Chapter 420 City Of Gold
The gate slowly drifted apart as both men pushed the lever of the wheel with pained groans.
Kneeling in front of the fissure of this cyclopean barrier was a white-haired boy, bruised and barely alive, breathing heavily.
Behind him, two monsters were viciously clashing with each other.
One was a white, four-legged beast, while the other was an enigma of shadow, bending and unbending like waves of darkness.
The man's gaze trembled. It was not what was behind that caught his eye, however. Rather, he was focused on the boy kneeling in front.
"Those eyes, that hair… he looks so much like…" His mind crumbled as he considered the possibility.
Not having too much time, he commanded, "Quick! Take the boy inside!"
Both soldiers grabbed the boy quickly. As they did, the two monsters launched forward, running with madness to kill.
The man extended a hand and materialized a purple, transparent barrier that kept the monsters away while the gatemen hastily closed the gate.
He cast a solemn look at the fallen and disappeared just as the gate shut completely.
By the time he reappeared inside the walls, the boy had passed out.
Both gatemen looked at him with respect alight in their eyes.
"What do we do? He seems to have incurred so much damage that it's a miracle he's still alive."
The man looked down at the unconscious boy with worry etched on his thick brows. He frowned slightly and said to the soldier kneeling to support Northern's body, "Bring him to the tower."
At this point, both of them had a little bit of reluctance in their eyes but were hesitant to say anything.
Before they could, the man said, "Report to the Gate Commander about this incident and have him replace the gatemen outside. Immediately," he emphasized.
"Yes, Tower Sage!"
Both of them bowed as they responded. The one below lifted Northern onto his back and followed the Tower Sage as he walked.
Luinngard Empire stretched out beneath the golden sky like a tapestry woven by the hands of the old gods themselves.
Bathed in the golden hues of a setting day star, this ancient metropolis seemed to glow with a timeless brilliance, each stone and column telling tales of their own.
The colossal walls of the palace dominated the landscape, its arches standing tall against the horizon.
Below, the streets wound like veins through the heart of the city, their cobblestones worn smooth by the passage of countless feet over centuries.
Each road and alleyway carried with it the weight of history, the echoes of chariot wheels, and the whispers of long-forgotten conversations.
The buildings that lined these streets were a mix of ruins and restorations, their facades crumbling yet still retaining an air of majesty.
The atmosphere was thick with a sense of reverence, a quiet awe that pervaded the air as the man walked within the street.
The scent of the earth, warmed by the day's sun, mixed with the subtle fragrance of the population. People stood here and there, the majority of them slowly wrapping up their stalls; some still had much or less to purchase.
The Tower Sage and the soldier behind him cut across several streets to finally arrive at the gate of the palace.
The palace before them was the truest marvel of architecture and ambition, an edifice that could only have been conceived by the most visionary minds.
Rising majestically at the heart of the city, it dominated the landscape with its towering presence, a testament to the power and grandeur of the civilization that built it.
The palace was not merely a building; it was a symbol, a manifestation of divine authority that seemed to reach out and touch the heavens.
Its design was a series of ascending terraces, each one broadening as it climbed higher toward the summit, giving the entire structure the appearance of a colossal ziggurat.
The base was immense, a solid foundation of stone that anchored the palace to the earth, yet as the structure rose, it did so with an elegance and lightness that belied its size.
The higher terraces were adorned with statues, perhaps of legendary heroes and emperors. Their golden forms gleamed in the light of the setting sun, casting long shadows over the city below.
At the very top, the pinnacle of the palace, stood a massive statue of a beast, its figure carved from pure gold and seated in a pose of serene authority.
The statue's gaze seemed to watch over the city, imbuing the entire structure with a sense of calm and unwavering vigilance.
The beast's eyes, large and inlaid with gemstones, sparkled in the sunlight, as if they held the wisdom of ages within them.
The walls of the palace were a blend of white marble and gold, reflecting the warm light with a brilliance that could be seen from miles away.
Intricate carvings covered every surface, telling the stories of creation, of battles fought and won, and of the divine right to rule.
The carvings were so detailed that each figure seemed almost alive, as if the palace itself was a living entity, breathing with the history and culture of its people.
Without hesitation, the soldiers, armored in a majestic mixture of white and gold, opened the gate, and the Tower Sage entered, along with the gateman behind him.
The man could not stop staring around; his eyes glimmered in every direction he turned. Everything was splendid and beautifully depicted, as it was written in books or told in stories by others.
The Empire was divided into three major sectors. This part was the highest of all three, and there was nothing a commoner like him, from the dregs sector, should be doing here. Even the gate guards were nobles by birth.
After several curves, they finally reached a pyramid-like building situated behind the palace. It wasn't as large as the main palace, but it created a beautiful backdrop.
Two knights clad in golden armor approached the Tower Sage, bowing their heads.
"Tower Sage, Prince Rhazakar is in your chambers."
Immediately, his face turned dark. "Shambles, take the young man to the infirmary and send this soldier away with some gold."
"Yes, Tower Sage," the man in golden armor responded with respect and turned to the gateman, "Follow me."