Regarding the ability of some mages to wield spells outside their element, it took us fifteen centuries of study to understand why and how, and it was only possible with the help of otherworlders. Magic affinity for a spell is calculated using a technique called ''geometric mean'' that averages the affinities. The exact formula is complex and putting affinities to numbers is a fool''s endeavor. Refer to volume VIII, section XXIX for the exact details. What is really important is that the lowest affinity dictates how the mage''s mana will react to the spell. Another important conclusion brought to light three centuries ago is that no mage has an absolute zero in any affinity, otherwise it would be impossible to cast spells out of one''s assigned element.
Excerpt from Archmage Level Wizardry, vol 1.
[Mistwalker] - 3th circle spell.
Element: Mist.
Type: Alteration.
Classification: Support. Movement.
Target: Self.
Allows the caster to walk on mist, vapors or clouds as if they were solid ground. The caster does not lose the ability to move through these substances, but he need not fear losing his footing or dropping through.
[Slowfall] - 2th circle spell.
Element: Air.
Type: Alteration.
Classification: Support. Movement.
Target: Self.
The spell lowers the caster''s falling speed from any amount between a half and a twentieth of the normal falling speed. If a solid surface like the ground is twenty meters under the caster, the falling speed is automatically reduced to a twentieth. This spell fails if the caster is carrying a heavy load.
[Soul Disruption] - 4th circle spell.
Element: Underworld.
Type: Soul.
Classification: Attack. Non-Lethal. Crowd Control.
Target: A creature in line of sight.
The non-lethal version of a series of soul attack spells created by Aidan, Soul Disruption doesn''t attempt to damage the soul. It dislodges the soul from the physical body temporarily, causing a state similar to death for up to 50 seconds. After this time is over, the soul realigns with the body, with no lingering damage. This spell cannot be used in an already dislodged soul. Underworld affinity and magic resistance lower the duration. The spell''s circle was increased from 3 to 4 to add extra control glyphs to ensure the time limit, non-lethality, and that its effect cannot stack.
After they took an afternoon nap, Sora returned from her shopping trip. She bought clothes, sundries and more important, food. Cythrel fell asleep minutes after hitting the pillows and they didn''t bother waking her up. She had such a lovely sleeping face.
"I got good news for you," Sora announced over dinner.
If only they could call that dinner. Dawn was being fed a vegetable pure with meat paste and for once Aidan was glad her sense of taste was completely messed up. For them some meat cubes and chopped steamed vegetables drifting in a thick broth with a side of fluffy bread.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"Yes, what is it?" Aidan asked.
She reported with enthusiasm, "Some roaming entertainers came to town a few days ago, the kind that advertises themselves as a freak show. They have one woman that has no arms. I heard some students saying she can do everything with her feet."
It made Aidan raise an eyebrow. Using the foot for everything? Including eating, washing, and everything else? It was really mind-boggling.
"Everything?"
"Yes. She can even do embroidery or write a letter."
"That is very good, but we need to see this woman first. I don''t want to give her false hope."
They kept talking and feeding Dawn her pure. "There is one problem, They are leaving town in three days. What will you do? Do you think Dawn will be able to go?"
"No. I can barely make her walk and I can''t speed up the process any more than this. Her body is at its limit. I got her senses of touch, hearing and sight almost right, but there is too much work ahead. I remember most of these sensations. Except for the pain of having the body broken, they are the same thing I had to adapt in the hospital."
"How did Kamak and the others recover so fast?"
"Because for them the body and the soul came from the same source. In our case, the body is from Lumina and the soul, mine. It is progressing pretty fast if you think about it."
"What should we do about the roaming entertainers?"
"I don''t think it would be wise to go there. I have a pretty solid plan for Cythrel and she won''t need to learn how to use her feet for anything other than walking. Recovering from Dawn''s ordeal takes priority. I''m sure these traveling entertainers will travel around Yutis for some time, we can always fly and find them later. Brody is coming, we need a fully functional stand-in for Lumina. It is good to know about that foot woman but for now, let''s shelve it for later as an alternative plan."
Sora was not too happy that her ''big news'' were shelved like that. But Aidan had a point and she trusted her mate. If anyone could get around an otherworlder''s absolute bullshit skills, it was him, she was sure of it. About Cythrel... the conniving elf needed to come clean and apologize for her deception, or things would take a turn for worse. Sora might be a diplomatic and conflict-avoiding person, but she was still a proud beastkin. And the way the little girl wormed herself into their relationship left a sour taste in the fluffy-tailed woman''s mouth.
"How is Dawn''s headache?" She asked about an entirely different subject to force herself not to dwell in those less-savory thoughts.
"Pretty much the same. Sleep helped, but she still has a mild fever. At least I can see, hear and feel properly. Tomorrow we are going to work on moving, walking and speaking. All she can do right now is babble as if her tongue was numb."
Aidan made the almost bald girl tried to speak and only mumblings came out. It sounded like a baby trying to speak but one octave lower. Or maybe like someone whose tongue and lips were stung by a couple dozen bees. At least now she could focus her sight on whatever she was looking at. It made her look less of a dolt but still a very long way from the regal princess she was supposed to look like.
"Go back to sleep, I''ll handle these," Sora took their plates and cutlery away, shooing them away from the table. "I''ll feed Cythrel when she wakes up. I can''t sleep right now."
Aidan held her furry arm and kissed the back of her hand as she came near him. He rubbed his cheek on her palm before he let go of her.
"Thank you, Sora. I''m glad you are always there for me."
They exchanged a smile and a kiss. Sora nudged him in the direction of the bed, "You are welcome, my love. Now, why don''t you go and lay your pretty faces back on the pillows to give me some room to tidy everything up?" Aidan was about to raise an objection to let her handle the dishes but Sora cut him off, "You are recovering. Be a good patient and go recover, I''ll find ways for you to pay me back later. Now get out of my way."
They fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed. Sora came over and pulled the blanket over them.
It didn''t take long for Cythrel to wake up. Sora was practicing her newfound magic, keeping the elf''s food warm.
"Rise and shine, Lady Cythrel. Your food is ready, come here and I''ll feed you. Wake them and face my wrath."
She yawned and carefully left the bed. Aidan and Dawn were tangled up like a couple of puppies and sound asleep. It would probably take a lot to wake them up but from the face, Sora was making she really didn''t want to face her wrath. She used Sylph''s Hand to clumsily dress herself up. It would take a lot of practice to use it as Dawn could even though Cythrel''s wind affinity was higher. After covering her modesty, she approached the frowning beastkin.
"Hi, Sora. Thanks for feeding me," She meekly greeted her.
"Sit down and eat. We have things to talk after you are properly fed," Sora gave an irritated sigh.
Cythrel did as she was told and promptly ate her food, silently for a change. After Sora put the dishes away and cleaned the table, the squirrel-kin sat facing the elf and they studied each other without any words. Sora was the one to break the silence after a while.
"You know why I want to talk to you, don''t you, Cythrel?"
Sora was uncomfortable with Cythrel butting in their relationship. She manipulated her fears at the Gala and then blatantly broke her side of the plea to enter their relationship. Hadn''t this elf already proved her valor and dedication, Sora would''ve already invoked the ancient rites of her people and dealt with her.
"We just kissed." She hurriedly defended herself. Now that she was taking steps to fulfill her love, she needed to come clean. "Sora, I''m sorry. What I did at the gala was not nice. Can you forgive me?"
"Maybe. If you are willing to really commit to this. No trickery. No double-speak. Become one with us for eternity."
Cythrel swallowed a swig of tea and looked back at her, "Sora the beastkin, I want to be excused from my previous vow."
Sora paused to think and collect her thoughts. The words that followed were solemnly delivered with a great deal of gravitas.
"What you ask is too grave. A female from another beastkin tribe would have already killed you. I won''t lie to you, I''m very angry. But I will accept your plea. You are exempt from the bargain we stroke at the Royal Gala and are now ejected from our scurry. Aidan and I have no relationship whatsoever to you. We hold no debt or ill will toward you. Cythrel the elf is a total stranger to us now."
The words hurt. But it was a hurt that her mischief and carelessness inflicted on herself. She wanted to really be a part of that relationship, she had to break the tainted bond and reforge a new one. Cythrel rose and pulled her chair back. She lowered one knee on the ground in front of Sora and delivered her next line, very similar to the one she used at the night of the Gala.
"Sora the squirrel-kin, I, Cythrel the elf, am in love with your mate, Aidan. I plea you let me become part of your family as a mate to your man. I offer my life and the sacrifice both of my hands as a gift to you and your mate and swear to look after you and him and your kits for as long as I live and in the afterlife."
"Arise, girl," Sora announced. "Give me your arms. Look deep in my eyes. I know he likes you. Maybe even love. I also know that you will fight any enemy and even give your life for him. You already showed it, not once and against powerful foes. His path is a dangerous one. His entire family''s paths are. There are forces in the world that desire nothing more than ending him. You and I, we might die to protect him. I can only pray we are able to birth an heir to his bloodline before our time in this land is over. But we have to do this together. The two of us must be of one mind, one heart. No upstaging, no jealousy, no deception between us. Do you agree with me?"
Cythrel blinked and two tears rolled down. She nodded, "Nothing would make me happier than to know that my life saved his. I''ll never hide anything from you or betray our trust. I''ll fight any enemy for the wellbeing of our family, be it Prince, otherworlder, or a dragon. I''ll look after your kits as if they were birthed from my own womb as I ask you to do the same to my children if I am ever blessed with them. I''d not bear to live if not as a part of your family, your scurry.
"Please accept my vow or end my suffering now."
Sora pulled her in and planted a peck on her forehead. "You are now mine as much as I am yours or we are his. I accept your offering. You are worthy, Cythrel the elf. Welcome aboard."
Exposed wounds
The next day, the private lesson with Astromelicus was a one on one. The other students were downstairs babysitting Dawn and doing something that might be recognizable as physical therapy if anyone that knew what physical therapy was saw it.
But Pearl was not in the mood for studying or practicing her wizardry. There was a pressing matter that required some secrecy she had to tend to regard the Headmaster, and she never got the opportunity to talk to him alone until now.
"Archmage Astromelicus, can we pause our lesson today to have a little chat? I was waiting until my colleagues were away to broach a very sensitive subject," Asked Pearl from her desk.
The headmaster closed his book and looked at the princess with a smile, "Of course, student Pearl. What is on your mind?"
"I''ll ask to keep what we are going to discuss in a few moments confidential, Headmaster."
"Of course." Astromelicus chuckled and then opened a mischievous smile, "What sort of conspiracy are we dealing with today?"
"I have this wild theory, that the lost, incomplete diagram for Aidan''s soul swap spell, it could be nearby." She spoke staring straight at him.
What she really meant was ''You got that diagram, didn''t you old man?'' Pearl''s request was calculated. Unless Astromelicus declared with all the words that he indeed had the diagram, she could deny knowing. And unless she asked directly, Astromelicus could deny answering. What followed was a sequence of double-talking and hidden meanings.
Astromelicus wove a spell. Telepathy, of the Mind element.
The smile on the old wizard''s face changed to a smirk, "As you will. What makes you think so?" ''We can focus our thoughts on this channel. You can deny anything we say in here, but let''s keep the actual conversation going.'' He sent her.
"Kazuya told me he sold the diagrams he stole from Aidan to a ''grandfather merchant'' in his own words. One that could speak Japanese." ''And of course, merchants that speak Japanese are as rare as toothless dragons. It was you, disguised.''
Astromelicus crossed his arms and his smile faded. He answered, pretending to be hurt, "it is not absurd to think that an old, traveled, and well-schooled merchant can speak exotic languages," He pointed out noncommittally ''My disguise was perfect, Pearl. Nobody can put me there.''
"Yes, my thoughts exactly," She blatantly lied ''Don''t think for a moment you fooled me'' "But then I recall that you said it would take three years to finish that spell. You even mentioned what might be lacking to finish the spell. You know, when we discussed ''Forbidden Magic''." Pearl''s explicit reference to how the previous lesson came to be known made the man chuckle. "That is an awfully precise figure for someone that had only vague mention to the spell description and effect."
"Indeed, it was strange, but it was more of a rough estimate than a real figure. It is not a fair assumption that a very skilled archmage with the incomplete diagram in his hands could estimate how long it would take the author to finish the spell, but he would have to know intimately about the spellcraft skills of the designer." Astromelicus proposed with no small amount of hubris.
"I might think that as well. But for all those conditions to occur at the same time, it would be really difficult."
"Indeed. Unfortunately, if someone saw that grandfather merchant in the day Kazuya sold the diagrams, they would find his corpse among the ones slaughtered by the otherworlder in the merchant camp. What unfortunate fate. By now it could be assumed that his fragile merchandise whithered and vanished under the torrential Spring rains, forever lost." ''I even went through the trouble of planting a body to cover my tracks, young lady. Don''t think I was careless.''
"That is plausible. I pray for that merchant''s soul, that he may be fair in all his dealings, especially regarding close friends and associates." ''I am onto you, Astromelicus. And I would like a guarantee that you are not trying to screw us.''
"I have total confidence that that merchant is very trustworthy and a man of his word. Can I ask your opinion on that spell, student Pearl?" ''I''ll grant you this small victory. I assure you I have no ill will toward you or your friends.''
"Of course you can, Headmaster. However, I''d be hard pressed to answer, given that I have no idea of the circle of the finished spell."
"For the sake of this mental exercise, we can assume it is more than ten and less than a couple circles above the first figure." ''It is an eleventh circle spell.''
"That is a far fetched estimate. There were no new spells of this circle for centuries. But what might be the Element of such a spell?" ''Nonsense. Are you telling me that Aidan created an 11th circle spell?''
"And so it will remain for the foreseeable future. I know of no mages working on a diagram of that magnitude. Regarding your last question, the Underworld Element would fail to provide the required concepts. It would be an elevated Element, Death. But back to my entirely theoretical exercise. Do you think that spell should be completed? That magic that allows you to not only steal a person''s body but also merge and devour another mage''s soul should be allowed to exist?" ''Guard your thoughts, young Princess. I am putting an effort to not see more than you send, but you are too unguarded. And no, he didn''t. What he made in the spur of a moment was to create a spontaneous effect that would require an 11th circle spell to safely imitate.''
"Well, my answer takes into consideration your famous speech that ''there is no evil magic, only evil mages'', professor." She paused to let him reply.
"Go ahead."
"If I imagine a best-case scenario where this spell is used to save an important figure of state, even in this scenario the amount of trouble caused would be so big the costs would only be marginally offset by the benefits. And in the worst-case scenario, we would have an insanely powerful dark mage that could threaten the world." ''Saving Lumina is already this big of a headache. Aidan could take over the world if he devoured Lumina. Any other Underworld mage in his situation would.''If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"And what would be your conclusion?"
"I''m glad the lost diagram will remain lost and not ever again see the light of day or more important, get completed. But I am concerned for the creator of the unfinished spell. I think he deserves fair treatment and compensation for his loss and his sacrifice C" She trailed off and resumed with a whispered voice, "And I don''t see it happening. I was thinking that the esteemed Archmage could do something about it."
Astromelicus waited for a moment after Pearl delivered her line, and opened his broad, grandfatherly smile. He clapped his hands and stood up.
"Fair enough, I''ll see what I can do. You gave me a lot to think about, student Pearl. Our study session is adjourned. Have a nice day."
Over the entire day and the next, they worked on re-training Dawn to function as an adult human being. Astromelicus visited them and used a Life magic spell to stimulate head hair growth on her. He only grew the hair up to the shoulders, however, claiming it would force her system too much. Another issue they noticed was the severely lower body muscle strength. Dawn was way weaker than before and her reaction speed was also hindered. Gone was the girl that could duck it out with a third evolution Orc Leader.
Her headache was just a mild annoyance at the back of her head now. While she was not entirely recovered, she could already move and talk on her own.
And the most dreaded moment came. on the evening of the fourth day after the procedure, everyone was gathered again to remove Dawn''s mana-sealing bracelets and measure her aptitudes. She kept these on for fear of having uncontrolled magic destroying her body, a fact that claims a few very magically gifted babies every year.
"Before I remove my bracelets," Dawn announced to the gathered group, "I''d like to thank everyone for their support. We are one step away from getting Lumina back." C ''And from me being finally free.'' She added in silence.
She received sympathetic and encouraging smiles from everyone. Aidan was behind her and he had a glob of Ether mana ready to drop on and absorb any wild magic emanating from Dawn. The girl undid the clasp of the bracelets as she concentrated on controlling her magic. She could recall the feeling of the mana unsealing from when Aidan removed his own bracelets. That strange feeling was like having blood flow back into a limb whose supply was cut for a few minutes. It tingled and pricked every cell of her being but she was able to hold control.
Aidan dismissed the Ether blob, already half-corroded from canceling out the ambient mana. If Ether was to be used as an Element for spells, it would have to use some sort of containment to avoid it entering contact with ambient mana. Might increase the spell complexity by one or two circles, Dawn and her male counterpart mused as they digressed. The sound of the old wizard clearing his throat would bring them back moments later.
"Yes?" She asked with a coy face.
"Is there anything wrong with your magic, student Dawn?" She shook her head and checked her internal mana. It was capped, after all, mana-sealing bracelets did not block mana regeneration. "Then please use this device to measure your affinities."
She placed her hand over the crystal orb of the measuring device, and the familiar gray skull of the Underworld Element came into view. The big change were the skull''s eyes. One could see a swirling sea of stars hidden inside the sockets upon close inspection.
Mana: A
Element: Underworld
Darkness: A
Fire: A
Earth: A-
Light: E
Wind: F
Water: F
Her highest affinities took a hit, but it got scrambled. Light magic was higher than before, probably from constant practice. There would be another major change when Lumina was separated from Aidan. Hopefully, it wouldn''t plummet. They were still very good numbers.
Astromelicus hummed as he recorded the readings on a notebook, "Weave some mana for us, please," He asked her.
She used a spell she was itching to use.
"Soul Reveal."
Her soul effigy came into being, a glistening metallic brown miniature of her own body. As soul magic affected both of them as one, Aidan''s effigy also projected out. Their seven affinity orbs spun around the images and everything else seemed to be as expected. There were small imperfections in Dawn''s soul, probably from the lack of synchrony between her body and soul.
"Everything seems to be in good order." The archmage announced as he packed the expensive and borrowed measurement device. "Princess Claire, she is all yours."
The archmage declaration caught them by surprise. All eyes turned to look at Claire and she smiled.
"Since your ''experiment'' ended, our father demands your presence for dinner, ''Princess Lumina''. Come with me, there are maids ready to change you into proper attire and a carriage to take you to the castle. Everyone is invited, of course."
Dawn was dressed in Lumina''s clothes, without a corset. After she incinerated the third piece, the maids gave up. Instead, she had a sash wrapped around her waist and tied into a big ribbon around her back. Now that her hair was shorter, it was quite fashionable and way more breathable. Everyone else was very well dressed. Not at the level of the dinner party thrown to welcome Lumina back home though.
The first hint something was wrong came when Pearl stayed behind and didn''t take the carriage. The vehicle clopped in the cobblestone street and Dawn couldn''t shake this weird feeling there was something wrong. Her instincts were telling her to not go but how could one deny a royal summon? She still had to play the part and pretend to be Lumina. At her side was Claire, the skirt of the two girls and the sheer amount of petticoats underneath more than accounted for the entire bench of the wide carriage. On the other side were Sora, Aidan, Cythrel, and Astromelicus. For some weird reason, Adain and the Archmage were summoned for this event. If that was only a dinner with family, why bring them? But Claire seemed to be able to read minds now.
"Don''t worry, Dawn. This is just dinner with the family. Even though we know who you really are," She traded a glance with Aidan, "You are family."
''Yeah, big lie there,'' Thought Dawn. ''We are family as well? I can''t see where this is going and I don''t like it.''
They arrived at the castle and were taken to a secondary dining room in the wing reserved for the royal family. Lucien and Helios were already sitting. Several servants were lined up at the sides of the room, ready to wait on the royal family and guests.
"Please take your seats." The King asked as servants showed everyone their seats. Dawn was conspicuously placed between Lumina''s two relatives. "We shall eat first." He rang a bell and the first course was brought in.
Dawn barely touched the food, too queasy and still not used to spicy or too solid food. She ate most of the salad and the soup and only touched the rest. After the full five-course meal dessert was served, a raisin custard.
"Eat, daughter. It is a very good custard I am quite fond of." Helios took a large bite out of his own dessert.
She honestly didn''t want to eat it. Her headache was spiking and her mouth was burning from the spices. Through Aidan''s eyes she took a look at the rest of the table, everyone was enjoying their custard but Claire was pale. Dawn looked back at the jiggling confection with shriveled purple dots swimming in caramel and thought about slime cores.
"Didn''t you know they are dried slime cores and they enhance your mana?"
The words came to their shared mind like an afterthought. Dawn pushed the dish away, covered her mouth, and gagged, not from an aversion to the raisins but from realizing what was going on.
It was a trap.
Immune overreaction
"I''m sorry, I cannot eat this," Dawn declared as she pushed the raisin custard away. "My stomach is upset and I am still recovering from my previous ordeal."
She averted the eyes of the King and the Crown Prince, both trained on her. Instead, she used Aidan''s eyes to observe them and try to read their expressions. Concern, a bit of anger, curiosity. Both brains began to formulate possible questions and the answers they would give. Claire gave in some information, it was clear. That they were ''invited'' to dinner and not to a trip through the stockades was already a good sign that Claire didn''t tell everything. They''ve kept Lucien and Helios in the dark about most of the situation, but if the two sat to talk and pooled their pieces of information along with interrogating Claire, they would gather most of the situation.
"It was about this previous ordeal that we called you back home, daughter," the King started his speech while Dawn felt the walls of the cage close around her. "What were you doing there that required this much time?"
Telling a lie would be stupid. Telling the whole truth would be stupid. Even a Sovereign as understanding as Helios would freak out if he knew what happened to Lumina before they restored her. Soul magic was considered almost universally evil.
"Are you sure we are going to have this conversation in front of the servants?" Dawn glanced up at the people lining up along the walls. Her forehead was already throbbing.
"Leave us," The King commanded and the people filed out. He spoke a command word and the wards in the room hummed into action, sealing it from eavesdropping. "Go ahead."
"We were working on bringing Lumina back, your majesty. The last step was very taxing to me and I had to rest all these days. I am still far from being completely recovered as you can well see."
"We are concerned about these side effects of whatever you are doing," Lucien added. "We would like you to explain what you are doing."
"I refuse," Dawn answered curtly as her eyes rose to meet Helio''s.
Aidan could see the corners of Lucien''s mouth twitch as the girl ignored him. As long as they believed her to be Lumina, she could ignore Lucien''s station, but not the King.
"Daughter, we need to know. We see you in this weakened state and cannot help but get concerned for you."
The only thing in Dawn''s mind after this line was, ''Helios is too good a man to be a King.'' However, it was this doting parent that created the spoiled, haughty brat Lumina was.
"I am thankful to hold such a spot in your heart, your Majesty. What we are doing is not dangerous, just taxing and time-consuming." She glanced sideways at her co-conspirator and smiled, "The Headmaster is overseeing each step we take and making sure it is perfectly safe. Princess Lumina will be back soon."
"We already understand all of this. Now, would you be so kind as to explain what exactly is going on, without all this smokescreen and double meanings?"
''Big fat chance of that happening and we walking away from it unscathed,'' thought Dawn. Still, without lying, she thought of an answer.
"It involves less savory parts of magic, your Majesty. We thought better to not disclose it as it leaves the Crown with plausible deniability."
Really not what Helios wanted to hear. Which, at this point, was something that would take years to really define if one took the time to pick through the King''s brain. He glanced at Astromelicus, the archmage nodded. He glared at Claire, the princess flinched. And finally, his eyes laid on Aidan.
Because of course, if it is about the less savory parts of magic, blame the Underworld mage in the room. The tragic part was that he wasn''t wrong.
"I thank you all for your concern," The King declared in a less than thankful tone, "But the time for secrecy is over. I demand the full story now."
In retrospect, Dawn noticed she felt like it was time to grow a spine for the second time in the same week. Dawn massaged her temples to try and fail at dimming her headache and looked back to the freaking trapped raisin custard. Stupidity born of her clouded mind made the girl throw caution out of the window. She took the spoon and monologued.
"You know what?" She said with a daring tone, "The raisins are not at a fault. If she wants to have a bias against raisins, that is on her. I''m totally doing them."
She took a huge spoonful of the custard and shoved it in her mouth. For crying out loud, Aidan ate his already, she knew the taste and texture. She started to chew the raisins and felt the rugged texture on her tongue. The skin of the raisins breaking and the dried coarse grape flesh underneath. The contrast between the grape tannin and the sugary caramel. She chewed and chewed and the raisins never got in a position to be swallowed. The image she got on her mind was of chewing decade-old dried zombie flesh. Her stomach warbled, she didn''t even know it could do that but it was surely a statement made in protest that the organ would not be having any of that brought into its folds and it was ready and about to preemptively fight back the invasion.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Dawn stood up, shoving the chair back and causing it to topple and crash backward. She covered her mouth and ran to a side table where an almost empty silver pitcher was. She took the pitcher and placed her mouth on it. The wine at the bottom sloshed and she took in the wooden notes of the vintage beverage. Then she added her self-made kind of brew to the mix, fighting to not repeat the deed on her male body.
Sensing his student''s plight, Astromelicus laid a hand over him and used a spell to calm his stomach.
Lucien was soon next to his sister''s side, patting her back and helping her keep the pitcher over her mouth, "Take it easy," He whispered to reassure her.
Enraged, King Helios decided to take it out on the archmage, "Astro, what are you doing with my daughter to make her this weak?"
One can tell when things really go south when the two big fish in the pond decided to go one after another. Aidan only respite was that Cythrel didn''t giggle once yet.
"I could ask you the same, summoning someone that was recovering for ''dinner''. You don''t realize the weight your word has on these kids, Helios. She or any of these children would come running if you summon them, whichever state they would find themselves in."
"At least someone here still remembers I am King of this place. Maybe it is time to review some policies regarding your school, Astro."
The Headmaster narrowed his eyes. "As if I''d defer to a snot-nosed brat whose first diaper I changed just because he got some shiny trinket to put on his head. You forget who fought beside and crowned your great-grandfather in the throne of Yutis, Helios. You are letting your passions cloud your judgment and lash irrationally at anyone, my friend. This is not you."
The gravitas of the old archmage''s speech sunk deep in Helios'' mind. Those that knew little of the history of the realm were frozen in place, like Claire and Cythrel. Astromelicus fought alongside the first King of Yutis to liberate the land more than two centuries ago. Just how old was this mage? The King didn''t answer, choosing instead to rest in his chair and dwell on the wisdom of his most trusted advisor.
Finished, Dawn left the pitcher with the Prince and returned to pull her chair up and take her seat. The half-eaten custard was nowhere to be seen anymore. She stared at the King and delivered her line.
"You can feel free to force me to speak, sire. Be warned that it will only hinder our timeline for bringing your daughter back. And another thing, I''d appreciate if you don''t coax any more information from Claire. You can ask directly next time."
"How? Did you tell them anything?" Helios glared at Claire but the princess shrunk in her seat and shook her head.
"She didn''t tell or signal us anything if that is your concern." Dawn moved to cover for Claire, "I could read the mood and figure everything out on my own. The tipping point was the raisins. Of course, a freaking impostor wouldn''t know about Lumina''s aversion to raisins. I bet you''ve never let a single one of those shriveled abominations anywhere near her in the last decade.
"I really beg your Majesty to forgive my insolence and not send me to the gallows," She continued, "But I swear that every single breath of mine ever since I woke up in this body was dedicated to either survive or get your daughter back. Maybe someday we can openly talk about what really happened, but that day is not today. Please be patient and trust us. We still need to show results and interference can jeopardize our progress.
"And if you don''t remember, I tried to talk you out of shipping me to the Holy City back at the hospital, but you were too stubborn to listen and I had to fake my own kidnapping. So here we are again. Are you making me flee for dear life under half a meter of snow with only my clothes again?"
She had a hundred percent awareness she was being a big asshole right now, but she cared not a single bit. She pressed the palms of her hands against the temples and pushed.
Another big piece of news. Dawn could not eat raisins. Her body reacted to them as if they were poison. She could feel the inside of her mouth, tongue, and cheeks swell. Silently circulating Life mana and using the Healing Light alleviated the reaction, but not too much.
"Lumina, I C Are you really Lumina? I don''t know what to believe in anymore," The King spoke after a long pause.
Dawn sighed and reached for his hand. Staring into his eyes to show her sincerity, she answered, "Of all the living creatures in this universe, I am the one closest to being Lumina there is. However, even though I alone hold the Key to bringing her back, I''m not Lumina. She is sleeping deep inside me but we are going to bring her back.
"Once more, if my vow is not enough just say the word, Sire. I am ready to disclose the full truth and deal with the consequences if you are willing to risk throwing your daughter''s life away. I just ask that you wait for a month after Brody leaves. It would be unwise to leave that worm for her to deal with."
He looked away. Everyone knew how King Helios was pressured into giving Lumina away in marriage to cement the trade deal with the belligerent northern country. And everyone present but the King knew Crown Prince Brody of Heath was scheduled for leaving the ranks of the living soon enough.
"Will you one day tell me the whole story?" Helios'' pain was tangible.
But that was the same kind of righteous and caring heart that would react badly to any mention of Soul magic performed on their Princess. It brought up another thing to Dawn''s mind. She would have to disappear once Lumina returned. Big fat chance of successfully explaining how the princess suddenly had a clone.
"Maybe, maybe not. When Lumina is back in her own head and everything is fine, I''ll do it. Until then I beseech for your Majesty''s patience."
"I''ll give you one month after Prince Brody leaves this city. Everyone present here will gather once more and I''ll want the full story. Was that clear?"
Awesome. A compromise and a timeline. They would have to change their plans regarding Brody. Defeating him fair and square in a duel was out of the question. They would cheat and Dawn knew exactly how.
"Yes, sire. Everyone here will comply. However, Lumina will have taken my place by then."
Mother of Invention
"Who would''ve imagined the academy laboratories had a swimming pool in its basement?" Cythrel exclaimed as she dove into the water feature.
In the lowest level of the academy laboratories, a flight of stairs led to a hidden room. In that room, besides a dry platform, there was a swimming pool a meter and a half deep, ten meters wide and thirty meters long in a room, illuminated by torches on sconces. The swimming pool was currently occupied by Aidan and Dawn with the recent addition of their nosy elf mate. Sora was outside, acting as a kind of lifeguard. She declined to enter the pool because her fur takes forever to dry and magic drying makes it fuzzy.
"It didn''t. I dug this level out and created the pool a few days ago," Aidan replied. "It is safer to train Dawn to move in water because it cushions everything."
The elf swam next to the young man and nudged him with an elbow, "Confess, you just wanted an excuse to look at her naked."
He didn''t give in to her teasing, opting instead for moving along with it with no small amount of sarcasm, "Wow, you figured me out. Because using a mirror is too bothersome, I needed to dig out a room and fill it with water so I could take a good look at myself. Using torchlight. Underwater."
It didn''t convince the elf. "Can I ask why the lack of clothes?"
"Practicality. Who else is here that can''t see us naked? I have confidence in my wards. Why get clothes wet if you can do the same thing without them. I didn''t tell you to not wear your swimsuit."
She didn''t answer. Instead of her smug smirk just widened.
Aidan ignored her and kept going through the motions with Dawn. Re-training her movements and core strengthening. The water would lower the impacts and add the drag to the exercise. Swimsuits were a bother. The fabric had to be thick otherwise it would be transparent. They are heavy, uncomfortable, unwieldy, would get all wet, soggy, and clingy, and take forever to dry. In the privacy of the basement where only their immediate family was allowed, it was way easier to do it naked. There was no convenient fabric that would make a good swimsuit.
Early morning weapons training with Jameson. Morning aerobic workout and core strengthening in the swimming pool, followed by weightlifting, stretching, and agility training. The afternoon had spellcraft and wizardry training. That was their routine for the following days until two weeks after gaining a new body, Dawn no longer felt any headache or discomfort. Her strength and agility were lower than before, but she had at least one new advantage to compensate that. She was learning things quicker.
The ongoing theory was that her brain was brand new and a blank slate, eager to assimilate new concepts. It really helped their study sessions.
And regarding academic achievements, they finally finished the spell to let Lumina take over Aidan''s body so they could talk.
Right now they were presenting the new spell to the Headmaster.
[Twin Soul''s Advent] - 4th circle spell.
Element: Underworld.
Type: Soul.
Classification: Support. Instantaneous. Curse.
Target: Self.
Calls forth the fragment of the caster''s twin soul to come forth and take over the caster''s body until the caster dismisses the spell. The caster whose body was taken over remains unconscious while the spell is in effect. The spell has no effect on bodies that host only a single soul. If there is more than one soul fragment inhabiting the body, a random one is selected to take over. The twin soul cannot hurt the caster or use magic.
"I had faith in you. Of all the spellcraft students that passed through these hallowed halls of learning, you were among the best. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I must ask," Astromelicus paused to take a deep breath. "What travesty of a magic spell is this thing? I''m deeply disappointed in you as your mentor and tutor. I cannot believe your answer is this forsaken sequence of runes that are akin to suicide. There is no control. No safeguards. I can see the elementary etheric overflow controls inscribed in the third circle but where are the firmpoints for the remaining circles of the spell? Are you insane? No mage would use this thing and willingly give themselves up forever to whatever other souls inhabit their bodies. And without those firmpoints, these cancellation clauses cannot be written in the spell because the very etheric controls are optimized for only a 4th circle spell!"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Aidan had to agree with Astromelicus'' appraisal of his original spell. If any other mage were to successfully use the spell they would be just giving up control of their bodies forever to a foreign entity.
"The spell should work as intended, headmaster. We tried to specify several of these controls, but they would bump the circle of the spell to a sixth or seventh at least, because of all these added glyphs. However, we tailored a spell to work on our specific case without all the extra complexity required to tailor a spell to work on our specific case. The magic should work as intended."
Their projections showed that to specify only Princess Lumina would bump the circle to a seventh due to all the glyphs necessary to represent Lumina and identify her among the entirety of Creation. The solution was to create a spell that would work in their situation as they wanted to without delving into specifics at the expense of usability in any other case.
The Archmage groaned. If this thing was submitted as an academic submission he''d consider expelling the students but that was not the case. He decided to put some faith in their students.
"Please walk me through what you think will happen when you cast this spell, cadet Aidan."
The two students nodded and Aidan started to draw on the board as Dawn explained, "First thing, Headmaster, Aidan won''t be the one casting the spell, I''ll be it."
"But you don''t have a soul fragment in you, Dawn."
"Indeed. This way control of this body won''t be surrendered, making me, the caster, able to dismiss the spell anytime."
He glimpsed some of their intent, "You are using the soul resonance effect to put Aidan under the spell''s effects without him being the caster."
"All soul magic used on one of us affects both as we are one single person. However, this spell''s effects anchors on the body."
At hearing this phrase, both of them had a moment of clarity. A previously unseen complication on their plan to restore Lumina came up. Astromelicus and Dawn made extensive eye contact before one of them decided to speak. The old Archmage was the first one to speak.
"If we cut Lumina out of Aidan''s soul, the same cut will be made to Dawn''s soul as well. And I''ll have two crippled mages with nobody to fix their souls."
The academic and the pupil with two bodies froze at the realization of that truth. Soul magic replicates on both of them equally, for both good and bad. Actually, it would be twice as hard to affect them with harmful soul magic but the problem prevails. A force sufficiently strong to sever Lumina away from Aidan would also sever the same portion on Dawn''s side. So much for keeping one of the bodies stable for restoring the other.
Both students and their centuries-old master spent an entire day going back and forth reviewing the theories, digging through books of the restricted section of the library first for confirmation of their findings, and after getting said confirmation, for a solution to the problem. They had a resounding success in cementing their fears with the former, but no progress solving the latter.
"Not to mention the cut won''t be made to specifications since the pain would be unbearable," Dawn shuddered at the thought. They were planning on rendering Aidan unconscious to lessen the effects of the Soul magic, but now it was inviable.
"This is a major setback," Pondered Astromelicus with a big book on spellcraft on his hand. "But I think we can thank this academic abomination you concocted for the solution to this setback, student Dawn. We need to reformulate the sections of your spell to only work on separating discrete soul entities and to have no effect on contiguous soul matter with the same mana signature. And now you have your next assignment."
The next assignment would have to wait. It was time to finally have a 1 on 1 with the hostage.
Dawn and Aidan locked themselves in Princess Lumina''s bedchambers at the dormitories. Full wards activated both were facing each other.
"Ready? I''m casting Soul Sight." She asked, even though she knew the answer but it felt like ages ago since they talked to each other. A fractured mind. Myriad sensations flowing from both bodies, their coping mechanism was to create separate personalities for each body.
"Yeah, hit me with the spell." He replied rubbing his hands. "Time to get some answers from the princess."
"Five minutes and I''ll cancel it so we can compare notes." Dawn traced the spell in the air and hit herself with it.
"Twin Soul''s Advent!"
She felt a ripple cruising through herself as the spell searched for a twin soul inside herself. It found none as expected. The magic traveled through their soul tether into Aidan''s body and Dawn could feel his consciousness fade while the golden part expanded and enveloped his entire soul. The body shivered and blinked, and Princess Lumina was finally given physical form after more than a year and a half.
Cut off from her other half, Dawn suddenly found herself alone. The constant feeling of being more than a single person was gone. She for the first time since waking up in that hospital was only a girl. Even back at the hospital, the feeling of having another body existed even though she did not recognize that as such. But not it was entirely gone, like a numb limb. The feeling was even more uncanny because Aidan was right in front of her just as before. She couldn''t feel his heartbeat and as the body stirred into activity from its new controller, she fought back the urge to touch it. To make sure it was still real.
Fully conscious for the first time since the rhinorse stampede incident even though it was inside Aidan''s body, Princess Lumina opened her eyes.
Identity crisis, part 1
The process where Lumina finished taking control of the body and recovering her consciousness ended and she fell down on the ground, screaming. Arms crossed over the head as to defend oneself from some unseen harm coming from above, she rolled and screamed for a good two minutes until the panic attack ended and she looked around, disbelieving. Dawn tried to speak to her but didn''t approach. A full grown man thrashing around in self-defense panic could be an injury hazard. She probably needed some time to adapt to her situation too.
"Lumina? Princess Lumina? Come out, it is safe." Dawn called for her from a safe distance repeatedly.
"What is going on?" Lumina asked with a hoarse voice. She continued to speak, her words not making much sense, in a dreamy state. "I can hear myself but I am not myself. Is this a dream? Am I dead?"
"Calm down, Lumina," Dawn spoke in a reassuring tone. "You are safe but we are short on time. We only have a few minutes left." She moved to get herself in the princess'' field of view and bent down to face the princess in a boy''s body that was still on the ground with arms crossed behind her back, "Hello. Lumina. Why did you scream right now?"
"Are you... me? Is this a dream?" Her eyes were swimming.
It was odd to hear Aidan''s voice with such a girlish tone. Lumina was scared witless. The way she cut her speech, the wavering eyes filled with fear something was coming at her. Dawn reached out and gently touched her arm, Aidan''s arm. She shuddered but didn''t resist.
"You came here to a safe place. I am your friend. Please tell me what is the last thing you remember."
Lumina started to answer as she began to perceive the environment around her. The pupils were dilated. Her breathing was slowly stabilizing and she closed her eyes to recall.
"The academy square after the magic examination. The monsters came and they trampled me. Am I in my room at the dormitory?"
Instead of giving her straight replies that Lumina might not understand, she kept guiding her.
"That might be the reason you came to this safe place, your room is safe. Tell me who else was there with you."
Lumina paused to think and her eyes widened as she recalled more and more of the assault.
"Claire! Is Claire safe?" She asked. Her breathing started to go wild with panic.
"Yes, you chose to save Claire over yourself. Why is that?"
Lumina sighed and tried to smile at her own visage. "I guess it is fine to tell you this, me. Claire is my sister but she doesn''t know that."
Actually, she always did. Claire knew, Queen Alina knew, and now it was confirmed that Lumina knew. Probably the only one in the dark was Lucien, but that was a tragic thing. Nobody knew the others knew and the two sisters grew together loving each other while holding back that huge secret from each other for nothing. Dawn did not envy that relationship. Claire deserved that tiara and Dawn''s evaluation of Lumina increased two full grades.
"Underneath all the hardened exterior, you are a sweetheart underneath, aren''t you?" Dawn returned the smile.
Lumina fidgetted and patted Aidan''s body as if to check if all parts were there. They were, but not the ones she was looking for. "I''m feeling strange. Are you me? Who am I?"
"Can you promise me to keep calm?" Lumina nodded. "You are not in your body right now."
A sharp shrill announced that she did not keep calm at all and was totally freaked out, "Wait! What do you mean? Where is my body? I demand answers!"
As she was getting more and more agitated and irritated, Dawn checked the time and decided to end the spell.
Several things happened at the same time. The feeling of the soul tether returned at once. The golden of Lumina''s soul was pushed back to its own place. Aidan recovered consciousness. And both of them screamed like hell as the memories of the rhinorse assault returned fresh, but this time from Lumina''s perspective. It was only a flash as the memory washed over them but it was taxing as hell because it dug up their trauma of living through the event once again.
Several minutes later, they calmed down. Their throats required a healing spell however, it was the second time in less than one hour that someone used that organ to scream as if a couple of two-ton creatures was stomping on them and breaking every bone again. The psychological ordeal caused both to sit down on the couch, panting.
One thing Dawn noticed was that Lumina seemed dumber than normal. Not that her normal self was dumb by any measure, but she was slower to formulate thoughts. She was also behaving quite childish. It could be an effect of her diminished soul or a thousand things in between. It was no use to theorize things now, the experience was too unique.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
"I got them," Aidan reported. "Lumina''s memories of the rhinorse assault are fresh in our mind."
It caused Dawn to roll her eyes and wish to slap him. They laughed as realization finally descended as to why does it feel so infuriating when the male states the obvious. Like, I am you, you moron part of me, why am I assuming me to be more moronic than me to require stating the obvious, moron.
"I can see them too, dummy," Dawn leaned on Aidan and headbutted him. "It confirms two of our theories. Somehow we have a copy of Lumina''s mind from before the body split procedure, and if we can get her soul to reminisce of those memories, they are unlocked to us."
"Yes, exactly what I was thinking, you are so smart, me" The boy grinned and earned another playful headbutt. "Time to steal some proprietary rituals now. Ready to cast the spell again?"
There was a major geass placed on all princesses that learn THAT ritual, Lumina and Pearl included. It forbade them from teaching or talking about the ritual in any capacity to anyone. What they were betting on was that the geass wouldn''t stop Lumina from thinking about the ritual. All they had to do was to make her think of it and they would steal the memory. Dispelling the geass while still attached to her was impossible.
"You got it. Let''s do that, it is our only shot at learning the Otherworlder Summoning Ritual."
What they were about to do was basically stealing the ritual and some other assorted memories that could come by from Lumina''s mind, but they had two reasons to do that. First, they needed to know about the ritual to better counter other otherworlder threats that given Aidan''s family business was a given and second, they felt entitled to and thought they damn well deserved something out of carrying and nurturing the Princess all this time. Third, some gratification for all the times she made them bleed. And for good or for worse, Lumina would not remember what happened here, because the memories would remain in Aidan''s brain.
"Oh. We should ask about that guy too." Dawn remembered.
"Yes, the creepy teacher that offered to help her with her final assignment, that ''Healing Mist'' spell," Agreed Aidan.
"That jerk that dispelled our pain resistance spell."
"He is so getting it." Both nodded.
Why that moron used an area dispel that covered both the rhinorses, that were away from them at the time, and the two pured people in a heap of broken bones was a question that only the man himself could answer. But he was a Baron and a teacher at the academy. The more evidence, the better.
They straightened themselves on the couch and Dawn used the spell once more.
"Twin Soul''s Advent!"
Another theory they would test the persistence of Lumina''s experience during sessions of the spell. And if she would remember the time she was cut off.
"Where is my body?!?!" Lumina demanded to know.
Apparently, her memories halted right when the spell was dismissed and resumed now. No more screaming in phantom pain sessions for anyone.
"Whoa, calm down Your Highness. Your body is safe and sound, fully healed and hale. Trust me. I''m both your friend and a part of you." Dawn hugged Lumina, to try and calm down her.
The real Princess in a borrowed body grabbed the fake Princess in the cloned body, "Isn''t this my body?" Lumina asked while she patted Dawn and pulled on her cheeks. Stretchy.
"Itsh chomplicated," Dawn threw the mother of all explanations down as she peeled Lumina''s hands off of her face. "Do you remember the times you suddenly awakened during our journey together?"
"Journey? Wha-what do you mean, journey? How long ago was the attack?"
Lumina squeezed Dawn. Unfortunately, she had the strength of a healthy male human that worked out every day and Dawn was a weak two-week-old-sixteen-years-size girl just out of physical therapy.
"Some time ago. You don''t need to worry too much. Everyone is just fine and we are going to heal you soon enough. Nobody died and everyone is safe now."
Lumina and Dawn spent a few minutes hugging. The princess patted the girl''s back and discovered that the length of her hair was at the shoulders.
An icy cold fear came to the Princess'' voice, "My hair... You cut my hair?"
Dawn giggled with a big friendly smile as she pushed Lumina to put some distance between them. Also to stop the person from squeezing her breasts further. It was hurting, you know? "No. No... Of course not! I''d never damage that awesome hair of yours. It is safe and sound with your sleeping body." And bothersome. Seriously, two hours of brushing sessions would drive anyone murderous.
"Oh. That is reassuring. What are you then? Are you by any chance a creature of my imagination or some sort of evil clone? Is this a dream? Might be. Why else would I be a boy?"
She was aware of being in a boy''s body. Good for her. The things Lumina spoke were making more and more sense. Perhaps a few more exchanges and she would start to speak rationally. But it was time to go for the main dish now that there was something Lumina wanted out of them.
"I''m not evil. Look, I''ll give you one answer to whatever you want to if you do one thing for me."
Lumina tilted her head sideways, making a curious smirk with only one corner of her mouth. Might''ve looked cute in a girl''s face. Damned double standards. "What is it that you want?"
"I want you to focus and remember the lessons you took to learn the Otherworlder Summoning Ritual. Try to recall everything you can about that ritual. How it is done, what materials it uses, the lessons, the teacher, everything."
Lumina put some distance between them, hitting the armrest of the couch with the small of her back. One could see the dread she held for that ritual.
"I don''t want to do that, think of that abhorrent ritual. You better give me three questions if you want me to remember that."
If Lumina was a normal person, just mentioning the lessons would be enough. Dawn didn''t want to cancel the spell and see if she recalled everything or not, that would be cheating their deal. But Dawn thought she was already stealing the ritual and using Lumina. Indulging in a few questions was not a problem. They separated and sat front to front.
"Fine, three questions." Dawn showed three fingers.
"Two before I do that. One later." Lumina raised one hand with two and another with one. "Wait a second. These are man''s hands."
Baby steps. Baby steps, Dawn recited to herself like a mantra. Lumina might''ve made their first semester at the academy hell on purpose, but she was not responsible for everything that happened after. And to tilt even more the scales, Dawn was getting a big profit out of the whole ordeal while the Princess'' loss was huge. There was even a small risk of Lumina dying during the soul transfer procedure. She might''ve summoned patience out of some reptilian part of her brain that dealt with nurturing young people because Dawn was the image of serenity as she dealt with Lumina''s confusion.
"Yes, your Highness. You will be placed back in your own body soon enough. You are in a male body right now, my body, so we can talk. You noticed it already before, is something wrong? Any discomfort?"
Identity crisis, part 2
Lumina went to pat her chest again and found no breasts. Dawn took her wrists before she could pat anywhere else and shook her head. "No exploring someone else''s body Princess. It is not polite. At least not right now. It is time for the Q and A only. I agree with you. Two questions before, one after. Shoot."
It was visible that the Princess'' confusion was disappearing, but she still had that dreamy look.
"If my body is not here, who am I right now?"
"That is easy. You were kept from dying by being pulled into the body of the boy that saved you. You remember him, right? The one that used the spell to kill the undead and raised a stone barrier over the two of you when the rhinorses came to trample you."
Lumina jumped. "Am I a boy right now?" It felt like a massive deja vu.
''Yeah, I feel you, sister. Took me longer than that to figure out I was a girl when I woke up in your body,'' thought Dawn. Welcome to the ''these are not my genitals'' club. But Lumina was not under an awful amount of pain, to begin with. Well, it was no use to think about the reason either of them took as long as they did to figure out they were swapped.
"Yes. You are a boy right now. Two questions were done," Dawn smirked.
"Whoa! Not fair." Lumina pouted.
If she was behaving and thinking like a spoiled child, Dawn would need to adapt. She showed a full outstretched hand.
"I''ll give you five questions after you finish recalling all memories of the ritual. How''s that for a compensation?"
Just like a kid, the upped reward was enticing enough to sway her. "Okay. What should I do?"
"Just think about the lessons of the ritual. The diagrams. The materials. Try to remember them."
She made a pose like meditating with the forefingers stabbing the temples and pouting as she made some weird mantra noises that meant nothing. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and said, "Done!"
"No way! This fast?" Dawn feigned surprise. "Can you do that meditation thing again and imagine you were doing the ritual?"
"No. That ritual is evil. I''m done remembering it. I need something to drink. Excuse me for a while."
Lumina climbed down from the couch and went for the water pitcher like she owned the place, swaying Aidan''s ass back and forth like he was a cat. She shook her head on the way back seemingly to clear her thoughts.
"What is your last question?" Dawn asked.
She wanted to cut the spell so she could check with Aidan if they got the ritual, but a deal was a deal. Lumina would get her last question. Lumina sat back on the couch facing Dawn, back straight, piercing eyes. The childish tone from before was gone, she now had that aquiline superior posture that seemed like she ruled over the world. It made Dawn shrink down a notch.
"I want you to tell me everything. Who are you, why do you look exactly like a fat version of me, whose body I am using now, where is my body, what happened to everyone."
Dawn smiled and relaxed her shoulders. She met Lumina''s eyes and touched her hand, "Of course, your Highness. I''ll tell you everything. But first and foremost, would you consider withdrawing your insult?"
Lumina went on the defensive. She was apprehensive, worried about something. Eyes darted behind both of Dawn''s sides.
"What insult? I didn''t say any insult!"
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Really? I''m a fat version of you? For crying out loud, you''ve been a man for not even one hour and you are already this callous!?"
"Okay? Give a girl a break here. What callous thing I''ve said?"
She really didn''t notice even when Dawn repeated it. Nevertheless, why was she so upset about this minor detail? She could see and touch her stomach every day through Aidan''s eyes and even compare her build with Sora''s or Cythrel''s. She knew she wasn''t fat, why worry?
"Nevermind. If you knew I''d not have to give a ''girl'' a break. Back to your request. Your family is fine. Lucien returned and he is super worried about you. King Helios recognized Claire as the first princess since she is older than you."
It was obvious that Lumina cared very little for Lucien. But the fact that Claire was recognized a Princess was huge for Lumina. She knew since forever that her handmaid was secretly her sister but could never tell her that.
"No way. They finally told Claire she was a princess?"
"Sort of," Dawn shrugged. "It is complicated and you should ask her yourself when you are yourself again. Next."
"My body. Where is it?" Lumina was picking up a nice pace. She was very alert now.
"It is lying in a coffin made of glass, waiting for magic. Or more specifically, waiting for us to get you out of my body and back into yours."
"Well, what are you waiting for? We are not getting any younger!"
The reaction drew a burst of laughter from Dawn. They were feeling so at ease with one another, it was impressive.
"You are not getting any older either," Dawn shrugged. "And your fiance is coming to visit soon. Since you and I will be both out of commission even if we transfer you back in your body right now, someone has to stand in for you."
Lumina frowned at the mention of her arranged fiance. Brody was a total creep and pervert and more than deserved to have his balls fried, cut off and fed to him in this particular order. These two people of confused gender, mostly girls right now, could not agree more on the subject.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Brody is coming? Who is standing in for me... Oh. Damn, girl, you are useful." Lumina giggles, "Where can I get more of you?"
The worst thing is, she could get more of Dawn. Heck, they could make dozens of Lumina''s clones given enough time. Like, make a treaty with Yutis, bring your own Luminunculus home. Dawn almost slapped herself for thinking silly things.
"I''m sorry, you can''t. So there you have. Until we murder Brody we can''t fix you because we will be too weak to fight him."
Lumina grabbed Dawn''s hand and beamed a conspiratorial bitch smile. "You are murdering Brody for me? Really? I''ll be forever grateful for it."
"Yes, you are welcome, your Highness..." Dawn wrestled her hand free, "But I am kinda doing it for myself. I don''t fancy being raped by him."
Lumina slapped her own knees and laughed, throwing her inexistent hair around.
"I''m with you, I''m totally with you, sister. I wish you luck with your murder conspiracy. Next up. Whose body am I using right now?"
Lumina was too fast, once more repetitive, and there was another objective to accomplish. Dawn intercepted her request and swapped for her own.
"Well, before that. I need you to do one thing. The teacher that gave you private lessons, Baron Yoshida. I want you to recall all the private lessons you had with him. Did he use any magic on you? Did he show you any magic spells? What is his element? What special abilities he has if any?"
"I got it, I got it. One thing at a time. Here, it is all I recall. Now, who is this boy whose body I''m wearing and give me a mirror I want to know if he is at least a bit handsome!?"
"Your classmate, Aidan the Underworld mage. The one you bullied the whole semester. The one that made the spell to kill undead you were so thrilled with. The same one that saved your life during that terrible assassination attempt with the rhinorses."
The seething vitriol with which Dawn delivered these descriptions impacted even the mentally impaired Lumina. The Princess tilted her head and answered with a stretched finger hitting her lips.
"I don''t even... You got a lot of pent-up resentment going on, girl. Loosen up, geez. Tell me, is that guy your lover, or something? I thought he was with the squirrel-kin girl. Those two are always joined at the hip, I don''t know why that makes me so jealous."
What a refreshing honesty and fellowship. Lumina was surprisingly honest and outreaching once you got past her bitch outer shell. Like a venomous spined clam full of Pearls inside. The mental image of a Lumina-clam covered in venomous bristles opening up to show a lot of Princesses Pearls welcoming her in made Dawn burst into laughter. And laughing on her own made Lumina elbow the girl.
"Tell me why are you laughing! Not fair!"
"I''m grateful you have at least the decency of not insulting us again."
"Us? Hold it, you aren''t the beastkin girl. That means you are the boy. Oh. This body here, it is your body! I am you and you are me, is this such a thing? The world-famous body swap!" Lumina squeals. "Are you still upset?"
Third time might be the charm. Or was it the fourth time? Dawn hoped that this time the information of whose body it was stuck.
"No. But you are making me uncomfortable squealing with my voice and ruining my throat. Which brings us to the next question, already answered. That is who am I."
"I have to point out that the next one was why you look like me when you stated several times that body you are using? wearing? possessing? whatever, that body is not my body. Or should I say, you have an amazing figure, I''d like to have a body like this."
