After weeks of lonely training in the Eastern mountains, Kael finally reached the doors of Tebai. The dry wind was sweeping the streets of stone, taking with it the whispers of a city in tension. As soon as he arrived, he felt that something was wrong. The guards, more numerous than reason, monitored each alley. People were walking their eyes lowered, avoiding any contact.
Kael entered a filthy tavern with cracked walls. It was the only place still lively. Behind the counter, a young woman was distracted a drink, with tired but proud air. Her name was Elia.
In a dark corner, sprawled on a chair, a man laughed loudly while overthrowing his bottle: ruffled black hair, lively look despite the alcohol, and a strange aura around him. It was Thalos, a regular at the place.
"Are you looking for something, a foreigner?" Said Elia without looking up.
Kael nodded.
- "A world map. I'm looking for revenge. I am no longer afraid of anything because I have nothing more to lose."
The tavern froze. Heavy silence fell. Thalos slowly turned his head towards him, a mocking smile on the lips.
- "Do you want to go to Babylon? The howling city? Either are you crazy, or are you already dead inside."
- "You are not allowed to judge someone like me," replied Kael calmly.
- "And you, you know nothing about this world."
Kael clenched his fists.
- "Why are you going badly this girl? She didn't do anything to you."
Thalos rushed, crossing the room in a fraction of a second. His fist struck Kael at dazzling speed. Everything became black.
---
Kael opened his eyes on an unknown ceiling. Bandages covered his forehead. Elia was sitting next to him.
- "You are lucky that I am there. Thalos strikes hard, even when he has drunk."
Kael grima.
-"Who exactly is it?"
-"An elder from the church ... The church where he grew up. He remains much of it. King Zethar had almost all the members arrested. Thalos has never forgiven."
Kael frowned. This name resonated with a certain heaviness. Zethar, the King of Tebai, a man whose magic power competed with legends. It was said that he was handling celestial lightning and that his anger could reduce an ashes mountain.
Elia continued in a low voice.
- "Did you talk about revenge. Against?"
Kael looked away.
- "Against the one who destroyed my family. Belzébuth. The King of Babylon."
Thalos, leaning against the door, burst out laughing.
- "You have ambition, kid. But you don't have the strength. Do you think you can face such a monster with pretty speeches?"
Kael did not answer. He thought of his father, his stories of the old days ... Legends on a dead god who was traveling with a shadow creature. Nyra, the shadow fox. There was a fresco in Tebai representing this same beast, formerly adored as a divinity.
- "Nyra ... It was said that she accompanied the elected officials in their quest for truth," whispered Kael.
- "Do you think in stories? Are you going to be killed, poet," launched Thalos.
But Elia, silent so far, approached and put a hand on Kael's shoulder.
-"Maybe he came to wake up what Tebai forgot"