Chapter 38: Small Color
Small Color was a vast continent. It was owned and operated by the very wealthy Kefs. They were a people that placed great importance on wealth and law and order. They were either extremely honest or extremely corrupt. There was no middle ground for a Kefs.
Small Color had large elaborate buildings, rolling lawns, and manicured gardens. The continent grew its food in huge greenhouses and tended animals in uniquely made caves within the continent's interior. It also had areas of craggy barren rock and vast deserts.
Shain would be housed in one of the buildings on the western side of the continent. It was not exactly harsh or inhumane but it was not their special housing either. There were many different types of criminals housed here but the population was low on this side of the continent and many prestigious jobs were offered.
The blue ship slowly rose over the continent and into its western sky. Rachel looked out at the continent and felt a cold sensation glide down her spine.
Shain was beside her and she did not turn to look at him as she spoke. "Here we are. Is this truly what you want?"
"Yes."
"Yes." Rachel nodded.
The ship stopped above a large square and a clear wide tube of light extended down. When it disappeared a large group of people had been left behind. Shain was in the center of the group, surrounded by Rachel and her Antrunie, who were surrounded by the Azmin guard commanders.
A group approached them in a very loose formation. They wore blue and yellow uniforms with a blood red rose patch at the left chest above the heart.
They stopped right before the group of Azalstin. There leader was a large man with long fire red hair with yellow highlights. He had broad shoulders and looked very fierce. He towered over most of them at nine feet tall. His deep yellow almond shaped eyes were piercing. His name was Allons, he was a Kefs and the current warden of Small Color's Western reaches. He was unique for a Kefs in that he was more than a business man and he wielded more than just knowledge magics. He was a fighter and a fighter of some renown. It was strange for a Kefs to be aggressive and Allons was very aggressive.
His voice was deep and gruff as he spoke. "Milana! My beautiful Milana. You have come to see me at last. I told you that one day you would come to me."
'Everything has a reason for a fate sorcerer. He will be your next Antrunie… perhaps more.'
Rachel frowned inwardly as she heard the realm speak to her soul. She knew the significance of the man but detested his arrogance. How would she be able to endure this challenge?
"Wait here until I call you." A brightly hued rainbow formed, coiled and tied itself around Shain then dissolved into him. "Be quiet for a moment brother. I will call for you soon."
Rachel levitated up. Her feet perfectly flat on an invisible platform. She floated above the Azmin and over to the group of Kefs. Allons smiled up at her the entire time.
She landed in front of him with a small smirk on her face.
"Dramatic as always Allons. How have you been?"
His smile brightened and suddenly dulled. "How can I be when all I do is wait for you and you never come."
She looked around at the quiet courtyard and the rolling hills of volcanic rock that spanned outward all around it. The sparse gasses of varying colors stuck out starkly against the background of grayish black.
She looked at him, an eyebrow raised, and her smirk more pronounced. "I would think a place like this would make you giddy. Don't you love the sparse and bleak?"
Allons narrowed his eyes. "I endure it all just for you."
Rachel knew who this man was. She knew him better than she would actually have liked. He was a great knowledge mage and he could divine more through knowledge than many fate or soul magicians could ever hope or imagine.
She knew when to listen to his words and seek out the meanings.
"So you will be here for my brother?"
Allons bowed with great respect. Rachel was so surprised it almost showed on her face.
"I will be here as long as he is."
"Rather dramatic."
Rachel looked back. "Come to me" Shain rose unto the air. The Antrunie followed. The four of them smoothly moved towards her and landed gracefully near Rachel. Her Antrunie moved to surround Shain without being asked.
"Where will my brother reside." Shain, Rebecca, Smral, and Ambruce stood behind her, Shain surrounded by the other three.
Allons spared a glance at Shain before his eyes rested once more on Rachel's. "Follow me Milana."
As they left with the Kefs the tube descended and when it once again disappeared the Azmin were also gone. The Azmin ship slowly began to sail away surrounded by clouds. It dipped down below the continent on its return journey to Azzit.
Small Color could be considered a rather treacherous continent. When it was first created many people came to try a life upon it and most failed. Only the hearty Yarril survived here. They still had a small portion of land here to train both bodyguards and assassins.
It was not until the profit savvy Kefs came to Small Color that it thrived. They decided that the realm needed a place for all of its criminals with money coming from both the continents and the different ethnic groups to fund it. They even devised ways to profit from the volcanic rock on the continent.
But it was not until a particularly ingenious Kefs, Allons' great great grandfather, thought of ways to cultivate both plants and animals on the continent that the Kefs were able to solidify their hold, and claim, and truly bring in profits.
Because Small Color is wholly "owned" by the Kefs there are both business and government buildings on the continent.
The terrain was volcanic rock and more volcanic rock. There were tufts of grasses in shades of greens, yellows, and maroons. There were also cacti that grew in strange forms, some with spines longer than a child's forearm. Other than this there were no bushes or wildflowers.
They stepped from the umpteenth hill of the damndable rock, many of them feeling they had clearly walked too far and had become lost. The Kefs understood that Small Color was a continent of illusion. The volcanic rock was real, it had to be too many peoples had tried to colonize it to change such an obvious aspect. The illusion was in the journey taken. If an individual strayed from the path they could be lost on Small Color for the rest of their lives, with no one able to find them.
