Clip-clop clip-clop clippity-clop...

A lone carriage seen from afar was being pulled by a duo of muscular horses along a cobble roadway through a foggy open meadow. The carriage was colored matte black with silver trimmings along the edges of the chassis. The wheels, while smeared with mud, glimmered through as if originally constructed with iron. A royal purple flag adorned ether side of the carriage swaying abruptly with each jerk from the dilapidated roadway. At a lazy pace, the horse duo pulled the carriage along the pot-hole riddled cobble road. In the direction the carriage was progressing lay the demons capital, 'Viramwen', residing in 'The Kingdom of Gassa'.

Inside the carriage a group of six individuals could be seen sitting in a semicircle, as if wary, around a young girl trapped within a cage. One would have estimated her to be no older than three years. The girl had features resembling human, but even at first glance, it was obvious she was much more. The most obvious differences had to be the the crescent shaped horns attached to either side of her head and the four wings attached to her back. The child was clearly some deviation of a succubus, but her wings were colored incorrectly and her horns were shaped as if she were an invalid.

The girl's glazed eyes drifted over the group surrounding her and saw facial expressions plagued by anxiety and fear. Trauma from recent events to obtain her etched itself upon their bodies and emanated from the depths of their souls. Unbeknown to the girl, the group only had so many drugs with them to keep her restrained until they reached the capital and they were in the final stretches. Though her vision drifted and her consciousness fluttered, upon closer inspection of the group, each of them could be identified to be a demi-human of some sort.

Three of the members showed clear signs of beast-kin descent with excessive fur around their face, pointed ears and thee reversal of joints on their lower limbs. While their facial features resembled human to a certain degree, their face was flattened slightly with the nose ending closer to their face than a typical human and the point of the nose becoming somewhat flattened as well with a shy pink hue. Beside the beast kin was a dragon-kin with similar features but more reptilian in nature than mammalian.

The final members were capable of shape-shifting and currently had the appearance of typical blond and brunette male humans. Medium build, average height, average looks. Not a single thing on them to make them stand out in memory of any other human that may glance at them. Even the demi-humans traveling with these two were unable to ascertain their original forms.

Perhaps unable to take the silence any longer, the child heard the reptilian demi-human spoke up.

 "What's this girl anyhow? That toy put up that much of a fight over this succubus child..."

Certainly, the man had a point. Succubus were not considered anything special in these lands. They were often treated as lower class sex toys rather than even as slaves. It was far from uncommon to see neighbors passing their 'toys' amongst each other and bragging about the 'new features' their toys acquired with age. In short, the succubus race was considered to be nothing more than a toy without rights. That outlook just made their current situation all the more unusual though and his fellow travelers were just as confused.

 "Is this thing even a succubus?"

Another posed the question festering in the back of the travelers' minds.

 "The mother we killed was definitely a succubus at the least... I've never seen a succubus put up that much of a fight over their kid though. Don't they normally just sell them off or abandon them? No matter what, it's just too weird..."

The reptilian spoke once more and his point was valid again. Of the races, Succubus had few familial ties. In the far past, it was said they held power as a race, but after falling to their own desires and turning treacherous, their species dropped ties and split apart. The mere fact that after 2,000 years a single succubus would go against the most common trend was abnormal at worst and revolutionary at best. Something substantial was strange.

 "Shut your mouths. We aren't paying you to ask questions. The last thing you want to do is disturb this girl. If our research is correct, this girl could easily eliminate everyone here even at her current age. Should she go wild, we'd all die."

The cold voice originating from one of the human shape-shifters silenced the conversation. None of the men present doubted his words though. After all, the six men currently in the carriage were no more than the survivors of an assault to capture this single girl. The survivors of a nearly five thousand strong, trained, unit, and just six survived. Even then, they only just managed their goal from what they could tell. The fight itself ended in a tie with the enemy succubus going down in her final attempt to regain her child. Amongst the survivors in the carriage, surely each one of them experienced their own version of hell in that battle. Each one survived in the end by threatening the life of the child succubus in front of the mother and impaling her from behind. No one actually thought a lowly succubus contained such resistance.

Rewinding and replaying that nightmarish battle over and over in their heads, each member held a cold stare towards the small child contained in the cage in front of them. Quite possibly the thought at the back of their mind revolved around the power she must possess when her mother was so powerful, and her father's lineage unknown.

 "Sir, we're arriving near the exchange point!"

Being awoken from their memories by the coachman, the members stole a glance towards the two shape-shifters leading the remnants of their unit. A quick nod towards the demi-humans in response scattered their presence and caused them to evacuate the carriage. Most likely, a planned moved for protecting the exchange point from afar. With only two members of the original group in the carriage left, one shape-shifter whispered to his fellow compatriot.

 "Is this thing even a succubus anymore? We lost far too much for such an unknown quantity."

 "Who knows... Chairman Etirali must have known of this girl's lineage. I can't imagine any other reason to order such a loss against our own kind."

The quick silent exchange was all it took for both members to understand the importance in the creature before them.

 "Let's just get this over with. The sooner this thing is in the hands of the court, the better off we are."

The young girl watched with dazed eyes as the two issued a slight nod towards each other and then proceeded to the exchange point outside the capital.

 Clip-clop. clip-clop. clippity-clop. neiiiiiiiigh!

