Chapter 45: Velaris Festival

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Velaris Festival

The next morning, Arin woke to the sound of bells.

CLANG!

He opened his eyes.

CLANG!

Another bell rang somewhere outside. Arin sat up. "What is that?" Ayan’s voice came from the other side of the room. "The festival." Arin blinked. "Festival?" Ayan nodded. "Apparently, we arrived at an interesting time." Arin got out of bed and walked toward the window.

The streets of Velaris had completely changed overnight.

Colorful banners hung between buildings. Stalls had been set up along the streets, and crowds filled the roads. Musicians played instruments while people carried flowers, food, and small statues of a particular figure.

Arin stared. "What’s happening?"

"The annual Festival of Prosperity," Ayan explained.

"Festival of Prosperity?" Arin asked.

"It is a celebration dedicated to the God of Prosperity." Ayan answered.

Arin’s eyes lit up. "So we’re going."

Ayan sighed. "I assumed you would say that."

_____________

A few hours later, Arin stood outside the inn. He looked around excitedly. There were food stalls everywhere.

Games.

Performances.

Markets.

People dressed in colorful clothing. Everything seemed to be happening at once. "This is amazing." Arin said with a chuckle. Saira stepped out of the inn. Arin turned. Then froze. Saira was wearing a completely different outfit from her usual clothes. She had dressed for the festival.

Mira came out behind her, wearing an equally festive outfit.

Arin stared for a moment. "You two dressed up." Saira smiled. "Of course." Mira adjusted her clothes. "We’re at a festival." Arin nodded. "Right." Ayan stepped outside. He looked at the two girls. Then at Arin. "Shall we?" Arin smiled. "Let’s go." Ayan immediately switched into full butler mode.

He had somehow acquired a small bag.

Food.

Water.

Money.

Extra clothes.

Even medicine.

Arin stared at it.

"Why do you have all that?"

"Preparation." Ayan responded.

"We’re going to a festival."

"Exactly."

Saira laughed.

Ayan ignored her.

_______________

The streets were packed. Arin didn’t know where to look first.

A performer was balancing several flaming objects nearby. A group of musicians played cheerful music. Children chased each other through the streets. Merchants shouted about their food. Arin immediately stopped at the first food stall. "What’s that?" The merchant smiled. "Festival cakes."

"Give me three."

Ayan immediately stepped forward. "Four."

Arin looked at him. "You want one?"

"No."

"Then why four?"

"One for you, one for Saira, one for Mira, and one in case you drop yours."

Arin stared at him. Saira burst out laughing.

Mira covered her mouth. Even the merchant laughed. Ayan remained completely serious.

"Your eating habits suggest this is necessary."

"How long have you been studying me?"

"Long enough."

Arin took the cakes.

"This is terrifying."

________________

They spent the next several hours wandering through Velaris. Arin tried almost every food he could find. Some were sweet, a few spicy, another had a pungent look and smell but was eatable. The girls however refused to go near the pungent food.

He played a ring-toss game.

He failed.

He tried again.

He failed worse.

Saira laughed so hard she had to sit down.

"You are terrible at this."

"It’s rigged."

"The rings aren’t even touching the bottles."

"Exactly. Rigged."

Mira tried once. She landed three rings. Arin stared at her. "How?" Mira shrugged. "I guess I was just lucky." "Do it again." Arin said with a pout. She did. She won another three. Arin slowly walked away. "I’m done."

____________

Ayan, meanwhile, had somehow become responsible for everything.

He negotiated prices.

Carried their purchases.

Kept track of everyone.

Stopped Arin from walking into a group of dancers. Stopped Saira from accidentally knocking over a merchant’s display. And even prevented Zarl from starting an argument with a priest. Zarl had been temporarily released from the inn. The magical collar remained around his neck.

Ayan stayed beside him. Garul had chosen to remain at the inn. "I don’t understand why you brought him." Arin said glaring at Zarl. Ayan looked at Zarl. "Because leaving him alone with Garul would be irresponsible." Zarl smiled. "How considerate."

Ayan’s eyes narrowed. "Do not test me."

Zarl laughed. "I’m enjoying myself, dragon."

"You shouldn’t." Ayan growled. "I disagree." Zarl said sweetly. Arin shook his head. "He’s enjoying this way too much."

__________________

As evening approached, the festival became even larger. Hundreds of lanterns were lit throughout the streets. People gathered around a massive statue of the God of Prosperity. A priest stood before it.

