Chapter 9 - Parade of Madness

"My name is Kaies, Kaies Friola. I am the younger brother of Igorus Friola, who, as you know, serves as a general in the Dominion army. I work as a sector chief in the Center for Information and Studies in the Kingdom of Tamasi. My duties involve verifying news, handling reports, solving crimes, and dealing with anything that might be of use to the police or the military.

I can say I enjoy my work, mostly because it doesn't require too many interactions or conversations with others, except with my colleague Stravna. Every day follows the same routine. I wake up in the morning, wash my face, bathe, eat breakfast, fly to work, go through files, and verify countless reports. Stravna helps me at times with the expertise she possesses, makes me coffee, or offers me something to drink or eat while I work. I've been here for thirty years; twenty-three of them spent working alongside her.

And yet, I feel as though something is missing... as though I've been swallowed by a cycle. Each day feels the same. I don't want to burden the people I care about with this part of my life. I'm not sure why. Perhaps deep down, I'm glad that something is missing, because it gives me a kind of quiet life. Or perhaps, somewhere within me, I long for something that will shatter this circle, break the chain of routines I'm bound to.

Often I feel like a stranger in this world. I think, I feel, I react, I do the same things others do. We are all complex beings. But something unites us: power. In this world, of course, intellect matters. But if you lack the ability to make your intellect known, everyone turns their back on you. King Kasama and Queen Kaliga, both of them possess the power to make their existence felt above all others.

But what of love? Igorus and his wife often tease me about it. When I was younger, though now I am 445 years old, I believed love was the most beautiful thing that existed, everywhere. To love someone meant to entrust your entire world to them.

I finish work in the afternoon, and whenever I say farewell to Stravna, my thoughts immediately drift to what she might be doing with her life. I've never once asked her what she enjoys, or what she does in her free time. To me, it seems best to keep a professional relationship with a colleague, that is how I judge the life of an adult. And yet, I can't help but feel intrigued whenever I see her. Her hair is a rare shade, somewhere between brown and beige, her eyes are green, and she carries an innocent smile.

Still, I don't wish to intrude upon her life. In the evenings, I step out onto my balcony, smoke a shantran, and read articles from parchment scrolls. Her house is visible from mine. Whenever my eyes happen to fall upon it, I stop reading. I do not know if what I feel is love or not. Perhaps it is more a sense of responsibility, as though it were my duty to watch over her, even though she likely has no idea I think of her safety.

Love, to me, has become a surreal concept. I once saw it as something attainable, but now I've forgotten its meaning. My home is empty. Only the furniture keeps me company, making me feel both accompanied and alone at the same time.

Perhaps this is how it is written in the constitution of fate. Perhaps this is the way I am meant to live, alone, in a world overflowing with fantasy and wonders. Alone, within an unknown mind..."

In the present...

In the royal palace of the angels, Tarnael, Kaela, Eliael, and three soldiers were walking through a basement that stretched beneath the castle, below ground level. It was an empire shaped by darkness, which ruled most of the space there. The old walls, some covered with moss from the utter absence of light, of life, stood silent around them. Their footsteps echoed everywhere, accompanied by shadows cast by the blazing lamps fixed to the walls. Beside the flames hung torn iconographic paintings, some draped in cobwebs, drowned in dust.

"This way," Tarnael signaled, and the others followed without questioning his word.

As they walked, they came across a chamber, its door crafted from an ancient kind of wood, different from all the other doors of the royal palace.

"I've never seen this door before. Has it always been here?" asked Eliael, astonished.

"Maybe we don't remember, since we rarely came down here," Kaela suggested.

"This door was hidden... until the moment I read Father's thoughts," Tarnael revealed.

Both Kaela and Eliael were struck with surprise at his words.

"What about those three doors on the left? What are they?" asked Eliael, eyeing the unusual doors that stood to their side.

"Storage rooms. Nothing of real importance," Tarnael replied, not offering much explanation to his brother.

