Bab 2: The Palace Of Elyria

"If you speak another word, I will not hesitate to end you before we reach the palace!" the woman snarled, aiming her bow and arrow at Kae, ready to shoot if he dared to speak again.

As the woman's intense gaze bore into Kae, her arrow and bow gleaming like lightning, he shivered. He had never encountered anyone quite like her. Her eyes exuded a potent strength, and her beauty was both enchanting and daunting.

Kae swallowed hard, attempting to steady himself. "I...I won't speak a word," he stuttered.

The woman's gaze lingered on him briefly before she turned back to face forward. The carriage resumed its journey, leaving Kae with more questions than answers.

As they traveled on, Kae couldn't shake the feeling of confusion about how he had ended up in this situation. He recalled the monster attacking him, but the events that followed were hazy.

The man with long black hair, who had struck Kae earlier, interjected, "I warned you that pretending to have lost your memory wouldn't help. Our fate is sealed. You can't even decide to die on your own or your entire family will be killed. You should be praying not to be killed the moment we arrive at our captors' destination."

Kae's eyes widened in shock. "Killed by our captors? What do you mean?"

The man sighed. "Can you stop pretending? Everyone knows that once you enter the palace walls, death is almost certain unless you're lucky, which is rare."

"What?! Are we really going to die where we're being taken? Why?" Kae asked, his eyes wide with shock and fear. "Didn't you say we're just going to be used as sex slaves."

The man didn't respond as he was already fed up of Kae, choosing instead to close his eyes and feign sleep, while the other men in the carriage avoided looking at Kae.

Kae couldn't make sense of the situation. He was naked, surrounded by strangers, unsure of his location, and now facing the prospect of imminent death at his destination, while the other men in the carriage seemed unfazed.

Why am I being targeted for death? I understand that I've been transported to this world, but why am I facing immediate execution? Why are these people so nonchalant about death? What is really happening here?

As the carriage ride continued, Kae noticed that the landscape outside was changing. The buildings were becoming more grand, and the streets were lined with ladies with long ears, dressed in silver armours that barely covered their well-endowed front.

The word "Elyria" was deeply engraved on the flags the ladies were holding, as well as on the walls of the grand building they were approaching.

The grand palace of the realm of "Elyria" was a marvel of architecture, with towering spires and sweeping arches that seemed to defy gravity. The walls were made of a glittering white stone that shone like diamonds in the sunlight, and the roofs were tiled with a deep, burnished gold that seemed to glow with an inner fire. The palace was surrounded by lush gardens, filled with strange and exotic flowers that bloomed in every color of the rainbow.

Kae's heart sank, and he wondered what lay ahead.

The carriage stopped in front of a grand entrance, and the lady turned to face them. "We're here," she said, her voice cold and detached.

Kae and the other men were escorted out of the carriage and found themselves in a grand courtyard surrounded by high walls. Female guards, with well-endowed bodies and pointed ears, dressed in silver armor, stood watch.

As they entered the palace, they were greeted by opulence and splendor. The high ceilings were adorned with intricate frescoes depicting Elyria mythology, and the walls were made of glittering white stone. Tall, narrow windows allowed light to filter in, casting colorful patterns on the marble floor.

The air was filled with the scent of incense and the murmurs of courtiers and guards.

Kae and the other men, led by the lady, couldn't help but marvel at the palace.

"It's a shame," the man from the carriage remarked as he approached Kae.

"What's a shame?" Kae inquired, looking puzzled.

"We won't be here for long, unless you're lucky but that's almost uncertain." The man replied sadly.

"I seem to have lost my memory. What is this world exactly?" Kae asked, curious.

The man sighed heavily, slightly irritated. "Everyone in the thirty-six states knows about this culture. But since you said you lost your memory which to me sounds like a lie, I'll still go ahead and explain it to you"

"Thank you," Kae said with a smile.

"This world is dominated by Elyria meaning female monsters with abilities of elves and vampires. They used men from this world as sex slaves," the man explained.

"Why are men used as sex slaves?" Kae asked with curiosity.

"The reason is unknown, but some believe it is to maintain these supernatural creatures beauty through dual cultivation with these men, where only the women benefit. I only read about magic and cultivation in books but those who learnt it and are able to perform spells loses all their powers the moment these female monsters descended here thousand of years ago. Learning of magic of any sort has been forbidden since then."

"Additionally, if a man is unlucky, these female monsters can drain their life force, leading to his death. They possess characteristics of both elves and vampires, draining life force instead of blood like vampires." The man explained with a heavy heart.

"Unless a man is lucky, his life force wouldn't be drained, but still, it can't be count as luck as there would be gradual reduction in his lifespan as long as he continues to have sex with these female monsters. To be honest, no man has ever been lucky!" The man concluded.

Kae's eyes widened in shock and fear as he absorbed the man's words. He couldn't believe that something he once enjoyed, sex, had become a deadly threat in this new world and also the cruelty to men. Despite the beauty of the female monsters, resembling elves from novels with attractive bodies and faces, he wanted nothing to do with them after learning about their true nature.

"I can see the fear in your eyes, but you should have overcome it by now. The fate of a male child is determined from birth. Once they reach eighteen, they are to be sent to the palace. This is why some men here get married at sixteen, impregnate their wives, and hope for a daughter to avoid the challenges we face." The man elaborated with a deep sigh.

Kae could only sigh heavily in response. "I'm in trouble," he muttered to himself.