Cedez, armed with a sly smile and eyes gleaming with satisfaction, effortlessly sold forty Bakelite armor sets to the beleaguered and bruised Shandria constabulary. The watchmen and hunters, too battered and dispirited to entertain the idea of searching more of the estate, reluctantly accepted the deal under the pressure of her charisma-sprinkled words.

As they departed, their steps heavy with exhaustion and their spirits bruised, the iron gates slammed shut behind them.

. . .

A week drifted by since the raid on the Rimzadria Estate, leaving in its wake a quiet interlude of uneasy calm. Dave's fingernail crystal had grown, and his ability to manipulate gravity had strengthened, now allowing him to suspend an empty cup in midair for a few minutes.

As no follow-up visits from hunters nor the watch materialized, Remicra had safely returned to Rimzadria, bearing several large shards of magisteel she managed to dig out of the mountains. She immediately set out to forge a full set of scrying-proof magisteel armor for herself, burying herself in work.

The quartet of unlikely companions, brought together by the vestiges of fate and Cedez's machinations, reconvened on the top floor of the caretaker's cottage as the evening cast an orange glow over Shandria.

The dragoness regarded the grinning, dark foxgirl with weary suspicion.

"What's she doing here?" she asked, her voice a low growl.

"I've invited her," Dave replied, his tone placating.

"I see," the dragoness conceded, crossing her arms defensively.

"I'll be extra, super-duper nice," Cedez promised, her grin never wavering. "I helped save your dragon butt from the Watch… Come on, give me a chance. I've been diligently teaching Dave gravity magic!" Her dark tail momentarily wrapped around Dave in a playful gesture.

Remy emitted a small, irate growl, her eyes still fixed on Cedez.

Sensing the need to ease the tension, Dave slid over to Remicra and placed a reassuring hand around her. The simple action seemed to slightly pacify Remicra's irate expression

Svenn, represented by a wry, teenage elkin girl at the meeting, barked a laugh that seemed incongruous with the youthful appearance. "I'm glad I no longer need to suffer the afflictions of feelings," he said with a raspy, feminine voice and a dark smirk.

"Say," Dave looked at the dead elkin, his brow furrowed with curiosity. "How long will the bodies you inhabit last?"

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"Presumably… forever," Svenn shrugged nonchalantly, the elkin girl's delicate shoulders rising and falling. "Considering that I am more mold than elkin now."

"Could you accidentally infect other Elkin?" Dave asked, mild concern etched on his face.

"Impossible," Svenn shook his head, a note of certainty in his voice. "I am fully in control of the skill. Plus, I'm already stretched pretty thin. Perhaps… if a few of me died in a fire or if I leveled up more, I might be able to inhabit an adult specimen. I attempted to take control of the wolves I killed in the wilds, but the mold did not take root."

"I see," Dave said, feeling slightly unnerved by Svenn's revelation. "Well, we can try hunting together after we've finished our Bakelite orders."

Svenn nodded, his borrowed face a picture of stoic acceptance.

"How are we doing on our war timeline?" Dave asked Cedez, seeking reassurance.

"I gave Svenn a handshake," Cedez said.

"And?" Dave inquired, his eyes searching Cedez for the answer he sought.

"In five and a half months, Shandria will fall," Svenn declared resolutely, his borrowed voice quivering with the weight of his words.

"That's a bit longer than what I saw," Dave commented, his brow furrowing with concern.

"By hunting down all of the fat bastard's spies," Svenn elucidated, "we delay the invasion… but nevertheless, his vast armada of summoned men overwhelms the city, and we all perish."

"Damn," Dave swore, feeling the gravity of the situation settle upon him. Remicra reached out, her fingers intertwining with his, seeking solace in their connection.

"I have to out myself as the Sovereign," Cedez confessed, her face a mask of regret. "As much as I love hanging out here with all of you… Shandria needs me. I need to take control of the city's archmagi... need to direct them all to make the mountains as impassible as possible."

"No," Dave protested, rising to his feet, his eyes blazing.

"Yes," Cedez insisted, her tail swishing behind her, betraying her agitation. "As terrified as I am of my death… I don't have a choice."

"How exactly do you declare yourself Sovereign?" Dave asked.

Cedez paused, her eyes distant as she considered the question.

"I have to go to the central tower and obtain the crown from within," Cedez said finally, her voice imbued with a solemn gravity. "The door to the inner sanctum, protected by the Keeper of the Ward, will only open for me."

"Could another wear this crown?" Dave asked, his mind racing in search of a loophole.

"Who?" Cedez scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "The crown radiates the power of her Divine Shadow. It will make the wearer quickly confess that they are not the Sovereign, just as my charisma bends and breaks people to my will."

"Maybe I am immune to that?" Dave ventured, hope flickering in his eyes.

"Oh?" Cedez queried, a hint of amusement in her voice. "You want to be King? It needs to be a girl, you tit."

Dave glanced over to Svenn, a sudden idea taking root. "What if our undead Elkin wears it?"

Cedez rubbed her chin thoughtfully, considering the proposition. "Theoretically… it's possible. But I would still have to open the door and distract the Keeper… it would require a lot of trickery and misdirection."

"You in?" Dave asked Svenn, excitement brewing beneath his words. "We might be able to draw the treasonous nobles out of the woodwork if we get them to make a move against one of your bodies."

"Sure," Svenn replied, a sly smile transforming the Elkin girl's face. "If I am to play bait and sit on the throne of this city as a patsy with one of my puppets, then that is what I shall do."

"How far can one of your bodies go from the others?" Dave inquired, his mind tabulating potential problems with their daring plan.

"Each of my bodies can be fully autonomous," Svenn explained, the Elkin girl's voice steady and confident. "I exchange information with myself when I get within touching distance."

A slow, triumphant smile spread across Dave's face as he reassessed the possibility of their scheme.

"Then we have our new… unkillable princess of Shandria," he declared, his eyes alight with a fierce resolve.