Bridenfall
"Oh, this?" Alexander's finger brushed against the torn fabric of his shirt casually, playing it off like it was nothing. "I caught it on some jagged metal, heh. Wasn't paying attention."
Rainee said nothing in response.
Not that Alexander particularly wanted her to. But the way her eyes lingered on the tear, silent and calculating, before she turned her gaze back to the road ahead, told him she didn't believe his paltry lie.
Still, she didn't press him further, and for that, he was grateful. A nine-year-old boy in trouble could ask for no greater mercy than silence.
This silence continued as the cruiser glided forward, leaving the chaos of the Arrigary Border behind. Ahead lay the checkpoint that marked the divide between the bustling Northern District's sector and the Western District.
The Arrigary Border was, as its name suggested, a border — but beyond its walls lay a part of the city of Arrigary itself, a place where the rhythms of northern life clashed and mingled with the influx of western travelers.
Because it was built directly after a border, that part of the city was termed the Arrigary Border, but the border itself acted as a divide between the two separate Districts.
The difference between the city and the actual border was very stark.
In Alexander's view, the streets of Arrigary had this certain buzz of life to it, but the border echoed nothing but precision.
Through the cruiser's front window, he saw tall gleaming pylons, their pale beams of light cutting through the night, flanking the roadway and illuminating the checkpoint.
Connecting these pylons were walls steeled with Spark Iron and enforced with electricity, forming an impenetrable barrier.
Rows of corporals stood at attention, some on the foot of the walls, others at the top of watch nests placed on top a few pylons.
They were all in their armored and polished uniforms, with the white and black colors of the Northern District, moving in synchrony as they checked credentials and scanned vehicles.
Above them, high-powered Sparkbot drones hovered, scanning the place and capturing angles that the corporals could otherwise miss.
'I am completely awed by this,' Alexander thought, watching through the tinted window as their cruiser was allowed to cut in line, the corporals ordering others who had been waiting their turn for inspection to get out of the way. 'The sheer orderliness of it all. It is impressive how well run this world is.'
Rainee, rather than the driver, lowered her window as a corporal approached, his visor reflecting the night lights. He removed it, revealing a face that was both stern and deferential, and offered a nod. "Scioness," he said with a respectful but probing tone. "I hope you had no problems during your short time here?"
Rainee of course didn't speak and the corporal knew better than to press further. However, his eyes flicked to Alexander, who sat at the other end, watching him with open curiosity.
"And if it isn't the young Scion of Bridenfall himself," the corporal said with a smile. "I don't know what keeps bringing you here, having your sister come find you, but it'd be best if you stayed in your District more often, don't you think?"
Alexander furrowed his brow.
"We wouldn't want to be responsible for any misfortune befalling you," the corporal continued with a shrug. "This is Frostspire territory, after all."
'Who is this insolent fool and how can he speak to me with such condescension?' Alexander thought, his young face twisting to a scowl.
The corporal smirked, clearly unbothered by Alexander's reaction. He opened his palm and a holographic screen materialized above it, displaying vital information regarding border crossings.
"Alright. I'll document your exit in regards to your entry, and then you two Revenant royals will be free to go."
He finished with that and gestured for them to carry on. Rainee's window slid shut and she returned her gaze forward, having no reaction whatsoever to what had just happened. Like she didn't care.
As much as Alexander admired his sister's stoicism, he couldn't understand it. He had been a Revenant for barely a day, and already the disrespect grated on him. Perhaps he and his sister were simply different people, or perhaps she was just better at hiding her anger.
The taste of the encounter still bitter in his mouth, Alexander turned his gaze ahead as they passed the automated gates and the horizon began to shift.
They rode past the long bridge stretched over the Western River. Beyond it, Bridenfall emerged like a dream.
At first, it was the skyline. That was what Alexander noticed first of all. The spires of tall buildings, high and mighty, piercing the blackness of the night sky.
The buildings greatly resembled structures from his past life. They were like castles and towers, with the pointy spires and balustrades. But just like in Arrigary, they were crafted from gleaming Spark Iron.
They also had neon veins of crimson and silver pulsing through them, while their surfaces glistened as though wet.
