Legend of the Seven Gems Book I: Journey to Calicostan

Chapter VI: Sastroms Final Stand

The bitter cold seemed to be negated by the massive sky-yielding walls along the city, and almost no wind chill could chill through Roy's thick blooded skin. He began to feel a moist discomfort along the bottom of his neck and forehead, as if he'd had jumped into a lagoon through the broken layers of ice. This feeling he had seldom experienced, except if by a fire, watching his delicious braised steer spit roast... he felt somewhat of a sense of security, not only by the walls cloaking the chilling breezes of the cold northern hemisphere, but the warm air of the south trapping itself, as if a fly in a spiderweb.

Folks walking around the city were still wearing heavily padded armor with what appeared to be the fur of sheep or goat, possibly from nearby fields. Their heads were covered in white hats, manes grey and pale as opposed to his elven greenish-tan skin. The hats had a faint dye tint, but were overshadowed by the snow that had likely landed on their heads in the current season of winter. Despite the fact snow layered on their heads, it was still warm to Royland.

It was warm, but snow still layered the tops of the buildings. It was far less snow and ice than Royland was used to. In fact, Roy's bitter cold veins demanded that he took off a layer of clothing; something he was always advised against, even if he truly was a Winterborn.

Instincts influenced him through taking out some of the wool within his coat, and began tossing it on the ground. Shop keepers in his vacinity, which was a large open plaza for commerce and trading goods/foods, glared him down , as if they knew something that he didn't. It was evident wool may not be as common around this area as he had previously been aware of. Sheep flourished in his region, and with them, their vast wool that allowed them to remain in the snowy tundra.

Azif seemed to be concerned with Roylands actions. Judging by the look at Azifs face, Royland felt obligated to stop removing wool from his coat. Everyone seemed to be uncomfortable with Roylands actions, and he was unsure if this was a cultural barrier or not.

Reluctantly and slowly perking his head up in shame after letting off some of the wool under his armor, Royland noticed what appeared to be a massive stone world, additionally layered in wood and brick- this was unlike anything Royland had seen before.

The city was made up of three levels leading upwards to the largest tent he had ever seen... Except, this tent appeared to have been created using a shiny yellow mineral, but maintained the structural preservation of the city it glanced down upon.

Royland began to understand exactly why his elders would tell him to not take the wool out of his coat. Despite still being excessively warm, the frigid cold grasped his tongue and legs, not letting them move even an inch. It felt as if a ball the size of his thumb had dropped down his gut, and bounced around. Spikes began to pierce his chest, making it hard to breathe- he knew he'd been living his life in isolation, but the world he found himself in is unlike any other world he had even remotely dreamt of, nor imagined.

The streets were extremely narrow, and he had forced his legs to take large gaping steps. Though, in his mind, he was caught entirely off guard by the sheer scale of where he was.

Each street led upwards, as if a staircase were made entirely leveled, like the sand on a beach, but solid as if an anvil sprawled itself out across the city, slanted upwards. At the very top of the city was what appeared to be a large man made structure. The rooftop of the structure was plated in a bright and shiny yellow, with shiny ocean colored details.

Many of the towns buildings were very much overgrown with moss. While most would say it was poorly kept, Royland's perspective was that of awe in the sheer originality of such an invasive plant symbiotically controlling a man made building.

There was a massive canal transversing itself through the city center, where many more shop keepers found themselves. Students at the local schools played a sport with a wooden rod in their winter coats. They smashed a tiny ball across the plaza, into a large spiderweb-shaped structure. As he passed them, their glares of concern were far more evident. It was clear controversy was brewing.