An Island for a Cloud

1.1 How to be a Good Thief on a Bad Day

Thank you very much for reading this chapter. If you spot any spelling mistakes or awkward sentence structures, please be nice and let me know :)

Quick Glossary

Leivrat - The ancient city of Veilys, former capital of Ailarin. Situated at the slope of Mountain Teiwaz. At the present, a city in ruins and impoverished. Its inhabitants are called Leivratans.

Veilys - They are the native inhabitants of the island of Ailarin. They are tall and brown haired. Their ancient city is called Leivrat. They new capital is called Aleuta, the seat of the Queen of Ailarin.

Mountain Teiwaz - The biggest mountain on the island of Ailarin, believed to be the permanent seat of the Eternal Four, the creators. The place where the dying go.

Voltris -  Creatures that emigrated to Ailarin in the aftermath of the Lost Wars. Their city is situated on the west coast of Ailarin and is called Mara Barag. They are mostly merchants. Their bodies do not store heat, that is why they prefer to dress warmly. They are big in stature and red haired.

King of the Dust -  A mysterious figure who is the de-facto ruler of Leivrat. Feared and respected in Leivrat; considered to be an enemy of the Aleutan crown.

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Leivrat. Fifteen years later.

"That's him!" exclaimed Simas as soon as they reached the top of the roof and had a clear view on the busy market street below. It was packed with stalls carrying spices, weapons, wondrous potions, colourful fabrics and clothes from all over the island of Ailarin.

Looking down on Leivrat from the height of the roof, it appeared to be a colossal mass of moss-covered stone and old trees, which bestowed upon the city a smell of decay and ruin. The trees, as old as the city, were carefully build into every dwelling, intertwined with elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels, all linked by stairways.

The crowd below resembled a colourful river flowing in different directions. Noise, shouts and laughter hung like a heavy fog over the large square the street merged into. It mingled with the racketing sound of countless birds nested in the canopy of enormous trees that grew all over Leivrat, the ancient city of Veilys.

Yet, it was not the market that had caught the attention of three young thieves on this fateful day. Stretched out face downwards, their gazes followed a dark hooded figure, easily distinguishable in the crowd.

The man was lean and tall. Taller than any Leivratan. His face was entirely concealed underneath a large black hood of an old dusty cloak. They watched the stranger proceed slowly, stopping now and then too look at the goods, seemingly unaware of the stares he received from Leivratans and visitors alike.

"Tell us what happened," said Aerus, his interest piqued.

Aerus was a gaunt boy, clad in a loose dirty garment, made out of rough brown fabric typically worn by Leivratans. It was torn and patched up countless times, giving him away as a boy from the poorest parts of Leivrat. His face, smudged and thin with hollow cheeks, had one prominent feature - his eyes. They were deep brown and glowed with impatience and an insatiable desire to live, sharpened by years of hunger and endurance. Underneath his straight-edged nose was a wide mouth that was permanently drawn into a smirk. His long red-brown hair was covered with a layer of dust and stuck out like dry straw.

Simas, who was a head shorter than Aerus, wore clothes just as rugged, had the same hungry eyes, yet fear was their permanent companion. He nervously ruffled his greasy dark-brown hair and gave the man below a suspicious look, which he usually reserved for that which was beyond his understanding.