"Let's go in," the latter insisted. He carefully pushed the door open, slowly, revealing beyond it a faint green light that grew stronger and stronger, signaling something hidden within the mysterious chamber.

"T-This is..." Eliael whispered to himself.

It was an uncanny room, filled with green tubes, each containing liquid of the same color. Bubbles drifted upward within them, and inside floated the bodies of beasts, grotesque abnormalities, and severed body parts, eyes, legs, arms suspended in the glowing substance. Some seemed to be regenerating, while others simply lingered in stasis. The group walked cautiously among the tubes, caught between curiosity, unease, and confusion.

But at the far end of the chamber, in the shape of a throne, stood a larger tube, filled with the same luminous liquid, though inside it was something else. A half-formed body, sealed away, far from the heavy air of the room, far from life.

"The body that woman in crimson gown gave me," Tarnael said in reply to Eliael, who stood stunned at the sight before him.

"Bakabali..." Eliael murmured under his breath.

"Who would have thought there was a room like this beneath the castle?" Kaela said.

"Well, someone knew," Tarnael replied, turning his gaze toward Bakabali's left side, where the silhouette of Lazrael, the chief servant of the royal family, came into view.

With his golden curls, sharp green eyes, and a small piercing on his nose, Lazrael was dressed quite literally like a servant: a long, plain dark tunic over a simple white shirt. His frame was somewhat thin, his face pale, yet the way he stood at Bakabali's side radiated an intimidating presence.

"Lazrael? What are you doing here?" Kaela asked in astonishment.

Eliael silently echoed the same question through the expression on his face.

"I have been working here in secret for years, under the command of King Augustel," Lazrael explained. "He valued my skills as a scientist greatly and granted me permission to conduct my work here, of course, without the knowledge of anyone but the king himself and Glauk, my assistant."

He then stepped aside to present his assistant.

Kaela, Eliael, and the three soldiers widened their eyes in disbelief and curiosity at the new figure entering the scene, while Tarnael seemed entirely unfazed, his stoic eyes fixed on the man with no trace of emotion behind them.

The assistant was a dark-skinned man, bald, cloaked in a light brown mantle frayed in places. His right eye was completely pink, marked with harsh red striations, while his left eye bore a lifeless iris, dull and void of light

"I present to you my human assistant, Glauk," Lazrael said with a smile.

"WHAT?" Eliael reacted in shock.

"Human? You mean, you've brought a mortal here?" Kaela demanded in outrage. She then turned her eyes toward Tarnael, seeking either his approval or some explanation for why such a thing had been allowed.

"Tarnael. You know it is a taboo to bring a mortal into our kind, don't you? It was enough that you killed Father, but now you expect us to believe you can get away with such an act as well?" Kaela's voice was sharp with anger.

"Yes, I can get away with it, sister. All for the sake of saving the world, isn't it?" Tarnael answered without even turning his head toward her, his tone detached, his gaze fixed instead on the man Lazrael had introduced.

"Bastard..." Kaela muttered under her breath.

"Besides, why should I oppose someone merely because of his origin? From what Lazrael has told me, Glauk is far more obedient and precise than he appears."

"And more than that, he doesn't speak at all," Lazrael added, his voice laced with pride. "His right eye is cursed. His left eye has seen things it was never meant to see, that is why it lost its color. He is a being of deeds, not words. A perfect puppet."

Glauk, for his part, showed no reaction. He only stared at the angels, utterly devoid of emotion.

Here's your passage translated into English with polished, dramatic storytelling while keeping the dialogue weighty and immersive:

"W-What happened to—"

"We did not come here to discuss this mortal, Eliael. I invited you to the second castle so you could see this hidden weapon, this card kept beneath our palms. We came to witness your dream, did we not?" Tarnael said, turning his eyes toward Eliael. Kaela, meanwhile, was utterly exasperated by the entire scene, glaring at everyone present with a sense of injustice and madness.

"I will not be part of a parade of madness. I really hope you know what you're doing, Tarnael," Kaela spat. She then unfurled her wings and stormed out of the chamber in a furious flight.

