Shadow Slave

"This... is the House of Parting. It is the furthest point of Weave as one travels upstream."

Ananke's voice sounded uncharacteristically dispirited.

'House of Parting...'

Sunny studied the artificial island and the solemn structure built upon it, then turned to the old woman and asked:

"It's... a windmill?"

She nodded.

"Yes, my Lord. The tower harvests the wind to maintain the island."

Ananke lingered for a second, and then added:

"The cities of the Great River are actually more akin to flotillas, each consisting of many city-ships - some small like this one, some spanning dozens of kilometers across. They migrate sometimes, but mostly they have to stay in place. There is nothing to anchor a ship to on the Great River, though."

Nephis raised an eyebrow.

"Is the Great River so deep that no anchor can reach its bottom?"

Ananke shook her head.

"It is not that the floor of the Great River is too deep, it's that it doesn't exist. No one has ever managed to reach it, at least... so, we had to find other ways."

She pointed to the rotating blades of the towering windmill.

"There are various ways to make a city-ship resist the current, from mundane ones to magical. The House of Parting... you can't see it from here, but there is a great water wheel at the back of the island, constantly propelling it forward at the same speed as the River pushes it back. Its mechanism is mostly powered by the current itself, but the windmill lightens the burden significantly."

She sighed.

mechanism is on the brink of collapse, now... I've tried to repair it as well as I could, but my knowledge is

at the dark windmill, feeling a sense of awe. The island in front of them was actually the creation of incredible human ingenuity - a floating city district that used the wind and the power of the Great River itself to fight against the currents

of Weave were gone, it was

drew close, Ananke released the wind filling the sails, skillfully guided the boat to the pier, and moored it to the pier with a

for the first time in a long,

that the ground was not swaying and took a few steps. He was swaying like a drunk himself for the first couple, but then regained his

he stretched his limbs, Nephis looked around

of Parting... why was

she headed toward the

the bodies of Riverborn like me don't age... however, humans are not created to be immortal. If

turned around and looked at her ketch,

comes to the House of Parting. Those who love them come too, to say farewell. They prepare a feast and celebrate. When all is said and done, the weary Riverborn sets sail to go on their last journey. They sail far, far upstream... until

lingered for a while,

a dream of your arrival. Ah... ironically, I ended up repeating all

chuckled and shook her

The Lower House is meant for those who were not given a choice, and died an untimely death. Their bodies, if recovered, are sent downstream, to return to the Estuary - the origin of everything. Of course, every Outsider departs

Estuary was the source of the Defilement... was that how Dusk of Fallen Grace had ended up becoming a Nightmare Creature? Or had she succumbed to

she a friend or an

Ananke sighed.

island, and in the morning, we will continue on the way to Weave proper. There will be more supplies for you to

was a bit ominous, but he was not

while he and Nephis had enjoyed plenty of rest on the way, Ananke had mostly stayed awake, controlling the ketch and preventing anything dangerous from happening

He nodded.

course. Guide

old woman nodded, and continued walking toward the

were light and

into the river, the three of them were inside the House of Parting. The interior of the grand hall was

of the stone hall, Sunny could clearly see which ornaments and decorations had been inherited from the original Outsiders, who

being attentive and earnest artisans, the Riverborn were clearly much less sophisticated than their ancestors, not

example. Where had it come from? The fruits that she had treated them to, as well. There was no soil anywhere on the Great River,