In the air, the mana was so thick Auron could have sworn he felt its oppressive taste on his tongue.

Swallowing to move around the tang of the night prior, the man suppressed a shiver. He wondered if the overwhelming feeling was a side effect of being hungover, or if something was actually off. As the fragmented memories ran through his mind, he decided to swear off the mana infused brew forever.

He reluctantly opened up his bloodshot eyes to view the room's high vaulted ceiling that had started to feel like his own. A throbbing head and swollen tongue were the half of his problems as he noticed Gregory skipped his expected "attempted surprise" wake up routine. For the first time, he might have actually caught Auron sleeping, but the man was suspiciously absent.

After a few moments of convincing himself to get out of bed, he washed with a basin of water provided by one of the Felt-worths and slipped on his armor.

Walking out of the room, he found the family downstairs. The children are just as lively as ever, but Laura and Gregory were acting strangely. As if being pulled by strings, they floated through the motions of the morning. Their eyes were distant, and their movements slow as if made through molasses.

The faux marionette puppet show gave Auron the creeps and made him wonder if this was some odd form of punishment.

"I am sorry about my actions last night. I didn't mean to cause harm to your name." Auron said sheepishly as he took his seat, hoping to break the awkward tension he is feeling.

"Worry not my boy. The actions of last night pale in comparison to the great harvest! Now eat and gain your strength," As Gregory spoke, his arms moved around in sweeping motions, but his eyes were absent of their usual light and mirth.

After an odd breakfast, they ushered Auron and the children out of the house. The guards of the estate all have dazed expressions as well. In fact, Auron noticed that every single person they see seemed to be off in some way.

The children did not seem to mind. Likely because they were distracted by every little thing that caught their attention. The two chased a butterfly as their parents slogged forward.

Walking like zombies, they joined the rest of the citizens of the kingdom lumbering toward the courtyard. Auron could see Thousands of thousand-yard stares as he searched the faces of the crowd. The children spread out through the crowd seemed to just go along with the event. Though some pulled on their parent's clothes in an attempt to get their attention.

A sizable wooden dais with ornately decorated chairs was set up, blocking the way to the castle.

Auron made out the Royal family members he had seen the day prior, the King flanked by the Queen, and their daughter.

The crowned man smiled widely, the Queen seemed to have her brow furrowed in concentration, and the princess seemed bored. Several other people wearing expensive colors showing off their respective mana concentrations sat in chairs in a line facing the crowd. They must be just like the nobles "mana puritans," as Gregory calls them, usually with disdain in his voice.

Contrary to the crowd, royals seemed to be in control of their mental faculties. The ornately dressed group of men and women look over the masses, their smiles hungry.

The only three not peering atop the people as if they were a meal are a man dressed in white, a woman dressed in red, and another woman wearing all blue. In direct contrast to the others, they wore none of the finery dripping all over the other royals. The three were undoubtedly the oldest members Auron had seen in the kingdom. The only one who seemed to be a similar age was the guard of the princess Longwei Lui.

Auron began to shake with rage as he looked at those who refused to help the guild with the monsters.

They are just as much to blame for his failure to save Sylvia and the others as he was. The memory of his team's survivalist, sacrificing herself, soured his stomach.

Auron's investigate activated, catching the attention of the Red woman and white-clad man.

Frederica Sling Imperial archer level ??

This woman gazed over the crowd with the eyes of a predator. A great bow was laid against her chair, and she looked as if she were ready at all times to grab it and use the sword sized arrows on her other side. Her lavish red robes were all she wore. Skipping the regalia most of the others had on.

Geralt ?? class none level n/a

Looking at this man, shrouded in white, Auron felt something inside of him stir. He clutched his chest as his heart and stomach felt as if they swapped places. Blaming breakfast not sitting well with him, he focused on the man.