Above them, a stronger and more elaborate network of sky tubes crisscrossed the heavens. Like most nights, transportation through sky tubes was rampant as sleek tubetrains zipped through them at astonishing speeds, creating a satisfying hum of energy each time.
It was like a feast for Alexander's eyes, leaning him marveling at the level of engineering. Everything he had seen in the short amount of time already cemented Bridenfall's status as the most advanced sector in all of Deadworld.
The streets below were no less impressive. They had a higher level of maintenance compared to Arrigary's as the polished stone paving the roads were made of a more glasslike material, which allowed for holographic arrows to guide the flow of traffic.
These arrows would turn red when the drivers were ordered to stop for passersby, as well as turn green when it was safe to drive on.
Under the streetlights, there were corporals in the uniform of the Western District's red and black, some directing traffic and others watching for possible offenders and law breakers.
As their cruiser glided down the main boulevard, Alexander's gaze was drawn to the people. Most of them seemed to be normal everyday folks, merchants and artisans, all going about their lives.
Some stopped by vendor shops to purchase groceries, others parked their cruisers and aerocycles at independent Spark Mechanic shops, possibly for repairs of their Sparkbots, or to purchase cheaper ones.
'This… is Bridenfall?' Alexander thought with a bit of disbelief. 'This is the city I am to rule someday?'
It wasn't as though the memories he had claimed earlier hadn't given him an idea of what the Western District's capital looked like, but seeing it in person – the glowing buildings, the voices of people calling cab cruisers for paid rides, the laughter of children dressed in academy uniform – it brought it all to life and he was suddenly filled with this palpable sense of responsibility and ambition.
Razen Revenant had died, leaving this great city without a Scion. Was this why he was reincarnated? To rule this city?
Soon enough, the cruiser began to approach the heart of the city and an awe-inspiring structure came into view.
The magnificent Western Citadel
As though it was intentional, the architectural masterpiece was nestled at the exact center of Bridenfall, and just one look at it caused goosebumps to spread over Alexander's skin.
It had a base made of thick massive dome, built with Spark Iron then fortified with liquidized Spark. The surface was polished with obsidian, and the multiple hexagonal windows around its structure were lined with veins of crimson.
Rising from this dome-like foundation were four pinnacles that reached impossibly high. At their peaks were spinning lights but there were also single windows present in each one.
These structures were also laced with veins of crimson neon on its four edges and they stood mainly as forts for the dome part of the Citadel.
As the cruiser approached the gates, Alexander found himself unable to tear his eyes away. But soon, he could only see the tall pinnacles as they arrived at the gate.
Four corporals stood by it. Once one of them approached and realized it was Rainee and Razen inside, he motioned on the other to open the gates.
They all placed their hands on distinct positions of the gate. Bright red light emanated from their hands and the Revenant crest on the center of the gate glowed.
With a croaking noise, the gate parted smoothly and revealed the path towards the main building.
Here, the grandeur only grew.
It was a beautiful courtyard of manicured gardens, beautiful trees, fine statues and sparkling fountains, vastly different from the Citadel's imposing exterior.
However, there were Sparkbots hovering above, their lenses scanning the area, while turrets and corporals stood watch, all emphasizing how important this building was.
Alexander's gaze drew upward to it. Being so close, it felt even more imposing with its massive spherical structure, and the pinnacles looked even taller.
'How much had been spent in building such a glorious place? And not just money, but time as well.'
The cruiser finally came to a smooth stop, and Alexander noticed a group of corporals gathered near the entrance.
He was about to ask why they were standing in such ceremonial fashion when he saw a commanding woman approach from their center. Without a second hesitation, he quickly recognized this woman as his mother.
Rainee's face hardened, but she didn't look at Alexander as she spoke. "Listen to me, Razen,"
Alexander lifted his face in her direction.
"If Mother or Father asks how you got that tear in your shirt, say nothing. Let me answer. Is that understood?" she said.
Knowing he had no justification to argue, Alexander nodded his head and said yes.
"Good," Rainee agreed, but she still had more to say. "I've told you before. If you're going to lie, you have to be a good liar. If you're not a good liar, don't bother lying at all."
She turned to him then, her eyes grave. "Never let anyone catch you in a lie."
"Let's go," she said after, stepping out of the cruiser and leaving Alexander with his first lesson — and the sight of his furious mother.