Tamunil Stonecarver stood at the balcony of his study, which was at the top of a grey tower towering tens of feet above the nearby buildings, his eyes scanning the whole of Dabud. The intricate web of grey building buildings stretched far beyond his view dotted at various intervals with colorful buildings that signified the influence of the tradeweavers. A skyview of the city during day would make the colors on grey look like stonepox on the body of an healthy Velkoran.
But what could he do? It was impossible for a city to thrive without the presence of the merchant caste. A lot of influences were seeking to undermine the influence of his family in the city because there were rumors that their godstone mine was in its rebirth phase. The Stonecarver family-a family of scholar-had watched over the city for over two hundred years. Dabud had gone from almost a low-tier city to mid-level during the time of his grandfather Vadil Stonecarver. This was was a pride for him as a keeper of knowledge. But things had changed when their godstone mine hit a depletion phase 70 years earlier than expected.
He ran his hand along the smooth, cold stone railing, feeling the solid weight of it beneath his fingers.
His thoughts darkened as he considered the Warrior Caste, growing bolder with each passing day. They whispered of dominance, of taking control with brute force.They had been steadily increasing the size of their barrackbin Dabud in the past decade. Tamunil clenched his jaw. Warriors had always relied on strength, but now they had changed to subtle form unlike their nature. He sensed an unseen hand guiding events.What was once under the Scholars' watchful eye was slipping through their grasp.
He shifted his gaze to the horizon. The city still belonged to the Scholars, but for how long? If the Warriors united with the Merchants, their control could crumble. He needed hope…
His thoughts drifted briefly to his son. Young, sharp, ready to inherit his position one day. Tamunil took pride in that. His son would carry on the legacy. Yet, legacy alone couldn't guarantee power in times like these.
A sudden knock at the door broke his thoughts. A guard hurried into the room, his eyes wide with urgency"Ma… ster" the guard stammered. "One of spies reported that… that a Stoneless was spotted at the mines."
Tamunil stiffened. A Stoneless? Here, in Vel'Kora? In Dabud? He hadn't received any notice of a Stoneless entering this world. His heart skipped a beat, knowing how dangerous this could be if not handled well-not just for the city, but for his own political standing. This could be a crisis, but maybe an opportunity.
"Oh!" Tamunil said calmly, hiding the concern in his voice. "I'll handle it. The Full Stone Night must not be disturbed."
The guard nodded quickly. "Yes, Master. What should we do about those at the mine? The guards saw everything and the miners must have heard too "
Tamunil's eyes narrowed. "Ensure they are taken care of. The Stoneless sighting must not spread beyond the mines."
The guard saluted, backing out of the room swiftly. Tamunil waited until the door closed before turning to the empty wall behind him. "I want you to confirm if this information is genuine?" he said, his voice barely a whisper.
The stone wall rippled like water, and from it, a slim man emerged from the wall, his grey skin covered in intricate totems etched across his body. His presence made the air around him seem heavier, the walls themselves seems to vibrate at his presence.
"I'll check," the totem-covered figure said, bowing slightly. "Nothing can escape my sight." His voice was like a low hum, making the very stone around them seem to dance with the sound.
Tamunil nodded slowly. The figure melted back into the wall, the stone rippling briefly before settling into its original state. Tamunil looked out over the city once more, his mind racing. A Stoneless, at this time, could change everything.
-----
In the dark tunnels beneath the city, Anandriel and Nurdi moved quietly. The air was damp and heavy, thick with the scent of earth and stone. The path ahead was lit only by the faint glow of a small white stone that Nurdi held in his hand. Its soft pulse of light guided them through the twisting corridors. The boy had brought it out from where inside his underpants. Anadriel didn't want to imagine where the boy had hidden it.
Anandriel eyed the stone curiously. He concentrated but didn't get any feeling from the stone again. He thought that he felt something before, but maybe it was a mistake or coincidence.
"What is that?" he asked.
Nurdi glanced at the glowing stone and shrugged. "It's godstone, a part of the Mother Stone. We mine it."
"Godstone?" Anandriel repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Nurdi continued, his voice a little quieter as if talking about it felt like a secret. "There are... well, I know of five different godstones. Each one has a purpose. This one"—he held up the glowing stone—"gives off light."
Anandriel asked, intrigued. "What about the others?"
"Well, there's the Fire godstone. It gives heat. Then there's the Water godstone, it... well, it controls water somehow, but I've never seen it. The Earth godstone can make things grow, and the Spirit godstone... they say it can talk to the dead." Nurdi's voice dropped to a whisper at the mention of the last one.
Anandriel thought for a moment. These stones were obviously important, but how they fit into the larger picture of Vel'Koran society, he wasn't sure yet.
Nurdi cleared his throat, snapping Anandriel from his thoughts. "I... I stole this one from the mine,If a miner is caught with a godstone he would be whipped to death" Nurdi admitted. "Normally, we're all searched before we leave, but you... well, you showed up and everything went to chaos."
Anandriel chuckled lightly. "Lucky me."
Nurdi nodded quickly. "Some people will do anything to get a godstone; you have no idea . Some even... hide them in their bodies."
"Hide them?" Anandriel repeated, not fully understanding.
Nurdi's face twisted in discomfort. "They swallow them. At times their employers may have to cut them open in order to retrieve the stone. Others... well, they hide them elsewhere."
"People smuggle godstones to the tradeweavers and outcast. It's dangerous, but... some people do because their family or loved ones may have been held hostage."
At the mention of family Anandriel's mind drifted back to Arina and everyone at Windrest. He wondered if she was safe. He knew that Serving was also outside when the stop began. His survival was unlikely, but he hopd that he survived by some chance. He hoped Arina was safe
He shook off the memory, focusing back on the task at hand. "So why are we in this tunnel, again?"
Nurdi sighed. "I snuck into the mines through these tunnels, hoping to find my father. But he wasn't there. He has probably been imprisoned at the barracks."
Anandriel raised an eyebrow. "And why is your father imprisoned?"
Nurdi's face tightened. "My father… I'm not too sure, but they said that he tried to destroy the order of things and that he's in cahoots with the rebels. But I know that it's not true. My father is an important person"
Anandriel silently agreed with the latter part. For Nurdi to know as much as he did about the castes, the stones, and the tunnels, his father must have been an interesting individual.
"These tunnels," Nurdi continued, "run through the whole city. Only the scholar caste knows about them. My father told me everything."
The air grew colder as they walked, and the soft draft from the cave signified they were nearing an exit. The tunnel system was more intricate than Anandriel had imagined, running beneath the very heart of the city.
After over two hours of walking, the faint outline of the tunnel's mouth appeared in the distance. As they walked towards the opening they didn't notice the face with totems that
appeared in the wall watching them.