All eyes turned toward her in astonishment, everyone's, except Tarnael's. Her act had left him entirely unmoved.

"Sister..." Eliael whispered anxiously.

"You have no questions for Bakabali, Eliael?" Tarnael asked, his tone encouraging.

"Brother... W-What are we going to do with that body?" Eliael asked, his voice tinged with fear.

"I'm glad Father's death has given you a grasp of reality. You're no longer that spoiled child who found fault with everything. Now you are afraid, afraid of the new world that has been placed before you. But that fear is shaping you, making you grow as an individual. Fear makes you alive, Eliael. You are alive, just as Bakabali is ready to bloom. He looks upon you as a bud standing in the presence of a flower with more petals, more colors."

Tarnael's words were meant to embolden his brother, though Eliael could only stare back at him, bewildered.

Tarnael, having finished saying what he had to say, stepped closer to the tube that held Bakabal within. He placed his hand where the creature's head rested, his eyes entirely white. He gazed at it, seeing the reflection of his own face through the green liquid, amidst the bubbles rising from below. Eliael watched the scene with unease, as did the three soldiers. Lazrael was utterly inspired, while Glauk turned his left eye toward Tarnael, observing him without the slightest trace of emotion.

"The woman in crimson gown mentioned another ingredient," Tarnael said, still looking at Bakabali.

"Another ingredient?" Eliael asked in astonishment.

"A human body, royal angelic blood, and a nail of Edin'Borghia," Lazrael replied.

All four of them could hardly believe what they had just heard spoken from Tarnael's lips.

"Edin'Borghia? You mean the Seraph, the god of angels? If Kaela hears of this, she..." Eliael stammered, utterly shocked.

"Who cares what Kaela thinks? The right arm of Edin'Borghia lies within this fortress. Should we not use it for such a cause?" Tarnael said, his voice edged with irritation.

"The nail of Edin'Borghia will give Bakabali the essence needed to defeat Uanamangura. It will either turn him into the weapon, or the weakness that creature cannot withstand. It will be the key to our success," Lazrael declared.

"And he would be proud of our victory, watching us from the moons. Rejoice, Eliael. We are close to triumph," Tarnael said, his voice now calm, yet deeply intimidating.

It was the first day of the week, Liabiz, in the kingdom of Tamasi. Igorus sat in his office, a room lined with cabinets made of ancient wood and adorned with paintings of the Dominion army. He was seated at his desk, arranging the scrolls that contained the training schedules for the soldiers. Suddenly, a knock echoed at the door of his office.

"Come in," he ordered.

"Forgive the disturbance," said the visitor, opening the door.

"Officer Gavles. A pleasure to have you here. Please, sit," Igorus said as he rose from his chair to shake the officer's hand.

"The pleasure is mine," the officer replied, returning the handshake before taking a seat across from the general.

"All well, in general?" Igorus asked.

"Very well, General. The constabulary is thoroughly organized across our kingdoms," the officer replied.

"And your wife and children, how are they?" Igorus asked.

"Never been better. We've finally found comfort in the new home," the officer replied with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. So, what brings you here today?" Igorus inquired.

"I didn't mention this over the last two days, as I didn't want to trouble you during such a joyful time. Congratulations on your son, by the way," said the officer.

"Think nothing of it. Thank you, Officer."

"On the day of the blessing ceremony, we noticed a highly suspicious figure lurking near the towers of the temple where your son's baptism was being held. We beleive it was an angel," the officer revealed.

"An angel?" Igorus reacted with surprise at the news.

"It's wings were not clear to the view, but given its speed, it managed to evade the constabulary within mere seconds. Could be a high ranked one," the officer explained.

"Impossible! Even if he were far too swift for our soldiers, had anyone infiltrated our nation, the Chamber of Vigilance would have alerted us at once that someone had breached the barrier," Igorus declared.

"It was Oriel, the fourth prince of the angels," came a voice from outside the office.

Igorus and Gavles turned their eyes toward the unexpected voice beyond the door.

