Chapter 4

It was nothing but grassy hills for miles with no commonly used trail leading to the condemned island. The trio had nothing to guide them but a compass, not even a single road sign. It was about midday when they stumbled upon vast farmland, and in the distance was a grand stone bridge leading to a large island occupied by a rustic city settled high up on the cliffs. Docks and fishing boats surrounded it. Lucorrian gaped in awe. He had never seen such untamed beauty. On the other hand, his sister held a disgusted look. What she saw was just ciaos; no order, no chain of command, ancient ugly ruins. To her, it was an abomination, just like its inhabitants, nothing like a modern city. The crops were being tended by albinos and regular fellows with either scars or missing body parts. They all waved or nodded in a friendly manner as the group passed but she ignored them as best she could. Star remained on edge an stared them down defensively.

At the bridge's entrance, the siblings and their escort found something quite unusual. They were expecting palace guards to be protecting the island, but what they found there were common island civilians with nothing but a machete and a spear, eyeing them very suspiciously. "State your business here," they said. Lucorrian stepped forward sternly. "We were sent here on a mission from the King. Why aren't there palace guards here?" "Guards from the Kingdom would only be needed to keep people in, but everyone here has no desire to leave and are free to do so if they so choose it." "Well, we are just here to visit and quite possibly retrieve someone, our little brother. Do we get like a visitor's pass or something?" Both him and Danarha flashed their royal crests that they were carrying. The guards starred in shock and slowly nodded. "It's royal procedure to have your wrists tattooed to mark that you have passed through a potential "contaminated area," the lead guard said sarcastically.

They all sat patiently as the ink was applied, but Denaraha still held her disturbed stature though the guards were friendly. Finally, to her brother's great distress, she could no longer hold her tongue. "Is there even a lead master among you outcasts? Surely even the lowest society has a hierarchy." The main guard was astonished at her rudeness and let out a low eerie growl, tightening his grip around his weapon. Lucorrian immediately jumped between them and shoved his sister behind him. "Shut your face!" he scolded, glancing over his shoulder with a horrified look. "I've never seen such insolence! Such arrogance." Turning back to the guards he gave an apologetic tone. "Forgive her. Evidently she was not taught proper that no matter the skill set of another, they are no less human or important than we are." Everyone relaxed a bit at his diplomatic soothing words. He continued, "Perhaps you could point us to your town hall, leadership, or whomever may have a citizen directory of all residents here. Please." The guard gave him a gracious head bow and gestured for them to pass and follow him across the bridge. The stone beneath them surprised Lucorrian. It was old and weather worn, yet strong, not crumbling in the slightest. 'This is how a Kingdom should be' he thought; old, strong, and unwavering against decades of beatings, defiant against all odds.

The large oak gate opened as the group approached it on the other side of the bridge. The guard halted at its entrance and pointed to a very well worn path that, from the looks of it, led straight through town to the complete other side of the island. He said "We do not have a single leader, but a council of masters. Follow that path to the end, and up the cliffs is a monastery. There you will find the help that you seek." The group said their goodbyes, even Star said a shy thank you, feeling quite out of place. She had been several feet behind them the entire time, ready to jump into action should a fight break out or some mutant abomination from the tales or her fears break through from the island. But alas, no such thing had come for them and everyone looked perfectly normal.

Thus, the group set off down the trail. They walked on in silence, the two girls distracted by every outcast stranger looking at them, possible dangers at every turn. Lucorrian was amused by this notion, they looked like kind people, with every right to be fearful of strangers, for they were too often victims of unlawful hunting. Sure everyone around him was on edge, but he was just in an absolute giddy mood being on the island; the path was covered in sand and the sun was glowing on them with a comforting welcome. He had never been to the coast before. The sand ticked him and he took deep breaths of the sharp fresh sea breeze.

This fascinating island made use of all of the elements. Large metal and porcelain windmills were scattered around the island. These theoretical machines were only heard of in rumors, supposedly invented by witches that harnessed the ancient power of electricity through manipulation of wind, which was just impossible. Down on the shoreline far below the cliffs were large scale water wheels, like the small ones used around the Kingdom. Fire pits too were scattered across the town, many cooking fish creatures that the group had never seen or smelled. According to Star, the Water Tribe didn't even have such things in their wetlands, they mostly ate mud eels and gator. Besides the bridge, the Earth Tribe too was vastly represented. Each house was constructed of stone and wood, and often made use of the natural cliffs and rock overhangs cascading down the island.

