Sentience

Chapter 6

Sunhaven was, without a doubt, the most extravagant city I had ever laid my eyes on - granted, I had only ever been to the Capital - but Sunhaven topped even that. The streets were paved with polished ores of beryl, reflecting an incandescent glow to the city. Each building was crafted with the same jade onyx marble, the Gods of our people carved into each. I had discovered, in one of the many books in my parents library, that those of Sunhaven's residents who came from wealth, usually had the Goddess Aria fashioned over each of the pillars circling their home. Those who recently came into their fortune had the God Paretez sculpted onto the two main pillars on either side of their entryway. And, although the concept of a lowly person in Sunhaven was almost never heard of, those specific individuals had the initials of Goddess Rehena etched into floor tile nearest to their doorway. When I had read this, I thought that the class system seemed outdated and wrong; but then again, so was slavery. Marketeers were welcomed into the city to support the economic growth but they were kept far away from the great houses of the permanent residents, encouraged to keep their homes out-of-town and to work from the district closest to the entrance of the city. With all the city goers in one place, it was hard to see the right path, any path, to take.
"We just need to make it through this crowd!" Elryn shouted over his shoulder, his hand tightly in mine.
I had offered to hold Hana's, so we didn't lose each other, but she had assured me she could manage. I felt slightly meagre as I felt Elryn's hand wrapped around my own.
It was hard to continue to pout when the chaos of the city had me, Elryn and Hana barging into each other and other people. With only a few gruesome stares from roguish looking individuals, we made it to a clear area just past the market stalls.
"I know a place we can lay low," Elyrn told us as he ushered Hana and I down an adjoining road, "It's just at the end of this-"
"The Aria district?" Hana asked, voice laced with curiousity.
Elryn nodded in confirmation, "Yes, I own a house-"
"You own a house?" I cut in, unable to hide my shock.
Elyrn turned and began walking up the road, "Well.. I guess it never really belonged to me but in a way, I suppose I lived there as long as the Maji I inhibited did."
Hana's head snapped up, realisation lighting her eyes, "You..." She studied Elryn, then walked up to him and prodded him once. Twice.
"I heard about this at the temple but I thought the study was...," She took his hand and examined it, "hypothetical." She looked between Elryn and I and laughed in a way that indicated she definitely found something amusing, "And I thought you two were dating." She glanced between us, "But this is much more than that." She finished.
"Seems you know... all there is to know..." Elryn replied, stepping away from Hana and her prodding and turning on his heel, "Good," Elryn smiled, heading off, "that saves us a conversation."
Attempting to ignore the conversation that had happened, I decided to take note of the surroundings. Houses with the markings of Rehena, lined the otherwise quiet road. The bricks were made of the same jade onyx marble but the buildings themselves were much smaller than the ones I had seen previously, marked with Paretez or Aria.
"So I'm assuming your house is much bigger than these?" I asked jokingly, unsure of what to say or even how to communicate.
Elryn precured a hair tie from, seemingly, thin air, raked his hands through his long, white hair and tied it back, "Yes, it is." He replied frankly.

Elryn wasn't lying. His house was undoubtedly the largest on the block, possibly in the whole city. Unlike the other buildings, flowers and vines had wrapped themselves around the pillars, up the walls and covered the majority of the house. With a hasty glance to his left and right, Elryn clicked his fingers and the greenery disappeared, returning the house to its original state. With the vegetation gone, the magnificence of the house was visible. Chiselled adornments complimented the marble house; sculptures, creatures and flowers inset the stone. A head-to-toe replica of Aria, lounging above the entryway, marked the expense of such a property. Palladian windows framed each side of the house and a dome of glass, possibly an observatory, dominated the right side of the roof. An elongated staircase curved around both sides of the entryway, lending itself to the second floor.
"Come on then." Elryn said, offering a smirk.
Noticing my gaping mouth, I clamped my jaw shut, "Show off." I muttered.
He lead us into the house and, although I hate to admit it, my amazement continued. The tiles on the floor were black marble with polished pieces of tigers eye inlaid. A ridiculously large chandelier hung low from the ceiling; the ceiling which was covered in a mural: The story of the Gods. In an array of vibrant colours, Marlih, Heia and their children Aria, Paretez and Rehena, were painted on the ceiling. Marlih, the God of life and beginnings was depicted holding a baby, kissing its forehead. Heia, the Goddess of death and endings, was ever elusive in a smoke that shrouded most of her features, only a canine grin and an outreaching hand being clear. Aria, sat on a throne of fire that symbolised the Maji she sired, the Morkinn, had an audience of humans, who she had created also. God Paretez glowed in the purples and blues of the Rijjin and the Lynti, looking at a man who held another man at knife point. From the first mans expression, it was clear he was holding the knife, and the other man, against his will. Rehena, most beautiful and kind amongst all the others, sat crossed legged with her eyes closed. In her outstretched hand was a pool of water, a lily floating on it's surface to represent the Hiaki and the Zuri, which she had created.
A chill ran down my spine as I pulled my eyes away from the mural, just in time to notice Hana doing the same. Elryn stared at the mural for a while longer, as if seeing it for the first time, then lead us through to the drawing room. Much like the rest of the house, this room was covered in art. Although, most of the pieces were portraits portraying beautiful women, men, children and -
"You," I said aloud, "you're everywhere." My eyes darting from portrait to portrait, all of them resembling Elryn minus his unearthliness.
"Technically," Elryn answered, "They are Lord Thethon."
I looked over to him, raising an eyebrow to signal that what he had said made very little sense.
Elryn shrugged, "I took the first appearance I thought you'd find... that I thought you'd enjoy."
Hana snickered. I glared at her accusingly.
She offered her hands up, "No judgement here." I didn't believe her.
"Right," Elryn announced, in an obvious attempt to quell the unease, "I'll show you to your rooms."