Stranger (The Aevyanthis Chronicles, Book One)

Chapter Twelve

When morning light broke through the clouds, Emm looked up to see white walls of stone towering above them. The Citadel was much larger than she expected, and soldiers were inspecting the caravans that lined up at the mouth of its lowered drawbridge. Arching her neck, she caught glimpses of patrolling archers dotting the walls.

"The white jewel of Agon," Fallon breathed as they fell into line. "If your sage is within these walls, then we will find him in the temple district."

A soldier in a heavy set of armor leered at them through the grill of his helmet as they passed, his grip firm on the spear he was carrying. It looked different to the spear Emm remembered from Lothlonde; below its long barb at the tip, there was a large, heavy axe head. It looked like the sort of weapon that could remove a man's head from his shoulders in one swift blow.

"These soldiers seem to be guarding against something. At least this will be beneficial for us," Fallon murmured as they entered the city.

Within the walls, they found themselves in a market square. It was a bustling place full of color and song, and from what Emm could see, it was the most southern part of the Citadel. Stalls lined the laneways, and people were selling everything from sparkling rocks to exquisite perfumes to chunks of boar meat hanging from the rafters. Rattan cages were filled with bizarre and colorful birds, their songs drowned out by the people bidding on them. She occasionally caught whiffs of exotic spices as they awkwardly moved through the crowds.

"So many people," Fallon grumbled, dodging elbows and shoulders. "Do your kingdoms have this many humans too?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, it's actually quite normal. You would hate shopping on Boxing Day."

A passing man spat to the side, barely missing Fallon's boots. He grimaced. "Aye, I much prefer the solitude of my forest to this."

They continued north through the streets, and soon the marketplace was but a distant echo of merriment behind them. Further up, Emm could see the silhouette of a castle. It was made of the same glittering white stone around them. It loomed over the Citadel, watching its people like a silent keeper.

"My father would tell me stories of the Citadel," Fallon said. "He told me the first king of Agon was a great warrior, and an even greater tactician. It was said that the king wanted a castle that was impenetrable to his enemies, and so he ordered his men to bring him all the storm quartz in the realms."

"Storm quartz?" Emm asked.

"It is the whitest stone in Aevyanthis, and harder than steel. But more importantly, it reflects light back into the enemy's eyes, and is near impossible to focus on. If his enemies attacked during the day, it would distract the eye, making the archers lose their concentration."

"But what if they just attacked at night?" she laughed. "Wouldn't that make it useless?"

"Yes, I'm sure his enemies thought that too. My father mentioned something about the moat, but it was a long time ago, and I had no interest in learning about humans at the time."

Emm smiled. At the time.

The street widened at the mouth of a large stone arch. Moss and evergreen creepers wove themselves over the thick stone slabs, with thick, leafy vines that hung low enough to snag at their clothes. In large gothic print, the carved words 'PROMENADE OF FAITH' loomed down at them from atop its peak.

"We are almost there," Yasashiku said. He fluttered into the air, his wings catching the light, but he did not dare cross the threshold. That's when Emm noticed the etchings; delicate, unfamiliar runes decorated every inch of the archway, skillfully carved into the aging stone. As Yasashiku flew closer, they began to glow with an iridescence that was as beautiful and as deadly as an oil slick, and the vines closest to him quivered and hissed like snakes until he fluttered away to the safety of Emm's shoulder.