Her legs dangled back and forth, hitting the cold, golden alabaster walls of the rail, while her indigo eyes focused on the depths below. Even from this high, the Flaurdrenn’s pearly, smooth waters were visible cascading towards the east in gentle waves. The vast forest had framed it in red and golden beautifully as it said that the Deos of Creativity himself shaped it himself. The same Dracobark and Dawnwillows decorate the plethora of plateaus, half-circle like enormous balconies on all levels of the capital, offering a breathtaking view both down and towards the flat landscape beyond the valley.
“Miss Luelia.” A rough voice from behind sent a jolt of chill through her body. “Yes?” She swiftly turned around, jumping down facing an androgynous looking man covered in thin layers of murky grayish sheets. Only half his face exposed, revealing his hairless brows and serpentine jade eyes. Eyes that darted from left to right, from down to top gleaming with uncertainty.
“Follow me.” He said before swiftly turning around, slithering into the crowd. Aurelithae followed after him without a word, as she eloquently skirted through the myriad crowd. After leaving behind the Augusdul Bridge that connected the entertainment district with the living quarters of the common-folk, they arrived at the Sleeping Dragon Tavern.
Just like its name tells, the building has been constructed, shaped like a dragon’s head with the windows themselves being the eyes. Its windows enchanted with certain spells that replicated the appearance of a dragon’s lids in a closed state. The head itself was placed horizontally. The jaw itself was painted in a wooden color, to let the entrance door somewhat blend in from the distance as its wooden surface had been carefully shaped to resemble myriad scales.
“Keep close.” The Serpentine-Eyed Man said as the two entered the inn, Aurelithae grabbed onto his dangling parts of his robe. The tavern’s interior buzzed with symphony of drunkards singing, conversing and fiercely debating at every corner of the vast establishment. Their laughter and chatter mingled constantly with the clinking of their glasses, the clashing of metallic kegs and the clatter of dishes.
The aroma of hearty food wafted through the space, tempting even Aurelithae herself as she navigated through the labyrinthine feeling main hall behind the Changed-Kin. As they reached closer to their destination, her elven ears tucked under heavy layers, picked up on the quite, not so rhythmic singing of a bard, followed by the crowd booing, even throwing their wooden plates and metallic kegs at him with high velocity and power behind it.
“Come in.” They passed through a large group of orkhs with Aurelithae spotting Naghig amongst them silently drinking from his keg, his murky eyes following her, sending chills down her spine. Then the Changed-Kin knocked thrice on the door, a feminine, deep commandeering voice seamlessly rang through, both the door and the noise of the tavern.
As the door opened, the rough obsidian figure belonging to the voice, towering over even the Changed-Kin, entered her gaze as she beckoned them further inside. The small room too appeared quite hearty, filled with tables, food steaming still and jugs filled to the brim with sweet and bitter scented beverages. “Welcome, your Majesty!”
The women bowed deeply, her long, auburn hair kept in a high tail cascaded down her back as the door closed behind them. “You can all forego the pleasantries, the honor is mine.” She added kindly before bowing back at her and the rest in the spacious room.
Besides the Yhanubj maiden and the Changed-Kin, there was a man in his prime with long dark mane with the sides shaved, covered in tribalistic tattoos with murky ink contrasting his fair skin. And the only one besides Mirayroth to be lightly armored.
“We’ll do so then.” Mirayroth said with a tender smile as half his face was highlighted by the cracking fires of the hearth. “So when will the initiation start?” She inquired as respectfully as she could while her face told of impatience.
“Before we discuss that, let’s indulge in the food prepared for us my friends.” Miyaroth elegantly stood up from the red velvety sofa, pointing his arms at the food laid out on the tables in the corners. Everyone except him and Aurelithae converged to the tables, quickly taking out large quantities onto their plates. Miyaroth watched them with the eyes of a proud father.
“Come on, don’t be shy. While you’re down here, you are one of us. You said so yourself.” He spoke while stroking her hair before taking a seat at the table near the door. Aurelithae followed, as she held her hand out, one of the plates rose up in the air, and sailed towards the sweet scented cold fruit soup.
“Oh, almost forgot these are Ivor, Asatyra the kind lady, our s Changed-Kin friend, Ohtia.” As the oaken ladle followed suit with the plate, dipping into the soup by itself filling her plate to the brim, Mirayroth introduces the three. “Are you sure about her?” Ohtia asked as he noticed the childish wonder as her eyes focused on the smooth pinkish texture of the soup before she dug as if she hadn’t been fed for days.
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“For what her role is for tonight, she will do. Just don’t let her be seen by the High Inquisitoriirs.” Mirayroth added calmly as his gaze remained on the young princess.
