The Serpent

Blade

Chapter 4:

Road of Thieves

After taking shelter from the incoming heavy rain,

Ssaletzots found himself in an ancient ruin

designed to test for a mighty warrior to revive the Koliani.

The roads are dangerous at night, may the traveler beware them...

The clouds cover the moon which hangs above the mountainsides, casting shade upon the twilight valleys of the center country. The medium blades of grass are frosted in the cold after the rains, and I use some magic to warm us all up, since we have very few cold weather garments.

Allen reaches into the back of the cart and pulls out some large cloths which he quickly unfolds to turn into blankets, not emitting a sound from his mouth other than to accentuate his shivering. Me and the Gotri both thank him, and they have stopped bleeding by now.

The cold is unforgiving to the reptilian races, an 0men of death. Luckily those with magic can try to stave off the inevitable, with even the slightest of warmth you can last longer. Yet, without shelter, a reptile would go into hibernation for who knows how long. You could be robbed, killed, or worse. On the so called 'thieves road' from the tower to the capital this is even more likely.

The frosted grass beside the path here is tall as opposed to that nearer to Kalidon, and unkempt. It would house many creatures, if not for the cold. Most that would be here are likely in dens or nests, and I don't see a single tree for a very long distance. the only ones I remember seeing in the near area were the ones surrounding Kalidon, in fact.

The tall grass eventually opens up to a hilly field of flowers, sadly, since the frost is upon us I cannot see what I imagine to be the wonderful colors of each one. I see many different shapes of flower, but they are all quite shriveled at the moment. I hope they survive the harsh weather, to live on and spread throughout all of the land.

The mountain backdrop of the area creates a sharp contrast between the land and the stars. The skies are clear, and I can sharply see deep into the beyond. A large bloom of purple, orange and blue glows across the night sky, the rest of our galaxy, it swirls surrounding the planet. I also see an uncountable amount of stars, varying in color from blue, to white, and even reds and yellows. The beauty of the vast unknown is insurmountable by near any force.

The only one I know to have surpassed it is my late wife. She had scales as orange as a persimmon fruit, with stripes of marigold yellow down her entire back, and eyes as shining green as the emerald coast of the town I come from. She would shine brighter than any star ever could when light threw itself upon her, so much that she seemed to even glow in the dark, and all I could do is bask in her glory hoping one day she would be mine. She stood out upon the crowds of people of any kinds. I found her in the Arbenian colony of Ssintri, where even among the other orange Arbenians she shone like a lighthouse over the night seas. At first sight I knew she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, and ever would.

Alas, on that bittersweet note we approach the tower. It looms over the rocky flower covered hills, a sharp upwards point with pillars and arches the entire way up. On the top three floors out of the what I think is 20, the arches open up so that the Hokri deliverymen may fly out. The tower has a wide base, which thins after the 5th floor, and then widens again with the top 3, which has a flat roof, and an archer's nest on the very top. An ironic phrase.

Allen brings us up to the main doors of the tower, and asks, freezing “May we p-pleasse enter, for warmth?” to which a red Hokri nods affirmatively. As we enter, it is incredibly warm compared to the outside, warmed by the torches lighting the interior. The entire interior is lined with shelves upon shelves of scrolls, many marked for delivery once the cold clears. Each of the tens of Hokri here wears pointed leather armor, with a red hood that has the insignia of a griffin on it. There are also a few Okiri wearing green robes walking up and down stairs, delivering scrolls to be marked and checked.

Okiri are quite similar to the Hokri in culture and such, except they are more of mages and thinkers than warriors. They were also created by Naatrans, goddess of wind. They look similar to a mere barn owl, but are far more intelligent and wise.

I ask one of the Okiri “Are you a sorcerer by any chance?”

to which they respond “Who?”

and I state, confused “You... who else would I be talking to?”

and they say, happily “Oh, oh of course, most Okiri mages start training here, afterall.” and they move on and start stamping scrolls one after another.

