Despite its name, Silver City was surrounded by green land. Iris had never seen anything like it in her whole life. She hadn't been to a big city in Dravial, but as she looked at the dwellings and large structures below them, she supposed that there weren't much differences between the world of the darklings and the human kingdoms.
There was so much color, so much sunlight here, unlike where they came from. Calaren Town couldn't be compared to the magnificent architectural landscape of Silver City. Silver City was teeming with life and magic.
"It's beautiful here." Chrysanthe commented next to her, equally at awe with the scenery in front of them. "What do you think, Melia?"
Amelia looked impassively at the city from the hill they were on. The city below sprawled across a valley nestled between two great mountains. Cold winds howled around them, biting their exposed skin.
"It's not what I expected. It reminds me of the capital of Dravial. There are so many people buzzing around in the daylight." She said, and it was only then her friends noticed several species walking across the streets of Silver City. Some looked like humans, while others had pointed ears. Being humans with no real exposure to the magical world, the three of them couldn't differentiate those pointed ears as faeries, elves or a demon from a distance.
"Ladies, we have to enter the palace now." Ricci called them out. She paused for a moment and looked at Iris, straight in the eyes.
"Master Yuri has a message for you, Lady Iris. We wish for you not to reveal your creation magic in front of the Court of Shadows."
"I don't understand, Miss Ricci. I don't think I'm capable of chanting such magic."
"Master Yuri expected that you would say that. He says that you will know what I mean if I tell you about dispelling the endless winter in Calaren Town and restoring life in the woods. It would be dangerous for you if the other demon lords find out what you are capable of."
Iris found herself rendered speechless. How did Lord Kieran and the rest know about what she did in the woods? Was it possible that they were in the area while she and Amelia were stuck in a fight with the direwolves?
The three shared a knowing look at each other and held each other's hands. They weren't sure what to expect during this meeting with the rest of the demon lords. Once all the other maidens finally regained their consciousness, with Amelia being the first one waking up amongst them, they followed Ricci's lead as they entered the court.
The maidens followed with chattering teeth, with the legion of Frost Guards marching behind them—minus Lord Kieran and his three loyal vassals. Iris had a vague feeling that the demon lord couldn't wait to release them from his protection. They were merely an obligation for the Undead Lord - to ensure their safe arrival in Asnar.
Sweat trickled down the side of Iris's face. She felt suffocated although the place wasn't crowded and they weren't bound by anything. She tried to shove away her fear and uncertainty, reminding herself that she would rather be here than allow Junifer to encounter these frightening darklings.
As soon as they entered the palace, darkness greeted them. The hallway was only lit by the magical lamps attached to the white pillars on each side. The marbled floor was so smooth that everyone had to be careful with their steps. The only sounds the maidens could hear were their own footsteps and the racing beat of their hearts.
Once they reached the end of the hallway, they entered a coliseum-like place where the ceiling was almost as high as the towers and the seats hovering over them, preventing them from clearly seeing who was seated on them.
Iris lowered her head, not daring to look up to see the rest of the thirteen demon lords of Asnar. She could feel Lord Kieran's heavy stare on her. As to why she was able to tell he was looking at her, Iris wasn't sure herself. Her nerves were tingling at the incredible fact that she and the rest of the maidens were being presented in front of the Court of Shadows.
A female laugh could be heard, its tone was enough to make the rest of the maidens, except Iris and Amelia, tremble in fear.
"That human kingdom is getting worse as decades pass. You would think that with their insistence of protecting their kind by separating their country from Asnar, they would treat their people better. These maidens look no better than the Night Critters with their dirty hairs and scrawny figures."
Iris winced. Although she shared the same sentiment as this demon lord, she couldn't help but feel offended by this darkling's words.
"Caelea, you have to remember that these humans lived along the border of Dravial. What can you expect from the rulers of that human kingdom?" Another woman said, her voice was stoic and cold at the same time.
"Don't tell me you are taking pity on these humans, Riasa? Don't you think that we've been tolerating these foolish mortals long enough? If they are able to sacrifice a few of their kind for this farce of a treaty, then what makes them think they are greater beings than us? It's about time we end the treaty with those human kingdoms and let them deal with the Night Critters that will invade their lands by themselves!" The demon lord named Caelea said.
"We've already discussed this before, Caelea." A man with a domineering and authoritative voice said, stopping the discussion between the two female demon lords. "We will not enter a futile war against the mortals."
Iris, who was overcome by her own curiosity, lifted her gaze to look at the being who had just spoken and immediately regretted it once she met his eyes.
A pair of golden eyes were looking at her with amusement, sending the alarms ringing in Iris's brain. The upper half of his face was hidden behind a silver mask, with intricate designs of swirls and patterns that didn't make sense on Iris.
