The Witness Dances

The Valthera Elance 9 purred to life beneath her touch, sleek and low, its chrome frame catching the last breath of sunlight as they slid into their seats like the final piece of a plan falling into place.

Lumi's gasp echoed off the walls. "Okay. You did not say we were riding in a luxury beast tonight."

Risa slid her fingers along the smooth door as it opened automatically. "What is this interior? Velvet? Stars? This is softer than my dreams."

"It's just a car," Amy murmured, trying not to smile as she settled behind the wheel.

"'Just a car,' she says," Lumi mocked, practically hugging the plush passenger seat. "This is a celebrity entrance waiting to happen. I bet it even glows."

"It does," Amy replied.

Of course it did.

As the doors sealed and the soft hum of the engine activated, they pulled out of the garage and into the deepening violet of the early evening.

"So," Amy asked casually, fingers light on the steering interface, "where exactly is this party again?"

Risa gave her a sideways look. "You really don't pay attention, do you?"

"I filter out the noise," Amy said.

Lumi chimed in, "Elarion Estate. Old district. Super fancy, obviously. Laziel pulled strings to reserve it last-minute, which everyone said was impossible."

Amy blinked. That explained the choice.

The Elarion Estate wasn't ostentatious, but it was known — a refined manor tucked into one of the older garden-lined districts, all polished stone and soft lights. It had the kind of elegance that didn't need to brag. Of course, Laziel would pick it. Sara once said she loved the place.

"Convenient," Amy said.

Risa raised an eyebrow. "Suspiciously convenient."

Lumi leaned forward. "It's because Sara mentioned it once. That's why. He's so transparent."

Amy didn't reply. She kept her eyes on the road, the car gliding forward as if reading the night ahead.

By the time they reached the outer walls of the estate, the lights had come on. Pale lanterns along the entrance path flickered like fireflies. Music drifted faintly through the hedge-lined gate. The estate rose just ahead — white stone, silver trim, calm and perfect.

They'd arrived.

The Elarion Estate stood quietly behind its trimmed hedges and silverwood trees, its white-stone exterior glowing under soft garden lights. Not overly grand, but refined — a blend of timeless architecture and subtle futuristic touches.

Glass balconies curved along its second floor, and tall windows caught the last light of dusk. A soft string quartet played somewhere inside. Through the arched entrance, guests stepped into a ballroom lit by slow-drifting lights and polished crystal floors, where elegance whispered louder than wealth.

This wasn't just a party. It was a statement — chosen carefully, meant to leave an impression on one person in particular.

They stepped through the arching entry of the Elarion estate and were immediately met with a wash of cool light and low, pulsing music vibrating gently through the marble floor.

The grand foyer was breathtaking — not just because of its size, but because of the Aetherstrike-themed decor that stretched across every surface. Translucent banners shimmered with holographic overlays of the school's VR team in action: avatars mid-leap, glowing weapons extended, pixel-dust trailing behind them like comet tails. One wall projected a looping replay of the winning match, the final shot frozen in stylized colors. Students gathered in clumps, some laughing, others trying to mimic the poses with exaggerated flair.

Amy's eyes skimmed over it all. She already knew where each banner was placed. Which guests were most likely to trip on the ambient floor lighting. Which windows had been set to loop footage of Aetherstrike arenas from the global league. None of this was new. And yet, it still hit her — the future made visible. Clean lines, digital shimmer, pride crafted into spectacle.

Lumi gave a soft gasp. "Oh my god. They really went all in."

"Welcome to rich-kid party logic," Risa said, nudging her forward. "He probably commissioned half this decor custom."

They moved past the displays, down the lit corridor and into the ballroom — though the name hardly fit tonight.

It was a club.

The space had transformed into a rhythmic heart: neon-strips of cobalt and magenta pulsed to the beat of whatever synth-pop remix was thudding through the ceiling-high speakers. Lights spiraled across the glass chandeliers, and the dance floor was already packed with their classmates, all moving in some half-chaotic, half-hypnotic pattern. A live DJ booth stood where a string quartet might've played in more traditional times, holographic EQ bars rising and falling like breathing shadows behind him.

Before Amy could blink, her arm was caught.

"Dance time," Lumi declared, dragging her in. "No sulking, no lurking."

Risa flanked the other side with a crooked grin. "You looked too calm. We're here to ruin that."

Amy let herself be pulled in. She didn't fight it.

The music hit — and for a while, she moved with them, three bodies swallowed by light and sound, laughter cutting through the bass. It wasn't graceful. It wasn't choreographed. But it was real. Her pulse matched theirs. Her hair stuck to her skin. She didn't feel alone.

Not yet.