In which we meet Adoquin

Bohemia is a diverse land which lies past where the last bird of the flock lands, further than the messaged bottle sails, just after the last wind, and right before the dream you see before the alarm goes off. A land of magic, danger, hopes, and dreams. E

To the south were the tropic islands of Syn Terra. Isolated from the rest of Mainland, these lands developed their separate language, spells, dance, and culture. This tale begins in Komehi, The City of Stone. Known for it's palette of bright and loud colors, a simple stroll is a dessert for the eyes. The people were dark, as if painted with clay. The buildings crumbled, memories dancing with the dust. Over the cracked walls were murals and graffiti, each with a message of promise or despair.

It was the time of harvest, and a festival was to be had. This year was special, it had been exactly 50 years since the recovering of the fields after the plague. The streets were crowded with merchants of fruits, meats, meats, and stolen gems. Caught in the middle, was a girl and "Adoquin." He was a boy of 15, he was a minor celebrity, which everyone called "Ado," for short. Having no home or parents, each day he would wander the businesses looking for food, some days were good, others were not. Today, was good.

You could easily pick Adoquin out in a crowd, for he only shows one eye. The left side of his face is covered, if you ask him why, he would simply show you his scar and say nothing. From the scar you could tell his eye was missing, rather, taken. His reverse eye was brown bordering a golden yellow. His hair always messy, and had a long rat tail to the side. His attitude was usually chipper and curious, which the opposite could be said of Tona, the girl who held his hand.

She was short with long curly hair. She would smile to Adoquin every day, looking with her brown eyes. She was very soft spoken, and very shy. Tona never liked to travel alone, and... Well... Ado just liked holding her hand.

"I can barely walk though all this stupid mess!" Ado exclaimed, obviously annoyed. "M-Maybe if we move away from the music," Tona beginning to mouse, "there will be less people?" Adoquin looked about, seeing no change in the volume of people. He kneeled down, passersby merely flowed around them, "We're getting a better view, climb on." Tona looked down at herself, nervous of how she would be viewed if she were to ride her friend like he was some beast. "Are you sure? I mean... What if I'm too heavy?" Her face slowly shifting to a frown. He looked to her, smiling as he rolled his eye, same old Tona, "You worry way too much. You're going to get wrinkles by like... 20." Chuckles weaving into his speech. Tona's cheeks puffed, he would always say mean things like that, just to get her to do things he wanted. Once again, it worked, and before she knew it, she was on his back, rudely plowing though the crowds, laughing away.

They went pass the crowds, over the bridge, though the tunnel, behind the house, and found a dead end. The festival was on the other side of town at this point, this was forbidden lands for the fabled wall was visible. The townsfolk spoke of the wall, and the story that went with it.

At one time Komehi was the center of earth. It wasn't always this crumbled shadow

Bohemia would laugh at. It was once a city. It was once an empire. People sailed from all over the north, in search of Komehi beads, rugs, fruits, clothing, songs, and stories. The roads were paved with gold. The best plants so smoke, eat, season, anything. The warriors taught by the earth herself, impressive warriors who lost to none, yet sympathetic to the most delicate of blooms.

To the north, resting on the edge of Bal, was Kryciar, a sand metropolis on the rise to power. Its leader, a dark man, with an even darker grin, proposed to Komehi a pact of partnership. Komehi's queen at the time, a lady of sweet venom, told the dark man, "We are friends and enemy to all, but to label us so is foolish. Indeed in trade I give you no punishment, I also give you no benefits." This was not what he wanted to hear. He hired the best sun dancers, rain makers, potion breakers and curse creators. In a sway of devilish delights, a mist was created.

They flew on the backs of ravens brought back from the place where the sinful ones rest. The mist dropped from the sky, over the farmlands of Komehi. The mangos turned black, the papayas shrived, the corn contorted, not even the most desperate mouse would eat these in this state. Those who did soon died of illness. The crops died, soon to follow was the market, the docks, then, the moral. No longer did Komehi trust Bohemia. They built a wall around the entire island, stating no one shall leave, and no one shall enter. for the mist would kill them, a different mist. The darkness that lives in everyone's heart.

Adoquin leaned in, seeing a small hole in which light peaked though, curious of all that lied on the other side. Tona crawled off his back and looked around, "Where... do we go now?"

Ado smirked and started to play with the hole, easily chipping away from his touch, “Easy. We go through.” The hole growing larger, now being able to fit his hand. “A-Ado.” Tona held to the hem of her skirt, obviously scared, “We should go back. ..Maybe the festival is not as busy now!” The one eyed street rat wasn’t going to be easily persuaded. This was a mission! “…Hey Tona. Stand back for a second.” She did as told. Ado walked back some paces, the darted, jumped, foot first, shattering the fragile wall.

When the dust of the sun dried mud cleared, the bright greens of nature were exposed, being welcoming in sight. The variety of greens, browns, and yellows were brilliant. Tona was the first to poke her head out, soon her feet followed, the soft greens below her sandals were imprinted from every step. No one had been here for some time. The duo were speechless. Ado joined her in exploring. The environment displayed greens, moss, flowers, and mysterious stones. They looked to be ruins of something that once stood proud, but now most of it was buried in moss and dirt.

They spent some time running and picking flowers having no cares. Their laughing soon ended as they heard footsteps in the distance. Quickly they hid behind one of the few standing stones. Many footsteps, it wasn’t just one person.

From the south the light revealed two men and two beasts. One had hair of dark blue and orange piercing eyes, the other hair of corn and eyes of sky. Their light skin was odd to Ado, for a mere moment he looked to his own hands, colored like fresh baked pots. The beasts followed behind them obediently, scales and fur of wild unnatural colors, tails swaying and noses to the ground, they were looking for something.

Ado felt a foreign warmth engulf his hand, his eye travels to it, seeing Tona now held it. Ado squeezed back, although he did not admit it, he too was scared. The strangers spoke to each other, but Ado did not understand them, his mind only exploded with questions and guesses. The crowed grew closer, Ado could feel Tona squeeze his hand. “We should go back,” she whispered to him. The beasts suddenly stopped in their tracks, whatever they were looking for, has been found.