Chapter 906: Celebration

Chapter 906: Celebration

The Golden Dragon was perched on a hilltop in one of the wealthiest areas in all of Generasi; a massive building that resembled a small castle of white stone with hulking golden towers. Curving through the restaurant’s spires was an immense dragon statue, plated in gold, seeming ready to launch into the sky.

The interior was palatial, crafted of marble, mahogany, crystal and brass. Its walls were lined with fine oil paintings and murals. Fountains, standing in the middle of multiple dining rooms, sprayed water the colour of the sea into the air, cascading down into waterfalls, and water sprites danced through the falls.

Each seat was an actual conjured cloud, every chair back was woven in the shape of a curve—glowing with inner light—inviting guests to sink right in. While sitting on them, it was easy to imagine what it must feel like to relax on the softest, lightest, cushions from the heavens.

The tables were forged of brass and carven elfwood, alive and pulsing with calming auras.

When Alex and his companions were last there, they’d enjoyed sitting around those tables while, in a corner of the dining room, a series of tiny constructs—no bigger than one’s thumb—stood on a podium, playing magical instruments wrought of wood and platinum.

Now, though?

As the musical constructs were playing.

Many guests weren’t sitting.

The largest hall in the Golden Dragon had been reserved for a grand celebration: the wedding reception for Alexander and Theresa.

One side of the room was dominated by a massive ironwood bar, behind which floated kegs of ale, wine, cider, mead and dozens of other less potent drinks. The stronger stuff was in decanters of golden crystal, floating high above the bar like a flock of trained birds.

The bartender plied her trade, making sure that the guests were fuelled for their revelling.

And revel is what they were doing in abundance.

The tiny constructs played jaunty tunes that left everyone filled with cheer. Wedding guests feasted along the sides of the room, giving speeches, toasting, drinking, talking, laughing and dancing.

Some were in couples.

Some in groups.

All were enjoying themselves.

It was from this crowd that Alex and Theresa finally emerged after dancing for the better part of an hour. The newlyweds sipped goblets of wine, smiles lighting their faces, laughter flowing freely as they held each other’s hand, finally reaching a nearby table and dropping into a pair of cloud-cushioned chairs.

They caught their breaths, taking in the celebration, watching their friends enjoying themselves.

“This...this is nice, isn’t it?” Alex said, wrapping his arm around his wife’s waist. “Like, really nice.”

Theresa nuzzled into her husband’s shoulder. “It is. We should have another one of these,” she joked.

Alex glanced at her, startled for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Well, there’s going to be Khalik and Sinope’s wedding to look forward to.”

The young archwizard looked to where the prince and dryad were dancing. They were hand in hand, eyes locked on one another. Alex didn’t have to be an expert in body language to see how much love was between them.

He smiled, his mind drifting back over the years.

Alex recalled first seeing Khalik in the apartment across the insula, with magnificent Najyah landing on his arm. He didn’t know back then that the muscular young man would become one of his closest friends, confidants and counsellors.

Khalik was a hero in his own right, he would, no doubt, continue building his own legend over the centuries.

As he and Theresa watched them, the prince caught Alex’s eye.

He smiled, giving him a grand smile, then whispering something to Sinope. The couple made their way over to the newlyweds.

“Helloooo newlyweds.” The prince grinned, clapping Alex on the shoulder. “Still high off your ceremony?”

“Might be high off of it for the rest of my life,” Theresa giggled.

“That will be a very long time, from what I hear,” Sinope said pointedly, with a knowing smile.

“That tells you how good it was,” Theresa said.

“Listen, Khalik.” Alex clapped his friend on the arm. “I just want to thank you for giving me that kick in the ass, back then. I needed it, seriously.”

“It is no problem,” Khalik chuckled. “What is a little wisdom between friends? If we cannot share counsel, we cannot share anything.”

“Yeah, I owe you one,” Alex replied.

“Oh, bah, one does not keep track of favours like some sort of ‘social merchant’! We have all of time: we will be repaying each other back and forth through the millennia.”

“Damn right we will,” Alex agreed.

Khalik glanced down at the General of Thameland’s goblet. “Ah, and you are already repaying me right now! You are reminding me that my cup is empty, and I think we should go and correct that grave error!’

Sinope chuckled. “Don’t get too drunk now, my mighty oak blossom.”

“Oh, bah! My constitution is as strong as Claygon’s! How else have I been able to keep up with Thundar?” Khalik threw his head back and laughed. “Come, beloved.” He wrapped an arm around Sinope. “It would be rude to our hosts to not fully celebrate!”

Together, they began turning away.

Alex spoke up. “Wait, Khalik?”

“Yeeeees?” the prince turned back to his friend.

“Thank you...seriously, thank you for being my friend.”

Khalik grew a little misty-eyed. “The pleasure is shared, my friend. The pleasure is shared.”

Together, Prince Khalik and Sinope made their way to the bar. Their grace made it almost seem like they were floating.

“He’s great, isn’t he?” Alex asked aloud.

“Yeah, they both are,” Theresa said.

“Hey!” a loud, gruff voice interrupted.

They turned, spotting a very drunk Thundar stumbling toward them with Drestra holding him up.

“Heeyyyyy! What’s up, I’m surprised you two haven’t gone to bed yet, what the hells?” Thundar laughed.

Both Alex and Theresa turned bright red.

“Oh, by the Traveller—” Drestra started to say.

“Yes?” Hannah called from across the room.

“—Thundar, you can’t say that out loud!” the Sage’s reptillian eyes flashed.

“We were all thinking it!” he laughed. “And as the cabal’s leader, it’s up to me to say the things no one else has the spine to say!”

