Chapter 60. Revelry

Twenty-five days later.

With the fading of the sun, night soon set itself over the kingdom of Winstead, leading most of the tired citizens of that land, rich and poor, to settle down for sleep.

Life was difficult for many throughout the realm. Although the nobles continued to live lives of comfort and excess, for most of those of lesser status living within its borders, every waking moment was a hard scramble for survival. Bitter days were spent etching out a living doing menial labor accompanied by low wages which often led to lives of deprivation and misery.

The life of a common citizen was a constant cycle of needs versus desire. They needed bread. They wanted meat. They needed copper pennies. They wanted gold coins. They needed to live in their cramped, uncomfortable little cottages. They wanted real homes.

They needed to survive.

They wanted to be happy.

The nobles didn't care.

So, once more, another night came for the exhausted and downtrodden commoners, who dropped onto their beds if they were fortunate enough to have them, to fall into the dreamless, fitful rest of the truly hopeless.

Only to awaken and find themselves in a place greater than they could have ever imagined.

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It was the event of the year. The greatest celebration in the history of the nation, although no one knew it was coming. No one knew to expect it, and no one knew how to react now that they were immersed in it. No one knew what was happening, only that it was incredible, and that every one of them was being treated like an honored guest in the home of a monarch.

"Where are we?" many of them asked in confusion.

They were all standing in a wonderful, starry skied clearing, gathered outside the gate of a wonderous black tower. A podium had been erected before them, and to the surprise of many of them, a goblin stood on it.

Many of these people were country folk, and they had seen goblins before. This one was unlike any that they had ever beheld. He was tall for one thing, nearly four feet in height, which was massive for his kind. He also carried himself with a sort of grand and regal bearing that put many of them to shame.

Now he stood before them, dressed in a beautifully tailored outfit that marked him as a servant of great standing in a powerful and wealthy household. His manner seemed so severe that it caused many of the thousands assembled there to adopt a deferential bearing in case they should accidentally offend such an important person with their lowborn mannerisms.

Surprisingly, the goblin smiled kindly at the humble multitude and gave them a friendly wave. He tapped the end of a strange metallic object attached to the podium, which caused an echo to sweep over the crowd. Then he began speaking into the device, which somehow magnified his voice and carried it to their ears, saying:

"A good evening to you, oh good people of Winstead! I'm certain that you have many questions that you'd like to ask me. Please be assured that clarity shall soon be yours. My name is Carter, a humble servant of the majestic ruler of these lands who wishes now to extend the hand of friendship to you all. In her blessed name, let me bid you welcome!"

"Sir? Please tell us, where is this place?" asked a nervous young boy.

"You stand in the blessed land of creation, young man," Carter warmly replied. "A place where thought and reality intermix and create wonder. A place where the possibilities are as limitless as the endless horizon! Although it has no one true name, you would not be mistaken to think of it as paradise!"

The boy's mouth dropped, and the crowd broke out into excited murmuring which persisted for a while. The goblin allowed them to indulge in their discussions before one of them managed to raise his voice above the rest.

"Sir? Sir Carter? What does this mean?" asked the shabbily dressed man. "Why have we been summoned here?"

"Not summoned, my friend. Invited. Everyone here is an honored guest and may leave whenever they wish. But I hope you'll first allow me the pleasure of inviting you to participate in a night of festivities and jubilation unlike any which you have ever experienced before!"

At the mention of festivities, the people began buzzing among themselves in growing anticipation. The goblin patiently waited for them to quiet down before continuing.

"Yes, my friends, that's right. Tonight, in celebration of her seventeenth birthday, my mistress has kindly opened the doors of her wonderous home to all of you, wishing only that you will partake of the delights presented here for your enjoyment! She wants you all to forget your worries and find the release you deserve."

The whispering of the crowd grew even more excited, and the goblin's smile grew even wider.

"Now, enter this magnificent tower and know only joy! Stay however long you wish and do whatever you like! There are no consequences here, no sins, and no judgment! There is only happiness and acceptance! Come join us, my friends! Quickly now, quickly! For in the halls of the Empress, the blessings of the night are eternal!"

A wind then swept over the crowd, accompanied by a dazzling light which momentarily blinded them, but caused them no pain. When it faded, the humble people assembled in that field were now dressed in expensive finery, the likes of which they could never have afforded in their waking lives. Every man among them looked like a king, and every woman a queen.

The children among them laughed and whispered to each other that they had just experienced magic, and the adults were made speechless by what had just occurred. Then, the gates of the black tower opened, and a welcoming glow from within it washed over them, bidding them to enter. As one, the crowd began eagerly moving inside.

Watching from above, four figures dressed in red, black, green, and white looked down upon their guests and smiled wickedly.

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No one knew what time it was, but that didn't matter. No one knew where they were, but that didn't matter either. Because no one knew how long it would last, they instinctively chose to exist solely in the moment. The party of the century had now begun and everyone in the kingdom of Winstead was eager to go wild.

