RE:WRITE

61.0 Ignis_Chapter 11: Confusion

"Are you sure this is where the rings were found?"

"Yes."

"And why are we trusting that person again?"

"Huh?"

"The guard who told you where the rings were found," said Kai, as he dusted off his robes for the umpteenth time. "Why are we trusting them so easily?"

"She had no reason to lie," I replied, dusting off the dust he'd dusted onto me. "You're more irritable than usual, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, under his breath. "I don't like this place. That's all."

"I can sympathize with that. This isn't the most pleasant place on Erath," I said quietly, the somberness of our surroundings weighing down on me.

We were walking through an empty wasteland. The scarred, craggy ground was devoid of all life, yet it wasn't a desert or some other naturally dreary and lifeless place. The vestiges of once-flourishing flora and fauna could still be found under bleached stones and in isolated crevices. The dried-up husks of old trees and shrubs, animal footprints preserved in clay, and empty riverbeds that snaked across the land, drew the outlines for a long-forgotten picture of a faded land.

But there was something more sobering than that. Craters gouged into the earth, rocks stained with splotches of pale red, and decrepit graves scattered about, all signs of what this place was most famous for.

But the worst part was...

"This isn't even the real thing," said Kai, finishing my thoughts.

A gust of wind sent our robes fluttering about. In front of us lay the most dangerous place in the world. Dangerous not because of any environmental dangers like in the Wastes, but because if you found yourself here at some point in your life, chances were, you would not be getting out of here alive. More people have died here than on any other place on Erath. More blood has been spilt here than on the rest of Erath, combined.

Waves crashed against the shore, spraying the air with a salty mist. A giant bridge stretched out of sight. In the distance, a caravan slowly trudged its way along the seemingly never-ending road.

"So, they found the rings here," said Kai, his eyes locked onto the bridge.

"Yes," I replied. "At the foot of the bridge, to be precise."

"I've been here before," said Kai. "But there were a lot of people here, back then."

"Yes, this is usually a bustling trade route. Although people rarely talked to each other. A consequence of the eeriness, I suppose."

"There's usually a tent in front of the bridge with military men checking documents and collecting tolls."

I nodded. We didn't discuss it any further, knowing full well what was on the other's mind. There could be only one reason why there were no travelers on the bridge. However, the absence of the military tent was perplexing.

I scanned the area for any houses or buildings, and found a little hut nestled behind a rock, a stone's throw from the bridge's first pillar. Further away, the caravan had stopped in place, presumably to rest. Kai noticed the hut too. We exchanged glances and ran up to the hut as fast as we could.

"Halt," came a loud voice from within the hut. Kai and I stopped in place.

"State your name and business."

"I'm Ken and this is my sister Tulip, we're looking for someone. Could you help us find them?" said Kai, loudly.

"This area is under lockdown by orders of His Majesty the Demon Lord. Only people bearing the Demon Lord's seal may approach the bridge," said the voice.