The guards parted to let him through, a human with black hair and a beard. The man wore a tan robe soaked in blood. Around his neck hung an ornate ceremonial collar made of brilliantly colored enamel feathers, rimmed with gold. His aura flickered with blank patches, sections that writhed like a million slithering, transparent worms. Lethe had seen this before; it was like parts of his aura were missing or connected to somewhere else.