Although the execution stage and a few meters around are empty, the rest of the area is a stark contrast. Located next to the busiest quarter in the city, the city square is a vast space at the junction of four roads, surrounded by stone and brick buildings—most are shaped like towers and as tall as nine stories.
An hour before noon, nearby roads and streets that should be bustling with the bazaar, trading houses, auctions, and wealthy residential houses have turned quiet and almost deserted while the city square is noisy and overcrowded.
The people of Mayhem City are flooding into the junction from three sides. Demons stop their flights and continue the rest of the way on foot around a street or so next to the city square. Groups of humans and demons fill the three roads, rushing forward, talking about the execution of the criminal they are going to see.
“We have been seeing hangings all along. This one must be different.”
“Let&rs
The head that was rolling a while before it finally stopped, the blood splashing all over the stage, the royals delighted by the blood and the cruelty, and the entire city watching the scene like a performance; still everything flashing in her mind, Elysia swallows down the bile that is still rising in her throat, despite being back in the place where she should feel safe and at home.Behind her, the gargoyles are growling at their handler, refusing to go to their stable. Elysia stretches her wings and takes off into the air, heading straight to her chambers, instead of going inside the tower and taking the stairs. Everything that has happened causes her to remember twelve years back when she had to start drinking the potion.“Why don’t we just escape, mother? We can live in the forest.”“We can’t do that.”“Why not?”“You are only 7 years old, my child, too young to under
I am not a human. I am—I am different. I am a princess. But I am not a fairy-tale princess because, in fairy tales, other children and little animals love them, aren’t they? Me? They hide from me. I know I scare them. Even though I am stupid, I know that much. Kannax tells me all the time that I am the dumbest and ugliest among father’s children. I turned 10 years old last month. Ever since then, I had thought my mother would let me go out together with her; as I was not that young anymore. Instead, I was scolded. I did not give up though. Yesterday, when no one was looking, I hid in a cart that would go out of the palace grounds. It was easier than I thought. At least that’s what I thought on the way out. I’ve never stepped foot in the outside world and I’ve never seen human children. Small giggles and shouts led me to two girls and one boy on the street full of rickety buildings.They were around my age. Although their clothes were dirty, unl
Under the night sky, castles and towers in the capital city of the Great North are strangely luminescent, glittering like the stars themselves, while the rest of the establishments are in the dark. Mayhem City is a combination of contradictions, the light and the dark, the rich and the poor, and the oppressor and the oppressed. There are things in the air, gliding, flying; they are too huge to be birds. They look somehow human but not quite, given their horns and bat-like wings. In the outskirts of the city, one unfortunate human who dared to be out on the streets after the daylight has now become their prey. A group of those winged creatures drained his blood and left him on the ground to die. Elysia seems to never her lesson; if anything, the lessons have made her numb and thick-skinned. Even though she was thrown into the dungeon nearly nine years ago, she is sneaking out of the palace grounds as usual. As being the place the king is residing, it is almost impossi
It can easily be the busiest quarter in the city, with the main bazaar and the biggest auction house in the entire kingdom. Shoppers are walking, flying, some in chains, on the streets occupied by innumerable establishments. When a royal entourage comes flying towards the auction house, everyone in the quarters halt to give them a curious glance and continues whatever they were doing a moment before, except the ones who look perfectly human and in chains—they bow down on the ground. Even though they look beaten down with fresh scars on their bodies, their burning anger is visible, through their white knuckles and their eyes, targeting not only the ones who are holding their chains but the ones surrounded by many royal guards, who are heading towards the tallest building in this quarter. A tall black cylindrical tower is a stark contrast with the clear sky and the other buildings. The entourage lands on the rooftop. Down the carpet stairs, this floor is
Two days ago… Pain. That was the first thing that came into his mind of total blankness.What was happening to him? That was the first question that he asked himself. He could feel the earth underneath his back in immense pain. He tried to open his eyes. Blurry and unfocused, he was blinded by the brightness just as he grasped the vagueness of trees and the sky beyond them. The next time when he opened his eyes, he found himself in another place, iron bars in front of him. He couldn’t move an inch except for his head. His hands and legs were spread eagle, manacled, and chained to the hard surface behind him. He could not tell how much time had passed but could be an hour when the iron door opened and someone came in. The creature standing before him instantly disgusted him, and he didn't know why. The one standing before him had black horns and bat wings. Demon, the word came into him out of nowhere. "What are you?" ask
