I was polishing my dragon egg the the next day when the epiphany hit me.

That night, I had gone to bed wondering when Kuro had gone and flipped his mood. He had sauntered off with a smug look on his face, completely different from when he had been so despondent before. Talk about mood swings.

We were out on the training ground Sheena had set up the other day, on the palace commons. Kuro was still practicing his magic, which seemed just as powerful before, only now he seemed to have more stamina and control over his powers. He easily dispatched the immobile targets with ease. We decided that now was as good a time as any to ask why he had decided on going into the Forest of Familiars.

He wasn’t very forthcoming with why he had decided to brave the Forest of Familiars on his own, in the middle of the night, without any backup whatsoever. Instead, he said he had “given up” on finding a familiar and that he didn’t need one. Sheena wasn’t so pleased with his answer.

“You do understand that without a familiar, you don’t really have a right to call yourself a full-fledged mage, do you, Sir Kuro?” She said. “You’re missing out on some of the most basic principles of mage teachings, as well as some of the more advanced ones. If you just try again, perhaps this time things will turn in your favor…”

Kuro nodded his head. “Look, I’ve spent the last fourteen years of my life without a familiar, and I don’t see how getting one will change things. I’ve always relied on my head rather than my magic, and so far such a practice has steered me in the right direction. You worry too much, Your Highness. I’ll be fine.” He gave the Witch-Queen a cocky smile, but Sheena did not return it.

Instead, she raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “You say these things now, Sir Kuro, but perhaps you will change your mind after you find out just how useful a familiar can be.” With a snap of her finger, her red-furred wolf, Kelda, appeared next to her. The creature took one look at Kuro and began growling. Kuro took a few steps back, but the wolf kept pace with him, baring her teeth angrily.

“Hey…we talked about this. Keep that wolf away from me.” Kuro began to panic, waving his staff menacingly in Kelda’s direction. “I mean it! It’s not funny! Knock it off!” Kelda pinned Kuro against a wall, then began to sniff him thoroughly. Then she bared her fangs again, before running back off to Sheena. She pet the wolf’s head, as the creature barked at her.

“What’s that, Kelda?” Sheena cooed. “Sir Kuro smells like…fox? How odd. No that doesn’t mean you can eat him, my dear. As for why he smells like fox, perhaps he could answer that question for us?” Sheena cast an accusatory glance over in Kuro’s direction. He grit his teeth, then leaned against the wall.

Kuro took a look around him, namely, at the three of us, not including Kelda. He folded his arms and dodged the question. “How should I know? Maybe I stepped in some fox crap or something. The Forest is full of animals. Now look, I appreciate that you were all worried about me but you can stop interrogating me. Everything went fine and I learned a major lesson. Having a familiar just isn’t in the cards for me, I guess.”

I hadn’t know Kuro for very long. We were talking less than a few months by this point. But I knew he was hiding something from us. On one hand, I was a bit curious as to why he was ducking our line of questioning, but at the same time I was too apathetic to push any further. It was all mage stuff anyway, and it’d probably have gone over my head. So long as he wasn’t dying in front of me I was perfectly fine with letting sleeping dogs lie.

It was afternoon, now. Today, I insisted on being present for “training”. Kuro was throwing powerful magic left and right, with Alverd weaving and bobbing to avoid or deflect his friend’s spells. Sheena stood off to one side of the training ground, watching what was transpiring with a close eye.

Kuro had apparently made some kind of improvement, because he wasn’t getting winded like he normally did in the past. He still had only one skill though, and that was making things go boom. Still, even someone like me, who couldn’t tell one lightning bolt from another, could tell that his magic seemed stronger than it had the day before. Every time a bolt or fireball ricocheted off Alverd’s shield, I saw the knight struggle to maintain his stance.

Had Kuro been training in secret? That didn’t make any sense. He’d only had a day since he stormed off from Sheena’s little deception and into the Forest of Familiars. In the space of only a day, had he really made so much progress? No. I blamed his staff, again. It must have been the staff. It was the only explanation that made sense to me. Kuro was a horrible mage. Horrible people did not become talented overnight.

