[Lhavit Entrance] The Amaranthine Gate

[Julian]

Spring 18th, 511AV It all seemed a blur now. Not so long ago, he was sitting cramped in a cargo hold between wooden crates of spices and the dozen other drifters (who were far less aromatic, he can assure you) who'd paid their way onto the trading vessel. Now, as part of a shambling mass of traders and travelers, Julian Meredith made his way along the treacherous mountain path toward the Amaranthine gate. It was hard to draw a line between then and the present. The memories of the ship seemed far off and dreamlike, as if it had happened years ago. Unfortunately, the strong desire for a bath had not grown any easier to bear. Julian felt as though he should have been wondering just what he was doing, or questioning whether or not he should be here. By all rights, he should have been daunted by the vast unknown that laid before him, presently in the form of a wondrous city waiting at the end of a path. However, there was a strange quiet in his mind, a particular ease that made him feel unusually comfortable. It was a relief to have no expectations of his future, and he could only look forward to what new challenges would throw themselves at him. For the moment, that only came in the form of a raised root or a large rock that made him stumble. But soon enough, this walk would end and disappear into the past as quickly as the trading vessel. As the traveling party of near strangers drew higher up the peak, the wind began to pick up and it tugged at the ends of his cloak like a beckoning child. Julian's ponytail brushed against his cheek as he turned to look out at the view of the mountains, standing only a few yards away from a deathly plunge. It was beautiful, of course, the gray peaks and cliffs that sat dormant in their cover of mist for miles around. Julian had seen paintings of scenes like this, and he was surprised at how well these artists had captured their likeness. It was a refreshing change from the architecture of Syliras he had grown so used to. His attention was only torn away by the elegance of the enormous Amaranthine Gate. A muted amalgamation of whispers and conversation sounded around him, their faces brightened by relieved smiles and awed gaping. Not even Julian was immune to the magnitude of the gate's careful design. Both lovely and functional. Hands shoved in his pockets, he waited in place with the others as his gray eyes remained lock on the gate ahead of him. It seemed to strike him only now that he was a long way from home. "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" a guard brightly asked. Julian wondered how he could be so accommodating to every person, but really, just look at where he lived. Every day he saw the same awestruck faces, heard the amazed whistles. It must have been a particularly rewarding post. "I'm not sure yet," Julian said lowly, still glancing around to get his fill of the view. A placid smile came to his face as he finally turned to face the guard. "But I'm sure I'll find out."

[Herth]

23rd Day of Spring, 511 AV
Kerth lumbered up the last stretch of the path on all fours, his claws clicking against the hard stone. "I do dislike this mountain" he rumbled to the guide who he had met at the bottom of the mountain.

Upon reaching the top, Kerth straightened up and walked up to the gate on two legs, his long arms swinging slightly. The guards, having never seen a Jamoura, seemed understandably confused and more than a little worried at the sight of an unknown, almost 8 foot tall gorilla approaching the gates. However, Hachia was with him, which calmed them considerably, since the guide would never help a monster or a dangerous character enter the city.

As Kerth approached the entrance to Lhavit, the guard approached and recited his line. Kerth smiled, inadvertently displaying his huge maw of teeth. "I want to live" he answered, turning away from the guard and walking into the city.

[Dra-Modus]

Season of Spring, Day 34, 511 AV It had been a great start for the Mixed Blood. The traveling he had done from Kalinor to Lhavit was short, scenic, and somewhat safe. He was told that if he wanted to paint great scenes and develop his skills by replicating intricate works of astounding beauty that Lhavit was the place to go, although it might be wise to keep any ritualistic worship of Viratas to himself. Nevertheless, the way from the two close, yet vastly different cities was a great beginning for vagabond new to traveling. The stairs to the Amaranthine gate, however, were a different trek all together. He did have a slight advantage over the normal stairwalker; his light body and minimal traveling equipment made the ascend easier. He was tired and had labored breathing by the time he reached the gate, but all in all he was not exhausted. He stood in slight awe for a moment at the gate, admiring it. Alone, he desired to paint and paint until he could create a perfect replica on canvas of this site, but his trance would soon be broken. "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" one of the guards asked in almost an uppity tone. This stole Dra-Modus attention. He was still awestruck, much too awestruck to give heed to how these guards stood atop and infront the gate and still were somehow cheery. Only lucid enough to come up with a reply. "I come to advance my art, see the scenes, and maybe attain a traveling companion on my quest to become an Artisan," he replied to the guard. After taking one last look at the gate and not looking back, he walked through the gate, having regained his swagger and loosing the fatigue from ascending the stiars.

