Three days and nights come and go in our solemn but swift march to Ashglen. We eat comfortably, sleep comfortably, and take solace in the knowledge that we may yet survive the events to come. I spend the absent hours formulating plans, pondering and considering my enemy's weaknesses. Stella reminds me of how easily my master shrugged her aside.

It only serves to discourage me.

Every step we take in furtherance to reaching our destination makes me feel as if a bell is tolling above my head. Ring, ring, chiming away, echoing, signaling my second death to come. Though my heart has been tempered, in no small part because of those flames, I find myself gripped by a fear that cannot be shaken free - no matter how hard I should try. Selene's lapdog is as dynamic and damaging as the fire she represents.

I'm certain that she tried to give her all to defeat me, but it simply wasn't necessary. I fell long before she pulled out every stop - I was weak beyond measure. Even now, I try to imagine how a fight with her would develop, but I cannot. I have no knowledge of her capabilities, I have no knowledge of her skills or senses or experience.

I only know that, to many, she is considered one of the strongest of the non-Pioneers.

With all of that being said, it's clear that a direct confrontation will only result in a true ending to my story. I cannot fight Josephine Cirix, I can only kill her.

So, how does one assassinate the greatest swordsman in the Kingdom? That grim thought occupies my mind for the length of our travel.

----------------------------------------

The sun nears its exit as the walls of Ashglen comes closely enough into view for us to spy each individual brick - though it helps that they're rather large.

The city is stunning, even from here. Grand towers and spires rise up over the walls from inside, giving it a prominent silhouette, especially at this hour. Long flags and banners wave around at the top of the towers' roofs, cast about by the wind. Behind the windows of those towers - or some of them, at least - are bright lights, what looks to be enough to cast down onto the streets below.

"Damn..." Aisling mutters, "Would've loved t'look around this one."

"Ashglen's a beauty." Aidan says, "I've only been here a few times, mind you, especially after what happened with Addie - but!"

Addie?

Probably got that one when she was a kid, Stella quips, those sorts of nicknames never get lost.

Why does it sound like you're speaking from experience?

Don't push it, 'little apprentice.'

"But gods, it's really nice..." Aidan continues, a wistful tone to his voice, "I mean, Cirix and Grivash are really bitter foes - but those idiots really know how to fry a fish. You can only get that in their territory, Tish is worse than you'd expect at it... Maybe their cooks just aren't as-"

"We're here." I say, cutting off Aidan.

The wall is right there. My heart is beating faster than it ever has in my entire life, but I have to stay calm. She's in there. She's in there. My vision unfocuses, my chest feels tight, and warm.

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It's gonna be okay, Sybil. Stella calls out, We'll do this together, alright? You aren't alone!

I take a deep breath, clenching my fists. T-thanks...

"Are you ready, Aisling?" I ask.

"Mmhm."

Tonight, we breach Ashglen. Tonight, we face down the Hunters, and I kill Josephine Cirix. I restrain a laugh. Even in my greatest fantasies, the idea of killing her, even with means dripping in deceit, is far-fetched. It takes an immense amount of effort to not fall back into that mental death spiral once again.

"Aidan?" I lick my lips, seeking confirmation from our eyes.

He cocks his head to the side, thinking about it for a moment. Then, he makes a ring with his index finger and thumb, holding it up to his eye. Another moment later, he lifts up, "All clear, boss!"

With a sigh, I lean toward the wall. I place a single hand upon it, stringing mana out and along its surface. Those strands of energy draw out a small arch, just tall and wide enough for us to fit through. Then, it sinks deep into the stone, all the way to the other side. The shape has been carved.

I prime the energy, and then release it - [Transmutation] is cast.

"Aisling." I step to the side, leaving her to do the work.

The dwarf steps up, grinning - though I can tell that even that is riddled with some kind of nervous energy. She places a hand on the stone, and I can sense a small amount of aura pulsing out from her hand. Then, I watch in awe as the stone I carved an outline around sinks back into the ground.

The way forward has been opened up, giving us free reign to enter Ashglen once and for all. Aisling returns to the group, and I can tell that they all expect me to take up the fore.

We're all just a bunch of panicked fools, aren't we? But if I panic, the rest of them will fall the same as me.

"Aidan. Anything at all, and you let me know. Alright?" I take a first step through the opening, thankful to hear an affirmative sound from him. Honestly, it's a comfort - perhaps a false one - to have someone with better senses than my own. They're perfect up-close, but far away, my senses are worthless.

[Child of the Sea]... Would it help with that? There's no use thinking about it now.

Each precarious step coincides with my breathing, slowed to calm my thumping heart. My eyes are peeled, and Tanascáil is squeezed firmly in my grasp as I wait for some unknown threat to appear before me. I push down the thought that, if Selene really is here, she knows that I am, as well.

I cross the threshold into the city, and one by one, the rest of the group does as well. We all glance in different directions, slowly working our way toward the building that holds her.

Grivash's keep - the dungeons are somewhere in there. There's no doubt in my mind that Adeline is being held, imprisoned in one of those cells. The building itself is lavish, the stone of it carved in flowing, intricate shapes. I can't help but feel like the aesthetic is exaggerated, pushed just beyond the point of being appealing - but that in itself is done on purpose. The very idea of this place being called a keep as opposed to a palace feels odd.

It's a large building - it may very well take us the whole night to search through the whole of it. One can only hope that Aidan's senses will pick up Adeline - especially since the two know each other rather well.

I continue, leading the group slowly but surely toward one of the entrances to the keep. We dug out the wall in the back of the city, which has left us in the sizeable garden of this "keep." I can see the back door beyond, unguarded.

The four of us creep our way, step by step, through Grivash's garden and to the door. It's a fabulous display of wealth, each plot of plant-life resembling dozens of fine bouquets. Colors and shapes of all variety are represented in the flowers here.

We come tantalizingly close to the door. Then, suddenly, Aidan stops in his tracks, eyes bolting wide open, "There's!-"

Shadows are cast from above, five figures. There's the sound of clanking metal and rustling fabric. A moment later, these five figures drop from above, landing in front of us with varying levels of grace. Without a doubt, these are Hunters. They came from above, one of the balconies on the second floor. How in the world did they spot us so quickly?

I quickly work to categorize them all - if I know that much, I can decide what needs to happen next.

Mage, archer, martialist, martialist, mage.

I take a step back, and prepare myself for the inevitable.