"Hey, Eris, wake up.", a boy clad in short dark hair called out as he patted a sleeping girl sitting next to him on the wooden floor.

Eventually she awoke from her slumber and began rubbing her eyes. "*Yawn* Eliot… are we there yet?", she asked in groggy, yet meek tone.

"Yeah, I guess so. We're approaching the border of the capital right now, as we speak.", he looked out to marvel at the view. "Wow, Belzerg truly is magnificent.", Eliot pointed his index finger outside of the cart and towards the huge walls spanning in the distance.

Eris swiftly got onto her feet and jumped into the back of the cart with Eliot, her eyes widening and a smile curving onto her lips. "Woah! They look really ginormous; so this it what the capital looks like."

The boy smiled towards her, "I know how much you've wanted to see the capital, Eris, so I thought it'd be a good idea for me to give you a full tour."

Eris's face was beaming with joy and excitement. She reached out and passionately shook her friend's hand a little too hard, backing away slowly after realizing what she was doing to her companion.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, Eliot. I got uhhh… a bit too excited there. It's just that I can't believe I'm here with you right now."

"Here we go again with the apologies. I've already told you, Eris, you don't have to be sorry over all the silly, little things in life, ok?"

As they were preoccupied with their little chat, the wagon had already entered the city. Large and small buildings of various shops, inns and guilds surrounded them. From the maket areas to the open wide valleys, everything appeared so pristine and organized.

After a while, they had finally reached the Royal castle and dropped out of the travel wagon. Up close it looked like a giant towering over everything around it.

Everyone within Eris's friend group was dumbfounded. The intricate carvings and golden linings of the castle walls was a sheer spectacle for them.

Shortly after Eris and Eliot dropped off from their own respective wagon, a girl of a more mature age and body came out from another wagon with a younger girl in tow behind her. She waved towards the 2 partners and warmly greeted them.

In return they gave them a greeting aswell.

"Hello there, Nisha and Helene, did you see how wonderful the capital looks? Everything here looks sooo beautiful." Eris eagerly gushed.

Helene nodded in agreement.

"Hey, by the way, have any of you seen Storm and Danik anywhere?", Eliot asked.

"Well, I did see them head off to explore the city just now.", Nisha answered.

After a little chat the group headed off into the city as well. On the way to the hall house, they caught glimpses of many familiar and unfamiliar faces of groups, adventurers, mercenaries, and soldiers from other kingdoms.

Everyone was assembled in the town square, bearing witness to the king and queen standing on the balcony-like arch. It seemed like they were on standby waiting for something, albeit someone. The on-lookers were both nervous and excited, the hall having been filled with the chatter of people from all around the kingdoms.

The king came forward towards the balcony to have a better look.

Eris mumbled to Helene. "King Trevor doesn't quite appear to be all that intimidating right now; he looks so timid from down here."

"They always paint kings like that. It's usually meant to instill fear into his subjects.", Helene remarked.

The king waved his hand high up into the air as a show of greeting to all the attendees.

The sound of chatting quickly faded away.

"Long ago in my youthful days, I used to love playing outside, whether it be in the palace courtyard, or with the children on the streets. Eventually I began taking pleasure in riding horses and hiking when I started growing older. I had developed quite the habit of sneaking out of my room quarters at times, even if it ended with thyself in trouble eventually."

"I found that throughout all these activities the common need was the freedom to do whatever your heart so desired, and as I grew into a man, I soon found out about the harsh realities of life. 'Freedom is not given, but rather earned.' Now we find ourselves again at a point in which our freedom and possibly our lives are at stake."

"To all of you who have gathered here today, you have my sincere gratitude. Today I, Louis Trevor Pendrogoun, am standing before you not as a king, but as a patriot of this land."

"For so long I have tried to avoid conflict and war, going so far as to try and establish a middle ground with the demons. I failed to do so, but I came out of it with a realization: it seems as if a war is inevitable at this point. With the enemy marching towards our doorstep with nothing but manslaughter on their mind, this appears to be one situation we just can't seem to negotiate in."

"We all have that someone, something or some dream that keeps us going; to live on for another day. From the nobles to the scums on street, from the accumulators of riches to scramblers in rags, we all have that one thing that just gets us going up at 'em."

