Echoes

Chapter 15

"Wait! Hold on, this all a big misunderstanding!" I said as the soldiers tied my hands behind my back.

"You're trespassing on capital land," Sanus stated, collecting our belongs. "By order of the Winoan Council, we have no choice but to bring you in for interrogation."

"I turned to Gavie and Pix, still gagged and bound, but now standing, their eyes wide with fear.

"Please, sir," I started, trying to slow my words like Gavie said. "Please just allow me to explain."

Sanus mounted his horse. His shoulder length brown hair was pulled back, his face with a full beard. It was almost impossible to guess his age, could be twenties, could be fifties.

"You can explain to the Council why you were trespassing without a warrant to enter the city," he said, pulling forward on his horse.

In total there were about a half dozen soldiers, including Sanus. Sanus lead the group while another soldier rode behind him. Two more followed behind me, Gavie, and Pix, with the last two guarding the back and leading our horses. We plowed on, up the next mountain.

"Sanus, sir, please," I pleaded. "We were on our way to speak to the council. We're from Krie, we-"

"Enough!" The general snapped. "You can explain in Tomaleya."

We rounded over the mountain by early afternoon. Below us lay the city of Tomaleya, sprawling throughout the valley all the way to the ocean in the west. By my standards it seemed like an average city, but both Gavie and Pix gasped from under their gags. I glanced around the top of the mountain, until I found something to help my cause.

In one swift move I dove to the right, charging for a boulder.

"Stop her!" Sanus yelled to his men.

Clumsily, they surged forward but not before I could hurl my head onto the rock. Immediately they halted in their tracks out of a combination of surprise, and fear. I collapsed like a rag doll, blood pouring out of a gash in the side of my skull. I lay in the grass, bleeding out.

"Well," Sanus said, his voice slightly shaking. "That gives a whole new problem to-"

He stopped talking when I stood up, blood no longer spilling out, the wound closed. The right side of my face was stained with red, my hands still tied, my eyes narrowed.

No one spoke. Sanus sat there, frozen in fear and shock.

"Now," I started, my voice low. "Allow me to explain."

Sanus nodded, his eyes wide.

"My name is Nisa Kamura," I said, straightening my shoulders. "I was born in Alvion when I discovered myself, and my deceased parents, are pure bloods. I broke out, and met my companions, Pix an ash-born from Tenai'i, and Gavie, a sailor from Krie. We were on our way to speak to the council to help you deal with your problem to the south."

Sanus said nothing. He stared at me, as if trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. His eyes flickered back and forth between my face and the bloody side of my head. Eventually, he sighed and nodded.

"Untie them," he said to his soldiers.

They quickly freed Pix and Gavie, but were reluctant to approach me.

"Relax, I'm harmless," I said.

Slowly, one soldier inched forward and outstretched his sword. I rolled my eyes, but turned around, allowing him to cut my restraints. I walked back over to the group, making sure to check in with Gavie and Pix.

"Are you guys OK?" I asked.

Both of them nodded, rubbing their wrists where the rope had dug deep.

"I'm such an idiot, I must have dozed off and they snuck up on me," Gavie said.

"Don't worry about it, it's over now. And just think, we've got a escort to the council from the Winoan Guardsmen," I gushed.

Gavie and Pix both smiled. I turned to Sanus, who was trying to regain his composure.

"Please," I said. "Will you take us to the Winoan Council?"

Sanus grunted. "Do I really have a choice at this point?"

I smiled, falling back between the soldiers as we made our slow descent down the mountain to the city. As we got closer, I noticed the massive gate surrounding the city. It wasn't as large as Alvion's wall, but it certainly dwarfed the one in Krie. There were look out towers and barbed wire, along with sharpened logs similar to the ones in Krie. Following a worn path, I was under the impression there was only one way in and out of the city. As we neared the gates, Sanus motioned for us to stop, and rode ahead by himself. After exchanging words with the guard tower, the large iron gates opened and we stepped into the city.

I'm not gonna lie, it was nothing like Alvion. Yes, I was excited to be back in a city, but Tomaleya was more like a large town with an alcohol problem. It smelled. It was loud. People bustled throughout the poorly paved cobblestone roads, dodging the occasional horse or cart. The houses were wooden with straw thatched roofs. Some had singe marks. Some were burned down all together.

"Some city," I muttered to Gavie.

"Make way for the Winoan Guardsmen!" Sanus boomed over the buzz of the city.

Much of the area fell quiet, parting ways for our entourage. As we passed, I could see people pointing and staring, whispering to each other. I tried to ignore it, but I knew they were probably staring at Pix. Gavie and I exchanged a look, then fell in line at her sides. We continued on through the city. I felt my face grow warm as more and more people gathered in the streets to watch us pass, mumbling, and trying to figure out who we were.

Eventually, Sanus lead us to an enormous cathedral, probably the tallest building in the city. It was beautiful, made from a rough grey stone, but carved with meticulous detail, rising to a large point with a sundial facing the city.

"Wait here," Sanus said, dismounting. He addressed the guards at the large bronze doors, who immediately let him in. I leaned up against a horse, staring back at the townspeople. Pix bowed her head and ducked behind a horse.

"Hey," I said, putting my hand on her soldier. "These people are totally jealous of your sword. Trust me, they're staring at you because they wish they were you."

Pix snorted. "Thanks," she said.

We waited for another minute or two before Sanus returned.

"The council will see you now," he said, ushering us forward. The four of us, including Sanus, strode forward through the doors of the cathedral. I stepped inside and gasped.

The building was like the temple from Krie, but amplified. The entire back wall was covered with a stained glass window, along with all the windows on each side of the building, each depicting a different scene from history, from Audral's creation of the world, to the formation of the first Winoan Council thousands of years ago. Two columns of benches lined the walls, with several rows in each. In the back was a large half circle table, with about two dozen well-dressed people watching our every move.

At the head of the table sat a regal woman in a silky lavender dress. Her skin was the same color as the rich walnut table and her braided hair was pulled up in a thick ponytail, save for a single curled lock falling in front of her face.

I stepped forward, walking down the aisle between the benches. When we approached the table, Gavie and Pix kneeled, myself following their lead a little too slowly.

"Rise," the woman said, her voice smooth and regal.

We stood up, Sanus still behind us.

"Nisa Kamura," she started. "My name is Shae, leader of the Winoan Council. We are so pleased to meet both you, and your companions."

Shae bowed gently to Gavie and Pix, who both turned red.

"Although I am truly blessed to be in the presence of a pure blood, I can't deny that your arrival is no good omen for Ekota. Come, let us talk."

Shae walked out from behind the table, the rest of the council silenced by her presence. Her dress trailed behind, the sheer silver sleeves like wings behind her. She motioned for me to follow and we disappeared through a set of doors.