Legacy of the Tarot (Laoyon)

That evening, they arrived at the Council Chairman's Mansion, a lavish estate adorned with golden lanterns, silk banners, and marble statues. At the center of it all, Arden, Leigh, and Dominic sat at the high table, surrounded by wealthy merchants, famous warriors, and high-ranking members of the Merchant Council.

The Merchant's Hall was alive with laughter, music, and the clinking of goblets. The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasted meats, spiced wines, and freshly baked bread, creating a warm contrast to the cool evening breeze that drifted through the open courtyard.

Beneath a grand chandelier of hanging lanterns, tables overflowed with food—succulent honey-glazed duck, grilled river fish, and platters of tropical fruits from distant lands. Barrels of fine ale and golden spiced wine lined the walls, while a group of lively musicians played an upbeat melody, keeping the atmosphere light and merry.

Chairman Aldric Voss, an older yet powerfully built man draped in blue and gold ceremonial robes, stood from his seat at the head of the table. He raised his goblet, his deep voice carrying through the hall.

"Tonight, we honor the warriors who have done what no army could! The ones who rid Veyne of its greatest terror! To Arden, Leigh, and Dominic—the Wyvern Slayers!"

A roar of applause erupted from the gathered guests. Mugs slammed against tables, wine was poured freely, and voices cheered in unison.

Arden leaned toward Leigh. "Wyvern Slayers, huh? I like the sound of that."

Leigh rolled her eyes but smirked. "Try not to let it get to your head."

Dominic chuckled, raising his glass. "Too late."

The moment the feast began, Arden went on the attack—not against enemies, but against the food. He grabbed a huge turkey leg, took a massive bite, and grinned.

"This is it, guys. This is why we fight."

Leigh gave him a flat look as she elegantly sipped her golden spiced wine. "We fight for peace and justice, Arden."

Arden waved a hand dismissively. "Sure, sure. But also, for feasts like this."

Dominic, ever the skeptic, prodded his grilled fish with a fork before glancing at Arden. "Do you even know what you're eating?"

Arden took another bite and shrugged. "Does it matter? If it tastes good, I'm eating it."

One of the merchant lords seated nearby laughed heartily, clapping Arden on the back. "That's the spirit, boy! A warrior must never waste a good meal!"

Leigh sighed. "You two are impossible."

A group of actors entered the hall, dressed in dramatic costumes, reenacting the battle against the Lone Cursed Wyvern.

Arden immediately perked up. "Ooooh, this I gotta see."

One actor, playing the role of Arden, exaggeratedly flexed his muscles before leaping onto a table. "FEAR NOT, CITIZENS OF VEYNE!" the actor boomed. "FOR I, ARDEN THE MIGHTY, SHALL SLAY THIS BEAST WITH A SINGLE PUNCH!"

The hall roared with laughter, and even Leigh couldn't help but smirk.

Arden, clearly enjoying himself, leaned toward Dominic. "I like this guy."

Dominic chuckled. "He's about as dramatic as you are."

Then, the actor playing Leigh entered, dressed in a flowing blue cloak, wielding a fake sword made of silver-painted wood.

Leigh narrowed her eyes. "If they make me look ridiculous, I swear—"

The fake Leigh turned to 'Arden' and dramatically sighed. "Oh, Arden! Your bravery and strength inspire me! I shall stand by your side forever!"

The crowd erupted in laughter, while Arden nearly choked on his drink. Dominic covered his mouth, shaking with silent laughter.

Leigh, face red, stabbed a fork into her plate. "I hate everything about this."

Arden patted her on the back, still wheezing. "Hey, at least they got the 'standing by my side' part right!"

As the night wore on, mugs of ale and wine flowed freely, and the city's strongest warriors began challenging each other to a sparring match. Amidst the laughter and cheers, a burly warrior stood up, pointing a thick finger at Arden.

"I don't buy it!" he bellowed. "No way a bunch of kids like you took down the Lone Cursed Wyvern. I challenge you, boy! A duel—right here, right now!"

The hall went silent for a moment before erupting in excitement. Arden blinked, then grinned. "Well, I can't say no to a good warm-up."