The carriage slowed to a halt in a damp opening. The surroundings of the field were encroached upon by various wild bushes with a dense tree line starting immediately in all directions after about a 10 meter radius from the center of the field. From her position in the cage, the girl saw the low fog rolling over the ground and she felt a slight chill pass over her. As if it scratched at the shape-shifters' bodies. The two men took stance outside the carriage on opposite sides as if preventing any possible escape from inside that might happen. One of the men drew two of his slender fingers towards his mouth.

 vreeeeeeet! vreeeeeeet!

Two short loud whistles echoed through the dense forest. Moments later, a cacophony disrupted the silence as various animals could be heard scattering away. From the inner border of the field, various shadows crawled along the ground, etching themselves into the space above it, and appeared to stretch as if they were chewed gum. The shadows appeared to be tearing and reforming as they approached the carriage with deliberate extensions. The two men, now surrounded on all sides performed an exquisite bow as if they were trained in the finest butler arts towards the surrounding shadows.

 "Sir, the request has been completed. The cargo is currently drugged inside the carriage. Please check for yourself."

As he finished his opening, the man pulled aside the royal flag that was covering the entrance of the carriage with grace. One shadow in particular gathered itself from it's stretched appearance and pooled together in a central ball. Steadily growing in size, the orb took upon a 3D appearance and stretched towards the sky until it mirrored the shape-shifters in height. Once the form had taken shape, it walked with a practiced gait towards the carriage while its defining features simultaneously etched into it. Cracks appeared over the surface of the black humanoid. The 3D shadow that covered the creature flaked off revealing color and details hidden beneath. A man with elongated ears and olive brown skin stepped up to the carriage and peered in. His hazel brown eyes tinged with a green inner lining peeked through the overly slanted sockets on his face onto the girl sedated at the center of the carriage. He Brushed aside his black pea coat trimmed with gold and grasped the handle on the cage containing the girl. He brought it out as if she weighed no more than a feather. A smirk appeared on the man's face and a slight chuckle could be heard from him as he hopped off the carriage, cage in hand.

 "Sir, the price we discussed for the second half of th-"

A moments hesitation and silence filled the air. The shape-shifter standing guard on the opposite side of the carriage glanced out of curiosity towards his fellow compatriot. There stood what could only be called the leftovers of an animal. Split straight down the center of its torso, the front of the corpse cracked open in tedious fashion upon its own power. The man observed frozen in terror as the fellow he just shared a journey with became a disfigured bleeding carcass. From the side the man could only fall to his knees as he watched hundreds of slimy creatures drip out of the cavity in the man. As if chicks after being born, the creatures collected around the base of the standing corpse assimilating him from the ground up. The sizzling sensation could be heard at the short distance from him and the pungent smell filled his nostrils. Falling even further from his knees to his butt, the man shook violently. The locomotion wasn't from fear though... Since a few moments ago, the light in the man's eyes grew dimmer and his chest was slowly expanding. Mere seconds later, he met a similar fate to his compatriot.

 "I humbly apologize for this, but you see... this isn't something I can have leaking out. Your team in the forest has already departed. I'm sure they will provide grand stories of their fight in your travels through the Styx."

The young man proceeded his words with a slow, grand, bow as if he had just performed a majestic play. Collecting himself to original form, the man snapped his fingers incinerating the slimy creatures near the corpses as to leave no evidence. While lifting it eye level, he drew his gaze upon the girl inside the cage. The lapis lazuli like eyes that stared back were entirely unfocused and yet the slightest hint of fear gleamed from them.

 "What fate awaits a toy born not for her lascivious facilities but instead her possession of critical faculty?"

In one smooth transition, the man's face drew into a sneer with squinted eyes and in soft tone...

 "Dream sweetly, little one. I am not so brutish as to intrude upon your final bastion."

He lowered the cage with care to his side and took odd strides towards the start of the forest. Behind him, the carriage ignited into flames. The horses joined their masters' fate as a bloody corpse then ash. With a slight glint in his eye and hop in his step, the man entered the shadows of the forest vectored towards the capital city of Viramwen. The girl inside the cage finally lost her battle against the drugs incapacitating her and fell into a deep sleep.

***

A pair of azure eyes tore themselves open, each pupil contracted into a pinhole. The dazed woman lifted her torso from the bed and swung the light pelt covering her against the wall. Her skin glistened with sweat and yet her tone was far more pale than it should have been. She slowed her rapid breaths and attempted to regained control over the emotions the dream elicited. The pair of azure eyes she held noticed the crescent moon dangling over the edge of the horizon. The bed sounded a gentle creak as she removed her weight from it and her legs carried her outside her room and onto the front porch to over look the brightening sky. She sat along the edge of the platform and drew her shaking knees into her chest. The banked snow along the edge of the pond and the little that managed to remain atop her house walkways reflected the moonlight across both herself and the pair of legs that stood beside her.

Though unasked, the man plopped himself down beside the woman. Her eyes drew to his figure, yet her head somehow refused to follow. She caught the silver moonlight reflecting off the short black hair beside her and the terror that gripped her earlier slipped from her mind. The lull of sleep once again encroached her mind until she found herself cradled against the person's side and fell back into a slumber.

Hiiro overlooked Lapis' vulnerable figure. His expression saturated with concern as he wasn't looking at either the female Fairy facade nor the young pantherian he saw negotiate valiantly earlier in the day. Rather, the form he saw before him was the one he first knew the woman to carry, though it was his first time seeing that version of her naked. Eyes he couldn't find the will to tear away remained fixed at the woman's lower back as she slept against his side. A pair of wings jutted from near her spine and were covered with blacked feathers wielding silver edges. The sight wasn't too surprising to him, but the scars just above the pair of wings were. As his eyes rode the subtle protrusion of her spine up her back, a pair of scars broke the otherwise smooth skin. He could tell from the shape and position that something akin to wings were once there.