The others followed suit, the room filled with the hearty, and grizzly sound of grilled and roasted ricske meat being torn, a fowl type beast from the southern colonies of the Elhyrissian Empire. It is domesticated mostly by the nomads, feeding them with various seeds processed in alchemical concoctions that make its meat extra tender, adding a somewhat sweet and spicy flavor to it.
“Now before we initiate you in our little order, first you will have to prove your mettle and your loyalty to our cause.” Asatyra tore a large drum stick for Mirayroth and gave it to him as he started after he beckoned her closer.
“You see, one of ours got taken during his mission by the Magistralua. We need him back before they do… damage him further.” He continued tearing into the meat with the elegance of a white dragon of the East.
“What’s my role in all this? Besides the proving part.” Aurelithae asked while taking a spoonful of the soup into her mouth, a soft moan followed as the sweet flavor of the fruits assaulted her tasting buds.
“You have a better understanding of the teleportation circles on the upper levels, don’t you?” Her eyes focused on his calm, smiling visage. For a moment she stopped in her devouring the soup, thinking what should be her answer. Thanks to those circles she could easily slip from the highest level of the capital to the lowest without anyone noticing. But she was only one person, with an amulet erasing her presence completely, even from the eyes of the well-learnt.
Then after noticing a hint of worry in Asatyra’s eyes, she came to an answer. “I do. I’ll lead you towards the circle into the prison.” She stated with absolute confidence.
**
In the well lit path, part of the vast sewer system, Asatyra, Ohtia and Ivor followed after Aurelithae. All four of them were draped in form-fitting dark attires, appearing as four silhouettes in the golden alabaster marble path. Obsidian metal slithered, looped around their wrists and ankles, inscriptions engraved into their polished surfaces silencing their steps completely. The light coming from the flames between the jaws of the golden dragon heads on the walls bent around their body completely, swallowed by the space. While they could see each other, the patrolling legionariers couldn’t.
“Here.” Aurelithae whispered, her voice slightly muffled thanks to the cloth wrapped around her head under the large hood, hiding most of her complexion except for the prismatic draconic eyes of hers veiled in shadows. She carefully opened up the intricate door with a blazing inferno grafted onto it, crafted from golden metal.
As she stepped in last, the door closed silently as the footsteps of the nearby guards got closer. Through a short, straight passage they arrived into a circular room lit only by the moon through the ceiling. It travelled through a long, twisting twice tunnel in the eastern side of the mountain. Arkhaine runes carved at certain intervals took care that the light reached down there.
“So what is this place actually?” Ivor asked as he placed his longbow over his right shoulder while inspecting the intricate silvery walls with six draconic elven maidens sculpted, all facing the center of the room where the teleportation circle rose from the ground.
“It is a hidden path for escape in case the city, and father would fall.” Aurelithae answered as she walked over to the northern side of the circle.
She stooped down and placed her right palm on the edge, closed her eyes as a warm feeling filled both her body and soul as mana flowed through her arkhaine points. Her mind jumped out from her body, into the astral passageway connecting the vast teleportation system built all over the city. The feeling made her body smile for a moment as the feeling of flying with high velocity coursed through her while searching for the right circle.
“Has it ever been used?” Asatyra asked while leaning on the wall. “Not to my memory.” The answer came from Ohtia to their surprise, as he already had at least four centuries under his belt.
“According to father, the most likely scenario we will use it in, is if the Nightscale decides to end us.” She said as she managed to connect their side to the one directly under the Magistralue Prison.
“Guess that makes sense.” Ivor said while his blue eyes were fixated on the beautiful visage of the statues. Their haunting faces seemingly looked back at him, even their empty eyes followed his movement around the circle.
“Be careful, those are enchanted with illusory effects.” Aurelithae yanked his arm, forcing him out from under the spell.
She stepped closer to the circle, then Asatyra grabbed her’s this time. “No, your part here is done.”
“Trust me you’ll need me to return. And I can already cast spell like a novice.” She said as she pulls down her hood, determination burning in her prismatic eyes.
“Please, let me prove myself to you.” Then She asked while their attention was slowly drawn to her mesmerizing eyes.
“Fine, but if you get caught, I’ll end you myself your highness if you sell us out.” Asatyra added as she released her grip.
“That is natural. Just do it in the garden at least.” She added as Ivor and Ohtia stepped in with smiles hidden under their masks.
“I like your spirit kid.” Asatyra added as her body evaporates in blue ethereal glow, a faint sigh accompanied those words.
“Technically I’m an adult by your age standards.” She muttered before stepping on the circle, her body disappeared in the same way, a hollow gaze watched from the shadows…