Galen Vesa

“It is done! The masterpiece of my life is complete! Now I can sail beyond the green shores with no regrets!”

Garla proclaimed, striking a dramatic pose then collapsed onto the couch as if all the efforts put into my dress were hers and hers only. Well, she did direct everyone but in fact, maids did all the work.

The maids and that woman. A makeup artist hired by the guild. Arlene-something. My memory for names did not improve. I wonder if there is a blessing for that. I wouldn’t mind improving my memory. That and, I’d really, really want a caption on whether that memory was mine or not. I don’t care if it wasn’t real. Just to know what is mine, would be a huge boost to my sanity.

“Whell, what do you think? Say it already! Don’t keep us waiting!”

Garla beamed at me. Her eyes gleaming with anticipation of approaching compliments. Eh, such grand expectations to meet. Poor be this dolt.

What do I think? Hmm? Not sure if I had any thoughts about what they did. I just stood still for the past six hours and let them do whatever they were doing. Or redoing. During those six hours, we went through a lot of redoing. Three times they forced me to go take another bath and scrub away everything so they could start again. Whatever for. Although now that I look at it, how should I put it?

“It looks good.”

Not the finest choice of words on my part but, well, it’s a dress. What am I supposed to say about a dress? Never owned one in my life.

“It looks good... Gods, I cannot believe it!”

The ferru woman groaned full of pretended irritation then push herself off the couch and came to me.

“It is anything but good! Perfect! Spectacular! Mind blowing! Outrageous even! “

She punctuated each word by stabbing my chest with her finger.

“A true masterpiece!”

A masterpiece? Eh, as if I could tell. What I saw in the mirror was, hmm, unique? Yes, unique. But was it, hmm, a masterpiece? I have no idea. I know about dresses and dressmaking as much as every other guy. That is, women look good in dresses while men, not so much. Oh, and you need to sprinkle some compliments when a woman you know gets a new dress. That was the consensus between the guys I knew back on earth. Can’t say much from my own experience. The crowd that my old banana-self attracted, did not care much about such things.

I spun around once more to inspect myself inside the full-length mirrors set before me. One central, two at slight angle on my sides. With those mirrors I could study every inch of my body.

Well, I don’t think this classifies as a dress but in all honesty, it looked good on me. The creation might have started as a dress but right now it looked more akin to a costume taken straight out of a video game and wrapped around this wet dream body of mine. Should I be worried that it fit well with my blood thirsty-tree humper-persona? Too late for that, I think.

When I first saw this outfit strewn over the mannequin body Garla brought with herself, I thought it was a mermaid dress with long sleeves and a turtleneck. It might have started as one but at some point, someone decided to remove its entire front. Right under the pit of my neck, an upside-down v-cut spread towards my sides, exposing a large part of my pillows and everything in between. Now that I think of it, this looks as if somebody took the dress, laid it out flat on the ground then put on top a nine-inch-wide fence picket with a triangle tip and cut out everything it covered. Hence, exposing my entire front. Knowing my luck and this empire’s friendliness towards the race I had the doubtful honor to represent with my outlandish looks, I can bet that’s what happened. These nobles just had to sabotage my wardrobe. Or so all the web novels I read on the buss told me.

Yet, disregarding the last-minute improvements to my attire, the dress tightly hugged my sides, clinging to my body as if magic held it in place. Yeah, about that. Rather than magic, a whole bucket of glue held my evening attire in place. Including my gravity defying undies or what left of them after the palace security sanitized my outfit. The elven whore won’t show up to a ball if she won’t have a dress, right? Right? They had no idea who were they messing with. Garla took it personal and, well, she did salvage this dress. Kind of.

While the original was no doubt a long mermaid dress made from this mysterious dull, black fabric, what enveloped my body was far from it. They trimmed it before my eyes, cutting off the jagged pieces of destroyed fabric and shaping it into a long-sleeved leotard. Well, a leotard with some very crucial parts missing. Like its entire front, its back and its bottom. But the sleeves, the sides and the turtleneck were still there. So, they gooped me up in glue and stretched this improvised top over me, making sure it’ll stick where it should. And it did. Even though it only covered half of each of my pillows, it covered the important bits. Also, when the glue cured, my pillows went rigid so, profit? Less wobbling makes this dolt happy.

I stopped spinning and gave my exposed front one more look. My eyes paused below my navel. Well, let’s be frank. At this point, why should I even care? I did worse and technically speaking, this thing still classified as undies. Probably? No idea what’s the accepted norm in the empire.

Made from the chunk of my cut-up dress, this tiny, diamond shaped black cloth held onto my skin, guarding my dignity. Garla did her best to secure it in place but even after they used the enhanced strength glue, her eyes often darted below my waist. Well, if these panties do survive this evening, taking this off shall be an interesting experience.

For once I do consider myself lucky since I can’t feel a darn thing. Yup, I’m sure this goop burns like hell given that they used industry grade adhesive meant for joinery. Or something similar. Last I checked there was nothing like FDA certification in this world. If something happened, you went to a healer and prayed they could fix you, after getting treated, people went back to doing what made them sick in the first place.

“It’s holding fine.”

Garla announced after unceremoniously groping my squishy bits.

“It would peel off already if it wasn’t. Please stop doing that or I will start charging you.”

I had to swat away her curious hand. This dolt wants no touchy-touchy. Not now. Not here. And for sure not with that loony fox. As strange as it comes from my mouth.

“You will? Then I shall put you on retainer.”

She hugged me tightly and buried her face in my pillows then rubbed her body against mine while me doltexperienced system wide logic error. What the heck is wrong with those people?

“Success!”

Garla exclaimed while glancing over herself in the mirrors after she finished fondling my chest with her face.

“You’re a genius Arlene! It really doesn’t stain!”

Huh? Oh, right. The paint and the oils they rubbed into me and this dress, made my body and the dress shine while at the same time everything stayed where it was supposed to. I could sit or mingle with people without worrying I’ll leave wet, blotchy or oily spots. I’d say there was a thousand other ways to check for that, but this perverted vixen had to do it the most improper way she could find. Rubbing herself all over me. Oh yes, they are bonkers. She and her bunch. Altina does have an odd luck to attract weirdoes. This dolt included.

“The seal on the gloves seems to be working fine as well. I couldn’t feel a thing. Although, you’re bit too pale for my taste. Your neck, It’s not too tight? We don’t want you fainting before the emperor.”

Garla scrutinized the leather choker tied around my neck. Or a neck corset. Or whatever the heck this thing was. It had lacing on the back. It was stiff. It spread over my shoulders to form epaulets and it reminded me of a neck brace as its long shaft held my neck stiff, almost immobile.

“I am always pale. Pale is my color.”

I informed her since she waited for my reaction. Unless I’m rolled up in dirt, mud or blood, I’m pale. My ass has this ivory shine to it that even a midsummer sun can’t ruin or roast out. The witch opted for built in UV protection so, no suntan for me.

“It does seem so.”

She satisfies herself only after wiggling in her finger between my neck and the shining leather wrapped around it. As tight fit as it was, the choker thingy could not cut off my blood flow.

Murmuring something to herself, the vixen pulled away her hand then came back with a special cloth and once more polished the enormous silver O-ring riveter to the front of my collar-thingy and hanging down near the top of my pillows. I think I would do without this fetish handle but, Garla explained that everything which can make me appear less threatening will work to my advantage. Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ll ask Altina to keep me on a leash the entire night.

I would call it a joke if Garla hadn’t brough the chain leash with her. Prudence growled that the first one that tries to leash us will get a face full of claws, my claws, while Passion purred at the possibility.

Zoning out the barter going on inside my head, I flexed my fingers sheathed inside claw-gloves that came with the dress and seamlessly connected with its long sleeves. The top of the gloves as well as the sleeves had some intricate floral pattern that, along with similar shapes painted all over my skin, glowed in faint blue color. More ornate than practical but at the same time these gloves put a lid on my unruly charms and hid my pointy nails. Well, the shape was still there but without the bloody red color visible, I could see all the maids calmed a bit. Another point for this perverted creation.

Add to that a pair of ridiculous high heel boots. By ridiculous I mean, something in the nine, maybe ten-inches tall stiletto with a platform. If seen from the front, it appeared as if I was walking on hooves. I bet the fox stole these from some demonic seductress. Who else would enjoy prancing in such nightmares? I really, really want to know who came up with this idea. I would like to share with that person a piece of my mind about it. Originally these beauties reached just above my ankle but after some fiddling with scissors and a generous application of glue, Garla and her maids used the leftover of my dress and extended my boots to reach up to my hips. This extension had a jagged edge that, on the front went down at an angle to meet up in the center, just an inch shy of my improvised panties. On the back its jagged edge spilled over my butt, looking as if something was groping my backside with their claws. A description a certain non-human alcoholic quite approved of. Thankfully a train of black feathers hid that from public view. Mostly.

My makeup felt like a cherry on top of this ludicrous creation. Glossy black lipstick and dark eyeshadows. Then atop of that went fancy elven-tribal-something-zig-zag-pattern Arlene spent last three hours painting. It was an enormous constellation that spread all over my body and dress, concealing much of the ad hoc adjustments done to my attire. Also, on my front this body paint pretended to anchor my floating panties while on my exposed back I had a rendition of our guild’s new insignia. A magnificent, sprawling tree. I wonder why…

Anyway, while the paint itself seemed black and glossy like my lipstick, it radiated an ominous bluish glow. It wasn’t magic so, hmm, I don’t think I wanna know what they mixed in to get this effect. My water ring wasn’t going into overdrive so probably nothing toxic. Probably.

“Well, I’m sure it will give people something other to stare at then my ears.”

I summed up what I thought. Moving in this thing felt oddly familiar to a time when one of my old partners coaxed me into a rubber catsuit to fulfil her fantasy. Although, this dress did not squeak as I moved.

“What is this made of?”

While it looked like polished latex, the fabric acted more like silk and did not stick to itself.

“Tree sap, I think. Oh, now that you mentioned it, she insisted you seek her out if you’re in need of more dresses.”

Garla looked thoughtful. Tree sap? She?

“Is this the same person that made those pants I wore before?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. So, you remembered? She doesn’t like strangers and is not much into meeting people plus it’s rare for me to trade with her, but she got very interested in you. Is she perchance someone you know?”

“No.”

I answered then poked the dryad in my mind.

Cora?

Yes, my flashy master?

Was this dress also made by a dryad?

That is so. She is inviting us.

Huh? You read that out from the dress?

No. From the spores woven into this fabric. Best we ignore it.

Hmm? Why?

My kin are not known for hospitality. Nor do we enjoy meddling with strangers. Whatever she wants of us may be troublesome.

You do not want to help your own people?

I care for my tree and my tree only.

What a selfless person you are. Well, fine by me. I already have enough on my plate.

“Sah, you done staring at your butt?”

Clad in the most expensive tuxedo she could find, Altina stopped beside me. Contrary to my dark attire, she chose to dress in white. Her vest glittered with silver thread woven into it while buttons of precious stones gleamed in light. On second thought, no amount of money can buy you such craftsmanship. Not to mention the technology needed to weave silver into such fine thread. The longer I stared at it, the more her suit stank of spirit involvement.

Also, this time, instead of her usual, male military-like suit, she decided on a more feminine cut that highlighted her slender waist and hinted at the existence of her fluffy bosom. An extravagant step on her part. Or, much more likely, Fire’s involvement.

“Tell me, will this outfit be fine? This empire’s fashion sense eludes me.”

I asked the wolf. Spirit lover or not, she still remained the only sensible person in the room.

“Sah, if that loony says it’s fine then it’s fine. She is an authority when it comes to parting noble ladies and their husbands from their gold. I’m betting half the guests shall wear her creations tonight. The other half will likely have cheaper knockoffs of her designs.”

“Only half?! Hah! You have not been in the capital for far too long, senior! Every respected lady of the empire must have at least one dress from my shop!”

Garla puffed up her chest.

“Sah, so you say. So, you say. I bet you also have no less than nine off-brand workshops selling knockoffs to those that can’t afford the real thing. Either way, we must go. Our ride is waiting. Be done with dressing up and come.”

“Ah! Wait! The earrings! We forgot about the earrings!”

The panicked fox run towards the pile of discarded boxes clattering half of the room.

“Earrings? Sah, have I not told you already that it will not work?”

“You have little faith, senior. Just because we can’t pierce her ears doesn’t mean she can’t wear earrings. Ah, here they are!”

She presented me with an open jewelry box. Well, with these I think I can pretend to be a Christmas tree. A perverted tree but still, these wouldn’t look out of place among any Christmas decorations.

Dangling on short silver chains were two enormous crescent moons. Each made of silver and each having a rose pattern encrusted with tiny diamonds. Accompanying the earring was a small, also crescent shaped, silver pendant. Odd choice given the neck-thingy I already wore.

“No! My Lord be ever merciful, no! I forbid you! Do you not realize what this entails?!”

Altina shrieked in a girly voice. Whatever meaning this set could have me dolt thinks it wasn’t a good one.

“That’s exactly what we should aim for!”

Garla countered.

“Palace can silence servants all they want but after yesterday, the entire city is talking about nothing but her!”

Fingers pointing. Not good. Fingers pointing at dolt. Very not good.

“Sah, Karin, please tell her!”

Tell what? I have no idea what this is about. Twiggy? You got anything?

Aside that it is an elven thing? No. I do not know more, my uneducated master. I did not mingle with forest dwellers.

Oh, well.

“I do not care either way.”

I shrug my arms. Bad move. Altina’s eyes grew to twice their size while the fox showed me a vicious grin and went on to secure the crescents over my ears.

“Now, hold still and stop flapping your ear for a moment.”

Not that I did it. My jutting ears just didn’t like being touched. Or squashed. Regardless, I did my best to hold still while Garla used pliers to crush one end of my earring, attaching it to my ear. She repeated the same procedure with my second ear while the odd necklace ended up hanging on my forehead.

