City Lords

'You know of the City Lords do you not?' Hou'yi's eyes narrowed slightly even as his smiled brightened. 'For decades upon centuries the Six have ruled, one from each Houses in a seat—the House of Sky, the House of Stone, the House of Wars, the House of Hunters, the House of Hollow; the House of Kings.

'However, out of the six City Lords, one has had the most power for almost as long as the six Houses have been in control.'

'The House of Kings,'Angel spoke.

Hou'yi smiled brightly at him. 'You would think so, would you not, from the name with King inside? No, Angel of Sky, it is in fact the House of Hunters which has held most of the power, with only those from the direct line eligible to become a City Lord, and fifteen final contestants.' Suddenly all Hou'yi's actions seemed to make sense, and Angel almost anticipated the answer when it came with a dull feeling of calm like he hadn't felt before.

'I am one of the final fifteen contestants, and to become a City Lord, I have to have the ability to fight over it with my siblings and cousins, as to why I asked for you to pledge your alliance.'

Angel's expression didn't change; his mind internally in calm uncertainty from the information. To pledge alliance to Hou'yi would mean to have a easier way to his main goals—although, like the archer had said, even if Angel did not pledge alliance he would still help to find out the nature of cores and create one for Angel to use.

What was to say that he would even need Hou'yi help in the future? After finding a core, under the assistance of the Temple of Sky and the Sky itself, as well as countless volumes and articles about any subjects he would need to possibly research about. There was no need to ask anything at all from Hou'yi—in fact, perhaps there could come a stage he couldn't help Angel even if he wanted to.

After all, the two strayed on different paths. Hou'yi had no threads, being a guard, and even if belonging to a prominent House, would be unlikely to provide useful information that Angel already didn't know.

Hou'yi continued. 'That is why I demand so much of you, or anyone else who I deem fit to be my subordinate: I cannot, am not willing to lose. I will win at any rate possible, similar to how you don't care for anything else apart from your goals.'

Angel suddenly felt something clear from his mind, and he felt as if it was the first time he truly looked at Hou'yi.

'Is this a game?'

Hou'yi tilted his head, a brief look of confusion crossing his face, before disappearing as he smiled. 'It is no game, Angel of Sky; rather a race with my life on the line.'

Angel exhaled slowly. 'Can I have a look at your volumes?'

The archer smiled. 'Of course you can. Would you mind having some refreshments while you read?'

'No.' He dully shook his head.

—————

The figure stirred slightly, countless forms shifting from one to another: man to beast, beast to creature, creature to a bloody mass of tangles, then once again to beast, man, creature…

Along with it changed the scenery—a extravagant palace of gold to a muddy, dark cell with little space to move, a candle-lit carriage constantly lurching with movement, many more settling and flashing past, until the velocity of the change slowed and an almost eye like shape could be seen, seemingly blinding whatever watching with the brightness.

—————

'There was once a creature, ravenous in its endeavours and immortal for so long as it stayed inside the prison that was its home. It remembered nothing of how it came to be, nor why it was in such a prison. However, it understood that by staying inside, it would dominate the rest inside the prison along with it.

'On some occasions the ravenous creature would ponder about how it would some day escape from the prison it had unknowingly accepted as home, although soon these thoughts would be dismissed, for the creature had no plans on exciting the prison that created its world.

'However, one day the creature encountered one that was much less formidable or giant as it, but equally fearless and ruthless in its actions. It learned that unlike itself, there were many that wished to leave the prison, originally intended for the creature trapping all other beings near it during the time of occursion of the architect. The creature was bemused by the one much smaller and weaker than it, deciding to leave it and its ideas alone. However, the smaller creature slowly grew and grew, and was able to talk with more confidence and certainty behind its words the next time the two met.

'The creature, in an attempt to hinder the weaker, blocked the entrance of the prison by laying itself on top of it, blocking out all light and hopes with its body. Soon, the ravenous creature that was once immortal died, for it had left the boundaries of the prison.

'The smaller creature searched and searched, but to no avail as it found no way to get out of the hole that was now, a prison to it as well.'