SETTING:


In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known:




Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone."

The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover.

Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky.

Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.

Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor’s claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they’re all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back.
Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter’s question. “I guess you could say that it’s a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair.”

"I think I understand?" Peter says in a tone that indicates he probably didn't, and begins trying to squint at the thing, as though expecting tiny elves taking apart things and putting them together. Sarah just giggles at him.

"I don't think you can see them; it's in the name after all," she explains. "Nanotechnology is too small to be seen by the naked human eye; you'll just strain your eyes."

A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn’t help but give voice to a small gasp.

“Mom…” she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus.

Sarah notes Steph's sorrow, and lightly puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her and give her a warm smile.

"It's nice to meet your mother," Sarah says, looking at the fading hologram. "What did she work on... back then?"

In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known:

World Map [+]

Legend [+]

Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles

MAP LEGEND:

• Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors.
• Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest
• Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts.
• Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea.
• Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live.
• Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk.
• Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted.
• Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice.
• Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen"
• Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons.
• Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates.
• Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity.
• Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel.
• Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology.

Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone."

Sarah wasn't expecting Asra to pop in on them like that, and looks around to see if anyone else can see her. Sir Gravy and Peter showed no reaction, which shows they probably can't see her, and Steph seems a bit busy - and maybe her 'receiver' isn't yet fully powered yet, and getting a battery will help her see Asra more easily.

Still, despite what Asra tells her, maybe they can spot a pattern. Even if the facilities had shifted in the meantime, they could still follow their general locations and narrow their searches down a bit.

"We should also be on the lookout for rumors of strange powers and such," Sarah speaks up, deciding to voice what Asra told her. "The Oracles and their equipment had powerful biogenic energy abilities linked to them, so we could follow such rumors on the road. I mean, some of them must have woken up already. Did every Oracle have a Wizard guarding them, or are there some Oracles still missing in the various ruins? Maybe they woke up a long time ago... and had to live by themselves."

The thought of being alone in such a world saddens Sarah as she thinks about it. That could have been her; lost in the wirlderness, not even a Wizard to guide her, and trying to figure things out on her own. It would be a lonely existence.

He roars when the eagles attack, and starts lashing out, each one of his strikes powerful enough to break rock, shatter stone. When it hits a bird, it simply explodes. He spews out tongue after tongue of fire, cooking the air, and anything caught in the blaze. He begins spinning in the air, talons lashing out everywhere, blending anything that gets too close.

“Indeed I do, Miss Steph!” Sir Gravy replied after Steph inquired about the possibility of finding a map. “Right this way!”

As they followed the paladin, Steph returned Sarah’s sympathetic smile. “Thanks, Sarah,” she told the pink-haired girl. “It was really nice to see her again, even if it was just a holographic recording. Mom worked on a lot of stuff, to be perfectly honest,” she added with a chuckle after Sarah had voiced her question. “As you saw, she even did some work on Project Prometheus, back in its early days, but her real focus was nanotechnology.”

“Aha! Here we are!” Sir Gravy declared, gesturing to a large map.

Steph couldn’t help but gasp at the sight. The land masses depicted looked nothing like the world she had known.

Could Harbinger really have changed the world this drastically…? she thought as she scanned over the map and its legend, committing their various details to memory.

“Hmmm… Even if the world’s geography has been completely altered, and taking into account that this map may not be scaled correctly, we can still use it as a rough guide,” Steph told them as she placed the holographic map atop the physical one. “If we use the complex my parents and I worked in as a starting point,” she began, moving the holo map to place the complex’s location atop where Tinkertown was displayed, “we can extrapolate where these other locations might be found.”

Sarah then spoke up, noting that potential Oracles might be found by following up on rumors of people exhibiting strange abilities.

“Good thinking,” Steph commended. “Although, I doubt such news travels all that quickly these days, unless you have some form of rapid communication I don’t know about,” she added, while glancing at Peter and Sir Gravy.

As they followed the paladin, Steph returned Sarah’s sympathetic smile. “Thanks, Sarah,” she told the pink-haired girl. “It was really nice to see her again, even if it was just a holographic recording. Mom worked on a lot of stuff, to be perfectly honest,” she added with a chuckle after Sarah had voiced her question. “As you saw, she even did some work on Project Prometheus, back in its early days, but her real focus was nanotechnology.”

Sarah nods.

"Just glad you're alright," she says.

“Aha! Here we are!” Sir Gravy declared, gesturing to a large map.

Steph couldn’t help but gasp at the sight. The land masses depicted looked nothing like the world she had known.

Could Harbinger really have changed the world this drastically…? she thought as she scanned over the map and its legend, committing their various details to memory.

“Hmmm… Even if the world’s geography has been completely altered, and taking into account that this map may not be scaled correctly, we can still use it as a rough guide,” Steph told them as she placed the holographic map atop the physical one. “If we use the complex my parents and I worked in as a starting point,” she began, moving the holo map to place the complex’s location atop where Tinkertown was displayed, “we can extrapolate where these other locations might be found.”