“Wow, it does gives me the shivers but, look at her and tell me it and tell me it doesn’t fit her.”

The vixen declared as she surveyed her work.

“Sah, so it does fit. Merciful be my Lord for this fool. Enough. We are wasting time. I do not want to be late and stand out more than we already are.”

The wolf dragged me out of my room, my newest dangly bits swaying all the way. Can’t say my ears were particularly happy about this addition. From time to time, they twitched or flapped in resentment.

Descending the palace stairs through a crowd of gaping servants that did whatever they could as not to stare, gave me a taste of what was to come. Nothing unexpected. People stare. At a half nude elf in a scandalous dress? Double so. Whatever. It’s been years since I cared about such trivial thing. What bothered me were other attractions.

The perverts I sent out before, returned with no news of anything suspicious which felt strange. For sure something’s going to happen. After yesterday’s attack the wolf expected something more to happen. Logic was sure something will. Were we too paranoid?

“Sah, enough of your daydreaming. We are but sheep going among a horde of monsters. Mind yourself at each step.”

The wolf’s voice cautioned me as she helped me up into our carriage. This time the empire provided us with a standard one but even though it had open windows, the view remained lacking. A brick wall of a tunnel through which they carted us to the outer palace were all receptions, banquets and other festivities took place. Out of the entire imperial complex spread out through this odd mountain, the outer palace was one of the few places accessible to outsiders.

“Do you know how many people will attend?”

“Sah, about five hundred or so is expected to attend the general reception from what the princess said.”

Ah, yes, she mentioned something similar. There’s going to be an opening ceremony where the emperor shall make an appearance. I’m guessing a toast, an obligatory speech and fancy dances. At least while the guests remain sober. Although, from what I saw at the wedding we had a chance to attend, after the obligatory greetings the emperor and his closest guests will move elsewhere and continue the party behind closed doors. I’m afraid that may include us.

“Five hundred conceited remnants of once great families that will use any opportunity to make us as miserable as it is possible. Merciful Shamuu, calm my hand and guard my desires. Let my speech be rid of vile thoughts.”

Altina prayed in law voice then whispered looking at me.

“I hate dealing with old blood. Listening to their yapping churns my guts.”

Old blood huh? The funding families of the empire. I can’t say I know much about them. I heard that some of them still exist. Some went bankrupt long ago and vanished among commoners. Most had very odd notions about what it meant to be a noble. Blood line purity and other similar fun stuff. Not to mention their undying love for pointy ears.

I cast a glance at my fluffy companion, lost deep in thoughts. The so-called old blood clans had driven to ruin her household. Her father did whatever he could to protect his daughter although, from all their fortune, only their name remained. Such were the gossips girls at the guild shared.

To my surprise, it took us something like an hour to get to our destination and about as much time waiting in line before the guards cleared our carriage.

We arrived at the entrance when dusk swept through the world and sprinkled the sky above our heads with blinking stars. I wonder if one of those stars would be our lucky star for today. Please?

Whether or not some deity listened to my plea remained a mystery however so far nobody tried to poke me with anything sharp or pointy. Some nearby guards did twitch when I extracted myself from our carriage and following my wolf, began climbing the stairs that lead to the main building. Yet it ended with stares only. The guards were briefed about my person, and it showed. I could sense plenty of eyes following me, well, my pillows mostly, but that was it. The dress helped too. People were too shocked to do anything.

I really need those meds. Or a way to ditch those ears at least. It’s not normal to assume that’s something strange is going on when nobody tries to stick me with his sword.

“Your invitation.”

A servant stationed at the top of the stairs stopped us. His determined face showed he might try to stop even the emperor from attending his own party if he appears without proper paperwork.

Altina produced two golden plates from inner pocket of her tuxedo and placed them in the servant’s palm.

“Thank you, honored guests. Please follow inside.”

That’s it? No pat down? No groping of the bouncy elf? Oh, that shade around the poor boy. Whatever they told him about us, he made sure we won’t spend near him a second more than necessary.

Guided by a guard in ceremonial outfit, we passed a corridor packed to the brim with ancient sculptures, paintings, ornate weapons and armors. Here and there I could also see bones, furs or animal trophies. If this little walk was meant to intimidate his majesty’s guests, it did have some effect on my wolf.

Plastering on my face a fake smile number ten thousand and one, I hooked my arm with the wolf and pulled her away from a masterpiece depicting most common tortures administered publicly to enemies of the empire. One of the victims or criminals, skinned alive, showed a remarkable number of similarities to my companion.

“You did this before, have you not?”

I asked as we neared the entrance to the ballroom.

“A.”

“Then why are you so tense, guild master?”

“Because I already know what is beyond these doors and I wish to be anywhere but here.”

She took a deep breath while servants pushed open two wings of bright wooden doors of gargantuan proportions. Behind them, bathed in magical twilight a ballroom the size of an Olympic arena spread in every direction.

“Her ladyship, Baroness Elizabeth Hishgrew!”

A voice bellowed throughout the entire room when the gate slammed shut behind us. With nowhere to run or hide, we descended the stairs towards the main floor. Thankfully, my name was not called, and my outlandish dress made negotiating those steps a child’s play. My boots though, not so much.

“Merciful Shamuu...”

“Her ladyship should not whimper.”

I chastised my wolf. Her trembling made the balance charms put on my body work even harder.

“Sah, go hump a tree you pointy ears monster.”

“If that would only spare me...”

“My Diva, be praised the flames that brought us together again.”

Familiar voice made us turn.

“Feria the unchallenged, I greet the law of blood.”

I made a polite head bob towards the woman that pushed through the crowd of onlookers and approached us. Trailing behind her were four suspicious ladies, all slightly troubled at the sight of me. All too beautiful to be real. All looking at me with their inhuman eyes. All trying to avoid direct eye contact.

I’m sure there is a logical explanation why four, general class, corporal spirits are following her. I’m sure. I just don’t want to know.

“Guild master,”

Feria corrected herself, switching into imperial tongue.

“I greet you, the lover of undying Fire, and I thank you for your letters. I wish they reached me sooner.”

Oy, that sounds like somebody’s been going around, telling interesting stories. Also, if I am right about that twitch Altina’s ears just did, someone will suffer. Although, the wolf’s demeanor shown nothing of what was to come later to a certain annoying spirit.

“It’s an honor to meet you again Duchess von Ferreha, may the sun of the empire shine brightly upon you.”

The wolf made a formal bow required of her rank during such occasions. Even though her title no longer had any lands attached, Altina still had to suffer through all the formalities ascribe to her by the noble society. Combining that with the mockery she already got for her looks, her achievements sounded even more impressive.

As for me, I was a no one in their eyes. A lowly elf without a second name. A mercenary. A toy to which the imperial family took fancy. Fine by me. It meant I could stay oblivious of the convoluted rules of conduct pertaining as to whose ass is more important and pretty much ignore everyone while trying to drink myself silly in some corner. Yep, that sounds like a plan.

Although, given the smug smile on his face, that may not work.

Walking through a parting crowd as if his smile alone pushed away those mountains of noble fat, Garabannel von Melleroy approached us like a shark cutting through water.

“Duchess von Ferreha, Baroness Hishgrew and lady Karin, what a pleasant company. Please accept my humble greetings.”

Arriving with his summoned spirit hooked onto his arm, the two performed a combined curtsey. Nothing as outlandish as one would direct towards royalty. A simple head bob and a smile but their synergy and perfect execution made it a source for instant gossip that spread around us.

How good those two fits together. He, draped in black, military uniform of the imperial mage corps. She, an angelic beauty hovering above the floor in her creamy white dance gown. Who is that woman?!

Those and similar whispers came from as far as my ears could pick up and fell into the ever-present murmur that filled the air in the absence of music.

Had these people no idea she was his contracted spirit? Was it the same charade with those four following Feria?

Feria acknowledged the man with a cold stare. Did he cross her in some way? I wouldn’t be too surprised. His handsome face and the pleasantries it spewed clashed with the demeanor he showed us back at the guild.

“Lord Melleroy, herald of unwanted knowledge.”

Oh, it seems he had quite the reputation.

“Only if such knowledge is necessary. There are truths people must hear regardless of their want or want not. I congratulate you on your accent, Law of Blood. It is as if you were born in the capital.”

His smile deepened. It felt no less fake than mine.

“My Diva, forgive me. I gave my word I would not engage this fool.”

Feria scowled while mana boiled inside her, prompting more than a few heads to turn our way. Some belonged to guests, others to the servants mixed among the crowd. One such boy approached us with a tray full of drinks. His bulky, muscular frame had trouble fitting his formal black suit.

He is armed.

Or so the Rage’s memories told me as my eyes traveled over the folds of his suit where his concealed weapons might hide. A guard posing as a server?

“Please come and find me when you’ll be rid of this pest.”

Feria seether out before she turned and left to disappear among the gathering crowd. At the same time whispers spread there was something entertaining playing out around us.

True to my earlier plan, I took a glass with something sparkly inside it. It looked like champagne. It smelled like champagne. But it tasted nothing like a champagne. More like a rum had a bastard child with a barrel of absinthe. With a drip of limes and mint thrown into the mix. It left an interesting, warm afterglow in my stomach. Not bad. A five or six more of those and maybe my odd body can get tipsy.

“What truth have you brought us this time, lord magister.”

I spoke and felt mana drain into my throat. Whatever happened, in the corner of my eye I saw people blushing at the sound of my voice. Even Lirr, his spirit, looked at me with surprise gleaming in her eyes.

“Ah, yes. Lady Karin.”

Garabannel cleared his throat dismissing the gaping guard before I had a chance to get my hands on more of this drink.

“Stunning as always.”

His eyes traveled up and down my front, stopping for a moment at the reflection I cast on the black marble floor of parts of my outfit that weren’t supposed to be seen.

Makes sense why other ladies wore floor length gowns. Nobody came here flaunting their assets. Nobody aside one misguided dolt.

“I bear greetings from his majesty, the sun of the empire. He entrusted me with his guests until he can come and greet you in person. He also wished for me to convey his gratitude for help rendered in dealing with yesterday’s debacle.”

A debacle huh? So that’s what you call it?

“Also, the Emperor implores you not to take offence at his next inquiry as there is a reason for it.”

If people were staring before, now they were gawking their eyes out and stretching their ears. Garabannel leaned towards me and whispered into my ear.

“Would it be acceptable to ascribe all your merits to your honorable companion?”

“And that reason would be?”

Altina seethed trough her fangs. Her flaring nostrils the only sign of emotions raging within her. Good to know her ears could pick up this much.

“Ah,”

Unfazed, the mage responded with even bigger smile as if she just told the most splendid joke.

“The emperor wishes to reward you both amply however nobles of this empire have not yet grown a backbone strong enough to stomach an elf receiving praise from the emperor. Just your presence here has sparked talks of rebellion. A spark he extinguished.”

So he said but, all I heard were even more reasons to run from this insane place.

“I think not, mista whabbit. You have yet to fulfil your role here.”

Sporting a dazzling evening gown woven out of infinite darkness, the odd one sailed through the crowd of frozen people.

How can a fabric be so dark even under all those magical lights cast by all those expensive chandeliers? Every ten or so steps a new chandelier hung above the enchanted ceiling and every one of them held about twenty mana stones set in a silver frame, surrounded by countless diamonds. Combined, they lit up the ballroom as if the sun itself hung above us.

But I was wrong again. This was no fabric. Darkness herself hugged the odd one’s body, forming the folds of her dress.

“Oh, so you noticed?”

Visibly pleased, she spun before me, giving me a better look.

“Well, well, well. It seems mista whabbit is not as dense as I feared. What a satisfying surprise. Perhaps there could be some more use for you, mista whabbit.”

Out of nowhere, her finger bopped my nose as if I were a puppy.

Every time I put my eyes upon her, her body appeared a little different. Right now, she had this flowing mane of black curly hairs that sparkled with starlight. Long mesmerizing eyelashes of a fairy. Pale, almost paper white skin of a doll and swan like neck.

“Will you not dance with me mista whabbit?”

Her eyes of swirling nothingness, devoid of any iris, gazed into my soul while her hands pulled my arm and trapped it between her curves. I think I would have blushed if I were capable of such act. Up from this angle and this close to my face, the view of her bare skin of her shoulders and the valley in which she trapped my arm, sent strange shivers down my spine.

I wonder if this was what my cursed charms did to other people?

Part of my body silent so far, awoke and began… complicating my life. While this sensation did not bother me, on the contrary it was enjoyable, it posed a risk to my wardrobe. I’m not sure the glue they used could withstand a deluge.

“What do you want?”

My borrowed voice made it sound as if I barked at her.

“So cold mista whabbit, so cold. I went through all this trouble for you. I thought you would enjoy some fun.”

Fun? That did make my eyebrow twitch a little. It seems even my body did not approve of her meddling.

“You are so-darn-not-my-type. I don’t do undead, animals, bugs, underage, crazy spirits, people under influence, mentally unstable people, stinking people, monsters, demons, unknown entities and hallucinations. Oh, and everything in between that I don’t want to.”

And gods forbid I would ever again agree to something so troublesome.

Pretending to sniffle she let go of my arm.

“You are no fun mista whabbit, no fun.”

“Speak what you want or leave.”

“Eh? For a servant you sure are unbelievably disrespectful, mista whabbit.”

She dropped her act and with a blank face continued.

“Since your memory seems to be failing you, I though a little refresher should be in order. For your own good, retrieve the sword of Quan.”

She plucked my drink out of my hand and dried it out, her lips leaving frost marks on the glass.

“It is hiding inside this palace.”

Returning me my now empty glass, she went on to stare at the lord magister. A frown marred her perfect forehead.

“What an annoying man.”

She poked Garabannel’s face, her finger sinking deep into his cheek.

“Well, as it is, even the likes of him have their use in the grand scheme. “

With a shrug of her arms, the odd one turned back to me.

“If I get that sword for you, you’ll release Erta from your curse?”

“Why would I want that sword? It is for you to have it.”

