The morning came too soon.
Sunlight streamed through the grand windows of the palace, casting golden hues across the polished floors. A soft knock at my door stirred me from my restless thoughts, and before I could even answer, the door creaked open.
A young maid stepped inside, her uniform pristine, her posture stiff with well-practiced grace. "Good morning, Sir Noctis. The royal family requests your presence in the dining hall for breakfast."
I ran a hand down my face, sighing. So much for a moment of peace.
"Understood," I muttered, forcing myself to rise.
The maid bowed slightly before stepping aside, waiting for me to follow.
As I left my room, I noticed that similar attendants were waking the others. Alaria exited her chambers looking wildly unbothered by the formalities, stretching with a yawn. Elaris, ever composed, smoothed down the elegant fabric of her dress as she followed her maid with silent grace. The others filed in as well, and together, we were led through the lavish corridors of the palace.
The moment we entered the royal dining hall, I was immediately reminded of just how far we were from the common world.
A long table stretched across the grand room, made of dark, polished mahogany, adorned with gold-rimmed plates and silver cutlery. Crystal chandeliers hung above, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Large windows allowed the morning sun to stream in, making the entire space feel untouchable.
And then, of course, there were the seats.
I was led toward my designated chair—between Princess Lysara and Elaris.
And it was very, very clear that something had already happened before I even arrived.
Because both of them were glaring daggers at each other.
I didn't know what had happened, but I could feel the tension between them like a storm ready to break.
Elaris sat with perfect posture, her usual soft lavender eyes narrowed slightly, her fingers tightening around her goblet just a bit too much. Meanwhile, Lysara held her fork with an elegance that looked too calculated, the barest smirk on her lips, like she knew something I didn't.
And here I was, right in the middle of it.
I exhaled slowly, taking my seat, trying to ignore the absolute battlefield of energy radiating from both sides.
Alaria, seated across from me, arched an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the show.
Daren wasn't here, which was… unsurprising.
The King and Queen sat at the far end of the table, already speaking quietly with the Prince, who looked as unreadable as ever. The table was filled with all sorts of luxurious breakfast dishes—fluffy pastries, fresh fruit, roasted meats—but I wasn't hungry.
I had a feeling I was about to lose my appetite anyway.
I turned my head slightly to Elaris. "Something happen?"
Her soft smile didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, nothing at all."
Lysara let out the faintest chuckle beside me.
"Nothing at all," she echoed, stirring her tea with a small clink of silver against porcelain. "Just a conversation."
Elaris took a slow sip of her drink. "A rather pointed conversation."
I was too tired for this.
I rubbed my temples. "Should I even ask?"
Lysara set her teacup down with a quiet click. "I simply find it interesting how protective certain individuals can be."
Elaris's eyes darkened slightly. "And I find it fascinating how certain individuals don't know how to respect what isn't theirs."
Oh.
Oh.
Now I understood.
The princess had been testing her.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment. Gods help me.
Alaria, thoroughly enjoying this, leaned forward, grinning. "Damn, are we fighting over Noctis now? I should've bet on this happening."
Elaris shot her a sharp look. "Not the time, Alaria."
"Oh no, please, continue," Alaria said, smirking. "This is the most entertainment I've had all morning."
I sighed, forcing myself to focus on eating before this turned into an all-out war.
The tension between Elaris and Lysara didn't ease, though neither of them said another word about it. They simply sat there, exchanging looks that could cut through steel.
And the worst part?
I had a very bad feeling this wasn't over.
The atmosphere at the royal dining table was thick enough to cut with a blade.
On one side of me, Elaris, regal in her own right, was gracefully sipping her tea, her expression as serene as ever—if not for the tight grip on her goblet and the occasional flicker of irritation in her lavender eyes.
On the other side, Princess Lysara, as poised as expected of royalty, wore an amused, knowing smirk, her piercing blue gaze darting toward Elaris every so often, like a predator watching its prey squirm.
And me?
I was in the middle.
Trapped between two powerful women who clearly had a conversation before this that I was not present for—and from the looks of things, it wasn't exactly pleasant.
Alaria, still delighting in the situation, was doing absolutely nothing to defuse the tension.
If anything, she was fueling it.
