Entering the city of Benediction came with a heavy dose of surreality. It was an undeniably beautiful place, with its tiered water gardens and the colorful flags stretched between buildings. Compared to places like Seattle, it was also practically utopian in regards to equality. The residents were healthy as well, and many of them looked like the absolute best versions of themselves – which they displayed with reckless abandon by walking around half naked.

  But it had all come with a significant cost.

  The most obvious was that it ran on human – and djinn – sacrifice. The aura of health affecting the residents was the result of ritualistic killing. Certainly, the humans who were put to death were supposed to be criminals and the like, but Elijah knew human nature well enough to recognize just how easy it was liberally apply that label.

  In addition, Elijah was well aware that, like most seemingly utopian societies, it functioned by omitting imperfection. It wasn’t difficult to follow the logic, either. If true perfection was an achievable goal, then it was justifiable to destroy any obstacle barring you from reaching that destination. Killing a single malcontent was an acceptable cost. And if one was a reasonable price to pay, then so was two. Or three. Or a few thousand.

  Elijah didn’t even want to think about what would happen once they expanded what constituted unacceptability.

  The promise of perfection doomed the whole society to collapse. Perhaps not soon, but eventually, it would happen. Elijah just hoped that it wouldn’t claim too many lives.

  And finally, there was the cannibalism to worry about. The residents didn’t kill people specifically to eat them. Rather, they only partook of those who’d already died from unrelated matters. That, coupled with the ritualistic combat they used to solve interpersonal disputes, and it wasn’t hard to see how it could all go wrong.

  The fact that it hadn’t already devolved into chaos was the most surprising factor.

  To his credit, Hu Shui wore a poorly disguised expression of disgust as they traversed the city. The residents did not bar their way, largely because of the escort Benedict had provided. The pair of oni-demons had met them at the base of the terraced plateau, as much for their convenience as for the protection of his citizens.

  The demons were just as hulking as ever, though they were obviously more powerful than the last time Elijah had visited. Clearly, Benedict had not been idle, which would hopefully solve one of the problems plaguing Elijah’s thoughts. If the man was incapable of keeping up, bringing him along would just add another issue to the burden Elijah had taken upon his shoulders.

  “At least it’s clean,” Hu Shui remarked, glancing to either side of the wide avenue they followed. “Given the rumors, I did not expect as much.”

  “They’re not monsters,” Elijah stated. “They’re just people who were frightened into believing something untrue.”

  “So you say. I must admit that I agree with Miss Song. Perhaps not enough to slaughter them,” he allowed. His eyes flicked to a topless woman wearing nothing but an embroidered skirt and painted lines. “But the world would be a better place without such…abominable customs.”

  “Is your problem with the cannibalism or the local attire?”

  “Yes to both.”

  At least he was honest. For Elijah’s part, he only found the nudity – or the near-nudity – that was so common in the city to be only mildly disconcerting. And even that was more because of cultural norms than because of a dedication to disapproval.

  Regardless, Elijah wasn’t concerned with the preferred local attire. Instead, he was focused on his upcoming meeting with Benedict and the inevitable foray into the Primal Realm. Hu Shui clearly was as well, though he just as obviously took offense at what he saw. Or maybe he just wasn’t as prepared for it.

  In any case, the trip through the city was full of distractions, though they reached the pyramid that stood at the center without becoming sidetracked. From there, it wasn’t long before they were traversing the confusing tangle of tunnels within.

  “This is high level ethereal engineering,” Hu Shui pointed out, running his fingers along the wall. It was engraved with geometric designs that subtly pulsed with ethera.

  “You should see it after a sacrifice,” Elijah remarked.

  “I can imagine.”

  The red-robed priest who was their guide did not make comment, but she didn’t need to. Elijah could feel the subtle smile playing across her face, proving that the residents of the city took pride in their home.

  After a few more minutes, they reached a pair of double doors made of pure gold. They had been molded into sharp relief depicting a figure standing atop a pyramid and holding a dagger aloft. It was clearly meant to be Benedict.

  The doors opened of their own accord, revealing the leader’s quarters. The woman lingered only for a second, hovering on the threshold before turning and disappearing down the maze of tunnels.

  “Come in,” came a call from inside.