***

Countess Aria rubbed her temples with each hand. Before her, ten of the original twelve nobles stood along the outside ring of their meeting table. Somehow, her negotiations with Mrs. Topazia were leaked to the public and she was called in to explain herself. Although her role may be Mayor, the role itself was typically treated as powerless outside of combat. It served as a general direction to point both the legal and political disposition of the City, but otherwise held no power. Each of the Nobles standing across from her held gazes that bore the words guilty straight into her. Though she knew it would happen eventually, she hadn't expected such a situation to occur so soon. The contract she made with Mrs. Topazia was still in its infancy and the last thing she wanted was interference from the corrupted fools pointing fingers at her. She removed her fingers from her temples and eased herself back into the vitriol being thrown at her.

 "... over stepped your authority! Are you trying to usurp power from our roles?!"

Marquess Webb continued his rant and pounded the table to emphasize his argument further. The man pushed his argument hard as he knew Marquess Tabor was reported dead. Although that was the case and everyone at the table had already heard the results of the Royal Auditor, they each suspected the Countess played a large part in his removal. Unlike in the past where they viewed her as powerless and controllable, their precious puppet grew fangs and claws behind their back and struck its first Master. Adding to their worries, Earl Tucket, who protected their businesses from outside scrutiny and laundered their money through his slave rings was arrested by the same Royal Auditor. Though they knew the man wasn't fond of beasts, the released report stated the mass killings were caused by a beast he tamed and used to control the various slaves in his camps. They knew it was a false accusation, but they couldn't explain how the beast carried Earl Tucket's seal branded on its side and it overtly displayed loyalty to its Master when he was brought before it. The report was undoctored and each of the Nobles expressed their utmost surprise at the revelations.

In order to cut any ties with both the Earl and dead Marquess, the remaining Nobles abandoned any money they invested into them and acted to kill those used as intermediaries. They mimicked the brutal deaths said to be done by the beast and destroyed what remained of the corpses. All of those maneuvers added up to a massive loss for each member and even without proof, they knew the Countess across the table from them was somehow involved. As if the loss wasn't enough, their spies happened to catch information of a meeting between the Countess and a mysterious merchant. Exhausted from their cover up, they failed to prevent the meet and as far as they could tell, the deal concluded in favor of the Countess. In their minds, Countess Sugimoto was moving too quickly. She expanded her power by removing the Marquess. She boosted her support with the successful negotiation with the mysterious trader. Perhaps the most critical item though, was she removed their greatest means of laundering money outside of Profectus City by removing Earl Tucket.

 "... only the Mayor! We demand you step down from your role or we'll file with the Royal Court about this illegal take over!"

Marquess Webb gasped for air and leaned his hefty body over the table to help regain his stamina. The man remained fixed on the young woman who appeared as calm as ever and waited for her reply. As if excited by the prospect of putting the Nobles in their place for once, the Countess started off with gentle strides.

 "Thank you for your concern, Marquess Webb. I'm greatly appreciative at your concern for this City. My feelings extend to each of your positions as well."

She curtsied with a patient dip and rose even slower before changing her tone.

 "That being said, I'm sorry to inform you that I've not overstepped my role. As I'm sure you're aware, wartime policies can be extended up to six weeks after combat ends if the City Council votes for it. This is to allow a single governing element to control the recovery of Profectus City as efficiently as possible and prepare it for the next attack. I requested such a vote and yet no one responded to my invite. As I stated my reason in the letter and each of you failed to send a representative, you forfeited your vote to the remaining members. It's rather unfortunate that the vote was left entirely up to myself, however I reasoned it was from your trust in my competence."

Certainly, Countess Sugimoto sent out the letters to each of the Nobles, however in their haste to cover their tracks with, at the time, a missing Marquess Tabor, they ignored the letter their 'puppet' sent thinking it was something more mundane. It was only after the vote concluded that the Royal Auditor released his report to the public forcing the Nobles to retract further and erase their ties with Earl Tucket. If she did anything dirty, Countess Sugimoto could only think of one item. She requested the Royal Auditor to withhold the report until a certain time. Those Nobles who were truly innocent would have responded to her summons and yet none of them did. Her eyes narrowed in on the overweight Marquess. Rather than attack him directly, Countess Sugimoto adjusted her assault to his backing.

 "Of the many policies our great City included in its doctrine, perhaps the most important revolves around control of the City's defense and economy. As Mayor, the City's economy is under my direction. It's very obvious Profectus City is receiving scarcer and scarcer resources from each of our supporting Nations. I've determined such a thing to be a direct threat to both Profectus City's economy and defense. Without anyone on site to reassure me, I asked Mr. Redmon for his opinion and he agreed with my conclusion. As such, I requested contact with a reliable merchant."

 "Obviously Klasika could have supported us! Are you calling your own Nation poor, Countess Sugimoto?!", fired back Marquess Webb with a hint of fury.

 "Not at all. I've reviewed the state of the City from an objective viewpoint and came to that conclusion. If I recall, you requested more resources from Klasika in the past and yet our City is only frailer now that it was then. I've seen nothing in the supply documents to suggest Klasika responded to you."

Marquess Webb held his tongue. The reports that made it to Countess Sugimoto's hands were often doctored to cover up his embezzlement of outside resources. Though even without him doctoring the reports, he was also aware that each request he made back to Klasika only resulted in temporary boosts to supplies before dwindling even lower over time. It was as if Klasika sent portions of future deliveries to them up front, then subtracted those portions from the following deliveries. Unable to refute her directly he moved to challenge the merchant herself.

