The ball was in full swing and packed with people, all wearing masks that obscured their features. As everyone moved off to find their partners, Foresna looked around and found a corner with people. He approached them and tapped four of them on the shoulder. “Geniuses of reconstruction,” he said.
“Masters of the Realms,” replied one in Lardeth’s voice.
“The royal court,” said a second in Arsha’s voice.
“Make way for heroes,” the last finished in Falnii’s voice. Foresna sighed happily.
“We told you it wouldn’t take long,” chuckled Lardeth as he took Foresna’s hand.
“I know,” replied Foresna as they danced. Arsha and Falnii danced together as the conversation went on. “I just don’t like hiding my face. It feels…weird.”
“Goes against Halfling teachings, hm?” chuckled Arsha.
“Exactly.”
“Well, we’ll reveal ourselves once the adventure part is over,” assured Falnii. The two pairs then changed partners so that Falnii danced with Foresna and Lardeth danced with Arsha. “After that, we can gaze as long as we want into one another’s eyes and kiss as much as we want.”
“Now that sounds fun!” purred Foresna.
“You know, I heard that this ball’s adventure has TWO villains,” mused Lardeth.
“Two?” asked Arsha as they all changed partners again, so Arsha was dancing with Foresna and Lardeth was dancing with Falnii. “That’s a new one.”
“I wonder what prompted having two?” quizzed Falnii.
“I don’t know,” replied Lardeth. “All I know are their titles, the Singer and the Puppet Master.”
“Well, this is sure to be an interesting-!” Falnii’s sentence was cut off as two wicked looking people opened the ballroom’s windows and jumped into the room. One was an Orc woman with spiky armor and a skull embedded on each of her shoulder armor’s long spike. The other was an Elf man in a dark Bard’s outfit with his lute laced with axe heads. The Orc woman grabbed Keshnakh and held a blade near the new Empress’ throat. The Elf man then grabbed Lardeth and got his arm around his waist before he strummed his lute and launched into a song.
“You may have heard of one like me!
He prances and dances and sings with glee!
Wherever there’s strife, the Singer is there!
He slaughters and slays with such merry flair!
I sing this song with all my breath
Take heed! For this interlude ends with your death!” The Orc woman appeared to be listening to one of the skulls on her shoulders. She then turned to Keshnakh, who was enjoying being the hostage for this adventure.
“My boy on my right here says you’re a spineless coward!” Her attention was then grabbed by the other skull. “…No, I will NOT say that about her! That’s disgusting!” She then turned to the partiers. “Which of you will try and save them?!” she challenged as the Elf Bard tied Lardeth and Keshnakh together in long ropes. “Come on! Who will take on Thurnak the Puppet Master and Tulf the Singer?!”
“Pardon me!” called Falnii. She then approached the two. “Villains like you won’t succeed here!”
“Ah, a hero tries to take center stage!” laughed Thurnak. “Come on, then!” Falnii took her mask off and was given a prop sword. She then pointed her sword at the two villains and made a “come here” gesture. The two then charged at her, beginning the fight. The crowd cheered for Falnii as her blade flashed and she threw sparks that were harmless but gave illusions of offensive spells being cast at the villains.
“Give it to ‘em, Fluffy!” cheered Arsha. “Give it to-!” She didn’t watch where her hands were going, so she managed to sock herself in the jaw. “OW!” she yelped. Falnii showed no signs of letting up, then her blade locked with Thurnak.
“You see these two lads here to my left and my right? They have a very specific plan for you and I’m-!” She then stopped and listened to the skulls. “…Oh! Right, right, right!” She returned her attention to Falnii. “They just want me to shut up and kill you!” She then shoved Falnii back, freeing their weapons and allowing the fight to continue. This time, it was Tulf’s turn to lock weapons with Falnii. He sang again.
“Come join us in song and we will have fun!
The blood, it will run and run and run!
She fights! She fights! For what could it be?
The Zephyr must want to dance with me!” The song ended and Falnii shoved the Tulf back. The fight resumed, then Falnii slashed across Tulf’s chest. He cried out in pain, then collapsed to his knees. He then looked up. “My final song is rather long, it’s time for me to take a bow…on second thought, just do it now.” She then stabbed him, and he fell to the floor. After that, it was just her and Thurnak. Thurnak laughed and turned to one of her skulls.
“That’s a good one, that is!” she said. Annoyance then crossed her face and she turned to the other skull. “The Singer isn’t laughing because he’s bloody DEAD, you idiot!” The duel continued, then Falnii slashed across Thurnak’s chest. She fell to her knees and turned to her skulls. “Boys, how could you let this happen?!” She then listened to them, then laughed. “Ah, funny to the end! I’ll miss you guys!” Falnii then stabbed her and she fell to the floor. Falnii then cut Lardeth and Keshnakh free. Keshnakh ran to Galnyar’s arms as they took off their masks. Lardeth simply swooned in Falnii’s arms.
“Oh, brave Zephyr!” he said. “Thank you so much for saving me from those fiends!”
“It was nothing, my Lord,” replied Falnii in a heroic voice. “They were no challenge whatsoever!” She then planted a passionate kiss on Lardeth’s lips, prompting the crowd to cheer. Everyone then took off their masks as the villains stood up. Keshnakh rejoined the group, and the players bowed.
“I know it’s unusual to have more than one villain,” called Keshnakh, “but this was the perfect opportunity to experiment with the idea of a hero struggling against more than one threat. Given what they went through during the Final War, Arsha and her lovers seemed to be an obvious choice. Now, we’ve all heard about Arsha, our future Over-king here,” she pointed to Lardeth, “and we all saw Malnar’s coronation and got to know the name of Gorfanth,” Arsha arched an eyebrow, “but what about the other two? We’ve never heard their names…until now! So, everyone, cheer for our hero and our future Over-king’s lover, Falnii Loftanaf!” The crowd cheered and clapped, but as she did so, Arsha became lost in thought.