Chapter 20 — The Evangelion Mountains and the City of Estes
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Kael Grenfort:
Time — how quickly it passes, right?
How long has it been since we set out on our journey? I don't know. I've lost count. Days blended into weeks, weeks into — no, not months, I corrected myself. And now — here we are, just two days left until we reach the city of Estes.
And there it is — Evangelion — staring back at us.
I looked out the window and caught my breath.
A mountain.
Perhaps the word "mountain" isn't enough. This is a wall. This is a colossal shield placed between heaven and earth. It occupies half the horizon, pierces through the clouds, its snow-covered peak giving the impression of floating in the sky. Sunlight plays across its slopes, turning the snow into gold. Above it — clouds, wrapped around its summit like a crown.
Evangelion.
Larger than I imagined. More majestic than any mountain described in the books I'd read. Even in my past life, I had never seen anything like this. The Alps? Yes, they are beautiful. But this — this is different. This mountain seems to have its own spirit. It looks at you and says, "You are small." And it speaks the truth.
"Look at that," I said to myself. "Time really has flown by."
Just two days left.
The mountain is visible now. This colossal giant — Evangelion. It's larger than I thought. Honestly, I had read about it in books, but seeing it with one's own eyes — that's completely different.
Another two days on the road. Calculating — carriages move at an average speed of 5-8 kilometers per hour. Taking an average of 6.5… no, we're moving faster now because the desert road was flat. But as we approach the mountain's foothills, the road worsens, the animals tire faster, stops and rests become more frequent. Approximately 55-60 kilometers left.
If only we had a car… we would have been there in an hour.
Ahhhh.
"What are you thinking about, Kael?"
Sedric's voice pulled me from my thoughts. He had closed his book and was looking at me.
"Nothing, Father. Just thinking about how much road is left."
"Yes, you must be bored. We'll stop there for a day. They say the native inhabitants here are the mountain elves."
"Hmm…" I said thoughtfully. "So, in a way, they are close to you and me?" I thought, tilting my head and furrowing my brow.
Sedric glanced at me, then chuckled.
"Yes, close to me. Your ears are human-like — you take after your mother. I don't know how close you are to the elves yourself."
"Hmm, is that so?" I said sarcastically, in a slow tone.
"Yes, that's so," he said, waving his hand.
Ahhhh. There he goes again. Joker Sedric.
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One day later.
We reached the foot of the mountain.
Now it was visible up close. And it was — terrifying.
The peak of Evangelion pierced through the clouds, its head wrapped in snow, as if wearing the world's highest crown. Around it — smaller peaks, like children beside a giant, like loyal dogs watching their master. They stood in formation at the mountain's base, covered in snow and ice, some with small waterfalls formed by melting snow on their slopes.
The mountain itself — resembled the sleeping body of some ancient god. Its ribs — the cliffs, its veins — the rivers, its breath — the wind.
"Ugh, I'm bored," I sighed. "Every day is so dull."
"Don't sigh too much, it's bad for you," Sedric said, looking at his book.
"Hmm… what will happen?"
He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, paused for a moment, then returned to his book.
"Fine, fine, hmmmphh!!!" I said, wrinkling my face and looking out the window.
Where did this boredom come from? I never used to be bored. I could sit in one place for hours, for days. No problem. Now — I'm bored to death.
Yes, it's clear now. This boredom — I think it's somehow related to hormones. As one grows, hormones change, and behavior changes.
In childhood, they say "sitting still is torture." Now I'm beginning to understand.
Aghhh, damn it.
---
Toward evening.
"Oh, the city is coming into view," Sedric said.
I stuck my head out of the carriage window. I looked around — far in the distance, at the foot of a smaller mountain, a settlement appeared.
"Well, well, let me see? Where? I don't see it," I said.
"There," he said, pointing to the other side.
We were passing by the Evangelion peak. At its foot — small, like a toy — lay a city. Walls, houses, towers.
"Yes, I see it. But isn't it small?"
"Yes, it looks small from here. But it's at least ten times larger than our town."
I was amazed. It was hard to believe his words — from here, the city looked tiny enough to fit in a single glance. But Sedric wouldn't lie.
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At the city gates.
We stopped.
I looked out the window — no, that's wrong, I was looking up at the top of the city wall. And my mouth fell open.
Damn.
I hadn't expected this. Honestly, I never imagined such large walls.
Walls at least twenty meters high. Thick, ancient, built of black stone. Guards on top — tiny, like ants — looking down from above. Carvings on the surface of the walls — some ancient symbols, faded crests.
Why do almost all cities have walls? And this large?
I knew the answer. The world is dangerous. Even within the empire.
My mouth still open, staring upward.
Okay, pull yourself together. It's just a wall. Just that.
---
Inside, strange noises were heard. We were at the front of the caravan, so we saw and heard everything first.
Strange sounds from behind the gates — the clanging of metal, the rumble of wheels, the shouts of people.
And suddenly — the city gates began to open.
The loud sound of powerful mechanical wheels pounded against our eardrums. Grrrrrrr… clank… clank… grrrrrr… The gates opened slowly, solemnly, as if waking from a thousand-year slumber.
Behind them — the city.
Not yet visible. Only darkness. But the smells — bread, spices, animals, and something — foreignness.
The caravan began to enter. The carriages ahead, one by one, like ants before an elephant — or, to use another comparison, like a column of ants carrying goods to their nest.
"Here we are," Sedric said, closing his book.
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Estes — The City of the Mountain Elves.
We entered.
And would you believe it — inside, there was nothing particularly strange.
Except…
Everything was strange.
Streets — wide, paved with stone, lined with two- and three-story houses. The walls of the houses were stone, the roofs covered with red tiles. Some houses had small gardens in front, with flowers and trees.
The people — they were all kinds. Some were short, with short legs, long arms, and wrinkled faces. "Eee… more dark elves?" I thought. Their skin was dark, their eyes large, their ears even longer than those of ordinary elves.
Another group — they looked like humans, but instead of ears, they had horns. Small, tiny, on their foreheads. They were talking, laughing, trading with other people.
And then — a creature. It walked on two legs, wore clothes, but its face — resembled that of a dog. A long snout, yellow eyes. It was haggling with a merchant.
WTF?
Everything is strange.
I looked around in amazement. My eyes were wide open. My mouth still hadn't closed.
Sedric looked at me and laughed.
"First time, huh?"
"Yes… first time," I said. My voice came out strange — a mix of surprise and fear.
"You'll get used to it. Everyone here is like that."
"Everyone?!" I said. "Even the dog-faced people?!"
"Those are the Kinarians. Merchants from the south. Good people, don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid," I said quickly. "Just… unexpected."
Sedric laughed again.
The carriage moved slowly. I stuck my head out the window and studied the surroundings.
Kinarians. Mountain elves. Dark elves. And who else?
How vast this world is? How many diverse beings live here?
And I… what am I before them?
Small. Very small.
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