She began walking towards the unmoving crowd.

“As for your lizard, best if she sleeps off what is yet to come.”

My eyes stung, I blinked and yet again time returned to its rightful flow.

“As such, the emperor wishes to publicly award Lady Elizabeth,”

He inclined his head at my wolf.

“While you my dear, shall receive a reward of your own choosing that can be given in private.”

Garabannel’s voice made me once more focus on his face.

Then our eyes met.

Whatever he saw in my eyes made him flinch while his spirit slid in between us.

“That is acceptable if my employer agrees. As a reward I wish to receive the sword of Quan that is within the emperor’s possession.”

Words came out of my lips before I even manage to comprehend what he told me. Eh. What else did I expect? One way or another, she made sure I did her bidding.

“I see. While I have not heard that name before, I will inquire. As for your answer, Lady Elizabeth?”

Altina’s eyes went back and forth between us, battling with her thoughts. I guess she was wondering whether she should stay or run away and never come back.

“Sah, I agree.”

Seems like her greed took charge of her mind. That or she just had no idea how to say no to an emperor. Or both, given her twitching ears. I never learned. Roaring fanfare announced the arrival of imperial family.

“His imperial majesty! The sun of the empire!”

A voice bellowed when a door on the other side of the room opened, and a man walked in. Dressed in a simple yet elegant white suit adorned with golden lapels, the emperor marched into the ballroom. I saw his portrait hanging on the wall inside Carmina’s study but, the real man proved to be even more handsome. For a grandpa that is.

Life back on earth was much easier. You hit your sixties and you turned into a dried-up prune. Here? That smiling young man, while still younger that my wolf, could already have grandchildren. Magic did complicate things. This dolt me being the best example of that.

As I stared at his perfect, almost adolescent face, the emperor climbed a podium and began his speech. A speech to which I did not listen.

I never been good at listening to lengthy expositions about everything and nothing at the same time. As a child I would often fall asleep during long, dragged out assemblies. If all those memories of my childhood were real, that is. Recently I just can’t tell.

Either way, those past few years I spent working for the company, made me develop a habit of zoning out during our annual, pointless conference the upper management loved so much. We sat for hours in less than comfortable chairs, inside a rented theater while they bombarded us with meaningless presentations. While my colleagues pulled out their phones of books, my mind just clicked back into its wandering state and left me staring blankly. Same thing happened here. Even when somebody came and took my empty glass, it failed to register. I watch the handsome man speak without hearing a word he said.

“Merciful Shamuu...”

Her whimpering ladyship among sudden silence pulled my focus away from my plans of acquiring cotton socks and lose-me-not panties, back into the presence where my wolf swallowed her fear then pressed forward through the crowd.

“I greet the Sun of the empire! Let your light be ever merciful!”

Altina stopped a good fifteen feet Infront of the central podium and knelt before the emperor. He unsheathed his ceremonial sword, came down to where she stood and after placing his sword on her shoulder he spoke again.

“Baroness Elizabeth Hishgrew, for your faithful service to the empire and its people, I hereby grant you the name Alessandra along with lands south of the river Yverees and up to the borders of the everlasting woods. By imperial decree, from this day onwards you and your descendants receive the exclusive rights to use imperial gold in your crest. Additionally, you shall receive a grant of five hundred million gold rua and ten years exemption from all imposed tariffs to help in development of your domain. Rise, Duchess Alessandra Elizabeth von Hishgrew!”

Duchess Alessandra von Hishgrew, a? A roar of whispers exploded through the room. Some surprised. Some furious. Plenty of disappointed.

Is this some sort of a joke?! To give such title to an animal! Has he gone mad? Ten years of tax exemptions! Preposterous!

Did they not care that we could hear them? Did they not care that their monarch could here all this? The emperor cleared his throat and continued speaking but I did not care. My eyes were lock on the wolf. Something was wrong. For the briefest moment I could swear her mana faltered and vanish as if...

I saw Water’s translucent form materialize beside the wolf and felt mana drain from me. An awful lot of mana.

I got her, fear not my love.

Water’s voice in my mind stopped me when I saw her hand enter the wolf’s chest, followed by the Queen of Water stepping into Altina’s body.

“Be praised the sun of the empire. This servant shall gladly accept your will!”

Duchess Alessandra rose from the ground. As it would seem to others. To my eyes, I saw Water lifting her up.

How is she?

Shaken but her life is no longer in danger. My love, if you allow it, I wish to stay with her for the time being. She has a fragile heart.

Do so. Take as much mana as you need.

“Then I wish to see many remarkable things from you Duchess. Do not disappoint me.”

The wolf acknowledged that with a deep bow then made five steps backwards, like the law demanded and turning around, went toward us on shaky legs.

The emperor observed her for a while then, his eyes met mine if only for the briefest moments and he smile. Smiled, gloating of the impact his reward had on my wolf.

My fists closed on its own and I would have done something tactless had her paws not locked around my arm.

“... a-air...”

Altina’s faint whisper banished my surging rage.

“Lirr, be so kind and take her ladyship somewhere quiet where she could have some fresh air and perhaps something stronger while I have a word with lady Karin.”

“As you wish my love.”

Under the care of two spirits, new duchess left towards the gardens.

“The emperor had outdone himself. I had not expected he would go this far. My apologies. To both of you.”

In my mind I could see myself smashing my fist into the face of this annoying man. Even Logic approved of that.

Instead, I took a deep breath and asked.

“What do you want?”

After all, I did promise my wolf I would not cause a scene.

Lord Melleroy measured me with his eyes.

“Guards found forty-six corpses with heads ripped off. Your handiwork I assume?”

Was there any point to confirm that? He saw the answer in my eyes and continued.

“Have you noticed anything prior to the attack?”

“No.”

“There’s been high level spirits wandering through the palace, these are under your command?”

“Yes.”

“They were searching for something. Have they found anything?”

“No.”

It made him cast an odd look at me.

“I wouldn’t put much weight behind their word. Those that organized the attack were prepared to deal with spirits. If there is anything amiss in this palace, it is guarded against spirits involvement.”

Garabannel considered my words then spoke.

“I had the palace combed as well. Prior the incident and just after. Both times brought the same results. Nothing.”

His voice carried a question I had no answer to. As we stood, the music began to play, and people formed pairs. He offered me his hand.

“I don’t dance.”

“Neither do I but that table may hold something interesting.”

Knowing I will regret it, I took his lordship arm and let him guide me.

“No death threats? I am pleasantly surprised.”

The lord magister broke the silence between us.

“Are they necessary? I can think of something if you so desire, lord magister.”

“Maybe some other time. Tonight, I hoped we could enjoy ourselves.”

I tapped his side, armored plates of a brigandine rattled against a chainmail hidden beneath his suit. So I guessed right.

“Now I feel underdressed, your lordship.”

“Ah, yes. I believe I owe you an apology, my dear. It was either that or you would have to strip and let us search you for concealed weapons.”

I ignored his apology. Let he think what he wants.

Once more in silence we reached the promised table and true to his words, I found there a whole rainbow of stimulating liquids.

“It’s a bit stronger than most spirits and not everybody’s approves of its smokey aroma, but I trust you will find it to your taste.”

The whiskey glass he offered me, held an amber colored liquid that spread a scent akin to wood used to smoke meat. A pleasing aroma. Taking a sip, my throat discovered that, indeed it burned more than rum but perhaps much less than an undiluted spirit.

Not bad.

“Apology accepted.”

Raising my glass, I took a long swig.

“But that still does not explain the amount of iron hanging over your body, lord magister.”

He took a sip from his own glass, his eyes traveling along the lines drawn over my front.

“Fears of an old man. There is no more secure place in the entire empire.”

“And yet things happen?”

“And yet things happen.”

He gave me a thoughtful look.

“A personal question if I may, lady Karin.”

“Ask away Lord magister.”

“Let us imagine, an unbelievable incident. That someone will attack us tonight. Which side would you take, lady Karin?”

“None.”

The answer came easier than I thought. I would grab a certain furball, toss her over my shoulder and run as far away as my legs would carry me.

I emptied another glass. With each new one the amber liquid went in smoother than before. Was I getting drunk faster than my body could expel alcohol from my blood? Groovy. Note to self, get a bottle or two before they kick us out.

“If you have no more questions, lord magister, I will excuse myself. I wish to check upon my employer, and I can see others are queuing for your time.”

Indeed, a line formed not that far from us and kept moving in our proximity. Quite a few nobles awaiting their turn.

“Then, until another time.”

He took and kissed my hand. How the heck should I react to that? No idea. I just gave him the most dignified bow I could offer and left towards the place from which I could sense my wolf’s presence.

Garabannel’s eyes followed me for a while. There was some unexplained longing in them I could not understand. Well, I hope I will never learn what it was.

Passing by another table I grabbed a fresh glass filled to the brim with the amber goodness. Ah, why not. I dumped the contents of another glass into the one I already held. I present thee, dolt double shot. Hmm, that chopped up thing out there looks like a lime and oh, they have ice cubes here. Magic sure is convenient. Huh, is that mint? Let’s add, hmm, four leaves this big should be enough. Let’s crumble them a bit. What a nice aroma.

A memory cut through my mind.

Eh? That hero boy again. So, he wasn’t just a cook. He knew a thing or two about fancy cocktails. My eyes went scouting over the table and there it was, the strange pink fruit I saw in my mind. Even the smell fit.

I dumped one into my glass and gave everything a stir. The amber color of my drink turned into a neon blue. Much to the horror of one of the servants responsible for this table. She looked at me as if I were trying to poison someone. Well, who cares?

I smiled at the terrified maid and after raising my glass in a toast, I took a sip. The best mojito I ever made.

Now for the garden. There is a garden here, right? Altina did say the ballroom shared this level with one. Perhaps not as lavish as the one near the flower palace but still an impressive one.

Scents of flowers carried by the wind seemed to confirm her words.

Cutting through whispering circles of overdressed and overweight gossip generators and causing more than one commotion, I crossed the threshold of blindly lit ballroom and entered a serene twilight of the outside terrace.

Imposing statues of all manner of fantasy creatures lined the perimeter of the entire terrace. Scantily clad fantasy creatures. Each holding an old-fashioned oil lamp that cast a soft yellow glow on its surroundings through its tinted glass. While most of those bore distinctive female characteristics a gaggle of giggling ladies marveled at manly minotaur. Big minotaur. Like, verrrry biiig minotaur.

I’m drunk, am I?

Navigating between several small round tables, some occupied, others not, I made it to the far side of the terrace where an arch made of vines guarded the true entrance to the sprawling garden.

And there’s no wolf in sight.

Instead, my eyes picked up an entire cohort of guards spread all over the place. And a few guest that though darkness hid them from all prying eyes. Well, not my eyes.

Bypassing a pair of ladies that misplaced their underwear and found joy among the false privacy of a dark shadow, I trudge deeper into the inviting darkness. Darkness being a lost concept for me.

What an odd thing. It’s been quite a while and yet I still find it fascinating how my eyes switch between light and darkness. As if there was a physical barrier between the two.

I paused to look at a tree partially illuminated by the palace glow. How unusual these eyes are. I perceived the world in a state of fixed brightness. Wherever I looked, it was all the same. I could gaze into the sun and see nothing more but a white ball in the sky. I could walk through caves without any source of light and it was no different to me than taking a stroll in broad daylight. Aside one minor detail.

All the colors were gone.

Same with this magnificent tree. Its top invited me with lush green and a plethora of pink flowers while about in its half, it all became black and white.

Sending a smile at a stricken guard that, I assume, saw my glowing eyes, I moved on. I’m not sure what they used to navigate this sprawling labyrinth of shrubs, but my eyes were superior to that.

Guided by my lackluster mana sensing abilities I made it into a small bungalow set at the border of the garden and an edge of a cliff. There, in the company of several spirits, my sniffling wolf sat.

In silence, I went there and sat beside her. My hand found her hand and I cupped it inside my grasp.

Lirr, you can go back now and save your master from the clutches of those drooling cougars.

I thank you for your kindness.

She answered my thought and excused herself.

“Say a word my honey bun and I’ll go and torch down that entire place!”

Fire burned with anger, walking back and forth within the small space the bungalow allowed her.

“All of you, leave us. All aside from Queen of Water.”

Annoyed, they listened and vanished or at least gave us some space. Fire went away along with my glass. Eh. I need to do something about that alcoholic.

Time and time again, Altina’s tears fell on my hands, yet she spoke nothing. After what seemed like an hour, she put her head on my shoulder, her hands greedily hugging my arm.

“...If I asked you to go and rip off his head, would you do that?”

Her feeble voice reached my ears.

“Sure. Why not.”

It got a chuckle out of her.

“You’d do that?”

“Sure thing, boss. Want his spleen or liver as a souvenir?”

“Merciful Shamuu, stop it or they’ll charge us with treason.”

Her mana flow calmed from a raging storm to a steady current. Not what I was used to sensing from her but an order of magnitude better than before.

“My father was a loyal servant of the previous emperor. In our house, not a word was said against the imperial family. He had no political power of any significance. His lands were small yet peaceful and well maintained. He gave all what he was due, and no one cared.”

“All was well until I was born.”

Her voice shook.

“The other, so-called noble families took it as a point of honor to destroy our house. But father never gave in. He fought with all his might to ensure my proper education and my place in society. In turn they slandered him and my mother. Made it so... My father begged the late emperor for help yet, what was ought to be a just trail, turned into a farce.”

Her voice died in her throat.

“In the end, we lost all our lands and wealth while my father died of hunger, slaving away in some gods forgotten mine for crimes he did not commit. All to protect us and all for naught.”

“Not long after that, the emperor’s son kidnapped my only fried and raped her. He held her for nine days and raped her every night before I managed to get to her. Garla never admitted that to anyone, but I know what my nose told me when I found her.”