 "Even if that's the case, you negotiated with an unknown merchant. How do you know she's even worth it? No one here knows her and we all deal with different supplies. How do you know you weren't ripped off?! You already paid her didn't you?!"

Countess Sugimoto's expression turned into a smile and her eyes fell upon a set of crimson eyes paired with brown skin standing by at the end of the room. She hadn't felt threatened, but her confidence spiked further as she remembered the woman who referred Mrs. Topazia to her.

 "I'm sure you've heard rumor at least of Empress Fardom, the female Fairy who appeared recently. She apparently built her own home nearby and required over six hundred tonnes of polished obsidian. Allow me to ask, could any of your suppliers provide such an amount?"

 "W-with enough time, I can think of a few."

 "With enough time is it? Mrs. Topazia delivered that absurd quantity within four days to Empress Fardom. I believe that alone speaks to the quality of trader Mrs. Topazia is."

 "P-Proof! Four days is impossible! She'd have to of moved over one hundred fifty tonnes of stone a day! Not to mention polished obsidian is rare! We would have heard about such a massive movement of materials! Are you sure the woman didn't lie to you?"

 "Certainly, I understand your concerns. That is why Mrs. Topazia has not yet been paid for her services."

 "What?!", recoiled the entire room.

 "As I said, Mrs. Topazia agreed to be paid after delivery. Her contract states we determine the payable amount upon delivery as well. What more do you have to complain about?"

Marquess Webb couldn't speak. He was astounded at the merchant willing to accept a request up front without any payment. Typically, the initial costs to travel to the remote site and haul such a large amount of material came from an initial payment from the client. As long as a contract was signed and registered with both the Merchants Guild and Adventurers Guild, the merchant would be liable to complete the rest of the contract and fulfill their delivery. There was currently no known trader who had been able to survive longer than three weeks after breaking a registered contract. They were typically caught due to bounties placed onto them by both the Merchant and Adventurers Guild.

 "That's... impossible. What was in the contract?"

 "Mrs. Topazia agreed to provide eight hundred tonnes of granite in five cubic meter segments. She was awfully specific on the shape for some reason."

 "E-eight h-hundred..."

 "Yes. She also agreed to provide food, though she pushed that date further back. It seems we will have to purchase our food else where for now."

Countess Sugimoto continued her explanation of the contract she established when Mr. Redmon interrupted their talks. The old man chose to enter with gusto rather than a quiet step and so slammed the door against the inner wall. Those gathered inside moved their immediate attention to the man thinking he was an intruder for a moment. He surveyed the site and found everyone required in place. Cane to wood, Mr. Redmon descended the short series of stairs and made his way to the end of the table. His eyes locked onto Countess Sugimoto's and she immediately knew why he was there. He walked his attention to each member including the maid Ruby, who was still against the wall. He found her lack of surprise at his entrance somewhat unusual, but his priorities didn't include her. A short cough cleared his throat before he began.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

 "I got a report from one o them Elves on scoutin duty. Her beast spotted mass movements over in da Demon's territory. They're too far out fo detailed reportin, but we gonna know more by marrow afternoon. I reckon you should start taking steps early."

Countess Sugimoto took and internal inventory of what remained from the previous battle. It wasn't looking good. Her eyes drifted to Ruby who nodded her head in response. She rushed from the room to deliver a message while Countess Sugimoto tabled the current topic.

 "I'm designating the contract with Mrs. Topazia as low priority as of now. Start spinning up the defensive teams, Mr. Redmon."

 "It's been done. Knocked it out before I came here."

 "Good.", she concluded as her eyes drifted to the Nobles across from her.

Their unusual silence caught her attention and as she locked on to each member, she noticed their discussion topic. Moving to head them off, she interrupted their private talks.

 "Council! She is not part of Profectus City. Hold your tongues!"

Unfazed by her comments, Marquess Webb responded with renewed vigor.

 "Countess, have you forgotten who actually fought off the Demon's last time?"

 "The combined efforts of the Adventurers Guild, mercenaries for hire, and criminals attempting to redeem themselves. Empress Fardom only stepped in towards the end, don't discredit those who put their lives on the line to defend you."

As if to ignore her comment entirely, Marchioness Farrar rebutted.

 "That woman is living in Profectus City isn't she? Then she is duty bound to protect it. Not only has she ignored introducing herself to us, she hasn't even registered with the Adventurers Guild!"

 "Empress Lapis does not live inside Profectus City."

 "What?!", the room recoiled once more.

 "That's impossible! I've received reports of her in town almost daily!"

 "Marchioness Farrar, Empress Lapis has settled to the North of Profectus. I haven't visited her home yet either as it's still under construction, but she certainly doesn't live inside Profectus. As such, she is NOT duty bound to protect it, nor is she required to register or even introduce herself. I strongly recommend to avoid drawing her into this battle."

Following after the Countess, Mr. Redmon continued her plea.

 "That young man with her ain't no push over either. Ye be courtin death if ye get too greedy. Women be fickle creatures and that woman carries da scent of a trickster. We be better off stickin with our standard strategies."

Countess Sugimoto nodded her head at his follow up. Though the Council responded with verbal agreement, Aria could tell they hadn't given up yet. In the back of her mind, she could only hope that Empress Fardom wouldn't over react. Luckily, she sent Ruby off to warn her just in case so she hoped the damage would be minimized.

