EG Monster Island Chapter 8

We were just finishing up breakfast when the shout of “Land ho!” echoed throughout the ship. I glanced at Vaya, raised my eyebrow, and then jumped to my feet. “Race you!” I yelled back as I sprinted to the stairs.

Shouts of “Hey!” and “Cheater!” sounded from behind me as the rest of my friends scrambled up. I threw Aether into the Dancing Northern Wind Technique and shot up the stairs, bounding around a crewmember and over the head of another. I ran up the last steps and into the sunshine. The heat and humidity combined hit me like a pillow smothering me. It had slowly gotten worse every day we sailed on, getting closer and closer to the equator of this enormous planet.

I ignored it, rushing to the bow of the ship. Even if it were over a hundred degrees, I think I’d be fine. Just annoyed, I thought, laughing to myself. At the bow, I looked out to see a smudge on the horizon. With a small mental effort, I enhanced my eyesight with Aether and almost seemed to zoom in on the island. White sandy beach met jungle in a contrast to the riotous color that seemed to explode from within the greenery. At first, I didn’t see any signs of civilization, though.

“Look, there!” Vaya shouted from beside me.

I turned to where she pointed, then gasped in awe at the massive edifice seeming to rise out of the sea. “Whoa,” I heard Jon say. “What is that?”

“That is the Manara Alshams, Lighthouse of the Sun,” Captain Alborz explained from behind us. “Even now, you can see its light.” I looked closer, and realized the top of the lighthouse glowed bright enough to be seen, even from as far away as we were and in the bright daylight. “Once we round the peninsula, you will see the magnificence of (City Name). We will be docking in about two hours. Stay and watch if you wish, pack if you have yet to. I look forward to watching you compete, at least in the first round or two.”

“Make sure to bet on us,” Xiao said confidently. “First through third place.”

Captain Alborz chuckled, “We shall see, sibi, we shall see. The Ashkha teams are all strong as well. How could I bet against my own countrymen, hmm?”

“Well, if you want to actually win the bet,” Xiao continued shamelessly.

“He has got you there!” Librarian Narwan laughed, appearing beside us.

“I hope you can back up your words. Give us a good showing at least,” Captain Alborz said. “If you can place high in the first round, I will be able to purley that into some extra business. So, I shall root for you. Good luck.” He bowed his head to us, then turned to speak to some sailors nearby.

I turned back to watch the lighthouse for the next half hour. As we approached it, I realized exactly how huge the thing was. That has got to be three, no four hundred meters tall, I thought, tilting my head back to see the top. We were close enough that I could make out shapes in the light, revealing the construct at the top as a series of interlocking rings of metal. Squinting and using Aether to enhance my sight again, I was able to make out Inscription runes the size of my body on the inside of one ring. The edges were fuzzy, though, and I was unfamiliar with the runes.

“No one knows where the lighthouse came from,” Librarian Narwan said. “Or at least, no one that I have spoken to about it. It predates the Ashkha civilization by nearly five hundred years. Some think it was built by the gods, specifically Fire and Light, but no priest has been able to confirm it. The Inscriptions are beyond our knowledge to this day. Mayhap you will be able to explore the lighthouse between events.”

“Is that the same timeframe the ruins we found in Craesti were from?” I asked.

He thought for a second, “Quite likely. I cannot wait to explore them.”

“So the Ashkha people arrived around the same time the Craesti did?” Vaya asked. I looked at her in surprise, then did the math in my head.

“That is correct. The Toprak and Weltreich have a similar timeline for their ascension as well,” he explained. “I do not know if the Illyrians are the same, though many suspect they founded their empire at the same time we did. No, we do not know why every major empire known began at nearly the same time.” He looked right at me as he forestalled my question.

I bowed to him, “Thank you, sir.” I thought for a second, then asked, “Do you think it has something to do with the cataclysm that drove the early Craesti people here? Maybe a similar one happened to them at the same time?”

“We do not speak of that. Not yet, at least. If they did have something similar occur, I doubt they would speak of it to outsiders. I will give you more information when you are ready for it. Now, look there,” he pointed. The ship had come even with the lighthouse, and beyond it I saw a massive, tan wall that glittered in the sun. It impacted the beach nearly a kilometer away from the lighthouse, extending out at least a hundred meters into the water. “The sandstone walls of (name). They are larger and stronger than the walls surrounding Craesti City.”

“Why doesn’t it include the lighthouse?” I asked.

