A twisted maze of crudely built passageways snaked into the depths of Anthor Palace. Some of these man-made tunnels were blessed with fixtures of dim lighting, while others remained dark and forgotten.
A man paced back and forth within one such poorly lit hallway. Protective leather covered his body from the neck down and across his shoulders sat a well-worn shawl.
“This is boring…”
His restless hand palmed the hilt of a dagger that hung at his waist.
Why do I have to be stuck here?
Walking beside the nearby wall, he reached out and lightly tapped the stone with the back of his hand. Moss grew within the uneven cracks, while a wet sheen coated its surface. His knuckles continued to knock against the stone until suddenly… they didn’t.
Here it is.
His hand mysterious fell through a portion of the wall, despite it appearing like the same poorly maintained rock and stone beside it.
Why am I guarding an illusionary wall? I want to see mountains again! Lush fields and verdant forests! Not cooped up in this dreary place…
The guard let out a deep sigh. He often thought about exploring the dark tunnels that lay beyond the fake wall, but he was strictly ordered not to.
I’m not one to always follow orders, but this time there was a certain hint of danger in Princess Ling’s voice. Or was it sadness? It has been so long since I’ve heard that tone—I had almost forgotten it.
He leaned back against the non-illusionary part of the wall and stared upward at the damp ceiling with a pensive frown. The light fixture at the far end of the tunnel flickered briefly, but that was nothing unusual.
Take me back to those simple times. Scout Captain Raines of Princess Ling’s personal entourage. Why did she have to get called back to this awful place? Why can’t we continue our adventures!
Raines closed his eyes, quickly losing himself in a daydream that could have easily doubled as a distant memory.
Far away from civilization, in the depths of a dark forest, one misstep could spell their doom and it was up to him to safely navigate the way forward. He crawled through the dirt and mud, staying as low as possible to avoid any unwanted attention. His heart fluttered as the smell and touch of nature invaded his senses.
What was this mission again? Was I mapping uncharted lands? Or were we hunting something…
The blackened foliage ahead of him lightly shook. He paused and stared onward in amusement. However, contrary to his memories, the forest suddenly went mute. The eerie silence lingered, and the gnawing sensation of fear settled in.
I don’t remember…this…
He held his breath, and for some reason his eyes remained transfixed on the veiled bushes ahead. Within the shadows, a lone pair of glowing red eyes appeared.
A knot formed in Raines’ throat as the two insidious orbs peered back into the depths of his soul. This was no longer a mere scouting mission. This was life or death!
His heart threatened to leap out of his ribcage, but before it could…
“Gah!”
Raines jolted awake from his nightmarish fantasy. Sweat trickled down his face as he sucked in a quick breath of air.
I’m… I’m not alone…
He could feel a frightening presence there in the hallway with him!
Raines’ eyes darted from left to right, but the only movement was the flickering light in the distance. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he sensed a condescending gaze that dared him to make a move.
“W-Who’s there? Eosa? Is that you?”
Raines nervously called out. He couldn’t help but stare dead ahead, even though there was only the opposing wall to greet him.
What if it’s not Eosa?! No, it must be. Other than the king, she’s the only one who can escape my senses like this!
Dread and despair consumed his thoughts like two icy claws that refused to let go.
What in the world did I do to make her angry?! Don’t take it out on me!
His only desire in this moment was to return to times more simple, to roam freely and bask in the scent of fragrant woodlands.
----
Elsie cocked her head to one side in amusement. She was just an arm’s length away from Raines, but despite being so close, his eyes failed to lock onto her. Sweat poured down his face, which was a mixture of confusion, panic, and horror.
Incredible. He can’t see through my camouflage, but he can sense me. This man must have specialized in scouting.
She sniffed the air.
Prolific earthy tones. He might have only recently returned from a mission of sorts. Judging from the strength of his aura, he is level eight.
The sentry before her was still frozen in fear. His glazed eyes seemed to stare right through her. Elsie raised her hand into the air, causing Raines to subconsciously be drawn to it.
His perception is so high!
She moved her hand horizontally back and forth, watching as a perplexed Raines followed her movement in complete confusion. He shook his head as if to wake himself back to reality.
“Eosa, please forgive me for whatever I did. I’m sorry I offended you! Can you just let me be? I don’t even know why I’m standing here. It’s not my fault! I swear I didn’t explore beyond the wall!”
Raines clapped his hands together and bowed profusely to nobody. His body shivered as if an ice cube had been dropped down his shirt.