Oh, great. The diet of annoyance. In a few minutes and a couple tufts of ripped hair, Dawn went from fat to amazing figure. Nice.
"About that... You spent two years away, your body grew up during that time."
"Still not answering..." She sang along.
"It was during the assault. We were about to die, I had to take you into me and put me in your body to make it sure both of us would survive. But things got complicated and I..." Telling her ''I got stuck inside you'' would be awful. "We could not reverse the change with only two of us, so we had to clone you first and then put you back in your body. And it is the reason I exist and look like you. Except for the hair, the rest of my body is much like yours."
Lumina opened up a perverted smirk. "You put me in you and you in me? Some hero you are, attempting against a princess'' purity!"
"Souls, you dirty-minded princess. Only souls." Lumina smirked and winked and Dawn enraged, "Oh, shut up. Stop teasing me."
"You''ve been in my body this whole time? Have you done something shameful to me?"
"No. I can swear on it." Dawn stated matter-of-factly and crossed her arms, which automatically drew Lumina''s eyes to Dawn''s propped up breasts. "I didn''t abuse you. Really, you are a Princess and I have a lover. Claire was with us most of the time too, she made sure to not let me do anything improper."
"How sweet of you. I''m even a little angry that you resisted me. For some reason, I feel rejected. Does my clone have a name?"
"I called myself Dawn, your Highness."
Lumina was startled. "Dawn? You are Aidan and called my clone Dawn? Why is that? Why does that sound so familiar?"
"Maybe because you and me, Lumina, we were childhood friends. We used to play in the castle gardens with your mother. Do you remember?"
Lumina didn''t say a thing. She clutched her stomach with a half-surprised, half-scared face. Dawn could barely see that face because Lumina was staring at her own (Aidan''s) navel. Over the Academy uniform.
"Lumina? Did you remember?"
Dawn shook Lumina''s shoulder and the Princess raised a serious face to meet hers.
"I remember. I just remembered everything. From your face, I can assume you don''t. I can''t even blame the stupid boy, I''m the boy in this one."
"You are scaring me. What did you remember?" Dawn was afraid she was talking about when Aidan assaulted Lumina.
Lumina stood up and started to pace around in front of the couch with a flabbergasted Dawn, waving her arms around.
"That is just poetic. You are Aidan in Lumina''s body, you are Dawn. Just like I used to call myself when we were little."
"Yes, I started to call me Dawn before remembering part of our past."
"Then I am Lumina in Aidan''s body, who am I? Do you remember?"
Lumina''s eyes were blazing and attempting to read Dawn, pacing back and forth even though the Princess was still. Dawn was getting scared over the whole thing and seriously considering dropping the spell to catch a breath.
"I''m sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about."
Lumina turned around and changed her voice to a deeper register. She made a velvety manly voice, "You do. Think, my dear Dawn. We are the polar opposites. The boy in a girl''s body and the girl in a boy''s body. The Sky witch and the Underworld sorcerer. The haughty princess and the humble hero. Sunrise and sunset."
She made a gentlemanly reverence spinning her hand and bending at the waist and both knees at the same time. She stood up straight afterward and tipped an imaginary hat.
"I''m not Lumina, Dawn. You know who I am. Say my name. Say it. I''ve dreamed so much of this name. I dreamt of him and now I am here, I am him. You are Dawn, I am..."
It all made sense when put that way. Exactly the kind of childish thing they would do.
"Of course, your Majesty. My name will be engraved in the annals of history." She curtsied. "My name is Dawn and I am an adventurer."
"And you, brave knight?" Asked the Queen, a smile full of mirth.
The boy whispered with a hand cupped next to his mouth. "Your majesty, it is mage-knight!"
The Queen laughed, full of mirth. "Brave Mage-Knight, how art thou named?"
"You may call me... Dusk."
Her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. A wave of nostalgia, sadness, longing, a desire to relive those days, a friendship lost. Dawn remembered the rest of that phrase little six-years-old Aidan answered the queen with. Her eyes silently watered, feelings overflowing. The diary. The day she felt Lumina''s loneliness over her lost hero on those pages.
"You are Dusk."
Sunrise & Sunset (*)
[Degenerate Seed] - 5th circle spell.
Element: Death.
Type: Alteration.
Classification: Support. Curse. Debuff.
Target: Creature Touched.
Makes the target sterile for 24 hours. Neutralizes any seed currently in the target''s body if that seed was taken in the last 24 hours. Abuse of this spell may incur Ceres'' divine taboo, and it is considered a forbidden spell for that reason.
Dawn stated the obvious. Aidan''s soul plus Lumina''s body is Dawn, the inverse was Dusk. It opened a huge can of worms. Dawn wanted to scream it. ''Princess Lumina''s erotic fantasies are with me! She masturbated thinking of me! Scratch that, I masturbated thinking of me!''
It was one thing she was afraid of doing because it was a one-way gate. Having sex with himself, herself, whatever pronoun would fit the image of Dawn and Aidan getting busy. Would it be good? Would it be bad? Would it open up a dimensional rift and swallow them?
But the realization that Aidan was Dusk in Lumina''s fantasies also explained why she stopped dreaming of Dusk after she enrolled at the academy. She was actively hostile to the source of her fantasies. Her subconscious hypocrisy reflected in a lack of wet dreams.
It was enticing and terrifying at the same time. Dawn had the hots for an idealized version of Aidan, her male alter-ego. She was not bisexual, she was self-sexual. And another enticing and terrifying idea, she was thinking of doing it with Lumina. Her heart was racing. She thought of kissing the person in front of her. Of experiencing some hard cock for the first time. Sora liked it very much. She was more and more aware of her own body, and her body wanted Dusk.
Before that, she was really interested in tasting sex as a female. After being liberated from Lumina''s body and earning her own flesh, the main barrier to satisfying this curiosity was the recovery from the aftereffects of the procedure. Fucking with a headache was bound to be bad. There was also the unique situation of the woman named Dawn. She was not bound by some rules of society and in exchange was bound by some rules of their own making. She was not worried about marrying, in a sense it could be said she was already married. She never received the pressure during her upbringing to save her chastity. It was not a bargaining tool or a seal of quality. But she would never go and find a man for herself.
She was Aidan''s alter-ego after all. Finding a trustworthy man to have sex with was impossible. It was still a too-intimate proposition. Aidan could do it. The thought of literally fucking themselves was a very strange one. Feeling both ends of the beast with two backs at the same time would be either underwhelming or overwhelming and she would be incapable of focusing only on the female feelings. She could get a sex toy for Sora to use on her. It was another can of worms. They were uncomfortable, stiff and commonly only used as jokes or decoration.
And now the golden opportunity presented itself. The Lumina-possessed Aidan showed some interest in his body language. Knowing that he was now claiming to be the legendary dream-lover known as Dusk was a big bonus. She even had Aidan and Sora''s permission to do it if it were with Dusk.
Absorbed in her dirty thoughts and plans, she didn''t even notice the other person trying to get her attention.
"Dawn? Is everything okay?" Dusk approached her. Yes, Dusk. There was no way Dawn could think of this creature in front of her as either Lumina or Aidan. "Are you cold? Afraid of something? You are trembling, poor thing."
Dusk touched her face and she felt goosebumps over her entire body. She was uncannily aware of the texture of that hand.
"I am fine. Thanks for your concern, Dusk." She finally spoke with a sigh. Dawn tried to make eye contact with Dusk, but her eyes kept insisting on avoiding his.
"Good. We''re good, right? I think I scared you a little there." Dusk paused, apparently trying to measure his words, "This is Aidan''s body, or should I say your body, Dawn, so I was thinking... would you mind if I take a peek? I don''t think I''ll ever have another opportunity to be in a man''s body ever again, you see."
Bingo. At least sexually, Lumina was a healthy and curious girl. Dawn thought of undressing in front of him. She wanted to undress right there and see what Dusk would think, but she was afraid how Dusk would react. It took a while for Dusk''s request to process on her perverted brain. Her conclusion was that it was completely stupid trying to get his arousal by undressing. Dusk was used to seeing Lumina naked.
"I don''t mind, go ahead. You can do anything you want. Undress and play with it."
Dusk smiled, "Can I?"
"Yes, get your mirror, get comfortable, get exploring. Have fun." She was mentally adding ''with me'' at every step.
Dusk was intrigued by that feelingcoming from the crotch that was something between pushing out the tongue all the way, very hard nipples, and an inflamed lump in the skin but without the pain. There was something there that made him aware of its existence every time he moved as the cloth of his pants rustled. After getting greenlighted by Dawn, Dusk took a mirror and looked at himself. Just a slightly above average face and a well-defined young man''s body still before the last growth spurt. But he was not interested in his face or looks or body build right now, even though Lumina would. He removed the academy uniform and looked at himself naked.
There it was. The male member, the phallus, dick, cock, and a thousand other names. Without a reference, he didn''t know it was big or small. Dusk thought it was funny the first one Lumina would ever see was on her own (borrowed) body. He touched it and it was warm and felt alive. He ran a finger over the shaft and touched the tip expecting some sharp feeling like a lightning spell. It felt good but it was not as good as touching a clit. He wetted his finger and touched and rubbed with the tip of the fingers. It was nice but still not it. Then he heard Dawn laughing.
"What?" Dusk asked.
"You can be rougher with it. You don''t need to worry, if it hurts you will know. Grab that cock like you mean it and give it a go." She answered with a smirk. "Oh, I''ve got Healing Light and Regrowth, you''ll be fine even if you cut it off." She laughed.
"You are enjoying it, aren''t you?" Dusk felt like an idiot. What ''grab like you mean it'' was supposed to mean? He grabbed it like a sword''s hilt. Good! It felt like being hugged and titillated at the same time. Now the ''give it a go'' part. Pull up and down. Felt like trying to yank it off.
"A firm grip but with some room to move," Lumina''s clone was having the time of her life at Dusk''s expense. "You are squeezing it too hard. I said hold, not choke it to death."
Doing it with an audience was even worse. Maybe he should get her to participate. The thought of making her squirm made the cock even harder. Dusk moved the hand up and down and then he felt it. It was not as intense as stimulating the clit directly but it was good.
The balls shaking underneath felt awkward and Dusk stopped. The feeling was as if someone strapped weights to a her inner labia and let it dangle. He slapped them hard and cringed in pain. Dawn guffawed, slapping her thigh.
"Why man speak about balls so much if they are this fragile?" Dusk asked after recovering from the pain.
"Because they are at the same time the source of a man''s power and his weakest spot, I guess." Dawn, still laughing, answered holding her belly. "Let he help you." She reached out and caressed it.
"Healing Light."
The pain faded. To think a mere slap to the balls could cause damage.
Back at her perch on the couch, Dawn gave some advice, "Hold them carefully and move your hand like you are cradling two baby birds. Knead slowly and see what makes it feel good."
The balls were still hurt so it wasn''t enjoyable. The cock was good to have but the balls felt awkward, "And you men get used to these things dangling?"
Dawn squeezed her boobs, "Do girls get used to these two dangling? I''ve had balls hanging from my crotch since I was born, not since puberty."
"Smartass, want to come here and show me how it''s done?"
Dawn nodded and got up. She stretched and made a ''come hither'' hand wave, "Sure. Let''s go to bed, it is more comfortable there."
Dusk''s heart was pounding as he walked to the bed, naked. ''What is this girl thinking? If she goes to bed with a man, she might... I''m that man. Would I do something to her? I''m not like those monsters. But I''m curious.''
"Lie down on the other side," Dawn suggested. She climbed on the bed and stopped with both arms and a knee on the bed and a leg outside. She touched the collar of her blouse and asked with a small pout, "Say, Dusk. Should I undress too?"
''What? What is this crazy girl doing? Shouldn''t she value her chastity more? Were they going to do it? It is a guy why am I worrying about a guy''s chastity?'' His cock was a little limp but got rock hard when he started thinking of that.
"Should I take that as a yes?" She asked staring at his boner. "Okay, silent hero."
Dawn slowly undressed her academy uniform. She stopped at the camisole and panties. Holding her arms up, she made eye contact and asked, "Are you looking forward to seeing Lumina''s grownup body? It''s been two years since then, you''ve grown, Princess."
Dusk laughed. That girl was thinking too much of herself. "Nice boobs. How are your shoulders?"
"Oh." Dawn brushed a hand against Dusk''s erect cock, causing him to jolt and glared, "I felt a vibe from the Queen of Slander there. Do you know her?"
''Lumina will be Lumina in any skin she wears, for crying out loud.'' That was the conclusion Dawn reached. There they were, in a good mood and Dusk had to make a snarky comment about big boobs. Now he can jerk himself off for all she cared. Dawn knew her boobs were awesome. She was some sort of sommelier on boobs.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Dusk rolled on his side and faced her. Dawn was kneeling in the middle of the bed and she covered her breasts almost as an afterthought.
"Dawn, I didn''t mean it like that. I know that breasts as bountiful as yours have a price in the strain on the shoulders. C''mon, I didn''t mean to offend you."
He touched her thigh and caressed it for a few moments before withdrawing. It didn''t appease or entice her the least. Or so she lied to herself.
"You are a terrible Dusk," Dawn announced taking his whole naked bodyn with her eyes. "Your Highness must step up your game." She said to provoke him.
Dusk snickered. "Is that supposed to mean you are a better Dawn than me? Bold, adventurous, sassy, classy?" He sat up and moved closer to her.
She inched closer after each adjective, "Selfless, kind, honest, daring, caring, generous, fun, commensurate, smart, sexy and fearless." Dawn gazed deep in his eyes, challenge stamped in her pupils.
"I am sold!" He smiled. They were almost touching nose to nose, feeling each other''s breaths. None wanted to back down from this staring contest. "I''d expect nothing less from the dream girl created by Aidan inspired on me after what? Two years, one year of practice?"
"Really? The dream man created by Lumina inspired on me is disappointing." She teased, "And you had almost a decade to polish him. How does it go? ''Dear diary, tonight Dusk came on my dream on a white horse C''" She gasped as he rose and grabbed her.
Dusk pushed her down on the bed. "You''ve read my diary? The audacity!"
Dawn was not intimidated. He was on all fours over her, his hands pressing on her shoulders and the weight was a little too much. But she slid one leg between his as they fell back. If he tried anything, he would get a major lesson on being a man. Always protect the family jewels.
"We were trying every avenue to resurrect you, your Highness. And we got Claire''s permission before reading it. You wouldn''t believe how wet Lumina''s pussy became when I read those erotic dreams about Dusk." She provoked.
"More or less wet than Dawn''s own pussy?"
He moved the right arm under her armpit and the left hand was set free to wander over her body. He touched her breast over the silk camisole and gently caressed the nipple. It hardened instantaneously. The hand didn''t stop there. He lowered his head to see where his hand was going but returned to gaze into her eyes soon enough. Dawn was panting. She felt trapped underneath the stronger male, but it was enticing. She was not in control and she was at the same time. She could end the spell with a mere thought and regain control of Aidan''s body.
"I may be inexperienced in stimulating a man''s body, but a woman''s? I''ve been doing that since forever. And I''ve pleased Lumina''s body hundreds of times. Naughty girls."
Dusk''s hand slowly grazed over Dawn''s belly and she tried to not moan. It went past her navel and down the curve that signaled the end of the belly and the start of the pubis. She tried to clench her legs but Dusk had his leg between her thighs.
He sensed her hesitation and stopped without breaking contact, "If you don''t want to go further, just say it, slap me, push me away, or shake your head. Close your eyes in disgust and avert my face. Dawn, I''d never force a girl. I''m not those rotten noblemen or princes that think any female is theirs. You can trust Dusk. Dusk is the ultimate gentleman."
"I know," She whispered, her breath irregular. "I trust you."
"Should I go further?" Dusk''s eyes were pained. He must''ve remembered something bad. Dawn didn''t answer him with words. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Dusk''s hand reached her vulva and slipped between her labia, but without going down the vagina. He was not lying. Nobody better than Lumina to please Lumina''s body. Even if it was a clone. He pleased her in a few different ways without damaging her chastity.
It was a taste of what could''ve been but was ruined by too many bad choices took too early. Dawn reached and stroked his cock.
"I want you, Dusk. Fuck me," She broke their long kiss to ask. "You are the only man in the world I''d give myself to. I''m not a real woman, I don''t have to worry about marrying or having children. Or keeping my body chaste. I want to know how it feels. How it feels to have a man inside me."
Dusk tittered, nervous. "I don''t know if I can C"
"You can. You have a man''s body and a smart head. Just stop overthinking and worrying. You can''t hurt us even if something goes wrong. Let your body guide you."
Dusk removed her panties and gave a good look over her meaty vulva. "That is a nice pussy if I''ve ever seen one."
"This is an awesome pussy and I''ve seen several," Dawn corrected him. "Congratulations, Lumina. You are hot as hell."
Dusk positioned himself between her legs and opened her labia with one hand. Dawn felt frustrated because she couldn''t see what he was doing even after putting two pillows under her head. The first one was to clear the boobs out of the way and with the second one she could see the beginning of the slit but nothing past that. He moved closer and then she felt something hot touching the vestibule of her vagina. She tensed up.
"Relax or it will hurt. Here, hold my hand."
She protested, "How do you even know that?" But took his hand anyway.
"Talking to lots and lots of castle maids. Poor girls, sometimes I think they work at a brothel without getting paid." He did not move the glans out of her vestibule neither pushed it inside.
"I know. You wrote that in your diary."
"That is it. No more nice guy." He pushed it inside.
Dawn felt a sharp pain and pressure like something was being inflated inside her abdomen. She felt something like a need to pee and also as if her skin was being pulled tautly, but it was no skin she knew of. It felt sore like someone was rubbing over an open wound but the pain was not unbearable. The cock felt warm inside her and she was aware of it inside, like when you feel your esophagus when drinking fast a really good hot tea.
"It is in," He announced. "All in. It feels amazing. How are you?"
He was not moving but her head was spinning. It was a feeling completely strange, she could not even tell if it was a bad or good feeling.
"I''m good. Just a little dizzy but it feels so strange."
They exchanged a reassuring smile and he gave her a suggestion, "You are bleeding a little. Use a healing spell."
She did a Healing Light on herself, almost fumbling the diagram. She nodded and he began to pound in and out of her.
She felt like lightning spells were being cast inside her. She was a little queasy as he thrust slowly, it was like when the carriage hits a rock going fast and you lose your sense of weight inside the vehicle. The feeling of something stretching continued for some time as she adapted to the sensations.
But it all came at the cost of her outward awareness. Dawn couldn''t even remember where she was. After an unknown amount of thrusts, it steadied. The shocks stopped, the feeling of being filled and the warmth, the heat coming from that thing moving inside her started to spread and envelop her. It was beginning to get really really good and then the cock heated up like it was going to burn her and started to squirm inside a few times and then it became still.
The heat was gone and the full feeling disappeared. Dawn came to her senses and looked around. Her head was dangling upside down from the end of the bed at the wall and the pillows she had underneath her head were a few meters away from the bed. But she didn''t come. She raised her head and found Dusk panting, with a stupid look stamped on his face.
''Do I look like that when I come inside Sora? I have to ask her.'' She thought.
Dawn slipped out from underneath Dusk and felt something drip across her inner thigh. There was a lot of white fluid and some transparent mucus along with a few drops of blood on the bedding and also on Dusk''s cock. She felt her insides tingling and begging for more, but the cock was already limp. Dusk looked like he would topple and fall down if she pushed him with her pinky.
It was frustrating. She wanted to climax with the cock inside her. It felt amazing after she got used to the feelings and the initial discomfort passed, but it didn''t finish. ''At least it didn''t hurt like I was being torn inside out, I guess?'' Was that a good silver lining?
Fuck it, what difference it makes. Dawn pushed Dusk and he just crumbled on the bed.
"Compose yourself, your Highness," She chided him a bit cranky. "And wipe that smug smile off" Speaking of wiping.
"Cleansing Waters."
"Sylph''s Hands."
"Cleansing Waters."
"Degenerate Seed."
"Evaporate."
"Ash Compression."
"Incinerate."
Dawn finished her magical cleanup and looked around as she plucked the compressed ash pellet from the air. She met a flabbergasted Dusk.
"Hello, miss Archmage." Dusk greeted her with a raised eyebrow. "I saw Water, Air, Blood, Steam, Ash, and Light before that. That is like the whole spectrum. What in tarnation is your element?"
"Officially it is Underworld. But I got all six affinities." She answered with a cretin grin. "Stole a few from you."
"Daaamn. Give me some of yours too!"
She crawled over him, "I''ve just given you myself. Want more?"
"Wasn''t that Ceres'' taboo you just broke?"
"I didn''t even have my first moon-blood in this body yet but I am running no risks." Dawn poked a thumb in her solar plexus, "God-Slayer, remember? I have partial amnesty against God''s taboos."
Dawn laid next to him and cuddled. "So, did you enjoy fucking a girl?"
"It was nice," He replied nonchalantly. Dawn punched him on the floating ribs. "No! it was awesome. At first, I didn''t understand what was so good about being male, but it is really good and practical. But by your crankiness, I take the lady didn''t climaxed."
"Yes, and you better do your best next time and get me there," She pouted. "Or I''m grafting yourHighness'' soul on the first neutered mongrel I find on the slums."
Dusk turned sideways to face her, "Are you serious that you screamed as much as you did and hadn''t come?"
"I did?" It surprised her. She didn''t remember screaming but she didn''t remember anything besides the feeling of being fucked. "I have no idea what was going on. Now, would you like a mongrel with only three legs or one missing the tail and an eye?"
They laughed but he could sense the irritation in Dawn''s voice.
"My life''s lemma now." Dusk swore. "Never leave an Underworld mistress that''s loaded on Soul magic unpleased."
"That is a damn fine lemma," Dawn agreed. "Now get that cock up and fuck me as you did to Lumina in that enchanted forest of her dreams."
"Or live the rest of my life as a neutered mongrel in the slums," Dusk whistled. "Now that is what I reckon a tough call."
It took a few minutes of playful conversation and some fiddling back and forth but Dusk was able to hoist the flag once more. The perks of being sixteen years old. He didn''t tell Dawn but she should know as Aidan, but putting the cock inside a woman was an amazing feeling. It felt like diving headfirst in warm butter almost to the point of melting and the feeling of the vagina around his cock was like being licked by a thousand angel''s tongues at the same time. Because they are not rough.
He kissed Dawn and placed himself between her legs once again. He wanted to go again so bad his cock was throbbing. The pulsing feeling was like the temples with a really bad headache but without the pain. She was moving her hips trying to find and grab him. He gripped them firmly with both hands and pushed in. The initial feeling of entering her labia was like forcing someone''s lips open during a kiss with your tongue. And then came the dive. The wet walls of Dawn''s vagina felt like the inside of a cheek but softer and with folds. Maybe like those pads underneath the tongue beneath one''s jaw. He licked it and felt their textures were similar. But the feeling of doing it with the cock or the tongue were in completely different leagues.
Fully inside, he started moving and pounding her. Dawn began to moan and wail. The feeling of being in control, of having that person entirely for himself was exhilarating. And her body was so soft. It felt good to hold her legs, her waist, see her boobs move up and down as her whole body moved as he wanted. The scent of her pussy also drove him crazy. It was the same scent he remembered from his own pussy back when he was Lumina but it messed with his mind in a good way.
However, he didn''t want to live the rest of his life as a mongrel. And it was unfair to her to not make her cum. He adjusted her leg so he had the left hand free and moved to rub her clit. Dawn went from moaning to downright screaming with pleasure. It made Dusk envious. Lumina also wanted to be fucked crazy like that, the way Dawn was smiling and rolling her eyes in complete bliss must be exactly that, complete bliss.
That frustration made Dusk pound her even harder, keeping the hand working on her clit the whole time. And then it came. Dawn arched her back and her vagina started to clamp on Dusk''s cock like it would never let him go. It was so welcoming and cozy that he felt like his cock would melt inside her. Or like the part that was inside her ceased to exist while inside to become a mess of feelings. It didn''t take long and he also climaxed. Cumming as a man felt like the mid-point between having a really big zit squeezed by someone else and peeing but in bursts. Dusk could feel something pumping behind his balls where his vagina would open and on every pump more semen would come out.
He pulled out and discovered another joy of being a man. Pulling out a half-flaccid cock after unloading everything was a great ending. Dawn''s legs slumped and some sex fluids oozed out of her but she was smiling without a care in the world. Dusk felt his mind clear entirely and he gasped in the surreality of the situation.
Princess Lumina was trapped in the male body of her estranged childhood friend and assumed the persona of the man of her erotic dreams to have sex with her female clone that was a fragment of the soul of her male estranged childhood friend that assumed the persona of her adventurous tomboy self from eleven years ago while her real body was in stasis elsewhere.
And it felt so good she was willing to keep the charade for the rest of the night and wait a few more minutes and try to coax said gender-confused estranged childhood friend for a third time.
Dusk hugged Dawn and played with her boobs a little. They stood there, staining the Princess'' bedsheets and for just that night everything was fine.
Uncanny valley
Dawn opened her eyes and found rays of sunlight filtering in through the window shutters and curtains. Her head was spinning and she took a few deep breaths to center herself. She found Aidan''s arm and leg draped over her naked body and sent the command to wake up through their tether. Nothing happened. Shocked, she looked at him and found him breathing. Just what was going on?
She decided to physically wake the boy up. Shaking him until he groaned and opened an eye. Damn Aidan sleepyhead. At least now she was sure it was not the fault of the boy''s bad habits.
"Oww. Good morning, Dawn. What a night." She got a kiss on the cheek that caught the corner of her lips. Dawn flinched. "Are you okay?" Dusk asked.
She felt the boy''s joy at being next to her and everything came back to her. Lumina was still in control of Aidan''s body. And the identity of Dusk. And everything that happened in between. Her wildest night ever.
"I''m sorry, Dusk. I need a pause." Dawn gave him a peck on the cheek, "Time out. See you in a few moments."
Dawn canceled the spell. She was afraid the length of the possession could have some detrimental effect on Aidan. She felt the tether numbness fade and they recovered control of their bodies. And it hit them. All the recovered, stolen, pent-up and new memories Lumina brought up or created while using their male body for almost a whole day came up, including Dusk''s point of view of last night.
The Otherworlder Summoning Ritual. The lessons with the Archmage that came to teach her. The diagrams. The materials.
Some memories of Lumina and her family. Mostly of Claire and how it pained Lumina to keep the secret from her sister and treat her as a handmaid. Lucien.
Baron Yoshida and the private lessons. A tri-Element Soot mage.
And the G-rated adventures of six years old Dawn and Dusk. How brief they were.
A long time passed before they adapted to the influx of memories. It was like they were forced to re-live everything again in fast forward.
"What did I do?" Aidan put a hand over his pounding heart.
"The sort of thing you can''t think too much of." Dawn poked his nose. "What is done is done and I don''t regret a thing."
"Yeah. Good for you, girl." Aidan slipped out of bed and checked the devastation wrought last night. "We will have to destroy the bedding."
"Nope. Leave no evidence behind." Dawn replied as she got out on the other side. "I''m getting rid of the whole bed. Care to help here?"
The good old one-two combo of Ash and Fire magic and a golf ball sized black pellet rested on the middle of the bed.
"Done and done. Let''s wash and get ready. It will be a busy day."
In the common room of the royal wing of the dorm, they were welcomed by Lola and Deb. The maids told them that the Headmaster called Pearl, Cythrel, and Sora to a special training session. All day long, probably to give them time to do what they needed to do with Lumina. They skipped breakfast and Pearl''s maids brought their lunch. After eating, they were ready to bring Lumina up again. Aidan sat on the couch as Dawn used the spell once more.
"Back so soon?" Dusk asked ironically as she took over control of Aidan''s body. "At least I am not a dog... yet."
"I wouldn''t do that, your Highness," Dawn answered politely. "That was just a joke. Lumina, I need to ask you one thing."
"I see. I guess Dusk is that kind of guy, to show up and vanish just as suddenly," Lumina crossed her legs and sat straight, composed, "Yes, what is it?"
"I''m going to be honest," Dawn opened with a prepared speech. "We are going to transfer you back to your body in a few days. There is a small chance it goes wrong and we lose you. There is a chance I die as well. I''d like to ask you to write some letters for your family in case things go wrong."
Lumina could tell the concern in Dawn''s voice was real. It was her own voice after all and the boy inside her clone was bad at dissimulation. She pondered for a while and decided.
"I''ll write them. However, I have a request of mine I want you to fulfill."
"Yes, what is it?"
"I want to talk to Claire. Face to face. In private."
It was dishonest but inevitable. Aidan would recall everything Lumina did while using his body when the spell was canceled. Dawn remembered the Princess of that little fact.
"I gave up on withholding any secrets from you. I just want to see my sister and have a chat."
"If you are okay with it, I''ll arrange that. You know where your calligraphy materials are better than me. Please start writing while I send for her."
Lumina went for her vanity and tried to open the secret compartment with her diary. Dawn frowned as the Princess turned to face her.
"Can you get my diary for me? I want to write on it."
Dawn approached and channeled Sky mana into the vanity. Nothing happened.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
"I''m sorry. I can''t open it anymore after I''ve got my own body. My mana signature is no longer the same as yours."
Lumina breathed relieved, "At least something we are different at. I guess I''ll just write myself a letter. I like to keep my memories fresh." Lumina bit her fingernail and glanced at Dawn as she commented under her breath, "And I have a lot of new memories to keep fresh."
Dawn clapped Lumina on the shoulder, "I''ll leave you to your memories then. I''ll go send a messenger to summon Claire here."
"Here, let me straighten your uniform." Lumina pulled her blouse taut, adjusted the skirt, and tightened the knot of her ribbon. "You are standing in for me, better be perfect."
Dawn left the bedchamber as Lumina started to write her letters.
She sent a rider from the academy guard station to call Princess Claire and stood idle by the academy gates watching the students come and go. All of them showed proper deference for the Princess and none dared approach. Her countenance and Lumina''s reputation made her unapproachable by the common student.
Dawn idly thought of their horrendous attendance score. Attending classes became a big burden because of the bullying and now they were socializing with the bully mastermind as if nothing happened. She glanced at the Spring clouds frolicking in the wind through the blue sky. It was early fall when the rhinorses attacked them in the square, not a hundred meters from where she stood. They were close to ending that circle and restoring themselves to normal. Or at least as normal as they could get. She was doomed to live as a dual-bodied existence.
It was not bad but Dawn feared what role she would fill after Lumina came back. She would become a pariah. Someone that should not exist. There was another complication. Right now she had no access to the perks Aidan had, like his magic sight, the familiar link with Skippy or the God-Slayer family power, Rise to the Challenge. The current theory was that Lumina''s interference stopped these abilities from being shared through their tether. If it was right, the world would have two God-Slayers in the same generation. Something that never happened in forever.
That could cause ripples in the power balance of the world. And the world powers disliked ripples with a passion.
Those fears were only exacerbated by the lack of the comforting feeling of Aidan through their tether. It was completely numb because of the spell to grant control to Lumina. It made Dawn feel alone and small.
"Lumina?"
Even after restoring Lumina, it was not the end of their woes. They would have to travel back to Gohar, to bring Pearl home. Who would''ve imagined kidnapping princesses was such hard work? And Cythrel. They needed to go to Gohar for Cythrel as well. Only master Gaemon the smith would have the expertise to craft the mithril. Speaking of which, they needed to visit the Duke to see if he was able to trade the rice and buy their mithril.
"Princess Lumina!"
And after solving Cythrel''s problems, it would be good to try and search for any survivors of her home village. And any signs of the slavers. They neglected it, but the slave collar was in Aidan''s bedroom safely stored in a chest. They had to investigate it and develop a countermeasure. And speaking of visiting home, they would also need to visit the squirrel-kin tribe and also search for Aidan''s parents.
Goddamned S-rank battle maniacs. Always running to save the world. The hunters guild guildmaster has probably seen Aidan''s parents more than the boy himself.
Something shook Dawn. She looked around and saw Claire holding her. Eh?
"Claire?" Asked Dawn.
Taking in her surroundings, she was still at the academy gate. A carriage from the castle bearing the Crown coat of arms was parked inside and four guards were around her in a diamond pattern. Claire had her hands on her shoulders and had a worried face.
"Sister!" Claire sighed with relief. "What are you doing out here and why you called for me? Is there something wrong? Where is Aidan?"
Right. Dawn was supposed to be Lumina right now. She was still supposed to pretend to be Lumina.
"Claire. We need to talk. Please come to my chambers." Dawn took the other princess'' hand and they boarded the carriage.
Dawn was afraid of not finding Lumina or Aidan''s body right before she opened the door to the Princess'' bedroom. She breathed out in relief as she opened and found the boy sitting down by a perfectly arranged tea set with two extra chairs. Behind him were Lola and Deb, waiting.
"Claire!" Lumina shouted with joy and dashed to hug the Princess.
The way she ran was too girly and completely different from Aidan''s normal body language. Dawn caught Deb covering her mouth, trying to hide her mirth. She smiled at the maid and shrugged behind Claire''s back, putting the tip of her tongue out.
Lumina kept hugging and brushing her face against the cheek of the paralyzed Princess. "Claire, Claire! Oh, Claire, how glad I am you are safe." Lumina wept.
Dawn nudged her head in the direction of the door, pointing them out. In their credit, the maids slinked out of the room silently like assassins.
After shaking the uncanny feeling of Aidan''s strange behavior, Claire figured out what was happening. "Lumina? Lumina, is it you?" She hugged back.
Dawn reactivated the wards of the room and locked the door. "Yes, Claire. We developed a spell to grant temporary control of Aidan''s body to Lumina."
The two sisters hugged each other and cried their hearts out. Dawn went out of their way and tried to not overthink too much about the scene of Aidan bawling while latched to Claire. She went near the tea set. There were some pastries, including raisin-free scones. The stunt she pulled during that dinner was stupid.
"Dawn!" Lumina called her out.
"Yes!" Startled, the girl jumped to attention.
"Leave us, please." Lumina''s words were as much a command as a request but her tone left no room for arguing. "I wish to speak to Claire, alone."
"Yes, your Highness." Dawn reached the door asking why she was treating her hostage that way. There was something in Lumina way of presenting herself, something in her countenance that demanded deference.
Outside she was bombarded by questions by the two maids. Why Aidan was acting like that, what was he doing with Claire, etc. Dawn fought to remember but she was sure Pearl''s maids knew of her secret. Better ask Pearl later. At least the room had no bed. It helped quell the speculation about what a healthy man was doing with a Princess under closed doors. Dawn sat with the maids in the common room and chatted with them until a bell rang.
"What is that?" She asked about the bell.
"It is a bell to call for us. There is one in each Princess room. This one is from Lumina''s room."
''How have I never heard of such a thing?'' Dawn almost asked out loud. While she was racking her brain trying to find out, Deb went inside and returned.
"Princess Claire is calling for you, Dawn." She reported.
Dawn went inside. Claire and Lumina were sitting by the tea table. Claire pointed to the empty seat and Deb helped her sit. The maid left after pouring the three-ish Princesses more tea. Nevermind the fact that one of them was fake and another was wearing a male body.
"Why did you call me, Claire?" Dawn finally asked.
"Brody is arriving tomorrow by his reported schedule. We need to know what will you do to counter him. Lumina and I, we are worried about you, Dawn."
"I am grateful for your concerns," Dawn bowed with her head. "But Brody is not arriving tomorrow. He is currently delayed by several days."
"What? How do you know that, and why would he be delayed?"
Dawn cackled. With a big grin, she looked at the two sisters. "I sent Skippy to sabotage his carriage days before we separated Lumina''s body. I told him to return if he was found, hurt, or after Brody crossed the five-day marker in the road. The little dragon isn''t wounded and didn''t come back. We have at least that many days before he arrives."
Interlude: Childhood lost
The boy placed both fists on his waist and grinned, triumphantly. "You may call me Mage-Knight Dusk, the Dragonslayer.
Queen Alina clapped her hands, excited, "Dawn and Dusk, what a perfect pair. Will thou escort thy Princess and thy Queen, my knight?"
"I''m not a princess right now, mom! I am an adventurer!" Lumina protested.
"Oh, pray tell me, why can''t thou be both? A daring princess that fears not standing up for what she believes, how wonderful would that be? You can be a princess and an adventurer, dear daughter."
The girl puffed her chest and looked around like the world belonged to her. "Then it shall be so. I''ll stand for truth and justice wherever villany is found."
Alina smiled and held the kids by the hand. Taking them back to the gazebo with the refreshments while beaming a thousand rays of sunshine, she stopped as they reached the shaded area to chide the boy.
"Good, good. Now, I think our hero Dusk owes an apology. Young mister, don''t you know raisins are poisonous to our princess? Our scones have no raisins and it must be thy duty to protect her from ever eating them."
Aidan looked down, face on fire. He said some really mean things to her without knowing her situation, "I am sorry, Lu... Dawn. I had no idea they were poisonous to you."
"You''re forgiven, Dusk. Shall we eat?"
That summer, several monsters were slain and treasures found. The legendary fountain of juice, courtesy of the court water mage. The stolen earth-stars, rare crystals that shone with the power of the night heavens, pieces of uncut quartz enchanted by the Queen''s magic. Dawn, Dusk, and Queen Alina ventured through all the castle while a quartet of brave adventurers faced the real world in search of a unique treasure.
They got the first sign that something was wrong during one adventure in the castle''s tallest tower. Aidan looked behind and rushed his playmate.
"Hurry up, Dawn. I can''t believe you are this winded after climbing just a few flights of stairs!"
Almost a whole flight behind him, the princess was panting and trying to catch enough of a breath to speak,
"Wait, Dusk. It''s mom. Mom fell behind. I''m worried, I think I heard she coughing."
Aidan climbed down the stairs, jumping two steps at a time. He took Lumina''s hand and smiled to cheer the girl up, "Then let''s go see if we can be of use to the Queen. Come!"
They descended three more flights and found the Queen being helped back on her feet by Claire and her mother, Juniper the governess.
"Mom! Are you okay?" Lumina rushed the last steps and almost headbutted Alina. "Mom! Are you coughing again? Please don''t push yourself like this. Father is returning soon, I am sure of it."
Both Claire and Juniper looked away. Aidan didn''t know then but now with the addition of Lumina''s memories, he did. King Helios, Archmage Astromelicus and both of Aidan''s parents were out on a quest for a special medicine for Queen Alina. She contracted a rare and mystical wasting malady that was eating at her mana and destroying her body. Young Aidan was left at the castle to allow his parents to go on that quest.
Aidan didn''t know what to do. He tried to support the Queen, but he was too short. Claire saw him doing more harm than good and gave the boy an errand he could do.
"Aidan, run downstairs and call Prince Lucien. He should be in the training grounds at this time."
"Yes, mistress!" He dashed downstairs, barely hearing the sigh the handmaid made: "Whose mistress am I?"
From that day onwards, the Queen''s condition deteriorated. She was no longer able to follow the children in their antics against the Topiary Army of the Royal Gardener. The atmosphere in the castle was gloomy. Aidan knew something was wrong, but the little boy had little understanding of what was happening. His playmate was broken, sitting at the bedside of her mother and crying.
"Lumina, Aidan came to play with you," The Queen pointed out showing the shy boy trying to make himself even smaller by the bedchamber doors. "Why don''t you go and play with him? Allies are important to have, friends, are even more. You are a Princess, you don''t understand how invaluable a true friend is for one in our position. Please go, daughter."
"No! I don''t want to play with a stupid boy with only fantasies in his mind!" The princess protested. "I want to be with you, mother? Can''t I?"
"Princess Lumina of Yutis," Alina called with a stern voice, "I am tired and desire to rest. You are to remove yourself from these chambers and go play with your guest."
"Fine, mom. I''ll leave but you cannot make me play with him. It is his fault that you are this weary. If he hadn''t pulled us into all those antics and expeditions exploring the castle, you wouldn''t be so tired!" Lumina unjustly blamed him as she stomped past Aidan out of the Royal Bedchamber.
Claire was going to follow Lumina, but Alina held her hand. The boy was frozen with doubt at the door. Had he hurt the Queen? He was the villain, not a hero! Why was Lumina so upset? He wanted to apologize, but words failed him.
"Claire," The Queen called with teary eyes. "Please, mend this rift. I don''t have much time left but I want you to hear from my own mouth. I love you all as if you were my children. I know your mother already told you who your father is. No, no. Don''t lie to me trying to deny it. I love you as my daughter, Claire. I was the one that picked this name for you."
The nine years old girl was ahead of her age by force of her own reality and occupation, "Your Majesty. I am not worthy of your worries. Please focus on getting well."
"Our names..." Alina coughed hard, "Our names mean the same thing, Claire. Please look after your sister. And make sure she and that little boy eavesdropping on us remain good friends. Be the light in their paths when I am no longer there for them. Promise me."
Claire said something but Aidan didn''t listen. He was running away after he was singled out by the Queen.Stolen novel; please report.
Sometimes heroes are not enough. They could kill dragons. FIght titans. Sunder mountains. Slay gods. But they could not stop time. They could not save a flower from wilting after her time was over. And sometimes they couldn''t find the object of their quest. Sometimes the fabled medicine was just a rumor. When four mighty adventurers returned to Yutis, it was one such time.
King Helios barged into the castle, horse and all. He leaped off his mount only when it was physically impossible for him to proceed further.
"Make way for the King!" One of the guards tried to warn his coworkers of the incoming storm.
Like an unstoppable flood, Helios barreled through doors, corridors, stairs until he found himself shedding dust and road grime at his wife''s bedside. Crying.
"We failed, Alina!"
The Queen ran her hand through the locks of her husband''s hair, removing twigs, leaves, and dust with a smile across her face. Alina was not upset. Hope was a fleeting dream, not a stone cold promise.
"It is good to see you, my love. Please shed no tears for me. I''m glad I got to see you one more time before the end."
"We failed. There was no medicine. The Elixir of Life was a hoax. I''m so sorry, I''m sorry." He buried his head on the sheets and repeated himself.
"Stand tall, King Helios III of Yutis." She spoke with a calm voice like a lake on a windless day. "For you will have to be strong enough to be both King and Queen, both father and mother. Four children I leave in your care, only two of my own womb. They are the future of our Realm, but it will fall on you to be their guide. Come here. Give me your lips for just a moment and feed my hungry heart."
Alina made an effort and joined the returning champions on the dining room. Astromelicus'' life magic could grant her a brief respite from her weakness, but it could neither delay for too long or reverse the damage. She surveyed the room. Her two children were sitting on her left, Claire, unfortunately, was waiting on Lumina and resting against the wall. Astromelicus was after Lucien and on the right side past Helios next to her Aidan, his father and mother were lined up. The food was still some time away. The expedition was assembled to show their spoils.
"Please tell me, my dearest friend," Alina asked Aidan''s mother, breaking the silence, "What is that lovely patch of auburn fur that I see behind you?"
Alina already knew who was that, but she was no the one to make the introductions. She was well aware of the traditions involving that secretive family of the God-Slayer. Of how they had a millennia-old pact with the squirrel-kin tribe to have one of their own selected each generation to be a companion to them.
"Oh, This? Come ahead, my dear. The Queen wants to meet you. I''m sorry, Ally. She is so shy! Come out, Sora. Meet our family."
From behind her came a small girl of about nine years old the same height as Claire if not for the long, round ears covered in even longer and thin fur. Except for her chin, cheeks, and forehead, a thin layer of auburn fur covered her otherwise humanoid body. A fluffy tail, as wide as she was and taller than her ears by a whole hand covered her back.
"Your Majesty, may I introduce you Sora of the squirrel-kin tribe. She was only now selected to be Aidan''s companion. Say hello, Sora."
The girl picked the hem of her skirt and curtsied perfectly. For someone grown in the savage wilds, as the northwestern section of the continent was called, it showed how much effort and practice was put in her training.
"Greetings, your Majesties King and Queen. I am Sora, and I''ll be Lord Aidan''s companion if he would have me."
"Whoa! A new friend!" Aidan immediately ran to hug Sora and his father grabbed the boy by the scruff of his clothes.
"Don''t ever touch her tail, do you hear me, boy?"
Aidan grumped and struggled to get free, "I know their sacred traditions, father! I am not marrying any girl! Of course, I won''t touch her tail not even by accident. Let go of me!" He approached and bowed before Sora as if she was a court lady. The girl blushed but right after that returned the grin the boy beamed at her. "I''m Aidan and I would be honored if you would be my playmate, Sora. Whoa! Your arms are so awesome, it is like you are wearing fur armor all the time! And those ears, I bet you can hear an enemy a KILOMETER away!"
"Nice to meet you too, milord," Sora said while she curtsied again and offered her hand for him to kiss.
"I''m no Lord! I''m a Mage-Knight and a Hero! You don''t need to act meek next to me, I know you are strong, Sora!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his seat, "C''mon, let''s eat, I''m starving!"
"Not so fast, Mr. Hero! We have gifts for all you."
Prince Lucien received a mithril longsword from his father. Alina a robe woven with angel feathers. Claire discreetly got a jeweled hair comb enchanted to repair split and broken hair strands. And then Aidan''s father placed two ridged eggs about two hands tall on the table. One was viridian green with white accents and the other red with brown undertones.
"For our two bravest and youngest heroes, we have these eggs," King Helios declared. "Come, Lumina, you can pick yours first."
The Princess kept silent and still this whole time. She knew the expedition was meant to find a cure for her mother, but she also knew that they failed in doing so. Lumina could not understand why they were so happy. Why they were celebrating and trading gifts when her mother was withering and dying before her very eyes. Worse yet, her companion Dusk traded her for an animal girl. A filthy beast full of fleas, she was sure of it. And now they wanted her to pick an egg? Was she supposed to be happy her friend was stolen and her mother was dying because of an egg?
Preposterous.
Lumina walked around the table doing her best to hide her emotions. She wanted to scream. She wanted to demand they go back out there and find the damn cure. She wanted to get that filthy squirrel out of her castle before she shed fur everywhere. She wanted her Dusk back at least.
"I choose this one here." She picked the green egg up and tossed it down, breaking the shell and spreading foul-smelling humor on the marble floor. She didn''t notice the reptilian-like embyro that slid underneath the table, "Oops, this one was broken."
She was going for the other egg when Aidan dashed and put himself between them with arms spread open. "Stop it, Lumina! What are you doing! Are you crazy?"
"NO!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "I am not crazy, you are the crazy ones! What travesty of a celebration is this, when my mother is dying and you trade gifts? Why have you returned if not with the cure! GO BACK THERE and find it! Save my mother for all that is holy!"
"Lumina, my dear," The Queen implored, "Stop making a scene. There was no cure, it was a rumor only. Nobody is to blame for that! Let''s celebrate being together, please!"
Even her own mother was against her. Why? Lumina could not understand it. Dusk was there, angry and glowering at her. Weren''t they supposed to be together forever? It was the beast girl''s fault. Of course. They stopped to pick up some smelly filthy peasant somewhere and missed her mother, the Queen''s cure!
"It is all your fault, you filthy beast! Get away from my friend! Dusk is mine! Mine! MINE!" Lumina pounced on Sora and the beastkin girl cringed and walked back. Sora slipped on the egg yolk and fell on her back but Lumina never reached her target.
Aidan drove a punch on her stomach, taking out all the air in the Princess'' lungs. "Stop it, Lumina. This is not how Dawn would act. Dawn would understand that adventurers celebrate coming back alive even when they fail their missions. Because being an adventurer means risking your life for nothing sometimes. You only lose when you die."
Eleven-year-old Lucien roared and jumped on the table, drawing his brand new mithril sword, "I''ll kill you, bastard! You assaulted a Royal!"
His sword never reached his target. Alina blocked him, earning a gash along her entire left forearm. "Everyone stop this madness NOW!" She commanded, summoning the remaining of her strength to display her regal aura. "Lucien and Lumina, Get to that corner now and don''t move until I say so!"
Astromelicus immediately threw a healing spell the Queen''s way. Aidan''s father took the remaining egg, that would over the course of the next year hatch Skippy. Aidan''s mother helped Sora back on her feet. Her tail was soaked in dragon egg yolk. Helios was with elbows on the table, hiding his face on his hands.
"Helios, I believe it is for the best if we retire for now." Aidan''s father grabbed his comrade-in-arms'' shoulder, "See to your family and our hearts will be with you always."
They were going out as Prince Lucien met Aidan''s eyes and roared, "If I see you again, brat, I am going to kill you!"
Queen Alina died next winter.
Aidan and Sora did not attend the funeral. His parents were away, fighting a colossal sea monster.
Interlude: Saboteur Skippy
Skippy soared north through the road connecting Yutis to Heath. Aidan was in a lot of distress when he requested this special mission of him and the little dragon was overeager to accomplish it. It was a strange feeling. Skippy''s usually cool and collected and totally awesome guide and mentor was afraid of this enemy. It was up to him now to bring peace of mind to Aidan.
The dragon recalled once more the conversation.
Skippy met Aidan and Dawn at the Princess'' balcony in the academy dorms. The little dragon noticed that the girl smelled of blood but was not wounded. It was a different kind of blood smell, one he sometimes smelled on females of the people races. She was not in pain, so it must''ve been that kind of blood. The little dragon perched on the rail in front of his best friend.
"Skippy. How is it going, buddy?" Aidan''s voice had a different quality to it this time. He was unsure, maybe even... no. There is no way he would be afraid, Skippy thought. He was spending too much time training pigeons and it was getting on the dragon''s nerves.
Skippy bobbed his head and squeaked, opening a grin afterward.
"That good? I hope you are not causing mischief in the city."
Skippy scoffed and wove a paw negatively. He never caused trouble. If anything, he solved the trouble.
"Say, buddy... I have a huge request to make." Aidan asked, unsure. It made Skippy perk his head and raise his neck frills fully erect. He flared his nostrils and gazed deep in Aidan''s eyes.
He raised the front paw and made a circular motion.
"There is a carriage coming in from the north country," Dawn told Skippy. She was afraid. Skippy leaped from the rail to the girl''s lap. Dawn had the best pillows a dragon could hope for. Totally better than a pile of gold, Skippy was sure of it. She hugged him and Skippy felt like he could sleep a century in there. But there is a time for everything, and now he needed to stand tall and hear his friends'' request.
He looked at the girl very close, nodded his head and snuggled it against her cheeks.
"So, this carriage. It is bringing an important person that wants to hurt me..." Skippy cut her off and roared, tiny tongues of fire erupting from his nostrils. Who dares? Dawn quickly calmed down the dragon caressing him in all the right spots. "No, hear me out. Calm down! This person is important and powerful so we can''t harm him without preparing first. So all we can do is to delay him and buy time."
It makes sense. Important enemies require preparation and planning. Skippy shuddered when he remembered how he got trapped and wounded in that sewer with Abby and Maggie. It was because he rushed in without a plan thinking just being a dragon was enough. And he almost lost to mere wererats. Shame!
Dawn continued after the dragon didn''t react, "Travel north through the road until you see a fancy carriage with this heraldry. Then make your best to delay that carriage the best you can." Skippy growled to signal he accepted it. "But it will be dangerous. These people are evil and powerful, they can harm or capture you. So be careful. You have to come back without fail."
Dawn caressed the dragon again and the little wyrm cooed, making himself even more comfortable on her soft cushions. Dawn giggled and hugged him tighter.
"Listen up. Go and delay them the best you can. If they spot you for a dragon, you get hurt, or they get past the wetlands north of here, come back to us. If you come back unhurt, I''ll give you all the cuddles you want," She told Skippy with a kiss. Now that''s a deal!
Both Aidan and Dawn gave Skippy a healthy amount of mana of all six types before he left.
Skippy flew for two whole days at his top speed before he spotted the carriage. It was really easy, the heraldry was stamped on flags of all the four corners of the gilded carriage and there were eight heavy knights riding along with it. He did a flyover and smelled the scent of enchantments on the carriage. Troublesome. The Knights'' armor and the horses barding were also enchanted. But their awareness was not that good. Not one of them glanced at Skippy as he did three flybys.
Time to disenchant that carriage. Skippy flew back and over a hill and dug a hole in the middle of the road, burying himself and changing his color to that of the dirt. He closed his nictating membrane to avoid getting dirt in his eyes. It made things hazy and hard to see but that''s the life of an Earth dragon for you. Not much use for sight when you have opaque dirt all around you.
The carriage came, the horses went by the sides of Skippy. The carriage came and he latched himself to its bottom. Opening up his greedy gullet he started to feed off of the enchantments. Ten minutes or more passed and the ride became more and joltier. Still not enough. Half an hour and it was finally dispelled.
"That good for nothing enchanter!" A haughty female voice came from inside the heretofore silent carriage. "I''m going to have him flogged. To think his shabby work would fizzle out in the middle of the road!"
"We are still two weeks away." Groaned a male. "I can''t believe we are going to shake all the way there. Can''t you do something about it, sis?"
"The gall! You expect me to work? Get your heavy bum out of the carriage if you want to be of any use. At least it will shake less."
Arguing siblings, if Skippy ever heard them before. Well, he wasn''t there for fun and gossip. Time to stop that vehicle. He drove a claw to the axle joint and let the spinning motion of the wheel do the grinding. Just before it was about to break he dropped down, curled, and hoped the knights would take him for a rock.
The carriage didn''t move more than ten meters away before the axle broke. The carriage was dragged for a few more meters before the knights stopped and moved their horses in a circle around it. Skippy had to remain still, one eye half-open and a knight just a few meters away. Luggage fell from over the vehicle and several trunks broke, spilling their precious and fancy content by the roadside.
Screaming, shouting, cursing came from inside. Skippy did his best to ignore it. How rude these people could get?
Two young people, probably a Prince and a Princess from the looks of it came outside. A maid like the ones following Princess Pearl everywhere also came out.
"Now just what we needed! Where in tarnation will we find a wheelwright in the middle of nothing?"
"Your Highnesses," One of the knights, an older man said. "Please stay inside the vehicle. It might be an ambush and we don''t want to risk your safety."
"What are you saying? If there are bandits, let the rabble come at me! I''ll show them!" The Prince, a man in his early twenties, boasted.
"Allow me to seek our foes." The Princess, a woman in her early twenties but with too much makeup started to cast a spell. Her wizardry was not that good but Skippy decided to bolt it.
He ran to the undergrowth by the roadside.
"What was that?" The Prince turned to look. His battle senses were acute, Skippy took note.
"A common lizard, your Highness." A knight in the rearguard reported, "It crossed the road near us."
"Brave Brody, afraid of lizards!" Teased the Princess.
"Shut up, you dolt. What about that detection spell?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
"There is nobody with hostile intentions toward us in a hundred meters. Satisfied? Want to go and enact justice to the lizard?"
"Shut it, Sierra. You, repair this carriage!"
The knight-captain was confused by the order but he knew better than talk back to his Prince. "Your Highness, please make camp while my men fix the wheel."
"My luggage! My dresses!" The entitled Princess finally saw her broken trunks.
The knights rode around the crash and found no dangers. They cleared an area of undergrowth with good visibility next to the road and started to raise a pavilion tent. It could bunk thirty troops but it seems it was only for the Royal siblings as they also erected other campaign tents for themselves. After an argument, the Knights split into recovering the Princess knick-knacks and fixing the carriage. They had to cut a tree branch and carve another axle.
