Fire… everywhere. The sky was filled with screams. What’s happening? I wondered, but no words came out of my mouth. There were Neame, a lot of them. They were flying around so quickly, some were even smashing into one another. What’s going on? I tried to ask one of them. One of them, who was laying on the ground, looked up at me; he looked scared. His feathers were puffed up, and his eyes were wide. The glittering shine that most Neame have was almost completely gone from him.
“Please… no.” He begged. Was he talking to me?
Are you talking to me? I asked him, but once again, there were no words. But something did happen. His pale blue feathers turned black, and he fell flat on the ground; dead. What the-? I tried to yell, and move back, but my body wouldn’t move, or rather, it was moving, but I wasn’t in control. The screaming kept getting louder; everything was growing more chaotic with each passing second. Without warning, my head turned and I saw several Neame, each decorated with fine jewels and gold lace, but it was different from what I had seen on the nobles I knew. Their gold lace was more like strings, wrapped around their wings, like a spider’s web. They darted around me, and there was a pain in my side. I didn’t even see them do it, but they must have cast a spell. I wanted to see how bad the damage was, but I wasn’t in control, so there was nothing I could do. Instead, my eyes tried keeping track of the Neame that were flying around me and attacking.
“You beast! Just die!” One of them shouted, but they were moving too quickly for me to see who it was. Before I knew what was happening, I had spun around in time to see a wall of fire consume me. It hurt, worse than anything I have ever experienced before, but my body, or whoever was in control of it, didn’t even seem to care. The flames died down after a second, and I saw the Neame who cast the spell, perched on a nearby building, looking satisfied. I was still writing in pain, but after a moment, it started to fade, and the Neame’s look of pride turned to terror. “That’s not…” The Neame started to say, but as his sparkling feathers turned black, he fell quiet, and dropped off his perch dead.
Stop, please stop. I begged. I wanted this nightmare to end. I didn’t want to see this… evil. If I’d had control of my body, I would have been in tears, or throwing up. My body didn’t listen to my begging, no matter how much I did it. It simply kept on its rampage, never bothering to block attacks, or even dodge them. It simply took them, endured the pain, and then the pain went away. It killed and killed for what felt like hours, and I was forced to watch it all happen. It didn’t stop with just the Neame, it killed the animals, the plants, even the insects on the ground. Only once the entire town and everything in it was gone, did my body finally stop, and the world begin to fade away.
Why… why was I… why do this to me!? I screamed. With the nightmare over, I felt like I was floating in an endless void. There was nothing to my left, or my right; not up or down. There was just darkness. I wanted there to be something, anything. Normally when this happens, he shows up, but not this time. This time, I was jerked awake, back in my mum’s house; lying in bed. My eyes popped open, and I immediately rolled off the side of the bed. I was throwing up and crying before I knew what was happening. My whole body drenched in sweat, and I couldn’t stop shaking.
“What was that?” I sobbed.
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Suma’s POV
The sun was beating down on us all day, we had to keep stopping to rest in the shade because it was so hot. Even high in the sky the temperature was unbearable. The breeze, while flying, helped, but not so much that we could bare it for longer than an hour at a time. “If we don’t pick up the pace, we won’t arrive at the capital on time.” One of the Neame I was traveling with said; it was one of the Lieutenants. There were ten of us; one guide, six privates, two Lieutenants from other squads, and one Captain. Among the group, only two of us had names, myself included. The other Neame with a name was the Captain in charge of our voyage, Captain Razoen.
“If we don’t rest, this heat could kill one of us.” Our guide said.
“Is it normally this hot near the capital?” One of the privates asked.
“No, this is strange; especially for this time of year.” The guide replied.
“Lady Suma, how are you holding up?” One of the privates asked. I was the only healer in the travel group, so everyone was going at my pace.
“I am well, though quite warm.” I said. We were currently in a small stream, drinking and cooling off. One of the privates used magic to create shade by molding the ground into a small shelter.
