Chapter 255: The Welcome Party Part 2

Sylvie stomped towards a terrified Callum, but she suddenly stopped. She closed her eyes tight and took a shaky breath.

“S-Sylvie…?” Callum whispered hesitantly.

Sylvie clenched her teeth and wiped the tear at the corner of her eye. She turned around and walked off into the crowd.

“Wait, Sylvie!” Callum yelled and ran after her.

Kalliste Lilith watched the whole exchange with a smug smile. “You know, I really didn’t expect that to be so… satisfying.”

Freya glared at her, “I always heard people talk of House Lilith’s great beauty and power, but it looks like they forgot to mention your bitchiness.”

“Me?” Kalliste looked taken aback. She giggled, a husky sound. “I’m the victim in all of this. It seems my fiancé has been cheating on me. And now he leaves me here to pick up all the pieces. Whatever shall I do?”

The dark-haired dwarf, Cordelia Rotrusk, raised her forefinger as if an idea had struck her, “Break Callum Veres’ legs?”

Kalliste smiled, “To keep him from running again? How Poetic. I love it.” She glanced up at the frost giant woman towering over them, “What do you think, Lynn?”

“Whatever the captain wishes, I shall follow,” Lynn bowed.

“I knew I could always count on your loyalty,” Kalliste smirked.

Stryg bared his small fangs at Kalliste, “This is a party, so I’ll say it once. Back off.”

The silent drow who had been eyeing Stryg stepped in between him and Kalliste. The cold gaze in her frigid blue eyes gave Stryg pause. There was something off about her.

Stryg narrowed his eyes, she’s dangerous.

Kalliste placed her pale hand over her red lips, “Oh, I’m afraid Nalla here has different thoughts. I think it best if you back off, hm?”

Freya grabbed Stryg’s shoulder. “This isn’t the place…” she whispered.

Stryg shook her hand off and looked past the silent drow. His lilac eyes settled on the smiling Kalliste, “If you think for one second I’ll simply stand by and watch you hurt my friends, I’ll-”

The surrounding crowds suddenly began clapping. Their loud cheers drowned out Stryg’s words. He turned to the grand gates at the end of the ballroom. The ornate gate swirled open slowly in a mixture of enchanted locks and hinges. A stunning pair of drows strolled into the ballroom.

The young man wore a pale silver jacket over a white silk shirt that loosely hung over his dark blue breeches. His hair tumbled down his shoulders in fine curls of white.

A silver gown wrapped tightly around the woman’s torso and bust. The gown’s skirt split right below the hips, revealing her long slender legs. The skirt trailed behind her, black vines of fabric stretching out from the edges.

The drow couple was dressed in a matching set of silver attire, rich in design and fabric. Yet it was their looks that captivated the crowd. The couple had an almost otherworldly beauty. A refined, almost fragile look that seemed as if it would disappear if one stepped too close. Even their grey skin seemed to almost glow under the chandeliers’ magestone light.

The drow woman sashayed down the ballroom, her each step accentuating the curves of her hips. The young man followed a step behind her. He smiled serenely at the crowd, while she didn’t even bother to glance at them.

“The Thorns have finally made their grand appearance,” Kalliste mused.

“Those are the Thorns?” Stryg asked.

“The power behind Undergrowth, Lady Ophelia Thorn herself,” Kalliste said grimly.

“That’s her husband?” Freya asked.

“You two really are ignorant,” Kalliste shook her head. “No, that's the prince charming himself, Lady Thorn’s son and her greatest pride… and our greatest enemy, Calex Thorn.”

“Greatest enemy?” Stryg asked.

“Calex is representing Undergrowth in this year’s tourney,” Freya said grimly.

“Oh, so you’re not as ignorant as you look,” Kalliste said.

“I’m really getting tired of this vampire,” Stryg growled.

“Same,” Freya sneered.

The quiet drow Nalla shifted her feet and took a subtle battle stance.

“Don’t worry, Goldelm,” Kalliste smiled wide, revealing her long fangs. “There will be plenty of time to settle our disputes at the tourney.”

“Until then, enjoy the party,” Kalliste turned around and left back into the crowd.

“It was nice to meet all of you,” Lynn bowed her head and followed behind Kalliste.

“Take care of yourself, uncle,” Cordelia said curtly. “I’ll be sure to tell Mother of your involvement with Hollow Shade.”

“You really don’t have to,” Cornelius winced. “I’m sure my sister has better things to do.”

Cordelia ignored him and hurried after Kalliste.

The silent drow, Nalla, took one last look at Stryg and walked away.

“...So that was team Frost Rim, huh?” Freya muttered. “This will be harder than I thought.”

Stryg glanced at his dwarf teacher, Cornelius, “Were you just going to stand back and watch us fight in silence?”

“Cordelia is my niece, there is no way in hell I’m going to wade into a fight against her,” Cornelius barked with laughter. “...Seriously, her mother would kill me.”

“Ugh,” Freya rolled her eyes. “Come on, Stryg, let’s go find Callum and Sylvie before either of them do something terribly stupid.”

“Lead the way,” Stryg nodded.

“Wait, don’t split up!” Cornelius yelled.

They ignored the dwarf and left him behind. Cornelius chased after them for a brief moment, then stopped when he spotted a pretty drow walk by.

