Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 194: In the holy city

'Huh'

Silas have arrived at the famed Holy Land. He just barely survives the storm in Deriachalchis. It is not a bad storm but it could put him in dire straits if his quest is delayed because of the storm.

The Holy City of Aralam.

The reference points for many people and races, even for people with different beliefs.

This is the charm of the Holy Land, contested during the reign of the First Generation and then the Lost Generation and ended only in Levitia time.

The Great Savior. Silas smiles thinking of that appellation the Church given to the Great Hero. To those who study history like him., it is clear that Levitia did not like the Church that much.

The Holy City of Aralam is unique in the fact that there are many believers of every religion here.

There are Lucellian devotees, Water Maiden, Fire Priest and many other religious people from all over the continent.

Even some monk of the Three Teachings could be seen meditating in some of the Temples.

Mostly Lucellian comes here searching for God grace, while people who revere the Three Teachings come here to find enlightenment.

Lucellian devotees come here to pay respect to Levitia last moment here and also because this is where the First Church is built by the First Holiness.

The other races came here mostly because of the history that is attached to this place, while for the Sky People it is because this is where the First Generation fall when they were sent down from the heavens.

Silas could see people selling wares here from one of the salira, an open inn in the Holy Land. The Holy City of Aralam.

Aralam is a city rooted in ancient history, on the Blessed Land, this simple island that connected both the Human Continent and the Dark Lands by a large and long bridge.

There is also the bridge created by Levitia that enables pilgrim from the human Continent to come here easily.

And another bridge in the Arakath side for his invasion.

Of course now it is used for pilgrimage. The Bridge that was made by Levitia is made not from Enochian steel but something else.

It does not rust like any other metal but it is steady and has remained standing for a thousand year.

It is said it only took him one year to complete the building of the bridge with the help of Three Wise Men from the Sea and Lady of the Lake.

Well, when Levitia created the Bridge Silas don't think it was his ambition for the Dark Lands to invade the Human Continent.

It was the contrary.

It was mostly because he is the one who want to invade the Dark Land. Before he could ponder about all the historical anecdotes that happens in this Holy City, he could feel the heat once again on his skin

The heat attacks his skin and once again he took another gulp of the water.

'This place is not Acro' he reminded himself

If only there is calming tea from Vern, then maybe his body temperature wouldn't be this hot. He called the inn boy again and inquire if he has any tea.

The inn boy informed him that they have Lornian tea from Asteros, so quickly he ordered that and once again siting waiting for his tea while contemplating the journey he have encountered during his journey here.

For this past few days he was travelling with the Negevian tribesmen, were helped by a Ledoiun farmers when he was chased by sand bandits.

What amazes Silas the most is the striking mix of people here in the Holy City. Land of diversity, which is almost the same with Acro.

The difference is their economical difference with Acro and the holy status this holy city has achieved.

The land is contended by the Demon race and Human until Levitia create the Treaty which enables all people with any religion, regardless of their race, to pray here, with no harm inflicted upon them.

Even though this city is of religious importance and historical importance, it is not necessary to have an advanced grasp of history to appreciate the magnificence of the region, ancient cities, monasteries, churches, temples, fortresses and many others structure that was erected here for the past one thousand year

There are many historical places here.

God Hill where it is said that Levitia is bind with iron made of Enochian steel to stop him from escaping.

He sipped his tea again while recounting his crazy adventure.

'Arial expect too much of me' he sighed. He was perfectly happy serving the King.

Great house, great food, great bed and great rivals. Well, the court life may not suit everyone but it suits him perfectly

He knows the plot, the secrets other nobles try to hide and most importantly it was exciting.

He is also trusted by the King and while he did many things to help himself but he also helps the King on his way.

After all, while he may wage war against his fellow courtiers but even he knows how to express gratitude.

The Vermont's save his family life, the King trust him. Everything was going great until Arial summoned him and say that he need to go to the Holy Land to establish contact.

'Haaah' he sighed again.

Silas looked at the Holy City and remember the things he learned from the book in the Private Library of his Lord.

Even though Aralam is the Holy city it is not the only one. There is also Deriachalchis, a city near the bridge.

Much of the knowledge of the advancement that humans have achieved as a civilization begin with the Fall, when the First Generation descend from Heaven and bring great knowledge and while the First Family fall in Aralam, the Second family fall in Deriachalchis.

In 589 After Fall excavations by the Scholars in the Imperial Court discover many metal, weird metals that suggest that the First Generation really did live here.

While humans at the beginning of time are mostly slaves of the Demon Lord, the fall of the Sky People mark a revolution, divinely preordained if the story of the Church is believed.

Even though there are differences between Corinian Church and the Vernian Church, at least in this they both acknowledge it.

At the time, the city of Aralam and the other cities around it were ruled by the Fay, a race of similarity with the fairies and were organized in a series of city states.

At first, unaware that the First Generation is not normal humans they try to enslave them.

Of course they could not have predicted how resilient, how smart or how strong of an enemy this Sky People proved to be.  

And how vengeful and protective they can be when one of their people was abducted to be sold as slave.

Many of them were scattered all around the Human continent but the First Family fall here and in doing so, spark for the First Time a war between human and Demon race.

With their godly weapons and cunningness, the First Generation, one by one, they conquer every cities and in doing so, bring a race so rare, the Fay almost to the point of extinction.

Of course, destroying a whole race just because of one person seems a bit .... macabre but that just to show, how powerful the Sky People really are and from there their exploits began.

The name of the great leader that lead the attack is not known to the history but if the disc in the private library can be believed then his name would be Aero Carlingian.

The decisive battle according to myth were fought in Deriachalchis, where the First family united with the Second family and the Fay was defeated at Harelwas and all the city states in this tiny island were then subject to the Unified Land.

It is from here where this leader systematically fills Davarus with his people and hearing seafaring Kingdom like Vorthy in the far north, they make contact and through them the First Generation establishes contact with other continent.

Their map even now helps sailors and traders, and gives us the sense of Earth, a term coined from one of their map, translated by an unnamed translator in 107 AF

Most notably Asteros and Ariundus discovery, where the people of that continent described the Sky People in their legends and history

It says the Sky people when sailing the seas ride a black monster with a horn, with incredible speed to traverse the Great Ocean

People called it Iron Whale for it was said during their visit to Asteros people believes that they were encountering a monster and tried to spear it but none of their weapons work, nor their attacks.

It is also said that the Iron Whale eat the sailor and when they reach their destination, the whale will open its horn and people will get out of the horn, perfectly healthy with no injury.

Seeing this Asterosi fear the First Generation so much, that even if at the time if the First Generation decided to conquer the world they could have done it.

But they are content to spend their time in Davarus.

They developed the world first alphabet and teach it to Asteros and Ariundus and then to the immigrants that came to Davarus.

The story of the First Generation is long and so is their descendant, the Lost Generation. This place is revered and its attraction is still strong.

Kings comes here, Emperors, beggar and slaves, the virtuous and the sinful. And thinking that Silas almost laugh, recounting his job now.

These have all the making of a great theater play.

A gallant King trying to avenge his wife, a noble lord trying to stop him and one that get stuck in the middle, and he know who he is.

He is the man stuck in the middle. And usually people that are stuck in the middle will get killed in the Second Act.

Silas hope tomorrow he can infiltrate the Demon Army camp without being spotted. Thankfully no one can kill here.

With that he sipped the tea and release another sigh while looking at the sun and smiling a crooked smile of bravado.

****************************************************************************