Chapter 79: Ch 78 “Calm Before the Blizzard

"The title of Heir of the Empire or its kindred titles is claimed by almost every single human sovereign in Edor with two noticeable exceptions.

The Swan Kings of Catalina had long abandoned the vision of uniting the continent in the vision of the old empire, rather proclaiming a new age of humanity reborn into a new and better future unburdened by its old traditions. 

The Magocracy of Oriropol, from their very inception, had discarded all ideas of reforging the old Empire scuffing at the rest of humanity for their foolish desire for returning to the time of Imperial Peace.

For the human kings which had not yet renounced their rightful claim to Edor, a harsh road is laid ahead of them with the Kingdom of Anglas standing at the end of it. Cutting down any would-be pretenders who might come close overcasting their small ember of imperial legitimacy."

Exert from "Imperial History and Its Future"

 

 

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"Are you sure?" Iris said as she was finishing smoothing out the few remaining folds on Kia's new dress. "Why not my one?"

 

"Because your one is indecent, nothing should show that much skin!" The girl stepped back from the elf.

 

"But you certainly enjoy peeking while I change~" The elf teased, on the opposite corner of the room, she saw Umbria awaking from her sudden faint. 

 

"I don't do that?" Kia replied with a question aimed at herself.

 

"You don't." Iris softly reassured her favourite pure and innocent undead. "You are simply appreciating your own handy work~"

 

  The girl seemed to like the excuse given to her by the risen as she turned around and sat on a chair next to the wall, pulling out the clockwork sphere shortly after.

Iris turned and approached the bed where the vampire lay still. She wondered how Umbria could bleed with no blood coursing through her frigid veins as she reached the bed. 

 

"What time is it?" Umbria asked as she slowly sat up on the bed's edge holding her head in her hands.

 

"We have roughly a bell until the sunset." 

 

"Ashes below! I have wasted half a bell of seeing Master's..." The bloodsucker's eyes snapped onto the stern elf looming over her. "I have to give you your dress and present the masks I have ordered for you." She said as she stood up and motioned Iris to stay where she was.

 

  The vampire came back after a quarter of a bell had passed with an azure dress under her arm. Compared to what they dressed the necromancer in, the long blue dress looked rather plane and mundane.

 

"Something happened?" Iris asked the tired-looking woman handing her the dress.

 

"Duty never ceases." Umbria gave Iris a tired smile before turning toward the necromancer, her face remoulding into a glad mask.

 

"Master."

 

"Yes?" Kia looked up from her clockwork toy.

 

"Which one do you prefer?" The woman offered the girl two carnival masks.

 

  The mask in the vampire's left hand was shaped in a vague resemblance of a black hound while the material mask in her right hand resembled a cat with its nose resembling a hooked beak, instead of the fur of a cat the grey material was fashioned to resemble feathers.

 

"What is this animal?" Iris asked.

 

"It's an owlcat, Harbinger," Umbria explained. "This creature is native to the northern Edor and slightly larger than a common cat but it is quite rare to see one nowadays."

 

"I like this one." Kia pointed at the mask of the strange new creature.

 

"Then this one is yours." Umbria gave the remaining mask to the elf. "The palace is just around the corner and if Master allows I would like to walk.

 

 

 

  The two undead adventurers were led by the vampire toward the royal castle which towered over the city as the last bastion for the defenders if the formidable fortress city was about to fall.

From what Umbria explained to the two of them as they walked toward the palace, the royal ball sounded more like a cordial gathering of the nobles instead of the backstabbing and politicking noble parties which Iris was more familiar with.

 

"You can walk in the sunlight?" The elf asked as the last dying ray of sunlight shined directly onto the bloodsucker's face half veiled by a cloth mask which glittered in the sunshine.

 

"Yes. It is more of an annoyance for me but I am immune to direct sunlight thanks to my lineage." The vampire gave a small bow of gratitude toward Kia. "Some of my older vassals are also immune because of their high level but most of my kind are not."

 

  The three casually strolled through the streets of the noble district until they reached the grand doors of the palace. A tall guard armed with a halberd stood in front of the entrance, in his free hand he held a sheet of paper given to him by a pair of nobly dressed humans who just stepped out of a carriage.

