Upon their tour, the guests were introduced to a map of the entire land that belonged to Safira. Far larger than that of Corona and Equis, and even the Dark Kingdom was half the size of the entire land. It also emphasized the landscapes and even marked the warnings Tamaa had explained to them about which parts of the jungles to avoid.
In short, the Safira was an empire safely hidden within a large crater, a sacred oasis with greenery reemerging after years of drought, and with more people arriving to rebuild their homeland. The empire was separated into four rings, with the castle along with houses for the noble families and other richer residents which resided in the center of the ring.
Around them was the rest of the city that was separated into four districts: the marketplace in which general stores and vendors would converse found on the right, the trading district which merely focuses on imports and exports between the empire and other kingdoms which was placed on the left, and the artisans district where many creators had flaunted their craftsmanship found at the center. At the bottom of the three districts were the general homes of the people, with some also having their own small businesses, but were still protected within the second ring.
The third ring was merely the mass of fields and orchards which were tended to by various villages scattered around the area with their own personal water spots to feed the people. However, some of the jungle fauna were able to break in and settle roots but it did not raise alarm for the farmers as it could attract more insects to pollinate their crops.
Finally, it all came together as a paradise hidden by a ring of larger mountains that none would even bat an eye at which added to the extra protection from outside forces, the elements, and even receiving all the resources provided. But they were still in one crater as there were other smaller ones that also held isolated lakes, marshes, and swamps that were homes to the river dragons. Other symbols also indicated where one would find other beasts that were best to be avoided unless someone was foolish enough to test their bravery. And the jungles also made things difficult for those who dared to stray off the path.
However, there was the subject about the lake which was brought up to question, even with the river dragons, as it was marked on the map to be a sort of 'backyard park' in all of the three rings where it was accessible for everyone and was fed through the rivers from outside the crater. But it was like what Varian stated, the lake they saw last night wasn't large enough to feed the entire people, something Tamaa brought up was due to the droughts and 'the Tyrant' selfishly hoarding the sacred drink from everyone else. With luck, they were expecting spring and summer rains to be happening soon and hopefully it would be enough for the people to live off of for the moment.
One of the things Nigel had taken notice of was the trail of black smoke which occured on the horizon, only for it to be revealed that it was a volcano. It hadn't been much worry to the empire for a time and if hopeful, it wouldn't be much trouble late on in the future. There was nothing else to say about it as the conversation had shifted as the group was led towards a large building, partially destroyed, yet stood proudly and decorated with hanging incense. The entrance was protected by broken statues of strange looking beasts wearing armor and posing to attack anyone who dared to come close. Several workers and overseers argued with each other on how to fix the damages to even notice the royal advisor and their guests walking past them.
"This temple," Tamaa began to speak out loud as everyone marveled at the inside which was filled with tapestries, statues of men and women with weapons, and faded wall paintings of battles, some of which other workers were attempting to restore, "was constructed by the Emperor Rava, the third ruler of Safira, and completed by Empress Raya who was the sixth ruler of Safira. Throughout history, we have immortalized our most fierce fighters, the victories of our battles, and the remains of our ancestors. My friends, I would like to introduce to you, the one and only, Martyr Safira."
The group faced a large statue of a woman and were able to stand as tall as her ankle in height while the sun shined down on her, lighting the room brightly to reveal that most of her face destroyed and she was missing her arms, but the painting erected alongside her and an elderly man carefully constructing a smaller model gave indication of what she was supposed to look like originally. The woman, Safira, was supposed to have her hands cupping a lotus and only her eyes were blindfolded with water falling from her cheeks to resemble tears and fall down onto a pool below.
"Well, she certainly was beautiful. She was a martyr?" King Trevor was first to speak and was answered by the sculpture who took a pause from his work to turn to the group. Bowing to the prince and introduced as one of Safira's own historians, keeper of the archives, and storyteller to those who wished to listen.
