Chapter 09: Mysterious Golden Thread
Location: Avvah Castle, Capital city of Se'irim Devildom, Abyssal plane
Mummers filled the grand hall, breaking the eerie silence that always hung on Avvah Castle for centuries. Hundred or so demons of different sub species scattered around the hallway, holding bloody colored wine glasses and eating rare elixirs in leisure.
Some demons had insect heads, some had goat horns and ears, some had bull lower bodies while some rare cases had human appearance but with either deathly pale skins or sharp teeth and bat wings.
However, one thing was common in all; the dark aura of corruption surrounding them spoke volumes of their common interest.
Some demons, who were visiting the Avvah Castle for the first time, seemed to be awestrucked by the splendor of luxury and the owner of the castle. They kept looking around with greed and envy boiling inside their hearts.
Avvah Castle was the residence of The Succubus Queen; Se'irim.
Also known as one of the seven Demon Kings and deadly sins; Lust.
Although she was the weakest among the Demon Kings, she was also the only Sin who managed to land a blow on the 48th Dragon Monarch by killing his wife at the 5th Demon War known as The War of Eternal Eclipse. As such, she was the most cunning among the demons.
Today, the grand ball for those demons who achieved EX rank was held by that same Demon.
The purpose of the ball was said to be to congratulate the demons and scout them to her faction.
Thus, the usage of The Grand Hall of Endless Pleasure.
The only hall which had been sealed for over three thousand years.
There is no demon who doesn't know the fact that after The War of Eternal Eclipse ended in demon's defeat and Se'irim lost her lover; The Former Demon King of Envy, balls in The Grand Hall of Endless Pleasure stopped abruptly.
Therefore, the demons silently thought this event was a historical moment.
They appreciate the champagne pink floor, likely to be marble, engraved with decorative ancient demon runes in arcane circles. They gazed at large windows, each decorated with skull-frames, with vivid red curtains reflecting the red moonlight with approval.
They glanced at watercolor pink tinted walls and giant pillars holding up the high ceiling that had countless cracks as if someone had unleashed their anger on them and later repaired by filling the cracks with pure gold, giving it a unique aesthetic atmosphere that couldn't be found anywhere in the Abyssal plane.
Magenta crystalline chandeliers, each as big as a house, played a big role in instilling envy in the hearts of demons present.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
With the sound of high heels, the sound of music abruptly stopped, and mummers settled down in the blink of an eye.
"Who said she was weak?" One demon whispered out loud, trembling after being exposed to the newly arrived's natural pressure.
"Wow…" another exclaimed as quietly as possible.
Most demons gasped in admiration and awe while some even dropped their expensive hydra blooded wine glasses.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on one of the two curved stairs leading up to the second floor.
There stood a seductive woman.
Over five meters tall, her jade white skin shimmered under the chandelier light, presenting an image that aroused sexual desires in an unbelievable speed for all genders.
Her body, barely covered by luxurious gems and fabric, brought up her feminine curves and flawless skin as if to capture every gaze directed at her.
Demons, some blushing and some even drooling, looked at her as if they were looking at a deity, wanting to kneel down and worship her at any moment.
Her long hair, glowing neon magenta in hue, cascaded down on her back, rivaling even the beauty of the Fairy Queen.
She had black eyes, like they were crafted by collecting the purest darkness so very carefully for a thousand years. The heart shaped reddish-pink iris resembled an Amaranth flower, glowing pink and magenta.
Her thin tail, with a heart shaped edge, swayed back and forth as if to invite them to a secret conversation. For some reason, her folded bat-like wings trembled as she gazed down on the demons below her.
"Welcome…guests." Her beautiful lips, tinted with alluring magenta hue, formed a perfect smile. "I am Se'irim, The Succubus Queen and Lust from Seven Deadly Sins." She then gave a seductive and graceful bow.
