Cogwheels in the Sand

Magic and technology, the two have never been known for getting along, have they?

For ages, the two factions have maintained a frosty silence. The magically inclined Alin have remained within the confines of their desert, while their more technologically inclined brethren, the Vinci, have remained in their western lands.

But they say you can't run from the past.

And it always has a way of catching up with you.

And when a young man strikes out on his own to find his own destiny, alongside those who have elected to follow his command, he finds a home for them all, yes.

And it even comes with a new neighbor.

There's just one problem.

That neighbor isn't Alin.

They are Vinci.

And with naught but a small gorge and expanse of desert between the two.

It may not be possible to keep the silence.

Written as a non-profit birthday story for TheLonelyKing.

Cover Credit: 'Nemo' by Gita Rau from Flickr.