The Warlord

Chapter 3: Evelaen

After I closed that metal door behind me, I went through a portal to Koraness, a town on the edge of Serestine. I stand here now, in a darkened alley, still trembling from my morning visit to my queen. Gritting my teeth, I almost howl in laughter and agony at what she has asked of me; to play as a simple ambassador, a chicken in a den of foxes, for the beings that I despise. Just thinking about their heavenly glory makes me want to vomit. But as much as I hate the idea, I once vowed to do anything my queen asked of me. So even though my heart twists and turns at the thought of my mission, I will do it. I will do it for her, I will do it for Serestine.

I take a deep breath and begin walking out of the alley that I am in, heading for the ocean. In the distance, I can hear the sound of thumping footsteps and the huffing breaths of the townspeople. No doubt the royal announcer just blew the trumpet, probably to announce my departure as an "ambassador".  I clench my hand at the thought, and quicken my pace towards the sea. One last glimpse of the Koraness shores before I fly to the gleaming cities of the gods, before I never return. I am not naive enough to believe that I will leave the upper realm alive, or that I will fulfill my mission. There is a slim chance that I will be able to catch at least one of the Top Order off guard, but either they will stage an "accident" for me, or I will be caught in the act.

A salty breeze wafts by, and I breathe in the smell, wanting it to last forever. A smell of home, of light skies and endless waves. My heart almost squeezes at the thought, but I shove the memories of my shattered childhood away. I only live for my queen now, for the one that gave me unasked sanctuary.

The alley begins to lighten up, a few streaks of sunlight slanting across the cobblestone floor and wooden walls of the surrounding buildings. Slowly, the ocean starts to come into view, and before I know it, I am running, my feet slapping the ground. I begin to hear the whisper of the waves, the cries of the gulls flocking around above its waters, and the sweet salty smell that drifted at my shoulders wherever I went as a child. My feet reach the shore, and I stop at the water's edge, letting the sand crinkle around the edge of my boots. The ocean is a beautiful shade of blue-gray, and I let the sight, the sound, the feeling of it, engulf me.

I do not know how long I stand there, my eyes filled with nothing else but the waves and the sky, thoughts tumbling in and out of my mind. A cheer sounds in the distance, a bellowing, forceful sound, echoing throughout the town. I inwardly smile in amusement; the townspeople have no idea what they are actually cheering for. When I hear the bouncing, excited footsteps of the crowd dispersing, I turn back towards the alley and pull on my cloak. With the hood covering my face and the cape concealing my armor, no one will know that Serestine's warlord is amongst them. 

Sinking into the shadows of the alley, I maneuver my way around the merchants, the farmers, and the townspeople heading back to their homes. Slowly making my way to the main roads in the town, I wait for the sounds of normalcy to return. Once I hear the sellers yelling out daily prices, irritated bartering between a customer and a merchant, and evenly paced footsteps, I slink into the light, placing myself in a spot of the crowd.

I am almost to the edge of Koraness, where the woods will offer an ideal, hidden cover for my magic, when I hear a muffled yelp.