The emergency light flickered as the cold winds blanketed Princess. She leant against the metallic wall and stared at the dragon whose shadow cast over her. Though its gigantic figure dominated the atmosphere, Princess revealed nothing but a faint smile.

The fog seeped into the room and covered the irrelevant scenery. Its chilliness froze the world into a silent frame, waiting for Princess to break the static. She softly coughed and raised her hand, reaching towards Pallear.

"You're particular," Pallear said.

"How's life in the cave? You look a lot skinnier than before."

"Do I know you?" Pallear leant closer to Princess and sniffed her odour. "I don't remember your scent."

"You're even worse than dogs now."

"Say that to your dog. It broke the Northern Treaty and killed a Spirit. How will you compensate me?"

"It isn't mine. Someone sends it to follow me. You'll get rid of it."

"Why should I? We the Dragon Clan have no intention to meddle with your internal affair."

"You're quite bold to refuse my demand."

"How about I kill you right now?"

Princess giggled and shifted her gaze away. Her hand stroked the sleeping Angelica, caressing her cold hard skin. In silence, the sound of her heart echoed in her ears, filling the world with strange ease.

"Pallear, you need to get that pair of eyes checked," Princess said.

"How did you know my name?"

"You don't remember this face anymore?"

Pallear tilted its head and examined Princess closer. It tore the ceiling apart in a loud creak and shook Shifting Mist with its force, its face moving closer to her. Princess touched its pupil and watched its eye blinked.

"You're as big as ever," she said. "Your pair of sapphires look beautiful but serve little to no purpose."

Pallear froze. "You're—"

"Are you surprised?"

"But how?"

"The Arachna is quite daring." Princess chuckled and stared at the gloomy sky above her. "They saved me."

"Ironic."

"I prayed for the Gods, but instead, the monsters answered."

Pallear fell silent and processed the new information it had just received. "What can I do for you?"

"Kill Paleknight and help me out of this."

Pallear shook its head. "That thing is too slippery, and the Spirit it killed is a follower of the God of Light."

Princess laughed then gripped her chest as she puked blood. Her face contorted in pain. Still, she smiled.

"Really?" she said. "Fate is having too much fun."

"She has disappeared since forever. Who knows how she is?"

"What is the chance of her watching us?"

"Quite a bit, I bet."

"Nevermind, heal me and protect me." Princess glanced at the corpse of the Spirit, her eyes filled with determination.

"What? Are you insane?"

"I don't think so."

"Then stay with the Arachna. I'll get you back."

"If I go with them, all is lost."

"Your group will—"

"Don't drag them into this." Princess stared at Pallear, her eyes dull and cold, exuding the authority unquestionable.

Pallear fell silent. It sighed and released a wisp of Fons to Princess, healing her injury. She moved her body to feel her numbed body before turning to the sky.

"The Great Races don't welcome me." She raised her claw-like hand and grasp at the sky. "The Arachna wants to control me."

"What you're doing will bring more enemies."

"The entire world is already against me."

"It doesn't mean you should drag Heaven into this."

"If I can survive, I'll do it."

"You won't."

"I'm smarter than you."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Princess stood up and walked to the corpse. Her footsteps echoed inside the room. The mist retreated from her and revealed a passage in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Pallear said.

"Following my plan." Princess knelt before the corpse.

She held the head and dragged the corpse before stopping and glancing at Angelica.

"Take her with you," she said.

Pallear sighed and grabbed Angelica with its claw. Fons emerged from its scales and filled Angelica with electricity to keep her alive. Though it couldn't repair her, it could indefinitely sustain her with its overwhelming power.

"You'll bring ruin to her," Pallear said.

"She's already ruined since she came under me."

"I'll tell them for you. That brat will."

"No one will believe him."

"She will."

"She's a fool." Princess paused and smiled.

"You're a fool."

Princess stopped and gazed at the gate before her. As she touched its firm surface, the blue radiance glowed from its design. From the other side, she heard the constant sound of a clock ticking.

"Take care of her. If all go south, take her with you," she said.

"If you die, I won't help her."

"I know you will."

Princess pushed the gate open. The cold winds crept out and caressed her legs as she stepped into the darkness. Her footsteps echoed, mixing with the sound of a corpse hitting the stair. A trail of blood formed a crimson waterfall, painting a red carpet for her to tread. The death-cold air grasped her hand and guided her into the abyss.

Princess remained silent the entire journey. Her mind kept wandering into the realm of possibility. She didn't encounter any illusion of her past or any extraordinary space-time anomaly.

At the deepest part of Shifting Mist, light penetrated the thick fog and landed on her face. Her blue pupils flashed as she gazed at the ancient corridor in front of her. She trod the rose-filled carpet. The corpse she dragged tainted the mat. The design of the hallway slowly enclosed the pathway, filling space with the vases of poppies on both sides.

The core room gestured for her arrival. Its previously illuminated atmosphere dimmed into darkness. The core remained floating in the middle of the room, but the revolving Fons was no more.

