7 NAGOZUL (2/2)
”Wait a minute, the beasts like Grog the Demon Wolf?”
”Yes, why?”
”But we're going to take the Kulog Pass this week to go to the North right?”
”Oh yes, the Kulog Pass is due to the east of the mountain range connecting a road to the Palace and the road to the north. It is the only known passable roadway to the northern regions of Nagozul. It's always raining there and, very frequently, it rains lightning bolts. That's why they call it Kulog Pass. Kulog is thunder in the old tongue.” Karus anticipated Yosh's next question and continued. ”Yes, Kulog Pass directly connects to the Jungle and before you reach the North you've got to pass it, unless you want to circle around and climb the mountain range which proved to be very difficult and highly perilous - though there's a secret pass that Daomagarians frequently traverse to get to the other side, a steep rocky path that's almost only a foot wide, It's not for Nagozulians and, still, it's very very dangerous.”
Yosh's face began to turn purple as the only thing that frightens him is Grog which his father always tells him to be dangerous. He said that this Grog eats children at night, children that doesn't really follow their parent's orders and doesn't do their chores on time. The other three older brothers found out in their early years that this was just a thing to frighten them and to straighten them out but Yosh was very convinced it was true seeing that he very much believe in spirits and monsters up till now.
”Below that road to Kulog Pass lies the road to the Palace which is there -” Karus pointed out at south of the mountain range at the center of the map. ”That is where we are right now. We are at the center of Nagozul.”
”Technically it's not a center,” interrupted by Kayzar who walked near them. ”it is at - uh - between the center of the left side and the center center which puts it somewhere left but not that left, if you know what that means.”
”No use of measurement here, Kayzar, thank you. Uh - it's mostly center so you should probably say it's the center. It's just semantics.”
”No, if you measure them in length...”
”Guys?” pushed Yosh who seems to be eager to get out of the topic of what's center and what's not.
”Okay, Okay. We'll just put it in the center,” Kayzar yielded smiling as he stepped back and let Karus continue.
”Ehem... going west from the Palace stands a very dense white forest called the Forest of Kyrin. This is where the remaining Elves dwell...”
”Oh c'mon, you still believe that the Elves are real.” said Yosh disagreeing with what Karus is stating.
”Oh, so you believe Grog to be a giant monster wolf that eats children, but you don't believe the Elves? The Elves that are clearly stated in some of the remaining history books that were burned at the great Elven rebellion? Elves that created those Elven Arrows that we just used last time?”
”Elves are fantasy characters created by poorly trained archers to be their role models. Just get back on point please.”
”Hah, getting bossy now, are we? So again, the Forest of Kyrin is where the Elven trees are located. They use the trees there to create strong wooden posts. It is said that some fugitives live there and people who harvest trees from there are heard to disappear and have never returned ever since. So, they harvest trunks near the clearing to ensure their lives. Since then, Elven trees are practically a rare commodity because of its strength and durability plus the fact that it's very hard to cut and harvest. It takes them months to cut down one that's why they can only harvest, at the most, one Elven trunk a year which is kind of...”
”ehem...” interrupted Kayzar.
”Right - Moving on, below the Palace is the Nilad Plains where we always train. It has its forest parts but most of the area is flat where shrubs of Nilad are abundant that's why they called it so. This is where they plant saplings of things like vegetables, fruits, wheat, corn, rice and everything. They also let the animals graze there for months before the rainy season.” he gave time to pause for a moment to think and look at the map again to see what he left out. ”uh - what did I miss... Oh! There, going further east from the Nilad Plains is the Hishma Caves. It stretches out further to the shores on the eastern side. It's a long hillside full of gems inside the caves. There, they harvest the materials needed for Nagozulian Elemental Fusions called the Amplifyers which I think Old Juni had covered. They also mine there for gold, silver, copper, and other ornamental stones like jades, marbles and the likes.”
”What's with that snake-like sea monster doing there at the western shores?” said Yosh pointing far left at the map to a shore at the north of the Forest of Kyrin.
Karus just snickered for a couple of seconds. ”I almost forgot about that. So sorry, that's the shrine of Bakunawa. He's the boat master here at the Holy Lands. He mostly controls the currents of the sea that envelops the three islands.”
”Oh, so he's the one we're going to meet if we're to go outside the islands, right?”