"So," Alaria drawled, resting her chin in her hand as she looked between them, "what's the bet here? Are we talking subtle jabs for the rest of the meal, or will we get an actual verbal battle?"
Elaris shot her a look.
Lysara merely chuckled, setting her teacup down with an elegant clink.
"No battle necessary," the princess said smoothly. "I was merely curious about Noctis's… choices."
Elaris's fingers twitched around her goblet. "I wasn't aware his choices needed your curiosity."
Lysara turned slightly, regarding me with an unreadable expression. "Doesn't he?"
I exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Can we not?"
That only seemed to amuse her more.
"Apologies, Noctis," Lysara said, though the amusement in her tone said she was not sorry at all. "I merely enjoy understanding the people who shape the world around us. And you, it seems, have quite the effect on those in your orbit."
Elaris's jaw tightened. "Or maybe, he simply values the people who have always stood beside him, rather than those who come with hidden motives."
There it was.
A direct challenge.
The entire table paused.
Lysara blinked, then let out a soft laugh, tapping her nails lightly against the table. "I appreciate your concern, Lady Elaris. But I assure you, I have no ill intent toward Noctis."
Elaris didn't back down. "Intentions are not always spoken aloud, Princess."
I had to get control of this situation before someone started throwing magic across the table.
I placed my fork down, leveling a look at both of them. "Alright. We're done with this conversation."
Elaris blinked, her gaze snapping to mine, lips parting slightly in protest.
Lysara tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "Oh?"
"Yes," I said flatly, rubbing the back of my neck. "I've spent way too much time being caught in the middle of people's games. I refuse to spend breakfast like this."
Lysara held my gaze for a moment longer, then let out a soft hum. "Very well. I'll behave."
Elaris exhaled through her nose, looking down at her tea as if it had personally wronged her.
Alaria, watching the whole exchange, let out a dramatic sigh. "You're no fun, Noctis."
"You're not helping, Alaria."
"I wasn't trying to."
I gave her a deadpan look.
She grinned, leaning back in her chair. "Well, at least things aren't boring."
I turned my attention back to my plate, but I could still feel the residual tension crackling between Elaris and Lysara.
Gods help me.
This week was going to be hell.
After what felt like the longest breakfast of my life, the royal court dismissed us for the morning, giving us time to explore the palace grounds.
The moment we were out of the dining hall, Elaris grabbed my wrist, pulling me aside into one of the quieter corridors.
Alaria raised an eyebrow but kept walking with the others, leaving us alone.
Elaris turned to face me, arms crossed, her expression frustrated.
"She was flirting with you."
I exhaled. "She was testing you."
Elaris hesitated, her frustration shifting slightly. "…And I failed."
I blinked, surprised at the self-admission.
She shook her head, running a hand through her golden hair. "I let her get to me. I let my own jealousy control my reaction, and now she knows she can use that against me."
I stepped closer, placing a hand gently on her arm. "Elaris. It's okay."
She looked up at me, her lavender eyes searching mine, her frustration laced with something deeper—vulnerability.
"…Is it?" she murmured.
I squeezed her arm gently. "Yeah. It is."
She sighed, leaning into me slightly, resting her forehead against my shoulder. "I hate feeling this way, Noctis."
I placed a soft kiss against the top of her head. "I know."
She took a slow breath, then pulled back slightly, her expression calmer now.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I just… I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," I promised, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You never will."
A small, soft smile tugged at her lips.
For now, it seemed, the storm had settled.
But something told me this was only the beginning.
The week passed in a blur.
Lavish meals, countless formal discussions, and the ever-present tension between Elaris and Princess Lysara. But through it all, one feeling never left me—the feeling of being watched.
It wasn't just paranoia.
There was something unseen, something lingering just beyond my perception. Every now and then, I could almost sense it—a presence pressing against my mind like a whisper I couldn't quite hear.
Veylara had been silent most of the week, only occasionally murmuring cryptic reassurances.
"Soon, darling. You'll understand soon enough."
Then, on the final day, we were summoned to the throne room.
The throne room of Myra was vast, grand beyond measure.
Massive stained glass windows cast a kaleidoscope of colors across the polished stone floor. The banners of the royal family hung high, their insignia woven with gold thread. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, their flames flickering like distant stars.
Guards lined the perimeter, their silver armor gleaming under the light.
