Everyone got back from their respective places to do their business, made more difficult by the building lacking any kind of toilet, and the outhouse being one seat only. Andromeda regathered them all and they were sat in their positions before.

“Alright, I’m gonna skip past the formalities because this is already taking forever.” Andromeda said. She pointed at herself. “I’m Andromeda Noelle, legally in charge of this operation.”

She pointed at Alice, “Alice Magrisal, yes, that Magrisal, because apparently this is an important distinction.” Andromeda continued, having dealt with gossips back in King’s Grove Proper when they were shopping. Chi and Garret seemed more polite and only slightly curious, but understanding when Alice didn’t want to go into it.

Andromeda followed that by pointing at Eli, “Elias Boreas, but his friends call him Eli. Despite having nearly killed me, he’s working here. Don’t give him any grief over it.” She said, Eli scowled, Alice Scowled, everyone in general just seemed unhappy at that moment.

Next she pointed at both Chi and Garret. “You’re up.“ She said. Garret cleared his throat.

“I’m Garret Esther. Premiere administrator of Magical Artifacts, as well as Artifact historian. I’ll be working here for the duration of the operation in an administrative capacity.” He said.

“and he’s also the messiest drunk that ever put two lips to the bottle.” Chi added, to which he coughed and looked away. Chi and Alice had to internally hide the urge to giggle at her sudden backbone.

“I’m Richisa Vendee, but I’d prefer you call me Chi. I’m Garret’s assistant.” Chi said, still calming her poorly hidden giggle.

“Alright. Now, with that out of the way. Garret, you seem the most informed about what is actually happening here right now. Until a yesterday I was under the impression that this was just a pity-cation.” Andromeda said.

“Yes, of course… To the best of my knowledge. Chi and myself were assigned out here was due to Ferdinand having a desire for you, and by extension us to lead the investigation on “Magical Artifacts”, are you familiar with the concept?” Garret asked. Andromeda’s last exposure to the word “Artifact” ended with her own death and revival. So she was in the unfortunate situation of being incredibly familiar with something she knew nothing about.

“Enlighten me.” Andromeda said flatly.

“Artifacts are items of inexplicable nature. Possessing qualities and attributes that could theoretically be explained through natural or mystical means. But seem to elude proper classification.” Garret said, Andromeda looked over to Eli who looked as though he was trying to find meaning in abstract art.

“Can you explain that a little more simply?” She asked.

“Basically, Artifacts are items that should not exist in our understanding of reality.” Garret said. Andromeda saw Eli’s face light up as though he suddenly understood, and she felt she could move on.

“So, if I’m understanding you correctly. That spear that The Arbiter had is an “Artifact”. What about it was strange?” Alice asked.

“Ah yes, “The Nail of Hatred” I’ve been hearing so much about. According to the reports I got before I was assigned this post. The spear possessed a unique and paradoxical ability to “destroy the mind and soul”, so to speak. While it is not impossible for an item to do such a thing. Especially with the use of magical hexes and psionics, the mechanism by which the spear performs this action is unclear. When a soul is “destroyed” in normal terms, it dissipates into loose mana and disperses in the air.”

“Then what’s different with this?” Eli asked.

“When the spear is used on a target possessing a soul, the soul just vanishes, with the mana making up its substance completely disappearing without a trace.” Garret continued.

“I don’t see how that’s different?” Andromeda asked.

“Think about it like this.” Garret started, picking up a piece of dry bread and holding in his palm. “When a soul is normally destroyed, its like this.” He then used his other hand to mash up the bread into crumbs on the plate in front of him.

“What the spear does is this,” He picked up another piece of bread and held it out, then tossed it out the open window and presented his empty palm as though it held something. The point was made. “We only have guesses to how it works, but we’re not in any hurry to figure out out. Having to destroy a soul completely like that is just about the most dangerous power a being could possess.” Garret said.

“I’m not sure how I feel about the crown having something like that. I haven’t been hearing great things about the new king.” Eli said.

“Personally, I can’t say that I disagree, but its better to be in the government’s hands then in the hands of a murderer.” Garret said. Then he seemed to realize something and look at Andromeda. “I know this this is a bit of a subject change, but why were you chosen for this assignment. My relation to Artifact research makes sense, but not so much for you. I thought you might be his aide, but you don’t strike me as a paper pusher.”

Andromeda, Alice, and Eli all simultaneously went pale.

“He brings up a good point. If I remember correctly, he sent you to study at Cylas, but that was only a short while ago. You couldn’t have finished enough to justify a position like this.” Chi added, both herself and Garret missing the shock playing across the everyone’s face.

“Wait… Are you telling me you don’t who I am?” Andromeda said. This confused Garret and Chi, because they weren’t under the impression that she was anyone of note at all. Besides being slightly noteworthy over the Cylas situation.

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Andromeda shook her head, “Of course, leaving me to tell them this… I’m sure it totally slipped his mind.” She murmured.

“I’m sorry if that is upsetting to hear. If it helps, I also wasn’t expected when I arrived.“ Garret said.

Andromeda’s attention sharply focused on him. “Don’t remind me, and its not like that. I don’t care if people know who I am. Its more that Ferdinand made this complicated for no reason.” Andromeda said.