Five years ago…The setting sun was no longer able to light up Mayhem City’s darkest corners, which filled with things, and lives, or the lack of life that no one deemed useful. A scrawny figure was walking slowly on a narrow lane. Barefooted, the dress too worn out and torn around the edges, the girl looked 15 at most.In her hands were two apples. She was embracing them with her trembling hands as if some stolen treasure. Around the corner of the lane were two shadows, one of them had curvy horns and huge wings. At first glance, they were embracing each other but at the closer look, the winged shape was gripping too tight the other one who was struggling in vain.At the sudden sight of it, the girl threw herself against the nearest wall, making herself even smaller than she already was. The struggling one made one last movement before he stilled completely. At last, the hunter took off into the air, dropping his prey to the ground
One hour ago… He saw the sunlight for the first time since he has gotten conscious chained to the wall. The demons pulled him at his hardest by the chains; although it would not make any difference to him, they never stop trying. He was aware of that everyone was staring at him as if some kind of exotic creature. There was something different about him, other than just his apparent features. A bustling place, a cobbled street with stalls and shops everywhere in his line of sight, with demons busy coming and going and also humans; the difference was most of the humans were in chains like him. Some were being either whipped or beaten. What a disgusting place this was. The voice coming from his right interrupted his trail of thoughts. “Don’t be so happy yet,” taunts the demon, “We will be waiting for you, pretty boy, when she doesn’t want you anymore.” The other two demons howl as if this was some kind of
She hands him the keys before going back to her seat. “I think you might need some shirt,” she mumbles out more to say something than anything else. “Do I?” is his response, removing the rest of the manacles and chains. “I don’t think you have told me your name,” Elysia inquires, now with a good distance between them. He lounges back on his chair, still shirtless. He really needs a shirt, she can’t help thinking. “What is yours?” Elysia is caught off guard by his question. “What?” “Your name, sweetheart,” he answers reprimandingly, “You should say your name first. It’s the courtesy, isn’t it?” Her temper rises, “Don’t call me sweetheart!” Who is he to reprimand her and to call her sweetheart, no matter how attractive he is? This guy doesn’t understand the situation he is in. She was thinking to secretly free him, if possible—it is a great risk to do so, probably dangerous, becaus
The head that was rolling a while before it finally stopped, the blood splashing all over the stage, the royals delighted by the blood and the cruelty, and the entire city watching the scene like a performance; still everything flashing in her mind, Elysia swallows down the bile that is still rising in her throat, despite being back in the place where she should feel safe and at home.Behind her, the gargoyles are growling at their handler, refusing to go to their stable. Elysia stretches her wings and takes off into the air, heading straight to her chambers, instead of going inside the tower and taking the stairs. Everything that has happened causes her to remember twelve years back when she had to start drinking the potion.“Why don’t we just escape, mother? We can live in the forest.”“We can’t do that.”“Why not?”“You are only 7 years old, my child, too young to under
Although the execution stage and a few meters around are empty, the rest of the area is a stark contrast. Located next to the busiest quarter in the city, the city square is a vast space at the junction of four roads, surrounded by stone and brick buildings—most are shaped like towers and as tall as nine stories.An hour before noon, nearby roads and streets that should be bustling with the bazaar, trading houses, auctions, and wealthy residential houses have turned quiet and almost deserted while the city square is noisy and overcrowded.The people of Mayhem City are flooding into the junction from three sides. Demons stop their flights and continue the rest of the way on foot around a street or so next to the city square. Groups of humans and demons fill the three roads, rushing forward, talking about the execution of the criminal they are going to see.“We have been seeing hangings all along. This one must be different.”“Let&rs
When the morning of that day comes, unexpectedly the king’s messenger arrives in the Purple Garden, not only for Consort Sumerie who receives summonses regularly but also for Elysia, the youngest princess whom the king has overlooked for many years. Elysia does not remember the last time she was invited to the court. Even for the announcements such as about the newest consort, apparently, Issaharic has not considered her relevant. This surprise makes Elysia anxious: she can’t help worrying if the king has found out her secret because of her recent activities. What is more unusual is this is not a regular court meeting, as the summons hardly gives them any time to prepare before they set off to the king’s castle. Along the route to the palace, followed by their guards, both Elysia and Sumerie are silent, which is out of character for the latter and thus makes her even more anxious. Upon entering the cavernous throne room, their guards remaining outside, Sumeri
