Chapter 25 - Thousand Sun City Kalin finally managed to collect himself after Sar'tara had already gone a few dozen paces. His soldiers moved at her orders, riding to collect the Union messenger's belongings. He shook his head. He was at first shocked by the forest woman's skill with the bow. The way she fired with such untainted grace and confidence. He hadn't seen anything like it. But was she planning on sieging the Thousand Sun City all on her own? Or did she want to hunt down the Union one man at a time? "If it was that easy, I'd have done it myself many years ago," he muttered. "Make camp. We're resting here for the night!" Darkspawn this. Darkspawn that. The Union went around labelling anything they disliked as an enemy to the people."Your Grace, aren't we returning to the encampment?" a young soldier asked."No. We're going to take a stroll by the Thousand Sun City," he said with a sarcastic smile. "Send a messenger to Commander Rask and tell him we will be delayed on our return by a few days."His orders were carried out without further question. Kalin ran after Sar'tara. He gripped her by the arm and roughly turned her around, her smooth hair flowing just as the dark cloak around her shoulders. "Come along. I'll bring you before their gates myself.""No. I cannot be further indebted—""I've never said you were. I swore to defend you. You are my responsibility," he said, his gaze firm.Sar'tara opened her mouth to protest further but reconsidered. She looked to the ground. "Your soldiers. Are they coming along too?" she asked softly."Yes, of course."She let out a long exhale, feigning reluctance before finally agreeing. She was obviously grateful and relieved for the help. Renewed confidence burned in her eyes. She truly believed two hundred riders would help her attain her vengeance. That confidence would soon dissolve into nothing, Kalin knew. She would learn the meaning of futility when she laid her eyes upon the Thousand Sun City. The same futility he felt when even thinking of its absurdly high walls. He hated the Union with every fibre of his being. But there was little that could be done about their existence. Sar'tara deserved justice. But she didn't deserve to waste her time chasing it. She needed to know what it was she was up against.The soldiers set up small campfires. They hadn't brought adequate equipment to construct tents. The horses were tied to each other to keep them from straying. It would be a cold night spent wrapped in cloaks. Sar'tara sat near a fire, warming her hands. Kalin sat down beside her, chewing on stale dried fruit leftovers in his cloak. He heard her stomach growl. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He handed her the remains of what he had left. "If you want, we can return to the encampment.""No," she said, fists clenched. "I can ignore my hunger for one night."Regardless of her words, she swallowed the morsel whole. Kalin wasn't certain of whether it'd been peach or apricot."The others. Why do they not speak to me?" Sar'tara asked."Should they?""I would get to know the people I am staying with. The people that will fight alongside and die for me tomorrow.""All two hundred…?"She nodded fiercely. The fierceness lessened as her stomach growled again."Right," Kalin said, stretching the word. "I think you should get some sleep, Sara. No one's dying tomorrow.""Oh? You have that much confidence?" She frowned. "Sara. Why do you call me that? I don't like it.""My apologies. I thought…" He scratched his beard. Thought what, exactly?"Thought what?" she asked, leaning in, eyes narrowing.He flinched as she repeated the same words in his head. "Nothing." Nothing at all. "I'll have a fire made for you away from everyone. Lie down there.""Why can I not lay with everyone else?"Kalin didn't answer. He was too tired to start reciting explanations. It was embarrassing to even speak of such things with a grown woman. Sar'tara hung her head low. She left as she was told. Sometime later, he went over to her to make sure she'd wrapped her cloak around herself appropriately. It didn't cover the length of her body, everything below her ankles still sticking out. Kalin unpinned his own cloak and held it over the fire for several minutes before laying it on top of her.He sat still until the campfire burned out late into the night. He dozed off in an upright position a few times, but a chill breeze always brought him back to his senses. Dawn eventually came. The soldiers, used to waking up early to do drills, roused themselves from sleep. Kalin rubbed his stinging eyes. He nudged Sar'tara awake. She groaned like a child before slowly rolling over. She'd been feigning sleep he realized. He recalled making similar movements as a child to fool his nursing maid. White lines marked her cheeks. She had been crying the night away. Pain from losing her family most likely."You didn't sleep," she noted.Kalin nodded. Her lips bent as if she'd taken offense, but she said nothing. The soldiers prepared to set out, eager to return soon to a hot meal back at camp. Kalin mounted Silenus and helped Sar'tara on as well. She had dark lines under her eyes. Her mood remained grim the entire way. He wanted to see her smile again. "Is something the matter?" He regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth. Of course something was wrong. She'd lost her family and home and was now preparing to take vengeance because of it."No," a hoarse voice replied. It made Kalin wonder just how long she'd been crying for.He barked an order and the contingent moved out. Their destination would not come into proper view for another day and a half of hard riding. Sar'tara would spend another night crying more than sleeping, and Kalin hardly rested himself.The skies were painted a desolate grey when the towering walls of the Sun City could at last be seen from atop a large incline. Silenus slowed to a trot. Kalin held up a hand, not wanting to get closer lest he risk running into Union patrols. Behind him, Sar'tara gasped. Her warm breath tickled his ear. "What is that…?"