The guard gave Umbria a bow allowing them to enter without an invitation. Inside the palace, a red carpet led them further into the broad corridor.

 

"Lady Blackworm." A man without a mask wearing a black servant uniform approached Umbria. "You have finally come, I was worried you might have missed another banquet, should I lead you to other right-and-honourable royal advisors? Some of them were asking about you."

 

"No, they should find me if they so desire." Umbria waved off the servant before walking down into the ball hall, her heels making loud clicking noises as they hit the marble steps. 

 

"Thought there will be more humans here." Kia quietly commented on the pitiful lonely state of the grand room.

 

"Technically speaking, the banquet hasn't started properly until the king's arrival. Even if this event is meant to be more casual it is in noble blood to try to gather favour from their liege lords. That means they are all probably in the royal chapel. If... Kia would like to visit the chapel I can head there but I don't see the reason to do so. I know not all of the humans can be categorised as such but I found their unwavering devotion to their idols to be enviable while I was on my lonely vigil." The woman said, using the necromancer's name more like a title rather than a name while staring blankly in front of her at nothing in particular.

 

  It didn't take long for the large marble hall to fill up with people pouring out from a door tucked behind the furthest pillar from where Iris along with the other undead stood. The hall remained quiet as the human procession gradually slowed down. When every human dressed in elegant clothes, their faces hidden under elaborate masks seemed to have found a place to stand, an armoured soldier wielding a ceremonial staff made from silvery-green metal entered.

 

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

 

"Announcing the arrival of His Majesty the King Olgierd of Firmusa, Rightful Heir of The Holy Human Empire, The King of the North, Keeper of the Bulwark, Slayer of Fiends, Protector of Oppressed, Great Petron of Arts, Buther of Elven Slavers-." The soldier struck the stone floor with the metal staff silencing the human masses before his thunderous voice echoed throughout the hall as he read out from a long scroll in his hand. A young human without a mask tapped the soldier from behind, motioning him to cease listing the inevitably long list of royal titles. "Eh... Vivat to King Olgierd, Vivat to The Divine Court!" The soldier looked utterly confused by the young man's intervention before saving his face in front of the noble assembly.

 

"Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!" Deafening cheers spoken in Caiserspiel erupted from the humans as the young handsome monarch took a glass of wine from a servant. Iris saw Umbria enthusiastically joining the nobles in cheering but her eyes didn't smile as they did when interacting with Kia. 

 

"Wiwat!" For the last cheer, an angelic voice merged with the noble crowd trying its best to replicate the sound of the old imperial language, swept up in the infectious enthusiasm.

 

"Aspects, Honour, Fatherland." The man raised his cup while invoking the famous Firmusan creed. As his words faded into the ether cheerful music started to play as many servants carrying plates of crystal glasses began to enter.

 

"Now we can go to my favourite spot." Umbria whispered to the two uninitiated people beside her. She led them into an adjacent chamber with a long U shape table in the middle with much smaller tables tucked into the small crevices between the columns roughly resembling private tables in an ordinary tavern.

 

  The three sat down on the padded seats, Umbria explained to Iris the usual plan which the ball would follow with fast dances in the dance hall before food would be served on the grand table followed by three bells of free time to relax and enjoy oneself. On the last bell long after midnight, the last dance would happen where the remaining nobles willing to dance still standing after hours of heavy drinking, drunkenly wobbling into the hurried rhythm.

 

"You look eager to look around the place." Iris said to the girl at the edge of her seat. She looked up following where the girl's eyes were pointed. Far above them a colourful fresco depicting a scene from Alithea. Iris didn't know what the painting precisely depicted but the characteristic blue and golden halo around one of the figure's heads told her the figure was an Aspect. Unlike most of the populace, she was given the doubtful honour of being able to glimpse into the sacred book on her travels while being shackled with heavy chains.

 

"Yes." The necromancer beside her hopped off her seat.

 

"Shall I tour you?" The vampire beside the elf asked.

 

"No." Kia quickly responded before dragging Iris off with her.

 

  The pale girl meandered through the mostly empty hall, the muffled music still reaching them through the thick walls. The inquisitive mage somehow managed to make Iris tired as the risen was dragged all over the dining hall as she marvelled at the extremely realistic portraits lining the walls.

