle of a small crater. It was another half-beast, half-man, but this one was different. He was about 8 feet fall and had the head of a bull with great, black horns. He was dressed in clean cloth and leather with beautiful texture and markings. His muscular body was covered in glittering tribal tattoos and his eyes glittered like water under moonlight.


He looked at the dead beastmen on the cave-floor and then glared at Cyper and Coral with an echoing growl. He noticed Cypher's caste mark and snorted, then spat on the ground.


More beastmen showed up at the cave. One of them was an armor-wielding black panther with a grand daiklave on his back. He too had glittering tribal tattoos on his fur. He walked proudly and with more perfect balance than even Coral Snake himself could dream of. The panther looked at the cage with Horizon inside. He pointed to Coral who still held his Serpent-Sting Staff in his hands.


“Let him out!†the panther said in fluent forest-tongue.


Coral thought it was best to obey. He put his weapon back in his backpack and took the orichalcum key from his bag. He walked up to the cage, unlocked it and let the key stay in the lock. He then took a few steps back and stood at Yuko's side. She was both amazed and terrified by the creatures who had arrived.


“You are Lunar Exaltedâ€, Cypher said. “It's an honor.â€


“Don't speakâ€, the panther growled. He turned to the man in the cage. “Come on out.â€


Glorious Horizon didn't say anything. It was clear that he too hadn't seen creatures such as these before. He opened up the cage door and stepped outside. He was still naked, but he had washed off the blood from yesterday.


“Be nice now, Omarâ€, said a soft female voice from outside the cave.


Another of those Lunar Exalted entered the cave. This one was a woman with the face of a red fox. She was tattooed like the other two and wore cloth around her waist and chest. From her red head hung one silvery lock.


She walked past the chieftain and the beastmen at the entrance. She smiled to Omar and the bull and then looked at the confused four inside the cave. When her eyes met Coral's, she suddenly flinched in surprise.


Her tattoos got a faint glow and her red fur shrunk into her body which slightly decreased in size. Within an instance, there was no longer a fox but a beautiful, tanned woman standing in the cave. Her hair was still as red as the fox's fur and she still had the silver lock hanging down her cheek to her chest. She walked up to Coral who was more surprised than before. She grabbed his head, pulled down his black mask and kissed him gently on his lips.


She smiled and then grabbed his hand just to put a silver-looking ring on his ring-finger. He knew what it was. It was a wedding band in moonsilver, the Lunar Exalted's magical material. She already wore a ring in orichalcum on her's.


A flash caught his eyes. He saw himself standing on the balcony of a great, white tower. This very same woman took his hand and put that ring on his finger. They kissed each other and then turned to a cheering crowd. Tens of thousands of mortals, Dragon-Blooded and Gods were looking at the two and cheered. It was thousands of years ago.


Now he was looking into her eyes once again after all this time. He noticed his caste mark was glittering and so was her's. Two glittering circles, one with golden light and the other like the silvery moon.


“Chanti Green-Pawâ€, he said.


“I've been waiting for you for a very long timeâ€, she said and kissed him again.


Coral noticed six round eyes looking intently at him. Horizon and Cypher seemed shocked by the fact that he had been kissing the most beautiful woman they had ever seen – and would probably ever see – while Yuko was surprised by the fact that another caste mark was glittering on somebody's forehead. She was alone with what the Immaculate Order had taught her were Demon-Lords from Malfeas; Anathema. To her surprise they didn't seem as demonic as she had thought.


“I'm sorryâ€, Coral said. “I don't remember much of my former self.â€


“Give it time, my loveâ€, she said, carefully stroking his cheek with the palm of her hand.


She turned to the naked Glorious Horizon who stood next to his artifact cage. She gave him a friendly smile. “We're here to take you in, childâ€, she said.


“Huhâ€, he said. “What do you mean?â€


“You're one of us, childâ€, she said. “But you still haven't found your true self.†She walked up to Horizon and put her hand on his shoulder. “First we must see how far you're gone.†She closed her eyes and let motes of Essence flow through the palm of her hand and into the young man. “Focus, child. Focus on overcoming your inner chaos.â€


She took a few steps back. Horizon shrugged but then felt a pulse of energy flowing through his body. He looked at his left arm. The muscle were growing and the skin begun to bubble. Straws of hair started to grow from his skin and his nails turned into sharp claws.


“Noâ€, he said. “Not again.â€


The transformation spread. Fur grew over his body but then dig itself back into his skin, just to turn into scales. Veins popped up on his scaly skin, eyes grew across his chest and the veins pierced through his skin and turned into horns. The horns then receded and tentacles grew out from his back just to transform into hairy spider legs. All the time he was screaming – but even the screams transformed into hissing and roaring.


When Chanti Green-Paw had seen enough, she nodded to the bull-man who ran in and struck Horizon with a punch charged with Essence. The chaotic body of Horizon's flew into the cave wall and the transformation almost instantly turned back into his former self. His body was soar and when he looked up, his eyes were filled with tears.


“A chimeraâ€, Cypher said.


“He's far goneâ€, Chanti said, still turned to Glorious Horizon. “But it's not too late for you yet. If you agree to follow us, we will make sure that you will find a stable form.â€


He nodded and she gave him a friendly smile. “There's no need to be scared, childâ€, she said and then turned to Omar. “We must perform the ceremony at once.â€


Omar nodded and disappeared outside. After about twenty minutes, he came back with a bag of tools, needles and vials of moonsilver ink. The Lunars sat Horizon on the cave-floor next to the campfire and Chanti prepared the needles and the moonsilver. She was all the time talking to Horizon, asking questions about his life and dreams. He felt at once comfortable in her company and he didn't even flinch when she started decorating his body with tattoos.


