With a serious and prideful face, Marcus said, "I am Marcus, Knight commander of House Flaming. And by the order of Duke Aron Alde Flaming, you are to come with us to the capital of Ducas Empire."
Sol's eyes opened wide in surprise. "What?" he said.
"You are coming with us. Right now to the capital," Marcus said with a cold expression.
Sol looked at Marcus: red hair, beard, an adult knight wearing upper body armor with red fire eagle on body plate, looked cold, serious, and prideful.
"This red-bearded man seems quite strong, more than those two soldiers. And being a Knight commander of some Noble house no wonder he is arrogant." Sol thought while scratching his big stomach. He thought, "Why do they want me to go with them? Did they find out about Adam? No, I don't think so."
Sol turned back towards his father. He asked, "What's going on?"
Sol's father lightly grabbed Sol's shoulder, "We don't know either. They said it's nothing to worry about."
Both Sol's parents were in their fifties and had little wrinkles on their faces. They were also confused and worried.
"OK! I will go. Besides I don't think I can't turn down the Duke's order," Sol smiled at his father. He didn't like that his parents were worried. "Let me get ready" Sol went back to his room. He took off his clothes. "Vastra" he called.
Sol's blanket turned into a large blue slime. The blue slime latched onto Sol covering his whole chubby body and turned into a costume: white sleeves, black pants, and black shoes. His mother gave him a cloth side bag with some money(coins), fruits, bread, and jam in it.
"I'll be back soon," Sol hugged his parents. He then walked to the brown carriage. He looked at the carriage. Marcus was already inside the carriage and two soldiers, in the driver's seat.
It was a four-wheel carriage without a horse or anything to pull. However, in a driver's seat, there was a vertical wooden helm/steering wheel in the middle. There were also some pink mana stones, magic arrays on the driver seat desk. The carriage was powered by mana stones and magic arrays. The wooden helm was there to steer or change direction.
"Oh! So this is how it works," Sol thought after seeing. He got inside the carriage and closed the door himself. Marcus was there, sitting with a serious face, keeping his sword next to him on the seat. Sol sat opposite him.
The soldier put his hand on the magic array next to the steering wheel and activated the magic. The carriage slowly started moving.
"It's moving," Sol thought. He looked out of the window and waved his parents, bye. His parents waved back at him with a worried and unhappy face. Sol was sad seeing them like that but he just waved with a smile.
The carriage sped up and drove faster.
"I don't know what's going on but let's just see what happens. I hope it's not something dangerous," Sol thought and looked outside the window. He saw his village's scattered houses and farms, villagers by the road looking at the carriage. Soon they crossed the stone bridge and were out of the Widefield village.
The carriage ran without stopping. Sol kept looking outside the windows. They were still in plain land. Sol had never been far from the village. It was exciting for him even though he was still confused about the situation.
After some hours, Marcus looked at Sol who had fallen asleep on his back. Marcus had a doubt.
After some minutes, Sol woke up. He looked outside and saw that they were in a forest. He thought, "Dad said it would take 10 days to go to the capital by horse or wagon. I wonder how long this magic-engined carriage takes. Still, this carriage is pretty impressive. They said only noble and rich merchants owned this."
Without looking at Sol, Marcus asked, " Are you good at combat?"
Sol was surprised by the sudden question, "Uh! No."
"Sir! This is how you address a Knight," Marcus glared.
"Ah! Yes! I am sorry Sir," Sol said, "I am not good at combat Sir."
"How about magic skills?" Marcus asked.
"How can common people like us learn magic? Sir," Sol said politely.
"That's right! Even people from town cannot afford to learn magic, what can a village boy do?" Marcus said arrogantly, "Forget about the academy in such a village I bet there isn't even a person who has magic skills ."
Sol just smiled at his statement. He said, "Even if there was, I wouldn't be able to since I don't have mana in me."
Marcus's eyes opened wide in shock. He was not happy. "What did you say?"
Sol thought, "He's really shocked. Well, that is to be expected." Sol said, "I don't have mana?"
Marcus couldn't believe what he heard. "So you are Kosong," he said.
"Kosong?" Sol said. It was his first time hearing that word. He thought, "Is that what you called people without mana." He didn't ask Marcus.
Marcus was shocked and worried. He was thinking something.
"Is he really the one we are looking for? Was there a mistake? How can he be?" Marcus thought with a serious look. " Duke Aron is not going be happy about this."
Marcus looked at Sol, after finding he was someone with no mana, Marcus felt disgusted and angry. He thought, "I can't believe I am sharing the same space with a Kosong."
After that Marcus became colder and harsher.
They rode silently nonstop and only stopped from time to time for food or break in villages and cities. They didn't allow Sol to step out when they stopped in the village and city. Sol would secretly look out from the window.
Marcus even told him not to eat inside the carriage because the carriage might smell. The carriage would stop in the forest or road for Sol to go out either to eat or for the toilet.
Sol was a little irritated but he had expected such behavior. He didn't let it mind him and was calm. He just enjoyed the scenery from the window and hoped to finish whatever business they had with him.
They continued traveling to the south in silence.
~~
In Vida, there were three continents: Laurasia, Gondwana, and Maui Nui.
In the Northern Hemisphere were Laurasia and Gondwana in the Southern Hemisphere. Laurasia and Gondwana were connected with a bridge-like landmass. Maui Nui was a separated continent made of large three islands in the Eastern Hemisphere, equally located in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
The capital of the Ducas Empire was in the East of Laurasia, near the eastern ocean. The Empire of Ducas ruled the south with many villages, cities, and few Kingdoms under it.
Widefield village was far from the border of the South and was under Ducas Empire.
~~
For three days, their travel to the capital continued without even at night, heading to the south. They passed the plain, forest, rivers, crossed forested mountains.
On the evening of the third day, they reached their destination.
As the carriage was descending from the hill Sol saw an ocean.
"Whoa! It's an Ocean." Sol thought.
The sun was setting and the sky had turned orange.
"That must be the capital of Ducas Empire," Sol thought after seeing two round cities near the bay.
From the hill, Sol saw a large plain with few farms and a river joining the ocean. In the plain land were two round cities surrounded by large white walls with watchtowers. The small city was on the coast, near to the ocean, and the bigger city behind it. There was a large stone-paved road connecting both cities.
Both cities had red-tiled roof houses with some open roofs.
The small round city next to the ocean had many houses outside the walls near the beach. Inside the walls were many red-roof houses, a few large houses, farms, and trees.
In the bigger city, in the middle of it, was a white and orange citadel on raised land. The Citadel was surrounded by flower land. The Citadel was on a large green land, where there were few houses afar, around it, paved lanes, and paved grounds. These were all surrounded by round, white fortified walls with parapet walls and rectangular watchtowers.
Outside these Citadel or inner walls were many small red roof houses, large houses, farms, and trees. Colosseum and open theatre were also in this bigger round city.
Upon seeing the encircled cities and large white citadel Sol was amazed and fascinated. "It looks just like those in mangas: medieval and fantasy-like cities," He thought.
It was getting darker. The houses in the city started to lit.
Finally, the carriage on the green plain land on the stone-paved road, getting closer to the white-walled capital city in front.
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Next: King of Kings: Emperor Ducas IX