Whatever had ripped apart the world had not left with its body unscathed. Though it had decimated the city and destroyed the dam, part of it had been left behind as a sobering reminder that it wasn't invincible.
The curved nail was big enough to carve out a vessel that could rival almost any ship on the Stormsea.
So what had removed it from its owner?
And how?
Noble's mouth opened, but no words came. She was utterly speechless before desolation.
Seeing her friend's helpless stare, Syrce nodded.
"Many of my people died here, but most were able to flee before the calamity descended. We plan to rebuild the city when everything is through. If it is within my power, this place will be magnificent once again."
Noble tried to imagine it in its former glory. Many places had been destroyed by time and war. But Crestfall had been rebuilt. This place could be too.
Though they would have a difficult time removing the large obstruction. Maybe they could mine the materials to rebuild the locks? With something so strong shoring up its walls, even a powerful Saint might not be able to breach it.
From the bench behind her, Flint tapped her back gently twice.
That was their secret signal.
A few moments later, The Other's Voice materialized, and half was passed to the anxious legacy.
After covertly slipping the pieces behind each of their ears, Flint's voice entered her head almost immediately.
'Rivergate.'
Child of Promise pursed her lips.
'That is a gate for a river, yes.'
'That's not what I mean,' the man grumbled, 'Are you telling me you've never been to Rivergate near the inlet of the Stormsea?'
Rivergate?…Rivergate!
To avoid Saint Naeve revealing her presence, Noble had been dropped off at the edge of the Sword Domain. She had traveled speedily on land, avoiding the human settlements when she could.
One of those citadels had gone by the name that Flint had just mentioned.
'I have not seen it. Does this place resemble it?'
'I am not sure, but I think it is Rivergate.'
'You think?' Noble tries to process his words.
'I know it sounds crazy. Rivergate should be much closer to the sea, but the setup of the city, the dam, the cliffside—it looks the same.'
'That doesn't sound crazy. If the Dream Realm is devouring this world into itself, who is to say that it puts it back in the same order?' Noble chewed her lip. 'Although there is a more mundane explanation as well.'
Flint leaned forward, waiting. 'Blast it, Blondie. Are you pausing for effect, or did you forget your thought?'
"It is truly a magnificent vista," Noble addressed the woman beside her. "I am sure no other city can have this view."
Indeed, as they drew close, the forest below spread along the wide river, making the world look magical.
If not for the few dark spots that made Noble's head ache, the sight would have been breathtaking.
"You are so funny, Bel! Do you really not know? Oh, isn't she adorable!" Syrce chuckled. "I know! I forget you are a Realm Walker and are not used to our land. This is Northgate. It was once my family's home." The Saint raised her hand toward the horizon. "Northgate's twin lies beyond Mirage's home. The view there mirrors this, except the sea is added to it."
"You are saying that there are two identical cities?" Child of Promise calmly spoke Flint's question, which he had screamed in her mind.
"They are inverted, but otherwise the same. At least the part which Imagination designed. Humans, of course, have made their own modifications, and this one has been woefully destroyed…so I suppose my statement is no longer true." Syrce's expression became far off.
"Rebuilding sounds nice," Noble comforted her friend.
If she had the chance to rebuild in North America, it would be very tempting to do so. Syrce likely felt the same way about her decimated home.
However, the Saint didn't immediately respond. She was distracted.
As they reached the city's edge, Syrce pulled the cart to a stop. Delia huffed, shoving her brother with her shoulder when he tried to continue.
Climbing down from her seat, the commander summoned one of the soldiers from the cart behind them.
"Therona, take my reins. You will lead the group down the pass. I would like to explore my hometown for a while. I will meet you at the bottom."
The woman fell to one knee. "Yes, my lady." Therona hesitated. "Should we need you…"
"Blow the horn. I will hear it and come." Syrce assured her subordinate.
"Where are you going?"
Unlike the soldier, Noble had no problem questioning the Saint's actions.
The dimples on Syrce's face deepened. "Where else? Through the ruins!"
There was an underlying agitation that the Saint was hiding from her men. Pretending not to notice, Noble smiled as she climbed down from the cart.
"May I join you?"
"And me as well?" Flint reminded them of his unavoidable attachment by touching his belt.
"I was counting on that," the Saint nodded.
It made sense. Otherwise, she would have put her third-in-command in charge and not someone else.
The trio walked closer to the cliff, only parting ways with the caravan when the road forked. While the soldiers continued down the switchback path that would take them hours to descend, the three stalwart warriors entered the western gate of Northgate.
The ruins were eerie. Some places were untouched, like a family was just a moment from having dinner around a table, while other spots had not one stone left upon another.
Something rustled in the distance.
Noble spread out her senses. She turned toward the avenue to her left.
A small ash-colored beast was munching on bones that likely once belonged to a human. The crunch was sickening.
"I see it too." Flint took off before the ladies could react.
The beast turned and bared its corrupted fangs. But it never got a chance to use them.
Like a master of his craft, Flint made one swift move with his slingshot, and the beast was done. It keeled over with a soft thud.
Flint's face changed subtly, and his emotions spiked.
"A Memory? For that?" He muttered.
"There will be many chances to make memories on this journey, Titus. We need to keep moving." Syrce ushered them forward.
They picked their way through the broken streets, floating over the gashes too deep to easily traverse. Finally, Noble could stand it no longer.
'What did you get?!'
'I don't want to talk about it.' Flint brushed aside the question.
'You can tell me.' The Memory specialist urged.
If he hadn't said anything, she could have let it go, but now the curiosity was gnawing at her.
'It's a spoon, alright?! It changes color depending on who is looking at the wielder.'
A string of curses escaped his mind. 'You get a knife and I get a spoon? What's next? A fork? Of all the…'
Tuning out Flint's small tirade, Noble looked at her other companion. The Saint was hyper-focused, any hint of mirth gone from her eyes.
"Why are we really here, Syrce? I don't think you would leave the others just for a leisurely walk." Noble felt the lady's emotions spike.
Syrce smiled sadly. "I cannot put anything past you, can I? I did not want to worry the others, but something is amiss."
"What's wrong?" Flint's curses finally stopped when he heard the Commander's words.
Syrce pursed her lips.
"For starters, there is the smell in the air. Don't tell me you haven't noticed."
The other two breathed deeply, then frowned. It was subtle, and taken by the wind, but the presence of it made them both draw their weapons.
Acrid and sickly–it was the unmistakable smell of death.
Then they all three saw it at once: a corpse.