Leigh groaned. "Here we go again."

Dominic smirked. "This is going to be fun."

At the head of the table, Chairman Aldric Voss leaned forward slightly, watching the scene unfold with an amused yet analytical gaze. He swirled the wine in his goblet before taking a slow sip, as if already anticipating the chaos that was about to erupt. "This should be interesting," he murmured to himself, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Arden smirked. "I never back down from a challenge."

Leigh rubbed her temples. "Oh no."

Dominic leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Oh, this is going to be embarrassing."

The crowd surged forward, encircling the cleared space in the great hall, their excitement crackling in the air like an approaching storm. Mugs clanked, bets were exchanged, and voices rose in eager anticipation.

Arden rolled his shoulders, stepping into the makeshift arena with his usual easygoing swagger. Across from him, the burly warrior loomed like a walking mountain of muscle, his thick arms rippling as he cracked his knuckles.

The man's scarred fists tightened, his confidence unshaken despite the cheers in Arden's favor. "No weapons. No tricks. Just fists."

Arden smirked, lifting his hands into a relaxed but prepared stance. "Works for me."

The warrior's lips curled into a predatory grin. "Then let's see if the 'Wyvern Slayer' can fight like a real man."

Leigh exhaled sharply. "This idiot has no idea what he just got himself into."

Dominic, still sipping his drink, chuckled. "Of all the people."

The warrior lunged forward like a charging bull, his massive fists swinging toward Arden with bone-crushing force.

But in an instant—he hit nothing but air.

Arden shifted effortlessly, his feet gliding across the stone floor as he sidestepped with the fluidity of a ghost. His opponent's attack sailed past him, leaving the warrior's side completely exposed.

Before the challenger could recover, Arden's open palm struck out—fast, precise, devastating.

A single hit—right at the ribcage.

The impact reverberated through the warrior's entire body, forcing him to stumble back, his breath hitching as his body instinctively seized up. His face twisted in shock.

"What—?"

But Arden wasn't done.

He flowed forward, his movements smooth and controlled, a master at work. He struck again—two quick jabs to the arm, immediately numbing the warrior's dominant hand.

Then, in one decisive motion, Arden dropped low, sweeping his opponent's legs out from under him. The warrior's massive frame crashed down onto the stone floor, the impact echoing through the hall.

Before the man could even think about getting up, Arden pressed a foot against his chest, keeping him pinned without even breaking a sweat.

The entire room went silent.

The great warrior, the undefeated brawler of Veyne, lay flat on his back, completely overpowered—and Arden hadn't even broken a sweat.

For a brief moment, the only sound was the crackling of the nearby torches.

Then—the hall erupted into deafening cheers.

"Unbelievable!" someone shouted.

"Did you see that? He didn't even use a weapon!"

"Fastest fight I've ever seen!"

The once-doubting onlookers now roared in approval, chanting "Wyvern Slayer! Wyvern Slayer!" as they raised their mugs in celebration.

Dominic grinned, sipping his drink.

Leigh shook her head, half-exasperated, half-amused. "I swear, he's going to start thinking he's invincible at this rate."

Arden grinned, lifting his foot off the fallen warrior and extending a hand. "You still don't buy it?"

The warrior, still in shock, blinked up at him before letting out a booming laugh.

"Hah! You fight like a damn shadow!" He grasped Arden's hand, letting himself be pulled to his feet. "No wonder you took down that wyvern. Damn impressive, boy!"

The cheers continued, and before long, another round of drinks was pushed into their hands.

Chairman Aldric Voss, who had been watching intently the entire time, leaned back with an approving nod.

"Now that was a fight worth witnessing." He lifted his goblet, signaling a toast. "To the Wyvern Slayers! To new legends in Veyne!"

As the cheers subsided, Chairman Aldric Voss gestured to one of his attendants, who stepped forward carrying a heavy chest. The Chairman's voice carried through the hall. "For ridding our city of the Lone Cursed Wyvern, you have done what no army could. As a token of Veyne's gratitude, I present you with a reward of 300,000 gold coins."

