4.Castoria

  Welcome to castoria National museum!Castoria is one of the oldest cities in Seust

  known for its many glittering cathedrals made of moissanite at one time in the new age of

  enlightenment. Seust is the motherland of faith as the evangelist Siya was said to have

  originated from our nation. Andy was in a group of people touring the museum, the walls

  eggshell white with numerous paintings and sculptures. Here we have our sculptures the

  tour guide pointed to the glass on the other side of which had a number of sculptures one of

  some famous clergy named Yosef and the most prominent Siya the stone statue was a tad

  taller than the others one hand was on her heart the other her arm outstretched the the

  back of her hand facing the onlooker had the index finger up the rest curled up. The face

  had a soft and welcoming look, large almond shaped eyes and hair stopped at her earlobes,

  her robe sparkled when the clouds moved past the sun.

  “The priest Yosef was quite famous in Seust; he spread the teaching of Siya of

  becoming closer to God through prayers and praise and finding the harmony and

  appreciation of the land . At this point Andy leaves the group taking a self tour guide device

  from a nearby wall and walks across a large congregation space to a dimly lit room. In it the

  artifacts and paintings were encased in glass bolted down to the walls and columns.

  Auwenzori collection read the sign overhead. Straight ahead of Andy on a back wall was a

  large tapestry made with black cloth and outline the blue stitching were mountains in the

  far right and at the top and a silver moon off center. Underneath was a large lake or small

  ocean with people fishing. Its long borders are decorated with snowflakes. This room was

  quite popular as many people were admiring the many paintings, busts, and artifacts. Andy,

  not fond of large crowds, turned to leave when a woman with dark brown hair pulled back

  approached and said.

  “Isn't wonderful? everything about Auwenzori is simply gorgeous don't you think? I’d love to

  visit sometime. well day hehe.”

  “Y-Yes” said Andy.

  “Well I've been there once before with my family on vacation”, an older man said.

  “Oh really,” the woman said.”I’m Cynthia by the way haha we just started chatting away.”

  “I’m Charles, Yeah it’s quite cold but the kids loved it especially the ice skating; we went

  when they had their freeze festival and man what a show they had acrobats and- “ The old

  man went on. which Andy gestured that she was leaving the conversation in which she

  didn't want to be a part of to begin with they both nodded and waved and continued on

  chatting. Upon exiting she took out the museum map and noticed across the hall a tall

  unkempt man, his long face covered with peach fuzz. He wore jeans and a green t-shirt, his

  eyes hollowed and red.

  “What the hell” she thought to herself.

  “Bailey, are you ready?” Shelly asked.

  “Yeah, I’m in the main hall,” said Bailey.” This plan is dumb Shelly, I doubt any smoke

  members are hanging out in a museum.”

  “I hear ya the police force here is just jacking with us.” said Ki.

  “No, think about it, most of the smoke members are found near or around places 18

  “Shelley come on- unless they're gonna steal some artifacts or somethin’ they're just

  keepin’ us busy.” said Bailey.” Oh I see someone she's wearing black just outside the

  Auwenzori exhibit.``

  “Ok” said Shelly.

  The rather gruff tall man made his way across the large hall and headed toward Andy, as

  she finished looking at her map and started walking toward her next destination. Finally

  what I wanted to see Boscage! Andy thought to herself. I'm gonna see Boscage with female

  warriors! Boscage.. I'm gonna see female warriors! yeah! she hummed softly to herself

  walking quickly to match her excitement. She gave a small gasp upon reaching the exhibit

  and a display of female warrior clothes in a large case. A skirt of eagle feathers and a

  golden breastplate adorned a mannequin holding a spear. Another wearing deer skin pants

  and a heavy crocodile skin cloak the small information posting read winter hunter.

  Andy held the audio tour guide to her ear and listened Boscage a land of warriors these

  clothes date back over 200 years a ago the outfit seen on the left made of feathers

  is a female outfit and was what was generally worn in the country.The right what

  men would wear during the winter months to hunt anything from snakes to

  jaguars.

  Andy moved further into the exhibit looking down into another glass case with a number of

  weapons from bow and arrows,spears,knives, even guns. The next thing that caught Andy’s

  eye was a large painting of a man in the winter hunter's clothes smiling slightly. Various

  animals from the jungle congregated on the left side of the painting and on the right the

  people of boscage with the sun shining down the middle on the man. Andy used the audio

  tour guide machine to scan and listen to Soren once king of a large portion of boscage

  by infighting a gaining power rallied a large army to increase Bocages land and

  invade seust in 2373 failed. After his loss he focused on his lands and laid the

  groundwork with his predecessors to establish a united tribal alliance and improve

  living and raise the economy of farming and weapon making to which they still

  lead to today with Zaria now number one in farming.

