Four Horsemen: Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

Petor stretched in his seat and drank from his canteen.

The sun was coming to set as they slowly plodded forward through the merchant gate.

“More guards than normal,” the merchant sighed. “Usually just a few around, look at them, checking the ground and the air.”

“Can feel the jumpiness,” Petor said.

“Don’t bode well, don’t bode well at all.”

Petor stood up on his chair and held onto the cart, looking ahead.

Clint, Jaxus and several others were at the front. The cart rolled forward as they took up the place of the last merchant group.

Jaxus took out papers and handed them to a guard officer and several of his people.

Guards moved down the carts on their mounts, checking various magical devices. Before returning.

A few stamps a handshake and they were moving again. Petor looked back, at the edge of the lake he could see the world stretched out beyond.

The gates covered them in shadow. Magical lights illuminated the tunnel through the wall. It was a few minutes before they came out the other side.

The city rested in the middle of the lake, a few hundred meters at the longest and barely fifty at the closest.

Barges moved from the walls around the lake to the city. Bridges connected the island-city to the gates.

The carts turned down a road away from the bridge. A rider met back up with Jaxus before he and some guards headed down the road.

It didn’t take them long to catch up. A dozen barges of different sizes under signs that made no sense to Petor.

Jaxus was there, waving them aboard a barge.

The crew called out to them, orientating and shifting the carts around to fit them all.

Petor pressed his hands to his back, cracking his spine and looking at the city.

Buildings of a thousand different designs climbed up into the sky. A solid tower of stone, two-toned three quarters of the way jutted a kilometre and a half in the sky.

It was wider than any of the other towers. Bridges connected the towers, creating a path that met the largest tower in the middle.

“The white tower that’s been fixed up, what is that?”

“They sky tower, reaches up to hold the air-gate where one can cross over to the air plane. All those other towers are the different air academies, sects and guilds. Closer you are to an elemental gate, the more elemental mana it gives off.” The merchant shook his head. “Used to be good, though doubt they’re thinking that with all of the creatures coming through now.”

The barge shifted.

A glance showed they were pushing away from the shore with several of the barge’s sailors using large poles against the dock.

A whistle called out, loud then high and low again.

The barge was dragged forward.

“I don’t see any oars.”

The merchant laughed. “You wouldn’t they got tame beasts or elementals pulling us.”

The barge moved across the waters, brilliant blue, with a white undertone, impossible to see through.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“Not a problem.” The merchant waved him off.

He found Mya, Desari and Valter at one side of the barge with their mounts and Mirradon.

“One heck of a city,” Mya said.

“Guess we should be accepting that mission?” Petor asked, rubbing Mirradon’s neck.

“Lets get settled in, see what we can find out ourselves first,” Desari said.

“Don’t want to jump into a mission that’ll churn us up and spit us out,” Valter said.

“Yeah something that has to be giving a place like this problems. Well it ain’t going to be simple is it?”

“Always simple looking back on it,” Mya said.

They sunk into silence as the city grew closer. Docks jutted out of the side of the city. Gates led into the city above ground and others below.

Birds and lifts carried goods and people up into the towers or brought them back down. Boats even at this hour were moving around the island and the edges. Fishermen came in from their day’s toils.

Lights, a panorama of colors came to life by flame and mana.

The sun sunk earthward, lighting the sky with pinks, purples and oranges. The clouds broken and cracked without a clear pattern.

The barge’s sailors called out to those at the dock as the captain let out a series of whistles. The barge’s beasts obeying his calls.

***

Desari was overflowing with mana. Aetheria really was a paradise for elemental mages. She held back her words as the merchants and their guards got the tired mounts moving, the day barely holding on by fingernails as they worked through the huts, houses and businesses that clung to the road leading to the gate.

The taverns were in full swing while the food vendors were all closed except for those hoping to catch some of the late night revelers.

Jaxus and Clint got them access through the wall.

“Protections are thick here,” Valter said.

“Wall is much thinner than the one around the rim. Guess they’re trying to keep as much space as possible,” Mya said.

Desari looked at the wall as they travelled through the tunnel.

“Its hardened against the elements and has other inscriptions built in. Ones that would redirect mana used against them.” Desari followed them till they disappeared. “They go under the city at a severe angle.

“They say that the walls have been here since the city was created,” Mya said. “Though these look like parts of a bigger whole.”

They passed out of the tunnel into the city, a large road ran behind the wall, sepereating them from the buildings.

Each was made from stone, large streets cut through the island, so straight Desari could see a few kilometers across the island.

“Oh, wow.” Mya shook her head. “There’s no way that this place wasn’t built.” She stood in her stirrups. “I need to get higher.”

“What for?”

“Then I can see just what this place looks like. This isn’t just an island, this is a creation. Someone, well several thousands of someones built this place with inscriptions all tied together for  some kind of function. The sheer scale of it.”

“How big is it?” Petor asked.

“Five kilometers between the water gates, ten kilometers between the mortal gates. Then fifteen hundred kilometers up to the air gate, a kilometer down to the Earth ring gates and a further two and a half kilometers to the fire gate,” Mya said.

Desari looked up, having to crane her head back, the tops of the towers obscured among the other buildings and bridges. It was a whole other world above them.

Air mana flared and a tear opened to the whirling wastes of the air plane. Beasts poured forth. Spells were hurled out from the towers around the opening, crashing into the beasts as the tear started to close.