“Then we will rest a bit longer, before continuing our journey.” The guide said. We were all sitting in the water, it was moving, but unfortunately it was warmer than I would have liked. “If everyone is okay with it, traveling at night would be easier.”
“Is it safe to fly in this area at night?” Captain Razoen asked.
“In this area, yes. There are no native species here that can fly, and the dangerous ones wouldn’t be active in this heat.” The guide replied.
“Then we will travel at night.” The Captain turned to the rest of us, “everyone, get some rest, we will be traveling tonight, so sleep while you have the chance.” With that, I settled deeper into the stream, and let the waters cool off my feathers. I took a moment to look out at the scenery. I had never been this far east before, and so this entire area was new to me. It was a desolate wasteland of sand and rocks. In the entire previous day of our journey, I had not seen a single plant or animal. When I asked what this place was called, the guide told me it was known as The Evil Sands. I watched the desert for a while. The heat made the sand shimmer and distort the area, and occasionally the winds would sweep through to cause small dust storms, but that was the extent of it.
The stream itself was fairly nice, but not so much that I could have fallen asleep in it. For that, I went and rested under the shelter. Once everyone was inside, the entrance was sealed shut, and we all went to sleep.
Hours later, we were awoken by the guide, who said that night had fallen. We all got up, ate, and took to the skies again. The moon was out, but it was not full tonight, so we simply kept in a tight formation and made do with what little light it produced, and the glimmer of our besmears.
At night, the heat was not an issue, but the cold was quickly becoming one. “Why did the weather change so drastically?” I asked the guide.
“That’s normal for this area, but the cold is usually worse this time of year. We seem to be having a heat wave, be glad for that. We wouldn’t be able to travel at night if the temperature were normal.”
“How cold does it normally get here?” One of the privates asked.
“Cold enough to kill in the winter, and hot enough to turn sand into glass in the summer. This area is very dangerous. There is no vegetation to hide under or perch on, and the only way to keep warm because of that is to use fire magic all night.”
(The heat is the reason we must travel at night, and that same heat is the only reason the cold is not killing us…) I thought.
“Is that why there are no animals here?” Another of the privates asked.
“There are a few species in the area. They are nocturnal in the summer, but not in the winter.” The guide said.
“I have not seen any vegetation since entering this desert, what do they eat?” I asked.
“Each other.”
“What a happy conversation this turned into.” One of the Lieutenants said.
The night passed, and we did not need to stop for the rest of the journey. The Sun started to rise just in time for us to see the capital of Ambos peak over the horizon. “There it is everyone, not much longer now.” Our guide announced. When he said that, I remembered something important. The capital city does not have a set name, it changes with the current ruler’s name. Traditionally, it would be his name first, followed by the country’s name, but there have been instances in which the country’s name came first.
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“What is his majesty’s, that is… the King’s, name?” I asked.
“Queen actually. King Ompet died last year; his daughter inherited the crown. Her name is Ompera, and the capital’s name has been placed before her name, at her request.” Captain Razoen explained.
(Ambos-Ompera.) I thought. “How large is the capital?”
“You mentioned you are from Zach-Ahshem, right Lady Suma? It is about twice the size of that city in terms of occupied land, and it has at least three times the population.” The Captain said.
“Is Zach-Ahshem a large city? I’ve never been.” One of the privates wondered.
“It is, we even have a Grand Sanctum.” I told him.
“Alright everyone, prepare to land, and summon your documentation; we need to register our arrival.” The guide said, and started flying towards a large dome like building outside of the walls of the city. “Follow me.”
He dived down, and we all followed suit. The dome’s top had several holes built into it, and we entered through one. Landing on the ground, I noticed we were surrounded by several other Neame, some of which were mounted on very large familiars.
“State your business.” One of the Neame said.
