Author's rant

Hey guys,

2 chapters looked a little puny, so I'll thrown in another one today. It's a little hard on my stockpile, so don't expect me to keep this pace up for too long ^^

On a side note, I think my chapters length started to fluctuate a bit, I hope I'll be able to keep it more persistent in the future, when I settle on a certain length that's appropriate. Is this chapter too short? It's definitely too short.

Actual story:

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“Ow ow ow. Oh, god. My neck is killing me.” Mavros opened his eyes slowly while still in a haze.

“Oh, so good of you to join us. I heard about you” Ruby said.

“About.. me?” Mavros managed to say.

“Yes, it seems you quite enjoyed our liquor. I just don’t hope you did anything indecent, asking Bell accompany you in that state. She even had to drag you here after you collapsed.”

“You’re kidding me? She’s the one who did something indecent to me.”

“Really, now?” Ruby looked at Bell, who just simply turned her head away.

With an ever so slight hint of bitterness, Mavros replied. “... Thanks, Miss Bell…”

Mavros expression and tone changed completely. “Change of topic may be in order. You said you were Ruby the second, but there’s no less than 39 previous rulers named Poenica?”

“Yes, I’ll elaborate a bit. Phoenicia’s rulers are all named after our first ruler Poenica the first. She, herself however named her firstborn Ruby, who then proceeded to establish the tradition of naming our ruling queens Poenica. Less important second children have typically been named Ruby but it would often be something else entirely. In my case, it was obviously Ruby. Since my sister Poenica died, I am now the second ruler to be named Ruby… Ruby the second.”

“So.. Nobody died without children, and no firstborns ever died?”

“I don’t know how it was in your time, but we actually know how to cure minor illnesses now”

“With herbs? By Draconia, what herbs did you find?”

“Herbs? Heh. No... Magic. Poenica the first established a strong tradition of Phoenicia becoming the leading country in development and application of new magic spells… But I guess you didn’t know that?”

“... No… Uhm... As for this Poenica the first you keep mentioning. Is she the one I knew?”

Ruby replied with a short smirk. “Exactly.”

“But… She never established a kingdom or empire. How does this add up?”

“Our historians say that she did. Maybe after you were gone?”

“Maybe they should say something else.” Mavros replied

“I guess that’s enough of your history lessons, now we established you are wrong.” He added.

“... If you think so.” Ruby replied.

“So. When we get to this Voltimum… What do you expect me to do about the state of affairs?”

“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way.”

“Riiight, very promising.”

The topics changed, and small-talk became the agenda for the rest of the day. Weather, food and other topics were discussed as the hours went by. Once more, evening came. The next day Voltimum would finally be reached. As darkness descended over the camp and most of the caravan went to bed, Mavros opened his eyes in his bed - it was finally time.

He stood up, and walked out of the wagon. Only a single wagon was between him and the Queen’s quarters, yet he held no intention of approaching it in the slightest. Mavros moved with bent knees and carefully treading not to make a sound. The guards posted around the camp were oblivious to his presence. Finally he reached the outskirts of the camp yet again.

“Attempting to flee again?” he heard a familiar voice.

A smirk spread om Mavros’ face. “As I expected, you came.”

“...”

Mavros followed up. “I hold no intention of leaving the camp.”

“Yet here you stand” Bell said.

“Yet here I am, indeed.” He simply added.

“Why?”

“Because of you.”

“Me?” A slight hint of surprise could be heard in her otherwise indifferent voice.

“I have some questions, and I figure this is the best time and place for them. You seem like the right person, as well… You’re the only one who have shown me any measure of goodwill.”

“Ask Ruby or the head mage.”

“Behind your back? That’d be no fun. Who are you, really?”

“... Okay… I’m Bell. Shadow guardian of Poenica the 39th.”

“Of Poenica? But she’s dead.”

“...”

“Hm. Informative... So what is a shadow guardian?”

“We guard.. against shadows… Ghosts in the darkness, attempting to take the life of the Queen.”

“So... A ghost buster?”

Her tone changed more drastically. “I’m no exorcist!”

“Okay, okay. Assassin-assassinator, then?”

“Better.”

“Next question. Why didn’t you tell Queen Ruby the truth?”

“... Not Beneficial.”

“Dodging the question, huh?” Mavros sighed. “So what do you want me to see in Voltimum, and why?”

“The difference.”

“Why?”

“Ruby needs your help.”

“That’s not a real answer.”

“...” “Any more questions?”

“What does Ruby need with me?”

“... Your help.”

“Hm, you are more dodgy than I assumed you’d be.”

“... Will you head back now?”

“If I won’t?”

“The same as before.”

“I guess I’m convinced… By your impressive speech and fulfilling answers” Mavros rolled his eyes. ”. I’ll see Voltimum, but you better get me some answers there.”

Bell made a single short nod, before she disappeared as fast as she came. Mavros sighed, turned around and headed back to his wagon, still in confusion over the glaring lack of answers. He went to bed and fell asleep quickly.

The following morning it was gray and rainy. The mud on the ground clung to the boots of all the working guards and mages, as they hurriedly fulfilled their duties. The camp was quickly packed up, and they started moving. After several hours, when the sun was at the highest point in the sky, a great city could be seen in the horizon. Made of huge gray rocks, the walls were thick enough that ten men could walk shoulder to shoulder without risk of falling off. The round platforms that spread out evenly across the vast stretches of wall were more than double the width of the wall itself. The walls combined with the moat on one side, and the vast ocean barely visible on the other side, makes Voltimum a citadel to behold.

Mavros took in the sight. He quietly whispered a single word, while slightly shivering “Vltimum.”

Vltimum, the great capital of the freedom federation stood before him. Yet Mavros didn’t recognize much about the capital. It seemed foreign and alien, yet uncannily familiar. In this time and age, the city was called by a new name Voltimum - the great capital of Phoenicia.

“So it is true.”

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Thanks for reading!