How long has it been? He was jolted awake by the coldness of the morning air. It seemed like he had fallen asleep on the hard soil of an empty alley near Armo Lane. His mind was still confused. “How I ended up...? Oh...” He remembered the last thing before his world came falling apart. The hallucination brought by the chanting of barrier. The mutation of his barrier. The first time he saw Floki in such anger, and the thought that he saw a slice of fear mingled in Floki’s eyes as he nearly strangled him during the interrogation. Since then, he did not see Loki around. Perhaps Floki is avoiding him, but he also did not know how to face Floki if they meet. Not that he remembered clearly the days after the assessment.
After the night of the incident, he cried himself to sleep and woke up in a terrible state of mind in the next early morning. After that, he went to his routines like always, but he just phased through everything in a dismissive effort and attention. He did not remember how he managed to continue his stay in the Union for days after that disastrous assessment. He woke, bathed, grabbed his meals, worked in the farm, came back and slept although he vaguely recalled Ruffia’s worrying face as she tried to say something but it stuck on her throat. For days, he was waiting for the finale. Floki should have notified the Central Union in Jercflosey and they should have cut him loose or worse, but nothing happened.
And then, he snapped yesterday, as if gotten impatient of the slow torment. Walked out from the Union, he never went to his daily chore on the farm, but wandered around the city, trying to lose himself. He did not remember how long he walked although he did remember stumbled upon Jasse on his wayward strolling. He cannot recall what has been exchanged between their conversation if they have one. Before he realised, dozens of punches were landed on his face as he fell on the ground and curled into a ball as kicks flying in. What perplexed him was the face Jasse made when straddled on top of him. Grabbing on his collar as he screamed some nonsense at his face, Jasse looked angry yet he could see the exasperation in the way the mouth tightened and curved downward as the eyes flared a mild melancholic gaze, as if he was the one who lost something precious. He did not know how the confrontation ended, but he knew the spot where he was asleep was the spot where he laid on the ground after been bulldozed by Jasse.
“By Tress’s belly, what was it with him? Ate something rotten?” He laid on his back on the daubed structure of a house in the alley. He let out a faint groan as he felt the sore muscles around his body, even his cheek. “Why am I still here?” He wondered on the strange silence of the Union as they practically left an unwanted and unforeseeable factor unattended for almost a week although he could understand the confusion following the demise of the leader and most of the veterans of the Union. “Daelous...”
He was so absorbed in his thought that he did not notice a dark-brown figure sat in front of him. The figure let out an annoyed bark at him. Jolted, he saw Kibo sitting on the ground, watching him with an indifferent gaze. Around his neck, a leather collar was strapped with lines of metal stitched forming a circuit emblem with a crystal clear stone at the centre. A customised Maeism ward. He rose to a straight upright position, waiting for the owner. A moment has passed before the icy silence was broken by the dog’s master as he called the name of the bruised and unhealthy-looking young man.
“...Lucious...” He froze at the mention of his name, unable to comprehend the sound until it registered. A sudden surge of emotion trapped on his throat as his heart beating with fluttering pace. His eyes watered as he was trying to compose himself in front of Kibo and Floki who observed him through the dispatch ward on the leather collar. How long has it been? When was the last time someone called his name? The silhouette of his brother before consumed by the gargantuan flame came to his mind. He curled into a ball, hiding his face as his shoulders trembled with silenced sobs as the dog and his owner watched on. “...Get yourself back to the Union building before the exact time of the evening... We will talk more then.” Finished with his task, Kibo ran away from the alley before Lucious could respond, toward the Union to his master.
Lucious sat still on the ground, pondering on the pending moment which he had been waiting for. He felt a pang of shock and sadness even as he knew the possible outcome. “...Then at the least, I will do it right... For one last time.” He rose from the ground, as solemn and quiet as the silenced calm after a storm. Going toward the farmland, Lucious strolled slowly through the street, watching the crowd and the market, and felt the caressing breeze mingled with the smell of mild smoke, soot, and sweats. He reached the Union’s farm and apologised to the ever-quiet Mr Hense who directed him to work for today. During the time working on the farm, he left the regret and worries behind him and concentrated earnestly on the task at hands. Harvesting hays and transporting them to the storage pit, he worked silently, disregarding the time as he melted into his work.
A thin coarse palm rested on Lucious’s shoulder. He turned to meet Mr Hense’s eyes which motioned to Kibo sitting on the ground and eyeing him with a distant look. The evening was coming. Lucious tidied up the tools and thanked Mr Hense wholeheartedly. He followed the fast pace of the impatient dog, jogging to the Union building as he felt the long gaze of Mr Hense behind his back. On the way, he noticed the unusual atmosphere in the street. As if there was something to be celebrated, peasants chattered excitedly with vendors and whispered happily. They reached the Union shortly with Lucious out of his breath after Kibo decided to go sprinting across the street, earning him some disdain from numerous people. “About time you get here, kiddo. If not for my Kibo, you will end up late again...” Lucious gathered his breath and rose to meet Floki. “...Floki, sir...” “Don’t go “sir” me. Go and get yourself clean. You look like a damn stray. Even Kibo smell nicer than you...”
Lucious felt a slight relief at Floki’s foul mouth. At least, the old man acted normally. “...ready for the fest...” What? “What? Don’t give me that dumb look. Get yourself presentable and ready for the fest.” “What fest?” “Wait... You did not hear? A platoon-sized subjugation team from the Principle had come. They even eradicated the Vorgion today...” “What... What... Whaaaat...?” “...The Principle, did you mean the Principle of Jercflosey?” “How many Principles are there on this continent, you dull? Cutting me off for one more time, I will let Kibo have it with you.” “Right...” “Alright. The whole city is obviously overjoyed. We desperately need good news to blow this depressive air away.” “Thus, the fest?” “Yeah, the fest is open to everyone and everything is arranged and paid for by the Tress. They are trying to milk back all the good favour of the peasants, craftsmen, and merchants. Of course, our new Baron wants to get someone from the Principle on his good side...”
