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The streets of Oasia, Varidia's capital are a chaotic mix of vendors hawking their wares, beggars pleading for water or food, and people rushing to and fro on urgent business. The buildings that line the streets are a mix of opulent palaces and crumbling tenements, reflecting the vast disparities of wealth and power that exist in this society.
Survival here is a battle against the relentless thirst, one that requires not just strength, but ingenuity and a dash of magic.
At the apex of society are an aristocratic class of water-controlling mages. They are revered not just for their magical prowess but for their crucial role in the survival of the realm. It's them who summon the rain and create fresh water. These mages often wear adornments made from Lyrium, a rare and valuable metal known to amplify their abilities.
Beneath the mages are the Nulls, ordinary humans with no magical ability. Their life is one of hardship, toiling under the relentless sun, relying on the mages for their water, and performing menial tasks that keep the society functioning. They view the mages with a mix of reverence, envy, and resentment, aware that their lives are wholly dependent on the whims and benevolence of these water manipulators.
The lowest stratum of society is formed by the Vashka, a subjugated race of demons. Powerful, resilient, but bound by magical constraints, the Vashka are forced to work in the perilous Lyrium mines. Their innate resistance to the heat and physical endurance make them ideal miners, but their lives are a ceaseless torment, devoid of freedom and dignity.
Under the relentless onslaught of the sun, the Varidians tackle their daily activities, their visages lined with stress and weariness. Dust and perspiration permeate the air, mingling with the cacophonous clamor of animal cries and human voices.
Breaking through this tumult, a magnificent golden carriage, pulled by a string of well-groomed black horses, seamlessly traverses the street. The carriage's surface is embellished with complex carvings and expensive gems, symbolizing the affluence and might of its inhabitants. Guards, well-versed in combat, lead the procession, their blades reflecting the sunlight in a rhythmical dance.
The golden carriage's passing compels the Varidians to halt, awestruck by its grandeur. Many lower their heads or kneel, recognizing the emblem adorning the carriage as that of the royal water mage family. Some simply stare wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the extreme luxury of the carriage and its entourage.
Temporarily, the carriage's passage eclipses Varidia's chaos and poverty, serving as a tangible reminder of the dominance and privileges that the water mages exert over this realm.
The discipline of marching feet and rhythmic sound of the carriage wheels are shattered by a distant uproar, a discordant chorus of harsh yells that intensify with proximity. The carriage comes to a standstill, the disturbance linked to a ragged group of Vhaska demons, their bodies slick with sweat and grime, their chains jingling ominously as they are driven by a handful of Null guards.
From within the confines of the carriage, a figure of ethereal allure emerges, starkly contrasting the severe Veridian surroundings. She is a captivating sight, dressed in an azure silk gown reflecting her blazing blue eyes - eyes that, despite their captivating hue, are keen and discerning, suggesting an impending maelstrom of magic. Her ebony hair, entwined with strands of Lyrium, tumbles down her back, fluttering in the soft desert wind.
Her skin is an alabaster hue, an unusual trait among the sun-kissed populace of Varidia, making her stand out even more. But it is not just her physical allure that captures the onlookers; it is her unmistakable air of authority, her raw magical energy that fills the air, making the atmosphere around her thrum with anticipation.
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Water's Dance ("Fire & Water" Series)
RomanceThis is the first Book in the Fire & Water Series. In the harsh, arid lands where water is as precious as life itself, the world is cruelly divided. The caste of water mages rules with an iron fist, their reign of tyranny sustained by the sweat and...