Cypher, Coral and Yuko sat next to a wall further inside the cave. Cypher explained to the other two about what he knew about this ceremony. He told them it was an initiation and that the tattoos would protect him from the chaotic Wyld. From what he had read in various forbidden books, he knew that Chanti Green-Paw was now Horizon's loremaster and she would show him the true path of a Lunar Exalted.


“What is the true path of a Lunar Exalted?†Coral asked, but he didn't get a clear reply.


The ceremony took until morning. The sun was rising outside the cave and the three of them were quite restless. Horizon sat calmly on a blanket, getting his last tattoos from Chanti. He seemed to feel at peace. The fear of his inner chaos seemed far gone and he looked happy. Like if he had finally found a family.


Coral was curious about Chanti. He remembered her as his wife, but he didn't remember any clear details about their time together. He was instructed not to interfere with the ceremony, but he had so many questions he wanted to ask her.


Yuko finally seemed at peace with the idea of Cypher and Coral as “Anathemaâ€. Cypher had spent a few hours trying to explain the faults of the Immaculate Order and what the Solar Exalted truly were. She didn't understand it all and some of it truly offended her – but there had been a time when she was crying.


Coral had also found Cypher's knowledge interesting. He had learned much about himself that he didn't already know. About how the Solar Exalted once ruled Creation before they were all wiped out by their former servants, the Terrestrial Exalted Dragon-Blooded. He looked at Chanti and felt a comfortable warmth in his chest. They had ruled it together with their Lunar soul-mates.


When the ceremony was finally over, Chanti packed the needles and the moonsilver while Glorious Horizon carefully got up on his feet. He looked at the tattoos on his body and noticed how they glittered in beautiful patterns.


Chanti walked up to Coral who quickly got up on his feet to meet her. She stroke his cheek and gave him a hug. “We'll take Glorious Horizon with us for now. He still has some things to do.â€


“Waitâ€, Coral said. “Are you leaving?â€


“You'll see me soon enough, my love.â€


He nodded. “I was wonderingâ€, he said. “I saw us on a white tower in a beautiful city. Was that city our's?â€


“I will take you there somdayâ€, she said with a smile. She gave him a kiss and then left the cave together with Horizon, the other Lunars and the beastmen.


Left were Coral, Cypher and Yuko, one cage and two bulls. They all knew that just down the pass was the valley where Denandsor would be. The journey would finally be over.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 21: A city cursed and forgotten


They walked for hours through the rocky pass. Whispering Rainbow Cypher and Ledaal Yuko were walking alongside the two bulls and Coral Snake sat in the wagon with a bottle of rum at his side. Almost no breezes could reach them between the precipices and the heat was overwhelming.


Coral was only dressed in his black, baggy pants and the tight, black vest he used to wear underneath his clothes. He had placed his boots next to himself in the cage and he was holding his black bandana in his other hand. It was five years ago he was given the bandana by his first handler in Nexus before he became the city's most feared assassin. He had nothing in common with that organization today, but the bandana was a memento of a dark past. It was a scar that would always follow him around.


He noticed a glimmer in the wedding band on his ring-finger. It wasn't quite clear, but he was sure that he could see the reflections of his since long lost parents and siblings in the metal. Moonsilver was a magical material just like orichalcum and jade. Perhaps what he could see reflecting in the ring were more than just the memories of his past.


He took a sip of rum and couldn't help but to smile. So he was married now? His big brother Amir would laugh at him if he knew. He was only nineteen years old and his wife was … thousands? On the other hand, he had always had a thing for older women. He let a single mote of Essence flow into his wedding band and he could feel that Chanti was close-by. He could sense a feeling of warmth and determination emanate from his ring. He felt like he was a cherishing mother caring for a hopeless child. Wait, this wasn't his feelings. They came from the ring.


That's interesting, he thought. The wedding band was a true soul-bond. No matter how far they were apart, the ring would always bring them together.


As the pass reached its end, Coral felt the wagon coming to an abrupt stop. He heard the gasps of Cypher and Yuko and decided to quickly put on his mask and boots and take a look outside.


They had passed the precipices and could gaze out over a gigantic valley. In its center was the most beautiful city he had ever seen. The city was shaped as a perfectly symmetrical circle and in its center was a white tower reaching almost all the way to the clouds. The city was protected by high, white walls surrounded by grassy meadows, thick jungles and high mountains. From where they were to the main city gate was a long road of white cobble with countless ancient statues watching over it from along the sides.


The sight was truly remarkable.


“It's Denandsorâ€, Cypher said. “At last – the lost City of Makers.â€


“It's almost ghostly desertedâ€, Yuko whispered. “Not even any birds in the sky.â€


Coral jumped up on top of the cage and looked at the valley and the city with great fascination. He wanted to smile but he couldn't. Something didn't feel right.


“I'm starting to feel it nowâ€, he said. “The curse, I mean.â€


Cypher and Yuko both looked at him with bewildered eyes.


“It's so … unwelcomingâ€, he continued.


As he said those words, the bulls tried to back away in distress and the wagon almost fell to its side. Coral desperately tried to keep his balance but decided to jump down on the ground next to his companions. He pulled down his mask and took another sip of rum.


“Yeah, I'm starting to feel it tooâ€, Yuko said. “It's like a whisper in my head, telling me to not come any closer.â€


“Really?†Cypher mumbled. “I don't feel anything at all.â€


“But I guess we can't give up yetâ€, Coral said with a smile. “Right, Cypher?â€


“Right.â€


Coral grabbed the bulls' bridles and tried to drag them further down the slope into the valley. They resisted the best they could and he eventually had to give up. “I think this is as far as the wagon goesâ€, he muttered and released the bulls from their load. They ran almost instantly out on one of the meadows and calmed themselves down from the cursed atmosphere by grazing from the green grass.