Claudia was bewildered to discover that she was now wearing a gorgeous formfitting gown and standing in the middle of the largest dance hall she'd ever seen in her life.

Around her were thousands of strangers, some equally startled to find themselves there like she was. Like her, they were dressed beautifully. She at first assumed they were fellow nobles, but their manner of speech and the way they carried themselves soon revealed their lowborn origins. It was all so very strange.

Claudia soon decided that it was like everyone was participating in a massive masquerade ball and had come disguised as the version of themselves they most wished they could be. She included herself in that accounting.

Everywhere, there were tables filled with refreshments. Sumptuously prepared food and beverages, the likes of which she'd never had the opportunity to enjoy. It all must have tasted even better than it looked because many of the attendees were gluttonously stuffing it inside their mouths with no care for appearances.

As the daughter of a count, Claudia had attended her fair share of social gatherings. Her father had even hosted a ball for her coming-of-age celebration just last year. But the extravagance of those earlier parties paled by far in comparison to the splendor she now experienced. There was just so much of…everything.

Above those dancing below it, floated a levitating stage that was held aloft through an incredible display of magic, on which a band played, using instruments that Claudia didn't recognize. The song they performed was pounding, powerful, and primal. She thought it sounded like a kind of radical folk music which she normally didn't care for; but here, it was performed so aggressively and with so much furious passion, that she found herself greatly enjoying it.

A desire gradually grew within her to join the crowd and lose herself in the revelry like they had. Only the self-discipline instilled within her by Countess Anne kept her from giving in to that temptation.

Instead, she observed the dancers who'd been enraptured by the song, having lost themselves to the wild, brutish moshing that they'd spontaneously erupted into. Even the ordinarily prim Claudia had to admit that it looked like a lot of fun.

"I'M A SAILOR PEG! AND I LOST MY LEG! CLIMBING UP THE TOP SAILS, I LOST MY LEG!" screamed the singer in a frenzy as his bandmates backed him up. "I'M SHIPPING OFF TO BOSTON! OHHHHHH! I'M SHIPPING OFF TO BOSTON! OHHHHHH! I'M SHIPPING OFF TO BOSTON! I'M SHIPPING OFF TO BOSTON TO FIND MY WOODEN LEG!"

Claudia had no idea where this place called Boston was located, but it sounded extremely dangerous. Curiosity gradually overcame her reserve the longer the performance went on. Just when she decided to give in, a hand reached forth and touched her shoulder.

"Easy, my lady," said a stern-looking young man several years older than her, who stepped closely beside her. "You're a V.I.P. There's a place that's already been reserved for you. Would you please follow me?"

"Oh, um, sure," Claudia said nervously. Who was this boy? His manner of speech and arrogant bearing identified him immediately as a true noble. He was also dressed as elegantly as everyone else in attendance at this fantastic affair. But unlike the others, he was armed. Slung across his back, he carried a vicious-looking battle axe that greatly suited the aura of danger that he exuded.

The stranger also seemed disdainful of all the extravagance that surrounded the two of them. Claudia could feel the icy contempt for his surroundings reflected in his cold, blue eyes. His black hair was trimmed short, and his face was…dazzling.

Claudia couldn't help but feel charmed by him. As though she were in the presence of an untamed but friendly wolf.

"Um, sir? May I ask where we are?" she asked the young man.

"You don't already know?" he replied. "You stand within your sister's home in the astral realm. This is Everly's demesne."

"What?" Claudia asked in shock. "Are you saying all of this belongs to…Everly?"

"Indeed," the stranger said with a nod.

"All of this?" she repeated in a daze.

"Crafted from her imagination," the stranger said. "I advise you to always stay inside when you visit here, Princess. Outside these halls exists literal chaos. Anything could happen out there. So long as you stay inside, however, you'll always find safety in the house of the Empress."

"You call all of this a mere house?" Claudia asked in a daze.

"Its sheer immensity once bothered me as well, but it's been my home for many years now," said the stranger. "After a while, you simply get used to it."

"You misspoke my title, earlier. I'm hardly a princess," Claudia informed him.

"Everly says otherwise. Her every desire is the law in this realm," he said, matter-of-factly. "That will soon be true everywhere."

"Sir? May I ask what your name is?" Claudia asked with a slight blush.

"Me? I'm Grail. If we met earlier, I would have appeared to you as an older man. A form I much preferred, in all honesty. However, Everly insists that I serve as her attendant at the academy. She kindly informed me, quote-unquote, that she "Didn't want a grandpa following her around."

"So, she just willed you into becoming younger?" Claudia asked him.

"She did. Many things are possible thanks to the immense power she possesses. You'll soon learn that for yourself," Grail said as he led her to a balcony overlooking the celebration, where he then had her seated in an extremely comfortable chair. "There will be others along shortly. If there's anything you'd like, ring the bell on your table and ask for it. It will be delivered instantly."

"Delivered by who?" Claudia asked. "I haven't seen any servants."

"It's best that you don't," Grail darkly. "But they're here all the same. Just think of them as your invisible helpers."