"Her story is a tragic one, yet it was her sacrifice that created our kingdom. This land was very different generations ago and was also ruled by a harsh king. The woman Safira was his favorite consort, but she despised him and for what he had done to her home. However none dared to challenge the king, so Safira fled into the desert in search of a champion who would help liberate her home. There she met a young foreigner and his small group of wanderers within the desert. Like many tales as old as time, the two had fallen in love and planned to liberate people out of the barren kingdom in search for a better home. But they were betrayed and Safira took up arms to fight against the king in order for her beloved and his people to escape. Sadly, she was captured and sentenced to death. Before she died, Safira spoke of hope and justice that her people will one day live in freedom. It was her death which brought so much grief to her beloved and inspired him to raise an army, liberate the kingdom, and become the 'The First King' of the renamed land of 'Safira'. Named in her honor. It is she who faces the sunrise and brings the promise that tomorrow is a new day of prosperity and peace upon our land. But it is the day that she will never see again."
"That was beautiful." Rapunzel smiled as the story concluded and the others nodded in agreement along with a few sniffles.
"So, the land was ruled by a cruel king and he was overthrown for a new ruler." Keira commented. "And again it was ruled by another cruel king and he too was overthrown. Sounds similar to how the empress came into power, doesn't it?"
"History has a funny way of repeating itself at times. It is important to take heed of the warnings and mistakes of our ancestors or else we are doomed to make even more grievous harm." The elder replied.
"That's a very touching story. But if Safira is the foundation of everything around us, then what about that one?" Lance gestured up to another statue that stood back to back of Safira. The other statue appeared to be a female at first glance, but as the group walked around to face her the room was slightly dimmer on the other side. Something was off as this statue's jaw was broken off, her entire upper torso broken, and a leg was missing, while the remains were still clinging onto the back of Safira's statue. It felt that whoever she was, someone really didn't like her to do this much damage and the portrait was far more off-putting compared to Safira's gentle appearance as it gave an inhuman image. Like Safira, her arms were cupped but held fire in her palms, her smile was to reveal curled tusks similar to a boar, her body was purposely marked like cracked glass, and her head was decorated with an antler-like crown, but still connected to Safira's pool.
"This is Miraj, ancestor of the kingdom. After the death of Safira and before overthrowing the king, our hero had sought power that would give him the strength of ten thousand men and an army to avenge his beloved. What he found was a force more powerful than any army with the nature of a trickster. A genie-"
"Wait, wait, wait." Eugene raised his hand. "A genie? An actual genie?"
"As in, rub the lamp and you get three wishes?" Catalina asked next.
"A genie who's magic could result in horrific outcomes?" Nigel added.
"Like a genie from that story about the thief and a lamp?" Lance commented.
A genie's lamp. At this Rapunzel furrowed her brow and her attention was brought back onto the portrait and the flashback of what she and Pascal had found in the room, along with the image began to come together and how Ambrose was protective of what appeared to be an ordinary oil lamp. Could it mean that deep in the castle was a powerful force waiting to be released?
"Sorry to sound rude, but I don't buy it." Eugene crossed his arms with a scoff.
"You're not inclined to believe it." Tamaa interjected. "Just like how we're not inclined, you defeated a monster called 'Zhan Tiri' with drops that fell from the Sun and Moon."
"...touche."
"What happens next?" Cataline asked.
"Upon finding what he needed to fulfill his revenge, our hero had released the genie and sealed his fate. Legend says that the first wish was to use the infinite powers of the genie for himself without any restrictions. The second was to insure that all wishes afterwards would be permanent with none would be to undo the magic that he used across the land. Once done, our hero returned to the land with his own army and challenged the ruler, becoming 'The First King of Safira.' When everything was settled, the final wish was used to free the genie with the promise that it would not raise their magic against his reign. In the aftermath, the genie took the form of a woman, calling herself Miraj, and rather than risking to travel the desert into an unknown world, she stayed with the new king of the land. Using her own power and wisdom to aid in protecting the kingdom, eventually falling in love with him as well for his compassion, loyalty, and sense of justice. While the king's heart could not replace his love for Safira, Miraj aided in his healing as a friend, advisor, and eventually as his queen, bearing a child to carry on the legacy. The combined magic of a mortal and a genie had kept the kingdom alive and safe for generations as their power stretched to the desert borders. When the time came, 'The First King' and 'The Divine Mother' stepped down for their child to take the crown and they too became grains in the sands of time. While Safira faces the sunrise, Miraj faces the sunset as it is her legacy, her bloodline, and her power that will forever protect the kingdom at the end of the setting sun."