During the night Skippy visited the camp. Most of the Knights were keeping guard around the tents and the horses, not much attention for the currently under repair carriage. The dragon slithered on the ground and reached the vehicle belly once again. Well, time for another surprise. He gathered Abyss mana, what was left of Count Bentley''s mana. ''Serve your country one last time in death, Bentley'' Skippy dirged. Clad in the Abyss mana, he slowly trickled wisps of noxious, rotting Dragonbreath. It seeped into the wood spokes of the wheels little by little, weakening the good wheels. They would break after a few hours of movement. He took care to change how much he weakened each wheel. It would do no good to have all of them break at the same time.
None of the knights was a wheelwright and the repair job took them an entire day. They refit the broken axle and refit the wheels metal boxing over the wooden pins. Overall they remained camped in that spot for two nights. Skippy felt sorry at the amount of verbal abuse these knights were subjected to.
Next day they resumed travel and the terrain shifted to open plains with farms here and there. A little before noon a wheel broke. The inertia made it sure that even the good spokes were ruined. Middle of nowhere once again. More cursing about rotten wood and how the carriage was rubbish. Sierra and Brody got into an argument and they almost hit each other. Skippy was following them and landed on a tree near the road. The dragon was almost laughing from the comedic act of the two haughty royals. They ate lunch on the roadside but this time luck was on their side.
A couple hours after lunch a covered farm wagon pulled by oxen was coming from the south. An old man and a young girl in her teens on the driver''s seat, happily chatting.
"Halt! Who goes there!" A knight rode to intercept the wagon. Skippy, camouflaged with sky blue flew overhead and landed on another tree.
"G''day to you, Sir Knight." The old man saluted. "Is something the trouble?"
The girl was frozen with fear. The old man was afraid as well, but doing a good job of not showing.
"Our carriage broke, good man, and we need to commandeer yours to resume travel."
"Oh my, oh my. That is quite the pickle. What happened, if I may ask. I might be able to aid you without having to surrender my vehicle. I beg your understanding, sir but I need it to work."
"We need only one wheel. You can keep the wagon and we will pay you for your troubles."
"If it is only a wheel, I have a spare you can have, sir. Let me get it."
The man tied the reins to a peg in front of the seat and got down while the girl went inside the wagon to hide. After a few minutes, he came from the back rolling the spare wheel alongside.
"How much do you want for it, old man?"
"A new wheel is five silver, milord. You can have this one for two." The soldier called another and handed his horse over. Walking to the farmer, he gave him two silver coins and took the wheel. The farmer frowned behind the Knight''s back but turned back to his vehicle. "Thank you, milord. I''ll clear the way." The man jumped on his cart and pulled it offroad. He went into the plains, shaking and jostling his cart. It was better to go off-road and save his fair daughter from whatever noble was ahead. It was not slow either, looked like the man was fleeing. Skippy shifted his attention to the royal party.
The Knights changed the wheel. They resumed moving but soon stopped for the night. The next day, they started traveling and another wheel broke. The Prince was fuming. He got down, cursed, cursed a bit more, hit a knight, and kicked another wheel. It broke and came down on his leg, crushing the limb and fracturing the bones like a crystal wine flute thrown from the ramparts.
Turns out the sister didn''t know any healing spells other than a weak first-aid one that staunched the bleeding. And once again they set up camp. The Knights had no way to fix two wheels and upon inspection, they found the rotten wood on the fourth. They couldn''t also move the Prince on horseback or he''d lose his leg. It was a five-day delay while the Knights traveled to the next town and brought back a healing magician and a new carriage.
He came out of the pavilion followed by the princess.
"I''m sorry, your Highness, but this is the limit of my healing magic. But I am sure the court mages at the capital can give him an entirely new leg."
"We are grateful for your services. It is good to know that Yutis and Heath can be friends. Here, for your troubles." Princess Sierra offered the mage a couple gold coins.
He refused, "Your Highness, it was my pleasure to be of service. I''d never "
"I couldn''t help but notice you are devoted to Ceres. Please donate this coin in our stead," She then pushed five gold coins on him.
The mage took one of the horses that brought the carriage and departed, abandoning the old carriage behind after stripping it of the heraldry. Skippy thought of sabotaging the new vehicle, but with a town nearby, it would be a minimal delay. The dragon took wing and decided to scout the road ahead to find the site of its last act of sabotage.
The rule of three was clear in the dragon''s mind. More than that and he would tempt fate and Karma. The Powers decided that every trial should come thrice, no more than that. It was ingrained in every magical creature and told to wise man as a cautionary tale.
Thus Skippy followed Brody''s new carriage and flew ahead trying to find a good place. A few days'' travel ahead there was a mire, wetlands in a lower region where water from the thawing mountains all around Yutis insisted on pooling and lazily evaporated over the course of Summer.
There was really no place to set up that huge pavilion tent and the road was muddy. Most traders would avoid the wetlands entirely, a roundabout road that would cost them three days. After scouting around, Skippy found the perfect spot. A dry rocky mound, probably a low hill during the dry autumn a few minutes'' walk from the road. He just needed to make sure the carriage couldn''t cross between the road and the hill and these royals would definitely want to set their pavilion on the dry hill.
It was time for landscaping. Skippy gathered Water mana and mixed it with a little of Fire. He then breathed a cone of pressurized steam and dug two trenches between the mound and the road. He left a narrow strait under shallow water that only horses or people on foot could cross. His plan was to separate the entourage from the carriage.
He waited for five days, picking a grudge with a local glurlock tribe, filthy stubby frog-fish people that spoke in gurgles. And they came. Brody''s carriage was the only one to brave the wetlands in all these days. In the distance, he could see that all natives chose the long way around.
They had to tie the Knight''s horses to the carriage to drag it through the muddy road. The armored men were on foot, pushing the vehicle across the wetlands. It took them two days to reach the mound. It was mid-morning and the princess threw the window open at once.
"Captain, we are camping on that hill and calling it a day. Prepare camp and set our tent."
Her voice was grumpy and weary. The carriage they were using must''ve belonged to a lesser noble from the town they visited while Brody had a broken leg. Sleeping inside it for a delicate Princess like Sierra? Torture. And with the grumpy Brody brooding inside not even the huge pavilion would have enough room.
It made Skippy cringe. The Knights had to slog through the mud carrying the disassembled pavilion and the luggage. One of them fell into the deep trench Skippy dug. The poor soldiers'' erstwhile shining armor was now as if made of clay. Camp set, they came to the moment of ferrying the two royals across the bog. They used two poles and the lid of a trunk to improvise a litter.
"I''ll have you demoted once we return home, Captain!" Brody roared as he was carried over the litter. His broken leg was all wrapped in bandages and splints. "Stupid marshlands, why didn''t we take the roundabout way?"
"It was your Highness that decided to go straight ahead." The captain tried to defend himself. He shut up with a glare from Brody.
Camp set, the two Royals disappeared inside their shelter. A light rider was sent north and south, finding no living soul on the road both ways. They parked the carriage in the middle of the road and moved the horses and all the luggage to the hill.
Time to strike. The sun was lazily drifting down in the west and Skippy came. Clad in Fire mana and red scales, he flew high from the East, roaring. Without anything behind him to give a sense of distance, he knew he could fool them.
"Dragon! It is a dragon attack!" A knight gave the alarm.
The whole camp swarmed. The few Knights that had bows took them, but they were looking for a way to get out of the hill and away from the approaching legendary creature.
"Hold your fire. The monster is too far away!" Commanded the Captain. "Maybe it is not even coming here for us. There are tribes of savage demi-humans around, maybe they are the dragon''s food. Dragons won''t like to taste your sorry flesh, you are too tough and stringy. Stand tall and show him we fear not."
The Knights changed their disposition. They stood proud and raised a racket, clanging their swords to their shields challenging the Dragon. Skippy had a knot in his stomach. If anything, that display of defiance made his instincts scream to go there and show who''s boss. And probably demand the Princess as a sacrifice.
But Skippy was a civilized dragon. A dragon on a mission. Sabotage. He approached the carriage and focused his Dragonfire as he hovered for a minute. A ball of compressed flames the size of a coconut flew down and blasted the vehicle. Skippy banked south and fled the site, breathing a stream of Dragonfire over the road and disappearing behind the rising steam clouds.
He switched to Steam mana and once again liquefied the ground, destroying as much road as he could and turning that part of the wetlands into a lake. Brody''s entourage would have to track back out of the wetlands on horseback and go around. Being harassed by the glurlocks. If that wouldn''t delay them for at least one more week, then he''d bite his tail.
Mission accomplished.
Time to go back home and get those hard-earned cuddles.
Nightfall
Claire was disturbed at the revelation that Dawn sent Skippy to sabotage and delay Brody.
"You know that if Brody dies in our territory " Claire was starting but both Dusk and Dawn interrupted her.
"It would be hilarious?" "I won''t... Nobody else would have to be raped?" They spoke at the same time.
Claire groaned, "You two deserve each other." The two people in front of her exchanged a glance and that moment something clicked in her head. "Where is the bed? Don''t tell me that you two..."
"Renovations," Lied Dawn. "Lumina was tired of the old bed."
"So we said our goodbyes to good old bed with a bang." Dusk quipped his double entendre with a smirk and a slight eyebrow wiggle.
"Know what?" Said the blushing Princess, "I don''t care. Lumina''s chastity is safe, you do what you want. Don''t keep my sister in a man''s body for too long. I''m out." She picked up the pile of sealed letter tubes and made for the door in a hurry, unlike the usual calm and collected Claire.
Dusk stretched and sighed, "Chastity, the duty to birth heirs. Suppress your desires and urges. A woman''s burden," He mused as he turned to face Dawn. "You are your own girl and I envy you. It is not like we desperately want to have sex, but we want to be extricated of these pressures. People should not be ashamed of their bodies."
"Listen, Dusk..." Dawn hesitated as she collected her words, "There is something important you must know."
"Did you fell for me?"
Dawn pouted, "Be serious! I''ve used you and I am trying to apologize!"
"Why the cold feet right now?" Dusk asked, the epitome of calm, "I knew you were using me, but you made it worth my time."
Dawn knew what was happening to Dusk. Being in a male body was affecting Lumina''s psyche as the chemistry and feelings changed their perceptions and directed their thoughts. It happened to her several times and was happening right now because she was cut off from Aidan''s mind.
"I want you to write a letter to yourself. When you are returned to your own body, Lumina won''t remember what happened here."
Dusk sipped tea before answering, "Really? You''re screwed then. But I''ll write that last letter."
"How can you be so calm?" Dawn asked, flustered. "You are losing this day. It would be like it didn''t happen."
Dusk gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You are wrong. Lumina might not remember, but it is for the best. She is too stuck up to cope with what we did," He chuckled in self-derision. "And even if she, I don''t remember, you will. Claire will. The letters I wrote for my father and my brother will be delivered.
"You gave me a voice and that must be enough."
What could she say? How the heck did this cool and poised version of Aidan came to being? "And you will return to being good old Lumina."
"Yup. In all her classy snarkiness, haughtiness, and bitchiness. And unfortunately, she will hate your guts and loathe your very existence. Because you are a fake copy."
"How can you be so sure of it?"
"Aidan''s head is calm, collected, analytical. Lumina''s core is an irresolute, scared and hesitant person that second guess every move. She clads herself in that impenetrable demeanor for self-defense. You can feel it right now, don''t you? Ever since you brought me up every moment you spend without Aidan in your head you get more and more wishy-washy."
Everything Dusk said rang true. Dawn got offended at being called ''wishy-washy'' but it was true. She shuddered as she remembered the way she froze with doubt at the academy gates.
"Fine. You are right. You win. Go write a letter to yourself."
Dusk wrote an extensive letter to Lumina. Four pages. Dawn stood by the tea table. They would get the memory of writing all the letters and the conversation with Claire whether they liked it or not. She kept mulling over what Dusk said. Without Aidan, she was just Dawn. Her dual-body experiences gave her some ruggedness against these changes but were she that different when she was alone? It was true that Aidan''s body was always linked to her even though he was unconscious. She rose from her musings by the feeling of paper touching her cheek.
"Here. It is done," Dusk said as he delivered her a sealed envelope. "I''m ready to go."
"Dusk, I..." She wanted to say thank you and goodbye, but the words failed.
"It is ironic, isn''t it, Dawn? Our time together now was even shorter than that summer," He took her hand and made her stand up while keeping eye contact and a friendly smile. "One last kiss?"
She didn''t kiss him. Dawn knew that if she did she''d lose it. Instead, she braced herself and hugged his waist. "Goodbye, Dusk. Were things different, we''d be an awesome couple." And she dismissed the spell.
"I''m sorry I''m such a coward." She muttered to him as Dusk faded from control. Dawn squeezed his chest hard and felt Aidan come back to consciousness.
Aidan cradled his alter-ego while she cried her loss. It didn''t last long. The memories of the time spent as Dusk since morning came together with all the emotions Lumina felt as she lived that morning in his body. They remained there still for a long time.
"I don''t blame you for selling me over to Heath like secondhand goods, father. The Realm needed the treaty and I know now how much it hurt you."
"I love you, sister. I''m really sorry for not telling you this earlier. I knew from early on who you were but I''ve never gathered the courage to tell you. And you also knew, imagine that. Silly us. I''ll be back soon, sister."
"Get over me, Lucien. You''ll never find love if you keep obssessing with your own sister. Also stop doing disgusting things thinking of me."
"Hey, me, it''s cooler me. Stop being a bitch. You''ll get anger wrinkles before you''re thirty. Also get laid. I heard it is awesome and you''ll make such a cute voice!"
"I can''t believe that hellish two-day training camp is FINALLY OVEERRRRR!" Cythrel screamed as she opened the door to the princess'' chambers and found Aidan and Dawn still hugging. "Oh, sorry. Wrong door." She closed it.
"What do you mean by the wrong door? That is the door to Dawn''s room and Lola just confirmed that they are inside!" Pearl protested. "Please do explain, my dear."
Sora gently pushed Cythrel aside and opened the door. She saw Dawn with swollen eyes other obvious signs she''d been crying. "Aidan, what happened here? Where is the bed?"
They decided to be honest and explain the whole thing. Except why the bed was missing. It was a recipe for suicide. After their explanation of how they made Lumina possess Aidan''s body to get information from her and to let her have one last outlet for her thoughts if anything goes wrong was met with skepticism by all three girls.
"It doesn''t explain why you were crying like a maiden that just sent her lover to war," Cythrel pointed out.
"Or why the bed is missing," Completed a wide-eyed Pearl that was starting to pick up the missing pieces.
"No, it doesn''t," Agreed Sora with a raised eyebrow. "But you should really open up and ventilate the place if you wanted to fool my nose. Just incinerating the bed was not enough, miss burn-up-my-shame."
All the heads and eyes turned to face Sora. The squirrel-kin had a smirk and was gazing at Dawn with that penetrating ''I know what you did'' look. In fact, the smell was faint but Sora knew Aidan was Dusk, that Dawn got the hots for Dusk and that she burned up things that irked her. Like corsets or stained beds. The guilt look in both of their faces was like a signed confession. After some back and forth by Cythrel and Pearl, hell broke loose.
Cythrel slumped, "I can''t believe I lost to the dead Princess!"
"I can''t believe you were truant to the Headmaster''s lectures to have a thrift between Lumina possessing you and her copy. That must be the scandal of the millennium! Star-crossed childhood friends turned enemies swap bodies and share a night of passion while looking at their own faces."
It made Dawn look at Aidan. No, he didn''t have that sexy smug overconfidence Dusk had. Or that bearing and poise that came from the certainty that the world was beneath him. In fact, Aidan''s face looked a little dull and not a bit sexy. And now he was even duller because he''s been betrayed by his own high standards. At least Dawn was hot and sexy and good to cuddle and tease. Not like the Ice Queen Lumina probably was. Yes, maybe they should brush up their self-esteem and not mix fantasy and reality. Dawn was sorry for mentally dissing Aidan but he didn''t mind.
Cythrel broke their eye contact, infuriated. "See? They are staring at each other in a creepy way and cutting us off form eavesdropping in their lovey-dovey self romance by engaging in silent conversation! This should not be allowed!"
"I''m sorry I don''t quite follow you," Pearl stated. "Which part exactly should not be allowed?"
"Everything, Pearl! We need some chastity belts. Sora, help us. Scold them."
Sora clapped her hands. "I got it. I got it. Wait for a moment while I ready myself." Sora took a deep breath and impersonated Cythrel.
"Saaaay, Dawn. How was doing it with Lumina? Exciting?" Sora asked the bashful girl. Her tone got more and more annoyed as she delivered her next line. "And you don''t get to run away, miss just-soak-while-my-mate-gets-harassed."
Dawn slumped her shoulders. It was no good to keep resisting, not after Sora got serious. "I give up. I''ll tell you. Everything."
The four girls sat around the tea table, taking all available seats. Aidan took the couch.
Lesson learned. When they asked her to tell everything, she could''ve got off with just a vague description like ''it was awesome, I felt really good''. But in her naivety, Dawn went with the play-by-play long retelling. It had a mixed reception from the three girls. At least Sora didn''t seem angry. But Cythrel was annoyed and sad and Pearl was strange.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"Great." Sighed the elf. "Not only I was left behind but you also broke Pearl."
"No, I am perfectly fine." Pearl was tense, her back straight, her aristocrat demeanor and spotless mask fully on like she was having tea with a hostile ambassador negotiating a ceasefire and not among friends having an intimate conversation.
Cythrel snuck near Pearl''s ear, she was so tense she didn''t even notice. The elf whispered, "Hacksaw," And the Princess jumped with a loud yelp before she curled up and hid her face. Cythrel snickered and quipped, "No, I am perfectly fine, not tense at all."
It did a number on the petite girl''s nerves. Sora was silently watching everyone''s reactions so far and decided to scold the elf.
"Cythrel! Stop teasing the Princess. Can''t you see that it was too much stimulation for an unmarried maiden who never touched even a man''s lips?" It made Pearl look up, her face blazing hot with bashfulness. Sora saw that corrected herself, "Besides her immediate family?"
"Well at least now she has enough pixie dust to fly on her own for a while," Retorted the unrepentant creature courting death with some elven slang.
"Cythrel, stop," Sora warned.
"What, I''m being sympathetic here. Can you imagine how huge this is for Pearl? A beign that combines both Lumina and Aidan in the same body with the best of both is too much for her."
"Maybe we should excuse ourselves, us beings that combine some lesser parts of Lumina and Aidan," Commented Dawn, a bit recovered from her verbal walk of shame. There was really no reason for Aidan to talk and a lot against.
Pearl muffled a sob. A Princess is a pampered sheltered existence that was usually never allowed to leave her gilded cage, much less near these kinds of things. And right now she was feeling like being ripped apart. She glared at Cythrel, anger in her eyes.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Because you need to face reality, accept your feelings and put them behind you so you can move on." Cythrel answered matter-of-factly with a soft voice, "We love you, Pearl. But if you shut yourself off like this you''ll never be truly happy. It is okay to fight for what you want with tooth, nail, and hips. It is also okay to give up and be heartbroken, cry a lot and move on. It is not okay to sit by the windowsill and watch life go by wondering what if."
And then she said what might''ve been the key to trigger Pearl''s transformation, "Princesses that sit on the sidelines are condemned to be forgotten in oblivion."
Pearl stood up and slapped Cythrel. "How dare you speak to me like that! I''m Pearl of House Juvela! I''m a Crown Princess!"
"Yes, THAT! Hit me once again!" She provoked and returned the glare. "Tell me how you''re going to get me flogged for my impudence!"
She didn''t hit the elf again. Instead, she held her fists curled by her sides and screamed her lungs out, a high-pitched heart-rending wail. She let the tears flow and whimpered, "I thought we were friends!"
"And we are!" Clamored the elf. "It is the buffoon''s prerogative to tell everyone the King is wearing no pants!" She quoted a common saying stemming from a story told many times and as much distorted. "And right now Pearl has no pants!"
"And am I naked? I''ve never worn pants! Am I your own personal laughing stock? Have you come here to gloat you got the man of your dreams while I will be left with only ''pixie dust''?"
The other three people in the room had no idea what to do to stop this fight or even if they should do something. What Cythrel was saying rang true. Pearl''s demeanor was getting more and more subdued as time went by. She was burying herself in books and wizardry exercises and the time they spent together was less and less. Ever since she was kidnapped by Kazuya. Was it Gurf''s death? Or the fact she no longer had any summoned hero to show back home? Or something else?
"No. If anyone did that it was Dawn that got the man of Lumina''s dreams. Nothing of that here. You are my dear friend, one that is of almost the same stature like me." The elf answered with a candid tone, "I don''t give a shit about Crowns and Tiaras. I love you, Pearl. I want to see you smile, I want to hear you sass the hell out of the assholes out there and boss everyone around like you own the place. You are a shining gem too precious to be left to dull and fade in the footnotes. If it means I have to break you apart and glue the pieces together, I''ll do that."
"Cythrel," Dawn broke her silence. "Elves might be used to throwing their opinions and the glaring truth out in front of each other like that, but we humans don''t."
"That''s the problem with you humans," She immediately pointed out without scoffing. "Maybe if you did that, you''d not have so many wars and intrigue and assassinations and pent-up resentments. You''d be happier and live a couple decades more."
"Do you want me to admit? FIne, I''ll say it out loud," Pearl took a deep breath and spoke directly to Aidan. "I like you. I said it, okay! But I am a Princess. I can''t be part of your harem."
"It is not a harem," Protested Dawn.
"Yes, Dawn has a point," Commented Cythrel. "It is more like a sorority with benefits even if I''ve had none."
"Stop right there, Cythrel." Aidan decided to talk through his mouth instead of Dawn''s. "Back off."
The elf flinched as he stood up and walked next to Pearl. The Princess was fiddling with the embroidery on her skirt.
"I''m sorry," She mumbled as he got near.
Aidan remembered of the wicked device Shinji had that could tell how to ''capture'' girls. And what it said about Pearl. He had already saved her from distress three times. Cave, Gala, and Kazuya. Four if you count restoring her soul and magic. However, he didn''t have that kind of love for Pearl and he was sure she was not smitten for him like Cythrel was.
"I understand. I''ll treasure what we had together and I won''t hold a grudge over this rejection. I''ll keep being your champion if you''d have me but can we at least be friends, your Highness?"
Pearl was about to blurt everything going on her mind but her conditioning spoke louder and she mentally took a step back to think what he was doing. She figured out and even stifled a laugh.
"No. You don''t need to save my face. We are all friends here. I may have mixed my feelings a little."
"Pearl, look at me. In my eyes." He waited until she did. "Do you love me as a man? Just say yes or no."
She bit her lower lip and glanced away before returning and doing as he asked, "No. It is just... you know how a girl''s heart is, don''t you?" She glanced at Dawn.
He chuckled holding a fist in front of his mouth, "I kinda do actually. What about it?"
Pearl hesitated before speaking sincerely, "Well, sometimes you make mine flutter, but it is brief. How many times have you saved this damsel here?"
Aidan took her hand. He led her back to the table and guided her to sit. He let Dawn answer, "True friends don''t keep a tally, Pearl. Go ahead and get into trouble. We''ll be there for you whenever."
She patted the hand still holding hers and moved it to her shoulder. "I guess that doesn''t even count as first love, does it?"
"No way it does." Answered Cythrel. "As much as I love my man, you have a much better suitor, I''m afraid. And if you do some soul-searching, you''ll see that he also made you flutter sometimes."
Sensing where it will go, Sora plucked Cythrel from her seat and pulled the elf to her lap, covering her mouth with a hand. "You''ve meddled too much. Now hush."
"Excuse me?" The Princess turned suddenly and unwittingly knocked Aidan''s hand away. "No, I want to know what she''ll say. Please let her speak, Sora."
Back in control of her mouth, however questionable said control was, Cythrel spoke her mind, "It is His Royal Highness, Prince Lucien. I don''t believe you didn''t notice how differently he treats you."
"What? No way that is real." Pearl giggled and waved a hand dismissively. "Lucien was just being a gentleman. There is no way he is interested in me. That much is normal regarding a guest."
"If Lucien was a normal person. But that harebrained douche only has eyes for his sister or haven''t you noticed that? Besides Dawn, you are the only one he pays any mind to. Even Claire is brushed aside most of the time."
Pearl didn''t even waste much time before blowing Cythrel''s theory out of the water.
"No way. You are delusional, my darling."
"Serious. I''m afraid if he learns that Dawn is not Lumina for real he''ll assault her. But you don''t need to trust me. We are in a special position to hear from the horse''s mouth."
Cythrel leaped from Sora''s lap and went for Lumina''s wardrobe. She used Sylph''s hand to open the door and take some sashes. It only added to Pearl''s confusion.
"What do you mean? And what are you doing with those?"
Sora understood and opened a grin staring at Dawn. The human girl shook her head in disbelief but Sora nodded and mouthed ''do it''.
"Aidan," Cythrel called him with floating clothing adornments by her side, "Would you be so kind as to get a chair and sit facing the wall so we can tie you up? I need to ask two questions to Princess Pulpy."
Still silent, Sora stood up and moved a chair to the room corner while making a ''come hither'' motion with her free hand as she passed past a frozen Aidan.
He groaned and moved after the soft-tailed girl. Everyone followed and soon he was tied to the chair. Pearl was still out of the loop.
"What manner of play or punishment is this? What is going on here?"
"We are going to ask Lumina about her brother." Explained Cythrel. "See if she doesn''t agree with us."
"I''m canceling the spell if you get too greedy with your questions. Nobody talks but me, and I''ll only ask about Lucien." Warned Dawn. "And it is better to put a blindfold on."
Aidan sighed as the girls bound him to a chair and wrapped a silk sash as a blindfolded around his head. Girls and the games they play. Well, Lumina was a girl too and it is not like he will be out anyway. Maybe even grab some new and completely needless memory.
After a silence spell was cast over the three girls that would not be doing the talk the spell was cast once more. Lumina took over Aidan''s body.
"What is this, Dawn my dear? Why tie me up? Where is my goodbye kiss?" Dusk asked and then threatened with a singing voice. "Naughty girls will get punished!"
Behind Dusk the girls were excitedly scribbling questions for him. Dusk took his time to sense his surroundings. He heard his voice reflected off the walls too soon. A large chamber like Lumina''s bedroom would have some reverb to all voices. He could also smell the scent of her own clothes on what he was bound with and the feeling of the back and legs was the chair from his own tea table. He was somewhat hungry so time had passed without the real owner of his body eating. It was his third time going with one of these skips in cognition that he recognized as intervals between castings of the spell.
"Lumina, can you imagine Lucien being courteous, gentle, and caring to a visiting female royalty?"
So that is what was happening. Why the sudden interest in Lumina''s brother? Did something happen to Lucien? And since when that battle freak was interested in any woman that was not Lumina? Dusk scoffed.
"That dolt of my brother? She would have to walk naked in front of him for my brother to even notice her."
"Not even join her for an afternoon stroll in the castle inner garden?"
Now that would be precious. Lucien walking with arms locked with some giggling lady. The image made Dusk snicker. Something was going on. Was Dawn trying to get along with her brother. No it was impossible. Dawn would not dare show her face around the real Lumina, Dusk knew she would burn the world in envy if there was a copy of herself.
"Now that is something I''d pay to see. My blockhead brother escorting some stranger through the gardens?" He was laughing as he imagined the scene, "While speaking pleasantries and giving her a good time? Oh, please, you are going to make me burst at the seams."
Honestly, the only thing stopping Dusk from realizing they had company were the silence spells. Cythrel was cackling in Sora''s arms while Pearl was about to find a hole to hide in from embarrassment. Dawn moved on with the question and answers session.
"Hypothetically speaking, if Lucien were to hook up with, let''s say, Pearl of Gohar, what would you think of that matchup?"
So naive. Dusk suppressed his mirth. The petite Pearl? Well, given the bitch gallery that was the list of Princesses she knew, Pearl wasn''t a bad choice at all. Now all Dusk needed to do was bait his answer.
"Wow, that is a hard one. I don''t know how you''d get them together but of all Princesses I''ve known, Pearl is the best. Hey, if she wants to take that brother off of my shoes, she has my support."
"Thank you, Dusk. you were a real sweetheart." Dawn leaned with a hand on his shoulder and was about to kiss him but he stopped her.
"Wait, wait. Dawn, wait a moment. Is Pearl right behind me? Because from the sound of my voice and yours I know I am in a corner of the room. Blindfolded so I can''t see around me. Is this what is happening outside? Pearl and my brother are planning to get engaged? Don''t tell me! They are going to elope? For all that is holy, that would be awesome to see!"
Dawn froze. ''That is what I get for underestimating her, damn it.'' To Dusk, the silence was gold, as they say.
"I guess I am right. Because you''d deny it as something absurd if it were not. C''mon, let me have a chat with my bestie Pearl."
They only met twice, but Dusk wanted to get something off of this exchange as well. Like Lumina never played the suitor friend interrogation game as well. Dawn looked back and Pearl waved a big no. She was scared witless. Since she was not speaking, Dusk used another bait.
"Hey, Pearl, how are those girls I left with you? Are they working hard? Are they happy?"
That did the trick. Pearl sighed and walked on to the other side. She put a hand on Dusk''s shoulder and nodded for Dawn to release the silence spell.
"Hello, Princess Lumina. Yes, I am here."
Well, time to drop the Dusk persona. "Hello, Pearl. We don''t need rank between us. How are you? I can only tell your hand is as delicate as ever. Blindfolds and stuff."
Pearl undid the knot and removed the blindfold. Dusk looked at her.
"You''ve grown. Good for you. And are those our colors? Did you enroll at the academy? Damn, Dawn. Put me back in my body, I''m missing all the fun!"
It got Pearl to smile and giggle at Dusk''s antics. And she recalled everything that happened so far.
"It''s complicated. I am just passing by. Maybe someday we''ll tell you the whole story. Just know that you owe us big time."
He could only nod. Actually Dusk thought the whole thing was kind of exciting. He tried to keep the conversation going.
"What is this about Lucien that I keep hearing? Are you hooking up with my brother?"
The reply came curtly, "I don''t know about that."
Pearl looked away and confirmed it by trying to deny it. Dusk, being the gentleman he is, went with it.
"Okay. Well, what happens now, Dawn? Any other questions in this interrogation?"
"No. But as promised, your reward, Dusk." Dawn kissed him. "Here is your goodbye kiss. See you soon in back your own body."
And she dismissed the Twin Soul Advent spell followed by the personal silence ones a minute later. Pearl was covering her mouth, her chest rising and falling fast in a vain attempt to give her brain the oxygen it needed to process what just happened.
The elf came and imitated the Princess, "I told you, darling. Lucien is head over heels for you." Cythrel hugged Pearl. "And now you have the approval of his family. You go girl!"
Pillow Talk
Flummoxed, Princess Pearl left to her room in a state where her thoughts were inscrutable. It was impossible to know if she was happy of the development with Yutis royal family or pissed at Cythrel''s meddling or just burned out from all the stimulation. After the dazed Princess left, Cythrel pointed around and asked a very relevant question.
"So, where is Dawn sleeping tonight? There is no bed in this room anymore." The elf turned to stare at the girl, "Next time, burn the whole room. Just the bed gives us too much information to work with."
"I don''t think there will be the next time. I''m not bringing Dusk back." She snapped a finger as some silly idea came to her mind, "I''ll just throw some spare blankets on the ground."
Cythrel''s eyes narrowed into slits as she glared at Dawn, "Fake Princess, put in some effort."
Dawn flinched, pretending to be hurt. They laughed at her antics and she came with an answer, "I might sleep with Sora and let Aidan have the couch. I don''t think our bed is big enough for three bodies."
"Oh, a classic," Retorted Cythrel. "Put the guy on the couch. Seriously Dawn, which side are you on? If you can''t show some appreciation for yourself, I''ll get Aidan on my bed for tonight then."
With that said, the elf grabbed the boy''s arm and started to drag him to her bedroom. Sora chuckled and did the same to Dawn.
The two girls quickly undressed and duck under the covers. Dawn felt Sora next to her and sighed.
"I''m in trouble, aren''t I, Sora?" She asked meekly.
"Yes, but not with me. As far as I am concerned, you did it with yourself," Sora answered with a hushed voice while tenderly planting a kiss on the other girl''s forehead. "What really matters is what will you do now that you know how being a woman feels?"
"Dunno? Do I have to do something?" She cuddled with the furry body of the beastkin and smiled as she looked up to find her eyes, "Maybe step up my game with you?"
"Really?" Sora grinned and held Dawn tighter, "I might''ve picked up the wrong you to sleep with then."
"No. I''m fine with this arrangement and I''m having another important conversation with Cythrel right now?"
"Is she going for it?"
"No, and I wouldn''t go for it even if she jumped naked on me. We are just talking and cuddling over there, just like we are doing here."
"Right..." Sora waited for a while and then asked as if it was a big issue, "Tell me, which is better? Being the sword or the scabbard? You told us you got Dusk''s memories, didn''t you?"
"No comments." Dawn turned her face away.
"C''mon." Teased Sora with a nudge, "Who did you enjoy better?"
"You," Dawn returned eye contact and took Sora''s lips. "Seriously, Sora. It was good, very good. But it was only a thing of the flesh on the spur of the moment."
Dawn''s speech was met with a healthy dose of skepticism by her partner, "And you two did it exactly how many times in the spur of the moment?"
"I was in a daze and Dusk was playing with his new toys. It wasn''t bad and I knew we had only that chance. I don''t regret it but I also didn''t have the same kind of emotional release I get when I''m with you."
Dawn reached for Sora''s ears, tenderly scratching them. "And just by making me think of doing it with you I''m convinced that you indeed picked the wrong me to take to bed." She purred.
Sora laughed, kissed Dawn, cuddled and hushed her, "No. We are tired and tomorrow will be a hectic day. Sleep."
Relieved to take those words out of her chest, Dawn caressed Sora''s soft fur and lulled herself to sleep.
Meanwhile in the room next door, Cythrel led Aidan to sit on the bed and moved to stand a couple meters in front of him.
"Watch me, please." She asked.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
She had a bashful outlook and the boy wondered what was she going to do. Dance? Recite some poetry? As he felt the elf gather mana, he turned on his magic sight. She deftly constructed her Sylph''s Hand spell and proceeded to unbutton her uniform. Aidan had no idea what he should watch if it was the spell, the undressing or something else. One by one the pieces of her uniform fell down around her.
She coyly asked, stuttering on the first vowel, "A-Are we a couple?"
"No," He answered with a playful tone, "We are a sorority with benefits, apparently... sister."
She blushed with five shades of red before stomping on the floorboards and pouting, "I''m trying to be serious here! Please don''t joke." She sounded really hurt.
"Okay, okay." He steeled himself. Now it was really not the time to joke that she of all people was being serious. He was too focused on her magic circle and filtered the person behind so he dismissed the magic sight and looked at her properly. She was down to her underwear.
"So... do you like what you see?" She asked looking at a particularly interesting corner of the ceiling and with her arms crossed in front of herself.
"Yes. Very." He used his own Sylph''s Hand and pulled her in. Holding his arms out, he plucked the girl from the air, dismissing the spell. "Why are you like this? It is so not like you."
She didn''t answer and just gave him a deer-in-headlights look. In fact, she didn''t need to answer. He lifted her and dropped her on the bed as he spun her around and over him.
"Silly girl." He teased her while he turned around to pin her down. "All talk and when it comes to the real deal you let your fears take the best of you. We are a couple."
"Doesn''t seem like that most of the time," She retorted while averting his eyes.
"We are going through a time of crisis. Too many things going on and I''m still grafted to Lumina''s soul. I didn''t heal myself fully as we did with Pearl and Dawn because that would mean absorbing the Princess entirely and probably the end of me as you know it.
"But I can surely spare time to show my appreciation to my tiny bride right now."
She smiled and turned her head to meet his gaze. ''From the almost-crying frown to a grin, she shifts expressions too fast.'' He thought.
"What is the matter?" He asked when her smile didn''t fade.
"You called me your bride!" She answered as if it was the biggest gift ever.
"I guess I did, didn''t I?"
Aidan leaned further over her to rest on an elbow so his hand would be free to caress her ear. Cythrel squirmed and turned her head to give him easier access to her lobe. She tried to say something but only some very cute sounds came out. His ear-scratching skills were top-notch from years of practice. He kept changing from her ear to her scalp until her breathing became ragged.
"What is the matter?" He asked back at her.
"Hmmm." She mumbled drunk with glee, "Elves don''t let others touch our ears."
He pulled back in jest, "Too bad then. I was thinking of doing the other side, but I''m sorry I offended you. I wasn''t aware of this custom of your people." He delivered with a deadpan face.
"Others! Others!" She hastily corrected herself before seeing his smile crack and realize she''d been deceived. "You rascal!" She tried to pout but he immediately attacked both ears.
Aidan naturally leaned down and kissed her as he caressed her ears, hair, and scalp. She kissed him back with a vengeance, belittling the apparent age of her body and revealing the grown woman inside. Their lips parted after some time, their lungs screaming for air. Aidan looked at Cythrel''s sultry expression and she tried to pull him down over her.
"Are we a couple?" He asked her question back.
The elf briefly licked her lips and smiled as she delivered a line full of intent, "Very soon we will."
"Soon, yes. I can''t wait to see you grow into a stunningly gorgeous figure and knock everyone''s socks off. Then I''ll feel very lucky I was able to get you before that happened."
"Must we wait?" She asked with no small amount of sadness and longing in her voice.
"Yes, we must." Aidan sighed. It was a hard call to do but it was the right one. "I don''t want to hurt you. Two years at most. Wait this long."
She was more curious than horny though. Her body was still to awaken to those kinds of urges but her mind was mature enough to let her have whims of her own. "But you aren''t even that big. It wouldn''t hurt if we do it slowly."
He ignored the obvious teasing as he shook his head, "There is a law forbidding girls under fourteen years of age to work at brothels and this law exists for a good reason. Doing it too soon will hurt you." He shifted and laid sideways next to her. Aidan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled the girl to him. "And you can tell I am holding myself back."
She felt their bodies touching from top to bottom, checking how he was indeed holdinb back and cursing him internally for keeping his uniform on. She didn''t speak, just smiled and nodded. Cytrel leaned and rested her head on his collarbone. After a few minutes of cuddling, she rose her head and asked in a very innocent tone, "Say, Aidan... I have an itch I can''t scratch, could you help me?"
Oblivious of the trap, he answered, "Sure, where is it?"
He''d been had.
The next morning the girls took a carriage to the castle. They earned a little holiday as Astromelicus wanted to focus exclusively on Aidan and Dawn. As they waved goodbye and made their way to the laboratories, a mental ping warned Aidan of an incoming flyer.
"Skippy! Hey buddy, how did things go up north?"
He held an arm up like a falconer and the dragon landed on it, canceling its camouflage and shifting back to its hatchling red and brown pattern. Some students cooed at this sight, the rumors of Princess Lumina''s dragon tamer escort and maybe something more running wild in the academy gossipy corridors.
The little dragon picked its tail, held it next to his mouth, pretended to speak to the tip, and then dropped the limp tail.
"That good? How much time did you buy us?"
Skippy showed two claws from a front paw and then moved the other paw over the two fingers.
"Two weeks? Awesome."
Aidan scratched under the chin of the dragon and it purred. Skippy climbed over Aidan''s arm and jumped on Dawn, cuddling next to his well-earned special spot. The girl laughed and cradled the dragon, kissing its tiny snout.
"Let''s go." Dawn ushered them forward, "Maybe we can coax more forbidden spells from the Headmaster."
The Rings of the Lord
Magic is wasteful. While mana cannot be destroyed, only converted, the energized mana a magician uses is not entirely converted into power for the spell. No. For a novice and low-affinity mages, the efficiency rating can be lower than 1%. As one''s wizardry proficiency increases, this efficiency rating increases, meaning the mage needs less and less mana to activate the same spell. This has the visible effect of lessening the drain on the mage''s mana pool. Coupled with high affinities, the spell might even cost less than what the mage recovered during the time to cast the spell.
The efficiency rating of a graduate mage should be above 20%. To become an archmage, one must prove efficiency above 50%. A high efficiency, however, does not translate into the ability to spend more mana on the same casting of the spell. But with high efficiency also increases the chance of keeping the spell diagram live in the mage''s mindscape so he can cast the same spell again without going through the construction phase of spellcasting, the same effect as wielding a primed staff.
Excerpt from A Practical Guide to Wizardry, vol 3. Published by the Royal Academy of Yutis.
Dawn and Aidan made their way to the stone building that held the arcane laboratories with Skippy comfortably cradled around the girl''s neck and on her chest like a necklace. After climbing the stairs to the floor where their private laboratory was, they entered to find the Headmaster already inside.
"Greetings, my star pupils." The otherwise stern Archmage received them with open arms, "We have a very busy schedule today, due to our esteemed guests. Come inside and let us begin."
It was suspicious. Why would he be like that? Anyway, a happy teacher is not a bad thing to have, is it? Aidan yawned. He could''ve stayed in bed for a couple more hours.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Dawn answered with a curtsy. "Shall we get it started then? What is the first item on the menu?"
"Good, good. Our first task regards you. Princess Claire brought me this ring after you talked yesterday. You should put it on." Without explaining further, he produced a gilded box. Inside the box, there was a gold signet ring with a huge crest of Yutis. The metal alone should be enough gold to feed everyone living in the slums for a couple months.
Skippy lifted its head to sniff at the ring and it gave Aidan the hint to check it under his magic sight. He found a freaking blood magic enchantment on the ring. That, added to the way Claire had been skittish with them the last couple times they met, including the dinner trap, made Aidan''s heckles raise.
"What is this supposed to do, Headmaster?" Dawn asked with a very suspicious tone.
Astromelicus chuckled, "It is supposed to hide the fact you are no longer a princess, Dawn."
Okay. That was weird. "And since when I am no longer a princess? Scratch that, how in tarnation people know that?"
He raised an eyebrow, "You''ve never heard of Royal Regalia?"
The pompous way he spoke the last words hinted at a hidden meaning for that term. But instead of a flat ''no'' as Aidan would''ve used, she guessed.
"As in heraldry, or fancy clothing?"
"No, it is not a physical thing. While the word could have that meaning, Royal Regalia, in this case, is the right of Royals to put themselves above others."
"Isn''t that just a custom?"
"Yes and no. Did you ever wonder how the Royals can tell that each other are of Royal blood?"
Dawn was not sure she liked where this conversation was going. Was she supposed to even know some secret of the Royal club? Are every King and Queen and Prince and Princess blood mages in secret?
"Because they like to paint portraits and show their uppity noses to each other so they know who is who?" She tried to guess what looked like more plausible.
"That and also not that," Astromelicus answered with a deadpan face that only added to the young couple-person''s confusion. "Royals have the power to mark others of their bloodline as being a Royal. Usually, a Prince or Princess is marked at birth by their mother or father. Or as in Claire''s case, when she is recognized as such."
Dawn''s eyes were wide open. "Blood magic. The Royals have secret blood magic. Is that it?"
Freaking Conceptual Triple-Elementalists. She recalled what she pilfered from Lumina''s memories. The Otherworlder ritual was a Cosmos spell of the Soul type. She didn''t remember any Blood spell on Lumina''s personal magical texts and she was sure she had none she didn''t raid.
"Correctly. It is a second-circle Universal spell actually and can only be used by those of Royal blood and a few in the upper echelons of nobility, like Dukes and Marquises."
"Aaaand what does it have to do with this enchanted ring?"
"Let me finish. After getting marked as a Royal they can tell if a person is also a Royal or not. It makes impersonating other Royals extremely difficult."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Now it made sense. Completely and totally made sense. The Headmaster smiled full of mirth at the confused look Dawn made. Whatever, let the old man have his schadenfreude. If that was true, and probably was, it could be the reason Pearl singled Dawn out at the middle of a busy street. It left only one doubt hanging.
It was also why Lucien and Helios were about to put Dawn in irons back at the raisin dinner trap. They didn''t sense this Regalia thing on Dawn, and were certain she was an impostor. If Astromelicus and Claire weren''t there, things could''ve gone south.
"And I no longer have that mark, since we separated Lumina''s body. Is that it?"
He answered curtly, "Indeed."
If that was so, Pearl or Claire would know that if they bothered to check Dawn. Claire obviously did, given the chain of events that unfolded.
"And why have I never sensed anything different from Pearl or Claire or anyone else before?"
The old man shrugged and looked at her as if she asked the dumbest question ever, leaving a pregnant pause to linger before he tried to answer with another question. It might''ve intentional to really get on her nerves.
"Did anyone teach you the spell to sense the Regalia?"
"Do you think anyone did? Would I ask if I already knew?"
Dawn was on the defensive while Aidan just stood still. It would help nothing to have both bodies moving and speaking, just like one doesn''t need to use both hands to write with a single pen.
"I don''t think so." He opened a smirk. It was a half creepy half grandfatherly smirk. "But what do you think Brody will do when he casually checks if Lumina has a Regalia or not? And since we haven''t started the procedure to bind her soul back with her body, what will happen when he checks you for the Regalia we know you don''t?"
"But if I am wearing this ring he won''t suspect anything amiss besides the fact I''m wearing this ring. Is that so?"
His smile was like going to dine at your grandparents and realize they hid broccoli in your soup and were watching to see if you were going to eat. But Dawn was a girl that did her veggies.
"Yes. The ring is sometimes given to bastard children or Royals on undercover missions. Not everyone knows these rings and those that do won''t mistreat a Royal wearing one. Once the ring is on, only the wearer can take it off. It is also considered a breach of etiquette to ask or talk about these rings, so Brody won''t do it and even if he does you don''t have to answer. Just scoff and ignore him."
"That''ll be easy to do. Treating him like the scum he is. Let me double-check. I should wear this ring so Brody doesn''t realize I''m not Lumina."
"Correct," the teacher answered, cryptic.
"Wasn''t it easier to just tell me that?"
He shrugged and shifted on his seat, "But then you would ask why, and we would have the whole conversation we just did."
''And you wouldn''t have your dose of sadistic fun.'' Dawn thought. But the old man could get away with those pranks. Aidan knew Astromelicus since he was little and besides his grumpy outward demeanor, they really cared for each other. Astromelicus was like that fun and annoying uncle you can''t live without.
"And what is this ring supposed to do besides mask the lack of Regalia?"
She realized that maybe the reason for the confusion was that she was asking in reverse. Shouldn''t this be the first question about the ring? Why they went into this tangential secret History lesson?
"This ring does two things. First, it tests if you are of Royal Blood, marked or not. Second, it hides your Regalia so other Royals can''t sense you while you wear it."
Yup, makes sense. NOT. You can hide that you are a Royal by wearing a ring that only a Royal could wear. Okay. Either the world made no sense whatsoever or Cythrel''s harassment left them with permanent psychological damage.
"Does it kill a person that is not of Royal blood?"
"No. It just severs a finger and disables healing for a year and a day."
"Can I take a closer look?" Aidan asked and received a nod from the Headmaster.
He used Sylph''s Hand and checked the ring up close. Yeah, he was definitely impaired. The ring''s enchantment was not blood magic or more precisely, was not only blood magic. There was a second enchantment in a pitch black inner band of the ring that was Death magic. Because Blood plus Darkness is death.
Somehow that was awfully important.
It also reminded them of something else they couldn''t pin down at that moment.
An enchantment that severs limbs and blocks them from healing. In this case, it was only the finger, but let''s not nitpick on terminology.
Wasn''t this a lot like what Kazuya did to Gurf and Cythrel?
Damn, thought the creature with two discrete brains. Shouldn''t they be smarter than that? What went wrong? First, the Headmaster cracks open the gaudiest waste of gold ever. Then it smells of blood magic. And to boot, he says Dawn was ''no longer a Princess''. No. Longer. A Princess. Meaning she was a Princess before. She was Lumina.
Pearl could single her out in the busy crowd in front of the Adventurer''s guild even when she had a hood. Helios and Lucien never even questioned if she was the real thing until the fated raisin dinner, no matter how weird she acted. It all made sense but it was hard to admit.
It also meant that Brody would know Dawn wasn''t Lumina the moment he laid eyes on her. With a capital F.
Aidan lost concentration on the spell and the ring was going to fall down. Astromelicus caught it with his own insta-cast Sylph''s Hand. The boy excused himself and went to a desk with a stack of paper sheets. The old man broke the silence when he was sure they understood enough based on their expression.
"I think you understand everything now, don''t you?"
"Yes. But am I of Royal Blood?" She asked over the sound of frantic scribbling. "I''m not to keen to lose a finger for a year."
Astromelicus looked over Dawn''s shoulder at a desk where Aidan was furiously drawing magical diagrams for the inner band''s secondary Death enchantment. It was a clue to restoring Cythrel''s hands.
"You do. We tested already, and it is the same as Lumina."
Dawn opened her left hand and the archmage deposited the ring on it.
"Good. Here goes nothing."
She put her right index finger inside the ring. It was too big for her but as the ring slid to the root of the finger, the black band shrunk and cut her skin. Blood dripped and the black smaller inner ring shone. The gold loop part also shrunk and the ring was neatly wrapped around her finger. Every now and then the ring would drink a drop of her blood that slowly seeped from the open wound.
"Well, now nobody can tell you aren''t a Princess."
"Can I take it out? This thing is heavy." Astromelicus nodded and she removed the ring and healed the wound. "Will it cut me every time I put it on?" He nodded again.
Who the heck designs such torture instruments? Heavy, gaudy, cumbersome and bloodthirsty. ''At least nobody can tell I''m not a Princess.'' She could hear Cythrel scream. Dawn has no pants!
The Headmaster shook his head and urged Dawn to put it back, "It is better if you keep it on and get used to it. Never answer why you''re wearing the ring. Just do."
Dawn groaned. And the day had just started.
Elementally part 1
The Elements are grouped into six categories according to their complexity. The first category, the six Single-Element Elements are called "primordial" Elements. Moving one step further we have the "concrete" Elements. These are ones that exist in reality or are very close to them. Cavern, Ash, Dew, Lightning, Mud are all things we can see and interact. The third category goes beyond the real world. Those are the "conceptual" Elements. They represent lofty locations or concepts that go beyond mere objects of phenomena. Sky, Underworld, and Mirage. A few of them are still in the realm of reality like Shadow, Weather, or Blood but they encompass ideas. Blood, for example, is not just the red fluid flowing in our veins. It represents lifeforce and the bonds of family and duty. One step further and we are in the realm of the legendary heroes. The "sublime" Elements are further removed from our reality and represent ideas. Holy, Death, Life, and Thought are prime examples. There are many others we don''t know.
The other two steps are beyond our comprehension, as no mage in recorded history has ever wielded five affinities. Maybe the original God-Slayer if you believe him to be a mage as some claim. But theoretical research point as to what some of these "transcendental" Elements could be and in fact point at existing only six of them. Creation, Destruction, Law, Chaos, Time, and Space. These were only named after a lot of research and discussion regarding some effects we can measure but not reproduce. These seem to be the pinnacle of mortal magic if it were not for the fabled root of all magic. The "supreme" Element. Some scholars call this the "Rainbow Element" or the "Root of All Magic". This author disagrees about the name but given that the six primordial Elements all are assigned to one color of the rainbow that''s the name that is most used.
Excerpt from Elemental Theory and Legends.
Aidan kept coming back to look at the overlayed enchantments on the Regalia Signet Dawn was using and returning to his scribblings. Astromelicus was doing a series of Affinity-enhancement routines with Dawn in the meanwhile.
"You have the next two weeks to work hard, student Dawn. It is restricted knowledge for a good reason but the first month in the life of a newborn person is the month where affinities increase the most," The Archmage explained. He stopped to see the puzzled expression stamped in the girls'' face before going further. "For some reason, the disparity between the regrown body and the soul inhabiting it triggered an effect not unlike what happens when a new baby is born. The only differences were that you were reborn in the body of a sixteen-year-old person and that you got all your memories and knowledge back from cadet Aidan."
"Say again?" The revelation interrupted her concentration.
Astromelicus just asked, "What part didn''t you understand?"
"I can remember acting like a baby when I woke up after the procedure and I can feel I''m changed." She looked at her own arms and sighed, "This body feels mine unlike when I was in Lumina''s. There was always this nagging feeling at the back of my head I couldn''t pinpoint what was and it is gone now. What I want to know is about this first-month Affinity thing."
"That is easy. Babies are more pliable. Their brains go through a lot of changes during the first three months of their lives, but for the ability to manipulate magic, the first month is crucial. The results in the other two are still significant but of reduced efficiency. After that, it is the same for everyone. Remember, brains are organs that manipulate energy."
"They why don''t people do that more often to get super magic babies?" She asked while she put away the fully charged core she was working on.
He scratched his chin and grinned, "Answer that yourself. I want to hear your thoughts on the matter. Remember our magic ethics lessons."
Trust teachers to never give you knowledge the easy way. Astromelicus ''tough love'' style of teaching was unnerving at times, but the end results spoke for themselves. Dawn stopped to think but Astromelicus nudged another large bleached monster core in her hands. With a sigh, she resumed pushing Cosmos mana into the thing while she pondered.
"How can a baby even manipulate mana?" She asked instead of answering. If the Archmage was bothered by her question he didn''t show but that wasn''t the case. He smiled and answered.
"They can''t. A baby doesn''t have the necessary discernment or knowledge to do so."
"Oh." She exclaimed when the realization hit her. He did mention ethics. "The baby''s mana is forced out. Some variant Mana Drain spell is used and the process is painful for the baby. Forcefully bleaching and filling cores is not forced even on captive mages."
"Indeed. However, you are not being forced to do it. Keep going if the rewards are to your liking."
The ring drained blood again and she winced. "Will this thing do that forever?"
"No. But think of the distraction it causes as an added exercise in combat concentration. I''m going to see what your counterpart is doing. Use the cores in this box and work hard."
Dawn closed her eyes and focused on the core in front of her. She pushed mana as fast as she could into the crystal and Astromelicus went to work on Elemental combinations with Aidan.
They went through their previously discovered Elements and were finally trying Ether. Astromelicus tried a few effects with the ether blob Aidan was holding and then stopped to explain.
"I did some digging regarding the Ether Element. Funny enough, I''ve found the definition of the effect in a book brought by an otherworlder regarding the applied uses of the Lightning Element. The combination of Light and Darkness acts as the book calls a sort of ''grounding rod'' for magic energy, dissipating the concentrated mana into harmless ambient mana. The magic diagrams in enchanted items and spells, in general, react poorly to have their mana drained and usually break. Summoned constructs like the otherworlder''s equipment will dissipate into their constituent matter."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
That was the conclusion Aidan also reached but his explanation was not as elegant as the one given by the Headmaster.
"It could be used as a shield against magical effects or as a weapon to destroy said effects. But the cost is too high. The Ether keeps leaking into the environment as it also dissipates any localized mana potential and those spike around all the time. Maybe if we had some sort of containment."
"the containment idea is not bad. Wrap the Ether mana in some other secondary effect that works as a boundary to shield it from interacting with the potential. However, this would require the secondary effect to be inert regarding interactions with the Ether. I can only think of raising Ether to a conceptual level."
