Vaneya: Chapter 1

Remigast stood looking at Anni on the palace steps. She was staring longingly at the thriving community, far underground that remained hidden away from prying eyes. A land unseen and dismissed by most surface dwellers. Light shone through the translucent ceiling, allowing a glimpse of sky to those who dwelled below. It was a bright and vibrant city deep below the crust of Vaneya. .

Merchants and patrons shouted and vied for bargains while children played beneath the feet of both shopper and owner. A multitude of exotic aromas assailed even the most unattentive passerby. Smells of sizzling beast and perfumes from far off Elibaud, along with the normal scent of waste and unwashed body pervasive in most surface towns. A cacophony of hammers and auctioneers, livestock in their pens, and the squeal of young maidens pursued by eager suitors, sent them into memories of times long past.

In the hustle and bustle of market day in Avandu, Remigast and Anni stood unnoticed by the regular townfolk. They stood on the steps of Emperor Thian XXIV's castle, surrounded by angry royal guards, whose steady coal black skinned hands rested eagerly on their sword hilts. Remigast thought angrily of his persuasion to bring Anni out of their regular refuge in the homes and marketplace of Avandu. He pulled his large wings in under the corded muscles of his arms to allow unimpeded movement.

"I told you this wouldn't work a second time Rem!" Anni's face twisted in anger. Drawing swords the royal guards began to confine the duo, not allowing even a hope of escape. “Oh, sure!  Just walk through the gates, everything will be ok! They won’t stop us,” Anni arms thrown up with the sarcastic jibe. The confrontation between the two seemed to set the guards on edge, they began inching closer not to allow the fiery woman before them to pounce on the proud warrior they had captured beside her. She shot the guards an indignant look, which stopped them dead in their tracks. The nearest guard looked nervously to his commander, who shrugged.

“Look, I had a distraction set in place!” Remigast said quickly before she had a chance to continue her tirade. “They should have been in the market looking for us, who would have thought they would have been here.”  He shrugged his shoulders and gave the guards a beseeching look. “Exactly why is it that you're here and not in the marketplace? It took me three days to convince Elzric to use his position as forward scout to get those damnable guards to leave their post and desecrate the Doors of Thian.” He shuffled angrily mumbling. "Stupid Elzric."

“It turns out that a disturbance along the roadway turned us back before we arrived at the location your friend Elzric so kindly offered us.” The commander stated, giving Remigast a superior smirk. Her companion just looked at Anni and sighed.

“Let me guess, the disturbance had to do with those vile trees.” Remigast said turning his back to the Royal Commander letting his stance be a showcase of disrespect despite their superior numbers. The commander looked confused drawing a sidelong glance from Remigast who hid his face in his hands knowingly. "I told you these trees were the cause of so much evil around this place. Some foul beast resides in them. You've seen it. Now this is even more evidence!" He said staring hard at the woman who had been his friend for so many years.

“Pipe down boy, the only thing you have to worry about now is explaining to our great Emperor why you decided his doors needed to be adorned in such a way.” The guard sneered triumphantly. Anni turned quickly suddenly realizing the strange carvings on the massive stone gateway.

"That was your distraction! Desecrating the doors to the palace. A crime punishable by death. Rem, you didn't." It was Anni's turn to place her head in her hands. She sighed dejectedly. "How could you do such a thing. Desecrating such a monument to our people. These doors have stood uncorrupted for millennia guarding the great Fyen who have ruled these caverns for so long."