Chapter 9
Ifrit was suitably impressed. He had never seen a city as large as Styx. It was wedged between a great desert to the north and a great lake to the south the size of an ocean. The castle itself stood on a high plateau, surrounded by high walls with crenellated walls. The city below was neat and orderly, with small houses arrayed along cobblestone streets.
"This makes Jidoor look like a one horse town," he said.
"Jidoor is a one horse town," said Ramuh smiling.
"If there's anything left of it," said Shiva quietly.
Ifrit sighed and started to walk on ahead. Shiva caught his arm.
"Wait Ifrit!"
He half turned. "Huh?"
"I wasn't aiming that at you," she said looking down.
Ifrit looked confused. "Well.."
"I'm sorry for hitting you. It isn't your fault for being so foolish," she said.
Ifrit rubbed his head and grinned. "Uh, well it is, kinda."
Shiva nodded and released his arm. "Mm. Thank you." After she left Ifrit turned to meet Ramuh's gaze.
"Wipe that look off your face old man," he growled.
Ramuh smiled innocently.
"Argh!" Ifrit threw up his hands and followed after her.
They hurried along the main street. It was the middle of the day and the shops were bustling. Everywhere there were shoppers and vendors hawking their wares. Ramuh stopped at a stall selling potions, but Shiva grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along. Finally they reached the main gate which was flanked by several formidable towers.
"How are we going to get in?" asked Ifrit.
"Just follow me," said Ramuh matter-of-factly. He waved to the guards.
"Welcome Elder Ramuh. Here to visit the Lord Odin?" asked a guard.
"Yes. These two are with me," he replied, waving a hand to Shiva.
"Go right in," said the guard.
Ifrit shot a glance to Shiva as they walked under the portcullis. "He stopped surprising me years ago," she said with a smirk.
They mounted a large staircase and climbed past more towers to a large courtyard. Beneath a pair of archways they could make out the massive door leading to the main hall. On the right side was a smaller door. A man in armor emerged from a recess in the wall on the left side. He noticed Ramuh and walked straight towards him.
"What happened Elder Ramuh?" he asked with a look of concern.
"Bad news I'm afraid Lord Odin. We have to speak with Queen Lethe at once."
Odin drew up to his full height stiffly. Ifrit noticed his black armor was trimmed with gold, his graying hair falling into bangs on either side of his face. His features looked noble and stern. He wore an eyepatch but his one good eye was regarding Ramuh searchingly. He clutched the hilt of his sword.
"I'll show you in at once," he said gesturing for the guards to accompany them. He abruptly turned, causing his black cape to flutter behind him. They went through the double doors into an antechamber decorated with red tapestries and royal blue carpeting. Odin approached the sentry.
"Announce us at once," he said quietly.
The guard glanced at Ramuh and Shiva then went back to staring straight ahead. "Announcing Lord Odin, Elder Ramuh and companions!" he yelled.
There was a distant thud and the second set of double doors opened. Inside was a massive room. The carpeting continued past forests of columns, up to a large dais where two gilt thrones stood. Only the Queen seemed to be present. She was sitting on the left throne, dressed in a pink and red gown trimmed with white fur. Her long brown hair was elaborately braided and a golden tiara rested on her head. She rose as Odin knelt in front of her and kissed her outstretched hand.
"Elder Ramuh has returned with urgent news your Majesty," said Odin rising again his head bowed. He then stood discreetly to one side.
"Has he?" said the Queen looking at Ifrit first with an interested look. Then her gaze shifted to Shiva and Ramuh. She smiled warmly to them. "You are always welcome in our castle. But quickly tell us of the news."
"Yes your Majesty," said Ramuh, kneeling. Shiva followed suit and Ifrit stood for a second, then hastily knelt. "Jidoor has been occupied by Golgatha."
Queen Lethe gasped and Odin frowned.
"Allow me to reclaim Jidoor," said Odin angrily.
"Yes, but first we need details first," said the Queen anxiously. "Does this seem to be the first step of an invasion?"
"Perhaps," said Ramuh stroking his beard. "But if it is, it's a strange place to start. There is nothing strategically valuable about Jidoor. However, I'm not sure if King Hasdrubal of Golgatha planned it."
"Why?" asked Odin.
"Because Lord Diablos was leading the attack," said Ramuh.
"Diablos! What was he doing there?" asked the Queen.
"Smoking out Espers your Majesty," said Ifrit. He gulped, as every eye looked his way.
"Go on," said the Queen.
"He held the Mayor hostage and threatened his life unless he turned over the Espers," said Ifrit, the sense of shame returning to him. "I tried to save him, but I burned down the town when I released my powers."
"So you're an Esper," said Odin dryly.
"Yes," said Ifrit, sadly.
"Don't be sorry. I'm always glad to meet another of my kind," he said, his eye gleaming.
"Lord Odin, we command you take a regiment and free Jidoor at once," said the Queen.
"As my Queen commands," said Odin bowing.
"However." she said.
Odin turned to face her. "Your Majesty?"
"We wish to consult our Magus. Send for Melchior at once," said the Queen.
"Allow me to escort Melchior, if it pleases your Majesty," said Ramuh.
"Grandpa, I will go too," added Shiva.
"As will I," said Ifrit.
"Thank you Elder, that would be most appreciated," said the Queen. "And return safely all of you."
