The morning sun barely warmed the air as Renji tightened the straps on his cloak. The winds from the southern reaches carried with them an acrid stench—charred earth, blood-soaked soil, and distant screams the world had long forgotten.
Zach stood with his arms behind his back, that ever-playful grin dipped in seriousness for once. "Salzahar," he muttered. "You're gonna love it. Ashes, necrotic rivers, screams echoing through burnt mountains. Really homey."
Mira stood behind him, ears flicking with unease. "Are we really heading there? The stories say even death runs away from that place."
Renji glanced at her. "Then I guess we'll run toward it.
Zach chuckled darkly. "Brave words, Your Majesty. But those freaks aren't just war-torn savages. I've met them once—long ago. When I was still half-drunk and full of chaos." His grin faded. "They're organized now. Smarter. And one of them… knows about you, Renji."
"Of course they do," Renji muttered, cracking his knuckles. "They probably had a tea party with fate and planned it all out."
Seraphina stepped forward, barefoot on the stone path leading from the Exile's edge. She touched Renji's arm, her eyes misting with golden sorrow. "I can't come with you."
Renji froze. "What?"
"I'm bound to the core of the Exile," she whispered. "I pushed my limits just visiting you in the brothel. Any further, and I risk fading completely." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "But I'll be watching. Through the system… through the land."
Zach snapped his fingers, and a crimson flame ignited mid-air, forming a compass-shaped glyph.
"It's a long walk through hell's backyard," he said. "We'll need allies. An army, if we can find one. The Nightmare dwellers won't go down with flashy moves and angry monologues."
Renji nodded. "Then let's give them a war they'll never forget."
Mira tightened her scarf, hopping up onto a nearby boulder. "If we're walking into nightmares, I'm not letting you two idiots die without me."
And with that, the trio began their descent toward the Southern Embers—toward the forsaken kingdom of Salzahar. Where nightmares aren't born… they are worshipped.
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As the trio crossed the final ridge, a vast valley unfurled beneath them—a land both intoxicatingly beautiful and viscerally cruel.
Salzahar.
It shimmered like a mirage, wreathed in gold-touched mist and veils of lilac wind. Gigantic spires of obsidian and diamond pierced the skies, and colossal statues of godlike beings stood like silent judges over the living. The streets shimmered with marble gloss, and every corner exhaled opulence, power, and a divine arrogance so thick it made the air feel heavy.
Mira's jaw dropped. "Is this… really part of this world?"
"No," Zach murmured, his eyes narrowing. "This is something far worse. This is what happens when beauty, strength, and divine power are worshipped as absolute law… and compassion is exiled."
Renji stepped forward, taking in the haunting splendor. He saw chariots lined with heavenly silks, pulled by radiant beasts. But behind the glittering walls… he heard it. Screams—faint but undeniable. A single cry beneath ten thousand cheers.
"Where are the sick?" Mira asked.
Zach snorted. "They're either dead… or displayed in cages. In Salzahar, flaw is a crime."
Renji's gaze darkened. "So weakness isn't tolerated."
"Not even mourned," Zach said. "This place breeds gods… and discards mortals."
As they entered through the gleaming archway, the people turned to stare. Men with sculpted perfection and women with celestial beauty roamed the streets, eyes sharp, smiles hollow. Soldiers clad in obsidian armor scanned them with disdain—outsiders weren't uncommon, but unrefined ones? Rare. Dangerous.
Renji clenched his fists. "They're watching us like we're meat."
Zach nodded. "Because we are. You're strong, Renji… but not perfect. Not by their standards."
Mira stayed close to Renji, ears twitching. "This place gives me chills."
"Good," Zach said, lips curling. "That means your soul's still human."
In the distance, a shadowed figure watched them from atop a high tower. Draped in velvet-black robes and crowned with molten gold, his face masked and eyes glowing violet. He turned, whispering to someone in the shadows beside him.
"They've arrived."
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The palace of Salzahar was not a place—it was a declaration.
Crimson velvet banners hung from celestial pillars, and the floor sparkled with moonstone tiles, reflecting the light of a floating chandelier made entirely of phoenix feathers and sunfire crystals. Dancers spun like spirits under a divine trance, harps played themselves, and golden incense curled through the air with the scent of lust, power, and honeyed arrogance.
At the end of the throne hall, sprawled sideways on a floating couch of celestial wood, was King Caelion.
He wore a half-buttoned robe of golden thread, his bronzed chest exposed beneath layers of jewelry. On his lap were three breathtaking concubines, all draped over him like silk. A wine goblet floated beside his hand, swirling itself every few seconds. His crown—molten, ever-shifting—hovered just above his tousled hair.
And the moment he saw Zach, he jumped to his feet, flinging the women off like tossed pillows.
"Zachariah, my sin-ridden soulmate!" Caelion boomed, voice echoing like thunder dipped in laughter. He ran toward them with arms wide, an absurd sight in his half-dressed regal attire.
Zach grinned. "Still as shameless as ever, huh?"
They met in a dramatic, overly loud embrace—like two emperors reuniting after centuries of war.
"You never visit! You never write! I thought you were dead or worse—married!" Caelion said, flicking a lock of Zach's hair with mock horror. Then his eyes landed on Mira and Renji. "And who are these charming misfits?"
Zach waved lazily. "Warrior pup and apocalypse magnet. Caelion, meet Renji and Mira."
Caelion's eyes glittered as he looked Renji over. "Hmm… he's got the look. That doomed-yet-delicious vibe. I like him."
"Focus," Zach sighed.
But Caelion only clapped. Dancers swirled into the hall, music swelled, and trays of exotic fruit and golden drink were brought forth.
"We drink! We dance! And then we plot the end of our enemies," Caelion declared, raising his goblet.
Renji leaned toward Zach. "Is he always like this?"
Zach smirked. "Only when he's sober."
The night exploded in colors, songs, laughter—and somewhere beneath the splendor, the shadow of a coming war loomed like a dagger wrapped in velvet.