Levi clan part 1

The pair had been traveling for days, leaving the Aremanian lands far behind as they neared the coast. The cities of Palast, bustling with rich trade, stood as gateways to distant lands, with ships regularly setting sail for the Indukushan territories and the realm of the Yathians.

Palast's pride was its formidable fleet. The large 'Palast Galleons' were marvels of engineering, designed to withstand the challenges of vast oceanic distances, storms, and treacherous currents. These vessels, crucial in establishing new trade routes, had been adapted into powerful gravity ships, enhancing the might of their navy. This fleet not only deterred the Aracnes pirates but also established Palast's dominance over both sea and sky. Compounding their power, they were fervent supporters of Xerxes.

In these cities, two distinct classes held sway over the masses: the affluent merchants and traders, and the influential priesthood dedicated to Xerxes.

One evening, as they camped beside a gently flowing brook, Joan playfully teased Yosef.

"Ever tried fishing, bug-mouth?" she asked, casually tossing a piece of bread into her mouth.

Yosef responded with a wry smile. "We Eichi aren't known for our outdoor skills. We're more inclined towards accounting and trading. Normally, we'd buy our fish, not catch them."

Joan then approached the riverbed, her greatsword in hand. She waited for the fish to swim by before striking with precision. Several fish flew onto the shore near Yosef, caught by her deft move.

With a mighty splash, she plunged her blade into the water. Moments later, she emerged with several fish impaled on her sword.

"Primitive but effective," Yosef noted.

"Learned from my father," she answered.

"Sounds like a good father."

"If I didn't catch a fish, he would have hit me with a stick. For every missed opportunity, I got hit. And when I finally caught one, he would....," 

"Let me guess....you got hit with a stick...."

"He would make me kill it, but not eat it. The fishing was not to learn to fish or to survive. It was to kill. Started with fish, then birds, deer.....humans."

Yosef paused, processing the revelation. The jovial air between them shifted to something heavier, laden with a deeper understanding.

"Edward suffered through this all as well?" Yosef asked.

"No. He ran away and my father then killed my mother. I was alone with that monster. Until Edward killed him. Kinda wanted it to be me, but.... probably never could have done it."

"Wow...from fish to this. I will never ask for a fishing story," Yosef uttered. 

"And you? We know almost nothing about you, other than you used to be a slave. That's your whole story?"

"Yep.....Not much more." Yosef hesitated, his eyes drifting to the babbling bird."Oh, look a bird."

Yosef walked away, completely avoiding the subject.

~~

They entered a city called Baalos. Maybe one of the greatest cities on the coast. Its merchant class ruled much and shipped goods in and out of the world of sassan, but also, from across the universe. 

The entire city was full of beings and creatures from afar, from sassans of different cultures, djinns from Isra, and others of kind. But now, it was different. Xerxes's believers had been forced out of all diversity, equality, and possibility. 

The scethian riders who had for a long time been a staple in the cities had been thrown out, but no chaos and hatred had been taken over. As the duo entered, they saw from the walls hanging scethian riders, burning and mutilated. 

Even a dead Simurgh was outside the walls, pierced by a spear wielded by Perizad. 

People cheered at the dead as there had been a power struggle, which the servants of Xerxes had won. Driven out were the worshippers of Arslan or any of those who worshipped him from the aremanians to scethians. 

The streets of Baalos were filled with traders from across the lands, but the once vibrant ambiance was now tinged with a sense of trepidation. At every corner, guards wearing insignias of Xerxes patrolled, their eyes ever-watchful for any dissenters.

Yosef and Joan tried to keep a low profile as they walked through the bustling streets, avoiding eye contact and staying away from the main thoroughfares. They needed information, and a plan to proceed further.

They soon came across a tavern that seemed less popular among the guards of Xerxes. Deciding it was a safe bet for some rest and maybe some information, they entered.

"Oh, fuuuuuuuck," Yosef said as he entered. 

Joan looked inside and was shocked. The bar was full of Eichi. 

The Eichi, Yosef's kin, were dressed in tunics and long clothes, with a rag around their heads. They looked just like Yosef, with their multi-faceted eyes and insect-like features. The Eichi in the tavern seemed to be minding their business, sipping their drinks, and having hushed conversations amongst themselves. They talked about trading and purses of gold were being exchanged between the eichi. 

However, upon Yosef's entry, they all paused and turned to look at him. Their compound eyes sparkled with a mixture of recognition, surprise, and in some cases, outright hostility.

