The rest of the day passed in a relative haze as my measurements were taken and I further rested to aid my recovery.

I decided to try meditating, but I couldn’t keep it going for long as diving into my soul view was excruciatingly painful. I guess that’s the price one pays for batting above their average, so to speak.

In the few agonising moments that I managed to meditate; I saw something strange. My HP rope looked like electrified wire. Cracking green stalks buzzed around it, like they were eroding my heath in a constant and terrifying stream.

My rope would fray and then fix itself only to be struck by the green lightning once again as the process repeated.

I was thrown out of my soul view pretty quickly due to the pain. Left with a migraine, I decided to try and sleep it off. Sally’s potion had already made me feel much better, but it seemed that only time would fully heal this wound.

The odd sight made me uncomfortable. I sincerely hoped that I hadn’t caused permanent damage to myself by using a soul attack on the dragon.

Though I knew that even if that was the case, there was nothing I could do about it from a hospital bed. Eventually my tired mind succumbed to the sweet release of the dark abyss we call sleep and I was at peace for a fleeting moment of serenity.

I didn’t dream of anything in particular, an affliction I’d suffered for most of my life. I very rarely seemed to have dreams, which is why it was so concerning for me when on the rare occasions that I actually did. The last one I remembered was traumatic as fuck and a part of me still wondered if it was caused by an outsider.

I could recall that dream as vividly as if it had really happened. The sight of my pregnant wife laying in her own blood, a cultist standing above her.

The sound of a familiar voice in the back of my mind urging me to get stronger.

After I woke up I finally left the makeshift hospital to see that it was getting quite late in the day. I must have slept for much longer than usual, I felt pretty normal again though. My limbs didn’t ache, and though meditation still hurt, the green sparks seemed to be more sporadic, which could only be a good thing.

As arranged the previous day, I met up with Sally, Bell, and Director Lucas at a small bar on the outskirts of the palace district. They were all dressed for the occasion, as was I with my new suit, courtesy of Taylor.

My suit was pretty understated compared to Lucas’. It was black with some light embroidery and I wore a forest green shirt with the collar undone slightly. I’d never liked ties.

More importantly though, was the enchantment Taylor had sewn into the hem. The suit would increase my recovery rate tenfold. That wasn’t even close to the buffs my armour gave me, but as a recovering patient, it was better than nothing.

“Ah, there you are Gonads.” Sally purred. “I was starting to think I was going to have to come drag you from your hospital bed myself.”

She was wearing a turquoise pant suit with the sleeves rolled up in an oddly 80’s style. Except those weren’t shoulder pads making her torso look so broad, they were just her roided-to-fuck shoulders.

By contrast, Bell was dressed in a red and black ball gown. It was a stark difference to her usual white robes and something about it made her look almost regal, like she was used to the wealthy life. Perhaps it was the long black gloves that reached up past her elbows.

“Ah, perfect, we’re all here.” Lucas said in his soothing baritone voice. “Shall we?” He asked, gesturing away from the small bar they’d stood in front of.

He was wearing a golden, sparkling suit like a noughties host in a fancy Japanese club. More noticeably though were the scars over his left eye and the bruises on his face.

Looking like a failed boxer, he waltzed purposely in the direction of the palace and we followed after him.

We rounded a corner in tense silence. Even Bell hadn’t so much as made a peep since we’d met up. I wondered if she felt as nervous as I did. I’d never met a king before, and though I wasn’t the biggest fan of a monarchy-based system, there was still something to be said for the grandeur it inspired.

One such example, being the palace itself.

We strolled casually up to the regal building, its visage a square towered complex with a sparkling dome in the centre, like a jewel of the sea from some Disney-esq movie.

The entrance was well guarded by humans dressed in the same garments as agent Miles and his dumb lacky. It struck me as odd that they were all humans considering that Havar was most densely populated with lycanids and catonids.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

However, that thought quickly left my mind as we walked towards the entrance: a large archway set with glittering gems of emerald, ruby and sapphire. The arch itself was probably worth more on its own than the cost to rebuild the entire adventurer district.

So much for socialism. I sighed internally as we approached the sparkling entrance.

Lucas approached one of the guards and handed him our letters. The bald man nodded, keeping a neutral expression, as he waved to his colleagues to let us through.

I felt a twirling storm in the pit of my stomach, as if we were entering a lion’s den. Bell walked close to me and I could feel the tension oozing from her aura. She was obviously as uncomfortable as I was.

On the other side of the archway was a sprawling garden with tables, wait staff and a luxurious circular bar in the centre. On top of the bar were multi-coloured spotlights. It was about as tacky a spectacle as I could imagine, yet it was also incredible to experience firsthand.

