THE BANQUET

The air of the Gold Ring was unnervingly clean, polished to the point I felt it in my lungs. It smelled faintly of vanilla and rosewater. The gates themselves were, of course, gold with runic patters that pulsed as we passed beneath them. Even the pathways and trees shone in gold hue, shimmering under the starless night.

Thomlin looked as he belonged here. His suit was perfectly fitted with subtle embroidery, his hair slicked back. He even had the audacity to wave at passing nobles.

“Stop fidgeting,” he murmured tugging at my collar for the tenth time.

“I’m not fidgeting.”

I absolutely was. The suit was scratchy and tight, like I was being chocked. The heat was so unbearable I was sweating like a guilty man on the gallows.

The Palace of Crowns. To say it was tall wasn’t doing it justice. From metres away even I couldn’t see the peak. But we weren’t headed there.

We followed the procession of guests toward the Banquet Hall — a structure that made my breath catch or maybe it was the gold dust in the air. It’s outside walls shone catching the light of hundreds of lanterns that floated like stars. Guards in immaculate white suits stood flanking the doors checking each invitation with scrutiny. Their eyes slid over me once then shifted over to Thomlin who gave them a casual nod, as though daring them to ask questions.

He was going to get us thrown out for sure.

Inside, the hall hit me like stepping before the sun. The chandeliers blazed above catching on the mirrored columns. My eyes adjusted slowly, revealing a floor of polished black marble so pristine it reflected the room like dark water.

Table stretched across the hall in perfect symmetry, each covered in white cloth stitched with threads of gold. Rotating plates of roasted boar, steamed fowl and crystal bowls of fruit so bright they looked painted. At the farthest table, a long silver platter had meat with flags on top simply written: “Exotic Delicacies.”

“What is that?” I whispered.

Thomlin whispered back like it was normal. “Dungeon Beast meat.”

I nearly vomited. “What?!”

“Relax,” he said, steering me deeper into the crowd. “You look like you’re about to rob the place.”

“They are the ones robbing me of my appetite,” I muttered back glancing around at the nobles that were mouthing the delicacies.

“This is….”

“Don’t finish that thought,” Thomlin growled. “And don’t speak unless spoken to. Not everyone here likes sarcasm …. misunderstandings get people executed.”

I swallowed. My throat felt as dry as chalk.

“Just keep an eye out for your friends….and try to smile once in a while. I’ll be back…..don’t get into too much trouble.”

Cool, cool, cool, cool. I got this.

The hall was alive with polite conversations and clinks of glasses. Nobles drifted past in robes of white and deep blue stitched with the Palace Sigil: two golden crowns stacked over the other. Servers dressed in suits held trays of drinks and fruits moved all around. Some even gave me glancesm like they were wondering why I wasn’t serving with them.

At the far end of the hall, three familiar figures stood like points on a compass. Lucien was all calm and radiant, dazzling two laughing ladies with his perfect smile. Master Jacques stood stiffly, arms crossed over his vest, grunting to himself. To his right, Kryxx idly spun a silver fork between his fingers, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

I found a seat near them, where the wine seemed to flow the fastest. The first courses arrived shortly after: tiny goblets soup, thin slices of meats arranged like artwork and fresh apples. I didn’t trust most of it, but the apples were incredible. I was halfway through my fifth when the music cut off and the room fell silent.

I had to toss the apple mid-bite because the crunch echoed so loudly that two nobles glared at me like I’d committed treason.

I’ll be back for you, sweet apple.

The doors opened.

Keiji walked in.

The crimson robes edged in gold thread he wore made him look like a copy of Kryxx. Two strands of hair fell loose against his temples from his tied knot. His jawline was sharper, the faint lines at the corners of his mouth made him look older.

Behind him came Draken, his indigo scarf trailing like a shadow. I caught a stare from his orange eye that made me shudder.

A bell chimed near the dais. “Announcing Dungeon-Breaker, Keiji Tanaka of Sanctum Frollo.”

The hall erupted into applause. The sound swelled until it felt like the walls were shaking. Keiji simply bowed then walked to the head table. His gaze swept the hall and for the briefest second, our eyes met.

Then she appeared.

The crowd hushed and nobles bowed.

The woman moved like fire given flesh. Her red hair spilled around her shoulders, her red eyes gleamed like fresh cut rubies and her lashes were so sharp they could cut at your heart strings. When she reached Keiji, she knelt slightly, leaned close, and whispered something into his ear —that made him blush.

The second round of dishes rolled out, filling the room with the smell of roasted venison, spiced fish and various sauces that made my nose sting. No greens of any kind and no apples either, just some bananas.

Insulting.

I spotted Thomlin at a side table, biting on a turkey leg like it was going to escape. At least one of us was enjoying himself.

Then Keiji rose from his seat and silence fell again.

“I don’t know what to say,” Keiji began, his voice calm but carrying easily to the farthest corners of the hall. “Ninety-five days ago, I was just another hero. I thought I understood the world….what we were fighting for. But I was wrong.”

He let the silence stretch, letting every eye fix on him.

“After the dungeons began to merge, we were sent into darkness with no guide, no hope but what we made for ourselves. And we lost good people.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“Dorran, Havel, Cedric, Kaai, Angarr and Seeris. There were nights when I though we wouldn’t make it out but through their sacrifices, through their courage…. we destroyed every merged Dungeon we faced.”

“We survived…”

The red-haired woman at his side watched him closely, pride in her expression.

Keiji’s voice rose, not in volume but certainty.

“….And we will keep surviving. Tonight, we celebrate our survival but I also ask you to remember those who did not. We owe it to them to carry their hopes forward and I promise to keep fighting until this Kingdom is safe.”

He raised his glass. “To the fallen!”

Every noble in the hall echoed him. “To the fallen.”

The sound was deafening, and for a moment, I thought I felt Dorran’s name hanging in the air like smoke. When the applause returned, I clapped too, but my chest felt tight.

I stayed seated long after, just staring at my glass.

Thomlin appeared briefly, slipping me a card with something he’d managed to dig up, then vanished again before I could even ask him where he was going. It wasn’t much to go on, but luckily I knew just the person to help. And he was currently surrounded by nobles, each one vying for his attention.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand.

I couldn’t let a few nobles keep me back. Pushed my way through was easy enough, most of the nobles avoided me touching their perfumed sleeves until I reached him. For a moment Keiji paused stepping away from another well-wisher.

“Ash.”

“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Nice speech.”

“Thanks.” His smile was small, polite. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Yeah, well.” My throat felt dry. “Can we talk… privately?”