Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV

His thoughts churned as he replayed the descriptions of the veiled girl and the pretty boy who had caught the attention of the ever vigilant tracker imps of his organization.

The details had ignited something within him.

It was the need for a flicker of recognition and a higher status. He had been waiting for someone exactly like that, someone perfect for the role he had in mind.

He could still recall the voice of that mysterious lady, the one who had declared to him the promises that sent shivers down his spine.

It included all the promises of prestige, status, and power he could possibly get in such a short time, and one that would normally take him hundreds of years and a lot of luck to succeed.

And all of it was dependent on his ability to find and deliver this elusive prize.

But now, the trail had vanished. It had simply not been erased, but entirely nullified, as if his quarry had stepped outside the rules of the game entirely.

Thinking this, he started to weigh the possibilities behind this strange phenomenon.

Were they under the protection of a hidden master from some high-ranking faction, or worse—were they not innocents at all, but seasoned and dangerous individuals playing weak to avoid scrutiny?

His brow furrowed as more thoughts swirled in his mind. Regardless of the answer, one thing had become certain to him.

They were not ordinary.

His large figure, casting a long, ominous shadow beneath the glow of the city's dull red lanterns, trudged onward toward the looming, dreadful silhouette of the Crimson Kill Tower that pierced the night sky like a cursed fang.

---

Ethan and the girls walked for nearly two hours toward the far end of the city.

Along the way, they passed a patchwork of establishments with some of them bustling with flickering lights and low whispers, while others were quiet and abandoned, with their windows sealed with time.

Ancient buildings rose alongside narrow cobbled streets decorated with faded murals and worn carvings displaying open scenes of gore, wars between horrifying organisms and stories of bygone eras.

But their content was faded and unclear to his senses and he could only make out a few details from them.

He could see rare residential houses that were built in olden styles peeking out now and then while bearing the mark of forgotten nobility or long-lost families.

The air grew heavier and more solemn with every step, and the scent of old dust and distant incense clung faintly to the breeze.

Despite observing everything with a calm and sharp gaze, Ethan didn't question Virelle about their destination.

He trusted her instincts and knowledge of this place more than his own.

However, as the crowds gradually thinned and the number of homes and lights dwindled into sparse shadows, they found themselves approaching another towering set of walls that was even larger, colder, and ominously silent in the night.

Turning back instinctively, Ethan's crimson eyes caught sight of the towering Crimson Kill Tower in the distance.

It loomed like a spear piercing the heavens while gleaming under the unnatural, haunting radiance of the full Blood Moon that appeared bigger and even more ominous than the usual times from this high place.

The crimson light drenched the entire skyline in a sickly, surreal hue, its surface too smooth and its color too vivid to feel real.

Its eerie presence made the shadows seem deeper and it felt like the powers of darkness and the dark creatures had strengthened and it felt as if the shadows itself were alive and watching.

As the night lengthened, the temperature dropped even more and started biting against their skin with a ghostly chill.

Frost coated the edges of the walls in delicate, brittle lace and no sounds could be heard except their own faint footsteps and the whispering wind.

The isolation, the temperature, the blood-hued moonlight, and the heavy silence, all of it together clawed at Ethan's senses.

It seemed as if the atmosphere was steeped in foreboding and something darker and feeling it he started having goosebumps.

Yet, strangely, no fear stirred in his heart.

Rather, he felt oddly at peace and almost comfortable as if he belonged here in this place of creeping dread and ancient violence.

Virelle seemed to mirror his unspoken comfort. Just as he was about to glance at her, she reached out and took his hand gently.

"Now that we have reached the other end of this compound," she said softly, her voice cutting through the silence, "we will be able to leave for the Sanctum City the moment dawn arrives."

Her tone shifted subtly and her eyes scanned the bleak surroundings with practiced caution from their corner spot.

"This place is incredibly dangerous, Ethan. Powerful races dwell here—both in the open and hidden in the dark while factions clash every day for dominance.

I don't even know all the reasons or powers behind it, but what we witnessed today... that was only a glimpse."

Her grip on his hand tightened just slightly.

"We were nearly discovered there. But just like I had hoped, you pulled us out without resorting to force, even though you could have easily done so."

Saying this, she looked up at him with her expression filled with admiration and a quiet awe flickering in her scarlet eyes.

Though Ethan was a little embarrassed by the sincerity and the mushiness in her words.

Her expression that was so genuine and full of trust, felt almost unfamiliar like she wasn't the same respectful and submissive Virelle he had known.

He awkwardly patted her head and opened his mouth to respond to her words but then froze.

His eyes suddenly widened, and his body stiffened as if struck by a lightning bolt of realization.

He looked around rapidly and started scanning the area with disbelief bleeding into his voice.

"Where is the old blood slave, Virelle?"

His question hung in the air like a snapped chord, so out of place that Virelle blinked in shock.