They were working on cutting edge magic theory here, and it excited Aidan to no small amount.
"Good. I still have a lot of mana, what should I do?"
"Mix Ether and Water first. Being a gentle Element, Water might be suitable for our containment."
Aidan focused and mixed the two mana types. At first, just like when he was creating Ether for the first time, the mana wanted to just neutralize each other. He had to goad them into being good friends like Skippy and himself and the image of a summer in his childhood playing with Lumina ending in a dragon''s egg cracking burst into his mind, causing his mana to dissipate and Dawn to drop the core she was charging. Skippy dove and snatched the core from the ground. The dragon flew to an empty spot on a top shelf and started to gnaw on the almost-full Cosmos magic stone. Dawn was going to chide the dragon but Astromelicus raised a hand.
"Let him have it, just get another bleached core and start over. The purpose of the exercise is to stimulate your Affinities and Skippy deserves a reward for buying us time to train. Thank you, Skippy."
The student with four eyes took a good look at their teacher. They could glimpse concern in his face. Brody and Heath were not easy subjects in Yutis, even more so for people so deeply tangled in the web of deceit and failed diplomacy as they.
"Yes, Headmaster," Dawn took another bleached core from the crate and started fast-charge it. She knew he wanted to ask what happened but Aidan could answer for them.
"What happened, Aidan?"
The boy looked away and back at his mentor. His eyes were watery. "I just remembered how Lumina killed Skippy''s sibling. I actually recalled all the memories of that summer I spent at the castle."
"Alina''s death was one none of us can ever hope to get over. The Princess was angry that we failed in our mission even though we had a King, an Archmage and the God-Slayer in our group. The price for her actions was the loss of her boons. Can you imagine your life without Skippy? You are the only person that really knows what she threw away that day. She became bitter and irritable after Alina died."
He continued after a pause.
"Besides, hatching dragon eggs is a hard challenge. You were lucky."
"Maybe due to the effects of ''Rise to the Challenge'', isn''t it?" Aidan asked in a sardonic tone.
"Perhaps. However, you do take credit for the spell designs your mind creates and your hands write, don''t you?" He answered in an accusatory tone that caught the pupil by surprise.
"Everyone has a hand and a mind," He defended his stance.
"Nobody else has your hand and your mind. One could make an argument that Dawn has Lumina''s hands but even that argument is fake. The fine lines in your hands and fingertips, they are unique. And Dawn''s are no longer equal to Lumina''s."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that your talents, your Affinities, and your abilities are your own and you can and should take credit for what they enable you to do. Do not loathe your bloodline for its boons. Or for the challenges, it will put in front of you. You will see in the end that even if the entire world envies you, you would say that the boons do not compensate for the challenges. Make use of them and get stronger, young God-Slayer. Times are changing and you had already a harsh start. I fear it will only get worse."
Was that a compliment? To Aidan it sounded like it, especially coming from Astromelicus. The old mage bonked his pupil in the head.
"Stop gawking and mix Ether and Water. Go."
With renewed effort, Aidan focused two blobs of mana in each hand and forced them together. He commanded them to mix, going for the rough approach. The grey blob and the blue one mixed and disappeared.
"Another failure?" Astromelicus carefully asked because Aidan did not release his concentration.
"No. The mana is here. Can''t you see it?" Aidan asked with a smile. He couldn''t see it too but he could both feel and glimpse at it with magic sight. A completely transparent orb of mana was between his hands.
He used some spell and looked at it. "What is this? Why is it transparent?"
"Feels solid. Try to touch it."
Astromelicus snapped his finger and a twig flew into his hand from a shelf. He poked at it with the twig at first, "Hard. It indeed feels solid." And then with his own hand. It felt like glass but a very faint tingling sensation like the remnants of Lightning.
"I feel I can manipulate it. I''ll make it into a disk."
"Put it against the wall." Aidan went as he asked and Astromelicus used a spell, Earth Darts. The fragments of stone materialized in front of him and shot toward the disk. Some of them hit the disk made of unknown mana and others just pierced the wall as they missed. "Amazing."
"How should we call it?" Aidan asked.
"That is the Force Element. Some records of Otherworlder abilities show something exactly like that. Step back, I''m going to try something."
"Blaze Blast!"
A beam of flames shot from his hand into the disk, melting the stone around it and finally shattering the Force effect. Aidan felt the heat but the indirect irradiation was something he could shrug off. A doughnut of partially molten rock was oozing from the wall, the center where the disk stood only singed from after the disk broke.
"And your disk was unstructured mana... You should draft a spell around it. One primed for fast-casting over staying power, to make a shield against attacks."
Aidan just jotted down some pointers to design the spell later. "what is next?"
"Create another sphere but this time with a blob of Ether mana inside. The leak should be contained."
Aidan did as told and it indeed stopped the leak, the Force mana working as a barrier between the Ether and the ambient mana. "Maybe if the Force effect can be made malleable or self-repairing or even just weakened to the point of just stopping mana from flowing through, we could make something that can block and neutralize spells."
"Good, good. For the next two, we will need to use a containment barrier. If Ether with Water becomes the defensive Force, I think the volatile Elements like Fire and Air will become offensive ones."
They experimented and created Quintessence and Thunder. The former was a highly reactive form of Ether, that actively sought and discharged energy on the surrounding mana according to how charged it was in a very explosive way.
"Quintessence can be found at the root of wild magic. These surges of energy are dangerous. I think Quintessence can become a powerful anti-magic attack if it can be controlled."
"I agree. That mana blinded my magic sight when I looked at it."
"Thunder is the combination of Lightning and Dust. The flashy side of the former smothered by the latter, with only the sound and impact left," Mused the Archmage.
"I can envision an attack spell that causes concussive damage in a radius and cannot be traced back to the caster."
"Good, good. We are making good progress. How about you go back and start to draft the diagrams while the image is hot in your mind. I''m going away for a while to get a special item."
"Sounds like a plan, Headmaster."
Aidan merrily went back to his desk and started to inscribe the circles with glyphs while Dawn kept charging cores and shooing Skippy away from those tasty dragon morsels. He wanted to pentoday the basic functional glyphs on all the new spells he''d make.
Elementally part 2
''Teleportation, Metamorphosis and the Raising of the Dead. Those are the three impossibilities of modern magic. Archmages tried for centuries to develop these three effects but failed every single time. Their search was not in vain and we discovered several new spells as a side effect of that failed research. What puzzles scholars to this day is that these effects are rare but not unheard of. Some monsters and otherworlder abilities can do these three things. The question then becomes not one of how can we reproduce these effects but why can''t we. Is there a flaw in our spellcraft that can''t put into glyphs these effects? Is it a limitation on our magic circle theories? If it is not impossible and not a god''s taboo, why can''t we do it with our magic?
I present this to you, dear reader, not in the spirit of disheartening or as a cautionary tale. But as a challenge. Will you be the one to break through one of these barriers? I hope so.
Preface from A Practical Guide to Spellcraft, vol 1. Published by the Royal Academy of Yutis.
Astromelicus returned a couple hours later with something under furs that resembled some framed painting. Maybe it was a painting, who knew. "How are these diagrams going?" He asked Aidan.
"I got the basic glyphs done, I think I can put them away now and pick up later."
"Good. We are trying some other Elements today. Let''s pick up the pace or we won''t reach our goal for the day. I want you to mix Death and Light first."
"A Penta-Element?"
"Yes. We already got Creation and Destruction by turning Life into a transcendental, now it is time to transcend Death. Weren''t you the one gloating about how you''d become the master of Death?"
Aidan groaned and conjured the mana orbs in his hands. Light and Death. Weren''t they opposites? No? Maybe? In his confusion, the required focus faltered and the mana sizzled.
"Do over!" Ushered the teacher.
He mixed them and a sense of order came into being. The mana was completely still, Aidan felt like even if he were to remove his hands and concentration the mana would just be there as if it were the most natural thing for a blob of mana to exist right there. Aidan actually did it and the mana reacted just like he thought it would.
"The Law Element. The ability to set rules and enforce them upon the world. Command it to dismiss and it shall do so."
"Is it this stable?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Did you think it should stay still?"
"Yes. Let me try it. Law mana, I command thee to dissipate." And it did so. "Does it means that Law rules over Death?"
"Don''t you think that the fact that every living thing must die might be some sort of law the world is bound to?"
That gave Aidan an idea for something he always wanted to do but never had the means. He shelved that idea for later in his head.
"What is next on the menu?"
"Mix Holy and Darkness."
"Going for opposites, I see."
The two blobs of mana mixed on the first try. After experimenting with Force, Quintessence and now Law, he found the right mindset to make the Elements mix as he wanted them to. The sparkling yellow of Holy was devoured by Darkness and became a squirming blob of black matter where sometimes you could see something unnerving that would disappear before you couldn''t even know what was.
"Is this Chaos?" Aidan asked.
"Indeed it is. Do you remember what are the six transcendental Elements?"
"Yes, let me dismiss this dude because it wants to break free." Chaos mana didn''t obey. Aidan then conjured Ether around it and let the Ether neutralize and dissipate the Chaos.
"Good thinking. Chaos is the wild energy, it wants to break free from any bounds and regulations. You could bend, not break, rules in place or just invoke change."
Aidan remembered his spellcrafting lessons. On how there were effects unattainable by modern magic but used by monsters and otherworlders, "If Chaos invokes change, wouldn''t it be able to cause metamorphosis?"
"Uncontrolled ones, I''m sure of it. But what I wrote in my book mentioned controlled, willful metamorphosis. It might be a Law effect or one derived from one of the Elements leading to Law. Either way, we don''t know because we''ve never had any mage capable of creating these Elements. Now we should aim for Time and Space."
"How?"
"It is hard because they both have Light and Earth, and we know we can''t combine both directly. Try to create Blaze mana in one hand and mix it with Sand mana in the other. It should become a Quad-Element."
Aidan mixed the two dual-Elements and it became a dull rusted metallic blob. It then started to pull in all the iron objects in the room. Aidan dismissed it but was too late to stop being hit by a sheathed knife.
"Ouch. Why did it attract metal?"
"Not any metal, just Iron. The mana acted like a lodestone. Let me check on a book." Astromelicus moved a hand and the book flew to his hand, opening and flipping pages on its own. The man''s expertise over the Sylph''s Hand spell was astonishing. "Here. This is the Magnetism Element. Now all that is left is to mix it with Darkness. Don''t worry, I''ll keep the iron objects from hitting you."
Aidan mixed Magnetism with Darkness. It became very similar to the Cosmos Element, but it didn''t have the sparkling stars. Instead, it felt like a suspension effect like when your mind flies and you lose track of...This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
"Time. This is the Time Element. I can feel it trying to either accelerate or slow us down. What about Space?"
"This one is easy. Just mix Thought and Earth."
The blob of Space mana tried to expand. Aidan was using almost all his concentration to keep it still when it suddenly stopped trying to grow outwards. Instead, it started to grow inside, the space the blob was occupying in the room was bigger than the inside.
"Space can reproduce the Otherworlder''s dimensional storage. Or make distances shorter or longer."
"That covers all the six transcendental Elements. Rest for a while, I got some prepping to do."
Astromelicus left for his workbench and Aidan pondered about what he just did.
"Headmaster, I have one doubt."
"Yes, what is it, cadet Aidan?"
"I find it extremely hard to believe that nobody ever mixed these Elements. We have five thousand years of recorded history."
"And what makes you think nobody ever mixed these Elements before?"
"Why there are no records? No information? The few tidbits we got were crazy ramblings by some disfranchised mage."
He glanced back at Aidan''s desk with a smile. "Exactly. The only facts we have are those ramblings. There are no accurate, trustworthy records. Which means that..."
"Whoever discovered these Elements kept the information to themselves and took it to their graves."
"Good, good. Most mages are jealous of their work and never share. Why do you think I have problems with the Conclave? Anyway, are you rested enough? Should we continue?" Astromelicus brought three clay pots, two with saplings and one with only fertilized black dirt. He infused the three with Life mana, making the saplings healthy and vibrant. "As you can see, Life mana does not change the maturity of the plant, just its vitality. Plant magic can only reshape plants, animate, or command them but not affect their health. We are going to try three types of sublime Elements. First, you should mix Plant and Light mana."
Aidan did as he told and mixed the mana. With each try, it became easier to do it and make the mana mix without conflicting with one another. Vibrant green energy wobbled on his hands. He guessed and directed the energy to the first sapling. It absorbed the mana and burst into action, growing a whole hand in the span of minutes.
"Growth," Aidan declared and earned a nod from his teacher. "It can accelerate the growth of plants and creatures, right?"
"Yes. The theory has it that Growth mana would never make a living being go past its prime. However, it is stressful. You can see with Lifesight that the vitality of the plant was greatly diminished."
Indeed. The sapling grew but was weakened. It might''ve wilted entirely if Astromelicus hadn''t vitalized it beforehand.
"Next is Plant and Darkness, is it so?"
"Indeed. Proceed when ready and use the second sapling."
Aidan mixed the mana and a sickly purple-green sloshed around. He had to focus to not let any of the mana touch him. He tossed it at the second sapling with a mental apology. The sapling wilted and decayed, even the soil dried and crumbled.
"That''s Decay. The opposite of Growth."
"Indeed. Very often the same element promotes opposites or correlated concepts. For example, Blood can mix into either Life or Death. It is a common misconception to think that Life and Death are opposites. You can find the true opposite to Death if you put a leaf from the grown sapling into the third pot and mix Blood and Light."
Once more he mixed the mana. The red blood mixed with Light and it became a healthy pastel with tones of pink like the skin of some babies. Astromelicus placed a leaf from the decayed sapling into the third pot and Aidan injected the mana into the dead leaf. It sunk into the pot and a brand new sapling sprouted. The Archmage explained this one too.
"This is Genesis. The power to start Life, just as Death is the power to end Life. Be warned that Life cannot sprout out of nowhere. A template, some sort of guide must exist for Life to happen. This is the reason the dead leaf was placed in the pot. Otherwise, something else might''ve been born out of the soil. Some insect or worm or even some monster. Who knows."
Astromelicus was extremely pleased with Aidan''s creation of these Elements. Aidan stretched and glanced around the windowless room. "Good. Anything else? What time is it?"
"Are you tired?"
Aidan shook his head. Dawn felt bored at becoming a human charging station for all-purpose mana crystals, but the enjoyment the male half felt was enough for both of them. It felt like doing the repetitive support on the piano with the left hand while the right hand went wild with the melody. A very strange metaphor for Aidan that never played the piano. He focused on the strange knowledge and recalled. One of the ''useless'' memories they pilfered from Lumina. Well, that was something. Time to go back to work.
"No. What is the next element?"
"Why don''t you suggest one now?"
"I''m mixing Cavern and Lightning then."
Astromelicus raised an eyebrow but waved him to go ahead. Aidan focused and the two types of mana appeared easily. His own Underworld affinity made Cavern an afterthought and Lightning was famous enough that even mages without any affinity had an idea on how to make it. Fusing them proved a challenge but he was only making a sublime Element, not a transcendental one.
A purple mass of writing dark energy weighted down on his hands and Aidan felt as if the entire world would crumble down into it. He held the mana and ordered it to stop pulling and he felt like levitating.
"What is this?"
"Is it under control?"
"Yes, it can make me lighter or heavier but I''m stabilizing it."
"Funny thing. If you add Fire, it can become Time. If you add Water, it turns into Space. An Element that can control weight." Astromelicus checked his reference book before opening a smile. "That''s Gravity! According to the book, it took even the otherworlders a lot of time to discover and elaborate on this concept."
"Let me try." Aidan split the mana blob in two on each hand and slowly seeped the elements as Astromelicus said. The Time and Space mana formed and they suddenly rushed together to form Cosmos. Aidan laughed, "It worked. Hey, Skippy, want to eat this?"
The dragon greedily descended from his perch and sucked on the Cosmos mana. Skippy chirped at Aidan and returned to his almost entirely eaten core.
"If we are skipping Unholy, then there are only two more sublime Elements for today. Void and Balance. For Balance you can go with Blaze and Cavern, to even out your Affinities. As for Void, Blaze, and Dust. But the Void mana should be encased in a Force Sphere."
Balance was a sphere of perfectly stable gray mana. it could be tipped into either Law with Earth or Chaos with Air.
"Balance feels like it could even odds or restore things to a neutral state. I think I could make a spell to dispel abnormal status," Aidan realized and sighed. "But Cythrel''s loss of hands is not abnormal so far as the laws of the world are concerned."
"Should we resume our research Golems in the afternoon then?" Astromelicus suggested, quelling his worries.
"No. I want to work on the Regalia Ring after lunch. Now I''m making Void mana and we will be off. Dawn is almost exhausted."
"Agreed. Go for broke."
Aidan created a sphere of Force and then with great difficulty poured Blaze and Dust mana inside. The mana reacted, forming Shadow, Star, Quintessence, and Thunder mana and threatening to burst the Force sphere. He redoubled his focus and the four conceptual mana types condensed into a pitch black mana that quickly devoured everything inside. Even through the Force sphere, the Void threatened to suck their attention inside, promising true oblivion.
Aidan dismissed the Void but it lingered, hungry. His only choice was to pour a lot of Ether mana inside the Force sphere to slowly both sate the Void and neutralize it.
"Whoa! The Void is dangerous."
"Yes. Void can breed either Time or Chaos and both transcendental forms are very dangerous. There is even a storybook brought from the Otherworld, about a Void sorceress and her struggles to tame her Element."
"Whoa, that sounds like a very interesting story. I thought the Otherworld didn''t have magic. How does it end?"
"I don''t know. I don''t think that story series is over yet."
"Wish I could read it. Well, no crying over spilled milk. Dawn is done, we are off to lunch."
Tools of Power Play
Divine tools are cheap. Anyone can go to a temple of Sancus, god of trade and purchase a Contract Scroll for two silver coins. Making an enchanted item that makes the same thing as that piece of paper you bought for only two silver would drain an empire''s coffers. So why are they so cheap? They help spread belief and give power to the deity. Every time a Contract Scroll is used Sancus grows in power or at least solidifies his standing.
Excerpt from A primer of the twelve gods, vol 1.
Having lunch at the Academy cafeteria was not a good idea. Princess Lumina with her hair trimmed plus a dragon caused a huge commotion.
"Hey, Lumina! Fancy seeing you here with us. Care to sit with us, sister-in-law. Ditch this trash of a black mage and come sit with your peers."
They were called out by a guy anyone would be happy to forget ever existed. Prince Brian of Heath, the man that in Pearl''s opinion was named as such to compensate for the lack of an organ that was an anagram of the name.
"Sorry, Fourth Prince of Heath. I''m busy," Dawn brushed him off and shot him down for good measure as she lent her hand so Aidan could take her to an empty table in the noble''s side of the cafeteria. She wasn''t even sure if he was the fourth or not.
"Hey, stop right there!" Brian''s mood changed at once after he took a good look. He stood up and moved to block Dawn.
Skippy screeched and hissed at the Prince. He was almost going to touch her, what prompted Aidan to take a step forward and let the Prince bump into him instead. Brain grabbed Aidan''s right arm to stop him from getting away. The Prince was inflamed
"Is something the matter? Please do not bother me, I''m busy," She scoffed and sat.
"You are not Lumina! What are you " Brian accusations stopped suddenly when Aidan uncovered Dawn''s hand he was holding and flashed him the Regalia Ring.
"Your Highness, I''d loathe to keep you from eating your meal before it cools or leaving my Princess waiting for hers. If you would let me have my arm back."
Brian let Aidan go with a sour expression and returned to his seat while some other students from nobility snickered behind his back.
"Lord Aidan, are you going to commit treason by starvation?" Dawn asked out loud without even moving her head away from an interesting flower pot she saw on the table.
"I''m on my way. By your leave, your Highness." He bowed and went to get their food. The academy had no servers even in the nobles section.
At least the Regalia Ring already proved its worth by saving them. No further incidents happened before they returned to the laboratory.
Aidan drew his diagrams and made his calculations. The pile of warm paper was like a hearth in the room. Ink takes time to dry, time the boy doesn''t want to waste. Solution? Use Fire magic to dry it faster.
"I hope you realize paper is expensive before you bankrupt me, cadent Aidan." Joked the Headmaster peeking over the pile.
"Bullshit," He replied without lifting his eyes. "I bet you are wealthier than the King."
It made Astromelicus chuckle, "Said the rich kid that has his own personal world. How is it going with the Regalia Ring''s diagrams?"
Now he stopped to sigh. Aidan looked up at the face of the man he considered an uncle. Good old Uncle Astro. He used to visit the fief very often, probably to get more coffee now that Aidan thought of it.
"Not good. The enchantments are overlaid and too complex. I wonder what enchanter could''ve done that..."
Aidan trailed off after he peeked again at the Archmage''s face. The grin stamped there was just like the cat that ate the canary. He knew Astromelicus was on a roll today and the old man would not give any information for free. Not that he used to do so in the first place, but today seemed like a very special day.
"You were saying something about who crafted this ring, weren''t you?" The teacher broke the silence.
"Just one question. You know who made the ring, don''t you?" He got only a nod and a widened grin.
Aidan sifted through the pile of diagrams he drew. Each one of them a complex and barely understandable magic circle. He knew these to be right but he could not believe they worked, except he could see they working just by glancing at Dawn''s hand. Worse yet, it triggered some kind of deja vu in him. He''d seen something like this earlier but he couldn''t pinpoint it.
"This is impossible. None of these diagrams should work but they do. I can see the magic flowing in the ring. I can hardly understand their meaning. Like this one should be what is masking the Regalia but it is flawed. This diagram would only dissipate mana. It is also preposterous to even fathom how the enchanter could inscribe so many enchantments in such a small piece of metal."
"I agree with everything you said so far. But you are missing the big picture. The enchantments work in tandem with each other. The mana leak you pointed out is real, but wouldn''t another enchantment stop it?"
The Archmage is right, Aidan realized. All the diagrams were flawed but they were meant to work together. The masking one he was looking at was good at masking but not meant to work alone. It made the boy realize his strong point might''ve been not that strong. He was proud to be excellent in spellcrafting. He''d designed several spells in the half-year since he fled the hospital. And that was at a time he was basically crippled.
Even now, his soul was damaged. He had to keep it that way otherwise he''d kill Lumina. Some part of his concentration was always spent on halting the merge and stopping Lumina from fighting for control of the body. Even under these conditions, he could craft his spells. Some of them unprecedented.
He read most of the books in spellcraft available at the library. Books penned by old Archmages that spent centuries in their craft and he could understand the books perfectly. The enchanted items he inspected were ones he could even copy if he focused on it.
So why? Why couldn''t he decypher that ring?
"Astro," Aidan mumbled. For him to call the Archmage his more intimate nickname, things were bad. "Is my spellcraft this crappy?"
Aidan''s mentor just shook his head. "Your attitude is," His reply was shockingly candid. "I think you''ve burned out on that ring. I''m glad it gave you an idea for another original spell. How many are them now? Seven in less than a year?"
Aidan could only make a sardonic smile. The Headmaster stood up and picked up the fur-covered square thing he brought back. The one that looked like a framed painting.
"I have this for you, cadet Aidan. It is a gift of my appreciation for furthering our studies on Elements and spellcraft."
He uncovered the object, showing a blank polished wooden board encased within a frame with thousands of glyphs etched. Aidan tilted his head and instinctively triggered magic sight to inspect the glyphs. What he saw was something dozens of times more complex than the Regalia Ring. The young man''s head spun and he canceled magic sight. Skippy was very interested in the device but Astromelicus shooed him.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Rubbing his eyes, Aidan asked, "What is this? Are you kidding me? This thing is even more complex than the ring! What is this supposed to do?"
"This is a spellcraft board. It is a device blessed by Hecate that can greatly speed up the development of any spell. You can complete a spell from scratch in mere hours."
That sounded like a cartload of bovine fertilizer. Aidan just deadpanned and glared at the instructor, "Really? What is the catch?"
"Just a few. These devices are gifted by Hecate herself to those she deems worthy. And whatever spell it is designed with one of these will be automatically made known in all temples of Hecate once it is finished and approved by the Goddess. You can name the spell and claim ownership if you want. Some archmages get really famous sharing spells this way as the entire world will have your name next to the copy. Or you can just share the spell anonymously. Not a very popular tool as you can obviously figure out why."
"I can. Is this thing single-use?" Astromelicus nodded. "How does one get the Goddess of magic, secrets, and the night to gift one of these?"
"You have to gift Her church a worthy spell. Actually, once you have one of these and successfully make use of it, you might get another."
Aidan ran his head over the smooth wooden surface. There were few if any veins or grain in the wood, it almost felt artificial. He found faint circular markings in the middle, probably to guide the drawing of the diagram. Sharing the spell was a real demerit. Share a powerful combat spell and it might be used against you. Even if it is not designed for combat, people can and will find a way to abuse your magic. Worse yet if you do it for fame. They will have someone to blame. After a period of musing where charging the cores through Dawn''s sight was more interesting, he spoke.
"What makes a spell worthy in the eyes of Hecate?"
"Excellent question. She is delighted by high-circle magic and spells that push the boundaries of known magic."
It gave Aidan an idea. It should be okay to share a spell that nobody could use properly. And he had an idea for one that would hit all the pegs. He put the pile of papers on an empty desk next to him and grabbed the board, setting it next to his inkwell.
"Great. Can I use it now?"
"Yes, but don''t you want to give more thought on the spell you are going to make?"
"No. I already know what I want. Can I start?"
"Of course. If you want it to be anonymous, just write the word ''anonymous'' on the top-right corner. The name of the spell goes on the top-left corner but you can leave it blank to let the Goddess name it. Then you draw the diagram and the glyphs. The magic of the board will grant you a great insight into the spell you want if the image is strong in your mind."
"Excellent. It couldn''t be stronger, actually. Uncle Astro, thank you. This will make one of my dreams come true."
Aidan dipped his pen and drained the excess ink. Exchanging a smile with Dawn, he looked at the board and dove into his spell''s design like a madman. The lessons of the morning still fresh in his mind, the desire imprinted into the spell one he had for years. One he could feel even now. He was making a spell that nobody else but he could or would use. One that would be the purest expression of his being, his unique identity.
On the top-right corner, he wrote, "Anonymous." That one was the most obvious choice. Aidan desired no fame for himself.
Astromelicus was dumbfounded. He knew Aidan was soon overcoming his own prowess in many fields, wizardry being the last one of them. The boy''s aptitude for spellcraft was astonishing but what he was seeing right now defied any logic. The tool helped and he had used four of them in his long centuries but he never saw an intent so strong as to overwhelm even his comprehension. Aidan drew the glyphs and in a matter of minutes, he was already filling the third circle.
The archmage glanced behind his back and saw Dawn sitting still, eyes closed. She gave the core she charged to Skippy and the dragon was back on his perch gnawing on the crystal. He smiled. That was one of the reasons he was going that fast. Two heads think better than one, after all.
He kept watching Aidan write in a frenzy. The fifth circle received the Elemental glyphs. Earth, Fire, Light, Water, Darkness. Five Elements filling the entirety of that layer. Sublime Element. A Law spell.
He was also amazed that the board hadn''t even once triggered its most powerful trait, moving the glyphs the designer placed in the wrong order to their proper place. The sixth circle received the same glyphs as one of Aidan''s trademark spells. Astromelicus could only watch as the spell reached the seventh circle with the control glyphs.
He held his breath as three hours later from when he started, Aidan was cramming the glyphs on the seventh circle to avoid spilling over into the eight. The board hummed and the glyphs moved. Some control glyphs went further away from the seventh and into the eight. Aidan sighed and after waiting for the drawings to move, he raised both eyebrows. He dipped the pen once again and filled the now empty spaces with more glyphs, chuckling in a light self-derision. He filled the seventh and eight circles and rested the pen in its holder by the inkwell.
"It is done, Headmaster" Aidan announced. Astromelicus only then released the breath he didn''t even realize he was holding.
Minutes after Aidan rested and admired his work, the board hummed and glowed. The glyphs turned from the black of ink to pure gold as the wood gave in for the metal to lodge itself on the grooves. On the top-left corner, a tongue of fire came into being and singed words into the board. Aidan nodded in approval and after putting the stopper on the inkwell and cleaning the pen, he presented the board to Astromelicus beaming like a Knight that won the jousting tourney as he walked to kiss the Princess.
"It is done, Headmaster."
He watched as Astromelicus looked at the board and ran his fingers through the gold etching.
"You have no idea how many archmages will have a heart attack once this becomes public."
"I don''t care. it is a useless spell," Astromelicus raised an eyebrow at Aidan''s comment. "Seriously, do you know of any mages with the right Aptitudes, power, and skill that would even consider using this spell?"
The Archmage guffawed so hard he had to hold his belly. "Besides the two in this room? No."
Aidan took the board back and looked at the spell he crafted.
[Deathless Ward] - 8th circle spell.
Element: Law.
Type: Soul.
Classification: Support. Curse. Sustained effect. Instantaneous Casting.
Target: Another living creature in line of sight.
Despite being 8th circle, this spell can be cast in seconds. This spell cannot be cast on a creature the caster wounded in the last 24 hours. Its effects are similar to Undying Resilience. This spell temporarily suppresses Death for the target creature. No matter how grievously injuried the body is, the creature will not die. Mana is drained to sustain this Law according to the injury level of the target. The spell will remain in place until either the creature is healed enough to keep on living on its own or the caster runs out of their inner stores of mana. The spell automatically ends before Soul damage is inflicted on the caster to draw mana.
"No Underworld or Blood mages would use this spell on another, and their lack of two affinities would make the mana cost skyrocket. These pricks are too selfish to do so," Declared Aidan without minding the proverbial three fingers pointing back at him. "Maybe a Genesis or a Balance mage, if such people even exist."
"There was one Genesis mage several centuries ago. But they are as rare as a golem egg," The Archmage replied. Golems don''t lay eggs.
"Interesting," Aidan inspected the board with magic sight, "The enchantments and engravings on the border are gone."
"Yes. The divine tool fulfilled its purpose. Hecate might gift you with another one in the following months if she is pleased. But by all that you hold dear, wait a few years before you use it again."
Something Astromelicus said clicked deep in Aidan''s mind. The itch he felt the first time he laid eyes on the Regalia Ring came back and he had to scratch it.
"Headmaster, do you have one of Sancus Contract Scrolls around here? I need to take a look at it."
"I do. Wait a moment."
He took one of the blessed contract scrolls and showed it to Aidan. The boy devoured the scroll with his Magic sight, noticing the same complex pattern of enchantments impossible to craft for a mortal. he dropped the scroll next to the now mundane board. His cheerful mood was going away fast.
"This scroll and this board were both divine tools, right?"
"Indeed," Astromelicus followed Aidan''s gaze and found it resting on the gold ring in Dawn''s hand.
"The Regalia Ring is also a divine tool, right? You made me spend a sheaf of paper and the whole morning chasing after the impossible. There is no way a mortal can reproduce a divine tool."
"Yes. But I bet you earned enough insight and knowledge to make it worth your time. The diagrams you drew are nothing to scoff at."
Aidan chuckled. "Fair enough. But that is not the point. I just wanted to confirm that all three of these devices were divine tools and that they shared that same pattern of having too-complex enchantments."
"They all do. They are cheap because it is enchanted with Divine Power to further their God''s cause."
Aidan sighed and dove into a gloomy mood.
"Great. We are royally screwed then," He sourly declared. "Tell me, Archmage Astromelicus, is there a God of Slavery?"
"By the Twelve, no! None of the Twelve deals in slavery. Why do you think that?"
"Because the Slave Collars we found in Gohar, they have this same kind of complex magic pattern. Slave Collars are Divine Tools."
Cythrel''s collar was safely stowed in a locked chest in the castle. The enchantments were partially broken and the tool ineffective, but it was evidence enough. Aidan let the gravity of his statement sink as he watched Astromelicus make a terrified expression.
"You don''t mean..." The Archmage gasped and couldn''t even finish his phrase.
"... A God of Slavery was born. I am absolutely certain of it now."
Into the Lions Den
Some legends say that every major Royal family in our continent claims some sort of supernatural heritage. The fact that most of them gravitate around a certain theme lend some credibility to this claim. Some examples are Calanthe, where they are extremely good at plant magic, Yutis with its trademark Light magic, Heath and Earth magic, and Gohar with Fire magic, among others.
Excerpt from Legends of Our Continent
Dawn looked at the huge Regalia Ring on her hand. The bloody thing would prick her skin several times each hour and draw a few drops of blood. Where was all that blood going? It was filling the insignia on the top. The lowest parts of the Yutis coat of arms was already red. She wanted to cut her wrist and fill the divine tool at once. It felt like it would stop once it filled. She finished charging yet another core and placed it together with the others. Skippy wasn''t even trying to snag any now. The little dragon had his belly full and was taking a nap by the top shelf he took as his nest.
"I think we are done for today," Declared the Headmaster. Good job on your assignments. We''ll meet here again for the morning, but we are going to the castle for lunch. And Dawn, do not remove the ring for any reason. Nobody else can take it off of your hand but you."
A glimmer of light showed in the girl''s eyes and Astromelicus shook his head, "I promise you we can test later if Aidan can take it off or not. But not now."
She let out a cheerful laugh. "Of course. Tomorrow, then."
Aidan picked up the snoring dragon and they left for the dormitories. They moved wordlessly and quickly. Most students had already retired for the day or were enjoying their time off in the shops and taverns around the academy square. They need not talk to communicate and share their thoughts.
That was the reason those collars were virtually indestructible. The wolf-kin that fought with Dawn used two collars as shields and weapons of opportunity if he could loop one around the enemy''s neck. A Divine Tool. A little known fact was that there were other gods than the Twelve. Minor ones. Deities and semi-Deities living in the limelight or geographically limited. Rarely one of them would try and make a bid for the higher echelons. Fate would have it that those that did would soon feel the urge to challenge the natural order of things. The Twelve shared their power among themselves but were not too keen on becoming the Thirteen. Or the Twenty-Something.
The person with two bodies could only grimace at the thought of having to fight a deity. Because fate would have it to put a gatekeeper to protect that natural order of things. Guess who? Unless their father miraculously surfaced at the dramatically right time, there was only one chance of guessing correctly who would be forced to do it.
They entered the dormitories and Dawn had to nod to some of the bowing students in the noble-only building before crossing the guarded doors leading to the royal wing. Glares and glances were sent at Aidan but he just ignored it. A set of stairs later and they were in the common room that led to their bedrooms. Dawn sighed and opened the doors to Lumina''s bedroom fully intent in dropping on the bed without even disrobing.
There was no bed.
''That is what you get when you dismiss the servants'', Dawn cursed internally. How would anyone know that the room needed a new bed if nobody entered the room to see there was no bed. ''To hell with it. Let Lumina fetch a new bed. It is her fault anyway.''
She had a bath and crashed on Cythrel''s bed. Aidan washed after Dawn retired but stayed on his own bed. They were asleep before dusk.
The next morning was another battery of exercises. Astromelicus forced Aidan to train repeat casting, a wizardry skill to keep the same diagram built and cast the same spell over and over by just supplying the mental construct with mana.
Dawn was back to the box of bleached cores.
"Pump the mana faster," Astromelicus told Dawn. "If you are not having a migraine you are not doing it right. You need to almost burn your mana conduits. You won''t have any time to train after Brody arrives."
"What is going to happen at the castle this afternoon?" She asked, obviously concerned about her own safety. For Dawn, the castle was more and more hostile territory.
"You and me, we are going to present the Regalia Ring to the King. Speaking of which, is it full already?"
Dawn looked at the ring and found that all the embossing was now flooded with an opaque red material. Probably blood. She noticed that the pricking was no longer happening. "I think it is. It hadn''t drawn blood for quite some time."Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
"Good. You can try and see if Aidan can remove the ring now." They tried and no. Aidan could not remove the ring from Dawn''s finger. "Well. This Regalia Ring is yours now, Dawn. However, the one that decides if you get to keep it or not is Helios. But this object is proof that you have Yutis'' Royal blood. It might be enough to ease their paranoia."
The three finished their morning practice and boarded a carriage to the castle.
"What will the King do with the ring?" Dawn asked.
"Give a grieving father some peace of mind. Honestly, I am tempted to turn back this vehicle, get in that basement and return the Princess to her body right now. But this would spark a war we can''t fight right now."
"I don''t think Heath is too keen on upholding their side of the bargain. Maybe the war is inevitable."
"Maybe. But if they declare war on us because we broke our side of the agreement, the other countries would be less inclined to take our side. Everyone knows they are a bunch of conniving bastards, but nobody wants to take the first step. Their troops are strong."
"So Yutis is basically stuck with buying time. Waiting for what? A miracle?"
"Waiting for something that can tip the scales. Like the death of a Prince or Princess from either side. Who do you suspect is behind the assault on Lumina? During the year you were in the hospital, Helios seriously considered promoting Claire and giving her to Brody."
"That would be catastrophic. Brody is not interested in marrying a Princess from Yutis. He wants to subjugate Lumina and show it to the world."
"I am well aware of that. We are arriving, it is better to keep our wits about us now. Speak as little as you can. Defer to me if you want."
The carriage entered the castle''s outer walls and made its way to the driveway. Claire was outside waiting for them, something very unusual. As they reached closer, her face was pure distress. Aidan was the first to get off. He bowed and Claire offered her hand. He took it and kissed the air above the hand.
"Your Highness. I''m elated to have you here to greet us."
"Lord Aidan. We are happy to have you as our guest. Archmage, sister."
Claire waved her hand and the guards opened the double doors leading into the castle keep. A couple of maids followed them as she gave them instructions.
"I''ll have afternoon tea with Lord Aidan in the garden gazebo. Lead my sister and the Archmage to the King''s drawing room."
They separated and went to their respective places. Dawn and Astromelicus were sent to a waiting room until the King called for them, and Aidan led Claire to the gardens. Aidan sighed as he saw the topiary dragon in the same place as before.
"How are you, my friend," Claire asked. Her face was contrite, like a child that expected a scolding.
"Tired. Astro pushed us really hard these last few days."
They made silence until the butler finished serving the tea set. After the staff was out of hearing range, the conversation resumed.
"Do you have something you want to tell me, Claire? I promise I won''t be mad and forgive you if you haven''t killed my parents or something equally heinous. After all, we are ''friends'' aren''t we?"
"Let me know when they enter the drawing room." Aidan nodded at her request. Claire took a deep breath and started to speak sounding rehearsed, "I owe you so many apologies "
Aidan cut her off, annoyed. "Really, Claire? Is that your approach? Look, I''m a subject of Yutis, whatever hardships I must endure to make sure the Princess is safe, I''ll do," He spoke, also sounding rehearsed and very fake. Claire was probably trying to make amends for ratting them to the King. But given what Aidan knew now, it was inevitable that some Royal would inspect Dawn for the Regalia and would find her lacking it. Then things would be really bad, just like with Brian at the cafeteria yesterday. Of all possible outcomes, the current one was not better but was far from the worst.
She sighed. It seems things were not going as well as she expected. Words failed Claire, and she just stammered. Aidan looked around and nudged his nose at the staff waiting on them.
"Leave us," Claire commanded.
Aidan took a few scraps of paper from his academy blazer inner pocket and placed them on the gazebo poles along with the four cardinal directions. He triggered the ward without speaking and returned to his seat. He lifted his hand and conjured an orb of mana.
"This, Claire, is the reason you don''t have to apologize to me. Do you know what Element is this?"
"I''m sorry. My magic studies are lacking severely. It looks like a starry sky on a very clear night, that is all I can say."
"I think it might be better than you don''t know. This way you can claim ignorance. Now, your Highness, I''ll tell you one rule you probably heard being tossed between Pearl and us."
"Friends don''t keep a tally between them?" She coyly asked.
Aidan smiled, trying to dispel her anxiety. "Exactly. Did you take a good look at Dawn''s hands?"
Claire nodded slowly without taking her eyes off of Aidan. "Yes, I know of the Regalia Ring sent to her. I also saw it fully charged. It proves that Dawn is of the blood."
"That was one of the things you wanted to include in your apology." He didn''t phrase as a question. "I hate it, Claire. This formality, this distance. I got all the memories and feelings Lumina had while she was using my body. She loves you so much that it hurts me even now to think about her pain. And she thought of you a lot. A lot. When the rhinorses were coming at us, all she could think of were ways to save you. When she woke up in my body, the first coherent thing she asked was if you were safe.
"I also got the pain she felt at losing her mother. I could understand Lumina better after that. Even now, eleven years later, she is still grieving. Lumina can''t let it go and move on. Worse yet, she blames her father.
"If you want to apologize, Claire, I have one thing to ask of you. After Lumina wakes up, keep her from snapping at us. We are probably going back to Gohar, to take Pearl home. But Lumina won''t react well to what happened to her. She will try to pin the blame on someone, and that someone will be both of me.
Aidan sighed after his burst while Claire struggled to process what he just said. He finished, "I can''t be angry at you, Claire. Lumina showed me how precious you are. You are forgiven."
She put a fist to her mouth and struggled to keep herself composed. "Thank you, my friend."
Aidan looked away at nowhere, "The King is summoning Dawn to the audience chamber now."
Everlasting concern
"Princess Lumina and Archmage Astromelicus!"
Dawn''s heart was pounding as the herald announced them and the guards opened the doors. She was standing in for Lumina and had to keep a composed face but it was too hard. Not even taking in the sight of the gardens and Claire''s sympathetic and concerned frown through Aidan''s sight was doing them any good. Astromelicus nudged her elbow and she took a step forward, minding to keep the Archmage by her side. As she adjusted to the dim light of the room she saw the King sitting on a wide couch, with two comfortable armchairs across a small marble table. There were no guards or any other people in the room. After they reached the table end, the door shut close behind them. Dawn picked up her skirt and curtsied.
"Please take your seats," The King commanded.
Helios seemed annoyed and concerned. The fact that heavy curtains were covering most of the natural light that should be entering the posh room only added to the somber mood. It was heartwrenching for Dawn. The King could force her to give up her secrets, send her to the stockades, or even have her executed. They could fight back and probably win, but the prospect of becoming traitors in their own homeland was as dreary. If Dawn died, Aidan would probably become a vegetable and any hope of restoring Lumina would be lost.
She took the seat at the left and Astromelicus the other one. Pulling on her skirt so it wouldn''t crumple on the armchair she sat and rested both hands on her lap. The Regalia Ring was in plain sight. Dawn caught the King''s eyes flicking down for a moment and focusing on the now blood-filled ring. According to the protocol, the King should initiate conversation so she waited with bated breath.
"Show me the ring, please," Came the order disguised as a request. The King read her mood and was probably trying to be stern but friendly.
Dawn stood up and took a step forward, kneeling before Helios. She reached forward with her hand. Helios took her fingers and leaned forward to inspect the ring. He muttered something and pulled the ring off of her hand. Nice one, Astro. Forgetting to tell that the King could remove the ring.
King Helios was having a hard time. Ever since the assassination attempt, Heath was pressuring them into celebrating the marriage between Brody and Lumina earlier than agreed. He hated himself for letting them weasel that condition into their trade agreement, but he was cornered at the time. A trade blockade would mean the loss of several import goods that while not causing the people to die from starvation, were important to the welfare and development of the country.
The princesses'' tunnel project was a godsend. If they could instead trade through Gohar, there would be a price shift but the trade with the eastern portion of the continent would remain solid even with Heath enacting the embargo. The western goods would be impossible to obtain but at least they wouldn''t become isolated.
With news of Lumina''s return, Crown Prince Brody decided to come himself to see her with his own eyes and probably force the marriage. He had to move Claire as the first princess and call Lucien back home because of that. If Lumina was the second in line for the crown, Heath could try to assassinate Lucien, making Brody King eventually. He was sure they would attempt to assassinate himself too, but Helios was too concerned about his three children to worry about himself. Even though he didn''t desire death, rejoining Alina in the afterlife would be a blessing. That was an outcome that had to be avoided at any cost. Brody was a despicable man even if only a tenth of the rumors regarding him were true.
But instead of Lumina, the person that returned was this girl. At first he believed she was just a split personality because he could see her Regalia, but now there was none. He could see she somehow lost the Regalia - something impossible - but there was no doubt now that she had his blood now. He inspected the ring, and it shone with the girl''s mana signature, a different one from Lumina''s. What was this girl? She looked exactly like Lumina but wasn''t Lumina. And she had the Regalia before. What changed?
It made him suspicious. What if the girl ate the raisins on purpose to deceive them, or even faked the allergic reaction? Who was backing her? Worse, where was Lumina? He''d take the answers out of her if she was not supported by both Astromelicus and Aidan. His most trusted advisor and the son of their closest friends, the next generation God-Slayer. One that already proved his mettle against an otherworlder. A boy Alina loved like a son. It was impossible to think that these people would turn against him. And if they did, he had little hope to endure. Even if he was the victor, it would be a pyrrhic victory.
He returned from his musings to see the girl kneeling before him, looking at the floor. She would tremble every now and then. She was probably in a very uncomfortable position.
"Return to your seat, Dawn."
"As you wish, your Majesty."
She lowered her head even more before moving backward still on her knees, a feat that was probably accomplished with magic. Did she cast a spell? He didn''t notice. Soon the girl was back on her seat, He played with the ring for a while.
"Who are you, Dawn? Tell me why do you look exactly like Lumina?"
Dawn thought the King found the thousand-gold question. Who was she? What was she? A puppet? A person? A monster? Aidan? Lumina? She didn''t know. Probably nobody knew. She knew she wanted to live and be with the people she loved. That had to be enough. Fortunately, the second question was one she could answer without telling too much.
"Lumina... " She spoke and stuttered, sparking too much attention from the man that could decide her fate on a whim. "Lumina should not have survived the attack. I don''t know if you saw the state her body was after those beasts trampled us. Aidan could have saved only himself, but he tried and saved Lumina as well. The damage she suffered was not only on her body.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Dawn''s mind was mush at this point. She wanted to scream, run away, cry her eyes out. Her speech lost some cohesion, "As a price for her life, she was forced to slumber. I was the one that kept her body alive. For Lumina to live, Dawn came to be. I am the key to her return. I will honor our previous agreement. Once Lumina is back, I''ll tell you the whole truth as we agreed," She reminded him.
The King''s sight went far away, beyond the wall. He was thinking hard and probably suppressing his own emotional turmoil.
"You are not Lumina," He asserted after a while. His voice was neutral, a practiced voice that had no emotion behind it, something that only master gamblers or politicians mastered. It didn''t last long. "That much is clear. Are you even human?"
Helios'' mask dropped near the end of his line, emotion slowly seeping in. She couldn''t feel disgust in his speech. It felt more as if he were disbelieving a dream or a mirage. And a hint of despair.
"Yes, I can assure you I am human in both body and soul," She aimed for a reassuring tone but in her agitated state, Dawn wasn''t sure how well it sounded. "I am not a construct, a magic creature, a ghost or anything else."
The King turned to the Archmage next. "Astro, what did you do?" This time his tone had a hint of accusation. "Don''t think I was unaware that you were cloning prisoners. Tell me, old friend. What are you doing to my daughter?"
Astromellicus didn''t stir in his armchair or even bothered to straighten his back as he answered.
"The best I can," the Archmage stated with a sigh, "I''m working hard with the students to bring back Lumina, Helios. If only politics didn''t hinder us... we are treading unknown waters. I vouch for this girl."
Helios hung his head, removing the two people out of his gaze and staring at his hands and knees. Why did they speak in such vague tones? He understood too little of magic, having only Light for an Element. As much as their words inspired confidence, he could not believe. If only the girl had failed the Regalia''s trial, he''d... what would he do? Would he destroy that girl for being a fake? For deceiving him? Would he dare hurt the one with his daughter''s face?
Helios remembered the hugs he received when she barged into his audience chamber that day, converting a man condemned to execution into an excellent supporter. The warmth. He wanted his piece of Sky back. His daughter. He saw her, mangled and broken. One year of suffering, waiting for some advisor to barge in and tell him Lumina was dead. But that didn''t happen. Every report told that Lumina was healing, even though at a snail''s pace. It was like her body refused the healing magic. But she endured. And one day she woke up. Screaming. In pain.
One question floated in his mind and he let part of it out as he lifted his head to meet her eyes, "At the hospital, was it you all the time?" Dawn shuddered and clenched her hands into fists gripping the fabric of her skirt. It was confirmation enough.
"Yes. It was me. All me. I am Lumina''s kidnapper. I fled the hospital and took Claire and the others with me. But we already addressed this subject and I''d rather not remember either the pain or the cold."
This girl suffered Lumina''s pain in her stead was the answer to his the question. And another popped up as he ran his finger over the ring''s insignia, feeling no fault between the gold and the crystallized blood.
"Are you my daughter?"
Dawn blinked, doubt on her face. Helios couldn''t believe the girl was a spy or was faking her emotions. All of them were perfectly spontaneous.
"I don''t know," She answered breaking eye contact, bashful. "I don''t think there is an easy answer to that question. I''m no Princess, that is sure."
Helios, the man, wanted his daughter back. He felt that King Helios of Yutis would get in the way of that fatherly wish. Maybe that was the reason he wasn''t getting all the truth. They were afraid of what the King would do. He tapped the ring on his hand as he let his mind sink. He missed his daughter.
Dawn didn''t know what to do as she watched the King''s facade crumble and a weary and hurt father took his place. Ever since they let Dusk take over Aidan''s body and unlocked several of Lumina''s memories, she could remember Helios doting on his daughter as if she were her. When he departed with Astromelicus and Aidan''s parents to seek a cure for the Queen''s illness, promising a crying girl he would bring it back and heal mommy. How Lumina was devastated when they didn''t, prompting that bout of rage that broke Skippy''s sibling egg. How Lumina snuck into the Royal bedchambers and watched in terror her mother utter her last words.
She wanted to cross the distance between them and hug that man. Reassure him. Call him father as she irresponsibly did more than once. She felt Claire''s hand squeezing Aidan''s, Lumina''s sister smiling sympathetically. She couldn''t move. Fear chained her to that armchair. Her eyes locked on the King, dreading what might happen.
She noticed a single tear hit the Regalia Ring.
The chains broke and she knew what he needed to hear. Dawn stood up and moved, crouching in front of him. She touched his knee and spoke the words from her stolen memory, cutting a few parts.
"I''m afraid you''ll just lock yourself inside your heart (after I''m gone), Helios. There are good people that will never betray you. People that bled for you. Laughed with you. Cried your tears. (I want you to) Trust them. Share your burden as King with them. They all love you and won''t fail you."
Helios stirred as if a wraith had just crossed his spine. He looked at the bittersweet smile and face of the girl in front of him in the dim light and he felt like he was sent back three decades.
"Alina?"
Dawn shook her head. "No. Just Dawn," She stood up and walked back. "Funny thing, the Vault Keeper also called me by her name." She stifled a chuckle.
Mentioning the elder fairy caused a faint reaction in Helios, but apparently it was secondary to his shock at hearing his deceased wife''s last words again. "How?" He asked in a daze. "How can you know those words?"
She sat again. "Sharing a body with Lumina granted me some of her memories. She was hidden in the bedroom when the Queen expired. But what Her Majesty said is true. We are your allies, King Helios. Trust us, please," Dawn implored.
Both were almost breaking down. The Archmage was the one to break the stalemate.
"You heard the girl, brat." Astromelicus'' scolded the King. "Stop being a fool and let us do our job. Call out when you need help. I''ll lend you my power, just as I did to your father and his father and all others before them. We''ll bring Lumina back tomorrow if we could. However, she''ll be weak for weeks after her return and we need someone to stand in to entertain our soon-to-arrive guests."
Dawn waved a hand, "That would be me. I''ll be the one to have the honor of escorting Brody during his visit." She said ''honor'' sardonically. "After he is gone, we''ll bring Lumina back."
After yet another pregnant pause, Helios spoke again.
"Our deal is still standing, I presume," He asked, to which Dawn nodded. It was probably about their deal of revealing the whole truth after Lumina was restored. "Then if you are to pass for Lumina and fool Heath, you''ll need this back."
Dawn took the ring back and slid it back on her finger expecting to be cut, but nothing happened. She smiled and met his gaze.
"Thank you, your Majesty. I''ll not fail your trust. Or Lumina."
How to tame your prince
"It is over," Aidan sighed and let his body slouch on the chair as Dawn reached the castle corridors.
"You did a lot of faces during the interview," Pointed out Claire. "How did it go?"
"Not as bad as I thought. I fear all of us are walking on eggshells, Claire. It pains me to hide the truth from the King but unless we show concrete results, the truth does not paint us in a good light. All we have are good intentions and an inert corpse. Brody''s timing was terrible."
"Are you still going to enact your grand plan to deal with him?"
"Yes, I will," Aidan''s resolve was visible. It was "You can understand my reluctance in letting him force himself on me."
The surreal image drew a chuckle from the Princess. "I think I can."
Aidan stood up, dismissed the wards, and extended a hand to Claire. "Come, your Highness. It is time to join up with them."
Not far from there, Dawn silently walked across the corridors besides Astromelicus, eager to leave the castle. One of the perks of playing the Princess role was that none of the servants, staff or nobles present would interrupt her if she was focused. They would just stop and bow.
Unless they have pressing business with Lumina, like Duke Glam and his daughter, Lory.
"Your Highness, Archmage," The Duke greeted them with a slight bending of his torso. "It is such a fortuitous event to meet you here. Please allow me a moment of your time."
Lory curtsied with a smile. Dawn caught her eyes on the Regalia Ring. It seemed this would become commonplace.
Dawn curtsied more than she needed, "Duke Glam. Of course, you can have our time, what brings you to the castle today?"
"I have secured your order, Princess Lumina. A merchant from Gohar arrived from the southeast. Dwarves all the way to the capital, can you imagine?"
Dwarves are not common in Yutis. The vast valleys, gentle hills, and forests do not entice the mountain people.
"Good, very good. Are the goods secure?"
"Yes, your Highness. There is only one slight problem. The dwarf had a nugget of orichalcum and more mithril than you requested, which I proactively purchased with my own funds. I think I can resell the excess at a loss if..."
"Your Grace," Dawn took two steps in the Duke''s direction, getting too close. "This is amazing. Please tell me how much you spent, and I''ll pay you back with a generous reward."
The Duke was disturbed for a brief moment before his decades of training brought back his composure. "Yes, your Highness, that would be marvelous. If you can forgive my indiscretion, why do you need this much mithril?"
Lory was worried and gesticulating, but Dawn didn''t understand. Did she have anything on her?
"If you can keep a secret, Duke Glam, I''m sending Lord Aidan back to Gohar to escort Princess Pearl back home soon. I know a master smith there and I''ll have my brother''s sword repaired."
"Your Highness!" Duke Glam took a step back and bowed deeper than he had for Dawn.
It didn''t take a genius to figure out what happened. Dawn was sure Lucien was right behind her. She turned around, lifting the hand with the ring to protect her chest and make the ring as evident as possible.
"Brother. Good to see you."
Lucien''s eyes also flashed at the ring. He blushed a bit, but probably because of the ring and not something else in his field of view right behind the ring.
"Sister. Good to see you away from the academy. How are your studies?"
Dawn pouted on purpose, tapped her feet, and glared for a moment at Lucien before looking away with a demure face.
