Chapter 47: The Black Gate (Part 1!)

What word could describe such a vast, terrifying, yet awful thing? Full of awe and uneasy mystery, what word could even begin to describe it?

“We’re getting close! I’m so excited.” Florato was delightfully antsy, with Skaldi being a lot more laid back. Of course, he had pre-gamed like a fruit bat so he didn’t muster up any words of energy. Although he managed to bump into a few people, since… you know… he couldn’t see.

“Yep… so awesome.” Vega shook her head as she continued down the road, the road leading up to the black gate. Her and the team took up a big part of the street, as seeming people stepped aside, understanding where they were going.

In Uvi Jantok, the way a person doesn’t drown in the sea of Iozia, was the entourage.

If you were somebody with a name or trying to be someone with a name, you had a crew of people that you followed or followed you. Bandits and criminals are a major problem in Uvi Jantok, and a way to mitigate this is trivial in numbers.

The alleys of street muggers and bandits never made their attempts on Vega, only spitting out gum tobacco as she walked past. Their real unfriendly faces began to fade though, as a new type of person filled up the path when they got closer and closer to the gate.

The Oligarch of Periatus not only had a great monopoly on Silphium, but on a particularly rarer commodity that all would die for.

Is it black powder?

Some sort of miracle fruit?

No you idiot! Why would you think about something logical and to the benefit of the common folk? Haha!

What he did have… was beautiful young people of course.

Government cantinas and markets dotted all over Uvi Jantok but particularly sprouted around the gate area. Instead of criminal-invested streets, plazas of market stalls manned by armies of handsome people of all varieties and peoples. Of mixed heritage, they had bizarre yet intriguing appearances, ones that dazzled the visitor and vacationer.

Of those would do business with these workers where of the aristocrats and the successful bandits. As she passed by a stall, she saw an elderly fur coated man play his transaction with four silvers.

What did he pay for? Well, there is also a rampant prostitution business… and also a tea parlor business! But uhhh… yeah, the old fuck was a horny fuck too.

“Damn. Wherever we go there’s prostitutes.” Florato clicked her tongue and wiped her forehead in shame.

“That’s Periatus for you. Let’s be glad we helped the people back in Fort Jao. At least they don’t have to do such nasty shit.” Bolato tried to maintain course, not disturbing the mood.

The scarecrow was only mildly comforted, since she had finally gotten to take a bath that was voluntary. And yet, she felt no weight being relieved.

No words could indefinitely calm Vega’s conflicted heart. She wanted to be happy and yet there were too many things off to be happy. She doubted it, Uvi Jantok. That it was a shadow disguised as light.

Slums of eerie disposition, the type of quiet that hurts the ears. Like an approaching poison, that sense of doom and weakness was there, if faintly. There was something wrong.

Not just the criminals, but something. Perhaps something behind those walls.

“...this is it.” Her feet stopped on the start of the bridge, next to a gatehouse beside the bridge.

Huge does not even begin to describe the size of those walls. Kaliber’s towers barely met one third of the height of the walls, let alone its length. When in the evening, every building and activity next to the walls is treated like night time for the shadows swallowed the city.

Below the bridge was a moat made out from the Yutai Basin, a nearly river-sized water feature. Aside then marching your army over impossible to climb mountains, this was the only way into Jantok Sky. And did it make you feel like you were in the clouds.

The bridge elevated high letting to the black gate, with two staircases for walking and a paved road for driving in goods with carts and wagons. Watchmen in the gatehouse beside them used heavy crossbows, ones that had to be manned by a crew of four. A checkpoint of guards and watchmen stood, as currently a werewolf merchant was being processed, as one watchmen was reading his papers.

“Huh. Ya know, I’m not sure if I really want to go in.”

“What do you mean?” Florato eyebrows raised in mild shock.

“I’m gonna go in, but… I have this creeping dread, ya know? Like something is going to happen when I’m in there or with ya guys out here.”

“Don’t worry Vega. We’ll just head to a restaurant nearby.” Valiato offered a calming idea. Almost what she needed, her friends doing something fun as she wrapped up all the bloody stuff. Hell, she would have preferred that idea. But…

“That’s good, but, I think it might-might be better if… one of ya guys go with me?”

They all stood aghast at Vega’s suggestion. Not because they were upset, but because Vega offered a chance to venture into one of the wonders of the Iozian world. However, Bolato had to tie them back to earth.

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“Guys, we’ve talked about this. Vega is the only one that has any reason and chance to be let in. Adding another person might not be necessary.”

“Yeah, and only a few people go inside from what it looks like.” Skaldi pointed, sober now, by Vega's suggestion.

“Hold on!” Florato stepped in front of the two of them in the dramatic fashion only an actor could. “Let’s not think of this as a ‘necessary’ choice but as one that Vega wants.”

“Huh?” Valiato seemed confused by the idea of Vega having a choice.

“Well, I kinda just want to do this with my friends. I’m more than willing to do this alone-lone, to a journey’s end and all that. But I think… I don’t know-I just have this feeling it might be a bit better.”

“I’m more than willing to go. You guys along with Vega have done a lot so I can at least do this service.” The actress went beside Vega and in a strange turn of events, held the scarecrow’s hand.

This might be the time where I’d make a lesiban joke in poor taste, but I was too giddy for that image. Oh so adorable!

Okay, back to the world being terrible.