The three of them followed the slope down into the valley and walked along the road towards the city. The curse felt heavier with every step they took, but it wasn't until half-way through the valley when Cypher first could feel it was there. It wasn't intense enough for them to want to flee, but it definitely drew their attention to feelings they didn't know they had.


It was fear of the unknown.


More than half the day had passed and it was well into the afternoon when the three of them stood before Denandsor's great city-gate. None of them could explain why, but all of them felt a strong sense of dread. Cypher felt the least of the city's great curse and Coral was more than bitter about the fact that he showed more emotional weaknesses than Cypher did. Yuko was speechless. She gazed upon the great city-walls and trembled as the curse wrapped around her and tried to force her away.


“If I stay much longer, I'll go insane!†Yuko cried. “We're not meant to be here. It's way too much for us to handle.â€


“Please, Yukoâ€, Cypher begged. “It's too late to go back now.â€


Coral contemplated the situation. He didn't want to stay longer than he had to, but the trip would have been useless if he left without scavenging first. Any artifact from this city would be worth enough to feed him for life. Maybe he could even buy a place at the sea, hire a crew and start making life miserable for the Peleps.


“Something else is bothering me thoughâ€, Cypher muttered. “Well, you know, I wonder, um, why you feel the Miasma stronger than I do. Perhaps—“


He grabbed his pendant and held it tightly in his hand. He could feel a sense of warmth from the swirling Essence within the sphere's clockwork. He remembered a passage from the Tome of the Makers.


When the sense of dread will torment your soul, the Craftsman's Key will air it. When the sense of dread will drain your spirit, the Craftsman's Key will grant you anew.


Maybe this artifact truly was the key to opening up the city? Cypher channeled Essence from within and let it flow through the sphere in his hand. Small round lights lit up around its sides and it glowed like a tiny sun. Yuko and Coral could feel the curse mute around them until it eventually became bearable.


They still felt the sense of dread like a heavy burden, but they could somewhat breath out and enjoy fresh air. Cypher looked at the two with a big grin on his face. “Hopefully it will give us enough time to, um, find the cause of this Miasma and see if, well, if it's possible to deactivate it.â€


“Wellâ€, Coral muttered. “First we must get through the gate.â€


He walked up to the heavy gate. Coral Snake was a master of breaking into places. There wasn't a lock he couldn't pick. There wasn't a place that could keep him out. But this gate was so big and the walls were so high. He put the palm of his hand against the surface of the gate. He could feel heavy wood, metal alloys and reinforcements of stone. This gate wasn't opened with mortal hands. It had to be opened either mechanically or through the help of an artifact.


But first things first. He closed his eyes and called on his divine Anima. He let streams of Essence wrap around his hand and he could feel the lock-mechanism in his fingertips like if he was reading the blueprints themselves. There was a magical lock which spread Essence through two jade gears which in turn would move two jade bars to each side of the door. This would loosen the chains which held the gate tightly in position. He had to be focused but the design wasn't too complicated. Coral let a burst of Essence flow from his hand into the lock. The Essence quickly spread through the jade gears and bars to the heavy chains.


A rattling sound could be heard from within the gate.


“Thereâ€, Coral said. “This didn't open the gate but at least it unlocked it.â€


“Greatâ€, Cypher smiled. “But how do we open it?â€


Coral scratched his chin. He leered back at the bulls who still grazed in the meadows at the far end of the valley. It would be impossible to get them to come all the way here to pull the gate. And even if they tried, he was sure they were too weak.


“We could try to climb over the wall.â€


“Noâ€, Cypher said. “Not in a city like this one. Um, there must be active defenses.â€


They stood there for a while without saying anything, pondering over how to open up a gate of this size. The valley had been quiet all day except for the warm breezes soughing through the high grass of the meadows. It was all calm and quiet until one loud stomp could be heard echoing through the valley.


Not many yards behind them was a crater and a dust-cloud. And in the crater knelt an exhausted Glorious Horizon. He was dressed in woolen pants but his chest was still naked. Glittering tattoos could be seen all over his body. He had a big grin on his face.


“Horizon?†Cypher said.


“Helloâ€, Horizon said as he clumsily stood up.


“Aren't you, um, supposed to be with the Lunars?â€


He showed a big grin and hints of blood could be seen on his teeth. He pointed to Coral Snake. “His wife said that he was feeling scared and that I should keep an eye on him.â€


Coral balanced his weight from one foot to another, slightly embarrassed. “How considerateâ€, he muttered in a sarcastic tone. When he thought about it, he realized that he wasn't actually sarcastic about it. It felt good to have someone care about him.


“Were you on a Sacred Hunt?†Cypher asked.


Horizon nodded with a grin. “They say I've got a stable form!â€


A Sacred Hunt? Coral thought. That must have been why Chanti's emotions felt like they did back when he activated his wedding band. Cypher had told him that she was Horizon's loremaster and that it was her obligation to train him in the ways of the Lunar Exalted. That must have been why she felt like a cherishing mother caring for a hopeless child. Then Glorious Horizon was that hopeless child.


“Um, you must tell me all about it laterâ€, Cypher said.


“What are you doing?â€


“Well, we're calculating how to, um, best get this gate open.â€


Horizon scratched his chin and looked at the gate. He looked at the three who were all looking back at him. He found them so short and puny compared to his length and mass. He had spent half a day hunting together with the Lunars. And the best way to prove himself strong to weaker people were to show his muscles and what he could do with them.