“I respect the law and the words of teachings of merciful Lord I follow but I have no love for this empire, its rulers or the corrupt nobles suckling on the festering wounds of the society. In that palace behind us, there are people whose untimely demise by my own bloody claws would bring me such joy that neither your charms nor your spirits can grant me. Countless times I have played with the thought of acting out of revenge yet only my faith and my word stopped me from doing so. I have sworn not to become like them.”

A dam broke and a river of tears once more rushed down her muzzle.

“However tonight, by his simple words, I have become the very thing I despised my whole life. I do not know what to make of it. “

“And it burns. Burns deep inside me. “

Somehow, she ended up locked in my arms, sitting on my lap. Her head resting on my chest. So small and fragile she felt.

In silence, we stayed like that for a long, long while.

“Merciful Shamuu, what am I even doing...”

She tried to wiggle out of my embrace, but I held her.

“Child, what are you up to? Unhand me, what if someone sees us? What...”

“I don’t care. I had nobody to hold me when I needed it. And I think I may be drunk. “

Odd memories of a child I’m no longer sure I ever was, passed through my mind.

“I cannot begin to fathom your pain but, stay as long as you need to.”

The wolf’s fur puffed out. She also stopped struggling. Then I noticed the amount of mana burned by my charms. Oops.

“Sah, enough of it. This is inappropriate.”

Altina got up and cleaned her face with a silk hanky she produced from withing her expensive suit.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“As pleasant as your body is I am not Vittoria, and you are not my type. Use your damn charms on me again, you cursed treehumper, and you shall see what I think of it!”

She waved her finger before my nose as if she was disciplining a naughty child.

Not a moment too soon. A servant arrived, bearing a lantern in his outstretched hand.

“Duchess von Hishgrew, his eminence, the sun of the empire invites you and your companion to have a drink with him at the upper terrace. Please follow me.”

The wolf cast me a telling glance. They were done with appeasing the thoughtless crowd and now the real game has begun.

The servant spun on his heel and marched back where he came from. I hooked my arm with my guild master, and we followed.

Out of the gardens the butler led us to a well-guarded back entrance that hid a private staircase. The only one going up to the floors above us.

Aside from the staircase, a complement of guards in full plate armor lined the walls of a short corridor we had to pass. These weren’t your fancy but useless ceremonial plates, no. Those armors seen recent combat if those dents and scratches were any indicator. Same with their weapons. They were simple with no unnecessary ornaments but the amount of magic these radiated, put them ahead of any artefact I saw.

And they didn’t even flinch at the sight of my ears. These people were different.

“What a treat. I’d bite into that juicy peach.”

Came from below, followed by a bout of laughter when the spiraling stairs took us out of their sight.

“Nah. Been there, done that. Nothing special. Peel off the fancy wrapping and it’s flat and bony. Mind magic, you see. Take a good look at the exotic one. There is something tasty hidden underneath all that creamy topping. I wouldn’t mind taking a sip of that fluffy mocha.”

“Ah, you and your refined tastes. No wonder your coin never sticks for long to your ass. Me, I prefer plain, plump meat.”

Even more laughter ensued. Heh, just like a coffee break back... Wait, wait a second, was that an insult to my ‘fake’ pillows? Fake pillows? Which one said that? I shall enlighten them as to the benefits of toothing those two wonders everywhere, every day. Well, at least with the lizard snoring away I was spared her constant complains about the lower back pain they were giving her. Or the wobbling. Bouncing. Sloshing. Getting in the way of everything below my eye level. The inability to sleep on my belly…

“Ignore it. Men are like that. It lessens the stress of expecting death at every moment.”

The wolf pulled me by my arm, so I had no choice but to continue climbing.

“Besides, it’s all talk. When it comes to the deed, they all get scared and soft inside.”

She raised her tone a little. Not much but enough for her voice to travel down the staircase. As a former and now, occasional possessor of a banana, I can’t say I know how to react to her statement.

I let the topic die in silence. Though, I think it did sober me up a bit. Maybe?

Note to self. Get the damn whatever-the-name sword and leave. Wake up the lizard. Evict the twiggy. Do away with those bumpers and pointy ears. Find an alchemist, get some meds. Be rid of all this nonsense. Be back to peaceful and boring life. Profit.

Impressive plans, my cunning master. Do be aware that a forceful uprooting of a dryad from her host will kill the host.

Snooping again, are we? Don’t you have something better to do? Dunno, watch paint dry or plants grow?

Master, your life is my life, your mind is my mind. Your thoughts are my thoughts. My thoughts as mine can be yours if...

No! Gods, no. I do not want yet another voice buzzing nonstop inside my overcrowded noggin. Spare me. It’s enough as it is already. Just pretend you haven’t heard anything if it’s not important. Besides I’m too drunk right now.

I see. In that case...

Just go away or at least watch in silence. You can pester me tomorrow after I’m done with this circus but not now. Please. My enchants were burning away the alcohol in my blood but even with the help of my water ring they couldn’t keep up. What in the flying flop did I drank?

Before the door to the upper floor opened, I gave myself one quick look. The glue still held. The deluge still continued and I was buzzed.

And the wolf still shivered. This won’t be fun at all.

As the door opened, I invoked my fake smile number fifty-nine, and we glide in.

“Duchess Alessandra von Hishgrew, Lady Karin.”

A man in his early thirties with a black ponytail and a deep voice of a radio presenter, hijacked us right at the entrance. Even though his demeanor seemed soft, his mana boiled brightly around him.

And he had a sword hanging from his belt.

“If you please come this way.”

He showed us towards the door at the other side of the room and took his place behind us before I could take a better look at the scar running through his handsome face.

Guided by his words, we came to a room full of people. People dressed in uniforms same as the one he had.

And just like him they had swords. Although, unlike his, their swords were unsheathed. One, two, three... Six people with swords. Six people brimming with power. Hmm, I’m not an expert on this but at least four of them were stronger than my wolf. The rumored swords of the empire?

The man behind us locked the door and drew his sword.

Well, seems that my scrawny ass attracts not only perverted stares but also all manner of pointy thingies.

“Master,”

I purred and gambled sending mana to my throat, awaking Wind’s power.

“I swore I would not kill anyone in the capital but...”

There are three parts to a good bluff. Distraction, confidence and a lie that shall take place of truth.

Wind’s voice provided a distraction. My twisted body and my broken mind provided all the confidence I would ever need. Now for the lie.

“If they attack us, can I at least maim them? Pretty please? I promise they won’t die.”

I have no idea what my chances against them would be in this tiny space. Sure, I had the blessings and Rage, but they had some troublesome artifacts and, this being a guess, they were suppressing most of their power.

“Maim us? Big words from such a silly creature.”

One of the Swords called on my bluff and put the tip of his blade underneath my chin. I think he hoped for some blood, but his weapon failed to cut my enchanted skin.

“Best you listen to those words if you still wish to have an arm to wipe your ass with.”

Garabannel’s voice coming from a corner of this small room silenced us all. Just how did this man break the lock in the doors and slip in without anyone noticing?

“Now, tell me. Are these emperor’s orders or did you idiots come up with this yourself?”

“You have no authority here old man. Go back to your...”

I blinked. I had to blink. Then I blinked again because what I saw did not fit with what Logic told me would happen.

With speed even my eyes had trouble following, lord magister slapped the knight who spoke.

Nothing more, nothing less. A simple slap with his open palm yet the power that came with it smashed all the glass in this room and raised a cloud of dust out of the carpet. That the knight’s head did not splatter all over the place... Indeed, the empire’s swords were a force not to ignore.

Resilient as he was, his knees buckled underneath him.

“Now, I’ll ask again.”

The mage stepped over the unconscious body.

“Who’s idea was it? I gave orders not to bother our guests so why are you all here?”

“Lord magister, have your hearing gone bad with your age? You have no authority here, old man. “

A woman spoke. So far, she’s been sitting on a couch underneath the wall, her bare sword resting on her lap. She did not bother to even look at the mage. That is until another man slid into the room. Part of broken and no longer locked door left in his hand. After a moment of consternation, he tossed it aside. Just like mine, his body did not expel any mana. Whoever he was, his presence caused unspoken tension among the empire’s swords. Even the forehead of that unmoved woman now sported a frown.

“My dear, it appears you are under a misconception as to what my authority is or isn’t.”

The newcomer cracked his fists then stretched his neck and shoulders. The calm confidence of his movements reminded me of Rage. Even the way he looked at others felt familiar.

Bark and you die. The simple message I saw in his eyes.

The female sword got up from her seat and walked by us, spewing awful amounts of killing intent directed at me. Why? Nobody told me. All the eyes in the room tracked her, awaiting her next move.

She stopped inches away from lord magister. Her sword’s handle creaking under her grip. Eh, here it comes.

I sent mana into my eyes and my mind recalled the Water’s name.

My love?

You still with the wolf?

Yes.

Good. Get her to safety the moment it becomes dangerous here.

As you wish my love.

However, the apparent instigator of this whole standoff, sheathed her sword after a minute of staring into Garabannel face and left the room without saying another word.

One by one, her companions left in same manner. Some spitting at me or in my direction. Good thing I agreed to this rubbery dress. That and the thin layer of magic Water put around me helped. The bile slid off without a trace. Seems like they have some issue with me looking like a treehumper.

“Don’t...”

The wolf tightly held my shaking arm.

Yeah. If I’m to stay in this damn empire I am ditching those ears. And those bumpers. Enough is enough. Oh, and meds. There must be someone out there that could brew me a `think happy thoughts’ potion. The random urges to murder all the humans my body felt boiling within its blood felt bothersome.

Ever since I came back from that island, it happened every once in a while. A sort of lust screaming at me from within. Whenever something came to bother me. Destroy, it whispered in my mind. Erase were its demands. Then we made that weird tree and those whispers tripled in power. Eh. I need to consider that as well. So far, I can ignore it as I always did with other voices. But what if at some point...

The man drooling on the floor gurgled as his friend picked him up and slung his flaccid body over his shoulder. Also, this ponytailed oddball did not seem bothered by my presence. Rather, his scarred face took on a bored expression.

“Grandmaster. Ladies.”

He gave us a polite head bob.

“Have you considered my offer John?”

“What is there to consider? If I am to die for this damn empire, I’d rather do so on a soft bed with my dick deep inside one of the palace whores rather than alone in some hellhole with a blade in my back or bitten to death by more of those, things. I am not my brother.”

“John...”

“The emperor does not know.”

“Thank you, John.”

And gone they were. One sword beaten senseless, the other full of cold rage. Rage that for the first time did not aim at me.

After a heartbeat or two, Lord Melleroy turned towards us.

“I will not detain you any longer. The emperor is waiting. Captain Bursa will take you there. “

Bursa, huh? Where have I heard that name? Aside from that, he did seem familiar. Even his eyes...

How unfortunate. I wished for a much grander reunion.

What?

My daughter, please be kind to this child for he is your brother.

Earth’s words sent a shiver down my spine. Brother?

Our eyes met.

Fuck...

I read from his lips. Yup, something Rage would mutter in a moment like that. How alike they felt.

How odd. Why have my body done that? I have no idea what the spirit whispered into his ear, but his reaction made the corners of my mouth curl up.

Silent, Bursa opened the broken doors for us and lead the way.

We traveled through yet another empty corridor and one more spiraling staircase.

I get the feeling this world in filled with nothing but sadistic bastards. Hosting a party at the top of a mountain and then forcing your gusts to climb another mountain of stairs. In high heels.

I gave up halfway through and with the wolf in my arms I jumped up to the top of the staircase. I can negotiate a few steps if I must but even with my balance charms chugging mana like crazy, I am not gonna walk my ass up there in those monsters I am wearing. Nope. Not happening.

Well, perhaps landing on a balustrade wasn’t so smart either. The startled guards stationed there went `ka-shling! ` and now I had my face full of pointy thingies.

“Stand down! What are you doing pointing weapons on his majesty’s personal guests?!”

Hearing that one voice I would do without. Judging by her grimace, the owner of that voice reciprocated my thoughts.

“I said stand down!”

Fenella beamed at the stupefied guards. It took them a whole minute before their brains converted her words into action and they put away their swords. In their defense, it’s not every day that an elf in a dress bordering on nudity appears atop a staircase balustrade, holding in her arms a wolf wearing a tuxedo.

Bursa choose this moment to arrive at the top. Not a drop of sweat on his forehead.

“Baldy? What the hell you’re doing here?”

“Orders.”

He gave a nod in our direction. So, these two know each other?

“Merciful Shamuu, put me down...”

Oh, right. I dropped on the floor and did as she requested.

“You, you... why cannot you use stairs like a normal person?!”

Altina pat down her puffed-out fur and straighten out her suit.

“In those?”

I pulled away my dress train and showed them my foot. Fenella did a double take between my boots and the balustrade I landed on. The rail had rounded edges and was about three inches wide.

“Want me to use stairs then stop buying those `things`. The fact that I can walk in those boots doesn’t mean I enjoy it. It’s bothersome.”

And it makes my ass sway way more than it does on its own.

“This way.”

Not wishing to spend more time in our company than necessary, the judge magister ushered us into yet another room full of whispering nobles. Spread out between multiple tables or just standing in groups of two or more people, top families of the empire busied themself with gossips and other social fun. No idea what else they could be talking about. Politics? Weather?

Oh. I think I know what topic occupied their mind. A scantily clad elven assassin prancing around in the company of a walking wolf and two lackeys of the grand magister.

My tingling `pillows are being stared at` sense was giving me a headache so I put my eyes on Fenella’s hip and watched as it popped in and out of the cut in her scarlet nightgown. The least I could do to avoid the gaze of all those people.

Falling in right behind us, Bursa discouraged anyone else from doing so.

Hmm? What an odd sensation. The closer we got to a set of lacquered, oak doors, the giddier my mana became. Like a teenage enamored with her first smartphone, it squealed with glee when we stopped before the said doors. One more knight, judging by her uniform, also a sword of the empire guarded the entrance.