***

Two legs walked the short distance spanned by a series of stairs inside a crystalline room. Nearly forty Fairies were kneeling in the once open throne room and before them paced their Queen. Her flexible green wings fluttered at random as she made round after round lost in thought. Besides the 'swish' her wing tips made as they cut the air on each flap, the room was otherwise silent. Unlike the older Fairy who tended to her daily needs, rarely were there ever moments that allowed such large gatherings into her throne room. Her peridot eyes continued to switch between the floor in thought and the group kneeling.

Each male Fairy in the room originated from Profectus City and rushed to report the new female Fairy candidate. The Adventurers Guild beat them only just barely with its carrier system. Queen Dazzlevine's excitement had settled somewhat compared to when she first learned of the new Fairy's existence, but she held further questions that the men before her were unable to answer. It appeared none of the men approached the new Fairy to ask her any questions. They only maintained their distance in fear of scaring her off. Though she understood the sentiment, her questions had nothing to do with the Fairy's location, but instead of the Fairy herself.

Every report delivered from the various eye witnesses added to the mystery further. Her thoughts returned and she stumbled over the problem once more through her peridot eyes. She used her imagination to invoke a subtle magic and overlaid what she knew about the Fairy onto an imaginary white board. Plenty of facts about the Fairy's appearance were corroborated and yet her strength was something of a mystery. Every new piece of information blurred the image she understood of the woman further. The Fairy was able to fight evenly with a Demon General, yet somehow was under the control of a weak Human. She was able to control a highly attuned magic and yet was also capable of advanced healing magics, something that normally requires decades of training to master. The strangest of all the reports though, aside from her interactions with the Humans in the city, was her appearance. Traditionally, female Fairies always resembled the nature of the mana they were formed from and yet this Fairy held crimson petals across her wings and azure eyes. Such looks should be impossible and yet, there wasn't a single discrepancy amongst the witnesses.

She continued her practiced pace until her legs halted and her eyes floated to the crystalline walls encasing the chamber. Amongst the shimmering walls that sparkled from the many refractive crystals building it, an entrenched hole similar in size to her form stood out. Her memories floated back to the mysterious event were her teleportation magic failed for the first time in her life. She never even knew such a thing was possible until that moment. Her efforts to teleport to the site continued to fail after her initial attempt. She suspected the space surrounding Profectus City either became isolated from her reach, or there was a presence actively negating her endeavor.

Regardless, Queen Dazzlevine found herself unable to teleport to the site. She dismissed the white board that mentally blocked her vision and turned to face the group. Eyes clear of hesitation danced about the members kneeling and her regal voice sounded to the crowd.

 "Return to Profectus City... Protect the young Fairy... Prepare for my arrival..."

Each short sentence was spoken in careful tone with a heavy pause at each end. Her deliberate method of speaking ignored the fanciful decorations that Nobles of her allied nations tended to use. She held out a hand and kneaded enough mana to invoke a materialization type magic. A small compressed bead of kneaded mana pooled into the slight dip of her palm and then solidified into a seed like shape.

 "Firo... Deliver my message..."

The older Fairy who often took care of her needs approached his Queen and accepted the seed from her palm with utmost care. Designed to react only to those close to nature, Queen Dazzlevine structured the seed to be opened only by another female Fairy. The questions that plagued her mind forced her hand. Though rude, she hoped the seed would settle her doubts. The older Fairy kneaded mana and invoked a physical reinforcement upon himself. His figure blurred for a moment and then disappeared, exiting the cavern. His figure reappeared at the edge of a wood line and open field at which point he kicked off the ground and took to the skies. Clenched in his fist was a seed that would start everything.

***

 "I have something I need to tell you all."

Kelvin kicked his feet up onto a stool and his mind relived that vague memory once again. Sitting across from him was Inmont City Adventurers Guild Master, Lenard Segui, who remained in a fixed listening pose. His chin propped atop his hands and his form leaned over the massive table finally cleared of clutter. He listened with an abnormal intensity at every word Kelvin recalled. Kelvin continued his recollection taking as much care as possible to preserve the facts as they were at the time and forgo any embellishment. His eyes turned to the ceiling and he narrated further.

 "Who'd you just message, Zeena?"

 "Elven Queen Gilphriya."

 "The Queen?! Since when where you that important?!", refuted Kelvin in a jesting manner.

His tone was joking, but the sheen from his pupils spoke otherwise. Beside him, George and Silas only held their tongue. They knew too little about the situation to speak up much and Zeena's statement only left them confused. 

 "Every Elf is trained strictly before they're allowed to adventure outside Gilphriya. That's beside the point though, we need to talk about that woman we met previously. I believe she's one of the ancients recorded in our texts."

 "Ancients?", George asked with a hint of familiarity.

Kelvin noticed the twitch of his ears, the flick of his tail and the perceptible focus of his that hardened on Zeena. Somehow ignoring the response, Zeena continued.

 "Yes. In the Elven archives there were seven identities that every Elf is forced to memorize. Each identity falls under specific category, but in all, we refer to them as the 'Founding Bloodlines'."

 "Such legends exist in Naoki Kingdom as well. They're treated as children stories though."

George appeared thoughtful with serious countenance as he thought back on the folk tales taught to him. 

 "If I recall, each of the Founding Bloodlines were species agnostic. We Beastmen treat the stories as something to tell around the campfire, but the stories all started the same way. 'On the day the Earth shook, the heart pained, the sky poured, and the silence was broken...'"

