Sneaking past the several pigmen in the kitchens had come easily, but the satyr in the hallways were anything but. They wore silver vests trimmed with gold, their manes woven into braids and their eyes calm yet sharply observant of their surroundings.
Even more terrifying were the Sun elf servants with golden hair and bright skyblue eyes and an aura akin to a creature so beyond Kenji's level he could only cower. Behind the Sun elves came Dusk elves with jet black hair, ruby red eyes and maroon blue skin. So too were there Crimson elf servants with blood red hair, sad emerald eyes and faces pale as now.
Each had senses sharpened to the extreme, and even though Kenji moved as soft as a shadow, his slightest misstep brought the elvish servants running.
Each was only slightly taller than a human on average, but all felt like lions as they prowled the fine hallways and stalked between the marble columns with which Kenji hid. Their game of cat and mouse continued for only minutes, yet to Kenji it felt like several excuciating hours.
After some time Kenji lost the servant elves behind him, and arrived at a grand feasting room. The whole room was filled with a level of opulance no dream could conjure and not even an entire artisan guild could craft over a lifetime of labour. Fantastical gems, magical creatures places like dolls on shelves, and gold used as commonly as timber filled the space. Artwork, weaponry, jewellery and valuables of every other kind filled several floors high, while the high table itself was coated in steaming delicacies that smelled like heaven and almost convinced Kenji it was worth being caught for even the slightest taste.
Even more serving trays were whisked in by elvish servants so enchantingly beautiful Kenji was spellbound. They made the regular members of the gorgeous species look like uncut gems, while these sparkling few men and women represented the utter pinacle of what the species could achieve. Add in an unmatched degree of elegance and skill, making these elves appear an entirely new species of elvish elites despite the wildly different pigment of skin and hair.
Weaving his way along, Kenji was confident of his imminent discovery. These creatures were simply too fantastical, and despite his best efforts to hide he was guaranteed to be found out. Yet as he wove upward in search, Kenji realised he was being tailed.
A single stunning Sun Elf was gliding behind him, sweeping wherever he stepped with gusts of wind magic and busts of flame that scoured any possible marking from the golden stairs.
She pointed above, and only through strength of sheer will could Kenji pull his gaze away to where she pointed. There he found the stone boy called 'Gold Beans' in sturdy looking inscribed armour and the half succubus 'Grey' in a deep green dress of shimmering emerald scales that perfectly fit her many curves to tantalise his eyes. Both were stuff as stone, enchanted in place. With a whisper another Sun elf had the moved to the side, and slowly brought around in a bit of a daze.
"Thank you, but do you know where I can find something called the 'Star Fire Braces'?" Kenji whispered , the two sharing a look before pointing near the ceiling. There Kenji found the pair of dangling iron braces, looking like ordinary prison manicals.
Yet Kenji knew if their potential power to destroy the Fae, and positioning then all the way above the chandeliers was likely to have them be not outright dangerous to the Far King's guests, but a not so subtle threat instead.
Refraining from hugging the orphans while he appeared a shadow Faun, Kenji climbed several floors with the sun elves help. As he climbed he came across animated giants armour, wingless dragons and fiercely magical pixies. Each time the sun elves distracted them wordlessly, as if they conversed through a mental enchantment that required no speach.
Eventually Kenji found himself in the first of several chandeliers, the Sun elves pressing their hands against invisible walls behind him. It seemed the enhancements forbidden them from coming any closer, but their eyes lit up with hope as Kenji jumped.
The chandelier swung, Kenji's sight filled with the Far drop down into the table filled with the droolworthy food below. One jump at a time he bound between the islands of crystal, before eventually reaching the hidden bracers and snatching them off a plain hook.
Immediately the walls began to shake, the chandeliers exploded and Kenji was left to fall down into the swarm of elite servants, guardians and a very angry Fae Master Butler.