Death's Successor Completed.

Chapter Nineteen Returning to Druantia Shane Pov

Lucia grinned at Shane. Producing a heavy iron key, she unlocked the black door, placing the key on her belt. She pushed the door open. "Step onto the platform, please. Keep your arms by your sides and your legs together. She pressed two buttons, bringing up the holographic screen. She typed in the coordinates.
"How do you understand this technology?"
"I studied at the Enchanted Ember Academy in the kingdom of Andreal. They taught us how to control advanced technology and not to rely on magic for travel, since if the balance tips, magic can fail." Lucia finished with the controls. "Alright, I've set the controls to send you directly to the city of Druanita. It will encase you in beams of light."
"Thank you, Lucia. Are you a friend or an enemy?" Shane asked. Rasing his eyebrows in confusion, Lucia giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. "Who's to say? I could be only you can decide that." She approached Shane, handing him a sword inside an iron case. "You will need this. Stay alive Shane."

Lucia gracefully walked away. The teleporter blinded him with white beams of light; the beams jolted his body, making him vanish in seconds. He travelled the current of light, zooming above the forest. Towards the south, changing directions towards the inferno mountains. The stone walls of the capital city came speeding into view. Shane crashed into the sand of the eastern shore. He coughed, spitting out the sand. He inhaled, his lungs burning from the sudden impact. Shane rolled himself onto his back, testing his feet and limbs. Everything tingled, and his right arm burned with severe pain. Shane sat up, dusting the particles of sand out of his brown hair. "Lucia could have picked a softer place to land." Shane scoffed. "Straight to the castle, right? Lucia needs those golden eyes of hers examined." Shane leaned his arm against his chest. He would need to seek a healer.

The sand slipped underneath the sand dunes, but he climbed. He wished he still had his dragon, so he could simply fly over the wall, but he respected his dragon's choice for freedom. Leaving his bag behind at Blacksail's estate, he checked the emergency irons he kept close. He entered the city through a group of travelling merchants.
He leaned against the wood, while the cobblestones made the carriage shake, throwing the other stowaways around. They hid inside a hidden hatch; the king's degree forbade anyone from leaving or entering the city.
The guards inspected the cargo. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, they helped themselves to a crate of food and water.
"It's a toil for the enforcers who keep the peace in these testing times. Head on though." Shane waited with bated breath; he peaked out from a crack in the wood. They passed through the city gates. The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air.

He sat next to the young women with the transplant skin. Inside the dark cabin it resembled the couloir of Ash, her head slumped against the wood. As she whispered of restless dreams. "Alice?"
Shane nagged her shoulder, she opened her pale pink eyes, "What? Are we inside the city yet?"
"Yes," Shane said, inhaling the heavy air. He hated being cramped up with three other people. His arm throbbed, aching. Alice pulled some bandages from her bag. "Your arm isn't broken, but the bandages will help until you can get yourself to a healer." Alice wrapped the herbal bandages tightly around Shane's arm, she tied it at his shoulder. The light shone down into the compartment when the merchants uncovered the hidden hatch. Alice and Shane climbed out of the cramped space. Alice hopped down, her travelling boots, looked new against the failing snow.

"Burning iron barrels lined the deserted streets, Alice thanked the merchants with a giggle as one spoke in a sweet tone to the shimmering Delmora. She waved as the carriage disappeared.
"I think you have an admirer." Shane replied.
"Alice smiled. Many men and women admire me, who I choose. However, is whoever appeals to me," Alice explained.
They walked the crack streets. The iron barrels provided warmth. Stocked with wood against the icy breeze, Lurkers were naturally afraid of fire. They had nailed houses down and the once prosperous streets were bustling with people during the afternoon on any normal day, but now not even a single soul lingered.
They reached the intersection where the once proud statue of the queen of druids laid on the ground in a shattered mess, her legs surviving the assault. "Do you think Lurkers did this?" Alice asked. Cradling the statue's beautifully symmetrical face.
"Possibly. I doubt they would care about the natur theatre where people watch plays outside the city walls, enjoying nature. The Lurkers themselves are unnatural." Shane spat the bitter taste of the smoke out in disgust.
"We shouldn't remain here too long, Alice." Shane said. Scanning the shadows of the surrounding alleyways in between the stone buildings. Ivy grew along the buildings as fire seeds dangled down from their leaves. Shane picked a few. The warm seeds burned like embers in the wind.