Cornelius shook his head, “Eh… They’ll be fine for a little bit.” He patted his beard, swept back his hair, and introduced himself to the pretty drow.

~~~

Plum sipped her wine and glanced about uneasily. “I hate places like this…”

“You hate being in the largest and most luxurious castle in all of Undergrowth?” Veronica gasped loudly, “The horror!"

"Shut up, you know what I mean,” Plum adjusted her glasses. “Look at all these people… they’re all…”

“Dressed in clothes worth more than your salary?” Veronica said.

“No. Well, yes. But they’re all… important. I mean if I’m not careful I could accidentally bump into a powerful leader of a Great House from Murkton or something. This whole place is like a dragon’s den.”

“Relax, no one’s gonna hurt you, not while I’m here,” Veronica grinned.

“...Yeah, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m more worried about you getting into trouble,” Plum said dryly.

“Hah! As if,” Veronica laughed. “Oh, there’s Damian,” she pointed to her teammate on the other side of the ballroom. “Huh, he looks… kinda angry?”

“Yeah, he sorta does. Wait, where is he going?” Plum asked.

“I don’t know. It looks like Damian’s talking to someone, I can’t see them very well from all the way over here.”

“Oh, now it looks like he’s shouting,” Plum said.

“Probably to some waiter who got his drink wrong. Wait, is that…?” Veronica groaned, “Dammit, that idiot!” She hiked up her dress and sprinted across the ballroom.

“Hey, where are you going!” Plum yelled and glanced around anxiously at the aristocrats and merchants staring. “This is why I hate parties,” she grumbled and ran after Veronica.

~~~

“It’s you! Stop where you are, bastard!” Damian yelled angrily.

Stryg’s ear twitched at the noise. He turned around and found himself face-to-face with the belligerent drow.

Freya cursed under her breath. “We don’t have time for this right now.”

“I knew you’d be here,” Damian sneered. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Stryg glanced at Freya questioningly, “...Who is this guy?”

“W-what?” Damian stuttered. “What do you mean ‘who is this guy’!? You attacked me yesterday!”

Freya covered her mouth and tried to hold back her laughter.

Stryg frowned, “Attack…?”

Freya took a deep breath and collected herself. “He’s Damian of the Great House of Parvus.”

“His face doesn’t look familiar… I can’t place his scent either,” Stryg muttered.

“Is this some kind of joke!?” Damian screamed.

The nearby guests stared at his uproar and began whispering amongst themselves.

Freya coughed, “You hit him with a bottle on the head.”

“Oooh!” Stryg’s eyes lit with recognition. “You’re that annoying drunk who couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

“I wasn’t drunk, you bastard!” Damian yelled. His face had grown flushed with anger. “I won’t just let you run away this time. Not after you snuck an attack when I wasn’t even looking!”

Stryg blinked and cocked his head to the side, “I’m a little confused. Are you talking about when you fell unconscious?”

“Obviously!”

“Oh, then you’re wrong, I didn’t attack you, I simply shut you up,” Stryg said. “Nor I was being sneaky, I looked right into your eyes when I smashed that bottle over your face. It was quite satisfying.” Stryg’s voice grew cold, “If I had actually attacked, you wouldn’t be standing here tonight.”

Damian furrowed his brow. “You… What sort of crazy fuck are you?”

“The kind who won’t stop on his own,” Freya muttered. “Now, please move. We don’t have time to waste-”

“~Hellooo!~” Veronica jumped in and shoved Damian aside.

“H-hey!” Damian yelled indignantly.

“Sorry about that, friends. Don’t mind Damian, he gets angry over the smallest things,” Veronica laughed cheerfully.

“He hit me with a damn bottle,” Damian glared.

“And the white mages healed you up perfectly,” Veronica said. “You don’t even have a scar on that handsome face, so stop complaining.”

“Handsome?” Damian blushed.

“Ugh, that’s all you got from that?” Veronica shook her head. She turned to Stryg and smiled, “I’m glad you made it, did you miss me?”

“I don’t even know who you are,” Stryg said in a puzzled voice.

“Uh, what now?” Veronica blinked.

“How do you not remember any of them?” Freya asked, surprised. “She was at the alehouse yesterday, too.”

“It’s easier to remember people by their scent,” Stryg admitted quietly. “But it’s hard to smell anything when you have a bottle of alcohol on your lips.”

“You’re kinda weird, Mister,” Veronica wrinkled her nose.

“Believe me, no one has ever disputed that fact,” Freya said.

“But I like it,” Veronica smiled. “Since you don’t remember, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Veronica of the Great House of Sientia, nice to m-”

“Veronica, don’t just run off like that!” Plum called out as she ran over to them.

Stryg’s eyes widened at the sight of her. Plum wore a simple, yet elegant red dress. A warm feeling bubbled in his chest. He had only seen it once, but he recognized the dress. He had bought it for her.

Plum met his gaze and stiffened to a halt. Her face went pale, she opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“This is one of my best friends,” Veronica patted Plum’s rigid shoulder. “She’s a little shy, but don’t underestimate her. She’s the smartest person I know. She's gotten me out of more trouble than I’d like to admit,” Veronica laughed.

Freya looked Plum up and down suspiciously, “And what do we call this ‘super smart’ friend of yours?”

“Oh, right,” Veronica snapped her fingers. “Ahem, Miss Freya and Mister Mysterious - who still has yet to tell me your name - I’d like you to meet Pl-”

“Plumela…” Stryg said quietly. He straightened his back and steeled his gaze, “Plumela of Ebon Hollow.”