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MAZE - Chapter 1043 - Making an Entrance
🕑 Added 2025-04-16 03:01:48 +0000 UTC"And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have Becca Swan. How are you Becca? Is there a special reason why you are participating in the event as a guest instead of a reporter?"
Becca was wearing a black dress engraved with runes that caused her clothes to shimmer every so often, almost as if they were being hit by a spotlight. During the question, the reporter smiled and turned to who was speaking to her. A woman with long black hair wearing a red dress.
"Hello Clarice. It's lovely to see you. I wouldn't say there's a special reason, but come on, every now and then, I do want to have fun. And it just so happens that this was a great opportunity to do just that. Enjoy my time in the spotlight." Becca timed her answer just as her dress shimmered, which gained a few gasps from the surrounding crowd.
"Oh? And did you come here with anyone in particular? There were some rumors about the reason why you joined the alliance in this war, you know?"
Becca let out a sigh. "Yes, I know. Because apparently people think it's more important for me to have someone in my life than to believe that the guild was in the wrong for doing those terrible experiments." The woman sighed, making Clarice feel embarrassed by her question. But Becca didn't give the woman a chance to reply.
"No, there is no one in my life and if you are looking for a reason why I joined the war, you're looking at it. I was the reason I joined. I couldn't live with myself if I was going to support the guild in what they were doing. They were simply wrong. That's all that it was. Now, if you excuse me, I have to get inside."
Clarice grumbled internally at that answer. This was supposed to be a big break for her. She was finally allowed to cover a big event. If she played her cards right, this could become a permanent position. And there was nothing better to be noticed than getting some hot gossip in a situation like this. But it seemed like her chance was still there, as the next car that came by was a large black limo. The biggest one that arrived so far.
From it came a group of people that became famous during the war. First, was a well-known mage that used to work with the guild. The renowned scientist who was developing a way for any Room to locate wendigos. She was Helena, the Yin Yang mage. The woman had her long black hair in a large afro and was wearing a dress of white and black that almost looked like two drops of ink that had fallen on the same spot. They were also moving. Swirling around like they were caught in a current. The mage waved to a few people and continued walking. Not bothering answering any questions
A pair of women came out, another two people who were well known by the members of the alliance. The first had pale skin, long hair, and was wearing a pair of white pants with some gold trimmings and a rose gold jacket. She didn't seem to be wearing any shirt under the jacket or any underwear for that matter, but that was the kind of look that could hide undergarments without much problem. She was Alex, the Purifying Light. That's how people were calling her after she became vital in the process of healing those affected by the Strength Spirits.
By her side was another black woman, this one with blond hair and a big smile. Her dress was completely black and long, but there were countless small crystals everywhere, making it seem like anyone who was looking at her was looking into the night sky. Clarice could even swear that if she paid attention, she could see constellations around her dress.
While there were a great number of people who took in the starlight motif, only one was known to be a travel companion to the Purifying Light, and that was Bonnie the Astral Witch. The two of them were forces to be reckoned with, as both women participated in various operations during the war. Or at least, that's what the alliance was telling people. The reporter herself wasn't able to find any actual information about what they did.
Next came a woman wearing a blue dress, with blue hair and a golden band on a stump in her left arm. Clarice was unsure who she was, but she assumed to be one of Hera's companions since so far everybody who came out of the limousine was a known associate of the Ophidianite.
After that came another three people that she wasn't entirely sure who they were. The first was a woman with short purple hair wearing a green dress that had a scale-like pattern all around it made to make her look like a snake of some sort. A man wearing a simple black suit with a white shirt, but he had a flower power tie. Then was an older man with blond hair and a round face who was wearing a lavender and turquoise suit. He reached inside the car and helped another person get out.
It was a woman with shoulder-length blond hair tied into a messy bun on top of her head with a lock of hair peeking out from the front, covering a bit of her face. The idea of the harpy stylist was to show something alluring, but also regal. The impression should be that of a princess who was still a bit unruly. She had brown eyes and what looked to be scales, soft purple scales covering her face. Her ears were also strange as they formed almost like a fin similar to that of the Tritons, but less webbed in a way.
She was wearing a deep purple dress with turquoise accents. The skirt of this dress was shorter in the front, revealing her legs and much longer in the back, which allowed her to move her tail almost hidden by the clothes. She didn't have that many accessories. But a simple snake necklace, a floral bracelet, and a pair of earrings that covered most of her ears. She walked up a few steps after giving a kiss on the cheek of the man who helped her out of the car, and that's when Clarice stepped in.
