Jemriah
"Where is your son?", jorath asked in low.
They both were on a hill, mounted on Shavy and Rokan. War horses of jemriah and jorath respectively.
They were making their way through several small villages, some had hovels with well in centre. Some had fine inns and machinery that helped them their way through clearest of water.
"Found him on outskirts of Aravan", jemriah said. "Was with brumen sadika".
"That lad seems alright", jorath mused. "Brumen I mean".
"He is of bad company, jorath", jemriah said. "He pushes my boy Into danger and well... I do not like that. Wish he had some normal friends, who would keep him here... forever".
"Arth kasil!", jorath muttered a swear. "Your boy is not a child anymore".
"Well... he certainly acts like one", jemriah said. "Throwing tantrums, getting up in midst of a feast. Making Irene worry".
Jorath sighed. A heavy sigh that seemed to be telling jemriah, that he does not care.
He never did care... He only cares about one thing...
They were slowly making their way through the hill towards, Aravan forest. Which sat on the end of land. Aravan village ended with it's forest. Beyond it was a small harbour named sori and even beyond that ,there was a river called shina.
"I dread going back to shina", jorath said. "That forest looks saint infront of shina".
"Krakens this time? or just regular sea folks bothering you again?", jemriah smiled. "They really have great admiration for you, it seems like".
"So it seems indeed!"
"I have to ask", jemriah said. "Why was there no exploration when you came to the forest? And i am also sure you did not take the alam road like others. So,I thought you would do that first and then attend us".
"The forest seemed dull when I entered from harbour. I did not take the alam road tho, so you are right about that", jorath said not meeting his eye. "But I did check my way through this dense forest but found nothing except sabertooth and elks".
"A horde of them? Something new?", jorath cocked his head.
"Just elks and one wild saber, nothing more. Nothing less".
Jemriah nodded. "Alright I trust you, mostly anyway".
"Jemriah, you have to understand that I am not your enemy. I am not like haldren who will use you. There is a tomb in there. Waiting... sitting... To be used...To be discovered".
"I understand.... What of capital? Anything new?"
"Haldren got a new toy for him", jorath smirked. "First sword of capital is his captive now... What was his name again? Josen...yes that... Silver tongue bastard".
Jemriah was shocked. He frowned at the news of his dearest of friend being captive at the hands of his own little brother.
"How? What did he? What he do? Just how is that possible? He is first sword of capital. Father trusted him more than us. I trusted him more than anyone. So how? What did he do?", jemriah asked barely keeping himself restraint.
"He was... Was the first sword of capital. Not anymore. That title goes to our little brother now. Haldren", jorath said looking forward. "Betrayal of a god comes at a price. Be it old or new, the gods do not like such things. Someone had to do something about it. Older ones don't mess around".
Why would he betray a god?
An old one also at that?
Something does not look right...was it because of that?
Jemriah's thoughts were a mess. He knew that betrayal of a god is not something to be taken lightly.
"Amberia? Does she have a hand in all of this?"
Jorath glanced at his brother. "How did you know? Umm....yes, the last time before he was held captive, father saw him with amberia".
"They were in love, I think", jorath continued. "She disguised herself as someone. Josen fell for it and she made him betray an old god".
"That is what she does", jemriah nodded. "But something is missing here. I know him. Know his integrity and honour. He would not sacrifice his oath just because of love".
Jorath laughed. "Looks like nobody knew him well".
After a while of talking and reminiscing about old times, they reached the entrance of an crescent shaped forest. It loomed over at them in dark.
At the forest's threshold they stood, saying nothing, as if speech itself might draw the wood's attention. Before them rose a wilderness painted in colours that had no right to coexist. trunks of ashen white and bruise-deep violet, canopies burning in rust-red, sickly gold, and a green so dark it drank the light. Leaves shimmered like scales when the wind moved through them, each gust stirring a hush that felt less like silence and more like waiting.
The forest breathed. Not with wind alone, but with a slow, deliberate presence, as though it were alive and aware of being watched. Shadows pooled between roots twisted like grasping fingers, and paths seemed to form only to vanish again, luring the eye deeper before dissolving into thickets of colour and gloom. Somewhere within, something creaked and sighed, a sound too measured to belong to beasts, too old to belong to men.
The two of them remained at the entrance, small against the riot of hues and the weight of dread. The colours should have been beautiful, should have promised wonder but instead they warned, each shade a mark of something altered, something that had grown wrong and grown strong. To step forward would be to be swallowed, not just by shadow, but by the forest's many moods, its many hungers.
So they watched, hearts tight in their chests, knowing the forest watched back. patient, radiant, and terrible, waiting for them to choose whether they would turn away, or let it's living colours close around them forever.
"Well... It certainly looks more daunting in night than it does in day", jorath said.
"That tomb better be there", jemriah nodded. "Prepare yourself and keep your eyes and ear open. Many beast dwell in these lands.
I would recommend keep your sword in your hand at all times".
"Good advice. Would do that gladly".
Both of them unsheathed their swords.
Armour clanking, they dismount their ride and chose to walk on foot.
They both nodded to each other and entered the forbidden forest.
World of sumaka through eyes of aeromancers -
We love our life. We live free. We do what we want and we never bow to anyone.
Our kingdom is filled with old magic but that tomb... It scare us. It is not a matter of just finding the tomb. Even if one finds it, it will be difficult to enter it.
Different species protect different tombs. Each one having strange powers. They are certainly hard to kill or even defeat.
Even if one defeats them, there is many traps and many mysteries that surrounds the tomb. Power is difficult thing to obtain from tombs, that is why kings come to us for temporary relief.