Galia: Tale Of The End

Chapter 17: The Nigh End

     Six o'clock was signaled by the bell tower in the middle circle of Flos. Its citizens looked up for a moment, but continued with their business. The sun was setting on the first day of the week Galia gave Suun before the end and no Flora was the wiser. Children danced around the splendid garden and the gated patch of cherry blossom trees which were currently in bloom. The crowd began to part around a small caravan of colorful bodies.

    The head of the pack was the Major of Flos, Sakura Prunus. Her piercing fuchsia eyes, ringed with gold, were attentive of her surroundings and rarely moved from the path directly in front of herself. She was very short, especially compared to the giant that lumbered behind her. They were a Flora with pale green skin and an inkling of purple in its ears, eyes and hair. While Martha was the mayor's secretary, the beast was her bodyguard. He stood, hunched, at almost seven feet tall and was rather muscular. This specimen of clover was extremely mutated, but not uncommon to see. Often, Weeds were experimented on by witches like Sakura to become better, stronger workers who would provide for the more prestigious Flora.

    Martha waved the children out of the way in a flat, bland tone and they immediately continued their petty games. A few stared at the monstrous, overgrown Weed. Some were curious, while others looked on with malice. The clover giant could feel the hate in their glances and turned its head down. Despite their appearance they had a soft, sensitive heart.

    The group disappeared into the shaded doorway of the foreboding, yet regal capital building. Unlike Opus, the architecture in the Eurasian sect of the Sun State was elegant and colorful. The beautiful buildings waned into unkempt and broken structures that made up the outskirts of the magnificent city. Most of the poor Flora and free Weeds lived there.

    Few beings were allowed to enter the capital building. It was considerably small, but was rumored to have a spacious basement that connected to the crypts and passageways below the city. Martha took her place at the front desk, while the Clover followed its master. Sakura took a candlestick and kindled a young flame. She descended down rickety stairs as the door squealed close behind her. Her body was shrouded in a veil of shadows. Only the small candle lit her face and surroundings. After countless turns down long, twisting passageways, Sakura stood in front of a set of enormous doors. Compared to the rest of its surrounding, the doors were pristine. The wood was smooth and trimmed with sparkling metal. Sakura passed through the entrance without a thought. She went to each light fixture and brought the candles to life. Once she finished, most of the room's contents were visible.

    On one side, the wall was covered with cabinets filled with colorful flasks and shelves lined with ancient books. Pushed up against the second wall, table tops were cover in storage instruments, tools, and glassware. An archaic, leather bound tome was laid out and opened to a browning page. Symbols scattered across the page and surrounded diagrams and strange pictures.

    In the corner of the far wall, a rusty cage rose up and nearly grazed the ceiling. The air around it was pungent with the smell of rotting flesh and mold. Dried blood caked the floor and pooled in the creaks in the speckled cobblestone. Its occupant merely flicked their eyes up to acknowledge Sakura's presence. The witch neared the cage and stopped to glare at the fierce evergreen eyes.

    "The end is nigh? Nice time to chat."

    "I suppose you know what that means." Sakura replied to their quipping remark. She slipped on a dull cloak that covered her bright kimono.

    "You left your cloak here, Sakura. I've never seen your uniform." The prisoner paused. "You're getting sloppy."

    "What does it matter to you? You know who I am and the end is near. There is no reason to care about such small details."