Hi everybody!<\/p>\n
Today, we have a special treat for you. \u00a0This is the beginning of a new story, which is going to take us away from\u00a0The Fall<\/em> for a little bit. \u00a0This tale is a lot more personal, without any groundbreaking revelations or world-troubling conflicts.<\/p>\n No, this one follows a man from the pseudo-Indian city of Lakmari, a beautiful place where everyone is happy and healthy. \u00a0But surely no place like that could be without its secrets. \u00a0Read on to see what a new hero experiences in his time among the people.<\/p>\n Remembered in Gold <\/p>\n The commotion outside woke him well before he heard the distant silver bell.\u00a0 Kunal rose to see his house had emptied, his mother and sister having already vacated their home.<\/p>\n The Gathering had come once more to the city of Lakmari.<\/p>\n Kunal rolled from his bed and scooped the discarded vest from the floor.\u00a0 As he moved toward the exit, he brought it overhead and pressed his body through it, bumping into the doorway as he went.<\/p>\n He skittered down the steps, stumbling several times but managing to stay upright as he dismissed his waning stupor.\u00a0 He only hesitated for a moment at the exit of his home.\u00a0 There, a mirror revealed his disheveled appearance.\u00a0 He licked his fingers and set to work on his dark, tousled hair.\u00a0 He shrugged, finding himself acceptable.<\/p>\n When he opened the door, the commotion was already overwhelming.<\/p>\n \u201cDid I already miss the selection?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n The streets ran rampant with the fervor of those rushing toward the palace.\u00a0 Lakmari was not known for being one of the biggest cities in Lustra, but when that silver bell rung, everyone paid heed.\u00a0 Kunal turned to the north, looking at the distant, ornate instrument situated above the palace gates.<\/p>\n Even from his home, the young man could see the crowd converging on the white marble steps.\u00a0 He brought his hand up to his dark eyebrows to stave off the morning sun.\u00a0 While scanning his fair city, he was nearly slammed back into his home by an eager man\u2019s broad shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n \u201cGet to it, boy,\u201d the man offered, spinning about briefly.\u00a0 \u201cBefore long, you\u2019ll be better off watching the ceremony from the roof of your house.\u201d<\/p>\n As he ran off, Kunal was left to contemplate those words.\u00a0 His brow furled as he watched the crowd filter through the streets.\u00a0 They bounced against each other, led like sheep by a royal shepherd.\u00a0 The man who had bumped into him was right.\u00a0 Against that tide, he would never have a satisfactory vantage.<\/p>\n No, what he needed was a pair of wings.<\/p>\n While the people of Lakmari bleated and made their way toward the palace, Kunal slipped around to the side of his house.\u00a0 That far north, each home sat tightly packed together.\u00a0 The young man could nearly extend both arms out wide and have a hand on each abode.\u00a0 But he was not content to merely touch the stone walls.<\/p>\n Without hesitation, he sprung against the side of his house and bounced off it.\u00a0 He shifted in the air and mimicked the action on his neighbor\u2019s home, rising with each hop.\u00a0 Before long, he hoisted himself to his wooden roof.<\/p>\n Kunal took a moment to steady his arms and legs.\u00a0 Though he had drawn no closer to the palace, the grand silver bell seemed somehow bigger.\u00a0 He could almost read the etchings on its side.\u00a0 As he scrutinized the oversized instrument, it rang out again, tilting forward toward the people that neared it.<\/p>\n The young man rose to his feet.\u00a0 It would not be long before the Gathering proceeded and the prince of Lakmari took to the stage to announce the selection.\u00a0 Clapping his hands together, he rid himself of the dirt on his palms.<\/p>\n He burst forward, quickly reaching a full sprint atop the slight slant of the roof.\u00a0 Before long, he reached the edge, though he did not begin to waver in his pace.\u00a0 He leapt out, pulling his legs in close as he crossed the gap between that house and the next.\u00a0 While the people below pressed against each other in a futile attempt to reach the palace, Kunal raced across rooftops, far outpacing them.\u00a0 Swinging around chimneys, leaping over laundry lines, and balancing across slanted eaves, Kunal moved in haste.\u00a0 Before long, he arrived at the last house before the pale gardens.<\/p>\n A sea of white marble stretched out before him, paths swirling this way and that toward the palace exterior.\u00a0 Between the paths, vibrant wildflowers grew among a verdant expanse.\u00a0 Leafy trees grew about here and there, offering some shade among the paths.\u00a0 No one dared traipse upon the flowers, though.