"I hate using my beautiful voice to talk nonsense, so I'll get right into the point." As she lifted her head, her seductive smile was gone, replaced by a cold yet beautiful thin smile.
Her heart shaped pupils trembled in a maniacal glow. But still, the demons gathered seemed to not notice her change in demeanor at all. They continue to gaze at the woman before them, having unseemly fantasies inside their mind.
Se'irim extended her arm, her index finger pointed at the demons below her, and said in an alluring voice;
"Die for me."
The ancient arcane circles activated with a magenta colored Demonic aura.
And then…a flash.
One single pink flash.
Every single demon present there was teleported instantly to another location. Se'irim looked at the grand hall, empty once again, and sighed.
"To get revenge, this much is nothing." A soft delicate mutter.
She then turned to pink particles and disappeared.
The place she reappeared was a dark dome, dimly lit by a few fire torches.
"Huh? Where are we?"
"Wh-what happened?"
"Why am I here? I remember seeing The Succubus Queen a moment ago?"
"What kind of place is this?"
"I like this place, but for some reason my skill:
Se'irim watched as hundreds of demons panicked upon just a single move of her finger.
She blushed, enjoying the pleasure of seeing her own kind in a state of panic.
—Se'irim…hurry—
As she was absorbed in her own pleasures to the point of losing her mind, Se'irim was brought back to reality by a deep and hoarse voice that directly spoke into her mind.
She flinched as if she almost stepped on to the death's door.
—Y-yes, Holy mother—
Se'irim flapped her wings and flew over the demons to the center of the dome. Both of her hands extended forward as if she was preying to the sky that cannot be seen.
Then, in her alluring voice that bewitched countless people, she chanted loudly for everyone to hear.
「O' Holy mother of destruction who guide us pitiful servants to the path of victory, heed my call and bless us with your divine gaze」
"Huh?"
"What the xxxx?!"
"Is that Queen Se'irim?"
"What is she doing?"
"No it can't be-"
"That's a summoning ritual!"
「I offer thou the most corrupted and strongest servants of yours, O' queen of divine…O' almighty destruction… accept my offering and make these lowly servants part of your holy being. O' bless me with your supreme strength…」
Red aura filled the dome with each word Se'irim uttered.
At the end of her chant, a foul smell accompanied by the sound of thousand rattle snakes enveloped the entire dome, including the demons.
"What the fxxx is happening?!"
"Fxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx."
As demons began to grit their teeth and stand in a combat stance, something unbelievable happened.
Above them…
Way above, even past Se'irim, an eye opened.
Blood red pupil, an eye that was on verge of shedding bloody tears, looked down upon every living being inside the massive dome.
Their long crimson eyelashes fluttered once.
From the dim light, the demons could grasp the shape of the eye ball.
Surrounded by dozens of huge feminine hands, as if a mad scientist had cut countless human arms and attached them together to create a failed chimera as a first test subject, the blood-red eye floated above them like a crimson moon.
A second past…
Two seconds past…
By the third second, the blood-red pupils grew bigger and opened up a hole as black as the abyss itself.
Then countless arms descended.
As the scream of demons filled the dome, the extended arms grab dozens of demons and put them inside the black hole as if savouring an evening snack.
Soon, as silence enveloped the area, the floor without a single drop of blood reflected the slowly closing eye of the terrifying being who devoured hundred demons at once with ease.
∆ ∆ ∆
Unaware of the secrets of other Planes, a certain princess on the moon—literally—walked out of the elevator, humming softly and nodding gracefully to the dark elves she met on the way.
Her steps were light, her gentle gaze was filled with a hint of curiosity.
She was at the place where the main palace connected to the east wing.
The Selene Palace is separated into five;
While the main palace is usually used by the King and Queen, the south wing of the palace is used by the former Monarchs and their beloved Apomeros.
At the time, as no named heir was announced yet, the west wing was used by all the children of the Monarch. When an heir is announced, they will be moved to the north wing.