He seems terrified of this Eosa person. I guess I would be too, if I were him.
Elsie shrugged before passing by the petrified scout. Her destination—the dark tunnels beyond the illusionary wall.
I’ll let him slide, considering that he’s probably just a bystander.
A few second after she entered the tunnel, she heard Raines collapse to the floor, heaving deep breaths of air.
He’ll get over it. Maybe.
Elsie ambled along the dark tunnel, her hand occasionally brushing over the various rocks that jutted out from the walls. She could feel the tunnel descending deeper and deeper. After walking some distance, she could make out a hazy shade of red light.
Finally, the tunnel’s exit.
As she crept closer toward the exit, the light dyed her clothes and skin a pale red. After trekking so long in the dark, she could now make out her fingers—not that the darkness bothered her in the first place.
Now to find out what secrets lie-
Before she could take another step, she felt the weight of a blade press on her shoulder. The edge of the sword barely grazed her fragile neck.
“Move and die.”
A woman called out from behind Elsie. Her voice was warm but hollow, like a dark and stormy summer’s night. Following her instructions, Elsie remained in place and kept her gaze on the tunnel’s exit.
“You finally decided to show yourself.”
Elsie whispered with an unseen smile. The woman pressed the blade more firmly against her neck.
“Who are you? Why are you here-“
Before she could continue asking questions, she froze in disbelief as Elsie’s body dispersed into a handful of luminescent butterflies. The next moment, Elsie’s frigid command came from over the woman’s shoulder.
“Move and die.”
In a similar fashion, she placed the edge of a murky black sword alongside the woman’s neck. Elsie’s gaze sharpened, causing the unknown woman to bear the full brunt of a killing intent born from eons of slaughter.
“I’ve been following an illusion... but how? This is the king’s domain.”
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“Tsk-tsk. Not anymore. This is my domain now.”
The woman’s head lowered in thought before snapping up with a sudden realization.
“The earthquake…”
Elsie reached out a hand and played with the woman’s long black hair. She began to speak.
“Of course I took over this peasant king’s domain. Naturally, he still thinks it is his, but what greater illusion is there than one of control?”
“So, the king is unaware of this meeting.”
“Correct. It’s good that you were able to catch on to my sub-par camouflage. Otherwise I would have been disappointed in you.”
A noticeable amount of tension seemed to escape from the woman as she took in a deep breath and let it out through her nose. At the same time, Elsie’s hand creeped up toward the top of her head, where she found two fluffy ears!
“A Twilight Fox separated from her clan. You must be Eosa.”
Eosa nodded and her head drooped low as Elsie massaged and rubbed the areas around her two ears, which were the only features that distinguished her as a non-human. Although Eosa was a mature woman through and through, within Elsie’s expert hands she had been reduced to her baser instincts. It was almost as if the Elsie knew just the right spots to press, spots that Eosa herself didn’t realize existed.
“One of the more rare races in the entire tower. Only found on the tenth floor, and even then only one dimension could be called home. Not only are they exceptionally powerful but are one of the few races capable of true stealth. In addition to that, Twilight Foxes are never alone and can communicate telepathically even from a young age. Help is always nearby should someone attack.”
Eosa remained silent as Elsie continued speaking.
“And attacked frequently, they are. For both male and female, their beauty is something to be coveted, and their bloodline has unique effects when used in alchemy. In fact, it is common for the elusive Twilight Fox to commit suicide rather than face captivity. As I suspected, you’re at the tenth level. I can sense your strength is greater than both the king and his advisor combined.”
Elsie paused her massage and stepped closer. She raised herself onto her tiptoes, bringing her lips directly beside one fluffy ear.
“So tell me, Eosa—how does the king capture one such as you?”
Her haunting whisper, combined with the pause of her cathartic massage, snapped Eosa out of her daze.
“Huh, ah… twenty years ago. I was pregnant, and my clan was at war. Normally, I wouldn’t have participated, but as one of the more powerful generals…”
Her voice lingered and she balled her hand into a fist.
“It was a dragon clan, one of the more invasive species. They don’t have a humanoid form and are like a swarm of locust, moving from one habitable dimension or world to another.”
“Void Serpents…”
Elsie muttered as Eosa’s description ushered forth a few memories.
“Yes, they came at us like lightning in the night. Not all Twilight Foxes have perfected their Night’s Cloak ability, which is our stealth as you call it. We had to fight as peace was never an option. I was surrounded and suffered a grave injury, and after which, my opponents left me for dead. Unfortunately, I don’t know what became of my clan afterwards.”
