Free Harbinger: The Downfall - Book One by Travis I. Sivart Page B

symbiotic relationship. They set the main port at the mouth of the river, and planned three sister cities. One at the ‘Y’ of the river to the north and one at the end of each of the two branches further to the north. The delta between the three sister cities was meant to be fertile and green.
    “After it was built the Rogen of that era, who favored the sea, took to pirating using the seaport as a base of operations. He was so successful that soon the whole sea off the coast became known as the ‘Sea of the Great Plague’ and merchants shifted their trade routes to avoid losing their cargo, crew, passengers, and sometime even their lives to Rogen the Plague. Trade died for the city. The domes were no longer polished, and the desert retook most of the river. Due to the now dull green, gray, and black domes and the gritty pock marked look the scouring desert winds and sands gave to the buildings, the name it had been given before was lost in time, and the sailors and pirates that dared to come close to it renamed it Tarnish. The two sister cities had been given back to the desert’s hunger.”
    Rogen and Cite entered the city through the north gate. No guards stopped them or questioned why they were here; instead they were stooped in an alcove playing dice. There was no reason for an army to attack this place and the guards grew lazy, only bothering to check caravans when they thought there was a bribe to be had. Rogen sneered at the men, disgusted by their slovenly and unkempt appearances and attitudes. The people were draped in cloth to keep them insulated from the sand and sun. Goats were herded down the street, and camels made throaty noises to show their irritation. The smell of decades of dung hung in the air. The salty smell of the ocean mixed with the sweat of men and rotting fish baking in the sun.
    “The city is situated on the west of the river and had three gates, and as you saw when we approached,” the Rokairn continued as they walked through the maze of streets, “only two are still open. Whole portions of the city were abandoned over time, as less people inhabited it. The government occasionally offers free lots, houses, storefronts, or titles to anyone who would go into the deserted part of town and clean out the refuse, people, and desert sands to rebuild it. It rarely lasted more than a few months before it is empty once again, except for the occasional beggar looking for a place to sleep, howling winds, and scorpions.”
    Rogen knew his way around the run down city and led his young charge without hesitating. “I have traded here often.” Cite gave him a questioning look and he added, “Not just in flesh but in goods also. Keep up; I know a reputable inn close by.”
    They made their way to the southeast corner, where the river joined the sea. The experience was new for Cite. He had only been to a few cities to the north of his village amongst the hills, forests, and fields. He was used to crops being sold, handmade wood objects being reasonable, and even some worked metals for prices that were not too bad. He had even been to the fish markets of Akar Lake, and he remembered the smell of fish there. It had been powerful and sharp but after a half hour or so, you grew accustomed to it. Tarnish was different. The desert sun did things to people, and if it made the smell of people sharper, then it did much more to the stench of fish.
    The buildings were either stone or cloth. There was very little wood. If it wasn’t stone, it was made to be taken down and thrown away. Canvas tarps covered the narrow market streets, carts had awnings, shops had doors that covered the whole front of the building, and every one of them stood wide open. People crowded into smaller areas here, as if they would rather deal with the press of bodies than walk any further than they had to in the blazing sun.
    “There are no more than one or two thousand people in this town, and they all come to the market at mid-day. It