Footsteps surrounded Mira after she crashed into the ground like a meteor from the heavens. She crawled from the small crater and frantically ran away. She summoned a blade to her hand and fought off anyone that touched her. She threw them off until one pair sapphire eyes caught her attention. The blood that dripped from his forehead and sweat from his brow caused her to stop.
“Mira?”
The auburn-haired woman dismissed the weapon and she fell in front of him. She looked up and saw a coldness to him she had never known. More footsteps rushed towards her. Dozens of Ems surrounded the crater with swords pointed at her. A hand touched her and she felt her senses taken away. Instead of fighting, she embraced it. She fell into their arms in her exhaustion.
“Lady Mira,” Em approached carefully, “Are you… stable?”
The duplicate elves disappeared once she surrendered to them. Her vision returned as guards in metal armor surrounded them.
“I’m sorry. I had to do it to stop you,” Their eyes searched her for a reaction, “You were…”
“You did what you had to,” She spoke somberly, “They will have to take me away now, won’t they?”
“I think they will have a lot of questions,” Jonen’s voice quivered, “Mira, I—I do too.”
Mira grabbed her mother’s necklace and held it towards the emerald eyed elf. They furrowed their brow at her. She crushed the stone in her hand and let the pieces fall away.
She shook the dust from her hand, “It is done.”
Before she got a response, she threw them across the ruins. Her next problem approached.
“Put your hands where I can see them!” Reiner announced.
“I will submit myself to Sir Jonen Layfette or Prince Krission,” She snarled, “Anyone else will be killed if they come near me.”
“What? Some halfwit knight or the prince?” The man scoffed, “What are you to make these demands?”
“I did this damage and I still stand. I tore the man that killed my lover from this world. I killed a prophetess without a second thought. I could demolish this city in a moment if I wished,” Her indifferent eyes glanced over them with a haughty laugh, “I am the leader of the Wilted Rose. I am the wraith. I am the demon that haunts the people of Zrud.”
She stepped towards him as he stumbled backwards.
“You have witnessed a fraction of what I am capable of,” The demonic voice echoed in her own, “So, I will say again… I will surrender to one of two men. Anyone else that touches me will be destroyed.”
Mira looked to Jonen to see his reaction. He stepped towards her with his shield raised and sword ready to strike. His face was nothing like the kind man she knew. She dipped her head in recognition of his intent.
She spoke to no one in particular but knew it would heard by whomever necessary, “Prepare Bobabano in the tailored suit from yesterday.”
Reiner pushed Jonen, “This show is over with.”
The knight moved closer to her and readied himself to fight off any attacks. She looked to the chaos she caused.
Amethyst laid motionless on the ground. Tiero slathered healing goo on a crying Ravenna’s face. Countless bodies piled the ruins of the once pristine coliseum. More soldiers and warriors surrounded her. An unholy smirk spread on her lips. Her grief would be shared by thousands that day.
Mira almost felt sorry that the thought comforted her. She could have done far worse and properly demolished the vile place. With Encante’s power fully inside of her, she knew that the entire city would’ve been levelled if she wasn’t stopped. The energy behind the mask ran through her veins as if it always belonged to her.
As Jonen forced her to the ground and held her hands behind her, Reiner kicked at her ribs. She laughed at his puny attempts to hurt her. Nothing without magic would be able to harm her again. She cackled as his metal boot crunched against her. Ropes wrapped around her wrist to tie her hands behind her back.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“What did you do to my son?” Reiner grabbed her face, “Where is he?”
“I devoured him,” Reptilian white eyes flashed at him, “The void is his new home.”
“You are a disgusting,” He sneered, “I’ll enjoy killing you.”
“I will enjoy harvesting your soul from your pathetic body,” The inhuman voice chuckled, “I can’t wait to hear your delicious screams.”
“Take her to the dungeons!” He yelled, “I will speak with Queen Azalea and Prince Krission about this thing.”
Jonen yanked her upwards and shoved her forward. She didn’t dare speak to him as the small army escorted her towards the palace. The chaos had spread from the coliseum and into the streets around her. An army of orcs flew towards her and began to rip the guards away with a brawl in the streets. The constant clanging of swords caused Jonen’s grip on her to falter.
“Stand down!” Her voice boomed with her command, “Prepare yourselves to travel back to the motherland. It will be a long journey.”
That seemed to appease them enough to back away from the parade. Nobody else had to be hurt that day because of her. She saw black rose marks follow along side of them and looked for Val. Once she spotted the woman, she tilted her head. Val nodded and tucked a pile of letters under her coat. Mira smiled unnaturally and white reptilian eyes flashed happily at the thief.
