Tetra screamed in pain as Elaine's threads tore out her leg, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. "You need to be better at recognising distances, dear sister." She short beast skipped down the distance between them and helped her up as the leg began to regrow. It was not the first, but in fact the third limb that the Sage had lost today. The first time it had knocked out her senses, the second time was nearly as bad. Now she was only heaving, leaning on her sister. "Is it, always this painful?"

"No, eventually your brain gets used to it, and your nerves become much less pronounced in regards to pain the more often you lose a limb. In that way I am doing you a favour." Elaine let out a chuckle and stepped back at Tetra's leg had grown back. They were underground in a large rectangle arena. The ground had been pure white, before the two had bleed all over it.

"You're getting better though, maybe you'll tear me apart this time, hm?" Elaine grinned and her hands began to dance, forming a storm of threads around her. Tetra rose her left hand and drew a seal into the air. a burst of white flame erupting from it towards the other beast. Her opponent clenched her fist and the storm formed a wall against the current of flames, which they were unable to break though. When she released her hand, the threads again became a whirl, and she could see Tetra again, and the light that was bursting out of her hand.

For a few moments it was all that she could see, though she could hear the words she spoke. "Light of the moon, second of the three, lay waste." Elaine did not need to see, to know what was coming her way. A great blade out of pure blue light soared down onto her, clashing with her threads. Sparks flew and a horrible screeching filled the air as the blade cut through thread after thread, only for another to take it's place.

Tetra had her right hand risen into the air, and now clenched her other to a fist. "Darkness between the stars, devour." The walls around them darkened, spreading to the ground and the ceiling until they stood in the middle of an abyss, without beginning nor end. The dark let Elaine's sight return, and she glanced around, most of her strength still focusing on deflecting the blade.

She smiled, as countless spikes broke out from the dark to her direction. The first ten, fifteen she cut into pieces before they reached her, but they kept coming, until once, she was careless. The spike pierced cleanly through her waist, followed by another going through her chest. Within moments her body was a bloody, torn mess.

"Well done, dear sister." She rose her hands up, her threads losing their strength. "I yield." The darkness disappeared as quickly as it had spread, the blade vanishing the same as Tetra ran to Elaine's side. "I'm, I'm sorry I, I didn't actually know what, it would do and I didn't, know how to stop it and."

Elaine laid a hand on Tetra's mouth as the black blood making up her body oozed out of her slowly. "Sssh. You got me, and that is all that counts." Now it was her clinging onto her sister, as her blood slowly began to retreat back into her body, her thin skin closing around the holes. "Much better, though don't expect that trick to work a second time. Though with most of your enemies, that wont be as big a concern."

Tetra gazed down at her sister's body with a frown. "Will I, end up like that too?" She ran her hand across the scales on her neck, scratching at them. "Just, skin and blood?" Elaine let out a chuckle and shook her head. "No, dear sister. Your blood is yours to control, as is your body. Look at our great sister, she recreates her bones and everything without messing up once. I have little care for that though. I think that is enough dismemberment for a day though, I think. I really wanted to get another arm of yours, but that can be for another time."

With another laugh she made way for the exit, though Tetra did not follow.

"Why is it that you don't care? And why are you the only one who still looks so, young and, unformed?" Elaine had reached for the door handle, but now she was scraping the door with her nails instead. "From sister to sister, I would advise you to not ask questions that brazenly." She hissed, glaring back at her. "My reasons are my own, and as long as my beloved master wishes not for me to change, I will remain as I am. You did well today, dear sister. Tomorrow I will come for that arm of yours." She did not slam the door shut as she left, though Tetra still flinched as if she had.

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Maria had expected a learned eccentric to be sent to her by Elizabeth. She had not expected an abomination. The thing calling itself her tailor was both too tall and too thin to be normal, covered head to toe in thick red cloth, to say nothing of his three pairs of arms and the mask that hid his face, which had nothing but two holes for eyes and a tiny slit for a smile. She could see nothing but blackness behind them, and when it spoke it was as if he was wearing none at all.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Ah, great lady Len-Fey, what an honour it is to be in your service." Every arm moved in perfect unison with the others as it bowed and got closer. Sin was standing at her side, and every few moments Maria glanced back to her for support. "I was informed you needed a dress fitting for the ball, are there any specific wishes, my great client?"

