Chereads / The Slate Of Vale / Chapter 22 - CHAPTER 21

Chapter 22 - CHAPTER 21

Rex held his tongue tightly as it threatens to ask the man what the hell he was talking about.

"Go to that building over there" the man pointed and Rex's eyes followed the weak finger. The man spoke more clearly now but his ascent was an old Anadan's tongue. 'If these people are speaking my language' Rex allowed his thought to wander 'does it mean they are the lost blood line-

"There are free costumes for block heads like you" The old man said, interrupting Rex who wasn't paying attention until then. "Change into something less amusing before the king of kings throws you into the cell of the damned." The man laughed again and disappeared into the growing crowd.

"Wait...what do...who are you?" Rex stammered, but the man was already engulfed by the crowd.

Rex didn't know what to make out of the man. He strode towards the building hoping nobody had paid attention to their conversation. The building was piled with assorted attire. Some were hung to the wall, others in what appeared to be a closet, and some littered the clean wooden floor. The shoes and sandals here were made from animal skin. They were beautiful but Rex found them odd, he would pick his polished leather boot anytime.

Two paces away from the door was a black dog sleeping peacefully.

Rex walked deeper into the room. The ceilings were painted black, but the rays of the sun, was sufficient enough for him to see the sparkling jewelries, displayed adoringly inside a case. The walls had strange paintings too and hung on the eastern part of the room, were voodoo masks, Animal hides, ranging from antelope to leopard to lion and some others he could place a name on. The dog sleeping beside the door growled a little, stood up and walked out of the room.

"What the hell" Rex gasps and reached for the gun on his belt. What he had mistaken for a dog was a huge wolf with deep brown eyes. Rex gulped and relaxed, the eyes of the animal were oddly familiar, but where had he seen something similar? He shook of the thought.

Rex scanned the entire room quickly and his eyes fell on a brown hood sitting almost the position where the wolf had been. He wore it immediately over his amore, walked out of the building and followed the streaming crowd blindly.

The crowd was heading to an arena and Rex who had been following them all this while, saw an empty spot and sat down on one of the spectator's seat.

Down below was a rectangular ring which was almost six feet deep. The surface of the ring was covered with black muddy sand. Its wall had old marks and scratches, which look like a rough painting when viewed from afar.

The crowd cheered and stood up clapping, as two beast set down two thrones. The two thrones, made of gold, were escorted by battalions of solders on feet and on horseback. The solders had spares, swords, cross bows and were dressed like knights. Rex watched keenly as a handsome but old man stood up and waved his hands. Everything he wore was snow white, from the silver crown resting lazily on his white hair; down to his feet. His white robe was long but not long enough to sweep the floor. The crowd kept cheering as the man continues to wave his white gloved hands like a choir master. Rex's heart skipped a beat when the other person on the throne sat up.

It was the woman from the stream. She was in a robe-less white gown. Her face had colors on it now but her eyes still sparkled and twinkled like the stars of a silent night.

She is heavenly beautiful, Rex admired just as the woman threw back her hair with her right hand and her dark hair fluttered in the gentle wind. She looked younger than the man in the white robe. Her simple white dress fitted into her body, making her attractive, both physically and emotionally.

"LET THE FEAST OF BONES AND IRON BEGIN" the man in white robe shouted and took his sit. He had spoken with an old tongue, a language that is obsolete in Anadan. The crowd cheered in return, just as the dark muddy sand on the pit ring was disturbed.

About twelve bare chest men in pants walked out through a gate at the southern end of the pit ring. They were skinny and pale, with hair shaved to the skin. They had swords which were blunt and rusty. They look weak and depressed and different emotion was plastered on their faces, but the one that was common was FEAR.