The carole continued without pause. Enyalius stepped into the dance like he had done it a hundred times. Which he probably had.

"You're treading dangerous waters," Enyalius threatened. "Why are you so obsessively persistent?"

"I heard there was going to be trouble," Vatra replied coolly. She turned her head slightly, already eye-to-eye with the god, though she felt much taller than him. "I was compelled to intervene."

Enyalius scoffed. "I wouldn't cause problems with people I enjoy the company of. You heard wrong."

"My sources are never wrong," Vatra said.

"Ah," Enyalius started, "you're the one that's been following around restless gods. Since I've been staying quiet, you've become bored, have you? Taking up the sword and killing other gods... I can't say I'm surprised it's you. My father was always secretly impressed with you after you nearly cut him down. I'm a bit more difficult to impress, especially weighing in our other encounters since that day on the beach."

Vatra's neck nearly snapped as she turned her head fully to him. Her left arm braced against the grip of the other dancer, stretching to the point before she'd have to let him go. "I give them a choice to get back in line. The more trouble they stir up, the more problems they're going to cause. They remind me of you. All of them are arrogant and naive to think there's no consequences. One day you're all going to cause a problem too big to fix." Her voice was a harsh whisper.

"I assume your friend is here somewhere? The two of you dealing out justice... that's a pair I wouldn't want to get in the way of." Enyalius looked around outside of the circle before allowing his attention back on Vatra's face.

She was not amused. "You talk so loud I'm surprised you haven't gotten yourself into trouble."

Shrugging, Enyalius had his hands freed and clapped along with everyone else. "I know who can understand me here. I'm surprised you don't use your free time for something more and learn another language. French is quite romantic." He grabbed Vatra's hand as the dancers started moving left to right once more.

"I know the languages I know, we'll leave it at that," Vatra said. 

"You're so uptight." Enyalius laughed. "Just try to kill me already and stop playing around."

Doubt crept over Vatra. He was being too carefree.

What could he possibly be up to? Was my source wrong?

She had been so involved in her thoughts, Vatra hadn't noticed the dancers broke the carole. Her left hand dropped free, but Enyalius still had his cold fingers laced with hers.

They stood amongst the chattering crowd like strangers as someone to the far side made an announcement.

"What's he saying?" Vatra leaned to Enyalius, still holding her doubts about him. She saw her hand in his and yanked her fingers free. "You should wear gloves or something."

"They're having the candles and torches removed," Enyalius replied.

"Why would they do that?"

Shaking his head, Enyalius slapped a hand to Vatra's shoulder. "A performance. If you're so worried about me causing problems, I encourage you to join me at the wall. Your odd friend can join us, too."

Vatra followed Enyalius with hesitation. She caught the eye of Spyro and motioned for him to join them. An equal uncertainty crossed his features momentarily, but he hastened in step and met them at the wall.

The three of them stood near a woman Vatra hadn't met before, though it was clear Enyalius knew her. They exchanged a hushed and brief conversation before the room started to darken.

"My companion agrees that you've gone mad for thinking I'm here to cause trouble," Enyalius said quietly.

Leaning to look at the woman, Vatra darted her eyes between Enyalius and his friend. "Does she? A quiet mouse should learn to keep her thoughts unspoken."

"She doesn't speak our language." Enyalius folded his arms. "I'm teaching her, but it's difficult for her."

"Oh, gross. Keeping such prizes around is beneath even you." Vatra rolled her eyes.

Enyalius cleared his throat. "It's not like that. Revna isn't-"

Their conversation was cut when six figures shambled into the room. Music started playing from somewhere in the darkened corners of the room, upbeat and comically timed to the obvious theatrics of the performance. The figures were dressed in costumes resembling hair that covered them from head to toe. They were shouting and speaking to the royal court still in their seats. Booming laughs signaled the dance was of a humorous intent.

"Are they supposed to be-" Vatra started.

"They're pretending to be wild men," Enyalius finished her thought. "This isn't good."

The heavy scent of pitch was prominent as the dancers waved about, mocking the very creatures they were pretending to be. It was obvious why all the fire was removed from the room. Only the remnants of the sun filtering in through the windows allowed the scene to be visible.

Vatra watched with distaste as the mockery unfolded. As she looked around at the other spectators, she realized the four of them were the only ones not cracking a smile.

Minutes had dragged by, and poor attempts were made by the spectators to guess who each dancer was. Vatra grumbled and thought of leaving, considering her source had been untrue in the end. As she was about to pass her thoughts to Spyro, the door to the room opened. The fiery light from a torch was the first thing Vatra noticed.

A drunken Louis, the Duke of Orléans, hobbled into the room. His boisterous voice interlaced with uncontrollable laughter drew many people's attention. The large entourage following behind him appeared equally intoxicated.

"Someone has to stop him," Vatra hissed. She looked around wildly, surprised that no one rushed to grab the torch from his unsteady hands. He was waving the fire around like a child.

Taking a step, Vatra watched the chaos unfold in front of her without any chance of stopping it. One of the men behind the Duke purposefully tripped him just as one of the dancers crossed their path. The torch flew, igniting the costume in an instant.

Fire erupted, roaring flames that drowned the man's screams. In his panic, he spread the fire to the others. The cries were overpowering. Everyone in the room joined in on the shouting, running from the men covered in fire.