 

"Ohh, such a beautiful flower. Someone here respects the old customs." A feminine voice sounded from Iris's side. She turned around to see a woman with grey hair without a mask covering her face. "Could I ask what is this flower called?" The old woman in her sixties asked.

 

"Ehh..."Iris's hand unconsciously touched her precious gift. She noticed a metal pin in a shape of a flower painted to look resemble its natural counterpart. "...Darkpeaks." She whispered.

 

"It's absolutely gorgeous! Every man in Northern Edor must be envious of your lovely partner, it must be exciting waiting until this lovely gift of Corin withers away." The woman said. "If you would excuse me, from where did your partner get this gorgeous flower."

 

"Wladislava? Oh, I hope my wife is not bothering you." A tall man of similar age to the elderly woman also not wearing a mask asked. He flashed an apologetic smile to the elf, the left half of his face was sunken down slightly resembling the face of a guard dog.

 

"I was not bothered." Iris said out of habit as she turned around to look for Kia.

 

"I assume she asked you about the flower?" The husband seemed to know her wife very well as he guessed. "She is quite zealous about gardening and growing of flowers. Could I ask for your name?"  

 

"Iris."

 

"Kazimir of Jedel" The man introduced himself, the name told nothing to the elf. 

 

Kazimir glanced at his wife still anticipating the answer from the elf. 

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"Ahh yes, I am Wladislava of Jedel. Could you tell me now?" The woman said causing her husband to roll his eyes in slight disappointment.

 

"We found them while climbing mountains... in Damestar." The risen turned her head back after locating the owlcat still marvelling at the most unexpected of things. The team name given to her and Kia suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

 

"Ohh you found them together how, romantic although I don't remember any mountains being in Damestar." The woman said the skin on her forehead wrinkled as she tried to recall something. "That flower must be also very unique for it to still look so beautiful after such a long journey."

 

  The elf wanted to slap herself for her thoughtless explanation. Her mind began to come up with explanations but an angelic voice invoking a soothing calmness in the elf chimed abruptly from her behind.

 

"Iris."

 

"Kazimir, I think I heard an angel!" 

 

"I think you might be right." The man said as he stared at Kia with as warm of an expression his face could manage.

 

"K-Siri did something happen."

 

"Did something happen to humans over there?" Kia pointed in the direction from where the music came from. "They are spinning too much."

 

"They are dancing." The risen answered.

 

"What's that?" The owlcat mask tilted to the side as Kia's eyes casted a puzzled look toward the elf.

 

"Aspects." Wladislava leaned back on her husband's large shoulder. "Am I dreaming this little angel?" 

 

"No?" The angel answered with a bewildered tone, slowly hiding behind the familiar shadow of the tall elf.

 

"Could you let me see your face little angel?" Wladislava asked with a motherly tone trying to sway the shy necromancer as she leaned closer to the necromancer.

 

"Wladislava. Don't you see you are scaring her?"

 

"The masks are only for the young love birds to meet each other. I am not trying to seduce her I just want to see what beautiful face must match such a voice."

 

"Wladislava." The man softly spoke to his wife, slowly dragging her away from the girl tightly holding on to Iris's dress. "Have some of this." Kazimir took a glass filled with red liquid from a servant passing by, before giving it to the woman. "I apologise for my wife's behaviour, Siri was it?"

 

"Yes, it was." Iris answered.

 

"I know it shouldn't be asked but of what house are you hailing from? You seem not to know a couple of things about being a noble." The man said, Iris, feeling a genuine concern for her and Kia from the older gentleman.

 

  The surrounding noise died down in the elf's mind as though about the answer she was to give to the old noble. The blue-blooded humans always gave her a feeling of having alternative motives to every single action they took.

 

"Minister Jedel." A woman suddenly appeared from behind the tall man, slithering beside him like a snake. Her face was covered by a black and white mask resembling that of a cat.

 

"Long time no see Marleen. Did Lady Blackworm order you to converse with me or perhaps you are satisfying your own desire? I guess it doesn't matter, you both have an exotic meaning of pleasure." Kazimir's posture changed as he answered with a cold emotionless voice.