  “Man I never get tired of looking at this stuff” the tall gruff man who Andy had seen

  earlier who smelled surprisingly nice said.

  Andy gave a small smile.”

  “ I've been to boscage once because it's quite hot,” said the man.

  “Really” Andy said, her face lit up.

  “Yeah those people though can be quite serious, I took a tour of one of their

  weapons development labs. It's quite impressive. It's a far cry from the bows and arrows in

  here.” the man said.” the names Roy Bailey.”

  “I'm Andy, I've also heard that the further south you go or at certain ceremonies

  they still use somewhat primitive weapons. Their history and heritage is quite close to their

  hearts.”

  “Yeah even how they choose leadership is somewhat the same the chose the

  strongest and most capable and competent to represent a tribe but first the have a battle of

  strengths some think that's a little barbaric but I think the world would be better off with

  that way of doing things.skip the politics” said Bailey.

  “ I agree with you on that” said Andy. They both chuckle.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “So what brought you here?” Bailey asked.

  “I just like museums” Andy stated.

  Bailey paused searching his mind back to times bitterly forgotten before continuing. 19

  “Oh well perhaps you'd be interested in the story of Kalen and his descendants. Its

  something not mentioned here but is widely known in folklore on the ring and directly ties to

  Suestian culture.” Bailey said.

  Andy's eyes widened and voice cracked saying”yes” shaking her head out of

  embarrassment.

  “You saw that picture over there right of Soren?”

  Andy nodded.

  “Alright it goes like this: Once the war was over and Soren retreated into the deep

  forests of Boscage the outskrimishes were ravaged so badly those on the ring where few

  and far between and once again it seems that they would be pushed to brink of starvation

  an unheard of event in our time. Elementia in the average person can cause three days

  worth of food to be grown over the course of 3 days yet on a six day continuum they

  become exhausted especially without training or cultivation of some type. With technology

  still widely scorned they faced a significant crisis. Soren needing to pay recompense sought

  a way to make amends. Kalen, a chief near a volcanic land, had a solution. He and his

  people went to the base of the volcanic mountain and prayed using the elementia gene the

  volcano erupted yet no one was harmed and an abundance of rich soil was produced. They

  gifted the fertile land to those on the ring distributing it along the war torn border and

  shared there farming techniques. This gave rise to what they are known for today and the

  naturalists believers although in recent years they have become more extreme perhaps to a

  certain influence.”

  “Thank you for that everyone who lives on the ring largely has the same ideals no

  matter the bordering nation but to hear that story puts things in a different light and gives

  me hope, faith in humanity restored.” She cheesed. “And respect to those on the ring.The

  suestian history was a let down though when I first got here I was surprised to see that

  there still educating a lie”

  Bailey raised his eyebrow, coming a bit closer to Andy. “ Oh? How’d you figure?

  “ Ten years ago a researcher named Luna submitted her research and evidence of

  lost historical documents and references on a priest named Yoesf . That in fact Yoesf is a lie,

  a political figurehead of the time of Siya using faith for profit leading many astray and

  founder of one of the many mining corporations that lead to the construction of the gaudiest

  cites in Suest East bay.” Andy explained. “But while acknowledged not widely excepted

  especially not in precious Seust.”

  “You are right, such is the life of a scholar and researcher no matter what the truth

  is, if the almighty government doesn't accept it it stays buried.”

  “I guess you are one too?” Andy asked curiously.

  “I used to be,” Bailey said, looking around quickly, noticing someone ducking off to

  another gallery.Did I scare them off ? Bailey thought. I thought by talking to someone I

  could ear hustle elsewhere, perhaps the wrong approach. Looking down at Andy he gave a

  quick smile. Before becoming perplexed.

  Andys eyes flashed and flickered blue before saying.

  “May your days get better, not bitter sir.”

  “BAILEY COME IN BAILEY!” Bailey clutches his ear and turns away. Excuse me Andy,

  nice talking to you.

  “Yeah” said Andy softly. I saw a mournful embrace of elementia on that man. She

  thought to herself.

  “What is it, Shelly!?” said an agitated Bailey. 20

  “We’re over at the Auwenzori exhibit. Someone collapsed there and starting to turn

  smoke. Ki's taking her out of here before we raise a panic. The medics are on the way eta 3

  minutes. What about you, you find out anything.?” said Shelly.

  “Naw she was just a kid.” said Bailey. “Lets meet outside”. He turned back to gaze at

  Andy, clicking his teeth. Her scent I've smelled it somewhere he thought before trudging off.

  “Ok I’m just about done questioning people” said Shelly.

  Outside the museum, Shelly Ki and Bailey watch the ambulance take the women away.

