Castle Veras, The  Land of Orent

Naja stared hollow eyed at a wall mirror as three elf girl servants groomed her hair, nails and feet. Earlier they’d stripped her and bathed her against her will. The servants dressed Naja in a beautiful white gown to match the white laced decor of her noble bed chamber, her prison in castle Veras.

“Mistress, you’re so angelic, please smile,” begged the lead servant, as she brushed Naja’s long hair.

Naja faced the elf, “Smile? For who? Your warlock master? I’d sooner pull my teeth out then smile for that tyrant!”

The servant, shaken by Naja’s words, warned her, “Mistress, you shouldn’t say such things...the walls have ears, and the warlock-”

“Whatever, get off me!” snapped Naja, snatching the brush out of the servant’s hand and kicking at the two other girls. The elf servants evaded Naja’s outburst and huddled together with their backs to the large mirror.

Naja snarled at the three servant girls, who begged her, *Please Mistress, we mean you no harm!*

Ignoring their send Naja charged and smashed the mirror behind them with the hairbrush. Glass shards shattered to the floor as the elves cowered by the bed. Naja wrapped a strip of bed sheet around a pointed mirror shard, then menaced the servant girls.

“Now, You’re gonna take me to my sister!” growled Naja at the lead servant.

“Mistress, please I- Ah!” Naja yanked the girl’s hair and pressed the shard to her neck, prickling her skin.

*You try me and I will cut you! Do you understand?* growled Naja in the girl’s head.

*Yes Mistress!*

Naja pushed the girl toward the chamber door and the junior servants whimpered behind. The lead servant tapped the door for the guards to unlock it from the outside.

Naja hid behind the lead servant and pushed her forward as the chamber door opened. As they stepped out to the hallway, the two outside Gobra guards spotted Naja. She jumped up.

“Back off or the bitch gets it!” barked Naja, holding the shard to the servant’s neck.

The first guard, unimpressed with Naja’s hostage, slashed his spear downward between her and the servant, separating them. But Naja leapt back, side kicked the guard and stomped the spear from his hand.

The second guard swung his spear at Naja, who ducked grabbing the first guard’s fallen spear and twirled backward, ready to fight. The two guards smirked.

“Hmph, our orders are not to kill you elf girl, but we will break you!” mocked the second guard.

The servant elf girls fled down the hall as the guards poised to attack Naja. The second guard charged forward and thrust his spear at Naja. Naja pivoted to block, but the palace guards were elite fighters. The guard feigned his forward attack then dropped and swung at Naja’s legs...except Naja, and her leg, vanished before his eyes.

“What? Illusion magic! The elf tricked us!” yelled the first guard.

Further Down the Hall

Naja commanded the junior servant girls away and clutched the arm of the lead servant girl, sending to her.

*You! What’s your name?*

*My name is Anya, Mistress!*

*Anya! Where’s my sister, Mia?*

*Mistress, I haven’t seen the lady Mia for two full moons now!* answered Anya.

Four guards charged down the hallway toward them. Anya muttered an incantation and cast an illusion spell. The guards ran right passed Naja and Anya, never seeing them.

*Eh, you hid us? Why?* asked Naja, surprised.

*Please Mistress, it’s safer in your chambers, the warlock, oh!* yelped Anya as an energy blast flew in her face, halting her words.

“No!” screamed Naja, blocking and absorbing the powerful blast in her palm. Naja dropped down grasping her singed hand, then raised her eyes to view the caster of the blast.

“Tch!” spit Naja at the grinning presence of four Gobra guards trailing behind a stunning raven haired elf in a flowing onyx gown. The elf woman’s silver violet eyes glared at Naja.

“Mia, you bitch!” snarled Naja from the ground.

The lady Mia stood before the dropped Naja, and cupped Naja’s face in her palm.

“Hm hm hm, that’s right dear sister, kneel before me!” crowed Mia.

Naja surged with fury at her black haired twin sister. She formed a ball of energy in her right palm and leapt at Mia, but Mia palmed Naja’s chest and pulsed a blast of energy through her.

“Aaaaah!” Naja screamed, collapsed and blacked out.

Mia knelt and gently lift Naja to her bosom, “Hmm, dear sister, I’m so much stronger than you are... Guards, bind her and take her to my chambers,” commanded Mia, while gliding over to the trembling servant Anya.

*Anya?* asked Mia, sending in a calm voice.

*My lady I-*

*I’m sure you have work to do, do you not?* asked Mia, with cruel intent.

“..Yes m’lady, my work is never done,” whimpered Anya out loud, picking herself up and scurrying out of lady Mia’s sight.  