"It is improper to either brag or complain about my education in front of my tutor, Lucien," She realized she was chiding the Crown Prince in public but it was too late. "It is also bad to eavesdrop on conversations. Leave it for the gossipy crones."
Lucien took the scolding in stride. He seized Dawn''s hand and kissed her cheek. "My apologies, sister. It was not my intent. I am sure you are getting the best out of your situation and that the Headmaster is taking really good care of Lumina, isn''t it right, Astromelicus?"
The double entendre and hidden warning were obvious for those that knew of Dawn''s situation.
Astromelicus scoffed and it felt like he''d grown a hand taller than Lucien, "Lucien, save your snark for the enemies of the Realm. I can assure you that all the students I''ve taken as my personal pupils this semester are superb in their studies. In the last two months, we''ve advanced our magical knowledge by centuries. And I''d be wary of getting on student Dawn''s bad side.
"After all, haughty Royals by Archmages are humbleness taught." He infused arcane into his words at the end.
Scared witless, Lory hid behind her father and everyone else present flinched. The guards trembled clenching their spears and a few even took a step forward to try and fail at defending their Prince. The confrontation remained as Lucien refused to back off. The foolish Prince started a staredown contest with the angry Archmage. Dawn''s only relief was the knowledge that reinforcements were getting near, just around a bend in the corner.
Lucien was burning up. The Prince was not used to this kind of treatment but Astromelicus had a sad and bored face that screamed ''how many times will I have to go through this?'' Dawn ushered the reinforcements to move faster. "We need to hurry," Aidan told Claire with a low voice. "Lucien is about to do something very stupid. Stop him."
"You dare speak to me like that?"
"It is not a matter of daring or not. It is a matter of stating the truth. Do not think yourself above others, young Prince. It is a fault too hard to correct later in life. You should also not jeopardize centuries-old covenants, future King of Yutis."
Lucien was about to say something very rude from the look in his face. Right as he was vocalizing the first word Claire showed up around the corner.
"Brother Lucien!" She called out loud. Claire left Aidan behind and ran to hold the Prince''s arm. "Brother, it is good to see you held sister before we left. Thank you."
Before Lucien could vocalize anything else, Dawn latched on Claire''s side. "Claire. I have so many things to tell you, please let''s find an empty sitting room. Headmaster, could I have an hour to talk to my sister? I''ll rush back to the Academy on my own. Please return with Lord Aidan ahead of us."
Astromelicus was straining to not laugh. "Of course. Cadet Aidan, hurry up. Lucien, Duke Glam, miss Lory. If you excuse us, we have a lot of things to do."
Aidan walked as fast as he dared and left with the Archmage. Dawn turned to the Duke and nodded.
"Duke Glam, please calculate how much rice I owe you for your services. I''ll visit you at your mansion tomorrow in the afternoon to collect the goods. Goodbye, brother."
Dawn left with Claire and quickly found an empty sitting room to hide in. She didn''t look back and she intentionally missed Lucien''s state of distress but from what she was able to see, he was about to burst.
"Lucien is distressed," Claire sighed after the two girls locked the door behind them. "Ever since they realized during that dinner that you weren''t anymore in Lumina''s body."
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
"We talked about it already. Forget what happened and let it go. I''m not angry."
A knock on the door made them pause.
"Yes, who is it?" Claire asked out loud.
"Open up, sister. I know she is in there with you."
Dawn instinctively touched her flank, but the rapier was not there. She noticed the movement and realized she was afraid of Lucien. Claire asked with her eyes if she should open the door and Dawn nodded. Lucien entered in a hurry, almost throwing Claire down. She closed the door while the Prince paused to collect his thoughts.
"You." He pointed a finger at Dawn. "Where is my sister!"
"Lucien, I "
"It is His Royal Highness Crown Prince Lucien to you, wretched doppelganger!" He took a step forward and reached for the hilt of his sword.
Dawn could feel. The true nature of Lumina''s body was a scared and hesitant girl. The two personalities that ever inhabited that body masked that nature with either haughtiness and inflated pride or audacity and enthusiasm. But it was all a well-rehearsed act. The only reason Dawn was not freaking out right now was the tempering that Aidan''s mind brought to the equation. But as he boarded the carriage and stretched their tether thin, that influence slightly dimmed.
Lucien''s choice of words spoke of his true state of mind. He was losing it. Dawn could see fear, loathing, anger and just a tiny bit of concern in the Prince''s face. Behind him by the door, Claire was doing her best to not faint or suffer incontinence. Dawn could not let Lucien go any further. She had only her magic to work with and most of it was not defensive. She really needed to craft the Force spells to shield them.
Haughty Royals are taught by Archmages, probably. There was none in the room. Dawn did the only thing she could. Kneel.
"Please forgive me, your Highness. I intended no disrespect out there in front of the Duke. However, His Majesty King Helios entrusted the Regalia Ring to me so I could pass as Lumina in public."
She could only see Lucien from the knee down as she refused to look further up from her position. His feet switched from a practiced combat stance to a relaxed, casual one.
"Good. At least you know your position. Now answer, where is my sister?"
"I''m under direct orders from your father, the King, your Highness. I cannot say."
Dawn stood up and Lucien moved to seize her arm. She could see his eyes drifting down for a moment to gaze at her exposed cleavage and felt the burning gaze. ''Damn, they can really tell,'' her male mind thought.
"Lucien, stop before you do something you''ll regret," Claire asked from behind him.
"I won''t hurt her," He turned and answered. Dawn knew that to be a lie.
Rage and an idea flared in Dawn''s mind. "Too late for that. You are hurting my arm right now," Dawn whimpered. "Please let go."
He released it but between Claire''s anger and Dawn pretending to be hurt, he was confused. "No. I just held your arm."
"Really?"
Dawn started to unbutton the side of her dress before a couple of wide-eyed Royal siblings. Before Claire could react she pulled down, baring her left side. She covered her left breast with the left hand but Lucien had a front-seat view for a few moments. Her glare could drill a hole on the bridge of his nose.
"And how does your Highness think I got these red welts on my arm? Hold the arm again, you''ll see they match your hand."
Lucien didn''t touch her. He was hesitating, probably weighing his options. Or taking the time to commit the sight to his mind. Dawn had no idea which and she was not lowering her gaze to check. And to be honest with herself, she was not feeling any shame from flashing one boob. Maybe because she never had the strict upbringing and education girls received. Not counting Lumina''s few memories that she evoked when they talked about how Dawn was free in her own body.
Claire was facepalming but Dawn cared not. "Dawn, don''t expose yourself like that. It is unseemingly!"
"It is his sister''s breast, Claire. Lucien felt nothing, isn''t it true, your Royal Highness?" She forced to suppress her sarcasm. "You did hurt me," Dawn mumbled.
Claire turned Lucien''s back to Dawn and mouthed ''dress up now'' to her. Dawn obliged. The three sat in silence.
"You owe me an apology, Lucien," Demanded a still pouting Dawn.
The Prince was facing Claire and avoiding to look at Dawn. He didn''t answer.
"Lucien, she is right. You were extremely rude to Dawn. It won''t hurt to apologize, you are in the wrong," Claire tried to play the mediator but the stubborn man still didn''t react.
Dawn stood up and yawned, "Claire, let it go. I, a commoner and a wretched doppelganger, won''t hold it against the Prince. I won''t even let it jeopardize the visit from Heath''s heir or his true sister''s return."
She looked at the still silent siblings and played her last card, "Oh, but I got such a marvelous tale to talk with Pearl tonight. She''ll love to hear how Lucien handles women when he''s angry."
There was no way she''d spend a Lifesight spell, but she was sure Lucien was struck with hypothermia. His head craned to meet Dawn''s eyes and he stuttered.
"You! You have to keep what transpired here a secret!" Lucien demanded.
She was still angry. Dawn realized she was delivering payback for the terror she felt in the King''s meeting on the Prince. She also felt drawn to this kind of petty payback like a moth to the flame. Her next sentences'' wording was meant to hurt. She felt Lumina''s influence and allowed it to run wild, even if it meant taking both the Prince and her down.
"Do you mean that I have to keep a secret how I had to undress to show you the bruises you inflicted by rough handling me? Or were you talking about how you locked me in a room and stripped me of my humanity? Because on either count, I''m not feeling inclined to comply with your demands, your Royal Highness Crown Prince Lucien of Yutis."
Lucien seemed to forget how to speak. Or maybe how to breathe. Dawn was too mad to figure out which. She knew she would regret what she was doing but didn''t mind.
"Lucien, say something!" Claire nudged the frozen Prince. "Apologize before it is too late!"
"Do you loathe me this much, Lucien?" Dawn asked pretending to be hurt, "Maybe I should go away and vanish from your sight. Maybe I should give up on entertaining Brody or restoring Lumina."
That was the incentive to make him act.
"You can''t do that! You have a duty " Lucien''s protest was cut off.
"I have no binding oaths!" Dawn yelled. "I am not beholden to you, your father or anyone in this castle! Not even the Conclave or the Twelve''s advent would force me to move a finger. I''m enduring all this shit and toiling day after day because I fucking care."
Her emotions overflowed. Tears came easily and her voice was breaking, "But keep that shitty attitude for a moment more and I will cast away my citizenship, gather my things and depart to the corner of the world. I have better things to do than to appease pampered Royals and I''ve already wasted two years. Take this bleeding ring back to the King for all it is worth. Apologize now or wallow forever in shame and grief. Because if I''m gone or dead, Yutis loses both Lumina and the God-Slayer.
"Make your choice."
To beget regret
To say Princess Claire was appalled was an understatement. Things went from a pleasing snack in the gardens to indecent exposure, treason, and grief. Lots of grief. After Dawn''s ultimatum, Lucien just stayed there, sitting on the couch and scowling in silence. An irritated Dawn had just vacated the premises, through the window to boot. She just threw the glass panes open and became invisible. Her stupid brother, for she could only think of her father firstborn as stupid right now, was there petrified as if a basilisk''s breathed on him. Sensing the real danger of what was happening, she forced herself to act for the greater good of the Realm.
"You have no idea what you just did, Lucien. You might''ve doomed us all. Shut that mouth and run to the Academy to grovel in front of that girl if you need to. But get her forgiveness now, before it is too late. Dear Ceres, let it not be too late."
Lucien did the opposite. Blinded by his outrage, he cried bloody murder, "I''ll have that traitor executed! I can''t believe that abomination is out there, wearing my sister''s flesh!"
Before Claire could scold her brother, a yellow round object flew in the room and clattered on the floor. She moved to see what it was and found a Regalia Ring. She glanced at Lucien''s outraged face and thought of her options. She could call the King but that would inflate the problem out of proportions and ruin any chance of avoiding the damages. Worse yet, if she didn''t amend the situation, Lumina''s life would be at risk. She knew Aidan was living on a damaged soul to avoid merging further and literally devouring her sister''s soul. she also knew that they were the same person.
"Lucien, you are an idiot. I weep for the Kingdom if you are to become King. Wallow and drown in your own self-righteousness for all I care. I have to save the Realm."
Claire ran to the Knights training grounds. She ran past confused servants, smirking nobles and startled guards. Great, the gossip mill of the court would have a full plate. She barged into the scout barracks.
"I need one fast rider to take me to the Academy NOW!" She shouted and almost dropped down from exhaustion.
One of the nearby scouts rushed to support her arm and Claire stood there for a few minutes panting. Others went out to get a horse with a tandem saddle.
"Your Highness, please drink this," Another knight gave her a cup with some herbal tea. She drank without even thinking it might be poisoned. Fortunately, it wasn''t.
She regained some stamina and remembered the ring clutched in her hand. She slipped it in her pocket and soon she was taken to the horse. She used a portable staircase to get on the saddle and was surprised to see one of the Knights of the Rose riding the horse.
"To the Academy, lives are at stake!" The Princess ordered.
Dawn landed in front of the laboratory building and dismissed the spells she was using as she entered through the door of the reinforced windowless stone building. She stomped her way to the room where Aidan and Astromelicus were. Using some of her mana to open the lock, she entered inside and threw herself sitting on the couch.
"Can you explain to me what is going on? Ever since we arrived here cadet Aidan is designing some spell and now you arrive as you''ve returned from war... and without the Regalia."
Dawn wished nothing more than sit quietly and donate her brain capacity to help Aidan design the spell he was working on. She pondered and decided to tell the Archmage everything. As she put what happened in words, she felt more and more foolish. It was too much. Dawn felt torn apart, wounded in her own identity complex. Aidan stopped drawing his diagrams or he''d mess everything up. She was sobbing by the time she finished her tale.
"Please, Headmaster." She pleaded with upturned eyes. "I want to do it tonight. I have to get rid of her or I''ll go crazy."
"Don''t be hasty. I''ll put that snot-nosed Prince in his place."
"No! I want to go away. I want to get out of here! Let''s ressurect Lumina. We have at least a week before Brody arrives, let Yutis'' Royal Family deal with their own troubles. I''ve had enough."
Dawn wanted to throw up. Blow the world up and ran away to hide in some cave. She felt disgusted at the thought of having Lumina clinging to their soul. She even felt sick at having the same body as she. There were more important things to do than to babysit a dead Princess'' soul. Take Pearl home. Get Cythrel''s arms back somehow. Find Aidan''s parents.
"What are you going to do after you leave?" Astromelicus asked exactly what she was thinking. Dawn told him exactly what she was thinking. "Fine. As long as you can finish the spell to separate Lumina without hurting you, we are doing it tonight, student Dawn. Now lie down there and rest. Calm down and don''t drink coffee. Get your wits together and finish that spell."
Dawn removed her shoes and crashed on the couch still sighing and hiccuping from the emotional rollercoaster she just rode. Aidan returned to his design with redoubled fervor and the Headmaster left them.
If Astromelicus could teleport he would be in the castle spanking the Prince''s butt. He knew he shouldn''t have left Dawn behind, but he thought the situation to be under control. Dawn was right, they were stalling for too long. If Heath wanted trouble, they would have it in spades. Perhaps it was time to show the world why Archmages don''t go to war. Those old assholes at the Conclave could rot in their laboratories for all he cared.
He wanted to see their faces when he finally showed them with the Cosmos Element and his discoveries. Save for seven Elements and those four forbidden by the gods, he''d have the entire tree of wisdom mapped out. But that was not the time to do that. If he presented the Elements now, they would know that Aidan was the author of the Law spell. The wirlwind poised to ravage the mage society was just picking up its first specs of dust now. The bishop of Hestia had already contacted him probing for info regarding the spell. He was dismissed with an offer. Get a divine oracle regarding this alleged ''God of Slavery'' and Astromelicus would look for information regarding the spell''s author.
He reached his office and brewed some fresh coffee for himself. There was a file on his desk, Baron Yoshida''s file. Dawn asked for the file without saying why. Yoshida was a quad-Element caster but his mana affinity was very low. D minus. The man was very proficient with Wizardry and if his mana affinity was at least a B he''d be on the fast track to become an archmage. Maybe it was valuable enough to convince Dawn to postpone her plans.
The assholes from Heath were the source of all the problems. Helios jumped the crossbow when he made that treaty. Heath would suffer a lot from other countries if a trade embargo was declared out of the blue. The burrowing weasels knew that and were forcing their will on Yutis.
The old man''s caffeinated musings were interrupted by a buzzing glyph. Someone was calling for him at the reception, someone important. He took off and went there see who was it. It better be the Prince to save him the trouble of going to the castle twice on the same day.
He met Princess Claire instead. Running in a straigh-on collision course.
"Headmaster! Oh, thank you for coming to meet me!"
The girl was in distress. A female knight was escorting the Princess and by the face the woman was making, things were dire.
"Princess," Astromelicus'' breath was cut off by the girl crashing into his robes. "They are up in the lab, come with me to my office."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Astromelicus escorted Claire into his office and led the distressed Princess to a couch.
"Dawn told me everything. They are preparing to separate Lumina and ressurect the Princess."
A brief wave of relief washed the young woman''s face but it was gone.
"They want to leave the country. Even if they restore Lumina before leaving, Brody is coming!"
She was not even listening to herself.
"Yes, they are leaving as soon as possible but Brody is the Realm''s problem. Once Lumina is back, she can entertain her fianc herself."
Claire shook her head, "Letting Brody near Lumina is the same as killing her. She has vials of poison and she will drink them before she lets him touch her."
Yes. Still not listening. And with poor reasoning.
"Princess Claire. Everything you said so far is true and also none of my pupils'' business. You know what the problem is and you know what you need to do to fix it. More importantly, what you need to make someone else do to fix it. I suggest you make the most of your time. Moping might not be the best activity right now."
"Archmage, what can I do? Confront the Crown Prince? I''m just..." She trailed off on her own, but Astromelicus was already going to interrupt her.
"You are a Princess. You''ll play your part." He stated with total confidence.
Claire seemed to not understand what he meant. "What? Is that a song?"
"I don''t know," Astromelicus shrugged. "Don''t underestimate yourself. You''ve been with Lumina all this time, do you think she would let her own brother get in her way? At the age of fourteen, she''d already turned half the continent upside down."
"You want me to drag Lucien here so he can apologize to Dawn."
He didn''t answer right away. He looked at some very interesting books in his bookshelf he hadn''t read in a century. After the Princess'' fidgeting reached a satisfactory level, he spoke.
"Yes, that would be a good start. Claire, you have a special thing not many Royals can claim. But you need to be more assertive to make use of it because other Royals will think it is a weakness."
"Please tell me. What is it?"
"You lived almost two decades of your early life as a commoner. In the castle, of course. But you''ve felt and lived what the common person feels and lives. Different from those pampered children fed with a golden spoon, you can understand them. You can be a marvelous ruler even if you don''t get to wear a crown. Your work with the tax reports was superb."
"I had help," She retorted with a faint voice.
Astromelicus guffawed like some grandpa watching children''s antics. "Of course you had help. No sane person can hope to manage the tax of all fiefs of a Realm like Yutis. You coordinated that help! You ruled over the volunteers! That is what a Royal needs most, the skill to recognize expert help, organize the helpers and coordinate the work. A general alone win no war."
"Should I return to the castle and fetch Lucien?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Will you?"
Claire stood up, determination on her face, "If it is what is necessary to protect Lumina from that rapist, I''ll do it."
"Even though it means putting Dawn on the line?" He asked more to tease her and force the girl to think about the consequences of her decisions.
"Do you think Brody could touch her if she didn''t want to? How powerful is she anyway?"
"I think there are few mortal men alive that can force Dawn to do what she doesn''t want to," Astromelicus replied. "And none of them is in Heath. Or Yutis, for the matter. Yes, using Dawn to contain Brody''s breeding habits would be very wise. It would do well to put him in a brooding mood."
Claire sighed. What, can''t Archmages slip in a pun or two sometimes?
"I''ll go fetch Lucien and drag him here then," She was about to stand up but Astromelicus raised a hand.
"No need. I''ll use a Message spell and tell Helios to send that blockhead of a Prince to us. Just a moment." He used some spell and his voice could no longer be heard. After a few minutes and some movement of his mouth, he addressed the Princess. "He''s coming."
Eventually, Dawn changed into her Academy uniform. Those Princess dresses were fancy and nice but too awkward to move around. Seriously, if you could extend an arm and touch a wall, you were too close to it. The academy pleated skirt was more practical. She couldn''t stay on the couch either. Now that she calmed down she''d sleep on the couch. So she sat across Aidan and was helping him draw with more precision. The overlaid vision helped see the paper and the pen without any blind spots.
They took the sequence that identified the foreign soul from the Twin Soul Advent spell and was in the process of incorporating that function into the glyph sequence of the Soul spell they used to split the prisoners. Aidan wanted to keep the band of mixed soul away from Lumina. He had several reasons to want that. It would help keep himself from polluting the Princess, help him get back on his feet faster as there would be less damage to repair, and the least altruistic of them, to keep the power to himself. There was no reason to give Lumina the affinities. She would probably still get them at a very low G rank.
They were finishing the diagram when the door opened. Dawn looked and saw Astromelicus enter the laboratory.
"Headmaster, welcome back."
"Are you feeling well, student Dawn? We have a visitor for you."
"Is it Brody?" The man shook his head. "Lucien?" A nod. "Okay, let''s go."
They left Aidan behind and went to the Headmaster''s office. Lucien and Claire were sipping their coffee.
"Your Highness. Your Royal Highness." Dawn bent her knees and bowed. No need or mood to curtsy. She clapped her hands once and delivered her next line, full of snark. "So, why was I removed from my super important research?"
It was Claire that spoke first, "You forgot your Regalia Ring, Dawn."
Dawn took the ring and slid her finger in, "I didn''t forget it. I used Sylph''s hand to hand it back to you. Anyway, thanks, Claire."
She stared at Lucien like a boring art connoisseur at an orphanage''s crayon art exposition. It took some time for the Prince to deign to make a sound. Dawn was betting on a groan.
"I apologize, Dawn. I said some things that might be interpreted the wrong way and I''d like to request you to restore Lumina." He spoke noncommitally.
But Dawn was a very forgiving person. When she was in a good mood which questionably wasn''t today. "I understand and accept your apologies, Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Lucien of Yutis. This ''wretched doppelganger'' here will make sure that the Queen of Slander is back on her feet before the harvest festival. Is that all?"
She''d really like to see Lucien release some steam out of his ears however unlikely that was. In fact, she was earning some dark satisfaction in poking him but it was not nearly enough. She wanted to crush the person and use him like a rag to wipe his own blood off the floor. Not because he was a man but because he crossed her. How goes the saying? Hell hath no fury...
"No," Astromelicus answered in the Prince''s stead. "It is not enough. Lucien, you can do better than that, can''t you?"
"I''m a Crown Prince! Why would I have to grovel?"
Dawn groaned and promised to pay herself a gold coin for losing her own bet. She took her ring off again and looked at Lucien in the eyes. "Lucien, If I let go of this ring one more time again, I swear I''ll never wear it ever again. Now, Brody is also a Crown Prince, I bet you chummy Crown Princes can take care of each other but I''d recommend giving all the castle maids including Claire''s mom a vacation until he goes back home. Or you can stall him long enough so we can give him Lumina. I can even giftwrap her."
Lucien got off the couch with bloodshot eyes, "You Insolent..." He never got to finish his line.
Dawn weaved Gravity mana and slammed the raw magic between Lucien and the wall. The law of nature bent to her will and doubled. The Prince found that the wall was the new floor. At least for him. And that he weighed twice as much. Dawn didn''t dawdle. She was already building another spell diagram in her mind.
"Light Pur..."
"Spell Lock."
"Light Pu..."
"Spell Lock."
"Li..."
"Spell Lock."
"..."
"Spell Lock."
Lucien gave up.
"Dawn!" Astromelicus yelled.
Afraid of her teacher, Dawn turned her neck enough to just put both men in her field of view. "Yes, Headmaster?"
"That is bad form. Why are you using Spell Lock when a simpler Counterspell would be enough?"
Dawn snorted. "There is no kill like overkill. In a magic duel, prove without a doubt that you are the better mage."
"Excellent." The Archmage clapped his hands. "Keep it up."
Lucien groaned. Dawn cleared her mental betting tab. "I give up. Release me."
She did. Without any finesse. Lucien became a heap on the floor. Lucien got back on his feet and fixed his clothes. All in all, he didn''t get any serious injury and a single Healing Light from him fixed his bruises.
Dawn tapped her feet, the Regalia Ring spinning on her finger. "Hey, Prince Charming. Say the words this girl wants to hear."
"And before you doom yourself, young Prince. As the Royal advisor for magic, I''d say there is no other mage able to do what Dawn and Aidan can. If they are gone so is Lumina."
Claire got in front of him and held his wrists, "Lucien, they are our friends! Or at least were. Please don''t push this matter further. Aidan is this generation''s God-Slayer, he is meant to be your right-hand men. Look how you''re treating him! You are throwing the future of the country and the safety of your sister for some stupid pride."
Nobody expected her to do what she did next, "GROW UP YOU IDIOT!" Claire shouted, angry. "I swear that if you screw this up you won''t be King of anything. Father will disown you, I''ll make it so."
Lucien ground his teeth. He groaned again. He took his time to look at the three people around him. Dawn knew that he was having a hard time swallowing his pride but she couldn''t care less. To them, Lucien became the embodiment of everything they suffered these two years.
"I surrender," The Prince finally spoke. "I''m sorry I called you a wretched doppelganger, Dawn. And everything else. I was an asshole. Please stand in for Lumina during Prince Brody''s visit."
"Sure. You go on foot to Duke Glam''s mansion tomorrow morning, pick up my rare metals, pay whatever he is due from your own pockets and bring them to me here before noon with a sealed statement from the Duke with the cargo manifest. Do it yourself, don''t just send someone. That will be my reward for doing your request and your punishment. I''m far too busy here making sure your sister lives."
"Fine." Lucien''s shoulders dropped. "You got yourself the world''s fanciest courier. Happy now?"
"No," Dawn stated, disgusted. "But that will do."
A little help from my (girl)friends
Elven and Fae magicians are easy to identify if you have time to spare. Their hair color change with the seasons. The months of Summer draw warm colors of yellow and red and the months of winter cool colors of blue, green and white. Fall and Spring bring pastels and vibrant colors. These changes also tell them when the seasons are changing as their hairs shift colors in the span of a couple days.
Excerpt from the Great Compendium of the Races, vol 3
Dawn and Aidan left the laboratories at night to Noble''s dormitories. Dawn was still irritated and Aidan was mentally exhausted. Their levels of mental drain and irritation were the same, however, the thresholds of each physical body were different.
At the dormitories, Prince Brian of Heath was waiting for them.
"Lumina! Hey, Lumina!" The bland Royal waved for Dawn.
Dawn glared at him. It was easy to put a lot of intimidating power behind that glare, given her current mental state. She was feeling murderous.
"It is Princess Lumina, at least it was the last time I checked. Don''t give Pearl any more reason for her anagram joke and respect your betters, Prince Brain."
The young boy shuddered. Aidan yawned to mask his surprise at how close to the real thing they got. It only improved Dawn''s stance.
"I''m sorry, your Highness. I won''t bother you anymore, I just wanted to know if you had any news of my brother and sister."
They had, but Dawn didn''t feel like sharing. "I don''t know. Maybe they decided to camp down in a bog and hunt Glurlocks for a while. For sport. But I didn''t know that Sierra was coming too," Dawn lied. "Maybe we''ll have a blast of a tea party, the four of us Princesses."
Brian shuddered. Aidan knew why. The gossip mill had that Sierra often used Brian as the butt monkey of her practical jokes to impress her fellow Princesses. It also said that he took the scholarship in Yutis to get away from her.
"Oh. I dare ask only this little favor then, Princess Lumina. Send me a messenger with any news from them."
"I''ll think about it. Good night, Bairn. You are dismissed."
Brian made a confused face at the new anagram but scampered away. Dawn was amazed at how tame he got when she changed her tone to an imposing one. Anyway, time to retire. Brian didn''t deserve more of their time.
They reached the common room of the private cluster of rooms dedicated to the Royal family and guests and met the girls. Sora, Cythrel, and Pearl waited on by both Lola and Deb.
Before they could even utter a word the elf was the first to pounce them, hyperactive as always. It put a smile on Dawn''s face, "Dawn! We went shopping today, we bought a lot of new dresses. Come'' have a look." Cythrel halted to a skid when she was able to take in the weary expressions on them, "Rough day? Did the King chase you out of the castle on foot?"
Dawn shook her head but she couldn''t hide her annoyance from the people close to her. She showed the Regalia Ring, earning a sympathetic smile from Pearl. "No, nothing like that. The talk with the King was fine even though it was heavy with his grief for his loss. He even bestowed me this ring so I can keep on playing Lumina."
Sora stood up and scooped Aidan, supporting him with an arm, "I think it is bedtime for our hero here. I''ll take him to bed."
Dawn sighed, "The problem was how Lucien reacted after he learned that I am not Lumina."
Pearl frowned, "Did he lash out on you? Did he hurt you?" She opened and closed her hand into fists a few times, "Do you need me to talk to him?"
Dawn smiled at the show of support from the Princess, "Yes, yes and no. Thank you so much, Pearl. Claire and I already dealt with Lucien with the help of the Headmaster. I think I could knock some sense into him after I slammed him into the wall with magic."
Cythrel whistled, "Wow, I''d pay to see that."
"Come, come," Pearl waved her hand. "Sit down and have some tea."
Dawn sat and raided the pastries. She realized she skipped lunch.
Sora returned, "By the way, Dawn, the jeweler was asking for Aidan. It seems his order is ready."
"Oh, thanks. I''ll drop by and pick it up later," Dawn''s impromptu speech caused just a few crumbles to fly out.
"What a dreary sight, Lumina talking with a full mouth." Pearl shuddered. "Wash that down with some tea and tell us everything. With the juicy details, please."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Dawn told what she could of the day''s events. Besides having to hold Cythrel from laying siege to the castle in the middle of the night, Dawn was surprised to how well Pearl took Lucien''s reactions.
"That was terrible, darling. How I wish I was there to give you support," Pearl tried to be diplomatic. "But please forgive Lucien. He is too distressed by everything that is happening. Say, can I talk to him? I''ll try and put some sense in his head. He was absolutely wrong to treat you like that and I''ll make him see that."
"I still can''t believe you gave Prince Lighthead a fetch quest," Mocked Cythrel. "It will be hilarious to see him work for a change."
Dawn sighed. In hindsight, maybe she mishandled the Prince just a little. But when she thought back everything she felt flared back and she could not let go of the grudge. The fact that Aidan was fast asleep and could not counterbalance her thoughts also helped. Her irritation just simmered on a back burner.
"I was so mad that was the only thing I could think of. Well, what is done is done," She looked at a particularly interesting spot on the ceiling and pouted. "I won''t apologize."
"Nobody will make you," Sora encouraged her. "But I have one question, didn''t you say you were going to restore Lumina today?"
"Yes, but we didn''t. The Headmaster talked us into not doing it yet. Stupid politics. I''m tired of only having half my soul."
"Let me guess, darling," Pearl tapped her own cheek with a finger. "They want you to stand in for Lumina until Brody goes away, right?"
Dawn blinked and then remembered. They didn''t include Pearl in their little murder conspiracy. She probably suspects it, but they had to shut her off to give her the ability to deny involvement.
"Yes. And it means I have to both host him and keep a healthy distance from that grub."
"You better keep your distance from the grub''s grub too," Joked Sora.
The girls made a disgusted face and laughed. Dawn didn''t realize the joke until a few moments later.
"Oh," She shook her head to dispel the image. "Yeah, I won''t let it touch me. But maybe I''ll touch it to whither or cut it off."
"Coming from you, that''s cruel," Pointed out Cythrel.
"Well, grubs aside, there is one problem," Pearl mused as she scanned Dawn from head to toe. "Please forgive me for the honesty, darling. You really need to learn how to be a Princess. I can assure you, Brody will know you are not Lumina. Even if you cook up some lame amnesia excuse. He will ask you to take off the ring and he will be super suspicious all the time."
"Yes, I thought about that," Confessed Dawn. "But I don''t think a person can learn how to do that in a week. I have a few memories from Lumina and that will have to do."
"I could give you a few pointers actually but I guess you are right. There''s too little time."
They stopped talking for a while and Dawn used that time to eat some pastries. She had almost no opportunity to eat during the day. Deb and Lola poured them tea and the silence was finally broken by Sora that maybe had figured out a solution.
"Why don''t you just get the rest of the memories from Lumina then? Summon her and ask the Princess to remember her etiquette lessons. After all, she is the person with the biggest interest in breaking Brody."
The idea of bringing Lumina back in Aidan''s body was at the same time disturbing and enticing for Dawn. She knew that if Aidan was awake and contributing with his mind to their shared reasoning, the idea would''ve been shot down immediately.
"I don''t think that is a good idea. Lumina in my... Aidan''s body is a dangerous thing. I can''t even call her Lumina." Discretion was the best part of valor. Dawn decided to not delve deeper into her reasons.
Sora smiled. "How about we stay with you and we all have a girl talk? You just need Lumina to remember, right? She doesn''t have to focus or anything."
"Yeah, I''d like to talk to Lumina at least once." Cythrel shared her thoughts. "Let''s do it now."
And that was how five real girls and half of a boy almost entirely turned into a girl stood inside the bedroom where the other half of the aforementioned boy slept, intent into summoning another girl into the body of the boy. At least Sora went in first to dress him up in some pajamas.
"Let''s go. Summon Lumina," Encouraged Cythrel.
Dawn sighed and used the spell. "Twin Soul Advent."
Aidan stirred and Dawn felt the connection between them falter. Dusk stirred and opened his eyes.
"Oh. Hello there." He greeted still in a half-asleep mode. Aidan''s body naturally resisted waking up. "Are we having a party?"
Pearl stood in front of Dusk and waved. "Hello, Lumina. Do you remember who we are?"
"Pearl! So good to see you. You''ve grown a lot, good for you. I was told you were here, but Dawn wouldn''t let me..." Dusk craned his neck and stared at Dawn. "You told me you wouldn''t call me back in this body, that the next time I awake I''d be in my own body. Did something happen?"
Dawn sighed. "Yes. Brody is coming to check on his fiance. As you are... undisposed, the honor will be mine."
Dusk scowled, his face full of bloodlust. "I am sorry. I really am but I have no way of helping. I can only ask you to fight back with all your strength. Don''t let him touch you."
"I won''t!" She professed with absolute conviction.
Dusk''s scowl turned into a cheesy smile. "After all, you are mine, Dawn."
And that was the reason Dawn thought using that spell was a bad idea. Lumina''s outward brazen demeanor coupled with a male brain produced this cheap philanderer.
"About Brody, I''m doing you a huge favor by standing in for you." Dawn ignored his flirting and went straight to the point. "Could you try to remember all the etiquette lessons you had? I need to act like you."
"I think I can. You are a terrible Lumina anyway. What do I need to do? Just remember?"
Dawn took Dusk''s hand and guided him through the process of collecting the memories. "Yes. Close your eyes and focus on your memories of those lessons."
Pearl cut in and tried to help. "The etiquette ones. The dance and music lessons. When the tutors taught you how to behave like a princess. How you practiced your facial expressions in front of a mirror for hours."
Dusk with his eyes closed just hummed in agreement while nodding his head. And then Cythrel yanked a few ones from the memory lane.
"How much you hated Brody and his slimy greasy hands. How you ruined Princess Melissa''s wedding. And why you hated Aidan and Sora in the first place."
Dawn immediately dismissed the spell on the second question, holding on Sora''s arm to avoid crashing down from the sudden memory flow. Of Cythrel''s questions, they only got the seething hatred for Brody.
After they got their bearings back, Aidan stared at the elf and scolded her. "That was really uncalled for, Cythrel. We are trying to get help, not interrogate Lumina."
Cythrel just shrugged in her trademark ''sorry not sorry'' way.
Is that school lilfe?
The next day they resumed their practice. This time Cythrel, Pearl and Sora were also in the private tutoring session. The squirrel-kin was practicing what Astromelicus called ''Adept Wizardry'', a series of Element-specific exercises developed to specialize minor spellcasters into their own Elements at the cost of proficiency with the broader subjects of magic. Like training a blacksmith that could only make horseshoes.
Dawn trying to empty her stupidly large mana pool stimulating her affinities and Aidan elbow-deep in ink designing the hundred-something spells he had to. Or at least he thought he had to. That morning was spent downgrading Lumina''s masterpiece, the ''Healing Mist'' spell to discard the area effect and the Light element, making a single-target spell that could heal and hydrate at the same time. He added an extra mana control sequence to fix the awful mana efficiency and consumption Lumina''s spell had. It lost a lot on the regenerative side because of the lack of the Light element, but it was a better fit for a field healing spell. It would do nothing for her arms, however.
[Mending Mist] - 4th circle spell.
Element: Mist.
Type: Eulogy.
Classification: Healing. Sustained effect.
Target: Touched creature.
Creates a fine mist that can restore damage and promote the regeneration of small missing body parts. Restores hydration and part of the lost blood.
A perfect gift for a not-so-perfect bride. Aidan would start teaching this spell to Cythrel tomorrow. She could heal wounds but not her arms. That was not a wound. Kazuya did something that changed her template to that form. Just like people didn''t have four arms, Cythrel didn''t have half of her forearms and hands.
A few minutes before noon Lucien arrived with the precious ingots from Duke Glam. He was greeted and ushered into the laboratory by the Headmaster. The Prince looked just a little winded. Given that he was used to running in muddy battlefields wearing almost forty kilograms of metal armor, it was not a surprise.
"Alumni Lucien. Welcome in."
Lucien nodded, "Headmaster. As agreed, I''ve brought the trade goods Dawn negotiated for with Duke Glam."
He deposited a small wooden box on a table by the door. He was obviously bothered for being there and was already going out when Pearl called him.
"Prince Lucien, wait," She turned to address Astromelicus. "Headmaster, I need a few minutes to talk to Lucien, if that is acceptable."
"Yes, student Pearl. Off you go."
She walked out and the door closed behind her. The other pupils resumed their activities. About half an hour later, Pearl returned with a triumphant look in her face. She noticed the box in the same place Lucien left it and asked Dawn after she took her seat next to the fake Princess.
"You didn''t check the box''s contents."
"No need. At least in Lucien and Glam''s integrity, I can trust. And even if they did some mistake, they are not going anywhere. Wanna charge a core?"
Pearl looked at the box of cores Dawn was mindlessly charging and at the perspiration on the girl''s face. Dawn was pushing herself harder than anyone else. The Princess envied that determination. Maybe if she had half of that willpower, things would''ve gone very different with the otherworlders.
Shinji... The boy held a special place on Pearl''s heart. Probably her first crush, in the naive Princess'' fantasies. Kazuya''s image was tarnished by the terror of the assassinations and the kidnapping...
Pearl felt a salty taste on her lips and realized she was crying. Dawn hugged her and kissed the Princess in the forehead. They were in no mood for resuming their activities.
Aidan raised a hand and asked, "Headmaster, should we stop for lunch?"
Astromelicus looked around and picked up two metal bands from a drawer, "Yes, we can take a break. However, I want student Dawn to put these bracelets here." The bracelets had a clasp in the middle where a large core was set. "Then keep charging these cores while you eat your lunch. I don''t want your mana pool above a twentieth of its maximum in any situation. If you latch the clasp shut, the bracelet will draw mana on its own. If you can endure, I suggest you do that."
Dawn was already dizzy from all the exertion. But the lure of power, the distant promise of fostering all affinities spoke louder. She reasoned. That was their reward for struggling for two years to save Lumina. After all the pain and suffering, what were two more weeks of effort? She took the bracelets and slid her wrists inside them. After closing the bracelets, she triggered the clasps immediately. She was already drained from the morning of exercises and the bracelets took what was left. Dawn slumped, her arms limp at her sides.
"I think I''ll skip lunch. You guys go without me, I''m going to lie down and meditate on the basement bedroom."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
They escorted her to the small bedroom in the basement and left for lunch, leaving Skippy behind with Dawn as a guardian. Outside the laboratory building and after they adjusted to the glare of the sun, Sora grabbed Aidan''s arm.
"How is she doing?" She asked about Dawn while nudging her body close to his in a very possessive way. "Are you okay?"
Aidan walked in silence while he felt Dawn''s state through their shared soul. A bit ahead of them, Pearl and Cythrel were discussing jewelry styles and the Princess from the Kingdom of Jewels was teaching the elf the art of matching gemstones to hair color, facial features, and indumentary. Aidan finally found the words he wanted to reply with.
"Yes, Dawn is asleep. She won''t feel the discomfort of getting her mana drained if she is unconscious. I predict long naps for her. For the time being, I guess it will be just me."
"Are you okay with that?" There was a hint of concern on her voice.
Justified concern, as those bracelets were a based off of a nastier cousin of the mana-sealing shackles, the mana-draining shackles. They were only used on extremely dangerous mages and were considered a type of torture device in every country. Each nation still had a few units as they were the only way to stop rampaging archmages and the like but the legends regarding the misuse of these devices by tyrants were widespread.
Aidan smiled at his life companion. "Yes, Sora. Dawn has a unique opportunity to develop her affinities beyond what we already had." He looked around with both his normal and mana sights to check for eavesdroppers before continuing in a lower voice, "It will strengthen us no small amount and will help with my recovery after I separate the Princess from me. Reduce the risks of some catastrophic failure reducing me to a vegetable."
He felt Sora''s discomfort. She clenched his arm, sighed and her hand got a little colder. "That is the worst case scenario," He reassured her. "I feel broken, Sora. Incomplete. This Aidan is better than when I woke up in Elmhill but the difference is like having a fracture and then later getting a cast over the limb. The bone is still broken."
Sora felt derision when Aidan mentioned himself in the third person. She could read his face and body language most of the time and she knew in an instinctual level that he was not himself, but hearing him put it in words was painful. She felt helpless. "Aidan, I will do what I can "
He cut her off with a kiss and a smile, "Everything will be fine. Come, let''s hurry up before those two decide to spend the rest of our money on trinkets."
"Our money?" Sora chimed in disbelief.
"Don''t get stuck in the little details. Come, let''s eat."
In the afternoon Aidan worked on golem crafting. Sculpt clay dolls, carve the diagrams and cast the spells to animate it. Pearl was assigned to assist him in the carving to polish her spellcraft, while Sora and Cythrel received basic lessons on both wizardry and spellcraft.
"I missed it when you explained to me why are we making clay golems, Aidan," Pearl fished.
"I didn''t, your Royal Highness," He replied with a toothy grin. Aidan used the title to annoy Pearl. "This is just a side project to master spellcraft."
Pearl looked at a couple of clay dolls moving clumsily on the desk. She picked one and erased the command circuit, basically killing the golem.
"They don''t seem like the invincible menaces the books tell," Pearl commented at the now lifeless clay doll.
These golems here are designed to be easily disposed of," Explained Aidan. "The ones carved for war aren''t. And the souls I''m using for these can barely hold the mana to animate the clay. I could put the command circuit inside the clay. And enchanted it with some protections."
"What kind of soul are you using to animate this clay?"
"Insects. I am using the bugs inside this laboratory. There are a lot of them hiding underneath the reagent cabinet."
Pearl shuddered at the thought. She finished drawing the diagrams with a thin pick and passed the inert clay doll to Aidan animate. He used the complex sequence of spells and after several minutes the newly-animated golem walked, or more precisely, stumbled around.
"Is that why they are this clumsy? The insect souls?"
"Yes. Golemcraft is considered a forbidden art because the best souls for golems are..."
"People?" Pearl was disturbed by the thought.
"Actually depending on the use, some monsters are better. After all, monsters can be much more violent than people. But yes, most crafters use people''s souls. We don''t need much to figure out that said souls are not inclined to spend eternity bound to a chunk of earthen materials."
"No, not really. And they devolve into a savage and vengeful nigh-indestructible force of destruction that can keep on destroying for centuries."
"Forever is more likely. And this is my second objective with golemcraft. Look."
Aidan created a cloud of Quintessence mana and directed the churning blob to cover one of the clay golems. The clay burned and the golem crumbled into a pile of grit.
"This spends too much mana. I can''t wrap this into a spell without raising the Elemental complexity. My guess is that not even with all my mana pool I''d be able to affect a human-sized golem."
The next few days fell into a routine. Aidan had quarterstaff training with Jameson until lunch. He would take a shower after eating a quick lunch and went to the laboratory for more practice, complaining about his sore muscles. That afternoon he worked on spellcraft or golemcraft. One of the projects was the study of the diagrams he created after studying the Regalia Ring, but he was far from converting any diagram into a useable spell. That would still be faster than working on the new spell from scratch, but he would need a couple weeks of work. Dawn''s job was to stay put and let the bracelets suck her mana.
The only time he left the academy was to visit the jeweller and pick up his commissioned items.
Aidan stopped working and looked at the book resting at the corner of his desk. Astromelicus took the sheaf of diagrams he drew that day to a bookbinder and now he was the proud author of "Musings on the Structure of Divine Tools, vol 1", the newest addition to the forbidden library of the Academy. He was expecting the Headmaster to bug him for textual explanations. So far the book was just a pretty illustration collection. He''d do it when he had time to spare.
Heh.
When he had time to spare. Please check back in a century.
"How''s Dawn?" He was startled when Sora approached him. But thankfully she was well versed into startling him out of his work. She picked a moment where he''d not spill any ink.
"Sleeping. Want me to wake her up?" He could send a command through their shared soul to stimulate her body awake.
"Actually yes," Sora answered with a hopeful smile. "We are going to visit a new bakery that just opened and we promised to take both Princesses with us. Dawn needs to prep up and you know it takes time."
"The Princess dresses are in the dormitories. We''d have to go there and get one for her."
"She should have servants for that," Sora commented absentmindedly. Aidan''s reply was rasp and to the point.
"She should not have that many secrets to hide from prying eyes. And you know better than me that gossip is the lifeblood of the servants of the aristocracy."
"Jerk!" Sora punched him. "Pearl is going there to change out of her uniform too. And no, I won''t have Pearl fetch Dawn''s dress."
"Fine, fine." Aidan woke up Dawn and found a dragon''s haunches over her face. Skippy was licking the cores in her bracelets. From the amount of dragon drool on the bed, he was doing that for quite some time.
Aidan groaned. "I hope that the bakery is good."
A Princess walked into a bakery...
"Dragon drool might be useful for something," Commented Cythrel. "It''s magical, isn''t it?"
"No, just no," Dawn answered while she pressed her temples. The bracelets did a number on her, sending her back to that state of mild fever and headache. "I don''t want to think about dragon drool for a moment more than I have to. if you want, feel free to roll on the bed and soak up in power. it is not going to happen though."
Skippy spent the last several hours lying over a sleeping Dawn, slobbering the big cores storing the mana drained from her bracelets and sucking the Cosmos mana out of it. It seems the dragon is an aficionado for the supreme Element, or maybe even an addict. The end result was a dragon with a full belly of mana and a girl covered in drool sleeping on a drenched bed.
"Ash..." Dawn didn''t finish the spell. Some scary beastkin was glaring daggers at her.
"If you incinerate another bed, I''m grounding you, ''Princess''," Sora was the one to go fetch a dress from the dormitory just because she was the fastest one without using magic.
"Seriously, I can feel magical power emanating from the bed. Don''t burn it," Cythrel insisted on her theory. "Shouldn''t we get a jar or something?"
"No. This thing is as useful as Princess Tears to us. Or elven hair. Sora, fetch the scissors," Dawn threatened.
"Once you get this dress off of me, ''Your Highness''." Sora rolled her eyes.
''Why was Sora annoyed. Did she resent the errand? Did I do something wrong? Is it Astro''s fault for being too harsh a teacher?'' Dawn thought.
"Sora, why?" She asked. Dawn let her arms hang by her sides, the weight of the bracelets tiring her out. She really needed to work out some muscle but who has time?
"I got a bad feeling, okay? Some premonition. It is like I feel a storm brewing," She answered.
"Well, it is still spring. A storm can come. Your senses might''ve improved now that you awakened to magic," Dawn dismissed absentmindedly. "Well, time to get rid of the drool."
"Evaporate!"
The dragon drool vanished from both Dawn and the bed. A glistening powder was left behind.
"Genius!" Cythrel squealed. "This dust is concentrated dragon drool. It is almost like raw crystallized mana powder."
"Sora, how long is this girl going to drone about dragon drool?"
"I don''t know but you have other matters to attend. You are glowing by the way."
She lifted her arms and looked at the bracelets. The thin powder from the dried dragon drool was glistening and flaking off of her skin.
"I guess you are right." A knock on the door interrupted them. "Come in!"
Pearl entered the bedroom. She was already dressed, her makeup impeccable and there was almost a kilogram of jewelry on the petite princess.
"What are you guys doing here? And why aren''t you already dressed, Darling? We have an appointment at the bakery!"
"What?" Dawn did a double-take. "Why would Princesses have to arrive on time? Shouldn''t we let them wait? Is there something you are not telling me?"
Pearl glanced at Sora and the beastkin avoided her eyes. Behind them, Cythrel was scooping the powdered dragon drool in a jar.
"Anyway," Dawn continued. "What aren''t you telling me?"
Sora and Pearl fidgeted and Dawn only got even more suspicious.
"He, he. This is worth a fortune!" Cythrel giggled, intoxicated by greed. She sorta ruined the mood but since it was a tense uncomfortable mood she actually did everyone a favor.
Dawn turned around to both chide the elf and let the two obvious conspirators room to breathe. She was too tired to deal with those shenanigans.
"We are not selling Skippy''s drool. One, we don''t need money. Two, that''s Skippy''s drool. Three, that mana type cannot go out into the market." Letting something with Cosmos mana out would eventually draw trouble. Big trouble. Like a score of greedy and crazed archmages scouring the town for the source of that resource. Or a flight of dragons wanting the source of ultimate mana. There was a fourth reason, that stuff was impossible to price. Huge no.
Even though it would be a marvelous material for enchanting. Each grain of that stuff could be used in place of low-rank cores and with more precision...
"Cythrel. Please take this jar of dust to Aidan upstairs. He needs it for his current project."
The little elf saluted and grinned. "Told you the stuff was useful. It looks so good I wonder how it tastes."
"Eww. That''s Skippy''s drool," Dawn grimaced. "Hurry up and go now."
"As you will, taskmaster!" She bolted for the door with the almost full jar.
After Cythrel left, Dawn focused and released a glob of Ether mana to neutralize the particles glistening on the bed. Who knows what effect that much magic concentrated in a single place would cause on that bed. Especially given her track record with such sleeping implements.
Aidan was busy enchanting the items he picked up at the jeweler. The fact that the girls were going to the bakery was a godsend. They were together all the time, he barely had time to work on it. With Astromelicus'' guidance, he carefully engraved the circles in the inner part of the pieces using a special cockatrice feather pen embedded in acid. He really hoped this time things would go well and that this would work. He was running out of options.
He stopped to ask Astromelicus a favor. "Headmaster, Cythrel will knock on the door in a few moments to deliver an item, could you get it?"
"Surely. Take care to let the excess acid out of the pen before using it. You don''t want to ruin the piece."
"That is why I have three of them but you are correct. Thank you."
The stone feather of the cockatrice was one of the few avian monster pens that had three distinct advantages. They could both endure the caustic acid he was using and was safe for humans to manipulate. Add that the fact that they were not as difficult to procure and you had the enchanter''s go to pen for delicate work. There were other feathers that made awesome pens like a Couatl''s rainbow feather even those from heavenly beings, but good luck getting one of these.
Astromelicus took the jar without letting Cythrel glance inside.
Back in the bedroom, Pearl was looking at Dawn''s bracelets. "Are they already fully charged?"
Dawn looked at them and at the engorged sleeping dragon. "No. Skippy kept draining them."
Pearl sighed, "Then how are you using magic while wearing them? Those are modified mana-draining bracelets! The kind that is used to imprison really dangerous mages."
"Oh." Dawn looked back at the bracelets. "My guess is that my mana recovery surpasses the capacity of them to drain mana. I can''t use too powerful magic but right now I have about the same magical power as Cythrel."
"Why you belittle me so, S-ranker?" Cythrel whimpered from the door, pretending to be hurt.
"Well, we can''t have Lumina using what is basically a torture instrument. Get them off and get dressed."
"Okay."
Dawn stashed the bracelets in a locked trunk and after dressing up, putting on makeup and jewelry she looked at herself in the mirror.
"There is only one thing that tells you are not Lumina," Pearl commented from her side while Sora fixed the last details of the round skirt. "The hair."
"That is easy to fix." Easy for her, Dawn meant.
She gathered Creation mana and directed it to the tips of her hair. She was getting really good at improvised magic. Wasteful as cutting an oak to make a single toothpick, but she had nothing better to do with her mana at the time. Dawn''s hair grew to reach her knees. A good portion of an hour later it was also styled for going out.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Let''s go."
"We are honored with the Princesses presence in our humble bakery!" The bakery staff greeted them in a way that was obviously rehearsed.
Decorated bread of all kinds was on display. There was even one that resembled Lumina''s head if you squinted very hard. A table with six places was set in the middle of the main room and it was visible that other pieces of furniture were moved away. There were four of them present and it made Dawn wonder who were the other two. A high stand held a woven basket with a fluffy pillow, probably meant for the sleeping dragon currently carried by Sora.
Pearl glanced at Dawn, and she knew she had to address the baker.
"Master Baker, we will be in your care this afternoon. We expect your best service." She spoke alternating between kind and haughty. Maybe she should take more time to sift through the memories they stole from Lumina.
"Please, your Highness, allow me to show you your seats."
They sat and the staff brought a silver three-tier curated stand, with porcelain plates rimmed with gold and several pastries. Now that she was focusing on Lumina''s memories, she recognized they should eat them from the bottom up. Dawn looked at the pastries and found no raisins. She made a note to research a raisin detection spell. And by that, she meant that Aidan stopped engraving with the cockatrice feather to write a proper note on his notebook back at the laboratory.
"I hope you find our humble afternoon tea adequate, your Highness Lumina. Would you like black tea, your Highness?"
Dawn nodded.
"One or two cubes of sugar?"
"Two, no cream."
The servers poured steaming black tea for all of them. Dawn silently placed a heat resistance spell on Cythrel. Sora and Pearl had Fire affinity and were naturally resistant enough to withstand their tea. She took the cup and sipped. The rich flavor of the black tea filled her mouth and prepared her tongue for tasting the first dish, savory bread and sandwiches. They were small but Dawn knew they were made to be eaten in just a few bites so the participants could chat between themselves.
Dawn caught all gazes on her, including her fellow girls. Pearl''s was aquiline, like an inspector looking for a fault but Cythrel and Sora were waiting to see how it was done so they could imitate. Dawn noticed that this style of tea service was not that common outside the court. She went first to show how it should be done.
They chatted and ate. Meanwhile, back at the Academy...
"It is finished. Headmaster, could you please re-check the diagrams for any flaws?"
"Of course. I am pleased that you took to enchanting, cadet Aidan. It is almost a lost art these days and one I wouldn''t want to see vanish while I still live. The age of great heroes is past us because we abandoned enchanting but the mage wars left a taste sour enough to make everyone eschew enchanted tools. Almost everyone, of course. The S-ranked hunters still need to clad themselves in magic to withstand the dangers of high-ranked monsters."
Astromelicus'' words unwittingly hurt Aidan as they remembered him of his missing parents. But he had to solve his Princess problems before going out looking for them. Astromelicus kept analyzing the diagrams engraved in the inner side of the mithril pieces, humming and making surprised faces. He used a few diagnostic spells and after a quarter of an hour returned them to Aidan.
"They are perfect. All it needs now is to activate using the mana signature of their intended user."
"Thank you, Headmaster."
Aidan assembled the parts of the two objects by snapping them back in place. Unless you knew where the seams were, you''d think it was a single piece. He placed the felt inner lining on the two enchanted pieces and clasped it in place. They were finally complete and ready for use. Aidan packed his enchanting gear, taking care to remove all the acid from the cockatrice feather. He was about to go away with the big jewelry case when someone knocked on the door.
"Busy day, it seems." He chuckled.
He opened the door to find Princess Claire, dressed to kill in a light orange gown with white elbow gloves and a lot of jewelry. Some knights were with her as escorts and Aidan noticed she was here in official business.