“No Beast will approach the Manara Alshams, so the jungle nearby is safe enough, but no wall built closer than what is currently there will stand. The Manara Alshams seems to not want competition nearby,” Ambassador Saf’Ir answered, walking up to us as we watched the aforementioned building moving past us. “The guards in the lighthouse are ferried there by boat once a month. It is considered a prestigious assignment, and gives great benefits. Not the least is the level of Aether inside the tower is immense. Gathering there gives twice the result in half the time!”

I tried really hard not to laugh at that. I did. I pretended to cough, not convincing anyone. Librarian Narwan just rolled his eyes at me. Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t heard that before now! Hah, so many translated stories. Oh, I’ll never get to finish them now. And sad. Hannah and Milena both had their hands over their mouths, eyes wide in shock at my impropriety. “Will we get to visit?” I asked, taking my hand away from my mouth.

“Potentially for a tour. They often will let dignitaries see some of the lighthouse. You will not be permitted to gather there, though. Not without extensive bribery,” Ambassador Saf’Ir answered. “Or as a reward from the tournament. Now, watch as the best city in the world is revealed to you.” He pointed just as the ship tacked into the wind and we rounded the peninsula the lighthouse was on.

The first building visible behind the wall was a massive dome, rising up like the Taj Mahal from an awesome looking palace. Smaller domes lined the square building’s roof, and I marveled at the glittering gold color. More buildings, all made of a similar tan-colored sandstone. The ones directly by the wall finally gave me a sense of scale for it. I saw what looked like an apartment building with six floors that reached only halfway up the wall. Dozens of minarets shot up from the square structures that I could see. It looks like Agrabah, from Aladdin, I thought.

On the other side of the peninsula, I saw a small dock with a single ship tied to it. There were two Ashkhas watching from the end of the dock next to the stairway leading into the Manara Alshams. The stone of the building seemed to glow internally. I looked away to see the massive harbor leading into the city. It looked like a giant had taken a spoon and scooped the land to make a nearly perfect c shape. The wall surrounding the city extended out into the water on both sides of the harbor, and I could see massive chains hanging off the ends. They must use those to protect the city if they are being attacked. Just like those ballistae and catapults I can see on the top of the wall. Oh, there is the dock. Light, that’s huge! Hundreds of piers shot out of the northern part of the city where it bordered the ocean. Dozens of ships the size of the Muhit Zahra and easily a thousand half the size were tied up. Ashkhas, humans, and other shapes were moving back and forth, unloading and loading cargo in a steady stream.

“Trade is how the Ashkhas are nearly equal in power to all the other empires and kingdoms known,” Librarian Narwan said, “when they only have this single city.”

“It helps that we have nearly twenty million citizens as well,” Ambassador Saf’Ir said. “The wall encompasses nearly one thousand five hundred square kilometers.”

“Are there any villages outside the wall?” Bridget asked.

“No. The Wahasha Swamp is deadly, and no settlement attempt has lasted more than a few years before a Beast Wave or Primordial attack destroys it. Expeditions routinely head into the interior, though, and we trade the harvests for what food we cannot grow ourselves,” Ambassador Saf’Ir explained. “Trade with the Craesti Kingdom and the Weltreich is our main source of food, and the Toprak Empire provides significant amounts of our metal.”

“Students, please head back to your rooms,” Farah said, rushing over from where the captain was giving orders. “We will be docking soon and Captain Alborz would like the deck clear of non-crew.”

We nodded and left the decks, going to finish any last minute packing requirements or just rest for a bit. Twenty minutes later, the ship rocked forward and back. A quick glance out the porthole window showed we’d stopped. “We’re here!” I exclaimed, jumping to my feet and shouldering my bags. This proved to be a mistake, as it took another fifteen minutes before Knight Kaminski arrived at our door. I refused to put the bags down, bouncing in my excitement.

“Come, it is time to disembark,” she said. “Follow me.” Us boys were the last room to be collected. All the girls were already waiting in the hallway, and we filed out of the ship in the reverse of the path on. Lampart and Kami joined us on the top floor of the cargo hold. At the bottom of the ramp off the ship, Farah waited with Captain Alborz, Ambassador Saf’Ir, and Librarian Narwan.

“It was a pleasure,” Captain Alborz said. “I hope to see you all again. Good luck, and may the gods watch over you.” He bowed to us slightly, then straightened out again. “Farah will accompany you to your inn.”

