Act 3: The Ball - Crisis

This is our chance. We should get in order and do what we were planning with the princess. She can't predict us right now. I'm going back to move the guests, and hopefully Florolf will like the idea.

If not...

"I'm going to see to the guests. Kaja." Konrad nods to the Bear and disappears back into the Shroud, and looks for Andrei.

Kaja is about to answer Mihai when Konrad disappears out of sight, drawing murmurs of amazement from the other warriors. Their leader blinks at the empty space the red mage left behind, then turns back her attention to Mihai.

"We're fine," she says. "A few wounded, but no casualties so far. They're being looked after in the east wing." She points at the section of the building where the kitchen and other amenities are located. "Looks like the rest of the guards have fled north. What do we do?"

The adventurers then hear the roof of the ballroom collapse.
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The moment Konrad enters the Shroud, he finds Andrei and Florolf right next to him, alone in the courtyard.

"Yes?" the man asks.

Konrad continues in a murmur. "Ah. We have a chance to take the princess alive. We need all hands 'on deck' for this. Florolf, I need you to evacuate the guests. Starting with the metal men around Felix, then Felix."

The carbuncle tilts his head at Konrad before he gives a quizzical look at Andrei.

"He means the one barking orders," Andrei says.

Florolf yaps in understanding and runs off towards the entrance of the palace, leaving Konrad alone with the Avatar.

"Anything else?" he asks.
____________

"She left a while ago," Kaja says. "She might not even be in the palace anymore."

"I presume you've handled the Shriekers. Can you hold them for much longer?"

Steve sighs in frustration at that and says, "Can't risk not trying. We'll give chase as soon as Konrad gets back."

Andrei thinks carefully about his answer before he says, "Until everyone who was in the ballroom is back on the other side of the Shroud—excluding the three of you."

He then gives Konrad a meaningful look.
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"There you go," Fluffle exclaims. "You're healed!"

Mihai feels much better than before, now that the pain is gone.

Konrad Shifts back. "There. I can guarantee the guests will be safe. Come on."

While Mihai speaks, Konrad has left to go to the doorway where the princess was last seen, and casts Scan there.

Scan 1 Maximized

Kaja nods and signals to her men to take position behind the adventurers so that no one can get the jump on them. Meanwhile, Konrad casts his spell on the last location where Caetronia was seen, and discovers that she and twelve ducal guards walked down the Marble Hall and went through the Regency Room. From examining the floor plans yesterday, he knows there's an exit there that leads into the outer courtyard, the one by the cliff side. From there, she could also have gotten around the building and headed for the street instead, avoiding the Myrzens who'd breached into the inner courtyard.

He shakes his head. "She headed to the Regency Room, and made her way to the street by the cliff."

He runs toward the exit to follow the princess toward the Center Room, but Mihai could probably beat him to it.

Steve will follow Konrad.

The group splits into two groups, with Konrad, Steve, Fluffle and the warriors exiting through the Regency room and following Caetronia's trail, while Mihai shifts to the Shroud and runs straight through the palace with the intention to cut her off at the street. When he arrives there, he sees Florolf shifting the guests back to the real world under the watchful eyes of the king, his bodyguards, and Andrei. No sign of the duchess' daughter however.

He can see that the others—Femke, Hortensia, Thirza—are all safe and sound. Then his sister appears.

"Mihai!" Amber runs up to her brother. "Shit, you okay? What's going on?"

____________

Konrad, Steve, Fluffle and the others continue to make their way through the garden, catching a glimpse of numerous ships burning in the bay.

Konrad feels a bit more worried at the sight of fire on the docks. Coming through the garden. Ships are burning in the bay!

"I-I think she already came through," Amber says. "Her and a bunch of soldiers. I had Sunny follow them though—they've crossed the western bridge."

She points in the direction they went.

The group that went through the outer courtyard finally reach the front entrance, but see no sign of Caetronia and her men were here. What they see however are plenty of guests being carried back to the real world by Lord Carbuncle himself, then herded to a nearby building by two royal guards.

Brutus Sharp is one of the people in question.

The adventurers continue westward, closely followed by the whole squad of Myrzen warriors. Apparently, Kaja at some point ordered for the ones that remained in the palace to regroup with her.
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Mihai arrives at the western bridge, but no Caetronia in sight. When he shifts back to the Shroud, he hears footsteps coming from behind him.

It's Amber.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

She stops in front of him to catch her breath.

"Jerk!" she says, in Lofellian this time.

Lofellian Engaged

A flash of terror crosses his mind as he thinks of his sister alone in the Shroud, but he holds it back.

"Sorry." - he instinctively reaches to support her - "Sunny still got them?"

"Yeah. They're going south now. Moving through the street."

Mihai then notices the rest of the group approaching the bridge. They're in the real world though.