Beyond the Void

Chapter 91, Emotions boil over

of Stagnation 1455 - The first envoys of the Alyar and Humans finally meet in the Pelesi Dominion and agree to work towards a trade treaty between the Three Dominions and The Eternal Empire.

An excerpt from the diary of Pia...

ANDARIS

Six moons since the Mark of the Other One blossomed. The moon of Brilliant Skies has come.

Andaris followed the passage as it turned left. He should have been somewhere right below the street level. Alcoves and decorative pillars lined the walls. A grate appeared in the ceiling occasionally. The stench of sewers came from a corridor leading down a level. He had prowled these dark passages below the city.

Time had lost all meaning. He went above ground only when he needed more food. The first time he found daylight again, Andaris was worried something may have occurred already. But he would have felt it. He had one of the voidstones with him. He was constantly debating whether to leave it somewhere safe or to carry it with him. So far, it had never left his side. The second of his obsessions.

There had to be something down here. Something that would answer his questions! He had so many of them. The passages went on forever. The only notable feature to them, the lone dome under old town. Why am I here? What is going to happen? Who is responsible for this? Repeatedly, Andaris' whispers echoed quietly in the abandoned passages. His thoughts were haunted by the desperate letters left behind by those first unfortunate who passed through the darkness.

A construct had to have existed here once upon a time. Surely, that meant that there had to be something else down here. Someone or something to direct his anger at. A target to pursue. Something tangible to tear into pieces. When had he last slept? Two days ago? Two tens ago? He went to hurt the thieves, but he found confused and weak wills. When was that? Two tens ago. He had slept down here. But when had it happened?

-You will find nothing like this.- Thoughts of the guardian invaded his mind.

-Get out of my head and give me back my thoughts!- A roar rocked the silent ocean.

-I am trying to help!- The guardian shrieked.

She vanished. At least that one knew better than to bother dust.

Andaris stopped abruptly. Fresh air came from a grate above him. A quiet hum of other people came from nearby. All he could see, was green. He must have been under a park. Still in the high city. Beyond the hazy branches, he could see a towering building decorated in red banners.

Good. That was good. He was keeping watch. He had not forgotten to keep watch. However, he needed to look for that something else. He needed to find something. He threw one last glance to the skies. Orange hues decorated what little he could see.

Andaris had ascended to the top earlier today. He was hoping it had been today and not two days ago. Everything was covered in colours of the Emperor. Colours of the old Emperor. Ribbons and decorations hung everywhere. The occasional rowdy shout echoed across the streets. A few lone firework blasts were swallowed by the sky.

As time had passed, he could hear more fireworks. And a little while ago Andaris thought he had heard someone give a speech nearby. A sizeable crowd cheered across the entire city. But the presences emanating from this city were far from celebration.

The air felt stale and dry. The heat was overwhelming. At least down here in the dark, there was some idea of coolness left. Andaris closed his eyes and reached out to the city. Becca and the others were nowhere to be found.