Chapter 43

  It would have been around this time that Bastion would have told her to take a walk. A long one. It always helped her cool her head, even if she refused to do so in the first place. But, Bastion was not here and she was already on a walk. A long walk in fact, a whole parade. Breathe, breathe.

  Slow as it may have been, the procession traveled the majority of the windroad when the moon was high in the sky. Not that anyone sought it out, the bustle and joyous blare of the city made sure they were not distracted by anything else but the festivities. Led by the surrounding retinue of town guards, the parade moved at a leisurely pace. It was important for the people to be able to gaze upon the candidates for as long as they could whilst passing. All in the procession were important to the realm and represented the future of its well being.

  Soon came the beginnings of an upward slope in the Windroad. It winded every which way and weaved through a neighborhood of houses that were pressed together. From a distance, it looked to be quite cramped as every building had a difficult time setting itself apart from the rest. But, as the sight of its people waiting by their windows and doors came, it suddenly felt as homely as any warm hearth.

  Its name was unknown to Ezabel, but she hoped to seek it when she saw the anxious children bouncing around their fences and tiny lawns. The entire district was built within and along the hillside, which required many platforms to be constructed in order to provide level buildings. As such, homes were left with small yards and pathways that kissed the Windroad quite closely.

  There may have been some residual irritation left in Ezabel, but it was quick to depart. She saw in every household and every child, her own image. And, the images of her siblings. It was not that long ago that they too, scurried around town with their wooden swords held high. She could imagine herself a stumbling mess, thanks to the oversized blanket she often tied around her shoulders like a cloak. It was entirely too heavy and barely even allowed her to walk, much less run. Still, it was what an Attendant wore. It was what she hoped for herself. Not even when she tripped on her own feet and frowned at the laughter of her brothers, did she feel any contempt for such a wish.

  The sensation only rose in intensity when she realized that the rumble of the crowd began to soften behind them. This particular part of the Windroad had been closed off to the public as the slope was steep and space was rare. Only those who lived atop its rough paths were allowed to be there while the candidates passed by. It was a safety precaution, but ended up as a fortunate coincidence for its residents. It was quite uncommon to find any place in Gracewind that was free of the festival crowd. Yet, there was one here, and it was as tranquil as could be.

  It may have been by design that the procession’s route had led it onto this particular path. A collective sense of relief washed over the candidates and most soon remembered how to calm themselves. What better way was there to feel when, at the top of the slope, was the beginning of the amphitheater. It crested over the neighborhood and met the candidates just as they left behind the commotion and rush of the festival. It was a sight that took the breath of many in the procession. Even as their march carried on, their collective faces gazed up at its facade.

  Ezabel’s stomach rose in anticipation, already having forgotten her earlier exchange with Kieran and Gilford. Her eyes traced along the structure’s shape as it curved upon the horizon. It was a massive, looming place whose walls were made of a surprisingly old stone. There were many cracks and they stretched far across it. Yet, never once did anyone doubt its resilience.

  Its size alone was enough to impress most, but it was the intricacies of the outside walls that found Ezabel truly in awe. It was like a peak into Gracewind’s past, where it once stood new and bright. Everything around was alive with the touch of ivory and the notable cleanliness of the streets.

  As Ezabel followed the winding path upward, she soon found the amphitheater in its entirety. She could spy its grounds when her portion of the procession made it to the top of the slope. It was a wide and round structure, surrounded by a brilliant exterior that stood more like a display than a barrier.

  A plethora of carvings, both large and small, were etched into the stone. They displayed upon it, the deeds of many famous Attendants. They rose high onto the walls and casted what seemed to be a moving shadow across the ground below. In truth, the torches that had been placed across had flickered against each shape to produce moving shadows and shapes.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Between them were rows of open windows, entirely undisturbed by glass or wood. They stretched wide and left large cavities where they stood. A bright light spewed forth from each and every one, which only served to make the exterior of the amphitheater even darker than the night could. Yet, it was plain to see that within the amphitheater was an exuberant crowd whose sound carried over the top of the venue and onto the streets.

  Chatter began to start among the procession and candidates soon stirred with expectation. It was a scene far more impressive than even the celebrations on the Windroad they had just witnessed. Just from the sound alone, it was easy to tell that the crowd of the amphitheater was many times larger and far more lively, which was impressive to say the least. Their cheers, whistles, and cries echoed for them to relish.