Grail then left, leaving Claudia by herself. She stared at the bell on her table for some time and thought over what he had said to her. Then she gave a slight shudder and decided she wanted nothing.

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Claudia sat there alone for some time, wondering when she'd see Grail again. She considered opening her third eye to see for herself what he'd hinted at earlier but then thought of the seriousness of his expression when he suggested she not pry.

Perhaps it would be for the best if she were less curious.

With that in mind, she continued to sit quietly and wait.

"And just who's this gorgeous little doll? There's my big sister!" a familiar voice called out. When Claudia turned, she saw Everly, wearing a stunning white sleeveless dress, approaching her. Everly then squeezed her with another of those powerful hugs she loved delivering so much before giving Claudia a welcoming kiss on her forehead.

"Knock it off! We just saw each other an hour ago," Claudia said in annoyance as she pushed Everly away. "Honestly, you're like an overly excited puppy."

"An hour ago? Is that how long it felt to you?" Everly asked as she took a seat beside Claudia. "Sorry, darling, time flows a little differently around here. I feel like I haven't seen you in months! And now all I want to do is gobble you up!"

"Well, please avoid the temptation," Claudia said. "What's all of this about, anyway?"

"What do you think it's about?" Everly said with a laugh. "It's about me, naturally! A girl only turns seventeen once, you know. Well, it could have been twice in my case, but then I brought a sword to school. Anyway, I thought I'd invite a few hundred thousand of my closest friends to celebrate the occasion with me!"

"These are your closest friends?" Claudia asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, they'll all be my future property, anyway," Everly admitted with a careless shrug. "Not too long from now, they're all going to be spending most of their free time in abject worship of me. I figured I might as well give them a taste of things to come. You know, get them primed for utter dependency on me."

"Everly…how are you doing all of this?" Claudia asked her. "Where does all of this come from? How are you this powerful?"

"Oh, I'd love to tell you, but that's related to business," Everly said to her. "We don't know each other well enough to even begin discussing things of that nature. Your earlier misadventure with Acedia makes me think you might be a little too ambitious for now, sister."

"Don't be upset, though. It's not that I don't trust you," said a voice behind Claudia that startled her. When she turned around, she saw…another Everly, this one dressed in green, smiling down on her.

"It's just that when people start asking about how one acquires power," said an Everly to her side dressed in red.

"It's often a prelude to them wanting to know how to seize that power for themselves," said an Everly dressed in darkest black. "So, let's just say I have secrets, okay?"

"What the hell is this?" Claudia asked in alarm.

"It's just me, babe. It's all Everly," she said, delighted by Claudia's reaction.

"I meant, why are there four of you?" Claudia demanded to know.

"Why wouldn't there be?" the Everly in white asked her. "Well, I mean, there were only three of us to start with, but then I realized a fourth one was what I really needed to complete the set. They're great! I'm great! Everlys, introduce yourselves to our sister, please."

"I'm Beverly, the second oldest," smirked the one in green."

"I'm Neverly. I'm the smart one," said the one in black.

"I'm Cleverly. I guess I'm the baby of the bunch," said the one in red.

"I don't understand, are these illusions of some kind?" Claudia asked Everly. "Are they disguised servants?"

"No," Everly said patiently. "They're me. It's all part of the plan. I'll fill you in later, I promise. If you want a better explanation, I'll say this: Don't think of them as different individuals. They're more like extra limbs on my body. Or extra heads, if you prefer."

"Like the hydra," said Beverly.

"More like Cerberus," said Neverly.

"Personally, I prefer King Ghidorah," said Cleverly.

"Guys, do you see Claudia's expression?" asked Beverly. "God, I just want to pinch her cheek until it falls off."

"Wait your turn after me," Neverly said.

"Shouldn't I get to go first, since you've all known her longer?" Cleverly asked them.

"Shut up, new girl!" barked Beverly.

"Yeah, I can't believe you're speaking to us like equals. You haven't even been blooded in yet," Neverly said condescendingly.

"Everly! Tell these hags to be nice! They're excluding me again!" whined Cleverly.

"Girls, be nicer to your alternative self or I'm sending you to the rat room," Everly said to them sternly.

"Snitch!" grumbled Neverly with crossed arms.

"Crybaby!" Beverly said with a disgusted sniff.

"Haha! You got in trouble," chortled Cleverly.

"Enough, already," Everly said to the three as she rose from her chair. "Come on, it's time for my speech."

"Why are you making a speech?" Claudia asked before the four of them could walk away. "Everly, tell me what's happening! What is the true purpose of this gathering?"

"Sister, haven't you heard?" Everly asked her. "To thoroughly conquer a kingdom, you can't settle for just defeating armies and executing your rivals. You've also got to win over the hearts of the common folk. Forget the nobles, it's the people at the very bottom who truly determine who gets to rule once the fighting's done. Just sit there and watch, I'll show you. It all begins tonight."

"What begins?" Claudia asked warily.

"My reign," each Everly said simultaneously. "The campaign begins now."