Every single step Soter took broke away at the adamas beneath their feet, cracks appearing under his walk appeared like vines made out of control. In the center of the northern section of this very large oval-shaped center was a pathway, a very long, wide, straight path. This path led to a massively large gate, a gate standing beside adamas walls the size of the tallest giant.
The likenesses of kings and queens were carved with exceptional detail out of those walls, all of them in the same sort of pose. They were all with their respective swords -- the Arbandor for the king and the Eshenel for the queen -- and they were looking somewhat down and hunched over. Their swords clenched in their hands, their blades pointing down towards the ground and held up to about shoulder height.
Regardless, before their intrigue got the better of them, everyone followed in Soter's lead. It seemed Raphael already had, not nearly as interested in this world as everyone else. Under their feet did the adamas fracture, and its popping, crackling sound did not cease, acting like the very sound of their footsteps.
How odd, everyone thought, for adamas to be so fragile to break at the very step of a person. Even the thinnest, smallest shard of adamas could withstand a brutal onslaught, it shouldn't just succumb so easily to something that wasn't even close to a beat-down. Putting that thought away, the group moved along that long path that was as straight as a pole.
This lane's brim aligned with buildings, homes and businesses. Its path cried like a tyrant as he faced justice, ringing through this empty city. Beneath this path flowed lustrous liquid, presumably this world's water. Its ever-so-slight incandescence lit up the darkness of the night that had clearly taken over this city.
The entire city itself was very reminisce to what the Solasúians did to Varrock when they turned it into Governanti, its structure and way it was set up very similar. Looking around, the group could feel like this city was once so abuzz with activity. Although there was no one there, it seemed like it was inscribed into its bones, so much so that they could just see and feel as the city became alive again with phantoms and faint murmurs.
As eternal sunflies and all different types of insects swam around in the air, the distant clamor of the crowds and everyday lives of the Solasúians never ceased. No, this ancient city could never truly rest. It was as though it were sleepwalking, like its very dreams were projected into reality.
It yearned for its people to return, for its walls to protect, for it not to be forsaken, alone. As they walked down this street, they could hear the sound of a bell ringing off in the distance. Before anyone knew it, they found themselves standing at the absolutely monumental walls that surrounded the castle after a seemingly marathon-long walk.
They traversed this forest of buildings and businesses, finding themselves before a glorious gate and gigantic walls. The more they looked up at those figures etched out of the almost mountain-tall adamas walls, the more they could just see the master craftsmanship and attention to detail in these sculptures, truly did they look like living beings made of that crystal-like material.
They stood now before the only way through the walls which guarded the castle, a pair of imposingly large double doors. They were towers over their heads, closed to keep the prying eyes of the world off of the castle.
These double doors were made of that strange wood-like material, being a bleak maroon in color. The doors' edges trimmed by a wreath-like pattern, the corners wore square-shaped adamas blocks. Its body primarily wore the symbol of the Solasúian culture, the coat-of-arms of their government.
It was a kiteshield-shape field that sat behind the image of two swords crossed together, those two swords were the brother and sister Arbandor and Eshenel. Their blades pointed downwards, ending just outside of the field. From behind the field, a large lion. Its head above the field, looking upwards with a left side view of its head. Its mouth open, bellowing a powerful roar, its paws held the upper edges of the field.
Its back spanned the wings of a bird, its tips pointed upwards. On top of the field, a four-pronged crown. One jagged prong stood at the center of each side: front, back, left, and right. They could only guess how the Solasúians managed to stand those incredibly tall doors erect, a seemingly impossible feat.
Being at the front of the pack, Soter was the first to actually appear before them. Standing just in front of those colossal-sized doors, the titan planted his hands against their wooden body. With all the energy he could muster from his body, he began to push apart the double doors. Soter's face tensed up, his teeth fastened inside of his mouth, buckets of sweat raced down his skin as his body shook from the strain.
Like an ant compared to a human did they compare, but somehow, all the strength in the messenger actually managed to force the gates inward. Everyone watched the envoy's sheer brawn without air in their lungs, forced out as they just stood there in stunned silence. Very slowly did his effort pay off, pushing the twins apart.
Stubbornly did they stay, did they fight, like losing to a little being would be an insult to their pride. The doors put up a great battle, Soter having to dig fathoms deep within himself to gather up the strength to push this door asunder. His quivering arms buckled, but so too did the doors. The dust-bathed twins forced apart, Soter pushing them by the centimeter.
A loud, deep, eerie creak was like their cry for mercy, echoing through the city. Sluggishly was the path revealed to them, what laid beyond those gates. It took a minute or two of intense exertion, of pushing out the utmost strength on Soter's part, but he managed to part the double doors enough to allow the group passage.
