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The Menagerie
The hooded figure stepped through the large double doors. Great stone doors, embroidered with all manner of gemstones from the top to bottom. A delicate silver filigree running along each dip and curve of the rugged slabs. The room surrounding the hooded figure was massive, incredibly high ceilings lit by perfectly spherical stones, and a labyrinth of twists and turns were navigated by the hooded figure with ease. Adorning the colossal columns and walls were multicolored panes of glass of every shape and size. Rooms lay beyond the stained windows, every room wildly different, a collage of molten hellscapes, clouded with ash and smog; placid lakes, seemingly uninfluenced by the chaos around them; and verdant forests filled with lush greenery and laden with fruit. The hooded figure began to ascend, taking steps on the air itself as if it were walking on stairs, the sack slung over its shoulder no longer obscured by the great pillars surrounding him.
As it rose, it peered into the windows one after the other, gazing not at the breathtaking landscapes, but at that which dwelled within them. Within each lay a unique monstrosity, their very existence spitting in the face of whatever deity may rule this cruel universe. Directly to the hooded figure’s right was a gargantuan serpentine being, with azure scales that shimmered with every movement, radiant and hypnotic golden eyes, and alabaster fangs sharp as daggers. In the enclosure above slept a being with vorpal talons that glowed a fiery pink, and long, pencil-thin legs clad in crimson that seamlessly flowed into a tear-shaped head that consisted of a gaping maw filled with rows and rows of rounded teeth, all stained a pale red. Above both of these monstrosities stood a creature with a sickly green hide, supported by six bulky legs and cloven hooves. The fur covering its back half blending into a throat draped in ebony scales. Two large horns wrapped around the beast’s head like flowing silk turned to cold stone. Its soulless green eyes, emeralds, adorning its long, bearded snout.
The hooded figure approached an enclosure that lacked the resplendent windows of the others. The space smelled like sweet vanilla accented by a faint burning smell. The floors were carpeted in pale grey, their softness unmatched by any material native to the realm of man. The featureless walls were painted a violet darker and more beautiful than the night sky. The room was furnished with a massive bookshelf, containing thousands upon thousands of volumes; a black leather recliner, with holes in the right arm for beverages; and a mini fridge, around the size of a small child, and filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, and organic juices. A dull light coming from somewhere unseen illuminated the space.
The hooded figure emptied its sack onto the floor, a pink fleshy creature landing with a thud. The being was small, pale, and seemed fragile. Its entire body was covered in a coarse fabric, holes cut out for its head and arms. Its lower body encased in a rough blue material with only the feet exposed. It was nearly hairless, save for a black patch on its scalp. As it slowly regained consciousness, the fear in its eyes was almost immediately replaced by a mindless gaze as it shuffled complacently into its new home.
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