The Red Sea was gone, and it was all replaced by red sand particles that formed the Red Desert. It was as though the water had not existed from the very start. It was always just a desert masquerading as a sea. At the center of this desert that resembled blood sat a magnificent structure.
The palace was a brutal masterpiece of red sandstone and black obsidian, rising like a jagged tooth from the scorched dunes of the Red Desert. The fortress embraced the chaos of the storms and the harsh nature of life, devoid of hope. It had sharp, slanting pylons that funneled the howling desert winds into a constant, low metallic hum.
Iron-bound gates were etched with shifting sands and the image of the Sha beast. Its internal courtyards were filled with blood from a myriad of beasts rather than water, lit by the eerie, flickering glow of desert lightning. This palace was a monument to strength and isolation. There was no path leading to the palace, showing that not many people dared venture towards this palace.
This was as a result of Set losing almost all of his followers over the years. Very few people had the level of belief and faith needed to see through the Red Sea to the Red Desert. Ion stood next to Cate, but he was not seeing the same thing as Cate, who had forced herself into holding faith and love towards the god of chaos. To Ion, all that was beneath the wandering palace was water.
Cate got to her feet and jumped from the wandering palace while ordering Ion to stay behind. Catherine saw all this through her window. She did not know what madness was playing out, but it seemed interesting enough to keep an eye on. Bang! Instead of sinking into the water, Ion was shaken when Cate began walking on the water as though she were the Lord reborn.
To Ion, it appeared as if Cate was walking on water, something that was easily achieved with magic, but this was not the case. Cate was walking through the desert, heading towards Set's Red Palace. The sand was so hot that her shoes were burned away after a few minutes, and her clothes stuck to her body due to all the sweat. The sun bared its harshness unto her without showing any mercy.
To Ion and anyone else who happened to be passing through this part of the Red Sea at this moment, it appeared as though a young woman was walking on water while sweating as though she was being sun-dried. In the desert, the only thing in Cate's eyes was the Red Palace. She did not use any magic to try and ward off the sun or to increase her speed through the desert.
As someone who now believed that Set was the only god there was, her faith demanded that she embrace the harsh and violent nature of the desert. She had to love the desert since the desert was Set, and Set was lord above all things. This desert was the second test for those who sought out Seth. One had to love Set enough to accept everything about him.
In this moment, Cate did not need to think about whether this was a test or not. With faith and love in her heart, this desert was not a test at all. It was something she loved and therefore embraced. Her steps were leisurely and filled with grace. The temperatures were so high that normal people would have already been turned into deep-fried meat, but this was not the case for someone who had faith in Set.
The sun was indeed harsh to them as well, but only to the extent of reminding them that the path to their lord was through hardship. After about an hour in the desert, Cate reached the doors to the temple/palace. For the rest of the world, it had been a single hour in the endless river of time, but for Cate, it had been over ten years of faithful devotion.
There were two powerful mythical beasts at the doors, but they did nothing to stop Cate. These beasts were created by Set, and they could see Cate's faith in their god. The doors opened for her, and Cate entered the Red Palace. Even when the doors shut behind her with a loud thud, Cate did not flinch, and her mind remained calm without any fear over what she was doing.
The hall was filled with darkness that was quickly eliminated by a crimson light. There was a golden throne at the front of the hall. On the throne was seated an ancient body that was on the verge of falling apart. It was a woman as old as dirt. She was covered in wrinkles, with some parts of her body already showing bone. Her long hair was burdened with age, and her eyes were simple sockets filled with a sense of void.
This woman appeared both dead and alive. As a devout believer of Set, Cate could feel Set's divine power flowing through the old woman. This light was pure and yet filled with chaos, violence, and a harshness that could cripple most people from a single glance. Cate's heart was lifted at the sight of the old woman who was clearly a nightmare to others.
Cate fell to her knees and bowed with her head touching the floor. Her form was filled with an endless belief that she was in the presence of the origin of all things. "This humble servant has witnessed the endless splendor of the great god. Death and life have submitted to the one true god."
Cate stayed in this posture for over an hour before there was any movement from the throne. The old woman's eye sockets were suddenly filled with life, as was the rest of her body. Her long hair became black and shiny, with her skin gaining a youth that many would envy. Her missing flesh grew back, and in less than a few seconds, a gorgeous young woman appeared on the throne. She had all the right curves, and her face alone was enough to bring any man to ruin.