Purple Core

the capital

Rowan awoke as the wagon jolted over a bump, blinking against the sunlight streaming through the sides, and he leaned forward to look out the front, his eyes widening at the sight of a massive white wall stretching beyond the horizon, its surface gleaming in the afternoon sun. A line of people marched along the road leading to the enormous gate, their armor and robes catching the light as Rowan tried to take it all in, and above the gate floated two enormous red crystals that pulsed faintly, suspended by magic. He remembered hearing about them—a weapon created by a legendary mage, unique to the Holy Light Kingdom, capable of unleashing massive balls of red energy that could wipe out sixty soldiers in a single strike, though each discharge required five minutes to recharge its mana. That rarity made the weapon an exceptional deterrent against invaders and a tool mostly reserved for waves of monsters that appeared only once in a blue moon. After nearly an hour of travel, they finally arrived at the gate, where the guards checked the IDs of Rowan and the wagon driver; the IDs were made of glass embedded with shimmering mana, displaying one’s level, name, and the Kingdom they served. Once the IDs were verified and the wagon thoroughly inspected, Rowan felt the tension ease slightly as the gates opened, revealing the expanse of the capital beyond the outer wall and the journey into its heart officially beginning. The journey from the outer wall to the middle wall stretched until sunset, slowed by the steady flow of traffic through the bustling streets, yet to Rowan it seemed to pass in an instant, his eyes drinking in every detail of the capital that was so unlike the quiet, rugged lands he had grown up in. Towering buildings, wide cobblestone streets, and magical lanterns flickering along every corner filled him with awe as he passed merchants, soldiers, and scholars going about their business, each person a small glimpse into the rhythm of the kingdom. Once he passed through the middle gate, Rowan’s attention shifted toward finding a place to rest, and after weaving through the crowds, he finally spotted an inn tucked along a quieter street. He checked in, paid the innkeeper, and barely noticed his hunger, collapsing onto the soft mattress and drifting into a deep, dreamless sleep, his body finally giving in to exhaustion after the whirlwind of the day.