LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 273: Zach
Citadel of the Empire
The group followed down the ramp, disembarking from the airship. The Knight Commander walked in front of them, leading them toward a group waiting for them. Zach turned his eyes to the sky, seeing the massive structure rising above them. It was vaguely cone shaped, narrowing into the tower that held the gemstone that seemingly powered the emerald dome around the city. Each level had terraces filled with life, hanging vines in all the colors imaginable, waterfalls flowing down from the higher levels, cascading all the way from the top. It was a marvel to behold, and probably the largest structure that Zach had ever seen or heard of before, in the Infinite Realm or on Earth. It was the size of a mountain.
It put into perspective just how large the city was when the central structure was larger than most the cities on Earth. Naha saw him pause, and bumped him. “Come,” she whispered, and he shook his awe of to catch up with the others—though, he saw the same expressions on the faces of others. The city didn’t impress just him.
They approached the group waiting for them, Eratemus walking in the front. The welcoming party was six guards, all wearing gray full plate armor and carrying long halberds in their hands. Their capes were orange, and the armor had glowing lines in them that Zach recognized to be arrays.
The person standing at the front, surrounded by the six guards wore an elaborate formal robe, with several layers each more colorful than the last. Once, Zach would’ve questioned the sanity of wearing so many layers in a desert, but he was pretty sure that the clothes had arrays in them too, one had to regulate the temperature. Zach himself could feel the heat, but his body was strong enough to handle it for now.
The person was a minotaur, his back hunched and shoulders wide. The fur—or perhaps hair?—Zach wasn’t sure, was tied into a braid below his chin, the long hair on the back of his neck was lined with tiny glowing gems and long strips of cloth. His horns were tipped in gold, and elaborate carvings covered the rest of them.
As they approached the minotaur inclined his head.
“Welcome guests,” he said. “I am Teeran Hoofline, Custodian of the Citadel of Sands, the Keeper of the Everlasting Palace, the Guardian of the Emerald Throne. I will be your host during your stay here.”
Zach blinked at the man’s titles. He glanced around, trying to see the reactions from others. Ryun looked… bored, but then again, he always looked that way to Zach. He didn’t react to the man’s words or his gesture. Selia, Erdania, and Vryull inclined their heads in return, looking respectful. Naha’s expression was closed off, she rarely showed anything to strangers. The two whose reactions were the most telling were Maleatus and Eratemus. Maleatus was starring at the citadel in front of them, his eyes narrowed and his face looking as if he was in deep thought. Eratemus’s head turned in the direction of the Citadel for a split moment, and then back to the minotaur.
It was somewhat telling that Eratemus gave no extra titles for their group.
“The Empire knows your name, Necromancer. The others are unknown. That will serve them better. Follow me, I will lead you to your quarters,” the Custodian said. “Your… undead and cargo can stay with the ship.”
Eratemus tilted his head. “The cargo can stay, my skeletons will be coming with us.”
The Custodian gave Eratemus a long look, then just nodded. “Very well, follow me.”
“I was under the impression that there was little time, isn’t the Emperor eager to meet with us? We need no rest,” Eratemus said as they started walking.
The Custodian paused, then answered. “The Emperor and anyone else of high enough rank who could speak with you is currently occupied at the Wall, the enemy has been attacking more often of late, and with greater strength.”
Zach wondered just how intense the battles were if even their Emperor was needed. He turned and glanced in the distance, but the Wall was too far away for him to be able to see anything of the fighting. But what he remembered from coming in to the city had been… intense. A field of black standing in front of the Wall, assaulting it constantly. He understood what they were going through, he had lived through something like it on Earth. An endless assault by monsters, constant losing ground. Attempts at holding walls and pushing the hordes back, always losing people and always failing.
No one spoke as the minotaur led them into the Citadel. They entered through a large double door, stepping from the scorching heat outside into a cooled room.
Zach saw Maleatus stop and frown, his head turning as he looked around them. Something about the look in his eyes caught Zach’s attention.
“What is it?” Zach asked as he leaned in.
The ravzor didn’t turn. “This… this isn’t right.”
“What isn’t?”
“Ah,” the Custodian spoke. “You are a spatial expert, yes? It can be disconcerting for our kind.”
Maleatus met the minotaur’s eyes. “What is it?”
“This citadel is my kingdom, on the inside it is as large as it needs to be,” the Custodian said. “Currently it is about twice the size that it is on the outside. We have… too many had been forced out of their homes, seeking the only refuge that they could.”
Zach’s eyes widened at that. The Citadel was already large, it being even bigger on the inside boggled the mind.
He led them down the corridor that seemed like it went on forever. When Zach looked down the corridor, he got a strange sensation that almost resembled that of falling. Maleatus was frowning as they walked, and just as Zach was about say something they arrived to a large garden.
Zach looked around, trying to figure out how the never ending corridor suddenly came to an end, but the Custodian didn’t give them a chance, he led them across the garden filled with trees, a pond, and a few low tiered animal monsters sitting on a wooden arch in the middle of it. Zach glanced up, and saw the Citadel rising above them, only… It seemed like they were a lot higher than the place where they entered. It was obvious even to him that something wasn’t quite right.
