“Malzy?” Terrowin asked. “Is that really you?”

“And here, I thought that the true me was long dead,” I muttered grimly. Heat roared inside me. I was ALIVE! Everything felt just right, like coming home to a warm bed after a long day travelling.

I rolled away from Raina, pushing myself to my feet with a practiced motion. The memories I had of this body were minimal, but I didn’t need them. My muscles knew how I wanted them to react.

“Now, I’m assuming you all can actually understand me, this time, so listen closely,” I called. The words were…somehow strange to my own ear. Though I understood them as Senelari, they felt foreign in my throat, accented in a way I couldn’t recognize. It was like my throat wasn’t right for making the sounds, and a strange hissing in the back of my throat kept slipping into my Rs and Ss. “Terrowin, please move Raina away. The ambient mana is corruptive.” Then I paused, rethinking my instruction. Finally, I shook my head. “Cithrael, go with him, else he’ll never make it.”

“Hey!” Terrowin protested. “I can make it on my own!”

I raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be able to find your dinner if it was sitting in front of your nose. Now, go.”

He almost protested further, but Cithrael, the most perfect and obedient of servants put a hand on his arm. The elf muttered something, but I couldn’t hear it. That was…slightly sad. My ears weren’t as sensitive in this form, but that was to be expected. I wasn’t a beast anymore.

“And what about you, Malzy?” Lord Erik called as the two adventurers began to carry Raina away. “You’re clearly no lesser demon, as I expected you to be.”

“Smart cookie,” I answered. “At least you’re not dishonorable and stupid. I’d be disappointed if you were.” Mana surged around me as I began to pull from Raina’s corrupted pool once more. It swirled in a haze of orange and red as it turned from the infernal heat of the ambient mana to the flames of my untamed demonic spirit.

“Dishonorable?” he asked, raising his eyebrows in mild surprise.

“Yes.” I pointed at him. My nails were long, sharp, and black as coals, similar to how Raina’s were turning with the corruption, only mine weren’t the result of corruption. They were hard as diamonds, ready to claw at my enemies. “Don’t mess with me, Lord Erik. The cat’s out of the bag, and I’m going to rip you to pieces.”

“At what, level fifteen? Sixteen?” He laughed. “Malzy, Lizzie tells me you’re an inspector, so you should know just how terrible an idea that is for you.”

“Normally, I’d agree.” I smiled at him, revealing my sharp teeth. “But, I’m feeling much better, now.” It was…an educated guess. Why else had Amsiii given me this form at this time if not to give me what I needed to defeat Lord Erik?

Lord Erik nodded simply. “I’m not sure what crimes you think I’ve committed, but I would be a fool not to listen to a familiar where corruption is involved.”

Yeah right. He didn’t know. Like I’m supposed to believe that. Did he take me for a fool? I saw the note! I read the plans! They were waiting until Raina returned, then as soon as Erik saw us in the temple, he chose to strike! Coincidence? I think not.

I flicked my wrist and mana surged out from me. It snatched my dagger, making it glow with a brighter orange glow than ever before. I sent it sailing at Lord Erik’s exposed side. He staggered back, barely avoiding being gutted. He narrowed his eyes, finally realizing that I meant business. He drew his shield and sword.

“Lizzie, I think the square should be evacuated,” he said.

“What? Don’t want your precious civilians to see you beaten?” I mocked.

“Once I’m finished knocking you down, I hope we’ll have a chance to sit and talk this out,” Erik answered with an irritating smile. “You seem like a good lad. Your heart’s in the right place, even if your tongue is flapping without thought.”

I growled. Firestorm answered my call, burning into a blistering tornado of orange that was far more powerful than any I’d created before. Erik whispered a prayer and the same divine light that Aelisra used wrapped around him. He stepped into the firestorm, unaffected by the flames.

He twirled his sword as he braved the heat. I darted forward, letting the memory buried deep in my limbs take over. Flames wrapped around my claws, emblazoning flaming embers into the skin of my hands and arms. I lunged at Erik’s chest, only to be blocked by his shield.

