Chapter 41: Hessiopolis
When Hessiopolis came into view, Davos called Adriana up to the deck. At first she’d been annoyed at being woken up, but excitement soon took over. She ran up the stairs and pressed herself against the railing. There, close enough to see people moving and working in the harbor, was the largest city-state in the archipelago and the last great defense against the Maw of Chaos.
It was hard to say what attracted her attention the most, although there was one obvious answer. The second tallest mountain in the world housed the Sun Temple, which could be seen from anywhere on the island. A golden sun made of stained glass reflected the light and was a beacon to all sailors, one that would be lit even at night. The entire city was built around that mountain path leading up to the late Sun God’s seat of power.
But as impressive as it was, it wasn’t as interesting as the wide, open spaces on the eastern half of the island. Hessiopolis not only had a massive city, but also some of the best farmland for a thousand miles. So much of the archipelago was rocky and arid or brutal and tropic, finding a place with just the right climate for growing food was key in the fight against the Maw.
“We’re finally here,” Adriana whispered. Even the dread of facing the Hierophant could be forgotten, seeing the great city grow by the second.
“It’s beautiful, and safe…from monsters.” Davos chuckled. “I bet it’s just as dangerous as any other city, with tons of petty squabbles between the local criminals and the Bulwark.”
Adriana sighed. “Way to be a kill-joy, Davos. You have anything else to kill the mood?”
“Why, yes, I --”
“Keep it to yourself. We’re almost there!” Adriana gripped the railing and willed the oarsmen to row faster. They’d already covered the distance in half the time it would’ve taken herself and Davos, and in much greater comfort. “If there’s any place to get more power and get news from the rest of the archipelago.”
Davos smiled, but fell quiet. They stood silently, watching the island get closer while the captain called out orders for his crew. The ship slowly pivoted and headed for the harbor, in a spot close to land. After a couple minutes, he said, “It almost feels wrong, being here.”
Adriana looked at him. Maybe this would be the time Davos finally opened up and talked about his past. “Why?” she finally asked.
“I…made a promise, once upon a time. That I would come here with another friend, once we’d earned the right to offer our services. We were almost there, and then…Well, there’s no use crying over the past. We’re here now, and I intend to make the most of it. Think the temple will give you an allowance? I want to try every restaurant in the city.”
Adriana rolled her eyes, but didn’t disagree. One of the joys of cities was the variety one could find. Adriana dreamt of eating wildly different food for every meal and never growing bored. If she ended up the big hero everyone wanted her to be, there wouldn’t be anyone in the town who wouldn’t want to throw food and trinkets at her feet. Maybe Davos hadn’t felt like he earned being there, but she did.
The Children of Stephanos joined them shortly after. Adriana had noticed Lucas giving them space to talk amongst themselves, with Eva clinging to his side. So far, there had been no lectures or warnings, so maybe the blond woman hadn’t ratted her out. Tobias came out with Iris, and Cora came last. Right before the ship pulled in, Lucas had them stand in a circle.
“Alright, so,” he began, “the Hierophant knows we’re here, so we’ll make a beeline for the temple. When we do so, I want to close ranks around Adriana so that no one has a chance to make a move or harass her before we present her.”
Her cheeks burned. “I don’t need your protection,” she said. “Who even knows who I am?”
“Uh, Adriana?” Tobias coughed to catch her attention. “Your hands and hair are on fire.”
She looked down where, indeed, her hands burned. At this point she barely noticed it, but she supposed it did make her stand out. “So what? I’m sure there’s plenty of Godmarks to be seen in Hessiopolis. There are plenty of Lesser Gods around town, right?”
Eva shook her head. “The greatest of the Gods just died. Any Godmark of the sun is going to stand out. People want and need hope.”
“Don’t worry,” Iris piped up. “If I need to, I can cover you in an illusion to help hide you if we get swarmed.”
Although she hadn’t been worried before, everyone else’s reactions formed a pit in her stomach. “What if I want to explore the city before I talk to the Hierophant?” Adriana asked, dreading the answer.
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“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Lucas said with a shake of his head. “We are expected, and he is not a man to keep waiting. The first chance we get, I’ll take you around the city myself. You have my word.”
That familiar desire to get moving and not stop hit her. There was nowhere to run, now that they were there. Davos caught her eye and flashed her an apologetic smile. She set her jaw and said, “Fine, but I’m going to be clear that I am no one’s slave or tool to be used. After we meet, I will explore the city.”
