Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 466: Ragran (1)

He opens his eyes. He could feel the heat on his hand, and the sun attacked his face.

It was already morning. He rubbed his eyes and he looked around the cave. He couldn't see Ana.

Then he heard a rustle and growling. He looks at the entrance of the cave. Ana coming inside with a dead rabbit on her hand.

She is whistling and in in a joyful mood. But then she caught sight of Arial and she blushed suddenly and then she lashed at Arial for no reason.

'Get up already! It is near afternoon. How long will you sleep?' Ana said to Arial.

We're moving out after eating this delicious rabbit. I have some spices. It will be good. She said. Beside her, the direwolf snuggle its head to Ana stomach.

'Yes, I will give it to you, don't worry' she said as she patted the direwolf head. The direwolf licked Ana hand and jump around Ana.

Ana just laughed. Arial smiles. It was full of harmony in the cave.

'I will wash myself for a while.' Arial said, after seeing Ana clean face. Ana just nodded. She has already begun making the spitfire.

Arial exit the cave and went to the beach. As he walked to the beach, he is trying to make sense of his dream.

Amara has shown him what the world could be. It is even more terrible than the Dark Land Invasion. 

As he think of all this, he arrived at the beach. 

Hearing the waves hitting the shores, and the birds calling to each other, hearing the sound of the sea, calms him down.

He undressed himself revealing a muscly body, lean and cut. His body was smooth; there is no scar, not one bit.

All of this is thanks to the Dragon Heart in his chest, healing him from any injuries rapidly. It can be said he possess almost an immortal body.

He washes himself thoroughly and then after finished washing he went back to the cave. Refreshed and clean, Arial is handsome and full of his charismatic charm.

Ana watch when Arial enter the cave and she blushed again, averting her gaze from Arial face and put her hand at her cheeks trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

Arial enter half naked. His clothes were dried outside on the stone near the entrance.

Arial look exactly like the handsome prince in fables. He looks charismatic, powerful and full of noble bearing.

His long white hair is allowed to rein freely, a straight long white hair and a piercing blue eye, like the sky, encompassing the Heaven, his gaze looking down on mortals.

He truly looks powerful. Trying to shut her mind from naughty thoughts she concentrated in her rabbit meat.

Ana is already eating the rabbit eat. Arial just sit down beside her and she handed the rabbit meat quietly.

Arial chuckled.

Arial also eat the meat. He could feel that the problem he had before has been settled. His heart is calm, and his mind is clear.

His energy is no longer blocked and his body is rejuvenating itself. His muscle becomes stronger, his flesh sturdier and his bones unbreakable.

He could feel his body is welling with power. He also realizes that he could create lightning from his fingertips.

He just needs to will it and lightning will sparks from his fingertips.

Then after finishing their breakfast, Ana give him a book. 

'What is this?' Arial ask. 

'Dictionary. Ragran words. You will need it.'

Arial was then informed by Ana that each tribe has their own language. The reason why he could converse with Ana was because in the Bastion, they were required to learn about the Old Language of the First Generation.

The Old Language of the First generation is not that different from the Common Tongue of the Human Continent.

There are some difference of course, and variations in dictions but other than that Ana could understand Arial perfectly.

No wonder, Arial always felt that when talking with Ana, she look stiff in expressing things sometimes.

Ana also informs Arial that in Ragran, those that live nears the Port , majority of them can speak in the Common Tongue of the Human Continent.

She found out about this from her sister journals.

Arial read the book as they ride the direwolf to the city of Ragran. Ana hold the fur of her direwolf tightly while Arial just sit, balanced on the back of the direwolf. 

Now that his power returned, he could easily balance himself even when the direwolf is running with its full speed.

A few hours later, they enter a stone forest. 

Black and large stones creating maze like path. Sometimes, Arial and Ana could see a few green trees thriving on top of the stones. 

Sometimes he could see a few lizards and beast watch them from afar but quickly they retreat themselves when the beast look at the direwolf. 

The direwolf did not, even once, lost its path. 

Sometime they will stop for a while and rest themselves under the shades of some large stones. 

As they rest, they traded stories; exchange jokes and get to know each other.

Ana begins feeling familiarity with the man called Arial. And Arial is the same. Then finally near the evening they reached Ragran.

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Arial could see an unwalled city. To be honest, it is not unwalled but it might as well have. The wall is merely stockades of wood, reaching the heights of five storey buildings.

Even the headquarters of Arial Merchant Company is higher than this. Arial could see a few guards patrolling o top of the wooden wall.

They reached the entrance.

'Outsiders!' the guard says, as his face was clearly shock looking at the way Arial and Ana is coming to his town.

They are riding direwolf. It must be said in the Land of Shadows, to possess a direwolf and even to ride it means you are either rich, or powerful.

The guard is a middle age man. 

He was crippled in the last war between the Great Tribes so now he becomes a guard, guarding the city entrance.

But the guard could not let people who have malicious intention to enter. Even though there is fear in his heart, he needs to do his job for the safety of his city.

Even if he might offend, he is determined. So, he orders them to stop.

'Halt! Who are you and where are you from?' He said, his eyes sometimes looked at the direwolf fangsand he shivered a bit.

Ana and Arial dismount from the direwolf. Ana then approached the guards to explain their reason for entering the city.

Arial on the other hand is just standing there, looking at the Ragran architecture, and sighed. 

They are too primitive Arial mused.

Ana explains to the guard sweetly.

'I'm Tatiana, daughter of Cassini. We've come here to meet old friends.' She said as she smiles at the guard

Hearing this and looking at the woman attitude, the guard feels relieved. This Ana doesn't seem like she meant any trouble but then he caught sight of the man.

The man.look nobly. His eyes look like he could look down upon the earth, remaining lofty from his positions.

There is also this kind of dark aura emanating from the man. The guard could feel that this man is full of killing intent.

This is an expert he mused. The guard has lived many years. In his life he also encountered a few experts.

Once he met an expert from the Ming Continent who came here to buy something for his teacher.

Even still now the guard could not forget how powerful that man was. His name was Song Qingwu from Wudang. 

The Eight Great Schools of martial Arts in Ming Continent. 

Hero Song was offended by the local bandits that tries to rob an old woman so he destroy the bandits , dismantling their operation and killing those who does not want to surrender to Ragran authority.

The man in front of him right now gives him the same kind of feeling when he met Hero Song, all those years ago.

'You can enter. Do not make trouble in the city and we will have no trouble with you' the guard says. 

Ana nodded respectfully.

'Thank you for you guidance.' She said and she enters the gate, with the direwolf beside her as she enters the gate.

In the evening, most of the excitement of morning and the business of the afternoon has abated but when they saw a young woman and a handsome young man entering the gate, with direwolf beside them, they attract attention.

A few men were sitting in a stall and as they sipped their evening tea, they almost spurted out the tea out, looking a direwolf.

Ana and Arial could hear whispers and conversations. Arial on the other hand did not notice this because he realizes that this is a seaside port.

A city beside the sea.