It was odd, no matter how Soral thought about it. What had Storm really come for, and what did he mean by Favor? The way the thought presented itself was almost like some kind of ritual, but with little knowledge of assassins, Soral couldn’t come up with anything even after time had passed.

And time did pass. Several days, with no signs of the silver haired assassin. It was a shame because Soral had hoped Storm could contribute to the design of his latest, and likely last, disguise. The trick with turning clothing into crystilium had been amazing, and Soral doubted he would be able to find another with that skill.

He called his new disguise Mr. Mischief. This one was more flashy. The classic superhero outfit he had described to his employees had become a glamorous outfit befitting a high class noble. The sky blue outfit was made from a fabric that shimmered in sunlight. While this one also included a top hat, it was slightly shorter and equipped with three colorful feathers, matching the blue theme.

The cape was everything he had dreamed of. Something between a royal robe and the majestic cape hanging from the shoulders of a hero. The inside of the sky blue cape was lined with a darker, royal blue. Then there was the mask. It certainly looked like something meant more for a masquerade ball. Bejeweled, and feathered, with careful embroidery in both gold and silver.

This embroidery continued in sky blue vest, and the cufflinks of his long sleeve white dress shirt. Even his shoes were blue, with gold and silver buckles. The outfit had been expensive to make, but once he saw the finished design he had no regrets. It hadn’t been what he had expected, but it was perfect.

Soral still wasn’t quite sure what kind of situation would demand using it, though. It was more of an emergency disguise. At least, that is what he thought until he met Storm again.

He was working on his orchard in the Toxic Wasteland as Mr. Dehd Lee, as usual, when Storm appeared with a fierce gust of wind. It had been so long since he saw the assassin that he was surprised when he suddenly appeared without notice.

“Did you miss me?” Storm asked with a cocky grin. He had a far more relaxed air to him than their earlier encounter, but there was something else he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Dehd Lee nodded to the assassin’s question. “I was waiting,” he replied. He assumed the two meanings were close enough to qualify. As he answered, he eavesdropped on Storm’s thoughts.

‘Even after I gave him my Favor, I still think he is bizarre. It seems to have no effect on my personal feelings. It should be safe to continue with the plan.’

The plan? What plan?

‘To think that the peace would last for so short a time. Since my Favored never showed up to claim the throne, some upstarts got it in their heads that they could start giving me orders. Have they forgotten the laws of Qilin?’

Right, Qilin. That was the name. Soral had completely forgotten to actually research the place, finding his time better spent doing everything else. There was always something important to be doing. The name of the kingdom aside, he was able to glean a few details. First, the old ruler was gone. Second, Storm’s Favored was apparently supposed to take his place. Third, Storm had given him his Favor.

In other words, the new ruler of Qilin was supposed to be him. This changed things a little, but Dehd Lee could not let it show. He didn’t want Storm to find out he could hear his thoughts. At least not yet. Instead, he opened the invitation he had been going to offer before.

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“Are you here about my cousin’s earlier offer?” he asked.

“Your cousin?” Storm asked.

“Yes. Soral. My cousin. My other me.”

Storm took a moment to think over this new information before a wicked smile grew on his face. “Yes. I am. But do you have any faerutil to offer me? None of these trees seem ready to bear fruit.”

“There is a mother tree,” Dehd Lee replied confidently, as he pulled out his third disguise.

“Does that cloth have something to do with my task?” Storm asked, looking at the shimmering blue fabric with unhindered distaste.

“It does. In your earlier battle with my cousin, he noticed a particular skill of yours. You see, he intends to enchant this fabric. If you could mix some crystilium threads in, that would be quite helpful.”

The distaste was replaced by a look of surprise, then another smile. “Just a few threads? I can do that,” he assured, “But even for you, I won’t become a crystilium factory.”

Storm took the fabric in his hands and concentrated. It was bound to be more difficult to turn only a few threads rather than the entire piece, but the assassin did so with apparent ease with his unparalleled control. He even added a few touches of his own to the mask and top hat. As Dehd Lee stared at his new disguise, it’s name came readily to his mind as if destined.

Mr. Mischief. It was perfect for showing up as the ruler of Qilin, or if that wasn’t necessary he could use it to practice all of his flashy and ostentatious magic. Eager to embrace this new part of himself, Dehd Lee decided to sacrifice the rest of his day, and quickly donned this disguise instead. It felt oddly liberating.

As Mr. Mischief, he did not hesitate to boldly enchant all of his clothing at once right in front of Storm. Storm watched the surge of magic with interest, patiently waiting for the show to finish. He had no intention of leaving until he received his reward.

Enchantments complete, Mr. Mischief turned his attention back to Storm. “You’ve definitely earned your reward,” he decided, and presented a dream fruit to him, still carefully wrapped in its leaves, “I would appreciate if you would return the seed, but the fruit is yours.”

Storm carefully took the fruit, examining it as if he expected it to vanish, or spontaneously explode. He lifted the leaves, slowly peeling them back. As he gave them one last tug the seed gave way, easily sliding out of the fruit and unleashing the tantalizing scent of the juices within. Mr. Mischief collected the forgotten seed with magic as Storm dug in.

Interesting. Magic was somehow easier in this form. Was it the crystilium? Perhaps it was the bold disguise that gave him courage? It did not take Storm long to finish the fruit, and he interrupted Mr. Mischief’s ponderings.

“That truly was an incredible experience,” he consented, “Are you sure those few threads are all you wanted?”

Mr. Mischief smiled. Unhindered by Dehd Lee’s careful nature, he pressed forward as if this had been his plan all along. “Storm, don’t you have something you wish to tell me?” he asked.

The formerly calm assassin was instantly on edge. “How far do you know?” he demanded, “Did you know my purpose from the beginning?!”

“Nope,” Mr. Mischief said with a chuckle like a child who knew a secret, “I learned it just know. You were just thinking so loudly I couldn’t help but listen in.”

Storm’s face changed a few times as he processed the information, and the grin from earlier slowly returned. This time it had far more evil intent.

‘You can hear my thoughts? Really? That’s a much more convenient form of communication. In that case, show those greedy assassins a ruler who outmatches them in every way.’

Mr. Mischief heard the projected thought loud and clear, even though he wasn’t specifically trying to listen in. “In every way?” he repeated out loud, causing Storm’s grin to grow even wider, “To show a presence greedier than greed.”

He stepped forward into a clearing that had formed due to the purification of ground and air courtesy of the trystalis. This clearing had started to grow various sprouts of things that must have been laying dormant there for many years. Mr. Mischief used magic to search far beyond the sprouts and the ground, feeling almost as if he was flying through solid ground even though he hadn’t moved an inch.

There! He found what he was looking for, and used a strange version of his pocket magic to summon it before him, polish it, and form it into a shape of his liking.

Storm’s smirk fell into a look of astonishment at the sheer amount of magic being displayed before him as a wall made of seamless and perfectly polished gemstone came into being from nothing at all. As if he sensed this, Mr. Mischief began to laugh.

“You asked me to become a ruler that outclasses the greediest of assassins. Such a ruler would have to live in a castle made of precious things. Ah, but to stop any greedy fingers, mind adding a layer of crystilium when I am done?

Shocked by his Favored’s outrageous line of thinking, Storm joined in his laughter. And thus began Soral’s addition of the third day inside a day as Mr. Mischief, Ruler of Qilin.