While I sat on my new throne, I wondered how long it would take for them to show up. I started feeling a bit more anxious, thinking something serious might be happening out there.
Letting out a long sigh, I calmed myself a bit. Then the thought came back to me: "Where exactly are we?"
With that question lingering and silence surrounding me, with nothing else to do, I took a closer look at my body.
Looking down, I saw my legs covered by a robe filled with white patterns on black fabric. Not being able to see my legs clearly, I shifted my eyes to my chest, which revealed nothing—just more white designs and a bit of my hair falling forward.
Giving up on inspecting my torso, I raised my right arm, bending it toward the left, and managed to see some skin extending past the sleeve. I saw a slender, muscular arm with purely white skin.
Intrigued by my new arm, I pinched the skin a little but felt no pain. It was soft like human skin, but through these small movements, I noticed my hands were rough, as if made from a pile of stone.
Now curious about my face, I started touching it. It felt soft, like a regular human face.
Running my hand across my mouth, I realized I had sharp teeth. Putting a finger slightly into my mouth, I felt nothing—no roof, no tongue, nothing—just the skin of the throat.
Feeling that, I couldn't help but wonder how I was even alive.
Pulling my finger out of my mouth, not a drop of saliva, I went back to exploring my face.
A bit embarrassed by what I'd just done, I glanced at Gurath, but she still had her head bowed, so I figured she hadn't seen anything.
Moving up closer to my eyes, I raised just my right hand to check my eye. By instinct, I closed my right eye. Running my fingers over the closed lid, I felt no bulge—just my eyelashes. That led me to believe I had no eye there, but I wasn't about to shove my finger in to confirm.
With most of my face explored, I moved on to my forehead. On the right side, it seemed like there was a horn curving toward the right side of my head. It was somewhat flat. As I followed the horn, I noticed a small gap between it and my head. Going further, it ended right at the middle of the nape.
With that discovery, I asked myself: "How am I going to sleep now? And if I want to lean my head back, what do I do? Rest it on the left side?"
After seeing the single horn, I moved on to the hair. Nothing surprising there—I had already seen a bit earlier. Touching my hair, I felt it was straight. As I ran my hand through it, I noticed it was long. Its color was simple: black fading into white at the ends.
After a good look at the hair, I got curious about the ears. I touched them and felt they were pointed, but not as large as an elf's.
With all these discoveries, one thing was clear: I was no longer human.
The more I found out, the less I believed this was a dream.
I stopped analyzing my face and rested my arm back on the throne.
I saw Gurath still on her knees with her head bowed. That made me wonder: "Doesn't her knee hurt like that?" She was in a position of respect toward her creator, with one knee on the ground and the other forward, not resting her arms on her knee, since she was holding her plushie in her arms, body turned toward me, off the carpet.
Not having much time to admire the view, I heard new footsteps approaching.
I got a little tense, unsure of what those steps might bring.
As the sounds of footsteps grew clearer, I could tell a group of about five people was approaching.
Realizing it wouldn't be all at once put me a bit at ease.
When I saw their forms—five people—I recognized one of them, who looked like an angel. Looking at the others, who appeared humanoid, gave me a sense of disgust and revulsion.
These four people were chained, with collars and shackles, wearing tattered, bloodstained clothes. They looked like slaves, though not physically ugly.
Holding their chains was one of my creations—Luxian. She seemed nearly my height, with a body bordering on perfection. She stood much taller than the beaten-down beings she was dragging. I noticed they were even smaller than Gurath. Maybe my size measurements were off.
As they entered the hall, they walked behind her. When Luxian stepped onto the carpet, one of the humanoids seemed to step on it too. Gurath abruptly turned her head toward the creature that touched the carpet. Luxian, noticing it, blushed as if embarrassed and moved her white head-wings over her golden eyes, as if wanting to hide her shame.
In that moment, Luxian shook the chain like a whip. With that simple gesture, Gurath turned her head back down toward me. Meanwhile, the prisoners were flung briefly into the air before crashing onto the white floor beside her. I saw some get hurt, others wet themselves.
Seeing it all, I could only think: "Did I really make her this cruel?"
Thinking it over, I remembered I had written that we'd feel revulsion toward all beings not ourselves or our creations. Maybe that's why I felt that revulsion and disgust when I saw them.
I stopped thinking about that when I saw Luxian walking along the left edge of the carpet, ensuring the "humans" she was dragging wouldn't step on it. She didn't wait for them to get up—just dragged them along. I heard some of them groaning in pain.
When Luxian reached near the stairs, she moved closer to the center of the carpet. She knelt before me, placing her left hand on the carpet while holding the chain, one knee down, just like Gurath. Her four white wings coming from her back folded around her body like a cocoon. Her head-wings contracted to cover her face, and a glowing yellow halo hovered above her head. That was the pose I had designed for when she paid respect.
