TW for blood and death.
Welcome! Don't mind my young pup. Siberus's large, but he's far from adult size. Yes, his skull showing gives him quite the fear in young travelers such as yourself. And don't mind the skulls on the wall, they're just decoration. A story, you want? Hmm, I know just the one.
The ages of golden cities and dragons bringing fire and hell onto the planet were gone, they said. Our people still believed in the ancient tales, but when had we seen dragons in the sky? When was there golden cities? I had been traveling throughout the Sulamic Empire throughout all my days, and I had seen no such thing. Only goats and snakes roamed throughout the vast deserts and tall mountains. Only fish swam through the flowing River Cycathius, only cacti grew in the flatlands of desert. No monster in sight, even including the terrifyingly large bugs I've encountered. That's what we all believed when we heard the call.
I was in the city Acrolopis, named after an emperor who had ruled it long ago. The city bustled with energy, the venders were selling and you couldn't hear your own thoughts when you walked down the main street. Horses and chariots were an issue, and you had to always be weary of what you stepped on, but there was no tyrant in the sky who would spit fire and make the beautiful city set ablaze. It wasn't gold, but it wasn't a lump of trash, either. But I'm rambling. There is more to this story than meager detail.
But then one of the high priests yelled, "Death is to come! Run from this city, for death is coming! I have been given a message by the god Elaylos! The sea will destroy us!" He disturbed most of the crowd as they walked to there destination. But who cared for the god Elaylos? There was no monster that could rise from the water, and with the dams that had been constructed to eloquently, the sea couldn't destroy the city. What was there to fear? No monsters or demonic treasure lay ahead, they said.
A day later, the water became undrinkable. As a traveler, I had seen many different ways cities and villages would conduct there water. Pipes were prevelant in order for water to be cleaner and more accessible. Of course, slightly dirty water was apart of life. But this was no ordinary dirt. This was blood. It oozed down the stream, touching every source of clean water. Yet, where had the blood came from? There was no slain person near the stream, I walked all around it and saw nothing. There was no dead animal. The blood had just appeared, and corrupted the stream. But there was no death to come from this god, they said. The stream would flow and the blood water would dissapear, they said.
The next day, the sea people arrived. Despite being a traveler, I didn't understand nor had I ever heard the tongue they spoke. It was a harsh, commanding language, and they made people cower in fear. The blood in the stream remained, as they replenished the stream with it. It was them who had done so. Where had the blood come from? We did not know. The sea people had powerful spears and weapons, and they had controlled the city by nightfall. The fighting was intense, you see, but it had ended in surrender. Eventually, the mighty emperor himself was executed in public. But there weren't any monsters, they said. The sea people can't control us, they said. This isn't punishment, they said.
The next day the blood wolves arrived. That was the name the city had collectively given them. They were the size of monsters from ancient tales, with blood red fur. They had no skin on there skull, and the bone was visible. There eyes glowed blue. They had deep teeth and even wings to fly into the night. Yes, Siberus here is a blood wolf. But he wouldn't hurt you. They had the ability sniffed out any traitors, and then bite them to death. Then, the stream would be replenished with the traitors' blood. Ha! I was no traitor to the sea people, so they could never get me. Yes, thank the gods for that. They got many traitors, some whom I had suspected to be friends of the sea people, not enemies. The sea people drank the blood water happily, there bright green eyes piercing my soul when I would go and get bathing water. The blood seemed to be healthy for them, as far as I could tell. The blood tasted terrible, and I was always wondering, which unlucky soul was it? Was it my neighbor? My distant cousin? Oh, the poor souls. But the sea people wouldn't go after anyone else, they said.
The next day, they came for the children. The eldest son of every family was expected to be sent to the King Bolainus, who was the new king of Acropolis-or Lyandilonda, as it was now called. They wouldn't return. Who knows were they went? They could've been sent to other parts of the sea people's kingdom for all I knew. I think they are safe. Now, shush, where they went doesn't matter. No, they aren't dead. King Bolainus might be powerful, but he is certainly not a tyrant or a murderer.
The next day, I had to kill my family. They were trading without a permit, I had been told. To prove my loyalty, I was asked to be the executioner.
I saw my older brother, Olymun, whimper as a drew my sword. He and I used to pretend to swordfight. He was always crafty and full of imagination. He and my mother used to sing songs into the night, and we cried when I father died from illness. My younger sister, Paigen, screamed that I was a maniac. She was always the troublemaker, only brewing issues within our home. How was I a maniac? How was I crazy? This was an order I was given. They had broken the law, and what else should be a crime other than death? I must prove my loyalty, I must...anyway, I'm ranting a little, young traveler. I don't pity them, nor myself. There is not an ounce of regret in my head for this little incident. Crazy? Certainly not. How was this crazy? Please, young traveler, don't leave. I have more of a story to tell.
The final day, the city drowned. It had seemed as if the citizens had deserved it. We didn't follow the King's will. He could sense it, and every citizen was a traitor. So, the sea people opened the dam. Instantly, water flooded into the city. I remember buildings being slammed by water, and crumbling under the pressure. It was quite a sight to see. Then, I woke up by the shore near here, and I have lived here ever since, my traveling days becoming nothing but memory.
I often think I should've died. I wasn't loyal. Yes, I believe that. Questioning the King? How dare you! You should be ashamed, traitor. No, you cannot leave. I have business to attend to. Siberus, we have another traitor. Don't scream, young traveler. This will be over in moments. I'm dissapointed, I truly thought you were different from the other travelers I've met.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