No one said anything, but they didn’t need to. Adriana’s proclamation sounded weak, even to her. Either way, she had to say it, to make herself feel better. Now that she had, surrendering to inevitability became the tiniest bit easier.
The harbor itself was cleaner and more beautiful than any other she’d been to. As soon as the gangplank was lowered and the seven of them walked off, Adriana took notice of the walls, of all things. They were radiant white stone, glittering in the sun and casting light everywhere. A man and a woman were on their knees with buckets of water and rags, cleaning dirt off the steps leading up.
Once up the steps, the city split into two directions. The path east led to a well-worn sprawl of three story housing gathered around a well where women did laundry. West had shops and a big open square. The ground was a big mosaic, obscured by thousands of unappreciative pedestrians every day. Adriana craned her head to get a better look, but could only make out a sun and a sword. Her gut told her it was Hessius, and she longed to get a better look, but her group kept moving.
The problem with the Children of Stephanos forming a ring around her was that Adriana was taller than everyone except for Lucas, who was the size of a bear. Her flaming hands were obvious, and she still didn’t have enough control to fully put them out while basking in the son. Add that and their group was well known, and it didn’t take long for someone to point them out.
“There!” one woman cried out. “The Children are back, and they’re not alone!”
They had managed to get to the large square at the base of the temple. Steep stairs led up, leveling out at three points, where the next set of stairs continued in a zig-zag pattern. All that stood between them and the temple itself was a thousand unassuming citizens, who now had reason to look at them.
“It’s Lucas,” one person said.
“Who’s that in the middle?”
“The fire…”
“Is he back? Is Hessius back?”
The talking happened all at once. Adriana looked around with the realization that she was trapped, and there was nowhere to go. She couldn’t fight her way out of that many people, nor did she want to. The nearest people looked at her with fear, but also hope.
“Stay close,” Lucas had to raise his voice to be heard over the growing clamor. “Don’t let anyone get close, but don’t hurt anyone. Everyone, please give us room!”
The murmurs grew louder. A woman pointed directly at Adriana and cried out, “The heir! They have the heir with them!”
“The heir! The heir!” The crowd pressed in from all sides. The children of Stephanos pinned Adriana in. Her chest tightened, and it became harder to breathe. Some of the closest people dropped to their knees and prostrated themselves before her.
“The heir has come to save us!”
“Great,” Davos muttered. “So much for that. Should we make a break for it?”
“There’s nowhere to go,” Cora said. “Lucas, you have to get her out of here.”
Their leader nodded and turned around. He grimaced, but turned to Eva. “Get her to safety. Fly her up to the temple and wait for us. Understood?”
Eva didn’t look happy, but she didn’t argue. She grabbed Adriana by the wrists, and an odd sensation went through her, like she had been emptied. The blond brought them up into the air, and she realized it was weightlessness. Eva didn’t just fly, but she could bring others with her just by making them lighter and carrying them.
The crowd gasped and rushed forward as the two rose into the air. Adriana dangled below Eva, rising quickly as they bypassed the stairs entirely. The glittering white walls and buildings gave way to rooftop gardens of green and red. Several houses higher up had fruit trees in their little lots.
“You’re not going to drop me, are you?” Adriana shouted to hear over the roar of the wind.
“Mmm. Tempting, but I have a job to do. Unlike some people, I care about following orders and doing the right thing.” Eva still sounded like she had a stick up her ass, but Adriana greatly appreciated that her grudge had limits.
Up close, the Sun Temple was bigger than she expected. The main building itself was built to house hundreds of priests, workers, and worshipers, and it looked capable of it. It had its own sprawling gardens on either side, wrapping around the back, where even now people picked fruits and vegetables and carried them in baskets to bring to the kitchens.
Eva set them down in the courtyard in front of double doors three times as tall as Adriana. There were people here as well, but nowhere near as many as below. They looked at her, eyeing the flaming hands, but kept their distance. Many of them wore robes of white, gold, or red.
“Thank you,” Adriana said begrudgingly. “And sorry about last night. Even if you did deserve it a little.”
The blond’s face twisted into rage for a split second before she closed her eyes and took a breath. “It was pretty funny, wasn’t it?” Eva admitted.
“I thought so.”
“It’ll be even funnier when I get you back,” said Eva. “And you’ll never see it coming. I can be patient, you know.”
“I’m sure.” Adriana turned her attention to the stained glass sun, now that she was beneath it. It shone brightly, but not half as much as Hessius had. Looking up, she felt very small, and not at all like a God.
But maybe in time, she would become one. It all depended on what happened once she crossed those doors and met her fate.