"May prosperity bless this city!"

The crowd cheered. Arin watched quietly. There was something strangely peaceful about it.

No monsters.

No battles.

No dungeon.

No one trying to kill him.

Just people celebrating.

For once, he didn’t have to worry about what was waiting around the next corner. Saira stood beside him. "You enjoying yourself?" Arin smiled. "Yeah, happy for the peace we finally have." Mira stood on his other side. "I am too." Ayan looked toward the crowd. "It is good to have moments like this."

Arin glanced at him. "You agree? That’s new." Ayan nodded. "Of course I agree. I’m not a stone who can’t enjoy once a while." He said. Zarl, standing a few steps away, suddenly spoke. "Enjoy it while you can. Soon, you won’t be able to."

Everyone looked at him. Arin frowned. "Could you not ruin the moment?" Zarl smiled. "I wasn’t trying to spoil your moment of enjoyment." "You’re really bad at sounding like you’re not." Arin said. Zarl laughed. But this time, he said nothing else.

The fireworks began soon afterward. Colorful explosions filled the night sky. Arin looked upward. "Wow. It’s beautiful." Mira said as she looked at them. Saira smiled. Mira continued watching the sky. Ayan stood quietly behind them. Even Zarl remained silent. For several minutes, nobody spoke. The festival continued around them. And Arin simply enjoyed it.

The fireworks continued for several more minutes. Then, gradually, the explosions stopped. The crowd began dispersing. Arin looked around at the people returning to their homes. "That was actually really fun."

Saira smiled. "See? You should listen to me more often." "You dragged me into half those activities." Arin complained. "And you enjoyed them." Arin paused. "...That’s true."

Mira laughed softly. Ayan shook his head.

"Come. We should return to the inn."

The group began walking.

______________

Later that night, the group returned to the inn. Arin collapsed onto his bed. "That was great. I enjoyed myself." Saira sat nearby.

"We should do this more often." Mira nodded. "I agree." Ayan stood near the door. "We still have preparations to make tomorrow." Arin groaned. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes." Ayan replied. "We just spent the entire day walking around." Arin said. "And enjoying ourselves." Saira added. Ayan paused. "Tomorrow we prepare for the next stage of the journey."

Arin sighed.

"The Elf Lands."

Ayan nodded.

"Exactly."

Arin looked toward the window. The lights of Velaris still illuminated the streets. They had only been here for a short time. But tomorrow, they would begin preparing to leave. And beyond this city lay the road toward the elves. Arin smiled faintly. The journey was about to continue.

________________

Meanwhile two figures stood on the rooftop of a nearby building. The figures wore long cloaks. Only their silhouette could be seen beneath the moonlight. They had been watching the festival. But their attention wasn’t on the fireworks.

It was on Arin.

They had felt it.

Mana.

But not ordinary mana.

Something deeper.

Something connected to the dungeon.

"That man earlier..." The first figure said. "He had dungeon Master mana..."

The second figure wearing an armour beneath a dark green cloak nodded in the affirmative. "My lord." The first figure remained silent. The second figure waited.

Then the first finally spoke.

"It means one thing. That man is the current dungeon master. And those two who were with him. They also had strange auras. One’s a demon, the other is a dragon." The second figure’s expression changed. "You’re certain of that my lord?" "Completely." The first figure replied. They looked toward the street below.

"The mana of that young man with the dragon and demon is faint..." They narrowed their eyes. "But there’s no mistaking it." The second figure looked toward the direction Arin had gone. "A real Dungeon Master?" "Yes." Silence followed.

For generations, Dungeon Masters had been little more than history.

Legends.

Remnants of an age that had supposedly ended.

Yet now...

One was standing inside Velaris. The second figure spoke carefully. "Could it be related to the recent disturbances?" The cloaked figure didn’t answer immediately. Instead, they watched the distant street. Then they smiled.

"Interesting."

Their eyes sharpened.

"So he’s here."

"My lord?"

"The new Dungeon Master." The figure turned away from the festival. "Then he is coming to us." The second figure followed. "And what should we do?" The first figure paused. "Nothing."

They glanced back toward the city.

"Not yet."

Their voice became quiet.

"Let him come."

Far below, Arin continued walking toward the inn, completely unaware that someone had already detected the power hidden within him.

The road to the Elf Lands had not even truly begun.

Yet the elves had already noticed him.