[Shri]

47th day of Spring, 511 AV When Shri finally got to the gate of Lhavit, she stopped and sat on a large rock so she could take a breath. The journey up to the gate had not been an "exciting" one. One very long path, and nothing to see except bushes, the river and more bushes. It was worth it though, she had been traveling such a long way from Mura to take a part in the Star festival. She got up off of the rock, and approached the two guards. When one of them said "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?", she simply stated that she had gotten a room at the Shining Star Inn, and she was here for the Star Festival.

[Aestineos]

20th Day of Spring in the Year 511 AV

Having spent a good amount of time on the outskirts of the exotic city of Lhavit, Aestineos finally made the decision to make his way to the city itself. Since his fall, he wanted to reacquaint himself with the mortal shell along with the mortal world in its more simple form before branching off into the complexity of human habitation found in cities. Though he could not remember much at all of his life before the Valterrian, he did get a sense that things had changed drastically though he had yet to decide if said changes were for better or worse.

After making the decision to go to Lhavit, Aestineos realized that he hadn't a good idea of where it was at. Though he had received vague directions from the rare few travelers he had encountered, he personally knew not the way. He did however know how to find out for sure.

He waited one morning for the sun to rise high in the sky. As soon as the life-giving rays cleared the mountains and blanketed the valley in light, he took a sitting position on a large rock resting on the shore of a calm mountain stream. Closing his eyes, Aestineos visualized a series of doors in his mind; closing off his thoughts and clearing his minds-eye. He slowed his breathing and when his mind was clear, he began opening one specific door at a time. First was the stream; the calming sounds of running water soothed him. Then came the sounds of insects, birds and amphibians. The sounds and feeling of wind against his skin followed soon by the sounds of tree limbs and leaves rustling came next. One by one Aestineos allowed the elements of his surroundings to enter his mind in a controlled manner as his minds-eye took flight as his divine gift, the gift of sun-sight enlightened him. Soon, he was looking down upon the area where his body sat in mediation; he was the sun looking down upon the land. Using the point where he was sitting as a center point, Aestineos took what information he had gathered on the location of Lhavit and began searching for what he had heard described as a path; the only path leading to the city. He followed the nearby stream; tracing it through the forest until it came to a larger river, the Amaranthine River. He was viewing it all from high above down to a limit of fifty feet as he tried to make out details of the surroundings. Finally, he found what looked like a possible path; shrubbery and trees on either side of what looked like a set of small steps with a rather odd shack made of some sort of glittering material nearby. A smile crossed his own glittering face as he realized that had to be what he was looking for based on what he had learned already.

Opening his eyes, Aestineos hopped down from the rock and made his way to the spot he had seen through the use of Inavalti. It was not quite a mile from where he was so he followed the stream to the river and the river to the glittering building. Once there, he made contact with the one who inhabited the odd building and introduced himself. He had heard that there was a guide who would lead travelers to the city and now that he had met this person, the guide did not seem overly surprised at the Aestineos' visage. The guide escorted him up the treacherous path until finally arriving at the beautiful city entrance known as the Amaranthine Gates.

When addressed by the guards watching over the gates, Aestineos allowed the shining glory of his Ethaefal form to be enhanced by the sun shining down from above. Speaking the Common Tongue yet mixing a bit of Lhavitian dialect into his words, Aestineos spoke with a voice that echoed his lost divine heritage, "Hail to you my fine protectors of the great city of Lhavit, may Syna's light grace your day. I am called, Aestineos and I come to Lhavit seeking beauty, honor and a wee bit of fortune."

Assuming there was no contest to his entry, Aestineos saluted his appreciation and respect to the guards, thanked his guide and made his way into Lhavit; a new stage in life awaiting.

[Wrenmae]

1st Day of Spring, 511 AV

One could not help feeling small before the gates of Lhavit. It was not a matter of gate size, nor the time it must have taken to hew such rocky guardians from the earth. The men and women who had passed beneath these gates before was staggering. A thousand stories, like wispy tails of smoke circled the massive structure and curled up its expanse. Smells both familiar and foreign crept beyond the city to await new travelers, enticing their sense of adventure to the gate itself. Faint of heart, faint of mind, they were all welcomed should they pass the first trial...the journey up.

Weaver nickered quietly, an oddly human sound of impatience. Rubbing his hand along the Gildling's neck, Wrenmae comforted the mount with neither word nor expression. Alvadas lay behind them, the rough danger of Kalea's ranges as well. The journey had not been one to take lightly, but Wrenmae believed there was providence in his arrival here. Beyond the miasma of unknown, there was a smile which led his faltering path.

"Hail," A voice called from above, the night too old to see the mouth which birthed it, "What brings you to Lhavit?"