  Elijah needed no further invitation, and Hu Shui followed him as he stepped into the apartment. The interior was much the same as it had been during his last visit, with the foyer being the only part that seemed to fit with the temple’s overarching theme. Once they bypassed that area, they were treated to a scene that wouldn’t have been out of place in any modern apartment.

  Shelves full of romance novels were the most obvious feature, though Elijah couldn’t ignore the other characteristics – like a full-sized refrigerator and a stove in the attached kitchen. The only aspect that made it obvious that they were inside a pyramid was that the walls were made of carved stone.

  Elijah also noticed a pallet full of canned goods in the corner.

  Benedict collapsed onto an overstuffed couch, not bothering to clear the discarded white robe away. “You couldn’t have gotten here sooner?” he asked with a dramatic sigh.

  “We came as quickly as possible,” Elijah answered.

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  “The world does not stop turning,” Hu Shui stated. “Not even for you, Mr. Emerson.”

  Benedict narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know you.”

  “I know you,” the leader of the Conclave stated. “Benedict Emerson. Your reputation follows you everywhere you go. We are well aware of your activities, even before you settled here.”

  Benedict sat up, and suddenly, the air stilled. He didn’t go so far as to gather ethera, but Elijah could feel the man’s power. In that moment, it was obvious that if Elijah stood at the top, Benedict was only a few steps behind. They were big steps, certainly. But the man was clearly more powerful than Hu Shui. Probably stronger than anyone else in the world, save for Elijah himself.

  “Do we have a problem here?” he asked, his voice cold.

  Hu Shui answered, “At present? No. However, I would be remiss if I did not point out that I will not tolerate wholesale murder. As long as you do not intend to revisit that dark path, we will not have any issues.”

  “Let’s just slow this down,” Elijah said, trying his best to act as a mediator.

  “I stand behind every choice I have made,” Benedict stated, ignoring Elijah. He stood. “Every person I have killed has died for a reason.”

  “I wonder if those reasons would stand up to scrutiny,” Hu Shui replied, not backing down an inch.

  “I don’t tolerate bullies.”

  “I feel much the same way,” Hu Shui stated evenly.

  “Enough,” Elijah interjected, stepping between the pair. “Neither of you like bullies. That’s great. Maybe you can bond over that agreement. But if you don’t stow your personal shit, I’m just going to leave you both behind and go conquer the Primal Realm by myself. I don’t think either of you want that.”

  Though Elijah still wasn’t certain why that was. Hu Shui seemed to regard it as a training exercise, and one that would help him ensure that humanity had more than just Elijah as its protector. Meanwhile, Benedict just wanted the thing conquered because it posed a threat to his people. However, he had insisted on coming along, probably for similar reasons that Hu Shui – or even Sadie – had taken the same tactic.

  “I won’t be pushed around,” Benedict persisted. “Not by you, and not by him.”

  “Nobody’s pushing anyone,” Elijah countered.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Hu Shui added, seeming only partially sincere. But it was enough for Benedict, who relaxed, though only slightly.

  It did not bode well for their upcoming expedition that none of the members seemed to like one another. Or maybe saying that they hated each other was a more accurate assessment. Either way, Elijah didn’t look forward to playing mediator the entire time.

  So, he said, “I expect everyone to behave like adults, here. We don’t have to like each other. In fact, I feel certain that that’s a far flung and unachievable goal. But this isn’t going to work if we’re at each other’s throats. So, no more pushing buttons. No more accusations. No more calling people bullies just for disagreeing with you. We don’t have to like each other. We just have to work together toward the goal you both seem to accept. Got it?”

  “I can behave myself,” Hu Shui said with a small, knowing smile.

  “I’ll be fine,” Benedict insisted. “This is too important to let personal issues get in the way.”

  Elijah almost let out a sigh of exasperation, but he restrained himself. Instead, he asked, “Are you ready to leave, then?”

  “Yes,” Benedict answered. “I only need to gather my supplies, then enact a ritual. After that, I will be prepared.”

  “I’m not going to stand around while you sacrifice people,” Elijah stated.

  “The sacrifices have already been performed,” he explained. “I have been working on this for months.”

  “Then let’s get to it.”

  After that, Benedict shoved a mountain of canned goods into a large spatial sack that looked similar to the one Sadie used. Was it made by the same crafter? Or was the similarity mere coincidence? Elijah had no answers, and he wasn’t interested enough to ask.