"Your Highness, what is the matter?"
"Lord Aidan, your presence is necessary. Follow me, please." She turned her head away and Aidan knew he wasn''t supposed to reply, just follow. He scratched his chin but decided to follow anyway. He, Aidan had no qualms with the Royal Family and especially none with Claire. It was Dawn that had problems with the Prince and the King, he had to remind himself of that.
They went to a carriage that had the windows shutters completely closed. The interior was dark but Claire used her magic to set a light inside. Funny thing, Aidan didn''t remember Claire using magic during their tenure at the hospital or their winter runaway. maybe something to do with the fact that every single person in the royal family could use Light magic and a late awakening. Or something else. Like they had some secret ingredient that grants Light affinity like the Elder Fairy Wings.
The carriage clopped in the cobblestone streets and Aidan had no idea where they were going but he had a hunch. The strength of his soul tether was increasing, and it meant getting closer to Dawn. If they went away after a while he would know he wasn''t being surreptitiously taken to the bakery. Those two empty seats Dawn was looking at right now were a dead giveaway. He decided to just clutch the case in his arms and go with the flow. If they were going to the bakery, it would suit his plans just fine.
"I see you are wearing your own Regalia Ring," Aidan told the Princess.
"Yes. Father thought to make all of us wear ours, so she wouldn''t stand out. Because of our soon-to-arrive guests," Claire explained, making a disgusted face when she said ''guests''.
He changed the subject and made some small talk with her while they went on their way.
The vehicle stopped and Aidan knew they were in front of the bakery. Dawn was making a big effort to keep her poker face. Lumina''s lessons really helped. She slowly sipped lukewarm tea to cover her mouth as she eyed Cythrel feeding herself with a Sylph''s Hand spell.
"We are here," Claire informed.
The Princess was trying to read Aidan''s face but the boy just tapped his case and smiled.
"Let me be your footman, your Highness." He told her as the door opened. The footman of the carriage took a step back to let the Lord help the Princess. Aidan handed him the wooden case so he had free hands to help Claire down.
"Why, thank you, Lord Aidan." Claire saw the smirk on his face and was sure he knew where they were.
"You''re most welcome, your Highness. I can sense my counterpart from afar if the thought crossed your mind."
"Not at all," She told a white lie. "I heard the pastries here are marvelous."
"I can surely taste some of them." He took her right hand and guided it into the fold of his left arm.
"Lead on, Lord Aidan." The Princess commanded with a mirthful tone.
Aidan took the case from the footman and crossed the porch into the bakery. The girls pretended to be surprised by his entrance as if it wasn''t scripted but Aidan found it endearing. He led the Princess to her seat and after his escort quest was complete he took a step back and bowed to ''Lumina'' and to Pearl in the appropriate order. He then stood up near the table. The thought of making Dawn invite him crossed his mind but now that the First Princess was seated, it was Claire''s duty to say it.
"Please, Lord Aidan, I''d be delighted if you took the seat next to me." Claire finally told him.
He sat between Claire and Sora. Sora was next to Cyhtrel and Dawn was between the Elf and the guest Princess. It gave him a full view of the entire bakery after he compounded his two pairs of eyes on opposite sides of the table.
They made some small talk and two other three-tiered plate stands came from the kitchen for the newcomers, Princess and Lord. After they got through their first course with a bit of haste, the doors to the kitchen were thrown open and a tiered cake covered with decorated frosting came on a cart.
Pearl waved a hand and the candles on the cake flared alight. Otherworlders in this kind of occasion would start to sing a very common song in their world but it fell from grace after some minstrels made funny parodies and now nobody sang it anymore.
"Happy Birthday, Lord Aidan." The two real Princesses, Sora and Cythrel cried at the same time.
Aidan was really surprised. Between his frantic research and Dawn''s affinity training, he lost track of time. His birthday was indeed at the end of Spring but he had no idea it was today. He glanced at Sora but she read his surprise and nodded. Yes, it was today.
The girls congratulated him and after a round of handshakes and polite kisses, they all ate cake. Even Skippy woke up to put something that was not raw mana in his belly. The sight of the little dragon with cake frosting all over his neck, wings and front paws was endearing.
The master baker came and they all congratulated him on the quality of his food. They kept talking and partaking on the pastries and tea. After some back and forth, Aidan decided to break the conversation.
"Could I have a minute of your attention, my Ladies?" Aidan asked, pulling the case up.
They all saw the case but none of the other four girls knew what was inside. He let a dramatic pause linger for a while and moved once he noticed some of them holding their breaths.
"I have a gift here for a very important person." He opened the case.
Inside were two bracers made of a silvery-white metal. The surface was crafted to remember entwined vines with leaves and some flowers here and there following no specific pattern. In the middle of each flower, there was a light blue crystal that caught the light and sparkled. The work felt delicate enough that the flowers would bend just from touching.
"These are amazing," Claire whispered with wide eyes.
"That''s mithril, isn''t it?" Sora asked Aidan.
"Whose are..." Pearl started to ask but stopped when she saw that the front of the bracers was closed off.
Aidan took them out of the case and crossed behind Sora. Cythrel didn''t know what to do and Dawn rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Cythrel. Raise your arms." Aidan asked.
The girl squealed and raised the stub of her arms out of her cloak. Aidan slowly slid the bracers over, covering the arms and the lower part of the elbow.
"Feels so good!" She almost moaned.
With the bracers firmly in place, Aidan told her to channel mana through them. She did and the gems glowed with the light blue mist mana for a while and the bracers shifted slightly in size to fit snug against her arms.
"Does it hurt?" He asked.
"No, no! It is tight but feels very good."
The unintended double entendre sparked laughter among them.
"How is the mana drain?" Aidan kept checking the devices with his mana sight. The enchantments seemed to be working fine, but given Cythrel''s D-rank mana pool, the drain was a source of concern.
"It is still sucking a lot but I can endure it." This time only Sora chuckled. "What? Oh." Cythrel blushed when she noticed why Sora chuckled.
"Once the cores finish charging, it will be only a trickle. But they have to charge up with your mana signature or the enchantments won''t react properly."
They kept chatting and joking around while the bakery staff serviced them.
Everything was fine, until...
They were interrupted by a boasting male voice coming from the front porch.
"Oh. Is this a welcome party for me?"
Everyone looked at the bakery door. There was a man there, maybe in his twenties with a beautiful woman next to him, both in very fine clothing. Skippy growled, angry. Smoke was coming from the little dragon''s mouth. Dawn and Aidan both shivered as if a wraith was playing with their spines. Pearl recognized the heraldry and sighed. Cythrel and Sora were just alert, without fully understanding the situation but already smelling the trouble.
The man walked inside, theatrically sniffing the air. He put his hands on his waist and smiled like only a jerk full of himself could smile. Dawn had to hold herself to avoid sending a beam of disintegrating Destruction mana his way. Aidan felt his very core stir with hatred.
"What is wrong, Lumina? Aren''t you happy to see your fianc?"
Crown Prince Brody of Heath had arrived in Yutis.
The game was on.
... and she met a stalwart, confident Prince ...
Dawn asked herself how did they find them at the bakery. Of course, the event was not secret but for Brody to go straight, there was suspicious. Then she saw Brian, still wearing the academy uniform, behind his older siblings Brody and Sierra and it became clearer. The stupid prince ratted on them. Not that Brian owed any loyalty to Yutis or anyone else outside his country but she felt entitled to feeling betrayed.
It was a recipe for trouble. Scratch that, catastrophe was a more likely item on the menu of that afternoon. Five Royals from three different countries, the scion of the God-Slayer, a baby dragon, and a girl pretending to be a princess. Add to the fact that most of them were trained warriors or mages or even both and the sheer dislike of the two parties facing off each other.
If things went bad, that could be the spark to draw the entire continent into war.
Aidan was glad he could give Cythrel the bracers before the shitshow started. They had several enchantments, including a protective Force-based one to resist spells and physical attacks. Sora was nimble and trained enough to get out of trouble, but the elf was basically a bystander when it comes to combat. She didn''t even learn attack spells yet. Claire was in a similar condition though her status as a bona fide Princess would make attackers avoid hurting her. Plus she''d shown to be proficient with the dagger she wears under her skirt.
Pearl was an adventurer and registered hunter. C-rank by the guild''s standards. Besides also being a Royal and from another country, she could hold herself well in combat and getting close to a Steam mage was terrible as their spells were devastating in short range and most of them affected areas. Attacking Pearl in this fight would make a regional incident into a global one. Given how advanced the tunnel negotiations were, with building crews already dispatched to the site, Heath could be the tipping force to make Gohar and Yutis into lifelong allies.
On the other side, the three from Heath. Brian was an idiot but he had Magma magic at his use and some weapons training. Aidan thought about buying a round of drinks to his groupies. They took it easy with the Prince and always let him win easily to curry favor and it had to hurt Brian''s combat reflexes and cause him to overestimate his own skills. Brody had only the family trademark Earth magic but he was a skilled swordsman and also a registered hunter. He would be on par with Lucien in martial abilities but their stances on combat were radically opposite. While Lucien fought gallantly and honorably, Brody was a rabid ferocious animal that focused on winning at any cost. Sierra was a mage, but Aidan had no idea of her Element. Only that she had Earth affinity like everyone in her family. Aidan should''ve dedicated some time to researching his opposition. Skippy told him that Brody brought his sister along.
Finally, there were Aidan, Dawn, and Lumina. Yes, Lumina. Aidan could feel his very soul, or the part that was her, stir as the Princess side of him boiled in hateful ichors that would make the pits of hell feel like a hot spring bath. She wanted to make him pounce and wreck these three smug Royals, to obliterate Brody. Aidan felt as if that emotion was his. Part of him wanted to set Lumina free and watch the world burn. Having Dawn in their shared mindscape was the only thing holding him from rampaging. She was stable and her soul was fully healed unlike his but she also had the memories Lumina shared with them while she controlled Aidan''s body. She remembered being mistreated and even mishandled by Brody and her body matched Lumina''s. To Dawn, it felt like it happened to her due to that combination. But Dawn''s own magic was sufficient to overpower the magic of everyone else other than Aidan in the room together. Hopefully, they thought.
The master baker read the situation and was trembling, imagining his brand new bakery destroyed in a raging match between teenage royalty. He had already dismissed his staff and was now alone. Smart peasants avoided contact with aristocracy like they avoided the plague. It never ended well for the peasants, and the baker was realizing the truth of that saying firsthand.
What did Aidan want? To kill Brody. He had to die. In their evaluation, he deserved to die. The three minds sharing those two metaphysically intertwined bodies agreed on that. But he couldn''t just murder Brody. Oh, boy, if he could. There''d be a crater in the street by now. No. He had to make him strike first, to begin with. If Brody was the aggressor, they''d have an easier time avoiding the political implications of killing a Royal Heir Apparent would surely have. Heath would press for war, but the countries around them would have an excuse to avoid getting tangled.
Just getting him to strike first wasn''t enough, however. There were the trade agreement and the fact that it came with Lumina''s hand as a freebie. If Brody died, they''d just engage her to the next heir in line. Dawn shuddered at the thought of being engaged to Brian. The vermin would be easy to manipulate but no girl would like to be married to a vermin. No. They had to goad him into a position where he''d wager the trade agreement and the engagement. This meant they had to raise the stakes until his interests matched the value of these intangible goods.
To that Aidan would be his own bait. Scratch that, everyone agreed to be bait. He would make Brody hate him. Sora and Cythrel were in and so was Dawn and Skippy. He''d make Brody so desperate to get at them that he''d wager the treaty and the engagement to get at them.
Brody''s timing was bad. Aidan wanted to progress slowly but now he already knew that everyone there was related. Skippy was in his reddish-brown coloration and maybe Brody wouldn''t recognize him.
The time to think and plan was over. The initial surprise was gone and everyone was moving. Aidan shifted to magic sight and silently used the Soul Sight and Familiar Sense Link spells. As Brody strutted into the Bakery, observing the loaves of bread and pastries. He nodded and mumbled something. Then his eyes fell on Pearl, he nodded. Next was Dawn and he furrowed one eyebrow.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
"Lumina? You''re different," He pointed out.
Dawn thought that maybe she wasn''t scowling enough or wasn''t looking at him with the despise the worm deserved. But it was probably the Regalia or lack thereof. She was covering her ring after all. Keep him guessing was the name of the game. He would get angry before he would get wary.
"People change," Dawn answered. "Or, most people change. You, on the other hand, seem to be the same as before. You were not invited, Brody. Please proceed to the castle if you are on official business. This bakery is reserved."
Sierra measured Dawn from the top down. Brian was just trying to soak in some bravery from his brother by partially hiding behind him. Brody laughed.
"C''mon, why wouldn''t I be invited to a function when my woman was." He chortled boastfully. Every movement of his was exaggerated. Dawn''s hackles rose as he called her ''his woman''.
"You shall have no women here in Yutis save for the wenches you brought from home," Dawn declared returning the upside down glare Sierra gave her moments ago.
"Or the ones I''ll take home," He faked absentmindedness as he stared at Sora and Cythrel. The two girls were well-dressed but not Royalty-level well dressed. Cythrel tried to hide her bracers underneath the cloak but Brody''s gaze caught it. "Show me your arms, girl" Brody told the elf.
"Oh, Look who''s here," The Princess from Heath sneered. "Pearl of Gohar. I almost missed you, I don''t have a habit of looking down."
Pearl laughed in defiance. "That''s so typical, Sierra. Trust a Mud mage to fling gunk everywhere."
''So that''s Sierra''s Element,'' Aidan mentally remarked.
"Always the hothead venting your sorrows everywhere, isn''t that you, ''Steamy'' Pearl?"
"That is me," Pearl posed. "I''m Hot and Dangerous. Much better than Clammy and Dirty like you."
Sierra hissed, unable to think of a comeback.
"Ignore them, all of you," Aidan warned his group. Sora and Cythrel avoided looking at him but Skippy kept his eyes trained on the man. The baby dragon could feel his mentor''s hatred and he was tense, ready to pounce or carbonize Brody. Probably he''d do both.
*Kreeeek* - Skippy voiced his discomfort with a low tone growl. With small tongues of flame that sputtered less than a hand in front of him.
"Oh, what a ferocious sugar-frosted dragon!" Brody mocked Skippy''s growl.
It was Aidan''s cue to taunt Brody. "Beware, your Highness. Dragons in Yutis are known to be vicious. They especially hate strangers and carriages, for some unknown reason," He put emphasis on the word ''carriages''.
Brody was not stupid even though he made little use of his brain for the higher arts. He took two steps forward while he measured Aidan and scoffed, finding him lacking. He glanced at Brian behind him and Brian whispered something, to which Brody nodded. He locked gazes with Aidan and he felt a murderous impulse sent from Lumina inside him.
"You are the Underworld mage that saved my woman, thank you for that," Brody made a mocking bow. Or he just bowed. To Aidan and Dawn, even him taking in the air to breathe was an act of mockery. But the fact that Brody knew his Element was a bit of a surprise. Brian was really good at debriefing or there was someone gathering intelligence for Brody.
Aidan shook his head. "I saved my princess only. She is not yours," Aidan intentionally missed the proper pronoun. Brody did take note of that as he slightly shifted his shoulders to look more menacing. Aidan glanced lovingly at Dawn, stopping to stare at the posterior part of her skirt. He then licked his lips.
Dawn caught when Brody clenched his fists when Aidan stole that lecherous glance. Good. Paint a big, nice target. Wave that red cloth in front of the bull.
"Mind how you speak with your betters, commoner. In fact, there is a lot of commoners here that might require some flogging to learn respect." Brody mused.
However, not everyone present was as comfortable with the rising tension. Claire spoke in a commanding tone, "Lord Aidan, your presence here is no longer required. You can leave with your wives."
It was obvious that Princess Claire was nervous. Aidan nodded and bowed as he replied to Claire, "Yes, Your Highness First Princess. As you command." He glanced at Sora and Cythrel. The beastkin took Skippy on her arms and patted the dragon''s head to calm him down.
Brody tensed his legs as if he was about to spring forward. Instead, he craned his neck and stared at Claire, measuring her. "First Princess? Did we meet before?"
Behind his older brother, Brian shuddered. The young prince from Heath was never invited to the castle and Claire was not advertised openly to the public. Since he never left the academy, he missed entirely on the former handmaid''s new status.
"Yes, we did," Claire answered with an attempted deadpan face. "I was incognito working as my sister''s handmaid."
"Oh. You are the shy handmaid Lumina never let anywhere near me!" Brody exclaimed, amused. "And you were her sister all along. Well, you''ll be my sister as well, we''ll all get along as family now!" It sounded as creepy, just like every single sound and movement he made.
It was time for Dawn to scoff. "Oh, please. Stick to doing lecherous acts with only your own sister, Brody. You will respect Claire and keep your distance or you''ll regret." She pushed some mana out to make her statement heard.
That opened a second front in their confrontation. Sierra was startled as she sensed the mana from Dawn and tried to counter it. Aidan saw her construction and Dawn shot a packet of Ether mana to disrupt her spell. It made the Princess from Heath open her eyes wide. She didn''t notice where it came from, only that her spell was disrupted.
Dawn kept oozing Ether mana in low concentrations to avoid making it visible and sending that mana in Sierra''s direction. Sierra sighed as she felt her ongoing spells fail and dissipate, eaten by the Ether mana. They locked up in that contest. Sierra kept trying to cast as quietly as she could and Dawn pumped the air around her full of Ether mana. A keen observer would see some heat haze waving the images around the center of the bakery, the no-Princess'' land between the two parties facing off. The Ether would flow in a path guided by Dawn''s will and wrap around Sierra, eating any mana she poured into her spell constructs.
Aidan waved a hand behind him, indicating to Sora and Cythrel they should move behind him toward the backdoor of the bakery. "Let''s go."
"Hold it right there!" Brody shouted and started to move forward, crossing the middle of the bakery. "I didn''t give you permission to leave, commoner!"
Brody aimed at Cythrel and started to draw his sword as he dashed through the cloud of Ether mana Dawn laid across the room. Skippy roared and flashes of light flared between the scales of his neck. Cythrel lifted her arms to defend herself and the jewels on the two mithril bracers gleamed.
And the young God-Slayer world went red as his soul tenant flared up and demanded blood. His eyes, nose, and ears complied. Lumina''s message was clear.
*** KILL HIM ***
... and hell broke loose.
Crown Prince Brody of Heath ran across the bakery toward the three lesser nobles in the back, his hand on the hilt of his still sheathed sword. He went past the line of Princesses with a smug attitude that showed he believed they would not dare attack him. And he was right. For the wrong reasons.
Claire was not a combatant. Pearl was busy keeping her eyes on the other two royals by the door. And Dawn was fighting in the information dimension. She was the only one that had full awareness of almost everything in play, at least on their side. All the pieces they set and prepared for. Two of them would show their worth now. She saturated the empty area around her with Ether mana. From it, she kept shooting motes of it to disrupt the frantic spells Sierra kept trying to cast. But Brody just crossed that cloud.
The first piece was revealed when Ether mana greedily clung to the high-energy high-organized mana around the Prince, consuming itself to bring that mana to a higher level of entropy. In layman''s terms, dissolve it into basic raw mana. The awfully expensive enchanted items Brody was carrying and the spells currently active on him soon fell prey to the neutering properties of the Ether mana. Dozens of faint sounds like glass wind chimes being rung and broken in no particular order or harmony covered all other sounds in a cacophony of despair.
Brody kept pressing on. He firmly set his good leg on the ground and lunged forward, his sword drawn in a swift and practiced movement to either attack or harass the people on the back. Cythrel raised her arms clad in ornate mithril bracelets up in an attempt to defend herself from the incoming aggressor. The light blue cores dotting the flowers engraved on the bracers glowed fiercely.
But before the enchantment could take form, Aidan lurched, gagged and bled from the ears, nose, and eyes. He started to throw up and only Sora quick reflexes avoided having the not-so-dignified scion of the God-Slayer fall into a heap on the ground. Skippy was thrown up to free her arms. The dragon just took wing and hovered in place. Blood mixed with bile splashed around Aidan.
Brody saw it with his peripheral vision and smirked. He focused his eyes on the elf, looking at the bracers with interest. The sword free and already up high, he firmly planted his previously wounded leg on the ground to show that rabble of commoners their proper place in the scheme of the world. His overhead swing was powerful and the elf would probably not survive it.
But the leg didn''t hold. The bone splintered with a crunchy sound and then a squelch and a splutter as the weight of his own body forced the calf bones out through the skin. The Prince''s momentum drove him forward still and the cores on Cythrel''s bracers shone. Brody crashed on something invisible as if an unbreakable glass pane was set in front of him. His sword also hit it with a dull thud and the Prince unceremoniously fell into a heap or more precisely slid down that slightly angled invisible pane into a heap on the ground, blood freely flowing from his exposed fracture. His sword was released and it clattered next to him.
"Stone Bones," Dawn explained. "It seems he was using the Stone Bones spell to temporarily fix his fracture."
Cythrel smiled and looked at her bracers. Anyone could tell she loved them already. The little elf looked at the Prince on the ground and snorted. She drew her foot back and kicked him once near the eye. After that, she used a spell to take his sword away.
"Sylph''s Hand."
And just like that the two men in the bakery were incapacitated and bleeding. The baker had fled minutes ago when the insults started to be thrown around. He could rebuild his bakery but not raise from the dead. One could argue that Brian was present but he was by the door frame, not properly inside the room.
"Brody!" Cried Sierra, worried for her brother. "You murdering scoundrels! This was a trap! Brian do something!"
The Princess kept trying to cast spells, signs of mana exhaustion already visible. Dawn got impatient because of Aidan''s condition and Lumina''s bloodlust doing a number on the young man''s body and decided to send the whole cloud to wrap around Sierra.
"How can it be a trap if we weren''t aware of your arrival, we didn''t invite you here and you were the ones to barge into our party?" Claire asked, appealing to the visiting Royalty''s common sense. One could probably point out that it was a fruitless endeavor, as they had close to none.
"Brian, be a man and defend your brother before he is slaughtered by these barbarians and fed to the dragon!" Sierra scolded her brother.
The cloud of Ether reached her and once again the sound of enchantments breaking and spells dissipating as Ether devoured those high-energy constructs rang in the air around Sierra. She gasped and trembled for her dear life. She thought the sound was the prelude of what happened to Brody and shrank a head as she backed off and leaned against the wall.
"Brian!" She screamed.
The slow Prince decided to act finally and started to cast a spell.
"Magma "
His mana gathered around him, taking in the glowing reddish-orange tint of Magma mana. He never got to finish his spell, his concentration broken.
"Old Faithful''s Wrath!"
Pearl lashed out. If they wanted a spell battle, she was glad to indulge. The spout of boiling water that erupted behind Prince Brian lifted the man and bashed his back against the door frame, cracking the wood. It would be fatal if Pearl didn''t use the spell at the lowest power. The impromptu geyser stopped abruptly and the Prince unceremoniously crashed face first on the wooden floor of the bakery.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Brian!" Sierra screeched in panic, her vocabulary cut awfully short. The Princess'' legs failed her and she slid down the wall, the skirts and petticoats around her legs blooming like a flower on the ground. The Prince coughed and wheezed and Sierra screamed again. "Guards! Guards! Kill them!"
Claire shouted over Sierra desperate shrieks. "Princess Sierra, call off your Knights. Any aggression in our Realm will be dealt with swiftly."
Sierra wailed for the men to attack at the top of her lungs. The Knights from Heath filed into the room, followed by three of Sierra''s personal maids. One of the knights stopped to help Brian back on their feet and the others spreading and charging. The faint cloud of Ether ate their armor''s enchantments and dissipated. More sounds like broken glass rang.
"Defend the Crown Prince!" The lead Knight with a captain''s pauldrons shouted. He unsheathed his sword and charged. The others did the same and followed him.
The three Princesses were not worried about being attacked. It would be the epitome of stupidity and these Knights were trained to pick their targets. But that meant that the three lesser nobles at the back and their dragon were fair game. Especially because they were the ones nearer Brody. One of the Knights next to their captain shoved the table away to make way and suddenly wobbled and crashed down. The captain also just fell flat forward. The Knights one by one followed their leader on a heap of armored bodies. It would be funny if the situation wasn''t that tense or if the Knights were...
Breathing. Charge a soul mage capable of silent casting at your own peril.
Claire shot Dawn a glance and the boy in a girl''s skin pretending to be a Princess just nodded. Dawn put a hand on Claire''s arm and gently pushed her backward.
"Get in the back, sister," Dawn told the Princess. "I got this handled."
Claire exited the room through the backdoor with Cythrel and Sora. The two girls were helping Aidan move.
Back in the bakery''s main room, Sierra wasn''t finished. The Princess, feeling safe among her handmaids started to run her mouth. "You! You! It is all your fault! Lumina the Queen of Besmirch you oathbreaker wench! You want to murder us all! I told Brody that a psychopath like you that got Orian executed, you are now killing us all you wretched man-hater! Kill Lumina! Kill her!"
Two of the handmaids produced daggers and dashed toward Dawn. She sighed and glared. Both of them lost their footing and collapsed on the floor. They were not moving. Or breathing.
"Shut your trap before you get any more of your supporters killed, Sierra. Just shut it. Or maybe you want to keep your hysterical episode going until one of your brothers exsanguinate. I''m fine with that."
Sierra looked at the handmaids and back at Dawn with wide-eyed eyes. "Are they de-dead, Lumina?"
"Come and check if you are so concerned" Dawn waved a hand dismissively. "Pearl, could you please staunch Brody''s bleeding leg? The limb is ruined anyway."
"With pleasure, my friend," The petite Princess grinned. She was going to enjoy it. Brody was barely conscious as Pearl wove her spell with theatrical flair, her arms wreathed in flame. Maybe Sierra shouldn''t have invoked the memory of Prince Orian. The thought of those maids raped made Pearl''s heart clench and her rage like searing embers.
"Cauterize."
Brody''s broken leg burst into flame and he wailed in pain. The smell of burnt flesh and hair mixed with the aroma of bread and made Pearl regret. The leg was burnt entirely, a sizzling mound of flesh sealing the stump.
Dawn waved at the Knight that was carrying Brian to the carriage, "You, bring the Prince here so I can heal him. It is more than he deserves but let nobody say that Yutis'' royalty is not merciful." Her voice carried an imposing tone, a command that could not be defied. It sounded like good old Lumina. Dawn made good use of the pilfered memories.
The knight brought Brian back and Dawn wove a hand. She chanted her spell, Healing Light on both Brian and Brody. The last surviving Knight carried the unconscious Princes into the carriage while the handmaid helped Sierra move.
Outside, a crowd of curious bystanders was watching the scene unfold. Lots and lots of academy students too, including Brian groupies. Dawn got outside and stood in front of the carriage. The driver was scared and the knight took the footman stand after everyone was inside. She took her stand and flared all of Lumina''s majesty.
"I won''t forgive another heinous attack disturbing our peace from you again. Once again, Let nobody say that Yutis'' Royalty is not merciful. Keep your Princes in the carriage and make way to the castle. My fellow Princesses and I will meet you there. Leave it here before I regret letting you live."
One of the Yutis'' own guard squad was nearby. The sergeant cried, "Make way for the carriage!"
Dawn saw an opportunity. "Sergeant, escort that carriage and make sure our guests are safely delivered at the castle. And someone sends word to the guard to pick up the bodies of those foolish enough to raise weapons against me in there."
The carriage departed slowly with the guard squad jogging at its sides to protect the precious cargo. Pearl got out of the bakery and into the streets. Dawn smiled and waved, Pearl returned the gesture in kind. The blurb of the crowd was drowning any sounds. It was impossible for them to talk. Claire and the rest of the crew showed up right after Pearl.
Dawn walked to check on Aidan''s condition, visibly worried. All an act, of course. Now with Brody away from them, Aidan could push Lumina back in control. But he was still blooded. Dawn used healing magic just for show. Cythrel had already fixed him with her Mending Mist.
A few minutes later the master baker appeared and threw himself to the ground, groveling before Dawn and Claire. Pearl stood a bit to the back with Aidan and the girls. Dawn knew they had to help the baker or his business would be ruined. She crouched next to him and helped the man back on his feet. She showed her hand and the baker took it, kissing the air above her hand. She nodded and complimented him on his baking skills. With the endorsement of the princesses, he would be set.
"Let''s go. We must arrive at the castle before our guests. Everyone, hold hands." Cythrel frowned. "Skippy, you latch to Cythrel''s back."
Dawn and Aidan cast Invisibility and Sky Wings on all of them. They flew to the castle and soon gained over the slow-moving carriage with the Royals from Heath.
During their short flight they made an assessment of the confrontation. It went better than they expected. Brody now hated Aidan and Cythrel and probably Skippy as well. He''d be willing to negotiate to get a shot at them. He lost his leg and he''d need regenerative magic. Dawn would be glad to indulge if it meant she got to use magic on him unimpeded. Now all they needed to do was to give Brody the biggest motivator to make sure he would be unable to think straight.
It was time for Aidan and ''Lumina'' to fall madly in love with each other. A forbidden romance between a lesser noble and a bethroted Princess.
They would make Brody mad with jealousy and possessiveness. He would be driven to the point where he would give anything for the opportunity to get rid of that rival. And after he bit the bait, he would be damned.
"Worry not, guards, for it is me, Lumina that return." Dawn warned before unceremoniously lifting the invisibility over the crew. They landed on the courtyard. Danw and Claire left everyone with Pearl and made a beeline to report what happend to King Helios.
The visit from Brody wasn''t going to be a pleasant one for anyone.
And they call that mercy
Two young women ran through the castle corridors. They lifted their ornate skirts to give their legs more mobility and reached the doors of the King''s audience chamber. The guards were startled but they immediately recognized them. They wouldn''t be posted at the inner chambers if they didn''t.
"Your Highnesses, the court is in session."
Dawn rolled her eyes and stopped to catch her breath. Damn couch potato constitution Lumina had. That she spent most of her one month of life on a bed didn''t help. If she hadn''t used her favorite Butterfly Step and Tailwind spells she''d never even be there. She circulated some Life mana on her body to alleviate the weariness and wreathed herself in Steam mana to remove the sweat. Too bad humans couldn''t do mana cladding.
"There is no time. Open the door or I''ll break it down! NOW!" The fake Princess shouted.
"The King is receiving ambassadors. We can''t open the door."
"Then don''t open it but please step away for your own safety. Claire?" Dawn glanced at the real Princess and earned a nod. Claire knew her well enough to know what was about to happen.
"Ash Compression..."
"Incinerate!"
Pure fire mana covered the whole door and devoured all things flammable and melted all things meltable. The rush of the ashes being pulled in drove everything into a ball of cinders and molten metal that unceremoniously clattered down and rolled back into the corridor. Dawn was already draining the heat back to avoid burning anything else.
The guards decided to stand tall and man their posts, their backs straight at attention, spears at the ready. They wouldn''t open the door even though there was none anymore. Anything else was beyond their control.
The court was in session as the guard stated earlier. The nobles and foreign dignitaries all turned around to see the two girls.
"Father!" Dawn yelled. "We emerged victorious from the dreary and treacherous ambush put up against us!"
"Excellent choice of words, ''sister''," Claire spoke with a quiet voice. "If your intention is to make our army march north tomorrow."
No, it wasn''t. But if she were to be honest with herself, Dawn would lead the charge if things came to that. She was on a roll and her heart was boiling. Heath would sink one kilometer beneath the ocean if it depended on her. But dreams of conquest aside, what Dawn wanted was to tarnish and destroy any diplomatic capital Heath had. Get their name and drag it on the mud. She wouldn''t even have to lower it any further, just add some water.
The presence of foreign dignitaries was a pleasant surprise. One she intended to use to its full extent to further her goals. Nothing like putting a man at the edge of a chasm to make him grab any rope thrown at him. She only needed the other actors to play their part, even though unwittingly.
And one of them, none other than Prince Lucien took the stage, "Who dares assault my dearest sisters? Woe and ruin upon them! The Light''s wrath will see them cleansed from this land!"
Dawn wanted to shower him with applause. Through Aidan''s sight, she knew the carriage with the Princes from Heath were crossing the gates as Lucien finished his speech.
It was King Helios'' cue to speak. "Daughters, step forth. Are you hurt? Did those rascals dare draw a single drop of your blood?"
The foreign dignitaries parted to the sides of the aisle but didn''t relinquish their spots at the front row.
"No, Father," Claire answered. "They marred not a single hair on us. With the help of our friend Princess Pearl of Gohar and the nobles from Yutis with us, my sister Lumina was able to defeat all our adversaries."
Dawn smiled and winked at Claire. That was marvelous. Grant Pearl prestige, show how close Yutis and Gohar were and mask Aidan''s participation. Given the weight of the players involved, nobody would pay mind to a boy that just bled and puked at the back of the room during the fight.
She took Claire''s hand and strutted forward through the red-carpeted aisle. The King and Crown Prince were standing up on the dais. The two women stopped a couple paces before the start of the stairs leading up into the dais.
"Your Majesty our father," Dawn spoke respectfully, "We rushed to give you the news. Let all know that we were peacefully celebrating our friendship near the academy when three Royals from Heath barged into the premises and assaulted us. They pitted their magic against ours, and their lead even drew blades against our party."
Dawn paused to give the peanut gallery of nobles time to gasp and whisper. She saw Lory and Pamela with their parents and winked at them.
"But we pushed them back. It was then they sent their knights and assassins disguised as maids upon us, but one after another they dropped like rotten fruit before us. We captured them but even though it was our right, we showed them mercy. The three of them, Crown Prince Brody, Princess Sierra, and Prince Brian are being brought here as we speak."
Putting names on the story made the whole room go nuts. The whispers now became shouts of indignation and support, most of them fake. Claire sighed and pulled as much air she could to build her pose and Dawn also stood tall before the throne. She wanted to kick the hornet''s nest into the snout of the dragon and watch the world burn.
Aidan pushed his female companions into a side room and closed the door moments before the three Princes from heath turned a bend in the castle corridor and walked past that very door. He was seeing through the eyes of his dragon familiar. Skippy was both invisible and camouflaged perched on a sconce on the corridor. After the trio of escorted Royals walked past, he silently slithered after them, following the group until the now doorless audience chambers.
Brian was hunched, walking with difficulty and clutching his back. Brody was missing one leg a hand below the knee and was walking supported by his last surviving Knight. Sierra was a little disheveled and empty-eyed, her makeup ruined in some places. She was still better than when she left the bakery, but there was only so much a single handmaid could do in a moving carriage in the little time she had.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Skippy took a place atop a statue and rested his head where he could comfortably watch the whole chamber. There shouldn''t be any surprises, but it paid to be prepared. Aidan focused his attention away from the dragon''s sight and spoke to the Princess next to him.
"Pearl, you should go there. Sora, go with her and use your status as the ambassador of the squirrel-kin to raise some hell. Our goal is to push Brody to the edge both emotionally and politically. Whatever you can do to make the foreign dignitaries go against Heath, please do. Pearl, don''t compromise too much. You only helped your friends stay out of harm''s way."
The petite girl smiled, giggled once and tapped her gloved hand on Aidan''s cheek. "Don''t you dare try to teach me diplomacy and politics, Lord Aidan. I''m going there and I am going to raise hell for them. There is no force more terrible in this world than an angry princess. Well, Brody just got four." Pearl chortled. "Besides, they made MY champion bleed. I''d have their heads for way less than that, but I can''t ruin my dearest friend''s plans, can I?"
Aidan held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and a kiss. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Oh, please don''t be cheeky, darling. I am the one to thank you a thousand times over. Finding a true friend for a Princess is like finding a dragon that knows no greed. I''m still on the lookout for the latter as our drooling little friend failed the test."
Aidan opened the door, "Off you go, Pearl. Beat them senseless."
She giggled once again, "As you wish, my champion. I''m sure to share the kills with your counterpart over there. Ambassador Sora?"
Sora walked past the door with Pearl side by side, leaving Aidan alone with Cythrel in the room. As the door closed, the elf pumped her mithril clad arms and smiled, cheering and hooting.
"That makes TWO! Up yours, douchebags!"
Aidan sighed and asked anyway, "Two what, Cythrel?"
"Two out of two retarded Crown Princes I''ve hit! Woohoo, I''m on a roll!" She shadowboxed with her bracers.
Aidan guffawed and hit his thigs, shedding a puff of dried blood. "Did you hit Brody?"
"I kicked ye olde royal cheeks!" She puffed her small chest, proud.
Aidan hugged the girl. "Don''t make that a habit. It will end badly for you someday," He chided her.
"Nah," She waved one arm. "I have to do at least this much to be worthy of being in the God-Slayer''s party. Cythrel the Prince Slayer... What do you think?"
He sighed, "What can I do to make you quiet down just until the hearing ends?"
She stopped to think for a while and opened up a mischievous smile, "I can''t talk if my lips are busy, my hero," Cythrel purred.
Sora and Pearl crossed the corridors in a hurry. They still walked at a pace that made Pearl look dignified. Then they passed past a couple of soldiers that were rolling a sphere of distorted metal and charcoal leaving a black trail across the stone floor.
"She didn''t..." Pearl gasped.
Sora just rolled her eyes, "She did, doubt not. From the size of it, probably the King''s door this time."
"That is something they will need to address," Pearl commented. "Now that it is public knowledge that Lumina can use Fire magic, they will expect her to have the Holy Element just like her mother, the late Queen Alina."
"I''ll tell Aidan."
They reached the audience chamber and as expected, it had no door but six guards. One of them with a captain shoulder guard tapped his spear and bowed.
"Your Highness Pearl of Gohar, you are expected. Please enter."
Pearl bent her knees slightly and nodded. "Thank you, Captain. I will along with Ambassador Sora if that is fine with you."
"Please do, your Highness."
They went inside just as Dawn finished retelling the tale of the Six Royals Bakery fight before the three kneeling Princes from Heath. King Helios was with a stern gaze and Lucien was barely holding himself back.
"Princess Pearl of Gohar and Ambassador Sora of the squirrel-kin!" The royal crier announced them. The names were entered into the guest list at the last moment and for once he seemed glad that at least some sense of normalcy remained in that court session.
"Princess Pearl, Ambassador," King Helios addressed the newcomers. "As witnesses of the fight, please take a spot next to my daughters."
King Helios and Prince Lucien questioned Pearl and Sora about the events that happened. The back and forth took more than an hour since some of the higher nobles presents and some ambassadors also presented their questions.
Since both of them were foreign dignitaries, Pearl and Sora''s testimonial weighed a lot. Pearl a little more than Sora because the former represented a wealthy nation and the latter only a tribe of beastkin. However, the squirrel-kin were well renowned for their diplomatic abilities on top of the already honorable behavior of the beastkin in general. As their retelling neared an end and having heard the same story twice, several of the ambassadors and representatives of foreign kingdoms and trade guilds were looking at Brody and his siblings with reproach.
After the story came to an end, an advisor came and whispered something to King Helios. He cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention and declared.
"Our court mages detected no falsehood in the Princesses statement. Reports from the town guard and several bystanders that were questioned also corroborate what was told here."
Helios stopped speaking to let the crowd mumble and gossip. It was an important part of the court proceedings to let people propagate their opinions. The King''s trusted advisors among the crowd would later poll these opinions and bring them to the King. This way he would know what the people of his court thought. It was still biased opinions as it wasn''t too hard to pinpoint who was reporting to the King, but it was still better than nothing.
"Therefore," He continued after the blurb died spontaneously. "We from Yutis always regarded Heath as a trade partner if not as a friendly nation. The events of this afternoon bring us great sorrow. Since Princess Lumina magnanimously granted you mercy, We shall not sentence you to death. However, one of you struck at our guest Princess Pearl of Gohar with a magma spell. This is a slight that cannot be forgiven by us. Crown Princess Pearl of Gohar, you are free to demand any kind of compensation from them."
All eyes turned upon Pearl. The petite girl had to hold herself to not gloat or do something equally unsightly. The feeling was exhilarating for her. She locked eyes with Lucien and smiled. The hunk of a Prince was still immature but would make a great King. And an even better...
''Get your mind out of the gutter, Pearl! It is time to pass judgment!'' She mentally reined herself in.
"Your Majesty King Helios. While it was true that Prince Brian tried to cast a spell, his poor wizardry left a lot of openings for a proper counter. Since no real harm was done by him, I will side with my friend Lumina in this. Gohar will demand a tribute of no less than five thousand gold pieces per year for a decade but we will grant our mercy to those three Royals."
The emissaries from several trade associations smiled. They knew that those fifty thousand gold pieces were a lot of money but a cheap price for the lives of three Royals. Losing three heirs could be catastrophic for a Kingdom. While Heath had no small amount of bastards with Royal blood to be elevated to heir status, it wasn''t an easy thing to do. But the real thing that impressed the shrewd merchants was that Pearl demanded gold. One thing that all merchants learned when taking on international trade was that almost all gold in the continent was mined in Gohar. So were the gems and a lot of other metals and minerals. Forcing gold to flow back to Gohar''s coffers would tip the prices of the yellow metal in their own favor, increasing the worth of the tribute.
They were smiling also because they had firsthand access to that information and they were going to profit a lot from it. Pearl was not worried and even glad she saw those smiles. These merchants would help spread far and wide what happened here in their negotiations, further cementing the damage caused to Heath. There would be some repercussions with Gohar but those would be minimal. Five thousand gold pieces per year would do much more than mitigate those repercussions.
"It is decided then, " King Helios declared. "Bring in the priest of Sancus. Let us sign the contract. Any of these present that want to sign it as witnesses are welcome to."
Princess Sierra winced at the declaration. Contracts were stronger the more important the people signing it. With that many nations and guilds signing, Heath would have no other choice than pay. Losing Sancus favor for a nation that controlled a lot of trade routes was not wise.
The contract was signed and the long court session finally adjourned. The three from Heath were sent to proper rooms in the guest wing of the castle, under heavy "protection" of Yutis'' knights.
Therapy for the body, mind, and soul
Aidan returned to the academy with Sora and Cythrel. Pearl remained behind to work as deterrence in case one of their ''esteemed'' guests decided to go rogue. Not a big chance but Claire was a noncombatant. Dawn also stayed behind, playing Lumina full time now. A wackier, easygoing and mischievous version of Lumina but by this time everyone in the castle just wrote it off as some quirk she picked up after being hospitalized for so long.
Some foreign merchants going northward departed that very day to bring the news across the land and into the other nations of the continent. Some of them were even competing to see who would get the contract to deliver the thousands of gold coins from the mercy tribute to Gohar. There was a risk of it getting in King Jett''s court before his own daughter. At Dawn''s request, a Royal messenger was sent to the bakery with some gold coins to pay for the damages.
A couple days passed before one of the three siblings from Heath decided to take a step outside their guest chambers. Princess Sierra was going insane from her brother''s inane drivel.
"What are we, hostages? That is preposterous! And where is the mage to regrow my leg?" Brody was in an absolute bad mood.
Brian winced. He didn''t remember a day he wasn''t afraid of his elder brother. "The servants informed that Lumina herself will take care of you whenever you are ready, brother."
"The servants!" Brody tossed a silver tray on the ground. "Why do we only get butlers? Where are the maids?"
Sierra scoffed. "Of course Lumina won''t let any woman from Yutis anywhere near you. And harlots won''t get into the castle, Brody. I think you will have to settle with your sweet Migite for the time being. And if you try to touch my Mirtes I''ll make Brian the next King."
Migite was a borrowed word from the otherworlders. Every boy''s first girlfriend. Mirtes was Sierra last handmaid.
Brody roared and started to trash the expensive furniture. Sierra stood up and left the chambers.
"Your Highness. How may we help you?" One of the butlers assigned to taking care of them bowed. Sierra was impressed at how handsome those butlers were. She was even suspicious that they were Knights in disguise.
"Where are Lumina and Claire?" Sierra needed to talk to someone. Even if it meant talking to her enemies. Her captors.
"The Princesses are having tea in the gardens, your Highness. I can take you there if you want to."
"Can I?" Sierra was surprised at the sincerity she was feeling from the butler. The joy of having some female company made her drop her Princess mask.
"Of course, your Highness. I am sure the Princesses would be delighted to have you as their guest."
Now she could sense a scripted phrase. It seems the butler was instructed on what he could and could not do.
"Lead the way then," She attempted to sound regal but came out as haughty. Sierra was really out of her game.
She crossed the corridors leading to the inner castle and soon found herself entering Queen Alina''s prized inner gardens. She heard chatter and her heart pounded faster.
The butler stopped after a few paces into the garden and cried. "Princess Sierra of Heath!"
Sierra held her breath as she crossed the gorgeous garden and saw the three Princesses happily chatting and sipping tea under the gazebo in the middle of the garden. The three girls turned around to look at her and instead of the scowls she was sure to get, they were all smiles.
"Sierra. Glad you could join us. Please, have some tea with us." Lumina waved a hand.
She froze. Two days ago she was screaming at her countrymen to murder them and now they were inviting her to have tea? What trickery was in progress? Was it some new kind of Princess hazing? Lumina was merciless, that was well known. After the incident with Orian in Calanthe, Lumina was a name to instill terror on the Princesses. It was a blessing that Yutis was that much out of the way, Lumina didn''t attend as many parties like the other Princesses of the northern Kingdoms.
"Don''t stay there, Sierra," Pearl this time called her out. "The tea will get cold."
Sierra felt her world spin. Was she a prisoner? Did the fight at the bakery happen? She took a step forward and after the first, the others were easier. Maybe she was going to die poisoned or perhaps become the butt of some new joke Lumina came up with. She took the seat assigned to her and a maid poured her tea. Sierra took the cup and sipped it without giving herself time to worry.
Nothing happened. The tea was delicious. Sierra looked up and found all three girls staring at her.
"W-what is it?" She stuttered. Sierra wanted to slap her own head. She stuttered!
"Are you afraid of poison in the tea?" Lumina laughed. "There is no poison, Sierra. There is not much sense in getting you killed now, don''t you think? I don''t want bad blood between us, I really don''t."
Sierra looked at Claire, she nodded. "Try this petit-four. It harmonizes very well with the tea you are having." Claire took one of them at random and ate it with a single bite.
Sierra tried it and the small finger food was delicious. She didn''t even realize she was hungry. They started to talk about some jewelry they bought recently, Pearl exhibiting some beautiful necklace she was using. She complimented her fellow Princess on her necklace and suddenly she was talking and laughing with them.
A lot of time went by. Sierra felt happy. Energized by the conversation. She saw Lumina and Pearl touching each other several times. They were friends, everyone knew that but that felt excessive. Sierra minded no further. She talked about dresses. About Lumina''s trio of former ladies-in-waiting taking on important jobs at their fiefs after doing an overhaul of the country''s finances. Lumina and Claire were sharing what could be considered state secrets with her.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The bakery was a dream. But Brody lost his leg. Sierra wasn''t even sure they were enemies, to begin with.
Dawn was amused at how out of place Sierra looked. It felt like her when mingling with the girls. But she was losing time. Waiting for Heath to make the next move was Pearl''s idea. However, it was burning time that could be used in other projects, like reviving Lumina or attaining ultimate magic for real. Or a number of others.
"Sierra, do you know how long Brody intends to remain with only one working leg?" Dawn asked, straight to the point. Very not Princess-like, she reckoned. But the sooner the better.
Sierra finished eating her pastry before speaking. A real faux pas, one Dawn didn''t intend but from what she remembered from Lumina''s memories, one that could be forced to make the person caught chewing lose face.
"My brother was asking when the healing mage was going to visit him before I left them at our chambers." She finally spurted. Fortunately, no crumbs were spewed.
"Well, the mage that is going to heal his leg is none other than yours truly," Dawn announced with a smile and a hand over her chest. "He only had to ask."
Sierra blinked. "You can regrow limbs?"
Dawn laughed. "Of course I can. Didn''t Brian tell you? My submission to the semester practical spellcraft before my... accident was an area healing spell that can regrow missing body parts."
Rage flashed in Sierra''s face, probably directed at her brother, inept to be a Prince. But that was not a lie. Lumina''s Healing Mist spell was capable of doing that. Not that Dawn was going to use that wasteful and gaudy spell when she had Regrowth. But Sierra could believe whatever she wanted, so long Dawn had time alone with Brody to use magic on him.
"Well, I believe my brother will be delighted to be cared for by his own fiance," Sierra commented with narrowed eyes.
"Excellent. My mana pool is full, we can start anytime." Dawn raised a hand and waved at the butler that brought Sierra here. "Please tell Prince Brody to go to the room prepared for his healing process."
The butler bowed, "As you command, your Highness." He clicked his heels, turned around and left.
"Well, my fellow Princesses, I got a fixer-upper to mend. Please don''t mind my absence and keep on." Dawn used a napkin and stood up. She waved goodbye and followed after the butler.
"Lumina, wait!" Sierra also stood up. "I should go with you."
Dawn turned around and smiled at Sierra. "I''m sorry, Sierra. The spells I am going to use are a secret. Please stay and talk to Pearl and Claire. You spent too long holed up with those two and I am sure they were not so good at making a decent conversation."
Sierra sat back down and Dawn went off to ''heal'' Brody.
"Lumina, my dear. I am elated to know that my own bride will heal me. What a great day." Prince Brody opened his arms in a vain attempt at hugging Dawn, but unless he could fly there was no way he''d reach the girl.
"Cut the crap, Brody. My time is precious. Please lie down belly up on this bed and stand still while I heal you," She turned to the other Prince and shooed him. "And you get out of here now, Brian."
"But Lumina! I can''t let you alone with Brody in a closed room."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "He is my betrothed, what is the problem? You are not my brother and what we do is nobody else''s business. Out, now!" She pointed at the door where three Knights, two from Yutis and one from Heath were waiting.
"Yeah, Brian. Leave me alone with my woman. Go find yourself a princess if you can." Brody guffawed boastfully.
Brian slumped his shoulders and walked out. The Knights closed the door and Brody attempted to stand up.
"Stay on the bed, Brody. I am starting as soon as I set up the privacy wards."
"Oh. You don''t want those Knights at the door to hear your moans? How modest of you, Lumina." Brody started to undress.
"I don''t care what you do as long as you stay on that bed," Dawn replied while she went around the room setting the diagrams for the wards. She locked the door as she passed near it and after all was done and activated, she returned to find a naked Brody already flying the national colors.
"Do you like what you see?" Brody asked with a voice Dawn was sure he thought was sexy.
Dawn''s Answer was to cast two spells in rapid succession.
"Memory Void."
"Dominate."
Two forbidden spells they learned from Astromelicus'' library. The former would block Brody from creating any long-term memory from whatever he experienced under the effect of the spell. The latter transformed Brody''s mind into a puppet Dawn could command as she wanted.
"Disgusting." She commented as she dragged a bedsheet over the Prince. She didn''t need to see him naked to do what she needed to do.
"Soul Sight."
She looked at Brody''s soul. Absolutely hale as she expected. Brody only had Earth affinity and Mana affinity at a low rank. Exactly like Claire but her Element was Light. Dawn was sure Claire didn''t have any magical affinity whatsoever during their winter adventure. It meant something granted her both affinities. Dawn was sure it was the Regalia. It made little sense for entire bloodlines produce mages with absolute certainty with the same theme Element. Just like the whole Yutis Royal Family had Light and Gohar had Fire.
She knew that the Elder Fairy wings granted Mist and Mana affinities. It was not absurd to think that there were other methods of increasing one''s affinities. Very rare, very hard methods.
But enough research. Back at Brody''s treatment. "Stay immobile until I say otherwise. Don''t talk until I say otherwise." She ordered him.
Dawn wriggled her fingers and started.
"Grant Pain Suppression."
"Soul Chisel."
The spell that allowed her to carve out the soul related to specific body parts. Dawn mentally apologized to her fellow man for what she was about to do, but it was for the best. She carved out most of the soul portion representing Brody''s glans and half the shaft of his penis. Next, she hollowed out his balls. With that set, she committed the spell and it cut off exactly where she intended to. The body would be fine, but the portions she cut would stay without feeling forever.
Not that Brody had that much time to live.
With several other castings of Soul Chisel, she carved out a small part of his Achilles'' tendons and other articulations from the limbs to reduce his strength. It would be noticeable but she would smooth things out before she was done.
Next up was the head. Time to shorten the intellect gap between Brody and Brian by making the former dumber. She chanted Soul Chisel and started drilling holes in the Prince''s head. The severed portions of soul evaporated and disappeared. She kept asking Brody math problems to assess his intellect loss. When he started to fail basic addition operations, Dawn stopped.
"Soul Restoration."
She used the spell form of the magic. It was very mana inefficient but she cared little for that. She focused on Brody''s head and to her relief, with a single casting the Prince recovered his ability to do multiplications. Good enough.
Next up was the leg. She cut off the cauterized part and immediately started the healing.
"Regrowth."
She needed two castings to fully regenerate the missing leg. A tender and discolored limb appeared. With time, it would finish healing.
Dawn turned around and gave Brody orders. "Stand up and get yourself dressed. Return to the bed when you are done."
After she heard no more rustling, she took a few leather straps and tied Brody to the bed. When he was secured, she poured Ether mana all around the Prince. Between the Ether cloud and the Soul Restoration, her exceptional mana pool was almost entirely drained.
The ether would remove the spells she cast on him, but would also remove the mana signature and any traces that magic was used on him.
The healed leg and the damaged soul were permanent though.
Brody would be way easier to goad and defeat now.
Dawn dispelled the wards and opened the door.
"Your brother is healed," She told Brian. "Take him to his room."
That which we call a hoax by any other word would be as smelly
Prince Brian of Heath watched as his elder brother and heir apparent to the throne of Heath let his body fall backward on the bed with a groan.
"My head doesn''t feel well," Brody complained. "Oi, Sierra, do check if that bitch Lumina placed some spell on me."
Sierra sighed. Brian knew why, their sister would really like if Brody was just a bit polite, but he held all women as beneath him. He actually held everyone else beneath him. Brian was no stranger to Brody''s plans of conquest.
Sierra walked next to him and used a couple diagnosis spells. She clicked her tongue, "You are clean. There is not a single trace of magic on you, not even on the recently regenerated leg that by all means should have it."
Brody raised his head to show a furrowed brow. "What do you mean, sister?"
"You are completely clean of any magic. There is not a single trace of foreign mana on you, only your own. It... It should not be possible. Somehow your leg grew back and it should have left some lingering trace of magic." Sierra shook her head. "I don''t know what to make of it."
Brian looked around. The crystal chandelier decorating the room was shining because some sunlight was hitting it. It was nice but somehow odd. There was something in that chandelier that screamed danger. Was it a trap? He stopped paying attention to his siblings'' chatter to look at the glistening pieces of crystal. Until Sierra shouted something at Brody. Brian decided to change the subject.
He approached the bed and asked his brother, "Did you finally fuck that bitch Lumina, brother?"
Brody glared at his brother. He shoved a hand down his pants, making Sierra sigh and turn around. His hand reached his nostrils and he sniffed.
"I don''t know. My cock doesn''t smell like it had a woman and there was no blood or fluids on the bed I was lying on. I don''t think I fucked that wench, little brother. But I will make sure to, write my words." Brody smirked.