We all said goodbye to him, then followed Librarian Narwan and Farah down the dock. We’d landed most of the way to the shore, and porters hauling giant crates hurried past us in both directions. Two ships were between ours and the end of the pier, both much smaller than the Muhit Zarha, but that didn’t diminish how much cargo they were loading, or so it seemed anyway. It took fifteen minutes to make it to a large paved square just beyond a line of warehouses, where two large carriages pulled by four meter tall ostriches waited for us. Four Ashkhas were brushing the Beasts off.

“Hop on in,” Farah said, opening the door of the first one. “Captain Alborz hired these to take us to the Craesti Embassy. Your inn is nearby.”

I walked up the three steps to get on, and then shivered at the cool inside. “These are Inscribed to keep out the heat!” I yelled back to my friends, and then moved to the back of the vehicle. My sweat was quickly disappearing, evaporating off in the almost frigid inside. This is like Texas. Stupid hot and humid outside, way too much air conditioning inside,  I thought, trying not to chatter my teeth.

“Use your Aether to warm yourself,” Sia sent. I jumped, startling Vaya next to me, then saw him land on the window of the carriage.

“Good point,” I said, then focused on moving Fire Aether into my skin meridians. I immediately felt warmer. “I should do this outside too, just using Water or Ice instead.”

“Of course. Air works as well,” Sia responded. The carriage took off with a jerk, causing Sia to squawk angrily and then take off again. “I will join you at the inn.”

“Sorry Sia!” I thought to him. All I got back was a feeling like rolling my eyes. We watched out the window as warehouses and taverns were replaced with apartment buildings that stretched up ten or even twenty stories, Ashkhas running up and down staircases ringing the outside. I opened my Aether Sight to look around, and realized that every block of stone was created by Core-level gatherers. “Amazing,” I said, telling the others what I saw.

“All of the stone used to create this city has been transmuted from the sand and dirt found underneath it,” Farah explained. “Many buildings go down three or even four floors to make space. There are dozens of buildings being extended both up and down at any time. The Supreme Council has talked about trying to move the wall out another hundred yards, but no decision has been made.”

“Supreme Council?” I asked.

“We do not have a king or emperor like your nation does,” Farah said primly. “Every person is part of a council based upon their profession, such as the Bahar Council that I belong to. Every five years, the Councils hold an election, and three members are selected to join the Supreme Council which rules over (Name). The Supreme Council members hold their positions for ten years, so each Council has six people on the Supreme Council at any one time.”

“How many councils are there?” Aleks asked.

“Twenty in total,” Farah said, then sheepishly looked away. “I doubt I could name them all, though. Ambassador Saf’Ir would know.”

“Are there elections happening soon?” I asked.

“Yes there are,” Farah said excitedly. “Campaigning has already started. The election itself is going to be held at the end of the tournament.”

I hung my head for a second, then looked back at her. “I’m going to guess that, if we are winning, there will be people trying to get our endorsement for the election.”

Farah’s eyes got big. “That is right! Light, I had not thought of that. Ooh, you will definitely have to talk to Ambassador Saf’Ir after the first competition. I am sure someone of his stature would know many possible candidates.”

“I bet we could get paid to endorse people,” Jon said, a greedy look on his face.

“As long as they are good, sure,” I said. “I won’t promote a scumbag.”

“That is a neat turn of phrase,” Hannah said. “Scumbag. I like it!” Oops.

“Tell us more about the city?” I asked, deflecting attention.

“Well, we are headed to the Mercantile District, which is the section of the city just outside the Government District. The Dhahab Qasr is the center of the city and is where the Supreme Council lives and works. There are a few other Qasrs in the area that make up the Government District where the various Councils meet and different agencies have their headquarters. The Mercantile District surrounds the Government District and is where the larger, more expensive shops are. They also have the best inns, especially right across Ajnabi Square. That is where we are headed,” she smiled at us. “Ajnabi Square contains the embassies for all known nations, and Almajid Khamara, the inn where royalty stays when they visit. Unfortunately, you all will not be staying there, but the Murih Khamara is almost as good.”

“Are any of the contestants staying at the Almajid?” Hannah asked.

“Uh, I do not know,” Farah shrugged. “I doubt they will put you in the same inn as another nation.”

“We generally get along well with the Weltreich people’s,” Aleks said. “And I have met a few Topraks I would not mind meeting again.”

“The Illyrians though,” I growled. “What are the rules on slaves?”