  “Her name was Cynthia Swartz 38 years old from a neighboring city where I already

  notified the police to get in contact with any family members she may have any more

  information.” said Ki.

  “I questioned some people nearby who saw her collapse and said she was chatting

  with a man before she fell who left a few minutes before she fell over. As far as anyone

  could tell they were talking about art, nothing out of the ordinary.” said Shelly.

  “And whoever the guy was is probably long gone, but she didn't even ask for it to be

  turned into a crazy terrorist,” said Bailey.

  “Who would but this is a fairly new thing they're doing now making people like them.

  I'm going to go back to the station to see if there are any more reports of this.”said Ki.

  “All ways workin’ Ki come have a drink,” said Bailey.

  “And what did you accomplish Bailey?” Shelly said sarcastically.

  “Hey she looked like a troublemaker”, said Bailey.

  “Yeah sure su inútil “said Shelly waving as she turned away walking to the parking

  lot.

  “You know I don't know what you're saying!” Bailey called out to her.

  “Su estúpida”.

  Ki shook there head also heading after Shelly to the parking lot.

  It was dusk and Andy was walking toward the bus stop outside the museum when her

  phone rang. “Hello,” she said.

  “Ms.Danister, it's Major Gibbs office, we've got you a partner ready at 0800, you be

  meeting him at the branch office of Historical research, your captain will be there as well.” a

  man said.

  “Ok thank you sir” said Andy.

  After waiting for what seemed like hours the last bus came around to the museum. Which

  she boarded. As she sat, all she wanted to do was sleep. She lazily turned her head to look

  out the window across from her, the bus nearly full, shifting her body a little to see the city.

  Like Hollister the buildings were ingrained with pieces of Moissanite. Which barely shone,

  the buildings and churches were quite old, dark if not dirty looking with the setting sun. It

  seemed as though every other building was a historical landmark with so many plaques

  saying as such.

  I meet weird people no matter where I go, she thought, replaying her encounter with

  the old man-what was his name? Bailey!? she had met at the museum.

  What did he say as he left? “See that painting over there that's Kalen he's even more

  interesting than Soren” - hold on a second- he had stepped away from me -What!?... there's

  something about our encounter that sadness. Kalen….huh well whatever. Andy thought

  overthinking maybe what kills me on this assignment.

  The City suddenly became bright, a stark contrast from the historical district, there

  were many lights and screens. One said Welcome to Castoria downtown. There were many

  tvs and status boards one on every other building from news to advertisements. One that

  particularly caught Andy’s eye was a restaurant showcasing its pasta dish and decadent 21

  desserts. Many people hustled about on phones and holographic tablets in which their eyes

  were glued to Andy's amazement. She noticed a young man's holographic tablet telling him

  when to turn left and right as the bus waited at the light. Just as the bus rolled on the

  hologram displayed a flashing figure of a person in red making him stop and he nearly ran

  into someone else yammering away on their phone. At this Andy was no longer sleepy but

  intrigued and got off at the next stop. Joining the crowds of people moving nomadically

  along the streets.She slowly made her way through them catching irritated glances out the

  corner of people's eyes as she disrupted the flow. As she emerged on the other side,

  wiggling her body through the masses of people made her uncomfortable.

  Walking along the streets they were eerily clean, not even a black spot of dried out gum

  littered the pavement. She didn't notice at first but standing near a lamp post its light was

  green in fact all the white lights had a green hue to them. Upon closer inspection and

  unsure of why she hadn't noticed before, the town's reason for glowing and its neon colors

  and soft glowing hues were black lights . How strange and cool she thought to herself.

  Upon walking further down into the east side of downtown passing many people in a screen

  she found a small pub a tad different than the other building so far it had a large diamond in

  its roof at sparkled magnificently and had no green or blue glow like the other buildings;

  and surprisingly less busy than the other shops and no holographic screens or tvs plastered

  on its sides it was rather simple with a few tables and chairs outside it gated in and a green

  and white pinstriped awning to cover the outside seating. The heavy traffic and distracting

  lights and sounds attracted andy to go inside some light contemporary music played softly

  inside.

  It was like stepping into another world. It was normal, an old couple chatting over

  coffee in a booth window seat with a family of four enjoying a meal. A young teen, hair

  pulled to a bun atop her head and head band to keep her hair in place greeted andy with an

  infectious smile and said “Hello welcome to Corals! May your steps bless the earth, just

  one? “

  Andy replied “yes” and followed her to a table parallel to the window.

  Corals had a cozy feel with wooden floors and wooden booths and brown cushions and a

  pool table in the back which was somewhat odd to Andy. The ceiling cream colored with

  brown ceiling fans walls were half painted a dark green, the bottom half covered in

  orangish wooden polished planks.

