Word of the awakening had spread through the Divine Throne, and whispers filled the halls. As Soltair and I passed through, priests would pause their conversations and watch us from the corner of their eyes. It was a bit unnerving, but better than the hostile gazes of before. It seemed a hero commanded at least this much respect. After a few minutes, we finally arrived outside, and I got my first good look at the Divine Throne.
Words couldn't do it justice. The church complex was a massive sprawling mass of stone buildings, connected with fortifications and walled corridors. Central to the structure was a towering cathedral wrapped in stained glass, surrounded by soaring spires, and capped with a dome. I instantly recognized it as the Great Chapel. Hundreds of golden flags fluttered above the Divine Throne, proudly flying the symbol of the sun. The various wings of the complex were less grandiose but still impressive. The entire place was magically reinforced and built like a Fortress. The windows at ground level were narrow and deep, and the walls built of thick stone.
The outer walls were nearly a quarter mile from the Cathedral, with wide swaths of gardens subtly disguising the kill zone in between. Reinforced iron gates opened in every cardinal direction. Armored guards and Knights patrolled around the grounds on foot and horseback. Their expressions were bright and armor well-polished, giving a stunning display of might.
Soltair chuckled at the awe painting my face. "They call it the Fortress of the Sun. It's likely the most secure stronghold in the world, built to resist the full might of a demon invasion. Although many have tried, none have breached these walls."
"It's incredible! how long did it take to build?"
He scratched his head. "I'm not sure, although not as long as you might think. Magic makes everything easier, even without modern technology."
I could make out the top of buildings outside the walls, most flying the sun pendant as well. "How big is the city outside?"
"I haven't been out too much, but I'd guess a couple hundred thousand of people."
As we chatted, Soltair led me through the gardens. Flowers bloomed in every direction, and fallen blossoms covered the smooth cobblestone paths. Fruit trees bore fruit regardless of season, and small animal chatter filled the air. Throughout the garden, I could see various swathes of cleared ground, where soldiers and priests trained. Unlike the guards, they weren't dressed in battle gear, but used padded wooden weapons and wore no armor. Many trained by themselves, simply running through drills or following an instructor's lead. Sparring grounds were separate, sitting against the walls. As we approached the nearest training ground, the soldiers stopped nearly unanimously and knelt, hailing the hero.
A large, burly man stepped out from among the kneeling soldiers. He bowed politely and looked us up and down. His eyes narrowed at me, but he made an effort to remain civil. His voice was low and gravelly, inhibited by the jagged scars on his neck.
"Welcome, young hero. Who is this… girl… but your side?"
The hero cleared his throat, speaking so all could hear him. "This is my slave, Xiviyah, the Fate Hero. She's going to be accompanying me on my adventures, so please treat her well."
Whispers passed around the training yard, and I flinched at the open disdain. "A demon?" "What kind of Hero's a slave?" "Why would he choose a girl so flat?"
"Quiet down, men," the burly man commanded. "If that's the case, then I'm pleased to be at your service. The name's Jordan." He held out a rough and calloused hand, having more scrapes and scars than I thought possible. My slender fingers were dwarfed by his massive paw, but he treated me gently.
"What weapon do you use?" he asked, letting me go.
I hesitated, looking down in embarrassment. "I, u, haven't used one before. I've also been cursed, so I doubt I could use one anyway."
"Cursed?" he raised his eyebrows. "Then what can you do?"
I opened my mouth but came up empty. My cheeks reddening further, I looked at Soltair desperately. As always, he came to my rescue, placing his hand on my shoulder.
"She has a strong affinity for Fate magic. Is Selena here?"
"Magic, huh?" he said. He turned to me and grinned. "Weapons might not be good for you anyway, what with those tiny arms and all."
Soltair drew me aside as Jordan sent one of the soldiers running for Selena. "Whose Selena?" I asked curiously.
"She's one of the mage instructors."
"Not a priest?"
"Nah, she works for the kingdom. The Divine Throne is in the capital city of Roann, so they share resources. It's hardly surprising considering Radia basically built this place." Seeing my confusion he hurriedly explained, "Radia is the kingdom we're in. It's ruled by King Rixen, who strongly supports the church."
"A little too much, sometimes," a feminine voice said, interrupting the conversation. The newcomer was tall and fair, wearing blue robes and carrying a staff. Long Blonde hair fell about her waist, tucked behind two pointed ears. "But I shouldn't speak out of turn. The name's Selena, hero."
"An elf?" I gasped. "But I thought they only liked humans here?"
I immediately regretted it, feeling my tail quiver in shame. She grimaced and her eyes turned cold, seeming to pierce right through me. "They prefer humans, but some of us 'lower bloodlines' are capable enough to silence any critics. Tell me, demon, can you do that? Or do you need to hide behind a real hero?"
"Enough, Selena," Jordan said, striding over. "Even I can see she didn't mean anything by it."
Selena grunted and turned away. Even angry, her elven features were breathtakingly beautiful and I caught many of the soldiers staring at her. Solistair squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring nod.
"Don't worry about her, she's just prickly," Jordan apologized, patting me on the back. She wouldn't have come if she didn't want to train a hero. Not after the last one got away… "
"Jordan! " Selena hissed through grit teeth.
"Oh, you mean Korra?" Soltair asked, a smile spreading across his face. "Too bad she decided to be a priest. Have you ever considered that, Xiviyah?"
A priest? Before I could even think about it, Selena's hand shot forward, grabbing mine and pulling me away. "Never mind what you said, we best get going. What's your name, girl?"
"Uh, Xiviyah," I stammered, looking behind as the widely grinning Jordan and Soltair fell away.
"Xiviyah. Yeah, I guess that fits. Why are you only starting to train now?"
She continued to question me as we broke through the crowds of training soldiers, adeptly peeling away any defenses I threw up. By the time we arrived where the mages were practicing, Selena knew my whole story. It looked a lot less crowded than where the warriors trained, but the reason for that soon became apparent.