The City of Gold

The City of Gold

In the desert regions the heart of the continent, a once powerful and well known civilization grew into power for nearly two centuries. But on the wake of the 3rd Century it was reduced into smaller confederacies. As soon as its downfall its history had slowly faded along with time and its once grand civilization and its culture. Its capital which was once rumored to be the "City of Gold" has been now reduced into a small town which endured the harsh winds of the desert. The sands slowly covers its once grandeur and what is left is a small town and the ruins that surrounds it.



The once grand city has been reduced to this small town located near the greatest oasis in the desert. It will take at least five weeks travel to arrive in the nearest town in the Lands of the Tiber Republic. Despite of loosing its greatness the city retains its attraction towards travelers. Its location is an ideal stopping by for long travels from the Kingdom of Han to the Northeast to the Tiberian republic to the West. It was an ideal route even for trade of the two kingdoms. Many come to this town to rest from their long travels, adventurers, mercenaries and merchants alike. The town was never empty of accommodations through the year.



On the first month, twenty third day of the year. A famed adventurer of the western world. Happened to pass by the village and decided to rest. He was all alone with no companions. He was at least six feet tall and medium built. He looks bulky with the clothes he wear and his complexion was pale like of those who settled on the Western lands. The man came from the lands of the Tiber Republic at the West. A growing empire and a rising power. He is a proud citizen of the republic and is eager to gather stories and news to his countrymen in his return. He is set for a travel in the Kingdom of Han to the Northwest.



On his arrival in the town the very sight of the ruins amazed him. The ruins towers even the highest building in town. The size of the senate halls of the Tiberian Republic were as tall as the ruins. As he proceeded to the city he fixes his eyes on the objects that he amazed him. He could never believe that the remains of such advanced and grand civilization is in front of his eyes.



"Such vast wealth could have been here... I could never thought I could see it with my eyes."



The traveler said.



Upon on the arrival in the town the traveler decided to investigate more. He went to the highest place in the town. Observed the ruins and was amazed even more.



"There is nothing like these that I have seen by far. Not even the coliseums nor the Arteron can match the greatness of these structures." He said to himself amazed.



All of a sudden an old man whom the traveler hadn't noticed earlier calls his attention. The traveler was surprised and almost fell into the bottom of the building. The old man grabbed his hand and saved him. The traveler sighed with grief in the floor as the old man approaches the balcony in where the traveler almost fell. The old man looks like he was sad at the same time proud as he stood in front of the ruins that stood before him. He then said.



"The very ruins in front of you young man is the remains of a once great city in the deserts. This was once the center of the one of the greatest empires. As the ages passed by little remember and even know its name."



The traveler stood up and continued to listen to the old man.



"We were just the remnants of this once great civilization. A proud history that is left in us. I assume you are from the lands of the Tiberian republic if I am correct?"



The old man asked the traveler as he continues to stare on the ruins before him.



The traveler nodded and replied, "Yes I am, I am a historian and scholar from the Republic of Tiberian. I am now a famed adventurer."



The old man replied and said, "A traveler, alone? Where are your companions?"



"I travel alone, and with my amazement I am still alive" The traveler laughs as he replies.



"So you must be confident of yourself young man. I will have to warn you though that overconfidence may be also your downfall in the future."



After the old man spoke the traveler asked once again and said, "What is the name of this place old man?"



The old man clears his throat and replied, "Saiy-ria"



"Saiyra?" The traveler asked in reply.



"It was the name of the city once, now its merely a small town a hub of travelers from far away. Due to the location of the city once, the City too became a hub of travelers and merchants from afar. To that reason why the City became rich and progressive then evolved into a nation and then an empire. Not many had known it nor its location. Most of those who searched for it either was lost or was engulfed by the unforgiving sands of the desert."



"So this was the city of Sairya, I only heard of the stories but never thought it was true." The traveler replied.



"As your eyes can see it, everything here is real. The city of gold and the heart of a once powerful empire is now as you can see. All in ruins, this is what remained of the once great civilization of my ancestors as well..."



"Ancestors? Could it mean that you were the descendants of "Eyktapros(Illyaros)"? The famed demi-gods who created the civilizations of men?" The traveler suprisingly asks.



The old man bursts into laughter and said, "If I were one would I even bother seeing you here young man?" Then he continues to speak.



"The founders of the Silvanin civilization where the people of Ahknek, our ancestors. The Alemnian empire that once reigned in this region took place on the 3rd Century. It was a thousand of years before the recent time. It was believed that they themselves even believed of the "Eykapros" as a mere myth. However... there was this tablet that disproves this theory and shocked even ourselves. The evidence that proved that our ancestors and the mythical beings have made contact in the past. Who was believed to have parted their wisdom, knowledge and even their technology to us. It was even far from the real story..."



The traveler grew silent as he listens to the old man's story and sat down near the balcony to hear the story. It took at least several hours for the old man's story to finish and decided to find a place to rest for the night.



"I never thought that this place had such a long history. But what troubles me is what I heard from the old man. Could they just be myth or mere fantasy?" The traveler puzzles to himself as he wanders the streets of the town that night.



He looked high above the skies and saw the stars above him. He decided to rest his tired legs and lies down on the ground. It was already late in the night and no one seems to be around by the time. He watches up above as he observe the skies.



"If man's destiny were this infinite. As the number of the stars in the skies. However his lifetime is something that bounds him and limitations strains it. One can only choose a path for himself and only for himself." He said to himself as he closes his eyes.



The next day he decided to write a book about his travels. A long chronicle which was well known even of his passing. It was one of the books that has been treasured by the Tiberian people up until its decline for almost eight hundred years after the entire chronicle was written. The chronicle of the great traveler Flavian Lucius Ravennus. Was well remembered in history as of the present day...