Chapter 69: Of Jatu, Mahakurma, and Prana Swarms

Whereas Vir had realized from Param that Daha was divided into three districts, it was one factor to listen to about it, and one other solely to expertise the town in particular person.

Daha was giant.

Vir may scarcely imagine this many individuals may coexist, all in some way residing in concord. Effectively, largely. Vir had visited the seedier elements of the town, and whereas not as dangerous because the warrens, the state of affairs there left a lot to be desired. It wasnt a lot the crime, however the grime and filth that made Brij seem like a wonderland.

In reality, that gave the impression to be the development for a lot of the metropolis. He may depend on one hand the variety of neighborhoods that had been clear and safe-looking.

As for the District of Inner Affairs, he had no clue; it was the place the Sawai ristos lived, and it was strictly off limits. The partitions that separated the Commons from that district had been even taller and thicker than the outside partitions, a incontrovertible fact that boggled Virs thoughts.

It was as in the event that they feared the Commoners greater than an invasion by an outdoor nation. The partitions had been so thick not even Dance may get via them, and the double portcullis gates remained extremely guarded in any respect hours of the day. Entry was restricted to royalty, Sawai, and people with invites.

The citadel district was even worse, towering over the remainder of the town atop Royal Hill with partitions that soared fifty paces excessive. The one path there led via the District of Inner Affairs.

Hed additionally realized that the Commons dwarfed each the citadel and Inner Affair districts in each dimension and inhabitants. For many Dahans, the opposite districts existed as a fictional place, as theyd by no means even been there.

Whereas getting there appeared untenable, that didnt imply mapping out his environment had been a wasted effort. Removed from it.

Vir slowly opened his eyes, having simply accomplished one other meditation session. His blood pathways grew bigger with every passing day, nevertheless it nonetheless wasnt sufficient. To be taught Empower, he wanted extra blood circulate. It was sluggish going, however he was steadily making progress. It wouldnt be lengthy earlier than he may begin performing some trials. For now, retaining a roof over his head was a much bigger concern.

The actual fact was, Vir was extra broke than a Brijer, with out a single copper to his identify. To remain even another evening on the inn, hed needed to improvise, and quick.

It simply so occurred he already possessed a helpful talent. A talent few others boasted. Cartography.

Mapping out the town took the higher a part of the day, however as soon as carried out, copying his work took little effort. Fortunately, hed introduced alongside a number of items of parchment from Riyans place. After slicing them up and miniaturizing his map, hed set down on the Central Plaza, laid out his wares, and let the consumers come.

Nobody of their proper thoughts would shell out silvers for a rudimentary charcoal sketch scribed on parchment, however the primary map hed seen on the store meant Vir wanted little to draw consumers.Go to no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the most effective novel studying expertise

It began sluggish; within the first hour after he opened up, he made solely a single sale incomes him fifteen coppers.

However then phrase started to unfold, and inside hours, hed offered out of the 5 copies he had.

He instantly spent all of it on paper and ink, and refined the copies a bit, slicing palm-size sq. items together with his katar to get extra utilization out of his sheets.

Ending proper because the solar grew lengthy, he saved his store open proper till nightfall, charging fifty coppers per. Quickly, he had 2 hundred coppers, or two silvers value, in his pocket.

His consumers warned that his little hustle was illegalthat the Retailers Guild would shut him down for missing a allow. That didnt cease them from shopping for his maps, although.

Courtesy of the inns precharged Magic Candle, he labored via the evening to provide extra. Heeding their recommendation, hed migrated the following day to the Higher West Facet, the place the residents coin purses weighed only a tad heavier.

He made one other three silvers that day.

With 5 silvers, hed stopped his little operation, afraid of attracting an excessive amount of consideration.

With solely sooner or later left, he turned his consideration to the Brotherhoods trial.

His days promoting maps gave him time to assume lengthy and laborious concerning the job. Convey again the eyes of that which sees with out eyes.

Until the riddle was particularly crypticand he doubted it might be, given the variety of mercenaries out thereit possible referred to an animal of some kind. He wasnt an knowledgeable on that topic, however figured he may be taught what he wanted at a spot that everybody talked about: the grand Dahan library. The citys jewel.

From his mapping exploits, hed realized that the repository of data was truly throughout the Commons District. As a result of few had been allowed into the higher districts, theyd positioned the constructing within the location that might herald essentially the most cash. A uncommon little bit of foresight from Dahas authorities, or so Param had mentioned when Vir visited his store to ask.

