The grand hall of the palace was alive with opulence and revelry. Lavish tapestries of crimson and gold adorned the walls, depicting the kingdom's victories over the centuries.
Massive chandeliers glittered like captured starlight, their light refracting over the sea of silk gowns and polished armor. Nobles mingled, their laughter echoing against the vaulted ceilings as servants wove between them, balancing trays of fine wines and delicacies.
At the center of the hall, a long banquet table stretched almost the entire length of the room, laden with roasted game, exotic fruits, and golden platters overflowing with jeweled confections. Musicians played softly in the corner, their stringed instruments weaving melodies that added a polished veneer to the grandeur.
But beneath the surface of this celebration lay a tension that could not be ignored.
King Volxane VI, a towering figure clad in ceremonial armor that glimmered with the light of a hundred torches, stood at the head of the table. His crown, studded with rubies the size of sparrow eggs, caught every flicker of light. He raised his goblet high and the room fell silent.
"Brothers and sisters of noble blood, tonight, we celebrate the dawn of a new era. An era where the heretics who wield the forbidden art of Rune Speaking will be eradicated from our lands, their corrupted tongues silenced forever!"
The nobles erupted into applause. They cheered, lifting their glasses to toast, though many exchanged subtle glances and forced smiles. Among them, whispers passed like shadows.
"Another war?" One murmured under his breath.
"He'll bankrupt the treasury chasing ghosts."
"They're too sneaky."
Volxane VI continued, undeterred by the quiet dissent hidden behind feigned enthusiasm.
"For too long, these Rune Speakers have hidden among us, spreading their poison and defiling the holy laws of the Frozen God. They claim power not granted to them, power that belongs to us, the chosen, the rulers, the blessed! We are the arbiters of this world and it is our divine duty to rid it of their stain."
He paused, letting his words hang in the air, then gestured to a side door.
"And tonight, we unveil the sword that will strike down these blasphemers. I present to you... the Vanguard of Purity!"
The doors swung open. Two figures strode into the hall, their presence commanding immediate attention.
The first was a woman, her tall, statuesque frame draped in armor crafted from a material that seemed to shimmer like liquid silver. Her piercing lightning blue eyes scanned the crowd with the cool confidence of a warrior who had never known defeat. Her braided blue hair was streaked with dark streaks.
Farrynelle Skyrover, the prodigy of the Skyrover Dynasty, stepped forward, her hand resting on two chakrams that radiated an ethereal glow. The nobles whispered among themselves.
Beside her was a man, his presence equally striking. Xander Fedres, clad in dark armor that seemed to absorb the light around him.
His angular features were sharp and intimidating, his silver eyes burning with a cold gaze on the nobles. His family's reputation as military juggernauts preceded him and his mere presence sent a ripple of unease through the crowd.
Despite that, his blonde hair made him a very charming knight.
Farrynelle bowed slightly, a gesture more for decorum than humility.
"Your Majesty, we are honored to serve your righteous cause."
Xander followed suit, his bow sharp and calculated even though it looked forced.
"The Rune Speakers will not escape us. The five tribes will be subdued, and the kingdom will be cleansed of their heresy."
The king raised his goblet again. "Behold! The champions who will bring the light of justice to this dark world!"
The nobles applauded, some more enthusiastically than others, though their smiles remained fixed. Behind their claps, however, their minds churned with skepticism and intrigue.
The whispered doubts persisted but outwardly, the nobles cheered.
As the applause swelled, King Volxane VI descended the dais, approaching his two chosen heroes. He clapped Xander on the shoulder, his grin wolfish.
"The fate of our kingdom rests on your shoulders, Sir Fedres, Lady Skyrover. The people will remember your names as legends... or as failures. Do not disappoint me."
Farrynelle's eyes met his briefly.
"We will not fail, Your Majesty."
Xander nodded, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Failure is not in our blood."
°°°°°°°
As the banquet roared on, filled with laughter and the clinking of fine goblets, Farrynelle Skyrover and Xander Fedres made their way to a quieter corner of the royal hall. The noises of the nobles around them faded into the background as they stood alone, leaning slightly against a pillar in the shadows.
