2.29 The Invited

        Breakfast for the Invites was being served in the Grand Courtyard. By the time the ships from Fina and Lochia arrived in Atlan the students were starving, cold and excited to be invited to the greatest party in the world. Clutching their suitcases and portfolios, they disembarked down the ramps and stopped to pick up their guest packs which welcomed them at the gates. The Farewell Celebration promised of a good time, it was almost too good to be true.

         Bella could hardly contain herself as she followed her fellow invites through the gates of the Grand Courtyard. The mood was electric. Gold and blue banners spanned the walls all the way around, the village of tents was awesome, the king had spared no expense, he thought they deserved all this? Aromas of freshly brewed coffee and vanilla pancakes coaxed them through the tents to an open area where the graduation runway once stood, removed to allow room for a gathering and dancing. Beyond the dance floor stood multiple food stands, an open bar, vendors selling festival clothing and everywhere they looked, everything was emblazoned with the image of the new double-winged golden phoenix, backed by flames; the logo for the New Empire.

         Delicious wafts of pancake breakfast billowed into Dion’s Salon every time the door opened and closed, and the establishment was filling up too, the Opening Ceremony was only a few hours away and last minute clientele were lining up in the waiting room already.

         Torus eyed the traffic through the beaded doorway as he sat in the chair, he could feel the energy rising in the city, it was making him feel high. It wasn't easy for him to feel excited like this, he had even less interest in activities such as the Vine Club than Nolan, yet today he was becoming aroused. Not only was there a plethora of new and seductive goddesses spinning around him, they were all seductively dressed, seductively aromatic and in seductive moods.

         "I think it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks" he commented, fishing for Nolan's reaction to the scene.

         But Nolan's thoughts were with the fundraiser. "Yes, we just need to secure a couple of runners, I hope Josh is having some luck at the pancake breakfast, I was too busy dealing with the latest gravel order to meet up with him this morning."

         "Is Vikkar coming?" Torus pried, fishing for more.

         Nolan tried to think if he knew. "I don't know..."

         "When's the last time you spoke to Vikkar?" 

         Nolan searched his mental archives… "Um…"

         "Dion?" Torus moved on, losing patience. "Has Vikkar been in here lately? Do you know if he's coming to Atalon's Final Feast?"

         "I spoke to Vikkar last week" Dion replied. "I told him to come to the party but he said he wasn't going to attend any more of Atalon's personal events."

         "He actually said that?" Torus chortled. "He might as well commit suicide."

         "Why?" Nolan was lost, convinced of some ancient feud thing going on of which he knew nothing about.

         "Atalon may forgive you for killing his friend, but he'll never forgive you for missing his party" Dion replied.

         "I don't trust him" Torus replied, "he's been asking too many questions lately."

         "Who? Why?"

         "Vikkar, you idiot!"

         Dion tried to explain the difficult situation. "Vikkar and Atalon suffer from an ancient feud over tribal rights which has never been resolved."

         "What tribal rights?"

         "The right to reproduce, naturally."

         "What?" Nolan was lost.

         "Regardless of what he knows, he needs to be scratched off the list simply because he's a loose end" Torus elaborated.

         "Loose end? What are you talking about?" Sometimes Nolan couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had heard these rumors but surely they were they joking? Eyes wide revealing ignorance, he searched Mel in the mirror for a clue, wondering, was she eavesdropping? Of course she was! She had to know all kinds of things!

         The way she handled his hair turned him on... He took a deep breath, feeling high from the cocktail of anger and lust, only to inhale copious amounts of her sensual aroma as she moved around the chair at that precise moment...

         "There you go" she cooed, her breath sweet as honey, wrapping his head in an aromatic towel. "I'll be right back."
         Collectively, the gods' followed her out through the reflection of the mirrored wall. They could hear her welcoming the new client, they could catch glimpses of her through the beaded curtain. Mel was a superstar, she naturally attracted new clientele, her employees all worked hard and the business was always booming, largely because of her beauty and charm.

        Nolan could see how much Dion appreciated her... 

        Dion had heard rumors about her too, disturbing rumors. "I understand Atalon's scratching her off the list too. Is that true?"

         Torus stiffened in the chair, checking his image, careful how to word a reply. "It's true" he affirmed. "Same reason."