Knock, Knock. Many people could be heard hurrying quickly behind the door, as soon as someone realized somebody was at the door, people started yelling to get over the loud sounds of the many people talking. After a few minutes someone opened the door. The man standing there, who waiting for the stranger to say something was an average sized man, but his face was something a lot more unique, he had blue piercing eyes, pink cheeks, and an expression that almost looked like pure boredom. But behind all that, there was a hint of power showing on his face that you could not have missed. As soon as the stranger seemed to notice that, the man changed his expression.
"What brings you here, stranger?" Not bothering with any introductions or names. The mans features suddenly became almost warming and friendly, a lot different than before.
The stranger replied softly. "Unfortunately, some bad news. I'm sure you've heard what has happened to the Demins." The strangers face was hidden behind a hood that dropped over his face. He wore a long black robe, the robe symbolized he was also a man in a high position, a high position where though, the man could not he sure of.
"Some tragic accident, I heard." The mans voice got a little more concerned. "Is that what you are here about?"
"Well yes, I have a big favor to ask of you, it is of the utmost importance." He replied. "The master himself was right in the clearing when it happened." The stranger bent over, whispered in the man's ear, "It's the jewels of Deminous, they were hidden in the castle at the time, we were fortunate enough to have saved them before the castle was burned down."
"Oh I suppose that is good news, who knows what we would have to endure though without them." The man replied, relief in his voice.
The street lights flickered a little, and in the distance the meow of cat could be heard. It was getting late even for this part of the city.
The stranger suddenly looked at his watch and became very serious, "We don't have much time, may I come inside. I am here to show you something."
The man let the stranger though the door, the chamber was very poorly lit. The stranger gasped at how such a massive space could has possibly fit in any building, the ceiling was so high up it was hard to see. There was a path stretching though the middle of the room, going on for at least two hundred meters, lights were shining on the path coming from several lamps placed on both side. On the left side of the path was, what could any be described as a grand marketplace, hundreds of stalls were lining the walls, made out of wood and covered in many items, everything from exotic to worthless items lay there. There were gem stones (both magical and non-magical), swords, body armor, magical weapons, healing herbs, poisons, ancient books, and books about magic, full robes, stealth knifes, many different pets, food from all different corners of the world, and everything else you can imagine. Everyone was yelling and bargaining for the best price on the many items.
While on the right side there was, the biggest train station ever built by far, trains coming in every second from left and right, people rushing to make sure they got on their trains. Signs covered in schedules, while people pushed and shoved to be able to read it. Most shocking was how fast all of this was happening, it was almost inhuman, then again the other races may have been present. They rarely come to the human side of the world but this is how they would get here, there was a sign mentioning it was the international stop of the world.
Above the market and train station, they were the sky walkways. They were about 40 feet above the ground coming from one side of the building to the other side. Windows and balconies lined the side of the hall, the walkways were filled with people rushing along trying to get home from work. Mail men were running from house to house trying to get all the evening mail done before midnight. People were just finishing up walking their dogs and their Yanklas', a creature a little smaller than a cat with dark feathery skin. They are smart enough to help out around the house. They mostly do all the house cleaning, although they are not at all cheap.
The final part of the immense building, was the security, by every door and archway there were two massive knights wielding a sword standing there and they were swelling with magic, they would pin a Leomagn, a lion the size of a boulder, to the ground without breaking a sweat using just their magic. There were two dragons flying around above the walkways. The last line of defense was the Magic Seal, the strongest of its kind, it would stop an army in its tracks. Anyone who even thinks of harming or taking anything from the palace is immediately stunned and paralyzed.
"Wow, its beautiful." Was all the stranger could mutter.
"Haha, yes these headquarters are quite the jaw dropper." The man said with a smug smile on his face. "But hurry I don't have a lot of time. Come with me to somewhere where we can talk in private."
"Lead the way." The stranger replied.
The man guided the stranger down the long path in the middle of the clearing. After a few minutes the stranger saw there was a massive door at the of the path. As soon as they reached the door the two guards stepped aside and the door opened by itself, not a surprise, as most things were run by magic. Through the door there was a small hall, lined with different size doors. Everything ranging from doors dwarfs could barely even fit though, to doors a mighty dragon could easy fly though.
As soon the man found the right door, he stopped and pulled out a huge set of keys, for a moment he pondered and then he found an old key and stuck it in the oddly new lock. Inside the room were two chairs facing each other with a table in between.
"Take a seat, lets see what you have to show me." The man motioned toward the chairs.
The stranger sat down, "It was extremely lucky that we were saved the Jewels of Deminous. But they are not safe with us. I have heard enough to know what you have to offer here, the greatest protection in the known world. I'm sure you have enough security even for something like this. " He stared at the man, and the man nodded, agreeing. "I will leave it with you until we believe its safe enough to take them back. But no one must know its here. Can you do that?"
"Of course." The man was utterly shocked at his request, "Are... Are they here now?"
Slowly the stranger pulled down his hood, his face was strangely blank, like it wasn't meant to hold any emotion. He was pale, it would be a safe bet to guess he had never seen the sun. The strangers eyes were white as the moon and also plainly blank. His head was shaved bald, oddly no light reflected from it as some people would have expected.
Once the robe dropped down to his shoulders, you could see what was around his neck, immediately the man froze in shock. Around the strangers neck the Jewels rested. They were the most beautiful thing the man had ever seen, and he had seen things beyond belief, beyond imagination. This pasted them all in a heartbeat. Around the strangers neck, was a silver chain, carrying a single diamond the size of someone's fist, but inside the diamond sat a red ruby, everyone had heard the tales of the many people who died trying to get this stone, with it you can control just about anyone that you see at any given time.
It was created in the beginning of time, no one quite knows how, but suddenly out of nowhere people had it and they was knew something so powerful was from the beginning. But most thought it was just a myth, how wrong they were. The ruby seemed to calling his name in his thoughts. Telling him to grab it and run. And they promised to him he would be fine and it would be just the two of them.
"You must push the cravings away!" The stranger told him sharply, "Quickly before you start to listen."
He was being told, No, instructed to take them and they promised they would be all his. He would be able to control the whole world, and they would listen to his every command. The man was barely able to sit still in the chair, he wasn't be able to see or hear anything else. He couldn't hear the stranger screaming demands at him, he could only see the Jewels backing up. This would be his only chance, he was instructed to take this chance. And he did.