Not even taking a second to breathe, Soter simply went on with his duty, escorting the group as though he had never made any effort at all. The envoy just causally moved along, acting like no miraculous feat of physical strength was performed. Everyone kind of just looked in with their jaws broken, unable to even make a move after that display of raw power. "Well..." mumbled Calvin. "'Mind me not ta mess wit' dat guy..."
After recomposing themselves or just having to retrieve their eyes from the floor, they went on. They moved passed those solid jaws, they continued down this straight path ahead. Inside those walls, the group entered beautiful scene straight from a magnificent dream, a garden befitting paradise. They surrounded by eternal sunflies who greeted them with a meek, warm smile. They waltzed around them, cowardly but welcoming nevertheless.
All around, they were surrounded by hundreds of those eternal sunflies, they appeared like small orbs of light that burned bright especially upon this night. The dazzling light of the root-like trees were just as astonishing as the eternal sunflies, shining like a fire. Azure blue grass and many flowers followed the every command of the unseen puppeteer, pulling back and forth upon his threads to bring the millions of blades of grass and stems to life.
Their pathway still alight with that stream flowing just under it, letting out its weak and very present glow. There were several of those same root-like trees making a regular appearance all throughout the fields of grass and flowers, gleaming brightly in a large array of colors. So vastly and incomprehensibly iridescent was this place, it was impossible to tell what color on the spectrum had the strongest present here.
Once the group finally reached the heart of the field, they found their path turn briefly into a circle. This circle had a large, adamas fountain at its center, tall and glorious was it. It stood up with multiple layers, decorated with patterns of lions and birds. Shimmering, gold water streamed out the top of the fountain, pouring down into a large pool.
Walking passed the fountain and moving northward, the group save Soter himself could only admire the beauty of this place. This half onward had columns following beside them, but several of them were knocked down and had their beautifully decorated images carved out with rancor. Their eyes looked upon these pillars, seeing strange, slender insects crawling their way up in a swaying motion.
Even the insect as it crawled up a column would make the adamas crack, albeit not nearly so as a human could. Telvern's mind couldn't help but to be a little questionable about the world, about everything. This world, the adamas being so frail, that strange being at the center of the city, just what did it all mean? "I'm curious," said Telvern, his steely brown gaze cast downward as his feet crushed adamas like leaves in the Autumn season. "What goes on with the adamas? I've never seen it so... fragile."
Soter just kept his gaze onward, not even thinking for a moment to answer Telvern's question. His mind deemed it irrelevant, and taking the time to explain it would be a waste of time. So, he remained silent, guiding the group the rest of the way. Just this instance made Telvern suspect and question Soter's character even further, not trusting him at all.
It was there that the group now stood at the front of the castle, the wondrous body that it was. The castle was encased that familiar adamas, giving it a blueish-white crystal appearance. Its large body shaped like a sword, the short edge at the front before expanding like a cross-guard. Then there was its long, wide back, before ending in a hexagon shape.
Windows were made into its body, they too appeared to be made of adamas. However, this adamas looked more transparent than usual, very smoothed out much like glass. The images of regal Solasúian men and women looked almost like they were etched from within the adamas itself, not appearing closer to the inside nor outside.
There were barrel shaped towers at the each end of the castle, standing high above the mortals stuck to the ground. The towers are jagged in appearance, appearing like a very thin and small mountain. Then there was one much taller one in the center back, one that put all others to shame.
That tower went up to the bedroom of the king, Soter recalled taking Uriel up there the day the boy arrived here and was told his 'purpose.' The castle's mouth stood ajar, its tall, double doors acting like its teeth which allowed anyone to have a peek into the very bowels that made up this glorious castle. Without a misstep, Soter and the group headed on in.
In the very moment a single person set foot in this place, in went from uncertain darkness to flame lit. Etched out from the adamas walls were the heads of lions, their fearsome eyes struck forward, their massive jaws pried open. Just behind their powerful fangs and above their tongues did fire suddenly appear as the presence of life entered the room, the flame seemingly suspended in midair.
The group's feet stomping down upon a long stretch of blue carpet edged in white, its fabric very eye-catching like the finest silk. The carpet had the motif of a root-like pattern, all which led forward towards a pair of stairs just on the other side of the room. The room the group found themselves in was a grand, open space, a room made of a glistering adamas.
Four columns stood off at the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right of the room. Their bodies made to look like the feathers of a bird, their plinths and capitals had the head of an ibis-like bird on each side. The ceiling curved inwards with multiple arches, those arches looking like ribs, until it reached the center where they merged.
What had previously been there in the center had all but collapsed, a large bell laying quietly upon the carpet in the center of the room. Many of the tattoos carved into its body had all been wiped away, there were but very vague remnants of four-pointed stars and hooded men left. This left a very minor detour for the group, causing all to have to swerve around it to avoid bumping into it.