 

"Why so cold, you had such a warm conversation with these young ladies. Or did you though you were talking to your dear Jadlenka?" The woman gave the man a sinister smile before her expression changed completely as the corners of the Minister's mouth twitched. "I apologise, I had forgotten about that but... you shouldn't have asked inappropriate questions during a royal ball."

 

"It was nice talking to you, Iris." Kazimir gave the elf a small bow before walking away from the woman, his wife looked to be on the verge of tears.

 

"Iris?" The woman wearing a highly revealing dress with a low cut and a split skirt allowing her bare thighs to be seen, raised an eyebrow. "Marleen. It is quite rare to see him even smile not to mention being willing to part even a portion of his wealth with a total stranger." The woman commented, the venom which dripped from her every word while talking to the older human was nowhere to be seen. 

 

"I haven't noticed you had been part of our conversation."

 

Marleen's eyes shifted a bit like a predator finding its prey as she responded. "You were speaking quite loudly, it was hard to miss it. I saw the young lady behind you was interested in Square, would she like to play? I don't really have anyone interesting to play with."

 

"Isn't gambling illegal?" The elf tried to leverage her way out of the situation.

 

"It is but who is saying we are playing for money? It will be a quick game." The human said slowly making her way to a polished wooden table near the wall.

 

  Iris grabbed Kia's hand and tried to take advantage of the woman's distraction but the girl dug her heels, refusing to let knowledge of the game be missed. With a heavy sigh, the elf turn around and approached the Square table with Kia seating herself opposite Marleen.

 

"Do you know how to play?" The woman asked not lifting her eyes from the board.

 

"No," Kia answered.

 

"You have an adorable accent." The woman said before explaining the rules of the game to the girl.

 

  The game of Square was played on a board of five by five, each space was indicated with a hole carved into the board with shallow trenches connecting the adjacent spaces. The player playing the undead possessed 20 round ivory pieces with which the player would put one on the board when his or her turn came until running out of them before being able to move. The player playing the living is playing with only 4 black pieces which start at each corner of the board. The goal of the undead player is to block all of the black pieces while the living player's objective is to kill all of the ivory pieces by jumping over the undead.

 

  Kia's first game was filled with mistakes, being easily beaten by Marleen causing her predatory smile to disappear in disappointment.

 

"Again." The necromancer stated after being beaten.

 

  A repeat of the previous game played out on the board as the two switched pieces.

 

"Again." Kia said, her voice being more curious about the game than frustrated.

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

...

 

"Huh?" The woman behind the cat mask half-heartedly glanced from Kia's thoughtful form back onto the board and made a surprised noise as one of the black pieces was cornered into an inescapable situation. Shifting her attention back onto the board.

 

"Did I win?" Kia asked as all of the living pieces were blocked off into their separate corners.

 

"What?" To Iris's fading hope Marleen regained interest in the game demanding a rematch.

 

"Again."

"AGain."

"AGAin."

"AGAIn."

"AGAIN."

 

  The woman strangely became more and more agitated at Kia who seemed to predict her every move with greater accuracy with each game played. The terminal stages of the games started to be indistinguishable from one another at some point to Iris, observing from the side.

 

"Bored." The girl stood up from another flawless victory and grabbed Iris by the hem of her cuff rudely dragging her away from the shocked noble.

 

"That was impressive." Iris congratulated Kia when they entered an empty side corridor. The music still managing to be heard. "Did you do that on purpose?" 

 

"Did what?"

 

"Did you lost on purpose? She looked quite upset when she began to lose to you."

 

"I like learning new things and I wanted to know if there were more patterns in that game but I seemed to exhaust them all from that woman." The owlcat spoke in a strange emotionless manner. "You didn't explain what that dancing was?" 

 

"It is moving while following a rhythm." Iris tried to explain. Seeing the petite tilt her head to the side the elf tried a different approach. "Give me your hands. Mirror my feet." 

 

"Okay." 

 

  The undead began to attempt to replicate the slow-moving feet of the elf. The girl eventually rested her head on the elf's chest wrapping her hands around the risen. Iris's lesson transformed into simple swaying from side to side as the two melted in each other hands in the middle of the empty corridor, the muffled music seemingly matching their own little dance.