  “What would you like to drink? “ said Ashley according to her name tag .

  Just a lemonade taking the menu handed to her.

  “Ok I’ll get that right out okay.”

  Andy nodded after taking a quick glance at the menu, the entrance bell rang where another

  couple, a girl and her mother, walked in.

  Hello, welcome to Corals! May your steps bless the earth! The waitress chimed again,

  seating them in a nearby booth.

  Ashley comes back and asks for Andys’ order.

  “I want the chicken alfredo and the potato soup.”

  “Alright and we've got some fresh bread you want to try some?

  “How much?” Andy said, eyebrows raised.

  “It’s free it's a new thing we're starting”

  “Oh, okay sure,” said Andy.

  She gazed out the window watching people come and go out of shops and clothing stores

  bewitched by the ever changing signs and tv screens posted up outside each one advertising 22

  their goods, one which particularly caught her eye was a high end shoe store displaying

  twenty percent off on heels and boots.

  Her trance was broken by her overhearing the mother asking her waiter and older

  gentleman about the town.

  “This place is nice, so different from the rest of Castoria I was beginning to think

  everyone in this town was pompous”. said the mother.

  “Thank you mam Yeah, sign of the times. I suppose the people of Castoria are

  looking to the future as well as the rest of the nation. Castoria has a rich history and was

  once its pride and the mining of jewels and minerals. But since the technology boom fifty

  years ago in the capital other cities have followed suit. There are a few of us left who

  remember what made this city great.” Ashley said.

  “Yes,” the mother continued. “We're from the outskirts of Seust. I can tell that people

  here don't care for God’s gift to us or Siya teachings.”

  “Have you been by the Historical district mam? You would really enjoy that”. Ashley

  asked.

  “No, we plan to go tomorrow,” said the mother.

  As their conversation ended Andy notices the boy she saw a few days ago from the train out

  the window looking upset about something stomping to the west Andy assumed to be the

  bus stop from which she also came. Looking up into the corner there was a TV on a news

  station the anchor began to say ….. Now here's some cool news for you guys at home Oldin

  Industries is having their unveiling tomorrow of a new line of products and a big

  announcement about the future of Oldin diamond products….

  “Ahh! Hell! turn that shit off Tony! “said the old man sitting in the booth with his wife

  who gave a sigh.

  “Alright old man” said Tony leaving the mother and daughter to grab a remote from

  behind the bar.

  “ Always with that shit talkin’ about the future of Seust diamond technology! waving

  his hand in the air. Brainwashin’ these kids do not take a shit unless a goddamn screen tells

  them to!”

  At this Andy let out a soft chuckle.

  “Alright Larry don’t start,” said a man in the back playing pool. Another man trying

  not to snicker next to him with a pool stick in his hand.

  The mother chimed in “ What the deal with that anyway I mean everybody here seems like

  got a holo-tablet, we live out in the boonies so I’ve only heard of them. But golly people

  here treat them like it’s the right hand of Jesus.”

  The woman's daughter, who also ordered chicken alfredo, put in a mouth full

  knowing to keep her mouth closed and enjoy this drawn out conversation.

  “Oldin Diamond industries has been at the forefront of innovation and technology

  advances second only to boscage weapons development industries. Since about forty years

  back and are one of the few companies still able to use diamonds in their research to a

  limited degree.” said Larry.

  “Oh yes the mining industry is almost non existent and they pay good money if

  you're lucky enough to get the job, dangerous though they mine further out than where we

  stay the military force lives near the border to many beasts and smoke of course but that's

  one thing we can credit them for we are the safest nation. in all Elencia. “ said the mother.

  “My cousin works in the mines, he trains to develop his elementia genes 3 times a

  week with him and the other miners. He says the military is good but they can't be

  everywhere all the time.” said the pool man. proud the jewel still shines brightly on the place.”

  “Thanks, it's about the only real thing around here. I heard some of the jewels and

  stones around here are just glass.

  “Oh hush up” the mother said” That cant be true”

  “You’d be surprised mam especially in parts of the lower city.”the pool man said.

  The mother let out a shocked breath.

  Resisting the urge to stay and listen to more chatter andy gets up to leave paying

  her bill.Taking the bus back to the small base in the older and poorer parts of town coming

  down a hill into lower Castoria the shops and facilities did not sparkle or shine like the rest

  of Castoria although dark Andy could just see a small sparkle from the moonlight upon a

  church before a clouds washed over the moon. She let out a small sigh and thought to

  herself work tomorrow. She looked out to the back of the bus watching the shimmering

  lights and glowing jewels become farther away as the bus rolled on to lower city. Taking her