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Book 1 - Chapter 1 - Part 10
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Once Alexandros pulls himself together, he walks and eventually leaves the forest. As soon as he is out, he collapses to his knees and stares out at the massive open space in front of him. He knows that trying to walk through will be dangerous, but since he doesn’t see any other options, he wills himself to keep moving. The small rest he managed to get helped him pull through and keep going. Now, he is just grateful to be away from the soldiers.
Even though he still isn’t sure what they want, he knows they’re dangerous, making him wonder what else is going on. Everything seems so strange compared to how it used to be. Or at least that’s what he always tells himself.
He does his best to avoid drawing any attention as he makes his way across the wide-open space. He has no idea if something will jump out at him, which doesn’t help the impending doom settling in his chest. He has no idea what to expect from this journey, and now that he is starting to become more powerful, he has no idea what direction his life is heading in.
Alexandros finds himself so lost in thought that he doesn’t even know how long he’s been walking. It isn’t until he stops to take a short break that he sees it. Off in the distance is the silhouette of the massive city of Furnar. Since he grew up in a small village, he has no idea what to expect once he gets there. Anxiety and excitement build in his chest. While his heart is still broken after losing his parents, he knows he has to keep moving forward to learn the truth.
Growing up, he always heard rumors about Furnar and how only the richest and most well-respected people could live there. One summer, he remembers asking his father if they would ever be able to move to the city. His father had laughed and told him that anything was possible. The thought brought more grief, and he quickly pushed away the thought.
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He is aware that he is making a bold choice by heading to Furnar to speak with the king, but after everything he witnessed, it is the only thing he can picture himself doing. It took him nearly a week to reach the city, and there were many nights when he would find himself starving or seeking shelter from the weather. Since he is out in the open, he knows trying to lie down to rest isn’t ideal.
The day is always difficult, as trying to stay out of sight isn’t as easy as he believed. Every once in a while, he thinks he catches a glimpse of the soldiers, but he never is close enough to tell for certain. Alexandros doesn’t like taking risks, so he does his best to sneak away whenever he hears anyone or anything getting closer. The last thing he wants is to run into more trouble before he can even reach the city.
During the night, he does his best to cover himself to keep predators at bay, though he knows if the soldiers somehow manage to catch up with him, they will find him instantly. Because of this, he barely gets any sleep, and by the time he gets close enough to the city, he tries to pick up the pace. He figures if he keeps walking, he will make it before the sunset. He isn’t sure he will be able to get a room, though, after his last encounter, he also isn’t entirely sure he wants to.
He’s gotten used to sleeping outside, and while he did miss the comfort of his bed, he knows it is something he needs to let go of. He figures that if he wants to know why Heki was attacked, he will need to pull himself together and remain strong. A few times, when he would wake up in the morning, he would be forced to fight off the birds of prey constantly trying to devour him in his sleep.
He always strived to make his parents proud, and now that they were gone, he believes this is what he’s meant to do. Many questions have been running through his mind for years, and now that he finally has the chance to get answers, he refuses to let the opportunity slip through his fingers.
He arrives in the city sometime in the afternoon and approaches the front gates to see two massive guards standing in front of it. They are dressed in all-black armor and carry spears, which they cross before him the moment he steps close. Alexandros swallows hard at the sight of them and struggles to keep himself calm as the guards stare down at him, their eyes practically boring into his soul. “State your purpose? Why have you chosen to come to the lovely city of Furnar?”