Another woman. Golden hair and grey eyes. Instead of one sword, her belt held two. I’m not an expert but these two looked like something taken out of a manga. A katana and wakizashi. Fascinating what things I can recall from the junk I read on a train but for the love of me I don’t remember what I had for breakfast. Did I eat breakfast today?

As unusual as her weapons were, so far, I only had people pointing the equivalents of medieval swords or sabers at me, that was not the thing that bothered me. My eyes could not pick up an ounce of hate from her. Rather, she gave me a long curious look and blushed when her eyes traveled below my navel. Interesting.

But she was not the one that made my mana drool in anticipation.

“Your imperial majesty, your guests have arrived.”

She knocked on the doors.

The power I felt, rippled before a calm voice called to us.

“Enter.”

Beautiful. No other word could even begin to describe what I saw.

The sun of the empire. What a fitting name. I would gasp in awe if I were capable of it. Instead, I stood smitten while my eyes greedily devoured the inhuman brilliance of his power.

And I drooled a little.

Heat gathered in my cheeks as my body reacted to his presence. My dragon heart skipping a beat.

“We greet his imperial majesty!”

Altina fell to her knee and lowered her head as I stood and stared at this man. I could tell the one we saw earlier been nothing but a fake. A facade designed and developed to deal with troublesome things.

Tasty! Tasty! Tasty!

My mana squealed and squeak, drooling no less than I did just a moment before.

Yes, what a tasty man. Golden halo of mana surrounded his golden hair and golden eyes. Soft, creamy skin without a single blemish, one that every maiden would kill for, empowered the noble look of his handsome and manly face.

“The eyes of death.”

His lips curled into a peaceful smile as he put away his cup and got up from his seat. Up from this close, his simple white suit with golden epaulettes, appeared to gleam with its own light.

Huge. Was my first thought when he stopped a foot away from me and I had to crane my head up to look into his eyes. He used that chance to clean up the drool from my lips with his thumb.

“Do you enjoy what they show you?”

What the hell? It took me all the willpower I had in me to stop my body. If I would allow it, it would jump him screaming, make babies with me! Even the scent of his perfume permeated with his mana made my thoughts wander.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the odd one giggling, content of her work.

As if that was not enough, the emperor put his palm on my cheek and after a heartful moment, he slid it up, combing my hair aside, exposing my entire ear.

Bashful, I put my eyes on the rose shaped, golden pins of his collar.

His face and his lips moved closer...

Huh? What? Whuuut?!

Okay. I’m drunk. I am hallucinating now. There is no way. There is...

His tongue found mine and I heard the sound of glass breaking inside my mind.

“Lowly human, do you wish to die?!”

Queen of Flames appeared beside us in all of her blazing glory. Just her overwhelming killing intent would be enough to smother normal people.

Unfazed, the emperor finished our kiss and addressed her in a bored tone.

“Why? Are you perhaps jealous?”

Whack.

With veins popping out on her forehead, Fire slapped the emperor.

“Touch her again and I will rip out that disgusting tongue of yours.”

“Last time I saw you, you had quite the different...”

Thwack.

His blood sprayed the fancy carpet as his lip broke.

“Insignificant thing, do not make me repeat myself!”

And woosh, she vanished along with the previous mood.

Although, I could still sense her presence.

“Ah, so the reports were true. Spirits do value you greatly, my dear guest.”

He winced as his cheek swell and blisters began to show on his skin.

A waste of such a handsome face.

I thanked Fire by letting her munch on my mana and I took a deep breath to steady my mind.

“Your majesty, had there been any space left I would hit you myself.”

Remembering what the old Wind did, my body felt torn between running away and dragging him away to the nearest bedroom. Had the Fire not intervened, I am sure I would regret what could come next. Thankfully the spell of the odd one was fading away.

“I may not know what the empire etiquette for such occasions is but I am sure that kissing strangers is frown upon.”

The tone of my enchanted voice made him shiver.

“A crime well worth the punishment I received.”

His lips once more folded into a charming smile.

“Your legendary elven beauty had stolen my heart the moment I saw you.”

Bad body, bad. Getting excited not allowed. This dolt is not prepared to make that kind of `mistake`.

However pleasant that could be, nope. Ain’t gonna happen.

Although, I can’t let him be seen with a face like this. Mimicking his earlier gesture, I guided my palm to his cheek and let my water ring do the rest.

Thank goodness nobody else could witness this scene.

Ensuring his face returned to its tempting state, I stepped back and hid behind the kneeling wolf.

“Fascinating. Powerful, bold and beautiful. Had we met ten years ago I would’ve made you my empress.”

That wouldn’t work for, oh so many reasons.

“You may rise duchess.”

Somebody remembered we weren’t alone.

“Duchess Alessandra Altina Elizabeth Camille von Hishgrew. I welcome you again and once more offer my gratitude. If only I had more such loyal citizens in my empire.”

I must say the wolf handled it quite well. She did not even flinch when the sun of the empire patted her shoulder.

“Come, sit with me.”

He brought us to his table and rang for his servants when we sat. A moment later a maid wheeled in a cart with tea and cakes. She served us tea with a smile, and I even got a nice slice of fluffy cheesecake.

I wonder if she would remain so polite without that slave collar round her neck.

“Fate. What a fascinating force driving our lives.”

The emperor spoke. His eyes still locked on me.

He took a sip of his tea and waited for the slave to leave.

“I would never imagine my fate would one day bring me face to face with the famous chair wielding champion that put an end to my insane brother. In a way, I own you my life duchess.”

What a poker face. Not even her ear twitched.

“Your imperial majesty, I am afraid I have no knowledge of what you may be referring to.”

“Please my dear. You are quite famous among the staff of this palace. I’ve grew up listening to the stories of your bravery. How can I not know? Also, among other things, your achievement forced us to rethink and refurbish our dungeons. We learned plenty of valuable knowledge during that time.”

“Your imperial majesty, I do not...”

“Enough.”

“I did not call you to quarrel about the past. Nor do I wish to persecute you for your actions. You had done me a great service; I would be a fool to punish you for it.”

“I humbly accept your majesty’s grace for my insolence.”

Altina bowed her head. In response the emperor made the kind of face that said, good puppy. I even thought he would reach over and pat her head.

And my hearts once more lost their beat as I sunk inside his smile.

What is wrong with me? Oh, that damn outsider. What was she planning this time? I can’t see it any other way. I never was the one to initiate a relationship. Especially not with the same team but now my body had only one thing in mind. Eh. Well, at least it got easier to control when I realized those weren’t my own urges. Although, I must admit, his mana is beautiful.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling. Indeed, like a sun warming up my skin.

“Before we continue with what I wished to discuss, answer me duchess, what is your relationship? I’ve been told lady Karin remains within your employment, but I believe that is not the entire truth. Are you perhaps partners or, lovers?”

The wolf looked as if she just choked on a hairball.

“Well?”

She cast me a troubled look, her ears twitching in a way they did when she wished to avoid certain subjects.

“I...”

Bracing for whatever would come next, Altina took a deep breath and spoke her mind.

“At first, I was suspicious of her words or her origin but her dedication and unconditional willingness to sacrifice herself for me and those that I consider my family made me change my mind. I have come to love her as my own child.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, your majesty. I swear on it with my life.”

“Good. That is very good. It seems there would be no issues duchess, if you were to adopt lady Karin as your legitimate child.”

Well, this is the moment a protagonist should sputter their tea in shock. With me being me, I abstained. I swallowed my tea like a good dolt. Put down my cup.

And then I asked why, adding several juicy epithets out of the dragon tongue Erta used to describe my mental acuity during our fights. I don’t think either of them understood that tongue, so I cleared my throat and repeated.

“Why?”

“Because you will require that title. Also, be so kind and do away with that awful killing intent. Least I want is for someone to interrupt our meeting.”

Huh? He could tell? I thought I did an excellent job of suppressing that. Well, at least it felt better than that fake infatuation the odd one put on me.

“Thank you my dear. Now,”

He pulled out a fat envelope from within his suit and placed it before the wolf.

“This contains all the necessary documents for you duchess to legally adopt lady Karin. Please be so kind as to verify and sign it. “

Altina unfolded the package and indeed, it held all the necessary papers and imperial certificates to recognize me as her child, granting me the name of Vera Karin von Hishgrew.

“Your imperial majesty,”

The wolf entwined her fingers and switched into her master merchant mode.

“I still fail to grasp the reason for this adoption. I do not gamble with the lives of those that are under my care.”

I have never heard her use such stern voice. Not to mention at whom her words were aimed.

“I never gamble my dear duchess if all the odds are not in my favor. The lands I have given you, all border against ancient woodlands. Places where memory of past wars live the strongest and many of its wounds have never healed.”

“Places were elves still dwell?”

He confirmed her words with a nod and sipped on his tea.

“I do not wish to be remembered as the emperor who pushed his people into another senseless war. Yes. There is unrest brewing in those lands. Poor. Underdeveloped. Unmaintained. Lawless even. A keg of powder waiting for a spark and believe me many tried tossing torches to ignite it. Thankfully none succeed under the watchful eye of my imperial housekeeper.”

The sun of the empire smiled content of his own joke.

“However, as resourceful as he is, lord Melleroy is only but a s single man. Eventually his resources may run dry, or he might not act soon enough. That is why I am giving you those lands in exchange for a more permanent solution.”

“With all due respect your majesty, how could I...”

Without saying a word, the emperor pointed at me and my ears.

“Also, there’s been reports you have recently housed two upset elves while at the same time preventing senseless bloodshed. A remarkable feat. That and you have the confidence of her holiness.”

Damn serpent, did she again meddle in my life? Why did I save her?

“All the years I have held my office, those two could never agree on a single matter. Like two faces of the same coin, there was not a day when their council would not contradict itself. Yet, in this matter, their voice is one. Duchess, you are the one for this task.”

“My lord, I am but a humble merchant. How can I succeed when the empire best has failed?”

“However way you shall find fitting. Buy into the forest dwellers trust with your guild if you must. The empire will render any help necessary. If we can avoid bloodshed, the empire’s treasury shall remain open to you.”

“Your imperial majesty such generosity...”

“Duchess do not misunderstand me. What I’m offering you is a tool to achieve your purpose. Do not mistake it for a gift. I do not take lightly to fools that squander my resources. Be it coin or life of my citizens. You will be held accountable for all.”

That made the wolf’s ears twitch.

“Now, before we continue. Show yourself.”

Annoyed, Fire once more appeared beside us. Was he also bound to my queen?

“Be quick about it. I am busy.”

The emperor let out a disappointed sigh but otherwise ignored her attitude and continued with his speech.

“By the spirit Queen of eternal flames as a witness, you will not disclose the knowledge I am about to provide you. Neither will you discuss it with anyone after you leave this room.”

“So shall it be.”

Fire confirmed and a ring of flames surrounded us while her magic bound us together. Not the usual contract magic that I knew and experienced before but rather, an order. For the lack of a better word. He put a seal on us and on surrounding space.

“How peculiar. I have never met someone that is not startled by her presence.”

“Your imperial majesty...”

“Gideon.”

We glanced at each other, but the wolf seemed as surprised as I felt lost. What just happened?

“Call me Gideon. That is the name I used before I became `the sun of the empire`. I thought it would be nice to hear it once more before my departure.”

He sighed and leaned back into chis chair.

“An unusual fate life brought me indeed. To think It would be easier for me to trust strangers than my own people... I do not have much time left. With herbs and plenty of rest, perhaps I could stretch my remaining time by another year or two.”

“Your impe...”

A stare so sour that could be a mistaken for killing intent, choked wolfs voice in her throat. She composed herself as best as she could and corrected herself.

“Sir Gideon, your words. I may have heard them wrong.”

“With such beautiful ears as yours?”

The emperor once more summoned his golden smile.

“I have two, at best three years left. Not enough time for Caramina to come of age. Not enough time to prepare the empire for next succession. Not enough time even for a man as resourceful as my housekeeper to catch all those rabid dogs that give me trouble. With each passing day they are getting bolder in their crimes. The attack yesterday? It had no right to happen. Not in my home. Not under my nose. Not with all the people pledging their undying loyalty.”

I could feel anger in his voice.

“All those monsters you killed? Maids. Cooks. Gardeners. Knights. Ordinary people mutated beyond what we thought possible.”

“Those were people?”

Interrupting the emperor. Bad dolt, bad. Now he’s going to stare at me with those golden eyes of his. And his smile... Eh, I need to get out of this room.

I closed my eyes and focused on sipping my tea to distract my body.

“Yes. They were. We managed to identify some based on who’s gone missing and where they were last seen. Each creature had traces of unknown herbs and magic in their body. Then there is that barrier they used. It takes time, knowledge and resources to prepare such attack. “

“Sharing such knowledge with outsiders. Sir Gideon, why are you telling us that?”

His smile vanished while the light of his eyes dimmed. Just how many times have I seen such defeated look? Be it in my one reflection or the faces of other patients locked on the same ward as myself.

“A man running from wolves will jump off a cliff.”

His voice had little to no hope in it. Instead of speaking his mind, he pulled out one more document out of his pocket, put it on the table and pushed it to me.

Against all the voices in my head screaming at me to leave it alone, I put away my cup and unfolded the document.

Like many other similar documents I saw before and even stamped, this one too had attractive calligraphy and plenty of masterful adornments. The parchment alone had to be of the finest quality. Thick. Pleasant to the touch and bleached so bright even snow would seem dull compared to it.

And the embossing? That must have cost quite a lot to do in secrecy.

What am I even supposed to do now?

Both Cora and Logic proposed several solutions, none of which I was too keen on using. Instead, I pushed this disastrous thing towards my wolf.

Trembling in rage she could hardly contain, Altina seethed through her fangs.

“Your imperial majesty.”

She put heavy accent on each word.

“What have we done to deserve such mockery?”

Her claws dug deep into the table which she grabbed to restrain herself. Her magic kept boiling within her with such ferocity that even the bored queen of flames stole a look at the contract resting before the wolf.