That drew an irritated screech from Sierra. "Please do. Once you deflower that loose-tongued Princess, we are going home. Forget Yutis, I am afraid for our lives."
Brody just snorted and shrugged his shoulders, "Those weaklings won''t kill us. It is not Yutis'' way. Didn''t you see? They just berated us. Only Pearl was any savvy to charge gold. I can''t believe it."
Sierra was not convinced. "Brody, there is something sinister here. Earlier today I went to the garden, the other Princesses welcomed me, hosted me in their tea party, even talked and confided secrets. I can''t believe they have no guard up. It is like we were insignificant before them."
Brian heard some clattering. He looked up and saw some of the chandelier pieces swinging. "Did you see the chandelier move?"
"That is called wind, stupid little brother!" Brody chortled. "And about your worries, Sister. We are not leaving. Not so soon. Everything is in place, Yutis is vulnerable. I am glad they recalled Lucien, I would hate to go hunt him in that gods-forsaken barbarian lands. No. Yutis'' strongest guardian is away, the old geezer Astromelicus is tangled in the Conclave politics."
"I don''t think it is wise to go forward with that plan. They even changed the order of succession because of you."
"Nonsense!" Brody roared. "That is just one more girl to kill. I will even savor her before I slit that throat. If Lumina protected that maid turned Princess so fiercely, I bet she would be delicious in bed."
Sierra pressed her fingers on her temple. "Suit yourself. But I don''t think you should use the assassins."
"Nah. Their security is crap. Some of the guys are already infiltrated in the castle, I saw their signs earlier when I left to get my leg healed. They will kill Helios and Lucien, I''ll fuck the two sisters, maybe nail both at the same time and then I''ll be King of Heath . Once I get my birthright back home I''ll be halfway on my path to becoming Emperor!"
"Beware, brother," Sierra hissed, obviously angry. "Don''t flirt with treason. Our father still has many years ahead of him."
Brody stood up. "As if you cared for father." He approached Sierra and took her chin. "After all the beatings he gave you? You should be begging me to take the throne."
It was true that their father hit Sierra, but all the times he did was because Sierra deserved some punishment. It might''ve been harsh, but deserved nonetheless. Even Brian himself got his fair share of physical correction from the King. Patricide still left a bad taste in the throat of the young Prince. But the way Brody was, Brian would not dare intervene or retort. It was too scary.
"Maybe I''ll marry Melissa of Calanthe after my wife Lumina has some freak accident. I''ll annex that greenhouse Kingdom next and will be at the doorsteps of the mountain to give Gohar their ''due tribute''. That wench Pearl will get hers too, in time."
Brian stood up and walked to the balcony. He threw the doors open and a gust of wind entered the room, making the chandelier chime. He looked around. There was nowhere for the wind to enter before. Too strange but Brian was distressed enough to pay no mind to these little details. He glanced at the chandelier, the hanging crystal pieces swinging and moving. He stepped out into the balcony and saw someone walking outside beneath a balcony. He recognized the person. Aidan, that necromancer that used to hang around Lumina all the time since they returned from Gohar.
"Hey, Brother, Sister! Come here and check this out!"
Brody looked at his brother by the balcony and went there after their sister. "It better be good."
Brian looked back into the room, waving a hand to call them faster. Whatever was going to happen, it should be interesting. He glanced at the chandelier one last time. Funny. Part of it looked like a dragon. Just his imagination. A trick of Dusk''s light.
The three Royals stood partially hidden in the balcony watching the scene unfold.
Aidan was near a balcony. He cupped his hand and spoke. "Arise, fair moon and kill the envious sun, who is already sick and pale with grief."
Brian blinked and asked, "Is he reciting poetry?"
"Shush, you!" Sierra chided her brother, barely containing her excitement. "I think I know that one, it is otherworlder poetry!"
Aidan continued, "It is my Lady, O, It is my love! O, that she knew she were!"
"Ahh!" Sierra squealed and sighed. "So romantic!"
"Shut up, sister," Brody growled. "I want to know what is that idiot doing. Who is he wooing?"
"The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!"
Brody laughed, earning a glare from Sierra. "What is this moron saying? The words are all wrong!"
"Look, there is someone by the balcony doors. A woman." Sierra pointed out.
"Of course it would be a woman," Brody pointed out. "He keeps talking like a complete moron."
"The door is opening!" Brian quipped.
"It is Lumina!" Sierra quivered as Dawn walked out into the balcony. She smirked at her brother, not one to miss an opportunity to taunt him. "He is wooing your woman, Brody!"
"That bastard!" Brody clenched his fist.
"Shh, brother. She speaks!"
"What''s in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; So Aidan would, were he not Aidan call''d, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. Aidan, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee take all myself."
"Interesting. The name of the man that is about to die is Aidan then!" Brody rubbed his hands. "Brian, what is that man''s rank?"
Brian winced. He seemed really afraid of his brother. "I-I think it is a baronet, elder brother."
"You think? A guy is crawling next to my woman and you didn''t research him? You are useless, Brian!"
"I am so-sorry, brother."
Sierra actually tapped her two brothers, her eyes peeled on the scene. "Lumina is standing aside. I think he is going to climb!"
Aidan stood on the ground under the balcony and looked both ways. There was nobody else there so he sighed and took a grappling hook from his side, already with a rope attached. He swung and threw the hook, missing the other balcony above him and almost getting the hook on his head. Brody fought to keep his laughter in check. At the second attempt, he got it right and climbed the rope.
Dawn threw her arms on his shoulders and he took her waist. From where the three visitors were, they could see their faces, the gazes locked on one another, the tension in these two bodies barely contained. They exchanged some words, inaudible for the ones peeping and shared a passionate kiss.
Brody roared. "That philanderer! I am going to kill him! A hundred deaths would not be enough!" He was actually loud enough to be heard around but the two lovers didn''t notice.
Sierra cackled. "He stole her first kiss, Brody! You were upstaged by a Baronet, what a day!"
Brody was frothing with rage, "That is it. I am going there now!"
He went inside their chambers, leaving Sierra and Brian at the balcony.
"Lumina, did you hear anything?" Aidan asked the girl.
"No. All I can hear is the sound of your heart pounding next to mine, love." Dawn cooed with a sweet tone. Her chest was rising up and down, her lips apart.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Brian gulped. Sierra was ecstatic. Brody was inside, rummaging their trunks for something.
"I can tarry no longer. I fear your fiance or your brother will find us out. Lumina please, let me go. But before I leave, give me a kiss before we part, a kiss to build a dream on. Don''t waste your love on somebody, who doesn''t value it."
"Brody is too strong, Aidan. Please do not challenge him!"
"I can''t!" Aidan cried. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne''er saw true beauty till this night.
They kissed again, the bodies latched to one another as if they would disrobe and get down to business right there. They parted and Aidan climbed the rope down. Dawn tossed him a handkerchief that he deftly plucked from the air. He sniffed the delicate piece of cloth and stashed it in his breast pocket before he departed under the shade of the castle walls.
Sierra squealed, biting her knuckles in excitement. "That was so romantic! You should take a page from that guys'' playbook, Brody!"
"Fuck you, Sierra!" Brody shouted from inside.
Dawn was dreamy, fluttering around. She glided and returned to the room, leaving the balcony door open.
"I guess the show is over," Brian grumbled with no enthusiasm.
"You men don''t understand romance!" Sierra left the balcony in time to see Brody slam the door behind him.
Dawn was laid over a chaise lounge sighing and glancing at nothing. The door opened and Brody entered the room, huffing. The room was poorly illuminated. Wind entering from the open balcony door made the curtains flutter.
"You whore!" He accused Dawn.
"Brody! How dare you enter my chambers! Go away this very moment!" Dawn stood up.
"You harlot, giving out your lips to any man, I am going to beat proper manners into you. You are mine, Lumina! Mine!"
Brody ran and in a few moments was upon Dawn. The girl was flinching, her arms raised to protect herself. She couldn''t see what Brody was doing but soon she felt the cold metal against her wrists. Next, she heard a hum and felt weakness over her whole body.
"What are you doing, Brody? What are these?"
A set of manacles with glowing runes were clasped around Dawn''s wrists.
"Mana-sealing manacles, you stupid wench. I want to see you use your precious Sky magic now! Without it, you are nothing more than a meek waif, Lumina!"
Dawn''s eyes were watering. She looked at him and shook her arms. "Get these off of me, Brody! Please!"
Brody backhanded her. Dawn spun and landed on the chaise lounge.
"I am not done, Lumina. I heard Princesses liked Jewelry. I got this pretty necklace here for you. Quite hard to find one, I must say."
Brody produced a round piece of rough iron, two semicircles with a hinge and a clasp, covered in some spell diagrams. One Dawn was very familiar from a certain dungeon.
"What is that, Brody? I demand to know!" She was panting from effort. The mana-sealing manacles were shining in the twilight of the poorly-lit room. Brody couldn''t see the faint haze around Dawn''s neck.
"Shut up, woman! Tonight you become mine!" Brody lunged over Lumina and batted her arms down. He pressed the collar over her neck and its clasp shut closed. The diagrams on the collar shone. "Now tell me, slave! Who is your master!"
Dawn''s gaze became blank. She stared into the beyond and spoke without emotion, "Brody is my master."
He slapped her. "No, bitch. Address me properly."
"Crown Prince Brody of Heath is the master of this slave. For he placed his slave collar over a Princess and made her his."
"That''s better!" Brody laughed. "Now undress, bitch!"
Dawn started to slowly undo the buttons on her gown. It was hard to do with the mana-sealing manacles that for some reason were glowing red hot. It was then that Aidan showed up at the balcony door.
"Lumina, I forgot my grappling hook, but I heard you scream. Is everything alright?"
Brody looked and saw the faint silhouette of the young man. "You! Philanderer. Come in here and meet your doom!"
"It is dark in here!" Aidan commented. "Do you mind if I turn on the lights?"
"Fuck you, moron!"
Brody ran past Dawn and readied a punch aimed at Aidan''s face. But he didn''t connect before Aidan finished casting a spell.
"Searing Light!"
Brody was temporarily blinded and Aidan easily sidestepped the punch. The balcony doors closed behind him. The glass panes jingled and one of them even sounded like it broke.
"I''m killing you! Pray to whatever gods you believe in!" Brody lunged and grasped around him. Aidan was nowhere near the man.
"Maybe you should recover your sight before trying to murder anyone, your Highness." Aidan gave him advice with a friendly tone.
"Lumina, kill that man!" Brody ordered. Nothing happened. "I command you, slave! Kill that man!"
Brody recovered his sight and found himself in a well-lit room. Dawn was still on the chaise lounge, the mana-sealing manacles no longer glowing and the collar still around her neck. Aidan was right next to her.
"That is a whole lot of death orders you issued this night, your Highness." Aidan pointed out. "Too bad none of them will play out. Maybe hire better assassins next time?"
Brody raised his hands like a bear going to grapple someone. "I am going to kill you with my own hands then! And for you woman, I command slave punishment!"
Dawn rolled her eyes and spoke with a deadpan voice. "Ouch. Ouch. Oh, poor me. I am choking. Help."
"What?" Brody looked at Dawn, focused his mind and tapped something in his vest. He was so confused he missed Aidan casting a spell.
"Zone of Truth."
"Brody, please tell me before you murder me," Aidan asked. "How were you becoming Emperor again?"
"Moron! I am going to murder Helios and Lucien. Then I am going to make Lumina and her sister my women! My father is poisoned already and will die within the month. I''m going to unify Heath and Yutis!" Brody gloated. "Now you die!"
He lunged. Aidan cast a spell.
"Circle of Spikes."
Brody crossed the stone spikes with some bruises on his legs. He stopped to assess the damage and laughed. "Moron. Using Earth magic against me? Think again."
Aidan shouted, "Is this enough, your Majesty?"
One side of the room blurred. An illusion faded, revealing King Helios, Prince Lucien, Princesses Claire and Pearl besides Cythrel, Sora and Astromelicus.
King Helios clapped his hands, "I believe it is enough, Lord Aidan. Yutis thank you for your services."
Brody did a double-take. He looked at the people around him, at Dawn yawning on the chaise lounge and Aidan.
"Die, slave!" He ordered Dawn.
"I don''t think so, Brody," Dawn replied.
She flicked the clasp on the slave collar throwing it open and removing the now crumbling piece of iron. Just like Kazuya''s armor, the slave collar dissolved into metal dust after being exposed to the Ether mana Dawn placed around her neck before he collared her. Next, she shook her wrists and the mana-sealing manacles splintered and fell on her lap in dozens of pieces.
"I guess I am too strong for mere mana-sealing manacles now," Dawn remarked emotionless.
Brody pointed a finger at Dawn. "You tricked me!"
"Doh." Dawn snorted as she rolled her eyes again. "And now you are dead, Brody."
"Wait!" Aidan held a hand. "I want to challenge Prince Brody to a duel if he agrees to my terms."
"What terms?" Brody eyed Aidan, suspicious.
"You are going to be executed, Brody," Aidan pointed out. "But I want to give you a sporting chance. Duel me to the death betting everything. But let''s move to a better place. We need to get your siblings up to date."
"Guards!" Prince Lucien shouted. The other side of the room blurred and revealed a dozen Knights with crossbows trained on Brody.
Aidan helped Dawn back on her feet and they all moved to the Knight training grounds.
Magical lights illuminated the training arena. King Helios sat on a throne, with his three children next to him on both sides. Astromelicus, Pearl, Sora, Cythrel, Sierra, and Brian were also seating on the grandstand. Half a dozen other bureaucrats and bystanders were at the back. Aidan and Brody stood some twenty paces away from each other. Dozens of Knights from Yutis surrounded them.
The royal crier announced, "We are here assembled to witness the duel of honor between Crown Prince Brody of Yutis against Lord Aidan of Yutis. May the Twelve also bear witness and ensure that the two combatants will uphold their vows."
Brody took the initiative and taunted Aidan, "If I am already dead, wimp," Brody roared. "Why should I accept the duel?"
"Because you have something I want, Brody," Aidan replied matter-of-factly. "You are worth nothing to me dead."
"What is it that you want?"
"Before that, Let me tell you what I am betting on this duel. First, I have a favor to call from the King. If you win, I ask King Helios to let you live and take you across the border to your own country."
"How nice of you. I won''t run away with my tail between my legs, whelp!"
"Fair enough. I also bet Princess Lumina. She will marry you tomorrow and go with you to Heath as your wife."
"What?" Brody raised an eyebrow. He looked at Dawn and she stood up.
"Yes. If you kill Lord Aidan, my life is worth nothing! I will go with you if you win, Brody. So I swear."
"No," Brody shook his head. "There is a trick to that."
"I also bet my two wives. Ladies Sora and Cythrel. You''ve met them in the bakery. They will go with you as your concubines."
Brody looked at the squirrel-kin and the elf with the mithril bracers. He licked his lips. "I am going to take really good care of your women, wimp."
"And since I am going to be dead anyway, you can also keep my dragon familiar. Skippy!" The little dragon appeared near him as Aidan canceled the invisibility spell. He landed on his shoulder and roared at Brody. "See, Skippy loves melting carriage wheels, blasting clothing trunks, breaking legs, and harassing Glurlock tribes onto unsuspecting travelers."
Aidan smirked and Brody screamed in rage.
"You! It was all you!"
The younger man just bowed. "At your service, your Royal Highness. I took upon myself the duty of making your carriage trip memorable."
"I am going to KILL YOU!" Brody took a step forward and two crossbow bolts hit the dirt in front of him. He stopped.
Aidan waved his hands, "Now, now. Not so fast. Now I''ll tell you what I want."
"Speak!" The Prince could barely contain his anger.
"If I win, I want Heath to give up the engagement to one of Yutis'' princesses. Heath is also bound to observe the trade treaty and swear to not block traders to and from Yutis. To this effect, Princess Sierra and Prince Brian will be co-signataries to our duel agreement. They will be spared and sent to Heath with their copies of the contract under Sancus."
"Fuck! Fuck you, scrawny boy! You tricked me!"
"Will you accept the duel?"
"No. Kill me now. There will be war. WAR!" Brody glowered at Helios. "Dozens of thousands will march upon your valley Kingdom, Helios. Your people will starve!"
"What a hard negotiation," Aidan wiped his brow with Dawn''s handkerchief, blatantly showing Brody he had Lumina''s favor. "One final offer. You get to deliver the first blow. I won''t parry or dodge the first blow. I only ask you to avoid any dismemberment."
"I am onto you! You intend to use magic on this duel!"
"No!" Aidan waved a hand dismissively. "I, Aidan, will only use one spell. Pain Resistance. Nobody else will cast a spell on me or my body."
Brody stopped to think. He flexed his arms, looked at the sword rack on the end of the grounds. He glanced at the crossbowmen and slowly walked to the weapon rack. He measured and weighed the swords, testing their sharpness. He got one longsword he fancied and returned to his spot. It was easy to know where with the crossbow bolts. When he returned, Aidan was with a metal-shod quarterstaff.
"I take that your Highness has chosen your weapon," Aidan remarked.
"A staff? You really have a death wish, don''t you?"
Aidan didn''t answer. He just stole a glance at Dawn and sighed. "I guess I just can''t compare to you." He mumbled loud enough to let Brody hear.
The prince guffawed. "Fine, you got yourself a duel."
Aidan made a wry smile and waved his hand. "High Priest of Sancus, please."
A man in ceremonial robes from the Sancus faith stood from the back of the grandstand and passed a scroll to both Sierra and Brian to sign. He climbed down the steps and collected both Aidan and Brody''s signature. The prince stopped to read the contract before signing.
"All is in order then." Brody taunted. "Prepare to die, commoner. I got your thing now. You know you can''t have Lumina and want to die with your honor intact. So be it. I will remember you as the first stepping stone of my Empire. Lord Aidan the Fool."
"Agreed." Aidan chanted. "Pain Resistance."
The Royal crier stood between both men, a few paces back. Aidan and Brody walked to their positions, just a few paces from each other. "The duel is about to start. May the Twelve watch over their souls." After a pause, he shouted. "Begin!"
Brody dashed the distance in a flash. His sword met Aidan''s chest between the ribs and pierced him over the heart, coming out on the other side. Aidan gasped and grasped the cross guard. Brody let go of the sword and gloated. Aidan stumbled backward, blood coming out from both his mouth and wound.
On the grandstand, The girls were sitting side-by-side, all of them holding each other''s hands. Nervous gazes.
"I win! I win!" He pointed at the women on the grandstand, "You are all mine, bitches! Mine!"
Brian was cheering and hooting, but Sierra was worried. She kept looking around, eyes darting everywhere.
Brody slowly strutted to the grandstand. "It is in order for the champion to earn the Princess'' favor, isn''t it, Lumina?"
Sierra stood up. She had a face of terror. She moved her lips but her voice didn''t come out. She looked around and saw Dawn with the index finger crossed over the lips.
"What is the matter, sister?" Brody asked, seeing Sierra''s distress.
Those were his last words. With a mighty swing, Aidan beheaded Brody. Before the body collapsed, he pierced it over the kidney and ripped the belly open. As it fell, the sword found lodging on the head, destroying Brody''s face and pinning it to the ground.
Brody''s corpse fell, and Aidan found support on his quarterstaff.
"Winner! Lord Aidan of Yutis!"
The Royal crier announced. Brody''s copy of the duel contract burst in flames while all the others received a seal of Sancus. After that, Aidan was cleared to use magic once again. He picked up a red core from his pocket and placed it over his wound.
"Sanguine Genesis."
"Healing Light."
"Healing Light."
"Cleansing Waters."
He raised a victorious fist. Dawn dismissed the Undying Resilience spell she cast on herself.
After match aftermath
Princess Sierra looked at the piece of magical paper on her hand. It changed, the seal of Sancus shifted and some provisions of the contract activated. Brody lost. Her brother was dead. Beheaded, gutted and defaced. It was as if that Aidan didn''t want an open coffin burial. She looked again at the seal of Sancus but she was sure he had cheated.
"You!" She stood up and pointed a finger at Aidan. "You cheated! I don''t know how, but you cheated!"
He walked around the bloody mess of gore and reached the grandstand. "I didn''t cheat, your Highness. I played by the rules we agreed upon. Sancus himself saw to it."
"Murderer! A mere heir to a Baronet has no right to fight a Prince! I claim my right as a Royal to deliver punishment to this commoner!"
Sierra tried to cast a spell. It fizzled. Aidan looked in her eyes, "I am not a mere Baronet, Sierra. I mean, that is my current title, but that is so by choice."
"You are lying. There is no noble that would stay at the lowest rank possible, lower even than a Knight by choice."
Sierra was out of her mind with grief and outrage. She felt the same way she did at the bakery. Her mana vanished before it could power the spell diagram she cast. She didn''t even try to cast another spell. At the end of her wits, the woman knew not what to do.
"You can believe what you want. I have no reason to lie to you. I could be almost any rank I wanted."
"Liar! I dare you to prove it."
Aidan turned a bit to the side and bowed before Helios. "Your Majesty, if Yutis were to grant me any court rank, which one would it be?"
"Despite that scene at the balcony being just a thespian play, Lumina is now available and of marriable age. If you don''t want to marry my daughter, I have a Duchy assigned to you by the morrow."
Nobody paid any mind to Lucien cringing at the thought of Lumina marrying.
He turned to Sierra, "And there you go. Want more? Princess Pearl, if I were to ask King Jett for a court rank, how do you think he would answer?"
Pearl laughed. "I am the Heiress Apparent and am not currently available. But I have three sisters younger than me, I am sure that one of them would be a good match. If none of them is willing, I think father would make you at least a Marquis."
"And there you go, Sierra. I hold this rank because I can''t be involved too much in court politics. But your brother was defeated because he fought Yutis'' strongest champion."
The term was not something coined on the go. That title belonged to a man, the strongest S-rank hunter. A man Aidan knew intimately.
Sierra cackled, "Nonsense! We made sure to confirm that he was trapped in a dungeon! You are just a pretender, you murderer!"
Aidan lifted his hand and Sierra''s laughter stopped immediately. In fact, she couldn''t breathe. Or feel the ground underneath her feet as she was floating a hand above ground. She looked at her tormentor and saw a face full of grief and anger, "Interesting, Princess Sierra. Could you please elaborate on the location of my parents?" She gasped and struggled. Aidan released her. "My bad. You can''t speak under the effects of a Sylph''s Hand spell."
She gasped and huffed to catch her breath. "Was that a mere Sylph''s Hand spell? What kind of monster that man is?" She drove a hand over her mouth when she realized she was speaking out loud.
"My bad again. I used a truth spell without even thinking. Allow me to introduce myself, your Highness. I am Aidan, this generation''s God-Slayer. And right now, I have half the mind to march north and wreck your nation. I don''t think Brody told you, but he used a mystical poison on your father the King. He has less than a month to live. I am sure I can do a great deal of damage during the chaos of the succession. Especially given my Underworld Element."
Aidan glanced at the corpse near him, measuring the pool of blood that seemed to have stopped growing. "I think that I can even reanimate Brody and place him as my undead puppet in the throne. What do you think?" He lifted his hand and used the spell every student learns to show their Element. The one he used as a basis for Soul Reveal. An image of a flaming stone skull appeared over his hand, its eye sockets darkness that sucked everything in.
In the grandstand, everyone was stuck in their seats, watching the scene unfold. Sierra was slowly realizing she made a big mistake. It was obvious that this man''s family was a trigger. One that she pushed with a sledgehammer. Worse yet, if he was really the scion of the God-Slayer, he could very well destroy their country. Did Sierra doubt him when he spoke of Brody poisoning the King? Not for a second. Putting everything together, it all made sense. Brody wanted to stage a double coup, seizing both Yutis and Heath at the same time.
Sierra was scared enough. She was already saying her prayers to the Twelve. "What do you want from me? Add me to your harem of Princesses?" She looked at her brother and discovered that Brian collapsed and was currently frothing on the floor.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
"You think too much of yourself, Sierra." He felt the words coming to his mouth from his tenant and he let it flow, "You are a self-conceited ignoble frumpy ditzy, Sierra. I am amazed at how you never grow. Always in the shadow of your elder brother, indulging in your incestuous fantasies hoping he would one day notice you. Funny how even a deranged rapist like Brody that would fuck even his own mother never laid a finger on some frigid, clammy and dirty mudslinger like you.
"The fact is, I could drive you naked before the whole court, there would be not a single man that would want ye royal baby factory, Sierra. Not me. Now about what I want."
"I want you to say all you know about my parents, now! Speak or Heath will have to find a new Royal Family before the week is over."
Another dreary realization came to Sierra. The current God-Slayer was a necromancer. A Soul mage. One with the power to raise armies of the undead. One with the power to slaughter whole armies and then raise them as undead. She had no choice.
"They were hired to investigate a dungeon that nobody ever got out alive. it is a dungeon in the northwest corner of the continent, one of the seven great dungeons of the world. Heath anonymously sponsored the hunter association bounty to bring the supreme S-rank hunter to investigate the dungeon. Just that. I don''t know anything else."
There was a long silence after Sierra stopped talking. Aidan was immobile, apparently absorbed in thought.
"I know what dungeon Sierra is speaking of, Aidan," Astromelicus broke the silence. "We shall talk about it when we resume our lessons."
"Thank you, uncle Astro," Aidan nodded at the Archmage using his pet name.
It only gave Sierra reassurance that the man was who he claimed to be. Stupid Brian, not even that he could discover. But Aidan was seething.
"I''ll tell you, Sierra. As we agreed, both you and your brother are safe. I will personally take you to the border tomorrow. Good luck in trying to save your father from certain death. But if I get a single whiff of Heath causing trouble for me or mine, I can guarantee you that the image of the army I can raise that flashed in your mind is not accurate. Triple that at least."
"Can you read minds?"
"That is for me to know and for you to worry about. You are dismissed, Princess. Take your wimp of a brother back to your quarters and vanish from my sight. Tell your two servants to pack your things up, at the first light of dawn you''ll be gone from here. And one last thing before you go. You make damn sure you abide by the terms of our duel contract because Sancus has all incentives to enforce it with great prejudice. Because if he doesn''t, I''ll collect what is owed from the god himself."
Sierra called their last surviving Knight to carry Brian and left the training arena without looking back.
"I''m sorry for my improper behavior, your Majesty," After the visitors from Heath were escorted back to their chambers, AIdan knelt before the King.
That included Brody''s corpse. He was entombed whole in a stone coffin created with magic from the ground. Otherwise the entire arena would be too smelly.
"Arise, Lord Aidan. We understand very well your grief and let none speak anything but praise for your actions today. Come here near us."
Aidan approached and stopped right before the King''s seat on the grandstand. Helios stood up and hugged the young man, to everyone else''s surprise.
"I know what you are feeling, Aidan," Helios told him. "For your father is also my brother and your mother my sister, just not by blood."
He could barely hold himself. Helios'' arms felt warm, inviting. He knew that part of that feeling was Lumina''s longing for her family. "Thank you, uncle Helios."
"Aidan, this I swear on my crown. Whenever you march into war, Yutis will march by your side. Your enemy is our enemy. And I don''t say this just because it is in our interest to keep your family near us. It is because we are your friends. Alina loved you as if you were her own son. She regretted until the end of her brief days letting you go away because you reacted to what Lumina did. I was a fool for letting pride speak louder than love. Look what it did to Lucien."
Most people present laughed at the King''s joke. Lucien grimaced but endured.
"And my offer stands. If you want to become my son, Lumina''s hand is yours."
Aidan peeled himself off and shook his head. "I''m afraid I am not man enough to withstand Lumina, your Majesty. I have absolute certainty she is too much for me to hold."
Only the King and Lucien missed the double entendre. Another round of laughter ensued. It might seem insensitive or callous to be laughing when a man died not five meters from where they were, but between the capture and termination of the assassins hired by Brody and the Prince''s abuse of Dawn, he might have been a cockroach.
"It is late and everyone is tired. I, the King, order all of you to have a good night''s sleep." Helios ushered everyone away.
"And this is why I like the castle. Look at the size of these beds!" Cythrel quipped after she dove headfirst over the bed sheets.
"At least take off your clothes and bracers. You are going to tear the sheets," Sora chided her.
"I could sleep in my clothes," Aidan retorted. He was already down to his trunks.
"I don''t know how I remove these bracers. Aidan?"
"Imagine them dropping to the ground and say ''Release''." She did and her arms came free from the bracers. "But there are no parts to clip on the bedsheets or pinch anyone. If you can sleep with them on in the future, it will help charge the cores overnight."
"Not tonight. Tonight I want to do some God-Slaying," Cythrel purred.
"In our dreams, you mean." Sora chided her and pushed the elf into the center of the bed.
"Sorry, Cy. I am too tired. These last few days were a big hassle." Aidan climbed from the feet and found his place between the two.
"How are you?" Sora asked with worry on her face. Aidan could read her like an open book. She was asking about his conversation with Sierra about his parents.
"I am concerned but not too much. They are alive and as long as that holds true, there is hope of rescuing them. I know we are too weak to go and rescue them. But at least now we have a lead. Maybe after we take Pearl home, we can go looking for that dungeon. We will go back to Gohar before midsummer. It will take a month to recover Lumina entirely.
"A month?" Cythrel gasped in surprise. "Don''t you have to just cut and slap her soul back in her body?"
"I wish it was that easy," Aidan replied. "You see, the reason Dawn merged so well to her body was because the soul was molded into the body during the slow healing process. But Lumina stayed inside my male body for too long. We need to reverse the process, doing to her the same that happened to Dawn. It is not just healing the soul. We need to knead body and soul together. In a way it is what happens to a baby while it grows inside the mother''s womb. And this will take at least a month."
"What a bother," The elf sighed.
"But once I am separated from her, I can finally finish healing myself. I spent too much time being only half of me."
I did it for Science!
"Please help me!"
With these words, Princess Sierra clung to her last hope to save her Kingdom. She had no doubt Brody had poisoned the King and if it were the magical venom she thought it was, his death was certain. With Brody dead and both her and Brian away, the succession would be a bloody business that could fracture Heath. Even her life would be in danger because of her claim to the throne. So she sought help in her brother''s killer.
They were on a side driveway used for carriages with less esteemed guests. Or cargo. The Knight and maid from Heath were already inside the carriage and Aidan, Claire and Countess Rose with her knights were escorting the Prince and Princess from Heath out.
"I''m very inclined to shove your Highness in that carriage and be done with it, Princess Sierra. My involvement would shift the balance of power, make me and mine a target for these factions and delay in no small amount several very important projects I have here in Yutis."
He paused to watch with a small amount of schadenfreude the despair of Princess Sierra. Heath breaking down into several smaller countries ruled by one of their power hungry scions was a bad outcome for Yutis as the splinter nations wouldn''t be bound by their treaties, but it would be so much easier to negotiate with them individually. If Aidan were to be involved in the succession it would be almost a guarantee that Sierra would become Queen. He was not too keen in their succession line but he was sure there was at least one Prince that had a claim stronger than Brody.
But if Sierra returned home with the King alive, the man could declare her the heir and be done with it. It all depended on how fast she could cross the countryside north and return home. If only a certain mage capable of long-distance flight magic would be inclined to do so, but he wasn''t.
Before Aidan could reach a conclusion in his musings, First Princess Claire took the floor to issue an official declaration.
"King Helios declared that you are to remove yourselves from our lands in the most expedite way possible. You sent assassin maids against my sister, conspired with your brother for murder. Leave Yutis now or forfeit your lives."
Prince Brian of all people spoke. "Would you grant us a painless death? Because between the succession war that surely will ensue and this binding treaty, we are not going to live longer. I studied the contract, it does not bind the Realm. It binds only sister and I. Heath can break the trade treaty and Sancus'' wrath will fall only on our heads."
''Maybe Brian''s talent is not in being with the ruling class, with a sword, or even a spell but as a legal scholar and a bureaucrat,'' Aidan mused.
Touched, Sierra hugged her sibling. "You are right, brother. There is only one path for us to avoid death. Be it Yutis'' wrath, this treaty or the succession, we are dead. There is only one way for us to keep on living." She started to sob.
Brian patted his sister''s back. "I understand, sister. Only one way for us to live. Let''s do it!" Brian looked at Claire, "Your Highness, the King''s orders are to remove Princess Sierra and Prince Brian of Heath from the Realm or execute them, right?"
Claire nodded. Aidan saw tears forming when she realized what they were about to do. He ground his mental gears and found the same solution as they. Neither the succession or the contract or Yutis'' wrath would touch Sierra and Brian, two orphan commoners.
Both of them pricked their wrists with whatever sharp objects they had. "We renounce our blood and our birthright. May the Regalia of our forefathers be stripped from us." The blood flowed upwards instead of falling down and vanished a meter above their heads.
Aidan felt a surge of magic and shifted into magic sight. What he saw was something that made his jaw clatter to the ground. Threads of mana were being sucked from their very beings through the wrists into a void that opened above them, following the same path as the blood. He cast the Soul Sight spell and saw their mana and Earth affinities being drained dry. Sierra was left with her Water affinity and a faint Mana one, while Brian only retained his Fire affinity, without any mana.
They fell to the ground, their wrists sizzling and the flesh boiling into a hideous scar.
"They really did it," Claire whispered.
Aidan knew it but he had to hear her say it, "Claire, what just happened?"
"Brian and Sierra renounced their Royal blood and Regalia. They were stripped of their lineage magic and any claim to the throne. They are nothing but commoners now. They will forever bear the shame of their failure."
Claire shared that obscure piece of Royal lore with Aidan and he was sure he wasn''t even meant to know that. He looked at the scars and noticed a small pattern that resembled Heath''s coat of arms. And that scarring overlapped their soul''s shape perfectly. With Soul Sight, it was even more evident as the pattern irradiated faint energy, enough to make it glow brighter than the rest of the soul.
He also felt a mental tug and knew that his copy of the contract with Heath under Sancus, probably all copies, burned.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Aidan dove deep into his own memory palace to wonder...
One huge discovery hit Aidan. Souls are extremely difficult to modify as they are the base pattern to the lifeform. He could cut and maim a soul with magic but he couldn''t reshape them. That was the whole reason they were going to force Lumina to undergo a gruesome ordeal to knead her soul back into the shape of her body. But right now he was witnessing Souls being changed for the second time.
This time it was due to divine magic. The Royal Regalia and those blood-sucking rings were all of divine origin. What happened right now was that divine power being removed from the prince and princess. It leads to the conclusion that divine magic can reshape souls. And to a hypothesis that only divine magic could reshape souls that way.
Proof point number one. Aidan was arguably one of the most powerful Soul mages alive. Barring some undead necromancer lurking in a dungeon but it was not alive either way. Aidan couldn''t do zit to reshape souls. His research and his gut instinct born of his affinities screamed that. Barring some bizarre breakthrough regarding the manipulation of souls in higher spheres of Elemental complexity, it was impossible. Maybe a Chaos spell to force a mutation or a Law spell to enforce some rule. Creation and Destruction maybe? Hardly possible. In any circumstance, it would leave some kind of magical sign.
They bleached Brody of their magic signature enough that Sierra couldn''t detect it but Ether didn''t erase the traces of magic in Brody''s memory void or his soul.
Proof point number two. There were no such lingering effects in these two. He examined them with all his senses and information magic and nothing came out. It was not mortal magic.
By elimination, their souls have been shaped by divine magic.Q.E.D. As some otherworlder scholars taught.
Now comes the really juicy and important part. It was the second time he was seeing such a change. The first one? Cythrel. Therefore, another hypothesis begged for proof: those otherworlder skills that defy logic were divine in nature.
Proof point one: Only divine magic can alter souls without a trace.
Proof point two: Cythrel''s soul alterations were without a trace.
Proof point three: It was a weak one, but otherworlder magic and skills were completely against the laws of the world and magic as they understood.
Proof point four: Aidan and Dawn learned the otherworlder summoning ritual when they got Lumina''s memories by making her possess his body. Several of those diagrams and interlocking complexity resembled the divine tools he analyzed. And they didn''t have any spatial or soul components. The Elemental glyphs were ''all wrong'' if the conventional magic theory would be applied.
Secondary hypothesis: Otherworlder summoning was also beyond the realm of mortal magic.
He would need more evidence, but what he had so far all pointed out to two things: Otherworlder summoning involved some kind of divine intervention and he should file his projects to try to restore her arms by healing the soul and focus on the most promising one that was also the one with the most progress.
It also meant he had to sit down with the only person he knew that successfully enacted the ritual to discuss somethings about her experience.
He broke off from his mental exercise and spoke to Claire, "What will be of them now?" Aidan asked.
"They are no longer under danger of death from either contract or succession conflicts, but their crimes against Yutis stand. We will not forgive them." The Princess replied.
"Please don''t banish or kill us. We mere commoners are harmless! We don''t even have our magic anymore!" Sierra begged on her knees.
Claire was obviously disturbed by what she was being forced to do because of her station. Aidan thought and reached a conclusion.
"Sierra, were you trained in the otherworlder summoning ritual?" He asked with almost certainty that she was.
"Yes. I know the ritual but without the Regalia I cannot enact it. Only princesses can."
''And it might also lifted the geass that banned them from talking about it as I can''t see it in her soul,'' Aidan mentally remarked.
"Princess Claire. Let me offer you one alternative. I will take these two away from Yutis on my own under my House. Is that acceptable for you?"
Claire nodded. She seemed relieved even. "Yes. So long they are not in our Realm, it is acceptable."
Next Aidan turned to the two former Royals. "You two. I will take you somewhere safe where you will be able to live without fear of being murdered, tortured or otherwise. What I ask is that you serve me and help me attain my goals to the best of your abilities and knowledge. Do you accept?"
The two siblings looked at each other to silently gauge their opinions but they both nodded at each other right away. "We accept if it does not involve night services, milord."
"You still think too much of yourself, Sierra. Nothing of the sort will be required or accepted. I will provide shelter, food and a comfortable place for you to live in. However, your service to my House will be for life. You will not need to fear death, torture, starvation or violence, be it physical, sexual or otherwise. Those are my terms."
Sierra was weighing her choices, but Brian took the lead and bent to one knee, "We humbly accept, milord. We shall serve your House faithfully."
She sighed and also knelt, "Thank you for your kindness, milord."
"Your oaths have been heard and accepted," Aidan solemnly declared. "Let it be known by both men and gods that these two are under my wing. A slight against my servants is a slight against me. Serve me well and you shall eat at my table."
Both of them answered, "So we swear, milord."
Aidan had no sword on him so she borrowed Countess Rose''s blade. He lowered it and one by one Brian and Sierra kissed the blade''s tip.
"Your Highness, I will keep my two servants under house arrest until I can assemble an expedition to take them away from the Realm of Yutis in two days. Is that acceptable?"
"Yutis has absolute confidence in you, Lord Aidan. So long your servants are confined in your quarters and behave, we shall overlook them."
"If they do not, I will cull them with my own blade, your Highness."
It felt strange being so stiff and formal with Claire, resembling when they fled during that winter two years ago but it was necessary as it was official business.
"Good. I will have Skippy watch over them all the time. They won''t step outside my quarters alive. Sierra and Brian, come with me."
The former prince and princess followed Aidan owning only what they had on them. The carriage that would take their possessions and the now unemployed Knight and maid back to Heath with the news departed. Aidan knew he did something unexpected but he had just the place to keep these two out of trouble. If Sierra could be of any use to unravel the mystery of the otherworlder summoning and even contribute in any form to his other goals, it would be enough.
That mystery was the key to healing Cythrel and for his companions, he''d even kill a god.
Home is where the weapon stash is
Two days later, they assembled at the Academy. The objective was to bring Sierra and Brian to Aidan''s fief so they could begin studying and working on their assigned projects. Sierra was going to dissect the summoning ritual while Brian would probably become a librarian or a researcher. What Aidan wanted was Sierra''s knowledge anyway.
They would be taking eight people and a dragon this time. The women were all with riding trousers and braided hair, as flying with skirts or loose locks was courting danger. The two former Royals, Sora and Cythrel, Astromelicus because the Keeper demanded and Pearl because she was curious. And Aidan had all the reasons to indulge the Princess'' whims. He looked around and remembered what he talked with her the day before.
They were at the Academy and Pearl was studying in her bedroom. Deb let Aidan enter and left them alone. He took a seat by her desk.
"Pearl, I''m sorry to interrupt you but something came up and I need your help."
She perked up right away. With a smile, she almost sang as she spoke, "Leave it to this damsel to rescue the hero in distress. What can I do for you, my friend?"
"I need to talk about the summoning ritual," He gauged Pearl''s reaction before continuing, "I know you are under a geass to not talk about it but maybe we can get around it. Let me try and you answer if you can."
A geass could not be broken unwittingly. Pearl would know if she could say something or not when she tried. The geass would only trigger for real if she went against it and spoke on her own.
"I''ll try." She answered, reticent. Pearl steeled herself and exhaled. "Ask away!"
"When you enacted the ritual, it had two parts. Instead of summoning them, the first part created or summoned something and then it triggered the second part to summon the otherworlders. Can you tell me about the second part?"
There was one trick with most geass. Almost all of them forbade you from speaking about the geass but it would take a second geass to forbid you from speaking from the geass itself. That or some very crafty wording.
"No. I cannot tell you anything about the existence or not of a second stage of the ritual or the thing that the first stage may or may not bring into being to be used on the second stage."
Aidan opened up a big grin, relieving the Princess from some tension.
"Next question. How would you use a divine tool in the second stage?"
"I cannot tell you how to use a divine tool that may or may not be essential to the success of a second stage that may or may not exist."
Pearl was obviously scared. She was skirting the edges of her geass and was literally playing with death to help him. Aidan held her hands.
"One last question, my Princess," He addressed her sarcastically to break the tension. "Does the ritual leave any residue or does everything vanish afterward?
"I won''t tell you if the ritual disintegrates or not all the materials that may or may not be used in it."
"That''s plenty. Your pulse is too fast, Pearl." She was even blushing but he declined to comment on that.
"Was it of any use? Did you get what you wanted?"
He opened up his hands and released hers, allowing her to remove them.
"Yes, I got it. You were marvelous as always," Aidan pondered for a while and then proposed, "Would you like to come with us for a quick five-day trip? I''ll show you something out of this world."
Pearl closed her books and for a moment he thought that she would toss them away.
"Anytime, darling. Anytime."
And there they went. They shared the burden of using Sky Wings on everyone five for Dawn and three for Aidan. Once they were away from the town the group of fliers stabilized.
"We are going too slow!" Astromelicus complained. "I''m disappointed, cadet Aidan."
"What? The Sky wings won''t go any faster than this." He retorted.
"Yes, we are pretty fast for a single spell," The archmage nodded. "But who said we need to use a single spell? Allow me as you are rationing mana already."
"Gale Winds!"
Astromelicus pointed his hands forward and the wind picked up behind them. It burst into a frenzied draft that almost threatened to knock them off the sky. After tumbling a while, they adjusted to the wind and Aidan realized they were going at over twice the speed from before.
"Nice trick!" He shouted. It was almost impossible to hear anything.
Aidan mentally directed them in a straight line to his home, foregoing following the road. He was planning in visiting Margie''s family but it was over now. Either way, the fewer people knew he hired two former Royals from Heath as his personal servants. The countryside blurred past them and about two hours before dusk they arrived at Aidan''s house.
They landed on the courtyard, the guards wary but waiting to see who was it.
"It is me! I''m home." Aidan shouted from above, the last one to land. He turned to address his group, "Welcome to my family''s hiding place. Let''s go inside, I am sure we are all tired. I know that I am spent."
"Is this where the God-Slayer has his home? Heath is right on the other side of those mountains," Sierra gasped.
"Sure is," Dawn answered while Aidan talked to some of the guards. "And where you are going to stay from now on, Sierra."
"Right. Go on, gloat, Lumina," Sierra conceded in defeat. "I bet you are thrilled at how far I''ve fallen."
"Sierra, if I wanted you to suffer, I''d let you leave in that carriage. I''m not Lumina," Dawn replied.
"I don''t understand it. Are you behind Lord Aidan''s actions? You weren''t there."
The others weren''t too keen on entering this conversation and just filed into the manor, leaving only Dawn, Sierra and Brian behind. Aidan returned and picked up from were Sierra left off. Skippy disappeared behind the mansion, off into some adventure or hunt.
"It is complicated," He replied. "You see, Lumina and I didn''t quite survive that assault by the Rhinorses. Did Heath have anything to do with that, by the way?"
"Not that I know. I doubt my stupid dead brother would ruin his chance of annexing Yutis. But what do you mean didn''t quite survive the assault? You are both alive, right?"
"Yes. Both Lumina and I are alive. However, I had to take over Lumina''s body to avoid her death. She''s been unconscious ever since."
Sierra looked from Dawn to Aidan and back.
""We are the same person."" They told her in unison.
"All that happened after the fight at the bakery was a scheme to get Brody to cancel the engagement and die. Your patricidal brother had it coming." Dawn added. "I guess I did gloat after all, sorry."
"I know that is too much to digest," Aidan completed. "Our offer of sanctuary was truthful though. Let''s go inside. In time, we will reveal more."
Sierra was really defeated. She had no other choice. "Yes, my Lord. Lead the way."
They went inside and Aidan had the maids repurpose two smaller guest rooms into private chambers for the two former Royals. After everyone was settled and rested after a rather silent dinner and a full night''s sleep, they gathered in the solar. Aidan called for their attention.
"We are staying here today, and tomorrow all of us except for Sierra and Brian will return to Yutis. I''ve already informed the governess of your tasks, Sierra and Brian. I''ll find time later today to speak to you in private. Sierra will do research for me and Brian will work on some documents as well as cataloging foreign law and other legal-related stuff."
They nodded. Aidan continued, "As for the rest of us, we are taking Pearl, Astro, and Cythrel to meet someone very special," He earned a frown from the archmage. He knew the Keeper would pester Astromelicus no small amount.
The former Royals were taken to the library by a manservant and the others went down to the basement and into the vault door that led to the Keeper''s domain.
"Well, Pearl," Aidan teased. "Are you ready to step out of this world?"
"What do you mean?" The Princess asked, barely containing her excitement.
Before anyone could answer her, Cythrel cut in, "Is the Elder Fairy in there?"
"Yes, and it is something better shown than explained. If I may take your hand, your Highness?" Aidan unlocked the vault, something only his father and he could do, and moved everyone inside the inner library and lounge.
"The books here are the self-biographies of every God-Slayer in history as well as some rare tomes," Dawn explained. She noticed the drinks were put away by the Keeper, probably.
"The doors to the sides lead to the armory and the prison," Aidan pointed out. "The one ahead leads to the keeper''s farm. This is where we grow the plants that are forbidden in our world."
Pearl read the spines of the books. Each one had a name and a year. "Is there one for you?" She asked Aidan after stopping at the one belonging to his father.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"Not yet. I didn''t have time to start mine, and it is usually done only when the mantle is transmitted. My parents are alive even though trapped in a dungeon. I intend to go after them when I can. Maybe after taking you home."
His line hit Pearl more than he knew. The Princess shuddered and mumbled a faint, "I''m sorry." To which Dawn hugged her.
"Don''t be. You are not a burden. Let''s go see the Keeper. She did ask for Astromelicus last time."
Aidan opened the door and sunlight filtered in. Cythrel ran past him into the farmland and squealed. The others filed after the elf, taking in the sight of the neatly organized farmland and seemingly wild nature beyond.
"Sunlight underground..." Pearl gawked. "It cannot be. We are really in another world, aren''t we?"
Aidan smiled and took Sora''s hand. "This is the former divine realm of the Demon God. Come, let''s give our respects to the Keeper."
They went down the path leading into the farm down the hill. This time the Keeper noticed them earlier and fluttered to meet them.
"Daughter!" The fairy clung to Cythrel and kissed her mouth. "So good to see you!"
The otherwise mischievous elf took a step back. "Daughter?"
"You consumed mine wings, child. The magic of my blood is the magic that runs in yours. That makes you my daughter, silly."
Cythrel nodded with moist eyes. "Mother!"
The Keeper, however, was already locked with another visitor. "You old bastard! Come with me, we have a lot to talk about! You children go play around! Do not disturb us."
She spirited Astromelicus away and into the house. It left the group alone. Aidan decided to explain the farm to Pearl.
"Well, you know the otherworlders call their world Earth, right?" He asked her. Sora and Cythrel were very interested in the explanation and listened in silence.
"Yes. A rather bland name. I don''t know why they just called the world Dirt instead."
"Well, on Earth there are several continents." He created an illusion of a globe any otherworlder would recognize. "In our world, only plants that also exist in this continent here, Europe, are allowed to exist in our world. All the plants from the other continents don''t."
"Is their world a ball?" Not that Pearl didn''t get what Aidan said, but the shape of the illusion intrigued her.
"They say ours is one as well." He shut his mouth before he slipped and asked if she talked about it with the Japanese otherworlders she summoned.
"Anyway," Dawn picked up. "From time to time during all these years of Hero summoning, seeds from that world do come across with them. Our family gathered these seeds whenever possible and planted them here. In this place, there''s no way for the other gods to interfere."
"Or they know that the cost of interfering with this place is death." Aidan completed.
"Right," Pearl tittered. "Is it because of the fairy?"
"No. After my ancestor killed the Demon God, this realm became ours. Right now I am the lord of this domain. I think I could even change things but I don''t know how. Anyway, enough foreboding. Nobody is dying today. Do you ladies want to take wing and fly around?"
The three nodded. Dawn proceeded to cast Sky Wings on everyone and they flew around. The idyllic realm was not too large, just a few kilometers across. It had a hazy smoky boundary at its edges that Aidan knew to be impenetrable. There was nothing beyond. But inside there was a tall cliffside from where a waterfall crashed down into a stream that fed a lake where he fished with his father, the farm right in the middle of the area, A forest to one side, grasslands to the other where a group of wild horses galloped and the hill that led to the lonely door connecting to the library lounge.
After an hour of flight, they descended next to the farmhouse. The Keeper came to get the door and usher them inside.
"Refreshments. I''m done with that old addict. Sorry for keeping you waiting, Aidan."
"No worries, Keeper. I took the girls to a flight around. Quite soothing, isn''t it?"
They sat on the couches and Dawn went to the table to serve their beverages. The Keeper took Aidan''s chin and pulled it around.
"Indeed. Let me look at your boy. You''ve changed. The other person in you is quiet."
"Yes. I''ve fulfilled her wish and eased her plight. Now she is resting, waiting to be restored."
"Good. Good. Too bad all plants here are mundane. Magical herbs don''t grow in this soil. I know a recipe for a potion that could help you... nevermind."
Aidan didn''t press. The Keeper was down here for almost five thousand years. It was possible that the herbs she''d need were either extinct or in another continent. Instead, he made a request.
"Keeper, I need to look at the items stored in the vault. I believe I can now dispose of the most dangerous ones." He wanted to treat them with Ether mana.
"Yes, the vault. Everyone wants a new weapon. I''ll make sure to find something useful for you and your counterpart."
"I already have a weapon, Keeper." Dawn pointed at the rapier next to her.
"A defensive item then. Can''t let you get hurt, silly Alina."
They made small talk for more than half an hour during which the Keeper served exotic fruit and then went to the barn to get Astromelicus'' coffee. She also gifted Pearl with a small bag of yellow, hard grains. Afterward, the Keeper led them back to the library and into the door to the vault.
A large gladiatorial arena opened around them. They were in one of the VIP boxes. Aidan wondered if the floor below was used for duels or sparring. The keeper called their attention and led them down a flight of stairs and into a long hallway that arched on both sides. Along the walls, shelves, racks, and stands with several weapons and armor.
"Incredible! The value of these artifacts is impossible to measure!" Pearl cooed.
"These are the common weapons, used for sparring in the arena," The Keeper explained. "In a safe room at the end of this corridor are the really dangerous ones. Let''s go."
They went around until they met another vault door. The fairy nudged Aidan forward and he unlocked it. The thrum of power was palpable for the group of spellcasters.
"Please find something made of orichalcum, Keeper," Aidan called.
The fairy returned with a black sword. From an angle, one could see the golden veins.
"This is a cursed sword. It belonged to an otherworlder."
With Sylph''s Hand, Aidan set the sword on a table and surrounded it with Ether mana. Dawn had a flask ready. Just like Shinji''s armor, it crumbled into orichalcum dust. She quickly gathered the dust in the vial. Not much but considering it was orichalcum, it was worthy of a King''s bounty. About two or three times as much as the nugget Duke Glam got for them.
"Get more otherworlder items. All of them can be destroyed into useful materials."
After disenchanting everything deemed "Too dangerous to even leave this room", they left the restricted vault and Aidan sealed it, maybe until the next God-Slayer captured some item worthy of being in there. Not all items were otherworlder-summoned though. Among those that were original from their own world, Aidan got a headless wizard''s staff made of a pitch black wood with orichalcum covering the ends. He also got a pair of fighting knives for sora and a shortsword, meant for Cythrel. He didn''t tell her that though.
Astromelicus was carrying two bags of coffee beans. Dawn could see the bulging muscles, probably some self-enhancement spell the Life archmage put on himself. The way the Keeper sniggered when the fairy stole glances at him measuring his reactions. It told them the wisdom of not angering or neglecting ancient beings.
Back at the lounge library, Aidan pointed at the prison, "Do we have anyone or anything imprisoned down there now?"
"No. Well, it was a pleasure having you here, but it is about time you go. You are still not yet the lord of this Realm, Aidan. Go look for them."
"I will. Once I deliver these two Princesses safely back home," He said obviously referring to both Lumina and Pearl. "I will go look for my parents."
They said their goodbyes to the Keeper, that conspicuously left Cythrel for last. The little fairy shooed the humans away, keeping the exit gate open long enough to have a private conversation with the elf. Aidan had no idea what they talked about, but Cythrel came out red as a beet and avoiding meeting either his or Dawn''s gaze.
With a shrug, Aidan locked the vault once again and they returned to the surface. Astromelicus went off to talk to some acquaintances among the adventurers that used Aidan''s house as a base of operations, Sora took Cythrel with her to introduce the elf to the household staff and update their gossip, leaving Pearl with the person with two bodies.
"Aidan, darling, I must give you my thanks. What I saw here today will remain in my heart forever."
He smiled at the Princess, "You can count on the fingers of your hands the number of visitors outside the group that went there today that know of that family secret. I hope it was enough to ease the weight you carry in your heart, Pearl."
"I am not burdened by anything, Aidan," Pearl lied.
Frowning, Aidan took Pearl''s handkerchief from his pocket. But the voice he used was Dawn''s. "Would you lie to us of all people, my Princess? Are we still your champion? I told you and I''ll repeat it. Jett would be an idiot to take away your position. You''ve grown from a cocky, spunky, and self-important brat to this marvelous, considerate, and focused woman. You''ve made connections, helped avoid a coup that would throw the entire continent into war.
"Keep your chin up. You''ll be a Queen this world sees only once every century at least. And if need be, I''ll knock some sense in your father stone-hard head myself."
That made Pearl giggle. "I''d pay to see that. Thank you, my friend. I think I must have a few moments to myself if you don''t mind."
"Not at all, this way, your Royal Highness,"
Aidan took Pearl''s arm and brought the Princess to the guest room she would use for the evening. After instructing the maids to see to her every need, they went to the library. They found the siblings and took them to an adjacent meeting room.