He proudly walked up to the gate, bent his knees and tried to get a grip of the gate. He then bit together and tensed all the muscles in his body as he tried to stand up with the gate in his hands. It didn't work. He was strong but not strong enough.


But he refused to give up. He pulled the gate as much as he could and Coral could notice a small crack open up at the bottom of the gate. The crack turned into bigger space and Yuko gasped as she noticed Horizon's muscles almost doubled in size as he pulled the gate upwards.


Coral realized he had to help. He nodded to Cypher and then hurried up to the side of the gate and reached for the big chain within the gap Horizon had created. Cypher didn't understand the gesture at first, but then got the picture and ran up to Horizon to try to help him lift the gate. Coral grabbed the chain, put his feet against the wall next to the slowly opening gate and pulled with all his might. Eventually, even Yuko got her senses back and tried to pull the chain on the other side of the gate.


The strains on their bodies were great, but eventually they had managed to open the gate enough for Horizon to step underneath and press it upwards. Coral couldn't even imagine its weight and he was amazed at Horizon's strength. Was this the power of the Lunar Exalted?


When the gate was high enough for them to be able to pass through, Coral put his hand on the gate and infused motes of Essence. The gears and bars could be heard within and the chains moved into position at the sides of the gate and locked it in position. They all let go of the gate and it didn't fall down.


They looked inside the empty City of Makers and noticed an astonishing architecture of smooth stone, crystal and all kinds of metal. Crispy, dead leaves lied quietly on the roads and made the city look isolated and dead. All over the place stood beautifully carved statues in stone and metal.


The intensity of the curse increased tenfold.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 22: The boy from the fishing village VIII


“Wowâ€, Viper said. “You've even got wine.â€


Most of the orphans were back in bed and Viper had moved into Glittering Wolf's quarters for the night. It was a small but nice room with a bed, a desk and a locker. But he was looking at a shelf of different wines. There were nothing fancy like what his former master used to drink, but it was enough to get his interest. He grabbed a bottle.


“Do you mind?â€


“Are you sure?†Glittering Wolf said. “You're only fourteen.â€


“And you're only sixteenâ€, he muttered, sat down on the side of Glittering Wolf's bed and uncorked the bottle. He took a sip of the wine. It was a little dry – not at all like the expensive wines his former master used to force down his throat – but it was still refreshing. The alcohol was soothing.


Glittering Wolf sat down next to him on the bed. The only lights came from the lit candle on her bedside table.


“Viperâ€, she said with a soft, caring voice. “Where have you been?â€


He didn't answer. He took a few more sips of the wine and lost his gaze in the wall of the room. He heard her, and he was pondering an answer, but he didn't know what to say. He was too ashamed.


“You've been gone for four years, Viperâ€, she continued. “I've been so worried.â€


“This is a nice placeâ€, Viper said and took another sip. “You even have your own room now. So you actually bought the whole thing, huh?â€


“Viper?â€


“And there are so many new facesâ€, he continued. “They all seem so happy. You're quite the den mother, aren't you?â€


She leered at him but he didn't try to return the gaze. He was looking at the wooden floor. She looked down and noticed wet drips falling, one after another, to the floor. Viper ground his teeth and tensed the muscles in his face. He did all he could to hold the tears in, but nothing helped.


Glittering Wolf put her hand on his back and felt his short breaths. She gently stroke his back. He looked up at her with eyes all red and swollen from tears. “Am I evil?†he asked as a lonely tear ran down his cheek. “Is there really a curse on my soul?â€


“What makes you say that?â€


He tried to dry his tears with his arm but it only irritated his eyes. He still had nightmares of what he did to Wing four years ago. How he was the cause of his best friend's execution. He knew that it was because of what he had done that he had been so severely punished for so many years. “I'm just ...â€


She embraced him with her arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. When she looked down, she noticed a razor blade with dried blood on its edge as well as a black bandana in his belt. She lost her breath for a while and her heart skipped a beat. She took the razor from his belt and looked at it. Viper didn't try to stop her.


“I understand that you have suffered, Viperâ€, she said. “But please, don't make the same mistakes Wing did.â€


“Don't talk about him like that!†Viper roared as he rushed up from the bed. “Don't talk like you understand! You don't know anything!â€


“I'm sorryâ€, she said with her soft and calm voice. “Maybe you're right.†She gently stroke his shoulder and then put the razor on the bedside table. “I'm really glad you're home, Viper. You can sleep in here tonight. We'll talk tomorrow.â€


She walked towards the door and was just about to leave when Viper said: “No, I'm sorry, but you can't know where I've been. What I've been through. Please, promise me you won't ask.â€


She couldn't help but to feel more sympathy than she had ever felt to anyone before. Viper had always been cheerful and full of hope. To see him this devastated was more painful than she could have imagined. She understood that he was in pain – and that only time could heal his wounds.


“I promiseâ€, she said. “But know that I'm here for you. There's nothing you can say or do that will change that.â€


She left him all alone in the room. He sat down on the bed and took the bandana from his belt. If he really had a curse on his soul, then it was already lost. There was nothing he could do about it. All he could think about was becoming stronger. This bandana was his key to the cutthroats. But joining the cutthroats wasn't his main goal. They were just another key. However, what they would unlock was nothing more than what an old rumor had told him four years ago. The rumor mentioned a group called The Ebon Daggers. Viper wasn't sure what they were or what they did – but he knew that they were powerful and that they were connected to some of the cutthroat leaders.


He could cry all he wanted. It wouldn't change the fact that he had already decided what path he would take. He would go back to Nighthammer Pool tomorrow and talk with Dagger. He would accept his initiation assignment and clear any task. Then a new chapter of his life would begin.


