“Such beauty shouldn’t be wasted, Mrs.,” the man said, his eyes lingering a bit too long. “If you want a man, please—not here.”

  “All fat, no strength,” Azeya replied sharply. “I pack more power than you. So choose—either let me in or die at the hands of a woman.”

  She paused, her tone turning almost playful. “Or maybe… let me in while holding my hand.” She extended it, the gesture somewhere between challenge and surrender.

  The man hesitated, then swiftly took her hand. “If anyone here doesn’t know you,” he said quietly, “tonight might be the last you see.”

  Another guard started to move, but he was waved off. The door opened, revealing a second gate. The man whispered something, and the gate’s dark purple shimmer turned pitch black.

  On the other side was a long table. Seated there were four kings—and, at the furthest end, the gatekeeper himself.

  The first king had distinctly Eastern features.

  The second was dark-skinned, with a red tattoo that coiled around his arm like chains.

  The third was large, brown, and broad-shouldered.

  And the fourth wore a mask—four eyes stacked vertically—and had long, dark hair that spilled down his back.

  “Who’s this bitch?” the second king snapped, rising. “If you don’t explain yourself, you’ll die right here.”

  “Apologize,” the third king said calmly, though there was amusement in his eyes.

  “Why apologize to someone without limiters?” the first king muttered.

  “I’d remind you,” the masked king interjected, “that we are all equals here.”

  The third man smirked and stood. Without a word, he pulled off his shirt, revealing a tattoo—a stone marked with an F engraved deep into it.

  “Are we showing emblems now?” the masked king asked dryly.

  The third man turned around, exposing another emblem: a dragon’s head breathing fire onto the shapes of a man and a woman.

  “I couldn’t take the risk of her stripping to show you this,” he said, voice dropping into authority. “You are in the presence of the Limit of Mastery—Azeya.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Can I assume she’s Leon’s hea—” the first king began.

  “Stop. You’re too weak,” Dreezy cut him off sharply.

  “Thank you, Dreezy,” Azeya said coolly. Then she looked down at the guard still clutching her hand.

  “Let go, or I’ll break it.”

  The guard felt saw the gaze with intent to do evil, he was suprised but fear quickly came in, and he instinctly removed his hand.

  “I’m sorry, one of them called you—” Dreezy began.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Azeya interrupted. “I’m actually looking for an accomplice—Sherlyn. She was kidnapped by a Somnari girl named Neyra. I need her by morning.”

  “Neyra—the girl with the mask?” the second king asked.

  “Yes. And we have a mask right here,” Azeya said, her gaze locking on the masked man. “Bring her to me before morning—unharmed, and without any excuses.”

  “I know no such person,” the masked man said evenly, resting his hand on the table. Three rings gleamed on his fingers.

  “Amplifiers,” Azeya said, her smile cold. “Add more.”

  The man rose, showing all seven rings—two with blue gemstones, five with red. The difference between amplifiers and limiters was clear: amplifiers stored energy, limiters restrained it.

  “You want more—” he began, but stopped when his mask cracked with an audible snap.

  “I’ve no reason to kill you,” Azeya said. “I’m not a fan of unnecessary death.”

  Her eyes scanned the room. “I’ll be at the All Night Inn. Dreezy, escort the man.”

  She turned to leave, then paused.

  “Oh—and if you meet a tall, black man with an odd presence, play dumb. Very dumb. Meeting dismissed.”

  She took a few steps, then added,

  “Almost forgot. There’s a worker—a bartender—Colt. Five percent of the guild’s profits go to him. Three percent come from our masked man’s family. If he dies or doesn’t get paid…” she smirked, “…Ordelith will have only one king.”

  And with that, she vanished.

  “The Limit of Mastery, huh,” the first king murmured.

  Three gates opened.

  “Let’s not act foolish,” Dreezy said. “Just do as she said.” He followed the masked man toward one of the portals.

  “You’re slacking off,” Azeya said as she appeared beside Shawn, who was chatting up a woman.

  “Mmm, oh, you’re back, "Shawn replied, a little startled

  “ Girlie, till next time,” he told the lady.

  “Ladies’ man?” Azeya asked, amused.

  “I’ve got to be better at something,” Shawn said.

  “Then listen carefully—warn your family. There’s a monster in Ordelith.”

  “Monster?”

  “Tall. Black. Not just tall—huge, almost like your brother. If any of the Stonefold meet him, turn tail and run. Survival comes first for the weak.”

  “Thanks for the warning. I’ll pass it along,” Shawn said, already eyeing another conversation.

  “Please, take a seat,” the masked man said . “I need to consult with my other half.”

  He walked into an adjoining chamber, leaving Dreezy alone amid luxury—velvet couches, golden plates, and walls trimmed with silver.

  “For a new family, they sure have wealth,” Dreezy muttered.

  The masked man removed his disguise, tying his long black hair into a ponytail.

  “Darmian, welcome back,” said another masked figure, floating in midair—arms and legs loose, as if drifting underwater.

  “Yeah, well, you’ve got a massive problem,” Darmian said.

  “Let me guess… Sherlyn?” the floating man asked, landing gracefully on a throne.

  “No—not her.” Darmian said , seating on couch. “Have you ever heard of the Limit of Mastery?”

  “I believe she’s Leon’s servant,” the man said, settling into his seat.

  Darmian threw down his cracked mask. “She did this without even touching me. Let’s not waste time.”

  “Are you scared?” the man asked quietly.

  “Scared?” Darmian chuckled bitterly. “I don’t even know where scared starts or ends. But if someone tells me to add more amplifiers—and then cracks my mask without me seeing what happened —I’ll choose retreat.”

  He started to walk away. “Think. Neyra was captured. Ask yourself who caught her, I’d bet on ‘Limit of Mastery.’ You’re provoking a territorial monster.” Darmian said before the masked man could utter a word.

  “In fact,” he added, “I’ve got another bounty to chase. Thanks for the money.” Darmian said getting up.

  “The deadline is dawn,” He added , his hand on his head while facing the door.

  “She’ll be brought to you , I’ll meet Leon myself—see what kind of monster he truly is.” The man replied.

  “Be careful what you wish for,” Darmian muttered, slipping his white cracked mask back on.

  Outside, Dreezy was waiting.

  “Let’s go,” Darmian said. “She’ll be outside.”

  They walked until they reached the white-painted mansions on the far edge of the city. Dreezy was shocked—they’d crossed to the other side of Ordelith in moments.

  ‘It’d take an hour to walk here normally,’ he thought.

  “Here she is,” Darmian said as Sherlyn approached, flanked by two masked escorts.

  Their masks bore only two eyes.