Adamagika: The Spirit Within - 8. Ch 08: Arantiva

CHAPTER 08: Arantiva

The journey back to Arantiva was spent mostly in silence. I think Jacob was still trying to cope with everything that’s happened since that day we met in the forest. I began wondering if he was happy back there in the village. I know I didn’t have an entirely difficult time adjusting to my new home. I also knew I could never go back after what happened. They would have killed me without a second thought.

I wanted to see how Jacob would react when he first saw the castle that stood over the city. The first time I saw it, I fell in love with it. It seemed like a place that existed only in my dreams.

“We’re almost there, Jacob. How are you feeling?” I said to him trying to coax him to speak.

He looked over to my teacher who for the most part kept a respectable distance from us out of earshot. I wondered what my teacher thought regarding all this and if he was keeping his distance for a reason other than giving Jacob and me some space to talk. I planned on speaking to him about it some time when Jacob was not listening.

It wasn’t until we were almost to the city that Jacob seemed to find his voice. He didn’t answer my question but he did speak. “Tell me about your city.”

I thought over what points might interest him and began with the basic facts. “Hmm, well they call the city Arantiva. The city itself is not very large but is densely populated. It has a population of a little over a hundred and fifty thousand locals and is divided into four parts or rather four rings. It is also the youngest of the seven mage cities that are part of the Coalition of Mages.”

I felt as though I was in my element. This was just another teacher asking me to recite in class. “The innermost ring of the city which is encased within its own walls contains the High Castle of Arantiva. The castle has three large towers that stand high above the city called The Silver Towers. They were given this name because they gleam like silver whenever the sun would shine down on them. And the sun always shined in Arantiva. They say that the sheer number of mages in the city exude such a powerful magical aura that it repels any natural storm from approaching us.”

“That makes you sound almost unnatural,” Jacob interrupted.

I pondered that for a moment. “Well, I guess you could put it that way. But, I tend to think of us as more being supernatural rather than unnatural.”

I wasn’t sure if he would buy that but after awhile he asked me to describe The Silver Towers.

“Well, the largest of the towers houses the administrative offices and quarters which is headed by the High Mage Lord. He’s pretty much the highest government official we have in the city. That tower also contains the Institute for Advanced Mage Studies which serves as a sort of laboratory for mages seeking to understand deeper and potentially dangerous aspects of magic.

“The second largest tower contains the Mage Academy and the student housing. The smallest, but probably most dangerous tower contains mostly the Armory and the training grounds where mages are taught the different aspects of combat.

“The highest levels of the mage towers are inaccessible to everyone but those with the highest and most trusted clearances.”

“What are in those?” he asked.

“Well, it is rumored that the most important mage secrets are hidden in those places like the most dangerous stuff than can’t be handled without the proper training. But I don’t really know anyone who’s ever been there so most of the things I hear about them are just rumors really.”

He leaned back on my chest and seemed to relax a little. Once more, it felt right having him there. “Tell me more,” he said softly, almost pleadingly.

“Hmm,” I pondered for a moment and decided to continue with my description of the rings. “Well, the second ring in the city which is the largest section of the city contains most of the mage community. Most mage families like my classmates live there.”

“Where do you live?” he asked.

“Uhm.” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share this with Jacob yet but I figured he would know eventually so I might as well say it. “I live with the servants in the castle.”

I waited for him to say something, anything really, but he kept quiet so I continued with my story.

“Well, anyway, there are two more rings in the city; the third contains the Trade District. I know a little of it because every now and then Magister Aenhol would send me there to pick up supplies for him. There’s also some pretty good food there if you can pay for it. I know that a lot of businessmen from other cities also come and go to frequent that section so every now and then you get exposed to people from other places, other cultures.

“The fourth and outermost section contains what is called the Commons. It is a non-mage community which seeks to live in peace with mages or perhaps seeking refuge for one reason or another. Beyond that, you’ll find the city’s primary defensive walls. They are twice as high as the ones that surround the castle.”

“There are non-mages that live with you?” This little fact seemed to surprise him.

“Yep, they only comprise about 20% of the total population but they live peacefully along with us. Not everyone thinks we’re evil you know.”

“I thought mage cities were only for mages.”

“Well, it wasn’t always like that. Arantiva used to be exclusively for mages – not only any mages but the wealthiest of the wealthy. It was named after Arantius, a powerful and wealthy Mage Lord who lived a little over two centuries ago.

“Back then, the known world was chaotic mostly under demon rule. It was a dark period they called the Shekkekian Age named after the demon leader Warlord Shekkek but some scholars found it inappropriate to name a period after a demon so they came up with other names for it. Some even named it after Arantius. The most popular name they gave to it though is the Demon Wars.”

I looked out to our surroundings and tried to imagine how it was like all those centuries ago. “It was unsafe to leave the cities in those times. Most of them were either under heavy attack or even under demonic control. Humans were forced to serve demons. Many went into hiding and it was the darkest point of our recent history where mankind almost faced extinction. The oldest records show that there used to be billions of us but ever since The Great Discovery happened, we’ve been an endangered species.

“Mages then were still in the relatively early stages of their understanding of magic and only a small percentage of the mage population like Arantius had anything close to a deep understanding of magic.

“In their bid for freedom from demonic suppression, mages led by Arantius took the offensive in the war against the demons. Accounts of the battle that undertook were sketchy but it was said that Arantius and a handful of other mages gave their lives in order to destroy Warlord Shekkek. From that point on, the demon forces spread out to the corners of the known world perhaps in fear of greater destruction from mages. That was very fortunate for us because for the most part, all the mage forces were pretty much exhausted by then.

“This ultimately brought a period of peace in the human kingdom and the rest they say is history.”

“We were never taught this stuff,” Jacob interrupted.

“I figured so. Why would they teach you how we saved their butts back then? I find it somewhat ironic that non-magical humans are now waging a war against those that freed them from the oppression of demons just over two centuries ago. Things change with each generation I guess.”

Jacob remained silent for awhile then asked, “so how does your city come into all this?”

“Well, a year after the disappearance of the demons, mages who managed to hold onto their wealth during the war or mages who profited from post-war trade built a city and named it after Arantius. It was built by the wealthy for the wealthy but as I said, things change.”

Thus my home was born I thought to myself. I began to wonder if Jacob would eventually see it in the same way.

As we left the last of the trees in the Brallic Forest behind, Jacob looked out towards the open ground – to the flat green plains that mostly surrounded Arantiva. I was certain that his eyes rested on the city though. I noticed that he inhaled deeply then held his breath and I knew just then that he was experiencing the same thing I did all those years ago.

From this distance, you could see the city in its full beauty. The sun was shining down brightly on the three towers that loomed high over everything else. They gleamed like silver columns that lit the way to an oasis for travelers in the midst of a green paradise of much promise.

“It’s beautiful,” he said.

I smiled even though I knew Jacob couldn’t see me. I tightened my arms around him feeling somewhat, I dunno… protective, I guess. I bent my head close to his ear.

“Welcome home.”