The courtyard buzzes with life, lit by thousands of hovering fae lights. Long wooden tables groan under platters of roasted meats, enchanted fruits, spicy root stew, glowing breads, and wines that shimmer like molten gold. The survivors of Day One eat with trembling hands, eyes wide, bodies bruised and bloody but alive.
The laughter is soft at first, then rolls louder. Some sob quietly into their cups. Others toast with wild abandon. Music begins to rise from the edges, a haunting melody played on enchanted strings.
Then the firelight dims.
The crowd falls silent.
Rhiannan steps forward, barefoot on the stone path now lit with soft golden sigils. Her brown eyes shimmer with sorrow and starlight. Her men flank her silently, each radiating solemn strength. Mo sits on her shoulder, for once not cracking jokes.
She raises her hand, and from it explodes a wave of ethereal light.
It spirals up into the sky and bursts into soft, floating motes of magic. Dozens of shimmering names appear in glowing script over the courtyard, drifting like stardust:
🕯️ Jerek of Windhollow
🕯️ Lira the Thornwitch
🕯️ Thornak Ironjaw
🕯️ Alyra Venque
🕯️ ...and so many unnamed but not forgotten...
With a whisper of ancient fae tongue, Rhiannan kneels and places her palm to the earth.
The stones crack and bloom beneath her, revealing a sacred spiral carved into the ground. The magic lifts the names into the air and plants them in the center of the spiral, which glows with eternal flame.
"Your names will never fade," she says, her voice magnified by Sasha and magic alike. "You died with purpose. You walk the other realm now, but your strength remains here. This land honors you. I honor you."
A wave of emotion hits the crowd, many drop to their knees. Even the roughest rebels sob openly.
Rhiannan rises.
She turns to face the survivors, wine in one hand, fire in the other.
"You made it through one day in that gods forsaken maze. And I'm proud of every last bloody one of you."
"But let's get one thing clear, this was the warm up."
She lets that sink in.
"There will be two more challenges within that cursed labyrinth. Two more days to prove you deserve a place in the final trials."
"And when the maze spits out what's left of you, you won't be safe. You'll be judged. Tested. Broken. Rebuilt. The trials will make you or destroy you. There is no middle ground."
The courtyard is dead silent now.
"So tonight… eat, drink, fuck, and be merry while you can. Tomorrow, the gods might not be so kind."
She lifts her cup high.
"To the fallen. To the fighters. To the flame in your veins."
The crowd erupts in cheers, howls, and chants of "Goddess! Goddess!" echoing into the night.
The camera pans over Faenet, thousands watching in reverent silence or screaming in hype from their homes and taverns.
✨ Faenet Live Feed: Trending
#BlessedByTheGoddess
#EatDrinkFuckBeMerry
#RhiannanTheReckoning
#SpiralOfTheFallen
#MazeBloodSurvivors
#MoApproved
🎤 "MAZE SURVIVOR SHIT TALKING HOUR with MO" – Faenet Livestream
Visual: Magical rune cam feed opens with a wobbly close up of Mo's furry face. He's standing on a charred soup cauldron holding a half gnawed chicken leg like a microphone. A tiny pair of enchanted sunglasses sits on his monkey snout. Behind him, survivors feast at long tables, battered and bruised, nursing drinks and licking wounds.
Mo (yelling):
"WELCOME BACK YOU BLOODY LEGENDS, to another spicy ass episode of 'Who Didn't Die Today' with your host, me, Mo. I didn't hallucinate any weird ass mushrooms, I didn't almost get eaten by a hydra, and my pants? Still on. Can you say the same? LET'S FIND OUT."
🧝♀️ Contestant: Velindra, Elven sword dancer
Mo shoves the bone in her face.
Mo: "You made it out of the mushroom gas trap and stabbed a vine beast in the titty. Tell Faenet how that felt."
Velindra (grinning): "It was orgasmic. I named the vine...'Regret.'"
Mo: "Ten points for drama. Minus five for not sharing the loot. NEXT."
🧔🏽 Contestant: Barrik Stonevein (yes, our explosive dwarf general)
Mo: "Barrik! You old bastard. How's your beard after that fire trap?"
Barrik (deadpan): "Singed. Like my last marriage."
Mo: "Yikes. On a scale from 1 to 'OH SHIT,' how loud did you scream?"
Barrik: "I don't scream. I detonate."
Mo: "Hot."
