The Legends of Kartas | Ongoing

5. DEPARTURE

The trek to the Lotus always felt perilous to Adrian. There was always a sense of uneasiness as if eyes were watching him from within the crowds. Even in broad daylight, he couldn't help but feel insecure with that exact sensation drowning him.

So many people. So many eyes. So much that it was impossible not to heed those who paused their milling to stare at him like they knew what he was—who he was. Goosebumps tracing up his neck urged him to lower his hood, and he eagerly obliged.

He was being scrutinized by everyone, everything. He could always sense it. Every moment, every second. And he hated it so much that the blood pounding in his ears only ceased after he burst through the doors of the familiar inn. The squeaking of the wooden door resonated in the quiet and, fortunately, empty interior. Unoccupied, quaint tables dotted the left and right sides of the inn, and the only person in the building was the innkeeper standing behind the graying front desk.

Adrian was panting, his heart hammering against his ribcage, but he had no time to appease himself. Taking deep breaths, he approached the innkeeper and removed his hood as the decaying floorboards groaned beneath him.

"Do you have a reservation, sir?" the impassive innkeeper asked.

"No, I am awaiting the perfect hour for darkness to loom."

The innkeeper's eyes sparked with a newfound interest. "For when the darkness is conquered—"

"A flower shall bloom," Adrian whispered, licking his dried lips.

A bow. "The Dark Lotus humbly accepts your oath. Right this way, sir."

The innkeeper led Adrian to a hidden room deep in the inn. Metal clinked as the innkeeper unlocked the door and faded beyond the dim threshold. Inside, there was a circle of gray stone on the ground. The innkeeper crouched, resting his palm on the surface as deep cuts separated the gray stone into slabs that sank into the earth and stopped at precise intervals to form a spiral staircase.

Standing, the innkeeper beckoned for Adrian to descend the staircase. "May you enjoy your visit."

Adrian dismissed the innkeeper with a nod before walking down the stairs, darkness encompassing him when the stone slabs ascended to the surface. His steps were silent until he reached the bottom, where a puddle of water splashed, the sound reverberating through an unlit tunnel. Splashing footfalls bounced off the walls, and as he neared the end, blinding firelight engulfed him little by little until he finally reached the heart of the Dark Lotus's main base.

As always, the glamor of the underground city was truly exquisite, and Adrian was reminded of that every time he visited. But today, he couldn't bring himself to care. Knowing what he must do, he ignored everything: the fascinating buildings, crowded streets, outlandish attire of the corrupt nobles, and even some aimless scowls directed at him. Analyzing such trivial details resulted in nothing when he approached his invitation to Lexitem with every step closer to Lucius.

Lying to Lucius. . . The proposal itself was ludicrous. Either Two wanted Adrian dead, or she had lost all sense of judgment. And the fact he was going to attempt this endeavor was beyond his comprehension.

His boots crunched in the gravel as he stopped before one of the dull edifices. Intricate patterns of shapes were chiseled into the stone, and flags bearing the sigil of the white tiger hung over the ledge of the roof. Clenching his teeth, he pushed past a set of glass doors.

He had never been to Rem, didn't even know a single hint of Remian culture, but every time he visited Lucius, he could hear everything inside scream Rem. Frankly, he didn't know whether that intimidated him or made him feel outright uncomfortable.