 "I see the Beastmen continued to carry the stories down through bards and tales rather than in writing. It's very fanciful. Us Elves wrote the legends down long ago. Our long life spans helped ease the loss of any critical information as generations passed. Your tales are correct, though they confuse some of the particulars. It's correct to think each of the Founding Bloodlines are agnostic. They're creatures that exist outside the standard pool of species and their abilities are almost entirely unknown. All that's to say, I believe the woman we met was an ancient known as 'The one who sleeps.'"

 "Seems a little inaccurate considering how spry she was.", Silas tossed his thoughts into the mix.

 "The title refers to their end state, not their personalities."

 "She was put to sleep?"

 "Yes. In the long past, she sacrificed herself to seal the six other Founding Bloodlines. Sleep in her case doesn't refer to taking a nap, but instead the final sleep one takes in death."

 "Zeena, that woman was inarguably both alive and awake. What in the world would make you think she is a mythical dead person from the depths of history?"

Kelvin attempted to either bring Zeena out of any delusions she might have caught herself up in or at least hear her reasons for believing such a ridiculous theory. Her eyes held neither hesitation nor doubt.

 "'The One Who Sleeps' was an ancient whose sole interest was to research the world. Her description in our records matched the women before her transformation almost perfectly. She was capable of utilizing a magic which required an insane amount of attention to detail. Not only did she use it, she was able to tailor a grand magic to a specific type of summons. I know magic isn't your strong point, Kelvin, but you need to understand exactly how impossible a feat that is. It's the equivalent in skill of you swinging your sword through my entire torso and slicing only a single strand of hair laying against my back."

 "Mmmm... Even if you say that though, that woman is clearly alive and kicking ass. Isn't she supposed to be dead according to your records?"

 "I... do not know. Our texts describe in detail how she died and there's no room for interpretation in how it was written. Without a doubt, 'The One who Sleeps' is dead. That contradiction, I believe, is why my initial message was ignored."

Kelvin took a moment to think about her words before turning his attention to Silas. The man also appeared at a loss for words at the unfounded strength Zeena held in her belief. He noticed Kelvin's gaze and returned it in silence, yet the observer raised his voice questioningly.

 "Silas... I recall hearing you mention a pantherian you met during our last break. What did did he mention again?"

 "Ah, yeah... If I recall, it was 'The Queen of Demons', I believe?"

 "The Queen of Demons?!"

Zeena leaped from her spot and closed in on Silas. Her green eyes that flickered with a dangerous passion stared daggers into his soul. He felt the pressure from her continue its ascent and acquiesced before it became something beyond his ability to bear. His quiet voice leaked out and summarized the short encounter.

 "I don't remember his name, but some pantherian merchant seems to have recorded a fight between your ancient and a group of bandits. He said her descriptions matched and fighting style matched only one person in history, that 'Queen of Demons' character."

 "That's impossible!"

Her reply was so absolute, Kelvin could only follow up.

 "Why is that impossible? You're claiming something just as abnormal, I think. I find it hard to believe that kid could pick out 'the only person' in history as well. It sounds like a sham. You sure you weren't fooled, Silas?"

 "It's not abnormal!" "I wasn't fooled!", the two pushed back at the same time.

Zeena looked to Silas who took it as a sign to continue first.

 "Look, I didn't believe the kid's story entirely. I only told ya about him because I thought it was an interesting encounter. The Old Man and I both were basically drowning on booze laughing about it after. The only part that put me on edge was the detailed knowledge he had about the ruins and a few characteristics he mentioned overlapped with that woman. He left oddly quick too now that I'm thinking back, but I doubt it was credible info. Zeena thinks the same, right?", he turned his questioning gaze to the woman across from him to pass the baton.

 "I don't know enough to say yes or no, but I doubt who he saw was the Queen of Demons... From your expression, you don't know of the Queen of Demons either?"

George, Silas and Kelvin exchanged clueless expressions and Kelvin answered for the group.

 "No, I don't think any of us have knowledge about that stuff. Aside from George and his folktales, I don't think we know anything compared to you. Explain it."

 "Fine... 'The Queen of Demons' is another Founding Bloodline just like 'The One Who Sleeps'. They both existed at the same time though, so it's impossible for them to be the same person. As her title states, 'The Queen of Demons' held almost absolute control over anyone with Demon blood flowing through their veins. Little was known about her though since she was rarely seen in the world. The only similarity is that the Demons went crazy the same day 'The One Who Sleeps' was killed. Past scholars recorded their hypothesis that both the 'Queen of Demons' and the 'One Who Sleeps' were linked somehow and the death of one brought the other down as well... It was never proven, but the Demons changed the same day the 'One Who Sleeps' died."

Kelvin took a moment to think about her story, but somehow he felt it was full of holes.

 "I don't understand why they can't be the same person though. It's not unusual for the same person to hold different titles. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm equally famous as both 'The Primordial Magic Swordsman' and as 'The Belmore Hero'. Also, why the titles? Don't you normally record the name of the title bearer beside the title? Was the Elven culture that different back when those Founding Bloodlines walked the planet?"

The two rebuttals were extremely sound and Zeena couldn't find a way to refute them. Her knowledge extended only as far as being able to identify the existences and what they were. Details were never taught in the basic courses for those leaving the Elven Nation since the expectation was to use those leaving as a sensor, not an academic doing research. Her inability to answer him forced her to backpedal her argument.

 "I don't know... Those who choose to become historians and researchers have detailed knowledge of the Founding Bloodlines. Those like me who chose to leave and become and adventurer, craftsman, or anything else were only taught the basics. The expectation was that we'd report back anything we found suspicious and a qualified team would follow up..."

From the depths of his lungs, Kelvin exhaled.