Although it was a bit rare for Dragons to have siblings, if by chance there was any, those princes or princesses will remain at the west wing.
And while almost all wings were used by royals, the east wing was intrinsically different.
East wing, boasting of 100 floors with 4 glass towers, each floor including bath houses, studies, training grounds, greenhouses and every little thing a luxurious mansion would have, was the guests' residence to the entire dragon race.
It might sound unrealistic, but dragons, lesser than 100 in numbers, only gather in one place as a whole for very few reasons. Such as when a war breaks out, a royal dies, a royal gets married or when an awakening ceremony takes place.
And when they gathered, regardless of whether they were merely a branch family of the direct descendants of the Main House or a Branch House under a Main House, each family was given an entire floor for their use.
Kyriaki got on the glass elevator, looking at the beautiful planet far away as it took her to a random floor.
She felt herself ascending up slowly. It was a surprisingly peaceful moment of her tangled life.
She could see the Selene City also known as the Moon City dazzling in numerous colors.
Neon green,
Yellow,
Crimson,
And Azure…
There were some more colors Kyriaki didn't know the name of. It was truly a fascinating sight.
While the dragons live inside the palace, the dark elves were assigned to live around it.
The result was a lively, bustling city.
The barrier protecting the city artificially produces oxygen while the magic stones supply mana to ensure the well being of the only race dragons are excessively close to.
Although outside the palace, that doesn't mean the dark elves were living poorly.
From what Kyriaki could see, the outside of the palace looked like that time when she watched a sci-fi movie where the story took place in New York City in the year 3000.
Tall modern buildings, neon lights, hovering cars and trains, spaceships, clean streets busting with dark elves. Just what she'd expect from a punk city.
In the past, this was not the true place where dark elves live. Elves instinctively loved forests after all. And that fact was still valid.
Due to unavoidable circumstances such as the crimson moon and their dislike for entangling with light elves, the dark elves decided to live with dragons on the moon a long ago.
That has turned into a tradition of sorts nowadays.
And currently, Elves who haven't been born on the moon from the beginning usually move out of their hometown down on the Wealden Continent to live on the moon. Rarely breaking their traditions to go out to the human world.
Ding!
As Kyriaki's thoughts absurdly turned from thinking of the layout of the palace to dark elves out of nowhere, the bell rang and the doors of the elevator opened smoothly.
She chuckled to herself, getting out of the elevator with a playful little jump.
She was now used to her dragon ego monopolizing her actions and thought that came with it. As hatchlings, curiosity and thirst for knowledge is unavoidable. Playfulness and arrogance that comes with those traits are also part of the early hatchling stage.
Paired with her unstable emotional state due to forcibly locking her divine energy and being reborn, this type of action hardly felt unavoidable.
'It couldn't be helped, truly.'
Kyriaki shrugged her shoulders in a leisurely manner, glancing at the massive arched window passing by.
The scenery she saw was a rural village in a refreshing autumn.
Human children giggled and played together while mothers sat under maple trees, chatting with their friends. The rays of golden sun, softened by layers of cool autumn, embraced the peaceful village as people went on with their lives.
"Wensainopal Village, Harcy Empire, Beohtig Continent, 2,780 M.A."
it was written on a golden plate under the window in clear Drakonic.
'So it's a small village of a fallen Empire in a forgotten time period.'
Kyriaki leisurely walked past the arched window, her attention was now on the next one.
The scenery changed abruptly.
It was a night festival held by dark elves. Judging by the surroundings, it was their true home inside The Sea of Trees. Kyriaki observed the scenery with interest.
An energetic music slipped out of the street musicians, surrounded by dozens of dark elves. Dancers gracefully stepped up to dance in rhythm, their movements memorable, their lips curved upward joyfully. The thrill of mystery and triumph evidenced in their gazes.