At some unknown point, Elsie’s sword had disappeared from her hand. However, Eosa was too caught up in her memories to even notice.
“What happened next? Why are you with the king?”
“The king and his advisor took advantage of my weakness. They conducted a blood ritual, and with it came a curse. Should the king activate the curse, then I will become a mindless puppet for eternity—at least until someone beheads me.”
Elsie frowned before placing her index and middle finger on Eosa’s neck. A pulse of energy flowed into the fox’s body, which caused Elsie to shake her head in dismay.
“The Sanguine Puppet curse. Or at least, a variation of it. Fortunately, the curse doesn’t force you to follow commands until he activates it, otherwise your fate would have been quite pitiful.”
Eosa nodded before finally noticing that she was no longer under threat. She turned around to face Elsie, revealing a rare expression of tenderness.
I can only imagine how alone she must have been this whole time, and now she’s come across a stranger who has managed to figure out her situation.
Eosa stood at least a head taller than Elsie, while her toned figure still had room for her robust chest. Her cheeks were plush, and her nose was like a precious button. Other than her adorable ears, her most striking feature was her eyes that seemed to have captured the abyss and refused to let it go.
“I would have killed myself otherwise, and I think the king knew that. The agreement is that I will follow his instructions, and my daughter remains relatively safe.”
“When you say you follow his instructions… do you mean all instructions?”
Elsie questioned her suggestively.
“The gutless king doesn’t dare touch me inappropriately. He’s certainly welcome to try. Then we will see who is quicker, my teeth and claws or his ability to activate the curse!“
Eosa’s lips curled into a sneer, revealing a sharp canine.
“Although I won’t be able to die if he activates it, my daughter will still know. And…”
“And she will end herself.”
Elsie completed her sentence and let out a sigh.
What a fearless race. They have the ability to consciously stop their own heartbeat, allowing them to choose their own life or death. A Twilight Fox that has chosen death will be dead within a minute, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop that—well, assuming the fox has control over their body.
“I’ve told you my story, will you tell me who you are?”
Eosa calmly blinked her large eyes as she asked her question.
“My name is Elsie. My partner and I have come to kill the king and his advisor. They will be dead within two weeks.”
Elsie replied bluntly with an expression of pure neutrality. It was almost as if she were stating a matter of fact, and not a task as difficult as leaping over the moon. Eosa momentarily stared at Elsie before stepping to the side of the tunnel.
“I would advise against going down this passageway. Eyes as young as yours should not be tainted by the horrors of man.”
With her final comment, Eosa disappeared from sight like a fire that had been snuffed out by the wind.
“Eyes as young as mine?”
Elsie scoffed before walking toward the tunnel exit.
----
Inside a certain guest room, Sans sat crossed legged before an elaborate lattice of twisted fire. Various minerals and herbs burned within their own incendiary pockets before turning into liquid or dust. With every ingredient that he finished refining, he would then carefully set them aside and revert his attention elsewhere.
“Due to the esoteric nature of the time warped stalks, the best attributed flame to use is probably-”
A series of sharp raps resounded from outside the door, interrupting his train of thought. The next moment, a faint voice called out.
“Excuse me sir alchemist, I have brought the other ingredients.”
Sans perked his ear into the air before concealing a wry smile.
“Come on in.”
He replied and resumed his experimentation.
“Where was I… ah yes, the best attributed flame to use here. Perhaps the earthen flame.
He heard the door open and close, but his guest remained quiet by the doorway.
“Are you interested?”
Sans spoke out loud without taking his eyes away.
“Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Nonsense, come here and I’ll explain some things.”
Bobo hesitantly shuffled his feet closer, but soon enough his tall body loomed within Sans’ peripheral vision.
“Take a look here, this is Immortal Aspen Bark and is one of the materials that takes the most time to refine properly.”
Sans pointed toward a ball of blue and white flames that writhed over an aged piece of wood.
“Despite the fiery bath it’s sitting in, the temperature around it is actually quite cool.”
He then conjured up another mass of the same fire within the palm of his hand.
“Want to feel?”
He held his hand out toward Bobo, who wordlessly took off his gauntlet and carefully passed his hand through the fire.
“It feels like cold wind.”
With his initial apprehension done away with, he began waving his hand back and forth like an alley cat that had discovered a ball of yarn for the first time.