Ifrit was suitably impressed. He had never seen a city as large as Styx. It was wedged between a great desert to the north and a great lake to the south the size of an ocean. The castle itself stood on a high plateau, surrounded by high walls with crenellated walls. The city below was neat and orderly, with small houses arrayed along cobblestone streets.
"This makes Jidoor look like a one horse town," he said.
"Jidoor is a one horse town," said Ramuh smiling.
"If there's anything left of it," said Shiva quietly.
Ifrit sighed and started to walk on ahead. Shiva caught his arm.
"Wait Ifrit!"
He half turned. "Huh?"
"I wasn't aiming that at you," she said looking down.
Ifrit looked confused. "Well.."
"I'm sorry for hitting you. It isn't your fault for being so foolish," she said.
Ifrit rubbed his head and grinned. "Uh, well it is, kinda."
Shiva nodded and released his arm. "Mm. Thank you." After she left Ifrit turned to meet Ramuh's gaze.
"Wipe that look off your face old man," he growled.
Ramuh smiled innocently.
"Argh!" Ifrit threw up his hands and followed after her.
They hurried along the main street. It was the middle of the day and the shops were bustling. Everywhere there were shoppers and vendors hawking their wares. Ramuh stopped at a stall selling potions, but Shiva grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along. Finally they reached the main gate which was flanked by several formidable towers.
"How are we going to get in?" asked Ifrit.
"Just follow me," said Ramuh matter-of-factly. He waved to the guards.
"Welcome Elder Ramuh. Here to visit the Lord Odin?" asked a guard.
"Yes. These two are with me," he replied, waving a hand to Shiva.
"Go right in," said the guard.
Ifrit shot a glance to Shiva as they walked under the portcullis. "He stopped surprising me years ago," she said with a smirk.
They mounted a large staircase and climbed past more towers to a large courtyard. Beneath a pair of archways they could make out the massive door leading to the main hall. On the right side was a smaller door. A man in armor emerged from a recess in the wall on the left side. He noticed Ramuh and walked straight towards him.
"What happened Elder Ramuh?" he asked with a look of concern.
"Bad news I'm afraid Lord Odin. We have to speak with Queen Lethe at once."
Odin drew up to his full height stiffly. Ifrit noticed his black armor was trimmed with gold, his graying hair falling into bangs on either side of his face. His features looked noble and stern. He wore an eyepatch but his one good eye was regarding Ramuh searchingly. He clutched the hilt of his sword.
"I'll show you in at once," he said gesturing for the guards to accompany them. He abruptly turned, causing his black cape to flutter behind him. They went through the double doors into an antechamber decorated with red tapestries and royal blue carpeting. Odin approached the sentry.
"Announce us at once," he said quietly.
The guard glanced at Ramuh and Shiva then went back to staring straight ahead. "Announcing Lord Odin, Elder Ramuh and companions!" he yelled.
There was a distant thud and the second set of double doors opened. Inside was a massive room. The carpeting continued past forests of columns, up to a large dais where two gilt thrones stood. Only the Queen seemed to be present. She was sitting on the left throne, dressed in a pink and red gown trimmed with white fur. Her long brown hair was elaborately braided and a golden tiara rested on her head. She rose as Odin knelt in front of her and kissed her outstretched hand.
"Elder Ramuh has returned with urgent news your Majesty," said Odin rising again his head bowed. He then stood discreetly to one side.
"Has he?" said the Queen looking at Ifrit first with an interested look. Then her gaze shifted to Shiva and Ramuh. She smiled warmly to them. "You are always welcome in our castle. But quickly tell us of the news."
"Yes your Majesty," said Ramuh, kneeling. Shiva followed suit and Ifrit stood for a second, then hastily knelt. "Jidoor has been occupied by Golgatha."
Queen Lethe gasped and Odin frowned.
"Allow me to reclaim Jidoor," said Odin angrily.
"Yes, but first we need details first," said the Queen anxiously. "Does this seem to be the first step of an invasion?"
"Perhaps," said Ramuh stroking his beard. "But if it is, it's a strange place to start. There is nothing strategically valuable about Jidoor. However, I'm not sure if King Hasdrubal of Golgatha planned it."
"Why?" asked Odin.
"Because Lord Diablos was leading the attack," said Ramuh.
"Diablos! What was he doing there?" asked the Queen.
"Smoking out Espers your Majesty," said Ifrit. He gulped, as every eye looked his way.
"Go on," said the Queen.
"He held the Mayor hostage and threatened his life unless he turned over the Espers," said Ifrit, the sense of shame returning to him. "I tried to save him, but I burned down the town when I released my powers."
"So you're an Esper," said Odin dryly.
"Yes," said Ifrit, sadly.
"Don't be sorry. I'm always glad to meet another of my kind," he said, his eye gleaming.
"Lord Odin, we command you take a regiment and free Jidoor at once," said the Queen.
"As my Queen commands," said Odin bowing.
"However." she said.
Odin turned to face her. "Your Majesty?"
"We wish to consult our Magus. Send for Melchior at once," said the Queen.
"Allow me to escort Melchior, if it pleases your Majesty," said Ramuh.
"Grandpa, I will go too," added Shiva.
"As will I," said Ifrit.
"Thank you Elder, that would be most appreciated," said the Queen. "And return safely all of you."