Beyond the Void

Chapter 64, Resign to their fate

of Shattering 407 - Iordur is shattered by furious gods. The founding Kingdom of the Eternal Empire and the pureblooded Emperors falls to divine punishment for Humankind's sins as pillars of fire rain down on the Iordurian capital city, Daugar.

An excerpt from the diary of Pia...

ANDARIS

Four moons and three tens since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

"I am not leaving! I have every right to be here!" The girl yelled with impressive outrage.

"There are people responsible for you! People who are worried about you!" The healer, Cynric, argued.

"I am old enough to do as I please! I left my parents a letter!"

"Layla, we have been over this! I am putting you on a caravan heading north, the moment I find one!" The man still insisted.

"Just give up, Cyn! She has a right to do what she wants. We dragged her this far." The healer's helper groaned.

"We didn't have a choice. We couldn't have just turned around!" The healer barked from the front.

Andaris exchanged amused looks with the mage at his side. The healer and the girl were constantly fighting. The mage made feeble attempts to break them up.

Andaris felt sorry enough for the healer he had haggled an extra horse for the girl from a farm on their way. It had been a hassle to make the farmer accept the two gems without giving back the change.

Andaris was more interested in the sights and the people than the girl's woes and the healer's concerns. The four of them were on the outskirts of a fort called Northwatch. Most of the mid-sized and larger towns seemed to be around forts.

Andaris had asked the mage questions whenever he could think of something or saw something unfamiliar. The soldiers and guards, for instance. He turned his head and followed another passing group.

He would not have taken them for soldiers if Sethian had not pointed it out to him. The armour they wore was peculiar. There barely was any. He had noticed glimpses of chain armour, but most of their attire was reminiscent of musketeers.

He couldn't contain himself and led his horse closer to the mage's.
"Hey. Where they armour?" Andaris pointed behind him.

"What?"

"Soldier gathering. Why them less armour clothed in?"

Sethian inspected the group behind them before answering. "I don't get it. They look like they have plenty."

"No metal outfit?" He asked.

"Metal? Was that what your soldiers used to wear? I mean, we did too, but that was a long time ago. A really, really long time ago." The mage raised an eyebrow and Andaris could see curiosity in her eyes.

"Why give up that notion?" Andaris frowned. He had not expected this. The guardian wore scale and plated armour.

"It was not useful. It was easier to infuse weapons than the protection. The alloys that would protect you from the flow are rare. Not enough to go around and often not pliable enough to make a full suit of armour out of them. And it is easy to teach someone to draw a little of their power to create armour for themselves. It is a basic instinct, most do it unknowingly." The mage explained.