by S C Gowland
‘I cannot enter the city myself. My job is purely to be the gatekeeper and I will leave immediately after I have opened again. Do you understand.’ she said much more fiercely this time.
Kubrean nodded ‘Two days, in and out.’ he said with a sober grin. ‘Although I'm not entirely sure what we are meant to search as there is nothing here.’
Gythe smiled broadly. ‘Watch.’ she said.
Shaking her hands out as she moved backwards, turned, took twenty paces forward slowly, she crouched down, pulling herself into a ball. She thrust her right hand outwards and her Walkerblade jumped into her waiting palm.
Romina felt the familiar tingle of Fajin energy, but on a whole different level.
It made the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stand up.
She felt an itching sensation throughout her body, a dull whining noise build in her ears.
She felt the air getting closer; red hot and ice cold all at the same time.
Gythe began to shimmer, grass around her swirled as if she was surrounded by miniature tornado - thousands of strands danced and twisted - with her at the epicentre.
Slowly, the shimmer formed into a glow just around the edges of her body, a golden dust surrounding her. Gythe pulled in heaving breaths, the surrounding image, pulsed, vibrated, reaching slowly outwards.
Romina watched her eyes searching everywhere, jaw slackening, eyelids flickering.
The golden image throbbed seeming to breathe itself into life. Thickening out, golden specks of light solidifying into a shimmering image, many times bigger than the Paragon Walker herself.
The wind continued to increase in ferocity, it buffeted Romina nearly knocking her from her feet.
The Fajin energy being absorbed and used by the Paragon Master of the Walker Order was on a scale Romina had never known.
Slowly, with visible strain, Gythe stood. Her hand still tightly grasping the Walkerblade.
She raised her arms straight above her head and gently pulled her dark arms down either side of her; the giant golden image around her, mimicking each moves.
The scenery in front of Gythe, wavered, rippled, quivered upwards and outwards for hundreds of metres to either side of her, like a stone thrown into a pond.
She stepped forward thrusting the Walkerblade straight into the wavering image. She twisted her hips, letting out an animal yell, head trembling.
The blade morphed into a long staff. Her yell increased in volume and pitch as she began to twirl the staff around her hands.
Faster and faster, the staff spun with dizzying speed, Romina could barely keep her eyes on it. The golden image above and around her doing the same.
Romina took half a step backwards, eyes fluttering. She raised her hands, trying and failing to stop the wind from blowing debris into her face.
The staff continued to spin.
Then a tear appeared between her feet.
Grey cold, light.
Completely at odds with the yellow of the grass.
The tear crept upwards, dull light seeping from the crack that widened; Its jagged tip reaching, searching for the next weak spot.
The staff continued to twirl, but the wind changed direction. It no longer spun around Gythe, it pulled at Romina, ice cold claws grasped at her clothing, at her legs, beckoning her towards like a lover.
The crack, a shard of grey - now fifty metres high – which continued to rise into the sky began to widen out at the base.
Romina tensed her muscles, resisting the icy pull of the wind, legs trembling, as the crack expanded out revealing a different place behind it.
Romina's breath stopped, and maybe her heart did for a moment too, as the air rushed past, whistling around her head.
She saw grass; silver and lifeless.
Hills; low and menacing.
And towers; dozens of towers.
Grey, looming and monolithic
But this was not what took her breath away.
When she had arrived at Prava she had been amazed by the size of the Blue Oak tree that was the university itself. Its size and dominance over the land overwhelming. A view of beauty in nature she had never seen before.
What emerged before her now was the exact opposite.
Towers, each the size of the Blue Oak, but grey and shattered.
It was a moment caught in time.
Each tower burst apart; cracked, splintered and utterly, terribly, broken.
Her breath stopped in her throat, as her eyes widened working their way up from the wide base of the nearest tower.
It was shattered, but each splinter and shard gently, effortlessly held in mid-air. as if it had just that second exploded outwards.
Her eyes searched, they were all the same, dozens of towers, all broken; fractured component parts floating above them helplessly. Giant chunks of masonry hovered in the sky slowly twisting,
All at least half a mile wide. Entire structures blown outwards and upwards but remaining static hundreds of metres in the air. They slowly rotated turning on themselves, twisting on their own axis, but very much remained in the sky. It was quite the most mesmerising sight Romina had ever seen.
She gasped as the tear continued to reach upwards into the sky, fading blurring to the distance, its movement sideways stopped, the curtain fully pulled back. Golden fields with a blue white clouded sky on one side. On the other grey, silver and lifeless.
The golden image surrounding Gythe melted away, dust fading into the ground.
Gythe, with a great deal of effort, slowly turned toward the stunned Walkers.
‘Welcome,’ she gasped, face covered with sweat. ‘To the lost city of Zuivosal.’
Chapter 25 – The Shattered City
‘This is,’ announced Lauden to nobody in particular, ‘one eerie frakking place.’
His eyes darting nervously left, right, uncertain what to look at or what to expect next.
‘It's just not natural.’ he continued, rambling incessant.
