#firstprinceofkou

With top member ranks being /prime/ meat

   “My apologies, but I cannot allow you to go any further.” 

The black rukh.. It was a saddening sight, making the white rukh flutter and whisper all around the old magi. Honestly, he felt uncomfortable too whenever he stood in the presence of a being surrounded by black rukh, although, it was worse when he encountered someone like Judal. 

Darkness could consume people like fire consumed paper. It was almost tangible, twisting deep into one’s heart and taking control of everything they had once held so high. No one was an exception, no matter how they once were. Ren Hakuyuu had been no different. Once a prince held in high standards, once someone people would look up to, the future of the Kou Empire… Now nothing more than something broken, twisted.

Someone lonely.

The thing he wanted most, even like this, was to see his family. But he couldn’t. He’d made a promise. A promise to Al-Thamen. On top of that… He couldn’t let them see him like this. Couldn’t let them see how he had failed. Failed to remain alive, failed to escape, failed to return to them. How his rukh had been dyed black.

The robes of an Al-Thamen priest helped. He could pass through the halls unrecognized, just another face among the hundreds of priests that seemed to dot the capital. But every time he happened to come across someone he knew, it didn’t matter if they didn’t recognize him. He froze. And now was no different when he laid eyes on one who used to be his precious little cousin.

It was an odd sensation that pulled Koumei out of his hateful thoughts. Wait ... hateful thoughts? He must really be tired. Normally he would be able to control such feelings, even towards those he hated. The feeling of being watched was what brought him back. 

Before him stood one of the priests. This was definitely odd. Normally they simply slithered passed him. He wasn’t anyone overly important so they rarely had business with him. If they ever did, Mei would simply told them the business would have to go through En ... that normally got rid of them. 

The priest still hadn’t moved so Mei let his features morph into one of boredom.

“Is there something you need from me? I’m a little busy...”

In truth he wasn’t .... but the Al-Thamen priests creeped him out. He didn’t want to be around them any longer then he needed to be.

"Is something the matter?"