Erik’s sword flashed and I twisted myself to the side. His sword came down on empty air instead of slicing me neck to naval. I laughed and summoned more fire to the battlefield. Three motes sailed towards his head while another two streaked towards his body. He raised his shield once more, blocking several. However, one still managed to singe the hair of his head, and another slammed into the metal of his blade. Erik winced as the metal warmed in his hand, but he wasn’t about to back down over something so small.

My dagger whipped around, trying to exploit any sudden points of weakness. Erik was fast, though. Every time I saw an opening and sent my dagger, he closed it before I could bury the blade into him.

“You’ve impressed me, Malzy,” he called. “And ask Lizzie, I’m not easily impressed.”

“Am I supposed to care?”

I sent my dagger spinning towards his feet. He dodged back, but I was ready to strike. I leapt forward, flaming claws extended. The paladin raised his shield, but that was exactly what I wanted. My dagger turned and slammed into the shoulder of his sword arm. In his surprise, Erik’s shield dropped ever so slightly, and I capitalized again. My fiery claws raked across his other arm, leaving cauterized trails and shredding the finery of his clothes.

Stolen novel; please report.

The mana inside me was burning hot, but it was slowly becoming more and more my own heat and less the vile mana from Raina. I prayed that Cithrael and Terrowin had taken her far enough from the market that the corruptive mana was less potent. It was either that, or she’d moved too far from me to easily access her portion of our mana pool.

Warning: Physical Catalogue will soon end.

I frowned. Did that mean Amsiii couldn’t keep me in this form indefinitely? But…I didn’t want to go back to being a cat! I didn’t want to be dependent on Raina for everything!

Unfortunately, Erik took advantage of my distraction at the hands of Amsiii. He lunged with his sword, but his aim was off. Though he managed to clip my side, if he’d really wanted me dead, he was a little too far to my left for any sort of meaningful death blow.

“Keep your head in the fight, Malzy,” he scolded. “I’d hate to think you weren’t taking this seriously.”

“I take everything seriously!” I growled back. “Especially filthy noble assassins!”

Now it was his turn to be confused, but he didn’t let it affect his stance. He held his shield like a wall of metal between us, but that didn’t deter me. I was quick and nimble. I darted around the shield, staying closer to his sword.

Erik fell for the trap, lunging with the blade. I stepped to the side ever so slightly and grabbed the blade. The sharp edge bit into my hand, but I ignored the pain and blood, instead activating Heat.

In an instant, the blade glowed red with heat and Erik cried out, releasing the blade. He yanked his glove off and tossed the half-melted garment to the side. Divine light wrapped around his hand as he desperately tried to soothe the burns that reddened his hand before they became too serious.

I tossed the sword aside, letting it clang against the cobblestones. He had healing magic…of course he did, it was all part of his convoluted plan! Attack Raina, then heal her to throw suspicion off of him, all the while knowing full well that the corruption from the attack would finish her off.

He was undeserving of such magic…

“Some paladin of Valencia you are,” I sneered. “You hire another to take out a mere adventurer half your level, then you can’t even take out the demon who leaps to her aid? I wonder what the Goddess of Heroes would think if she saw you wearing her crest?”

“There’s that flapping tongue again,” he growled. “You speak of things you know nothing about! I did not try to kill your witch, Malzy!”

“You lie! I’ve seen the evidence!” I shouted.

He shook his head. “Did you maybe consider that someone might be trying to frame me? What reason do I have to kill Raina?”

“I’m all ears, if you want to answer your own question.”

“Is she safe, at least?” he asked softly. The light around his hand faded and he stood up straight.

“What?” Why did he care? Was he just trying to confuse me? It wouldn’t work.

“You heard me just fine. Is she safe, now?”

“No thanks to you, yes,” I answered.

Erik paused, considering his options. I waited patiently. We were at a stalemate. He was quick with that shield. Even with my dagger and my claws, I struggled to land the blows I had. And, on the other hand, he couldn’t attack me without first retrieving his sword, an act which would expose himself to an additional strike.

