Impossible vivid greens and bright colours surrounded Ricard, the foliage reaching out to him like the tendrils of a jellyfish. He stepped through, following a beaten path into the jungle, having moments earlier entered a dull red brick building in the middle of the city. It was hot, too. Humid, just like the jungle should be. Outside a light rain fell, tepid and fresh: a standard late spring day.
He had realised that he’d stepped into the hidden side of the city. Where irregularities were as regular as the air they breathed. He should have expected it, he supposed. People like him, those born without magic, were always kept away from this world. The one built by the progenies, the mages, the eccentrics. He and his ilk were kept in the factories, and the farms. Hard at work for some purpose. Food and clean drinking water was easily conjurable by the ones in power, but they thought it best to keep the commoners busy. Forcing them to earn their keep.
The jungle closed around behind him, forcing him ever forward.
Appearing in the depths of the thicket, a great wall of reflective blue brick spiralled out of the ground, reaching the heavens of the solid sky that hung above his head. The forest finally parted, and the beaten path gave way to flagstone. A well-manicured lawn and patio surrounded the tower’s front doors. Dark, almost black wood, stood tens of feet high. They creaked open as Ricard approached.
“Hello, son.”
Today's prompt: the hidden side
This week's worldbuilding prompt: wealth and power
If you'd like to participate too, the contest/prompts can be found here:
@mariannewest/day-1660-5-minute-freewrite-monday-prompt-the-hidden-side
@worldbuilder/worldbuilding-prompt-269-weird-flex
I hope everyone had an enjoyable May Day weekend. Mine was spent relaxing and catching up on time with my partner. We spent some time at the Oxford Botanic Gardens which may or may not have been some of the inspiration for this freewrite. We also binge watched season three of The Sinner on Netflix, which I would highly recommend!