"System, are you alive?" Princess said.

The room flickered. The emergency light shone and faded. No voice came through.

"Let me help you." She threw the corpse. It landed in front of the core.

Nothing happened.

"You're an artefact-class vessel. You're almost at the Divine-class," she said, her voice growing deep. "Why do you have to fear them?"

The room trembled. The system reacted to her taunt.

"You're on your last leg. Either you die now or follow me and maybe die later." She sprung up. "Paleknight will come back soon. Even if you don't die, you'll be under their control."

She snickered. "Your fate will be sealed then."

Princess walked to the core and stood before the corpse. She licked the blood on the Spirit's face and savoured the aftertaste. The sourness burnt her tongue, but delight permeated her mind. Her hand formed a claw and snapped at the Spirit.

A sudden pressure restrained her movement, gripping her arm with an invisible force strong enough to stop her but not enough to hurt her.

"What am I doing?" Princess glanced at the core. "It's not that I'm evil. We just don't the luxury to consider anything."

A silent agreement.

"Ready or not, I'll begin the procedure."

Princess raised her hand. Blue light flashed from the gem in her chest and rushed through her veins. They glowed under her carapace as they reached her fingertips.

"Connect yourself with her. Remember, we only need the speck of Divinity. Anything else is unimportant."

She placed her hand on the core. The Fons expanded into countless threads, connecting with the corpse. The Spirit twisted as the foreign power entered her body, her muscles cramped.

A muffled boom hung above Shifting Mist, its impact rocking the landscape. The mist vanished as the sky brightened. The sun glared at Shifting Mist and decreed its blazing judgement.

"Such power," Princess said and wiped her sweats. "His influence is too far-reaching."

A roar resounded, followed by an earthquake which threw Shifting Mist around. The world flipped upside-down, pulling the sky onto the ground.

"Who dare defy me?" the God of Light said.

"Just a speck of Divinity. Be more generous, old man," Princess said.

"You mortals aren't worthy."

"You also aren't up to par. Why not descend with your true self?"

"I don't need to answer the dead's questions."

"Do you think that death will stop me?" Princess laughed. "I've died once, and now I'm here. Death means nothing."

"If not for—" Another earthquake occurred.

Princess shifted her attention to the core and found a yellowish ball of light emerging from the Spirit. It wrapped around the speck of Divinity, dragging it inward.

"Now, it's time to ascend," Princess said.

She looked up to the ceiling and smiled, listening to the crackling booms. Something rushed groundward. A heating blade cut through the thick metals with ease and headed straight to the core room.

"He's mad," she said and closed her eyes.

The heat cut through the molten floors. Its blinding light pierced through Princess's eyelids. Its searing noises rang in her mind. The gate of death opened wide and spewed flames outward. They crawled to her and swallowed her.

Princess opened her eyes. "I win."

The enormous hand of light suspended above her, towering over her body and dwarfing the room into insignificant. Countless blue chains restrained its movement.

"Princess, I'm at your service," Shifting Mist said.

The core room lit and regained its vitality. The Fons flooded every part of Shifting Mist. Their endless might pushed the burning hand out and rewound time to undo the damage.

"Little mortal," the God of Light said. "Why don't you stay dead?"

"I'm not the type to give up. You know my history, so don't act pretentious."

"Your action has consequences."

"I know, but what can you do about me?"

"You broke the Northern Treaty."

"So what? I'm not on the list of the participators."

"You were a human."

"Not anymore."

"You're an Arachna."

"I'm also not."

"You're a rebellious mortal."

"You only speak but never enforce."

The God of Light smirked. He withdrew his right hand and presented Princess with his left. Two of his five fingers held a tiny figure between them.

"I've said your action has consequences," the God of Light said. "Now it's time for you to understand."

"How dare you!" Princess shouted, her pupils contracting.

Angelica hung below the great blazing fingers with her head staring at Princess, motionless, silent, and lifeless.

"The dragon fled after I tore a hole in its body. I snatched your little android with me." The God of Light shook Angelica. "A soul within machinery, fascinating."

"System, get her back!" Princess whispered.

The entire landscape trembled as the gigantic underground fortress shredded the soils around it and shone in blue light before shifting its hue into a golden, divine light, overwhelming the orange dusk.

A faint holy chant echoed throughout the surrounding. The second sun soared from the ground to the sky, standing against the God of Light's avatar.

"A divine-class vessel," God of Light said. "You use my power against me."

Princess glared at him. She waved her hand and watched the Fons exploded into a solar flare. It expanded and covered the sky before raining spear-like rays toward the God of Light.

The Divine Fons concentrated and materialized into crystal meteors. They snapped at the God of Light at the speed faster than Princess could see from the distance.

Sonic booms happened without any notice and blossomed into colourful sparks. The God of Light manifested a burning sword to block the bombardments, but the injuries he sustained overwhelmed him.

"This is the end," God of Light said, smiling. "I'll remember this, Peritia Memorae."

As Princess watched, the God of Light crushed Angelica's head.