Kthaahthikha

XV - 1400

Once out in the street, one of the horseless carriages drew-up before us. It was painted white and blue, trimmed with gold and silver, and the inside was of red suede trimmed in red and imperial purple. Clothilde slimbed within, I following, and at a low command the carriage began to roll away along the road.

'The ball is to be held at the Palace of the Seven Stars,' said Clothilde, precluding my next question. 'You look quite smart in your suit, and so should not attract to much attention.'

I was dressed in black formal attire, as was the popular fashion at the time, and slightly surprised at the moderness of my clothing. From somewhere, she handed me a silver-topped cane.

We made our way through the city streets passed hords in joyous carousal. The carriage made its way across a wide bridge, beneath which ran the luminous, rushing waters of the grand canal. The weather was fine, and the climate (oddly) quite pleasant. The Palace of the Seven jewels rose from behind a low wall at the end of a broad, tree-lined boulevarde. It climbed in mounting layers up from out of the pild masses of conflicting styles and fashions, an one point a kremlin and at another a mosques, a cathedral, a fortress, a manor in the French style such as that which stands at Chartres, and even the temple at Karnak restored to all of its living glory. The artistry of a hundred races had gone into that building's construction, and for all that it screamed to be declared a crime against art, it stood-out as a wonderful chimaera, a marvellous hybrid that captured my imagination as I watched it approaching through the front, amidst a seemingly-endless stream of carriages, cabs and rickshaws pouring steadily through the gates and departing once more, emptied of their passengers.

In this city of impossibilties, I paused barely a moment to wonder if the plateau could contain all of this upon it. A city had melted from the air and untold thousands of souls with it - if were to begin imposing the laws of common-sense upon the course of events, then I might soon find myself as mad as Kozlov.

The thought of Kozlov caught me. I remembered this city's sinister ties, and determined to unearth them as I went.

The carriage passed through the gates and along and enormous rotund drive. At the centre of this drive rose a fountain, spouting-forth waters of a myriad hues that glittered and shone, catching the moonlight even as they cast-forth their own dazzling beams. The carriage drew-up before the palace, and the door was opened by a voiceless footman who stood aside for us to disembark. We made our way up the vast carpeted stairs that led to the towering glass-and-wood doors, set in a facade of creamy marble.

All about us there moved similar souples and groups and solitary figures, some, like Clothilde, clutching at a hand, whilst others stood apart self-assured and conversed with the paragon of wit. I myself was dumbstruck with the wonder of it al. I had never seen such wealth, such oppulent displays of it, on four continents amongst the greatest nations of the Earth.

Minute. That sucks.