“It’s an ice attributed flame. What you’re feeling is actually a really high temperature, normally it’s so cold that your entire hand would freeze into dust. A different kind of burn, so to speak.”
Bobo immediately withdrew his hand from the fire once he heard the full explanation. He made a nervous chuckle and fit his gauntlet back on.
“What does the uh… Immortal Aspen Bark do?”
He tried to move the conversation back toward the alchemy process, an obvious attempt to hide his newfound fear of Frostfire.
“Immortal Aspen Bark is one of the more vital ingredients in rejuvenating destroyed meridians and blood essence after experiencing a severe shock to the system. The Ragnar variant of Solar Sandstone is powerful enough to instantly purify most toxins, but in doing so it will also cause an unholy amount of damage to any normal human.”
“Hmm, I see. I see…”
Bobo nodded his head along as if he knew what was being discussed.
“The 2000-year-old Ethereal Daucus holds a similar responsibility and is equally as important. It’s all a coordinated symphony of chaos that needs to be meticulously handled, otherwise death is a possibility. However if done successfully, then toxin cured.”
“Toxin? Why does this not sound like a cure for blindness.”
“That’s because it’s not.”
A spell of silence took over the room, but Sans seemed both nonchalant and content with the current status quo. He stowed away a batch of newly refined ingredients into a vial in one smooth motion.
“So, you are using the kingdom’s alchemy ingredients for your own means. Aren’t you afraid that I will tell the king?”
Bobo asked, his gaze remaining transfixed on Sans’ masterful display of fire control..
“No, not really. Why would you do that?”
Sans’ lips curled into a bemused smile.
“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I? Have you forgotten that I am Prince Marlow’s personal guard?”
Bobo challenged back—to which Sans merely nodded as if he were playing along.
“Oh, I almost forgot. By the way, did you know? In my life, only two people have called me little friend… one of which is dead.”
Sans paused for a moment, and for the first time since Bobo had entered, he turned to face the man. His piercing eyes stared into the small slits of Bobo’s full helm and a playful smile bloomed on his face.
“Were you too afraid to say hello? Chenbo?”
The armored man stilled, before finally reaching his hands up and removing the full helm. Chenbo gave a self-deprecating smile in return as he stared down at Sans.
“I’ve been found out. First, I want to apologize.”
Chenbo sank to his knees and slammed his forehead to the floor.
“Wha-“
“I am sorry. The reason you were brought here is because of me. You would not be in this mess if it weren’t for me persuading the royal advisor.”
Sans grimaced at Chenbo’s display of humility.
“Chenbo, you don’t have to-“
“No, I did it on purpose. The moment I saw you, I knew you were the only person that could help me. I took this as an opportunity to rope you into my own mess, and here you are. Despite how harshly I treated you back in the mountains… I still sought out your help. I’m sorry, but please help me!”
Sans went speechless as he stared at his former friend.
“Ah, um! Wait a few minutes.”
He quickly reverted his attention back to the mass of minerals he was refining.
I almost lost concentration and ruined this entire batch!
Over the next handful of minutes, Sans gave alchemy his utmost attention. The entire duration, Chenbo refused to let up his head, choosing to remain bowed down on the floor. Sans’ heart sank upon realizing this.
It hurts to watch, but it’s his decision. The Immortal Aspen Bark isn’t finished, but I can continue refining that later. I might lose some quality though… it should be okay.
With all of the ingredients refined and put away, Sans finally let out a sigh of relief and turned to Chenbo.
“I won’t talk to you if your face is on the floor.”
Chenbo picked himself up, sitting opposite of Sans with a guilty expression.
“Alright then, explain.”
“Do you remember those talks we used to have? About dreams, aspirations… goals to start of family.”
Sans smirked before replying.
“No, but I distinctly remember Chenda smacking you on the head. Hmm, why was it again? That’s right, because you said the reason to grow stronger was to attract women and live a good life.”
Chenbo winced and reflexively reached for the back of his head.
“So you remembered that...”
“Of course I did. So then, what are you on about?”
Sans eyed the man with a questioning gaze. Although Chenbo largely looked the same, there were a few details that displayed his newfound maturity. His jawline was now chiseled, while traces of stubble lined his face. His eyes had gained a certain level of sharpness, and his former playfulness was nowhere to be seen.
“Well, I found her.”
Chenbo shifted uneasily and his expression grew solemn.
“Found who?”
Sans asked with an odd look.
“The love of my life, my reason to grow stronger—to protect her. And you’re the only one who can help me set her free.”