Chapter 1095: Acknowledgment
Into the great palace the envoy led Leon’s group, though Leon set a more lackadaisical pace that clearly grated on the envoy’s nerves. She didn’t rush them, however, aside from a few dirty looks, so Leon took the time to observe their surroundings in more detail.
The atrium of the palace wasn’t nearly as large as he would’ve expected given Archelaus’ rank in the Nexus hierarchy—his palace on Aeterna was larger. A long hall, two rows of columns, a floor of polished stone, and a plush carpet running down the center of the hall. The columns were intricately carved with reliefs that spiraled upward, packed with so much detail that Leon’s eyes almost glazed over when he tried to examine them while walking.
The ceiling was entirely made of gleaming bronze, with cloud-like ripples flowing across the metal. Occasionally, an arc of golden lightning would travel across the ceiling’s surface, only to be drawn into large crystals that formed the capstone of every column. These crystals would then glow, providing most of the hall’s illumination, though Leon suspected they served other purposes too given how much magic power he could sense within them.
Half a dozen doors led out of the hall, but it was to the one in the very back, directly opposite the grand double doors that served as the palace’s main entrance. Every door had a pair of powerful-seeming golems guarding it, while Leon counted some two dozen people moving about while they made the short trek down the hall. It was a busy place, though Leon thought it should’ve been busier if it were to adequately administer such a large region as Archelaus apparently had.
Another chamber awaited them beyond the next set of doors, this one a large octagonal chamber with a grand dome above it held up by eight more sturdy columns. Benches lined the walls, while slabs of glowing crystal were set into the walls, providing light. Light projections of various animals swam through the air, illuminating everything they passed by. A dozen more golems stood guard in the room.
Several people were sitting on the benches upon Leon’s arrival, and he wouldn’t have paid them any mind had he not recognized after a short delay the aide that accompanied Djoser to Alhamachim—‘Miranda’, if Leon’s memory served him rightly.
His group’s entrance drew her attention, too, and she spared a moment to glare at him, and then pointedly ignored his presence afterward.
“Your companions will wait here,” the envoy instructed Leon. “The Eminent Archelaus will see you in private.”
The corners of Leon’s golden eyes tightened, but with a silent gesture, he ordered his people to stay behind.