“What now?” asked Dedricus, looking around the larger system they were in.
“Well, I’m going to guess that we’re under the city now. Really, any ladder up is gonna take us where we need to go.” the Elf explained, shrugging as he did.
Little sunlight reached the depths below Droja. Only the dreaded unknown in the distance lay before them. None of them knew if the defense systems were installed in the depths of the city.
The mercenary took careful steps, driven mad by the thought of taking a wrong step and being sliced in half by the beams of Planar Magic. A small turn came up, one that seemed unnaturally small. He turned with great caution and found it to be clear.
Perhaps it was some kind of service tunnel they could use. It was worth checking out. The group squeezed into the space and carefully tread down the hall. It curved off to the left, leading to a glorious sight. At the end of the hall was an incredibly long ladder.
“Here it is!” Dedricus shouted, looking up to the metal bars that rose forever.
Three tiny holes filtered in light from the manhole cover above. Dedricus, leading the way as always, would be the first to rise into the city. He confidently placed both hands on the ladder with an iron grasp.
After climbing for an eternity, he reached the circular iron cover. Pushing the metal top up, throwing it onto the ground, he peaked his head out and scanned the area. They were in the glass building they had seen earlier, though it appeared far larger on the inside. Giving the okay, everyone else ascended.
Chapter 18
Dedricus lent a hand to the others, helping them into the glass building. Once everyone was in, they began searching around out of sheer curiosity. It was likely they were among a handful of humans to ever see such majesty of a race shrouded in mystery.
All the plants within the structure were alive and well. It had been about five centuries and the plants had not grown unruly, instead remaining in a “perfect” state. As Dedricus alerted Ari to it, the Half-Elf darted over to a row of potted plants and grabbed a handful of the dirt. He brought it close to his face and inspected it carefully. After playing with the soil a bit, he dropped it back down.
“What was that?” asked Dedricus, questioning his friend’s methods.
“They used magic-infused soil. Absolutely brilliant.”
“What, exactly, does that mean?”
“Even in their absence, the life they created would carry on.”
“That’s actually kinda beautiful.” the mercenary said, admiring the plants pristine condition.
The group continued through the glass building. Ari was eager to find out more about what kind of plants were housed in the building, namely, he was searching for any clues about the Core Tree. Judging by Ravious’ volumes it would be kept at the center of the city.
Most of the plants within the windowed building were smaller plants and bushes, with no trees being found as the group walked through the glass building. However, that did include various berry bushes and other food products.
It finally dawned on Dedricus that the structure had survived so long without breaking while being made of glass. Perhaps it was the large size of the panels or the strong metal that held them in place. Still, the question dug at him.
“Hey, how do you think all this glass managed to not break after so long?” he asked his group, hoping someone mysteriously knew the answer.
“Well, for starters, it’s probably not glass.” suggested the Half-Elf, rubbing his chin in thought.
“What could it be then?”
“Could be crystal.”
While it was unknown whether or not the Nienilef farmed their own, or traded with the Elves to get it, crystal was a near indestructible and clear substance. Elves farmed crystals in the dirt and had mastered the art of forming it into various shapes. It was entirely possible the crystal had been shaped into panels and arranged around a metal frame to form the building.
As they found an exit, a pair of large metal doors that led out into the city, Dedricus felt the urge to feel the clear panel next to them. It certainly wasn’t glass. Despite a smooth appearance, the surface felt rigid and textured.
Ari also placed a hand on it. As he expected, it was crystal but pulled his hand back and held it close to his chest. The surface just felt off, hideous and jagged when compared to glass or typical Elven crystal.
They carried on outside the glass building and progressed into the city. The streets were wide, made of red stones that had been once fitted together. Centuries of neglect had undone much of that, leaving them broken and crumbled.
As they had seen from atop the hill, the architecture was very much like that found in the ruins across the Highlands. The most notable difference was the great variety of height among buildings. It seemed odd to build such tall square shapes, with many of the tallest ones having toppled down.
“Why do you think they built like that, building up?” Kasyra asked as she looked around wildly, visibly curious about the odd design choices.
“I don’t really know. In their later years, the Nienilef grew reclusive. Why build out when they could build up?” Ari gave as a half answer.
The city was in complete disrepair and left in some kind of post apocalyptic state. This didn’t come as a huge surprise, considering a city so large required a great deal of upkeep. It was interesting, to Dedricus at least They were one of only a slim few people who had seen the city from the inside.
There was little else in it aside from ravaged buildings. It was eerily quiet throughout, as not even birds ventured into Droja. The silence gnawed at the group, racking their nerves. This quiet was broken as Dedricus let out a frightened groan.
All eyes were on him, before he pointed to the crumpled figure that rest in the shape of a human. It was seemingly made of a smooth, white stone with disjointed limbs. Two black eye slits remained cold and dark, with no signs of life at all. The rocky humanoid had the young man freaked out.
“Yep, that’s one of those sentry golems. We’re gonna be seeing more of those. Odd to think that thief was right…” stated Ari, whispering to himself by the end.
“It’s weird. It just looks so lifeless.”