🧝♂️ Contestant: Nico (twin rogue)
Mo: "Nico! Tell the people the real secret to surviving the Maze."
Nico (winks): "Teleport fast, flirt faster, and don't trust anything with more than two eyes."
Mo: "So basically, don't date fae. Noted."
🧙🏽♀️ Random Survivor Mage
Mo: "You looked half dead dragging yourself out. How many limbs did you lose?"
Mage (wheezing): "Only two emotionally."
Mo: "Same. Trauma twins. Welcome to the fam."
🧛 Contestant: Random vampire bro with a bloody collar
Mo: "You're covered in blood. Yours or someone else's?"
Vampire Bro (smirking): "Yes."
Mo: "You're sexy, I hate it."
Mo adjusts his bone mic dramatically.
Mo (with a wink):
"That's all for tonight's episode of Maze Madness After Dark. I'm your host, Mo the monkey messiah. Don't forget to drink water, stretch your stabbing arms, and pray to the goddess you ain't on tomorrow's death scroll."
He salutes the camera with his chicken bone.
Mo (yelling offscreen):
"HEY! WHO TOOK MY JELLY TART?!"
🌐 Faenet Comments (scrolling rapidly)
💬"MO FOR PRESIDENT"
💬"I'd die just to be interviewed by that monkey omg 😭"
💬"Mo is the real main character"
💬"NOT THE VINE TITTY STAB 💀💀💀"
💬"#MazeMadnessAfterDark needs to trend rn"
The halls of the dragon castle, usually alive with laughter and songs, thrummed instead with dark, simmering tension. Rhiannan stood in the war chamber, surrounded by her five, Zaiya, Barrik, Kazra, the twins, and the icy gaze of Mother Tazzhra.
The sabotage had almost gotten people killed. And worse...had nearly cost Rhiannan the trust of her people.
Not. Fucking. Happening.
Sasha's hologram flickered midair, displaying evidence, tampered maps, reversed magical runes, and altered field spells inside the hedge maze. The rebellion's investigation had been swift and merciless.
Three faces flashed into view.
Three traitors.
They were dragged into the courtyard by Elisha's elite dragon guards, bound, gagged, magic seals locked around their necks. The courtyard brimmed with rebels and castle folk alike, Faenet runecams hovering like fireflies, broadcasting live.
Rhiannan stood tall, her auburn hair whipping in the breeze, gold and cream robes lined in rebel sigils and ancient glyphs.
Her voice rang out, raw with pain but steel edged.
"These three sold information to the dying royal line. They risked YOUR lives. For coin. Or fear. Or worse. I would rather die a thousand deaths than let this rot fester in my house."
She paused, swallowing hard, eyes burning.
"But I promised you truth. I promised you protection. And I will not break that vow."
Sable stepped forward, shirtless, his massive demon form barely restrained beneath his skin. His red rimmed black eyes flared like hellfire. He didn't need orders. He just needed Rhiannan's nod.
She gave it, tearful but resolute.
One by one, Sable made it clean. Fast. Final. There would be no debate.
Justice was swift.
As the bodies burned in magical flame, Rhiannan turned back to the people watching across Faenet. Her voice boomed through Sasha's amplification.
"To those who would lie, betray, or sabotage this rebellion...you will be found. And when we do? We will not blink. We will not flinch.
We are building a new world.
And there is no fucking room for cowards in it."
The crowd was silent for a long moment… and then a massive cry rose like thunder.
"FOR THE GODDESS!"
"FOR THE SIX!"
"FOR THE FALLEN!"
Rhiannan and her mates barely made it back to their massive chamber.
Her hands trembled. Her soul ached. But she stood tall until the door shut behind them, and then she collapsed into Kaleb's arms.
They carried her gently to the bath, deep, steaming, lined with enchanted stones and floating candles. One by one, they undressed each other, not with lust, but quiet reverence.
Bruised shoulders. Tired muscles. Eyes too full of unspoken emotion.
Rhiannan was lowered into the water first, and the others followed, curling around her like a living shield. They washed her hair, pressed kisses to her damp skin, whispered promises against her shoulders.
"You did what had to be done," murmured Liam, voice thick.
"We've got you," Kaleb breathed.
"They won't touch you again," Arwen vowed.
And then the warmth and exhaustion hit like a tsunami.
They dried off only halfway before stumbling naked into bed, a tangled pile of muscle, magic, and love. Rhiannan was cocooned in arms, tails, wings, and whispered "I love yous." No sex. No need.
Only soul deep sleep.