Chapter 348: Into the City
The main gates of Bluegate Keep towered above us, casting a shadow as dark and intimidating as the canyon cliffs. As we prepared to cross beneath the wrought iron portcullis, I stared up at the fortifications in awe, tracing the seams of the enormous stone blocks that made up the great walls. Each stone was as big as a house and dyed blue, cut from the canyon below. Glowing veins of mana laced the stonework, evidence to my eyes alone of the true strength these walls represented. Even forgetting the magical shields each tower could conjure, it would take several seventh-level spells to bring down the ramparts and breach the city.
"Everything alright?" Korra asked, taking my hand. I blinked and shook my head, tearing my eyes from the simple stonework and the beautiful spells and looking at her. At my confused look, she tugged my hand and grinned. "Come on, you can gawk later. Just not in the middle of the road."
A blush warmed my cheeks as I looked around, finding the rest of the party watching me curiously. Refugees passed by on either side, a river breaking around a rock, giving us more than a few dirty looks as they were forced to sidestep our party.
"Sorry," I mumbled, tail twitching beneath my cloak, and allowed her to pull me along after the others.
The walls were nearly thirty feet thick, forcing the road beneath them in a tunnel-like passage. A clinging chill mired the shadows within the walls, and I shivered, drawing my cloak tight about me. The sun flashed down on us the moment we emerged from the other side, and a cacophony of unfamiliar sounds assaulted my delicate ears. I shrunk closer to Korra as my senses struggled to acclimate to the sudden shift in environment, grateful for her comforting hand and reassured by her presence.
Blinking away the starburst of light, my eyes and ears adjusted to the bustle of the Bluegate Keep. Narrow streets snaked between buildings of rough-hewn stone, built in tight, utilitarian rows that seemed designed to optimize space over beauty. As I looked deeper into the sprawling city, the structures layered backward in a rising expanse, each district closer to the city center boasting grander buildings and wider avenues. The districts formed an ascending line that drew my attention to the citadel in the middle, which formed the peak of the man-made mountain. It towered well above the splendid mansions and gardens of the nobility closest to it, proudly displaying the colors of Brithlite and the Divine Throne.
A glimmering crystal, similar to the one that had protected Western University, floated above its topmost tower, glittering with enough mana to be seen from our location over a mile away. Could it possibly be a ninth-level enchantment?
My breath quickened at the thought, my tail stirring with excitement. But before I could engage the idea, Korra tugged on my hand, letting me know I was flagging behind again.
"You’re certainly having a good time," she whispered, winking at me. "I thought you might be a little more on edge."
I shrugged, playing with a strand of long, crimson hair. "It’s just, well, you know. Sari might be here, but so is the circle, and the church. I’m just trying not to think too hard about everything and enjoy the moment, just like you said." I looked around at the city, smiling faintly as my eyes found the magic crystal again. "It’s all so big and exciting, a little scary too."
She pressed a hand to her lips, smothering a giggle. "This is hardly the first big city you’ve seen. Didn’t you live in the Divine Throne for a few months? That place is way bigger than here."