As the tall, lean man with grey, almost white hair sat there, the festival seemed to be the last place he would choose to be. The man, dressed in his white robes, sipped from some jug he had tied to his left arm. With each sip, Auron noticed the King would glare at him, but he did not seem to mind drawing the ire of the most powerful man in his own territory. Auron wouldn't have been surprised if the man got up and left altogether.

Roberta Levine Imperial mage level ??

This woman was draped in blue robes and wore a wide-brimmed hat that was comically large and pointed. Perhaps if the crowd was not in zombie mode, they would have snickered, but even if so, Auron doubted the woman would notice. She seemed to be whispering to herself, being closest to his side of the Dias, Auron could hear she was mumbling about ratios or mana concentrations. The subject matter was far over Auron's head, but he could not decide if she was crazy or brilliant.

"AHA!" The woman screamed, leading Auron to lean toward crazy, but then she thrust her hands up and conjured a blue ball of liquid mana. The ball went unnoticed by the crowd, but several royals' disdainful glares singed into her.

"Using an even split paired with the will of the user, then determines its properties," The woman rambled, and cackled, as she gripped her wooden stave. She introduced black mana into the orb through the wood in an equal amount to the blue. As she did this, she moved her fingers toward it as if giving the air a massage. The sphere then flickered as it compressed, and then turned to ice. With a twitch of her fingers, the ice became water, and then the water condensed to a pinprick size.

"Excellent!" The woman muttered to herself as she sat back down. The water flowed from the pinprick like a tiny summoned waterfall, but the phenomenon went unnoticed by the Imperial Mage, as she was already rambling about another mystery.

As Auron looked at the three, the man looked over to him, a confused expression flashed over his face. The woman wearing red robes seemed to drill into him with her eyes. Auron's chest began to feel heat, whether from the woman or embarrassment, he did not know. The third woman did not even seem to be aware of the people around her.

Auron's eyes flicked to the King's face just in time to see rage flash over his features. Water continued to pour out of the pinprick as he stood and walked to a golden podium set into the center of the stage.

All traces of annoyance were gone as he now stood, in every meaning of the words Regal, poised, and kingly. A blazingly white smile flashed across his face as he began to address the crowd. "My people give a hand to our eccentric, but wonderful head of the Enfield house!" He spoke in a clear and commanding tone. As soon as the words left his lips, the crowd went wild. "My King!" one man shouted. "We love you." A woman in the back of the group spoke out. The sentiment was echoed throughout the crowd, and the King seemed to bathe in the praise for a few minutes. As he tired of it, he rose a hand and gained immediate silence.

"As our gods, the White dragons have bestowed upon us the command, nay the opportunity, we shall now begin the Harvest Festival. Our champion, my son Logan has brought us not one, not two, but Five spirits!" The man was clearly a well-practiced orator; the crowd seemed hypnotized by the words. At the phrase spirit, the crowd essentially hissed. Thousands of voices came together in protest as if burned by the name. Auron was shocked to hear Gregory and Laura practically spit out the word next to him. "Damn, spirits took my boy!" Gregory wailed.

Auron was shocked by the statement because, to all of his knowledge, their son had died at the king baboon's hands. He silently wondered if spirit was another term for a monster or elemental creature when the King started speaking again. "Bring in your bounty now, Logan, and let the Festival begin!" As the words left his mouth, the crowd began to beat out a wild tone. Slapping their hands together, on their legs, or stamping their feet on the ground with feverish fanatical devotion.

The young rogue looked around at the people. Everything felt wrong. Meeting the vacant eyes of people he had grown to know from the guild, none looked themselves. Some even were foaming at the mouth in their impatient anticipation.

Thousands in the crowd began to make a path, all the way back to the Teleporters connected to the Kingdom gates. Auron made out a large Cart being pulled by several heavily armored men. It was too far away at this distance, but he could see some sort of antlered creatures on the cart. A man ran ahead of the cart all the way up to the Dias. He crossed the considerable distance in a matter of seconds; Auron noted that he had a faint glow of purple and yellow mana.