Weaver stomped a foot upon the path, the echo almost music against the pass and gate. The boy, for at this time he still saw with younger eyes, considered his answer. Some would come for lodging or work, to test their mettle in the Kingdom's Night. Others came to simply see, to watch with eyes unmarred by familiarity and feel the presence of times beyond them, beyond their fathers even. The decision to ascend had not been one wholly Wrenmae's to make. He followed paths and travelers like a scavenger, feeding from their stories of struggle with savage glee. He, the crow, now stood before a nest of meat...history piled high and towering beyond his sensibilities...Beyond what he could readily comprehend.

"I come to find a story worth telling," he answered, his voice soft, wavering against the echo of the guard "I seek to speak in places that have not heard my echo, and to listen to those who have echoed before me."

Weaver tossed his head in annoyance, snorting what might be considered laughter. Ket, the tabby cat mired in a bed of blankets, mewed her displeasure with the horse...but it likely fell on uncaring ears. Wrenmae grinned, both hands on the neck of his mount. He had practiced those words before, spoken them before entering a camp or a city. The horse may persecute the drama in his words, but they were as true as the boy could speak them.

The rumble of the gate was a sonorous hum of discovery, the grind so many once had heard upon entering. Wrenmae could feel his fate tied securely to the hundreds beyond him, the thousands which may have passed before him. He was a part of it now, a player in a larger story, a greater fate.

Nudging Weaver into a trot, Wrenmae entered beyond the gates.

The night beyond, the smells, the sights, the echoes of voices...they swallowed him up.

And he offered himself with a smile.

[Sybilla]

Day 52 of Spring Sybilla had been roaming around the city gates for hours. She had come across the Amaranthine Gate as she was traveling, and she became curious about settling down here. Sybilla had been running across Kalea looking for shelter and food, but she had been running for days and her feline paws were more than tired by now. She remained in her panther shape while she analyzed the gate, keeping her distance as to not frighten anyone. She was afraid and cautious of taking shelter in Lhavit, but her hunting skills were not so great, as she had only recently been let out into the world without a Master. It was becoming hard for her to find her prey, let alone catch it successfully. She decided it was safe to settle down, at least temporarily, and quickly shapeshifted into human form. She looked around for a leather bag she had been carrying around since she had left Alvadas, and took out her only set of clothing, a white dress and black cloak. Now in human form, Sybilla walked toward the gate, and was momentarily startled by the guard that now questioned her. She cleared her throat, afraid she wouldn't be able to find her voice after the weeks of roaming about Kalea in panther form. Lucky for her, she was able to answer them without a problem. "I'm looking for a place to sleep for the night." The guard moved aside as she hesitated to move forward, and she finally pushed herself to continue.

[Zakita]

3 Spring, 511 AV - Afternoon The season had rolled over along her travels, but at this elevation the snow lingered and the nights iced. The mental agony of trying to figure out whether the cold licked her tissue too deep tortured her far worst than the cold could ever pain a normal person. But up to the guide shack she plodded, Zeitgeist's blond head lifting to inspect the shimmering structure. Between her legs, the beast shied--a manuever that Zakita had yet to perfect handling without squeezing her legs too hard or too softly. This time she reacted too slowly and reeled atop him, one gloved hand snapping forward to grip the saddle horn. A man entered the frozen air, shutting the door to the shack behind him and walking over to pat Pao. The black little mountain pony preened under the attention, reminding Zak that she needed to check the faithful little animal for harness wear. As she dismounted, the cold stiffened joints a noticeable retard that she'd grown accustomed to over the course of winter travel, the man rattled something off in a startling alien language. The blank expression he got must have been enough for he switched to common, a language that Zak knew little better. But she managed to convey the desire to go up to the city well enough that he nodded and trotted off to ready the curious looking goats. By the time he returned, the animals had all been checked for sores and she was ready to remount. He stopped the maneuver and suggested she also ride the little goat, to stay safe herself and give the horse a lighter load. So her ascension to the elaborate gate was done by goatback, a story she would have to write home about to amuse the family with. Under the looming gates, Zak peered around, taking a moment to steady Zeitgeist and Pao, and conveniently wrapping her hand tightly in the reigns...that edge looked awfully close. And awfully high up, and those canyons and the side of the peaks awfully rocky. For someone who'd spent most of her life in the Sea of Grass, or on the hills of sand in Eyktol, this was a death trap. Belatedly, she realized the fearfully armored guards were speaking to her again. Belatedly, she found the language to respond. "Learn medicine, healing, shielding," the words tumbled from her lips with stresses in all the wrong places and a rhythm that made distinguishing between the four ideas difficult. They peered at her through narrowed eyes for few long moments before nodding and moving aside so she could lead her little caravan through. Their lack of guidance was, well, unhelpful for the new arrival.

