Dance With Darkness And Light - Chapter 5 The Eastern City
Darwinius’s body trembled as he could barely control the raging flames inside of him. Yet, his instincts somehow told him to comply with the way of the prince. He was not sure why but felt a deep mysteriousness in this twelve-year-old prince he himself could not see through. He felt threatened too, but the pressure he felt was not the malice of oppression.
Did he lose face to a child prince of a middling kingdom? Yes!
Yet, with this kind of encounter, he was sure he had not the foresight nor status to make an executive decision on behalf of the Circle. Thus, he would rather ask for help with the higher-ups, possibly, as the prince wished – an original.
So, Darwinius and his entourage made their way out of the throne room.
“Master, are we really going to leave just like this? What about our mission?” One of his apprentices asked.
“Shut up! Do not speak to anyone about what happened here today, not even a letter, do not even make a sound!” He answered in a heavy and threatening tone as his eyes were locked into the distance, and so it seemed, was his mind.
They were making way to the Circle HQ in Ralun to use a portal to the Circle’s central hub on the ytolonian realm. Still, traveling back to Atlantis would take at least two months. Then came the procedure of finding an original that would bear a second of his time to look at a cryptic message from a twelve-year-old prince of a middling kingdom. All that would take, with luck, up to six months Darwinius thought.
Bazuul himself also estimated, depending on the rank and knowledge of the original, that it would take four to six months.
King Varanur had a complicated look on his face as he observed his son. Now, as a king, he had many sons, and sure, before Bazuul’s death, the other three princes ranked higher in importance for the kingdom. Then came the royal tasks of leading a kingdom, considering it all, the king felt he had failed to see this son’s latent talent before.
The way he controlled a situation in which he himself, the king, was at lower position whilst sitting on his own throne. Though still a little too rampant but clearly close to the demeanor of himself. For a twelve-year-old prince to be of a mind that could rival that of a king, unthinkable. Although King Varanur still looked like a middle-aged man, he was actually entering the latter half of his second century.
“Son, I must say, I’m impressed. I can see now, the heaven’s had their reason to give me back my child.” The king said in a half serious half comical fashion.
Bazuul looked this father of his in the eyes but remained silent.
King Varanur sighed and said: “Fortune and disaster truly go hand in hand.”
Bazuul chuckled as he heard this familiar saying.
“Talking about fortune and disaster, father, I will go sightseeing the eastern city. Are ralunianthere any special locations I should visit?”
The eastern city was the oldest part of the empire. For the ancient ralunian people this city was the first step toward becoming an empire.
Historically, it was a treasure and should have been kept like one. But, the reality was that as the empire progressed, the eastern city lost its strategic importance.
Nowadays the eastern city mostly bore harbor to the poor and criminals.
Varanur really didn’t have much to pinpoint to beside the basic historical locations and one shop belonging to the royal court. Since he himself – apart from his initiation ceremony – never been to, and never bothered with the eastern city.
“Either way son, I’ll let the servants prepare an escort for your trip then. I’m sure Shadow will be excited to see you again.” he finally added.
If memory served Bazuul right then Shadow should be his horse, one of the best personally groomed for him.
“There will be no need for that father.” Bazuul seemed adamant about going alone but in the end, his father insisted on at least two guards accompanying him.
To his surprise, as he reached the gates, he saw the horses ready and prepared for his trip.
Inwardly, there were slight ripples of shock not noticeable to anyone else. He never rode a horse before, sure, he went on a rodeo-machine a couple of times but this was something completely different.
He was supposed to be a prince, naturally, he had to be able to ride a horse to some extent. Even though he was only twelve years old.
Bazuul somehow managed to get on the horse without looking like this was his first time. Still, he was the lead, so it was also him which would determine the pace of the group.
Slowly, after getting comfortable with the current pace he accelerated. These actions puzzled Bram.
The two guards – Kadi and Hanzu – were looking at each other with faces full of questions but only shrugged and went on. Bazuul was still considered a good-for-nothing silkpants. Although he was a prince, he was apparently not proficient with the sword, neither did he harbor any intention to become a scholar and so on. His body also always seemed to be weak and sickly, since a young age he’d always been a thin fellow. Plus his facial features were rather delicate for a man.
Yet the scandals, he invoked with his “banquets” became increasingly harder to cover up.