Food stalls mixed in with open shops selling every bit of festival joys were the example of pleasure. Stunning festival decorations, including colorful lanterns lighted by magic stones floating around and the night sky taken up by mesmerizing fireworks were enough to catch the attention of even the eyes of a person like Kyriaki—who was ignorant and uninterested in things like festivals.
"Day of Gratitude, Sea of Trees, Wealden continent, 14,000 M.A."
Kyriaki nodded to herself, recalling Netzer telling her and her twin about The Day of Gratitude that came once every 10 years, exclusive to dark elves only. Not even dragons were allowed there.
She walked to the next window with keen interest, expecting something more eye-catching.
Just as she wished, this round she was greeted by a soothing view of a beach.
The summer sun beamed brightly, heating the shimmering sand in a golden hue. Beautiful ocean waves, accompanied by sea foams, kissed the shore to a mysterious rhythm. Like a mirage that could vanish at any second, a huge ship with white sails adorned the scenery at the far away horizon.
"Westcoast, Tethys island, Cwellan Triangle, 780,000 M.A"
Kyriaki paused, staring intently at the ocean. She had a connection with it from her past life, after all.
She felt glad to sneak around to see a scenery like this.
Unlike the main palace where the tall arched windows displayed a live transmission of events and places around the world at the current time, the floors of the east wings seemed to display places long lost in time. Which meant that these sceneries are just memories of someone, forgotten and hidden by the gazes of many.
This was the reason Kyriaki came here.
The place where one can peek into the past, only the east wing has such luxury, much to her dismay.
She wished she could visit the 100th floor as well, but not even a princess could visit there without the permission of the King. And so, she let go of her greed for witnessing the most favorite scenarios of her father.
To some, the east wing was a place with painful memories while to others it was a place with mystery and knowledge. It was also a reminder that while they must live in the present they should never forget the past.
In a way, it's a harsh torment for a dragon who lives well over 20,000 years.
As Kyriaki was about to turn around from a corner of the hallway, thinking of how to live 20,000 years without getting bored, something caught her eyes.
"Huh" Kyriaki, who loathed self-talking like a fool the most, forgot her virtues and exclaimed softly with a bewildered expression. "What the hell?!"
If there was someone watching her, they would've given her the side eye. The way she looked at her right wrist with eyes about to pop out was adorable yet comical.
It took her a few seconds to retain her composer. Then, with the same interest and curiosity she displayed while observing the massive windows, she poked at her right wrist with her free hand.
Adorable golden eyebrows arched and her long eyelashes fluttered.
On her wrist was a neon golden thread, bound to her with a neat butterfly knot.
"Hey system." Kyriaki called out, her Yellow diamond eyes still fixed on the thread like a predator eyeing its prey. "What in the world is this?"
[Ding!]
[Your rank is too low to access]
"Ugh, you always say that. What a useless system."
[Please refrain from insulting your authority]
"As if I'd listen to you." She twisted and wriggled her arm, but the thread never faded or disappeared.
"Interesting." After a while, she mumbled softly, resuming her walk.
Well, only if it could be called a walk since the moment she turned from the corridors, she encountered something more interesting.
A small silver window popped out with a single word.
Kyriaki detected a presence coming towards her at a fast speed.
Thinking that she wanted to avoid any unfortunate incidents, Kyriaki paused on her tracks and stepped away, pressing her back against the wall in hope that the person running towards her wouldn't also be moving near the wall.
Kyriaki still wasn't skilled enough to completely grasp the location of a target moving so fast.
It happened at a speed even a lightning might envy. Kyriaki was obviously unable to react properly.
Thud!
With a loud sound, she bumped on to someone, prompting her to fall backwards.
"Ouch!" A small and annoyed cry reached her ears as a shadow loomed over her.
'Dammit!, here I thought I calculated everything perfectly!'
Kyriaki opened her eyes, which were instinctively closed tightly due to the sudden collision. What she saw momentarily stunned her, leaving her speechless.
It was a boy. She'd say he was 5 years old at most.
But inside this dragon palace, who'd believe that?
