Intro to Chapter 4

 

(Castair’s journey)

Shrouded by the obsidian orb contained in his jersey pocket, he made his way east. The terrain, rough, rain-soaked, grey and windy, made him quicken his pace as he grew nearer to the foreign city. King Austron, the title he used – though he was King no more, was waiting for him in a secret room hidden within his castle. A rabid dog snarled and beared his teeth in his direction, but did not lunge – it merely growled towards where the other creature should be. He silently stalked by the dog, who continued growling and snarling, until he was out of range further along the road. 

 

The trees thickened. Gnarled branches knitted together along the path, creating a bier which gently cast away the rain, he was relieved by this. Slowly, the path grew more substantial, until a proper road appeared, leading directly to the city gates. Dark and foreboding, a shrill wind whistled over the top of the gates, and he could feel a strangling warmth envelop his body as sweat began to drip from his brow. He kept to the left of the gatekeeper and entered through a tiny and decrepit opening he had been told would be there. Leading through a grove of trees the portal opened into a damp tunnel, moist, permeated throughout with stagnant water and home to strange vermin with feathery wings and haunting dark blue eyes.

 

He came to a faint opening just before the tunnel ended and made his way through it. After a few moments the new pathway led to a large wooden and iron door. The iron on the door, dusty red from years of time passing, had mostly worn away, and the wood, dark with age, had begun to splinter and crack. He pushed gently on the door and it creaked aside as it opened, revealing a stone walkway. Following the walkway he made his way towards another opening, which grew brighter as he neared it, and led him into a dimly lit chamber, filled with sparse candle light and a dying fire.

 

Seated in an old leather chair next to the fireplace, was King Austron, the slightly mad head of the old empire and former King of this land. He had fallen asleep but woke with a start when his guest entered the room. ‘You’re early’, he spoke. His guest merely nodded, not one to waste words, and slid back the hood of his cloak.