Chapter 7

“Sheirun Hau”

The walk to the city was a calm one. Despite midnight being a time of lively activity for Ensanguined, the city of Sheirun Hau was quiet and steady with hardly a soul on the streets. Mist and steam swept by in the wind with the sounds of calm strings plucking tunes away into the night. Blossoms and fresh green bamboo decorated stone and wooden paths with small streams rushing throughout the ditches. Coy ponds were abundant along the sides of oriental buildings painted red and green with curved black roofs. Bamboo deer scares filled with flowing water faucets created faint ticks for the strings of music like a feeble heartbeat.

The smell of the city wasn’t like any other he had visited when rain washed away daily sewage and horse dung. It smelled heavy of various foods and had a hint of iron. Through the aroma of cooked fish and steamed vegetables, he knew well the smell of iron - blood. One glance into a passing home’s window gave Entity a sight of a butcher’s block holding a human torso with an open chest cavity and missing limbs. The sight of it was horrific enough to force the man’s eyes to the ground. His appetite was fading by the minute. The sound of distant soft female voices forced his eyes to look back up to see who was speaking in a tongue he wasn’t too familiar with.

“Is that fear I hear racing in that heart of yours, Entity?” Karuka chuckled.

“Is that lady’s perfume I smell on that corset, mama?” He shot back and could feel Karuka roll his eyes.

Geisha women with faces painted extravagantly walked along the paths and passed Entity which caught his gaze. Many were beautiful with long kimonos made of silk with elaborate designs of flowers and ocean waves. When he caught their gaze, their eyes ignited bright red and they smiled at him with long fangs which made the sorcerer visibly shiver. Orange light danced over Entity’s back and cast a long shadow that seemed darker than the rest. Residents paused their affairs to give the sorcerer a stare that could only be described as cold and hungry. Entity could feel their eyes on his back, and he pulled his hood back up to cover his face and neck to avoid the discomfort.

He was used to stares from every person who ever laid eyes upon him. After all, he was disfigured and discolored from his excessive use of black magic. He couldn’t be bothered to care enough to fit in anywhere, as he couldn’t remember if he ever really did in the first place. Even in a small city filled with Ensanguined beasts and bloodthirsty creatures, he couldn’t escape the judgmental stares that isolated him. He still wore a smile as he looked up every so often to see exotic faces following him. He didn’t realize the small amount of comfort that came with looking at Quartz who led him toward a palace up the hill.

“Gettin’ more stares than I did last time.” Entity muttered under his breath.

“Food is a bit scarce at the moment. Fresh meat is hard to come by, no matter how dark it is.” Karuka smirked. Entity half-laughed nervously.

“You’re protected here, Entity. I wouldn’t be concerned.” Quartz reassured and looked back at him to give him a small smile.

“Wasn’t worried about it at all, princess.” Entity smiled back and gave her a wink.

“You should be.” Karuka hissed and his tone made Quartz’s smile fade quickly.

Most of the palace was concealed with greenery and bamboo while the rest was exposed to show off glistening red wooden pillars and golden trim. It had three levels stacked smaller than the level below to give it a towering presence. What it lacked in size, it made up for in astonishing detail with dragons carved into the wood and regal lanterns hanging from every corner. Statues of dragons and Oni samurais stood at every door and every window with gridded panes. Stone soldiers lined the pathway up the small hill where the palace rested as if guarding the empress within.

The most disturbing thing Entity could see were several wooden stakes lined around the outskirts of the palace that appeared to have been scorched or stained in blood. One stake held a body chained by its wrists that was badly decomposed and looked like it had been out for weeks. Though it had been burnt, it was missing massive chunks of flesh all over as if cut away by a careful knife. Entity stared at it and felt a swelling in his throat. Whatever the person had done, it had sentenced them to a most agonizing execution that not even the darkest part of his imagination could’ve conjured up.

Entity knew Sheirun Hau was a much smaller city than Destillion, but it was far more impressive in its design in his opinion. However, he could not find it in himself to feel comfortable in its clutches, for it was a city of cruelty, bloodshed, and sickening practices that only its twisted empress could conjure up. He knew there was a far darker presence hidden beneath its profound beauty and it made his skin crawl. He had no choice but to pass through this city of horrors to make his way to Destillion; He just hoped the visit would be brief.