Something about the way he looked at her was alarming, as if he had just found a toy that would amuse him for a very long time. She knew right then why Yuri had sent her a warning through Ricci earlier.
"Are we going to waste time discussing this again?" She heard Lord Kieran said, much to her relief. Just the thought of having someone familiar in this place had significantly relaxed her nerves somehow.
Iris lowered her gaze, but knew very well that it was too late. The golden eyed demon lord had long reddish hair that reminded her of the spilled red blood of her hunts on fresh white snow. It was as if it was reminding her that she could end up sharing the same fate as her prey.
She surmised that this demon lord was none other than the 'Red King', the same one Ricci mentioned had a long-standing rivalry with Lord Kieran. Did the Red King perceive her as someone he could use against the Undead Lord?
"They're sending lesser maidens this time. Are they starting to realize that it's pointless for them to send maidens to us?" Another demon lord said, but this time, Iris maintained a low gaze as she had enough trouble on her part already.
"What else could they have done?" Caelea chuckled. "They'll never be able to defend themselves anyway. It's time for them to realize that they have been living inside a bubble."
"Enough of this." The Red King said. "Let's not waste our time and get these ladies tested."
This time, a few ladies with pointed ears entered in a straight line, dressed in pristine, white silk sleeveless dresses that reached their ankles. They looked a lot like Ricci. They must be faeries too, Iris thought.
Some had straight long hair, while others were wavy and curly. Compared to the tribute maidens, they looked so much better with their smooth, lustrous hair and healthy skin.
They were obviously serving these demon lords and yet, they looked better than mortals like them. It just proves the great contrast between how these demon lords and the royals of the Kingdom of Dravial treat their people. Indeed, these darklings looked down on mortal humans like them, but they would never turn their back on their constituents and would look after their welfare.
They had smiles on their faces, so different from the seemingly permanent scowl and frustrated expressions on the human maidens. If anything, it only proved how pitiful they were and how insignificant they were in the eyes of the rulers of Dravial.
Iris's body slightly trembled, not from fear, but from the frustration of knowing that these darklings were leading a better life compared to them. What made their lives less worthy in the royal family's eyes, that they were easily thrown away as a sacrifice while the royals were living lavishly in the capital?
No wonder Amelia was holding deep grudge and animosity against the nobles and the royal family of Dravial, despite her birthright as a noblewoman. It seemed that their lives were no better than the livestock they killed just to make ends meet.
Each of the maidens was brought before the thirteen demon lords to be presented and tested for magic and 'illness'. Half of them had already been tested, while Iris and her friends waited for their turn.
A pit grew in Iris's stomach, heavy and twisting at the same time. She had already unknowingly associated herself with a demon lord, and it seemed that two other demon lords would also take notice of her today.
The treaty forbade any darklings from harming any mortals in Dravial, but here, that treaty wouldn't be able to protect them from the wrath of the demon lords or any darklings who harbor ill intention towards them. It seemed that some members of the Court of Shadows also wanted to abolish the treaty with the humans anyway.
While every inch of this place was clean and spotless, it didn't sit well with Iris. It was as if the place itself was giving them the false sense of security - that no bloodshed would happen while they were being presented to the demon lords.
"Lady Amelia Buchanan? Can you step forward, please?" One of the faeries summoned Amelia to the dais at the center of the round room. "You don't need to worry. This won't take long."
Chrysanthe's hold on Amelia's hand tightened, not willing to let her go when the latter took one step forward, while Iris looked at her best friend with worry in her eyes. Despite what the faerie just said, she wasn't very reassuring.
The previous maidens that were tested passed out as soon as black shadows covered them for a moment. None of the demon lords showed any reactions so far, and none of the three could tell whether it was a good thing or not.
"It's alright, Chrys, Iris." Amelia tried to reassure them. "It's not like they would be able to find something in me that could interest them."
Chrysanthe unwillingly let go of Amelia's hand and hugged Iris instead. Just what kind of magic were these demon lords using to test them?
Amelia stepped forward, summoning all the remaining courage she had. She would be a liar if she said that she wasn't scared, because she was absolutely scared. She hadn't been this scared since she and her brother were chased out from their home by the royal guards after their parents' execution.
She stepped up to the dais, looked up to see the demon lords, but she couldn't see past the dark, thick fog that was covering them.
Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen
Kommentar absatzweise anzeigen
Die Absatzkommentarfunktion ist jetzt im Web! Bewegen Sie den Mauszeiger über einen beliebigen Absatz und klicken Sie auf das Symbol, um Ihren Kommentar hinzuzufügen.
Außerdem können Sie es jederzeit in den Einstellungen aus- und einschalten.
ICH HAB ES