I sat there, on the grass, watching Kuro demonstrate his newfound powers. While I found his new strength reassuring, I didn’t like the look in his eyes. They were filled with a damn near suicidal overconfidence. He looked like he was ready to take on the world. People with that mindset were dangerous, and for all the wrong reasons, too. That’s the kind of attitude that got people killed.

After a few hours, Alverd finally slumped down on the ground, spent. He was drenched in sweat, and gasping for breath. I didn’t blame him; if I had had a crazy mage throwing magic at me all morning, I’d have been tired too. I noted that Kuro had a little too much enthusiasm behind his barrages; the look of excitement on his face didn’t help matters any either.

I continued to polish the egg that lay in my lap absentmindedly, looking up at the clouds lazily drifting along up above me. I sighed to myself. We were still no closer to solving this bloody mystery than we were when we first arrived in this city. It was beginning to grate on my patience. Watching how Sheena made her shameless advances on Alverd put me off further still. But then, like I mentioned before, I had the epiphany.

I was jealous.

It came as a shock to me, that much was certain. When the realization struck me, I almost burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity of it. But the more I thought about it, the more things made sense. My reactions, the feelings I had, the pain I felt…jealousy was the only rational explanation. And I had plenty to be jealous of. Sheena had quite the alluring figure, an approachable personality, and was a damn Queen. I was just an angry little Princess that looked half my age physically. How could I compete with that?

Simple, my brain thought. You go down there and you claim what’s rightfully yours. Alverd was your protector first. You show that girl that who’s in charge around here! I heartily agreed. I picked up my hammer, and stored my dragon egg in my pouch. I ran down the hill I’d been sitting on and made my way over to where the others were taking a break.

The Witch-Queen was just about to start flirting with Alverd again when I ran between them. “Hold on a damn second, Witch-Queen.” I was in no mood for her games. “Just because you hired us, doesn’t mean you can monopolize Alverd. He has things to do, like worry about the safety of others who have sought his protection. I too, have paid for his services, and your behavior endangers my life.” I pointed at the Sword of Evros. “He himself acknowledged the price I paid was beyond what was owed. If you continue your selfishness, you risk your alliance with Ishmar. Will you really ruin such a chance because you couldn’t reign yourself in?”

The Witch-Queen looked very miffed at my little outburst. But then she smiled. “It wasn’t my intention to monopolize him, dear Princess. But as you can see, we are quite safe here. There’s no harm in innocent dalliance when there are no blades or staves nearby to kill us with. I apologize if you think I am encroaching on your contract, but the fact of the matter is, we have to learn to share.”

That only served to make me angrier. “I can’t trust any of you mages. You all have ulterior motives! Always sneaking behind peoples’ backs, always planning in secret! In fact, I never would have figured any of this out if it weren’t for your damn Uncle! He’s the only one who seems to understand how your damn mind works, Witch-Queen! He always knows where you are and what you’re doing! He…”

I trailed off for a second. I had a single, horrible thought.

“He knew where you were. He knew where Kuro was, and what you and Alverd were doing. And yet, we weren’t attacked until we all regrouped…” I racked my brain, trying to put the pieces together. “Lord Necce didn’t show himself until after we all got back together. Why? Why didn’t he strike when you and Alverd were alone?” I was fumbling for something, looking for an elusive needle in a haystack. “Did he want us all together? I don’t understand…”

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Kuro picked up on my line of thought right away. “You’re right. Necce didn’t attack until after we all got back together. Either he had the worst timing in the world, or killing you wasn’t his real intention. But that still doesn’t explain why he waited until we were together instead of attacking us while we were separated. It would make more sense for him to single us out.”

The Witch-Queen stared at me, puzzled. “Are you accusing my Uncle of treason?! Have you lost your mind, Princess Alicia?! My Uncle would never commit such a crime! He has been my most ardent supporter, and my only light in a sea of darkness. He would never turn on me! Never!” Her voice, however, broke at some point during her rant.

“Are you so certain, my dear? I’m so glad I inspired so much loyalty in you.”

All of us turned, to see that Lord Albrecht had arrived. Flanking him was Captain McFarlane, her hand tightly gripping her combat staff. Albrecht had his staff for the very first time since I had met him, a five foot long oak staff with a topaz worked into its apex. He was also accompanied by fifteen men and women, all of whom were adorned in the same manner as McFarlane, making them combat mages.