“When you arrive, you will be escorted to a room where you will bathe and dress to be presentable for our Empress. I’m sure you understand our customs here. Cleanliness is important.” Quartz directed.

“Been lookin’ forward to it actually.” Entity exhaled.

“It would take a thousand baths to rid you of the foul odor that follows you.” Karuka insulted the sorcerer as he led the way in climbing the stone steps to the palace.

“Looks like ya sat in mud, or maybe ya just shit yourself.” Entity pointed to Karuka’s behind and got the Ensanguined man to look behind him with alert. Entity snickered. “Made ya look.”

Karuka scowled and faced forward while his fists clenched tightly. Quartz put her fingertips to her lips to stifle a giggle; She always knew how insecure Karuka was but never how gullible. She was quick to wipe the grin off her face when Karuka shot a glare at her as well as they reached the top of the stairs. He then outstretched his hands and shoved open the duel wooden doors carved with dragons and cranes which were heavy and creaked with immense weight. The air inside swept passed the three and filled their noses with incense and iron which had given Entity a shiver. Despite the inside being lit with warm candlelight that reflected off the red wooden floors that had been worn with time, the aura he felt coming from within made him wish he could spread his wings and fly away.

He took a step back and turned around as he felt his skin tighten with goosebumps, ready to summon his wings. He felt his throat tighten and cold sweat form on his brow while his heart raced. There was too much fear to enter the palace, too much for him to withstand as memories sped passed him. Memories of gore, memories of screams, and bloody viscera over dining tables made his stomach turn.

Entity never feared the dark. The darkness is what felt comfortable and consistent in his life, it always welcomed him in its embrace. The unknown was even more inviting as it allowed him to explore new things and offer a heart-racing thrill. Even the threat of death didn’t frighten him as much as it should; He found it exciting to flirt with the idea. Within the walls of Sheirun Hau’s palace was an entirely different nightmare that Entity always tried to avoid at any cost. It was the reason he stayed in the Unclaimed Lands and wandered from town to town but never any further.

Karuka turned to face Entity when he sensed the sorcerer attempt to leave. He grinned, remembering just how poorly the sorcerer stomached his last visit and it amused the Ensanguined prince. Quartz also turned to see Entity and softened her gaze to see the distress in Entity through his tensed shoulders. She immediately understood why and tried to open her mouth to speak but heard Karuka speak up instead.

“Where do you think you’re going, sorcerer? Nowhere far I hope.” Karuka mocked as he crossed his long slender arms over his chest.

Entity paused in his tracks and shook his head with a false smile. His hand slid down to find the hilt of his sword, but he didn’t unsheathe it. He held it tightly and rubbed his thumb over the crystal pommel while his lips moved to speak without sound. He spoke to the sword in his hand quietly enough so the others could not hear.

“Entity, you need to stay here.” Quartz added softly.

“Changed my mind. I ain’t stayin’ here. Ain’t hungry for dinner either. I’ll sleep somewhere under a tree if ya don’t mind.” Entity took a few steps down before he felt a sudden pressure on his right hand. The pressure quickly intensified until he felt the bones in his hand strain under the pressure and caused him to hiss in pain. He yanked his hand from his sword and held it to his chest to try and slip his fingers under the Black Silk, but it was much too tight to even get a fingernail under. He winced and flexed his arm as hard as he could and hunched over, doing anything to dull the crushing pain that threatened to snap his bones.

“I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice, sorcerer. Do come inside, Empress Ceresei insists.” Karuka smiled as he motioned towards the open doors. He enjoyed watching the sorcerer in pain and wore a large smile across his face to show his long slender fangs. Quartz however frowned at the sight of Entity struggling with the hex that bound his hand.

“Listen to him, Entity.” She urged.

“I will take it from here, go on inside and get ready. Wear what I set out for you.” Karuka ordered. Quartz looked down and accepted the order, walking inside before giving Entity one last glance. Entity turned around in time to catch her eye before looking at Karuka. He knew he couldn’t leave, or he would risk losing his hand. For every step he took towards the doors of the palace, the Black Silk loosened itself. He rubbed his sore hand and ambled through the doors to take a good look around inside.