He went to bed and almost instantly fell asleep. He slept until late in the afternoon. When he woke up, Glittering Wolf had put some clean clothes next to the bed. It took a few moments for Viper to realize where he was – if it was a dream or not. He felt exhausted and relieved at the same time. He didn't have a master to fear in the morning.


Viper put on his new clothes, a set of gray woolen pants and a shirt, and then went to the main room downstairs to get to know the new kids.


The main room was huge. It was a combined meeting- and dining room, built from what remained of the main storage room. There wasn't much left to remind of the former storage that was. The wooden walls were painted white and there were plenty of couches, chairs and tables to make it feel more of a home. This was where the kids ate and had fun. They even had a few shelves of books the older boys and girls used to learn the younger ones how to read. It was a very nice place to live and every homeless orphan was welcomed. It felt like a sanctuary where even the toughest thug – there were some – was brotherly and caring.


Today there were about fifteen people in the main room. About ten of them were boys. Most of them were younger than fifteen. The oldest one looked seventeen. Even though Glittering Wolf wasn't the oldest one there, she was still the most respected of the elders and the one with the leading position.


Viper learned that Glittering Wolf had got quite a reputation during the last couple of years. She was known to take care of every child who needed help without segregating anyone. When someone were thrown into the streets, they all came to Glittering Wolf. She was loved and respected. Farim, who was one of the boys Viper remembered since before, told Viper that he believed she did all this good for the orphans to make up for losing Viper and the others four years ago.


Glittering Wolf was sitting in a chair with a young girl in her lap. The girl was probably not older than six or seven and she had brown skin and long black hair. She looked just like Viper's lost sister Lira who he hadn't seen since she was in that age. The resemblance was almost scary.


The girl was singing and laughing together with Glittering Wolf and Viper realized that they both seemed so happy. A thought occurred to him that maybe he made things more painful for Glittering Wolf by coming here. Maybe she had already moved on and he was just tearing up the stitches of her scars.


She smiled and waved to him. He smiled back.


“Is that Viper?†the little girl said. “He's cute.â€


Glittering Wolf giggled.


“I am?†Viper asked and gave the girl a friendly smile. “And who are you?â€


“I'm Lotus.â€


“Hello, Lotusâ€, he said and walked up to the chair where the two of them sat. He knelt before Lotus and looked her in the eyes. “I'm Viper. The best big brother you will ever have.†He smiled and patted her on the head.


“Then you have some work to doâ€, the girl said. “Farim is my favorite big brother for now.â€


Glittering Wolf burst into laughter and the girl grinned with all her remaining baby teeth. Viper was surprised by how well a young girl like that spoke. She seemed very intelligent for her age.


“Oh, I'll show himâ€, he said with a big smile. “Do you mind if I borrow your big sister for a while, little Lotus?â€


She shook her head and jumped down from Glittering Wolf's lap. She looked up on Viper with big eyes and then crushed his waist with a big hug before she ran away to some other orphans her age. Viper didn't know how to react. The girl had actually managed to put a real smile on his face. He hadn't smiled for real for years. It hurt his cheeks. But it felt good in his heart.


He looked at Glittering Wolf. “Are you tormenting me?â€


“What do you mean?â€


“That girlâ€, he said. “She looks just like my sister.â€


“Really?â€


Glittering Wolf reached for Viper's hands and carefully pulled him closer to her. “Come hereâ€, she said. He liked how her cold, smooth hands felt in his. He walked up closer to the chair she sat in and let her embrace his body and rest her cheek on his belly. She felt his breaths and listened to his stomach rumble.


He could feel her embrace tighten and he almost lost his breath. She pulled him closer and closer until he lost his balance and accidentally overturned her chair. She fell backwards to the floor and he fell on top of her. She looked up at him with big, shocked eyes and laughed. He laughed too. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.


“I'm so glad you're homeâ€, she said. “You are everything to me.â€


He blushed a little. “Thank you.†His stomach rumbled again.


“Are you hungry?â€


“Starving.â€


They made some food and ate together with some of the kids. Viper almost forgot about life's all problems for a few hours. He laughed together with his family and played a little with the kids. He didn't leave the building for the entire day. When the sun was setting and the evening came, he started to remember what he was going to do at midnight. The more he thought about it, the less he could smile and laugh. But he knew that it was the right thing to do. He couldn't get cold feet now. This was something he had to do.


When the night came and all the younger kids had gone to sleep, Viper sat in the main room together with Glittering Wolf and drank some tea. Her face suddenly got more serious.


“I know what you're going to do tonightâ€, she said.


He raised his eyebrows.


“That black bandanaâ€, she continued. “Wing got one of those before he got executed.â€


Viper avoided eye contact and locked his gaze in his warm cup of tea. He wasn't interested in a lecture.


“I won't stop you from leaving tonight, Viperâ€, she continued. “I know it would be useless.â€


He looked up and noticed that her nut-brown eyes were sharp and determined. “I'm sorry, Glitterâ€, he said. “I truly am. But this is something I have to do.â€


She looked at him. “I knowâ€, she said. “And I've promised that I will be here for you no matter what.â€


“What I have to do will take a whileâ€, he said. “Probably years. But when I'm done, I'm going to mary you and buy you a mansion.â€


She smiled, then put her hand on top of his and stroke the back of his hand with her thumb. They sat quietly like that until midnight was just around the corner. Viper then left the home to meet Dagger and the guys at the cobbled square in Nighthammer Pool. He had the black bandana tied around his forehead. He felt strong. He felt ready.

