Theurgy: The Journey's Dawn (Book One)

Chapter 5 Silondras

Looking down the path, Lyse could see the clearing of light that signaled the end of the forests of silence and the valley just before the mountain range north of Liontari. As they emerged, the image they received in return was breathtaking. They were met immediately with a giant wall of white limestone over fifty meters high—the walls wrapped around the city Silondras, the capital of Liontari. Several towers and buttresses were evenly spaced among the walls, and along with them, Lyse saw many ballistae and cannons aimed down the valley. The main entrance, a two-gated path heavily guarded with a few coming in and out, stopped, questioned, and then allowed through. Two twin lion statues, made of gold and silver, flanked the entranced and looked down menacingly at those who approached them, the golden sun reflecting off their metal hides. And beyond the wall, behind the amalgamation of buildings from grand to mundane, is the grandest of all structures laid nestled near the mountain bed. The beacon of the Liontari clan, the Great Fortress of Grimdal. Their destination of where their fates shall be realized. Lyse has only heard stories and legends of this place. The cradle of the first clan to come into being. Only now did it seem to leave the realm of fantasy and into reality. And he was there.

Makyra leads them all through the valley and eventually into the gates. Just outside the walls, peppering its exterior, were large tents and brick buildings where soldiers seemed to be preparing to mobilize, which was curious to Lyse. He looked up to the twin lions as they passed, noticing red gleaming eyes that followed him as he passed. As they approached the gates, a system where only one gate could be lifted at a time, a man flanked by two knights held out his hand. Once again, they yielded, and the man approached them while the knights kept a close eye on them. He first approached Makyra, the only one in more regal armor, and led them forward. She handed him the proper documents and rankings, which he examined much more closely, seemingly. His face was concealedy a complete helmet, the visor letting only his dark brown eyes peek through to them.

"A Lykos knight," he whispered to himself. "Welcome to Silondras. You have an audience with the king?"

"Yes, and hopefully, you have two recruits who will join your ranks soon enough," she said gesturing to Lyse and Edlund.

"Always good to see new faces," he said to Lyse and Edlund this time and stepped aside to allow them past. "Epizo squires, huh? Well, I wish you the best of luck, young men. May Fate treat you kindly."

Lyse never liked the term, Epizo. It meant that you had nothing and gained a lot. That luck had befallen you and gifted you with ability. But it also indicated status. Most of those who become Knights of the highest order are noblemen, sons of lords, viziers, Marquis, and other official status in the kingdoms and territories. It is scarce for an Epizo, who has no noble name, background, no favorable city, or teaching to become a well-known knight. And this always made him contempt with it. His father purposely gave away his claim to nobility to live his simple life. He will not let his father's decision be treated so flippantly.

They moved their horses into the space between the two gates, the one behind them slamming into place before the other slowly lifted by the knight on the other side, slowly rotating the spindle. As soon as the gate was finally locked in place, Makyra immediately spurred her horse onward. For the second it took for Lyse and Edlund to respond, they had taken in all the beauty of the city. Beyond the courtyard they found themselves in, decorated every so often by fountains, the city began with a ring of houses and buildings of uniform decor. Sloped roofs laced with ceramic tiles. The main structure ranged from wooden to brick and marble laden. For the much larger structure, there would be found pillars carved precisely and holding up large stone roofs of pavilions, lecture halls, and even a few libraries he could see in the distance. And immediately, he knew the first place he wanted to go. As they follow Makyra through crowded streets that Lyse and Edlund have never seen. Lyse guessed that he had seen more people walking around in a second than any people in his own village. And they could not help but gawk at this. A little further in, they encountered what appeared to be storehouses where large stores of grain were collected and then redistributed throughout the clans and even traded out to Shi'Ased or across the azure sea. A few soldiers stood guard at the entrances, greeting every single person with loaded crossbows. The final layer, the innermost sector, was capped with a bronze statue of the king. Over ten meters, staring back at the forest with an authoritative glare. A small grin on his metal face and holding a sword pointed to the horizon. Regal armor and bracers and pins and capes and poses—the perfect depiction of the king, James the Warrior King. Surrounding him was proof of his success. Hundreds of vendors sold goods within his land. From luxurious silk from the Eastern Kingdoms, golden items from ancient civilizations, and pottery for the most skilled artisans. Lyse had only dreamt of seeing such examples of prosperity. And he hasn't even seen the palace.