In seconds it closed, more spells hurled out to track down the horde of beasts, not calming until there was nothing left.

“Looks like the mages up there are earning their pay,” Valter said.

They flowed with the rest of the traders through the streets, turning down into the warehouse district close to the gates. Large doors were opened and the gates moved inside, they were pushed up against the walls and the mounts freed from their harnesses to be cared for.

A guard ran up to them.

“Trader has extended an offer to care for your mounts and rooms with the inn that we’re staying at if you’re interested?”

Desari looked at the others.

“It got a bath?” Mya asked.

“If there’s one thing that Aetheria has its plenty of water and heat,” The guard grinned.

“Perfect, then we’ll take it, lest you wanna go somewhere else?” She looked at the others.

Desari shook her head along with them. Riding for several days and the fighting had left her tired.

“Perfect,” Mya slipped down from Mesurial and held out a her reins. “Thank you.” She gave him a wink that left the guard with a grin that threatened to split his face, eyes darting down as she walked away.

He whistled, a few other guards and hired help moving over.

Petor and Valter dismounted. Desari patted Rezzie. “I know its thick with elemental mana, don’t consume it all.”

He batted her to the side, his eyes turned reptilian and scales appearing on his nose for a half second before he returned to appearing like a normal horse.

She patted his side and loosened the saddle’s straps, pulling off some of her gear and handing it over to the waiting help.

They reached the inn, Clint handed them two keys.

“Dinner is down in the tavern, one meal, one beer. He pointed to the building facing the street. We’re in these dorms.” He patted the building behind him, A three story affair built onto the back of the tavern. “Baths are out back,” He pointed to a domed building, steam rising out of a vent. “Keys are for the same room. You’re all in one.” He raised an eyebrow as if to ask if it would be a problem.

“Not my first time bunking with mates,” Mya held out her hand.

“Don’t go saying that near my lads too much, else they jump to be your mates in a flash,” He grinned.

Mya chuckled and shook her head. “Even an ole captain like me has to have some fun now and then. Thanks Clint.”

She walked past him and up the stairs, passing a key to Valter behind her.

“Dump our gear and head into the baths?” Mya said.

“Need to do some maintenance on my gear first then I’ll join you,” Valter said.

“Same,” Petor said.

“Me too,” Desari said.

“Can get the fighters out of the fight, but can’t get the fight out of the fighters,” Mya said. She stopped before a door. “This is it.” She unlocked the door and pushed it open.

The sun had set, leaving them with the lights of the city.

Desari snapped her fingers, converting the heat and friction, compressing them empowering them and splitting several small flames from her hand that drifted to the lanterns around the room and fell upon the lantern’s wicks.

Light filled the room.

“Nice control,” Petor said.

“I’m used to the increase in ambient in mana, its still less than what I’m used to.” Desari closed the door and locked it behind her.

The room was simple, shutters next to the door and at the rear of the room. Four bunk beds with three beds apiece with a space inbetween to walk.

Each claimed a bed, throwing down sleeping pads, bags and pillows.

Weapons and armors were laid out with brushes and oils.

“So what is our next move then?” Mya asked, blowing on and empty flintlock with the hammer pulled back, she set to it with a metal bristled brush.

“Accept the mission?” Petor asked.

“We need to gather information still,” Desari said. “

“A nice long rest first. Clean our gear, our clothes, ourselves and a night’s sleep,” Valter said.

Desari paused her thoughts tripping over one another.

“I know that we have all been tending to our own crafts and cultivations these last few days. I am just curious, how strong have you all become?” She looked at them and the sudden quiet. “I have reached Yellow flecked with green.”

“Yellow Petor said.

“Same,” Mya said.

“Yellow flecked with green too,” Valter said. “Going to need Dimantium soon to make higher level gear.” There was an underlying tension to his words.

“Hedgewick should have something,” Mya said.

“Ten thousand an ingot.” Petor winced at Vatler’s words, letting out a soft cure.

“Seventy five hundred for the ore. That’s why I got more Mithril, get more essence and make gear that Hedgewick would want to sell. In a city with a gate to the fire realm there should be some smithies around that can work Dimantium.”

“We’ll keep an ear out,” Desari said.

“Damn right, afterall being able to get Dimantium armor is near impossible normally,” Mya said what she’d been thinking.

Just the gear alone was worth grouping up with the others.

“Oh, Petor I was working on some leather and I was thinking about working on a new sling for you if you’re interested,” Mya said.

“Better gear is always welcome, what were you thinking?”

“Well something that worked to enhance the mana you were putting into the object in the sling? Or something to increase the speed it moves at. Lots of options and I have some good cutoffs.”

“Between you and Valter I ain’t going to be retiring anytime soon am I?”

“There’s a reason a fighter’s armor is seen as a family heirloom,” Valter said.

Mya and Petor talked, Valter worked on his gear, Desari watched them all out of the corner of her eye as she worked her gear.

Well teacher, I finally went on that adventure. Though dying was not how I thought about starting it. And-well-I guess I’ve made some friends along the way. Or at least reliable companions.

She stopped her head from turning to Mya.

“Why did you come?”

“Well we’re the four horsemen right?” Mya asked.

“Figured it’d be more fun up here with you two,” Petor said.

Their actions, their words, they’d been genuine. None of the political rhetoric, half answers and barely parsed questions.