Putting on the ensemble of gallandian Nobility was... Demeaning and much harder then was needed for clothing. Buckles ran the length of the front of the shirt and laces were used to tie the sleeves at my wrists and ankles. A pink rose was sewn on the shirt above my left pec with the stem wrapping around my back, scoffing at the attire I opened the door to the room. Walking down the stairs about thirty minutes after entering my room to clean myself I decided to officially attend the overpopulated party.
Typhis saw me approaching and applauded loud enough to interrupt most of the conversation he bellowed as if meeting an old friend unexpectantly, "Lord Jayce! you debutant after putting in so much effort to smith 100 swords to reinforce the army we proudly serve you still find time to look presently. As expected of GENERAL Braxton's first and only protege, yet impressive nonetheless! Galland to the bone!"
Light applause from Zee made the whole room erupt in a mob mentality of clapping, primarily from the men who were talking with her earlier. Typhis clapped me on the back while handing me a glass of wine and took me to Zee through the parted crowd. Random voices from the groups gathered would gossip in hushed tones,
One group wearing light blue and white, "Prince Typhis endorsed a Drukon?!"
A different group wearing purple and gold, "Maybe he is the exception of his kind? or maybe the prince is making an elaborate joke?"
Another wearing Olive green and maroon red, "What a coward after what the Drukon nation did to his mother he wo-"
All these were said around both of us as we whisked past the different groups of people separated by fashion sense and national colors. Zee, Typhis and myself were the only representatives from Galland in attendance. Zee looked... Amazing. She wore a long flowing black gown with pink roses scattered throughout her black curled hair.
"You, I, Beaut- I meant to. We-" I tried to flirt.
"I'm not talking to you." she said with a playful yet evil grin. "But I, what did I do?" I said still mesmerized, "Figure it out" as she released a sign.
a very soft female voice called out in the center of the room, "Attention please. I am Instructor One", Instructor One wore a black robe with gold embroidered along the cuffs and down the middle, she had soft facial features and long pointed ears. Murmurs erupted from the onlookers around the small Inn. Typhis was clearly well informed by how many people looked caught by surprise. "Would each representative confirm their parties are ready to proceed with the first test to confirm they belong in Talyik?"
Of the 40 humans, six of them and two representatives of different races, one being an Orc the other being some kind of Lizard kin, all stepped forward in a practiced cohesion.
"Rixford is prepared and ready" A human wearing a red and yellow military shirt and leather pants said.
whispering into Typhis's ear I said, "I need a moment before we go", he gave me a 'hurry the fuck up' look and motioned for me to do my task.
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"Beliet is ready and willing!" A bulky muscled female wearing a light blue and white corseted dress said, I ran upstairs to grab [Faith in the Eclipse] and the black sheath containing [Hades Inferno] and ran back downstairs. Typhis was watching the stairs like a hawk with his arms crossed while tapping his tensed bicep. As I came back down and to the Galland cliche, the last to answer Typhis spoke confident and proudly "Galland humbly accepts the charge to begin the first test".
Instructor One said, "Well then let us begin the first test. Don't die!" Smiling madly she lifted her arms and the floor descended into darkness walls separating each group and tunneling downwards like a worm underground.
With the ground shifting under us, Zee fell forward, just before the point of no return for her trip, I stuck the staff out for her to grab onto and she stayed upright by gripping my wrist and the staff roses falling from her hair as she whipped forward. Typhis stayed stalwart barely even shifting weight at his knees, let alone falling. He stomped onto the ground and a stone seat ejected from the ground underneath Zee letting her sit for the rest of the descent.
"So now your cool?" Zee said with sass as she sat down. The chair moved back into the rock only a few centimeters to make her sit much more sloppily as Typhis turned his head to avoid his grin being known.
Suddenly the ground stopped to reveal lit torches in a barrel with holes cut into the top to act as stands for the upright torches, Zarlessa still upset from the moving seat incident stood from her chair, "So PRINCESS Tyloid want to explain what the hell is going on?"
Flashing his annoyance he uncrossed his arms, "Well as for where exactly we are I have one guess... Before Galland liberated Rixford it was run by a necromancer who used the catacombs beneath the city as his 'mansion' I think we just climbed in through a window in a sort of way." He picked a torch from the barrel and inspected the dirt wall of the tunnel and continued, "As for the 'gala' all the other prospects for Talyik got a letter about three hours ago to meet here in Rixford at the 'Inn'... If you can call that rundown shack that."
"So all we have to do is make it out of here?" Zee asked her pleasant voice echoing softly off the walls of the tunnels.
"No. We are going to ransack the place to prove we will do much, much more then just survive. Above the standard is expected, but to prove Galland deserves more slots for the school we must excel like no one else has, even if it means giving up everything I must make this work." Looking at me with a mixture of pleading and determination.
"You are the one with the problem. I have my own reasons to make sure we do well. I won't trust you but I will make sure we succeed" I said back with some venom through gritted teeth, grabbing my own torch Agatha flashing in my mind.
Zee walked next to me and took [Hades Inferno] from the leather sheath since both my hands were occupied with the staff and a light source. Immediately the short sword emanated a purple glow shedding much more light then both our torches.
"oooooohhhh so we are holding out on each other now?" Zarlessa looked the sword up and down with a look of surprise, "Where the hell did you find this Jayce?"
"I didn't 'find' it I-" glancing at Typhis as he listened intently, "Grungil the blacksmith gave it to me as payment for helping him make the swords, speaking of which how did you know about that it was only me and Grungil in the room?"
Taking a breathe before responding Typhis was cut off by loud screams echoing throughout the tunnels.
"Enough talk, Drukon extinguish your torch. I will keep mine in case the sword has a time limit. Prepare for combat, we move forward." Typhis walked on still in his noble attire making little noise as his shoes crunched dirt into the darkness.
"Annnnnd just like that you're demoted off a first name basis" Zee shrugged as she followed with her glowing sword.