Burzin the mighty Shah

Burzin was the king, or as the Sassans said, shah of the Qajar Shahdom. It was the mightiest of realms on Isra, the homeworld of the djinns. There were many nations and countries on Isra, that were predominantly inhabited by sassanids and not djinns. These were the ancestors of colonial immigrants that had moved from the sassan world, centuries back.

His flying fortress, known as the Iron Feather, had been built as a blessing by one of the gods of the Sassan heaven, Xerxes. The gravity vessel was at least the size of numerous villages and towns and housed around thirty thousand beings, of which not all were even soldiers or warriors. Inside the Iron Feather was an entire community of Sassanids who lived their lives as part of the massive vessel. Engineers and carpenters fixed parts of the ships, while fishermen who flew on gravity ships caught flying fish that flew in the universe.

There wasn't much free space inside the actual fortress as it was built extremely tight, with stone bridges connecting one building to the next. The architecture was of Sassan style, with arches and columns holding the structures together. Every single brick that was placed onto a building had a part of a carving, and when placed together and looked at all at once, it showed an entire image depicting soldiers, divine beasts, or of daily Sassanid life.

"We are not in Sofia anymore..." Edward pointed out as everything seemed grander and greater.

Sassan people dressed in tunics and the more colorful the clothing, the more wealth and status you had. They had placed jewellry on their beaks and rings on their talons. The female sassans dressed in fine dresses and wore jewellry utop their head.

~~

"We have been asked to join Shah Burzin's feast tonight. I think it could be a fine change of pace to just rest this day on a bed instead of a hammock," Doreen explained.

"Just when I got used to them..." Edward sneered.

"I think I won't be joining," Suomi said.

"Why not?" Rufus asked.

"Trust me. It is better this way."

~~

Shah Bouzid had two residences. One on his flying fortress, the other in his capital of Ctesiphon. During the evening, they were escorted by Sassan warriors that wore ornate armor and possessed strength equal to that of the Knights of the Black Sun or the Ghersengs.

"Thank god this guy is nice," Joan noted as everyone around them felt strong and powerful.

They were led to a grand hall, where the shah and his court were waiting for them. The hall was adorned with gold and jewels, and the scent of exotic spices and fragrant flowers filled the air. The shah was seated on a throne made of gold and precious stones, surrounded by his advisors and courtiers.

As they approached, Shah Burzin stood and greeted them warmly. "Welcome, travelers," he said, "I am honored to have you as my guests." He gestured for them to take their seats at the long table that had been set up for the feast.

"Where is the young sorcerer?" Burzin asked.

"Oh, she had something else to do and didn't wish to join us," Edward noted.

"Oh, well that is good actually," Burzin said, smiling.

The feast was a lavish affair, with dishes of all kinds, from roasted meats to exotic fruits and sweets. The wine flowed freely, and the conversation was lively and animated. Shah Burzin was a great host, and he made sure that his guests were well cared for.

Rufus explained more in detail why they were traveling. He explained about his sister Haley, who was sealed inside a crystal, and about the demons who had attacked Kairouan and possessed Satifa's apprentice Bouzid. How they were now traveling to find solutions to these problems.

The shah showed sympathy and expressed that he would aid them in any way he could. Rufus was a king and Burzin knew that. That is why they got such a welcoming response from him in the first place, as a king should always treat another king as a king in sassan culture. Even if they were enemies.

Some of Rufus's friends asked why was the Shah on the flying fortress instead of his lands and kingdom. Burzin dodged the questions, in a way that almost made him feel ashamed of the answer.

As the night progressed, the Shah regaled his guests with tales of his kingdom and its people. He spoke of the battles he had fought, the challenges he had overcome, and the rich culture of the Sassanid people, including their relationship with the djinns. The guests could see the love and respect the Shah had for his people.

Millennia ago, during the conquest of the Sassan Heaven, the twin god brothers, Xerxes and Arslan, encountered many races and beings. Many were destroyed as they had become corrupted by the winds of Pandora. However, one race proved to be a formidable opponent: the djinns. These beings, whose true form is known only to themselves, were few in number, but a single djinn was strong enough to take on an entire lord and his retinue single-handedly.

The war against the djinns lasted for many years, with the djinns proving to be a tricky opponent. They could change shape and even turn into lifeless objects like swords and entire landslides. This was because every djinn is divine, and the level of their transformation depends on how powerful they are.

As the war raged on the djinns' homeworld, Isra, many of them pleaded with demons to help them fight against the Sassans. Soon, the djinns who had made contact with demons and worshippers of the winds of Pandora gained power and were able to shape-shift into demons as well. Unfortunately, they were lost and were unable to transform back into a djinn or any other form. These "black djinn," as they were now called, began to force the rest of their people to make a pact with the winds of Pandora.

The four remaining kings of the seven kings of djinns who had not yet fallen to the winds of Pandora went to the twin gods of the Sassans. The twins promised to allow the djinns who hadn't fallen to the winds of Pandora to come under the protection of the Sassan Heaven, as long as they became part of it as well. The twins then banished the black djinns, and to this day, the djinns have proven to be the greatest beings of the Sassan Heaven.

While some animosity still exists, most of it has been forgotten. Some djinns have even shown their true form to some Sassans, which is proof of great friendship and trust. To this day, the world of Isra is their main world, with only Al-Ahmar the red surviving the war against the black djinns. Every four years, they travel to the City of Secrets, which only djinns can enter, and in there, they move and walk around in their true form.

The mood shifted when Burzin asked about Suomi, "May I ask, what is a sorcerer doing with you?"

"She is here to help us," Rufus explained. "I believe we need someone who can guide us through the vast amount of knowledge we need to save my sister and Satifa's apprentice."

"Hmm. I understand your reasoning, but let me give you a word of caution. Sorcerers should not always be trusted," Burzin warned.

Liana, who still possessed her innate innocence, asked, "Why is that?"

"Sorcerers possess the power to break the boundaries of the natural world with ease," Burzin explained. "They can mock divinity and the gods themselves if they believe it will lead them to the knowledge they seek."

Rufus replied, "Just as we did not assume all Sassans were the same based on one encounter with the assassins, I will not judge Suomi based on sorcerers in general, but on what I know of her so far."

The friends of Rufus were anxious as he spoke back to a powerful ruler. But Shah Burzin was understanding and wise. He said, "I do not condemn, and I believe you know her better than I. I only wanted to warn you and remind you that she may be a hindrance when you visit other places. Not all beings and their gods think as we Sassans do."

"I thank you for your advice," Rufus responded in a regal manner.

As the feast came to a close, Shah Burzin stood and raised his goblet. "To our new friends," he said, "May our paths cross again in the future." And with that, the feast was over, and the travelers were escorted back to their chambers to rest for the night. Though their journey was far from over, they were grateful for the respite and the new friends they had made. They went to bed that night with a sense of peace and contentment, knowing that they had been welcomed into a kingdom like no other.