"Excuse me, Hera?" The reporter asked, and the woman simply nodded.
"Yes that's me."
"There have been a lot of rumors about you lately. Some say that you are the ruler of a new species of intelligent people in the MAZE. Others think that you used to be a human and some even say that you are capable of creating sentient golems to fight for you. Are you willing to put some of those rumors to rest?"
"You asked a lot of questions, and I don't think I have time to answer all of them now. Do you want to narrow the options a little bit?" Hera smiled, trying to be polite even though she knew that half what the reporter said was bullshit.
Trillian had become a bit of a PR specialist and he was keeping track of the online discussion about Hera on Chipper. No one doubted her origins. What people were asking about were her abilities and what her existence meant for the MAZE in general.
"Of course, I have seen your interview talking about how you became the Ophidianite. Please, how were you able to give up your humanity so easily? Aren't you afraid to be alone without any people to call your own?"
Clarice felt that her question would bring the biggest reaction out of the Ophidianite, which was exactly what she wanted. From her research, Hera was shy, self conscious and someone who cared way too much about other people. Asking that kind of question would be enough to break a weak-willed person like that. And as long as she was able to make the headlines, she would turn her gossip column into something that everybody wanted to talk about. Yet Hera's reaction was not the freak out that Clarice was expecting. Instead, the empress just smiled and said.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. No matter where I am, or who I am, I will never be alone."
With those last five words, seven beings appeared out of thin air. One was a large scaled woman with bulging muscles wearing a long leather jacket with fur trim and leather pants, giving her a very Barbarian-like look. The other biggest form amongst that group was an armored warrior with one long horn on top of its helmet. The armor was golden with details in a more amber color and on his shoulders was a white cape reaching the floor.
In front of that pair was a humanoid Griffon wearing long gray robes with a light blue trim together with loose pants going up until his ankles. That gave him the appearance of a monk. By his side was a kangaroo with some scarring on his face, wearing brown leather overalls with a simple black blazer on top. In front of them was a bipedal gazelle wearing a dark dress with turquoise trims in the same shade that Tara was wearing.
Lastly, there was a pair of snake people much more snakey than the Ophidianite. One was covered in white scales wearing a red vest and a layered settle armor that mirrored its spine going across the tail. The other was wearing a very similar set of clothing but instead of red, white contrasting with each other.
Clarice just stared at them, unsure of what to do, while Hera continued walking up, ignoring her completely. The Harpy Queen had already drilled a few lessons on the Empress. Lessons about how to deal with paparazzi and people who were clearly targeting her for the wrong reasons. And one of those teachings was to simply ignore them or use their words to prop yourself up. Hera needed an entrance, and now she had.
She was even happier since, thanks to a new skill Filigree developed. She was able to change the titled blades clothes for the event. It wasn't something she could do very often since once those clothes were prepared, it took her a full month to be able to change them, and it also made sure that the clothes wouldn't be always like that. Instead, it was something they could choose to wear or to return to their regular form.
In essence, there was no difference in their attributes when they were like this. It was something that only changes their appearance. But all the blades had to admit it was nice having that option. Even if they truly like their bodies, and the way Hera had created them, a change of pace was always nice.
Hera continued walking up the stairs with her friends in front of her and her court following right behind her. The host of the event announced her, which caused everyone to stop and clap as she entered the main hall. When her name was said there were countless gasps echoing through the venue and the Empress, for the first time, had a chance to see what this party would look like.
There were hundreds of people all dressed in their best attire for a black tie event. The color and the entire thing were a testament to the alliance and each of its species. The elves had brought their intricate decorations that complemented basically everything in the area. Tiny curled and expertly made pieces of rocks and enchanted wood framing pretty much everything.
The dwarves had brought their metal work to create the candelabras, the lights, the tables and chairs. The beastmen were in charge of the fabrics. From tablecloths to napkins to the banners that were spread around the ballroom with intricate designs representing not just the individual species but also the various cities, families, and clans that gave their life for the cause.
While the children of the sky being the most well-versed in the use of light due to their constant flight made sure that the lighting was impeccable. Every single person, no matter where they were or what they were doing, would feel like they had professional light shining on them at all times.
Lastly, the Triton were the ones responsible for the food and harmonizing everything together. After all, they were in the hospitality business. It was only fitting that the people known for their high skill in making parties would be the ones responsible for making this one.
For many, many reasons, Hera was sure that this was going to be a party that no one was going to forget.
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Heck yeah blade outfits!