***"That… That is the Thousand Sun City. Home to the Astral Union. Estimated population, just under two million. More than a fourth is reportedly military personnel, whether rabble militia, or trained warriors. A place with an iron fisted ruler known as The Lord Sun. It is also home to the Thousand Sun Sword, a relic from the War of Ashes."Kalin's knuckles cracked as his hands tightened around the reins of his horse. "Thousand Sun Sword," Sar'tara echoed. She'd heard mention of the blade from Ny'Danis' stories. A weapon wielded by the first of those called Flame Bearers."The blade hasn't been seen in centuries, giving rise to rumors that it has been stolen. I wouldn't attack that city even if it had been stolen. Those walls are impregnable. And there's more layers further in with a perfectly constructed citadel at the very center."Sar'tara couldn't help but stare wide eyed at the behemoth before her. She was seeing it from a distance but she had no doubt that the city was somewhat similar in size to the Papillion Forest."Long have I dreamt of seeing this city ablaze and their tyranny ended," Kalin continued. "Alas, a single man cannot burn a city alone. They've been a thorn in our side since before my father's time. Legions roam our lands freely, conducting inquisitions at will. Do you see now why they cannot be opposed? This is where you were trying to go two nights afore. I despair even thinking of this place. I didn't bring you here to feel that, Sar'tara. I brought you here to show you reality. I will help you with your vengeance in any way I can. But… here and now, your vengeance truly is a fool's errand."It was magnificent. Her eyes watered. Tears of both awe and fear. "Two mill-eon people. How much is that?""Much more than what you're imagining.""This… Sun, you said? Did it order the burning of my home?" she asked, confused."Not 'it'. The Lord Sun is a title given to their leader. He is a person. Despite the numerous spies we've sent, his identity remains a secret to us still. The Union was once known as the Bright Star Hegemony. Even before that, this place had been a small vassal state of Xenaria. Xenaria's queens thought little of the changes over the decades. But as time passed, their walls grew. Whispers of their 'righteous' rulers were heard. Mass immigration ensued and with it, their army grew and their influence spread. This here, is the end result. They're still hungry for more, but right now, the power structure is in a delicate balance between Xenaria, the Empire, this city, and the Illeyan Alliance to the south."Sar'tara tried processing that information all at once. Half of it went over her head. But Kalin had been talking of it with such enthusiasm. Something he seemed very knowledgeable at. She wanted to know more. Wanted to know the workings of the foreign world around her. Xenaria, she knew, was her current place of residence. The rest were new names.She also realized that vengeance would be more difficult to obtain than she'd thought. Not because of Kalin's words, but because of what her own eyes were seeing. A moat surrounding walls more than thrice the height of Lorian. The only entrance, a drawbridge, remained firmly shut. Her piercing vision caught sight of armed men no larger than ants walking back and forth upon the walls, keeping watch just as Guardians do.Sar'tara bit her lip. She now had a valid excuse to stay with Kalin longer. The lonely child inside of her won out against the more cautious voice. Just this once, it said. Just this once, let me trust another.The sun peeked out from behind a grey sky. What was a dull fortress now came to life. Bare white walls shimmered, showing gold. Sar'tara felt immense hatred for those residing within the city. But the city itself was beautiful. Far in the distance, the high pointed peaks of the citadel glowed like stars. Their tips absorbed and reflected the blinding light in the sky in a thousand different directions."I want to see inside," she said aloud."I did too, once. The Thousand Sun City. A wonder from the outside." Kalin reached out and cupped the entire city in his hand. "A place of justice and wealth. All at the tips of your fingers. A piece of solid gold that renews its brilliance each clear skied morning. Enter and declare your allegiance, and it's all yours. You lived in a forest, Sar'tara. You lived under shadow, did you not?""Yes. But it was beautiful. At day, there were songbirds. There were flowers and green leaves. The pockets of light we did receive only made to accentuate the beauty," she said, finding her voice to be cracking. Reminiscing tore the fragile fabric placed upon an open wound. "At night, the forest glowed different colors through the blessings granted us by our Mother. Everything was kept vibrant, never truly asleep.""This city is the exact opposite," Kalin said. "It is a drop of honey placed before a dark cave within which a hungry spider awaits. The high walls you see. They are high to the point the citizens barely see a glimmer of sunlight each day. The peaks of the citadel may seem like stars from here, but once inside, that starlight becomes nonexistent. Once you enter, you don't come out. Merely swearing allegiance isn't enough. They harass you with question after question. They look into your past, caring not whether if it is something you've tried to escape." He let out a sigh. "They then take away any sense of freedom you have," he finished.Sar'tara could sense the anger in his voice. He hated them, though for an entirely different reason than her. He maintained a level tone regardless of it. Kalin seemed to value a person's freedom greatly. Sar'tara admired that. He was a leader who cared about those beneath him. Something she wished Ny'Danis could have done. "They take everything… so the only option remaining is to become a guardian of the city to once more see the sun?""You're quick on the uptake," the duke praised.She'd do well as the lady of the house a soldier whispered. Snickers and giggles were passed down the ranks. Sar'tara felt Kalin's muscles tense. His hands tightened around the reins of the grey horse. She raised her hand to his heart, resting the side of her head on his shoulder. She could feel his rapid beats through the thick leather and chainmail he wore. "It's alright. I won't go there. Not yet…" she assured him, assuming his tenseness to be caused by worry. Her actions brought about further whistling from the riders around and she sensed Kalin heating up further. Confused, Sar'tara brought her hands down again and firmly held on to him as he ordered the contingent's return to camp.Become a guardian to see the sun. She hugged Kalin harder as the horse galloped along. This time, she feared losing sight of herself rather than falling over. She needed something to cling on to. Sar'tara wondered what difference there truly was between her and the soldiers of the shining city they'd left behind. Their fates were similar.But not aligned.