  Soon the procession reached the base of the amphitheater where its shadow engulfed them entirely. Strangely, from where Ezabel stood among Group Eight, she could sense a slight dampening in the enthusiasm around her. It was puzzling at first, and she shifted in place to make certain that it was not her imagination. But, after several moments of continuing on, she realized the cause.

  Their immediate path did not take them directly before the crowd within. Instead, it dipped below the structure, where the walls of an underground passageway soon took them in. It was difficult to tell whether or not this was their intended path. Ezabel could only follow while she took in her new surroundings.

  It was not quite dirt that surrounded them. No, it was still stone, less carved and more rugged than that of the Citadel. It almost seemed like a cave of sorts. Only, it was very clearly constructed. Tall, wooden beams lined the passage in short intervals. They were dug into the rock and ceiling for support, though many seemed quite aged and questionable. Regardless, such a fact was never quite on the minds of the candidates as the capital was commonly known to be a developed and secure place.

  What should have been gray rock was instead an orange hue. It was thanks in part to the metal torchers that projected a wide glow of dancing light. The ceiling rumbled, albeit without the falling dust and debris that one would expect from the underground. No, it was the cheer of the crowd that was felt, and it mingled with the close chatter of the candidates. It bounced through the passageway and became a muddy song of voices.

  “I thought we were going to be above, where the crowd is?”, Dani wondered aloud.

  “Maybe we’re taking a different path there?”, Ezabel responded as she stood on her toes. There was not much to see ahead of them other than the shoulders of the other candidates. The passageway seemed to go on into darkness and curved to the right. More notably, the clamor from above soon faded into a soft hum as they went further down the hall. What else could they do but follow? It was relatively cramped and rendered any path backward useless.

  A spot of dim light poured over the curve of the path. The floor of it was distinctly craggy compared to the beginning of the passage, as if its pavement ended there entirely. Below came the sensation of undeveloped floors, much like that of an actual cave. The ceiling closed in tight around them, offering only an arch in the rock above for their heads to pass through.

  “Okay, this is getting a little strange. I think we’re actually doing down instead of up.”, Dani mentioned with a shaky voice.

  “Are you okay?”, Ezabel nearly chuckled.

  Dani had held her arms together, as if she was cold. But, in reality, it was quite obvious that the cramped and dark nature of the passage was beginning to scare her. She even trembled a bit with every downward step. Hubert, who followed with his head on a swivel, also began to exhibit a sliver of anxiety. What was supposed to be glee, soon became apprehension.

  “I heard once that the amphitheater used to be a prison.”, Hubert explained as he glanced wide across the passing walls. “Ardyn’s most vile people were kept here. They worshiped dangerous spirits and committed wicked acts on their behalf.”, his tone was haunting and slow.

  “L-like a cult?”, Ezabel asked with wide eyes, suddenly more aware of the telling walls around her. They now felt even more cramped; even corrupted in places. It would be a lie to say that she was good with scarier stories. She often had to sleep with a lantern by her bed, or in Xavier’s room if she ever felt overly frightened by something.

  Then again, that was long ago, when she was a child. She was a woman now, one that was on the verge of making herself known as a potential Attendant and hero of the realm. Thousands would bear witness to her face and all would know her name. Right?

  Ezabel did her absolute best to stand up straight. To remain stalwart and forward facing was what she assumed was needed for the opening ceremonies. It only made sense as it helped present her best self. But, she could not help but shrink low. The thought of being in such an evil place was nightmare inducing and she did not have a blanket to hide under.

  “It was not a prison, fool.”, Kieran interjected. He continued to walk with his head held high. His regard was far away from Group Eight. “You’d think a noble would be better educated. - The amphitheater used to be a pit. It was the largest deposit of sealstone in all of Ardyn.”

  They were walking in a mine. Ezabel, Dani, and Hubert gave a collective sigh of relief. It was quite possibly the most satisfying sigh that any of them had since arriving in the capital. - Still, even if it was a mine in the end, why exactly were they descending into its depths? The ceremony was being held on the surface and only went further away from them as they continued. Even the sounds of the crowd had gone now.

  However, in its place came the rushing haze of a distant waterfall. It was fast and potent, that much was obvious the very moment it sounded. Looking over the shoulders of their peers, Group Eight could see that the end of the passage widened on all sides. Also peculiar was the sudden absence of torches that lined the walls before. No longer was there an orange glow about the cave’s walls. Instead, it was the milky hue of a pale light that spilled out of the opening. It was hard to see due to the flooding of its luminosity. But, whatever stood on the other side had found Ezabel and company entirely engrossed.