<\/p>\n Kunal landed upon bent knee on the marble rail below and hopped down to the path.\u00a0 Briefly, he was among the crowd, sifting through them as they carried him like a tide toward their destination.\u00a0 Fighting against that momentum, he clambered to the rail on the opposite side.\u00a0 He could hear their concerned prattles.<\/p>\n \u201cNot my fault none of you lot thought of this,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n The citizens of Lakmari were so densely packed that many were forced to a halt, standing on their toes to peer past the crowd.\u00a0 The pale gardens opened up between two of the main paths, where a statue of their king, Drupad, stood embodied in marble upon a tall pedestal.\u00a0 Lowering his head, Kunal raced across the railing.<\/p>\n That uncommon action drew murmurs from the crowd as he passed, but the bell rang again, drowning out their confused whispers.\u00a0 The grand doors were opening.\u00a0 The ceremony was beginning.<\/p>\n Far ahead, where the marble paths converged, the citizens crowded together like too many reeds in a bundle.\u00a0 They began to rise from the throng, lifting themselves to the railing.\u00a0 Kunal was too late to reach that northernmost area of the pale gardens.<\/p>\n The young man dipped his head and charged forth upon the railing, leaping out over the forbidden wildflowers.\u00a0 Reaching up, he clung to one of the branches of the garden\u2019s sturdy trees.\u00a0 Kunal\u2019s fingers worked into the grooves of the bark, but he did not allow himself time to consider the sensation.\u00a0 Kicking forward, he flung himself over the flowers, landing upon the grass beyond.<\/p>\n As the adrenaline left his body at a gradual pace, a bright smile crept to his lips, framed neatly by his caramel-colored skin.\u00a0 He strode forward at his leisure, the statue of Drupad in his sights.\u00a0 A chorus of brass played in the distance upon the wall that housed the silver bell.\u00a0 That music hastened Kunal\u2019s step once more.<\/p>\n He reached the statue a moment later, clambering upon it.\u00a0 The pedestal stood a mite higher than he expected, eliciting a small grunt from the extra exertion.\u00a0 The trumpets and kombus ceased their song just as the young man rose to his feet, holding Drupad\u2019s burly biceps for balance.<\/p>\n A great cheer rose up, followed by a wave of applause.\u00a0 Ahead, the anticipated guest arrived upon the pavilion.\u00a0 A quartet of young maidens, their faces veiled in silk, preceded him.\u00a0 Those young, beautiful women seemed to float upon the marble pavilion, casting out handfuls of bright pink petals.\u00a0 Even from afar, that floral aroma was intoxicating.<\/p>\n Kunal focused on the closest girl, narrowing his eyes to cross the distance.\u00a0 She wore a jeweled headdress, a crystalline facet hanging just between her eyebrows.\u00a0 Her dark brown irises only appeared more enticing surrounded by the dark lines of black highlights.\u00a0 A single blink later, he was sure she had caught his stare.<\/p>\n Averting his eyes, Kunal instead looked upon the statue.\u00a0 Drupad\u2019s effigy was imposing, yet from his proximity, the young man felt it had lost some of its splendor.\u00a0 Standing upon the pedestal with the king, Kunal was only shorter by several inches.\u00a0 A glimmer upon the statue caught his eye then, and he focused on a golden fleck on Drupad\u2019s otherwise marble skin.\u00a0 Raising his arm, he extended his finger toward that queer flaw.<\/p>\n \u201cKunal!\u201d<\/p>\n He abruptly stopped and turned to the east, where he saw a cheerful face.\u00a0 Dark skin and round cheeks accentuated his friend\u2019s smile, which remained even as he hoisted his stout body over the railing.\u00a0 He landed upon the wildflowers, his sandals crushing a trio of them with no hope of survival.<\/p>\n \u201cParam,\u201d Kunal scolded.<\/p>\n Oblivious to those warnings, his friend traipsed over the flowers until he reached the grassy clearing.\u00a0 He ran as fast as his sandals would allow him, the footwear clapping loudly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got the best vantage in Lakmari,\u201d Param insisted.\u00a0 He reached the statue of Drupad and leaned against the pedestal.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps the king will bestow luck upon you and your family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d Kunal muttered.\u00a0 He barely registered his friend\u2019s words, for the celebrated guest, Prince Sazim, neared the altar.\u00a0 Two of his most trusted advisors followed behind him but ceased their advance as he took his first step upon the dais.\u00a0 A hush fell over the extensive audience, the sea of citizens looking upon their ruler for the latest great reveal.<\/p>\n Sazim\u2019s complexion was much lighter than many of his subjects.\u00a0 The sun seemed to catch upon his olive skin tone, leaving a luster upon him.