Overall, the ceiling was wonderfully decorated with images that would come as something familiar to anyone who knew even a little about Solasúian culture, the ceiling and walls adorned with images of bird, lions, bells, and even brother Arbandor beside its sister Eshenel. Off to their left and right led off to other hallways, their entrances shaped like lancet arches.
As the group walked onward, they could still hear the familiar sound of adamas crackling under their toes, it just being beneath the carpet that led them towards a pair of stairs. Those stairs like a spruce, the first step was quite wide but with each stair that size would shrink. The stair's railings meant more to look spiffy rather than to actually assist, made to look like feathers.
Standing just off to the left and right of the stairs were two large adamas statues, both appeared like knights that clashed swords upwards. Founding themselves finally on the other side of the room, the group began to climb up the stairs. Sixteen steps fell one-by-one to their feet, their touch, but the silk-like carpet was sure to follow.
Passing under a lancet arch-like opening, their feet found themselves upon carpet red like the most delectable wine. Yes, it was the throne room, one that Soter himself had seen a dozen times, possibly more. This room had taken quite the beating, its ceiling had partially collapsed. What appeared like the throne itself left in ruins, the carpet was tattered and torn in several places, and many of the images upon the walls carried mortal injuries.
Those same lion-head shaped figures etched out from the walls were upon these walls too, but even though feet did tread upon this ground, it was not fertile with life. No flame could penetrate the darkness that had engulfed this room, left forgotten and forsaken like a page of dark history. Four giant, box-shaped pillars stood, one for each corner of the room, they were essentially the only things in this room that were at least almost entirely intact.
The two moons in the sky put up a great deal of effort to let some light cast into this room, pouring a cool, crisp, somewhat faint white light in through the hole in the ceiling. Windows were in the walls, but some of them were smashed inwards. Their shattered remains laid lifeless upon the floor, their artistically crafted images never to be known.
Soter led the group passed the throne chair, those wondering could make out almost exactly what Uriel had of the crumbled ruins of the throne chair. It was originally a being of some kind, its base looking like a robe-like garb of some kind. Broken bits of adamas looked like feathers of a bird, perhaps wings?
Regardless, their prying eyes had to rip off of their intriguing threshold. They rekindled their focus, reeling their attention back upon the envoy who led them to just behind the left side of the throne chair. There was one particular part of this wall that Soter stepped towards, a beaten section that wore the symbol his heart was aligned with: a cross with a triangle in the center of it.
His verdant gaze took aim for their symbol just as his body stopped in front of the door, causing some others to get a little worried with where exactly this was going. Shinon raised his eyebrow, his arms wrapped across his chest. "Oookay, so..." he said with doubt. "Where are we going exactly? A wall?"
The envoy's left hand then reached out slowly for that symbol, tempted by its image. First his fingers touched its face, but then his palm caressed its cheek. His hand planted flat against the symbol, and that symbol faintly glowed the very moment he did. That vague light rose with strength, becoming a vivid teal blue shine.
It cast its body outwards, revealing hexagon shapes hidden just under the surface. A light buzz of power could be heard very briefly, the pulse of light revealing a hidden door. The hexagon shapes ended at a portion of the wall just large enough to be called a door, and once the light traveled to the edges of the door, the buzzing and light died.
A second or two after the sound and glowing ended, that door-sized portion of the wall then began to slide down into the floor just before Soter's talon-shaped boots. It made a light rumbling sound, even shaking the floor slightly. A moment later, the wall had peeled opened its largest, most well-guarded secret, revealing to those who had never seen anything like this before.
A long, so very distant hallway stood before them, intimidating did it seem. The dark pathway made the hallway seem without end, they simply could not see an other side. Without a thought or fright, the messenger Soter stepped forward. Raphael followed just behind him, becoming more eager and nervous to meet with these Elder Gods. They truly were the real deal, the thing heard in legends, the creators of all life.
Shortly after Raphael did move, others followed behind him. Their footsteps pounding against a seemingly black metallic surface, leaving a glowing, teal-blue footprint as though their feet had paint on them. Whenever the air wasn't being hounded by hollow echoes that stood around for the longest time, an odd, powerful hum made itself ever-present.
Hexagon-shaped tiles would be the faces that their feet stepped down upon, a very small gap between each tile let out a very faint teal-blue glow. Like the appearance of sound, with each step they took, a pulse of blue energy ran across the floor. A constant throbbing of energy coursed through the room, running down the jagged walls and metal floors.
The ancient air was as chilling as death itself, creeping up and freezing all to the bone. But whenever that swing of energy rushed by them, they were immediately warmed. Everyone here could feel the same thing as Uriel however, this air so thick with energy that it was almost oppressive. Just like any Solasúian that held them down, they felt enslaved to this horrific master.