Sarah then spoke up, noting that potential Oracles might be found by following up on rumors of people exhibiting strange abilities.

“Good thinking,” Steph commended. “Although, I doubt such news travels all that quickly these days, unless you have some form of rapid communication I don’t know about,” she added, while glancing at Peter and Sir Gravy.

Sarah nods.

"That would make a good frame of reference," she replies. "Makes our search easier."

"Just one question," Peter asks bashfully, "what is 'Project Prometheus'? Both you and the image - your mother, that is - mentioned it a few times..."

The dragon used its fire to destroy the knight in the white armor, a shadow servant of Draygon materialized before the large beast.
"You are wise to choose to kill the knight," it said in it's slithery voice, "The Paladins of Solace only want to destroy you, my Master wishes to offer you work. Tell me dragon, do you wish to destroy those who would hurt you?" The shadow monster walked closer to Serlor.



The Great Eagle that held Jabberwocky's left wing was the one that exploded. As Jabberwocky began to thrash, the other eagles let go and took to the sky. Jabberwocky had stirred up lots of smoke and dust and the air was thick and made things hard to see, so when the eagles took wing they disappeared. Jabberwocky was spinning and spitting fire everywhere, frenzied and unpredictable.

Jabberwocky stopped his frenzy after a moment and looked to see where the eagles had gone, then with a loud screech an eagle dove from the clouds above the dragon and sunk its talons into Jabberwocky's arm.

Tornel was making his way to the main banquet hall to prepare for the next evening's festivities. He was fuming inside, but nothing could stop him from being the charming Master Wizard he was known to be. The girls were in the library going over whatever items were there from the mysterious ancients. He couldn't bring himself to trust them, but the King believed their story and Tornel had to obey the old man's wishes, even if he thought they were foolish. "What if they really are Oracles?" he thought to himself, then he shook his head to banish the thought. Tornel had been on an expedition with 3 others from the Brotherhood of Wizards where they broke open one of the strange caskets that held an Oracle. The human looking thing inside crumbled to dust when they broke it open, as if it was made of burnt paper and then struck by a hard wind. From then on Tornel knew the Oracles were not alive; they were for decoration, or something equally redundant. The real power from the old world was chemistry! The ability to mix the materials of the world to create fire and light! The book that held those secrets were kept in Tornel's personal library in his tower.

Tornel stopped when he got to the banquet hall and looked at the mural painted into the ceiling. There above him were 8 large figures painted in various dress, each one modelled after one of the Oracles that had been uncovered, one of them had Pink hair. Tornel stopped and looked at her, that was the one who had met with the King, the one from Kensu's islands. The artist had done a good job getting the girl's face just right, and if an artist could paint a face to look like the Oracle on the island then one of Draygon's monsters could do the same too. But she didn't try to murder the King, and she didn't retaliate when Tornel attacked her. Something didn't make sense, so Tornel would do what he always did, he would fake it. He could pretend they were real Oracles until the creatures that called themselves "Sarah" and "Stephanie" revealed their nefarious intentions, and then Tornel would be ready to stop them.

"Bring out all the gilded tables and best ceramics," Tornel told the attendants preparing the room, "The King wants tomorrow night to be a night to remember!" The numerous attendants stopped what they were doing to listen to the Wizard speak, "There will be musicians! Jugglers! and the finest of meats and fruits!" Tornel was practically dancing around the room, "Our Oracles have awakened! Tell the men-at-arms, and have them tell their wives and their children! We are living on the precipice of mighty change! A Time of awakening! and a time when the evils of Draygon will finally be dispelled from this world!" The ballroom staff applauded and smiled and slapped each other's backs affectionately. "You all have not seen them yet, but I have," Tornel continued, "tell all the people of our castle and the city surrounding us that they are welcome to come and see the gods made flesh! The beauty and wonder of the ancient world come to life! Tomorrow, you will see the Oracles who have awoken and come to save us all!" This triggered another cheer and then the good people of Castle Solace got to work polishing surfaces and preparing the great feast.

Tornel motioned to a young squire who was standing guard at one of the entranceways. "Squire," Tornel said, "Go to the Library and tell Sir Gravy to be ready to escort the ladies to their rooms and stay with them until the feast tomorrow."

"S...Sir Gravy," the Squire stammered, "the Captain of the Guard, Sir?"

"Of course child," Tornel smiled, "relay the message and then remain with them to help Sir Gravy as an escort. The ladies may wish to pick out dresses or some such, they are permitted to do as they please. But stay with them, and report all of their activity to me once it is done. Do you understand boy?"

"Toast Sire, I am Squire Toast."

Tornel appraised the youth, "Squire Toast then. Be off, and go about your duty. Report to me in my quarters one hour before the feast begins."