“We are here to enter Ambos-Ompera. We have our documentation here.” We all summoned our individual permits and notices. Several of the Neame glanced at one another, and then flew off their familiars’ saddles to land in front of us. They each began examining our documents, and confirming the different seals that marked them.
The capital is not like any other city in Ambos, not even nobles are allowed to enter it without permission. Only permanent residents are allowed to enter and exit with relative ease. The capital is the cultural, religious, and political center of Ambos, so its security is taken quite seriously.
“Your documents are in order, you may proceed.” One of the Neame said, and flew back to his familiar’s saddle. The guide bowed, and we all left.
“Who were they?” One of the privates asked.
“Guards,” another of the privates replied.
“Obviously, but were they city guards, or something else?”
“Neither; we will still need to present our documents to the city’s guards once we arrive at the walls.” The guide said.
“But then-”
“Those were Royal Court Mages.” The Captain said. “They simply determine whether you are a threat to the royals. If they had decided that we posed a threat to her majesty, they would have killed us, then and there.”
“Well then, why do we still need to report to the city’s guards if we have already been cleared?” I wondered.
“Their job is not to worry about the dangers we may pose to the city, only the royal family. As far as they are concerned, we could burn down all of Ambos-Ompera; they would not even beat their wings to put out the flames. However, if they suspect we are threats to the Queen, we will die horrible deaths.”
The rest of the journey after that was uncomfortably quiet. I suspect the lingering threat of being killed weighed on everyone’s minds after the Captain’s revelation. We arrived at the city without incident, I took in the sights of the city. From the top of the walls, I could see thousands of Neame below, all going about their business. The ground was filled with different types of structures. Some Neame flew through wooden buildings that greatly resembled the market district of Zach-Ahshem. Most of the buildings were uniform in size and shape, with little variation; predominantly large rectangular structures with a hole on one side. Other buildings seemed to have the same essential layout, but were made from twisted vines rather than stone. I also noticed that no one was flying higher than the walls of the city, and was later informed by the city guards that it was a crime to do so.
The Lieutenants led the privates to their separate responsibilities, while Captain Razoen and I made our way to her majesty’s castle. It was easy to see from the air; it was the tallest building by far. It looked like a tree made of interwoven stone and vines. The top bottom of the castle was even reinforced with metal beams that wrapped around its base like a web. It was an impressive sight, and so I decided to summon Jake and show him.
“Jake, I have arrived at the Capital. It is a very strange place. Do you want to see?” I asked Jake over our private connection. There was no response. Upon realizing he was most likely asleep, I started praying to the dragons that the royals or the royal court did not want to see him yet.
The Captain and I arrived at the tree-like castle. Once we were closer, I was able to see the beams that wrapped around the castle’s base in greater detail. In reality, they were cages built around the only entrances, acting as a simple barrier to block large familiars from getting through. Inscribed on them were various runes, most likely their function would be to make the cage-like structure painful or even deadly to come into contact with, but we were too far to tell. We landed on the dirt just outside the cage structure, and several Neame wearing red-lace clips flew down from their perches on the sides of the castle.
“They are the city’s guards. Show them respect, answer their questions clearly, and do not anger them.” Captain Razoen told me. The guards landed in front of us, and immediately summoned their familiars. Under them, appeared two hound like beasts, with long tusks. The beast’s bodies were long and slender; one had dark grey fur, and the other’s was brown. They were very intimidating creatures; they both stared at us, their gazes never leaving our bodies for even a moment.
“State your reason for business.” The Neame on the brown one demanded.
“I am Captain Razoen, and this is Private Suma. Our presences were requested by her majesty’s Royal Court.”
“Present your documents.” The guard on the grey beast ordered. The Captain and I summoned our documentation and presented them to the guards, who reviewed them for several minutes. “You may enter, but while inside, you will cast no spells, rites, or rituals unless ordered to by the Royal Court. You will not summon any familiars without prior authorization. While inside, you will be escorted by members of the Royal Mages. You will not attempt to leave their presence, nor will you go anywhere without their approval. Failure to follow these instructions may have fatal consequences. Do you understand?”