"Does that mean that the royal family still holds magic?" King Trevor asked.
"And what about their child? Did they live happily ever after too?" Lance was next and even more questions came.
"Everyone. Everyone." Tamaa smiled at their eagerness as the elder bowed his head before departing to continue his work. "While your enthusiasm to learn our history is refreshing, we still have much to explore. Your questions will soon be answered by the empress herself."
"You mean we'll be meeting her soon?" At this Rapunzel smiled, perhaps Ambrose was able to relay her message.
"Hopefully. Knowing her when we were children, I'm sure she'll love to brag about her heritage and conquest as well as any questions you may have."
"Oh fantastic." King Trevor spoke as they were escorted out of the temple to continue the tour. "I was beginning to worry about when we would meet our host. As much as this is a beautiful world to explore, I am already beginning to feel homesick for my Trevor Jr."
As the group conversed about the legend told to them, Rapunzel looked back at the statues of the two women. Could there be magic still alive in the land after all these years or could it just be a story told to keep the spirits of the people aloft even in harsh times? The thought of the genie's lamp still weighed heavily on her mind.
Looking around Rapunzel tugged at Eugene's arm, staring at the large tower in the distance near one of the exits of the districts.
"What's wrong?" He turned to her and over at the tower before setting his eyes upon her again. "It's just a large building...Is it because it's a tower or-"
"I just noticed that there are a lot of these around the rings of the empire."
"It's probably just a part of the city's decoration."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
The others had appeared content in their curiosity, along with some ideas on what they would come back to purchase which would all be paid for, courtesy of the empress herself. Through their walks, Pascal had taken notice of a little shop in which there were more chameleons just like him, only they had what looked similar to rhino horns on their noses. He made sure to take a mental note of the location in hopes of coming back to try to make some new friends that were like him. Poor Ruddiger was already exhausted by the heat as he dangled on Varian's shoulder, panting on occasion before deciding to rest. Of course, in a professional matter, Max kept his head high and was proud to show that he wasn't bothered by the weather as some people paused and looked at him in awe. Horses were not uncommon animals in Safira, yet they weren't as flaunted around so he certainly was a sight to see. From off Eugene's head and riding on Lance's shoulder, Hamuel didn't seem bothered but who could truly understand the bird among the group.
"Hey Tamaa," Lance spoke up as the group had finished their tour of the districts and their share of learning. "Everything you guys do around here seems like a lot of work and under the sun, on top of that. Sounds pretty exhausting. What do you do around here for entertainment?"
"Glad you asked as that's one of our next destinations," Tamaa smiled at him. "We are heading to the coliseum."
"A coliseum? I didn't see anything like that up here." This time it was Trevor who spoke up as he fanned himself from the heat, there was evidence of sweat as his clothing did not seem to do him any service under the sun.
"That is because it is built in the Underground."
"The Underground?" Eugene questioned as the others were also curious. There wasn't anything that even resembled a coliseum above land like in Corona.
"Yes. We haven't really thought of giving it a fancy name, so it just stayed known as 'The Underground' and it has been around long before 'The First King' and possibly more." Tamaa continued.
At this, the others listened intently as Tamaa continued to explain how it was used as a sanctuary to escape the heat and harsh sandstorms before buildings were added to expand it throughout the years, all while escorting them towards a large tower where people were entering and exiting. The sides at the top of the tower were exposed for guards to overlook the kingdom and stood in front of a large bell, no doubt to signal the people for upcoming disasters. The doors of the tower were interesting as they made of jungle wood while it's handles and hinges were made of gold. Below, there were average sized doors which were left open on either side for people to walk in and out as the guards talked over the crowd in order to keep them moving.
