The garden hedges were freshly maintained to perfect its uniformly straight and upright appearance, guiding all guests into the oversized front yard through its arched hedge gateway. The marble manor was adorned with over-the-top golden regal decor that strung from each corner of the building and had been painted with a golden trim that elevated its elegance, the tall pillars that loomed over its guests wrapped with long golden ribbons waving gently in the cool wind as the warm glow of the stone lanterns flickered into the night.

Even without Vaina’s prior knowledge, the location was blatantly obvious from the booming of classical music that escaped the ballroom and trembled the nearby properties, the musicians proudly performing with the finest instruments possibly created within the Realms in an orchestrated harmony. Armed guards in rich crimson uniforms with black accent details stood tall at the entrance, cautiously observing the behaviour of each guest that entered and exited the building.

She locked her arms into his as they approached the marble stairway and beamed at the guards with an angelic warm smile that had them fawning over her at first sight, Renatus attempting to mask his stiffness as a chill ran down his spine at the physical touch. 

“Well, that was easy enough,” she whispered, rolling her eyes. “You’re acting strange. Remember why we’re here, my Renba.”

He shifted his glance away from her beady rosy eyes, the strength of her grip on him tightening enough to make him feel slightly nauseous, his head becoming lighter with each step forward they took. They were greeted by a bright hallway that had been lit with large golden chandeliers, lined with rose bushes with roses of assorted pastel colours that bloomed as they passed them, the classical music gradually filling their ears and whisking them away into the ballroom.

The white walls had been decorated with intricate golden patterns that wrapped the pillars that arched and supported the ceiling, the window frames similarly decorated with a golden baroque design. The dim yellow light of the candlesticks that hung from the pillars and the few chandeliers that were strung above them provided the room with an ethereal glow, as the crowds of people dancing turned into a mesmerising wave of synchronised movement in perfect timing with the current melody.

Every slide of the cello and violin's bow had pairs stepping side by side in a slow dance, and each jump of the piano keys had people prancing about without a care in the world. Vaina released herself from him without saying a word and disappeared into the crowd as the music transitioned between songs to his relief, leaving Renatus to cruise through the waves of people twirling and dancing around and about. He felt himself manoeuvring in silly ways to avoid any accidental physical contact, almost finding himself floating mid-air after squeezing into the tight crowds of people taller than him (which was practically everyone) upon eyeing the small group of guards in elevated pure white uniforms making small talk with one another.

Their uniforms definitely stood out compared to the regular guards, their tailcoats adorned with white-gold crystals and overly tall hats with fleece lining. He continued his attempt to direct his body towards that small corner of the floor, only to find himself swimming against a strong current of people dancing and obstructing his way. To do this without causing a scene or harming a single soul thinned his patience - why did they have to conveniently be in a difficult location to act inconspicuous around? The swarms of people didn’t stop as the music continued to grow conveniently dance-worthy, and a frustration he hadn't felt before started to irk him. 

Killing Godric shouldn't be this… humiliating, he thought to himself, finding no escape to the labyrinth of waltzing. If it leads up to it in the end, I'll endure it a bit longer, I guess. 

An incredibly tall male of extraordinary beauty leaned forward and reached out his hand towards him, his uneven jagged hair gleaming beneath the faint wisps of the moonlight peeking through the stained windows and highlighting the angular features of his ghostly pale face. His irises were bewitching luminous moons buried within their dusky starless skies, hidden beneath a veil of fine dark strokes that captivated him akin to a siren’s song. 

“Would you honour me with a dance, kind sir?” the man smiled, the fine line of his lips delicately creasing.

Despite his masquerade mask, it didn't do much for a disguise.

“Oh! Rhys?” Renatus said, slightly startled yet oddly, comforted by his presence.

He recognised that soothing voice, and familiar stature anywhere. The main difference was that his wings had also vanished, and his ears weren't as pointy, likely in a similar fashion through the use of a veil. He felt the warm press of Rhys’ gentle lips against the back of his hand, allowing him to guide him as he pleased.

“Is that my coat? I was wondering where that went,” Rhys chuckled, his soft laugh ringing like bells jingling in the distant wind, as he guided Renatus’ hand onto his shoulder and readied a gentle hand onto his waist. “I had to get another one just to be here.”

