Crimson Chorus, From the Nine Kingdoms (Chapter 2)

  ***

  A male who was wearing clothes made by iron-feathers stopped Luca. The outlook place where they were was different than sandean Capital because they weren’t there, but in Venea City. Its symmetric homes were sculptures built by stones and plants, as well as its streets that were connected with bridges that rose over the connected rivers simulating as the roots of a tree that were fed by Adirel’s Waterfall that descended between the floors and walls of the majestic Castle of Venea that at the same time was fused with Vene’s Mountain. All was into an herbalist environment but without going into the wild.

  “Our king sent you this.”

  It was a kind of bracelet that shines in a white metallic. It was made by sacred mineral: the Silvering Steel.

  “A royal jewel? But, I already have one ...” said Luca confused.

  “He knew you guess that. It’s not for you but for your sandean friend, to protect him.”

  “I get it ... Thanks our King for me.”

  “Also he knew you would say that ...”

  “I go then, I’ll see you in my return, Aguna,” said Luca leaving.

  “That protection of our deity is with you, Luca.”

  Luca was in front to the arc monument, copy of the one that was in the Central Plaza of the Sandean Capital. He took out from his saddlebag two rune stones which symbols were assembling with the symbols of the arc stones, but one was cubic and the other was pyramidal; took this last one for then throw it through the limit of the arc, passing by, as if it submerge into water, and disappear. It opens a curtain of silver bright that was palpitating intermittently aqueous all over the arc. It had been opened a doorway. Luca crossed it as if he cross water, and disappear.

  In the other side, he emerged horizontally in the Sandean Capital, front to the portal of the Central Plaza. The rune stone that he had thrown in was at two steps away; was shone in harmony with the gateway. He took it and then the gateway disappears in the act, leaving only the empty arc. He continued walking northward; when he arrived to the entrance of the Noble Neighborhood, two militaries stopped him.

  “Permission?” asked one of the militaries.

  “There is. I’m Luca.”

  “He is Luca, diplomatic Veneet,” added the other military.

  He recognized him for his metallic vestment, because he was the only one who dressed like that.

 

  “It is truth,” accepted the military. “There is, noble Luca. You can go in.”

  “Thanks,” said Luca, but doesn’t; stayed quietly as remembering something. “You know ... better I’ll come later. Before, I must do something important.”

  He returned his way, moving away from them. He crossed the Central Plaza, again, and went towards the South Avenue. He arrived to the South Plaza, and then entered to the Nectar Tavern. There weren’t people just the assistants of the bartender Hector, and possibly him. He approached to the bar.

  “May I offer you refreshment ...?” asked the assistant who was cleaning the bar area.

  “I’m looking for Hector.”

  “He went out but will be back here at afternoon.”

  “He’s out? Well, it doesn’t matter. Can you help me?” said Luca placing a golsol on the bar.

  “It depends ...” answered the assistant taking the golsol slyly and hiding in his hand.

  “I need a bottle of Nectar. I’m Luca, a Hector’s friend. That’s the payment for the bottle; you can keep it the rest.”

  “AH? Yes ... yes, immediately.”

 

  After a few minutes the assistant returned with a bottle, and gave it to Luca.

  “Say hello to your boss,” said Luca and retired from the place.

  When he arrived to the Central Plaza, noticed that in front to the House of the Sandean Alliance, it had reunited a group of watchers belonging to the main guilds east and west, who seemed to debating.

  Chief Dolomeo and Reenjeen also were there. All the attention, the cause of the fuss, was Nolla the secretary of the guild Wall East, who had been summoned for certain administrative irregularities of which she was being accused.

  Luca attended the matter discretely.

  “... you will get it, I assure you,” said Reenjeen to chief Dolomeo, defending to his companion secretary. “But not for today.”

  “Reenjeen, do de roll of leader have done you forget our positions.”

  “Chief Dolomeo, you have kept on the sideline of my responsibilities. If I take this posture it is because I am respecting the will-order of my guild leader. Those are not times to break bonds of the alliance, today more than ever we must keep united.”

  “Explain your words,” demanded Dolomeo.

  “I am sure that you will know soon and will give me the reason. Right now I ask you to desist from this procedure, so that I can deliver important information to general Solaris.”

  Chief Dolomeo after meditate those words, accepted without asking for more explanations. He ordered everyone to retreat, doing the first. In short time the watchers left. Reenjeen together with his companions distanced at few steps. Dolomeo still was watching them with curiosity.

  “What’s that about the information ...?” asked Nolla.

  “I need you to return to the guild house,” said Reenjeen interrupting. “There are waiting Seenan and the others with the task report.” He saw Ceeval and the others present. “You have done a good job Ceeval; you can return to your main tasks. I will reunite with you later.”

  He said goodbye, walking away northward, while the guild companions went eastward. As to Luca, decided to follow Reenjeen. They found at the entry of the Noble Neighborhood because had been stopped by the military guards.

  “You have returned noble Luca,” said one of the entry keepers.

  “What is the meaning of your visit, hand-guild Reenjeen?” inquired the other entry keeper.

  “I came to see general Solaris, and deliver him important information.”

  Both keepers changed glares, and without discuss let them the access. They continued their walking way, but Reenjeen when realize that Lucas was following him, he stopped at the middle of the Paths Crossing.

  “You are Reenjeen, the hand of the guild Wall East,” said Luca as a greeting.

  “And you are Luca, venea’s ambassador.

  “It’s not the first time we meet.”

  “Right,” said Reenjeen looking at him. “Why are you studying me?”

  “I see that, you aren’t in your best moment. Have you traveled?”

  “That is easy to intuit because my damaged clothes.”

  “It’s correct. I don’t want to incommode you; simply it called my attention what you said about the information for the general ... Even you already noticed that. I know you won’t tell me anything about. Both have a purpose to accomplished in this place, even I don’t know yours, I’m pretty sure that are related. This encounter isn’t coincidence.”

  “I was known by be someone who focuses more for the facts than the conjectures, ambassador Luca.”

  “That’s the virtue of the art of predicting; to focus beyond the facts. For some are difficult to see what is beyond.”

  “Such art I don’t know. Maybe you are right, ambassador. Until then we wouldn’t know it.”

 

  “Until then ...”

  They parted, taking opposite ways, Luca leftward and Reenjeen rightward.