Part Three: Carbon Terra


    CHAPTER 30 – THE EPITAPH ROAD


    One mishap and you just had a bad day. A couple of mishaps in a row and you can start to string along a pattern. Mitakahn looked back on every time his life became more complicated and tried to find a trend. His expulsion from the academy, tampering with the cor, the berserker attack, the trial; every time he was trying to do the same thing… push the limit on reality. Mitakahn felt like he was subconsciously forcing himself to get out and see the world. Was he guilty of his own exile? The prince did not want to admit he was getting away from the very same kingdom he was trying to save. He did not want to admit it because he knew it not to be true. He carried on because this was the only way.


    It was midday before he took his first break. He wanted to get some distance between himself and Zepathorum. It was bad enough that he had to avoid stepping onto the wrong side of the road; he did not want people to see him lingering around. Mitakahn had a long path ahead of him. That much was clear. So, he walked while he thought it out. He considered all of his options. Anilithyìstad told him before he left, that there was always a place waiting for him at Metuchen shores with the rest of his family. But Mitakahn knew deep down that his mother’s home was not his destination. His destination was the libraries of Epitaph City, more importantly Demascus.


    Forward motion meant catching up with Excelsior and Orion, but he had no idea how far they had gotten in their quest to rally the troops. When it came down to it, he did not know where they would be, which proved troublesome. Thankfully, for right now the navigation was easy, a simple choice, go east, because there was no other way. Mitakahn had to be careful to remain on the road and could not cut any corners.


    This strict guideline was because he was still walking the perimeter of the Serengeti, and his court sentence did not permit him to walk on native soil anymore. This combined with the refusal of a mount or going north to Axion meant Mitakahn now faced a prolonged amount of time traveling by foot. He tried to ignore the fact that it was, what seemed like, an endless path ahead of him, and concentrated on the bluish-gray stones beneath his feet.


    One step at a time.


    In creation, the stones might have been flawless, but now, after the decay of nature through time, the corners were round, there were cracks riddled throughout, and small chunks missing every so often. Mitakahn examined the discrepancies and blemishes for patterns. It made the long hours pass by. After a while he could swear that he was reading messages in the roadstone. Thankfully today, his first day of exile, was soon ending. So, he picked out a spot on the northern side of the road and began to build a shelter. He was excited to get that portion of his day out of the way. Finally, he had the time in the sunlight to read the Carbon Terra chapter in the mandrake chronicle. The couple of pages of text that have been eluding him since before the trial were now on the agenda of an otherwise quiet day. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    There were many small towns on the Serengeti side of the road he could spot from a distance, but none really that were right beside the road. Mitakahn had picked a spot in between such towns, careful not to catch any unwanted attention. The northern side of the road was relatively clear of any townships. Mitakahn had packed essential tools and equipment in his bag, the first of which he was pulling out to set up his shelter.


    He put a tent consisting of furs and poles together quickly, his new home. He also pulled from his pack a stick of flint and a pouch of wool. Mitakahn created a fire ring of rocks in front of his tent and went on a hunt for some firewood. When he returned from his hike, the sun was approaching the horizon. Mitakahn set the wood inside the fire pit, took out some wool from the pouch, and placed it systematically between the wood. With his father’s hunting knife and the stick of flint Mitakahn cracked a spark, which fell onto the wool, lighting the wool aflame and gradually lit the wood inside the fire pit.


    After some time sitting between his tent and the fire Mitakahn found himself getting a little hungry. He could hunt, he could set a snare, but he was already tired and feeling rather lethargic, so he pulled a piece of dried roast from his pack and nibbled on that. Mitakahn slid his pack behind him and took out the chronicle flipping through to the Carbon Terra chapter he had been so eagerly anticipating since he started this crazy pursuit. Mitakahn hoped for answers this time. He lifted the book up for deep examination.


    MACHINATIONS – CANINE KINGDOM


    Carbon Terra Description Properties Origin Sources


    Mitakahn thought it would be best to start at the beginning. The description made it sound like a giant diamond. He knew from common knowledge that it was considered to be worth millions. Its properties were mostly unproven claims of prosperity, an item that garnered affluence and wealth. This artifact was the quintessential definition of a hidden treasure. There were other secondary properties. They mentioned abilities like using it as a window to the future or a gateway to the heavens. Everything was folklore, mere speculation.


    If Mitakahn wanted to know for sure what it was and how it was involved with his vision he had to consult the origin page. He began to read it ‘…the Carbon Terra was one of Quarrel’s Plunders, one of the god-stones collected by the warlocks. The god-stones had a name according to the common folk, known throughout the kingdoms as the Incapsulate Impernums. These gems were some of the most famous treasures of their age due to the rumors of their origin. According to the elders of the ancient tribes these jewels were divinity incarnate, meaning they were the very-’


    Before Mitakahn could continue, he saw someone approaching his camp from behind the open book. In the time it took to read one section of the chronicle Mitakahn risked dropping his guard, not thinking anything of it. A decision he would soon regret. It was foolish to think that the road near his home would be devoid of trouble.