After crossing the Twins, most of the road was plain and without any obstacle, so the group was walking at their pace.
Andur took the change to explain Leo about the Rhyen.
---
The Rhyen are a small religious organization. Their ways are more similar to a cult than anything, but it’s their place and their way, and it’s not up to us to judge them.
They have some strict rules, where the first and most important of all, is it’s forbidden to use any kind of magic. Once we are in their city, Rhyen’dar, if they see us use magic, they will kill us. They have been trained to fight against magic users, and even I would have serious troubles if I was to fight against the strongest of them.
They have a solid hierarchy, where everyone has duties and privileges based on their position. Their boss, Jakkar, the Rhy’nan, is a wise and peaceful person, so he will allow us in, and will most probably listen to us.
Below him, there are three men: Uruth is the protector, the man who looks after the safety and security of Rhyen’dar and its surroundings, Ganan is the healer, a man with vast knowledge in medicinal stuff, and the last is Kar’yin, the teacher.
Under Uruth, there are guards, gatekeepers, and treasure keepers. Each specialized in different kinds of defense.
Under Ganan there are first-aiders, who travel with the guards to help anyone in danger, nurses and doctors.
Under Kar’yin, there are teachers, trainers, and novices.
That’s about all you need to know about the Rhyen for now, I guess.
---
The Rhyen plains were vast and green. All they could see was the grass extending for kilometers around them, with a few trees here and there breaking the monotony, and a wide river crossing the plains from side to side.
They had walked on a road which started at the Pass, and flowed along the river, directly towards Rhyen’dar, the home of the Rhyen.
The walk took them all day, and by the time they reached the doors of Rhyen’dar, it was already dark.
It was past the time when the Rhyen close the doors so they had to knock a few times to get the attention of the doorkeeper. The man opened a tiny window in the middle of the door, so small only one of his eyes could be seen on the other side.
- Kur’gan dae takk nath Rhyen’dar? – said the man.
- Whe are people of Illuminas, we came to the Rhyen in search of your wisdom and knowledge. The night caught us off-guard and we don’t have any place to stay for the night.
- Do you promise to never use magic inside our walls, under a penalty of death? – said the man, with an accent which exaggerated all the “R”, “S” and “K” sounds.
- We all promise on our lives to never use magic in your walls.
- You can pass.
Then the man closed the small window, the group could hear some noises from the door’s lock opening, and finally the door opened outwards. They all went in, and the man closed the door behind them.
- You wait here now. I will go call someone to guide you.
The man left, walking fast, and quickly went back accompanied by a younger boy. He said some words to the boy in their language, and left.
The boy talked with a clean voice lacking any specific accent.
- Welcome to Rhyen’dar. I am happy to see visitors in here; it has become something rare in these days. I must apologize for my grandfather’s rudeness, he if always angry when it’s his guard day. May I ask what the matters that brought you to Rhyen’dar are?
- We came here following traces of a legend, or story – said Andur -, which we were told originated in these lands. We are investigating it to solve some matters which are puzzling our minds since some time ago. The first being this boy’s origin, which is, as to say, unclear.
- I see… I am sorry I can’t help you about those right now. Those matters will have to wait until tomorrow morning, when the rest of us will get back to our jobs. All I can do now is offer you some food, and beds, which is what I have been brought here to do. Follow me, if you will. I will guide you to the dining rooms, and I will see what is left on the kitchen.
- We are glad of your hospitality, young man – said Eanel -. We all are happy to accept your food and your beds, and we will patiently wait until the right time comes; to make use the knowledge your people is kindly offering us.
The boy guided them through the streets of the “town”, I it could be called that much: the place was like a really big building. All of it was made out of different shaped buildings, all connected with narrow streets, bridges and stairways, reminding Leo of one of those crazy magic mazes he had seen in some movies, where the people can come out from anywhere, and in any direction, and where the law of gravity seems to have been forgotten, just with the difference that place did seem to have proper gravity, and people weren’t suddenly walking upside down.