 

[Ekorren]

Chapter 23: An unwelcoming presence


The City of Makers was desolated and quiet. Breezes were rustling the dead leaves on the ground and muffled buzzes could be heard from statues and buildings. The city's several Manses called for them with intense pulses while its cursed Miasma filled their hearts with fear. Before the city's main street stood Coral Snake, Whispering Rainbow Cypher, Ledaal Yuko and Glorious Horizon. None of them knew what to do. They just watched.


“So many statuesâ€, Coral gasped. He was looking at the row of giants in stone and metal, the tallest ones reaching up to fifteen yards high.


“Actuallyâ€, Cypher coughed. “Few of them are actually statues. Um, most of them are automatons.â€


“Automa-what?â€


“They are guardiansâ€, Yuko filled in. “Think of them as constructed beings. They can walk around and interact with the people.â€


“And kill them?â€


“Naturallyâ€, Cypher said and pointed to a few automatons who stood idly outside buildings with weapons in their hands. “They are guards who never get tired. They were, well, more common than you might think in the High First Age. This city, however, thrived on, um, construction and design. They are said to have been as common here as the former citizens themselves.â€


“And now the citizens are gone but the automatons remainâ€, Coral muttered.


They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to take the first step into the city. None of them wanted to take the initiative. The curse was too intense. Too unwelcoming. Eventually, Horizon nodded to them all and forced a smile.


“I must go back to huntingâ€, he said. “There are a few beasts behind the mountains. I'll come and say hello tomorrow morning.†He pointed to Coral Snake. “Your wife tells you to not touch anything in the city.â€


Yeah, right, Coral thought. Then what would be the point of this journey?


“Thank you for your help, Horizonâ€, Cypher said and forced a smile.


Horizon nodded and started running back along the road towards the pass. Neither Coral nor Yuko could take their eyes off the empty street. The place was much more astonishing than Nexus. The towers of Yuro were plain ordinary compared to what could be seen here. Nothing was ordinary along these streets. The buildings were beautifully constructed and some gave the illusion of defying gravity as parts of the buildings could float in the air or balance on a foundation as thin as a spear.


However, there was this unwelcoming feeling ...


What's wrong with me? Coral thought. It's just an empty city.


He felt a drip of sweat on his forehead and placed one foot inside the gate. He breathed out and then followed with his other foot. He looked up at the closest guardians to see if they seemed hostile or not, but there was nothing that could distinguish them from ordinary statues. They just stood still. It was unthinkable that they would ever move.


He slowly walked up along the street, stepped on a few crispy leaves along the way, and Cypher and Yuko followed shortly behind. They walked along the street while looking at the surrounding guardians and buildings. They realized that everything seemed more and more dreadful for each step they took. There was a weight too great for them to bear and they looked at each other to see if anyone was willing to already turn back.


All of them endured for now. All thanks to Cypher's glowing artifact.


“The intensity of the curseâ€, Cypher stuttered. “It seems it must come from, um, somewhere in the city's center. Most likely from the central Manse.â€


“Can you turn it off if we find it?†Coral asked.


“I don't knowâ€, he muttered. “Well, you see, some Manses come with, um, one-time-usable defenses. It's like having a sword where you can make the most deadly and um, awesome cut against the enemy, but the sword itself will disintegrate in the process. You have the sword, waiting for an enemy to come when you know that you will, well, die … and then you use the sword only once and never again.â€


“And what does that mean, exactly?â€


“Well, to reset such an effect would be, um, like finding and repairing a disintegrated sword, a weapon that no longer exists.â€


“It was a poor analogy, but I think I get the pointâ€, Coral muttered. “So this might be hopeless?â€


“It might, yes.†Cypher scratched his nose and coughed.


“But?â€


He forced a smile. “But something tells me to keep going.â€


They walked further along the main row, aiming for the highest tower in the city's center. The next highest building was another tower with a few great balconies. Cypher told them that it was probably used as a harbor for airborne ships in the First Age. Coral remembered seeing airborne ships dock in Nexus from time to time as a kid. It wasn't a common sight, but he knew that those ships existed for few influential enough to afford them. He had heard that the militarist state of Lookshy had a couple of them.


Eventually, they reached the main square in the city's center. In the middle of the square was a tall pyramid-shaped building next to the incredibly tall tower which was partly connected to a smaller building which looked like a minor palace with roofs like golden domes. Around the pyramid were overgrown flower beds and old trees which dropped their leaves on the cobbled ground below. There were a few active fountains and water lines around the pyramid and the buildings in the proximity. The clear water seemed fresh, but they thought it would be wise to not try to drink it. The guardians stood idly outside the doors to every building, especially around the stairways up the central pyramid.


“It's beautifulâ€, Yuko said.


“It isâ€, Cypher agreed. “Um, all of the city's Dragon-Lines must connect to that pyramid. From watching the architecture of the square, I can assume that, um, another central Manse is within the building with the domes.â€


“Which one's the curse?†Coral asked.


“We should check both.â€


“Do we have time for that?†Coral balanced his weight from one foot to another. “I mean, we should go back out soon and try to relax for a few hours. Then we can come back in and look more carefully for that Manse.â€


“I agree with Coralâ€, Yuko said. “I don't want to be here anymore.â€


“You can go on aheadâ€, Cypher said with his eyes locked on the top of the pyramid. “I want to go up on the pyramid and, um … take a look.â€


“I'll wait for youâ€, Yuko said.


Coral scratched his chin and looked at the buildings around the square. He thought about what kind of treasures could be hidden inside them.


“I'll take a quick look aroundâ€, he said. “Then I'll go back out to the meadow.â€


He walked back along the main row and tried to figure out the buildings along the way. He thought that some of the buildings with more basic architecture could be common shops while the more complex buildings could be homes or guild houses.