\u00a0 A wide smile raised his thin beard and mustache, and he nodded at the few folk he made direct eye contact with.\u00a0 Finally, he raised his hand and took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople of Lakmari,\u201d he called out, his voice deceptively low and loud.\u00a0 \u201cThe time has come for another choosing!\u201d<\/p>\n Zeal spread through the vast crowd.\u00a0 Cheers and applause could be heard from anywhere in the city.\u00a0 It went on for some time, hands clapping together like the fluttering of a bee\u2019s wings.\u00a0 The prince beamed and shook his head as he considered that excited response.\u00a0 Following a laugh that went unheard, he raised his hand to silence the crowd once more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been \u2013\u201d He stopped, waiting for the final rambunctious citizens to quiet.\u00a0 \u201cIt has been two hundred and sixteen days since the last choosing \u2013 two hundred and sixteen days since Tarak Taran left our great city to set out and find his glory.\u201d\u00a0 He raised his hand again, ceasing any interruption before it could start.\u00a0 \u201cThis tradition has been in place for thirteen years, ever since my father, the great King Drupad, ventured to the far corners of the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n He gestured to his right, where the fair-skinned blonde advisor behind him stood.\u00a0 \u201cThe priestess Cascadia has seen the signs in the flames.\u00a0 It is time for another of us to be chosen, to make our way into the world.\u00a0 We follow in my father\u2019s footsteps, leaving the safety and beauty of our city behind.\u00a0 Out there, among the wilderness and foreign soil, life is waiting for us.\u00a0 We need only to reach out and grab it.<\/p>\n \u201cAs has become part of the tradition, the priestess will provide me with the sacred stone \u2013 the sign of who was already chosen that night in the flames\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Prince Sazim had a flair for the dramatic and an overly colorful way to describe a simple process, Kunal realized.\u00a0 As those words rolled on, the young man found himself drawn to the priestess.\u00a0 Her foreign graces captivated him.\u00a0 Golden hair fell upon porcelain skin, both shining in the sun\u2019s light.\u00a0 She glanced up at that distant statue, and their eyes met.\u00a0 Kunal attempted to avert his gaze but found he could not.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 and that is why it is my great honor and privilege to announce our newest champion and ambassador,\u201d Prince Sazim said, turning the stone over in his hand.\u00a0 \u201cKunal Johar!\u201d<\/p>\n Cascadia turned her attention to Lakmari\u2019s prince, and Kunal finally found the power to look away.\u00a0 The crowd burst into applause, and he felt Param\u2019s hand tap against his shin.\u00a0 With a furled brow, he watched as the people he lived beside turned about, looking upon him with great respect.\u00a0 His eyes widened as the prince\u2019s spoken words hit the correct resonance, landing softly in his ears.<\/p>\n \u201cAs is custom,\u201d Sazim went on, \u201cyou shall have the afternoon to spend with your friends and your family.\u00a0 At sunset, you will report to the palace.\u00a0 We will feast in your honor and prepare you for the road ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople of Lakmari, you have learned the great silver bell indicates the upcoming Gathering.\u00a0 It also indicates the loss of a citizen from our great city.\u00a0 While the chosen is honored by all of us, their absence stings to precious few.\u00a0 All who would remember Kunal and gaze upon his effigy can see him whenever they choose in the palace grounds.<\/p>\n \u201cThat concludes the twenty-third Gathering,\u201d Sazim spoke.\u00a0 \u201cWhile it ends for you and me, it is just beginning for Kunal Johar.\u00a0 If you see him in our streets, wish him well.\u00a0 Thank you.\u201d\u00a0 The prince bowed following his speech, inviting another round of applause.<\/p>\n Sazim\u2019s two advisors turned inward as he pivoted on his heel.\u00a0 While the prince began his return to the palace, the rest of Lakmari turned their attention toward the Gathering\u2019s chosen.\u00a0 Kunal watched as they set their gazes upon him, and he suddenly felt the weight of his mission.<\/p>\n He also felt a firm tug on his pant leg.\u00a0 Looking down, he saw Param there with a wide smile upon his face.\u00a0 \u201cBetter get out of here,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cOtherwise you\u2019ll spend your last day here listening to jealous folk say how happy they are for you.\u201d<\/p>\n With a nod, Kunal leapt down from the pedestal, his vision settling on the road to the south.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nPart One<\/strong><\/p>\n