Seven Lost Lords: The Anomaly

Ch. 3: Goodbye, Gatesborn

As the sun was setting, I walked along the brisk path, the distant sea breeze ruffling my fur.

The sky was a deep orange, flaming streaks of auburn racing across the world above. My fur glowed like fire in the fading dusk as I came to a standstill and raised my head.

There it was. My home.

It was a hut, sitting up in the treetops among the branches. From there you could faintly see the ocean in the distance, through the dense foliage.

I turned to find Arius beside me. "Are you happy now?" I grinned.

Arius shrugged. "I am, actually. I just hope that now I'll be picked for the job specifically." He looked at me and frowned. "What I'm concerned about is what exactly the Prince plans to do with you." For some reason, he didn't seem upset at me specifically for once.

I pricked my ears. "...See, I'm confused about that too," I replied, opening the hut door and stepping inside. "I thought as a magicless albino, I wouldn't really get anywhere. But I guess the gods are on my side, huh?"

Arius just mumbled in reply as he dusted off a shelf in the living room, probably looking for something. But as he moved aside a few trinkets, he stopped and paused. "What's up?" I asked.

Arius didn't reply, but I saw his paw moving towards a bound leather book. He picked it up and flipped a few pages. His eyes grew misty.

I moved towards him and reached for the book, then held it in my paws, confused. "Why are you...?"

Arius just sighed depressedly and picked up his bag, then moved on to his bedroom down the hall.

I looked at the book again, then remembered. Father's journal?

"I'm taking this with me," I shouted down the hall. "Might as well bring along some memories from this place."

Arius didn't respond, but he emerged from his room soon after. I quickly shoved the book into my satchel by my side, then turned to exit the hut.

We stood there on the lawn, staring up at the little brown hut in the treetops. Arius spoke in a whisper. "I'm going to miss this place."

I nodded. "But where we're going is even better, right?"

Arius smiled. "You bet."

He turned, heading for the river to meet up with the escorts; but I stayed a little longer, reluctant to leave everything I had known behind for the last time. This place was my childhood, and the very last time I saw Father before he sailed to the East Horizon was here.

I hope the gods have given him safety, wherever he is.

I gave a breath, then turned from the hut in the trees, leaving it behind me.

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Arius waited for me by the wet path that led to the river.

"Coming?"

I nodded numbly, trying to shake off any traces of regret.

We walked on, the trees above us blocking out the gradually fading sunlight, leaving me to trust Arius' night vision to guide us.

But it wasn't for long. Just as the world neared nightfall, we saw a light up ahead, glimmering on the water.

"There's the ferry." Arius stood tall and puffed out his chest, trying to look important as we came into view. I just shook my head and snorted.

On the river was a large wooden ferry, presumably used to transport important officials to and from the Capital. Firelight gave us sight to see under the canopy of the trees above. And by the ferry was a line of all the aetyrim who had been chosen to go to the Capital.