The morning sun was climbing up the distant mountains.
The path they were walking on was rough and full of little rocks. Clay has nearly stumbled 4 times.
The paper rolls on his back didnt make it easier to walk up the hill. He started panting while he could feel single drops of sweat forming on his forehead.
Nick was walking quite steadier. His breath was kind of normal and he managed to put each step exactly between the little rocks covering the path.
Clay stopped for a moment and looked up. Around him there were wide fields and massive forests in front of the giant mountains. As he turned around, he could see his village far away, the few little huts surrounded by single, nearly dead trees. The whole thing seemed to be glowing in the midday heat.
Nick's voice broke the silence.
"Are you okay, dude?"
He turned back towards his best friend.
"Just a little exhausted. Seriously, how do you walk up this hell of a mountain every week?"
Nick let out a laugh. "This is only a hill compared to the mountains around us. Plus I got used to it."
They waited for a few more seconds, before Clay started walking again.
In the closer coming distant, he could see the blinking and shining diamond-like palace of the royal family. In front of the palace there was a big royal city, where the richest Pretiosi bought their velvet and their steaks which were covered in gold.
Who would eat something with gold wrapped around it…
After the short break, he felt the straps of his backpack cutting into his shoulders even more.
He was carrying some of Nick's drawings which he was about to sell to the Pretiosi.
For them it was no big deal, it didnt hurt them to spend a few golden coins on a picture of the sunset on a strange beach.
If they payed a few more golden coins, they could also let their kids or dogs getting drawn by Nick. For them it wasn't a big deal.
For Nick it was a big deal. What he earned wasn't indeed much but it was enough to buy the most neccessary food and pay for his family's rent.
And most importantly it gave him a job. And this job has saved him from being taken by the army on his 17th birthday.
Funny how drawing the dogs of rich people can save your life
Clay wished he was as talented at drawing as Nick. Then he would find a job like this.
But he didn't have a job. And in 2 weeks he would turn 17. And then he would be taken away, to join the army, just like his older siblings were the last night.
The only thing I can do is make sure mom, dad and Chris have enough money to keep Chris from being recruited until she finds a job.
This was his only goal right now; to get his family money before he turned 17.
A lot of money.
And that's why he was walking on this rough and dusty path, helping Nick to carry his drawings.
Nick surely could have carried them alone, but Clay needed an excuse to get into the city.
The Pretiosi city was the only place where he could get enough money to help his family out.
How?
Steal it.
For sure they wouldn't notice when their valuable wrist watch was gone, they'd just get a new one. Would they though?
Clay knew this was dangerous and if he got caught he would be 100 percent dead. The Pretiosi had powers he couldn't even dream of. Nick once told him there were some who could crush you with their bare hands or burn you simply with their gaze.
But once he would be recruited by the army he would die anyway.
Nick had the idea to bring him into the city, with the excuse of needing him as a carrier for his drawings.
Once Nick was working, he would sneak out and try his luck with some distracted Pretiosi.
At the top of the hill in front of them, the gates of the city wall came in sight.
Nick turned around and faced Clay.
"Are you 100 percent sure about this? Those Pretiosi could make soup out of us."
Clay chuckled. "Well, the one thing I know is that I would be more delicious than you."
Nick rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Alright. The guys at the gates always have orange eyes which makes them part of the Crassitus family. The members of this family are incredibly strong and could lift a whole ship with one hand. They are always guards because of their strength."
Clay clenched his teeth.
Of course. The guards who came in his family's hut last night also had orange eyes. They could have destroyed their entire hut within seconds.
"Best thing to do is be polite, make yourself small and don't hold eye contact for too long. Make yourself a worthless creature because that's how they see you. Then there won't be any problems."
Clay didn't like the thought of submitting himself to those people but considering their abilities it was probably the smartest thing to do.
The nearer they got, the bigger the gates seemed to get.
