"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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Everyone was in significantly higher spirits after the Black Isle, and Ele was recovering nicely.
Maybe what we needed was a real battle not a mental one, I thought to myself as I remembered the horror of the Forgotten Forest.
I had tried to talk to Ciel about it but he either changed the subject or came up with some excuse, which just made me feel worse. We walked side by side as we approached the edge of a cliff.
"Listen, Ci, we need to talk about happened and-" I began before I was interrupted.
"Woah," Ciel breathed, jogging up to the cliff's edge.
"Woah indeed," Makeda agreed, although I barely heard her over the deafening sound of the crashing water.
We were staring into a massive cenote, the entire wall of rock opposite us hidden by a colossal cascade. The sun shimmered over the water, the gentle waves like diamonds. Multicolored algae grew on the rocky walls, creating intricate patterns of turquoise and cerulean.
We were staring into Icarus Falls.
We climbed down the side of the cliff, where the slope was gentle enough for us to walk down, and now stood at the at the edge of the exquisite lake.
"Okay but how are we going to get across?" Odelyn asked, eyes wide as she stared at the pristine waters.
"Leave that to us," Ciel grinned, as River knelt and sunk his hands into the earth.
The ground rumbled, and I steadied myself as the earth broke apart. The water rushed in, carrying our little island into the lake.
"Woah that was-" Makeda began.
"Pretty badass," Odelyn finished for her, her lips twisted into a small smile.
Ciel scoffed as he thrust his trident into the water. Whirlpools swirled from its pointed tips and we shot forward, gliding over the calm waters. I stifled a smile as Fyn yawned, exaggeratedly.
"Wow, guys," he sulked, as Odelyn checked her nails and Syrion stretched.
We laughed, the sound harmonizing with the noise from the whirpool and the waterfall. And... something else?
The water ahead of us began to froth.
"I don't think that's meant to be happening," River said, before an enraged screech filled our ears.
"Who dares disturb my eternal suffering?" a voice boomed, as the effervescence increased.
"How original," Ciel mumbled, before saying louder, "Queen Severine! Why I thought you were dead!"
The bubbles rose, forming a humanoid shape as Ciel ceased the whirlpools, slowing our island to a stop. I blanched as they popped suddenly, revealing a fifteen foot, cyan skinned siren. Her skin was covered with bronze symbols and gills, and her golden eyes were narrowed in a scowl. She looked like she was beautiful once, but now she appeared washed out and tired, like clothes left in the sun for too long. Although, that did not make her any less terrifying.
