Lorian extended his arms wide and remarked, "All we need now is–"
"I'm finished, young master," Selene interjected, appearing beside Lorian with a gentle smile.
Lorian returned her smile, giving her a thumbs up. "Fantastic work, Selene."
"Naturally," Selene replied, then turned her gaze to Uro. "Is everything settled on your end?"
Uro nodded in response. "We have some time before they realize anything, so we should get moving."
"Excellent work, Uro. Lead the way," Lorian said with a grin.
Uro took the lead, with Lorian and Selene following closely. They sprinted down a narrow alley, passed a quietly bubbling stone fountain with shimmering water, and turned another corner. They entered an ancient archway framed by a cobbled passage, its stones worn smooth by the passage of time a section of the city rarely traveled.
Turning sharply again, they found themselves in a more open plaza. The plaza vibrated with the sound of hurried footsteps and hushed conversations receding into the depths of the shadows. Before them, a series of tall, imposing buildings flanked the square, their wooden windows shimmering dimly.
"Over there." Uro says softly, spotting a reached the towering bone gates, the gate stood impressively, defying the years. And fortunately, it was cleared out, the local guards that were monitoring the place had left from Uro orders.
They dashed through the gate!
…
A Yan Warrior appeared in the central area of Activia city. The crimson powder was no longer spreading but it was being devoured by the sphere-like lantern in their hand. The lantern was turning from clear to crimson from the powder gradually filling it up.
But the Yan Warriors had a puzzled frown on their face. With some of them furrowing their brows and others being at a loss. One of the Chu Tribe members was inspecting the red powder and then with a chuckle, he said.
"This isn't Corlay Powder… It's just red powder."
These words left the Yan and Chu warriors frantically moving at a loss. One of them furrowed his brows before speaking up.
"So it isn't like those explosions of Corlay powder that have been happening for months now?"
"No, it isn't." The Yan member shakes his head, also at a loss. He didn't quite understand just what the person who planned this was aiming for, "wait, where are the others?"
"I'm unsure…"
"Maybe they went to another area-"
It was then, a wall burst open as a pack of three-meter tall creatures came rushing out. The creature had bronzed skin, amber eyes, and four spikes on its forehead. The rubbles flew off the creature's skin as their sturdy limbs shook the ground.
"Did someone antagonize the Unicols!"
"Move!" The Yan member jumped out of the way, as one of the Unicol almost pierced him through with its horn. The Yan member inwardly cursed as he saw the Unicol crashing into one another wall. They all knew the Unicols tend to rush to the place they recognize as the safest when they are frightened and feel death approaching.
And the safest place for them… Is the city.
"We can figure that out later. We have to get them under control!"
And then find the arrogant bastard who did this and make them pay!
...
A few minutes ago.
Emerging from the threshold of Activia, Lorian and Selene stepped into the ethereal glow of the evening sun. The desert stretching before them, the sun dipped low on the horizon, cascading a vibrant palette of oranges and purples over the arid landscape.
Beyond the gates lay a longer layer of massive skeleton bones. Uro rushed forward, his steps were light on the skeleton bones that acted as a bridge onto the vast expanse of the desert. Lorian was the last to land, eyes catching the beautiful sight of the sands shifting in gentle waves, reflecting hues of gold under the azure sky.
His eyes drifted towards a make-shift stall just outside the city gates, where a handful of Unicols stood tethered. They all rushed towards it while Selene and Lorian parted the cloak, displaying their clothing.
Selene wore a sleeveless, ivory-white tunic made of flowing, light fabric drapes gracefully over her torso. The neckline is modest and gently scooped, adorned with delicate folds. Draped from the left shoulder and cascading diagonally across her body a sash. Dark crimson sash wraps tightly around her waist, tied at the side and close-fitting dark pants, tucked into her soft leather boots.
While Lorian wore a high-collared white garment as his inner layer finely tailored, edged in soft silver trim. Golden bracelet with inks carvings around his wrist and black trousers tucked into his leather boots.
Uro spoke up. "I made sure all of them are fed and ready for the journey."
"No one knows you came or checked recently?" Selene asked, leading Uro to shake his head.
While Lorian opened the stable and all of them saw the Unicol moving around. As Lorien moved towards one of the Unicol, Selene's sword flashed out. Instantly, the saddles were cut off from all of the Unicol except three.
"Ahh, I do love riding these," Lorien muttered as he mounted a Unicol.
While Uro lifted his feet high before stomping down.
In the next moment, countless fissures formed around his feet with the ground severely shaking. The Unicols, startled by the sudden upheaval, let out a collective roar of fright before they surged forward, their hooves pounding against the earth in a frenzy. Uro and Selene swiftly jumped on the ones with saddles while the others rushed frantically towards the city.
Once the thunderous sound of hooves faded into the distance, Selene cast a sidelong glance at Ur. "Doubling check. You did order the first and second squadrons of the Yan and Su Warrior to stay back, right?"
Uro nodded with assurance. "Of course I did, the believe the false plan fed to them. The Councils are on standby, waiting for the sight of me bringing back Lorian."
Selene hummed with a nod, violet eyes gleaming in appreciation. "I might not have to leave you behind."
Uro scoffed. "The second prince wouldn't leave me behind."
"He would for ones that can't follow directions."
"I am general…"
"By luck."
"Our king doesn't believe in luck."
"Not the first time he has made a mistake."
