Perfect State by Brandon Sanderson

Author:Brandon Sanderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781938570094
Publisher: Smashwords Edition
Published: 2015-03-30T07:00:00+00:00

I first met Melhi in a Border State, though I can’t even be sure it was him I talked to.

I rode into the State with a full legion, some fifty thousand strong. Border States were new to me back then, and I hadn’t wanted to take any chances.

I made the trip on a small hovering platform, only about five paces wide. The platform had a raised front and side, like a large chariot—but without the wheels or horse. There was just enough room for Shale and Besk to accompany me.

My advance guard had already secured a position on the edge of the large valley that made up the bulk of the Border State. I turned as we arrived, looking back down the wide path through the forest. We’d set foot upon that road in the jungles of Evasti in my State. After about half an hour of traveling on the enchanted road, the trees had started to change to these pines and aspens. Eventually, the road spat us out here.

“So we’ve left our world,” I said, wearing my shining gold breastplate and helm. “Why can I still see the Aurora?”

I’d watched it through the clouds the entire duration of our trip, anticipating with dread the moment when it would fade away. It hadn’t. Yes, it looked strangely distant here—shimmering in its majestic way over the tops of those mountains beyond the trees. But I could see it, and Lancesight determined I could still feel its pulses, though they were softer here.

“This is fascinating, Your Majesty,” Besk said. He had a large tome open in front of him, pages pinned down to prevent fluttering in the wind of our flight. “This State is not a full world. It is just this valley, which is surrounded by a forest. At the edges of that forest, the State simply . . . fades away. If anyone travels in that direction, they will be lost in fog and then appear on the opposite side of the valley!”

Shale grunted. “Then the only exits are . . .”

“Yes, the path we took,” Besk said, then pointed. “And an additional two like it, leading to the States of other Liveborn. One cannot traverse the enchanted pathways in or out without the aid of a Liveborn, and only Simulated Entities live naturally in this State. It exists solely for us to visit.”

“Or to conquer,” I said, and mentally instructed my platform to rise upward.

It ascended dramatically, zipping into the sky high above my army, though two dozen like it—manned by my best archers—followed to provide protection. From beneath, each flying chariot looked alike; armies trying to bring me down would be confused at which one held me.

From this vantage, I could see the fog that Besk had mentioned, consuming the wood behind us before stretching to the mountains, which appeared to simply be scenery. I wondered if one could reach them while in flight.

Despite ending in those woods, there was territory in this State, quite a bit of it.

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