The ceilings had high rafters with paper lanterns hung perfectly in rows. Paintings lined the walls depicting ancient dragons and Onis with other exotic animals and cryptids. Deer with fangs and horns danced around the yellowed paper canvases and tigers with white fur pounced on prey. Ensanguined warriors were painted bloodied and violent with swords that tore humans apart. One painting stood out among the rest; A tall dark man with gauntlets strapped to his hands that resembled dragon claws had been painted to depict him slaying three Valaah warriors – a bull, a boar, and a stallion. He wore a long red cape and had large fangs protruding from his mouth and a long black tongue extended like a snake. His sword was held in his other hand and was beheading the boar while his free-clawed hand tore the throat of the bull in a bloody shower.

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Entity stared at the painting hard, and his memories passed through once more – hearing the roars of the Valaah and the ripping of their flesh. He knew the man in the painting; it was Virgoth – King of the Ensanguined. He was renowned for his immense power that no other Ensanguined possessed and could slaughter his way through thousands of Valaah without unsheathing his blade once. He was once the husband of all Three Queens of Malice and ruled each kingdom with it until his death at the end of the Red War. He had been immortalized in paintings, sculptures, and scriptures in the kingdoms and worshipped even in death by Ensanguined across the land.

Entity adverted his eyes when he heard the doors close behind him and Karuka’s bare feet pat across the wood after removing his boots. Karuka approached him from behind and spoke over Entity’s shoulder while looking at the painting as well.

“He was a great king, no?” Karuka asked intensely. Entity smirked and shrugged.

“Depends on who ya ask.” He replied nonchalantly.

“If you ask me, he was weak. He showed hesitance and mercy to those who would use it against him. I was just a boy when he came to my mother and turned her. She killed my blood father to marry him, and then she turned me. That was the only thing I ever respected him for.” Karuka put his hands on the sorcerer’s shoulders.

“Accordin' to your fiancé, he was a saint.”

“She is naïve and weak just as he was, but I will not be. In fact, someday I will rule this kingdom. It will be different and who knows, maybe I will have three queens of my own just as Virgoth once did.” Karuka smiled as he pulled away from Entity and approached the painting of Virgoth.

“Why are ya tellin’ me this? Should I care about whatever hardon ya have?” Entity crossed his arms.

“I am simply informing you that you might be under new management very soon. I am to be king of Sheirun Hau and of course, it is in alliance with Faemira and Destillion. Their queens are widowed and in need of a strong husband who can unite the kingdoms as Virgoth did. Whomever they control, I will control as well.” Karuka explained. Entity covered his mouth and laughed into his palm before pointing at Karuka.

“And ya think Nacre would marry ya? What’s funnier is that ya think you could handle three kingdoms while also havin’ that scheming bitch in your ear. I haven’t even mentioned that Alana would crush ya like a toothpick with one hand; She’s a fuckin’ Ensanguined giantess.”

“Which is why I need a strong sorcerer at my side. Let us be honest, I have been rude and impatient, and you have been…well, let us just say, irritating and dishonorable while in my palace.” Karuka frowned a bit.

“Your palace? It’s anything but yours, and rude is an understatement. I still got the scar on my back from that sad excuse of a sword ya got there. Only reason I haven’t whipped your ass is because you’re still nothin’ but a fuckin’ mama’s boy and I’m holdin’ out for Ceresei to do it.” Entity rolled his eyes and saw a sudden flame ignite in Karuka’s eyes. Karuka hissed through his teeth and his claws extended. He calmed himself quickly and placed his palms together before forcing a smile.

“It is the future of Endle. Surely you know this. Times of uncertainty are upon us and this world needs a worthy king to keep it under control. The Unclaimed Lands would be yours to rule.” Karuka calmly expressed.