”Oh, yes he is. He practically protects us from being found by other people outside. He also has a mythical monster that he can command that looks like that drawing.”
”A big snake sea monster?”
”Yes, but it's more of a water dragon really than a sea monster. I haven't seen it, so I only learned about it through books and rumors. What I do know is that he unleashes that hundred-foot beast called the Nanreben when people outside try to come near our lands. I think the monster destroys anything getting close to us. Not that he's bad or anything, I think he's just doing his job.”
”Bakunawa is also one of the three immortals that live to see the Holy Lands protected and safe,” added Kayzar.
”Yes. Bakunawa of the Yagisiv Haya, Dal'Gur of Daomagar, and Karus of Nagozul. They are the three immortals protecting the Holy Lands. Though Karus, Son of Nagozul, is still missing. Nobody has accounted him since the Elven Rebellion. Nobody knows where he is or if he is still alive.”
”Creepy...”
”All in all, that's the Great Nagozul divided into different main landmarks. I think that should cover your exams.” he stopped to wait for what Yosh might ask because of his puzzled face.
”Wait! What's that smudged thing at the far north east. It looked like it had been torn of and painted in black ink or something.” said Yosh while squinting to focus what's there at the topmost right of the map.
”That - oh. We - uh - can't tell you about that. It is forbidden to even know that location,” quickly said Kayzar interrupting Karus, as he is about to explain it. ”It is forbidden to enter there too, not that you can. It's all desert for miles before you reach the shores of the north-east. Some say beasts of malevolent nature reside there. Many attempted to uncover those regions, but none has returned to tell the tale.”
”Why? Why d'you know that if it's forbidden?”
”Well, we read books - and stuff.” bragged Karus with an obvious hint of concealing something.
Kayzar pushed Yosh leading them downstairs to completely block him for further asking. ”Come on, you're in a hurry right. If you wanna know that you must have a perfect score on your exams. If then - well, we'll think of something.”
”Hey, no fair! When did 'ya keep secrets to me like that?”
”Uhm - since you've uttered every secret, we've told you.” said Karus snickering behind as they all went down together to the library for the other two reviews.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
Somewhere in the far eastern empire of Leonus, the Emperor Balthazar and his fateful servants all gathered again in a Palace and were given their instructions in their part for their unexpected affair. They were all arguing about who's going to oversee their plan there and who's going to stay put at their empire to defend their lands against their nomad enemy: the Gnarshu. With all the pressure that's been bothering them, and the threat to their safety and security, they all want to be a part of the plan. They want to escape with their families to a place where they will be treated with a lot of respect and live a worry-free life away from the risk of danger, violence, and responsibility; a land which they all thought to be like paradise.
The noble lines at that empire grew afraid of the massive army build-up by the Gnarshu and every single one wants out, especially the ones that have lands stationed near the enemy lines. The heated debate about the chosen Duke, that will have an oversight to their empire's interest, has been very humiliating if one is watching as an observer without having any interest for the matter. They have been pulling each other down and bringing up memories to prove who is trustworthy and who is not; who is loyal and who is not; who deserves to be it and who is not, except one Duke Tabarius Wolfe who sits beside the Emperor quiet as he is, snickering at the sight of it.
”Silence!” shouted the Emperor Balthazar sounding very frustrated. ”You look like children bickering. This is not a sugar drop to be given to the child who behaves most! This is a task! A task that someone should responsibly do even without my supervision and instructions! And if by chance that this someone fails to do what I want him to do, then he'll make me the worst man in the empire. That would make me do horrible things; horrible things that I assure every one of you might not want to see or experience!”
Silence engulfed the room with some of the younger nobles still whispering and stating their arguments in mumbles.
”I have chosen the man suited to the job beforehand if you should know!” declared the Emperor filled with anger in his voice. ”Tabarius!” he shouted as he waved his hands to his location and now standing, surprising them all. ”He will be the one to be there. Duke Rumilo will protect his estate while he's gone.” He suddenly paused and held his forehead in pain. ”This session is over - ach - go over the details that I told you earlier and do your part to the empire or so help me, I'll -”
He abruptly was put on hold in his threats as he began to sit down shaking bringing the people around the table to gasp a loud upheaval and worry. The crowd was shocked at the Emperor's condition that the room instantly became silent and everyone just dropped anything that they were discussing in respect to what was revealed to them. Tabarius, being the most loyal and Of course, being his first cousin, grew very troubled and immediately pulled and supported the Emperor at the shoulders to carry him outside. The crowd just stayed there, quiet as they are still, watching them till they pass the door to exit.