“We could take them,” Encante said, “You are still enraged from our Obsidian’s death. We could take over this entire continent in a day. We have the strength now.”
“We do not need to,” Mira replied to his thoughts coldly, “Patience. I have a plan.”
As she stumbled into dungeon, she felt the enchantments push against her powers. Skymara’s work would have killed the magic in most mages, but not her. Not anymore. Someone threw her into a cell. A knight covered in bruises slammed her wrist into the clamps on the wall. She did not protest against them.
“Throw him into the next cell,” Reiner called as he entered the dungeon, “He could be working with her.”
The men around Jonen lifted him from his feet and tossed him before he could say anything. The cell door locked behind him and he frantically looked around.
“I didn’t do anything!” He yelled, “I had nothing to do with that!”
“When I know for sure, you will be released. Until then, you can watch her from here,” Reiner scowled at her, “Strip her bare and make sure she doesn’t have any weapons.”
“I can’t wait to rip your head off,” Mira grinned maliciously, “I did not allow your son any last words. I think he almost yielded before I ripped out his throat. I wonder… Will you beg for your life?”
The men Jonen once considered is comrades brutally cut her tattered armor and clothes away as she cackled. He reacted in horror as Reiner took an opportunity to stab into her with his sword. Black scales rippled against her bare skin and bent his blade as he attempted to attack her.
“You will have to try much harder to kill me,” She tsked, “I dare you to try again, though. Entertain me.”
“Where is my son?” His sword stabbed into her again.
“I devoured him.”
“You cannot ‘devour’ him! Where is he?”
A dark chuckle came from her, “Vernent will circle the void as my prey until the end of time. His execution may have been swift, but it was far from painless.”
“You –”
“Everyone, out!” A voice boomed into the dungeon as the Queen entered, “If I see you harming the prisoner, then I will put you into the next cell. The dungeon is sealed with oppressive magic. She will not be able to hurt anyone here!”
As the mighty dwarf stepped past the men around her, she looked directly at Mira with enraged delirium. The smaller dwarf that followed her wore an amulet that caught her attention. Reiner growled and stormed from the cell. The soldiers around the queen filtered away as she strode angrily at the woman.
“A Listener? Curious. I wonder if he’ll be able to tell if I’m lying.”
“I am the most talented in Zrud,” The snobby man nodded, “I will easily be able to tell if you are lying.”
“Let’s test that,” She chuckled, “I’m pregnant with Krission’s child.”
“You are not!” The queen yelled, “My son would have never—!”
The dwarf blinked and turned to the queen, “Y-your majesty –”
“I am a soulless creature that feasts upon the fear of others,” The reptilian eyes blinked back at him, “I will turn into a goddess from a prophecy told far before your birth.”
“My queen –”
“This body is nothing but an illusion,” She stared at him, “I’m actually a four headed bear that breathes fire.”
The man squirmed under her gaze and she chuckled. She looked back to the angry queen with a soft, practiced smile as her head titled unnaturally.
“Well, Duke Welftin? Am I lying? Tell the queen,” She nodded, “I’m curious what you can sense.”
“My queen, she –” He shook his head, “My powers must be weakened from—”
“That amulet should allow you to practice your magic freely in this chamber, shouldn’t it?” Her eyes changed back to the soft honey color as she stared at the man, “Or should I allow you to listen?”
“What does that—” Azalea stared to speak.
“From the top now,” She clapped at the queen, “I am pregnant with Krission’s child.”
The dwarf blinked as his magic whispered into his ears again, “False.”
“See?” Mira giggled childishly, “I will allow him to see the truth when I want it known. Now, ask your silly little questions.”
“Where is the prophetess?” Azalea sneered, “What have you done with her?”
“She is dead.”
“You can’t just kill a prophetess!” She snapped, “Where is she?”
“She is dead,” Mira hissed, “Gone. Not coming back.”
“My queen –”
“She could not just disappear!” The queen sneered, “I am not afraid to torture you.”
“How will you torture me? I wonder… Starving me? Breaking every bone in my body? Skinning me alive and burning the wounds? Boil me is lard?” Mira’s hollow eyes stared at the queen, “I have been trained to withstand any type of torture. I’ve gone through it all before. I will save you the time and trouble. She is dead.”
Queen Azalea looked over to Jonen, “I’ll torture him if I have to get you to talk.”
Mira looked over to the half-elf. Jonen coldly watched her for a response. She tilted her head unnaturally as her thoughts swirled.