“Well, if I’d imagine, they’re powered by magic. No magic left here!”
“We don’t know that for sure.” the Elf grumbled, poking at the defunct golem.
The stone sentries became a common sight as the group continued through the city, found crumbled along corners and, sometimes, in the middle of the streets. As to where they had been positioned or what their purpose, aside from security, may have been was indiscernible. They made Dedricus very uncomfortable, mostly because of the darkness within their eyes.
Progressing through, the group finally came upon a three way intersection. Looking down the main intersection, it appeared to lead towards the center of Droja. An immense white pillar, laden with decoratively shaped holes, had toppled over and took out much of the northeast section of the city with it.
“Let’s split up. Frankly, I want to explore that fallen tower!” Kasyra exclaimed, ready to venture off.
“Are you sure that’s the best idea?” asked Ari, crossing his arms in disagreement.
Dedricus looked around, then shrugged. They had been walking around the city for about thirty minutes. There was clearly no one there and the golems were long dead. They would face no disruptions and were free to explore as they pleased.
Arguing that they should get in and get out, the Elf objected. He felt as if it were wrong to dig among the ruins of the city. She dismissed it, claiming the Nienilef took whatever they wanted with them. With mild hesitation, they agreed to split up and meet back up at the intersection in a short while. If there was any danger, they’d hide near the rendezvous and regroup.
Dedricus and Ari head towards the center of Droja, while Kasyra climbed over rubble to reach the decimated northeastern portion of the city. While it did feel wrong to split up, the curious Half-Elf was eager to learn what he coul
d of the unknowable race and the Core Trees. They carried on their separate ways, wishing each other the best.
Chapter 19
Dedricus and Ari strolled down, what they believed to be, the main road of the city. It was lined with the largest standing squared structures and was far wider than the curved avenue they were walking down before hitting the intersection. Debris from the ruins still littered the streets.
A little further down the road lay a filthy doll, catching Dedricus’ eye due to it’s brighter color standing out against the gray and pink rubble. It was nothing like the dolls human children would play with. He went over to it, scooping up the tiny figure in his hands.
It was soft, made of some kind of fabric, and seemingly in the shape of an upright dog. Based on what little the other races knew of them, the Nienilef were thought to be canine in appearance. It was a doll, however. There was no telling what they actually looked like.
“What do you think happened here? To the Nienilef. Why did they leave?” asked Dedricus, dropping to one knee and putting the doll in his bag.
“Obviously, they retreated to their floating cities. They grew disgruntled with the corruption that had taken hold over the rest of the world and wanted to see to themselves.”
“Do they ever… Talk to each other? You know I’ve never seen one of their cities.”
“They’re mortal by every definition but I have reason to believe they've discovered telepathy or teleportation.”
“I mean, they’ve been up there a long time, no?”
“You don’t seem to understand. How long they've been ‘up there’ doesn't matter. Even with the most advanced magic we have access to, teleportation isn’t exactly possible. Its basis isn’t founded in any of the schools of magic.”
“Then what's the problem?”
“The problem is that in a five hundred year old prison, the Nienilef had created a pocket dimension system partially automated with Planar Magic. Why was such a thing hidden away? They kept secrets from us! From the rest of the world!”
“I guess I still don't understand… They made portals. So what?”
“Do you know the history of the War of the Black Dawn, by chance?”
Dedricus tilted his head from side to side. While he had heard of the conflict that occurred nearly a millennia prior, that sparked humanity’s first uses of magic, he wasn’t well versed in the specifics.
The Half-Elf began explaining a tactic of Klurenok, the demigod of death, used extensively in the war. By employing the use of invisible portals called “Hellgates”, he could mobilize mass amounts of forces in just minutes. He did this by closing wrinkles within a dimension he created as his own paradise.
Ari’s theory was that the Nienilef might have discovered something similar. Rather than employing the use of a pocket dimension, they had utilized the power to warp reality. Though this was impossible. The magical understanding and the kind of power needed to perform such an action would be near godlike.
“So you don’t think it’s possible that they made that wrinkle thing? What about Relothra then?”
“That's what's driving me insane. None of it is possible, even with magic! This goes beyond anything anyone knows.”
Dedricus puckered his lips to the side in confusion, not really able to relate to that level of understanding towards magic. While he could cast a whole range of Dark Magic spells, he mostly forced the ability to produce his spectral energy.
Throughout his life, he struggled with magic greatly. In his younger days, when his father began teaching him some basics, it was immensely difficult for the boy. Through management of his anger and frustrations, and despite doing it mostly incorrectly, he was able to maintain and develop his potential in Dark Magic.
“You’re telling me you actually strain to use magic?” Ari asked, holding back a snort of laughter.
Shamefully, Dedricus shook his head up and down. Magic was something he always struggled with. That was the reason why he was no mage or great spell caster. He took up the sword to compliment the brute exertion he needed to bring out his magic. He simply picked the few spells he could work with and utilized them to the best of his abilities.