"Whether it be money, love, family, friends, honor, or even legacy, today I want you all to re-evaluate what drives you. What motivates you to keep going.

Cause the battle in which we are entering will decide the fate for not only this generation, but for generations to come.

Thus, before we start preparing for it, the capital today will be hosting a grand celebration for one last time. Indeed, for today no one will be marked by their ranks, positions and hierarchy. And, of course, everyone is invited, because this might as well be the last time any of us can ever smile again."

The king pumped his right hand into the air, his fist clenched like steel. "TO HUMANITY!"

Everyone present started roaring and clattering their weapons, some clapping with sheer vigor and strength. The noise could be heard from several districts away.

Afterwards it seemed like the day continued to pass on. Soon more and more people started pouring into the capital. With no hierarchy in place, it seemed as though everyone was invited, including prisoners with minor crimes on their record.

Eventually the entire capital had been lit up, and as soon as dusk had started, a group of mages ignited the sky with some glamorous magic.

The palace courtyard and town square housed some tremendous feast facilities, with the rest of the town being filled with small shops decorated in their own unique style and aesthetic.

As the night approached, the celebration kicked into the next gear, the attendees having started dancing and singing. The ball room of the castle had been filled with couples elegantly sliding along the dance floor.

Meanwhile, Eris and her group were split, half of them went to munch on the dining food, and the other half sat down admiring the beauty of the festival going on in the ball room.

During which Eris had become enchanted by the dance routine of the nobles. Helene eventually pulled up from behind her and gave her a nudge, knocking her right out of her trance.

"What'cha watchin', girl?" Helene meekly asked.

"Ahm, nothing, really. I'm just observing the room here."

Eliot had come up looking for the two girls. He waved towards them and approached them with a greeting, to which the both of them replied with a kind and sweet gesture.

"Hey Eris, I think this might be one of those golden opportunities for you to work that cute magic of yours on him; so what are you waiting for? Go get him.", Helene whispered into the confused Eris's ears, pushing her with a hip bump immediately afterwards.

And before she even knew it, she went on tumbling towards Eliot.

"Hey Eliot! Eris here says she's been dying to have a dance with you.", Helene shouted towards the male companion, showing off a smirk.

Eris immediately started panicking and tried denying it, "Uhhh… actually, I-", but Eliot interjected mid-way.

"Honestly seeing the way these people are grooving with each other, I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't be interested in having a swing.", he remarked, rubbing the back of his head.

He grabbed Eris's hand and asked her in the most charming manner he could. "May I have this dance with you, milady?"

Eris's heart had already started beating faster than she could breathe, and her face dissolved into a tomato-like mess. Even so, the atmosphere in the room had already worked its own magic on her.

She held out her hand slowly, smiling shyly as she nodded towards Elliot.

They had to wait for a bit before starting to match the rhythm of the music. They weren't in any rush; after all, a city boy who had only worked as labour before and a girl coming from a farming town could hardly become graceful dancers in such short time. At times they fell onto the floor, stepped on each other, banged their heads on each other, and did the total opposite of what one would call elegant dancing.

Despite all this, both of them could be seen enjoying themselves and laughing together. The nervousness both of them felt beforehand had faded out completely as there weren't a lot judgy eyes on them anymore. All they could do now was live in the moment.

Eventually Storm, Nisha and Danik had joined in on the 2 dance mates after witnessing their poor display of a performance.

They started with trying to pull off a carole, in which Eris had pulled Helene out of the sidelines to join in on the fun.

Helene, although reluctant at first, slowly melted into the idea. She swung into a full groove and pulled off a perfect waltz with Eliot, leaving most of the adventures watching in awe and the nobles clapping and cheering them on.

After their glamorous performance, Helene had suddenly rushed out towards one of the balconies in the palace, with Eris following suit.

After searching for a while, Eris had eventually found her teammate sitting on one of the upper floors balcony bench.

She sat there in an arch position, covering up her face with her hands.

"Umm… Helene? Is something wrong?"

"…"

"Are you alright?", Eris put a hand over her friend's shoulder.

Helene looked at this responded, "Yeah. I'm alright. Sorry for running away like that. I don't know what came over me, but whatever it was felt quite overwhelming for me, at least I think so."