“Slavery is legal, though regulated heavily. The Illyrians have to cycle their slaves through to avoid the rules, which limit the length of time a person can be a slave to only five years. There are those who argue against it, but they have not yet reached a sufficient majority in the Supreme Council to change the law. Oh, we have arrived! Come, let us see your inn,” Farah said, before I got a chance to ask her what the Bahar Council thought.

My thoughts got derailed as soon as I stepped out of the carriage. We were on a large road, with a park on one side and a row of ostentatious hotels on the other. Manicured grass was interspersed with massive trees that shot up to a hundred meters before branches formed. The tops of the tree looked like palm leaves spread out in the shape of an umbrella, letting in only a bit of the sunlight and heat. I could see a couple of families with kids walking or picnicking in the park, Ashkhas mainly, but a few others. A human couple was chasing a little boy and an Air Wolf, probably one of the parents Bonds, almost like the wolf was a dog. Another couple were much shorter, almost too short to be human. I focused in on them, and noticed their eyes were much larger than normal, their ears were circular, and their noses almost as flat as a pug.

“Those are Volk, from the Weltreich,” Aleks explained when I asked. “Incredibly strong. They practice a type of gathering focused exclusively on strengthening the body. They are very dangerous over short distances, especially at lower levels, but at Core level we typically can defeat them at range.” I was trying not to laugh, thinking of a great movie. “I am serious, you do not want to let them get a hand on you in a fight. Especially at our level.”

“So that is what the people from the Weltreich look like?” Jon asked.

“Yes. They are great partners to our kingdom, so we will treat all of them with respect. Got it?” Knight Kaminski said.

“Yes ma’am,” I responded. I turned to look at our inn. A wide sweeping staircase led to two massive doors. The stairs were made of the same sandstone as everything else in the city, but polished until it shone in the morning light. The doors were made of a light wood and had golden handles for opening them. The inn stretched up seven stories, every level having a balcony that overlooked the park. I grabbed my bags and started to walk up.

A doorman opened each door from inside before we got there, expertly spinning around the door to bow while keeping it open with their front foot. “Welcome to the Murih Khamara,” the two men said as they held the doors for us.

“Please, join us inside so we may see to your stay,” a young woman called from inside the hotel. We walked forward to find a large lobby with a small pond in the center. Around the edges were four sunken pits with cushions around a fire. From the closest a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties stood. “Come, sit. Place your bags at the edge and a servant will take them to your rooms. We are honored that contestants in the Multinational Tournament of Champions would stay here.”

“Thank you, Lindsay,” Librarian Narwan said as he walked past us. “It is good to see you again.”

“Master Narwan!” she exclaimed, bowing deeply. “I did not know you were the guardian. We are pleased to host someone as capable as you are yet again. We have the students on the third floor. It was requested that they share a room with one other, so we have prepared six rooms for them and two for the escorts, but we will change your room to be the fifth right away.”

“That is unnecessary, Lindsay,” Librarian Narwan laughed. “I am fine sleeping near my students. How have the others been?”

“Extremely well behaved, sir,” she said smiling. “We have enjoyed their presence immensely. Jameson Jacob has been assisting many of our staff with gathering techniques.” Her smile got bigger when she mentioned Mentor Jameson. Huh, someone’s got a crush, I thought. They talked for a minute, before servants arrived and guided us to the stairway. Librarian Narwan and Knight Kaminski stayed with Lindsay to discuss something.

I shared my room with Jon. It was huge, eight meters on a side. Two desks, a sitting area with four chairs, two large beds, and a fire pit in the center comprised the furniture. A door directly opposite the entryway led onto the balcony. I grabbed the bed on the right. There was another door in the middle of the right wall. I opened it to find a Jack-and-Jill bathroom that we shared with the room next to us. The door into the room opened up and Xiao peeked in.

“This is as luxurious as my home,” he said.

“Well, it is much more luxurious than mine!” I laughed. “So I’ll just have to enjoy it.”

“Yes. Time to take a nap on an actual bed,” he grinned at me, then closed the door.

“I’m going to shower first!” I called, then turned to find the servant had already deposited my bags on the floor. I dug into them for a change of clothing, eager to get the travel dust and salt spray off my skin.

The shower was as amazing as the rest of the hotel. An Inscription controlled which of four nozzles it used, and you could set it to rain from above your head directly as well. The water was the perfect temperature, and I luxuriated in shower for a few minutes longer than I had planned. After getting dried off and dressed, I went to take a short nap. The bed was amazingly soft, and I was asleep soon after hitting the pillow.