Land of Pain, Dragon Heart Series Book 9

n this particular day, Dahanatan, the capital of the Darnassus Empire, was so crowded that it looked more like an anthill than the majestic center of the country’s power. People from all corners of the country had flocked to it. Representatives of various tribes, kingdoms, sects, clans, and schools had all gathered for the occasion. The dark-skinned inhabitants of the Sea of Sand, wearing white robes, grumbled about the ‘cold’ weather of the Empire’s capital. Next to them stood the golden-haired Northerners, dressed in furs cinched with belts made from tanned leather. They came from lands where the temperature was never above zero, and where water could only be obtained by melting ice. The conditions there were so harsh that they never saw a single blade of green grass, regardless of the season. The almost sallow islanders with coal-black hair and slanted eyes were also present. Their vision was said to be better than a falcon’s. They could pick out the smallest of details from their surroundings and maneuver through crowds without so much as touching anyone with the hems of their flowing and colorful robes. So many people had come to Dahanatan that there weren’t enough inns and taverns for everyone, so a huge tent city had been erected around the capital, which stretched out so far in every direction it almost reached the horizon. “Hurry up!” Shouted the officer standing at the Ape Gates. There were eleven gates that led to the capital. The Ape Gates, which were decorated with depictions of the animal they’d been named after, were the largest of them. At least 140,000 people came into the city through these gates every day. A soldier noticed a little boy dressed in rags and waved his hand, lifting him into the air. With an effort of will, the mid-stage Spirit Knight set him down in front of him. Shouts of anger and annoyance came from the queue. People were impatient to get into the city, and now, because of some brat, they would have to wait even longer. “Break his neck!” “Feed him to the dogs!” The guard dogs, all of them capable of killing a high-stage practitioner, growled. The boy’s lower lip began to tremble. Tears came to his eyes. “What should I do, sir?” The guard asked the officer. According to the law, anyone who tried to get past the gates illegally was to be punished with five lashes. Not so long ago, ordinary practitioners had stood at the gates. Their lashes would’ve probably left the boy bedridden for a few weeks. But these days, Spirit Knights guarded the gates. This was due to their Empire’s escalating conflict with Lascan. Even just one hit from them would send the boy to his forefathers. “You know the law,” the officer sighed sadly. His entire career and hard-earned rank were at stake. He couldn’t risk the welfare of his family for the sake of one boy. In his opinion, the boy was just a reckless child, not a criminal. But he had no other choice. With a heavy sigh, he took the designated stick and handed it to the soldier. The others moved away from him at once. No one wanted to get their hands dirty with the boy’s blood. “Sir,” the soldier pleaded. “Please, sir…” “That’s an order, soldier!” The officer snapped. “Or are you looking to disobey His Imperial Majesty’s decree?” The soldier immediately stood at attention and saluted. “Sir! No, sir!” He shouted and grabbed the stick. The officer sighed and turned away. He looked up at the sky, at the thousands of flying boats, rafts, as well as commercial and private skyships. If the ground was guarded by garrisons and stone walls, the sky was protected by the Imperial Sky Fleet that had surrounded the city. These vessels also transported the most important and prominent guests. “Such is the law,” he repeated to himself, hoping to soothe his conscience and take his mind off the depressing events that were about to take place. He didn’t understand what the boy was even guilty of. Many came here because they wanted to become ‘real warriors’… Hell, he himself had been a simple practitioner not too long ago, but a war was coming. And so was the end of their peaceful, ordinary lives. After the War Games that had ended a few months ago, the generals and the Emperor had realized that relying on just the disciples of martial arts Schools wouldn’t be enough to strengthen the army. That’s when they’d decided to think on a larger scale. All sorts of alchemical pills had been given to the general population in hopes of boosting their cultivation enough for them to join the army. As a result, the country had received an influx of tens of thousands of Spirit Knights and hundreds of thousands of Heaven Soldiers. Although, if the officer were honest with himself, he felt like Darnassus had ‘gained’ a horde of lemmings and not a bunch of powerful warriors with that move. He glanced sideways at the soldier — a Spirit Knight at the initial stage. He, like hundreds of his comrades, had been granted the Fire Rooster Spirit. Because of this, they’d never be able to break through to the middle stage. They’d all sold their true fates and their ability to grow stronger for the Fire Rooster Pill, which was a terrible concoction. By ingesting this kind of pill, a Heaven Soldier would instantly awaken a Spirit and advance to the Spirit Knight level, but their Spirit wouldn’t be unique. All those who’d gained power through the use of that pill had the same exact Spirit. “Sorry, kid,” the soldier whispered, “I’m just following orders.” The officer turned away. He didn’t want to see the boy turn into a bloody mess. The soldier, who’d only become a Spirit Knight recently, couldn’t control his power yet. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to spare the boy. However, no screams came, only utter silence. The officer turned around and drew his broadsword. A tall man stepped forward out of the queue. It was impossible to see his face or insignia, as his body was hidden by a robe, and his face by a wide-brimmed hood, which was so long that it almost touched his chin, completely covering his face. The soldier was now lying on the ground and fighting for air. The man’s willpower was holding him down. The officer reached for his signal amulet and froze in place. “The boy’s with me,” the hooded man said.