Romina tried to ignore him; jaw clenched and breathing slowly through her nose.
‘Rocks shouldn't do that…’ he said pointing at a collection of masonry simply hanging above a ruined base.
To be fair, he did have a point.
It wasn't every day that you saw a half mile wide tower blown apart, with all its component parts merely dangling in the air.
‘It’s just not right.’ he continued shaking his head.
She pursed her lips and glanced at him.
He rolled his shoulder, blew out a breath and shook his head.
‘Weird,’ he said, ‘do you know what I mean?’
In fairness Romina knew exactly what he meant, but she was reluctant to give him the satisfaction of a reply.
They had entered the city - or ruins of Zuivosal, she was unsure which was more accurate - a few short hours ago. True to her word Gythe had stayed at the entrance. Her forced smiles hiding a monumental effort to opened and maintain the doorway.
Their first impression had been one of wonder.
How could a city end up like this?
What could have happened to create such destruction?
Who or what was responsible?
Questions created more questions as they had taken in the sight before them.
It appeared that every part of the city, was there - more or less. They had passed under several large arches causing everyone to look nervously upwards at hundreds of tons of stone and masonry merely hanging above their heads. It was quite a sobering thought entering the city knowing you could be squashed at any instant if, for whatever reason the forces that held up the masonry suddenly decided to stop.
‘It is quite something.’ nodded Romina.
Lauden grunted, eyes fixed on something else.
‘I just can't understand how it works.’ he said, pulling a face leaning out of his saddle, gazing up at yet more wreckage.
She followed his gaze, squinting into the distance. Light reflected and glimmered; windows, chairs, table
s, books, bits of staircases, all manner of wreckage and debris just hanging around. If she was honest. Lauden wasn't the only one that was unsettled by the new surroundings. Fixed firmly in her mind was the two day deadline. It did not include time for sleeping and eating or any of the other activities you would normally expect, but they had no choice time was against them. The prospect of being trapped within the city was almost less appealing than floating buildings.
Everything within the city was slightly off. It appeared to be a network of towers connected by interlinking roads with no shops, no housing, nothing at all in between. Just independent towers connected by gravelly roads that had overgrown. Only the fact that the road was slightly raised, meant that they were visible to the naked eye. It was unlike any town or city she had ever seen.
She had noticed other things too. It was as if all her senses were heightened just by passing through the barrier. It had taken a couple of attempts to encourage Essa to pass through and if she was honest, she could hardly blame the Panthera for being so reluctant. It had been a shock to their systems sending a shudder through them both; like jumping into a river when the water is colder than you expect. Sound muffled for a second and then they were inside.
Greeted by silence. Complete and utter stillness.
She shifted in her seat. Other things had come to her attention after the novelty of shattered buildings had worn off.
The sun shone overhead, but there was no real heat.
There were no trees, no bushes, no shrubs, only plain golden grass and towers, that was it. She had seen no signs of life, anyway; neither birds nor animals.
Nothing else.
She continued to size up her new surroundings as tension increased in her body, legs tight, chest heavy.
She did not like this place and the sooner they were out the better.
***
They drew to a halt at a three-way junction, gathering around Nova, who was scowling at the surroundings
‘I do believe.’ said Nova, attempting to look at three pieces of rustling paper at once. ‘That this is where we have to split up.’ he offered a short nod, partly Romina suspected to reassure himself, and a reluctant smile to seal the deal.
He pointed to a light grey building carved out of a sheer face of rock. A hill rose up above it as the valley fell away creating a hooded effect. A thick wall spread out from the central gateway, blocks cold, grey and square. They moved outwards left and right enveloping the central structure before merging into the hillside. At its centre, stood a thick set tower, a different building to the rest in Zuivosal, silver domed crown like top. The tower beneath as wide as it was tall.
A practical design.
Not like some of the more opulent offerings that surrounded it. This was a building with a specific purpose in mind, to keep people out.
‘My guess is that is the citadel.’ he blinked.
‘Your guess?’ said Kryst with a smirk.
Nova ignored it.
‘You’d have thought he’d have thought this through better, being in charge and all that.’ said Dalon face semi-serious. ‘But that is just a guess.’
‘Indeed.’ nodded Kryst sagely.
‘Do you mind?’ said Nova, shoulder slumping.
Dalon raised an open hand. ‘Oh, don’t mind us.’ he said. ‘Please do continue…’
‘That is the citadel.’ said Nova.
‘Now that sounds better...’ said Kryst nodding to Dalon. ‘More definite.’
‘Almost like he’s in charge AND know what he’s doing.’ said Dalon with a wide grin.
Nova gave them a withering look.
The pair grinned.
Kubrean’s eyes fell upon them.
Grins faded as the pair shuffled to sit straighter in their saddles, but mischief still shone in their eyes.
‘They go there.’ Nova pointed at the citadel; eyebrows raised.
Silence.
‘We. Go there.’ he pointed in the opposite direction.
Silence.
A small smile spread across his face.
‘Are you sure?’ asked Zalen, winking at Kryst.
Nova groaned.