And at the end of the hall, seated atop the ornate obsidian throne, was King Aldric myraven.
The Queen sat beside him, her expression serene but unreadable. The Crown Prince stood a step forward, watching us carefully.
And Princess Lysara, poised as always, stood at the King's right, her sharp blue eyes scanning me like she knew something I didn't.
Elaris stood close at my side, her presence grounding me. Alaria, arms crossed, looked unimpressed. The rest of the party held varying degrees of curiosity and apprehension.
Then, the King spoke.
"Brave warriors," his deep voice echoed through the chamber, commanding absolute attention, "I summon you today to speak of a matter that transcends mere duty. A quest—one of unfathomable importance—has been set before us. One that only the strongest, most capable of adventurers can undertake."
The room fell deathly silent.
I felt my pulse quicken.
"Ah… there it is," Veylara purred in my mind, her voice laced with satisfaction. "This is what I have been waiting for, Noctis. Listen carefully."
The King's gaze swept across the hall, landing on me for the briefest moment before continuing.
"Far beyond the lands we know," he continued, "across the five great continents of our realm, lies an ancient ruin—one shrouded in myth, untouched for centuries."
A murmur spread through the assembled nobles and warriors.
The King raised a hand, silencing them.
"This ruin is said to be the resting place of a forgotten power—a force buried deep within history, hidden from mortal hands. The ruins have remained undiscovered for generations, their exact location obscured by time and legend."
His fingers curled over the armrest of his throne.
"But now… signs have begun to emerge. Ancient texts recovered from the archives speak of a path—a journey across the five great continents of our realm."
My stomach twisted.
I already knew what he was about to say.
Veylara did too.
"Yes, darling," she murmured, a slow, delighted whisper curling into my thoughts. "This is about me. My tomb."
I clenched my fists.
The King continued, his voice steady.
"The ruin is said to be hidden beyond the shifting sands of Azareth, beyond the icy peaks of Vaelor, through the shadowed valleys of Drak'thul, across the endless fields of Evaria, and finally…" He let the silence settle for a moment.
"Through the Veil of the Forgotten."
A collective gasp rippled through the court.
Even Elaris stiffened beside me.
I had never heard of it before. But the reaction it got from everyone? It wasn't just any place.
Veylara let out a soft laugh in my mind.
"The Veil of the Forgotten," she echoed, almost dreamily. "So that is what they call it now? How poetic."
I took a slow breath. "What is it?"
"A graveyard, Noctis." Her voice turned softer, almost reverent. "A place where the past is buried. Where I am buried."
My heart pounded.
This was it.
The first real step in her plan.
The King's voice pulled me back into the present.
"This will not be an easy task," he stated firmly. "This journey will take you across the vast reaches of our world. The path ahead is perilous, and only those who truly possess the strength of will and skill should even attempt it."
His gaze settled on me again.
"Noctis Grevant."
I stiffened.
"You, of all here, have proven yourself capable of facing the impossible. You slew the Vampire King—a feat that should not have been possible. If there is any who could undertake this journey… it is you."
I felt every eye in the room turn toward me.
Alaria straightened beside me. Elaris tensed. Even the nobles whispered among themselves.
I swallowed. I had expected this.
But hearing it out loud?
It made my chest feel tight.
"Say yes, Noctis," Veylara whispered, her voice almost gentle. "Accept it. This is the path. Your fate. Our fate."
I took a slow breath.
Then, I met the King's gaze.
"…What do we know about what lies at the end of this journey?" I asked carefully.
The King was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he spoke.
"No one has reached the final destination," he admitted. "No one who has sought it… has returned."
The weight of his words sank deep into my bones.
"Because they were not you," Veylara whispered. "Because they were not meant to.
This was bigger than just some royal quest.
This was ancient history trying to resurface.
And I was at the center of it.
I exhaled slowly.
"…I accept."
The room erupted into murmurs.
Elaris reached for my hand under the table, gripping it tightly. Alaria's expression was unreadable. Lysara… just smiled, like she had expected my answer all along.
The King gave a slow nod.
"Then so be it."
With that, the court erupted into motion.
Messengers were sent. Preparations were ordered.
And I…
I sat there, gripping Elaris's hand, feeling the weight of my fate settle fully onto my shoulders.
This was the beginning.
The first step on a path that I might never return from.