“Our audience won’t be for a little while yet.” Lucas said, stopping in the first spot he could find that wasn’t filled with people in expensive-looking attire. “You two should go get a drink or something, you look like deer in headlights.” He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

I nodded and Sally flashed me a fangy smile. She looked nervous too, but her discomfort made her look all the more aggressive. I guessed that wasn’t a bad thing, what better way to keep people away from you than projecting an aura that spelled violence?

“The bar then?” Bell asked me, glancing towards the crowded circular eyesore.

“Why not.” I replied and together we moved towards it, pushing and delicately manoeuvring our way through the bustling crowd.

I had to assume that most, if not all, of the guests in attendance were nobles. I had no idea that Havar had so many rich assholes living in its humble city.

Once again, they were mostly humans. Though there was the occasional lycanid. Once such man caught my attention. He must have been at least seven feet tall and wide enough to level a house. His fangs were as long as my daggers and he dressed in a red and gold military-style jacket with odd ribbons decorating his chest.

“Well, look who it is.” I turned towards the sound of a sneering, self-assured voice to see an unfortunately familiar face. “What, did they hire you on as a waiter? You’re not doing a very good job of it; I ordered a drink at least ten minutes ago now.”

“I’m sorry, who are you?” I asked, looking at the pest through my brow as I stared down at him.

“Wha-“ He began, sputtering slightly, a response that gave me no end of pleasure. “I am Jake Millicent. Surely you remember me?”

“Jake… Millicent?” I replied nonchalantly. “Nope, sorry, never heard of you. Though I’m pretty sure that’s a girl’s name.”

Bell snickered at the boy’s flustered face. His cheeks flared an unflattering scarlet colour with clashed awfully with his closely cropped brunet hair.

“We duelled only a few weeks ago!” He replied in an exasperated voice.

“Oh.” I replied, feigning remembrance. “I’m sorry Millie, I didn’t recognise you with both of your hands. Small world isn’t it? Who’d have thought we’d meet again in a place like this eh?”

Jake’s cheeks burned even brighter as he gritted his teeth and set his jaw. Before he could say anything though, Bell joined in.

“We’re getting awards from the king tonight Millie.” She said in her usual, innocent, and cheery tones. “Did he invite you here to be our personal waiter? Because I’d love a tequila sunrise.”

“You slight me for the last time peasant!” He squeezed out through his unfounded rage. Honestly, the boy had even less emotional control than I did. “I challenge you to a-”

“No, you really don’t Millie.” I said cutting him off and adding an icy tone to my voice as I moved towards him and put my lips close to his ear. “I was merciful last time, but if you challenge me again I’ll kill you. First I’ll shoot off your legs, then your arms and finally I’ll take your head. And I’ll do it in front of all of these people, and not a single one of them will care, do you know why?”

He opened his mouth to answer me but I pressed on, the guy obviously didn’t understand the concept of a rhetorical question. “Because personal power is the only thing these people care about. They don’t care about your money or your family name. They only care about your ability to fight. So whilst I dismember you in front of all of these people, the only thing they will think is ‘wow that Kaleb guy sure is strong’. So take my advice and get the hell out of here.”

I backed up a step and flashed him a smile which I didn’t allow to reach my eyes. He stared at me for a moment, the red flush rushing from his cheeks, chased away by a ghostly white.

Then, he did something I honestly never expected: he left. Without a word or any kind of pompous retort, he simply turned on his heels and walked away.

“I guess you don’t need that Batman rip-off armour to be an edge lord after all.” Bell smirked, watching after the embarrassed noble.

“I guess not.” I replied, feeling a lot less anxious all of a sudden. “Was that too much?” I asked her as we continued towards the bar.

“Just a little bit.” She giggled. “It was pretty fun to watch though and I can’t say he didn’t have it coming. He was mean to Panda when we first met, I’d have killed him if it was me.”

“Yeah… sure.” I winked as we joined the queue for a drink.

It took us way longer than we’d anticipated to get a beverage and we drank them much too quickly for the time spent to be worth it.

By the time we made our way back to Lucas and Sally, the real party was beginning in earnest. I barely had time to sit down at the table they’d precured before the palace doors swung open in a flourish of flashing golden light. A voice boomed through the courtyard, seemingly from thin air, and suddenly the garden was deathly silent.

“Welcome to his majesty’s humble abode.” It said, echoing across the palace grounds. “We would like to invite you all to begin making your way inside, our opening ceremony is about to begin.”

The gathered crowed began moving towards the doors like sheep as I turned towards Lucas.

“Opening ceremony? That better not be about us.” I frowned, a new pit of anxiety bubbling in my stomach.

“Who else would it be about?” The dark-skinned man beamed. “We’re the heroes of Havar my boy. This entire night is about us. It wouldn’t be an audience with the king if every shit-eating noble in town wasn’t there to stare at us with jealous eyes now would it?”

Well shit. I thought, sighing outwardly as we stood and joined the queue. This was not what I’d signed up for.