Did they have guilds in the First Age? he thought. Might as well take a look inside one of them.


He slowly walked up to a three-floored building with a rotating sign he couldn't read. The building seemed to have a common door with a common handle next to a tall guardian holding a great axe. Coral gave the guardian a quick glance and then slowly reached for the handle, turned it and noticed it was locked. He gave the guardian another quick glance just to make sure it was still inactive.


He put his fingers on top of the door and let motes of Essence run through. He heard a click from the lock and then tried the handle again. This time, the door went up. He looked inside and noticed a small vestibule with two doors leading left and right. What caught his interest was the grand orichalcum daiklave that was on a stand which was nailed to the wall before him.


He walked up to the sword, looked around himself to make sure he was alone and then took it down from its stand. He felt the great weight in his arms and then heard three faint clunks when three egg-sized gems fell from the sword to the floor. He knew that the gems were inactive hearthstones and that they would be of no use to him unless he could find the Manses which powered them. He let them be, rested the heavy sword on his shoulder and then walked back out towards the street. This daiklave alone was invaluable.


When he had managed one step outside the building, he noticed a great metal axe suddenly appearing before him, blocking him from going any further. He gave a quick glance to the great guardian next to the door and noticed it had tilted its head to glare at him with two eyes glowing with strong yellow light. It said something in another language with a mechanical and echoing pitch. Coral didn't understand a word.


But he understood enough.


He flinched, took a careful step back into the building and put the sword back on its stand. He then slowly took another step outside and noticed the guardian intently watching him, then removing the axe to let him pass. He walked outside to the street and noticed that the guardian once again looked as inactive as before. He took a sigh of relief.


Getting some loot here won't be easy.


He suddenly felt a cold breeze of dread as the city's curse increased in intensity and instantly worked on tormenting his mind, trying to drive him insane. He leaned forward, rested his hands on his thighs and felt like he wanted to vomit. He was too far away from Cypher to feel the soothing effects of his artifact. He had to get out of here as quickly as he could.


Or maybe he could try to reach the radius of Cypher's artifact to buy some time.


Cypher walked up to the top of the pyramid and looked out over the square. The building wasn't that high compared to many of those around, but he could see most of the city from where he stood. He saw a huge district with structures so weird that he couldn't tell if they were magical effects, active artifacts or live monstrosities. He hadn't seen anything like them before, but one thing crossed his mind.


They must be the Makers' Tombs.


At another direction he noticed a district of high towers and weird domes big as mansions. Those were another sort of building he couldn't even get a grasp on in his mind, but something subconscious told him that they were Factory-Cathedrals. It must have been there the Makers created most of their wonders. He had to take a closer look if he could just manage to break this curse.


On top of the pyramid itself was a glowing gem floating in a beam of light. It was a hearthstone, powered by the Manse on which he stood. But something about the Manse felt wrong. It didn't seem quite as it was supposed to be. But on the other hand, nothing did with this Miasma twisting his perception. He couldn't even focus on the inscriptions and paintings inside the small pavilion on the pyramid's top in which he stood.


“Cypherâ€, Yuko called from the square below. “Come on down. Let's go.â€


“Just a minute.â€


“I can't wait for youâ€, she said. “I'll go back by myself then.â€


Yuko turned to jog back along the main row and Cypher ignored her. He was watching the glowing hearthstone and tried to focus on what could be wrong with this Manse. He looked at the building and then closed his eyes to feel its great Essence. The Miasma disturbed him, but he understood one thing. The Manse wasn't originally constructed for the Demesne that lied below. Somehow, the Demesne itself must have been “rewired†by conscious hands. He could, in theory, repair it.


But not with this curse around.


Coral hurried back up the road to the central Manse where Cypher would be. He stopped when he noticed Yuko jogging in his direction. She slowed down when she reached Coral and looked at him with red eyes. She breathed heavily.


“You look freshâ€, Coral said with a fake smirk.


“So do youâ€, she muttered.


Coral realized that he was totally drained. He was sweating and had problems standing without wanting to lean forward and rest his arms on his thighs. He noticed that Yuko was doing exactly that. She gulped and vomited on the street.


“I'm … going outsideâ€, she said and then forced herself up on her feet and ran.


Coral shrugged. He could manage to endure this curse a little longer. Even though he would rather be anywhere – even in the heart of Malfeas – than in this city right now, he knew that he could pull through. He was a Solar Exalted. Fleeing wasn't his thing. He had to stand his ground – even against an ancient curse such as this one.


He continued up the road and could feel the curse mute more and more the closer he got to Cypher. As he reached the square, he could see Cypher overlook the city atop the pyramid. His pendant was glowing brightly and so was the caste mark on his forehead. He didn't look as troubled by the curse as Coral himself, but he was paler than before and he looked a little more fragile.


Cypher reached for a glowing hearthstone floating in a beam of light. He grabbed the stone, felt it in the palm of his hand and closed his eyes. He tried to feel the strength of the stone as well as the flow of Essence in the Manse he stood in. He then opened his eyes and put the stone back in the beam of light. He noticed Coral below.


“Coralâ€, he said. “This Manse is, um, broken.â€


“So?â€


“Well, um, it's just interesting, I mean.†He poked his chin.