Allen asks a red Hokri “Do you have any lofting available?”

to which they respond “We always have a few free rooms to spare.” continuing “Feel free to use one, they are from the third floor to the fifth.” as the horses get brought into a stable-like offshoot of the tower.

We walk up the stairs, which turn inwards along the curving wall. On the second floor, there are desks, and it seems to be a small library with what I'd presume to be gathered ancient texts. On the third floor, there is a hallway. There are large arching doors, three on each side, all closed as the rooms have been taken. Once we get to the fourth, we see one empty room. We gather inside it, and I put down a few candles, so I can try to light them, both warming and lighting up the room. I get one, and I put my hands together, balling them. I think of all of my happy memories with my children and wife, before she died, as I close my eyes. Eventually, I open them, and a green light is seen between the cracks of my fingers. I open my hands, a small green flame within, and I light each of the candles with it, and then I let it go, and the flame ceases in my hands.

The Gatorfolk asks me, confused “How did you

start that flame with your hands?” continuing “I have never seen a green magic flame, only reds and yellows.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

and I tell them “It is the trademark magic of the Koliani.”

to which Sphyra responds “But I thought to Koli were dead, how do you know how to do it?”and I state “When we were in the ruin, I found living souls of the ancient Koliani, which taught me a remnant of my passt, and my bloodline.” and Sphyra asks “So you have Koliani blood in you?” and I tell her, laughing “Apparently purple eyess are the giveaway.” and the Gatorfolk states “You still didn't answer my question, and that is a very nonchalant way to put something that weird.” and I say “Ah, yess...” continuing on a bitter note “I thought about all of the happy timess with all of my family together before my wife had died.” and they respond “It must be bittersweet to remember it.” and I state “Ssadly, a life thinking of the passt is the only one sset out for me.

and the Gotri states “Are we just going to pretend anything you just said is normal?” continuing “I know nothing about the magic world, but that just seems abnormal.”

And I just respond “Yess we are.”

We wait for hours In the room, sparsely talking with one another in spurts when we get ideas. Allen starts a new conversation with “You know, my passt issn't the greatesst either.” and I ask “How sso?” he tells us “Well, I come from a line of traderss, alwayss a dangerouss job, especially at night.” which spurs on an entirely new conversation that goes for hours

None of us aside from Sphyra are tired, and there are not enough beds to go around in the room even if the rest of us were. Of course she sleeps, since there is at least one bed in the room.

We each end up dosing off in various areas, and surprisingly the Gotri isn't gone in the morning. I'm honestly the first to wake up, and it's still freezing, though it is a bit warmer than as of last night.

Eventually we all wake up, and we head downstairs as I ask one of the Hokri “Have you got any cold weather gear we can borrow?”

and she states, as the Gotri tries to flirt with another Hokri woman in the other corner “We have some, yes.” and then leads us to a small closet behind the main desk of the ground floor, which has some inside. We gather enough for each of us, and then put it on so we can move onward. Some of the Hokri and Okiri say goodbye to us as we leave, as do we in return.

We all make our way onto the near blasted cart, and down the frosted path to the city of Ardunor Spyre Caldonia. The flowers being still somewhat frosted, but opening slowly along with the morning rise.

Even from miles away from the city, you can see the outlines of the enormous buildings. Each one of them a tower, a spire to the beyond. They all reflect the light, causing the Nova Star to reflect directly into my eyes. It looks beautiful this time of day. It

shines a bright purplish blue, and as it rises the sky turns a mix between purples, pinks, and oranges as the day goes on. Of course you can't look directly at it, as you would go blind as a Starscryer.

Starscryers are people who even though blind, can see through the rips and folds in reality. It's like the entirety of the universe is a simple page in a book

to them, and they can read it like so. They have found many prophecies through this way, and can foretell how an entire person's life shall go, be they important enough that is.

