Tipping the Scales

35

"Seriously, that's enough now," Lukas said, collapsing to the floor. His head was ringing from the crashing noise and his body was covered in scratches and bruises – wall shifting was not for him.

Meanwhile, Ellis was virtually untouched. The rock seemed to break and shift around him with the flow of his mana, making it a perfectly safe and efficient method of transport, particularly for one who had been using it their whole life.

They had come to learn that wall shifting was by no means a great way for two people to get around when one lacked earth mana.

"You're in luck, we are here," Ellis said.

Lukas studied his surroundings; the passageway looked like every other they had passed through – how Ellis navigated this city was beyond him – but there was a slight draft of cool air travelling along the underground tunnel, like a pleasant breeze.

"This way," Ellis said, heading in the direction of the draft. He was doing his best to play down his ankle but the slight limp in his gait was unmissable.

Before long, Lukas heard the sound of rushing water echoing off the cave walls. The noise grew louder until the passageway opened into an enormous chamber, illuminated by small channels of sunlight filtering in through openings in the ceiling.

"Welcome to Caldara's port," Ellis said.

Lukas was once again rendered speechless by the impressive architecture of the Keetera people and the polarising differences in their lifestyle compared to the Ferlandian's. The cavern was the size of Daybreak and looked to be able to house thousands more Keetera – a whole different section to their capital. The buildings here were different – laid out on the cave's floor with actual rooftops, all sloping from the high point they'd entered at down towards the far side. His attention was drawn by the falling water crashing into the chamber through hollow stone chutes along the far side of the wall and ceiling, where the port was at its lowest point.

"That's all water from the river," Ellis explained as he led Lukas down one of the streets in amongst the buildings. "It is filtered in by those tunnels directly from the riverbed. A completely self-sustaining system designed to run for hundreds of years; it will likely outlive its creators."

Lukas gazed in awe at the entering streams of water - each one seemed to pick a different path through or around the chamber. Some fell into great reservoirs carved into the rocky floor where it collected; others fell straight through, disappearing off into other tunnels to different areas of the city.

"We collect the fish that filter in from the river here, before using the water for other purposes or sending it back to the surface. I'd loved for you to have seen the port active, maybe one day you will get the chance," Ellis smiled slightly in remembrance of fond memories.

Lukas wondered how difficult this must be for Ellis, who once again seemed to suppress his feelings and push forward. Walking around the abandoned city of your people, whilst at the same time fleeing from those that had conquered it, would mentally crush Lukas – he admired Ellis' strength. He always knew there was more to the boy than met the eye, something that drew Lukas to him. A sadness that implored Lukas to understand it, and support him in any way he could. Though its origin ended up being something he never could've predicted, Lukas' intuition had been pretty much spot on.

"At least the Ferlandian's haven't occupied this side of the city yet, it would've escaping from here impossible," Ellis said.

Lukas agreed. It was pleasing to see the city as it would've been, bar the presence of its people. Like everywhere else he had seen, the port seemed like it had recently been abandoned; as if, without warning, its occupants had suddenly dropped what they were doing and fled.