208 Walls of Riviera (1/2)
It was evident that even a sleepy, peaceful city like Riviera had geared up fully for war. The four gates in the city's walls were fully sealed, their massive wooden bodies standing tall and strong against any invading force.
Runes inscribed in neat rows atop the length of the gates – and a great length it was, considering that the walls themselves were fifty meters tall and the gates half that size – emanated with power, their forms shining strongly in azure blue.
Li had once thought the walls of Riviera beautiful like works of art. They were fashioned of white stone that gleamed like marble, and their colossal height did not mean that their handiwork was ignored. At the top of the walls, several equally spaced spires that served as watchtowers were fashioned in the visages of stone knights all holding gargantuan greatbows of rock.
But now, it was evident to see that these walls were not created solely for artistic merit. Those stone knights were not just statues. No, blue lines of power flowed through the crevices in their stone carved armor, and it was possible to tell that they were in fact massive golems capable of raining down arrows the size of pillars to any unfortunate enemy force.
Truly, to the average man, this would have seemed like an impenetrable fortress.
At the foot of the gate, there was a squadron of knights standing guard. Above them, at the top of the walls, men were packed like ants, their forms visible in the knight through the countless torch and lantern lights they wielded.
”Well, I'll be damned,” muttered Azhar as he squinted his eyes, looking up at the tiny figures of hundreds of archers and mages atop the walls. ”The stories don't do Riviera's walls justice. I can believe that these things held out gainst' a couple demonic invasions.”
”Alas, they are not yet at true full capacity,” said Launcelot as his blue eyes tracked up beyond the walls.
”The dome, ” noted Sylvie. ”O, ye of might in arms, gaze upon Riviera's walls, and understand what it means to be small. O, ye of knowledge in the arcane, look upon Riviera's azure skies, and understand what it means to know nothing – that is how the Third Epic of Arcanist Belmont talks about Riviera's mythical walls, no? There should be a dome of blue that repels any and all magic.”
”My family holds both keys that unlock the power of Riviera's walls,” said Launcelot. ”My key, I have left with my mother, whom no doubt has used it. That is the Key of Stone that opens the magical channels linking the walls to the energy in the lake. Channels that bring forth life to the golems that rest atop the walls.
”The other Lakely? The runt?” said Leonid. ”I'd worry not. Last I heard, he was further deep south in Duvin, aiding in the construction of a new city. The third legion of blood is stationed there, and no doubt, he is marching with them, straggling a few days behind us, the fifth legion of blood, for we were stationed nearest to Riviera.”
”And it looks like the city has its anti-air defenses somewhat covered,” said Li. He pointed to the top of the walls, at the shape of griffins that lay perched beside knights that seemed to be different from the Rivierans.
They were shorter in stature than regular people, though not overly so, and their armor heavy and sturdy, built from dirty but tough iron.
”Big birds!” said Tia from Li's shoulder.
”Not birds, Tia, griffins,” said Li.
”Griffins?” said Jeanne as she squinted her own eyes, trying to see clearly that far up but finding it rather hard to. ”Then the armies of Montagne have already dawned upon Riviera.”
”Nay, not the entire host,” said Leonid. ”Merely their griffin corps. I should say that the rest of Montagne's army, slow and armored as they are not only with their own troops, but in maintaining their famed war golems, will be several days behind.”
”And right behind them, I assume the famed fleet of Trieste will follow. It is quite awing to see the five armies of Soleil all drawing together,” said Sylvie. ”Seeing this concentration of power, one would find it hard to believe it beatable, and yet, at least according to the tales, it has always been a great hero of some sort or divine intervention, not the power of man, that has fended against the demons.”
”That speaks volumes of the might of the demons,” said Leonid with excited smile.
”The gods are with us,” said Jeanne with a nod. ”The Light guides our way forward with its gentle warmth, and no doubt, the divinity that Li heralds also considers humanity as worthy of protection.”
Everyone looked at Li, and he nodded. ”Well, if this gives you all security, it is not as if humanity has done anything to break his trust. In any case, we should stop worrying these knights guarding the gate by loitering around.”
==
The group approached the squadron near the gates, and one of the knights, a captain, it appeared, from the white plume atop his helmed dropped down from horseback and approached the group. He took off his helmet, making him recognizable.
The captain from the Summerfell festival.
”Captain,” said Li with a nod. ”Good to see you in fine health. How are the wife and child doing?”
”Quite fine,” said the captain with a tired nod. ”Though I do fear my ears will fall off hearing no end to my dearest's complaints about marching west.”
”An understandable complaint,” commented Jeanne, and the captain sighed.
”Most certainly, it is,” said the captain. He smiled tiredly. ”And I love her dearly for caring so much. Alas, so many of my men are also marching west, leaving their elderly or wives or children behind, and I cannot in good faith use my noble title to escape duty, for I am certain that were it not to be me leading my men, they would all collapse in the battlefield.”
Li looked to the Rivieran knights behind the captain. He saw how extremely tense they were. They all had worried expressions, anticipating the vast host of dangers that awaited them west. A massive contrast from the blood legionnaires behind Li who were like living machines that seemingly were programmed only to have stoic expressions.
”Sacrifice is the way of war, and it is heartening to see that that concept is understood even among the full-bellied runts of Riviera,” said Leonid. ”And captain, you say you are of noble birth? Which of the ten houses of Riviera do you hail from?”
”I am the eldest son of house Devaux,” said the captain with a respectful nod to Leonid. ”Sir Drozdov, it is only with the highest of honors that I welcome you and your blood legionnaires to Riviera.”
”The honors go to the Easterner, for he has bested me in the sacred rite of the duel and become my superior,” said Leonid. ”But you, Sir Devaux, are yet young and green. I am surprised your father, as general, is willing to thrust you into the heart of battle.”