on the western side, slightly closer to the fortifications. The obelisk, visible from afar, rose on the far side of the square, and it was only when looking at it from this vantage point that Darius realised just how enormous it was. The sandstone monument, set at ground level, reached the height of the fortress towers’ roofs. Furthermore, the entire pyramid was covered in gilded symbols that glistened in the reflected sunlight. Unfortunately, they were too far away to make out the alphabet, though even standing at the foot of the obelisk and knowing the script and language, it would have been difficult to make out even a small fragment of the inscription. The final landmark was a massive building rising above the city’s rooftops, just beyond the temple.
That, however, was where the resemblance to the earlier panorama ended. The fairytale-like city buildings stretched only along the lake’s shore, whilst the further one moved away from it, the smaller and poorer they became. On the very outskirts of Bushtabhar, one could see small huts cobbled together from whatever materials were to hand, arranged in a haphazard manner. They looked pitiful, even compared to the village they had left not so long ago. Interestingly, the city had no traditional walls. Beyond the slums, circular watchtowers had been built, connected by magical barriers. It was a rather modern solution, unheard of in older architecture.
When they passed through the citadel gate, they found themselves in blissful shade. Here, the soldiers no longer looked as fresh as those who had accompanied the lieutenant as a welcoming committee. It was clear that their service was taking its toll on them. Dusty, faded uniforms, weather-beaten faces, weapons bearing the marks of battle: all this testified to the hardships they faced on a daily basis. Bushtabhar must have been peaceful only on the surface.
Al-Satar invited Darius inside. It was cooler within the fortress walls; one might even say it was pleasant, although the narrow corridors gave a stifling impression, as if one were in a room that was too small. Fortunately, they soon found
