A clash of metal against metal could be heard throughout the City Lord's manor. Suddenly, a loud crash resounded through the complex.
Sana barely managed to dodge the flying body of Acram slamming into the wall behind her. Aria lowered the leg with which she kicked him.
Acram stood back up and patted himself down. Thankfully, the walls were specially reinforced, and Aria held back so he didn't make a hole in the wall. He strode back into the center of the room and picked up his staff. It was made of deep, red wood, capped with black metal. Both took up a stance again and charged at each other.
The sparring had already been going on for half an hour, but no one present wanted to stop anytime soon. Unfortunately, another half hour later, Acram gestured to stop. "I must apologize, but I have duties to perform. I must thank you, Lady Aria. I am truly honored to be able to spar with you."
"No problem," Aria replied, "I understand; both my husband and myself have our duties as well." They said their goodbyes and Sana and her mother were left alone in the hall. Aria turned to her daughter and asked, "So, we still have about half a day before we must be back for dinner, what do you want to do?"
Sana grinned excitedly at her mother, "I want to look around the city. It seems so different from ours." Her mother returned the smile and called some servants to lead them back to their rooms. They cleaned themselves up, and Sana and her mother put their leather armor back on. While they would stand out either way, this way, people would get fewer stupid ideas.
Finally, they were led out of the mansion and started walking along the streets. People were warily making space for them, seeing their armor but not any symbol to identify them.
Sana simply ignored them and curiously looked around. The clothes of the people around them looked to be more muted but also more sturdy. They also simply wore more clothing since the air was almost chilly in the shade of the huge trees, something she didn't think would be the case so much further sunward.
As she had seen when they entered the city, the buildings were built around the trees. But as they walked closer to the center of the city, the trunks of the trees seemed almost completely covered by the now tower-like constructions. There were even walkways between them stretching over the streets.
Her mother looked equally curious around, and at the questioning look of her daughter, she explained, "I have never been to many cities myself. Ever since I can remember, I've lived on Blackspire Mountain with my father's... group," she trailed off with a blank look on her face.
But she quickly shook herself out of her mood and continued, "The last time I was here to escort Radus back, we never actually entered. The only city I ever visited other than Tekiel City was Darklight City in the Twilight Lands. I already told you that gatherings of so many people aren't normally possible in the Twilight Lands, but that city is probably the biggest exception.
"It's in the middle of a hollowed-out mountain, only accessible by tunnels and supposedly protected by immortal formations." Hearing about Immortals almost made Sana shake in excitement, which her mother surely noticed by the teasing smile on her face. "There is even said to be an incredibly powerful Immortal, the one who first carved out the mountain, still residing over it. Although, the city itself has existed for hundreds of years, so even my father said he couldn't possibly know.
"The strangest thing by far is the thing the city is named after." Sana watched her mother's face twist in confusion and wonder as she spoke. "So deep in the mountain, no light reaches the city, so you would presume they use something to light up the surroundings like torches or Sunstones, but instead, as soon as you step out of the pitch-dark tunnel into the city proper, you can simply 'see'. Despite there being no way for it to be possible, no light, no shadow, you can simply 'see' the shapes of everything your eyes fall on."
Sana was at a loss for words, struggling to envision what that 'sight' would entail. Seeing her daughter in deep thought, Aria opted to stay quiet as they walked down the road together in silence for a few minutes.
Eventually, Sana turned to her mother and asked, "Are things like that normal in the Twilight Lands?" Her mother smiled in response and shook her head, "It was definitely among the strangest things I experienced. But strange and dangerous things are in abundance in the Twilight Lands, so if you ever find yourself traveling there, never leave yourself open," Aria finished, earnestly staring into her daughter's eyes, and Sana quickly nodded.
They continued their leisurely walk through the strange city until they came upon the city center, the main marketplace. The day earlier, Aria had asked for its location and directions.
The streets leading to the city center were steadily filling up with people, bustling and crowding. Men and women were going in and out of various smaller stores along the circle-shaped road surrounding the 'Blackwood Emporium', as a sign above the grandiose entrance proudly displayed. This tower-shaped building was the biggest trade center in the region, only surpassed by Lightport City, far to the north on the coast of the Boiling Ocean, and, of course, Cloudsea City.
Aria led her daughter through the entrance of the emporium. The guards, noticing their manner of dress, respectfully stepped aside without speaking. The entrance hall was excessively ostentatious; paintings covered the walls, and various artworks and precious materials were displayed on pedestals. Well-dressed merchants, lords, and ladies of great clans appreciated the displays in groups attended by pretty men and women in the black-green uniform of the emporium. Occasionally, one of those groups would be led into or out of a door at the back, leading deeper into the building.
A middle-aged woman with a fancier uniform than the others noticed them and began turning to the attendants standing around her. She stopped suddenly and quickly turned back around to stare at Aria's face before whispering something to the attendants and starting to move toward them with a gentle smile.
"Lady Aria Tekiel," she started with a small bow to her mother before turning to Sana and bowing again, "and Lady Sana Tekiel, I presume." She straightened out again and continued, the smile never leaving her face, "We are honored by your presence. If there is anything we can do for your esteemed selves, you simply need to ask."