The library itself was located off of the principle thoroughfare within the Higher West Facet neighborhood, the place the properties had been comparatively bigger, and the streets cleaner.

Vir entered the three-story stone construction to discover a spacious inside lined wall to wall with cabinets. The ceiling reached up all the best way to the third story, with walkways on the 2 larger flooring ringing the perimeter. These had been additionally full of bookshelves, although their density decreased with every ground up.

After which there was the Mahakurmaa four-legged animal resembling a tortoise, also referred to as the Colossus.

Data of Mahakurma are few, however we do know that they examine in dimension to small islands. These legendary creatures stand lots of of paces tall and hundreds lengthy, and whole forests and mountain ecosystems are mentioned to develop upon their backs.

Balar Rank estimated to fluctuate between 15,000 to 30,000. Menace Classification: Cataclysmic. Keep away from in any respect prices.

Vir discovered the keep away from in any respect prices disclaimer considerably amusing. It was as if the tome was written for plucky adventurers in search of fame and fortune within the Ashen Realm.

Nobody of their proper thoughts would set foot in such a spot.

When Vir remembered these had been solely the well-documented beaststhat the extra unique ones had been restrictedhe shelved all ideas of venturing into that terrifying place.

The Ashen Realm was a airplane of nightmares the place neither days nor nights existed. A spot of everlasting twilight, the place Ash fell unendingly from the sky, burying all in soot, and the place no clever life existed.

Even when the animals didnt kill him, it appeared that the prana was so dense throughout the Ashen Realm that it killed most residing organisms in a matter of minutes. Together with people. Those that in some way escaped that merciless destiny suffered an excellent worse demisetheir minds slowly broke till they had been pushed insane, corrupted into senseless animals doomed to rove the realm till a extra highly effective predator ended their struggling.

Most terrifying was that each one the wording had disclaimers: it’s believed, we presume that. Nothing factual. As a result of treasured few who ever entered that realm ever returned to report their findings. Those that did had lucked upon an Ash Tear that threw them again into the human realm earlier than they succumbed to the prana poisoning.

Vir closed the tome, classifying that horrifying place as a land of fable slightly than something actual. Regardless of Shardul and Ekanais needs, Vir wasnt suicidal.

He opened the opposite bookthankfully stuffed with creatures that had no Balar Rank at alland flipped via its pages, wanting on the black and white photographs of every animal.

Rats, Bandies, Ashva, Most didnt even come near the outline of what the Brotherhood riddle requested for Apart from one. His eyes lingered upon a sure creature. A Jatu.

The red-eyed Jatu is a winged creature that lives solely in darkish locations. As nocturnal creatures, they sleep hanging the other way up from their perches, feeding on blood at evening. Individually innocent, however they typically swarm within the lots of, and their Balar Rank can vary between one to 10.

Be cautious when venturing into sewers, undercrofts, and different darkish open areas. The Jatu are extremely territorial creatures and can assault all who enter their area.

All of this might have led Vir to cross the Jatu over, nevertheless it was the final line that caught out to him:

As they dwell in darkish locations, they’ve developed a method to see even with out using their eyes. The precise mechanism is unknown and is usually a subject of examine for researchers.

A being that sees with out eyes

One thing moved on the fringe of Vir’s imaginative and prescient, prompting him to lookup. A scan of the realm confirmed nobody. Simply him and the books.

Odd he thought. He felt as if he was being watched, however Prana Imaginative and prescient confirmed solely ambient pranic signatures. Guess it was nothing.

Vir realized hed lingered on the library longer than hed thought, and his eyes had been rising weary from scanning the handwritten textual content.

Packing up his books, he carried them to the receptionistthe similar younger lady from earlier.

The place can I discover the closest sewer entrance? he requested.

The receptionist wrinkled her nostril. Why would somebody as, erm, trendy as your self need to go to such a spot? she mentioned, wanting him up and down, a hint of blush on her cheeks.

Ah proper, my present disguise is slightly enticing, Vir mirrored. Seems like that has some shocking makes use of

Brotherhood enterprise, Vir mentioned.

Theres one not removed from right here however I like to recommend you convey a change of garments. Ideally one you by no means need to put on once more. And salves. Disinfectants too. Are you positive you need to go there?

No. No, I am actually not.

With a deep breath, he left the library, bracing himself for the distasteful expertise that was to come back.