They walked through a building, upstairs, then through a bridge into another building, where they had to cross two rooms, just to exit at the other side, and go downstairs into a third building. That one building led them into a series of underground passages where they finally reached a bigger room, full of tables and benches. The boy told them to sit in one of them, and then went to room next to that one.
After some minutes, the boy and two others were back with dishes for all of them, and two big pots. One of them contained some kind of soup, and the other a strange tasting spiced meat Leo had a hard time eating. The food was cold, and they were told they couldn’t light up the fires at night, so that was all they could do. After so many days on the road, eating whatever they could, everyone enjoyed the meal, and filled up until they couldn’t even walk.
They took some time to let the food go down and talk, until the boy suggested they should go to their rooms so he could go back to his place. Everyone understood the boy was following orders, so they all followed him through some more corridors, rooms and bridges, after which they reached a room with many beds. The room was empty, so they would have all of it for their own use.
- I will now leave. There’s a bathroom at the other side of the corridor. Someone will come tomorrow morning to wake you up. Later someone will come to tell you when you can go to the dining room, after our people have finished. It is one of the rules in this place that guests are to eat later, from what is left. Don’t take it personally.
- We will not – said Andur.
The boy left the room, and closed the door. No one said anything else until his steps couldn’t be heard anymore. Then Eanel talked.
- They obviously don’t treat us as friends.
- It was as expected – replied Andur -. We were lucky enough to be allowed in.
- Yeah…
- So – intervened Garen -, now that we are here, what are we supposed to do? The orders were to escort this boy to Rhyen’dar, but didn’t specify anything else.
- We will stay here until we receive notices from the Blaar. You all are free to leave the town if you want, or you can stay and help. The Rhyen will not hold their hospitality for too long, not for us. We might need to find a way to sustain ourselves, if things end up that way. For now, let’s just rest, we will have a lot of time tomorrow.
No one felt like saying anything else, so they all just went to sleep. The nights were long, so everyone could finally enjoy a good sleep in a soft bed since they left Hystaeria.
Leo woke up when a man knocked on their door. He looked around and noticed some of them were already up. Andur was the one who went to answer at the door, and after a few words, he closed the door and told everyone to get up and prepare because they would go get them in about an hour.
Leo tried to get up from the bed, but the moment he tried to stand up on his feet, his strength failed him and ended up on his knees, holding up on the next bed, and sweating. That bed was where Amy slept, and she was the one who reached him first, and helped him sit back into his bed.
- Oh god, you are burning! – She said.
- I feel dizzy… - replied Leo.
- No wonder. It’s amazing you could get up on the first place…
Andur reached him and touched his forehead.
- You are really hot – He told him -. You should lay back in bed and rest. We will ask the Rhyen to get you some help. They are known to have the best doctors, between the non-magic people.
- I feel useless – smiled Leo -. The moment things start to become interesting and I get sick.
- Don’t worry about that, we have time, and we can ask around by ourselves until you recover. If we find out anything, someone will come to tell you immediately.
- Thank you.
Leo fell asleep, and everyone else went back to their things.
After the time passed, a man from the Rhyen went to get them. They all left, except for Ly. She said she wasn’t hungry, and she would look after Leo while they were gone.
She waited for everyone to be far enough, and then she slowly walked to Leo’s bed. She sat in the bed’s edge, and looked at him for a bit. Then she caressed his face, softly, with the back of his hand.
- There is so much I need to tell you – she whispered -. So much you need to know but I’m too afraid to explain. I have thought avout it every day, since the day my father told me you wanted to leave. I haven’t had the chance, not yet. I was too scared at first. It’s not something I can happily accept so soon. But then everything turned backwards. The day I made my decision. The day I wanted to finally tell you how I feel. That day I was wounded, and when I woke up, I couldn’t believe what happened. But I will tell you everything once you get better, I promise, I will.
Then she slowly bent towards Leo’s face, and kissed him in the cheek, a kiss which by accident, or on purpose, nearly touched his mouth.