BXBX NOVEL Chapter 405 404: Burial City Khanla
Kat PoV
The Burial City Khanla was situated on the same step of the Steppes as I was, and the path that led to it was a rather somber road.
Grasses and vegetation in general had been cut away from the gravel path, and every fifty feet sat a set of statues that were left on the side of the road, their bases engraved with epitaph that told of the person the statue was dedicated to.
The carved stone was pristine despite the conditions, thanks to the various runes that were hidden amongst the buried persons likeness.
Each statue was of that person kneeling and facing towards the city Khanla, in a posture of reverence and subservience to those buried inside the city itself.
The epitaphs read of their service to their Masters, Mistresses, Generals, Ministers, or Kings and Queens, listing off their achievements and how they would still serve even in death.
Around each of the statues were offerings to that person, flowers and baskets of food, all left untouched by the wilderness around us.
Each of the statues radiated mana that felt... old; not ancient, but old, sophisticated.
I had read a few of the epitaphs out of curiosity, but after the fifth they all seemed to read the same.
\'The valiant [entombed] has served faithfully in life, and shall now serve faithfully even in death\'
\'Their service at [location] under [someone] earned them [medals] and glories beyond physical reward\'
The pattern was there, and I just continued forwards, ignoring the statues as best I could as I walked down the quiet road lit by the small fires that burned inside the incense burners the statues held, emitting both light and cloyingly sweet incense.
Of course, I made sure to look behind me every once in awhile, not trusting anything after what I\'d been through, and thankfully these statues were only statues, not some kind of monster that took the shape of a statue and moved when you weren\'t looking.
My footsteps were silent as I walked down the long road to Khanla, the city appearing in the distance as I traversed the quiet road quickly.
No walls surrounded this city, leaving it a collection of buildings and temples dedicated to the dead open to all.
Temples stood at a maximum of three stories, each level enunciated by the pyramid like roof that splayed outwards, the tile an emerald green that contrasted the redwood walls.
The buildings were also made from redwood, but they had blue roof tiles, while their windows and doors were left open.
It looked traditionally asian in architecture, though instead of lions and dragons and other animals associated with luck or fortune, the city of Khanla had winged humanoid statues that looked like angels, their hands clasped in prayer as they faced the centermost temple, which had gold roof tile.
People dressed in plain red robes walked through the streets, talking quietly amongst themselves as they went about their business, while winged Birdkin dressed in lavish robes sauntered about, going to certain temples.
Stalls were set up along the main road, selling various snacks or incense for the worshippers to set out for their ancestors, while other vendors sold bouquets of flowers.
No one glanced my way as I entered the town, the people uncaring of how different I looked compared to the rest of them.
Those in the plain robes were wheat skinned Humans with slightly longer ears, but I couldn\'t feel enough mana from them to be Elves...
As for those in the lavish robes, they were certainly some kind of Birdkin, but I couldn\'t exactly tell what kind; what I did know was that they all had mana around my level, and they seemed rather arrogant, but not insufferably so...
Walking through the city, I looked around until I found a small building that emitted the scent of grilling meat, which I made my priority.
Carefully cutting through the crowded street, I entered the busy building and made my way towards the counter, where a woman stood with a smile, her wheat colored skin glowing in the candlelit restaurant.
"Greetings traveler! Are you looking for just a meal, or a meal and a bed?"
Long gold streaked black hair fell down her shoulders, and her robe did little to hide her curvy figure.
"How much for a meal and a bed for the night?"
She nodded at me, her smile widening as she said "2 Silvers, traveler! 3 Silvers if you wish for a companion to warm your bed tonight!"
Her cheery voice as she openly discussed having someone come to my room for sex made me raise a brow, confused by how a somber city like Khanla had a place like this...
Almost like she sensed that confusion, she chuckled before leaning forwards, placing an engraved medallion on the counter.
"Here. 2 Silvers for a meal and a bed. This is your first time in Khanla, right? If you want, I wouldn\'t mind showing you what makes Khanla special, traveler..."
She licked her lips as she slid the medallion closer, and I briefly read what was engraved on it.
\'Dual Practitioner Medallion; Worship through Flesh\'
"Just a meal and a bed please. I... Will be fine on my own."
The woman just shrugged as she took back the medallion and placed a separate one, this one reading \'Practitioner Medallion; Worship through Solitude\'
I placed 2 Silvers in her hand before moving to an empty table, sitting and staring at the medallion in my hands.
This was an interesting place, and I could feel the gazes of men and women landing on me from around the room, everyone nursing tankards filled with a reddish alcohol as they chatted amongst themselves, smiling and joking freely.
Admittedly, I was a little worried about the gap between the people inside and outside this building, but that wasn\'t something a few wards and spells couldn\'t fix when I reached my room - which I was certainly going to be searching for hidden entrances or the like.
This place just felt... weird.