He had short snow white hair with aquamarine tips. Rosy and chubby cheeks, porcelain white skin, ivory eyebrows arched as if he was surprised…and most importantly; large blue eyes, like an ocean trapped inside glass beads. The faint aroma of the world after rain mixed with the fragrance of sweet gardenias tickled her nose restlessly.
Not to boast, but Kyriaki truly believed her twin brother was the most adorable and charming little boy in the world. However, she now found herself struggling to keep that thought intact as she looked at the boy above her.
He was undeniably beautiful, on par with Kyrios. It was no doubt that his adorable expression was sprinkling more beauty to his appearance.
Supporting his body with his hands planted on each side of her head, he quietly watched her with wide eyes. His ears and neck bright red. It seemed he was surprised by the sudden encounter, just like her.
Her earrings started to faintly glow in the same color as the boy's eyes, albeit without her knowledge.
"Ahem…are you going to stay like this forever?" Kyriaki thought she could be generous just this once.
Since he was just a kid and she was the first to regain her composure, it was natural. At the same time, it crossed her mind that this boy right here was someone she already knew from Original Kyrios' memories.
"Young lord?" When he still didn't respond, nor distanced himself away from her, Kyriaki called out once again.
"Huh?" This time, there was a reaction. He blinked his ocean blue eyes, seeming to slowly gain his senses.
"Could you move away?" Kyriaki gently pushed him away. There was no negative emotion in her actions or tone.
There was no need to.
This boy right here could be useful in the future. She only had to tame him a bit if things became unfavorable. Regardless, the minimum interactions are enough for now.
Her gentle tone and physical contact seemed to alert him to a great extent. With a loud gasp, he moved away from her with the speed of light, like she was some dirt he shouldn't touch.
"Ah! I'm sorry!!!" His unnecessary loud voice echoed in the hallway as he stood up in a hurry.
Kyriaki's golden eyebrow twitched. The faint glow in her earrings immediately vanished as if the wind of the northern sea had stolen it.
"It's okay, it was partly my fault too. I should've been more careful." She too stood up slowly, brushing her wrinkled skirt with a natural expression.
"N-not at all! How dare I—to Her Highness The Princess…please forgive my insolens!!!" He exclaimed again, his expression filled with distress as if he was scared and deeply reflecting on his actions.
But Kyriaki knew better.
'So you are going to do this? He realized my identity in a minute, but forgot to conceal what he knew. This is not like him at all, Ah, what a clumsy acting by the way.' Kyriaki's rosy lips curved upward, her eyes shaping like crescent moons.
That smile, like nectar from heaven; as Elysium always described, contained just a hint of something mean in it.
"I told you it's okay." She said, her voice tinged with soft laughter. For a minute, the little boy froze. "I sneaked out to explore the palace, so I've currently stepped down from the position of princess right now. " She whispered playfully as her upper body bent down, reaching something on the floor, the gentle tone and beautiful giggles seemed effective as he tightly closed his mouth shut.
"So let's just call it even and part ways, is that okay with you?" Kyriaki grabbed the half solved Rubik's cube that fell from the boy's hands before and lifted her upper body with elegant movements.
"Ah that's—"
"Well then! Since it's settled, have a good day!!" Before he could even reply, she handed him the Rubik's cube and walked past him towards the elevator.
Her movements, although swift, looked as graceful and elegant as a hatchling could be.
"W-wait—"
Although Kyriaki heard him calling for her, she chose to ignore it like a haughty cat.
But deep down, her mind raced as fast as she recalled a few plans she made entangling this boy. She still needed more time. She needed to observe how he'd react to her existence and how he'd interact with her.
After then should she choose a fitting plan, continuously modify it as time goes by, as she meets more people.
There was no need to hide it,
Kyriaki was very excited.
'Ah, I forgot to see his status window'
A regretful thought crossed her mind as the elevator took her to the ground floor.
