Three days had gone by without any problematic fights. There was one with a pack of red-eyed rabbits that shot out spiky puff balls. They were easy to dodge, and Lloyd could easily take them from a distance with his bow. The only other notable fight was with a pair of shrieking squirrels that caused tremors when they scratched the ground or chattered their teeth.
The three men now found themselves back on a dirt road that, according to Regal, would lead to their first town. The trees lined each side of the road, their trunks thin, and lots of space separated each tree, leaving clear sight lines for hundreds of yards. They didn’t have to walk the path for long before the city came into view.
The outside of the town was nothing like Lloyd imagined it would be. The tree line bumped up to the edge of the city. Half-demolished buildings stood as specters of what must have been a previously bustling city. The men walked through the rumble, stealing glances with each other as they solemnly walked through the destruction. Lloyd strolled over to one of the more intact walls he could see. He dragged his fingers along the uneven, gritty stone, feeling the idents, tracing the mortar lines between the stones and vines along the way. He stopped at the corner of the building and put both hands on the derelict stone. He should have foreseen the emptiness he felt when brushing up against the wall, but he still was disappointed. Nothing like my tree back home, Lloyd thought.
They attempted to follow what previously must have been a road, now turned into a debris obstacle course. The men had to weave through overturned stone structures or step over the piles of rubble. Lloyd lost his footing as stone slipped beneath his boot. He steadied himself as Regal and Cassius looked back at him. His hand was already on the ground; he picked up a piece of the stone, turning it in his hand before chucking it behind him. Walking further into the ruins, the men saw nature had begun to take back the area. It clawed up from the ground as vines and ivy swam over the man-made structures and hugged them tight. The dull grey of stone and vibrant green vines were only interrupted by the heavy smattering of crimson. Streaks and splatters of blood painted the few intact walls and ceilings. The shrubbery seemed unaffected, likely growing after whatever caused the carnage.
The buildings here were larger than on the outskirts. A few stayed primarily intact, but even the destroyed ones stood tall enough to block their view forward. Crisscrossing through the shattered remains of the streets, Lloyd and company came to a section of town with scorch marks on the ground. The ashy tattooed remains of flame continued onto most of the buildings in the area.
“What the hell happened here”? Lloyd asked.
Both of the other men shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders.
“I don’t know. Whatever happened, stay on guard.” Regal said, his hand slightly shifting towards his sword.
“Must have been the Corrupted. Guess they had it worse than us,” Cassius said.
“Yeah, I guess Gareth did try to warn us. They probably didn't have Mom. Well, someone like Mom, I mean.” Lloyd said.
Regal and Cassius confirmed the statement with a head nod. Lloyd did not know how fortunate they had been for the briar wall surrounding Breakwater and its creator. If monsters had been able to run through Breakwater freely, he could imagine his town looking a lot like this one. Devastation would come, and nobody could stop it, at least not before it took something of the town—and most likely someone.
“Yeah man, you never know how good you have it until you don't. Or until you see some other place that has a way worse.” Cassius said.
The men continued through the devastation until they approached a twelve-foot-tall stone wall. Lloyd couldn’t see around the walls, but the front suggested it might be about twice the size of Breakwater. The walls were surprisingly uniform, with no apparent signs of stacked stones or even the mortar in between. It appeared to be all one slab of stone. The men approached the only part on this side of the wall that they could see that might have even resembled an entrance. There were no wooden doors and nothing that indicated this was the way in, except for a weird set of vertical cracks about eight feet apart that rose from the ground to the top of the walls. A shout was heard inside the city before the men reached the walls.
“Who goes there?” A boisterous man asked.
Regal stepped forward, indicating that he would speak for the group.
“We are three adventurers coming from the town of Breakwater. We are headed to the Citadel to join the Guard. We were simply looking for a place to crash for the night, and we'll be on our way west tomorrow.” Regal said.
“You are Altered?” the man asked with shock. “Of course, let me get Taryn.”
“You think that's a good thing or a bad thing?” Cassius asked.
“Meh, I don't know. I can't imagine it's a bad thing. It's probably just the mayor or something,” Regal said.
A few minutes passed before a voice was heard from the other side of the wall.
“We are lowering the gate. Please step back ten feet.” A deeper and more youthful voice said from behind the wall.
The three men took a few steps back as the wall began to open. Instead of opening outward like every other door Lloyd knew, the eight-foot-wide section of stone began to grind loudly as it receded into the ground. The path was clear in moments, and Lloyd could see the town within the walls. It was in a surprisingly pristine condition. Lloyd’s eyes opened wide as he took in the sights. The houses were all one story high, like Breakwater, but that was where the similarities ended. The homes matched the exterior walls, smooth and seamless grey stone. Cobblestone carved through the rows of houses, its pathway adding color as mix matched stones plotted the course forward. Metal braziers adorned the top of thin, three-foot-tall stone pillars which lined either side of the roads. The stark difference brought a smile to Lloyd’s face. This is exactly what I was hoping to see, Lloyd thought.