When I was born, I vaguely remember seeing a person who wore a Starscryer's robes in the house. I don't remember much from my childhood, but that is one thing that stayed in my memory. I do recall having quite a happy childhood with my two siblings, Lorean and Mani. Lorean would always be the one to guide us, even though she was no older she always had a voice of authority, and Mani was quite the joker. As brothers we had some of the best

times together. Lorean runs the Capital Guard, so I haven't seen her for a long while, whereas my brother died in battle. He never got to have a proper burial, as his body was lit aflame by a pyro mage.

Back to the moment of current, though, the flower field ends at a border with the a forest. This is the dangerous part of the Road of Thieves. As the forest spreads around us, I notice what look like ruins off in the distance, covered in vines and underbrush. I look closer and see bone fragments. Both Humani and and Hokri, with a bit of Arbani. Mostly Hokri bones, really.

Further and further into the dark spruce forest, we slowly see more and more ruins until we happen upon an ominous building of dark stone, with painted red markings. It pokes out of the treeline, at a sharp point. It has a thin rectangular shaped inner section, and then two pyramidal pointed towers, facing inwards on either side.

Thankfully we do make it past it, surely enough. Though you'd think around here we would be attacked. Nevertheless we make it through, and after a long while make it to the edge of the woods, the city just in reach.

It has a grand beautiful arch, made of light blue opal, with a base of white quartz brick, and edged with gold. It has a sharp point at the top, and writing in ancient Dinyrian script. The city used to be called Haeven Spyre, made by the original Dinyri before they migrated to the west, and started to live in the forest.

The Dinyri are a subset of humans, and they now follow the teachings of the wise Primordial, Gasmekranus. Gasmekranus is an enormous living tree deer, similar to the Drenti that used to rule the planet. The Dinyri themselves are just like any humans, except they have light colored skin and pointy ears. Now they live in living cities, made solely of living plants.

The ancient buildings here though, are each made of either jade or more opal, with a base of quartz bricks and more gold edging. They all are either triangular or hexagonal in base shape, and have one wall that is the tallest, the rest forming a curved spike to get to it. Each sparkles in the morning light, runes carved in the sides by the ancients glowing bright blue.

As we ride into the town, there is a grand carving in a quartz brick wall, it shows humans, Arbani, and Katrini standing together, all seemingly in celebration of the center figure, swords up in the sky. The center figure themselves looks to be an ancient king, donning a set of ceremonial armor, covering

their face. It could either be a king, or it could be the strength god, Kaltor, based off of this. Which one of these it is though, I do not know.

We ride further along, into the center of the city. As we go by, the road made of shining blue pearl granite, I see a few unsavory figures. They are dressed in black leather armor, with a red cowl and cape. Their mask is like that of a jackal skull. They wear the sigil of Dharkral, god of the unending void, and darkness. His sigil is that of a red colored half-star, seemingly the opposite of the Nova star which governs our sky. And they seem to be following us. Most of them are Oniri, which makes sense, as Dharkral created the Oniri, but there are als0 a few humans along with them.

We hit a certain point of the road which turns into a circle as to fit a fountain, and five triangular

buildings are all built around it, with bridges between all of them, which lead to a smaller circle, and it has a metal grate in the middle of this circle so that light may come through.

I remark as to this “Thiss certainly iss a beautiful place.”

and Sphyra responds “Yes, me and my father always pass through here when we go to the capital.” and they continue, happily reminiscing “There are

some really fun places to go in here, especially the lake.” and they state “I love to play with the tiny dragons, they're such playful creatures.”

to which I respond “Yes, drachinettes are essentially like the dogs that humans love so much.” and I state “I've always wanted to tame one, they make great companions, and live for 150 years in the wild.”

And then after that sentence, I suddenly get interrupted. I'm pulled out of the cart by Dharkral followers as most of my companions are unaware, and Allen pulls out a knife, trying to follow them. They pull me to the shadows. I stab one in the eye, and they punch me in the gut in response. They put a rag over my face, and as I fight I slowly drift off. Everything darkens, a fate despicable.