The tavern's atmosphere grew tense. Yosef's normally cheerful demeanor faded away, replaced by a tight, closed-off expression.

One of the Eichi, larger and seemingly older than the others, "You are not from our clan?"

Joan, sensing the tension, gripped the hilt of her greatsword subtly, ready to defend her friend if the need arose.

Yosef hesitated for a moment before replying, "I am not. My clan was...dissolved years ago." His voice held a mixture of sadness and resignation.

The older Eichi seemed to study him for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "You bear the mark of the Barakel clan. It's been a long time since I've seen one of your kind."

"Sure, yes. I am of the Barakel clan," Yosef said and nodded. 

"And what brings you here? This is of the Levi clan's area. We trade here. Or do you wish to join our ranks and abandon your own?" the elderly eichi asked and then saw Joan, "What are you doing with a female human? I would have thought you know what our rules dictate on interspecies mingling?"

"Da fu....!" Joan cursed, feeling angry and insulted. 

Yosef quickly stopped her, showing a surprising maturity. 

Yosef cleared his throat, trying to muster the courage to speak. "I'm here for personal reasons, not for trade. These are your lands to make wealth from and Joan is my companion, not a subject of any 'mingling.' We travel together for shared purposes. We're just passing through. We needed perhaps a bit of rest. We didn't mean to intrude upon your territory."

The elderly Eichi's antennae twitched, a sign of deep thought. "Very well, dumb Barakel. But remember, while you're in our territory, you will abide by our rules. This is no place for old feuds or forgotten enmities. You will behave and do as we tell you to."

"Of course. We're just here for a night. We mean no harm and don't seek any trouble."

The older Eichi, now identified as a member of the dominant Levi clan, eyed Yosef with a suspicious gaze but eventually nodded, "See that you remember that. Barkeep, give these travelers some of our fine ambrosia and set them at the far end."

Joan and Yosef gratefully accepted the drinks and moved to a secluded corner.

As they sipped on their drinks, Yosef finally broke the silence.

"Sorry about that. Clan disputes can be... complicated."

"So you are of the Barakel clan?" Joan asked. 

"Yep..."

"....I know when you are lying. For I lied to myself for years, so I can tell when someone is as well either to me, someone else, or worse, to themselves." Joan said," You do not have to tell me of your past, of where you are from. You can tell me, and the rest of us, when you are ready."

Yosef just stared and nodded. 

"But what about these clans? How do they work?" Joan asked. 

"We Eichi, do not have a world or plot of the universe that we can call home. We have always been a scattered people. We rely on our clans for everything. Each clan functions like a miniature nation, with its own set of customs, traditions, and rules. The clans have always had disputes, mostly over trade routes, prestige, and most importantly the purity of bloodlines," Yosef explained. 

"Purity of bloodlines?"

"Yes, as you know we have three classes, the hapolot the commoners, lohem the warriors, and malek the royalty. All are distinctive not just by their rank but physically. The more lohem better and hapolots are seen as....fine. But all traces of malek, are eradicated or at least shunned. 

A confused look formed on Joan's face. "Wait, you're saying that the royal class, the malek, are... eradicated? Why?"

Yosef sighed, taking another sip of his drink, "It's an old tale of whom no one knows is true, but like many baseless lies, still sways culture and attitude. Maleks were the royalty of eichi when we still had a home. When we didn't live a nomadic existence, always the guest, never the host. 

Some say the maleks became corrupt with power, others tell of a known malek named Shahar who betrayed our people by dealing with creatures from the collapsed universe, demons most likely. But who cares who did what. We lost our home, and live as wanderers across the universe. The only thing my race could agree on was a collective decision: to never allow the malek class to rise to power again."

Joan looked shocked. "So, any Eichi with the slightest trace of malek blood is...?"

"Shunned, at best," Yosef confirmed. "At worst, they are hunted and killed to ensure they don't reclaim any form of power."

The quiet in the tavern was interrupted by the entrance of a group. They walked in, exuding confidence and authority. They were not Eichi nor human. They were sassans, locals Palastes of the city of Baalos, dressed in armor and distinctive robes indicative of Xerxes's followers.

The mood in the tavern immediately shifted from the previous tension between Yosef and the Eichi to a collective tension between the patrons and the newcomers.

Everyone turned their attention to the newcomers, and a heavy silence fell over the room. The leader of the group, a tall, imposing Sassan with a long beard braided with golden rings, scanned the room with an air of superiority. The insignia of Xerxes was emblazoned on his chest plate.