When we walked through the wall of Tueri, the atmosphere changed immediately. We were no longer in a magical wonderland with vivacious flowers and cheerful forest creatures, but in a tense and rigid environment. There were no beautiful streams or immaculate trees in this place; there wasn't even grass. The entire ground was covered by dirt that seemed to cling to your skin almost immediately.
Fletcher had to leave us almost immediately to begin his work in the Mess Hall, so Micah started to show me around.
All around us were buildings in straight, uniform lines, forming boxes from the same gray concrete. The buildings were side by side, forming a square with no openings, save for one large metal gate in the center. Each ring of buildings formed another cube, each layer getting slightly smaller the further inside we went. Only the path leading to the center of town disrupts the pattern, closing in around us until we reached a wide opening in the center of the city.
"Tueri was strategically built in rings. In the heart of Tueri is the Commander's Tower, where Commander Nero is stationed. You will also find all of the common areas- the Mess Hall where everyone eats, communal restrooms, the library. You can utilize most of the common areas at any time, just stay away from the Alium," Micah said, pointing to a daunting building on our left.
"Trust me, I wouldn't be caught anywhere near that place," I muttered, wrinkling my nose in disgust as I thought about the tortures performed within those four walls. For all I knew, they could be punishing children in there at that very moment.
"The barracks are arranged in a specific order in case of an attack. The younger children who have the least training are in the innermost ring, so that they are more protected in case of a breach."
Wouldn't want anyone to harm the children. Other than the Council, of course, I thought to myself, rolling my eyes.
"Each year of the children's lives, they advance in training and skill. When they progress to the next level, they are moved to the next ring of barracks," he said, pointing to each level of the buildings. "They continue the process, moving further outward in the rings until they reach the age of eighteen. At that point, they have completed their protector training, and are either sent to utilize their skills in the magical world by guiding witches, or they remain in Tueri as support staff for the next generation of protectors."
As Micah continued to give me the tour of Tueri, I noticed the number of people around us slowly increasing until there was a small crowd. I began to feel self-conscious as we walked, every person in the town turning to gawk at me. People seemed to be going out of their way to get a glimpse of me- the outsider. Their stares were filled with a mixture of curiosity, astonishment, and most surprising, loathing. I pulled my hair in a curtain over my scarlet face, trying to make myself small.
"Which barrack are we staying in?" I asked, eager to be away from the curious stares of those walking past us in the streets.
Micah remained silent for a moment, an apprehensive look on his face. "Micah, where are we staying?" I asked more forcefully.
He sighed. "We're staying with the first years."
"You mean the little kids?" I asked, taken aback.
"Given your level of experience, the Council thought this would be the best place for you," he said nervously, as I gave him a dubious look.
"It's for your own protection, really," he argued. "You'll be in the heart of the most secure place in Kapanathy. Tueri stands risk of enemy attack on a regular basis, so the further inside these walls you are, the safer you'll be if something were to go wrong."
YOU ARE READING
Redemption
Fantasy"The sound of the impact echoed through the air. I stand frozen in place, staring at the boy's broken body lying just feet from me. Others in the square rush to his side, but I could tell from the amount of blood pooling around him and the way his b...