Just as some of the Kefs were about to question Allons a vast city appeared before them. It was a sparkling city of white and gold. Everything seemed so pristine that the group stopped in collective awe.
"This is a prison?"
Allons smiled at Rebecca. "It is far more than that Antrunie." He looked at her appraisingly and nodded in approval, causing both Smral and Ambruce to frown. "I see your Antrunie are getting stronger Milana. I am glad. I need you safe."
Rebecca cooked an eyebrow and looked to Rachel. Of course her friend's expression was impassive. Rebecca pursed her lips and put her hand into Shain's back. "Come now Azalstin Shain. Time to get you home so we can be about our business."
The city was just as pristine as it appeared from outside the walls. The buildings were in neat rows cresting slightly from the main road forming circles of buildings and avenues around four large buildings in the center.
The central buildings were surrounded by a wide calm moat and there were six bridges crossing the moat and allowing the six districts in the city access to the central buildings.
Everything was white and gold. A stark contrast to the grey-black rock outside its walls. The walls of the building were smooth like glass with a soft texture but was harder than steel. The gold flowed up and down the long edges of the buildings.
Rachel felt the magic within the gold flowing material. She internally opened her soul third eye to examine the magic and the material.
"Azalstin Shain will be in the third district."
Rachel abruptly stopped her examination to follow Allons' line of sight. She saw that the third district had minimal magical fortifications and restrictions.
A large carriage drawn by six animals resembling horses with eight legs, two heads, and two long fluffy tails stopped before them. Allons, then Shain, followed by Rachel, Rebecca, Smral, and Ambruce entered. The other Kefs dispersed throughout the city going back to their work.
The carriage took them to the central buildings. They entered the shortest of the four buildings and went to a room filled with many runic circles.
"This is where he will be bound to the continent, and specifically the western cities."
Rachel looked at the circles "I can put his abilities into a state of hibernation here as well."
Allons smiled broadly. It was an odd thing on his stern face. "Then let's begin."
Rebecca, Smral, and Ambruce watched outside as the circles in the great room lit up.
Shain stood in the center of the most central circle. Magics flared around him and he felt hot and cold at the same time. A wind blew through the room as dense magic poured from two circles from the back wall. The magics flowed into an outer circle on the floor and all of the circles on the floor pulsed.
Allons flipped his wrist up and the palms of his hand faced the side wall. A circle there flooded magic into all the circles on the floor. As this magic flowed forth the floor circles burst upwards and twirled and spun around Shain. The magic wrapped tightly around him and then dove into his forehead and abdomen.
Rachel's arms were at her side. She raised her right hand her thumb up, pointer and index fingers out. She brought the two fingers into her palm quickly. The rainbow rope disengaged from, shain and dissolved into sparks of light.
As Rachel's magics released him the magics of Small Color fully took hold of Azalstin Shain.
As Rachel watched she perceived something odd. She could understand knowledge magic better than most and soul and mental magics even better. She knew that these magics were both binding Shain and giving him certain privileges.
The issue was she could not tell what the privileges were but she understood the bindings and the illusion magics fully.
She looked at Allons. "And what are the privileges for those in the western cities."
Allons smiled "Of course the Milana would understand all." He didn't shake his head but she felt it in his voice. "I have no idea. These privileges were set up by the main facility. I am told they will bring no harm to Azalstin Shain."
'So he examined the circles and their intentions before using them on Shain. Okay Allons, you receive a brownie point.'
"Let Shain rest a moment. All of the privileges he was given were a bit draining to his soul well. If I bound him now it may injure his soul well." Rachel looked to her brother. "Good thing you did some training Shain. This magic may have led to your death."
Shain breathed heavily as he looked at his sister with a smile "Not with you here dear sister."
"Indeed." A chair appeared behind Rachel and she sat down. As her people entered the room chairs appeared for them and they followed suit.
Rachel exhaled deeply. "Would you like to wait with us Allons?" a chair appeared across from her. He smiled and moved the chair to her side and sat down.
Rebecca, Smral, and Ambruce all raised an eyebrow.
Rachel's magic was not as elaborate as the that of Small Color. Her eyes lit up brightly and twinkled a bit then lit up again. Shain was standing before her and he became as stiff as a statue. His spirit body quivered as if shadows moved within his figure. It stepped abruptly out and to the right side of Shain.
A sparking ball of light oscillating between purple, yellow, and grey ignited in the abdomen of the spirit body.
Just as it ignited Shain's soul body stepped out and stood to the left of Shain's body. A similar ball of light ignited in the forehead of Shain's soul body.
Rachel rolled her shoulders and magic moved from her and into both balls of light. The light balls flared, dimmed, then flared again. They pulsed in a certain pattern three times and then dimmed completely. Light magic began streaming towards them as if a vacuum had been activated. All was rejected by the now pale balls of light. Only small amounts of magic was allowed into the spirit and soul bodies to nourish and maintain them.
Both reentered his body. First his soul body and then his spirit body. Shain swayed where he stood.
Rachel looked at her brother appraisingly, to make sure he was okay. "You need some food brother and a few hours of rest." He nodded weakly. "Your spirit and soul bodies will need time to adjust to their new state. They will stay strong though."
Shain smiled. "Don't worry sister. I trust you fully."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone