Igniting A Flame {Kingdoms #1}

Thirty-Six

The serene hum of distant bells clattered through the airy realm, a feeling Lukas would never get used to. To be momentarily weightless and limitless held a certain degree of power. To feel the magic writhing within him, forcing his soul then physical body into the in between of realms, was both empowering yet daunting. Had Syn mastered this complex travel through his many years of searching? Does he still feel that same lightness when he enters a new realm?

Lukas's feet graciously slid across the smooth surface, shimmers of crystals in the granite complementing the ethereal, dusky purple glow of the atmosphere. The air held a certain sweetness to it, like a baker displaying fresh cuisine atop a counter, gracing the wandering streets with its delectable scent. Lukas's vision dappled with black marks as his consciousness wholly returned to the sight before him.

That purple glow swathed the sky, different shades dancing through it like threads. Although there was no visible greenery among the intricately constructed buildings of stone, a few scattered copses glittered. Greenery made from crystals it seemed. Something about this newfound kingdom reminded Lukas of Aethr; he certainly sensed the powerful immortality roaming within it. He shifted his eyes to its inhabitants, their lengthy bodies lithe with a certain meekness. Most wore cloth draped over their shoulders in neutral colours, contrasting the otherwise vibrant kingdom. The distinction between female and male was sparse, save for some baring more feminine aspects such as gracefully long eyelashes.

Khandi snapped Lukas from his trance, "This is Gurtaq. There are endless kingdoms beyond this, in this alternate world of theirs. Isn't it incredible?"

Lukas could barely muster a comprehensible sentence as he breathed, "It's mesmerizing."

He couldn't stop the tear slipping from his eyes as he beheld the pure, undiluted beauty of a completely functioning world beyond his own realm. Something like relief bubbled in his gut, a calmness encompassing his body as if he felt wholly secure. The stress of his undecided fate and growing darkness within him seemed to drift away as he divided his full attention to Gurtaq.

Lukas noticed the significant loss of weight in the pocket holding the strange crystal. He cautiously slipped his hand through his coat, gripping the silent stone and bringing it to the purple light. It had turned completely black, as dark as the realm he was falling through not long ago. There was no hum or vibration stirring within it, just complete stillness. Lukas shot a glance to Khandi, whose expression shared the same concern.

"So, this kingdom can tell me what this is?" he inquired, hesitantly placing the stone back into his pocket.

"Gurtaq is a world devoted to crystals, stones and minerals," Khandi paused, gesturing towards the vast stone infrastructure, "If I remember correctly, the Gurtaqns have hearts infused with the power of rubies. Or was it jade? I forget." A mischievous smile tugged on her lips. Lukas was grateful to be around her again. Nothing in his life seemed certain or decided, except for the friendship brewing between him and Khandi. And that made him feel far better than he has ever felt in a long time.

Without a second thought, Lukas ambled through the streets of Gurtaq, partly admiring the kingdom itself and partly searching for some sort of gem analyser. He had grown accustom to script of other languages, considering his time spent traveling from one kingdom to another. He learnt to decode it by looking for patterns in the writing and using the content of a certain place as hints. One day, he would learn the ancient language of Maragnus and learn of his ancestors. It shocked Lukas at first to have such fond thoughts of his enemy kingdom. As much as he loathed looking deeper into his life, he had to admit that perhaps something strange did occur eleven years ago.