Fluorescent butterflies fluttered into the grand hall as the Chief Court Mage snapped his fingers and infused the air with magic. A thin layer of ice coated the floor, and icicles shaped like clusters of wildflowers sprouted from the ceiling.“We haven’t had a proper winter in decades, so this is my little gift to you, my dear ones,” the king proclaimed as Servius continued with his spell, gradually transforming the grand hall into a frozen world.Some of the guests marveled at the icy white flowers while others held on to their partners to avoid slipping on the frozen floor.When they had been invited to the ball, none of them were expecting to enjoy a snowy winter evening inside the palace. But what was most surprising was how Servius managed to keep the temperature from dropping too much, creating a pleasant indoor weather perfectly conducive for a night of revelry and merrymaking.King Reginald raised his arms above his head and clapped. His cue was immediately honored by the atten

Tanya’s suggestion wiped the smile off their faces and even the king’s cousins looked away in discomfort. Although they were unhappy with King Reginald’s laxity and indolence, they would never imagine supplanting him with the help of his own daughter.While the others were too nervous to speak, Marquis Sullivan decided to break the silence.“What you are suggesting is nothing short of high treason. Conspiring against the crown to overthrow the reigning king is a crime punishable by death,” he said.Tanya stepped closer to the table and looked him in the eye. “I think I need to remind you that as a Marquis your duty is not only to remain loyal to the crown but to protect and safeguard the interests of its subjects as well. And sometimes, the courtiers need to protect the king from himself.”“And do you think the loyalists will agree with your methods?”“I do not care about pleasing the loyalists. My allegiance lies to the people of Valaria and Goddess Ishani is my shield. She will show

The atmosphere in the grand hall remained tense as the nobles whispered among themselves, trying to come up with different theories regarding the identity of the shooter.Although Marquis Desmond’s and Marquis Sullivan’s families were close, the two had never seen eye-to-eye on matters of the court, especially those involving military policies and issues of national security.Since they were two of the most powerful nobles at the court and represented two reputed houses, they tried their best not to air their conflicting opinions in public, but by now, their supporters and close allies had already figured out they had contrasting ideologies.The undead invasion had dealt the final blow to their relations as they were unable to reach an agreement on the matter. This led to Marquis Desmond joining the loyalist camp while Marquis Sullivan strengthened his ties with the opposing faction, the ones who were against the king’s policies.The mistrust breeding for many weeks now was gradually r

Slowly but surely, the hours had ticked by one after another, and the day Ezra had been waiting for had finally arrived. He was tired of dabbling in politics and hiding in the shadows within the walls of this indolent city. And now that Tanya had entrusted him with such a great responsibility, he was ready to prove himself once again.Not even the bravest adventurer or the proudest Gunner would dare to set foot inside the ruined city since it was riddled with deadly traps and rumored to be haunted by evil spirits. But Ezra had grown so accustomed to looking death in the eye that he did not care about what lay within the crumbling walls of the ancient settlement.In Ezra’s mind, this was just going to be another treasure hunt, and if successful he would be able to return with lost items which could turn the tide of any battle and re-write the course of history.Only a few hours separated Ezra from his first solo expedition outside the walls of Magaravia. The last time he had left the c

Ezra narrowed his eyes on the Tower of Corruption as Zala turned the knob and dropped two sandbags to reduce the drag and take the airship higher.The tower erected on the ground roughly resembled an ancient watch tower with a wooden framework and black stakes jutting out of its sides to make it appear more formidable.A raised platform on top served as a shooting deck for the Skeletal Archers housed within, and a black gem glistened on its crown, hoisted by two severed human hands crossed at an angle.Each time the gem vibrated, it released a corrupting pulse that contaminated the surroundings, tainting the minds of living beings unfortunate enough to be caught within its sphere of influence.Ezra watched as the vultures circling above fell from the sky, struck by the corrupting pulse. But instead of staying dead, the birds underwent a terrifying change. Their bones burst out of their chests, and their beaks turned black and grew larger. Every feather on their body became coated with