“What’s wrong with your memory?” His admission surprises Elysia.Standing face to face on the narrow cobbled path, he regards her silently, as if he is trying to see inside her head. Birds are chirping on the nearby hawthorn tree. “I guess there is no harm in telling you this. Since I own your life,” he warns, his thumb rubbing his lower lip slowly.“You don’t own my life!” she glares at him.Ignoring her outburst, he continues, “Everything is wrong. I don’t even know who I am as I only have a few-day worth of memory. That’s why I need something that can make me remember everything I must have forgotten.”Bewildered, her fury has disappeared. His gaze is on the horizon. The wind ruffles his hair and the morning sun makes something shine bright gold; only now she notices some golden strands mixing in the black.She doesn’t know how to respond to this confession. Funnily en
He wakes up with a headache after a restless sleep. He remembers he had a strange dream, but can’t recall what it was about. Getting down from the bed, he notices he is wearing nothing. There across the bed and the floor, his clothes were scattered around. He doesn’t remember removing his clothes, and wonders why he has done so in his sleep. He opened the window; the dawn had not arrived. Yesterday morning, even earlier than this, something caused him to jolt from his sleep in the tiny room near the kitchen. Despite the complete darkness and total silence at the moment, he immediately knew someone else was inside the room with him. The door had no lock; however carefully it had been opened, he must have heard it, and that must have woken him up. Something came to touch his chest, an
The coldness seeps into her wings; with a start, she comes to catch how she has been behaving. Why was she acting like a coward? She will not let him intimidate her this way.“What do you want?” she asks again, sternly this time, partly to cover her breathlessness which makes no sense to her. Imitating her mother’s authoritative voice talking to slaves, she continues, “Do you want freedom?”It might be her imagination, but Elysia thinks she just saw his eyes flashed with some emotion. Anger? When she blinks again, it has gone. She has expected him to follow her, in an attempt to dominate her. Instead, he turns around and takes leisure steps in the opposite direction. He stops to stare at one part of the wall. There is nothing special on that side, no decorations, even clear of wardrobes.“Doesn’t everyone desire freedom?” he questions back with a coldness in his voice. Without waiting for her, he answers h
There was no way she was visible; she had even passed guards in the past. How did this happen? If she became visible here, she would be in trouble; her people can’t use magic. Whoever interrupted her is now holding her down on her back, her hands in the tight grip of his—she thinks it is a man as she can see from the corner of her eyes. Her stomach on the grass, Elysia struggles hard, trying to break free. Every attempt of hers, however, is useless.“Princess?” he sounds amazed. It’s him! Her spell must have stopped working. She struggles harder. “Get off of me!!!”He loosens his grip, but he bends down and whispers, “No.” His warm breath tickles her ear.“What do you mean “No”?” While she is furious, she still notices his body heat which is almost enveloping her.“So you have a little secret. I don’t think this is usual for you people to have this type of trick.”“Let me go! Do you want everyone to see us in this state?!” Elysia
“I thought I’d take all of this with me to the grave. I intended to never tell you, Elysia, but it seems I can’t avoid this.”Within the few seconds’ break of her mother talking, the chamber is so quiet that the breathing sounds are so loud to Elysia’s ears.“He was from the Ikcendas.” The consort looks away.“From the East?”“As our kingdom and the East had a friendly relationship during those years, our two kingdoms exchanged diplomatic gifts and messages regularly. Children only know humans with magical abilities live in the East, but it is not strictly true. There are ordinary humans, humans with magical powers, and lastly the ones more than humans: they are the royal family and some highest nobles.”“Aside from being an ambassador, he was a distant relative of the royal family. Your father and I, it was love at first sight, but still, we kept our distance during his visits for more than a hundred years. We did nothing more than having friendly
On a normal day, if she happens to wake up early in the morning, she goes to the dining room to have a human breakfast and then walks in the garden before she has the normal breakfast. But today is different. In her white nightgown and her messy hair spreading over her shoulders, she heads to the open window that looks over the garden. The cool morning breeze brushes her thin cloth, chilling her; she hugs herself with her black wings.Knockings come from the closed door of her parlor.“May I come in, your highness?” asks Clara from the other side of the door.“Come in.” There must be someone nearby, given how she is addressing.Clara enters the room with a tray, pushing the door open. On the tray are a steaming crystal cup, a dish of sweet pastries, other items including a blood bottle, and an extra item, which is a folded paper. The announcement.“Why is this only for me? Have you had your breakfast?