Soon Clay could see the guards' orange eyes glowing towards them. He thought of what Nick had told him and looked at the floor.
Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Nick stopping so he did aswell.
He didn't dare to look up so he only watched the guards' boots stepping towards them.
From his right he could hear a deep voice.
"Oh the pencil kid. Bit late today, huh?"
Nick replied immediately, in a quiet and soft voice which Clay had never heard coming out of his mouth.
"Yes, sir, I have a lot of drawings today so it took me longer to get here. That's also why I brought my friend Clay, he helps me carrying them."
The guard let out an approving grunt.
"No need to inspect those kids further. Give them the neckband."
Clay didn't move at all when big rough hands appeared in front of his face, putting a bright red neckband around his neck.
"Thank you, sir, see you later." Nick said with a little bow, so Clay did the same.
The second before they started to move again, Clay looked up, against Nick's advice from before.
Cold orange eyes stared at him.
He winced and looked back down.
Nick took his wrist and pulled him away from the gates, passing more guards who Clay didn't dare to look at.
"What is this red neckband for? And why is it so bright? Everyone will recognise us!"
He whispered towards Nick.
"Exactly. With this neckband they can see immediately that you are a Vilis, only here to work for them and that's how they will treat you."
Then they stepped out of the wall's shadow- and a bright view hit Clay.
In front of them there layed what looked like a giant marketplace.
Dozens of little colorful shops were lined up at the edges of the marketplace- but this wasn't where the colors stopped.
The place was crowded with people.
As he looked around, every person seemed to wear different colors.
People with pink cloaks, people with deep blue dresses, kids with lime green shirts.
As he looked closer, he noticed that every outfit seemed to match with the person's eye color.
Only a few feet away, there was a tall, thin woman with yellow eyes. She wore a summer dress which contained at least 5 different shades of yellow.
A yellow bag was tangling from her left arm; her right hand was hold by a small boy with yellow pants and a yellow shirt, pointing excitedly at a shop, his big yellow eyes staring at the candy which was sold there.
More in the middle of the area there was a big water fountain with a lot of people sitting around it. Clay noticed a maybe 7 or 8 year old girl with a light blue top and a dark blue skirt who seemed to be dancing, a blue aura around her.
He needed a second to realise that the aura was actually water; the little girl used only her hands to let it float around her in the air, not even touching it.
She abruptly stopped, the water splashed on the floor.
She seemed to be looking into Clay's direction, her deep blue eyes squinted and her head tilted slightly to the side.
I have never seen eyes like this.
He quickly looked away.
A man with a white cloak and white eyes was standing in the middle of a small crowd, a cheetah brushing his legs like a little house cat.
A big falcon or eagle was sitting on his shoulder, watching the cheetah.
He was overwhelmed.
It was an explosion not only of colors but also of emotions.
Clay had never seen this many colors in one place. At home in his Vilis village everyone was wearing brown or grey clothes which were mostly bleached out.
His own grey pants and fadely green shirt went down completely next to the bright green of the shop closest to him. Was this lime green?
Clay liked the color.
Nick continued pulling him past the shops.
"Close your mouth, dude, you don't wanna eat flies." He laughed.
But Clay couldn't stop gazing at the colorful world in front of him.
After a few moments he calmed down a bit. They were standing in front of a small white and red painted shop. A rich looking woman in a deep blue coat was already waiting there, she was probably a customer.
"Alright, this is where you can find me. You have 5 hours until we leave. Good luck and be careful."
Nick took both of their backpacks with the drawings and brought them inside the shop, before he turned to the blue woman.
Clay was alone.
Now the only thing he had to do was stealing money or valuable items- from people with super powers.
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New Chapter coming soon!
Wow today I saw this story has 40 reads already, that's insane! This many people reading my book makes me very happy, thank you so much :D
Anyways I hope you liked the chapter, I'm writing the next one right now (wanted to make it one chapter but it would have been too long)
So have a nice day/night :)
~Ju