Chapter 25: The Citadel

Solomon didn’t know what to make of what he was seeing.

This giant construct, who he was sure was about to try and pummel him into submission, had instead bent the knee and addressed him as if he was some type of lord.

All while he was butt naked, wrapped in a bedsheet.

He would need days to wrap his head around this.

“…What is this place?”

“This is the Citadel, lord. I am instructed to bring you to the main chamber where the other Great Ones await you. They will answer any questions that you may have.”

Solomon’s mind raced.

The giant calling itself an automation, had yet to move. It was almost as if it were waiting for some kind of order.

But Solomon had no idea what this creature was supposed to be. He had never seen stone move on its own before. Let alone orichalcum.

Perhaps the mythical metal was sentient all along. Maybe that was why it was so hard to find.

“…Are you some sort of spirit grafted to this form?”

“No, I am an automaton. What you see is what I am. I was created in this form to fulfill specific purposes and the needs of my maker. I have no soul.”

“I understand.”

Solomon didn’t understand anything. This creature had no soul, but he was up walking around and talking as if it was normal?

He knew that there was much of the world he hadn’t seen since he had grown up in not one, but two very closed-off communities. But he thought with all of his reading, there was nothing in the outside world that could catch him by this much of a surprise.

Apparently, he was wrong.

“If you are ready, I will escort you to the other Great Ones who are waiting to make your acquaintance.”

“…Can you at least get me some clothes before I meet my captors?”

The automation did not seem to understand.

“I do not understand your request for ’clothes’. Also, you are not a captive. You are free to leave at any time after you meet with the other Great Ones.”

Solomon wasn’t sure which of those statements he should tackle first.

“…Please don’t tell me everyone in this floating rock is just walking around naked as the day they were born.”

“It is my current estimation that no one’s genitalia are exposed.”

“Just mine.”

“That is correct.”

Solomon didn’t care how beautiful this place was. He had to get the fuck out as fast as possible.

–

Every portion of the citadel that Solomon laid eyes on was grander than the last.

He passed through grand hallways. Witnessed tapestries depicting nature and society. Walked over oceans embedded within the floor that were teeming with sea life.

The more he saw, the less convinced he became that he wasn’t living inside of some figment of his imagination.

But eventually, he had to give up on that theory too. Even his dreams were not this imaginative.

“This place… it seems empty.” Solomon finally said.

“Aside from myself, only the Great Ones are permitted within the citadel. That is how it has always been.”

“No servants…? No armies…?”

“Servants are not required. As for armies, I was under the assumption that was supposed to be your responsibility… was it not?”

Solomon almost tripped over his bedsheet. “My what..?”

Instead of answering, the automaton pointed towards a set of golden doors with a thirty-foot-tall frame.

“The other Great Ones await you, Lord. It has been a pleasure to meet you.”

Solomon wanted to press the automation for more answers to his questions, but before he could ask it anything else, the automation vanished in a flash of blue light, leaving Solomon alone in the hallway.

He could see a subtle glow seeping out from underneath the doorframe.

It beckoned him, almost like an intangible hand.

His feet started moving before he knew how to stop them.

At some point, all of the fear he had possessed had been eaten away by a sense of curiosity. There was too much that Solomon wanted to know, too much he didn’t understand.

So when he finally reached those enormous golden doors, he didn’t hesitate to push them open and step inside.

A soft, blue light almost blinded him.

When his eyes adjusted to the glow of the room, he realized he had stepped into the most mystifying scene he had ever witnessed.

A single pathway was laid before him. On either side, there seemed to be nothing but bottomless pits of ethereal blue energy.

The walkway ended in a circular platform surrounded by five floating thrones.

For the moment, they were empty. But when Solomon heard the sound of wings beating, he knew he wasn’t as alone as he felt.

Solomon looked up in time to see a creature flying in from a hole in the ceiling.

Solomon recognized it as a tiger, but he was dumbfounded to see it had wings and a serpent for a tail.

The creature was outfitted with a saddle and golden chains for reins.

Seated across it’s back was a woman in bright gold armor from head to toe.

The tiger landed on the platform with a heavy thud, and Solomon got his first good look at the woman.

At an estimated seven feet tall, she was the tallest woman that Solomon had ever seen.

There were breaks in her golden armor at her thighs, neck, sides, and inner elbows. Through those openings, Solomon could see pitch black skin that glistened with a metallic sheen.

Her helmet was a simple one, with no imposing fixtures or horns. The glowing green eyes and snakes coming out of her head provided more than enough intimidation.

As Solomon analyzed her from head to toe, she did the very same to him.

When she spoke, her ancient voice reverberated around in his head like a gong.

“I was wondering what this sudden meeting was about… It’s new blood then. You’re early.”

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