Page 73 of Sins of His Wrath

A sudden gust of hot wind swept through the ruins, bringing with it a swirl of sand that stung Naya's skin. She shielded her eyes, looking out over the golden sand beyond the boulders, her body tense. She couldn’t feel any magic nearby.

“You are safe.”

She turned to see Akoro looking at her.

He gestured to several large boulders positioned around the perimeter of the ruins. Each was deeply veined with glowing blue lines, pulsing with quiet energy. "There are more than usual number ofnnin-boulders here. You are safe.”

She nodded. His assurance did settled something restless inside her. Despite everything, she did feel safe with him—at least from external threats.

"Come," he said, turning toward a partial staircase that led up to a raised platform. “Watch your footing.”

Naya followed him, careful of her footing on the crumbling steps. The stone was warm beneath her palms as she steadied herself, climbing higher until they reached a broad platform overlooking the sprawl of ruins.

Akoro moved to the edge, gazing out over the landscape with a distant expression. “Our history is vast," he said. "Our historians have identified seven phases that determine how we came to this point—how we impacted the Sands and magic, and how they impacted us. Each question you ask will unravel more questions.” He glanced at her. “It’s not designed to impede or confuse you, I’m just warning you how it is, why others have failed….”

He crouched to examine a fragment of carved stone at his feet. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands before looking up at her. “So what do you want to know?”

Naya sighed, moving to stand beside him. She crouched down as well, her shoulder nearly brushing his as she peered at the stone fragment. It bore an intricate pattern—geometric shapes intertwined with flowing, organic forms. "All right," she said. "Tell me about this region before the wild magic came. What was it like?"

Akoro's fingers traced the pattern on the stone. "The region of Tsashokra was vast—far larger than what you saw from the sand drift," he said. "You saw the map. It includes many deserts and Sands."

"A desert empire," Naya murmured.

"Not entirely desert," Akoro said. "There were rivers and lakes, fertile valleys between the dunes. The Sands were hostile, yes, but we learned to thrive with them, not despite them." He set down the stone fragment and rose.

Naya did the same. "And this city—Onn Kkulma—was it always the center?"

“Yes.”

"How many cities were there in Tsashokra?"

"Twelve major cities and countless smaller settlements," Akoro replied. "Onn Kkulma was the largest, but each was significant in its own way."

"And they all fell? Because of the wild magic?"

"Yes. Be careful here." Akoro guided her across a narrow stretch of broken masonry. "It was the jewel of Tsashokra, the capital where advancement was made in art, music, fashion, and particularly magic." His eyes gleamed with unexpected passion as he spoke, a fierce pride suffusing his features. "The most powerful dynasties ruled from here."

"Dynasties?" Naya asked, stepping carefully over a fallen column. "Like royal families?"

"Not exactly." Akoro climbed up onto a larger broken pillar, extending an arm to help her up after him. "A Dynasty is when successions of people from the same family play prominent roles in the region. Not all were rulers—some were scholars, others were merchants or warriors. But they held the most influence, the most wealth, the most power, accumulated through generations."

Perched on the pillar, they had a broader view of the ruined landscape. "The Sy Dynasty, my family, ruled alongside the Vos and Qor Dynasties. We were the ruling dynasties of Tsashokra—a Tri-Dynasy—three families sharing power and responsibility for the region."

Naya settled more comfortably on the pillar. Their shoulders touched, and she was acutely aware of the warmth radiating from him, the subtle shift of muscle beneath the fabric of his garments.

"Was it peaceful?" she asked. "This sharing of power?"

"Not always. There were... disagreements. But the balance worked in what is now called the Golden Age of the region. Each dynasty had its strengths. The Qor developed and oversaw the military and controlled much of how others maintained their power. The Vos were brilliant architects and craftsmen—many of these buildings were their designs. They also secured land for agriculture. And the Sy were specialist merchants, trade of luxury goods, precious metals and gemstones within and beyond Tsashokra's borders. "

"So warriors, land, and precious materials," Naya said dryly. "No wonder why you were the most powerful."

Akoro made a noise in the back of his throat and hesitated.

They walked among the ruins, the wind swirling sand around their ankles, and Naya waited for him to speak.

“The Sy were also magical innovators,” he said finally. “They drove the advancement of magical understanding and application within the city."

Naya looked at him in surprised. “They were responsible for the magic? Just your dynasty?”

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