Chapter 71

It was late afternoon when their wagon reached the city. Pulled by a pair of strong horses, they made good time, even if the wagon was fuller than Wil had been expecting. Joining his wife and parents was Archie and his new friend, a lovely woman named Rose, who lived a few farms over.

Rose was a natural beauty, and Wil could see why Archie was attracted to her. More importantly, Astrid took to her right away, the two becoming fast friends on the trip.

The afternoon was pleasantly warm, with a cooling breeze that took the edge of the sun’s heat, and Wil enjoyed every moment of their journey.

They met a flow of traffic on the road, families and groups all heading towards the city for the Ascension ceremony. First, it was only a few dozen local farmers and craftspeople, leaving their work early to travel. Before long, dozens turned to hundreds, then thousands, a stream of humanity traveling together for the celebration.

The ride was filled with laugher and songs, cheering throngs of people all happy for the Patriarch’s Ascension, and the day off work.

Wil hadn’t been to the city in quite a while, long enough that he couldn’t even remember his last trip here. Sat at the front of the wagon, the reins of his horses in his hands, he took in the sight before him, drinking in the beauty of the city.

Aaru, the city of beauty, art, and magic.

It was created from stone shaped from the earth by the city’s mages. Not willing to settle with grey rock, or plain stone, they formed their building from red clay, their magics quarrying the material from deep beneath the earth. The buildings shone crimson and ruby in the sunlight, earning it the nickname ‘The Sunset City’.

What made Aaru unique was the floating palace that hovered in the air above the city. Made of gold, white marble and black ebony, it was the home of the Patriarch, who had personally raised the palace into the sky, his power maintaining its magic. It became the city’s trademark, and a point of accomplishment for others to copy.

It became a tradition for powerful high rankers to lift their own structures into the sky, dotting the cityscape with beautiful, floating mansions and structures. One ingenious mage had even created a rainbow above the city, her magic making it as solid as stone, on which she rested her dwelling.

Wil, who was unable to use mana, could still feel the magic in the city, like a living, breathing thing. He could see the effect it had on his family as well, the tingling sensation of mana on their skin creating goosebumps, the smell of ozone on the air causing their noses to twitch.

The flow of traffic slowed as it approached the city, giving Wil ample time to stare at the thriving metropolis. A city of millions, protected by a powerful demigod, soon to ascend to divinity.

‘This isn’t right!’ A voice spoke in his mind, creating a feeling of unease that he couldn’t explain. The feeling grew as his vision narrowed, the city still clear, but blurring at the edges, like he was staring at it through a long tunnel.

In the blink of his eyes, the intact and flourishing city in front of him was gone, replaced with a scene of disaster and ruin.

The palaces lay ruined, strewn across the ground, destroyed nearly beyond recognition. The rainbow in the sky above was gone, the sky bleak and grey. Flashes of lightning lit the night, the sun no longer shining above.

Where the city of millions had once stood, only decayed and devasted ruins remained. To Wil’s eyes, a horrible scene of utter destruction was all that remained. The magical city of Aaru was long dead, gone, resigned to the annals of history.

Wil’s eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight before him. The voice in his mind screaming at him that what he saw was real, that the life he lived at the farm was only the past, a dream.

Shocked, he spun around to look at his family, only to see strangers staring back at him. His parents were gone, disappeared as if they never were. In their place was an older woman, wearing long mage robes, and a man with a potbelly.

He had seen them before, in a place with black sand. It was confusing, a mishmash of incoherent memories and images. Concentrating on the errant thoughts, trying to put them in order, made his headache.

Archie was replaced with an unfamiliar man, dressed in a long black cloak that covered a golden breastplate.

Next to the man was a woman, older, her heavy makeup unable to completely hide the pockmarks that marred her cheeks.

But it was his wife that gave him the biggest fright. Her silver hair remained, but her loving features were changed, becoming harder, more haggard, as if she had experienced a difficult time and had not yet recovered from her trials.

Before he could speak, his vision changed, the veil that had been lifted returned in force. His family and friends were returned, the city before him back to his former magnificence.

‘Watch. Observe my past. I have something to show you, Chosen of the New Gods.’ A different voice whispered in his mind, a powerful presence that left him momentarily stunned, before fading away once more.

The awareness of who he was, of the ruined city and his changed companions, faded, and the simple farmer he had become, returned.

“Are you alright, Wil?” Astrid asked, turning away from her conversation with Rose as she noticed her husband acting strangely.

“What? Oh, I’m fine! Must have been in a daze for a moment. It’s been forever since we’ve last visited the city. Look, the rainbow is dazzling today! It must be for the ceremony.” Wil said, reassuring his wife. Snapping the reins, he set the wagon back in motion, rejoining the queue to enter the city.

In moments, Wil had forgotten all about the strange occurrence, the thoughts removed from his mind as he guided the wagon forward.

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The square was alive with activity, a full-blown festival, celebrating the imminent ascension of their protector. People from all over the country came to the city for the ceremony, farmers and craftspeople, peasants and nobles, everyone was welcome, and no one was excluded from the celebration. The poor rubbed elbows with the wealthy, the young with the old.

Amongst the crowd, vendors had set up food stalls and games. Entertainers, wearing colorful costumes and fantastical looking beast masks wandered through the crowd, handing out treats to the children.

Wil and his family had dropped off the wagon and their belongings at an inn, luckily there was still room for them when they arrived, before taking off to enjoy the festivities.

All around him, the city was filled with life and joy, the laughter of families enjoying themselves.

“Wil, come try this! It’s wonderful.” Astrid called to him, waving at him from a vendors stall. He was selling roasted nuts, covered in oil and salt, handed out in small bags. Taking one from his wife’s bag, he popped the treat into his mouth.

“Delicious!” Wil confirmed, handing a copper coin to the man, and grabbing a bag of his own.

With Astrid on his arm, the pair walked slowly through the crowds, trying different foods, and staring in amusement at the entertainers and their antics. They had lost track of Archie and the others in the hubbub, but they weren’t concerned.

Nothing bad could happen here, under the watchful gaze of the Patriarch.

In the center of the square was a bronze statue of a man. Wil and Astrid stood in front of the figure, staring up at his mighty visage as the statue held a hand towards the heavens, as if attempting to seize divinity. It was amazingly detailed, a true depiction of the Patriarch in all his glory.

While Wil was watching, his vision narrowed again, turning black along the edge for a moment. To his eyes, the statue lay shattered and broken, nearly unrecognizable as it was strewn across the shattered ground. All around him, he could smell nothing but decay, the city lifeless and ruined.

“This is real!” The voice screamed in his mind, and his headache returned with vengeance. Holding his head in his hands, Wil stumbled, nearly falling to his knees, when he felt Astrid hold him tightly. In a blink, the vision was gone, the statue restored, and the city returned to its grandeur.

“Are you alright, Wil? Should we return and rest?” Astrid asked, concern in her voice.

“I’m fine. I must have overdone it this morning at Archies.” Wil said soothingly, the memory of the vision already gone, pulled from his mind by an outside force.

“Let’s go get something to eat!” Wil said, smiling at his wife.