"Yes Sir! Right away Sir!" The boy clanked a sloppy salute and hurried down the hall, his boots thudding as he ran.

"Well, hopefully that will make our search a little easier," Sarah says as they leave the Archives. "It's still a bit daunting to try and find the Oracles all over the map."

"I'll be honest, Peter says, rubbing his head, "This is probably the furthest I've ever been from home. The idea of going even further is rather intimidating... though I have to admit, also a bit exciting."

"It is, isn't it?" Sarah muses. "I mean, the view from the sky-mantas was wonderful. A bit windy, but you get used to it. The view was definitely worth it. I mean, you're way up there in the sky, and you look down and everything looks small, like doll towns. I couldn't even see individual people, I was so high up..."

"I don't know, what if you fell?" Peter replies, looking a bit green at the thought. "It's an awfully long way down..."

"Well, Pip almost slid off the wing, but that's because he was so small," Sarah admits. "Still, he didn't mind. Did you, Pip?"

Pip barks cheerfully at the mention of his name.

"Oh, I wonder what the view from the towers is like?" Sarah speaks up cheerfully.

"Oh, no thanks, I'm fine around here, ma'am," Peter says nervously. "Maybe we should tour the rest of the castle first nice and slooOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!"

Despite Peter's protests, Sarah grabs him by the arm and drags him along to get a view from the tower. Pip barks and chases after them.

"Hurry up, Stephanie!" Sarah calls out cheerfully. "I bet it's a wonderful view from up there!"

Facilities:
1. Apalachee Facility, USA
2. Sao Paula Facility, Brazil
3. Greenland Facility
4. Antarctica Facility
5. Cape Town Facility, South Africa
6. Helsinki Facility, Finland
7. Naning Manufacturing Facility, China
8. Seoul Facility, Korea - Main Offices for Biogenic research
9. Mt. Fiji Facility, Japan
10. Sydney Facility, Australia

Every facility has a research department, a pod manufacture dept, and a business office. The Naning facility manufactured the materials for building Harbinger and much of the materials used in the manufacture of the pods.

He snaps at the eagle, wings beating and stirring up smoke. He growls from all the cuts and scrapes on his leathery, scaled flesh. He roars, and the sound makes a shockwave, blasting the birds away from him. He flies higher and higher, untill the birds can't reach him at his immense altitude.

“Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called ‘Biogenic Energy’,” Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. “That’s the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me,” she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. “It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here.”

After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. “W-Well… There’s the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…”

“There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride,” Sir Gravy added. “Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested.”

“You can say that again,” Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land,” Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.

Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself.

"It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives.

"To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face.

Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here.

"Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick."

"Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit."

"Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!"

"Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-"

"Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!"

"But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe."

She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze.

"It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry."

"That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..."

"As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!"

"Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."

Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter’s terrified demeanor.

“Seriously?” she asked Peter with a chuckle. “You’re afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!”

“Y-Yes, that’s true,” Peter conceded. “B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…”

“I guess that explains it, then,” she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic.

Steph’s attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph’s mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she’d fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called “Wizards” were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah’s question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire.

“P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy,” the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. “But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…” His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. “O-Oh, good heavens!” he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. “Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!” he pleaded. “I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!”

“D-Don’t worry,” Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and there’s really no need for you to be afraid of us,” she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire’s shoulder. “We’re regular people, just like you.”

The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn’t appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble?

That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up.

“Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!”

“M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren’t there…”

“Not to fret, young squire!” Sir Gravy reassured him. “Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?”

“S-Squire Toast, sir.”

“Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!”

“T-Thank you, sir!”

“Think nothing of it, lad!” the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. “A job well done deserves to be recognized!”

“Wait, you mentioned a feast?” Steph asked.

“Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!”

“Tornel’s setting this up?” Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.

"Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?"

She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal.

"Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."

He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.

It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power.

The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior.

On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection.

The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful.

The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie.

Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.

"Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."

Given the banquet was to be thrown in their honor, Sarah expected that Stephanie and herself would have seats of honor somewhere. What she didn't expect was that they'd be seated on thrones next to the King himself, dressed in overly elaborate finery and jewelry, being approached and praised by the populace. It just feels awkward to sit before everyone like a golden idol, being praised and lavished like so - and they didn't even do anything yet! All Sarah can do is manage an awkward smile and accept the praises uneasily. If she's to be entirely honest, Sarah would have told them they didn't need to go this far.

She looks up at the ceiling, studying the depiction of the eight Oracles if only to keep her from how awkward it feels to be the center of attention. For some reason, the pink-haired one depicted was representative of 'laughter'. If that's meant to be her, she doesn't feel particularly giggly or funny. Heck, she wouldn't even know how to tell a good joke. Though if by 'laughter' they meant 'joy'... well, maybe she can do that. Assuming that's even what her creators intended.

She looks over to see how Stephanie is holding up through all this.