We walked together for a while, talking of many things related to our lives. Much in the realm of the mundane and the situation to the north. It was similar to the same boring, tasteless conversations and remarks that I myself engaged in the life before. And I could see that the same boredom I felt was covering both Varey and Druzash.
It seemed the two of them would fall asleep at any moment. Before we realized, however, our bodies became transparent.
“What’s happening to us?” I cried.
Varey and Druzash snapped from their daze to become equally surprised.
Tremang hushed, and said, “Quiet! I have cast a spell on us to cloak our persons.”
“I’m quite unsure of all this,” said Varey. “Are you sure this is alright?”
“As alright as can be!” said Tremang.
“But what for would you do this?” said Druzash. “Must we need act like the Demons?”
“Perhaps to our destination,” Tremang said with a grin, “we may very well must.”
We continued behind Tremang, fazing through the crowd. We were as like shadows, imperceptible under normal circumstances, but should one focus or give attention, then should it appear.
Many of the people we passed felt as if something were moving through them, but given their lack of sight, they couldn’t see beyond the thin veil of material reality. I couldn’t pass blame. For where we were to venture, the troubles of man would come to the surface and cloud their judgement, greater than even the most potent of liquors.
Myriad lights welcomed us about. Much of the wealthy were in festive mood, walking alongside either men or women of their choosing. These escorts bore themselves in a rather lascivious manner. While their choice of dress was alike to all others, perhaps of greater opulent display, their behavior and acts betrayed their seemingly high status.
Then it struck me where we had come. Tremang had taken us to the pleasure district! I became dismayed. I looked to Varey and Druzash who were confused.
“What is this place?” said Druzash. “These people walk about in an odd way.”
“Do they now?” said Tremang. “I find it not much unusual.”
“Do you regularly frequent such locations?” asked Varey, enamored by the person walking past us. “They’re quite beautiful! But why do they so brazenly walk about with these men and woman of high status?”
“Oh you will see soon enough,” he said with a laugh. “It would be best you remain silent and just observe these people.”
I gulped, my teeth chattering. I wanted to greatly reprimand this three-faced individual for having so much as thought to bring us here! While my mind was hardened to a great degree, it was another matter entirely to be thrust into a situation as this. I didn’t think I would last all that long given the proximity we were soon to be from the acts that we were to bear witness.
I worried for my two friends, who were unaware of what this snake was doing. They lacked knowledge of the pleasure district, with the locations usually kept to the secret corners of the city. In many ways, made inaccessible to youth such as ourselves.
How it was Tremang was able to find such a place was, at the time, beyond me. But we were stuck in his grip. We couldn’t leave even if we so desired, for what he had cast was a proximity spell.
We continued under his direction, making deeper into the den of passion. Passing establishment after establishment, I could see Druzash and Varey become intoxicated by the decadence.
You must understand that while knowledge of such places is commonplace in this time, in that period, few of our age knew, let alone understood, their existence. And the Solar and Boar Prince were much alike to the latter, understanding not their purpose. They alike to every Marhan, whether they realized or not, were surely aroused by the most innocuous of lustful acts.
We eventually came to a building that stood tall, with gardens handing from every level of its structure. There were some lone individuals that entered the establishment, dressed in pristine outfits and unabashedly entering through the great wooden doors.
“Let us enter!” said Tremang.
All became as black before me. No more could I sense or speak. But there was a level of perception that I still held and my sight returned. I felt without form yet I could observe, and I became as a ghost to these men. Seeing what they saw and feeling what they felt. My mind felt dull, as if drugged by the intoxicants that lingered in the air.
I tried to speak once more, but no sound would come. Instead, my eyes beheld the folk of the establishment engaging in acts that brought me to arousal.