Jercflosey. The Principle of Jercflosey. No longer paying attention to Floki, Lucious felt a burning excitement at the mention of the legendary City of the Whites. The Principle of Jercflosey was a unique existence over the huge continent of Slamaeldonia. It was originally the title bestowed to a band of legendary myths, the Whites, who brought the practice of Maeism to the continent. It was unknown where they came from. Cladded in white fluttering robes, these mythical figures built a city which bore their name from scratch and passed on the arts and techniques of feeling and channelling Natura from the body and atmosphere to their disciples which travelled and spread the study across the continent. The teaching not only changed the way a weapon and martial art was wielded, but it also created a new profession, a Maeist, and started the Union system where these travelling disciples settled on a city and started to teach and lead the locals about the art of Maeism, and connected every major city to the Principle. Trained and armed, these Unions were the spearhead of the charge against the Abyss. The Abyss existed way early before the Maeism, plaguing and constricting the growing space of Valeans. People called themselves a Valean, a man of the world, born on the earth in mortal flesh, in this continent.
A huge campaign, led by the Principle with various Unions from every city-state, kingdoms, and empires of that time, was waged to seal the entrances of the Abyss and eradicate the large monsters and beasts surrounding these entrances. Most of the entrances were sealed, but the campaign was called off by every Baron, King, and Emperor, fearing the power, popularity, and leadership converged by the Principle. The structure of the Principle worked differently. It has no Baron or King to rule over it, but a Seer was elected and supported by a council of elders and High Maeists. It was almost a hundred years ago, but the Principle and the Union were still active, which meant the Abyss was very much a present threat. Lucious did not know any further from what he heard from Floki, travellers, merchants, and occasional visitors from the Principle. Still, the Principle was the conclave of elites of the elites. It was the centre of Maeism, the Union, and various arts of battles, inventions, even crafts. The city, Jercflosey, was the wet dream of every person with some sort of skill, be that Maeism, pottery, or swordsmanship. Lucious and his brother included.
Lucious was still in his own inner world when a kick came from the side, forcing him to stagger a few steps before falling on the ground and yapping in surprise and pain. “Punk, you really have the gut to get on my nerve. Lucky you the Baron want you to be there in the meeting with the subjugation representative.” “Hmm... What a pity, me and my boy could have a fun time picking your bones...” Probed himself away from the ground, he decided to ignore Floki’s terrifying remark but paused when he digesting the remark. “...Wait, did you just say me as if ME attending the meeting with the Principle bunches?” “Mmm Hmm, go and get your wimpy twit clean, or get beheaded for getting on the foul side of the Baron’s nose.” Rigid and alerted, Lucious strode anxiously back to his bunker and looked for clean and most presentable clothes. He quickly brushed and washed with a whole bar of soap. His frugality was shed away by the cold water. Dried and comfy, he donned a deep blue woollen tunic on thin linen shirt with deep brown trousers and walked out from the dormitory to Floki as he hastily tidying his washed hair.
“Hahahaha, don’t push yourself, peasant. Let’s go. Don’t want to miss the fest.” Getting Kibo to stay in the stable, Floki led the way, going out from the Union compound, and walked straight north toward the second gate, passing the merry and jubilant street as people gathered and exchanged stories behind the Vorgion’s extermination. “Wait up, Floki. Are we really going to Rose Boulevard? The Rose Boulevard?” “Hahahaha, fret not, lad. Trust the dashing Floki and his charm.” Floki laughed in a good mood as he proceeding to the second gate. In front, the second gate was smaller than the main one, but it looked more baroquely built with carvings of twirling wheat plants across the finely polished stone. A large heather flower was carved on the middle, high wall of the gate. Floki took out a parchment and showed it to the guards. The guards waved them through the gate. “What happened to the dashing and charm?” Looking at Floki sheepishly, he turned his eyes on the boulevard and found his mouth gawking with disbelief.
Every building was built by stones and bricks, finished with cobbling and paints of amaranth, claret, and amethyst. Even the pavements were covered by flattened stones. Metal lampposts with Tressmoor banners were lined at the middle of the main street, dividing the traffic. Rose Boulevard was visually radiating and there was no hawking and haggling. In fact, the air was without a faint hint of rot and shit which always permeated Hay Compound. “Where is this? Is this Tressmoor?” Flabbergasted, Lucious continued to look around. His presence drew some quick looks as peasants and craftsmen from Hay rarely ventured to this upper part of the city. “Seriously, stop acting like a country bumpkin. Move along.” Floki nudged Lucious onward to the Baron’s keep.
The Baron’s keep sat at the middle of Rose Boulevard which could be spotted quickly with the larger and sturdy design compared to other buildings. The finest stones and mixtures of cob were invested to construct the building with large statues of knights riding horses. Towering figures of guards, cladded in heavy armour with long spikes and spears were patrolling the ramparts of the keep and stood guard at the sole entrance of the keep. Again, Floki presented the letter to the guards while Lucious continued to scan the majestic structure of the keep. “Wow, all of the knights and guards for one family... Really. They could have done a better job, beefing up the rest of the city.” Keeping the thought to himself, Lucious went through the security check with Floki and led into the keep, surrounded by four guards.
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