”What happened?” said a man outside the room who is waiting for Tabarius. He was surprised seeing him carrying the Emperor with guards all around.
”Come on Caden, help me,” pleaded Tabarius as he limply guides the aching Emperor towards the halls to the royal chambers.
”His eminence, is in trouble? What happened?”
”Nothing, nothing.”
They reached the Emperor's chamber with the help of some guards and the servants. Tabarius was saddened as he stood there watching his Emperor in excruciating pain, vomiting as if he's going to hurl his innards while the servants hurriedly gathered and took great care of him. They were escorted to leave outside the chamber then the guards stood outside stationing at the huge twin-leaved metal doors, never to open it again till the Emperor commanded it so.
Eryk Caden Shade is an Earl in Tabarius' territory. He's the closest friend of Tabarius next to the Emperor. Even he, the man whom Tabarius shares all his secrets to, doesn't know about the Emperor's condition. Seeing as he saw this for the first time, he immediately fell into a deep silent trance without giving so much as a cough while they walk in the hallways of the Palace where they were meeting until he has accumulated enough courage needed to ask about it.
”So, care to share an insight regarding that incident?”
”You know I can't tell you anything about the Emperor? It's our loyal oath to the flag to keep this a secret.”
”Right... so what can you tell me? Ah! Anything good at the meeting?”
”Hah, good is overrated. You know I can't tell you about the meeting too but what I can tell you is that the Emperor has finally chosen the one who will oversee the empire's interest at the Holy Lands! Do you want perhaps take a guess on who?”
”Oh! Please don't tease me. Who then?” he asked with his eyes widening by the second until figuring out grinning, ”YOU!?”
He smirked finally admitting. ”Yes! Ultimately, I was chosen to be the one, being the person who doesn't want the job. They were all whining, bickering to get the position because they all wanted to go and abandon their posts here.”
”Cowards, they just don't want to defend our lands.”
”Well, if you think that I wanted to be assigned there you're wrong. Last thing that I need is the empire's demise while I'm gone. With all the generals and nobles here cowering at the sight of those ghastly Gnarshu, it's only a matter of time before our dear empire falls into ruins.”
”Careful now, you sounded like a traitor there?” he joked.
”You know what I mean. I want to stay here and fight. If not for our Emperor's decision, I would've ridden to Farindhal to deal with the crisis there. It's just that the Emperor told me that if he can't find a suitable candidate to go there, then he'll have no choice but to appoint me instead.”
”Well that's sort of a good thing for you, right? You have two beautiful daughters to take care of too. You should take them away from this chaos. You know that's the best thing for them after the incident.”
Tabarius stopped and looked up above as if stopping those teary eyes from appearing. He then resumed walking after a couple of seconds heaving a lung full of air, returning his mind on point. ”Maybe, you're right,” he whispered trying to ignore the bitter history his mind is flashing around in his head that has been seen reflected in his sad eyes, ”Maybe it is so and maybe this is God saying that they deserve to be in paradise.”
They walked in silence for a few seconds after touching a very difficult topic until Tabarius broke the ice all cheered up changing the sour atmosphere they accidentally stumbled upon.
”Now, I will not go there if you're not going.”
”Come again?”
”I'm inviting you to be with me, I need a hand there at the enemy lines, someone to watch my back when I'm around dealing with the natives. You know I need to be careful there and I need someone I can trust, just in case things go wrong.”
”Hmmnn... that's a very interesting proposal. Though, I really need to start rallying the troops to counter the massive force that the Gnarshu will launch at the eastern borders.”
”C'mon! I'll be out there alone for the picking. I just want someone by my side that I can trust and to talk to. I know it's boring, administrative and tactical planning, but I am confident that things will go smoothly with my right hand with me. What say you?”
”But the Gnarshu?”
”Someone will do that in our stead. And besides, I already asked the Emperor about this and he agreed.”
”Really?”
”Come on! It'll just be like old days!”
”Just like old days, huh?”
”Yes, just like old days.”