78 Meeting Kang (2/2)
In the afternoon of the following day, the carriage was steered onto a stretch of flat grassland and traveled west for a while, making tracks as the carriage wheels mowed two thin lines over the green terrain. From the information they had gathered, there was a lake in this region, Hartley stretched out his awareness to its maximum range of 1 kilometer and scanned the area and at the same time give Yang Yi instructions on where to go.
The carriage came to a stop beside a small tree-studded hill to the right, in front, the small lake lay wedged between four giant willow trees that bowed over the lake as if in worship, their bright green leaves drooped down to floor like cloth spread on a wash line, making it almost impossible to the make out the individual leaves. The trees had thick dark bark at the base and grew upwards twisting with smaller branches in the shape of what looks almost like lightning stretching out.
The afternoon sunshine shone down, hitting the face of the dark waters of the circular lake andreflected a flood of gold light, sending it dancing across the surface of calm water that had many ripples due to a steady wind that blew over the area. To the left, the grassland rolled out to the edge of a ordinary small forest.
Hartley hoped this was the right location, they made camp and waited...
Several hours later a carriage rumbled through the green grasslands just like Hartley's stolen carriage had done earlier, the incoming carriage was matt black and made fully of metal, the wheels had an intricate suspension system with springs and axles and moved over the terrain absorbing the impact of the uneven surface easily. At first glance it looked like it weighed a ton. but if one were to look closely, they would see special runes carved along the lower sides of the carriage. These were wind elemental runes which had a lightening effect on the carriage decreasing the burden on the wild beast pulling it.
Without saying a single word, a tall silver hair man wearing armor hopped down from the driver's position, sun glinted of the golden breast plates and the metal rings on his armor jingled as he walked to open the carriage door signallingfor Hartley and the rest to get in.
They traveled northwest for the next 3 days without the silver hair man exchanging even a single word, Hartley began to think the man was either a mute or he didn't put the group in his eyes, so they kept to themselves and didn't attempt to instigate any conversion with the man and so the smooth ride of the carriage continued until it pulled up to a high wall about 10 meters. The guards at the gate let the carriage through without a word. High overhead , birds flew in bomber patterns through the air, squawking in the warmth of the sunlight that produced long shadows in the late evening of the spring day.
The carriage went about 500 meters down a well made road flanked by well trimmed hedges about two meters high and pulled up to their destination that drifted into view as the sandwich of green, that enclosed them from the main gate disappeared and revealed the majestic building that was a castle made of white stone. Spires at different height rose up high as if to salute to sun above sitting atop the multiple windowed towers that sprang upwards in perfect symmetry. There were other mansions dotted around on the massive piece of real estate but this castle was the center piece.
The silver hair man with his clinking armor jumped down hitting the ground with a puff of dust and silently led the group through the mostly empty castle. They were brought to a big room for refreshments served by serving girls dressed in black and white uniforms before being ushered up several flights of stairs and into a room with multiple glass cases containing wooden carvings.
”Ahh you made it” said a cheerful voice sounding like notes played by a flute. An old man sat drinking a glass of milk behind a wooden desk, his hair and his robe was the same color as the content within his glass, his sprightly brown eyes sparkled when he looked over at Hartley and the rest. Hartley heard the man's familiar giggle, the man placed the cup down and picked up an unfinished wooden carving of a carriage and began skillfully whittling away the wood with a carving knife that was sitting on the table, humming a tune while paying no attention to his guests for several minutes, flakes of wood fell to the floor andbefore long a small pile of sawdust gathered. The white haired man held his latest creation up to the light and inspected it from several different angles. He sighed then put it down saying ”the angle is not right, not right” A flash of disappointment surfaced on the man's face producing wrinkles at the edges of his eyes.
He swung his attention back to Hartley, ”Do you know who I am?” asked the man. ”I think you are Kang” Hartley said,then that familiar giggle sounded again. Hartley introduced himself and the others to the man in reverence. This unassuming man who looked mortal was responsible for saving his life and Hartley showed the utmost respect to the eccentric man.
The man inspected Hartley with his eyes saying ”interesting...interesting, you appear to be mortal but you are not are you?” Hartley didn't hide anything and told the man about the stealth scripture he had taken from an assassin when he first became a xanthian and had subconsciously hidden his aura ever since.
”You've placed yourself in quite a position.”The old man said. Then he and Hartley proceeded to have a conversation as if no one else was present.