They reached the other side of the garden and one of the guards opened the door ahead of them. They were led inside into a large common room with several closed doors around the walls. Quality furniture filled the center, pillows filling holes in the ground and tables on the side filled with food. Attendants stood next to them, mostly humans and demasi, wearing white clothes with collars around their necks.
“The slaves are yours to command,” the Custodian said.
Zach blinked. There were slaves in the core, not many, and only in few factions. But… he found himself stopping. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Eratemus spoke.
“They won’t be necessary,” the undead said as his skeletons entered the room from behind them.
The minotaur kept his eyes on Eratemus and then gestured. The attendants—the slaves—shuffled out of the room. “If that is what you wish,” he said. “I will be free to meet with you again tomorrow, we can go over the details of your stay and our agreement then.”
“And the Emperor?” Eratemus asked.
“I’m afraid that his presence will depend on the enemy,” the minotaur said. “For now, there are only a few rules that you should know. Guards will be posted outside these rooms, if you need anything they will provide it. Violence against anyone inside of the Citadel will be met with a harsh punishment, unless, of course, you are acting in self defense. I suggest staying in your rooms and resting, there will be time for action in the future.”
“We were asked here to help against a common foe,” Eratemus said. “Not to sit around and wait. I need to speak with someone who can make decisions.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” the Custodian said. “You can choose the rooms on your own. I wish you a good day.”
With that, he turned around and left, leaving them all alone.
For a bit there was silence, everyone just looking around and taking in the sight. The room was warm and filled with light that came in from the large dome window above them. Everything was covered in colorful fabrics that looked like something out of Arabian Nights.
“This place is impossible,” Maleatus said.
“I’ve noticed,” Eratemus added.
Zach saw the others look at them in confusion.
“What do you mean by that?” Vryull asked.
Maleatus shook his head, then waved angrily at the walls. “This! It is as if space is constantly bending around us. It… grates on my nerves.”
“There had been theories about something like this,” Eratemus said. “Many in the Core had attempted to create it. I haven’t heard about anyone succeeding.”
“How did then they do it?” Maleatus demanded. “And you saw this city, it is…”
“I know,” Eratemus said slowly.
“I am not following,” Selia spoke. “Eratemus, can you explain?”
The undead met her eyes before speaking. “Ever since we entered this empire through that mountain fortress, I’ve been… surprised. The Empire had surpassed my expectations. There are no cities like this one in the core, not even close.”
Zach tilted his head. “You mean in terms of size?”
Eratemus met his eyes, then shook his head. “No, well, not just that. The way that it is built, that shield around it… there is a lot of Essence built into every part of this city.”
“It is impossible, they left with nothing,” Maleatus said. “To have built this? It would’ve taken—”
“—a people united in need to survive?” Zach interjected.
Maleatus met his eyes with a frown.
“I think that we all underestimated the Empire,” Eratemus added. “I did not expect this at all. But now… yes, I can see how and why. The core is fractured, we guard secrets jealously, high tiered people are considered too important to risk—in most cases at least. This city alone had to have taken a gargantuan effort to build. And they had clearly fortified it with arrays.”
“That Custodian,” Maleatus started. “He is a spatial user.”
“He is pure Classer,” Eratemus answered.
“You saw?” Selia asked.
“Yes,” Eratemus said. “Not everything, some things were shielded from me, but most. His Class is Grand Custodian of Empire’s Heart, not a Class that I am familiar with. Obviously he is someone at the peak of his discipline. I believe that it would be in our best interests to follow his instructions, for now.”
“Can we afford to wait?” Zach asked. “I was under the impression that their Empire was hard pressed.”
Eratemus nodded his head. “That was what I thought too, but for now I think that we should accept that they know more than we do. Remember, we are in their lands, following their rules. We need to tread carefully.”
For a few seconds no one said anything, and then Ryun spoke out.
“Eratemus,” he said slowly.
“Yes?” The undead answered.
“I came here to fight this enemy, yes. I am here because I was asked and because I do think that it is better to fight such an enemy away from my territory. But, I am here because there is something that this Empire had taken from me, and I intend to get it back,” Ryun paused, his eyes intense and boring into the undead. “I will follow you and your guidance as agreed, the only thing I ask in return is that when we get to speak with someone in charge, you ask that I get put in contact with one of their Houses, the House Ornn.”
“House Ornn?” Maleatus asked.
“That is right,” Ryun nodded. “I believe that they have something, or rather someone who I would very much like to get back.”
“We cannot do anything violent,” Eratemus warned.
Ryun shrugged. “I don’t plan on it, but I cannot promise that I won’t.”
The undead looked around at all of them, then spoke.
“Perhaps we should take our host’s advice and rest, take a room and rest, tomorrow we can decide on what exactly we want to do here.”
Zach watched as everyone shuffled away, opening doors at random. He glanced at Naha, and they took the one that was left. Zach wondered just how long they were going to be able to contain themselves before someone exploded and they were all screwed.