COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 20 - Part 1

The summer wind flowed with a musical call through Red Keep city, winding itself through every alley, nook, and cranny with a quiet whisper sung by thousands of disembodied voices. The sun shone bright on the red stone buildings and houses that proudly stood their ground against the powerful clif gales. Being a cliff city, Red Keep, was built in steps and levels, terraces and hallowes in stone. It was a marvelous grand city that stood the test of time. Red stone was one of the hardest materials that could only be altered by Wielding. It was a monument of glory to the Empire, being built specifically to represent the capital and the Emperor itself. Of course, the greatest and most majestic buildings of all were the palace that had the most vibrant red stone, almost like blood. The roads, which were made out of pale sandstone for pure aesthetics, eroded easily and oftentimes in the past had to be replaced. But, those were to glory days where the rulers cared for their denizens more than themselves. Now, most roads laid in a disparaging state. Holes that laid every other few feet, were covered with pieces of wood or other materials. The wear on some roads was so grand that footprints were imprinted into the stone, while others simply eroded with the powerful winds into crushed sand.

Lwora, one of the very few sisters of the Disciplinary Order, marched on these very worn streets in her patrol. Cornelius Hugrat, the head of Red Keep's Order was the one who assigned her patrol on such a low and poor level of the city, hoping only trouble will beseech her.

He was outraged and incredibly surprised when Councilman Ameral came to him ordering for the 'girl' to be initiated. The last time he spoke with him on this matter he had laughed and degraded with every word known to man, agreeing with him that such a foolish thing, as to give a woman power and status was against all that they believed and wanted for the future and betterment of the Empire, as the Creators dictated, of course. Ameral assured him that it was a short lived affair, just a political ploy, but it had already been more than half an entire cycle and more than that, another lowly 'girl' had joined their holy ranks.

There was one thing, however, for which Cornelius had not accounted for; Lwora's upbringing. Although not native to Red Keep, she had grown in parts much like these. Slums she called them. She was a prostitute's daughter with an unknown Wielder father that had either never heard of the methods Wielders used for contraception or had a sadistic joy of spreading his seed. She liked to believe the latter, giving her some final goal to reach for. A final act of revenge whenever or if ever she should find the man that willingly impregnated a poor woman that had to sell her body to survive. Her mother on the other hand was a ever so loving woman who worked day and night to put Lwora through school the moment she showed signs of being blessed. She had died not long after Lwora finished her final year due to a venereal disease which was quite common among her profession. This left Lwora with two younger brothers, which her mother picked off the streets along the way, and an elderly aunt that had to be taken care of. More than half of her monthly pay went straight to them, ensuring they're warm and fed.

She never thought she would be living in such a big city were it no for Araya, one of the few friends who dared acquaint themselves with such a low Wielder back at their Academy. She forever will be grateful to her, she saved her many times, not only from childish bullying but also from the depths of alcoholism after her mother passed.

Today was a quiet day in Lwora's opinion. She was quite glad she got to patrol this lower lever of the Red Keep. She saw needy young boys and girls fighting for survival, poor families that had barely anything to food their infants, and old men and women who lived off any scraps to spare, not thugs, beggars, miscreants, and thieves which other brothers from the order would have punished severely. She made it her mission to better the lives of these people, and helped them as much as she could spare and to the best of her abilities.