"Queens and commoners, princes and peasants, welcome to the party of the quincentury!"
For most people, receiving an invitation to the White King's Masquerade is an honor. Even attempting to attend is a chance to go down in history. But for Sol of M...
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The fire burned low and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold in as much warmth as I could.
Ele sat a few paces from me, at the other side of the fire, his bow ready in his hand. We had agreed to take the second watch, and finally gotten a chance to talk.
From what Sekani had told him, things weren't too bad. Nobody's eyes had gone past the green tinted stage and so the death count was still zero. It was good news, but I knew the plague was a ticking time bomb. We needed to get that cure.
But what if the White King doesn't have it? It was not the first time the thought had drifted, unwelcome, into my mind but I shoved it down, kicked it hard and sent it packing like always.
"The White King was totally showing off," Ciel said, as he made his way to his tent, still holding his trident.
"And why do you think that?" I laughed, my hand resting on my sword as I settled in for the second watch.
"Come on, Sol. A savannah, a tundra, and a desert, where a meadow should be?" River interjected, stretching as he rose from his post by a tree.
"This is his time. I mean, aside from the Masquerade he doesn't really do anything else," Ciel continued.
I mulled over that. "He helped with the wars," I said, finally.
"Oh yeah, the Wars of Way Back When that no-one even remembers," River snorted.
"There are scrolls in the library at Alcane that actually sho-" Ele began.
"Not the point Eleusis," River sang, stepping into his tent.
"Yes the point is some of us are trying to get some sleep," Aester rumbled loudly, making us all laugh.
If the White King could manipulate terrains and win wars, he would have one measly cure, I repeated to myself.
I thought of what Ciel said as I stood up. My leg had fallen asleep and the blood rushed back into it painfully.
The White King had not made an appearance outside his Masquerade for millennia. I think people would actually have forgotten about him in the years between his parties, if not for the stories.
Before Aurica was a peaceful place, when the continents were at war with each other, August was ruthlessly expanding its empire.
Eurus had been all but conquered, until the White King's army showed up. Legions of snow-clad soldiers, with sharpened swords and pointed spears ready to fight. Where they came from nobody knew, but we were forever indebted to the White King. So the story goes.
Instead of claiming Eurus, he retired to his castle, allowing counts and countesses to do as they saw fit. His castle, that no one seemed to able to find without an Invitation.
