Al had to guess that the steep walled road, which laid past the gate, was truly the path to the castle, or at least somewhere closer. One by one, with the raven at the head, and everyone else falling in line after, they slipped effortlessly through the door, continuing their long and arduous walk along the elegantly carved cobble. Strong paving led them higher and higher, banking left, then right, the walls climbed higher with them, a staircase ascending to even larger arches above, which housed hanging lion banners and stamped archer parapets. Al’s eyes kept themselves busy with the sky and its surroundings rather than where he was going, yet they all marched true, until finally another gate came into view.
This one, on guarded hinges, made of the same banded metal, with two illustrious dragons cut from iron, plastered across the vertical bars. Dragon heads breathed stagnant flame, which mingled at the center, converging on some hefty locking mechanism. It looked a lot less practical and a lot more vain than the previous ones, but it wasn’t the gate that truly captured the boy’s attention.
Behind the quarter mile high gate, rose an even larger spectacle, a staged wedding cake of some sort, although shorter and squatter in stature. From which jutted an outcropping of various spines, all decorating the largest terraced wheel, a palace of stone sitting atop a disc, each one growing smaller as they climbed. Atop of which spired a massive construct, topped with a little cap made of red stone. Flat gray slanted down at aggressive angles, with needles and diagonal beams crossing everywhere. Each connection held smaller spires to its body, which marched out like the guards who protected it, each spaced at even intervals with connecting supports. All appearing like a series of burning candles, Al thought, the wax pooling at the base, leaving long sleek paths, with bumps and facades, piling up into smaller buildings at the bottom of the dished retaining field. A city atop a city, without even realizing it, Al’s arm had risen, pointing out at the marvelously sculpted structure and the sheer wealth it commanded. Never had he seen something of that size or craftsmanship, except for the city they had just traversed.
“Oh, glad you like it?” Every bubbled up, hands latched behind her back as the young girl walked up next to Al, chest first. “Cool huh? Most people are pretty used to it by now, but it is always fun to see the look in someone’s eyes when they see the inner kingdom for the first time.”
She laughed in a higher voice, “inner kingdom?” Al replied. “Yeah, a more advanced or perhaps glorified castle, like a little city where all the important people live in and around the palace.”
Every returned, “see that right there” her arm pointed out like the boy’s had prior, except with more knowledge and a little more conviction. Al traced the length of the pale arm and finger, shuffling closer to the girl, a scent of lilac and lavender filling his nose.
“That’s the palace” she said, pointing at the massive center building, which melted down into slight battle-ready walls, all with a larger gated mouth, open, tongue flattened, poised, ready. So preoccupied was the smaller warrior and his chatty counterpart, that they almost ran, arm and face first into the back of the purpled witch, as Galena slowed to a creeping halt. The gate the duo had been looking through now feet from their face, along with a very angry looking elf?
A stoic guardian stood before them, completely halting progress at a rate worse than a wall, it appeared to stand nearly half a head higher than the massive orc herself. Clad in nearly identical armor, some specific additions had been applied, alluding to a drastically different disposition. Judging by the man’s face, the male elf seemed to be displeased with their overall presence. He was tall, very tall as previously mentioned, lanky lean muscles holding his frame as they jutted from a slightly exposing breastplate. The wylderling’s skin shone out slightly red and yellow, glossy against the sun, it wrinkled, displaying age and experience. His perturbed visage wasn’t helped by the thick jagged beard of black bristles that jutted out from the bottom of his pointed chin, located right under an increasingly expressive mustache. All hairs, the same midnight shade, identical coloring to the rear mounted ponytail which had been roughly tied back, pulled to the skull, jet black falling behind, cascading as spines or shards.
Pale orbs stared them down, analyzing the group from under a set of aggressively furrowed brows. He was grizzled, appearing to be angered, his brick like nose was scrunched as much as the flesh would allow. Interestingly as Al’s eyes searched the man, he noticed an oversized left pauldron, hip mounted sword, leather plated pants, metal boots, and a helmet fastened to his right hip, at the rear, ready for use.
What Al’s eyes failed to scan over (or rather register) was the crossed arms, folded over the man’s metal chest, Al also didn’t notice the second pair of crossed arms, right under the upper set, complete with their own custom armor, adapted to the unique form. The gawking boy kept his mouth wired shut, so many questions began running through his mind, although the young man thought it better to keep all the words to himself at that moment. Al did not want to offend the maddened elf any further.
“Kaylen’wood” Galena started with an emotive throw of the hands, robes fluttering open in an unusual display of charisma.
