Sanctuary City of Souls

Sanctuary City of Souls

Chapter 1: The City

The expanse of the city walls towered over me.The black stones glittered softly in the mid afternoon sun.People gathered upon the broad platform, disembarking from the various old steam engines that had brought them to this City .The sight of all the beings who came here, looking for sanctuary, warmed my heart.Made me feel like what I had started had a purpose.
I am Shadow, A human witch who, through various abilities and over time, had created a place between the realms.A place of peace and a home.I had dreamed of this City, given her life through my own, and now ; here she stands, alive and breathing and sheltering those who need shelter.I am the Warden of Sanctuary, my duties are to meet and document those who come here.Keeping records of all citizens who come to live within her walls.
I was pulled from my revere by the sound of a train's whistle.Another steam engine pulled into the station, and more people began to spill out of the open doors.I was speechless as I watched the different and diverse beings that spilled around me, as I stood beside my gate.A book sat upon my pedestal, a pen in my hand.I had ink stains upon my fingers and my hands had finally stopped cramping.I had been working non stop since the sun rose, taking names and recording them in my books.Later these books would be archived, stored within one of the three vast Libraries we had in the City proper.I shifted my feet, stretching a little as the line began to reform.I climbed into my cramped booth, pulling open the curtain and stood awaiting the first of many who had come here.Gazing into the crowd, my eyes fell upon the Guards of the City, their armor the only tall tell sign they weren't arriving from the trains.Watching the crowd I spied the head of my Guards.He stood tall and strong among the moving wave of passengers, Like a solid rock, his unmoving form parted the waves around him.His energy sang upon the wind and my eyes inadvertenly traveled down his robbed form to his right hand.From hand to elbow, it bore a heavy silver gauntlet, inscribed with glowing golden runes of containment.He shifted his gaze, meeting mine and I was startled by the sudden yellow sheen of his golden orbs.The yellow eyes were one of his most striking features, A color so intense that they burned with a fire all their own.His skin was a white so pure, it reminded me of ivory, creased here and there with scars and runes, which, much like his Gauntlet, they contained energies that otherwise would destroy those around him.His name was Koloc the Plague Bearer.An Alchemist of old, turned Gate keeper to realms unheard of.
He once was a powerful sorcerer, who created a potion so vile and deadly, it could consume entire worlds if it was unleashed.In anger and rage, he drank the potion, turning his entire being into a plague, with one touch of his hand, unguarded by the power of the gauntlet, and worlds would rot away.He served me and the city now,His love for the City almost rivaled my own.It still amazed me that he was here, his power still instilled a fear so deep it brought a catch in my throat every time he was near me.He nodded his head and returned that amazing gaze back to the crowd.I stood a moment longer, watching him point out figures, watching more guards follow the ones he pointed out.I knew without a doubt that if he found anything that would be dangerous, he would do what needed done to take care of it.
A noise made me turn back to the line that had grown during my distraction.I smiled and nodded to the figure that stood before.My eyes took in his appreance before my mind could register what he was.For a moment I gawked at him, my mouth hung open.In embarrassment I closed my mouth and shuffled my pages around.When I knew my emotions where back under control I smiled up at him again.He stood almost 6 feet tall, long silvery hair hung like a satin curtain down his back.His eyes were swimming pools of sapphires, they even shone , like a faceted gem, in the sunlight.My eyes took him all in and a word came to mind. Fey.He was one of the fey, an unearthly beautiful creature that lived in the Feylands, between realms of earth and the astral plane.We had been having an influx in fey coming to the City, and they began to increase in population everyday.I swallowed and said to the patient figure "Welcome to Sanctuary.May I please have your name and place of orgin?" He beamed an enchanting smile at me, his eyes glimmering with humor.The smile faded and in a voice much like the wind through chimes, he replied. "I am Falameer, of the Seelie Fey, my orgins are from the Feylands.I am arriving before my order, which will be arriving here on the next train." I wrote down in the book his name, the ink drying quickly.I opened the gate at my side with a small button and ushered him towards the towering City gates.I knew he had two more check points to go before he was allowed to go through those gates, but he was one step closer to Sanctuary.
The next dozen or so figures became a blur as I focused on my work.By the time the sun crept beneath the tree line, my body ached from standing prone for so long, my feet hurt and I was ready to retire my post to the night crew.No sooner had I thought about that, then a small figure opened up the booth's only door.Opal had become a great friend of mine, another Fey, small in stature ; she barely rose above my waiste.Her own hair normally hung loosely in waves of a burnt copper, nearly down to her feet.She had pulled the burning mass into a loose braid, and it hung like a metallic seperent over her shoulder.Eyes the color of new pennies shone with humor and laughter.She was always quick with a hug or a warm word.In the years I have known her, I had never seen her angry. Her warm, earthly power spilled over me and for a moment I was reminded of warm days spent before a fire, enjoying the comforts of home.She gently took the book from my hand and returned the pen to it's holder.She clapsed my hand in her's and beamed up at me."Okay Shadow, go get something warm to eat and go rest.I can handle this evening crowd with my eyes closed." she patted my hand as I pulled gently away from her and stepped into the open air.I nodded to her without a word and began navigating the crowd into the City Proper.