A Crimson Veil

The air hits me like a wave as I pull my cloak tighter, stepping into the Crimson Veil for the first time. It’s thick with the scent of jasmine and sweat, a mix that clings to my skin and makes my head swim. Red lanterns sway above the cobblestone street, casting a warm, sultry glow over everything. I’ve heard the rumors—women vanishing into this place, only to return as shadows of themselves—but seeing it is something else entirely.

I keep my hood up, my heart pounding as I move deeper into the district. Ahead, a group of women lean against a wall, their laughter spilling into the night. They’re… striking, in a way that’s hard to look away from. Platinum blonde hair cascades over their shoulders, identical in its sheen. Their curves strain against flimsy silks, exaggerated beyond reason, and their eyes—glassy, vacant—sparkle with an empty kind of joy. They giggle in unison, calling out to a passing man with voices that chirp like songbirds, “Hey, handsome, wanna play?” He stumbles toward them, entranced, and I feel a shiver crawl up my spine.

These aren’t the women they used to be. Something’s taken them—reshaped them into these perfect, hollow dolls. My chest tightens with a mix of pity and resolve. I came here tonight to see it for myself, to understand what I’m up against. Back at the castle, the whispers spoke of a succubus, Veyra, pulling strings in the shadows. If that’s true, these women aren’t lost—they’re trapped. And I can’t just stand by while it happens.

I linger in the alley, watching as one of the women sways her hips, her movements hypnotic. A strange heat prickles under my skin, unbidden, and I shake my head to clear it. I’ve seen enough. The question is what I do next. I could head back to the castle, dig into the library’s ancient texts for answers—something to fight this with knowledge. Or I could stay here, move closer, maybe even rent a room in the district to get to the heart of it. Either way, I’m in this now, and there’s no unseeing what I’ve witnessed.