The grand ballroom situated completely above them remained a brilliant, highly magnificent beacon of pure light and unified, joyous celebration. The aristocratic laughter and the melodic clinking of crystal glasses echoed softly through the thick marble ceiling. Princess Mana and Crown Prince Jules were flawlessly maintaining the absolute, radiant diplomatic front of the Continental Accord.
Raven, the thirteen year old Pearl King, had politely and completely smoothly excused himself from the high society gala.
He descended the dark, spiralling servant stairs deep into the absolute underbelly of the Amber Palace. As he walked, he smoothly stripped away the heavily embroidered midnight blue velvet doublet he had worn for the banquet, revealing a highly practical, entirely fitted combat tunic of pitch black leather beneath. The Evil Emperor completely left the warm, golden light of the new world absolutely behind him, willingly plunging entirely into the freezing, necessary dark.