[Vergil]

The first of Spring, 511 AV From her lofty perch on a nearby mountain top, the female raptor could see with great detail the guards that defended the entrance to the city. The siblings had promised that their people, the Lhavitians, were tolerant of Kelvics, but there was never any harm in taking extra precautions. It would be best to approach on foot. She decided, and immediately released her firm grip on the peak, freefalling as the wind roared violently past her. At the last second, the eagle displayed her lengthy wingspan and was pulled upwards by the air currents, but was still low enough to remain hidden amongst the notorious fog. Dark, golden eyes searched for an isolated area to land, talons clutching onto a small bag of possessions. As she neared the centre peak, Wedge spotted a small, glittering structure below. Curiosity drew her closer to the shack, but the realization that this must be where the guide that leads travelers to the city resides, caused her to land. The eagle gently beat her wings, feet stretching toward the earth as a light surrounded her body, leaving behind a cold, naked human. Now I see why humans find clothing so useful. She quipped, both hands diving into her small knapsack, revealing a dull red dress and wool cloak. Frowning, Wedge realized her sandals must have fallen at some point. The lack of footwear, coupled with her fierce, smirking expression and too large eyes were sure to catch unwanted attention. Sighing softly, she knew there was nothing she could do and began to pack up her meagre possessions when she froze. In the shadows of her satchel was a ring of silver engraved with the symbol of Rak’keli, the Rakanivas, on the outer band and a name on the inner. Breathless, the Kelvic traced around the ring with a thin finger, feeling a familiar, metallic taste on her tongue grow stronger with every passing second. Blood. Quickly, even before her own body registered the movement, Wedge slipped the ring onto her left, middle finger, closed up knapsack and approached the shack. When the guide, Hachia Koat, brought out a creature named Okomo, Wedge began to regret her decision in approaching on foot. She never did like riding animals, as it was simply an awkward feeling and nothing less than strange to her. She whistled quietly for the majority of the trip, hoping to distract herself from her own situation. The Kelvic was relieved when they finally arrived, jumping right off the creature and quickly thanked Hachia. Wishing to get this over with, Wedge quickened her pace, reaching the gates at last. She cared not for the architectural beauty before her, instead strolled right to the entrance and looked to a guard to permit her entry when he spoke, a voice far more polite than she had expected. “Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?” With a slow, confident smirk, she replied, “I come seeking my other half, the cure to my curse and the end of my quest.” And with that, she entered the crystalline city.

[Faolan]

Season of Spring, Day 1, 511 Faolán squinted to see the Amaranthine Gates ahead him, he guessed he must have see all sides of the gate considering how many times they had circled the peak. Well, if he was travelling in daylight maybe. It was dark and foggy; the sun had already set hours ago. The guide, Hachia and his goat were lumbering up the slope ahead of him from what he could see. Faolán yawned, travel weary, his eyes took a grayish tinge. He had tried to adjust his sleeping cycle after hearing stories about the nocturnal Lhavitians, but it seemed like it would take him a little longer to adjust than he thought. “No matter,” he muttered to himself. “I’ll wake up once I hear the wonderful tales of the city.” Kinsley snorted beneath him, shaking his mane. He had easily adjusted his sleep cycle, much to Faolán envy. Although, Faolán didn’t particularly mind this time, otherwise he would have ended up riding that goat instead. Not that he didn’t like goats; just he preferred his horse to anything else. Besides, it looked much better to enter the city riding his stallion than the poor old goat. And a better story. It was only due to lack of sleep and the blinding fog that he didn’t cling to his horse. The slope was narrow and his imagination of the look down would have normally caused him enough fear to have him ride the goat instead. As they steadily approached the gates, Faolán could feel excitement begin to course through him. His first adventure had led him straight to Lhavit. He had a few stories pocketed already, mostly being chased by wild animals and a few dangerous situations. Now, a perilous trek. He was already quite pleased with the city. Finally, the fog in front of him cleared to reveal a massive gate, guarded by multiple people. “Here we are,“ Hachia announced. Faolán whistled, clearly impressed. “Many thanks, Guide Hachia. My you guide many more travelers safely.” Then proceeded to approach the guards. "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" Faolán smiled, his eyes taking a golden colour. “I have heard many travelers visit your city. I come seeking their stories and to tell a few of my own.” He said in Common tongue. The guard nodded and signaled someone into the depths of the night. After a few moments of silence, the gates grinded open and Faolán stepped through into the bustling city of stars.