With a heavy sigh, the Half-Elf couldn’t help but feel a slight level of remorse for his friend. Making a confession of his own, he explained that he had no mentor when learning magic. He fought tirelessly to strengthen his weak Earth Magic powers. He also expressed interest in learning better Water Magic. Without someone guiding him, he hardly knew if he was doing it right.
“Man, it’s okay…”
“Yeah, I guess. We’ve both become pretty damn good in our own right.”
The two laughed as they walked down the ruined street. Dedricus began to wonder what Kasyra was doing. He found himself thinking of her a lot lately.
“Say, what do you think of Kasyra?” the mercenary asked, figuring he could confide in his closest friend.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well, I kinda sort-” began Dedricus, interrupted by Ari’s squeak of giggling, “What?”
“You like her, don’t you?!” he asked bluntly, holding back laughter.
The mercenary shook his head in acceptance. What wasn’t to like? Despite a hot temper sometimes, something he was guilty of himself, she was kind and smart. He had honestly never felt that way about anyone before.
“So, yeah. I guess I like her.”
“And you haven’t seen it yet, have you?”
“Seen what?”
“The way she looks at you sometimes. Maybe it’s just cause you’re leading the way, but she’s always looking up at you with these stupid googly eyes. When we get back to Boranath, tell her how you feel and ask her to dinner!”
“R-really?” stammered Dedricus, his fingers twitching lightly.
“Sure. What’ve you got to lose?”
“Uh, a friend, maybe? I just don’t want to make it awkward. Ya know? I just really enjoy having her around. She’s awesome.”
“She’s pretty cool. Do it. I think the two of you will be alright.”
From the pillar’s fall, the walkway near Droja’s center was left in a cataclysmic state with parts of it cracked and jutting up. Despite the occasional vault over rubble, Dedricus walked the whole way with a goofy smile. There was a noticeable absence of golem bodies lying around.
He was unsure of how to feel about that fact, but carried on mostly worry free. Growing ever closer to the heart of the city, the ruined white spire rose ever taller. It was easily bigger than any other structure around it. The two wondered what they’d find within, with the urge to explore it still biting within the driven young man.
Reaching its very base, the pillar was casting a shadow over everything near it. Even the Brass Citadel in Nylevran was smaller than Droja’s spire. The odd holes and grooves within the tower seemed to have no real purpose, as there were no different floors. The whole thing seemed a bit artsy versus having any real purpose.
Making it into the tower’s base, Dedricus and Ari found a withered tree inside. Though this was no usual tree, revealed by its dull blue bark and thick mid-section. They had stumbled upon a dead Core Tree. All of its leaves had fallen off and blanketed the dirt around it, leaving it’s dead limbs to appear as claws reaching upwards.
Ari’s heart sunk, seeing the tree without a brilliant glow of life. He could only frown as he approached it, placing a hand on its faded exterior. Suddenly, a surge of energy shot throughout the tree. The spark started from where the Half-Elf had placed his hand, traveling up to the branches and down to the roots. The sudden energy startled him, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards onto the crunchy leaves below.
As the handprint remained branded on the tree, bright green veins surfaced along the bark. Both Dedricus and Ari were left awestruck. The network of lines pulsed with a downward flow, leading far below the roots of the tree.
Buried under the dead leaves, five tiny orbs of light filtered through. Reaching down, Ari pic
ked one up. In his hand was a seed, a glowing blue seed. He laughed in excitement as he held the tiny thing in his palm.
“Do you know what this means?!” he asked Dedricus with a massive smile across his face.
“Core Tree seeds.” the young man replied to his Half-Elven companion passing him a wide smile back.
“Based on what I've read, yes! I can grow more. I can learn of their early development cycles! I can have my own Core Tree one day!”
Wasting no time, the two picked up the remaining seeds. Emptying one of the pouches kept at his waist, Ari stored them safely. Turning back to the tree, he closed his eyes and lowered his head a bit.
With what sounded like a low gust of wind, the Core Tree lost all the color it gained when the Half-Elf touched it. As if with its dying breath, the tree ensured the safety of its offspring. How it could hold on at all was quite the mystery.
“Why don't we get back to Kasyra? She probably got sick of walking over rubble and seeing nothing but bricks.”
Ari wished to discover more about the, now dead, Core Tree. If anything, he would at least take a sample of it’s bark or even an entire branch. Never before had he seen another specimen and, despite its death, one that was in such good condition.
Watching from a few yards away, Dedricus laughed as the Half-Elf leapt up and down to try to grab a branch off the tree. Despite tiring himself out rather quickly, he was determined. His fingers scraped the bark of a low hanging branch with each vault upwards.
As if he were granted the agility and strength of his ancestors, Ari made one final leap. His entire right hand wrapped around the branch, before swinging his left hand up to secure himself. He laughed in success, bouncing up and down to shake it loose and break it off. Under his weight, the long branch finally snapped off the tree.
Both remained silent as the Half-Elf smacked the floor. The branch rattled along the ground, but remained intact. After standing and rubbing his back a bit, Ari laughed aloud, prompting Dedricus to burst into a fit of laughter. After calming down a bit, he took the stick in hand and brandished it in success.
The Sufferer's Chronicle - Book 1: The Soul Prison Page 9