“Look I ain’t interested in runnin’ anything with a hundred-pound brat who thinks he’s owed a crown because he came outta some royal snatch. Virgoth didn’t even directly turn ya, ya don’t have half the strength he had, not even a fraction of it. Once I get this hex off my hand, your queens are on their own and ya can fuck yourself as much as you’d like. It’s a hard pass, kid.” Entity insulted as he waved his hand at Karuka before turning his back to the man. Karuka seethed and bared his fangs before lunging at Entity with a clawed hand. Entity stiffened and turned his head to see the Ensanguined man attack him and retaliated at a speed equivalent to Karuka’s. Entity’s hand reached and grabbed Karuka’s forearm and shoved his claw off-course before his other hand grabbed Karuka by the scruff of his neck. The sorcerer spun Karuka around, slammed him into a wooden pillar to pin him there, and forced his forearm under Karuka’s neck.

Karuka opened his mouth and viciously hissed at Entity as he squirmed against the pillar, unable to free his neck to get anywhere close to sinking his fangs into the sorcerer. Entity’s signature grin had fallen into a disgusted frown as shadows swirled around his arms – powering him enough to hold a fully grown Ensanguined in his place. The wooden pillar creaked from the pressure and sent a crack upwards while it chipped the red paint. He didn’t express his power to Quartz earlier as he had no real reason to, but Karuka was a different story. A deep scar on his back below his shoulder blade began to burn with his anger.

“I give you the opportunity of a lifetime and you spit in my face, you miserable dog!” Karuka struggled out while Entity pressed his forearm against his throat just a little harder.

“If we’re gonna have a dick measurin’ contest, know that I’ve shit logs bigger than your pecker. I like our banter, I love pissin’ ya off. What I won’t do is be a fuckin’ crutch and help rule a world that never wanted ya in the first place.” Entity growled.

“It never wanted you either, sorcerer. You ruin everything you touch no matter how hard you try to be a hero. How long do you think you could last in this world without the Ensanguined? You owe us all your freedom. You are a monster just like us.” Karuka smirked and felt the sorcerer lighten his grip. He could see a twinge of pain in the sorcerer’s eyes.

Entity lowered his head when the comment seemed to pierce him in the chest like a blade. There was a dark anger he could feel taking over that made the very candles in the palace flicker. Even Karuka could feel the room become colder.

“Ever wonder why your queens keep me around? It ain’t because of my good looks. It’s because when I’m stone-cold sober, not even blood-suckin’ little shits like you can hide from me in the dark. Ya think you’re a monster?” Entity asked as his face darkened beneath his hood to conceal anything that once resembled a human. His yellow teeth disappeared as did his eyes, and what reappeared was a glowing row of sharp teeth forming a grin and blazing red eyes that nearly smoked white – the face of a demonic presence that sent pure fear into Karuka’s very soul. Entity’s voice warped into a ragged and dark tone, inhuman in nature and threatening. The very air around him became icy and lifeless and the smell of rotting flesh wafted from Entity’s mouth.

Staring into his eyes sent hair-raising chills up Karuka’s spine as he couldn’t comprehend just how dark and abysmal the monster before him was. The longer he stared into this monster’s face, the more he wanted to shrink and disappear. It was an unnatural fear he had never felt before. Whatever Entity had become was unnaturally horrific and twisted. All the shadows in the land combined couldn’t hold a candle to the sheer blackness emanating from beneath Entity’s hood.

“W-what is this? What are you?!” Karuka trembled as he grabbed at Entity’s forearm desperately to free himself, yet it did not budge. It only pressed tighter against his throat and cracked the wooden pillar further. Karuka kicked and scrambled but not even his Ensanguined strength could match Entity’s.

“A real fuckin’ monster.” Entity replied as sinisterly as the Grim Reaper himself. His mouth opened wide – wider than any normal jaw could. A long black tongue slithered from the depths of his maw and reached for Karuka’s face.

“S-stop!” He cried.

“What’s the matter, prince? You were so confident earlier when ya thought I wasn’t gonna hurt ya.”

“If y-you hurt me, my mother–”

“Is that fear I hear racin’ in that heart of yours?” Entity’s horrible breath washed over Karuka’s face and made the prince tremble.

“Gentlemen…” Spoke a voice stern and loud behind Entity and Karuka. Karuka’s fear-filled eyes turned to see the empress herself standing behind them dressed in a pink and golden regal kimono as elaborate and decorated as a trove of treasure. Her kimono had a patterned shoulder wrap that extended beyond her shoulder width and pointed high upwards to offer height to her stature and was colored a deep rose red. She was a tall woman with long black hair pinned in an intricate design and adorned with a plethora of golden flower pins, combs, and jewels. Her face was painted pure white with red liner and red lipstick and her pointed ears wore long beaded strings of jade to match her necklace.