"I see you were the first to arrive, Luxian. You may lift your head," I said with authority, still shocked by her entrance.
Lifting her head and pulling her wings back, she said, "Yes, my creator. I got excited when I saw the dragons return with these lowly lifeforms in their claws. I thought they might be useful for information," she said cheerfully, as if expecting praise.
Sensing her enthusiasm, I replied, "I understand. You did well, Luxian, but wouldn't that draw too much attention from the people of this place?"
She shuddered slightly at my question. I didn't know why—maybe it was fear.
"Seems some of the dragons were too flashy. The ones that already returned received their punishments while I was outside, but some still haven't come back," she said, looking into my eyes.
"Hm. I hope this doesn't drag on too long. I don't know if four people were worth hundreds of enemies," I said calmly, trying to keep the situation under control. With that, Luxian lowered her head in guilt.
More things to worry about. I didn't even know the power level of this world. I hoped they weren't strong and wouldn't attack us right away. Honestly, I'd rather believe there might be powerful beings out there.
"Anything else, Luxian? If you have something more, lift your head and say it," I said, acting with dignity due to the unexpected visit from these "humans."
Silence.
Seeing that, I said, "Alright," scratching my chin as I thought about the next topic.
"Then, shall we begin questioning the captives?" As I finished the sentence, I saw some of them already trembling in fear.
"Of course, my creator," she said, standing. Once on her feet, she turned calmly, closing her eyes with her wings as if not wanting to see something disgusting. Her four wings folded behind her, revealing a beautiful white dress with golden trim.
With only the sound of distressed people filling the air, Luxian spoke: "The first in line, step forward and answer the questions of my creator," she said firmly, different from the tone she used with me.
The first to step up looked like a man who worked on a farm, still with some dirt on his clothes. His face looked middle-aged, around 30, average looking with a well-built body. Looking closer, it was clear he was in pain from the fall.
Once in position, I began: "What race are you?" I asked, uncertain.
The man replied: "Human."
I thought for a bit about his answer. Well, looks like my guess was right.
Breaking the silence again, I asked: "What world is this?"
The man seemed confused by the question and answered: "I don't know." Without realizing it, Luxian's rage flared at the man's disrespectful answer. She clapped once, startling me.
With the clap, I immediately saw a distortion in space and the man vanished, leaving only his shackles and large iron collar behind. When Luxian opened her hands, a deformed piece of flesh, screaming in agony, slid from her palm and fell onto the red carpet. I wasn't sure if she misunderstood something.
After a few seconds, the remaining three—two men and a woman—were in complete panic, trying to flee with all their strength, the chain stretching tight as Luxian still held it.
With the current situation, Luxian yanked the chain, causing the iron collar to slam into their throats, making them release strange noises and fall.
"I think we can resume the interrogation now, can't we? Or would you prefer to meet the same fate?" Luxian said in a sharp tone, making the chaos stop. All of them stood up, still trembling, and returned to their places.
Seeing the lump of flesh with some torn clothing, moaning in pain, I felt a deep disgust.
Now smiling after regaining control, Luxian turned to me, bowed her head, and said, "A thousand apologies. It won't happen again, my creator."
I felt weird about the situation. Even if I found them disgusting, they were still living beings.
Lost in these thoughts, I was interrupted by Luxian's voice again.
"Before we continue, I'd like to clean up this mess." Then, one of her feathers fell, glowed, and a kneeling creature appeared—naked, about the same size as the captives. Without delay, Luxian ordered, "Take that piece of trash to Cerberus."
The little naked angel stood up, grabbed the flesh from the floor, and walked off.
Seeing that and hearing the name she said—Cerberus—so they really weren't the only ones who came to life.
"Shall we continue, my creator?" she said in a calm, almost seductive tone.
"Do we have someone to interrogate them?" I asked, already tired of the humans' presence.
As if understanding what I meant, Luxian said, "We can take them to the Thorn Prison. It would be easier to extract information there."
With her suggestion, I replied, "Alright, then take them."
Luxian nodded and led them away, almost dragging them. I could see confusion on all their faces. As her reached the end of the red carpet and took the next step off of it, she vanished with all of them.
With a confused face, I thought to myself: "What just happened?"
Without much time to ponder—just thinking it was some smooth teleportation—she reappeared, walking toward Gurath in her beautiful form.
Once beside Gurath, she knelt again in the same position as before, lowering her head as silence returned once more.
I started to realize how confusing this all was. My emotions had changed, my actions weren't the same anymore. I guess I should just get used to all this—since it's clearly not a dream.