UNKNOWN

I was woken by the constant oscillation and rickety turbulence of the cart I had fallen asleep in.

After leaving the orphanage I had managed to hop on the back of a merchant’s horse and trailer after bumping into him close to where I set off. Clearly, the Director had expected somebody to offer me a ride, as today was the third day of travel – there was no way I could have walked to the Capital in time for the trials.

Rays of sunlight pierced through the canopy of the forest illuminating the bright colours of nature around me. Maple tree-tops glowed around the trail above us creating a sea of golden red and pink blossom fluttered like butterflies towards the ground.

Despite the euphoria of my surroundings, I couldn’t help but cast my mind to the questions I had for the Director. I wanted her to answer them, but she never gave me the chance.

Was she always this mysterious?

Thinking about it I had never questioned her actions or decisions directly in front of her - maybe that was the side effect of being shielded from the outer world. The Director kept everyone close to her and the orphanage. Perhaps the happy-go-lucky atmosphere she created was her trying to preserve everyone’s innocence. They were good intentions but probably an unrealistic attitude towards things.

Surely people need to be ready for the dangers of the wider world.

“Hey son we’re -ere,” The Merchant exclaimed, his voice cracking.

A warm yellow hue erased the overcast shadow of the leaves over us and I sat up. The ring the Director had given me glistened a brilliant purple around my index finger as I dragged one knee up under my torso so I could scan the surroundings.

The forest had opened to a vantage point which presented a magnificent view of a city that sprawled out across the land like a mosaic. Its furthest point faded out until the mountains that surrounded the easterly side of the city. Spires stood defiantly above buildings catching the early morning sun that had poised itself in the space between two great mountains in the distance. Highlights of orange accentuated the features of their architecture. Plumes of grey smoke from chimneys were dotted around the city skyline. They rose into the sky contrasting to the striking colours of sunlight before trailing off into thin air.

It felt like I was looking at a painting but instead it existed in front of me. I had only ever read about civilisations in books – seeing something like this in person felt surreal.

The merchant's horse trotted down a winding path that meandered towards the entrance of the city. As we grew closer a parade of noises filled my ears and the trail joined a wide pathway.

The lane housed hundreds of merchants with carts of goods with people littered in between them filling every nook and cranny of space. A mixing pot of spices enriched the air as each wagon passed by me shared by the spritely commotion of the queuers.

I had never seen this many people in my life.

With this influx of traders and people, I could see why this was the capital of Nacreous.

My feet sunk into the sandy soil as I stepped off the merchant’s cart. I thanked him before joining the queue to enter the city walls. The direction of the crowd shuffled towards a towering archway of stone bricks that opened a hole in the bulwark. It scaled multiple storeys high and I had seen the immense structure from the top of the hill, honestly, it was hard to miss from up there. It enclosed the city, acting as the guardian to all the civilians whom it contained.

As I moved forward with the crowd, I approached the opening and could see people stationed on top of the stone barrier behind the parapet that lined the top of the wall. They were dressed in a uniform that consisted of a collared jacket that was buttoned to the top, a belt that wrapped around their waists which carried each of their weapons and boots that rose to slightly under the knee where they were buckled tightly against each guards’ trousers. Each soldier that I could see had a different colour uniform: A deep navy blue, a viridian green, a-

“Dirty peasant watch yourself,” a voice hissed from behind me. I had stopped momentarily to look at everything around me and had forgotten the slow-moving crowd I was standing stationary in.

“Sorry…” I scoffed before turning my head around. My eyes locked with an elderly man who was perched on top of a horse and carriage with reigns in his hands. A top hat lay firmly on his head with flowing white locks that seeped out the undersides of the accessory. He wore a black suit lined with red embroidery and displayed a glistening gold badge that sat perched on his blazer pocket.

“Sorry? Sorry? You should be on your knees begging for forgiveness boy. Do you not know who this emblem represents?” The man seethed. Veins virtually popping out of his neck. His finger outstretched pointing towards his chest.

I kept my eyes locked on his – they didn’t move. The man changed expression slightly, the confident anger he displayed wavered as I stood there defiantly. The snort of his horse broke the deadlock between us, and I tilted my head.

“My apologies ‘Sir’,” I spoke wryly, my tone cold. The traffic in proximity around me had stopped and in the corner of my eyes, I could see people staring in my direction. I lifted my gaze from the man to see merchants and travellers in the queue across from me quivering and shaking.

Ignoring them, I darted forward keeping my head down weaving in between haulages until I reached near the front of the queue, leaving the angered coachman in my wake.

***

A well-armoured garrison stood in a blockade at the entrance to the archway, they were poised for combat. One by one they allowed people and carts through their line to various sentries who were checking legal information. The arch looked even more daunting close-up. Vegetation clung onto the stone slabs that made up the structure and water dripped in rhythmic time against the cobblestone paving of the ground. After waiting for the small number of people in front of me I had reached the front of the stream of travellers.

“Paper’s.” The guard in front of me demanded sternly. He stood upright and wore similar garments to those of the soldiers I had seen on top of the stone defence. A deep gouge ran down from the side of his eye to his jaw, the scarred tissue slightly pink compared to his light olive skin.  

“Yes, Sir,” I replied, my answer muffled as I rummaged through my bag for the documents the Director had given me. Due to the intense boredom of the trip to the Capital, caused by the seldom speaking merchant, I had ended up going through all the things she had given me…. four or five times. After churning through the contents of my backpack, I pulled out a thin pack of crinkled white papers and handed them to the guard.

A few minutes passed before the man lifted his eyes from the documents. His gaze seemed satisfied but also mixed with a hint of confusion.

An easy face to read I thought, stifling a chuckle in the process.

“Your papers all seem good but there’s some missing information on your personal details. I’d like to ask you a few questions.” Before I could respond the militant continued. “It states here that your first name is Sam but there is no family name written.”

I paused before I spoke, taking time to formulate my answer to not make myself any more suspicious.

“I have chosen not to represent anybody.”

A look of suspicion flashed onto the man’s face. He seemed quite taken aback by my response.

“Do you know the benefits your family can receive if you complete noteworthy achievements?”

 I controlled my expression to show my boredom in response to his trivial questioning.

“Is that all?” I said, continuing my act of disinterest.

“I suppose.” He leaned around me to look at the mass of people that filled the pathway behind. “I’m in a rush today so your good to go.” He adjusted his body back to an upright position as he spoke and handed my papers back to me. “Welcome to Hessdalen.”

I walked out of the archaic entrance onto a main thoroughfare. Shops lined the sides of the wide cobblestone street that stretched far before it split in the distance. They were filled with bustling customers that overflowed onto the streets. Above the shops, buildings rose into the sky – though not tall compared to other structures I had seen from the hill and nowhere near as tall as the stone barricade that surrounded the citadel. Bricks made up the exterior of the structures with rectangular and arched windows breaking up the monotonous brick pattern of each of the building’s externals.

Whilst walking along the avenue I absorbed the city through its smells, sights and the white noise of a bustling city which filled in the background.

“ATTENTION!”

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked up. A bellowing voice echoed through the streets of Hessdalen, followed by a high pitched acoustic.

I clutched my ears.

“Argh what the f- “

“ALL CANDIDATES FOR THE BOREALIS ACADEMY OF AURORAL SPELLCRAFT AND COMBAT PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE WESTERN SQUARE IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO ALREADY. THE PRESENTATION WILL START IN 10 MINUTES.”