COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 7

The sun shined on the icy peaks of the great mountains of Alost'af that ruptured the blanket of wintery clouds covering both the Empire to the south and Frey to the north. Renowned for their tremendous age, dangerous cliffs and wildlife, and breathtaking forests of awakened ones, these mountains have been claimed as national treasures by the Empire. The mighty Balastor bird, the symbol of the Empire, nests at the highest point of Alost'af's peaks. With a wing span fifty feet and highly intelligent, they are one of the most feared creatures in all of E'a. Lucilky for the surrounding towns and settlements they only come down once per month to feast on the coveted Ulomy fish of the great lake of Donst'af. Aparat from the great diversity in fauna and flora and incredible views, these great mountains have served as borders for eons with only three points of access, making them the ideal location for an impenetrable stronghold. It would mean imminent defeat for the marching party, the Empire suffered great losses in the first and last ever attempt of invasion.

The only remaining crossable access point was Hark'un pass, the other two, Deadwind Cliffs and Ri'vel's Torment were now simple perilous traps for unbeknownst travelers. No successful passings through the two dead points have been recorded in recent history. Not since the Unhinged King Bravi had ordered his most powerful wielders to sacrifice their lives to destroy them to fend off the Empire. It is said that two hundred Wielders had died that day.

The Hark'un pass was now a frequently traveled trading route to and from the Empire and Frey. Between the strongholds on either side the toll for crossing the pass amounted to quite a hefty sum that no commoner or low standing paupers or vagrants could afford. Only the upper casts could afford passing, as such, guards were placed every six feet on either side of the pass for all six miles, concentrated within the checking points on either stronghold, while, of course, each traveler would employ their own armed protection. Despite this, muggings and murders were rather frequent on the pass. Bandits and groups of thieves had the habit of attacking the wealthy travelers of the Hark'un pass almost weekly, if not even more frequently, however, the number of armed guards and mercenaries often deterred such happenings on the actual pass itself.

Among the constant line of merchants with their caravans of goods and mrons, and some wealthy elites heading from some frivolous winter shopping within the Frey territory, for exotic looking slaves to plod around no doubt, four of Emperor's personal guard disguised as low standing merchants treaded the icy stone road between the rows of soldiers. They paid both tolls with little suspicion and successfully entered Frey territory.

The wildlife encountered was similar to that on Empire territory but more adapted to the cold harsh winters of Frey. Most had white furs that blended seamlessly with the snow and icy landscape while others hid in the evergreen Mossle pines or underground burrows or caves. They would rarely see a grazing Lantip, with it's elegant fast legs and cristaline horns or a Siret on the prowl. Luckily for them, the supplies they brought with the guise of merchants removed them from the need to hunt. The small group traveled four days into the country avoiding any major road until they reached their destination, three miles east from the frozen river of Arabel between the Yuna forest and Romy hill settlement lay the ruins of Gun'dah'lari. They set camp within the forest's cover and observed for the past three days.

"Captain, three on either side. Two capes and four swords, again in the same formation" Then said touching the main bonding stone on her glove. She crouched behind a Mossle pine near the treeline overlooking the ruins of Gun'dah'lari. For the untrained eye the ruins did not stand out from the occasional small boulders that strayed too far away from the rocky Romy hill, even more so with the recent heavy snow the past three days had experienced. But normal, uninteresting places that did not hide ancient artifacts left over from the Creators were not guarded day and night by trained soldiers and wielders. Their futile disguises as locals didn't fool Then. She was one of the most masterful infiltrators the Empire had to offer. Her light touch Wielding techniques made her Fios almost undetectable to even the best empaths in the Emperor's court, earning her a spot as one of Emperor Ryel's personal guards.