Gasps echoed through the hall, followed by another round of applause. Arden whistled, Dominic raised an eyebrow, and Leigh, ever composed, nodded in appreciation.

"You're too generous, Chairman," Leigh said respectfully.

Aldric chuckled. "Hardly. Your efforts are worth far more."

The entire hall echoed his words, and as Arden, Leigh, and Dominic raised their drinks, they knew this night would be one to remember.

As the feast in Veyne continued, with music, laughter, and the scent of roasted meat filling the air, Chairman Aldric Voss leaned back in his chair, watching Arden, Leigh, and Dominic with quiet admiration.

He raised his goblet, swirling the golden wine within before speaking. "You three are unlike anyone we've seen in Veyne before." His gaze flickered toward the Wyvern Blade resting beside Arden. "You've done this city a great service, and I believe you could do so much more."

The crowd hushed slightly, sensing the weight of his words.

He set his goblet down, folding his hands in front of him. "I want to extend an invitation—to make Veyne your home."

A few merchants and warriors in the hall nodded in agreement, murmuring amongst themselves.

"They would be a great asset to the city." "With them, Veyne's power would grow." "The Wyvern Slayers, protectors of Veyne!"

Aldric continued, "You would be given land, wealth, and influence. You'd never have to worry about resources again. You could train here, live comfortably, and rise as leaders of this city."

There was a brief silence.

Then, Arden leaned back, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's a tempting offer, but…" He exchanged a look with Leigh and Dominic, his eyes filled with something far greater than luxury—a thirst for adventure, for growth, for something beyond the walls of a single city.

Leigh nodded, speaking calmly. "We appreciate the offer, Chairman, but our path leads beyond Veyne."

Dominic smirked, swirling his own drink. "We have our own goal—to grow stronger. And for that, we need to fight the strongest monsters Laoyon has to offer."

Aldric studied them for a long moment before exhaling slowly, his expression shifting from authority to understanding. "I see."

Arden grinned. "What we really need is a map—one that shows us everything Laoyon has to offer."

Aldric's lips curled into a knowing smile. "You want the world map."

Leigh nodded. "Yes. We need to explore."

For a moment, the Chairman said nothing. Then, with a small gesture, he beckoned to one of his attendants. The man rushed forward, carrying a large rolled-up parchment.

Aldric took it, placing it on the table before them. "This is a copy of Laoyon's World Map—charted over the centuries by explorers, merchants, and scholars."

Arden's eyes lit up as he reached forward, fingers tracing the edges of the scroll before carefully unrolling it.

Before them lay the vast, unexplored lands of Laoyon.

As Arden, Leigh, and Dominic took in the details of the map, Aldric's tone grew more serious.

"If you truly wish to explore Laoyon, then perhaps I can ask one thing of you before you go."

Leigh raised an eyebrow. "A mission?"

Aldric nodded. "Yes. You see, while the Wyvern's death has freed our skies, it has also upset the balance of power in ways we did not expect. There are… forces moving in the shadows of this city. Factions rising to take advantage of the void left behind."

Dominic sighed, setting down his drink. "Let me guess—things got complicated?"

Aldric smirked slightly. "They always do."

He leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Veyne has always been a city of trade, of diplomacy, of power. But there are whispers—of movements in the western forests, of strange dealings in the swamps, of something stirring in the old ruins beyond the trade routes. I do not ask you to become Veyne's champions. But if you come across anything unnatural, anything that threatens not just this city but Laoyon itself… I ask that you intervene."

Leigh exchanged a glance with Arden and Dominic before nodding. "We'll see what we can do."

Aldric leaned back, smiling. "Then consider this map a gift, not just of navigation, but of trust."

Arden grinned, rolling up the map. "Sounds like we've got work to do."

Dominic took a long sip of his drink, then exhaled. "I was hoping for a longer break. Guess not."

Leigh chuckled, looking at the map once more. "The real journey starts now."

Aldric lifted his goblet. "Then to your journey—may the path ahead be filled with victories."

The hall erupted into cheers once more, but this time, the trio knew—their true adventure had only just begun.