“Aren't you bothered by the curse, Cypher?â€


“Um, well, yes, I guess I amâ€, Cypher said. “I was thinking about, um, committing myself to this Manse, but I'm afraid it would take a little longer than the, um, Miasma would allow me to stay.â€


Coral Snake pointed to the building with the roofs of golden domes. “Then why don't you come with me to check out this placeâ€, he said. “You said it was another Manse, didn't you?â€


“Wellâ€, Cypher said while poking his nose. “Yes, indeed, but there are some interesting scriptures here in the pavilion. I'll be there shortly.â€


Coral nodded and walked up a short stairway, passed two giant guardians, up to a big wooden door with metal reinforcements. He grabbed the ring and pulled the gate open. It wasn't locked. The guardians didn't move. He didn't bother to close the door behind him after he entered the building. He wanted it to be as easy as possible to get out quickly if he needed to.


As soon as he stepped inside the building, he felt the curse increase rapidly. He felt the presence of Cypher's artifact, but the curse was so intense in this building that he had problems moving at all.


He took a deep breath and then looked around himself. There was a giant vestibule with two stairs leading up to a second floor. Between the two stairs was a reception with a smaller-sized automaton sitting idly on a chair. It didn't seem active. A few yards behind the reception was an open door leading into a back-room chamber and there was a stairway leading down to another double-door of reinforced wood. The corridors of the upper floor could be seen overlooking the vestibule with metal railings. The ceiling was lifted like a dome and was almost fully in painted glass where the paintings themselves seemed somehow animated. Coral noticed a dragon breathing fire on an army of soldiers and the flames, though painted, moved like real fire.


He would have wanted to stay to look at it for a while, but the invisible grip the city had on his heart was too hard. He walked up to the reception and looked on the other side.


“Helloâ€, he said to the slim automaton, but it didn't reply. It was probably broken.


He walked around the reception and went for the stairway leading downstairs to the big door. He knew from previous experiences that the bigger the door, the better the treasure inside. He stood before the door and noticed it was locked. He put his hand on the lock and used his Charm to unlock it. He heard a click and pulled the handle.


When he opened the door, he was filled with a strong breeze of dread. He leaned forward, pulled down his mask and vomited on the stairs. He couldn't even think. It was like he was losing his mind. He promised himself to take a quick gaze inside and then get the hell out of there. But the room was dark.


He lit his caste mark and illuminated what little of the room he could see. He saw traces of jade on the floor, mostly green and red, and he could see the foot of a skeleton. Further inside floated a glowing hearthstone. He realized that this must be the other Manse Cypher was talking about. He stepped back up on the stairs and left the building. Before he walked down the stairs outside, he carefully investigated if the guardians were alive or not. When he noticed they were not, he hobbled out on the square.


Cypher was still on top of the pyramid, this time once again holding the glowing gem. He nodded to Coral but seemed a bit surprised by the fact that Coral looked half-dead by exhaust and fear. Coral himself seemed also disturbed by the fact that Cypher could manage as well as he could despite the circumstances, most likely because he was the one who was wielding the pendant.


“There's, um, a gate with a magical lock on the other side of this pyramidâ€, Cypher called down to Coral. “I've read about an, um, armory below the central Manse. I'm sure the gate leads down to it.â€


“You want me to unlock it for you?†Coral asked. “You'll have to wait. I'm getting out of here.â€


“Not necessarilyâ€, Cypher continued. “Well, you know, the key is supposed to be a jade sigil.â€


“Then why do you ask me?â€


“You were inside, weren't you?†He pointed to the building from where Coral came. “That was the, um, palace of the Solar Prince in the First Age and, um, after the Usurpation it was taken by a Dragon-Blooded Daimyo. The sigil could be inside.â€


“Then go inside and take itâ€, Coral muttered. “I'm out of here.â€


He ran down along the road towards the city-gate. He was thinking about all the rum he had stored in the wagon up at the pass.


“Oh, waitâ€, Cypher called to Coral, but he was ignored.


Coral disappeared down the street and Cypher hurried down the stairway to catch up to him. Just as he passed the idle guardians standing at the foot of the pyramid, he noticed a moving shadow in the periphery and he heard the sound of moving metal.


“You have stolen from holy groundâ€, the statue said in Old Realm.


Cypher flinched and stopped. He looked down and realized he still had the Manse's hearthstone in his hand.


What a silly mistake, he thought.


The guardian raised its great goremaul before him and swung it down on Cypher's back. He was no fighter. He wouldn't have time to guard himself. Cypher called on his divine Anima and absorbed some of the blow with a barrier of Essence that wrapped around his body. The blow was still heavy and he was pushed into the air and dragged about twenty-thirty feet along the street. The guardian walked after him, reached down and took the hearthstone Cypher had dropped with the blow, and walked back to the central Manse.


Cypher couldn't move. He felt the great Miasma choke his senses and then everything went black.


Coral Snake hurried along the road. He hadn't heard the ruckus up at the Manse and he wouldn't have stopped even if he had heard it. He was focused on leaving the city and run all the way up to the wagon with rum. This place was just too dreadful.


When he could finally see the gate closing in, he noticed a quick shadow move in his periphery. He turned his head and noticed a slim figure disappear behind a corner. He was close to the gate. He could manage to waste a few minutes to find out who else was lurking in this city. If someone was here to claim his loot, then that person would be in great trouble.


He hurried into the alley where he had seen the shadow and rounded the corner. He followed the thin alley around another corner and then almost bumped into a slim man dressed in a fine linen robe. He noticed that the man's face was made of metal. It turned to him, bowed and said something he couldn't understand.


This is just too sick, he thought and took a few steps back.


He didn't respond to the waling automaton and backed away back towards the main row. The automaton looked at him for a while, then turned around and moved forward. Coral was sweating and his throat was dry. He had a very hard time breathing. He slowly turned around to walk back to the street when he saw a small, walking bear with a metal face and pink, fluffy fur look up at him.


It raised its hands and said: “Nah-nah-nah!â€


Coral shrieked and fled the city.