Every Little Memory

Entry #29: Electric Lime

There are legends about Crimson Hold in Fen that live on well into the present. Are they true? That’s anyone’s guess. It depends on how believable you find the tales. I was told the legend from my grandfather, as it was custom to pass down knowledge from one generation to the next. However, there are no primary sources to tell fact from fiction, as anyone who lived or worked at the keep has been long dead. What we know for sure is that it used to be an enormous fortress with a courtyard big enough to function as a small town. Everyone within this ‘town’ served a lord in exchange for a safe place to live.

That’s about the extent of our knowledge. The rest of the legend is just tales that have yet to be proven true, as no one is brave enough to venture into Talyyn and explore the ruins of Crimson Hold. Legend tells that the ruler of Talyyn used to live there and the hold functioned as his base of operation. From what I observed in the memories, that person must be Kain. The legends say that the ruler of Talyyn had strange, unnatural abilities that set him apart from other ‘demons’. He was said to rule with an iron fist, and any who disobeyed him faced grievous consequences. It was thought that no one could hope to best him.

Kain certainly matches that description, though he seems too gentle to be as fearsome as the legends say. Of course, stories are sometimes exaggerated to make things more exciting, but I do not underestimate Kain’s abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him display his true power yet. I wonder how Crimson Hold fell into ruins with someone as powerful as Kain holding the reins? I hope the memories will reveal the truth.

I stare up at the gigantic fortress that makes the one at Dragon’s Maw look like a small hut. The entire stone fortress has long ramparts that seem to stretch for miles. I can’t see anything behind the lofty stone wall that covers the perimeter of the land, but it’s hard to miss the tall spires that seem to extend into the sky. Everything is made of the same black obsidian stone that Mynervus had. Blood red banners hang from the gate house, the ramparts, and the castle towers. It is night time, so the entire citadel is illuminated by burning pyres and hanging torches.

Kaiya and Kain have finally made it to their destination, Crimson Hold. The core of power in Talyyn. Kaiya seems just as amazed as I am. They both have removed their hoods, as it is now safe to show their faces. The lupine’s amber eyes are wide and her mouth is on the verge of hanging open.

“You live here?” she breathes, taking it all in.

Kain chuckles. “Yes, I live here. And you will too,” he says as he steps close to the gigantic iron gate.

Kaiya seems a little unhappy about that thought, as her eyes drift back to that empty expression they held before. To her, this must be like living in a cage, with these towering walls. She has a free spirit that hates to be contained. I wonder how she’ll do here?

She silently follows him to the gate, as if she were nothing but his shadow. Two serpent-like guards nod at Kain, respectfully saying, “Welcome back, mi’lord.”

The one on the left signals up to the gatehouse, and moments later the giant doors slowly rumble open. Since it is night time, the courtyard is empty. There are buildings all over it. They are simple wooden dwellings, but they look rather cozy. There are carriages parked near the wall, along with barrels, crates, and rucksacks. The cobblestone path in the center of the courtyard leads up to the enormous palace. A fountain in the middle of the road adds a bit of decoration to the place.

I see the shadows move beside Kain and Kaiya, and someone holding a torch steps out into the path. This woman has electric green eyes that seem to glow in the dark. They look like a reptile’s eyes, cold and sinister, although she doesn’t seem very threatening. In fact, her eyes display flat boredom or maybe just no emotion at all.