Two Halves: chapter 45

Chapter 45, the hanging city

Bestalel stepped forward, golden light creeping up his retina and covering his pupils. The glow fell over the Sky Walker’s face illuminating the tattoos in a coppery glow. Most bowed, but the front Sky Walker merely kneeled before Bestalel. Nicolas walked up his side and looked him in the face, it was the same phenomenon that had gripped him the day they had been assaulted by Salex troopers, and he doubted that Bestalel was still in control.

 

“ Yes, I am here. Rise, I am the man you seek, and I come seeking your help. Please take these people and me to the Sky Lord.” Jento stepped forward and came alongside Bestalel as the bronze light began to slowly drain from his eyes once more. Nicolas braced his shoulder, and Jento follow suit. Bestalel only staggered for a moment before regaining his footing, and stood up again. The transfer was much more fluid than it had been previously, rather than comforting Nicolas this made the changes all the more nerve racking.

 

The bald man stood up and looked at the faces gathered before speaking. “I can not pass up a order from the Holy All Father, so please, all of you come onto our ship. I will take you to the citadel. They were shown onto the great machine; the crew helping the less physically inclined political diplomats up onto the frame. Now that he was on it he could see in the center there was a small covered room. They were led inside this, but only a small space within was useable. The rest was filled with what looked like iron bound balls, roughly the size of Nicolas’s head. Each was riveted together somewhat crudely, and one of the closer ones was leaking a fine white powder onto the floor. An assortment of battered chairs were assembled from somewhere within the depths of the store room, and they were allowed to sit.

 

The pilot had left, but not before telling them that no official negotiations will occur until they reached the Terrance. Most of the diplomats had huddled together and were nervously talking among themselves. We had been prepared to leave as soon as we made contact with the Cloud Walkers, for Bestalel had assured them that no hostile action would be taken against us, and most people these days were inclined to believe Bestalel.

 

Nicolas was not entirely enjoying the stuffy atmosphere, so as the shamans again began their dance around the central pole he slipped out onto the deck of the air ship. The scales started to trail lines of magic as they had done previously, and the air ship began to rise off the hangar floor and slip into open air. Jento apparently felt comfortable enough to leave Bestalel as he rested inside the cabin, and joined Nicolas out on the decking.

 

The main ship joined the other three still circling outside. Nicolas looked off the side, before on the Star Catcher the sheer size of the construct masked just how far they were from the ground. The crags and chasms stretching across the valley had long sense been devoid of vegetation. On this side of the mountain range nothing on the surface survived and the ground was backed raw. Like the Devil’s Plate only small pockets surrounding springs showed even the slightest signs of life. Though it was hard to pick out details beyond tiny patches of green in the three or so mile drop to the surface.

 

They picked up speed as the air ships sped towards the Terrance. Nicolas could hear the distant cheers of many voices along the side of the Star Catcher. Now that Nicolas stopped to look he could see that the valleys leading towards the Terrance seemed to form a natural funnel with the ledge the city was suspended on acting as a back board. When the magic currents flowed across the dead lands it smashed against the mountain range before finding thin passes and gateways through for it to flow. This place would pool the magic towards one point, which would create ideal conditions for the training of young Cloud Walker cadets. So much magic hung around the structures that the flight systems would function easily enough for even a novice to drive with a degree of control.

 

Now they were getting closer he could see that the hanging buildings were not as they had seemed before. Instead of the smooth white gleam that the magical field had caused it to look like form long distances he could now see it for what it truly was. A honeycomb of different buildings, each build on top of or below one another, hundreds of gangplanks, rickety walk ways, and rope bridges connected the different structures. Larger thoroughfares connected the main stalagmites. Most of the structures had existed there for what would amount to hundreds of years of usage. Each generation of Cloud Walkers would make their ancestral trip here, and would train for up to ten years before coming back to Cloud Top. Each generation also brought with them more supplies to help build the hanging city.

 

Back at Cloud Top no one knew the true extent of the labyrinth, and few outsiders had ever seen it to describe the insanity of its lay out.  In the center were the crumbling original structures that were no longer in use. Each group would come and reinforce them before building their own houses on top, and for just as many Cloud Walkers that returned to cloud top as many if not more stayed behind to build families in the Terrance. It had been described as a sister city to Cloud Top, but he had never believed it until now.

 

Thousands of people thronged to the edged of buildings starring at the bulk of the Star Catcher, and hundreds of one or two manned flying machines would pass by them for a closer look as they flew between the buildings. They soared between the smaller reverse towers before being able to see the main one. It dwarfed the others in both length and width, and all the giant bridges converged on it. They descended towards the bottom where a open hangar constantly streamed air ships of all sizes. As they slowly approached Nicolas brushed hair out of his eyes and breathed deeply taking in the engineering smell of oil and forge metal.

Author's Note

Here we go again, we are fast approaching the final battle, and let me assure you the end will make your heads spin.

Reviews

[Aggie Skeleton]

Sweetness, you have gotten better at describing stuff, well done.

[Senseless whatever]

Another great chapter. This could just be me but it seems as though as the book has progressed, your details have gotten that much better as well. Again it is probably just me. Great job.

[Huggy Bear]

Great chapter:)