“There is no mockery in what I ask. How could there be? Why would I mock the only people that could protect my daughter? No. What I ask of you is to protect Carmina until she comes of age and her power manifests. Take her out of the palace if you must but keep her safe. That much I am certain is within your power.”

Altina boiled within herself, trying to provide a response that would not include violence. I did it for her. Well, for myself.

“No.”

I stared into his eyes with what I hope he would interpret as disgust.

“Even if this would be no more than a paper marriage, the answer is no. I have no desire to stay in this place or this empire any longer than it is necessary, much less becoming its empress. Even if just in the name.”

Dolt the `empress`.

There is so much wrong in that statement. Not caring if it was against some protocol or outright impolite, I got up and went for the door. Let the wolf do whatever she wants, I will not stand that man’s presence any longer.

“Even if our mutual friend asked you to do so?”

His voice stopped me by the door.

“If you agree to protect my daughter, aside from the sword you asked for, I will give you this.”

I turn just in time to witness as he summoned a small box. Its shape and size reminded me of a satin ring holder people back on earth used to propose to each other. It even opened in the same manner.

However, what I saw inside when Gideon lift the lid up was no ring. No. Secured within a nest of soft padding, a glass bead, the size of a walnut sat with milky smoke swirling inside it.

Something within that smoke made me come closer.

I saw it right. Within the smoke a shape I could not mistake with any other shape, spun around its axis. An alarm clock. The same one I have used for years before all of this happened. It was my alarm clock. I had no doubt about it. It even had the cracked side where the cheap plastic broke when I dumped it on the floor by accident.

“How desperate you must be to call that thing a friend.”

My fingers went straight through the bead and its box when I tried to hold it. Even now the odd one mocked me. I returned to my seat; my eyes locked on the orb I could not touch.

“Karin?”

Altina’s eyes held that puzzled, warm look I often saw when she thought of me.

“I’m sorry. This is not something I can ignore.”

I told her as my fingers closed around the orb. It became solid the moment I made up my mind. Underneath the orb I found a note in a language I thought I would never see again in my life.

I congratulate you on your choice, mista whabbit. I wish you all the best. To the both of you. Now, eat up. You deserve it. Oh, and don’t bite. You must swallow it whole, or it won’t work.

Following the instructions, I placed the orb in my mouth and swallowed before either of them could stop me. Or so I told myself. I think I was just scared that Logic might talk me out of it If I give her enough time.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then time slowed to a crawl and darkness filled up my mind. In that darkness the dragon’s soul stirred within me.

But Erta did not wake up.

Instead, I saw myself in a secluded place drawing shapes in the sand. Forming magical constellations.

I saw... Well, if this is the price, I shall pay it gladly to free her mind.

“I will need time to put my affairs in order.”

I spoke after a while. The memories contained within the bead burned themselves into my mind.

“It will take a while to prepare for the ceremony. Also, the law requires for us to be engaged for a minimum of one winter before I could wed anyone. That is the only tradition we must follow to close the nobles mouths. ”

I gave him a nod.

If I leave at dawn, I should arrive at the place I saw in my memories in few days at most. Faster If I get the troublemakers to get me there. Then a day or two of rest. Get my mana back up. I should pack some food to speed up my mana recovery.

“Well, since we are at it, we may as well do it the proper way round.”

The emperor stood up and walked around the table before the wolf could react.

“Duchess, would you allow me the honor of marrying your child?”

Altina’s fur puffed out.

“You, you... my lord, why do you put me though such trials... merciful Shamuu...”

The wolf closed her eyes and took a deep breath then bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“What in the name of all that’s beloved under the sky, is this lunacy?! I will not be part...”

Altina choked and shrunk when Fire placed her palm on her shoulder.

“Do not interfere honey bun.”

At the same time a burning feather appeared suspended in the air beside me.

Master, I am against it.

You saw those memories. I don’t think that’s fake. This world will need that snoring lizard.

But if you do that then...

Cora, do you have a better idea?

No.

I reached for the floating feather. There will be no going back after this. The future the odd one showed me through those memories shall become reality. The repercussions this choice will bring…

Yet, I felt nothing. Perhaps I should be disappointed?

Whatever for? The dragon will get her chance to meet her daughter. Twiggy will be set free. I’ll keep my promises. Kind of.

Although, the emperor will get nothing out of this deal. No dolt empress for him. Whatever the odd one promised him, he got swindled quite bad.

I froze with my hand above the marriage contract.

What if I got swindled as well? What if all this would end with a bigger mess than it already is? What if all those memories she showed me were just what I wanted to see and not what would unfold?

Wasn’t I going into this too simple minded? Just how come he can know the odd one?

Too little thought and too late.

My arm moved against my own will, signing the deal. The cursed feather drawing upon my own blood instead of ink. Puzzled, I stared at the perfect line of runes my hand just made.

Vera Karin von Hishgrew.

Then with a blank stare on his face, the emperor took the feather from my hand and placed his own signature beside mine. His face showed no more awareness than the undead I fought in Everooth.

As if that was not enough, Altina rose from her chair and placed her palm on the contract. Her unfocused eyes gazed into empty space while her power formed a seal, I saw so many times back at the guild. Propelled by an alien power our minds could not oppose, we placed our hands beside the wolf.

“Gideon,”

Whoever took over the wolf proclaimed in her voice, spreading power that send shivers through my spine.

“Do you take this woman as you wife and swear to uphold this contract that you signed in blood?”

“I do.”

His answer sounded absent. Robotic. As if his tongue betrayed its master.

“Vera, do you take this man as your husband and swear to uphold this contract that you signed in blood?”

“I do.”

My lips spoke before I could protest and at once mana left me to become part of the contract. Magic blazed through my fingertips, binding the three of us in an unbreakable pact.

And I could do nothing but watch through my own eyes as this spectacle unfold.

“I pronounce thee man and wife. It is done.”

With the contract complete and etched into our souls, Altina took the burning feather in her paws and signed all the documents the emperor gave her. For a moment it looked as if the wolf trapped in her own body tried to fight back, forcing her own arm to shudder. The imposter chuckled at that and continued to sign. The alien consciousness subduing any resistance.

“I named you Vera. You are now blood of my own.“

She reached to me with her hand and my body obeyed. I bend over to kiss her palm then pressed it again my forehead.

“Mother.”

“Child.”

She put her palm atop my head and addressed the spirit queen that stood beside us.

“You have seen it all so let it be known. This child is mine. This child I wed.”

Fire knelt before her. Never before or never after this time have I seen this spirit queen of ethereal flames tremble in fear. She did not dare to lift her head or look at us.

“So I have witnessed.”

Was her response after which she vanished without a trace.

Smiling, the wolf’s body folded the documents she held and placed it within safety of her suit inner pocket.

Like puppets guided on a string, invisible hands marched us out of the room. Whatever power held us, it did not let go until we were far away from the sun of the empire and, well, my paper husband.

“Mercifull Shamuu...”

The fluffy duchess whimpered when that alien power let us go. I had to grab a hold of her before her body could crumble to the floor.

“What in the name of all gods have you gotten us into?!”

She whispered into my ear as we hid on the balcony.

“A political, paper marriage?”

A shrug seemed like a gesture that would fit the occasion, so I did that.

“Are you all right?”

“Merciful Lord, of course I am not all right! I have peed myself! How often does unfathomable entities take over your body for you to be so calm?!”

Well, I can’t deny her reasoning. That’s not a good thing and if I wasn’t me, it would scare me out of my undies. Alas, you can’t break something that’s already broken. And my current undies, as tiny and scandalous as they were, ain’t going anywhere without me using a bucket of industry grade solvents.

Thankfully a servant passed by with a tray of drinks. I scooped up two glasses of something stronger and pressed one into the wolf’s hand while Water took care of her wardrobe issue. Yay, more booze. If I find more of that odd fruit, I may manage to waste myself zombie-Joe style. Well, that’s a plan.

I thanked Water by sending my mana her way. I also asked what happened but, just like Fire, she appeared too horrified to speak. The fear seeping in through their names gave me goosebumps.

Refreshed and calmed down by the burning liquor, Altina proceeded to stare into distance while trying to sort out her thoughts. I did not feel any alien presence this time, so I left it at that and sipped on my drink.

What a view it was.

Out here on the edge of this balcony, clouds swam by while tiny lights of many cities sparkled in a distance. Even the people of the capital that sprawled below us, look nothing more that ants twiddling all over bright strings of illuminated streets. Just how high were we? It felt that even with all the charms and blessings overlaid on my body, I would still splatter against the stone cobbled streets if I would plunge from up here.

Yet, the peaceful respite did not last long. Our imperial shadow in the form of captain Bursa found us where we hid. He arrived with two annoyances in tow.

One younger and bubbly that drunk me and my attire with shining eyes, the other older, much more refined and focused on my wolf.

“We greet the future sun of the empire”

Altina intoned and executed her marvelous salute while I half-assed my courtesy. People here weren’t expecting too much from me anyway, so I didn’t bother.

The bubbly squirt on the other hand cleared her throat and declared her greetings with the air and seriousness of nobility. Although her eyes still darted all over my body. Her cheeks got a bit pinker when she discovered my gravity defying underwear.

“Duchess von Hishgrew, I welcome you again and once more offer our gratitude. Your heroic deeds shall forever be remembered.”

The wolf flinched at the word heroic. I’m not sure if others noticed. Perhaps her ferru body proved too alien for them but I knew what that nervous twitch of her ears meant.

“I thank you for your kindness, princess.”

She once more made a polite bow, but her eyes did travel beyond the bubbly girl.

“Ah, yes, this is marchioness Valoria von Holler.”

“I offer my humble greetings to the great duchess, may the fates favor your fortunes, may the true light guard your path.”

The older and distinguished woman that came in the shadow of the bubbly princess, grabbed her dress and offered a greeting. Huh? Wait a minute. That’s not right. Well, it was a right form to greet a duchess or even a king but not for someone of her status.

If I remember anything from what the wolf told me, that was a way someone from a vasal family would show respect to their master.

“I accept your greetings. May Lord Shamuu repay your kindness.”

For some odd reason Altina’s clenched fists shook while she watched the old woman. Although, this wasn’t the color of hate that vaped off her. If I were to guess what my eyes showed me, it was pain. Looking at that woman brought her pain.

I think Caramina also noticed something was amiss but before she could react, the wolf spoke.

“Princess if you allow it, I wish to speak with marchioness von Holler somewhere private.”

The child looked between the two then spoke, not at all like the child she was.

“Since both of you appear to share that desire, I shall grant that. Do know however, I will not tolerate any disruption to other guests. Sir knight, please take my guests to the resting area and ensure they are not bothered.”

For a moment Bursa looked lost. Gazing around as to whom that royal squirt might be talking. And then it dawned on him. For a moment he even tried to stare her down, but the girl held her gaze with a confidence only the future sun of the empire could have.

Defeated, he acknowledged her words with a simple salute and led the wolf away.

That left me alone with the future of this empire and the angry gaze of everyone else around us. Well, there was also the female knight of the princess, but the glaring nobles were blind to her presence.

Not only did the lowly, tree humping trash dare to come here but it is now monopolizing their future empress. Oh, and it just married their emperor in secret.

They’re soo gonna love me when they hear it… hmm?

Okay. I can understand why the male part of the room is staring at my ass, praying to whatever gods or demons they worship, as so the glue guarding my virtue would fail but, just what is wrong with this girl?

“Princess?”

Blood rushed to her cheeks at the same time as her eyes darted up to meet mine.

“Lady Karin, I... I know it will sound selfish of me but, will you once more grant me the opportunity to draw you? Your ensemble captivated my mind. It will not rest until I can draw you.”

Again?

I wonder if art is her true passion or is it a way for her to compensate for all the misgivings her life has? Or perhaps only an act to fool others?

I don’t know. I don’t think I want to know.

“If that is your wish, princess.”

With the wolf gone, it seemed as good as any reason to escape this place and those stares. I have no intention of talking with anyone present here.

Not that there were people willing to speak with me. At best some drunkards hoped to get a feel of this or that squishy part of this dolt but so far none of them risked the wrath of invisible Fire.

Whatever she did to those who gathered enough courage to come my way remained a mystery to me and I hope it stays that way. For one reason or another, all approaching nobles suddenly turned pale about ten feet away from me and diverged to a new trajectory that took them as far away from me as possible.

Would’ve been better if she’s kept her hands to herself too but, one cannot have everything. Just for today I let Fire off with an occasional poke, pat, hug or a squeeze.

Still better than dealing with the terror she radiated just a while ago. I tried asking what happened but even when I used their names, they kept mum about it.

Goes to say there are still bigger fish in this pond. But I digress. Time to take care of the royal shrimp.

“It’s glued.”

I had to declare otherwise the staring princess might never move from the spot. And seems I was right in guessing what troubled her mind. Turning into an imperial tomato, the little squirt cleared her throat and as if nothing happened guided us to the upper balcony.

And here I thought this palace had no more floors. Guess I was wrong. Well, at least there doesn’t seem to be that many stairs here.

Guess I was wrong about that as well. At least I’ll practice my sighs. Sigh.

Woe stairs, my mortal enemy. Summoning a spirit queen took less mana than what my enchants ate while keeping me from tumbling down the staircase of doom. Steep, claustrophobic, spiraling stairs tormented me whole five minutes. If I could feel them, I’m sure my feet would have something to add.

As beautiful and sexy as these boots may look on this anorectic body, they are going straight into a dump the moment we get out of here.

Such were my plans while I tiptoed onto the topmost platform of this palace. Or at least the highest place open to guests. There, among jutting towers, a stone balcony hung over the edge of a cliff the palace sat at. It offered an unobstructed view of the city below and the endless plains stretching around it.

And someone had already gone through the effort of setting up a chair and canvas for the scheming little artist.

“Princess, it appears only half of what you told me is true.”

I gazed at the little criminal. Her blushing face took on an even darker hue while she took her seat on the prepared chair and I moved on to the railing to get a better view.