Kryst muttered something and lowered his head into his hands.
‘He almost gets it.’ said Dalon with a slow shake of his head.
‘I know. I know.’ said Kryst shrugging his shoulder.
‘Get what?’ said Zalen looking between the pair, face puzzled.
‘I’ll explain later.’ said Kaoldan, suppressing a grin.
‘Oh, ok.’ said Zalen face brightening.
Kryst sighed.
Nova sniffed loudly and waited, eyes searching.
Silence.
‘I have spoken with both Aralorne and Tokel. They know where we need to search and what we need to look for. It is my hope that despite the rather, err, dilapidated state of many of the buildings. We should be able to work our way around them. The designers of Zuivosal were very well organised, apparently. At least that is my hope.’ he said.
Nova raised a finger, mouth tight, and pointed at Kryst and Dalon, sat like statues in their saddles.
‘So be it.’ said Kubrean. ‘We will split into two groups. Group A will go with Nova and investigate the Citadel and group B that be led by Tokel and myself, we will investigate the old academic quarter.’
Romina looked towards the tower in the opposite direction; the academic quarter she assumed. It looked vastly different to the stoic, pragmatic citadel; almost a recreation of the university at Prava. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery she had been told. So, it made complete sense to copy what nature had conveniently already created. Three smaller towers - in close proximity - of varying heights, leafless silvery stone representations of the Blue Oak, decorated with spires jutting out at various points, rather than a dome. Romina considered them rather beautiful.
‘We meet back here at midday tomorrow.’ said Kubrean. ‘We will have to sleep where and when we can, if at all. And I for one have no desire to be sealed up in this place. So, lets be focused, thorough and get out of here as quickly as we can.’
Murmurs of agreement.
‘Regardless of whether we have answers or not. We leave here together tomorrow. Good hunting and to all of you - Good Journey.’ he said bringing his clenched fists together before pressing them to his lips and opening his hands outwards.
The old Walker blessing, Romina smiled, always one for tradition.
All members of the group returned the blessing.
Tokel looked towards Nova, the pair dismounted from their horses, moved forwards hugged, words were exchanged, and they kissed.
Romina glanced towards them and then away.
She snatched a glance at her father, their eyes met.
He mouthed to her ‘Take care please’.
She nodded, returned the smile and mouth back ‘You too’. She felt the cold gnawing of fear in her stomach. One thought had entered her head; why had they sealed the city? Why go to such lengths and efforts to hide ruins and old buildings – impressive though they were – what was the point?
She had seen abandoned towns, here and there; picked clean of all useful materials and left to rot. Why would Zuivosal be any different, or why should it be any different? There were only two reasons as far as she could see; keep people out or to keep something in. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, quickly skimming over everything looking for clues. She caught Zahara staring at her, face amused.
‘What?’ she mouthed.
Zahara mimicked her sister’s terrified face.
Romina tightened her mouth and gave a look of contempt.
Her sister suppressed a smile, then stuck her tongue out.
Romina returned the gesture. If you can’t beat them, join them.
A grin grew on her face, her sister’s attitude was the right one. They were here in a dead city, in numbers surrounded by rocks and debris. She turned Essa and followed Tokel.
What possible danger could there be?
/> ***
The danger it appeared was death by silence.
She had never been particularly keen on research, particularly research involving more ancient dusty books than she could read in a lifetime and a growing uncertainty about exactly what she was looking for.
As they had entered the academic quarter, the carnage had become clearer. The buildings were a mess of masonry, rocks, planks of wood, shattered glass, plaster and above all else paper. It hung in the air like autumn leaves. It was the weirdest thing. They had entered the structure slowly, uncertain what to expect. Would they float up into the air upon entering it?
No, had been the answer. Kubrean had tested this by throwing a rock into the main entrance, it had clattered to the floor, sound ricocheting around the stone interior, making a hell of a racket. It was hardly subtle, but it had made tense faces less so.
The inner courtyard was a vast wasteland, scattered with debris, some objects floating, other strewn – over hundreds of metres - all over the ground. Grey walls reaching up into the sky, dizzyingly tall. Three towers stood side by side.
Wincing as she had done it, Romina had poked one large floating rock with her Walkerblade, it bobbed and slowly wobbled, like a barrel in a lake.
‘Don’t…’ said Kryst, face serious, one hand raised.
‘Why not?’ she asked. ‘We have to touch stuff.’
He lowered his hand, face less certain.
She poked the rock again to emphasise the point.
It slowly, silently spun away.
Kryst looked away sheepishly.
That was the other thing she had noticed, the silence. Every noise was sharp, amplified and echoed around them. She found that each noise made her jump, her ears alert for anything and everything. Which added to the eerie feel of the whole place.
She shuddered; it was getting colder too and paying attention to everything was beginning to make her neck and shoulders ache.
She arched her neck back, taking in the full height of the central tower.
‘I hope it’s not on the top floor.’ murmured Lauden with a pained expression.
‘Not sure we’d get up and down it by this time tomorrow.’
Romina gawped and swallowed.