"Marshal Mildura," the officer said.

"Prince Oriel... To our knowledge, the angels have King Augustel Frizina, along with three princes and one princess," Igorus stated. "Are you certain it was one of them?" he pressed.

"One hundred percent certain. That attire, that speed, you do not find such traits in an ordinary celestial being. I crossed paths with him in the Guhojre Forest," the marshal replied.

"May I ask what business you had there? I see no notice of it here among the scrolls," Igorus asked.

"You know I never leave notices. I act in the final moment. In any case, it was nothing of importance, I would say. I was merely suspicious of what Atbara and Aldes might have been doing in the forest. As it turned out, my doubts were misplaced. Still, I continue to mistrust the two of them," Mildura said.

"They were chosen personally by the king and queen to serve as guardians of the forest on behalf of the Dominions. They do not possess the power to rebel," the officer said.

"But they may very well have the power to meddle in smaller schemes, ones we might know nothing about," Igorus replied.

"I told the queen only that I had seen Oriel in the forest," said Mildura.

"And what happened afterward? After you confronted him?" Igorus pressed.

"A portal opened, and he stepped through it. There's a strong chance an angel has the ability to use portals as immediate means of travel," Mildura explained.

"Perhaps that explains how Oriel managed to infiltrate Tamasi without anyone noticing. If the portals are interdimensional, the barriers would be unable to detect them," the officer remarked.

"Wise words. And what did the queen say once you gave her this news, Lord Mildura?" Igorus asked.

"She told me she knew someone suited for a secret task. She gave me no further detail," Mildura answered.

"We may leave it in the queen's hands, but that does not mean we shall remain idle. If the queen is aware, then we have no other choice. Notify only the Center of Information and Studies. Have them discover who this is that possesses the power of portals. Whatever you learn, report to me immediately," Igorus ordered the officer.

"Yes, General," the officer replied, before departing the office and offering a brief nod of respect to the marshal on his way out.

"I have something to tell you, Igorus," Mildura said, arms crossed, leaning back against the door.

Igorus listened attentively.

"Most likely, the angels have already learned of your son's birth, or, in other words, of Uanamangura. They may have been observing and investigating for years without anyone ever noticing. I believe you are aware of the existence of the visionaries," Mildura explained.

"The angels who do not take part in battle, but only see, only watch?" Igorus asked.

"Exactly. Oriel was very likely a visionary. The most renowned visionary of all was the queen of angels, Simoanela Frizina," Mildura said.

"I have heard of her: the angel who was burned by mortals," Igorus said.

"The cause was that she was found speaking with a demon, amicably, at least according to the mortals. Angels have no right to harm the living; demons have no right to leave Ladnoria, for they cannot utter the incantations. Does it not strike you as rather strange, all of this?" Mildura asked, pulling a pear from his pocket and beginning to eat it.

"For a demon to speak with an angel in the first place is extraordinarily rare. We know demons have killed—" Igorus cut himself short, recalling that it was not the demons who had slain the dragons, but rather the Twelfth Kindu who had done such a deed. He did everything he could not to reveal this to the marshal.

"Something amiss, General?" the marshal asked, curiosity in his voice.

"N-no, nothing. I simply meant to ask, does anyone know who this demon might have been?" Igorus asked.

In the grand hall of the royal palace, Kaliga and Kasama sat upon their majestic thrones. Soldiers stood aligned along the vast doorway of the chamber, clad from head to toe in violet armor, waiting in stillness. A knock resounded, echoing with an ethereal timbre.

"Enter," the king commanded.

The doors opened slowly, revealing a young woman, by mortal reckoning, around twenty-five years of age. Her figure was elegant yet full in proportion, clad in a dark brown-and-black leather jacket. Long, straight crimson hair framed her pale, lifeless skin, while her violet, cat-like eyes shone with an unnatural intensity. With graceful, authoritative steps, she crossed into the royal hall. Kaliga's gaze settled upon her.

"I trust you know the reason you have been summoned here, Magura..."