"Keep still, rat!"

The child writhed like a snake caged in an eagle's talons, teary eyes riveted to his mother's bloodied carcass.

"Stand aside, I'll do this myself."

"Your Majesty! You needn't."

"That's an order! Do as I say and gag the child already!", Prince Delfo's bellow pierced the air. "Pathetic screams are such a nuisance."

The servant stepped away. Delfo snatched the dagger, curling his knuckles around the hilt. He secured the boy's head with an unrelenting grip while pressing the weapon's serrated edge against his whimpering throat. The prince streaked it in an unswerving line until it reached the chin. A fine spurt of black oozed from the cut as the prey rattled within the predator's clutch. He waved his equipped hand. The servant nodded and placed a silver goblet under the incision, collecting the dripping blood.

He released the child and drank from the vessel.

"It's true. The legends are actually true. It tastes better than that old hag's filth. I can't wait to taste the flesh."

The doors flung open as a guard dragged in a chained man, dressed in fresh wounds, and flung him in front of Delfo.

"Oh, look who's here to join his family?", the prince giggled.

"Ciara! Ryo! No!", Ryr screamed.

"Hmm, I'm sorry, my friend, there's something called a food chain, and unfortunately I am the apex predator here, while you are the prey."

Delfo picked the blade as his servants pinned the boy to the stone-cold floor, exposing his abdomen. The frenzied prince pierced the victim's stomach. Slash by slash, his wrists danced, tearing through the pale skin. He shoved his fingers into the opening, extracting the innards, and devoured every shred of morsel in sight.

Helpless, Ryr could only observe the true potential of the abomination trapped in human skin. He drowned in sorrow as others of his race were sold off as fodder to the Rubirians. However, witnessing the sight of his beheaded wife and his son's evisceration plunged him into the sunless depths of maddening grief.

"It seems Your Majesty is delighted with the feast, I assume?"

The prince turned back, with a wicked grin stitched onto his face as streams of inky fluid cascaded down the deep, bloodstained lips.

"Ah, Lord Segel!", Delfo said, clearing his throat. "How wonderful of you to join me! The whore's revolting flesh and blood failed to satiate my appetite; however, her bastard was quite the opposite. A pure delicacy, indeed."

"The tender flesh, especially the guts of a young Sabelian, is bound to satisfy even the most demanding Rubirians' tongues."

"I couldn't agree more."

Ryr squirmed, his brows creased in fury, and his eyes brimmed with resentful tears.

Delfo glanced at the captive, smirking.

"Bastards, damn you all!", Ryr condemned them, gasping in rage.

"Now what will be the fate of this wretch?"

"I would be pleased if Your Majesty indulged in another course."

"I've had over three, at least for now. You may cleave him to your content or decide his fate in your fashion; I won't interfere in the slightest."

Delfo and Segel stared at the struggling Sabelian.

"I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty, but I am truly at my limits for the day. Devouring a surmount of Sabelian flesh can be severely detrimental to our blood."

"Then do as you please with him."

"Even my faithful hounds are full for the night." Segel sighed, "Let's settle this with some classical poisoning then. Spoiling the floor with more unworthy blood would be such a shame now, wouldn't it?"

Lord Segel beckoned his attendant. He left and returned with a purple vial.

"You'll burn in hell, I swear! All of you!", Ryr seethed.

"God will be the judge of that,", Segel said as the attendant propped the Sabelian against the near wall. He grasped Ryr's skull and forced his jaws wide open.

"I promise this would be the least painful death you can ever imagine,", he beamed, forcing the vial's contents down Ryr's throat.

Ryr convulsed in his chains. His stomach churned in dire agony as surges of white foam spewed from his mouth and a shade darker than coal diffused throughout his sclera. In a few seconds, all his movements ceased.

The attendant placed a pair of his fingers beneath Ryr's nose, then his neck. His breaths expired as well as his pulses.

"My Lord, the Sabelian's deceased. Will I dispose of it?"

"Put the cadaver for sale, Varvo. If someone's willing to entertain themselves with it, I grant you the privilege to have a share of whatever price you can fetch."

"It will be an honor, My Lord", he replied.

"Guards! Follow Varvo and just… just get this eyesore away from my sight. I would detest the foul, rotting stench of it. And for the rest of you, I demand this chamber be cleaned before dawn!"

"Right away, My Lord," they boomed.

As Segel's henchmen initiated to execute their master's commands, a pair of guards lodged the corpse onto their shoulders and followed Varvo out of the scene.

"This visit was surely astounding! I would yearn to remain and have a conversation, but I have other important matters to attend to. Prepare the teleportation ring."

"There's enough Sabelian blood splatter everywhere. I hope we can utilize it and draw a circle."

Segel stretched his arm and gestured to one of his slaves to call upon the court mage. He nodded and rushed out, returning shortly with a figure masked in sable dragon-hide.

"I believe there's enough resources for you to conjure a teleportation ring to the Imperian Royal Castle."

"Only if the prince is willing to sacrifice three drops of his precious blood," the mage said in a stern voice.

Segel gleamed.

"There's no reason to create a fuss. If he wants to leave that badly, he must pay the price. Nothing comes without a sacrifice."

"Even my bedridden father had to comply with the laws of blood mages. It doesn't matter; I'll allow it.", the prince sighed.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for the indecency of my mage. I assure you, he'll receive his due punishment and regret his words."

"There's no need; prepare the ring."

The mage delved into his pocket, exacted a bony, fleshless finger, and dipped it in Sabelian blood. He then scurried to a bloodless location. He squatted, painting a circle around him with various symbols inside the circumference that only their kind would recognize. Later, he inscribed a triangle within it and leapt back.

"The ring is almost complete. All that's left are those blood drops."

The mage presented the prince with a needle. "Allow a drop to fall on each corner of the triangle."

Delfo lifted it and pierced his thumb, following the instructions.

The bloody ring illuminated the surroundings. Sparks of bright crimson sprung from the circle, and a geyser of red smoke gushed out, reaching for the ceiling.

"Please step in now; the ring won't last for very long."

"I'll take my leave then, Lord Segel, until next time."

"Your presence was truly a pleasure, Your Majesty."

The prince averted his eyes from Segel and proceeded into the smoky column, and it consumed him in an instant.

"I thought you'd get him this time, Segel. Why are you always so hesitant?"

"Breecen, I told you before, and I'm telling you again, I can't rush things like this. Your whole scheme's a gamble. If he'd die from consuming that poisoned harlot's blood and flesh and survived, both of us would be skinned to death."

"Or possibly worse."

"Why do I even trust you?", Segel heaved in regret.

"You can never deny that we're bonded by blood, Segel; you can never deny the truth."