Silence.
Then—
Iris laughed. A sound like shattering crystal, sharp and bright and utterly devoid of warmth.
The silence that followed it was thick enough to choke on.
Every noble, every guard, even the broken Third Prince holding his shattered jaw—all of them froze as the Imperial Princess's mirth echoed across the courtyard. It wasn't the delicate, practiced laugh of courtly ladies.
This was more the sound of a beast who had just found something interesting.
Lan didn't move.
He stood there, battered and bloodied, his body still screaming from the sutra's toll, his dantian a hollow pit of gnawing hunger. But his spine was straight. His gaze strong.
Iris tilted her head, moonlight catching the silver threads woven through her dark hair. "I did hear about that, and although i have always been told to not expect much from you," she mused, her voice like velvet. "You seem quite the entertainer."
Lan didn't deny it.
"However," Iris continued, idly twirling a lock of moonlight hair around one finger, "the people attending my little gathering aren't the type you can simply take the head off of."
Lan grinned—a slow, dangerous baring of teeth that made the still-bleeding cut on his throat pulse fresh crimson. "If I didn't know any better," he murmured, "I'd say that was a challenge."
The princess's smile sharpened. She rose from her makeshift throne in one fluid motion, her movements so effortless they seemed to defy gravity.
Closer.
Closer.
Until she stood barely a breath away, close enough that Lan could see the flecks of gold in her stormgray eyes. Close enough to smell the ironandjasmine scent clinging to her skin—blood and perfume, war and decadence intertwined.
Her gaze raked over him, lingering on the dried blood streaking his cheeks, the shadows pooling beneath his eyes. "I don't like your eyes," she murmured, almost idly. "That gaze. That look." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you think I'm beneath you, Lanard Solaris?"
Lan hesitated.
In contemplation? Acceptance of her statement?
Either way that was disrespect in itself.
A mistake.
Iris's laugh was a soft, chilling thing. "How insulting."
Then—
A flick of her wrist.
A dagger materialized in her grasp—no sheath, no draw, just one moment empty air and the next a blade of blackened steel hovering at Lan's throat.
The courtyard screamed.
Guards lurched forward, hands on sword hilts—then froze as Cassian lifted a single, warning finger.
The dagger's tip kissed Lan's neck.
A single bead of blood welled, crimson against pale skin.
Lan didn't flinch nor blink.
Didn't even breathe differently.
Iris's eyes narrowed. "You think I won't kill you," she observed, her voice dangerously calm. "I've slaughtered men for less than that hesitation."
Lan waited a heartbeat. Two. Then, so quietly only she could hear:
"We both know you won't."
A muscle twitched in Iris's jaw.
"You're on a tour for banquet guests," Lan continued, his voice steady despite the blade at his throat. "And I doubt even the Imperial Princess wants the inconvenience of explaining a dead prince—over nothing but a bruised ego."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Third Prince Kael's bloody lips parted in shock. First Guard Dain, despite his broken arm, stiffened. Even Cassian's everpresent smirk faltered.
Iris stared at Lan.
And then—
She laughed, bright and startled, like he'd just told the most absurd joke. The dagger vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving only the faintest sting at Lan's neck.
"Oh, you're delicious," Iris breathed, stepping back. The her scent clung to her as she moved, sharp and intoxicating. "No wonder your family keeps you locked away." Her gaze flicked to the stillbleeding Third Prince, then back to Lan, her stormgray eyes alight with something dangerously close to amusement.
"You've piqued my interest, Lanard Solaris," she said, her voice carrying the weight of imperial decree. "I look forward to your attendance."
Lan bowed his head, just enough to be polite. "I'm honored. Though I still think my brother would be a better fit for such... illustrious occasions."
A hush fell over the courtyard. Even the wind seemed to still.
Iris moved like lightning—one moment standing regal and distant, the next so close her lips nearly brushed Lan's ear. "Reject my invite again," she whispered, her breath chilling the blood on his neck, "and I'll show you just how willing I am to deal with the inconvenience of killing a prince."
Lan said nothing.
She pulled away, her smile sharp as a dagger. "You should have already been given your invitation days ago."
The words struck a chord. Lan's mind flashed to the token Cassian had tossed him—the one still tucked away in his chambers.
"If you already planned to invite me," Lan began, his voice low, "why—"
"Your questions will be answered in due time," Iris interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "Perhaps when we meet again."
With that, she turned, her gown swirling like liquid night as she strode from the courtyard. Her envoy followed without a word, though Cassian cast Lan one last unreadable glance before vanishing along side her.
The moment they were gone, the tension in the courtyard snapped. Servants rushed forward to tend to Kael and the First Guard, their whispers frantic. King Aldric remained seated, his expression carved from stone, but his knuckles were white where they gripped the arms of his throne.
Lan met his father's gaze for a brief, charged moment—then nodded. "I'll retreat to my chambers."
No one stopped him.
Lan had barely stepped into the corridor when the air before him shifted. Golden script burned into existence, hovering just beyond arm's reach:
[ SYSTEM QUEST: BANQUET OF BLADES ]
Objective: Prepare for the Imperial Banquet
Time Limit: 7 Days
Rewards:
Unlock 1st Stage of Black Severance
Activate Solaris Bloodline (Partial)
???
SubObjectives:
Master Basic Dark Qi Manipulation (0/1)
Relearn a technique (0/1)
Acquire Banquet Attire (0/1) (Note: Imperial standards apply)
Failure Penalty: Death (Probability: 97.3%)
Lan exhaled, his breath stirring the floating characters. Of course.
The game was set.
Now, he just had to survive it.