Dear Sister

Naja awoke in the largest bed chamber in the castle. Complete with fountain bath, garden view terrace, trimmed in wood, stone and ivory.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Is my chamber not lovely, sister? Are you not impressed?”

Naja turned to her right, “Mia! You can rot in this gilded cage, ptew!” Naja spit on the floor, her hands bound behind her back.

Mia dismissed Naja’s outburst and poured tea. “Sweet Naja, still a wild forest child? Father would be proud.”

“Eh? Why you! Well mother would certainly be proud of you, you witch!” Naja fired back.

“Hahaha, mother was an amateur compared to me and the power I’ve gained,” laughed Mia, crackling a ball of energy in her fist.

“Mia? How far have you gone to amass this power?” asked Naja, feeling Mia’s energy before her.

“Not far enough dear sister, and that’s where you’re going to help me!”

“Help you?  You’re a slave for that warlock tyrant, and I’m not helping you do anything,” growled Naja, turning away.

“Hahah, foolish Naja, as if I would fall under that warlock’s spell. No, you have it wrong, it is I who control him, and soon all of Cionis!”

Naja glared at Mia in disbelief, “Mia...if this is true and you control the warlock, then why are you doing this? Why are you making war on the people of Cionis?”

“No Naja! It is you who will answer my questions. Now, where is the earthman you traveled with? I know you took him through the silver fog?”

Naja sat up surprised, “Eh?..I really don’t know...but Mia..what do you want with him?”

“What do you think? I need his key! That earthman arrived on Cionis, which means he traveled here using a dimensional key!” barked Mia.

Cold sweat shook Naja’s core. Mia knew nothing about Reid. Mia didn’t know Reid arrived in Cionis without a key and traveled to Rispar with Naja to recover Major Gantz' key.

“I don’t know where he is. He fled west to Devos once we crossed the silver fog mountain,” said Naja.

“No, you lie!”

“I'm not lying Mia, and even if I did know I wouldn't-”

Mia grabbed Naja’s face, silencing her.

“No, you lie and you will tell me where he is dear sister, or else!” snapped Mia, throwing Naja on the couch.

“Black Berrol!” screamed Mia, calling out to the hallway. Her chamber doors opened and a large, heavy set elf lurched in. His face a patchwork of stitches under his dark brown heavy robes.

*Yes m’lady, you called?* he bowed.

*Black Berrol, take my sister, and find out what she knows. But Berrol, you are not to physically touch her, if you do I'll castrate you!*

Berrol glanced at Naja on the couch who snarled at him.

*Ahh, as much as that pain would honor me in your service m’lady, I’m afraid if I use our ancient mind techniques...they may scar her worse than my physical embrace.* He knelt and caressed Naja’s face.

“Don’t touch me you freak!” barked Naja, wincing from his grope.

“Use your discretion Berrol, I want to know what she knows. But don’t go too far!" said Mia aloud.

“Ahh, m’lady, have faith as I have pride in my work,” said Berrol, reaching down and shocking Naja with a blast from his palm.

“Yaaaah!” screamed Naja, paralyzed from his blast.

“Yes, yes, no worries child, you and I will have much to discuss, yes! hee hee,” he cackled, lifting Naja and carrying her out of Mia’s chamber.

A moment later a horn blast from the hallway, a signal for a messenger's arrival. Mia's guards escorted her to a large meeting hall, where three wolves barreled into the room. The leader, a large grey and black, shifted and knelt before Mia.

“Rise Brycius, what news do you bring?” asked Mia, rubbing his face. The burly and handsome Canid warmed at her touch as he explained events.

“M’lady, we lost the scent of the earthman, but we have word from our spies in Vorkest that an earthwoman has awakened King Stelio.”

“An earthwoman is on Cionis?...And has undone Naja’s sleep spell?...Brycius, how many of these earth people are on our world now?” asked Mia.

“I don’t know m’lady, but our spies say she traveled to Vorkest with your Aunt Bridana.”

“What? Bridana with an earthwoman? That old witch lied to me,” she muttered to herself facing away from her guards, then she spun and faced Brycius.

“Brycius, the earthwoman, the earthman, find them all and bring them to me and not a word of this to the warlock! Do you understand my puppy?” Mia cooed, cuddling Brycius’ big chest.

“I belong to you my lady,” swore Brycius and shifted to wolf form with his Canids. They howled as they rushed out of the chamber to execute their mistress’ bidding.

Mia turned to a great window and gazed at the gleaming and majestic Veras City below.

‘I’ve brought order to this castle, to this city. And soon I’ll bring order to all of Cionis……. and protect this great world from them…..’

Proofread by Chiisutofupuru~