𝐄𝐜𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐬 · 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐨

The Road to Illium

The road is long and winter falls.

Emir knows that the the Dark Mage is at the very edge of the Empire.

Siorial is puzzled, "But he's just a cat."

Emir snarles and Murin chuckles, patting him, "Not just a cat, my dear sister, he's a descendant of the Aestheri race, sensory. He can sense any Mage he's seen or smelt."

Siorial laughs and pets the tabby, "Nice kitty, nice kitty."

Emir snorts and narrows his green eyes dangerously. Siorial laughs some more but continues on their way.

They're already half-way through the Empire, having travelled for about a week from the Capital. The Mage hasn't budged - perhaps he didn't recognise Emir of Aestheri.

Well, whatever his intentions may be, Murin and Siorial will find him. Capture or kill him, whichever needs to be done. Word has it that he is the descendant of Urung, the Black King who was killed by Allaigi Last Elf, a heroine from ages before. The Mage hasn't done anything yet but him appearing in the Empire already raised an alert. If the two couldn't conquer him, everything and everyone will be doomed.

"He has cursed the land," Murin murmurs.

"Eh," Siorial replies, indifferent.

"Can't you see the dying grass?"

"I've already healed all of 'em, so...no?"

Murin looks back. It's true. Siorial had used her powers to heal the blackened grass.

Plants gros from Water.

They keep going forward but everything turns blacker and blacker as they go east - huge patches of grass turning black (so much that Siorial gave up healing them) and blackened, rotting, falling willows.

"Indeed, the land is cursed!" Siorial finally relents.

"Don't worry, sister," Murin comforts her, "We'll be at Illium soon and then we'll be able to rest and rejuvenate, perhaps gain more power to heal more. For this night, let's rest under that sycamore."

They build a hut over their heads using branches from fallen trees. The smell is terrible but, oh well, that's how the road is.

The next morning they rise early and Murin burns the blackened tree branches around them to kill the smell.

Then the Sisters move on, heading to the black shape of a castle looming in the distance.

Illium, Star of the East, is the most prosperous city of all, crowning its worth to the Empire, its status even above the Capital, City Tamaso. The Sisters head towards there to rest from their three-week journey and will then continue on to the edge of the Misty Forests, the dwelling of the Dark mage. The city is within three days' journey from where they had slept. They carry on as the golden-red sun rises from the horizon.

To be continued...