Three men stood in front of Lloyd's group, blocking the now-opened passageway. Lloyd began to wonder how the door mechanism worked. If he lowered the stone to the ground, then where was it going? And when it was raised to its full height, what happened to the space beneath the door? Wouldn't that cause it to fall back down? Lloyd thought.
“Welcome to Sylvia, Adventurers. Please come in.” The deep-voiced man said.
Standing around Lloyd’s height, the man had shoulder-length jet-black shaggy hair and big brown eyes. His friendly demeanor and smile did not match the tan and scarred skin on the rest of his body. He was built big, muscles bristling and stretching the seams of his stained white shirt. He never liked to bet against his brother, but Lloyd thought this man might be stronger than him. He appeared to be of similar age to Lloyd’s group. This must have been Taryn, but Lloyd expected a much older person.
The three crossed the threshold and entered the town. Once everyone was inside, the man raised his hand, and the stone obeyed. Sliding upwards, the slab reached the height of the surrounding wall and clicked into place. Holy shit, that’s awesome. I want that power, Lloyd thought.
“How horribly rude of me; I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Taryn, and I am the town’s mayor.” Taryn said, touching his chest as he introduced himself and spread his arm out to showcase the town sprawled behind him.
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“These two men are the guards on duty. This here is Francis.” Taryn said, motioning behind him.
Francis was a short man, maybe five foot six. He had balding blonde hair and subtle blue eyes. He kept fidgeting with his fingers as if he was nervous or didn't know what to do with them. His skin, less tan and decorated with fewer scars than Taryn. His smile was timid and short-lived as Regal and Lloyd returned their own. His shirt and pants, made of a burlap-like material, were tattered and torn. The other, yet-to-be-introduced man behind Taryn wore similar clothes. The only difference is that his pants were cut into shorts. This man looked at Lloyd with a sterner face and a more confident smile. He stood a few inches taller than Francis but a few inches shorter than Taryn. His buzz-cut brown hair and his brown eyes scanned between the three men. It was as if he was checking to see if they would make any dangerous advances. Flip-flops adorned all three men. Lloyd looked down at his shoes; although dirty with travel, they felt comfortable and kept out the elements. Lloyd wondered why these men didn't have their Tailor make them better equipment.
“The other man behind me is James,” Taryn said.
At the mention of their brother's name, Regal looked back at Lloyd. Lloyd smiled as Jimmy’s potential future flashed before him. He wondered if little Jimmy would eventually take up the mantel of Breakwater’s Mayor or if he would join his brothers in the Citadel. I hope the war doesn’t last that long, Lloyd thought.
“Nice to meet you all,” Regal said with a short bow, Cassius and Lloyd following suit.
The two men returned pleasantries before heading toward stone stairs near the outer wall. The stairs led to a thin stone walkway that surrounded the interior of the defensive wall, with stone columns supporting the floors every ten feet. Lloyd squinted his eyes and saw small holes in the walls of the stone battlements. That must have been how they saw Lloyd's group approach.
“So, Breakwater, huh? We’ve had a few of your guys come through here throughout the years. I don't remember anything recently, though. There was this big guy about ten years ago. I forget his name." Taryn said as he led the group down the cobblestone road.
Lloyd noticed that there weren’t many people on the streets outside of their group. Lloyd passed the stone homes and saw they were identical to the outer wall. Slabs of stone came directly out of the ground, seamlessly creating both wall and slopped roof. Open holes in the homes acted as doorways and windows. Quickly peering in, Lloyd saw many neatly organized empty dwellings. He could hear a few coughs and moans in the distance of an otherwise eerily quiet town.
“Yeah, enormous dude, long blonde hair?” Cassius asked.
“Yep, that's the guy. He seemed nice enough, fairly intense though.” Taryn said.
“Yeah, he definitely can be, but he is pretty badass. He's a big reason I’m here today and wanted to go to the Citadel.” Lloyd said as he adjusted the bow on his shoulder.
“I don't want to be rude, but I am curious. Is he still alive? That is if you don't mind me asking.” Taryn asked.
“Alive and well. He saw us off before we left. He is a Scout for the Guard and happened to be making his round to Breakwater just as they Ascended.” Lloyd said, thumbing toward Regal and Cassius.
“Newly Ascended? Does that mean that you two are Omegas?” Taryn asked, his full attention on the men as he backpedaled through his town.
“We are,” Regal confirmed as he looked at his friend.
They stopped in front of a building that held the first piece of wood Lloyd had seen in the town. The wooden sign said tavern—no fancy name, no extra pizzazz, simply tavern. Lloyd could hear more coughs and muffled groans from another large building nearby. He saw a young woman in a long brown dress hurry out of the building and head down one of the side streets. Lloyd turned to see that Taryn had noticed the direction of his focus.