As they approached, I saw Kuro reach for his staff. I slowly reached for my hammer. The hairs on my neck all stood on end. I didn’t need to be a genius to know why the smug bastard was here.

“Why not tell your niece what’s going on, Albrecht? I know you’re involved in this little rebellion. Your game’s up. Might as well come clean.” I spun my hammer in my hand. “Go on. Or you could just waste all of our time with some lies instead. Makes no difference to me.”

Albrecht sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging visibly. “Very well. Lying would not serve my cause, so I will not resort to such pathetic drivel. As you are all aware, there is currently a group of individuals who seek to force the Witch-Queen to declare war on Ishmar. As it so happens, I am the leader of this group. And I have been for the past twenty years.”

Sheena began to stammer in disbelief. Albrecht gave her a short glance before continuing. “As for Lord Necce, the little bastard went and tried to corral you together so that we could use your new friends against you, Sheena. I know you’d fight tooth and nail, so if I put your new pet knight in danger, you’d back down in a heartbeat. But that idiot Necce attacked you instead of waiting for the rest of us to arrive.”

The Prime Minister paused a moment to spit on the ground. “The damn fool allowed his stupid pride and moronic prejudice to override what little sense he had. Because of that, we let slip that the conspiracy went all the way up to the Magister Lords. I knew we had little time to act, so I organized this little escort to ensure you cooperate, Sheena.”

Sheena was distraught. Her eyes were wide and tears were beginning to form in them. “Why, Uncle? I don’t understand…why do this? You are supposed to be loyal to the crown! You have been my most loyal supporter! I don’t…I don’t understand!” She fell to her knees, her staff clattering to the ground uselessly.

Alverd took a step forward so that he was between Sheena and the Prime Minister. I could see both Albrecht and McFarlane’s eyes tracking Alverd’s movement, and McFarlane tightened her grip on her staff. But neither made any effort to move. Instead, Albrecht continued to speak.

“Really? You don’t? I know you’re smarter than this, Sheena. I know you better than anyone. I raised you, after all. But maybe that’s the problem. I know you, my dear. But you never bothered to know me as anything more than your doting uncle. Maybe if you were to open your eyes a bit more, and chose to see more than only what you wanted to see, then you would have seen through me a good deal sooner.”

At this point, McFarlane motioned to her fellow mages. They began to spread out, circling our flanks. Alverd’s hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword, but I doubted the mages were intimidated by him. After all, they outnumbered us. Kuro glanced over at me meaningfully; I knew what he was thinking. Things were going to get very ugly, very fast.

And then Albrecht spoke again.

“I am, or perhaps it is more appropriate to say, was, an Ishmarian spy. I was sent here to Algrustos a long, long time ago with the mission to assassinate the entire Council of Magic, along with the Wizard-King and Witch-Queen.”

I felt my jaw drop open. An Ishmarian spy capable of using magic? I had never heard of such a thing. In Ishmar, all children born with the capacity to use magic were sentenced to death…no exceptions. For Lord Albrecht to have been telling the truth, then…

I voiced my question. “But if you’re telling the truth, then that would mean that my father had you trained in magic in order to infiltrate Algrustos! Is that right?!” I couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t have been true. But Albrecht slowly nodded in agreement.

“Aye. Your father had me trained in magic because he saw a golden opportunity. An infiltrator that thought like the enemy, knew the enemy’s power, and wore the face of the enemy. Say what you will about the King of Dragontamers, he was no fool. Even if he was a racist old son of a whore who feared what he could not control.”

Albrecht began wringing his hands. “I had every intention of taking Algrustos for my own, and turning its armies loose on Ishmar. The damn fool Dragontamer King thought I would remain loyal. He was wrong. But once I became Prime Minister, I began to realize that I belonged here, in Algrustos. The Wizard-King, however, proved to be no better than the King of Dragontamers. Because he wanted nothing but war, as well.”

Albrecht’s right hand balled into a fist. “And yet, he was even worse. Because, he would go to any length to prevail over the dragon tamers. Including sacrifice not only the lives of thousands of his subjects, but of a life that should have been precious above all else…that of his daughter. You, Sheena. You see, there is only one way to activate the Slumbering Calamities.”