“I was going to return it, I swear,” he pouted whilst avoiding his direct gaze, taking his hand and allowing him to lead them onto the dance floor. Despite his displeasure in slowed, intentional movements from acts such as dancing, Rhys glided them into what felt like smooth manoeuvres, even though their pace matched everyone else’s. He felt himself become exhilarated from their electrifying twists and turns, unable to predict the swinging and twirling of his own feet as the rhythm of the music turned wild. 

“No matter, it looks better on you, I must say…” Rhys commented, subtly observing him from head to toe with each twirl and spin he guided Renatus into. “You look dashing tonight, Ren.”

“Why are you here of all places, Rhys? Godric might be close by,” Renatus whispered, feeling his ears heat up in the cold air. 

“No need to worry about me. My appearance here is merely an apparition, so it’s fine. But do keep my presence a secret, since I’m here to investigate something myself,” he replied, caressing the side of his softened face, his hand as if perfectly sculpted just for him moulding into the shape of his cheek, as he shifted the silky stray hairs away from his eyes. “You looked like you were struggling earlier in whatever you were trying to achieve.”

“Never mind that… What are you looking into?” Renatus asked in a low whisper, leaning closer into him as his body was drawn in by Rhys’ guidance. The music quietened and began playing a slowed romantic tune, with everyone’s movements changing to match the pace into a slow dance. “Is it something you can tell me? I could help you, you know.”

Rhys’ eyes widened slightly, then softened with a hint of sparkle in his eyes, his cheeks tinted slightly pink.

“I can’t exactly tell you yet. There’s still so much to uncover,” he smiled gently, his eyes delicately creasing into a reassuring arc. “How has your encounter with Vaina been going? I thought I saw a Higher Angel with you earlier.”

“I’m helping her with her plans to stop Godric from taking over the Realms. Lots of people to deal with, messily. As per usual. That’s why I’m here tonight too,” Renatus casually replied, shrugging at his thoughts as he spoke. “The guy's becoming a control freak over the new judgement system, and Vaina wants-”

He held in a sharp gasp after his body suddenly dipped, feeling his back arc close to the dancefloor as Rhys’ secure, firm grip kept him balanced whilst he panickily grabbed onto his shoulder, slightly creasing his coat. Whilst he maintained a steady grasp on his back, Rhys’ direct gaze was fixated elsewhere, almost alert. He slowly returned his attention back to him and pressed a soft kiss against his mask before raising him back onto his feet.

“S-someone might see us, idiot,” Renatus stuttered, thankful that his mask covered his reddened face.

“Then, let them spectate. You should keep your guard up if you’re going to mention confidential things out loud, Ren,” Rhys winked. “I’d love to sneak out and join you for some more fun, but unfortunately it's best we parted ways for our secret missions, no?”  

“Yeah, we should. It’s… refreshing to see you here, though,” he chuckled, his hand released from Rhys’ broad shoulders. 

He thought he had overheard spits of gossip amongst the murmuring of the crowd and approached the source to hear it better. He noticed that he was now positioned closer to Godric’s subordinates, their shining white uniforms gleaming in the corner of his eye. 

“And you know, they’re anticipating something to happen tonight. After all, Malachi has been slain and the faerie plan got disrupted,” the burly one said, observing the guests from a distance.

“Right, but they’re always prepared to deal with stuff like that. Haven’t seen ‘em all night either so we probably don’t gotta worry tonight,” the lanky one replied, then finished his glass of wine in one gulp.

The other one shrugged, a slightly disturbed expression written all over his face as he held onto his glass of champagne. “Eh, but if His Worship finds out about all of that, it’ll be hard to cover up. We can’t always use the Death Disciple as an excuse…”

His foot awkwardly twisted just as he was about to move a bit closer to the conversation, once again caught by Rhys’ steady grip.

“Do be careful, silly boy,” Rhys smiled, leaning close towards him as he gently fixed his stray hairs. 

A head of sky-blue hair emerged and grabbed Renatus by the arm, the sudden touch startling him. “Renba, there you are. Come with me.”