Orange lanterns illuminated streets below us, creating a giant cobweb of light that run up to the outer wall and its guard fires. Beyond that, a sea of unending darkness spread all around us. Here and there, island of light shone in that darkness, marking distant villages, towns and cities.

So peaceful. Unnerving even. Something within me told me to expect a sudden change in this stillness. A storm of trouble.

Yet nothing came.

Was I being too paranoid? Always expecting something. When was the last time my life felt so calm, so… normal? Almost mundane.

Well, there were those little annoyances along the way, like those empire swords or the whole noble mush drinking itself silly just below us but, right here, right now, I felt at peace. Perhaps all that spirit in my blood had something to do with it? I haven’t felt this mellow in a long while.

The sky was clear and so was my mind. Against all the odds, against all the meddling of forces I don’t even want to fathom, all went fine.

So far.

“You planned this ahead of time, princess?”

I turned and sat on the balustrade, facing the perpetrator of this whole affair. Soft piano music coming from the floor below and rustling of her emerald dress filled the silence while she pretended to miss my query.

“I have seen your dress when the guards came to inspect it. So beautiful it was. I hoped I could capture you in it. Yet, that was not meant to be. At least a dozen or so nobles made complaints against the safety of participants, insisting you may smuggle weapons under your dress and threaten the lives of all around you. In all honesty, I find that notion ludicrous.”

Discarding her satin gloves, she picked up a charcoal stick and after inspecting its tip, she sharpened it with a small knife. My eyes followed the tiny blade back to the bench where she left it unattended.

What an extravagance. Leaving a potential weapon within my reach.

“I thank you for your trust, future sun of the empire.”

She giggled at that.

“Lady Karin, I do not need to put my trust in your words. I have seen you bisect four monsters with nothing more but your hands in time it took my knight to unsheathe her blade.”

Her lithe body shuddered recalling the event.

“It is clear to me we would all be long dead if that were your intentions.”

Her calm face masked her fear well, but my beastly eyes showed it to me as an intense halo surrounding her and her knight. Scared and yet she chose to interact with me. Was the entire imperial family insane or should I count her as one courageous girl?

Eh, the more I think about it the more I fit into this bothersome family.

“I do not know what they hoped to achieve by ruining your dress, lady Karin, but I must say the result brought freshness to this stale court. I dare say we may see more of such fashion at the next ball.”

What was she again? Fourteen? Sixteen? I have some doubts about that. Either way, that makes it four or five years until her, so called powers would manifest and confirm her adulthood. That in turn would make my forced contract expire.

Just how did I end up in all this mess? I’ve been good. I ate all my meds. I did my best not to antagonize other people. I went to therapy every Saturday. I tried to be fair in my judgment of complaints people had against our company. I tried not to stick out too much.

And then one day I happen to end up here and got manhandled by a monster haggu only to get myself sliced up by an insane witch. Well, at least now I know what that thing was.

Other than that, now that I think of it, there were more survivors. I think. I’m sure I saw the Asian glasses girl still standing before my lights went out. Whatever happened to her? Nothing good I presume. My male ass went to a chop shop of a lunatic witch. It’s a twisted miracle I survived. As for her? She’s either dead or in a brothel if her face under those glasses was anything to look at. Who knows? Her Exotic nature might have kept her alive. As far as I’ve seen people with skin colors ranging from chocolate or dark red to paperwhite, all those I came across, leaned toward Caucasian build. That is, excluding elves, haggu, ferru and people of far southern islands.

Hmm? Caramina’s face bore a deep frown while she squinted her eyes at me. Oh. The light. The lanterns they brought were not enough to illuminate the entire place.

“Should I move?”

While the moonlight of two full moons kept her canvas well illuminated, the same I could not say about my body that rested in the shadow of a marble column. One of the four that stood in each corner of this balcony.

“Yes. It will be easier If you would sit there. No, not like that... No. That does not work.”

Displeased with my lame posing or the image itself, she put her charcoal away and swap her canvas for a fresh one. There’s been at least five more ready beside her. Yet nobody came to help her. Aside for her knight, we were alone. Not a single maid interfered with princess’s passion. When it came to art, she did all by herself.

What a peculiarity. From what I heard nobles of this world despised any mundane or dirty work. Like, they even hired maids that would wipe and wash their butt. Waiting for a sponge bath while chained to a hospital bed? I can relate. Been there, done that. You have no choice in the matter.

But I also saw tears on faces of those that no longer could care for themselves. How lazy and disgusting of a person one must be to delegate to others those basic things one should do around themselves. Every shrink I met told me it is crucial to care for one’s own body.

Best if I stop here before I lose whatever left of my respect for people of this empire.

“There, can you get there?”

Hmm? Her outstretched finger pointed to a column in the corner. Did she want me to climb it? Ah, the pointy ears stigma. Well, the blessing Wind once put on my sorry ass had nothing in common with what the elves did, heck, they could walk upside down a tree branch, but in conjunction with the enchants scarlet witch put on me I could manage something akin their agility. Although, I think my ability to balance is superior since I don’t have to maintain active focus over it. Just like automatic transmission, shift it into drive and forget about it.

And she waited for my puny ass to move. That I can does not mean that I want... Eh, I lost the staring contest. The pointy ears shall oblige.

I pushed myself away with a force I though appropriate and to my surprise it took me about a foot above the top of the column. Nice. I tend to overshoot by ten to fifty feet.

Curious as to why I’ve been using her power or just to make sure I won’t do something dumber, the new Wind came and sat atop the column opposite me. Her translucent face offered me a smile before she hid it behind her feathered fan. Her presence being a constant reminder I have yet to deal with an issue I’ve hoped I could forget.

Eh, at least I no longer wanted to spew my guts out every time I sensed her power flow through me.

“Lady Karin! I did not mean... The column, I asked if you could lean against the column!”

Oops.

“My apologies princess.”

Well, what happened, happened. I may as well roll with it.

“It felt only natural that this would make for a fine spot.”

In an instant her face changed. All the fear vanished, and a focused, apprising gaze took over.

“Well, that is... No! I cannot! I will not endanger you lady Karin for my selfish desire!”

“I am in no danger.”

I hopped in place causing more than one gasp.

Dolt the showoff. If Erta ever sees a memory of this moment she will skin me alive. Eh. Even the Wind’s gaze showed concern as to what my next action could entail.

“And the view is worth all the effort.”

Given the troubled look on Caramina’s knight’s face, the view they got also did not disappoint. Excellent job pillows. Excellent job. If only that would lead me to anything useful. No such luck there. With no sign of sun over the horizon, I will need to suffer through those remaining hours of tonight and a day or so more, depending on the emperor’s whims. Then we should be free to escape this place. That is, if we ignore the contracts that entity forced us into.

A tiny and sad voice in my head told me I’ll be back in capital whether I want it or not.

I moved my eyes away from the child whose guardian I shall play for the next few years and gazed into the night below me. My eyes made it not so much a night, but a scenery painted in endless shades of grey. With the occasional blotches of colors illuminated by magical stones or old fashioned, oil lanterns.

Indeed, an impressive view. One that made my mind wander.

A guardian. Me. Me of all people. Why? I suck at stuff like that. What’s the point of this? I just married the emperor and agreed to guard his daughter against I have no idea what and I don’t even feel as if that ceremony was real. As if I would be capable of guarding her. What a mess.

Starting next year or sooner, I may be stuck in this place for who knows how long. Even my regular hallucinations felt more real than what transpired back there in that room. And I can’t weasel out of this loony deal since we signed it with our mana. How bothersome.

Then there’s the dragon and... oh. It’s never been about me. She never meant for me to become the princess guardian. From the beginning the odd one aimed for my dragon. How simple is that.

My mind went to my finger where once a different ring sat linking me with a special promise and a whole other life. Seems like I will have to go back on my word. Well, I’d at least keep the one I gave to that sniffling lizard.

Master, I still think you should reconsider.

Getting sentimental twiggy?

Not in the least my despicable master.

You know I can sense your feelings when you’re so sloppy with hiding them. Don’t worry, whatever happens, you’ll be fine. You saw the memories. Erta will wake up. Remind me to get a set of cloths for her before we go there.

Master, I may not like that lizard, but I am sure she would agree with me. There must be another way. She would not tolerate such sacrifice.

Two souls cannot roam within the same body. One must fade for the other to flourish. Those were the words the odd one left me. You heard them as well. Her reasoning for sealing the dragon’s soul. Our combined existence already caused too many ripples in a world that never meant to be mine.

The solution? She etched into my mind a spell that could free one soul from our bond while discarding the other. The irony being it was the same spell we used to save Vi. One just had to choose which soul to shatter.

Then master, allow me to do the same! Let us move the lizard into another body of mine!

Pellicora, stop. It is enough. You know it as well as I do. With our souls mingled and entwined, neither of us would live if the odd one hadn’t done that. By sealing Erta’s mind, she had given us time. Now that I know what to look for, I can sense it too. It’s not that far ahead of us. With what I’ve become, I don’t think we would last more than a year.

She knew. She knew from the start what would happen. That damn lying lizard. She hoped to hold out until we find her daughter. Or wait until her time runs out and, yeah. That was her plan from the start. I can’t have that. This dolt had already outlived his usefulness and given the mess inside my mind I am way past expiry date. Time to clean this up. I’m sure she’ll have more use of this body than I ever could.

“...Karin. Lady Karin!”

Hmm?

“I have all the lines I need. Please come back here.”

Oh, right. The imperial squirt. I’ve been posing for her. For a long while it seems. Both moons moved away from where I last seen them. Carmina too had filled all canvases she prepared. Just how long was I standing there?

Eh, best if I find the wolf and we may try working towards an escape strategy. Or we may try the Irish goodbye. Either way, I stayed long enough.

My heels clanked against the stone floor of the balcony giving the future sun of the empire renewed confidence. Her knight also let out a small sigh of relief. Were these two worried about me? How peculiar.

“Have I satisfied your wish, o future sun of the empire?”

I offered her my best attempt at a curtsy. Then our eyes met as I lift my head.

Goosebumps. I got goosebumps. The déjà vu rolled over my mind with such force that even my body shivered. Be it no more than a single heartbeat but I was back there, in Blue Oaks, chained to my bed with that sickly girl looking at me with the same eyes.

She wished to say something but could not.

Was it because she did not know how to ask whatever was on her mind or because she felt sorry for me and didn’t want to burden me with her trouble? I never learned.

Carmina looked at me with the same eyes.

“Princess?”

“Thank you, lady Karin, for letting me indulge myself in my passions.”

Hiding herself behind a wall of fake smiles she too made a choice. A choice not to involve me into whatever crossed her mind. At least not yet.

“I will not detain you any longer. Please give my regards to the duchess. Tell her that I’ll be more than happy to collect her when she finds a chance to visit. I’ll make sure to free up my time for her.”

“I’m sure she’ll be delighted.”

Yup. First, she’ll choke the dolt then she’ll be delighted.

“May the light ever light your path, future sun of the empire.”

Running on full auto, my body did an elven version of a curtsey as I excused myself. I don’t think Carmina noticed. Her mind went elsewhere. As I descended the staircase, before she vanished from my view, I saw her mixing paint. Gobs of it dribbled onto her emerald gown. She did not look as if she cared. Rather, her eyes were red. Red and wet. She did not cry though. Her picture wept for her. Well, this time she went beyond herself. That sure did not look like my face. I don’t think I can cry like that.

A myriad stairs and almost a broken heel later, I found myself back where the wolf left me. Sans the wolf. During my absence Altina became a center of attention for more than a dozen nobles. A handful of which even looked pleased by her company. Or they were too drunk to care. Either way, I abstained from adding myself to that company. Least I spoil something she worked on this entire time. Instead, I joined bored Earth by the snack table, mostly empty by this hour. I have no idea if other people could see her, but she did have a modest night gown of black velvet and sparkling diamonds.

“Anything worth tasting?”

“These crepes go well with that pink whine, my child.”

She picked one off her plate and held it before my lips so I could take a bite.

“Sweet. Not my thing but not bad either. Say, is it just me or can others see you?”

“That is indeed an enthralling question.”

She picked a glass from a passing servant. He appeared none the wiser but rushed towards a group of people that showed first signs of sobering.

“Some of those mortals long ago have reached a stage of seeing colorful rodents however none so far have sensed my presence. A little disappointing, I must say. It took me a while to pick this dress.”

She drew a little circle in the air with her finger. Behind us, a furious noblewoman holding a cup of red wine, perfect for spoiling white attire, did a sudden turn and missed the group where Altina sat. Instead, her legs took her away, somewhere to the outside balcony. Like others with similar intentions, she found the wolf unapproachable.

“Does this bother you, my child? We are just protecting our investment.”

“I saw nothing. I say nothing but please do let me know if she’ll want to dangle a perverted elven assassin off her leash.”

Whether she heard that, or the spirit told her, Altina’s ears twitched in a familiar fashion.

Although this left me with nothing else to do but stay in a corner and eat or drink. Since my bird sized stomach can’t hold that much anyway, drinking it is.

This is something that I planned on doing anyway. Or, hmm. Should I go and find Feria?

“She had left already. Staying up for this long is unhealthy for her child. We made her leave.”

“Child?”

“Yes. Tweens to be precise. It does not show yet as she conceived not too long ago.”

That would explain her entourage. Although wasn’t it a bit excessive?

“My child, we protect what is ours.”

She took my glass out of my hand and put it aside.

“You have had enough even if your body does not show it.”

That may indeed be the case as my eyes fell on someone that could not be here. On second thought, given her escort, I’m either too drunk or they did manage to leave that island.

Sporting a blue evening gown with puffy sleeves and black embroidery a young woman with quite impressive cleavage offered me a smile and nudged her companion, alerting him to my presence. The man in a matching black tuxedo turned his gaze to me, his lips curled in a familiar grin.

And they were coming this way.

“Been a while lassie.”

