Days

Despite the amount of time they had been traveling, Fulcher could hardly contain his staring as he walked alongside the parasaur, the gentle creature trumpeting from time to time as they made their way across the dunes. Finally, Schon found the bravery to speak.

“So what is that?” asked Schon.

“It's a parasaur,” Fulcher said. The Chronomancer looked down at him with a raised brow.

“Parasaur?” he asked. “I did not know such beasts roamed the northern lands. In my home we call them Ixilongo, or Ixis.”

“I've heard of them before, but not by the name The Prince used,” Vardia admitted from the wagon. “I also was taught that they all were wiped out with the rest of the thunder lizards millenia ago.”

“Wiped out?!” Akaj said from the back of the wagon. “You're telling me this is one of your last ones? But the thunder lizards were so fun! I was hoping to have a flank of their meat when I visited the Ubukhazikhazi!”

“You will be pleasantly surprised Flame Prince,” the robed man said. “For we have cultivated our own population. Though they do not naturally walk this world any longer, She is still blessed with their presence.”

“But how?” Fulcher asked.

“Through rituals and tradition, we chronomancers can call upon the sands of time themselves to bend reality as we know it. Our hunters roam the jungles of the distant past for any of these beasts that may be taken from their natural time. When one is found? It is brought into the herd and trained as a beast of burden, bred with the others, or used as food. And so a stable population is maintained,” the Chronomancer explained.

“But if you remove something from the past…” Schon began, “Wouldn’t that change history? Isn’t that dangerous?” The Chronomancer turned with a smile.

“Why, we only take beasts that have fallen ill to disease or have become trapped in some natural process. This Ixi here stumbled into a tarpit, and was pulled out of it and brought into the fold. If we had not saved it, it would have simply become consumed by the bogs,” he explained. “So do not worry Flame Prince. We will have plenty of flank for you to try in the city.” Akaj kicked his feet up on the wagon and relaxed with a sigh. 

“Wonderful,” he muttered as he dozed off.

“But how long will we have to travel?” Fulcher asked. “We are low on supplies, and I don’t know if we can afford to stop and hunt whenever we run out of water.” The robed man turned forward and raised his hand.

“I recommend you close your eyes, northern prince,” he said. Fulcher and Schon looked at each other and did as instructed, Schon also reaching a hand over to cover Vardia's visor. Fulcher felt a swirling around his entire form and suddenly, the sand lobster he had tried did not agree with him. His eyes opened as he leaned over the side of the wagon, expelling the contents of his stomach upon the ground.

“I see time magic does not sit well with the northman's stomach?” the man said.

“Magic?” Fulcher coughed, “What magic?” He looked up at what was once endless desert. Now a sprawling jungle lay before his eyes, hugging the coastline of a great sea. The coast was filled with palms and ferns, and he saw city of red clay walls which took up most of the horizon. Other robed figures now traveled with them, figures that had not been present just a moment before.

“What… what happened?” Fulcher asked.

“I made the journey much more bearable for you,” The Chronomancer said as the parasaur lumbered forward. “A simple binding spell, freezing time within your body as you slumbered. Now you needn’t worry about water. Welcome to Ubukhazikhazi.”

As they approached the city gate, there was the distinct sound of drums. As the rhythm marched on the gate crawled open, revealing the inner huts and structures that surrounded the outside wall. In stark contrast to the desolate dunes behind them, the city thrummed with life as citizens and craftsmen moved through the streets. Rhythmic music and whining strings could be heard echoing from the streets beyond his view, as Fulcher looked around at the epicenter of a culture he could have never experienced beforehand. Small two-legged dinosaurs darted about the streets, picking its scraps and nibbling at ankles as they screeched at whatever tried to grab them. Trees and bushes dotted the streets with the occasional plot of land seemingly dedicated to the cultivation of the plants. They even passed over a flowing river which the citizenry gathered around to drink from. Schon stirred in the cart next to him and became startled at the sudden change of scenery, shaking Vardia awake until he too was captivated by the city around them.

“It's so much bigger than The Capital,” Schon said.

“Yes, and with so much more humanity,” Fulcher said. Joy permeated the air around them, unlike the dull shuffling the citizens of Fulcher’s home tended to do.

“Where did you get all the material to build all of this? The clay? The wood and thatch? The trees outside the walls looked untouched,” Fulcher asked. The Chronomancer waved his hand dismissively as the parasaur parted the crowds.

“They come from the same place we get the thunder lizards from,” he said simply. They passed through an inner wall and into a marketplace with bustling merchants and rolling stalls. The smell of hot and spiced food wafted across the group, drawing Akaj from his nap and causing Arrow’s nose to start sniffing. Somewhere deep in the market, Fulcher saw the lumbering form of a young brontosaurus, carrying supplies on its sides. Further still were additional parasaurs trumpeting and calling in response to the music from the outer ring.

“This place is amazing,” Fulcher muttered. Finally, they passed through the inner wall, revealing a grand palace of red clay with golden flakes. Each wall was decorated with colored tiles depicting great scenes of combat, cultivation and culture.

Whoever these people are and whatever they believe in, Fulcher thought, I want them on my side. Guards armored in green leathers and scales dipped their heads in greeting as The Chronomancer made his way through numerous checkpoints unfettered. Fulcher leaned over to Akaj.

“Are these robed guys important?” he asked.

“Do you know what chronomancer means My Prince?” he asked with a yawn. Fulcher shook his head.

“It means time magic, specifically someone that can wield it. To say these shaman are important is an understatement. It is a volatile magic that few can learn,” he explained. The beating of drums accompanied their arrival at a grand set of stairs where a servant at the top looked down at the group. He vanished from sight as The Chronomancer slipped off his saddle. A moment later the servant returned, calling out to all those below.

“Expose your hearts and draw your eyes above, for our King is to make an appearance!”