The beast cart moved forward with the beasts dragging them. Their hooves clopped on the stone road below as they moved. The streets surrounding them were loud and noisy, for it was day.
Black and grey stone buildings were replaced by smooth walls of black stone and golden lacquer buildings as they closed in on the bronze wall. The contrast in wealth was apparent.
Inside the black cart, Cronox and Varyne sat in silence as Cronox read the book.
Varyne took glances at his young master from time to time; he had no wish to disturb him.
Cronox flipped a page, and he was reading the infernal words on the page. Varyne's glances were not new to him, so he chose to ignore them. "Fiends of each domain." The page read. His eyes were hooked on the page.
The seven domains of the seven Arch-devils were listed down. "Tabes, Furialis, Pavorium, Profundum Carnis, Insidiae, Inanitas, Acedia Aeterna." Beneath each of them, a name was written. "Tabiyan, Furialae, Pavore, Carnios, Insidious, Inanitare, Aetier." Cronox studied the names one by one. After that, his eyes went back to Inanitare, his kind. The number Seventy was mentioned in the right corner beside the words.
Cronox flipped the pages till he reached page Seventy, and it was on the left side. With big words, the word Inanitare was written on the top. Cronox began reading the page keenly.
"Inanitare, coined after the word Inanitas. Domain of greed, glory, and ambition." His fingers traced the centre of the book as his eyes went down. "Physical characteristics: Adorned with black and slightly jagged horns. The horns have ridges along them like a spire." Cronox touched his horns; he could feel the ridges on them.
"Draped in orange-to-red skin, the darkness and paleness of their skin is the only characteristic which is not borrowed from the parents." Cronox looked at his hand; it was pale yellow.
"Their eyes usually have white sclera and burning pupils. The colour of the pupil is borrowed from their parent. Apart from their physical features, their eyesight is sharp. Capable of deducing intricate details on a surface and eyesight up to many miles." Cronox focused his gaze on the page. As the book said, He could see the tiny bumps and cracks on the page.
"Inanitare are attracted to gold and glory naturally. They are ambitious, and their physical capabilities allow them to attain them to an extent." Cronox nodded as he read that sentence.
"However," his gaze stopped. "They have excellent hold on their nature, and the bestial unbound nature in their blood is suppressed. It is a sign of fear-induced rage." Cronox stopped. He did not want to read the next paragraph, his fingers twitching slightly.
Varyne noticed, his gaze explored Cronox's face. His pupils stopped at a single line, refusing to move forward. Varyne decided to divert his young master's attention, "We are about to reach, young master."
Cronox inhaled heavily and closed the book. A thud echoed in the cart, and Cronox looked tense. His fingers clutched the book tightly, his gaze sharpened.
Varyne wanted to inform Cronox about the rules again, but he knew better. His young master wished to be left alone when he was tense. So, he did not. He looked out the cart and noticed the bronze wall in front of them.
They shone as sunlight hit the walls; the beasts dragging them came to a halt. Cronox still looked tense, and he kept breathing until his grip loosened slightly and his pupils calmed.
Varyne turned his sight toward Cronox, and his gaze focused on Cronox's approval.
Cronox nodded. He turned his gaze toward the bastion from the curtain, but it was not completely visible. Only the massive bronze walls were visible. Behind it, bronze towers and buildings filled the horizon, and they gradually rose into the sky like a mountain.
It was enough, and Varyne stepped out of the cart. His long brown robe touched the ground. After him, Cronox stepped out, and his dark green shirt fluttered in the air. Varyne also carried a big leather bag. It dropped on his back.
Cronox and Varyne moved together into the gate. The guards bent gently as Cronox crossed them. The massive gate did not stop at the entrance. Instead, it stretched like a snake's throat. There were ramparts on the inner walls. Each rampart had a hundred or more guards stationed, each bending as he moved forward.
The inner walls were lit, and the roof had slits to allow light. Cronox looked at the massive roof and gateway. He marvelled, as his father's keep dwarfed in comparison to the bronze bastion. His pupils dilated, as his fingers finally loosened.
The cold stone road contrasted with the warm bronze colour. Both of them could feel the coldness of the stone, as if it was magically enchanted. A wave of breeze brushed their body. Cronox sighed in relief, and it felt nice.
After a while, both of them crossed the gateway and stopped. In front of them, A vast city of bronze stood. All of the buildings were unique; one had skulls and bones carved, while one had jewels socketed on it. A road was in front of them with buildings on either side.
Most importantly, all of them looked like they were part of a keep. Cronox's jaw opened involuntarily, and he looked at Varyne.
Varyne returned the gaze and chuckled. "Let's move; we don't want to keep your Sister by law waiting." He whispered.
Cronox looked at the buildings before him. Few well-dressed noble fiends roamed the streets. Few of them held a book and read it while walking. While a few walked in a straight line with arms moving and stopping at the same place.
Cronox and Varyne moved forward, crossing the bronze and gold buildings.
Varyne was also stunned as he examined each building as they passed. "Are we in Eldorath?"
Cronox, still fixed on the larger buildings on the horizon, replied. "It feels like it."
Both of them stumbled upon an open area on their right side. There were round tables and chairs arranged; those chairs were made of deep red wood. On the table, severed hands and legs, some skinned and a few without hair and nails. Green leaves and a few tomatoes were arranged around.
A few limbs were seasoned, while a few were raw. Cronox stopped looking, and he turned his head away from the sight. Some thing instinctual in clawed in his heart. Cronox felt as if it was trying to climb from his chest. His nostrils sniffed on their own, his eyes dilating and narrowing.
However, Cronox was not unsettled. It was a tiny feeling. For now.
Cronox began walking away from that place, and Varyne followed him.
Cronox sighed in relief as the feeling went away. He turned toward Varyne and spoke, "Where is the keep?"
Varyne thought for a while, remembering the directions. "It's on the left side. Let's go."
Due to their early arrival, nobody arrived to receive them. But they should know by now, as he was the only pale-skinned yellow fiend in the entire bastion. The rest of them either looked orange or red.
Cronox knew his father informed his sister by law about his appearance, so he was sure somebody would be waiting for him in the keep. On their way, he crossed a large bridge. Beneath the bridge, Magma flowed.
Cronox and Varyne now arrived at the central left part of the Bronze bastion; it was divided into many sections with a keep in between, each one of them belonging to one noble house. Around them, buildings crowded.
Cronox had never seen many keeps in one place; usually, a keep was big enough to span across half a mile. But many of them were in a single place, and each of them was unique. One of them had grey stones, while one had black.
Both of them moved forward and passed many colossal gates, each entrance to a keep with a different banner. Deep in the corner of the left part, A huge keep stood; in the centre of it, a tower stood proud. A statue of a fiend stood on either side of the gates, carrying a crown in their hand. The bridge in front of the gate was lifted.
The walls and the keep behind the wall had blue roses carved into them. It contrasted with the bronze keep.
Slowly, the guard on the arch behind the bridge noticed Cronox and Varyne. He signed at another fiend to lower the bridge.
With a groan, the bridge lowered slowly. The noise echoed around the area surrounding them. It finally halted as the bridge lowered completely, and behind it a tall fiend stood. Taller than normal fiends.
Cronox narrowed his eyes. A muscular, bulky, and crimson-skinned fiend stood across the bridge. His horns were tall and curved, proud. His eyes looked as if they were half closed, painting his face in disinterest.
He was dressed in elegant green robes and had a golden belt around his waist. His hair was matted and formed dreads as they sat on his shoulder.
Varyne stood still, his eyes fixed on the tall fiend. He uttered a name: "Exalted Khrane."