Secret of Mage Realms
The City of Devil, Tenebrae.
Tenebrae means darkness; it symbolizes a place of evil and mystery. No one knows who rules the City of Devil. Most mages believe the city is ruled by the first witch, the lover of the devil, who created this city. Some believe it's the devil itself.
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We were in the heart of the City of Devil, a Tenebrae-like gloom hangs over every street and alley.
The market, though crowded with people, is filled with an eerie silence. There is no noise. People move like ghosts, their expressions vacant and their steps hurried, avoiding each other.
On the other side of the market, scenes of cruelty unfold as the strong bully the weak. The air is thick with a sense of lawlessness and despair, the city truly living up to its name of evil.
"So, did you like it?" He steps out of the carriage and holds out his hand to help me down.
I ignore his hand and step down on my own.
"Ouch," he clutches at his heart, feigning deep hurt.
I'm wearing a dark red gown with a black cloak draped over my shoulders, just like his.
People are stealing glances at me, their expressions filled with disgust, hate, and anger.
"I didn't know mages hated humans in their city. You guys were human too," I whisper to him.
"Mages don't hate humans. Mages only hate the faerie," he replies in a low voice.
"Still, I can see hatred directed towards me."
"Here we are!" he says happily, ignoring my confusion.
The building in front of us is towering, so tall I can't see where it ends, rising above the black clouds. There's no gate or door, only a bright light. The wizard walks into it, and I follow immediately.
Inside, it's opposite from the city . The air buzzes with activity, vibrant and colorful. Each person radiates joy and happiness.
But are they people or monsters?
The inhabitants look happier than those outside. Some are mages, but many others don't seem to be human or faerie. I sense something powerful emanating from them.
I accidentally make eye contact with one of them. His eyes are entirely black with violet pupils. He licks his lips, staring at me as if I'm a meal. I feel a wave of disgust and fear. I quickly look away and follow the wizard closely.
We enter a hotel with a golden interior and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
He approaches the reception and books a room. We move to the elevator area, where thousands of elevators are lined up. He presses a button, and a door opens. We step inside, and he presses "9999."
Is that our floor number?
The elevator door opens almost immediately.
What? He just pressed the number, and the door opened to our room. I didn't feel the elevator move at all.
The room has a queen-size bed in the middle. It's white, with a large window that shows nothing but dark clouds, indicating we're incredibly high up.
He walks ahead and collapses onto the bed.
"Ah, finally, now I can rest," he says.
I stand there in silence.
Is this my room or his room?
After a few moments, he sits up, noticing my hesitation.
"Come on, sit or lie down. I'm sure you're quite tired from this long journey."
"Where is my room?" I ask.
"This is your room."
"And where is your room?"
"This is my room."
"I'm not sharing a bed with you."
He smirks. "Why? Can't keep your hands to yourself? I can't blame you. I'm quite pretty."
I make a disgusted face.
"Get me another room," I demand.
"You are my prisoner, sweetheart."
He stands up, towering over me. "I need to keep an eye on you. Don't worry, I don't really sleep. So the bed is all yours. I'll take the couch."
"You don't sleep?"
"More like I can't," he says, moving to the couch.
I sit on the bed and ask,
"What do you mean?"
Surprisingly, without his usual sarcasm, he answers honestly.
"When you become a mage, you need to sacrifice something."
"Stories says the sacrifice of an innocent human is needed," I tell him.
He shakes his head, using his shadow to vanish both his coat and mine.
"When you make a deal with a devil in exchange for dark magic, he takes away one thing that makes you human. It's usually something abstract. For me, it was sleep. For others, it might be the feeling of anger, happiness, or any other emotion. For some, it's hunger or even one of their senses."
We talked for half the night, though I lost track of time. He shared stories of his first visit to this city and how he lost himself before someone helped him find his way.
When I asked about the strange guy I saw in the lobby, he explained that they were actual devils. Here, devils and strong mages live together in harmony.
Somehow, I ended up sharing the story of how I met Jade and all our silly quests. Talking about it made me feel better. Since Jade, he was the first person I had a long conversation with, and it was comforting.
In the middle of our conversation, my eyes grew heavy. At some point, I drifted into a deep sleep.
For the first time in a while,
I didn't dream of that man
Or the prince killing jade.
YOU ARE READING
Enthrallment : The Twisted Trust
Fantasy" please don't " He pleaded, his voice cracking with despair. Tears streamed down his face as he dropped to his knees, clutching at the air as if trying to grasp the fleeting fragments of her presence. ...