Eris grew quite concerned, so much so that she checked Helene's forehead to check whether she was sick or something of the sort. As it turned out, her temperature felt normal.

"Helene, you look a bit flushed and red. Are you sure everything is alright?", Eris asked again.

Helene took a deep breath, and looked directly into her close companion's eyes. "I know this might be a weird thing to ask, lest it be the right time to ask it in the first place, but I guess there's no time like the present, right? *breathe*. Eris, you like Eliot, don't you?"

"Hm? What exactly do you mean by that?", Eris asked in a casual tone and composure.

Suddenly Helene grabbed Eris's shoulders, looking her dead in the eye. "Eris, you can't be acting this dumb right now. I know that you know it deep down in your heart. Just tell me: yes, or no?".

The seriousness in her friend's tone and her piercing gaze made it clear to Eris that she couldn't escape this situation without telling her the honest truth.

"Yes... I do like him. Actually, I'd go so far as to say that I love him. But you can't just sit and tell you don't feel the same.", she fired back, "You love him too, don't you? I can tell because of how you flushed you felt just now, and that obvious blush on your face tells me that you-"

"Yes, I do.", Helene admitted easily without any hesitation.

"So why haven't any of you numbskulls made move yet?", A voice drew out from behind them.

Nisha had suddenly appeared behind them, standing there with a piececake in her hand.

Both Helene and Eris were completely startled and embarrassed, though Helene quickly calmed down from the shock.

"What are doing here, Nisha? Wait, w-were you spying on us?, Eris nervously asked.

"Not really, I just sensed some drama was going down when I saw the two of you running out of the ballroom like that. Thus, I went looking."

Eris and Helene both stared at her dead in the eyes.

"Now don't mind me, just imagine me being as non-existent as this pillar here. You girls can get back to talking, it was getting really interesting.", Nisha smilled and proceeded to stand completely still and silent next to one of the balcony's pillars.

Helene broke out of her stare and stood up, dragging her out of the balcony like a sack of potatoes and locking the door.

"Now we can continue. So Eris, when are you going to tell him?", Helene asked.

"I.. I haven't really thought about it that much. I just assumed that that moment would eventually be given to me someday.", Eris meekly answered.

"Open your eyes, girl. That "someday" may never come if you don't confess NOW. Today we're having fun and celebrating, tomorrow we're going to war with the devil king.", she rebutted, having clear anger and frustration in her manner of speech.

"I just don't know if I can, okay? Besides, it's not like you plan on telling him either, so I guess that means we're stuck on the same boat."

"Dammit, girl, now's not the time for rhetorics, I know I can't say anything either because I think he likes you too.", Helene tensed as she spat out towards Eris.

"So why he hasn't he said anything?", Eris argued back as a sign that a heated debate was growing ever larger now.

"Because he's our leader, and as much I know that he would've confessed to you ages ago, I also know that he wouldn't want to do anything that could compromise our group integrity. He is the type of guy who doesn't want to make things complicated for others, even if it costs him in the end.", Helene remarked. "I personally can't confess to him because deep down I know I'll get rejected, and i'm scared of going through that. To lose him, to lose myself, and to lose you too. Eris, you both look so cute together, please don't leave everything to destiny, you'll so regret it later on in your life, and if I take that chance away from you, you'll hate me for it…", Helene slowly trailed off when finishing that last plea.

Eris hugged her best friend, with tears rolling down her cheeks, "Never. Never will I ever think about hating you. After all, you're the one who took me under her wing when I first joined this group back when I was just a timid girl who came from a farmers village. Please don't think that I'd hate you for something like that."

Helene warmly returned her kind embrace. "I'm so sorry. I know you won't, but sometimes I think and do dumb things without thinking them through, Y'know.", They both remained seated in their snugly position for a few moments.

"I swear to you, we will survive this war, and then we get our answers. So for now, I say we enjoy our life as it is right now."

They eventually returned to main hall, where the rest of group was anxiously waiting for them. All expect one.

"So, who won in the end?", Nisha smugly asked, to which Helene and Eris smiled and declared a truce for the time being.

The boys remained totally unaware of what went on between the two of them, and as the night drifted away and time passed on, people slowly headed back towards their respective homes, having one last time to say their goodbyes.

Even though a fateful war was about to break out, at the same time many had their own internal battles to conquer.