Her presence was powerful and intimidating despite how calm and still she appeared. Her shadow extinguished any candles in its wake and her pink eyes were bright and fierce. She eyed the men down with her hands tucked into her long silken sleeves. Her stance was perfectly still and elegant with her chin raised high in authority and prowess. As feminine and regal as she was, there was a deathly coldness to her aura that even Entity could sense at a distance. Entity looked behind him and released Karuka immediately and bowed his head. Entity’s hood covered the demonic face beneath and lifted to reveal his normal grin and charming eyes.

“Ceresei, how ya doin’ babe?” He asked before taking a half-attempt at a bow. Karuka fell forward and held his throat while coughing. He regained some dignity and properly fell to a knee to bow to his mother and empress.

“Mother, forgive us for the disturbance. I was just showing the sorcerer to–” Karuka began to explain.

“You will hold your tongue, Karuka. If you were not my first-born son, it would do me great pleasure in cutting it from your mouth. I have taught you better, have I not?” Empress Ceresei scolded harshly with great pronunciation. It made Karuka flinch at her tone as he dared not look into her soulless pink eyes. Entity whistled and clapped his hands together.

“And here I thought you’d gone and spared the rod.” He laughed. Entity’s smile slightly fell when Ceresei did not return the smile and simply stared at him as emotionless as a statue.

“I welcome you to my palace, Sorcerer Entity. It would do you well to remember that you are indeed a guest and are expected to act appropriately under my roof. Do not wade into the shallows of my patience.” Ceresei warned before turning her attention back to Karuka. “Karuka, go and dress yourself properly. Your tasteless attire offends me. Attend the midnight dinner once you are appropriate.”

“Yes, mother.” Karuka submitted.

Karuka stood slowly and continued to hold his throat. Entity looked at him and chuckled.

“Mama’s boy.” Entity joked.

“You’ve made a grave mistake, sorcerer. When you have no allies left, I will make sure you suffer every torture I can envision.” Karuka threatened as he walked away.

“Go suck a tit, slim.” He mocked before putting his hands in his pockets and turning his attention to Ceresei who looked more than displeased. “He started it y’know.”

“My son is the product of a weaker species. He feels it necessary to live up to an impossible expectation. He will do many naïve things to balance his natural weakness.”

“Like fuckin’ with me. Kinda gettin’ tired of it.”

“You will continue to endure it for as long as you stand in our kingdoms.” She stated boldly.

“Do ya really think it’s a good idea to make him in charge of all this? He ain’t Virgoth, not even a Royal Turned.”

“No one will amount to Virgoth, but he is nonetheless of my blood, and you will respect him as you respect me.”

“That’s askin’ a little too much of me.” He scoffed.

“Consider this. By vote, Nacre and Alana agree that you are more useful alive than dead. Alana already thinks very little of you. It would be a shame if she changed her mind, as not even Nacre would be able to save you then. Respect will carry you far, Sorcerer Entity. Remember well. Be on your way and clean yourself, your odor irritates my senses.” She slowly turned away and headed down the hall as silently as she had entered like a phantom. Her shadow stretched behind her and faded around the corner without a sound.

Entity’s small smile fell when Ceresei was out of sight, and he gnashed his teeth together tightly in frustration. "Bitch." He mumbled under his breath. He was held at the mercy of three despicable queens that demanded respect yet had none to offer in return. He hated Ensanguined and their sense of entitlement. Looking back at the crack in the wooden pillar, he wondered if the day would ever come when he would get a chance to destroy Sheirun Hau’s palace and burn it to ash. It was a fantasy he often entertained.

He had to take his mind off the thought. He wouldn’t be a servant of the three kingdoms much longer so long as he completed Nacre’s task, and that filled him with just enough strength to keep him going. He needed the motivation to get through the night in a palace filled with nightmares, and that thought let the dread sink in. Just one night is all it took to give him a lifetime of horrific mental images that would haunt his dreams. He just needed to get through one night in Sheirun Hau.

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