The man was almost a mirror image of the King. As he took off his helmet, Auron wondered if they were a similar age. The King and the young man shared the same strong jaw, hair color, and tall domineering frame.

"Logan, tell our beloved people the gift you have brought for us. As is tradition." The ruler looked lovingly to his son, filled to the brim with pride.

"As is tradition!!" Auron almost falls over from the surprise of the fervor at which the people chanted the words.

"Hello, my people!" Logan pitched his voice over the crowd. Cheers were the response. I have fought and captured these rancid spirits for this very day. Exalted be the harvest. May our winged gods rain blessings over us." The crowd once again chanted in response as Auron looked around at them, glad he was but one of thousands and did not stand out.

"For this month's harvest, we have an ancient Pertyon and its evil spawn. They dared trespass in the bounds of our kingdom to recharge their despicable mana pools." The man spits the words out like venom as he looked to the slowing progressing cart heading toward the kingdom center.

"As the rules state, the bulk of the bounty will go to the house of its corresponding mana. He nodded toward a man Auron recognized from the Battle the day before.

Walter Plutus Assassin knight lvl ??

The yellow-clad man was undoubtedly the head of the noble house with the crest of a Peryton Auron had seen around the kingdom, but he still could not make sense of the events. Why would these people be killing the spirits they had on their crests and named their houses after. The populace seemed to hate them, but they also all were acting like Zombies. Auron was frustrated, and his anxiety increased by the second as the carts holding the festival's target came closer. Anxiety energized him, and he had to force himself to remain as still as possible. What the hell was going on here.

"May your scales, teeth, and claws remain unbreakable great white dragons!" Logan screeched as the crowd mirrored his words.

"Father, I could not hope to begin the process. If you would do the honors!" The young man's words elicit cheers from the crowd as the carts finally reach the courtyard's center.

"My boy, soon enough you will be the one leading this ceremony!" To this, the crowd members begged the King to live forever and cheer at the prospect of Logan becoming King. Auron looked to the princess. She looked furious, and her clenched fists shook at the proclamation.

"Worry not my people. I have many years of strength left in my bones!" The crowd continued to cheer.

Auron slowly began attempting to push past the crowd toward the line of people closest to the carts. He could make out antlers and feathers clearly now, and hear the sounds of animals screaming in distress chilled his insides. His blood cold at what sounded like the crying noises of a group of young creatures. Flipping up the hood of his cowl Auron doubled his efforts to push through.

Leaving Gregory and Laura was easy. He did not like to see them like this. They were stripped of their personalities altogether, and the remains seemed to be only rage toward these creatures and love for the Royalty. Leaving the children was not as effortless. He looked back several times, but they seemed glued close to their parents.

Auron had only been with them for a month, but he knew Gregory had no love for this area's authority. Something was very wrong here.

As the King continued to ramble on, Auron did his best to move through the swarm of people without creating a disturbance. When he reached the edge, he felt his heart collapse in on itself.

Covered in manacles before him was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Looking as if carved from gold, the deer-like being had feathers running down its back flowing into a beautiful tail.

Rage filled Auron's chest as his eyes reached its upper back, where two bloody stumps were all that was left of what were once most likely majestic wings. The spirit's height was several times the size of a human. Its golden antlers encased in what looked like blue crystal were the size of Auron. The entire creature seemed to glow with life and magic. The air around it bloomed with pure energy.

Looking past the creature caused a will for violence to thrive in Auron's chest. Four smaller beings, almost identical to the larger one, were also in chains. These spirits were nearly babies. Auron doubted if the chains were off, they would be even able to walk that well due to their juvenile status.

Each of the creatures wore iron chains with what looked like runes carved into them. Their legs were not held, but all of them were collapsed as if the runes were stealing their strength.

Auron summoned his Onyx bone rod and dagger. Casting stealth on himself, he moved without thinking. He had to do something. This was something he could not bear to witness.