Hero Square

As I moved away from the train station, the overwhelming crowd gradually thinned, but the number of people still milling about was staggering. The bustling streets filled with the sounds of hurried footsteps, chattering voices, and the clatter of carriages rolling on designated roads. Navigating through this human labyrinth felt like an insurmountable task, and a persistent sense of discomfort gnawed at my nerves.

Despite my efforts to blend in, I couldn't shake the feeling of being a stranger in this chaotic city. The numbness that had afflicted me earlier began to subside, but my mind remained clouded with confusion and uncertainty. I questioned every step I took, fearing I might lose myself in the maze of unfamiliar faces and bustling activity.

Gray and white stone buildings lined the streets, creating a uniform appearance that exuded a sense of austerity. Banners with a vivid red background caught my attention, displaying a black figure hoisting a spear, surrounded by golden rays. Strangely, the emblem seemed vaguely familiar, yet an inexplicable unease washed over me whenever I caught sight of it.

Drawn by the increasing congregation of people, I found myself drawn towards a magnificent sight at the center of a vast round square. There stood a monumental sculpture capturing a moment of confrontation between the spear-wielding man and a group of imposing figures brandishing axes. Behind the spearman, four unarmed individuals stood, each holding a manifestation of elemental power. The authenticity of the elements was astounding; a man with fire in his grasp, another controlling a playful breeze, a third holding a water sphere, and the last clasping a solid stone.

A chill ran down my spine as I studied the sculpture. Among the depicted figures, I noticed one individual that triggered an unsettling memory.

"Mart, are you here again?" a voice echoed in my mind, and the headache returned, like a vengeful tormentor trying to crush my skull.

I quickly turned my gaze away from the statue, my eyes finding solace in a grand staircase that seemed to stretch endlessly upwards. My curiosity led me to gaze beyond, and there, high above, stood a colossal fortress of red stone, which glimmered like the sun in the golden rays.

Distracted by the grandeur of the scene, I failed to notice the increasing number of armed guards surrounding the square. The realization dawned on me too late, igniting a wave of fear within.

"Armed people," I muttered anxiously to myself, "Damn, I completely forgot."

Before I could slip away from the crowd and retreat to safety, a strong hand grasped my collar and pulled me aside. My initial panic subsided when I recognized January's familiar features.

"Stop! What are you doing here? Decided to give up?" January's voice whispered with concern.

"They didn't tell me where to go," I replied, grateful for his presence and guidance.

"April, always a bundle of nerves," January shook his head, "Alright, thank God it worked out, losing you again would be too much to bear." Adjusting his hat to partly hide his face, he continued, "Let's go, we need to get out of here. There are more guards around." He glanced around quickly, surveying the surroundings, and then walked past me, whispering, "Follow me, but keep your distance."

The task was not an easy one, because literally after ten steps I almost lost sight of him. Thank God, he also noticed this and himself emerged from the crowd to meet me. And then he continued on his way.

We had been walking for a couple of minutes when he suddenly dived into a narrow, almost imperceptible lane. I quickly followed him and in half a minute we were already descending the stairs. Already on the stairs one could notice that the quality of life where we were going was much lower than behind. Finally we stopped at the door, surprisingly well crumbled and well cared for. Compared to the broken and unkempt stairs, it stood out a lot.

But there was no time for the door, there was a street ahead, which again brought me back to reality. Small and crooked houses, uneven and broken roads, tired and aggressive people. I wanted to turn around and run back, but where? To jail?

"Welcome home," January said with a grin, noticing the expression on my face, "You really don't remember anything," he closed the door behind me and patted my shoulder, "I'll tell you everything, but at home. It's still not safe here."

He waved his hand to me and we went to the right, already side by side. The street was much narrower, but fewer people walked here, but there were plenty of people lying and sitting. Someone was drunk, someone was simply missing limbs, while others were just sleeping, hiding behind something far similar to a blanket.

"They'll be down here soon, the guys will hold them up, but not for long," he said as if to himself. would have blown up an elephant out of a fly anyway, just to put you back down again "

I looked around. Many people looked at us with approval and love, while others looked at us with hatred. Here, too, there was an internal policy, someone liked our actions, but someone didn't seem to like it very much. But, if someone asked me, there were more positive views.

A couple more minutes of walking and we heard loud exclamations, displeased voices swearing among themselves. January quickly waved his hand and we quickened our pace, trying to get past the huge crowd that had gathered around the guards.

"Where is our promised freedom? The guards promised not to interfere in the affairs of our district!" shouted one of the men.

The guard only pushed him away and began to push through the crowd with rather rough and aggressive hand movements.

"Disperse! Otherwise, we will use force!" he shouted and the people went a little limp for a few seconds, but then continued.

However, not for long, lightning struck near the crowd and almost everyone ran away screaming. I noticed purple eyes, which were apparently the source of this lightning, and they clearly noticed me. In the same second, he changed from indifference to happiness and madness.

"He is there!" shouted a female voice and I felt the wind literally lifted me and carried me far away, throwing me back, then I heard a terrible roar and saw a charred place, the very place where I stood a second ago.

A strong wind suddenly picked up, kicking up a lot of dust and sand from the roads, and many people screamed around. Fiery flashes, water, lightning, earth, all the elements mixed in one mess. Dust got into my eyes and I felt a familiar hand grab me and drag me somewhere. After another minute, I suddenly found myself inside one of the houses, but the hand continued to drag me with all my might, and I tried to resist minimally, finally opening my eyes.

A couple more seconds and we were at the entrance to the basement. January knocked three times, then again, and then kicked with his foot and the door dissolved in a second. I wanted to ask what kind of magic, but they just dragged me, and a new door appeared behind me.

Many questions swirled around me while I was standing in this room, but only one feeling filled me - joy. I stood in a circle of friends, all my friends were alive and were in this room.