Ashura's Path

Damon's leg strained with pain as he walked the last mile of the road to Eldor. His belly had stopped grumbling days ago, he even wondered if it was dead from all the pain or the want of his leather dry skin of throat more evident to him. The visible black patch on the horizon was the only reason he could muster any strength at all. Eldor, the city that could change lives.

The surrounding of Eldor was flat plains of grassland, for Damon it was a symbol of assurance. There was no chance of a beast laying in an ambush here, he could notice before anything could approach. Though it brought him great joy, it filled him with an equal amount of despair.

"By the holy light of Solaris! Why I have not met a single damn person!"

The journey from his hometown to Eldor was a gamble, being unawakened and traveling the woods was the same as entrusting your life to gods. And by the looks, Solaris had watched over him.

Since his destination was so close Damon gritted his teeth and made it just before sunset. Even though he was all spent, he could not but marvel at the city. It was like a mountain encased by walls. It looked like the city was built on a lone hill in this plains. Small pillar-like buildings spiked out uphill. Whether it was built on a hill or were they just tall was a mystery for Damon to uncover.

But for now, Damon lay sprawled by the open gate. It was huge enough for the size and height of two trolls. Though he could see no doors to close the gate, it was an open way to the city. The relaxation of finally reaching the city had apparently softened his bones and thirst and hunger clawed him to the ground.

With night dawning he felt he could just pass out here, just then a man came near him "Hey you okay?"

"W-Water plea-" Damon could barely speak, the man hearing him went out of Damon's darkening sight and thankfully returned. The man held Damon's neck and shoved a leather bottle in his mouth, the water to Damon was honey which he ended up choking after a few sips. The man instructed him to drink slowly, soon Damon emptied the bottle and looked up to thank the man.

"Thank you" Damon's voice came more like a frog's croak than anything a human was capable and the throat hurt like damn too, like hundred needles shoved into his mouth.

The man was a soldier, dressed in a Russet coloured Shirt and dark brown pants. Damon had heard they were Eldor's guard uniform, they wore bright uniforms to distinguish themselves from other nation's soldiers. Eldor was a free city, it had no soldiers or monarchy. It survived through its complex ecology of people coming here or so he heard.

"Are you fine now?" The man asked, to which Damon nodded.

"go inside Before it gets too dark, there is a public well by the left corner of the first tavern from here," The guard said as he helped Damon up his feet.

"Thank you once again, could you tell me your name?" Damon nodded thankfully at the guard "And could you also tell me where is the Temple of Solaris?"

The guard gave a small smile "My name is Alaric, and don't worry about where the temple is, by the morning you will not miss it as long as your are not deaf" He patted Damon on his shoulders before leaving with another guard. Damon stood in a daze for a bit and decided to head to the tavern first before he could fall another time.

Just as Damon was about to leave, The guard Alaric turned "Oh yeah friend, I can guess why your here. And believe me, I've seen lots of people like you, just in case you happened to not awaken a good ability don't rush to the adventure's guild, please. Eldor has other opportunities too" The guard looked to be giving Damon advice in goodwill. His words were a bit discouraging but it was a reality, most people awakened only tier 1 or tier 2 stigma. But still…a man can hope, can't he?

Damon swallowed his wishful words "Ok…But what do you mean people like me?"

"People with no other place who traveled all the way till here in an attempt to change their life while knowing if they fail in the gamble which most do, of course, will most likely be doomed," Alaric said in a flat just tone.

Hearing it Damon looked away from Alaric in embarrassment, and knowing that his action just now gave away his situation made him feel like to hide his face. When Damon glanced again Alaric was already off on his way.

Sighing Damon made his way in too, The city twinkled in Damon's eyes, the buildings were made up of phaxstor and stone. In Fennwood where he grew up, the houses were mostly wood, and only the temple was built of stone.

The environment was a bit alien but a welcome change. Just as he was admiring the city by the gate he was shoved aside, with a bit of resentment he glanced around to find a bear like man passing, and behind him, four more people followed. With just a glance he could tell they were veterans, they gave off a intimidating aura. Especially the man who shoved Damon aside, He was tall and bulky, with a messy short beard. What caught Damon's attention other than the man's frame was the stigma on his left hand. It was black lines intricately coiled from his wrist to elbow.

"A tier 4 Stigma!" Damon muttered under his breath. He had only heard of it, the small dot like stigma was all he had seen most of his life. Only on one occasion, Damon had seen a man having tier 3 stigma. A tier 3 stigma was a tattoo the size of a palm, but the one on the Bulky Man covered his whole arm!

Damon watched them go, they must have been a famous party, and seeing something like that the first thing entering the city made him feel a bit hopeful for his future. "Maybe…" Damon killed the hopeful thought then and there and went straight toward the tavern after asking for some directions.