For an entire hour the group trudged on, the terrain of the path ever so slowly becoming more rocky and leading uphill. Though huffing and puffing with exhaustion, Lucorrian was still awestruck at the beauty of everything. The trail was laden with wildflowers and dandelions, and at the cliff's edge often stood pink and white lilies, their heads dipped off the side as if trying to drink the sea spray of the torrenting waves below. Finally they reached the end of the regular trail, a shear and narrow cliff path lay before them. Sighing with dread, Lucorrian gazed up the white pointed cliffs. At their peak stood a grand temple of limestone and jade. Magnificent marble columns held up its entrance.

For another forty minutes the group climbed on up the boulder path, legs shaking from the vigorous exercise. Star was leading since she was the most physically fit, and the siblings wished she would just slow the pace down, just a little bit, they begged through gasps of breath. They were all basically crawling by the time they reached the top so much so that their awestruck reactions were delayed in catching their breath. Surrounding the monastery, the land was fertile full gardens with monks tending and praying in them. Elegant statues were scattered about them with the sun's golden rays glowing over the plateau. While the group stood, still hunched over, they were approached by an elder looking gentlemen. He was bald with pale skin, yellow eyes, and wearing a long white robe dawning an unfamiliar crest. None in the group had seen such a person before. Lucorrian noted that on his face the man had noodle-like whiskers like that of something called a catfish that he had once read about and seen in a drawing. The Kingdom has a grand library and the prince took it upon himself to particularly learn about the outside world as much as possible.

The monk greeted them in a soft respectful voice. "Welcome to sanctuary. What brings you here?" Looking to the others to remain silent, Lucorrian addressed him calmly, showing equal respect and gratitude towards the man's hospitality. "I am simply a brother on a quest to seek out my long lost younger brother of whom has just become known to me." Gesturing he continued, "this is our younger headstrong sister, and this young lady is a very gracious escort for us from our passing through of the Water Tribe on our way here. I was told to seek out this temple and that you may have either answers or a catalogue of residents." The monk bowed his head and said "destiny is on your side. Follow me."

After walking a ways down the smooth stone path they reached the inside of the temple. The main room was grand and had many sides with alters; splashes of green, pink, and white making up the majority of the room. Angelic paintings were scattered across the ceiling as well as depictions of the ancient elemental Gods. "Keep up please," the monk said, heading into another room. It was a small plain gray stone space with a grand old oak and steel spiral staircase leading down to lower level.

To the group's awe and surprise, the lower level was a vast library, even greater than that of the castle. "You can smell the wisdom in here," Lucorrian uttered. Denarha snorted. "All I can smell is dust and freaking sage." "You're overthinking it," he replied; "centuries of leather bound knowledge passed down through the generations." Looking rather pleased at the young man's response, the monk held out his hand towards the center of the room. "There is the head of our council, Gladreal. He will assist you. He is the grand elder of the monastery."

Gladreal held up his withered faded pink hand for them to wait a moment as they approached. He was writing something in a large old book made of parchment and sheepskin. The grand elder was cloaked in dark blue and black robes, covered in dust as if he lived in the library. "Hello there Prince Lucorrian," the old monk said in a smooth wise voice, still facing away from them. "...Or shall I say Master King? Well, maybe not master, at least by our standards." Star just stared in confusion, while Lucorrian let out a quiet gasp and shuddered. "I-I uh..." "Yes. Yes. I know who you are and what has happened. I felt a disturbance within the vail and decided to check in." He paused, finally turning to face them, his skin showing a rainbow array of waterdowned colors, as if he were an offspring of every tribe and then some. He set a murky blue blind intense, but friendly, gaze upon the group and said "All of this knowledge, and yet, I do not know why you all have come so far here."

The slightest shiver went down Lucorrian's spine. It was if the old man was gazing right through him to his soul with that blind gaze. "M-me and Denarha here have come to find our half brother. The late King Spiroar had sent him away here to this island about 15 years ago. He's an albino and his birth name is Lucian. We were informed that he was abandoned at the gates here with a nametag, body covered in strange tribal symbols and translucent scales." "You do see the irony in defining physical traits to a blind being don't you young man?" The group just all paused, barely breathing, afraid that they had offended him. "I'm just joking with you!" the monk laughed, alleviating the awkward silence. "I actually know personally of whom you seek. Yeah. Brother Luce came to us around that time, also embellished with a royal symbol on his upper chest, but we accept all here in need without question. He keeps his own hut out behind the temple, preferring solidarity and the company of animals to others. If you ask me, I don't think he's ever felt like he has fit in anywhere, even though we treat him like family. He tends to the temple's cats that keep all manner of critters and birds away from our gardens. Such a peaceful soul, but somehow he is this entire island's most skilled warrior, and yet still so early in his studies. Head on outside and go towards the back of the cliffs. His cottage is purple and red with no attached door." Lucorrian wholesomely said thank you, bowed to the other monks watching, ushering his group towards the exit.