Chapter Five

Beltraine

            Chaos, Turmoil, Anxiety. These emotions were evident on the faces of the people. A super hurricane bigger than anything they had ever encountered was about to hit their kingdom Beltraine. They knew not of what would become of them when the disaster arrived since the scholars of the regnum warned them that the storm would destroy almost half of the kingdom. The queen had ordered mass evacuation to the underground cities of the kingdom; the nobility were all tasked to watch over the people under their governance. Civilians particularly the older women, those with child and the little children were to be evacuated first. The stronger civilians who had undergone training and the soldiers were to stay with the army in watching over the other citizen who were not yet in sheltered areas. The queen, the commander generals and her majesty’s advisers were in distressed. The people must be saved at all cost. But they were still short in evacuation areas.

            Streets were flooded with the vacating citizens, shops were all closed, everyone carried their only needed necessities with them while those who had duty to the crown stayed behind. Soldiers separated from the civilians in order to protect the queen and the princess as well to fulfill their duty of guarding the people from the forthcoming disaster. This required them to leave their mothers, their wives and their children. There was crying and wails heard all throughout the city of Somnus. Cries made by the families, by women who did not want to be separated from their metons(spouses), the children who called after their phama(female who donated the seed but did not carry the child, they can be considered as the fathers only they are female).

            People were led out by the thousands by the royal army headed by the nobility and the provincial generals this was the scene all throughout the regnum. The civilians and the children, young and old boarded the trains out of the city towards the shelters underneath the Mt Somnia and to other mountains that were nearest to their provincial capitals. These shelters were built even before by the late Queen Marionne incase a disaster as one which would hit Beltraine occurred. The previous queen understood the need to protect her people in times of natural disasters and of course if an invasion occurred.

            Giant domed underground cities that were smaller than the actual metropolis but resembled it served as the shelters they were located below the Mt Somnus, Mt Elysia other mounts within the regnum. The city structure of all city shelters mandated that there had to be a giant dome which was the ceiling made of hardened earth. The once smooth ceiling were now cracked and hardened due to the passing of time. Stone clad like buildings of fine masonry stacked together seamless as if a jigsaw puzzle, it filled the inside of this great dome, serving as the houses of the people who were to evacuate there. Light flooded though small carved tunnels with mirrors leaning 45 degrees which allowed the reflected light to enter the complex system of mirrors scattered all over the city. At night it was lighted by the silver glow of Geiya the little sun while during day time the whole place were illuminated by Rysos. This was the platform of all the city shelters built by the engineers and architects of Queen Marionne’s reign.  The platform of the cities appeared secured in the eyes of the previous builders almost 2 generations behind the present queen but it was now outdated and appeared as though it could not withstand the monstrous hurricane blowing from Salmaria, the walls surrounding the cities had cracks all over it and debris were even falling off.

The tunnel system started from the southern gate of the capital which was dictated by the location of the mountain that was to be made into the shelter as for the other shelters the tunnel system would begin in the direction toward the mountains. This led to the west where the Andromachian mountain range was situated. The air train which was brought alift by air fumes underneath the train carts entered the foot of Mt. Somnus then went about 2 kilometers deep until reaching the domed underground city.

People left the trains and waited for further instructions from the generals. They waited as the light system was established and the whole city was filled with light. It was bright yet it could not be compared to their dream like world above.

Silence filled the whole city as the citizens awaited for the arrival of the storm. They sat together at the miniature replica of the Plaza of Dreams located in front of the palace. They huddled together the wives with their children and the elderly with the generals. The silence was broken when the sound from the royal train entered the domed city. This signaled the worst scenario for all, the arrival of the queen and her guards meant that the storm was so strong there was a huge possibility of the fortified palace being destroyed.

No one moved as they saw the complete hopelessness engraved upon the face of their queen while the crown princess was devastated. At the command of the generals the soldiers returned to their families as they waited out the worst disaster that has befallen the regnum.

The queen was silent it was as if she awaited something, a sign or a signal perhaps?

The people were gathered towards the center of the plaza as the queen stepped onto the platform accompanied by her generals and her advisers. They too had worried and hopeless looks. As she stepped onto the platform the different screens situated inside the different shelter cities outside the capital were opened broadcasting whatever the queen had to say.

The people listened for the news. What had happened and what is to come?

“People of Beltraine I am deeply sorry for the events that have occurred as of today. We are in a dire situation for the very lives of all of Celaria rest upon our shoulders.”

There was a huge commotion when the queen said those words. Rest on their shoulders? What are they to do when they themselves are bound to be destroyed?

Should not this be placed upon the hands of Valtareau for they are the Royal Imperia(Highest Regnum) of the whole of Celaria? They were in charge of the safety of all!

These grievances were voiced out to the queen but she remained silent which served as a signal for them to close their mouths. This was also the reaction of the people watching the royal mandeta(speech).

“Valtareau cannot aid us or the entire Continent!” the queen’s voice echoed rock solid showing her anger at their earlier outburst. “The hurricane is growing at an intensely fast rate and it CANNOT be STOPPED! The Altus Reginam is doing all she could to save the remaining kingdoms who unlike us do not have shelters to run to!”

They were silent. Guilt was what they felt. Their friends were in a much graver situation than they were and they complained about their tasks and the state of their shelters.

“Oberis can only save Velvereaux it is the utmost priority that they do so! Only they have the capability to cure the wounded after this storm has passed.”

If they survived that is. That was what they thought.

“Wha