The Inheritor of Light

"Excuse me, sir?" A freckled faced woman asked a guard lazing on his spear.

The guard tipped back his kettle hat and looked down at her. Even though she was a good head shorter than him, her emerald eyes burned with intense determination. The watchman let his eyes wander, she wore a large pack on her back and a sword lay to her side. Then his eyes settled on the emblem on the woman's cuirass: the split cog of Milzoc over two spears. He looked back up at her and dipped his head. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for the Cerenzi royal palace. I have orders to meet with General Riald."

The man raised an eyebrow. "First time to Cerenzi, is it?"

"Uh, yes, it is." The woman looked away, her face turning a little red.

The guard shifted off his spear and pointed toward the gate. "If you go on straight through, past the market, residential district, and gardens, you'll see a large wall with a gate. General Riald is behind that in the main garrison at the palace."

The lady straightened up and saluted. "Thank you, for your help." She took off toward the gate without another word.

The guard shook his head and leaned back onto his spear.

Beyond the gate lay the city marketplace. The woman had never seen a place so large or full of life. Her hand immediately went to the coin purse at her side. She ripped it off her belt and looked inside: a few measly silvers and a couple dozen coppers. She had used everything she had saved up on room and board while on her way to Cerenzi. If only she chosen cheaper rooms; she could have stayed at a tavern for a couple silvers rather than those expensive inns. Now she could barely afford another night, let alone a nice room and decent meal.

She sighed and tied her purse back onto her belt and trudged through the marketplace with her shoulders drooped. After she finally made it beyond the land of things she could not afford, she came to the residential district. Along the thoroughfare, she saw all manner of taverns, inns, and pubs. One of them even had a sign out with prices. The woman froze in her tracks. The price for a small room was three silver tenners. Her hand immediately went back to her coin purse. With prices like that, she'd never be able to afford a night in the capital. Still, she had to meet with General Riald. That much, at least, hadn't changed. She hurried off once again down the thoroughfare.

The buildings gave way to the city gardens, and in the distance, the palace wall kept a watchful eye of the open space surrounding it. As she passed by one of the fountains, her eyes wandered over the pool. She saw her reflection, warped by the ripples, bringing a smile to her face. Such architecture was completely foreign to her. The world beyond her small village was far greater a thing than she had ever imagined.

Her attention turned back to the looming wall before her. The gates lay drawn, and no guard stood in sight. She steeled her courage and stepped up to the great wood doors. She struck the door three times, the dull thuds echoing off the stone around her.

Shuffling came from behind the gates. Then, a stern voice called out, "Who goes there?"

"My name is Calius. I am a watchman from Nuuls, and I come on orders from General Riald." She reached into her pack and pulled a letter. "I have a signed letter with his seal."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, she heard a low thump as the gate was unbarred and opened. A guard stepped through and held out his hand. Calius handed over the letter for him to review. After scanning the parchment, he handed it back to her. "Alright, in you go." He motioned for her to enter.

Calius stepped through into the palace courtyard. With the wall out of the way, she was finally able to get a good look at the structure before her. The palace retreated into the mountains behind it. Calius could only begin to imagine how big the entire thing might truly be.