"I, well, I need it to be regal and, appropriate to my status. It needs to be the most beautiful dress on the floor, well, I mean lady Elizabeth could have something comparable but, that is not the point, I." She motioned to here empty shoulder. "I would like this, covered though. Don't want the first thing people see and say to be condolences. And uhm, what, are you?"

The creature rested it's three right arms on it's chest. "Many names, too many, most not very flattering, I go simply by the tailor nowadays, for it is what I do. I am human, great client, just as you, dedicated to my craft above all else." It's many arms sprung to action, grabbing rulers, measuring tape, a pencil and a sheet of paper. It began to take her measurements, scribble notes on the paper, and talk all at the same time.

"Lady Elizabeth will wear white, emphasising the purity of her house and the great position of Merlayne, praise be. Red would be a beautiful match, to show the passion and love of you two. No, no, too clear, subtlety, subtlety is necessary."

As the tailor circled her, she began to blush. "How do you, did Elizabeth tell you?" The creature shook it's head as it put the paper into it's last free hand and pulled out another. "No no, my work leads me to many great and noble houses, I need not my ears to work, so I am able to listen, listen well. The great Len-Fey enters Paris, the jewel of Merlayne, unopposed? Paladins and Samdel, driven back? Merlayne is not foolish, Merlayne is the wisest, praise be. Then what would embolden such a wise and powerful lady, if not that she found her match at long last?"

Maria shook her head, looking at the creature's mask only caused her revulsion. "What do you mean at long last, lady Elizabeth is barely a year older than me, at most!" After notes the tailor began to sketch on it's paper. This close the young master could smell the intense perfume, layered heavily on the creature's heavy clothes, as if to mask something.

A tinge of rot hit her nose just as the creature stepped back.

"Never in my life would I call the great lady Merlayne old, praise be! I merely spoke of the countless suitors she has dismissed over the last years, there is nary a young lord or lady who did not have her heart broken by the great Merlayne, praise be."

It looked across it's sketch once more, and then held it out towards Maria. The dress was to be black, with the rose of Len-Fey as a motive embroidered across the knee-length skirt in bright red. The right sleeve went all the way to the wrist, fashioned with frills both there, at the shoulder and ankles.

For her other shoulder the tailor had designed a shoulder-cape, reaching down to the waist, in pure white with her emblem stitched into it. Neck and shoulders were left relatively bare, while retaining the modesty of old nobility. "Would this be of satisfaction, great client, Len-Fey?"

Once more she looked over to Sin, who bowed under her gaze. With a deep breath, she nodded. "I, I think it would look very good, yes. Though, I would want there to be more frills, especially on the skirt." The tailor tilted it's head a clean ninety degrees, without it's neck snapping. "A showing of youth and innocence, coupled with the darker tone of maturity and the ferocity of the legacy of your house. Great client, you posess a fine eye for beauty, yes, yes."

It folded it's six hands together and bowed deeply. "I shall labour day and night for your attire to be finished two day 'ere the ball, I swear my soul on it, great client. If that shall be everything, I shall take my leave, no longer insulting the great lady with my presence."

As it turned to leave Maria took a step forward. "I, apo-" She cought herself, took a deep breath and started anew. "I wish to state that my discomfort comes only from a lack of exposure, good tailor. The intention was not to show dislike, I want to assure. And, I would inquire if, well, what do your services cost?"

The tailor had stopped, and slowly tilted it's head back, until it looked back at Maria, perfectly upside-down. "This one is not offended, great lady. I know my deeds, one is right to be repulsed. There is no need for payment, this wish came of the great Merlayne, praise be. I owe much to the great family, this is but another task to make up for one of my sins. We thank you, great Len-Fey, regardless, for your concerns."

The creature left through the front door, disappearing quickly within the van that had brought it here. Sin returned back to her post, a single step behind her master. "Sin, are, are a lot of people like that, thing?" Her voice was wavering a little.

"Ah, my master, worry not. Some are, nobility gives right and means for more, eccentric dreams and expression." Sin laid a hand on Maria's intact shoulder. "But that thing and most others are harmless, they pale in comparison to me and my sisters."

"It talked about, repaying, I." Maria took a deep breath and stared at Sin. "I don't want to know, do I?" Sin shook her head.

"I believe your dreams are troubled enough, dear master. I would not wish to add more."