Albrecht dug a yellowed scroll from a pocket in his robe. He unfurled it, and a diagram depicting a body being drained of some red fluid appeared. The fluid was being pulled into a giant golem looking thing. It took me a moment to realize, with horror, that the fluid was blood.

Sheena did not take this news well. The color drained from her face. Her voice broke as she tried to find the words to express her shock. “Uncle? What are you talking about?” Albrecht did not even blink. He turned to face his “niece”. “It is very simple, Sheena. The only way to activate the Calamities is to power them with the blood of a member of the royal family of Algrustos. And seeing as how your parents are dead, that duty must now fall to you. I will take the Slumbering Calamities to Ishmar and avenge all of those who have died under the heel of the dragon tamers…as well as save all future children born with the gift of magic.”

Albrecht smiled. “It wasn’t all that hard to convince the majority of the Council to ally with me. There are a few who still entertain the notion that war is not in our best interests, but once they see the Calamities marching west at the head of our armies, they will join their strength to ours. I’m terribly sorry it must fall to this, my darling niece. I wish it did not have to happen this way.”

Sheena was sobbing now, tears rolling down her face. “Uncle…you killed my parents? It was you?” Albrecht sighed again. “Sheena, dear, I know this is a huge shock to you, but you simply must keep up. Your parents were going to sacrifice you as a baby to awaken the Calamities. I simply delayed the action by killing them. I knew that by manipulating you, cultivating your trust, I could steer Algrustos in just the right direction for as long as I needed to…and here we are. Now, we are finally ready to enact my plan to destroy Ishmar once and for all.”

I couldn’t believe it. Up until now, Lord Albrecht hadn’t seemed like the untrustworthy sort. Sure, he was vague and mysterious, but he had never struck me as a traitor. But his intentions were clear now. I could hear the sound of metal scraping metal as Alverd drew the Sword of Evros from its scabbard. He inched forward, until he was squarely between us and Lord Albrecht. Once he was sure he was capable of blocking an attack, he spoke to the Prime Minister.

“Why now? Why would you wait so long? Why not simply kill Sheena as a youngling and seize control of Algrustos for yourself? You had the opportunity. You could have declared war on Ishmar twenty years ago. So why did you hesitate?”

It was a good question. Albrecht seemed to ponder a moment, then answered. “Chalk it up to foolish sentimentality, I suppose. When I first held Sheena as a babe, I could not bring myself to end her life, even for my noble ambitions. But logically, even if I had killed her, I did not have any support amongst the Council. If I had usurped the throne, I could not have taken the other Magister Lords alone. So I spent the next twenty years earning their trust, preparing all of this, so that we could act when the time was right. When the King of Ishmar fell ill, we saw our golden opportunity.”

Alverd spoke again. “Then why would you send assassins after Sheena? Why not kill her? Why this charade? What do you gain from this?” Albrecht laughed. “To get her to trust me, knight. I foiled the assassins in the past. It was all a ploy to get her to trust in me all the more. I have never steered her wrong…because I have only steered her in the direction I wanted her to go in.”

Albrecht brought his staff to bear, the topaz gleaming. “You see, Sheena can either give her blood freely…or it can be taken by force. I would have preferred the former, but I can see that you might not be so willing after everything I’ve just revealed. Therefore, you leave me no choice.”

That was basically my cue to run forward and bash Albrecht’s self-righteous skull in, but instead I felt this immense pressure in my head. I fell to the ground, and an insidious darkness wormed its way into my skull. I cried out in agony as the darkness writhed in my brain. I saw Alverd and Kuro in similar straits, convulsing on the ground in pain, clutching their heads and screaming, though I could barely hear. As my vision grew dim, I could see a man in jet-black robes; the Magister Lord, Casper Mattigen. Beside him was a creature I could only describe as nightmarish to the extreme. It was a off-putting shade of green, with a long neck, a gargoylish face and leathery wings, as well as a muscular body with long sharp claws on its hands and feet. It had to be a demon. And it was exerting its dark powers on us.

I struggled the best I could. But the darkness overwhelmed me. My sight was the first to go. Darkness enveloped my vision like a fog, and eventually, I couldn’t even hear my own screams. This must have been what death felt like.

It was cold. Colder than ice, and darker than the night itself. I felt myself slip away, into nothingness.