“How might you be on this fine day? It has been a couple months since I saw you last, call the guard house, let Alexx know we have arrived alive and well, will you please?” the witch finished, Al almost feeling the batting of the woman’s eyelashes.
To everyone’s surprise, Kaylen grunted a deep aggressive snort, followed by a deeper furrowing of his brow. “You’re not welcome here right now, Galen the witch, leave, the king has not yet arrived.” Both sets of arms stretched to gesture, but remained locked, as the man spoke thin and raspy, spitting venom through his words.
Galena almost fell back, shoes clicking against stone shuffling uncomfortably, an oddity which knotted the boy’s stomach and mind.
“What? Kal, come on, you know me, what happened while I was gone?” She asked, almost pleading.
“Nothing,” the man answered, “while you were out shirking your duties, we were here, struggling to keep the ties of the kingdom together, no thanks to you and your kind.” He replied, almost spitting into the woman’s face.
“And that is supposed to mean what? How long have you served this kingdom Kay, same as I, ever since we were small” the woman paused, a little hurt infecting her voice. “Will you allow us to enter, even while the king is out? You know our mission, you know the stakes” Galena lowered her voice, speaking daggers.
“NO!” the man started, practically yelling, placing his hand on his sword with shaking knuckles, while the top arms stayed knitted. “Fine, so be it, come, come everyone.” Galena threw out her cape, flourishing the cloth in the man’s face as she rushed back through the line, eyes down cast.
Subtle jewels danced wetly across the witch’s eyes, even as she willed them away, sinking back into her skin before anyone could see. It made no sense, no sense that the captain of the kingdom’s watch would not let them in, not let her in. Whether on technicality, or spite, it made no sense at all. It was just half a year prior, her and the wylderling, were throwing little talks of families and homes to themselves.
Although he was usually a little cold and distant, that was how he had always been, Galen couldn’t even remember the last time he raised his voice, it scared her. It scared her heart, it was like the elf had become a different person since she left, possessed by some evil spirit. Weird, but the smell was even weirder, the stink of magic, it came off the elf in waves, dark and pungent, an aura of disdain.
Al and Every had smelled it too, the others were deaf to its call, a scent that made the chest tighten, icy fingers crawling up the spine of all who were trapped in its glow. Al didn’t know what the stink was, or why he immediately didn’t like the man, but Galena was an expert when it came to all things mana, and even she couldn’t piece together what it all meant. No matter, the woman thought to herself, I have places to go and people to see. The king will definitely be back by the marrow. Afterall the lot of them were one singular day early.
Muddling fog drug, the party down to the point of illness, weighted feet cut through cleaned streets, past metal posts, and opened shop corners. All with the noon light now beating upon their brow, the only respite found in cool shifting shadows.
“Wait wait wait wait, so you’re telling me…” Al burst out breaking the silence, off character, and loud. “Be careful with tha words yer about to say boy, we don’t want to scare anyone off now” Sonne cut in, walking up on the right of the boy, presence and voice lifting some of the tension that plagued them.
“So” the boy whispered, “elves have four arms? That’s crazy, I thought all extras looked like people… except maybe taller” he finished shyly.
“Except taller, of course you thought that” Galena butted in before Sonne replied, “some beings find ‘extra’ to be offensive slang” Al muttered a “sorry” before the orc continued, “no worries, but yes, they have four arms, there’s a lot of different creatures out in the world Al, best keep your mind open, or ye might explode. You sure do like to talk about them though, I admire the curiosity.”
Color touched upon Al’s cheek, butterflies following the woman’s word. “Well, I suppose, on a different note, uhm” Al swallowed, “Galena uses magic, right, and Argj uses those short blades, and you Sonne, you use that large sword on your back, what does Every use to fight with? Knives or maybe a whip?” The boy asked, making small talk, with a slight and crooked smile.
Albatross spun to the left, nearly startling the plush girl to death, who had been wholly absorbed in some satchel bound rummaging. “Oh you see, she doesn’t fight, at all, the lass was supposed to learn fencing as part of her… training, but she didn’t like any of the teacher’s stylings, especially mine” the orc replied, Every nodded in reply, “yeah, but I swear I’m still useful, you’ll see Al, I’m a powerful force” the girl flurried the air with fists, a subtle laugh erupted from the trio before their musings were broken.
“Sorry all, but I have to make a little detour” Galena said, back facing the group, voice raised high above the crowd, which had begun to trickle as a river around them.
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