 "Zeena. We can't pursue this mythological thinking. Report back whatever you need to your nation, we won't stop you. Understand though, I can't allow our decisions to be based off myths and folklore."

The group saw the Elf's emotions expressed through her dropped ears. They knew the subject was extremely important for the Elf, but they also agreed with their leader. Though his decision would stand, Kelvin continued.

 "So instead we'll follow the facts as we discover them."

Zeena's ears twitched at the sentence and raised her face etched with a confused expression. Kelvin broke into a childish smile.

 "We landed right in the middle of a mystery that might be tied to the past and will clearly affect the future. Not only are we in the middle of it, but we are probably the most well informed of that woman in general. I already had plans to pursue her anyhow. I think it's clear she went to Profectus City."

His gaze turned to the Demon sitting in silence beside them. The creature held his presence back as much as possible and appeared interested in Zeena's story as well. The newfound attention placed on him caused the Demon to perk up. Unable to overlook the obvious stress the creature was in, Kelvin could only bring himself to vocally sigh.

 "Tie him up. If he resists, rip a limb or two off. Keep him alive though, he's a witness for the Crown."

Kelvin stretched his arms after finishing up his story. Lenard kept his gaze focused on the young man yet his thoughts were scrambling over the new information. The Demon in question was already transported to the Palace jails where the King himself would oversee the interrogations. Though he wanted to meet the Demon and ask his own questions, he knew King Asalerian was a highly capable man who would inevitably ask the same things. Rather than continue to spin wheels in his mind, he returned to the relaxed man across from him. Every aspect of his story interested Lenard and yet he was unable to talk about those things with him. Unlike Lenard who had been read into various secret programs related to Klasika, Kelvin was not. Although his family developed radical new technologies, they were only read into the programs they needed to be. Historic powers were never included in that, nor were modern or future enemies.

Unable to decide how to manage the young man, he instead chose to release him. If he couldn't read him into the dangers that he knew of, then he should instead sent him straight into them like the man wanted.

 "Kelvin. Are you aware that the female Fairy you saw is currently living in Profectus City?"

 "I figured as much from the Demon. Why?"

 "Do you intend to visit Profectus?"

 "Yeah. Zeena is pretty concerned with this and our group isn't exactly tied down by any missions at the moment. I already told the team we were headed there next. In fact, we plan to leave after you and I finish up here."

 "That soon?!"

 "Time is short after all.", he concluded while shrugging his shoulders.

 "I'm issuing a follow on Quest for your team. Your destination is Profectus City. I want to you to test the strength of the female Fairy."

 "No."

 "What do you mean no?"

 "You're asking me to fight that thing after I already told you what it left behind in the ruins, that fact that it defeated a Demon General and is potentially a creature from the long past? You're out of your mind Guild Master. I'm not accepting that Quest."

 "I'm not asking you to fight it directly you idiot. The Demons were pushed back, they're bound to launch an assault again. Assess her strength during that time. You can do whatever you want while there as long as you accomplish this Quest."

 "..."

Kelvin took a moment to think about it. His primary fear was ruining the neutral relationship between his team and the woman, but if he was just an observer to a battle, it shouldn't affect his team's goals. Decided on his answer, he replied as he stood to leave through the door.

 "I'll accept that Quest."

***

I brushed aside the silver tinted hair that splayed across my lap and shoulder, bringing it around the backside of the woman resting against me. Never had I expected this woman would have such a vulnerable side to her. Thinking back, I'm sure I caught glimpses of it, but she was always a good enough actor to brush it aside or transition my suspicions to something else. I reviewed my memories of the night and only found the negotiations as a possible reason. She was transformed as her alter ego Topazia Shields and yet her personality didn't change too much. She only adjusted her familiarity and humbleness and yet it was enough to make her seem different. Somehow, I find it hard to believe she made a mistake and yet that's the only thing that comes to mind.

 [Is this a happenstance nightmare then? To think the great Lapis Lazuli Fardom could be brought to such a state through only a dream...]

I turned my gaze to the sky and watched the low hanging moon that transfixed the woman before I arrived. The cold breeze had begun eating through my light clothing long ago and yet I remained seated until I felt Lapis had calmed down enough for me to move. The first in a series of shivers attacked my body until I felt my own health would be at risk if I stayed outside any longer. With a gentle hand, I gradually adjusted Lapis' body until I could carry her comfortably back into the house. Her cold body pressed the bed down with a light creak and I pulled the series of covers back over her after recovering them. Behind me, I felt a presence make itself known outside Lapis' door. The familiarity of it allowed me to drop my guard and finish my task. After tucking her back in, I left the room only to find Ruby standing by in the main hub of the house.

I took the time to equip a heavier top with the expectation of a longer night and then proceeded to the hub. Standing beside the fireplace, I found Ruby in the middle of heating a kettle of what I guessed to be water. My entrance took her attention from her task only for a moment. She bowed to acknowledge me and then continued to finish the tea setup. She and I waited in silence, each of our apparent unease of how to start the conversation. With my tired mind craving sleep, I broke the balance first.

 "Ruby, what happened? Why the late night visit?"

 "..."

 "Ruby?"

 "Sir Hiiro... Who was the woman you put in Master's room?"

 "..."

I took a moment to register her words and my eyes traced her vision in the direction I put Lapis to sleep at.

 [She didn't recognize her own master? Even though they share the similar personalities and magic?]

The nervous bead of sweat that rolled down the side of my head was followed by another after I realized the seriousness of the current situation. I had to get in front of it.