Chairs were sent clattering across the ground. Tables were overturned as the dancers tried to put out their costumes. Vatra couldn't tear her eyes from the sight, even as she felt the heat of one of the dancers tumbling past her.

"Your source was right," Enyalius said.

His voice drew Vatra's attention back from the mayhem. She collected her thoughts and darted across the room, carefully avoiding the obstacles blocking her path.

The hall outside was uneasily empty. Guards had left their post and brushed past her, ignoring her as if she were a piece of decor. Their heavy steps turned and muddled with the screams.

Three of the men from the Duke's entourage had left soon after the fires started. The one that had tripped him was among them, and Vatra was determined to find out who they were.

She gathered her skirts and ran down the hall, catching the soft steps of a few others not far behind. A small glance back confirmed Spyro, Enyalius and his friend were following her. There was comfort that she wasn't running into danger completely alone. Even if she only trusted one of them.

Vatra grew annoyed with the weight of her skirts and wished she could have ripped them off. Angrily she huffed around another corner. She stopped when the three figures she'd been pursuing appeared at the other end of the hall.

They turned back to face her just as she shuffled to a halt.

In the center stood a Roman god she'd only met once before. A god that hadn't struck her as one to lash out of spite. Though, his appearance was different. The once wild hair on his face and head had been tamed. A closely shaven beard and tailored clothes reflected assimilation. Or, an act.

Gods are always playing games, Vatra thought to herself with a sudden urge to hit something. As if on cue, Enyalius approached her from behind. He stopped just short of her right shoulder.

"Silvanus!" Enyalius called the god's name as if greeting an old friend. "You can't leave without saying 'hello' to some friends, you old bastard."

"I've got this," Vatra said in a harsh tone.

"Clearly," Enyalius muttered back.

The god and his two companions approached slowly. All of them held a look that sent shivers up and down Vatra's spine. It was like they were void of any warmth. A darkness had driven the light from Silvanus' green eyes.

"I wouldn't," Silvanus retorted. His voice was deeply baritone and coarse, like the bark of a tree.

How fitting he's a god of the woods, Vatra thought.

"I take it that means we're not all friends anymore?" Vatra pressed. She couldn't help but recoil as Silvanus flickered his gaze to meet hers. A shudder made her clamp her jaw shut.

"You watched without doing anything. I heard about this... production. A mockery to myself and the wild men," Silvanus paused and looked to his companions, "I couldn't stand by and let it continue."

"It was just one party," Enyalius said.

"But it wasn't just one!" Silvanus shouted.

It was lucky for them that everyone was too busy with the events of the party to hear anything.

Vatra steadied Spyro's visibly growing concern with a soft hand on his shoulder. "You can't continue making your point like this. One day the humans will retaliate. They'll figure out we exist, and what gods like you have been doing," she said.

"You're not even a god," Silvanus spat. "Learn your place below us."

It was clear he wasn't going to change his mind. Silvanus was going to continue on his path of destruction, growing bolder with each retaliation. His words only nailed his coffin tighter.

No god ever expected Vatra's capabilities. They always looked down on her. Like Ares had done. Like Enyo. As Enyalius did before Vatra was ever even a phoenix. And as did all the gods she had to kill to stop from continuing their torment and self-sabotage of all those like them.

Vatra had kept her skirts tucked in her clenched fists. But as her decision reached its point of execution, Vatra carefully pulled free one of her two knives concealed at her thigh.

The godkiller had become a nuisance as a sword. It was difficult to hide and more suspicious than a simple knife. She'd had it melded down for her into two knives, still forged in the fires stoked by Hephaestus himself so as to retain their potency. It had become all too easy for her to break through a god's superior self-image once she had two, little knives as her weapons.

Pointing the tip of the blade at Silvanus, Vatra bent her arm to the left before quickly slicing out in a wide arc to the right. Blood sprayed out over the four of them. It coated them like a warm rain.

"Ugh," Enyalius groaned. "I liked this tunic." He looked at his quiet friend with a childish grin. The woman didn't appear to find the blood as humorous, and drew the back of her hand across her mouth.

Silvanus dropped at their feet, followed by the piles of clothing that once adorned his two companions. They had been mirages, after all, conjured by the god to trick them. He'd been alone in the end. A god lost to his arrogance usually found themselves that way, Vatra had learned.

"A necessary choice," Spyro said. "Now we should leave before his body is found. France may not be a good place to return to for many years."

Vatra nodded sharply in agreement.

"I'm just glad that's not me, though I'm not really sure why," Enyalius said, gesturing to Silvanus as he spoke.

"I'm sure we'll have another opportunity. I'll be keeping an eye out for that chance." Vatra tucked her knife away before turning and running down the hall with Spyro close at her side.

Death would not find her in the halls of the Hôtel Saint-Pol. Enough of it had happened already.

A/N: I hope you guys appreciate these little flashbacks! I think they sprinkle in some history and info while also keeping the story interesting. It's like time travel lol. Let me know what you think! This is based on the events of what happened at the Bal des Ardents, obviously with some flare. What a truly horrible thing to have happened at a party!

Also, I know the music theme has been 70s/80s, but the song above was soooo fitting to the end I had to add it! I pictured this playing as the background music during that scene haha