Magic chronicles 1: The strength of four

Chapter 14: Alcarnum, jewel of the desert

     As they enter the city of Alcarnum, Chino has finished something amazing.

     The four have made it to Alcarnum, a city in the sands, stone made of the sand turned to brick line the pathways, with cyan lining, aqueducts separating paths, buildings, and the city center. The four split up, Sora goes to the center with Sakura, Kieba checks out the aqueducts and goes to the massive market square to ask around, and chino goes to a tower with a large telescope coming out of the roof.

     In the city center, a large, circular plaza, with gardens lining the outside edges. In the center of the plaza lies a large tree, red petals falling every so often from the it's wide branches. Sora and Sakura go around the plaza, having their own fun. Sora picks a white and pink flower and puts it in Sakura's hair.

     "That flower looks nice on you. I like it, at least." Sora tells her. "I love the flower, it does look nice, doesn't it?" She smiles as she replies. They go off towards the palace on the other end of the plaza, to see if they can find the leading figure to ask about the well of wind.

     Kieba starts looking around the market stalls around another circular plaza slightly lower in elevation to the center, he asks the locals about the well of wind, and they all said that they don't know, and to ask the mages in the large tower on the opposite end of the city than the observatory that Chino would be in. He goes across the city, and meets Sora and Sakura on the way to it. At the tower, a single mage greeted them, with white robes, a hood with a point down the middle, glowing white eyes, a blue prism in the middle of the point in the hood.

     "Hello, travelers. I am Chronos, one of the very few who can use time magic, I have looked into the future several times in the past, and I know you seek the well of wind. Come with me, to the shrine below us." He tells them all, then gestures for them to follow, which the three do.

     Meanwhile, Chino is in the observatory, deep in thought, looking through several old books, for information on magic rocks, known as ether-matter, pure, elementless magic given physical form. She is also looking into the runic language of enchantments, she already knew the basic enchantments from Mysidia, but she wanted to know more. As she turns pages rapidly, reading at speeds nobody else in the observatory could even comprehend. After a few minutes, she finally found what she wanted. The enchantment for storing magic power into an object, and being able to extract it for later use.

     "Finally, the last thing I needed, with this enchantment, I can make a fuel cell to keep it going, the Shivians already had this tech with helping us build the floating island. But with this knowledge, I can build a ship that sails the skies, an airship." She celebrates to herself, then she realized the problem of gathering the resources in the desert. She tells Sora indirectly with psychic magic, transferring thoughts of hers to his mind, then she leaves for the rest of the day to hunt artifacts in the desert and find materials she will need, most the artifacts would be sold. She knows that she won't have everything by the end of the day, but something is better than nothing.

     As the other three walk through the depths of the tower, the aqueducts and several waterfalls made from it making the long bridges suspended in the air have at least some scenery on the way to the large circular platform directly underneath the city center. Chronos gestured them towards the well.

     "The well of wind, if you can, bring the wind back, the sands have been so lifeless as time goes on since the well was smothered... A strong, probably demon, came to each of the wells and smothered them all in the past, I've felt the world's energy coming back over time. When the time comes for the final battle, everyone in the world inclined to magic will sense his presence. You won't be alone, rest assured." Chronos tells them all, which is relieving to Sora, as he's always had doubts, his strength isn't in him, but what he fights for. He's never once thought of himself when making important decisions that would impact others.

     Sora steps forward, Kieba and Sakura both sharing some of their energy with Sora, he gathers all of it into a ball, and hurls it into the well. The circle of runes around them glows orange, each layer starts glowing as well at a slightly delayed rate. Chronos smiles, none of them even seen him close to the level of happiness he has, and according to his thoughts it's been years, Kieba found out. 

     "Three down, three to go. This will be a lot faster once we're out of the desert, as we'll be able to get the rest of the materials for this 'airship' Chino speaks of." Sora says to the rest. They all start walking back, Chronos paused for a second. He looks over to them and says.

     "That won't be needed, I'll inform the emperor of your actions here, and put in a good word, and you should be able to get all that that this 'Chino' says you'll need for the airship you speak of." He tells them, the three look at each other and have a little internal celebration.

     "That would be great, thank you, Chronos." Sora thanks Chronos. As they reach the exit of the tower, Chronos teleports through town to reach the advisory council of Alcarnum. By the time they all reach the large building, a palace, earlier they weren't allowed far past the entrance, but now the three with Chronos guiding them, they meet the emperor of the Jade Desert.

     "Hello, travelers, I am Akani, emperor of all the Jade Desert, and thus, this city. I heard what you did with the well of wind already, and I extend my thanks. You want some materials to build an... Airship? Was it? Whoever has come up with the model is incredibly intelligent, and if possible, I would like to have the design of it, which I will pay you separately for, in extra supplies or solid materials." Akani says, Sora simply shook his head, and smiled.

     "We'll have to ask Chino of the design when she returns, in the meantime we will have to wait and see what she'll need to build it, and if she is willing to give the design, which I am certain, consider the materials to build the first one plenty enough payment for us." He replies to Akani. To which he thinks for a second.

     "If you truly are that generous to my offer, I would accept it. Return later when your friend returns, or in the morning if you need, I will ensure there is an inn ready for you four, stay as long as you need, you will be welcome." Akani says. Sora and the rest dips their heads as thanks. Chronos follows them on their way out.