That was, to her, truly disappointing.
But still, this encounter was far too great for her that she was able to brush off that disappointment with ease.
∆ ∆ ∆
—Sister… — A low voice, filled with so many emotions, rang in her mind.
Kyriaki turned her head. Golden yellow slit pupils met another pair in the same hue. She gave all her attention to the owner of her identical eyes.
There, beside her, stood a dragon hatchling. He looked the same as her in appearance, except for the subtle difference of their scales and size due to their gender.
Also her stigma under eyes played a big role in separating the two of them.
They were back to their true form.
And for a while now, her twin brother; Kyrios was looking at her with his adorable eyes. She could feel anxiety, doubt, concern, impatience, curiosity, excitement and many strong emotions from him.
—What do you think those other dragons will think of us?—
He asked as calmly as he could, ignoring the fact that his twin sister could feel his emotions.
It was inevitable. Since this was their debutante, this will be the first time they'll meet all the dragons in the clan. They'll be exposed to so many gazes. They'll be judged, measured and evaluated.
But what can they do if this was one of the dragon traditions they had to follow. The mental stress was not an excuse to skip their awakening.
Yes, the awakening.
The long awaited event all hatchlings were anxious about. It was time for them to unlock their attributes.
Kyriaki giggled, her pleasant bell-like little giggles echoed in the empty hallway.
—Hmmm…— It was the second time Kyrios called her sister. To her, he was so endearing it felt ticklish in her heart.
—I think it will be adoration and reverence— She replied gently.
—After all, you have an extraordinary sister like me, and I have an excellent brother like you. Who would resist their naturally bloomed emotions of worship and awe when they see us?—
—Surely, you jest— Kyrios blinked his eyes as if he couldn't believe what she was saying.
This time, Kyriaki couldn't help but laugh.
—Oh my, How humble. Who did you take after to naturally resist the arrogance of a hatchling, brother?— She teased him with a soft voice, like a mother with their adorable child.
—Ah, seriously!— Kyrios protested, pouting and turning away.
—You two seem more relaxed than I thought—
A deep voice, carefully enriched with gentleness and playfulness of a father, bloomed behind them. The twins turned around in unison.
—Dad!— Kyrios cried out, wagging his tail like a puppy upon seeing his father in his true form.
Elysium as well as the elf guards who came with him held their laugh after seeing Kyrios so energetic.
—Yes, since we are no ordinary hatchlings— Kyriaki bowed her head, her never changing well-mannered demeanor now appearing to be normal for Elysium as he also gave her a slow nod.
—Aha! True. My children are so brave! How impressive!— Elysium proudly declared.
—But dad…Where's grandpa?—
Kyriaki presented her hidden thoughts without delay, searching for the gentleman with an ancient aura surrounding him.
—Since only active royals had to come last, he went ahead with Netzer and Ezekiel—
—Ah, so he went to greet his old friends—
—You are always very perspective, as expected of my clever sun flower!—
—Please stop slandering your royal dignity, dad—
"Pfft" As their exchange of dialogues went on, the dark elves around them couldn't hold their laughter any longer and blurted out with no shame.
Elysium glared at them as Kyriaki turned her eyes to the massive door with indifference.
—Announce our presence— She commanded with clear authority. A dark elf stepped forward, clearing his throat as if he was waiting for this all his life.
"Behold!!! The 49th Monarch and The Dragon King, Elysium Haris Eleftherios, The Glory of Dragons, Princess Kyriaki Elpis Eleftherios and Prince Kyrios Ermin Eleftherios are entering! All hail the rulers of Mitherr-ge!!!"
∆ ∆ ∆
"Even us dragons who are hailed as rational and wise creatures have innocent and impossible dreams. We are not gods that covet the excellent nor monks that abandon desires. We are the perfect model of a mortal."
—By Apollo Thanos Eleftherios I, 2nd monarch of dragons.
From < Personal Journal of The Crown Prince>—