Chapter 1- Entrance in the City of Vehraj

Anubis:

Red... The sand is now red.

In the darkest shade of it, being lightened by the sun. The setting sun, which burns his orange light through this land, coloring everything in "his" tone. The pyramids, the oasis, the tents that sheltered tons of people, of workers in this massive desert.

This place was once "peaceful", or so the ruler of this humans thought. They all worked to build and start a city, a huge city that would be filled with people. The problem was... The workers were slaved and brought to this continent for work and reproduction.

A sad and miserable life looking from the outside, but this, for them, was a chance to begin a new life, with a more prosperous future. Health and insurance, care for the people, food and water, all of the best for a new city. They thought their new ruler would give them that, that their hunger and thirst would cease, that they would have homes, comfort and their offspring would endure and continue to live with the best of life in front of them.

All lies, all of their hopes... Never happened.

Now this sand has become a graveyard for these people, their blood scattered across the battlefield, this... Is what painted the sand and made me disgusted for a while.... To come back here and remember what I have lived here.

This battlefield saw an almost one sided massacre.

They went against their commander, their ruler, and lost miserably. Not because he had many on his side, not because of diplomacy or a tragedy in the middle of the fight. The reason is unique and solely up to the fact he is an Aox, a strong one, even among "the banished ones".

I despise him till today and my hatred towards him will never cease to burn in my soul. I, am too an Aox, and regret not being able to help and save those society.

I turn around, to not look at this bloodshed, to not see their dead bodies anymore, the graves digged by me in a trance... I do not remember doing it, but felt the sand in my hands, the weight of the corpses, the sun burning as I walked over and over again. Not to forget the amount of blood that stained my clothes and dirtied my skin to the point it is all red and reeking of the metallic smell, classic of human blood.

As I walk away, to another place of this ruined city I come back to the last one I have buried...

My love, or I suppose it was.

Our brief encounter will be forever in my mind imprinted in my soul. This meeting made me know more about feelings, not everything, but something in me changed after those two years. I hope that I can meet him again, in whatever way he comes into my life, be it an animal, the wind or the water... Maybe being a human again.

I am selfish for thinking he may come back, but mostly for wanting him to be mine and only again.

Now... I have yet to present myself, but as this story is told, the reader will eventually know who I am, not only my name.

. . .

Age Ilura, 1763; Xi - 11.

Vehraj city.

It is winter and the sun is rising, not too early not too late, at 5:50am, all the people who work at the streets begin to organize their business.

Getting out of their homes, thinking and preparing, mentally not just physically, to all the folks who will pass the streets.

The sand is cold, the mat which they sit all day, the tents not settled, but starting to take shape.

Their collections or objects obtained to sell, whether it be to strangers or common folk of the city, all being placed on display to everyone who passes by to see and maybe, just maybe get their interest.

As time passes the streets are filled with citizens running to their jobs, walking visiting the city, going to another location, or just taking a stroll.

Everything seems so lively, filled with joy and peace, in the eyes of Ivihish, a newcomer to this city.

As he walked through the main street, he saw the shops and tents, mesmerized with so much commerce, food, jewelry, clothing and the people in general. All seemed too beautiful in his view.

He went straight to a tent with Luqmat al qadi, a fried desert, though he didn't know what it was, he looked at it and smelled the scent in the air

- it smell makes me want to try it... it seems tasty and crunchy-

As he got closer to the seller, he looked at him and started talking, a language he didn't know, he signalled to him and tried to communicate, failing miserably.

The man realized not long after the young man started to talk that they both didn't speak the same idiom. So, he fetched someone sitting aside, a young lady.

With curled dark hair, darker skin and black eyes, similar to nights with no light, she was taller than him and looked delicate, but also strong. With one little braid, with one bright green beads to fit her clothing.

Greenish shirt and pants, with spiral patterns that remember vines running wild, short sleeves and her green veil, not transparent as brides ones, but as a hijab, except it is not covering her neck, only covering her head slightly. If she wasn't in a sitting pose which wasn't very elegant, one could say she was a noble woman.

"so.. you want one portion?"

She asked as she stood up and went closely. Her accent was noticeable but her pronunciation wasn't stiff.

While getting closer, Ivihish thought and analysed her way of walking, speech and her person in itself - she looks like a citizen but her way of speaking and walking are too neat for that, even though she sat as diligently as she could -

He ended up staring a lot, but finally said something "yes, thank you. I came here with no idea of your idiom so I'm a bit lost"

"yeah, it is noticeable. Hope that you don't get in trouble by not saying anything. Some people have a short temper"

She looks at the man and says something to him, that prepares a bowl with the luqmat and gives it to him.

"how much does it cost?"

She asks the man and looks back at him

"1,25 lix, since it is a big portion"

"Just this much? Sorry, things where I live are expensive, so it was a bit shocking"

He gives the money to the man as she stares at him, maybe doing the same as him before, analysing every single movement.

"It's fine, most say that when they come here, well, enjoy your food and don't annoy people, new face"

She looks at the man and fetches for his ear, says something and just goes, disappearing within the crowd.

He places his pouch in his pocket and keeps wandering around the street, looking forward.

- That girl seemed nice... Although not totally approachable, and this place... Beauty is too much, but it has a nature of its own... -

Looking forward, in a place which seemed like a square, a fountain beautifully placed with people drinking from its water. The water looked crystal clear and clean, with no sand in it even if the wind at this moment is a little strong.

He kept staring at this scene, people that appear to be home gathering water in water bottles or spooning it directly. Those people seemed happy, not dehydrated and tired, but calmly gathering for their use and fulfillment.

He noticed his nonstop staring and decided to find a hotel to stay.

...

Someone is running down an empty street, their eyes searching for something, something, something, it has to be!

What she was searching for, she didn't know, never found.

As she ran, silhouettes came down the street, big and defined enough to know those people were three, a group.

The group chased her till she had nowhere to go, since the street had met its end.

She was about to scream and call for someone, when one of the three knocked her with ease, she didn't fight... To be precise, she didn't have time to.

The three were with capes and their faces could not be seen, with clothes that made them look like mercenaries.

The one who knocked her took off his hood and squatted down by her side, looking at her face, her expression.

"Why do we have to kill her, can't she wait? I want to know the expressions she has"

"You mean torture her" The biggest guy if the three approaches and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, can't I? They want her dead anyway" He looks at his colleague, which stares at him with a piercing gaze.

"Don't, you have plenty to torture at the quarters" The third one says, staying behind, away from the body.

"You heard our leader, so follow as ordered" He takes his hand off the other's shoulder and goes by their leader side.

"You guys are no fun... Guess I will have to wait" He grabs the body and two stakes, going straight to the wall.

"What are you doing" The sturdy man asks, not really a question as he knows how the other is in personality.

"Let him, he's going to kill her" Crossing arms and looking at the scene, the boss stares at both.

"Yeah, let me do what I need to" With a little smirk, he pierces her hands at the wall and cuts her throat.

As the blood runs down her neck and body, flowing as a river down the wall and falling at the sand. Making a downside river and a lake of blood, truly a terrifying scene to those who can't withstand it.

But the man who killed her was thrilled and mesmerized by this kind of thing, so much he couldn't stop smiling.

"Let's go, now! People can come at any and every second" The boss turns back and walks away from the alley, without looking back, knowing they are going to follow.

The big guy goes, also not looking, especially because he does not care about the third part of their group, but mostly because his boss said to go.

The killer stays behind, staring at the body for a while more... Till he grabs his knife and does something, rip her chest open and grab her heart, replacing it with something.