Bazuul of course, not only just knew about these scandals, he even remembered them, since it was his former self’s memories. He had to say, for a twelve-year-old to be so frivolous – to tell the truth, he was a scumbag. His death was most likely fully deserved, and hell, Bazuul benefitted from it too, he started to like the air of this world. It felt as if he were unshackled.
As they finally strolled into the city after three hours, Bazuul got a grip of riding a horse but still found it a relief to free his buttocks of this torture.
They left the horses at the stall and entered through the gate. The top of the gate read Solgang City, quite obviously the name of this ancient city. Although most people still referred to the four great cities outside the capital to its geographical direction. In this case the eastern city, whose age was evident with one glance. The stone paving on the road was at best uneven and on a multitude of spots non-existent. The buildings were obviously built in an older, more simpler way, also reflecting their ancestor’s lifestyle.
One could see that the people on the streets and even the merchants were living a hard-working life, that also was adorned with many hurdles. Not long after entering the city Bazuul felt that some with ill intentions already locked their eyes onto him.
He smiled and his childish face beamed as he suddenly yelled.
“3..2..1..COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!”
His two guards were startled for a moment as they didn’t know what the young prince was on about and even felt their faces reddened from shame.
Those with ill-intentions, apart from one group – which actually – came out to ‘greet’ the young prince, left. The two guards were daunted at this sight.
This group consisted of three men, the man in the middle bowed courteously and greeted.
“It is an honor to personally meet you prince Bazuul.
This humble subject is named Aran, may we change location as to avoid the eyes and ears of the city?”
As he lifted his head again and made contact with Bazuul’s gaze it felt to him as if the temperature had dropped and immediately avoided his gaze on instinct.
Centering himself again he awaited an answer.
Bazuul, on the other hand, simply nodded and gave a sign to show the way.
Aran led the group to a tavern with a dark interior and static atmosphere. The clients also all seemed shady, which seemed to amuse Bazuul a bit. Seated on the second floor, Aran started saying.
for visiting.
“Fourth prince, let me be blunt. The reason I’ve brought you here is about the matter of your debts toward Chief Thousand Flowers.”Bram stood up with anger written all over his face, but Bazuul beckoned with his hand and proceeded to say, “Is that so, I wonder what uncle is talking about?” with a childish face.
Aran seemed perplexed looking at this innocent face. If it weren’t for the fact that he himself had been a guest at one of the prince’s events he’d almost believe this act.
“Prince please do not make this”
“I thought I told you, what debts are you talking about? Do. Tell!” Bazuul interrupted in a slightly darker but coquettish tone.
Aran smile froze, usually, he would have wiped the floor with whoever would be in front of him, except for a high profile noble, or in this case royalty. So he laid out all his debts for the services provided, plus interest and some shady agreements made beforehand.
“Outrages! How dare you assume our young prince would succumb to such profanity!” Bram instantly roared.
Whilst nodding Bazuul said, “I really don’t seem to remember doing those things that uncle said.” In truth, the debt wasn’t really that much, for a prince that is. In reality, Bazuul knew full well that the previous him did agree to all these things. The thing was, Bazuul had a plan, and this situation may work as a conductor to realize this plan. First of all, he wasn’t going to uphold such a disgusting agreement. Second, he meant to find an opportunity to make a name for himself, and third, he realized the movements in the tavern some time ago. It was as if they wanted to play hardball with him. Well fine then, an opportunity presented, hardball it is.
“But I’d sure like to tell that flowers guy that he can forget about whatever debts he is dreaming about face to face. If it isn’t too much trouble, uncle” He added with a switch in his tone and a wink while looking Aran dead in the eyes.
“Flowers guy?!” He thought in shock. It seemed the prince had gotten an upgrade in arrogance recently.
Aran was about to burst, but there was a flicker in the young prince’s eyes that left a piercing sensation in his own eyes, which stopped him for a moment. After centering himself he attempted to roar once again but realized that the prince and his entourage had already stood up and were about to walk out of the tavern.
Meanwhile, Bazuul silently warned Bram to stay alert and get ready.
“Hold! Stop the prince you fools!” Aran finally roared as his little grey goatee trembled along with his body.
“You think you can ignore ME brat? A good-for-nothing wastling prince that still reeks of his mother’s milk, dares to ignore me?!” He yelled once again whilst seething in anger.
