The Taken was a young man, tall and solid in build. His skin was golden, and his hair was an unusual sight: white on the left side, and black on the right, hanging past his shoulders. He was a handsome man, with sharp features and a confident air.
He turned to me as I entered, his expression unchanging.
"It's good to see another face," he said, his voice calm and steady.
I remained silent, confusion swirling within me as I approached.
His body was unscarred and pristine, as if he had just bathed. I, on the other hand, still felt the wares of battle on me, despite the blood having been cleaned from my skin.
Standing before him, I realized he was much taller than I was, maybe six inches. I tried to peek at the tattoo on his wrist, but his robes hid it from view.
"I am Taiyo," he said, extending his hand in greeting.
"Rade," I replied, my eyes darting around the opulent hall. "Do you have any idea where we are?"
Taiyo shrugged. "I arrived just moments before you. It seems I was brought here right after the Forsaken Ritual."
The ritual…
A chilling realization washed over me. If Taiyo was here, it meant he had done what I did—betrayed his companions to advance. He was dangerous, and I needed to be cautious.
Then, the door that I previously entered through creaked open again, and a demon ushered in another person.
A young woman with pale skin and short black hair. She was small and frail, but her face was etched with anger. She ignored us and stalked off to a secluded corner of the palace.
Taiyo and I exchanged a wary glance, a silent agreement to stay clear of her.
I wanted to explore the palace, but the samurai demons guarding the halls seemed to discourage any wandering. Besides, the mysterious disappearance of my wings, despite the holes in my robes where they had once been, filled me with unease.
The door opened again, and this time, my heart sank.
It was Yoseph, the prince of King Vinel.
He saw me and quickly averted his gaze, pretending not to recognize me. I fought the urge to attack him, to unleash the fury that burned within me. But I knew it would be a mistake. This was not the time or place for a confrontation. I needed to be patient, to gather my strength and choose my moment carefully.
All in due time, Rade.
He retreated to a distant corner of the palace, isolating himself as well. It seemed Taiyo and I were destined to be the only companions in this strange new place.
---
More and more people emerged from the doorway, their faces filled with confusion and apprehension. Most were strangers, but a few I vaguely recognized from the first layer.
There were nine of us now, scattered throughout the hall, a silent collection of those who had passed the forsaken ritual.
Then, a familiar figure emerged from the door, and I was filled with surprise.
Faye, her vibrant red hair and eyes as striking as ever, stepped out of the room. Her face was etched with worry, but when she saw me, her expression softened, and a flicker of warmth lit up her eyes.
"It's good to see you again, Rade," she said, a small smile gracing her lips as she approached Taiyo and me.
I doubted that the woman had the capabilities to pass the ritual, so seeing her was definitely a shock to me. She was another person that I would now have to watch out for.
"Likewise." I said with a nod.
Taiyo stepped forward, introducing himself to Faye, but their greetings were cut short by the sound of footsteps echoing from the second floor.
We looked up to see a figure emerge at the top of the grand staircase. All the demons in the hall snapped to attention, saluting with a synchronized precision that sent shivers down my spine.
This was clearly someone of immense power.
He was tall, perhaps eight feet, dressed in flowing black and red robes. A massive katana, as tall as myself, was strapped to his back, surely needing to be wielded with two hands.
But it was his face, or rather, the lack of one, that truly captivated and unsettled me. Beneath a large straw hat, his features were an impossible blur, as if his true face was veiled from our unworthy eyes. All that I could make out was that his skin was tanned.
Is my mind playing tricks on me?
He reached the bottom of the stairs, his presence commanding the hall. We all stood in awed silence, a mixture of fear and fascination gripping our hearts.
"You stand in the house of Gavalis," he boomed, his voice resonating with a deep, otherworldly power. "Bow your heads."
We hesitated, but an unseen force compelled us to obey. Our heads bowed involuntarily, a display of his dominance over us.
"Good," he said, amused. "Show respect to me. The King of Limbo."
His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. I didn't dare raise my head to question him.
"You have all been sent here by the Deumus," he continued, his voice echoing through the hall, "after successfully delivering to them a heartstone. I am happy to see that there are still those who are willing to betray their own kind simply to explore deeper into our lands. True colonialists!"
Dread washed over me. His words hinted at a darker purpose, a sinister game being played with our lives.
"However," Gavalis continued, his voice taking on a more menacing tone, "the ritual was child's play. Many call the Eternal Crucible the only layer of hell that matters. Most die here, or spend their lives fighting. War never ends here."
His words filled me with a chilling dread.
I won't stay here forever, no matter what. I vowed silently to myself.
"Now," Gavalis said, striding towards the large doors at the end of the hall. Two demons flanked him, ready to open them.
"Let me show you the Eternal Crucible."
The doors swung open, revealing a breathtaking sight.
A gothic city stretched before us, the wind whipping up swirling clouds of red dust from the strange sand that lay on the ground.
It seemed abandoned, there were upturned carriages, unattended gardens outside of luxury houses, and wide empty streets made from cobbled stone. Most impressive was the size of the structures, some reaching heights taller than even King Vinel's palace.
The sprawling city stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Welcome to the Sleepless City," Gavalis announced, his voice filled with pride. "Home to your enemies, the fallen angels, and your tickets to the fourth layer of hell."