Lorien chuckled at the banter between the indifferent Selene and slightly exasperated Uro. He knew at the very least this journey wouldn't be boring. His right arm moved under his cloak, opening up the brown satchel around his waist.
And then taking out a compass adorned with an arrowhead on top and a multi-colored feather at the bottom. The arrowhead emitted an emerald glow as the compass needle pointed to the top right.
Uro noticed this and chuckled. "It may look peaceful but we should still be careful."
Lorien agreed, "The Colorful Path isn't infallible, even with its magic sensing ability."
The Colorful Path was a unique compass used by people to navigate the perilous Desert Of Anisa. The delicate arrowhead glowed softly in Lorien's palm, while the multi-colored feather at the bottom danced in the wind as if eager to point the way. The light it emitted provided a rough indication of danger within a 100-meter radius. A green light meant no beasts were nearby, yellow indicated living creatures were present, orange suggested they were fifty meters away, and red warned they were only ten meters away.
Heat shimmered on the horizon, blurring the jagged silhouette of the city they'd left behind.
"And we should speed up. I'm confident everyone figured out you got away and they will be mounting a team after us." Selene remarked.
Lorien chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from his brow. "True enough. And knowing the Council, they will be seeking retribution."
"You have nothing to worry about, Lorien." Uro sighed, "Selene and me on the other hand. It will be a miracle they don't end our lives."
"Gord may even behead you before he hauls us back to the Kingdom after you humiliated him like that. Well that's if they sent him." Selene smiled at Uro grimace, "but regardless. Be proud of sacrificing yourself for our young master."
"Thank you for your sacrifice, Uro!" Lorien said brightly, flashing a thumbs-up.
Uro rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath, "Please don't join her, Lorian… Besides you will be joining as well, Selene."
"I made an oath, I can't die." Selene said with a shake of her head, leading Uro to give her a blank stare. While Lorien's smile grew even more at Selene's words, he turned for one last lingering look at the city behind them. Its gleaming spires a mirage against the haze, the massive skeleton that encompasses the city and all buildings built on it.
The memory of Activia felt both distant and close, he knew it would be a long while before they returned.
An emerald light shined down the path.. After seeing this, he kicked the Unicol causing it to roar out and move even faster. The others followed behind him, hoping to cover as much ground before their tracks were caught.
All three of them rushed out into the vast desert.
…
Center of Activia - Market Section.
"There, there… It's okay, nothing will hurt you," Whispered one of the Orca warriors. Her hands caressed the Unicol's horn then slid down its sturdy, dappled hide, feeling the warmth beneath her palms. She wore layered leather and beast-skin, fitted hides over her torso, and fur-lined skirts secured with belts. Her upper arm was decorated with red and yellow paint and bone rings clinked gently along her forearms as she moved.
Around her, the other Orca warriors stood. A circle of powerful, broad-shouldered figures, their rough hands unexpectedly tender as they soothed the restless Unicols. They stroked the animals' necks, murmuring soft words, and took turns offering slices of juicy apple and sweet cactus.
The air was filled with the scent of fruit and the low, contented rumble of the majestic beasts. Laughter erupted when one playful Unicol nudged an Orca, sending him sprawling into a pile of sun-warmed sand. Their bond was evident in every shared glance, every shared moment of joy.
An ear-splitting sound echoed through the air; Dust flew around the rubble-strewn streets of the Empire of Activia, emerging from the dust were the Su Warriors. They were tall and imposing figures clad in white tunics beneath burnished leather plating that crisscrossed chest and shoulders. The woman wore a skirt made from overlapping panels of cloth and hide while men wore pants. Belts of knotted rope around their waist with their round bone shield and swords sheathed behind them. Despite their size, the Su moved with a surprising grace, their broad shoulders flexing as they lifted broken stones and heaved debris aside.
Citizens of every age poured out to help. Their voices weave together into laughter, encouragement, and the occasional shouted instructions.
Amidst the flurry of activity, a group of Su Warriors paused, exchanging quizzical glances. One warrior, Garak, raised a brow, his voice laced with skepticism. "Do you see their faces? They don't seem particularly angry about their broken homes,"
Beside him, another warrior, Lira, chuckled lightly. "They are more active than I expected, given the circumstances. Honestly, I thought there'd be more complaints."
Nearby, a wizened old woman with silver hair and gnarled hands stood amidst the remains of her home. She surveyed the damage with calm eyes and a gentle smile. "Ah, it's fine," she said, her voice soft yet carrying through the chaos. "Some of these buildings were old enough. A good rebuilding is exactly what we need, this just gives us an excuse to do it. And the second prince stunt was amusing and fun to most of us."
Lira glanced down at the deep scars on the walls and the jagged cracks in the bone rooftops. "She isn't wrong," she murmured, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. '
Garak pointed with his chin, nudging Lira to look.
Younger kids who were tumbling over each other in laughter, imitating the stomping Unicols. "Did you see that one!?" A spirited nine year old girl exclaimed, her eyes wide with delight as she gestured dramatically. "It was like a mountain running free!"
Another child, barely eight, piped up, "Let's build them private stables and then make a game out of it!" The children's carefree attitudes seemed in stark contrast to the destruction surrounding them.
"Well kids of Activia are known for their courage and fun."
"Alright, enough! If we want these repairs done before nightfall, we need focus, not distracted!" called a woman, her voice both commanding and warm. "Let's put our energy into rebuilding these walls!"