Voran had never before ridden into Karila. He had only walked there, leaving his horse tied in a special stable for travelers near a gatehouse at the foot of the mesa. And so he had never seen, or even known about, the ancient riding path that circled the mesa three times, ascending gradually. There was something about the slow rise that allowed the senses to focus on the subtle changes from below Karila to Karila itself. Voran felt that it was almost like a passage from one Realm to another.
Below the mesa, as the company approached the riding path, Voran craned his neck to try to see the towering walls of the mesa. They loomed over him, nearly as impressive as some of Vasyllia’s mountains. Unlike Vasyllia, however, there was a nearly complete absence of wind in this part of the dale. Fo
