The pillar of fire bloomed high into the sky. At its peak it was clearly visible across the city and drew the attention of those seeking chaos and those seeking order.
The officers of Kyltu, whom Koj'Ineh'Mirrad smuggled over the walls, integrated themselves with the slaves and instructed them to prepare. The slaves saw the fire as a sign that there was a power to rival the local empire, and with it burned a fresh hope. The enterprise of The Pain Artist had smuggled weapons along with the slaves, and with the proximity of arms came purpose.
The local Imperial guard and security forces were alerted and given a name. A name that one particular Barjol'Thygrin'Ne cursed on hearing, whether by fear for his associations of, or because of the destruction laid upon the city he lead in building and governing. A name that spread as quickly as the burning winds that swept east and towards the indoor market where Fereren'Kyltu'Kes and Valspear'Ronline'Kes waited while a riot set themselves upon a gambling house and sent the innocent fleeing from the district the fire raged in.
The name of Caius'Ronlin'Kes, king of slaves.
The fire peaked. The winds blew east. And one Mirrad-Blood looked back, dreading what would come, but directing his steps southward to escort a trio of children home. All around him fearful citizens of the city fled from the distant sight.
As all things that peak, they descend, and the fire burned the last of its will. It pushed up one last time drawing in breath before dimming to a containable inferno. Its fuel spent it drew upon what it touched to consume more in contest with the local units set to containing it with dirt and water. Though it raged fiercely, its opponent was a Numerenai well versed in fires.
The sun would not see the fire. It slept soundly at the Aeterna's will.
"Here!" Senec'Revue'Ire pointed towards a building. Slavian and Senec raced to its front door, and beat on it. Koj'Ineh'Mirrad looked up at the swinging sign above the door that read 'The Washing Basin'. He adjusted Aelius'Kyltu'Kes in his arms and listened closely. There was a clamorous skittering behind it and little lights peeping out of the window cracks flickered with movement.
The door flung open and a young, but heavily scarred, Kes-Blood woman stood in the door. Her hair was frazzled and her eyes were wide and bloodshot. It was no wonder why, the Mirrad-Blood saw there were no less than a dozen young children in the one-room building sitting in a group and upset, with another dozen older ones trying to help the adults while being upset themselves.
"Senec?!" The woman at the door gasped.
"Senec!" Another woman yelled. The second woman came forward. She was Ire-Blood and had a worn glow Koj recognized from mothers. Echoing Senec's name, the herd of children rushed forward all at once, but the other adults moved them back to a distance where they could still see.
"Mom!" Senec cried. He rushed in and hugged her, crying and making incoherent noise about the million and one ways he screwed up and everything was his fault and he was sorry. Confused, she looked up at the others for answers, and when her eyes fell on Aelius, she went pale.
She rushed forward only to stop short as her eyes lifted to Koj'Ineh. Understandably, he figured, his armor and height, being above the roof of the room, was intimidating. He lowered himself and entered the building.
YOU ARE READING
The Aeterna Empire
FantasyIn the realm of Dyson, a Kes-Blood prince steps up to rally his people and allies against the incoming threat of the Aeterna Empire, forcing him to learn what it means to be king and what he must sacrifice to save his people and his world.