Garret frowned, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he did something that upset you. But that’s no right to treat him disrespectfully. He is your High Magister, and you should at least use his title. Matters of position should at least be respected, if not the person themselves.” Garret said.

“Garret…” Chi said, but Andromeda shook her head.

“You know, that’s fair.” Andromeda said, she stood up from her seat. “Alright, everyone finish your food and follow me. I’d rather just show them then explain.”

Then she swiftly left the room, Alice stood soon after, and Eli rather more sluggishly got up as well. “Is she upset?” Chi asked.

“No, I just think she’s annoyed. Not at you two, just in general.” Alice said. Eli leaned over and gave them look that said “Sorry about that”. They all filed out and followed Andromeda through the room newly established rec room and through the door to the yard outside. While she walked, she stretched her arms and mumbled to herself. Not idle ranting, but like she was speaking to someone that wasn’t there. When they got to the dirt pit, Andromeda waved for them to stand back and kept walking. She stopped just short of the grass and turned back around.

“Garret, Chi, I’m about to do something you are both need to keep secret. If I told you, you probably wouldn’t believe me, and I’d have to show you this anyway. I just want to make the situation as clear as possible so we don’t have any problems in the future. Do you understand?” She asked. Garret and Chi looked between themselves, confused, but not concerned. Andromeda wasn’t angry, but what she was saying didn’t sound like some idle statement either.

“I mean… As fine as it can be, without knowing what it is that is…” Garret said.

“Just sit and wait a moment. I’m still figuring out how to do this.” Andromeda said.

They watched as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She stood there, very still and quiet. From Garret’s position it seemed as though she was meditating. Chi didn’t think much of it, but felt a strange feeling in her chest. Both familiar and not.

Andromeda took another breath, and the wind blew with an unnatural strength for the weather. The idle sounds of the world around them faded away, and now the others felt the same strange feeling Chi did, even if they didn’t know it.

A faint glow, only barely visible in the morning light emitted from her body. Though with the lighter clothes she wore, it was clear that her skin is what was glowing. Another breath, and the glow grew brighter. The shadow at her feet began to warp, not matching the shape it should have had under the sun. The white glow became even more radiant, and the strange feeling grew stronger in each of them.

In both of her hands, a red light appeared, filling each palm like two red stones. The light in her right hand was edged by a white glow matching that around her body, and in her left hand the same light was sheathed in a crown of shadowy light. Distorting the red color and messing with its apparent shape.

Then she spoke, but her voice didn’t sound exactly right. It was hers, but not just hers. “This is going to look really corny, but I swear I haven’t found a better way of doing it.” She said. Then she slapped her two hands together, and a flash of light erupted from her.

It was bright, but not blinding. There was no pain even while they all had their vision fade back in. Alice of course didn’t have the same struggle, but even she seemed dazed for a moment. When everyone got another good look at her, they was shaken.

Andromeda stood there, while nothing radical changed about her appearance, there were small differences. Her skin was more pale, and her eyes glowed brightly enough to be seen easily from a distance, her hair was gently swaying despite there not being a breeze, from the look of it, she was no longer breathing. The white glow that appeared around her before was now shining against the sunlight, and most strikingly of all, her shadow was completely missing.

“Garret, Chi, as hard as it may be to believe. I am an Arch Mage. Arch Mage White.”

As if to prove a point, she raised her hand, and red energy welled inside it again. The shadowy black crown of light surrounded it. She waved her hand in an arc in front of her, and before their eyes, Andromeda’s physical form seemed to fade out of reality.

Everyone besides Alice was shocked by this, and Alice seemed surprised by everyone else’s because from her perspective, Andromeda was just walking toward them casually. But no one else seemed to notice. Alice watched as Andromeda came around and walked beside Eli and Garret, walking around behind them, and then around Chi and back to the front of them. They looked around for her, but couldn’t find her no matter how hard they looked.

Andromeda’s form then reemerged, the shock of this sending Chi to the ground and nearly giving Garret a heart attack. Eli was also surprised, but was still expecting something unexpected to happen. So his shock was only what she did and not it happening in general.

“That’s just one thing I’ve learned how to do.” Andromeda said, then her hand glowed again, the same red light and shadowy glowed wrapped it, only this time Alice was the one to be shocked.

A week ago, when Andromeda came back to life, Alice could sense her again, seeming as a glowing humanoid figure as bright and clear as she imagined people saw each other with their own eyes. But at that moment, Andromeda’s glowing form in the flow of the world faded into nothing, and unlike before, it wasn’t just that there was an absence of flow that she could follow. By all appearances, Alice would have sworn that Andromeda was completely gone.

The others watched as she walked back to where she began, she stood there a moment while Alice seemed completely lost, only to suddenly take a deep breath, and gasp suddenly. The glow in her eyes and around her faded, her shadow returned, and Alice jolted. Andromeda fell to her knee’s and started gasping for air, Alice and Chi rushed to her side, and felt her doused in cold sweat.

“Are you alright?” Alice asked, gently resting her hand on Andromeda’s shoulder, while with her other hand holding her hair back in case something unfortunate were to happen.

“I’m fine, that’s just… stressful…” Andromeda said.