1. En’Zal

The Pleasure Palace is a strange place for a meeting between two Erullian kings.

It is a space station that hovers just outside the borders of Erullian space, and so it does not have to abide by the strict Erullian laws. It is a seedy place where all kinds of outlaws, criminals, and degenerates gather.

And today, two kings.

"We shouldn't have come here," my brother Khi'Zal says as my sleek royal aircraft docks at this establishment. "This smells like a trap."

"Relax, Khi. You're seeing ghosts. King Ro'Kal might be crazy, but not even he is stupid enough to attack me during peace negotiations."

"You're putting a lot of faith in a mad king," Khi'Zal says.

"No, I'm putting my faith in the Council of Kings. They'll crush Kalnia to dust if he tries anything. Peace negotiations are sacred."

Khi"Zal shakes his horned head. "If you say so, brother. I pray to the goddess you're correct."

We exit my royal aircraft and head down the walkway. A human male servant is waiting for us. He's wearing a blood-red robe, and a silver skull-like mask covers his face entirely.

"Welcome to the Pleasure Palace, King En"Zal," he says in Common, bowing deeply for me and my brother "My name is Mikel, and I am your humble servant. Your wish is my command. If there's anything your red heart desires, please, let me know."

Humans. They are the latest species to be conquered by the many slaving guilds that operate outside of Erullian space. If the Council of Kings were to unite we could easily make a fist against these outlaws, but we spend too much time warring amongst ourselves to pose a threat to them.

Chief among them is the Mad King Ro"Kal. His country of Kalnia neighbors my prosperous land of Zalleria, and his family has lusted after my ancestral lands for centuries.

A decade ago he fabricated a casus belli and we've been locked into a devastating war ever since. Devastating for the people of Kalnia, most of all. My elite warriors can easily protect our borders, but King Ro"Kal insists on sending platoon after platoon of his men to die.

Enough is enough. I do not wish to receive daily updates on the number of warriors slaughtered fighting a fool's war anymore. I have asked King Ro"Kal to enter peace negotiations, and he has agreed.

And he has chosen the Pleasure Palace as a neutral ground.

My dear brother and most trusted friend, Khi"Zal, believes I'm making a grievous mistake. It is King Ro"Kal who should be asking for peace, not me. The Council of Kings will see this meeting as a show of weakness on my part.

I truly don't care.

I'm not concerned with how things appear. I'm interested in saving lives, and bringing peace to both Zalleria and Kalnia. Many of my subjects have family across the border, family they haven't been able to visit in a decade. They've suffered enough.

If me asking for peace helps King Ro"Kal save face in front of the Council, so be it. If this is the out he needs to retreat with his pride intact, then I'm willing to play my part.

However, that does not mean I'm happy to be in this den of evil. I am here only because King Ro"Kal requested it, but the moment we're done I am leaving this place.

"You can bring me to King Ro"Kal for our negotiations," I answer the human servant. "Now."

"But Your Highness," the human says, bowing even deeper. "There are so many, many pleasures for you to enjoy here in the Palace. Are you sure?"

"Very," I growl.

"Could I not interest?—"

I grab the human's collar. "King Ro"Kal. Now."

"Y-yes, Your Highness. Follow me, please."

The human servant leads the way deeper into the wicked space station. This entire place assaults the senses. Loud, repetitive electronic music plays over the speakers. Flashing neon-signs are outside seedy establishments, offering all sorts of illicit and forbidden entertainment inside.

And the stench is awful.

"Why would King Ro"Kal pick this place?" Khi"Zal whispers to me as we pass a pleasure-bar. "Is he trying to insult our honor?"

"Or perhaps he just wanted an excuse to empty his royal coffers," I answer.

"Right this way, gentlemen," the human says.

We pass several security checkpoints as we head into the bowels of the Pleasure Palace.

"You are in exclusive company, King En"Zal," our guide says. "This is the VIP-only section of the station, reserved only for those with virtual unlimited credits."

"Yeah, I definitely feel great about that," I answer. "Is it far?"

"We're close, Your Highness. Very close."

I do not even wish to know what goes on in here. The upper levels of this station already offer all types of sin. What is so valuable that only the ultra-rich can afford it?

Finally, our masked servant stops in front of a large, round door.

"Here you are, Your Highness. I hope you will enjoy the show. It is to die for."