And, as the palace rose before us, a majestic complex of architectural prowess, I wondered… what joy of living did the Lord and Lady Supreme of the Aeternae condone, if their people were so willing to walk straight into the arms of a Reaper for such trivial pursuits?
No matter how I looked at this picture, something was still missing. The birth rate, as low as it could’ve been, and the death rate, wonky accidents included, did not account for what I was seeing around us, for the five billion Aeternae that lived on Visio. The puzzle was enormous and incredibly fascinating, like nothing I’d ever seen before. It had a tint of danger and excitement. It had secrets and strange customs and many wondrous things.
But it also had one hell of a gaping hole, smack in the middle of it. A missing piece, which I knew would prevent me from resting until I found it.
Sofia
The Lord and Lady Supreme’s palace was truly a sight to behold. A giant monument to eternal grandeur, made entirely from perfectly polished blocks of black marble, it captured the afternoon’s gleam in its pointed towers, of which there were six—four faced north, south, east, and west, while the other two rose in the middle of this astonishing complex, identical in size and height as they overlooked the entire city.
Five-hundred-yard-wide stairs led up to the sumptuous entrance, guarded by dozens of columns around which sculpted dragon-like beasts came down, each looking at us, immortalized in their desire to crunch on anyone who dared threaten the ruling crown of Visio. I balked at the statues for a while, taking in their exquisitely detailed work, down to the very last scale and spike. Goosebumps erupted over my arms, as I wondered what had inspired the artists to erect such creatures here, at the palace doors.
More golden guards poured out of the palace and settled down the steps, forming a passageway for us to follow, much like the red flares had done for us in the sky. Red blossoms burst in marble vases behind them, and a garden—a giant garden—hugged the palace from behind, its flowers and green shrubs spilling out on both sides of the building, almost threatening to keep growing until they reached the wide-open space at the front.
I was speechless. I’d never felt so intimidated by a construction before. This had been made specifically to impress and frighten those who beheld it. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs, with Corbin, Zoltan, Petra, and Kalon moving in front of us. Behind, the accompanying golden guards had lined up. For a moment, I wondered if they would let me leave, should I suddenly change my mind for whatever reason. Their expressions told me they wouldn’t.
Farther back, framing the enormous plaza over which the palace reigned, I could see the silver guards mingling with the people, many of whom had followed us through the city. We hadn’t even heard or seen them until now, which made me realize how stealthy the Aeternae could be.
“We’re about to meet the rulers of this world,” Derek said to me. “This is our chance to make a proper introduction.”
I nodded once. “I’m with you all the way, honey.”
Tristan and Esme’s faces were still covered, but I could see the wariness in their green eyes. Nethissis stayed calm, and so did Amane. We’d done right by bringing over a small team. Not having to rely on our dragons and sentries made everything more challenging, but it also gave us the opportunity to truly engage with these people. In this instance, there was no room for failure. No way we’d abandon our objective.
“The Lord and Lady Supreme are waiting for us in the throne room,” Zoltan said. “There isn’t much sunlight coming through that part of the palace, so I assume you’ll be taking your masks off.”
“Absolutely,” I replied. “It gives us no pleasure wearing them, I assure you, Chief Councilor.”
The four made their way up the stairs, and we followed, while I tried to accept that their way of life, while somewhat troubling, was different from ours. I had to think outside my GASP bubble. This didn’t seem like Neraka. The people weren’t oppressed or mind-controlled. They’d been conquered a very long time ago, and they’d adapted to their circumstances. It wasn’t our place to try and change that. Sure, there were similarities, but each world was unique and different in its own way.
Besides, our goal wasn’t to police the Aeternae.
“I know