Barrent’s wide smile welcomed me like an old friend. His face had earned a new set of scars from what I saw. Aside from that, he shaved. I don’t think I ever saw him doing that on the ship. A talented barber must’ve been involved in his transformation for even his hairs did not look out of place.

“I never thought we would see each other again.”

His eyes focused below my neckline.

“I thank you for saving me, my sisters and even this idiot.”

Anli offered me her regards by bowing slightly. At the same time, her heel found Barrent’s foot, prompting his eyes to return to a proper altitude. Did I hear steal grinding against steel? Odd. Must be the noise from outside.

The woman waited how I will react. Eh.

I don’t think there was any value in me pointing out that I had little to do with their escape. Instead, I just asked the first thing that came to my mind.

“What are you doing here?”

“Fulfilling our moral obligation to this empire and its people.”

Barrent winked at me, sipping on his cold tea. Sloshing inside a whiskey glass it feigned something stronger. Or was there something stronger mixed in? My nose though picked up only the familiar lavender tea.

I looked to their necks and, sure enough, the magic was still there. Also, his expensive suit seemed a little bit too bulky for it to be just suit. Besides, I don’t think he could afford such attire. As for the woman, her gown also hid all her skin or the armor she wore beneath it. So, I did not hear it wrong, did I?

Now I do wonder what else her puffy sleeves hold.

“Does lord magister expect something more sinister than an elven assassin to attend this party?”

“How should I know lassie? Whatever it is, it’s not good. The old man himself dressed for the occasion. All the empire swords are here. The royal guards are posing as waiters. That bastard baldy and his insane mage friend are here as well. Not to mention the usual expandable assets.”

He tapped his chest with pride and winked again.

“Whatever his lordship is expecting I’d rather it turned out to be a dud. Too much muscle is involved with today’s affair, lassie. People present here are enough to give goosebumps on their own. With so many summoned... I hope you’re still on our side lassie.”

Did I sense a dose of grim humor in his last statement?

“Either way, it sure was nice seeing you again lassie. We still have a round to do before the fireworks but, what do you say about a drink later? We’re staying under the Needle. Clean place, no fleas. They don’t spit in your beer and last I checked the food was edible. I’m sure the furballs will want to see you too.”

As sincere as his offer been, it earned his foot another stab. This time Anli made sure to twist her heel.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I do not plan to stay longer than needed.”

I bid them goodbye and found myself a secluded corner, away from the balcony and all the people gathering there. Indeed, there was supposed to be a display of fireworks later tonight but has this been already this late? If so, then maybe...

Oh, no. No, you won’t dolt. You ain’t gonna jinx it by hoping all this mess should soon be over. Nope. What I’m gonna do is sit here in this corner like a good dolt and pretend that I’m not there. Hoping troubles would pass by this anorectic, insignificant me. There is nothing interesting about me.

And that’s what I did. I found a small round table as far away from all the people as this floor allowed and I sat there.

How should I have known?

My troubles started with a cup of lemon tea and a slice of cake a trembling maid delivered onto my table. I thanked her thinking nothing of it as people tend to act in odd manner around me. Nine out of ten times it’s just anger or disgust. Less often, awe or fascination. Fear hardly ever happens if I don’t display my strength beforehand. She was a palace maid, a young one at that. Chances were gossips of me and my disposition have reached her ears. I would be surprised if she hadn’t heard of me after yesterday’s incident. I even offered her one of my fake smiles.

Poor judgment on my part.

I have no idea what I ate or drunk, but its delayed effects made sure I consumed the entire dose before I would realize. Somebody did its homework. This was not the kind of poison Carmina served me in her tea. No. This peculiar one hit me all at once. My water ring had no chance to neutralize that. I braced myself for the agony to come but the pain never arrived. Rather, my body tipped and fell to the ground where I began coughing out black, sizzling gunk mixed with melting chunks of my insides.

And no one noticed.

Not a single soul came to even stare while the annoying elf kept convulsing in a puddle of black, smoking blood that akin to acid kept melting everything around it. No noble called guards or laughed at my misery. I kicked and pushed to overturn my table, causing loud bang as its stone surface hit the ground and cracked.

And no one cared.

I called. Screamed out their names in between convulsions.

And no one listened.

Even with the water ring blasting at its full power, darkness crept over my vision. How? How have they done that? How did they block my mana?

A line of menacing runes spread from the plate and cascaded down to the floor where it crept to my twitching body. I could not let that touch me. If that spell could get a hold of my body, it would seal my fate.

I called for help as light in my eyes waned.

And no help came.

Only dreadful silence answered my cries. No help will come.

How do you purify what is unclean?

A whisper made me stop in my futile fight. My body went slack, spread on the ground as my water ring fought a losing battle.

I knew that voice. It came to me when Rooth sang.

What can cleanse anything?

It whispered inside my blood.

And I knew the answer.

Fire. Everything ends with fire.

“Burn.”

My lips ordered and the dragon flame obeyed. My blood ignited with ethereal flame. My veins spreading it through my entire body. It consumed all that was not of my flesh.

Inside and outside, fire burned, turning my body into a column of flames. It burned, expunging poison out of my pores. It burned, eating away at the blasphemous spell that trapped me. Sacrificing my skimpy attire, the flame burned everything away.

But why has no one noticed a blazing elf, retching black bile in the corner of the room? Why is it so calm and silent out here? Why could I not see any other people? How could I not notice it before?

The answer appeared few feet away from where I collapsed. Clear border, as if someone cut away my flame with a knife, separated me from rest of my surroundings. A perfect circle made by a spell and design to trap me. It would also explain the deafening silence in my head. The lucky me wandered into a trap and ate poison that could mess up my mana. I’d die in an instant was it not for my human heart. Now, clear of the poison my dragon heart awoke once more and power surged through my veins.

Yet the border held.

It strained. It bent. Wobbled in a way balmy air makes ripples in a distance but it did not let me through.

I have felt barriers and seals before, but this prison outranked whatever I came across before. It cut me off from the rest of the world as if the world itself discarded my existence. Pushed aside, a tiny, insignificant bubble containing an annoying elf.

A physical barrier...

My arms moved to assess that.

And sure, I could brace my palms against this invisible wall. And since I could do that, I put my knees beneath me and heft myself up, leaning against that wall.

What should I do with a border that not even those fames can cross? A wall that does not allow me to pass.

My dragon heart began beating faster and faster as I clenched my fist.

What would the dragon say?

Just break that thing with your puny fist, dolt. What are you waiting for? Do it already.

Yeah. She might have said something like that. Then there was Rage. He knew how to throw a punch. The memories came without any effort. This body knew. This body remembered.

The lantern slithered out of its hiding place and flowed to my fist forming a silver glove as I took my stance and raised my guard.

Inhale. Exhale. And the world shook.

All I saw was a flash of light when my fist rammed into the spell with the weight of my entire giggling mana hidden behind that punch. And it kept going.

It felt as if my hand sunk into layers upon layers of hardened glass, shattering each sheet as it went through. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Slow as if digging through thick mud, my hand stretched the ninth layer. It fought against me, consuming its caster’s life. And it lost. Shattering into endless pieces, the trap broke and my fire erupted to consume that which left of the nine souls that cast away they lives to construct this snare.

Yet, nobody cared.

People crowded onto the balcony and every open window while roars of exploding lights drowned every other noise. The fireworks? Now? How long was I trapped in there?

My naked body collapsed among the pile of ash. Smoke rising off of my dust covered skin.

A boot entered my view as I tried to collect myself. A moment later my body crashed against the celling, the impact masked by another exploding fireball and cheering of drunken crowd. My assailant did not wait for me to recover, his hand closed around my legs and my face smashed into the floor in tune to another blast.

I rolled aside just before her knee could sink into my back. That woman. Sword of the empire. Her killing intent boiled around her blade. I dodged jumping backwards but not fast enough. Her aura still cut my chest. Her blade sharp enough to draw blood against my skin.

Her hips turned powering her cut. Her blade aimed for my neck. She committed to the swing yet her arm went flying sideways, no longer attached to the rest of her frame.

Freed from whatever bound her, Cora materialized behind the female knight. Her blade already covered in blood, drew another arc but this time aiming for her opponent’s head.

“Don’t kill! Detain her!”

The rage I saw in the dryad’s face bordered on insanity. No more conscious thoughts hid behind her eyes. Her instincts took over. No longer a person, she charged like a cornered animal. An then she stopped. Her blade went wide, slashing away the knight’s other arm. The only reason she obeyed my words being her true name tied inside my soul.

Flame erupted from the dryad’s palm, and she seared the wounds of the fallen knight. How did all this happen? First poison, then a magical cage and when all that failed, the empire’s sword came herself to claim my life. What of others? Who else took part in this ploy? What was going on?

Guards mixed among the crowd picked up the cries of the fallen woman. The nearest ones saw blood and rushed towards us. Countless blades began to emerge from the staring crowd.

But none of that mattered anymore.

My body sensed it long before I heard it with my ears. All the tiny hairs on my entire body stood up as if a lightening chose me for its target. My third eyelids slammed shut and mana rushed into my eyes. Time stopped and even light seemed to slow down. Protective charms etched onto my bones, lit up and shone through my skin.

Above us, a wound-up mechanism clicked releasing a tiny spark.

Pain stabbed at my dragon heart as all around us mana dipped. Something sucked it out. All the ambient mana vanished at once. Within that unnatural vacuum, I saw a bright flash and for a moment everything turned white.

The palace began to shake and rumble as ancient magic came alive. Lines of golden runes crawled out of old stones and rushed to form a barrier along the balustrade followed by a hum of mana crystals as myriads of protective spells sucked them dry.

Then the world shook as the blast wave hit us.

Even with my untrained senses I felt the explosion stripping layers upon layers of this magical shielding the palace had as its power source could not keep up. Yet, none of the frozen crowd seemed to realize they were about to die.

Forcing my puny limbs to move with all they had, I dropped to my knees and spread my hands on the ground. Slow. Why do I move so slow? As If I were stuck in a bucket full of molasses.

With my fingers dug deep into the stone floor, I felt for the active magic. Just like I did with Erta before, I pushed my mana into the fading charm. It does not matter who casts a spell, anyone can keep it active if there is a path for mana to flow. Those were here words. Praying that it would hold true even for spells such as these, I stretched a thin tendril of mana into the heart of that ancient magic. To my surprise a mana vein formed the instant my power met with that charm.

It felt as if a bottomless chasm opened inside me through which my mana rushed out. Faster than I could blink my eye, half of my entire pool vanished sucked into the ancient charms as they kept nullifying the attack. The flow of power turning stone floor beneath me into crystal glass.

With three fourths of my mana gone, whatever infernal spell they used, fizzled out against the skin thin layer of the remaining barrier. As the shockwave dispersed, unshielded parts of shattered stone and melted towers pummeled the barrier I now held in my hands. Each deflected part shaving away swaths of my mana.

Then, in the corner of my eye I saw it in the air above the frozen crowd. Small green shape suspended amidst the ocean of grey. As in slow motion, I craned my head towards the falling dot in the sky. Remnants of a sacrificial spell still clung to her little body in the shape of a glowing woman as the tiny girl sailed through the sky leaving a trail of bloody droplets. To appear moving even to my eyes, what an ungodly force must have flung her aside.

And I felt fear creep into my mind. Fear so profound it froze my heart. Fear seeping from inside me, paralyzed my mind. Memories so vivid I could smell that evening wind, run past my eyes, distorting what was real. No longer I knelt within a palace ballroom. No. What my eyes saw was a mountain peak. A mountain peak where a child climbed a solitary tree to forage its fruits. A tree stretching its branches beyond a cliff.

And the child put its weight on a thin, dried out branch as she reached a tasty fruit.

Sound of the branch snapping jolted my heart. I saw her tiny hands flapping in the air. Terror painting over that beautiful face while she plumet down the ravine.

And I screamed. Screamed in tune with the wail that came from Erta’s maw. Her body twitching, forced to relive that nightmare once more.

My legs were moving before I knew. Tendons ripping and instantly regrowing in my overstrained calves. Up, up I jumped but why did it take so much time to go up?! As if the air itself tried to hold me tied down. All the while my daughter fell.

At long last I crashed into the ceiling and run. Upside down I run to bypass the frozen crowd. Clawing, pushing and kicking I run. Why couldn’t I run fast enough?!

No! I need to go slower! Her body will rip in half if I try to catch her like that.

My feet crushed into the floor five feet before the balustrade. Letting the time return to its flow, I did a running jump, just like the HALO ones we did off the back of a Herc. How did I know that?

And she fell so far. It took me no more than a second yet her tiny body already zoomed by.

But I was heavier. Faster. My training kicked in. This body knew how to fly. Falling headfirst, I chased her down. Droplets of her blood splashing against my cheek.

Unconscious, Erta stretched her arms, gripping at something that was not yet there. Her painful whine suppressed even the roar of wind rushing past my ears. Her memories messing with my eyes.

I spread my limbs trying to match her speed as best as I could. I only had one chance at that. Thankfully her dress gave her some drag and made her body slightly easier to grab.

And I came down straight from above her, my arms greedily clasping around her tiny frame. I pulled her into my chest. One hand supporting her head, the other her back. My knees instinctively bend reading for impact. My mind raced to the cord on my harness. A harness I no longer had on me while we came ever so close to the ground. I should have taken the name of that wind when she offered herself to me. An error I could no longer clarify. Closing my eyes, I forced whatever mana had left me into my water ring. Least it’ll protect the child.

And then Erta cried out in her dream.

It felt as if somebody unzipped my back or ripped it open. An instant later, spring-loaded rods shoot out and unwound. No, not rods. Bones. Bones slid out of my back and spread apart. Next came muscles and flesh in a surge of mana. Last came thin membrane that spread between the jutting bones. With an audible fhwomp of inflating canopy and twelve G trying to rip something out of my back, memories of opening my reserve just above the jungle flashed through my mind.

However instead of strings and white nylon canopy, all I saw above my head was scarlet underlining of two scaly wings.