“I wasn’t going to ask at first, and I hate to burden you three, but I'm sure you have noticed the remnants of the rest of the town as you walked this way. We have not always had the luxury of safety in Sylvia. There were many raids since the Cataclysm that devastated this town. It seems that many a beast was Corrupted, but not many humans within our town were gifted with abilities. I only Ascended four years ago, which allowed me to advance my ability with stone. I've spent many of the last four years trying to save as much of the city as possible. The wall you see around you now is the culmination of those four years.”
“Besides myself, only three other people in town are Ascended. We also have one child of eight who is on the path, but that is it. The three others in town are not suited for combat, and if I'm being honest, neither am I. Don't get me wrong, I will not shy away from a fight if a fight comes to me. I can no longer risk myself in the wilderness to acquire the needed resources. The question I ask is, what powers do the three of you possess? We need some herbs a few miles outside of town, but it is inside a den of beasts. Just as you were arriving, we were discussing who to send. A few men volunteered to grab some swords and head over there, but I fear they will not be enough. If I were to go and fail and die, the walls around the city would begin to crack within days and surely would crumble to the ground within the month.” Taryn said.
“Wait, why? Why would the walls fall without you?” Lloyd asked.
“The town has grown accustomed to calling me a Mason. My ability allows me to gather up the minerals and material from the Earth and craft hardened stone from it. I can raise the stone and create sturdy fortifications. Unfortunately, every stone structure that I build must be maintained. It is hard to explain, but imagine each stone structure you see is a plant or tree I have planted. Each of these must be watered daily. A few missed days aren't the end of the world, but if those days string together, they begin to deteriorate. Instead of water, they require my Mana. Unfortunately, the size of the city is all that I can maintain. Any larger and I would surely run out of Mana and things would begin to crumble. That is why I cannot help my fellow townsfolk fight. Any Mana I would use out there would likely mean the loss of a house or dozens of homes here. The walls might fall if I use a lot of my power out there. So you see my dilemma.” Taryn explained.
Lloyd was now less excited about Taryn’s powers. He couldn't imagine being the sole protector of a city. The thought of having to remain within the same four walls his entire life sent a chill up his spine. Taryn was only a few years older than Lloyd. That's a heavy weight for this man to bear, Lloyd thought. He wondered if he would be as selfless if put in the same position. The immediate answer that flooded his head was one he preferred not to admit.
Cassius cleared his throat and was the first to speak up. “Well, I carry electric powers,” Cassius said as he charged the lightning around his body. “Names Cassius, by the way.
“I’m Regal. I’m not sure we have a fancy name for it, but it’s hard to make me bleed. Let’s just put it that way.”
“Those are indeed magnificent powers. I can see both of those serving the Guard well. What about you, Lloyd?” Taryn asked.
The group turned to look at Lloyd as his cheeks turned rosy.
“None. I’m not Altered.” Lloyd said.
Taryn stepped back, almost hitting his head on the wooden tavern sign. “That can’t be right; you said you were all traveling to the Citadel,” Taryn said.
“We are. They will join the Guard, and I will work in town.” Lloyd said.
“You must leave now. I apologize. I wouldn’t have let you in if I had known,” Taryn said as he tried to coral Lloyd back the way they came. All three men reached for their weapons at Taryn’s advance.
“I mean no harm, quite the opposite, in fact. The building you were just looking at is filled with our sick. The illness doesn’t affect the Altered but seems to devastate anyone without abilities. We have lost two people already. It might be too late, you are probably infected already. I’m sorry.” Taryn said as he began to pace.
A cold sweat started on Lloyd’s head as a shiver shot down his spine. As if on cue, the coughs grew deeper, and the moaning of the sick intensified. I don’t want to die like this, Lloyd thought.
“Where do we need to go?” Lloyd asked, walking away from Taryn.
“You likely won’t last out there. The symptoms come on quickly, and the Corrupted out there are dangerous for those with abilities, let alone without.” Taryn said.
“We have faced our fair share of Corrupted; Lloyd will hold his own as he always has,” Regal said, nodding towards Lloyd. “Where do we have to go?” Regal reiterated.
“If you insist, we will head to the western gate; follow me. When we get there, I will open the door, and you three should follow the path until you get to a swamp. You can’t miss it. In the swamp are large flowers, the center a bright yellow, and the exterior of the leaves will be a bright blue. We call them Mage Thistle. Gather at least ten of them, but more if you can. I would advise avoiding fighting. Something happened to the animals a few months ago. We started finding more Corrupted, and their power became too strong to fight.” Taryn said as they reached the exterior wall.
Taryn extended his hand, and the stone doorway descended into the ground once more. “Toss him your pack; they are going for the herbs,” Taryn shouted at the man atop the battlement.
A rough leather bag flew towards Cassius, who caught it and quickly stored it in his bag.
“Thank you all. Again, I am truly sorry for putting you into this position.” Taryn said.
“Can’t change the past. We will be back with your flowers,” Regal said as the three men hurriedly jogged down the dirt road.