My dagger twirled behind him, ready to strike as soon as he made a move. My claws burned with fire and heat. He adjusted the grip on his shield and closed his eyes.

What a picture we made? A hero struggling to slay a mighty demon. Flames whipped around us, scorching the cobblestones as it blew back the tattered black coat Amsiii had provided.

The difference was that the demon was the good guy in this narrative. The vaunted paladin of Valencia was the villain.

“As long as she’s safe, and there’s nothing more to be done,” breathed Erik. Then he opened his eyes. They shone with golden light as the shell of divine energy around him grew brighter in response to his determination.

He lunged forward but didn’t rush to his sword. Instead, he was rushing towards me. I hurled my dagger at him, and it sank into his left leg. He grunted but did not stop.

Golden light burst into life around his sword hand as he clenched it into a fist. He drew it back.

Was he…was he going to punch me?! Having deprived him of a civilized weapon, was the so-called paladin going to resort to using his fists?!

“I swear by Valencia’s name,” he began. “Should I lie, let her strike me down here and strip me of my oath. I did not try to kill Raina.”

The paladin punched me squarely in the chest, the full force of his divine smite arcing into my body and burning my insides in a way that was distinctly worse than the heat of my flames. I staggered back, gasping as the radiance ripped through me.

Before I knew it, I was on my knees. The radiant smite of a just paladin was nothing to scoff at. As it passed, I tried to struggle to my feet, but I lacked the strength. I fell back, barely catching myself with a hand before I could fall completely on my back. Instead, I just sat there.

My mind and body were both reeling. He’d sworn before his own goddess that he was not trying to kill Raina. Though the gods were not active on Atria, the fact that they had champions at all meant they could bestow and take power at will.

Everything I knew about Valencia said that she would not support the treachery and deceit that would drive Erik to hire an assassin. Was he…was he innocent after all?

The evidence had shown that Kiren, at least, was in on the plot. Had I assumed falsely that Lord Erik kept a close enough eye on his son to know if he was in touch with assassins? Was his only failing being a poor enough parent to keep his son from fraternizing with the wrong people?

A hand came to rest on my shoulder. Erik looked down at me and smiled.

“Was that enough to convince you?” he asked softly. I looked down and nodded.

“Sorry,” I muttered. I wasn’t sure if it was loud enough for him to even hear me, but I also didn’t care. Shame burned deeper inside me than my own magic did. I dismissed my active spells, letting the firestorm dissipate and calling my dagger to rest in my lap.

“Now, why don’t you tell me why you were so convinced I did it?” he asked. I looked up into his eyes. Maybe he really was the kind-hearted noble I’d followed around all afternoon. The people seemed to trust him. Searching those blue eyes, I couldn’t find any hint of malice. He seemed to just want to help.

“I found evidence that someone was going to attack Raina,” I said. “I thought you hired them because I found it in-”

Warning: Physical Catalogue will end soon.

“Wait, not yet,” I begged. “Amsiii, please don’t.”

“Are you alright, Malzy?” Erik said.

Reshaping…

A sharp pain lanced through my body as orange and blue mana danced in tiny fires across my skin. I felt myself being rearranged.

“No! Please! Amsiii!” I shouted. “I don’t want to go back! I don’t want to be silenced!”

But, it was too late. A bright flash of light consumed my vision and suddenly, I found myself sprawled on the ground, paws stretched before me.

I wanted to scream, to howl out my frustration. I hadn’t even gotten to tell Erik where I found the evidence! This stupid form was too limited! Why give me back my old body just to stuff me back into this one again!

Shakily, I rose to my paws, head drooped and tail laying partly on the cobblestones. There was nothing to be done about it. I was a cat again.

Erik reached out and lifted me. “It’s alright, Malzy,” he said. “I may not be able to understand your words, but you have my word that I’ll do my best to correct that.”

As he began to walk away, I forced myself to purr. It was hard. I felt incredibly stupid for the assumptions I’d made about Erik. My Favor, little as it was, was the closest I had to an apology. I only hoped Erik might accept it as we slowly walked away.