“Florato, I understand. But remember, this is an Oligarch we’re talking about here. They’re going to have certain tastes for his visitors and sending Vega alone is a bit tricky. The only reason is we are sending her in because she’s the one designated to transport the box. More people might cause more problems.”

“True. Counterpoint, I have titties.”

“She does indeed have those.” Skaldi agreed, moving his eyepatch like they were scholar glasses.

“~What’s a titty Amir?~”

“~Ask Skaldi.~”

“What’s a titty Ska?”

“Ask Florato.”

“What’s a titty Flo?”

“Ask Vega.” Florato could barely contain; her laughter.

“What’s a titty Vega?”

“Something I like a lot.” Vega said the truest truths.

“Listen!” Bolato projected his voice, returning the conversation back to a tactic decision. “I don’t think we… should risk it.”

“Sweetie.” Skaldi hugged the arm of the soldier, putting as much charm on as he could.

“...yes Skaldi?”

“I promise that if you let three of us in, I’ll make us a wedding ring.” The elf’s voice was tender and comfy, making Bolato blush brightly as everyone snickered at his reaction. Seeing the soldier be the one on the backfoot in romance was certainly a sight.

“Uh-ha! Okay…”

“Isn’t that what you Iozians do? Get a ring to commemorate love and all that?” Skaldi spoke quietly, not trying to signal to the watchmen that they were secretly homosexual.

“Yep-yep! I oversaw a-a wedding once.”

“Really?” Skaldi rested his head on Bolato’s shoulder.

“Yeah. One of that of a deadman and Recor!” Vega put her hands on her chest and looked up to the sky in love.

“Oh. You did a funeral service. That’s morbid… anyway! How about it hubby? I’ll even put on a wedding dress that those Iozians wear.” Skaldi’s persuasion got plenty more laughter at Florato, and completely embarrassed Bolato.

“~Why is Bola so red? Don’t tell me the sodomites are going to have sex now?~”

“~It’s nothing, Ari. Skaldi is just playing him.~”

“~The boy? Playing someone? Ha!~”

Amir laughing at Bolato threw him over the edge, having his heart too much in flux.

“Fine. You guys…can do that. But we’re, as a team, going to pick out the dress together.”

“Deal!” Skaldi hustled over to the actress and the scarecrow. The reason why he even offered to join confused himself. He would likely face some ill manners and inhospitable rich men. Yet, the look on Vega’s face showed that she needed some here. That she needed her friends, and so he was happy to join her.

“Just…don’t touch anything? And do only what the watchmen tell you to, alright?” Bolato walked them over to the checkpoint, as the party jogged over seeing that they had just finished with the werewolf.

“Hello sir-sir, can we-”

“No.”

“I didn’t even get to-”

“NO.”A thick and deep masculine voice bursted out of the decorated warrior, echoing all around. You couldn’t even see the watchmen’s eyes. “Before anyone can get processed through the gate, everyone must be wearing the proper gear.” Pointing with the end of a spear, the werewolf’s clothes were certainly… odd.

The werewolf was wearing a strawberry colored bikini.

“Oh fuck…” Florato dreaded this.

“Oh fuck yeah!” Skaldi loved this. “A new opportunity to try out some new clothing, while being drunk? Don’t mind if I do!”

“Keep calm tarangs, we do provide such equipment at only one gold per person. We have a catalog of equipment for all shapes, sizes, and…” His presentation stopped when his eyes met Vega again. She wasn’t necessarily the Oligarch’s…type? I mean, she doesn’t even have anything to show off, unless one has a fetish for wood. “...creatures…”

A guard dressed in what could only be described as a sexualization of the Tripolian robes walked over displaying a magazine of the available options.

“Haha! By the spirits, I imagined Amir is pissed.” Skaldi covered his mouth with his hands, trying not to bring the wrath of the Tripolian.

“~Blood, I can handle. Stupidity, sure. Sodomites? I have dealt with them for years. But never in all my time have I have ever felt such a psychic disrespect done onto me. May the Iozian god have mercy on their lost souls.~”

“~Ari?~”

“~Sorry. I’m only absolutely livid right now, so I shouldn’t be speaking like this.~”

The actress and the elf crouched on the ground, bickering like best friends on what would look best on each other. Slight compliments, light touchings of each other's hair, and general sizing each other to better choose their clothing options.

Plus, they had rooms for all of them to wait without the view of the watchmen. So the team waited there as they changed.

Although Florato, as reasonable for her past treatment of her appearance, was initially more apprehensive to go along with the ‘equipment’. Ironically though, Skaldi’s judgment and sense of Florato’s own confidence added her in creating an outfit that she was comfortable with. Showing off skin around her midriff and shoulders, she didn’t look exploited or feel leered at. Beautiful and proud, was the phrase Skaldi gave her.

As for the effeminate elf, you can imagine his delight at all the options. On every turn of the magazine, he yelped and ‘oh's in excitement. Where Florato took ten minutes to get ready, Skaldi used thirty minutes in trying out all that he could.

Wearing puffy pants that exaggerated his hips (and yes, his fat ass) and free make up, Skaldi wished to prove himself superior in terms of beauty.

As a game to keep them from getting bored, everyone besides Skaldi used boards to rate his outfit choices, from one to ten.

He once walked out in a long cherry dress that paired with his long hair. Valiato and Vega gave him seven. Kaliba gave him four, don’t ask me how. Florato gave him five. Surprisingly, Amir gave him a nine. And Bolato gave him a kiss.