As they entered, they were greeted with cool air and took notice of how much larger the inside was when compared to the outside. Who knew looks could be deceiving. The walls were heavily painted with Safirian symbols along with other images such as animals fighting one another or remnants of children's doodles which have faded over time. There was also a large staircase leading upwards to a balcony and outside of the building where guards were patrolling their stations or coming to take someone else's place. But below the balcony was what the group was more interested in as that was where the people were swarming in and out like ants. Tamaa had said, more people were active at night or taking sanctuary in the Underground, as they followed closely to not become separated.
"Wow, it feels so much nicer down here." Keira sighed in relief.
"Yeah, it's a nice break from the heat." Catalina agreed with her sister.
"That's because caves stay at the same temperature all year-round. Which is why they're perfect for hiding against cold and warm weather. Which means there also has to be a source of airflow, otherwise, people would suffocate." Varian spoke up to share his own knowledge.
"Very good Varian." Tamaa commented. "There are many towers and ancient tunnels found throughout the kingdom in order to keep the Underground safe for everyone living underneath. It's why most of the kingdom prefers to stay down here even when night comes, it's one of the safest places to be asked from the castle."
"Wait, most of the kingdom?" Nigel asked.
"See for yourself."
The Underground was a completely different world compared to what the group had seen when the stairway tunnel had opened to reveal an entire city underneath the empire. There were colorful lanterns that were strung around the city along with a few torches to bring light in around what would've been dimly lit areas and cobblestone had marked the pathways throughout the city. The ceilings above were heavily supported by beams of wood and natural roots from larger trees above the surface which begged the question of how long they'd been there and how deep was the entire Underground. Many of the buildings looked to mimic the ones above ground, some even reaching to the top of the roofs and looked to be at least three elephants tall. Each was carefully made from terracotta clay and wood, yet lavishly decorated indoors with wooden floors and furniture which added to a simplistic beauty, some even painted with symbols that Tamaa indicated as family crests, while others were just simple patterns and children's art as people were all over the place. It was far easier to expand into the Underground to carry on their businesses in case the weather had taken a drastic measure rather than just closing everything down until a heavy rainstorm or a particularly bad sandstorm passed.
Everyone watched in awe at how something so beautiful was kept hidden underneath, safe and secure just like their land as they continued towards the center of the kingdom. Here, even the palace was also expanded underneath the city except that it now looked as if someone had taken the entire structure and flipped it upside down, protected by an outward wall with a gate at its entrance.
Oh no, there was no way in Eugene's opinion that anyone who had claustrophobia would be able to handle this. And frankly part of him was feeling anxious as he kept looking up at the ceiling and expected it to collapse any second due to how many people were already above continuing their own routines. Absolutely not, he already felt a bit of unease in his stomach, but he continued on to marvel at the Underground.
"This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen!" Rapunzel gave a gasp and a smile shined on her face, even as her jaw dropped to see how everyone in the city was right underneath them for all this time. With a playful gesture, Eugene moved his hand to close Rapunzel's jaw, knowing full well that she would want to explore more.
"Wow, you guys are prepared for everything." He turned to speak to Tamaa.
"Naturally, why fight against the elements when we can adapt to them? Now then, shall we all move onto the coliseum?"
With great eagerness to see what else the kingdom had to offer without the scorching heat of the sun, the group followed Tama to their next destination to see what sort of entertainment that the Safirans took pleasure in. Just like before, Rapunzel and Eugene kept to themselves, walking hand in hand as everything in the Underground felt like a dream. Everything was far more alive with people up and about to carry on their tasks to even take notice of the royal couple. Just as they were about to turn the corner, a woman stepped forward and was about to make an apology for Tamaa after getting in his way, but what cut short once she looked at the others. And they stared back at her.
Taking a step forward, Rapunzel was in disbelief as she had to find her words.
"...Cassandra?"