Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 39: Sage Solon

Aria and Neven had just arrived at the Starguard table and saw Alexander already seated with a beautiful new girlfriend by his side.

"Hey, Aria, Neven, just in time! Have a seat, today's a big day," Alexander said with a beaming smile.

His new girlfriend was dressed in a stunning red silk gown that shimmered under the candlelight, highlighting her curvaceous figure. She smiled, her eyes gentle yet confident, clearly accustomed to the attention she garnered. She tugged on Alexander's arm, her voice soft. "Alexander, introduce me to your friends."

"This is Elara," Alexander said calmly. "She's a renowned dancer, known for her breathtaking performances at Lunar King's banquets."

Elara nodded with a smile. "Nice to meet you. Alexander talks about you often, says you're his closest friends."

"Welcome, Elara," Aria replied with a smile. "I hope you enjoy tonight's banquet."

"As long as Alexander is with me, I enjoy any place," Elara said sweetly.

Aria and Neven took their seats opposite Alexander. Aria couldn't help but observe every detail about Elara. She gently caressed a pearl necklace around her neck, each rare moonlit pearl glinting faintly.

"You two look great together," Neven interjected, his tone deliberately complimentary.

"Thank you." Elara held Alexander's arm, her face glowing with happiness. Alexander, however, continued cutting his food with elegant precision, showing no signs of shared joy.

"Speaking of which, Alexander," a young man across the table teased, "you've never introduced a date so seriously before. Looks like this one's for real, huh?"

Alexander put down his knife and, with his usual gentlemanly demeanor, said, "Every beautiful lady is a treasure to me."

His remark elicited light laughter, further lightening the mood at the table. The young man teased again, "Looks like Dr. Sterling is particularly charming today."

Amidst the cheerful chatter, Aria felt a warm sense of belonging. No matter the challenges they faced, the Starguard table always seemed to make worries vanish.

The award ceremony was predictably tedious and lengthy. Each of the four Grand Mentors took turns speaking, followed by the Executive Commander. Damian Blackwood's speech was the longest, leaving everyone unsure of what he had actually said. Umena, in a pink gown, stood up next, with Damian assisting her with her long train; her fluttering lashes were the only thing Aria remembered. Thorne's speech was the shortest, yet received the loudest applause. Finally, Lyra spoke, and Aria clapped vigorously along with the rest of Starguard.

"Where are Oak and Sable?" Aria scanned the table, noticing their absence.

"Oak is still resting in the herb room. Sable said he'll come later," Alexander answered.

"Oak got hurt?" Aria asked, surprised.

"His leg was broken by a demon bear. Don't worry, I've set the bone for him."

"If Neven and I hadn't quit, he might not have gotten hurt," Aria said, feeling guilty.

"Damian isolated Oak and Thorne," Alexander said. "I don't understand why Alpha made him the Executive Commander. He looks inexperienced and clueless about teamwork."

"He'll eventually pay for his lack of cooperation," Neven predicted.

"How did Damian deal with the demon bear's armor?" Aria inquired.

"He secretly brought a demon-slaying staff," Alexander said with disdain. "Damian used it to shatter the bear's armor when it got aggressive. I bet Alpha gave it to him. Damian wouldn't know about such things otherwise."