 "Tell me, Ruby. How did you know Topazia was Lapis?"

 "How? I just knew..."

 "Could you be a little more specific? This is important."

 "Mmm... She exuded the same power type and mana signature as Master did. There were slight difference due to the species being a Pantherian and the amount of mana seemed far less, but I somehow felt a connection even then... Now that you ask, I wonder how I knew...? Instinct maybe?"

 "I... see... Lapis is out of the house performing some experiment somewhere. That woman is a guest, I imagine she'll take off in the morning. Anyways, sorry for the strange questions. Thanks for sating my curiosity. So... What was your business for such a late night visit?"

 "Yes, it was my pleasure, Sir Hiiro. I've visited tonight by order of Countess Sugimoto as a warning. I am sure more information will follow, but for now, it appears the Demon Nation has started moving. The Countess was dissuading the remaining Council members from coercing 'Empress Fardom' into combat. Although I left before the situation was finalized, she sent me here knowing they would probably ignore her orders."

 "I see... They couldn't be that stupid... right?"

My question seemed to answer itself as Ruby broke eye contact with me the moment I asked. My only thoughts were-

 [What massive idiots...]

 "Please convey my gratitude to Aria. I'll start preparing on this side. How did she accept the story Topazia gave her?"

 "Story?"

 "Yeah, about the magic she used early on."

 "I believe it is sufficient. Countess Sugimoto didn't pursue it after you two left."

 "Is that right? Well, it's not as if they can disprove it, so it should be fine."

The kettle hinted at the start of a whistle yet the skillful reaction Ruby invoked swiped it from the flames keeping it silent. She poured the water over a tea basket and into our cups releasing the herbal scent of the tea leaves into the air. As she poured it, I noticed her crimson eyes sneaking peaks at me.

 "What is it?"

Her hands hesitated, but continued in confidence a moment later.

 "Did Master create that story, or was it you?"

 "Does it matter?"

 "But to explain away strength like that... It's insulting."

 "Ahh, I get it now. You think I insulted Lapis by making her alter ego insult herself? Hahaha! Well, you're not wrong, but it needed to happen. We don't know who was trying to teleport into the house and we couldn't allow negotiations to be interfered with. The only viable option was to shut it down."

 "But-"

 "No 'but's. It was a requirement.", Hiiro interrupted her before she could continue.

 "You probably don't understand what Lapis is trying to build here, but I at least have an idea. Rather than be insulted by plans the woman herself agreed to, you should instead follow her lead, no? Besides, 'a playmate who learned magic to deal with Lapis' antics' is easier to play off than anything else. It's hard to argue that those who hang out with exceptional beings tend to pick up exceptional traits. Explaining Topazia's power as a means to deal with a problematic child's teleportation pranks makes more sense than there suddenly being two absurdly powerful creatures. It also helps to explain away their similar way of talking. If they were raised together, it makes sense they'd have similar traits."

 "That is-"

 "Move on, Ruby. Your Master already agreed with it. If you have any issues with her decision, you better be prepared to back your complaints up properly..."

I hesitated to continue. My intention was never to berate the poor woman, but it was critical she understood her place. Although I was certain Lapis wouldn't mind such a frank opinion being brought up to her, I felt that aspect of her personality was also partially responsible for her downfall as Demon Lord. Since it appeared to me that Lapis wasn't seeking out friendship, nor was she craving it, then the best option would be to maintain a regal atmosphere between her servants and herself to prevent future issues amongst anyone else that chooses to follow her. With those thoughts in mind, I chose to follow up with the dejected woman across from me. Her saddened expression accompanied with the fragrant herbs twisted what little sympathy I held for her.

 "Well... How do I say this...? You Master is in a strange position at the moment. Her active roles prevent you from associating with her openly. If you want that to change, you'll have to help her accomplish what she wants and rise to become someone who stands beside her. Just... Think it over carefully, though. Lapis didn't bring you back from the depths of hell to serve her. She allowed you to retain what remained of your memories and thoughts for a reason. Consider why she placed Aria as your other Master rather than just herself."

Her visage appeared stoic, but I could sense the slightest of emotions ripple through her. She placed her tea cup down and curtsied to me before leaving without another word. The wry smile I held towards myself lasted only an instant. I took the warm teacup and tray into my hands, then walked just outside the house. The platform I stood on held my weight without so much as a creak and from that platform, I called into the air.

 "Zirco, I have some questions for you."

Taking a sip of the tea, I remained fixed to my spot until a large mass landed soundlessly beside me.

 "This one answers your call. How might this one help you?"

I placed the cup back onto the tray and kept my eyes fixed on the steam that ascended from the liquid.

 "Do you know why Ruby can't detect Lapis as her Master?"

 "This one doesn't know for sure."

 "So you have a guess then? Speak."

 "... Yes. This one believes Master only embedded an identification for her alter egos into the creature Ruby."

 "Doing so would accomplish what exactly?"

 "The creature Ruby would instinctively understand both the female Fairy and Pantherian to be her Master but remain unable to recognize Master's true form."

 "... What about you? How deep is your connection?"

 "This one is capable of recognizing any form Master takes. As part of this one's servitude, this one was tied to Master's fate."

 "Then she did it on purpose after all... That's all I need. You can return to your tasks."

 "Understood."

The black mass lifted itself from the walkway and disappeared into the night just as silently as it came. Left to my own devices, my thoughts moved to decipher the creature called Lapis and her future intentions. My gaze drifted from the steaming tea to the low hanging moon once more.

 [Do you intend to be forgotten, Lapis?]