“Thundar...you are very, very drunk,” Theresa said, her expression somewhere between embarrassment and amusement.

“Which is why I’m here!” The minotaur looked at Alex. “Can you do that blood magic thing where you make me sober and get rid of hangovers? I wanna drink more!”

“Heh, anything for our ‘brave cabal leader’.” Alex pressed a hand to Thundar’s arm. With a twitch of his finger, he cleansed the alcohol from the minotaur’s system.

In an instant, Thundar was standing straighter, his eyes clearer.

“That’s a trick I gotta learn for myself one day,” he laughed. “Great one. And now I get to get drunk all over again.” He turned to Drestra. “This time, you’re getting drunk before me!

“Oh, bah!” a voice cried. “Enough of that. Let the chicks give way! A true eagle is taking flight!”

“Father, no!” Bjorgrund cried.

“Oh yeessss!”

Birger slipped past his son into the circle.

With a grin, the grey-bearded giant jumped into his own version of a jig, one combined with several other forms of dance, all fused together in a jaw-dropping display of acrobatics and art.

“Oooooh!” Thundar and Cedric cried as one, giving way to the giant as he whirled, tapped and stepped through the circle.

“Yeaaaah, Birger!” Theresa cried.

The giant’s powerful legs kicked him into the air, he backflipped twice before landing on his toes. “By the Traveller—-”

“Yes?” Hannah said, and Alex was starting to think she was doing that on purpose.

“—it’s good to have two legs! Come on, everyone! Join in! Don’t just stand there clapping! Dance is made to dance, not just spectate! And come on you two young chicks!” He gestured to Cedric and Thundar. “Let me teach ya some moves that broke the hearts of maids the world over!”

Laughing, Thundar and Cedric joined Birger again, and the rest of the circle melted into a frenzy of dancing.

Professor Jules—quite inebriated—danced a wild, exaggerated waltz, stumbling along with Toraka, Val’Rok, Mangal and Baelin, all of them in a spinning circle.

“That’s right, Vernia! Dance as a Proper Wizard would!” Baelin roared with laughter.

“You...there’s no way a Proper Wizard needs to dance!” Professor Jules slurred back.

“As the inventor of the term, I can change its definition whenever I please. Now, dance!” Baelin winked.

“Old goat,” she cursed him, then laughed as she continued whirling.

“An old goat who is still a Proper Wizard!” Baelin laughed, his hooves clacking.

As the professors spun away, Kybas burst through the crowd dancing wildly, flailing around, looking almost like a bee alerting members of its hive to nearby flowers. “Hahaaaah! Now this is a party! Great way to spend the day before we go off, Grimloch!”

The sharkman—who was annihilating a buffet table off to the side—caught the goblin’s eye. “Monster hunting’s gonna be fun together. The world’s gonna be our buffet!” His deep voice cut across the room, even over the spirited music.

“Yes!” the goblin laughed maniacally. “You and Harmless will eat all the monsters! I’ll eat regular food.”

“Coward.”

“I just wouldn’t dream of taking food out of your and Harmless' mouths!”

“Fair enough, then.”

Kybas laughed and continued dancing, passing Tyris and Hart, who were wrapped around each other like strangling vines as they danced. Dirtily. Very dirtily.

On the other side of the dance floor another circle formed as Fan-Dor and Gel-Dor started the Spear-and-Oar dance. The two selachar showed off their ancient dance, drawing cheers from Lucia and other guests.

Claygon and Selina waltzed their way past the circle, heading right toward where Alex and Theresa were dancing with wild abandon.

“Alex, Theresa!” she called, her hands linked with the golem’s lower hands.

“Hey!” Alex called. “Look at you, the last time we were at one of these parties, you were with the kids, now here you are with the rest of us adults, Selina!”

She rolled her eyes. “The last time we went to a party like this was at Isolde’s cousin’s, and we got attacked by monsters!”

“Well, we didn’t get attacked by monsters this time!” Theresa countered.

“Yeah, but you two got married in a place where we were nearly killed before! And, of course that’s where you would get married!” She stuck her tongue out at them. “Claygon, let’s get away before they get us killed!”

“I...do not think...we are in any danger...oh wait...it was a joke...yes...father...Theresa...I must go...before we are destroyed...!” he called.

Giggling, Selina danced away with Claygon.

Alex stared after his sister. “Is this a rebellious phase?”

Theresa wrapped her arms behind her husband’s neck. “No, she always liked making fun of you.”

He sighed. “Such is my lot in life.”

“Hey.” Suddenly, her face was very close to his. “What were you going to say earlier? Before we came back to the dance floor?”

“Oh that? Just the truth.”

“What truth?” Theresa asked.

“That you are my universe and that will never change,” Alex said.

She froze for a moment. “Alex, you wanted to take a picture of all of us, right?”

“Yeah.”

“We should do that right now.”

“Why?”

“Because the night’s getting on, and I’m about three seconds away from dragging you to bed. So you’d better get that done fast.”

“Oh. O-oh!” Alex shouted. “Alright, then!”

He turned. “Everyone! Could I have your attention for a second! I’d like to get an image of all of us, before the night ends! So, gather around!”

Pulling out Hannah’s phone, he caught the Traveller’s eye.

She smiled at him, then nodded.

Together, the wedding guests met in the centre of the room.

Alex conjured a pair of Wizard’s Hands, giving them the Traveller’s artefact, they floated in front of his guests, pointing it toward the smiling group.

All smiled.

All were together.

And then came the click.

What was captured was a perfect moment in time.

A moment of Heroes.

A moment of lovers.

A wonderful moment of celebration among giants, wizards, priests, bakers, scholars, warriors, and, indeed...

...fools.