  Once Benedict had gathered his supplies – including a few dog-eared novels – he led them out of the apartment and through the temple. Ever downward they went, passing priests and demonic creatures alike. Elijah didn’t particularly enjoy the demonic atmosphere, but his disdain wasn’t as pervasive as Sadie’s. Or even Hu Shui’s. In short, he could tolerate it, though not without eliciting some degree of frustration.

  Finally, they reached the very bottom level of the temple. The chamber that was their destination was hexagonal in orientation, with large, clay urns standing on pedestals located at each angle. From those pedestals flowed straight lines that terminated in a large pit at the center of the room.

  It was filled with blue liquid he quickly identified as the blood of djinn.

  Near the lip of that pit was a man dressed in red. Unlike the other priests Elijah had seen, this man’s robe bore elaborate stitching arranged in geometric patterns that mimicked the arrayment of the chamber itself. The robe was also left open, revealing a chest branded along that same pattern, which culminated in a large, circular scar on his chest.

  A long, curved dagger hung at his hip.

  “Telamu,” Benedict said.

  “Ever am I your servant,” the man responded, bowing. When he straightened to his full height, he bore a wide, malevolent grin that would have put any demon’s smile to shame. “Is it time?”

  Benedict nodded. “I will depart as soon as the ritual is complete,” he told the man.

  “Are these two to be sacrificed?” was the next question, and it was all too eager for Elijah’s taste.

  “Give it your best shot,” he said before he could catch himself.

  “No,” Benedict interjected hastily. “There is already enough to power the ritual. We need no more.”

  “We always need more,” Telamu pointed out. Then, he spread his arms and bowed, “But it will be as you say, most holy one.”

  Elijah didn’t miss that Telamu was a middle-aged white man who spoke with a midwestern accent. Even if his attire and demeanor suggested he’d seen Temple of Doom a few too many times.

  “Let it begin,” Benedict stated, stepping forward. He dipped a finger into the pit of blue blood, then used that liquid to trace a series of lines ringing the hole in the ground. His hand moved with confidence, and each line crackled with unreleased power. In all, it took Benedict ten minutes to encircle the pit, and when he finally finished, dense ethera flowed through the closed loop.

  That was when he cast a spell.

  Elijah had felt the output of quite a lot of powerful people. He’d fought multiple demi-gods, and he’d even defeated a depowered transcendent back in the Trial of Primacy. However, he’d never seen spellwork quite as complex as what Benedict produced. He could scarcely understand what most of those flows of power meant, which only served to highlight Elijah’s deficiencies.

  He had power.

  He had plenty of potent spells through which he could channel that might. And yet, he lacked understanding.

  As Benedict worked, he let out a rhythmic chant that served to enhance and guide those flows of ethera into a cohesive whole. Dark light, as off-putting as that description sounded, erupted into being, forming a tangled dome above the pit. Then, at the conclusion of Benedict’s cast, it deflated, settling onto the pool of blue blood.

  The liquid roiled, spinning and boiling with every passing second until, at last, it flowed out through the geometric patterns and to the urns at each point. They lit up with red script, one after another until the entire pool had been drained.

  Benedict fell to his knees, panting with the exertion.

  Elijah started to cast a spell, but the man raised a hand, saying, “Don’t. It’ll ruin everything. I’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

  Elijah let the uncast spell fall away.

  “Interesting,” Hu Shui said. “The urns are…batteries connected to the pyramid. The spellwork is impressive.”

  “It’s the only way I could keep my minions alive while I’m gone,” Benedict stated.

  “How long?”

  “No less than six months. Probably closer to eight if we’re not attacked in force.”

  Elijah said, “That’s going to be cutting it close. I spent almost that long in my last Primal Realm. The Red Marsh was meant to take an entire year.”

  “It’s the best I can do.”

  “And if it takes longer?” asked Hu Shui.

  “It’s the best I can do,” Benedict repeated.

  Elijah cut in, asking if Benedict needed to do anything else. He didn’t, so after the man gathered his pack, they set out through the tunnels. Thankfully, there was one that led directly to the base of the plateau, so they weren’t forced to traverse the city itself. And soon enough, they were on their way.

  Elijah could only hope that the lingering tension would not prove to be a problem going forward. He recognized that it was likely a vain hope, and he wanted nothing more than to simply take care of things himself.

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