“We do.” The Captain acknowledged. After hearing his instructions, I felt myself growing increasingly more nervous.
“Wait here for an escort.” They said, and then flew back to their perches. Their familiars stayed behind, and continued to watch us, until our escort arrived. A reddish-brown Neame with a Royal Mage’s insignia on each of her wings, made of golden lace, landed; she told us to follow her. The cage’s runes began to glow, and then we watched as the opening to the entrance twisted and reshaped itself until it was wide enough for us to fly through.
The inside of the castle was impressive, a fortress taller than the citadel in my home city, and as wide as the base I have spent the last few months training in. But if the outside was a fortress, then the inside was a palace. The walls were still made of molded stone and vines, but interwoven with them were gemstones, as well as precious metals like silver and gold. Even the vines themselves were more ornate, having been dyed a verity of bright colors, mostly whites, purples, and reds. It was beautiful.
We flew through the hallways of the castle, and landed outside of an entrance. The Court Mage began to explain what would happen. “The Royal Court is convening inside at this moment. For some reason, her majesty has decided to preside over today’s hearing. You will not address Queen Ompera unless she does so first. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Y-yes.”
“Excellent. You have a moment before they request you, I suggest you use that time to calm yourself, or go over any information you wish to present to them.”
“We know what we are going to say, but thank you for the advice.” The Captain said. The mage nodded, and turned her attention to the room before us. “Private Suma, you need to calm down.”
“Is it obvious?” I asked, nervously.
“Yes.”
“I will try to remain composed.”
“You know… I was in your place once.” Captain Razoen said.
“You were once questioned because your familiar is one of the only beings alive capable of utilizing the most dangerous magic our world has ever seen?”
“Do not make jokes once we are being questioned.”
“… Yes sir.”
“What I mean is, I was once questioned by the Royal Court as well.”
“About what sir?”
“It does not matter. What does matter, is how I got through it.” He took a deep breath. “I stared at a single point, no matter what was said, or who was talking, all I did was stare at that single fixed point.”
“Did that work?”
“No, they thought I was crazy.”
“I do not see how that-”
“What I am trying to say is, just treat it like a conversation between yourself, and your squad Captain. Do not overthink it, because that is when you will go wrong.”
“They are ready for you.” The mage said.
“I… thank you, sir.” I said. His advice did not make me feel any better, but it did take my mind off of the situation for a moment.
We followed the mage into the room, and saw dozens of Neame, all perched in a crescent-moon shape focused on a single point. That point is where we landed. We were perched on two golden bars wrapped in vines, whereas the Royal Court were perched in a sloped manner, allowing me to see all of them. To the right of the room, being guarded by six mages and their familiars, all of which were as strong as or stronger than drakes and black serpents, was an ornately decorated Neame. She looked to be about my age, maybe a bit younger, and her eyes were transfixed on me.
“Are you Private Suma, from Count Thecoma Izabal’s domain, master of the familiar called Sentinel?” One of the members of the court, a male Neame with a golden broach on his chest, asked.
“I am.”
“And have you been informed of the reason why you were brought here?”
“You wish to inquire about my familiar, and the nature of his magic.”
“That is correct, however those are not the only reasons for your appearance before us today.” The court member looked around the room for a moment. “You have not summoned him yet?”
“I-I was told not to do so without express permission by the court.” I said. Captain Razoen was perched quietly by my side, but he was constantly looking back and forth between myself and the court member who was talking.
The court member turned to the Queen, “With you permission, Queen Ompera?” The young Queen gave a small nod. “Private Suma, you may summon the familiar called, Sentinel.” The mages around the Queen all looked tense, their feathers puffed up, and their familiars started to show fangs, if they had them that is. I flew to the ground, and started the summoning. A magic circle formed on the ground below me, “I summon you, Sentinel!”