Bazuul and his entourage made it just to the door as the other party started to show it’s true face. His guards, of course, were a bit shocked but immediately blocked the way to the prince for the incoming thugs.
“Bye bye uncle, I’m sure we’ll meet again~,” Bazuul said once again in a childish tone and proceeded to run out of the tavern along with Bram. Leaving the two guards to handle the rest.
To make sure they weren’t followed they kept zigzagging through the eastern city until Bram’s old bones needed some rest. Bazuul was quite content – even though he wasn’t aware of how – the light in him simple took the answers he needed from Aran’s mind. Also, he finally lost his father’s eyes and ears. Equipped with a broad set of inside knowledge about the eastern city’s workings. He started to evaluate and prioritize which locations were needed for him in order to make the biggest impact. Places that were interesting and locations important to that chief Thousand Flowers.
Even though he knew where he was located, Bazuul intended to poke him a bit at first. Slowly luring him out of his lair, before destroying him in front of some witnesses.
First, though, he wanted to visit two other places. One was a shop belonging to the royal court, and the other a place called The White Crane Pavilion. Apparently, there was a person Aran called old man Fu, and the fear he felt toward this old man…was deep. Which intrigued Bazuul on the other hand.
Luckily both the shop and the pavilion were close to each other. Aran would certainly come to the conclusion that Bazuul would rush to the shop belonging to the royal court. Thus most likely placing his men around the shop.
Still intrigued, Bazuul made way to the old man.
After he eventually reached the pavilion and entered through its gates, a vastly different sight to the city unveiled in front of him. This place was lush in fauna and flora, with beautiful man-made streams of sky-blue water that flowed naturally. The air was so fresh that it truly made one wonder for a moment if you really were in the capital city of the empire.
The empty field in front of Bazuul made him feel like he was in a mystical Asian place with high feng shui. Much like in those old martial arts movies he’s often seen back on Earth. His body and mind relaxed instinctively, he could even feel his organs, and every fiber in his body relax as his mind drifted into the deep.
“Aaah, the one that cheated death itself.” Sighed a voice that came from somewhere in his vicinity. After closer inspection, he eventually made out frames of a silhouette sitting beneath the shade of a tree.
Bazuul started to walk toward that individual. As he closed in, the figure of a bald man with a long white beard – like those sages in those aforementioned movies – unveiled in front of him. Yet his skin, well…it was more like a young man on the verge of becoming a middle-aged man, and nothing like those sages. Then again, his “father” wasn’t that much different.
“I hope you understand that what you are about to face is something with considerable risk. You’ve opened a door that is a forbidden domain out of reach for mortals. At the same time, this is also an achievement that is solely credited to you, isn’t it?” He chuckled and opened his eyes, giving the young prince a meaningful glance which the latter wasn’t sure of if it contained pity or ridicule. Or even both.
Bazuul didn’t show any reaction on the outside but felt puzzled by the words. He did not answer, he just sat down in front of this “old man”. After a while, they started conversing. Hours later, the sun slowly started to show its last light of the day, Bram had fallen asleep quite a while ago, yet was still sitting by the side as if silently waiting. Long Fu laughed out loud in a manner not befitting his posture nor speech.
“If you are prepared to take the risk, then take this manual, it is just a basic training sequence to strengthen your body, but I guess it shall be enough.” Fu similarly glanced at Bazuul again directing his hand toward a room of the bamboo mansion.
Bazuul simply nodded and went there to ingrain this sequence into his body.
First, he read through the manual a couple of times, then started each sequence separately, learning its right form, posture, and movement. After one set he sat down and visualized the sequences. Then he repeated everything. Only to repeat it again many more times. What a basic body tempering manual could do to the vessel of darkness and light. Who would know the difference?
Soon the sun greeted the day again. Contend with his nightly achievements he stood up and walked out.
Fu still meditated beneath the tree, Bram…also meditated. So much so that he became one with the elements, to be precise, the morning dew.
After waking Bram up and drying himself, they said their goodbyes to old man Fu and made way to the royal shop.
It was still early in the morning, and the streets weren’t fully lightened yet when Aran’s appointed henchman in front of the royal shop made out two silhouettes walking toward them. One was small, and the other was taller but a bit more hunched over, probably an elder. Which fitted the description of the prince and his servant perfectly. Not yet sure if these were the targets, they held their positions and waited.
