The Firmament Saga: Book I: The Rains of Sorrow

Chapter 1: The Bootmaker

Chapter 1 - The Bootmaker (Lou)

Waxday, Week 33, Month Quatrus, Year of God 487

As the sun, always veiled in clouds, rose to its peak in the sky, pouring, torrential rain descended, as it always did, day in and day out, onto the city of Urbs Sacer. The pattering and rushing sounds were familiar to Lutheril Bootmaker, running along the street as he tried not to slip in a puddle.

"All commoners are to gather in the Holy Square to witness the nobility perform a special rite! Any who disobey will experience demotion to Sun Caste. I repeat, this gathering is mandatory!" bellowed a guard, hovering around ten feet above the area of road Lutheril trod. The magical power that only the nobility could use known as Lux emanated from his skin and glowing eyes, which darted about with inhuman speed. He repeated the message as Lutheril walked on.

Lutheril, known as Lou to his friends and "Boy" to his employer Thyrian, was of the Earth caste. He was among the highest-ranked commoners in the Holy Kingdom of God, but he was still a commoner. That bit deep into his ego, knowing that he was only a few social steps away from being allowed to skip this sundamn meeting. But you didn't disobey the will of the oh-so-high and mighty Rain Caste - and by extent, the direct mandates of the God of Rain - if you wanted to live long. If you were of the Wind or Rain Castes and violated the law, they would execute you. But lower-ranked men had a special treat - being branded Sun Caste. It was pretty much a death sentence for even the hardest, bravest people, as you were sent beyond the borders as cannon fodder to fight the heathens who lived outside the Holy Kingdom.

Lou shivered - not just because of the biting cold that seeped through his hood and jacket. His neighbor Acturian had been caught stealing food from the Wind Caste barracks just a few months ago. He had been paraded through the streets, being branded as he was hauled. He was never seen again.

Meetings like this usually mean one of three things - they found a commoner who can use Lux, a noble who can't, or they're showing one of the Blood Caste being sacrificed, just to get the pious among us riled up, Lou thought. Abruptly, something bumped into his shoulder. He gasped in surprise and turned around. His good friend Arbevan Cook stood in the rain, a splitting grin plastered to his face and a medium package in his gloved hand. He had unruly brown hair and a shaved face. He had been Lou's boyfriend for a time, before the latter had realized that he wasn't attracted to men or women.

"Hey, Lou!" he said.

"Hey, Van," Lou responded. "You gave me a start!"

"I always do," Van retorted. "You're more oblivious than a clam!" He paused. "Speaking of clam, I picked up some breaded clams for us to eat. I know that's your favorite!"

"With red sauce?"

"Does the Voice of God like rain? Of course!"

"We're not supposed to eat during the gathering," Lou said.

"C'mon," Van complained. "The guards will be looking for slackers, not eaters."

"Very well," Lou said exasperatedly. "I'm starving anyway. Had a bite of mossbread for breakfast, but my belly's empty as a Rain Casteman's heart otherwise."

"Don't say things like that!" said Van, his normal carefree manner of speaking going away. "We'll be punished if they catch us saying things like that."

"Sorry," Lou said. The pair was silent for a time, walking along the street. Eventually they turned a corner and entered a different street. This part of town was unfamiliar to Lou, but Van knew the way. The guards would corral them if they didn't move there fast enough.