Farrynelle lifted her goblet, swirling the wine with a graceful flick of her wrist. Her eyes scanned the room, her thoughts distant, lost in a world beyond the gilded walls of the banquet hall.
Xander, ever the more stoic of the two, leaned against the same pillar, arms crossed, his sharp gaze focused on the nobles who were too absorbed in their self-congratulations to notice the true power standing just a few paces away.
Farrynelle sighed, taking a small sip of her wine before speaking.
"Do you ever get tired of pretending? Of bowing to these mortals?"
Xander smirked, his silver eyes glinting in the soft light of the room.
"Pretending? Not really. It's all part of the game. They think they control us. It's... amusing."
"But it's not just amusement, is it?" Farrynelle replied, her tone turning more serious. "We're here because we have no choice. This is all part of the First Epoch Cycle. These... mortals are just stepping stones for us to fulfill the quest. Eliminate the Five Runic Tribes. How much longer do we play the game before it bites us back?"
Xander narrowed his eyes. He had always found the idea of the Epoch Cycle troublesome. So many powers at play, so many forces out of their control. Still, the benefits were undeniable. Strength, power... it was all there for the taking, if they followed the path.
But that path, he knew, would not be easy.
"It's what we have to do. We don't know how to clear the First Epoch. Not yet, at least. But we can't ignore the clues we've been given. The Erna Frozen Isles were only the first hint. And with the kingdom closing in on them, we have to strike soon."
Farrynelle paused, her fingers tightening around the goblet.
"We need to find out everything we can. The Five Runic Tribes... they have power, ancient power. And we need to destroy them, but it's not like we can just wipe them out without consequences. I don't like this situation, Xander. We're walking on a tightrope."
Xander turned his head, his eyes scanning the room, focusing on the nobles now.
"The danger of all this is that the Five Runic Tribes won't just roll over. And these mortal kingdoms... they're not the real threat. Not for us. It's the power we're after. We'll have to play the role they expect until we've gathered all the information we need. Only then will we make our move."
Farrynelle nodded, her expression darkening.
"And what about the people we're pretending to work for? The king and his lackeys...I'm not one to bow down to someone so insignificant. But for now, we have no choice. We need them to lead us to the next clue, to guide us through this charade until we can strike."
Xander's eyes narrowed as he considered her words. To them, the humans were too weak. If they wanted, they would have killed everyone in the entire city.
One thing everyone knew is that in an Epoch Cycle, the concept of 'changing the future to alter the past' didn't work on this. Unless you cause some major disruption, the future won't be affected by past actions.
In fact, it's supposed to happen. Whatever changes they will make in the Epoch Cycle already affected the present somehow.
"Agreed. But we also need to remember why we're doing this. It's not just about the quests or the weak mortals we manipulate. We're doing this because we need the strength to survive the Epoch Cycle."
Farrynelle's gaze flicked toward the throne at the far end of the hall. She could feel the weight of the king's eyes upon her, though he had no clue what kind of power was standing right under his nose.
"Once we've taken down the Five Tribes... and secured what we need... things will change. We'll be stronger and unstoppable. We'll break the Cycle. But until then..." She gritted her teeth. "We play along."
Xander met her gaze, his expression hardening. "Yes. For now, we play along. But no more than that."
Farrynelle stood straighter, her pride as a warrior and a daughter of the Skyrover Dynasty rising to the surface.
"I'll play along. But I won't forget who the real enemy is. Once we destroy them, we kill the king. He's a greedy bastard who doesn't care about his people."
"Agreed."
Her eyes lingered on the king, who was speaking with one of his courtiers, oblivious to the deadly figures in his midst.
The two warriors exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them. They knew the path ahead would be fraught with danger, and that their own fates were linked to the mysterious forces of the Epoch Cycle. But they also knew that they could not falter. The stakes were far too high.
The banquet continued, but for Farrynelle and Xander, the game had already begun.