L [o/i] ve is a journey

How To Kill A Dragon Slime | Prospect Of Season

Nerivie sat in the shadow of the Western Gate.

A really boring place to wait, but the air coming from the dim lit tunnel was cool and refreshing. She refilled the water bottle for the third time and sipped the nearly ice cold water that rose from the underground spring.

It was an open area, and the few people around here made it a perfect meet-up place, other than the busy gates at the other cardinal directions. The weird point this gate was set, namely on a high hill into the highest rock the city was partially build into, made it easy for her to watch over the city.

A fair climb she had to do to reach that spot, and their destination was about a day, maybe two, after leaving the tunnel into the desert. Her gaze glanced over the city, with its pockets of market places, fountains, green areas around small channeled water.

These green pockets absorbed a lot of the disposed grey water, and around places, where it visually left the surface, blackwater reservoirs served as fertilizer for plants. Magical enhanced trees were planted around the area, to absorb as much of the water and dirt from it, before releasing the water back into the ground. There, it irrogated plants with a low need of water, keeping areas lush for longer, and feeding people with additional wild food.

Nerivie could see the main trade route going directly through the city from South to north, the gates, the beautiful and vast houses of the rich people, and the small, but still pretty houses of the poor.

She remembered something her master told her once: The state of a country or city on the account of culture can be seen how the society treats its poor and prisioners.

This city must have a lot of culture, as she still failed to see anybody being so bitterly poor, they had to starve, or without even the barest of shelter. People generally seemed to be more caring, which must be because of the unbearing, life-devouring heat.

Then Nerivie reminded herself, that this place was rich, and as long people had enough to share, with the masses coming in and out of the city every day, they were rich enough to share even with their poorest citizien. But once the riches left the area, and the water started to become sparse, the great city of Khalaria would be just a footnote in a book of another country's libary.

„Looks like this city doesn't have seasonal changes, though." She mumbled, thinking of how she felt when she arrived here.

„Well," a man responded to talking to herself, „we might not have seasons, but the rainy season is upon us. And it's only every 10 years or so."

Nerivie looked up from sipping the ice cold water from her bottle: „a rainy season only every 10 years?"

„Yeah, it's pretty impressive. I remember the last one when I was a kid. All that water nearly broke into the city. And the water masses wash up loads of unlucky desert creatures to this place and the area. They mean trouble, if they are big enough to scale the walls."

Nerivie stared at the man in awe: „Do...I mean, are magicians allowed on the wall to help you out to keep them at bay? I am a pretty skilled fire magician and have quite the experience with fighting monsters."

„Fire? With all that water?"

„I can move or block water, too, if needed. And my friend is a healer."

The guard rubbed his chin: „Well, we certainly need help, because this whole area will be swallowed by water, and buried under sediment afterwards. Farmers already began removing their expensive fruit trees and had started raising new ones. If you ask them, they will appreciate the help."

„If all this green area is buried, what happens with the fields and such?" Nerivie asked.

„Oh, that sediment is soil important for agriculture! Without the strong rainy season, we would have trouble to keep this area fed! But the rain truly is no joke. Well, you will see if you stay here until the end of the year!"

Nerivie nodded: „We will! It sounds interesting and waterlevels so high that it's going over these high walls must be a sight to behold!"

„Oh, it is! When you're interested in helping us out against the monster, ask the guild about it. If we require help, we put in a request. I have to go back to duty! Enjoy your stay at the city!"

„Thank you!" Nerivie smiled.

Water up the wall, monsters washed up like branches against the wall, and a rain only seen every 10ish years? I have to see that! She thought eagerly. Wait, until Lunaris hears of that!