"Now that I took care of my guests," Aidan started, "I need to talk to you about your assignments and on what we did to bring all of us here."
He explained their reasons to kill Brody, leaving the more intimate ones Lumina had out to protect the Princess'' privacy. He drove the point that his actions would probably cause hundreds of thousands of deaths and ruin the stability of the continent. Also how they didn''t plan to force them into abdicating.
"We understand, Milord," Sierra answered. Aidan could see how hard it was for her to shed her old princely ways. "How may we serve you?"
"You may have lost the power the Regalia granted you, but I don''t think it was permanent. Can I take a look into your souls?" He asked. It made Sierra and Brian raise their arms over their hearts in fear.
"Perhaps I should explain one thing about myself," Aidan tried another approach. "It is true that my Element is Underworld, but I focus on healing Souls. Let me show you one of my signature spells."
He showed them the diagram for Soul Restoration in the air. After some technical explanation about the spell and explaining in broad terms how he was safekeeping Lumina inside himself, he linked into his main subject.
"It was this spell that restored Pearl''s spellcasting. You know she shouldn''t be able to use magic after the hero summoning, don''t you, Sierra?"
After a few moments of introspection, the former Princess met her Lord''s eyes, "That is true. She shouldn''t be able to use magic."
"I won''t go into details because I want to see if you will reach the same conclusions as I did, independently. I''ll just say that the loss of one''s spellcasting after the ritual is due to soul damage."
"I lost the geass placed on me. I''ll research this ritual as you want." Sierra promised.
"Yes. I think we can save more Princesses if we do. Maybe even stop this madness. The summons have to end. Not only we are taking innocent teenagers out of their homes without consent, but we are also endangering all of us. The otherworlder summoning is not an end in itself. I''m afraid it is the means to something bigger. Way bigger than some petty squabble between nations."
He leaned and spoke to both siblings, "I hope I am wrong. If I am not, our hope to avoid some catastrophe will lie in this research. I promise I''ll give credit where it is due. Your contributions might put your names back in the history books."
"What about me, milord?"
"Brian, you have no exceptional talent in either magic, swordplay or leadership. I''m sorry for my bluntness but that was the truth. However, you may have a talent as a librarian or a lawyer. There are copies of the legal codices of several countries in this library. I want you to read them and work to advise us. My travels will bring us in contact with several nations. I need to be informed of their rules so I can either work them in my favor or avoid getting more trouble than what I''d get just from being me."
It seems that earning that level of trust was enough to lift Brian''s spirit. The younger man raised his chin and promised to do his best.
After thinking during Aidan''s talk with Brian, Sierra''s eyes shone. She looked at Dawn and the boy in Princess skin could see hope there. "Do you think you could restore the magic we lost?"
"Yes, that is why we want to take a look into your souls," Dawn picked up to give Aidan''s throat a chance to recover. "We believe that the effects of the Regalia and the summoning ritual on the subject''s soul are not that different as they operate in similar principles."
Sierra stood up. She went around the table and knelt next to Dawn. "Do what you must, milady. This servant beseeches you."
"Stand. I need to touch your solar plexus."
Dawn used Soul Reveal on Sierra. The damage was obvious. After almost a year experimenting with that spell, she could now pinpoint the damages. The affinity sphere for Earth was there, faded and barely perceptible as she expected.
"It can be done," Aidan declared. "Brian, come here. I''ll check yours as well."
They had the same pattern. It only corroborated their theory that soul damage beyond what the Underworld Element could do was caused by divine magic.
"We will perform a ritual tonight. I must ask archmage Astromelicus for his opinion and help in setting it up, but we have all the materials with us. This will restore some of your ability but the damage to your souls was too large. I won''t be able to restore all of it, but you should regain your former Elements and affinities at a lesser degree."
They ate dinner and performed the ritual on Sierra and Brian. The effects would happen in the course of a few days. As compensation, they agreed to have Dawn place a minor geass on them, to make them weaker if they tried to leave the estate. Even though he didn''t suspect them of plotting anything, only time would tell if their allegiance change was real.
The next morning they gathered and departed back to Yutis.
It was time to finally cut Lumina loose.
How to cheat and ressurect the dead
[Twin Soul''s Severance] - 7th circle spell.
Element: Law.
Type: Soul.
Classification: Attack. Curse. Sacrifice.
Target: Self.
Covers the caster''s Soul Vessel in an impenetrable barrier while the spell is in effect. No soul matter can enter or leave the barrier. Barrier can expand to acommodate soul fragments.
Severs the caster''s soul from any other souls cohabitating the same body and any spiritual taint. Deals half damage to the caster''s body as the parts excised. Any amalgamation parts for soul fusion are severed leaving 95% of the mixed phase section to the caster''s side. The excised parts are pushed out toward the barrier and are held by it.
For each foreign soul matter that is excised, an equal portion of the caster''s soul losts cohesion and is immediately spread over the empty space left over. One quarter damage is dealt to the body parts where Soul cohesion is lost.
"Get rid of possession and commit suicide at the same time," Was Astromelicus'' impression of the spell his star pupil... pupils crafted.
During the last week after they returned from the trip to the God-Slayer''s estate, he made both Aidan and Dawn work all the time they weren''t either sleeping or taking care of their bodies on finishing the spell. What he was seeing in the scroll was the end product. Something most archmages would be unable to cast and would probably die. The spell cut so many corners it might as well be a perfect sphere. He questioned everyone''s sanity, including his own.
He could see how it would do the job. Dawn was going to first purify herself and strengthen her own soul to the maximum by having Aidan gently exfoliate any taint out of her and then submit to the Soul Restoration ritual. That would set her back on her affinity training by a small amount, but it would guarantee she would be complete without taint when she used the spell on herself. It had the added complexity that any Soul magic used on one of them affected the other by an equal amount. It was both a blessing and a curse. The spells'' effects were first reduced by their own resistance first if it was harmful. The energy that bypassed the resistance had to travel - shedding power - through their tether and balance over both souls, only then to apply the remaining effect equally. Everything happened in a fraction of a moment.
It meant that purifying Dawn would have two side effects on Lumina. She would suffer part of the damage from the exfoliation and the restoration will progress her fusion with Aidan further, leaving less of her to work with.
These technicalities were over. They descended to the basement where the Princess'' body laid in stasis in a crystal coffin. Aidan and the Princess simulacrum that was Dawn sat on their spots ready to start casting. All three bodies covered with the magical diagrams etched in body painting that would connect their bodies and souls to the ritual circle painted with orichalcum ink on the ground. Twenty charged mana stones laid on their sockets ready to complement their Mana pools. The circle glowed with the already charged mana, eclipsing the torches on the four corners of the room and casting eerie shadows on the stone roof.
With a heavy heart, Astromelicus gave the signal to start. He held his breath, not remembering when in his few millennia of life he was that worried.
Dawn used Undying Resilience on herself and the spell affected both. Aidan adjusted the necklace with the active soul receptacle around his neck and activated the Soul Restoration ritual, linking first his Mana pool, draining it entirely only then to activate the charged cores with Underworld mana. The young mage''s body slumped from exhaustion and Dawn initiated the second phase, the spell they created.
It took most of her mana pool to successfully cast the spell. With mastery over a spell formula, there was a great amount of optimization a mage could do with spells as most of the mana a spell uses is wasted during the spellcasting process. But that was the kind of spell you can''t master. Mastery required practice and that was not a spell someone could cast repeatedly.
Aidan screamed in pain as the soul in his body was torn in twain and kneaded to return. Dawn followed in his steps, the sympathetic link between both of them caused them to share every thought, every sensation, and emotion.
The bond was unbreakable and almost impossible to detect. In his studies over Soul magic, Aidan called that an other-dimensional tether. A tether that instead of going out of the soul from its outer shell, went inward through a higher dimension and connected through that space. The only other recorded case of such tethers were seen in Princess Pearl while she was linked to the summoned heroes and fed their existence with her own lifeforce.
The archmage watched intently as the receptacle activated right after Dawn''s spell ended, drawing Lumina''s soul inside. The crystal glowed with golden light and Astromelicus released his breath.
"Sylph''s Hand!"
Astromelicus was not just an observer. He had an important part to play. Now that the Soul Restoration was working full-throttle to repair the self-inflicted damage on the teenagers, he had to move Lumina''s receptacle over to the open coffin and trigger the sequence that would put the Princess back in her own body. He carefully released the clasp holding the crystal to the necklace and moved it across the ritual circle, depositing the precious vessel between the Princess'' breasts.
He now had to hope that the receptacle would sense the resonance between the soul and its rightful body and discharge its contents back inside, attaching the soul to the physical shell and restoring the girl to life. The golden light seeped from the crystal into the body. He could sense Life flowing back into Lumina. But so could the Soul Restoration ritual. The ongoing magic tried to heal the soul before it completely transferred. The receptacle pushed but never emptied as Lumina''s soul bloated inside the stone and clogged the transfer tether.
Astromelicus had two of the three Elements required for Underworld magic. The most he tried, he had close to zero affinity with either Light or Darkness. It meant that his overall affinity for the tri-Element went from the A he had in Earth and Fire down to a D in Underworld. As he hesitated, the crystal coffin shattered, sending sharp shards everywhere and at everyone.
The crystal vessel dislodged from its resting place. He forced it back with his wind magic. But Lumina''s soul would not transfer. It was stuck in the vessel. He had to push it. Astromelicus picked one spare Underworld crystal and focused on the diagram of the receptacle spell. He used it as inspiration and created an improvised effect on the fly.
He failed Alina. He wouldn''t fail her daughter.
The old archmage used his own mana, the crystal to create suction inside Lumina''s body, to draw in more Soul matter than what was being regrown by the ritual. Without a body to guide it, the soul on the outside was growing out of control. It was like a disease otherworlders called cancer. He drained the core and it was almost enough. Almost wouldn''t do it. He focused on another tri-element he could use. Blood.
Astromelicus converted his own lifeforce into Mana and finished his effect. The vessel crumbled from the strain right after the rest of the golden glow disappeared. Still unconscious, Lumina''s body drew in air.
These children, his friends'' children meant the world to him. The future of Yutis and the world at large were in their hands.
The archmage had lived long enough for a human. He partnered with a dozen generations of God-Slayers. He helped retake the valley for Helios'' ancestors. That he could help in his last moments to perform one of the impossible feats of magic wasn''t enough for him. He had no regrets.
They brought the dead back to life even though it was a borderline case.
At the cost of another life.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
With the blurry vision of a dying man, he saw the image of Alina appear out of thin air before him. She was wearing a plain robe but the glow around her was angelic. She smiled at him but her countenance was bittersweet.
"Hello, my friend," He coughed blood and corrected himself, "Your Majesty."
"Astro, you fool," Alina told him with tears freely flowing from her eyes. "Why did you do that!"
He felt bad for making the Queen cry.
"I had to, Alina. Lumina would be lost otherwise. The resonance..."
"Speak no more. What is done is done," Alina hugged him. "Now rest, old man."
Astromelicus closed his eyes and died of exsanguination.
Dawn was the first to wake up. The girl opened her eyes and felt the stiff herbal extracts over her skin and the cold stone floor under her naked body. It was dark. The torches that illuminated the room long dead. She focused on herself, trying to see if there were any problems with her body, soul and magic. She had no wounds, only the flaking paint they used to attune herself with the restoration ritual. She felt the drop in her affinities but all of them were still there. Her mana pool was more than halfway full. She also felt no ongoing magical effects around her except for the containment and privacy wards on the walls and door. These were untouched.
She felt Aidan through the tether. Wounded but alive. She sighed, relieved. Now to check on Lumina.
"Light."
One of the simplest first circle spells. The room flared into existence in her sight and she saw everyone else unconscious. Aidan, Lumina and Astromelicus. There were crystal shards everywhere around her. Dawn moved carefully, her bare feet too delicate to step on these shards. She used Sylph''s hand to move them out of the way.
She tried to stir Aidan awake through their tether but his condition disallowed consciousness. He would need to rest. Next, she checked the Princess. It was odd, uncanny to look at her. It was the face Dawn saw in the mirror every time for the last year. How would they relate to each other now? She wouldn''t discover it. Dawn was now going to exist in the shadows. She noticed Lumina had fewer wounds. She looked around and saw that it was her stasis coffin that shattered. The resonance between conflicting effects. They didn''t take that into account.
"Healing Light."
"Soul Reveal."
The distorted effigy that represented Lumina''s soul appeared. It was vaguely humanoid, as one tried to create a person out of bread dough. The golden color was there, and the four spheres representing her affinities were blurred but still spun around them. Dawn squinted and saw three others, red, brown, and purple. Tiny dots, not even an F-rank affinity. But better than nothing. Lumina breathed. There was still a long way in the path of her restoration. They would need to reshape the soul and morph it back into a person. But she was alive.
She next checked Aidan. She drew their own soul effigies and saw why he wouldn''t wake up. She could see the amalgamation band now shaped like the area Lumina occupied. In time, it would merge back into their being. The upper body portion of his soul was also distorted like badly shaped clay but not as much as Lumina. He was alive, wounded by the shards and their affinities were there, also damaged. They would recover and maybe even grow a little. She also healed him and with a gentle kiss, laid him back on the stone. Dawn stood up and picked up the robes. After dressing everyone up, she went to wake up the Headmaster.
"Healing Light!"
There was no change in his body. The wounds didn''t close. Unable to even think of what could it be, she tried to talk to him.
"Rise and shine, old man. The Princess is alive, she will recover. We did it!"
She shook Astromelicus'' shoulder. It was cold. With clenched heart and throat, Dawn checked him.
"Lifesight!"
"No response. It could mean only one thing. She refused to believe.
"Soul Sight."
Nothing. She could see no spiritual force whatsoever inside the body.
"No..."
She hugged the body and cried. It felt so light. It was already stiff and cold. So cold. She couldn''t think or reason. She tried to figure out what happened, but nothing came to mind. His wounds were not that large to cause death by bleeding and he had almost no blood on him or on the ground underneath. The wounds were dry. The body was dry. There were no fluids, it was if it was mummified.
"No."
She had all of Aidan''s memories and most of Lumina''s. Two star students of magic. She was unwilling to think of that but her analytical mind raced. Something went wrong during the ritual. Astromelicus tried to fix it but had to resort to blood magic. It was the only reason his body would be in this state. He drained all the lifeforce of his body fluids to solve the problem.
He died to fix their blunders.
"No."
Dawn could do nothing. She cried for Twelve-knew how long. She might have lost consciousness. And then she had no more tears to shed.
She had all six elements, ultimate magic and it wasn''t enough. They didn''t cover all bases.
"No!"
Dawn refused to believe. She felt a surge of power rush into her being. Her determination steeled. She could feel Skippy. She tried and used Mana Sight. She glanced back at Aidan and felt. They were finally one now that Lumina was not tainting their link.
She saw the lingering magic of the ritual coursing through the orichalcum ink. Too weak to do any effect, only a residue. She saw the table and the boxes of charged cores. The cosmos ones shone the brightest even though they were like the starry sky. The Underworld cores, almost all of them used in the ritual. The spare soul receptacles, dormant except for one.
Dawn picked up the receptacle. There shouldn''t be a soul in any of them. She looked at the color and found a calm greenish-cyan and white with tints of blue, red and brown. Whose soul was that? It made no sense.
She used Soul Sight again. She could tell there was a resonance between the crystal receptacle and Astromelicus'' body. But how did his soul went into that receptacle? He couldn''t have transferred it and fixed whatever blunder happened. He used blood magic and drained his whole body!
Someone else trapped his soul in that receptacle. But who? The wards were untouched, nobody could have entered the room. Astromelicus couldn''t have done that and they were unconscious. Only Dawn was awake.
Who did that?
Of the four mages, one was dead, the other two incapacitated, their souls damaged. It left only her. She knew the spell to trap souls in the receptacles, it was the same she tried when they proved she could not abandon Lumina''s body.
Dawn placed Astromelicus'' soul in the receptacle. She could bring him back! But something was wrong. She felt she couldn''t just put the soul back in the body, it would break something. Her intuition told her that.
How could she do that if she was unconscious from the ritual? She would have to touch the vessel and press it to the body to capture the soul. But she didn''t stand up from her place in the circle because the herbal paint was intact, only dried.
It was a paradox. The only possible explanation was that she moved without leaving her place. There was one more discrepancy. She had no wounds on herself and too much mana. Somehow she wasn''t affected by the shards? Impossible. There were crystal shards everywhere, even around where she woke up.
She glanced at the Cosmos cores. The ultimate Element. She felt that Cosmos could do anything. Even the impossible. Even make her do something she had to be there to do while she was lying on the ritual circle, unconscious...
She felt it was time to do something. Dawn let the feeling take over her. She drained all the Underworld cores to restore her mana and carefully placed Astromelicus'' receptacle in the empty box. She grabbed a handful of Cosmos mana stones, the very cores she bleached and filled and stuffed her mouth with them, swallowing them one by one. She was going to do something crazy but she knew it was the right thing to do.
Full of more energy than she could ever dream of use, Dawn focused on what she wanted. Astromelicus, alive. And for that, she had to put his soul in the receptacle. Dawn focused her magic. From Underworld, add Air and Light. Compress. Mix.
Create Time mana. She focused on her will. Solve the mystery. She was the one to put Astromelicus'' soul in the receptacle. Rise to the Challenge triggered and she felt reality stretch. She could kill gods, what was just a few hours jaunt into the past. The evidence was already there. It already happened, she just had to make it real.
The cores inside her dissolved to grant her enough power. Just a single mage would never be enough for something like that, improvised to boot. She opened a rift in reality and walked through it like she belonged. Like a Princess would.
Dawn came to her senses and saw the torches burning in their sconces. She looked down and saw Astromelicus, eyes unfocused, almost dead.
"Hello, my friend," He coughed blood and corrected himself, "Your Majesty."
She had no time to waste. But she had to make a point. Dawn shed even more tears. "Astro, you fool, why did you do that!"
"I had to, Alina. Lumina would be lost otherwise. The resonance..."
Yes. It was time. She glanced at the receptacles and saw the one she moved in the present. That one.
"Speak no more. What is done is done," Dawn hugged him and reached for the receptacle with her hand out of his sight. "Now rest, old man."
Astromelicus closed his eyes and died. Dawn was quick to cast the spell.
"Trap the Soul!"
His essence flowed into the receptacle instead of into oblivion. Dawn placed the receptacle exactly where she found. She felt the strands of time tug her back but she had something else to do. She moved over her own body and touched it.
"Healing Light."
And she was back to the present, in the ritual room. Exhausted. The torches were burned out. The globe of light she summoned shone in the middle of the ceiling.
Dawn looked at the receptacle and the body. Before she restored him, Dawn took the last cosmos cores in one hand and pushed the mana out to power another effect. Creation this time. Life magic could only work with what was already there, but Creation could do more. She closed the wounds of the body and willed blood into the vessels within. It was like the Sanguine Genesis spell but inside a corpse.
Color returned to the body but it was only a slapdash patch.
She pressed the receptacle to the old body''s solar plexus. The resonance between soul and body dragged the lifeforce back. Dawn guided it using her own mana pool. She was arguably the strongest Soul mage alive. She could do it.
MInutes passed.
The Archmage, teacher, friend, mentor, uncle, and Headmaster gasped for air. His eyes shot open, scared. Dawn hugged him.
"Welcome back, you old fool!"
"Alina?" Astromelicus asked, confused.
"No, silly. I''m Dawn, the adventurer." She introduced herself.
She thought for a while and added.
"Apparently, time traveler as well."
A game of Rings
Morning. A nondescript stone room without windows in the Yutis royal academy. Sitting next to a bed, a Princess wept. A small group of five people was watching the scene.
"She''s alive!"
Princess Claire of Yutis was bent over her sister, Lumina. She checked the pulse, she checked the breathing. The warmth. And she wept tears of joy.
"She''s alive!"
It was a thing otherworlders called ''a broken record''. On the other side of the room from the recovering Princess, still unconscious and in dire need of spiritual healing, laid an average boy, heir to a world-shattering legacy. Also in need of spiritual healing.
Dawn was holding herself on Sora''s shoulder and Cythrel was holding her other arm. Next to the elf Princess Pearl and the not-so-dead archmage. Dawn felt winded. Her little jaunt through time burned so much mana it overwhelmed her mana affinity and now she was paying the price of crossing backward what should only the walked forward.
She was suffering from mana burn.
"That was quite the night." Dawn giggled.
Astromelicus raised an eyebrow, "I must say, It was quite fortunate to engrave the ritual circle in the stone and paint it with the orichalcum paint. If the crystal shards broke the circle, none of us would be alive now."
Claire finally stopped dehydrating herself and returned to them. "I''m sorry for the unsightly display."
"Don''t worry," Dawn patted the Princess'' shoulder. "It is not like any of us didn''t bleed to death several times over to get her back. A few tears? Nothing to worry about. And by the way, give this back to the King. I''m done playing Princess."
She handed the Regalia Ring to Claire.
"How may we thank you?" Claire asked.
"Just keep Lumina out of our heels. I''m afraid she will wake up and rampage. I know she will wake up screaming, her first reaction will be to think she is still being trampled by the rhinorses."
Claire puckered her lips and looked over her shoulder back at her sister. "Maybe we should move her to the hospital. They will know how to deal with her there."
"Yes, about that. We will have to keep her here for a month more." Dawn confessed. "We need to heal her soul entirely to avoid any further problems. She spent too long in a man''s body, and it reshaped her being. We are repeating the process we used to heal back when we were trampled. Only this time it will be faster with healing magic."
"Sorry, what do you mean?" Claire was worried.
"We have a bracelet enchanted with a sleep spell. It will keep her unconscious. Then we are going to knead her soul with her body, to make her regain the shape she had. Here C Soul Reveal! C Can you see how the shape of my soul is entirely feminine? That is because I recovered slowly from the damage while it had the time to reshape in the form of my own body."
Claire sighed. "Do you mean I''ll have to hold my father and brother for a month? It will be summer already!"
"Good luck, your Highness." Dawn curtsied.
Claire had to go. Being the smart sibling left all the paperwork to her. She was not swamped by work now that all financial reports were in order but she was still very busy. After she left with Pearl, It was Astromelicus'' turn.
"How does it feel to be an unsung hero?" Dawn asked.
"Don''t get cocky, student Dawn," The archmage replied, his countenance emanating power. "Do you think anyone remembers my exploits from two thousand years ago?"
"I''m sure I can find something at the Keeper''s Library."
He chortled, "Fair enough. But no, I''m fine. In the end, we didn''t really bring anyone back to life, did we?"
Indeed nobody was brought back to life. Instead, they only cheated death, playing at the edge of the abyss without never falling in.
"Not a chance. There is no such thing as raising the dead. Nobody died. But that''s my path, Astro."
"Path? You are too young to decide on a path. But please humor me."
"I''m mastering Death," Dawn announced. The reaction of surprise and disgust was stamped in the faces of her two wives. "But wait. I know what you are thinking. Mastering Death to me is not just being able to kill anything. Heck, anyone can kill given the right tools. No. Mastering Death means, to me, that I get to say when people die and most importantly when they don''t."
"It is like a death mage that doesn''t want even the first time," Cythrel commented.
"Yes, that is it. I don''t want the first time for anyone, not even the fourth." Dawn complemented.
They spread through the room, with the girls going to look after the two patients. Astromelicus pulled Dawn to a corner for a quick chat.
"I''m going to visit some friends, I was disturbed by the thought of dying and seeing ghosts from the past. It put some things into perspective."
Dawn clapped his arm, "I can understand you. Well, not on the part of the ghost, I''m only a year old." She chortled.
"I need some time to travel abroad. I''ve spent too long holed up in here. I''ll be back by midsummer."
Dawn smiled. It was good to see the old man regain his adventurous streak. "I wish you good luck on your vacation. But who will run the Academy without you?"
"Don''t worry, I left instructions with my trusted staff and you are now promoted to vice-headmaster, Dawn. Good luck running the Academy. And don''t worry, it is almost self-sufficient!"
He was bolting for the door and after dawn spent a few seconds gawking at how fit the old man was, she ran after him.
"Hey, wait! I can''t access the restricted sections!" She shouted.
"If that is your only concern, then don''t worry! I''ve already keyed everything to your mana signature!" He shouted back as they dodged the academy staff and students.
They ran out of the building, through the campus, and into the square in front of the Academy gates. Dawn was winded. Damn constitution.
"I''m going now. My ride should be here at any moment." Astromelicus told her.
"It better be a dragon." She panted. "Astro, please at least... No! You can''t just dump it all on me."
"Rise to the Challenge! Isn''t that your thing?" He laughed. "And no, I don''t do dragons very well. That is more your thing too."
Some guards approached Dawn. "Your Highness, is everything alright?"
"No, it is not!" Dawn answered, flustered. She pointed at the old man. "The Headmaster is running away!"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
The guards looked at the Archmage and back at Dawn. "What should we do?"
"Get me some water. And lend me your arm, I think I''m going to faint." She grabbed the guard''s forearm, using it as a handrail. "And you, old fart, you better be back in a month. Or I''ll rewind time again and shatter that crystal."
A carpet came from the west and landed next to Astromelicus. The archmage bowed.
"Well, I''m not going just for fun, if you really need to know. You''ve stirred quite the commotion across the word, kicked the proverbial anthill, vice-headmaster. I need to deliver a speech at the Conclave or soon this town will be swarming with curious archmages. Not to mention that now there''s three of you. A dozen voyeurs up there are surely stirring from their slumber."
He walked over the carpet. Its frills warbled and soon it lifted with its passenger smiling, arms crossed behind his back. It would be an imposing view if Dawn was not passing out from low blood pressure due to overexertion.
She woke up in the castle and recognized Lumina''s bedchamber. "I can''t even summon water. Stupid mana burn," She cursed. "That is the thanks I get for turning back time and saving his old ass."
She stood up and the covers fell down, revealing her naked torso. Someone harrumphed a man''s timbre. She looked around and saw the Royal Family gawking at her splendor.
"You might want to cover yourself," Claire told Dawn. "Or Lucien will have a stroke."
"Oh." She pulled the sheets up. "Would you mind? I''ll be with you in a few moments."
"I''ll help you, Dawn," Claire said from behind her back while she gently pushed the men away.
Dressed in her academy uniform and hydrated, the fake Princess met the King and Crown Prince in the sitting room. Some fruit and pastries served on the coffee table. She curtsied at the King and then the Prince.
"I''m sorry for the unsightly display, your Majesty."
"Don''t mind it," Helios waved a hand. "It was a slight of the maids to leave you undressed and us for intruding even if these aren''t your chambers. But please tell me, what happened?"
"Astro had to leave in a hurry. He said that the Conclaves and the Pantheon are stirring because of what Aidan and I did."
The King actually leaned forward, "And what did you do?"
"We broke the laws of magic and probably half of the ancient covenants regarding the God-Slayer and the Twelve. Astro will be away for a month solving things. He appointed me vice-headmaster. Can you imagine the trouble! That old bastard. And right after I saved... did him a great favor. What time is it? I probably have to return to the academy. I''m starving. Are there raisins in these scones?"
"Raisins are forbidden in this castle," Helios answered. "Ever since that dinner." Dawn nodded and started to eat. She was starving.
"I will make sure a carriage is ready to take you back to the academy," Lucien promised. "I''ll be back in a moment."
While the Prince went to talk to the servants outside, Helios leaned forward.
"Dawn, I talked to Lucien and Claire, we want you to be part of the family. Would you accept?"
She swallowed the small bite she took. Dawn sighed and met the King''s eyes. She noticed he was fiddling with her Regalia Ring in his hands. Funny how she could sense it was her ring.
"I''m sorry, Helios. I''m not Princess material. We are on the final step to get Lumina back here, and she will react badly to my presence. I''ll just follow Aidan wherever his adventures take him. I''ll have to decline your offer. I won''t even take a court lady title. All I ask is to keep the gifts I received while I was standing in for Lumina." - Especially the adamantite alloy rapier. Dawn would never part with that weapon for as long as she lived.
Relinquishing the offer to become royalty was not something light. Everyone knew that and it pained Dawn to see that the King seemed to age a decade in front of her eyes. But that was a game she could not play. Worse now that her synchronization with Aidan reached perfection and she gained the full power of the God-Slayer. Most of the people in the higher places knew that the God-Slayer had ties with Yutis, but becoming part of the Royal Family? It would leak sooner or later and the shift in power would be too much. Heath was going to declare war after they settled their succession issues. They didn''t need a reason to make other nations think of allying themselves against Yutis.
After a long period of reflection, Helios spoke.
"You are of the blood. This is the proof," He showed her the ring. "You can sense it, can''t you? All of us can know where ours is." To prove his point, he took another ring and shuffled them inside his coat, showing both fists. Dawn even closed her eyes to avoid tracking the ring by sight. "In which hand is yours?"
She felt a tug from both rings, but the strongest was from the right hand. She pointed at that hand. "The one on the left is Lumina''s, isn''t it? I can feel a faint connection to that one," She asked.
"Indeed it is. As the King, I also know where all the rings are. That is why I want you to at least take yours with you. Keep it hidden, but it might come in handy sometime."
Some thought crossed Dawn''s mind. "When Claire was working as Lumina''s handmaid, did she keep hers? When we fled the hospital, was she carrying her ring?"
"I was," Claire came forward. "It was the only way I could prove to the crowd that I was the runaway Princess and buy you time to escape."
Dawn laughed. "I always wondered how did you pull that out. It means you knew where we were the whole time. Why didn''t you send your men to capture us, your Majesty?"
"Astro was intrigued by your words about Soul Magic being at play. I let you escape because of that."
Lucien returned. Dawn sighed. She looked at Claire and said, "In one month, Lumina will be back. You are a good man and a good father, Helios. I didn''t have to fake my displays of affection toward you. Even as a King, you made the tough decision to be loved rather than feared even though the latter was easier. I can''t be a princess," Dawn started to tear up. "I can''t even be here after Lumina comes back. I went insane, I thought I was an impostor, merely a doll without feelings. I was even ready to sacrifice myself but that venue was closed. We had to take the hard, painful way to get her back.
"I know I sound crazy even now, but I exist. I am a person, with feelings, with dreams. But at the same time, I am fake. Even though unwittingly, I was created, not birthed."
Dawn stood up and went around the coffee table, kneeling before Helios. She felt it had happened before. Forcing back the sobs but unable to keep the tears, she continued to talk, "I will take the ring if you so desire, your Majesty. I have no need to hide from you."
He felt a hand caressing her head. Dawn was staring down at the King''s shoes wondering if her tears wouldn''t stain them. "Even if you don''t accept the full Regalia, you are my daughter, Dawn. I know you women become mothers the moment you can feel the child in your wombs, but for us men it is different. We become fathers when we first lay eyes on the child. When we first hold them in our arms.
"I told you before and I''ll tell as many times as you need. I want you to be happy, Dawn the adventurer. As a princess, as a peasant, adventurer, even during your brief tenure as a teacher. Arise and look at me. Would you take me to be your father?"
She threw herself on his arms. Dawn wanted, no, she needed to know she had a place in the world more than she needed to breathe. Even without her magic, still blocked by the mana burn.
"I''ll be your daughter but I won''t be a Princess," She confessed between sobs.
She felt a delicate hand held her arm. Claire. Lucien didn''t dare to touch her. His loss. She''d even kiss his cheek right now.
It took two days for Dawn''s magic to return. She prepared the ritual room again, this time with Sora and Pearl helping, to start the healing process for both Lumina and Aidan. She had a little damage, but the healing energy of the spell would seep from Aidan to herself through their tether. She would be fully healed before his damage was even halfway healed.
"Are you sure you want to be here, Pearl? I forbade Claire from watching because we are going to get really physical to heal Lumina."
The petite Princess stopped painting the glyphs on the body of her fellow Princess and turned around to answer.
"Yes. It is better for you if I am here to witness it. This way I can dispel any accusations that may be raised against you. As you stand in for the archmage during his absence, I''ll stand in for him during the ritual."
"Remeber to stay behind the glass curtain." An addition to the ritual room. A glass cabin, enclosed on all sides with a door for the spectators. The reason would be clear soon enough.
They finished painting in silence. Dawn noticed Pearl stealing glances at Aidan''s naked body but didn''t raise the subject. ''Let she have her eye candy, who knows how hard is for a Princess to get some'', Dawn thought.
She aligned the cores and started the ritual. She let the magic drain from the cores first instead of her mana pool as it was usual. She needed her mana for another job. Dawn took a warhammer and kneeled beside Lumina. "Excuse me. This is for your own good," With those words, she started to crush her limbs. The ritual circle shone underneath the blood pooling.
"Regrowth."
Knit the limbs, let the ritual run for an hour. Use Deathless Ward on her and crush the ribcage. Blood everywhere. Once again Regrowth and wait for an hour. Dawn kept this pattern for the entirety of the ritual.
Days became weeks. Dawn would repeat the ritual every other day. The rest of her time she was busy with academy paperwork. A lot of teachers came to ask for more funding. More cores. More weapons. More healers at the cadet training grounds.
On the first session of the third week, Aidan''s soul recovered. Dawn was at the Headmaster''s office writing a list for their second cloud picnic to celebrate when someone knocked at the door.
"Come in," Dawn answered mechanically, the reflex ingrained by now.
The door opened and a slimy man entered. Black hair, white complexion slightly yellow, a small nose and pulled eyes. "Vice-Headmaster, your Highness. I could finally get some time in your schedule, what a joy,"
Dawn recognized the voice and felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. The feelings that flooded her were all too real. She had Lumina''s memories of their private tutoring lessons. The son of a... that dispelled their Pain Resistance at the square two years ago. She looked up and confirmed her suspicion.
"Professor Yoshida. To what do I owe the visit?"
In her heart, Dawn was like the spider whose web was disturbed by an insect.
It was time to hunt.
You were too late
"Professor Yoshida. To what do I owe the visit?" Dawn asked, shifting the papers on her desk to hide her picnic plans. She also forced down all the seething hatred and her desire to shear away the man''s soul into ribbons.
"I was hoping we could resume our project, your Highness. I was unable to progress without your help."
Dawn rummaged through Lumina''s memories. What she found were only standard, boring spellcraft lessons. The Princess would go to Yoshida''s office, usually escorted by some cadets from the Knight Corps, sit at his desk, and go through the books. Very boring, nothing special. Very repetitive.
Too repetitive.
Dawn focused and evoked Mind mana. One of the drawbacks of having three people''s worth of life experiences was that. Things got blurry. Truly, Dawn had one year worth of life under her belt but it was still complicated. She inherited all of Aidan''s fantasies of "Dawn the Adventurer" as her own backstory. To her, it was as if she really killed the topiary dragon. She could feel tumbling on the garden path to avoid its deadly razor leaf breath as if it was real. As if she did that.
Enough digressing. With the Mind magic reinforcing her recollection capabilities, Dawn browsed the memories of Lumina taking lessons. They were repetitive, to the point of being the same. Dawn almost gasped as she realized these memories were copies of one another. The environment would change but clearly, the Princess'' mind was doctored.
And without access to the originals, they would be locked for a long time. She was not going into Lumina''s head.
"I''m sorry, could you refresh my memory regarding what was that project?" She asked. "It''s been two years."
He stifled a chuckle. Glad to know she was pleasing, thought Dawn.
"I didn''t expect you to remember," He replied. "Anyway, I dropped by to see if you are interested, but seeing how busy you are with Astromelicus'' work..."
"You will tell me about that project, professor Yoshida. It is an order from the acting Headmaster."
He slightly raised a single eyebrow. "Not from the Princess?"
"Titles are irrelevant within these halls of learning, professor." She replied, moderately annoyed.
Dawn remembered, now that Lumina''s corrupting influence was removed, she could use magic sight. The girl turned her power on and watched Yoshida. He had an ongoing detection spell. Sixth circle, Element...
Blood.
She lingered her gaze on the spell long enough to memorize its circle and pattern.
"How did Astromelicus make you, girl? This is so perfect." Yamada''s tone turned creepy as if he was a knight admiring plate armor in a master dwarf''s smithy.
"What do you mean?"
"You are a puppet. An artificial lifeform in the shape of Lumina. I wonder what happened to the Princess... She disappeared two months ago only to be replaced by you. You are marvelous. A great work of flesh shaping!"
"Thank you?" Dawn was feeling a shiver running up her spine but tried to hide it. "But I am Lumina," She lied.
"Did you lie or do you really believe you are Lumina?" He grinned as Dawn blinked her eyes. "The former then. You are fantastic and just what I need, construct."
He started to cast a spell, Dawn could see the circle forming in her magic sight. She broke it before even analyzing its Element or purpose. "Don''t. Professor, you are under arrest on my authority as acting Headmaster. You tried to cast a spell on me inside my office. Wards."
The Headmaster''s office was not just a room. It was a fortress in itself. The number of wards and enchantments woven in that room gave the Headmaster absolute control of what went inside. Yoshida was quickly assaulted by the enchantments, draining his mana and stamina, rendering him powerless and immobile.
Dawn stood and walked around her desk. She looked at the immobile man. "I''m asking just this once before I charge you with treason. What was your project with Princess Lumina?"
Dawn already had a very good idea of what it was. She used one of her favorite Spells and tapped the man''s solar plexus.
"Soul Reveail."
Fire, Earth, and Water. The man was a Blood mage. His mana affinity was a C.
He was still able to speak. Just now what Dawn wanted. "Funny. Lumina would never be able to use Underworld magic, puppet."
"I bet she will once she wakes up. This is the last time I''ll ask politely. What did you do to the Princess? Speak or I''ll take the answer straight from your mind." Dawn threatened as she gathered Mind mana over her hand.
Yoshida''s eyes betrayed his complete lack of determination. The former confidence waned. He was staring at the empty space over Dawn''s hand.
"Good. You can see magic as well. That explains why you dispelled Aidan''s spell when the Rhinorses you sent broke them. Speak."
"I was hired by some nobles. They wanted to stop the trade treaty between us and Heath. If Lumina married into Heath, there was a real threat of annexation."
It all boils down to money. They lost two years because of commercial disputes and the preservation of monopolies. But Dawn was no idiot.
"Why were you messing with Lumina''s mind?"
"I was studying her Regalia. That is why I know you aren''t Lumina. I made a spell to sense Regalia without the use of Royal Blood. If I could copy it..."
If he could copy it, which he couldn''t ever, he could make himself King.
"Do you even know what grants the Regalia upon the Royals?"
He sighed and shook his head. He didn''t.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Dawn called the guards.
Yoshida was in mana-binding shackles and in the castle''s stockades. Dawn took him to the castle herself, after sending a messenger to warn the King. After delivering him, she went to meet Helios.
While we thank you for the list of nobles that supported the attack on our daughter, it will be hard to punish all of them at once. It will cause an uproar in the nation. They will pay for what they did, but in due time."
Politics. Yutis was still in a delicate moment. Not a season ago they purged some minor nobles that were embezzling taxes and punished the ones that couldn''t be demoted.
"I understand. Yoshida is expelled from the academy and his documents are being seized as we speak. We will soon learn more of his illegal research."
"Thank you once again, Dawn."
Dawn left the audience chamber and went to the garden to catch some fresh air. She had no hurry to return to the academy and dive into the paperwork of managing the institution. She wondered how Astromelicus did that. His secret would probably sum up to not doing it.
She met two Princesses in the garden gazebo. Claire and Pearl were chatting and having their tea.
Claire got up to hug her. "Dawn. You finally got out of that damp dungeon. I''ve missed you! I''m so sorry you had to pick up the Academy''s administration after Astromelicus left so irresnponsibly!"
Dawn shrugged and chuckled, "I''ve given Astro a radical shift in his perspective of life. He went on a journey to mend old wounds, so don''t hold it against him."
"Please sit, darling. You surely aren''t expecting authorization from us, are you?" Pearl leveled her inquisitive gaze on her.
"Wouldn''t this be the proper way of doing things?" Dawn teased. "I''m no princess."
She took the seat anyway. One thing the hardships of running a magical and martial academy brought was the balancing of opposing conflicts. And all the factions decided that the new and seemingly fragile girl suddenly taking over was ripe for the taking. It was nice to also make the supporters of the absent Headmaster rise up against what seemed like a ploy by the royal family to take over the academy''s independence.
And one consequence of these hardships was a critical lack of leisure. Dawn hadn''t tasted sweets in weeks. With all the refinement of a starving lady, she attacked the pastries on display.
Claire smiled, "Leave us." She commanded the servants.
Dawn smiled at the Princess with her eyes and doubled her assault on the delicious fruit-flavored carbohydrates bombs in front of her to the amused giggles of the two girls watching the scene unfold.
"I''m amazed you finally caught the one responsible for the rhinorse attack, Dawn." Pearl broke the verbal silence once Dawn stopped indulging on the food.
"He went in thinking I was good old Lumina. If I were, he would resume his control over her with his conditioning magic."
Claire squinted and pressed her lips, suppressing her anger. "That guy was brainwashing a Princess. I swear if it weren''t for our laws he''d be dead already."
"At least now I know what he did and how he did. I can reverse the conditioning. Already working on it."
"Too bad we didn''t catch him earlier. We could''ve gone for their supporters," Claire sighed.
"I let him slip too many times. I had my suspicion but never acted on it."
Pearl reached out and held Dawn''s hand. "You can''t do everything, darling. Not even you and the other you together. You had other things to worry about, like surviving, breaking the laws of the world and saving the country from a madman."
"Thanks, Pearl." Dawn held the other girl''s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Now, if you allow me to say, I have something very important to ask you." Pearl leveled her gaze, shifting from mellow to serious like a professional.
"Yes, anything. What is on your mind?"
"Why did you refuse the Regalia? Are you insane?"
Dawn blinked at the Princess'' word choice. "No, I don''t think I am. I just refused because becoming a Princess would be too much trouble."
Some irritation floated up on Pearl''s diplomat mask. "Again, are you insane? Are you so blinded by your own pride that you can''t even see what is right in front of you?" She sighed and paused to catch her wits. When Pearl resumed her speech, it was back to a soft, lecturing voice. "Dawn, have you looked at yourself in a mirror? You are an exact copy of Lumina, you have already passed the Ring''s Trial, and every single Royal out there will know you look like Lumina. You''ll have a really hard time to prove you aren''t a Princess.
"You are setting yourself up to suffer all the drawbacks of being a Princess without the perks associated with the position. Just because of some stupid pride. I understand you don''t want to cause a disturbance the line of succession, but all you have to do is ask the King to disown you after you accept the Regalia."
"Pearl has a point, Dawn," Claire added. "Lumina reached high levels of infamy in our continent. Every Royal and most nobles would recognize you. Without the Regalia, they would try to take action to harm you. You''d defend yourself and then things would escalate beyond proportion. Having the Regalia would work as deterrence against these idiots. It would even make it easier to get favor or help in saving your... Aidan''s parents."
Dawn withdrew into her mind to think. The God-Slayers usually avoid associating with a single country to avoid causing a polarization of regional politics. But there was also the one-per-generation rule they already broke. She had both Royal blood and the God-Slayer''s power. Would it make that much of a difference?
Add that the fact she wielded all six Elements. Her Water, Air, and Light affinities were a little below the D-rank required to change her Element designation, but she still had one month to grow using the exercises Astromelicus taught her. The stressful, painful and arduous exercises to improve one''s affinity.
Dawn remembered one thing and tried the spell Yoshida used. The detection spell. She had a hunch what it was but she wanted to make sure. She carefully built the diagram and used it. In her sight, an aura appeared around the two girls. The aura around Claire was the yellow of Light and for Pearl the orange of Earth. The glow had the same pattern with slight modifications. It was a Blood spell to detect Regalia. Satisfied with her test, she quietly dismissed the spell.
"We can talk to Helios. If he agrees to disown me from the line of succession, I''ll accept it." She decided.
"Excellent! We will go talk to him now!" Claire clapped her hands and, in an unusual move for her, went on with her whims.
Pearl waved her hand, "Good luck. The foreigner will remain here awaiting the good news."
They went back to the audience chamber, Claire tugging Dawn by the hand.
"You''ll be the one explain it to Lumina!" She told the former handmaid. "You''ll be the one to explain everything to Lumina!"
"I accept your conditions," Claire smiled back. She shifted her gae to the men guarding the door. "Guards, let father know we need to talk to him."
After waiting for ten minutes, a Viscount leaves the chamber, gives his respects to the Princesses, Dawn still acting as Lumina, and goes on her way. The seneschal announces and guides the two girls in the room. They approach and give the King a deep and long curtsy.
"Daughters. What brings you here before us?" Helios asked. While it wasn''t a full court session, several nobles, officials and civil servants were present.
"We request time to speak of a private matter, father." Claire declared and shifted her gaze on Dawn, giving the King the needed hint about the subject.
"The session is adjourned. We shall retreat to our chambers." He declared.
The two girls followed Helios and soon were joined by Lucien. They moved to the private room behind the audience chamber and took their seats. After checking the wards, Helios spoke.
"What is the matter, daughters?"
Claire glanced at Dawn, nudging her head to tell who should speak.
"Your Majesty, after consulting Claire and Pearl, I reconsidered my choice. I would like to know if the offer to make me part of the Royal Family of Yutis is still valid. I don''t want to disturb the line of succession though. If it is of your interest, you may disown me."
Helios paused for a few minutes. Nobody else made a sound. Dawn felt aprehension. Did she ruin it? The arguments Claire and Pearl presented were very good. She knew there were several places and people out there that would like nothing more than get back at Lumina or Yutis, and a commoner that looked just like Lumina could be a good sacrificial pawn, the target of a wtich hunt, or even forced to marry into some noble house.
She''d fight back and cause an even greater problem.
"I need to consult the rest of the Royal Family. While Claire and Lucien here already stated their opinion, I need to hear from Lumina. If my daughter does not object, I''ll grant you what you want."
Because now instead of an offer, it is a request. Dawn expected as much. Helios could even be using this as an incentive to speed up Lumina''s awakening.
"I understand, Your Majesty," Dawn bowed. "I''ll wait until you have an answer then."
Nuremberg-Noncompliant golems (*)
Note: The events of this chapter are not chronologically after the last ones, but concomitantly.
"Sora, you can stop. I don''t know why, but I can''t come. It never happened to me before."
Panting on the bed of Sora''s academy dormitory, Dawn gently tapped the squirrel-kin girl caressing her pussy. She pouted when the other girl raised her head and giggled.
"It happens. Don''t worry." Sora slid up on the sheets until she reached Dawn''s face. She nibbled the other girl''s ear. "You are too stressed. It will all be over soon."
"I miss me," Dawn mumbled. "It''s crazy, you know? Our link is strongest than ever, yet I have to keep him unconscious until he fully recovers."
"Yeah, I miss you too. You really improved now that you know where to push all the knobs on a girl''s body, but it is not the same."
Dawn shot Sora a disbelieving, confused glance. "Not the same?"
"Unfortunately, you lack the proper appendages," Sora smirked. "A throbbing cock, if you didn''t get it yet."
Dawn sighed and closed her eyes. She remembered the night she shared with Dusk. She felt that emptiness inside her again.
"I know what you mean. Strangely enough."
Sora snorted and her face lit up like she had an epiphany. "Maybe that''s it. You need a man to get you off." She snapped her fingers.
"That''s... not possible. I can''t find one."
Sora jokingly hit her shoulder. "You of all people can''t say that. You can literally fuck yourself. What is stopping you?"
"Seriously? It is not that good." Dawn confessed.
Shocked, Sora stared. "Did you try it already?"
"No. I didn''t have the courage for that. Besides, I know it won''t be as good."
"No way I''ll believe you didn''t try to do it with yourself yet. But I''ll humor you. Tell me why you think it won''t be as good."
"The kiss when we were trapping Brody. It was not a stage kiss. I really went for broke. And..." Dawn sighed and took a deep breath. "It felt almost as good as kissing the fold between my thumb and my hand, like this."
She balled her hand into a cat''s paw and showed the crease between the thumb and the back of the hand, pressing the soft mound that raised against her lips.
"Lips are softer but the feeling was the same. I was kissing myself, embracing myself," Dawn completed, flustered. She touched her breasts and pinched the nipples. "Even caressing my breasts with my hands or Aidan''s feels almost the same. His hands are rougher, just that."
Sora whistled. "Just like you, to overthink something like that."
"I''m being serious!" Dawn pouted. "Besides, I still remember Dusk. The way he handled me. But it is Aidan''s body. I confess. I didn''t try it because I''m afraid I''ll lose the memories of what I had with Dusk. Or tarnish them."
Sora snorted and chortled. Despite Dawn''s feeble attempts at stopping her with threats of violence, she laughed for quite some time.
"You''re such a pure-hearted maiden, Dawn!" She kept with her fits of laughter. Dawn seriously considering dumping the other girl on the floor. Or cursing her. "Oh, dear Twelve. Spare me from my lover''s wrath!"
"I''m being serious here! I''m opening up myself to you and you mock me!"
Sora puffed her cheeks trying to stifle the laughter when she saw that Dawn was on the verge of tears. She still released a faint snort but her eyes were still laughing.
"Well, if you can''t get a real man, even if your idea of a real man is your own male body possessed by a princess... while you are a man possessing a clone of said princess'' body... that is too awkward to say out loud."
Dawn sighed and let herself fall back on the pillows. She pressed her forearm against her head while she stared at the bed''s canopy.
"What? Don''t go and change the subject just to mock me even more. If I can''t get a real man, what?"
"You''re not the first girl that couldn''t get a man because of social pressure. There''s a solution for that. Well, not a solution, but a comforter. Let me show it. It''s been a while since I last saw it."
Sora got off the bed, her tail and butt sensually swaying under the faint mage-light Dawn conjured. She went to her dresser and rummaged on the lowest drawer for quite some time. She returned with a soft linen bag.
"Here. It''s clean but I haven''t used it in quite some time. Use your magic before you try."
Dawn got the bag and felt a rod inside. She blushed. "Is this..."
"A lady-comforter. Yes, it is a wooden cock. Or as the otherworlders call it, a dildo."
Dawn took the wooden sculpture from the bag. It was well polished, almost an obscene work of art. Really looked like the real thing. She craned her neck to meet Sora''s eyes.
"Why do you have this?"
Sora rolled her eyes. "Because my god-slaying lover took way too long to catch my tail, that''s why!" She glared at Dawn, who was feeling too awkward to hold what was basically her replacement on her hands.
"Oh. I''m sorry. I... I don''t know what to say," She blurted out and wished a hole would devour her into the bed. She almost magicked that hole.
"That''s buried in the past. It was worth the wait anyway," Sora purred and crawled back on the bed, making sure her own chest was in full sight. "C''mon. Clean it with your magic and try it."
She did as instructed and tried to insert the wooden comforter in her pussy. Dawn went slowly and gasped as she felt the wooden toy slowly open her folds.
"It''s hard." She gasped in pain.
"Go slow and don''t force it. If it is too much, take it out slowly!" Sora hurried to help her. "I''m sorry. You are not ready for this. You had only a few months to break in your body, while we had ours for our entire lives."
Dawn felt like crying. "Thanks, Sora. It is not your fault," She said as an apology while she cleaned the wooden toy with her magic again. "I think I''ll try to sleep now."
"Yes, lie here and sleep. I''ll be with you, as always. It is not your fault either."
She stayed awake, her body tense and without release for hours until her body was too tired to stay awake.
A couple days later, Sora came to steal Dawn away from the Headmaster''s office.
"Come with me. Put on a disguise on us, we are going somewhere."
Dawn put on some clothes that wouldn''t scream "Noble Lady" but were still high class and used an illusion to change her features. She also used illusion to hide Sora''s ears. The tail was safely folded and hidden behind the heavy cloak she was wearing.
She followed Sora through the back alleys of the noble district until she found a nondescript woodworking shop. If she were just strolling through these tertiary paths, she''d have missed the shop entirely. Sora handed her a masquerade mask after checking that the street was empty. Dawn also noted that the street twisted around so there was little visibility to that shop front door from other passersby.
"Put it on, we are going inside."
They entered the shop, and the front had only two fancy couches. Sora sat on one and tapped for Dawn to join her. After a while, a young girl also with a masquerade mask came.
"Welcome to our shop, ladies. I don''t know if this is the first time you visit us, but we don''t use names here. I''ll call the ladies Miss Brown and Miss Green if you don''t mind. I''m Girl and it is fine to call me so. Please, we have a room set for you."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
She led her to the back corridor where she could see several heavy wooden doors. Dawn felt the magic of the quality privacy wards. She pointed to one door and opened it. Inside, a table with two chairs on one side only.
"Please be seated," Girl said after she closed the door. "I have tea and fruit water. No alcohol. Which do you prefer?"
She served tea in fancy porcelain cups and moved to the other side of the table. She opened a cabinet on a corner.
"Do you have any of our products in mind already?" Girl asked.
"No. It is our first time in this shop, please show us what you have."
Girl showed them several models of wooden lady-comforters. She shamelessly explained each of them, exalting their properties and special characteristics. Dawn was almost inventing teleportation magic to get out of there. Sora was asking the questions, but the boy in a girl''s body stopped making sense of what she was hearing for quite some time now.
"Unfortunately these are just props to show the shapes and not for use," Girl answered something Sora asked. "Our products are guaranteed to never tarnish or leave splinters. We just ask the customers to properly clean them after use and before use also, if they were kept away for too long. Also don''t use wood varnish or any other products, as they might irritate or burn the ladies'' sensitive parts. We sell our own varnish here that is tested to be safe."
"Which one of these do you fancy, Miss Green?" Sora asked Dawn.
"I''m sorry. I have no idea." Dawn honestly answered. She was in a world where she only belonged because of her body''s gender. But one she never imagined could exist. She felt a pang of jealousy as to how at ease Sora was in this shop. She could bet her wife visited this place several times.
"Miss Green, would you mind if I make a suggestion?" Girl kindly asked. When Dawn shook her head, Girl continued. "For beginners, I recommend these. They are smaller and their soft curves won''t hurt too much. As you exercise yourself, you can move on to other more exciting models. Depending on your feedback using our entry-level models, I can recommend others. We offer them with a complimentary and discreet case for safekeeping if you buy them as a set."
"Yes, I''ll take the set." Dawn agreed just to hurry up things and get out of there. She was too embarrassed.
"All our pieces are crafted on demand. Is there any special marking you want on yours? We can engrave it on the parts that aren''t supposed to get in contact with the lady''s body."
"No markings," Sora hurriedly answered.
"Good. You can pay half up front and the other half when you come to pick them up."
"No. I''ll pay in full," Dawn answered.
She had no money problems and felt that Girl was just probing her. Even then she was astonished at the price tag of the entry set of lady-comforters. She brushed it away as the price of art and secrecy. With the promise that her items would be ready in a couple days and a warning to come to pick it up in person, Dawn prepared to leave the woodworking shop when Girl interrupted her.
"Wait for a moment, Miss Green. It is not safe for you to get out yet." After a few minutes, she ushered the two girls out. Dawn noticed some passersby vanishing behind the bend of the street and GIrl pointed at the other way. "Off you go. Thanks for your visit."
Dawn made both of them invisible as soon as she felt nobody watching them. After a while, they were back in the safety and privacy of the Headmaster''s office.
"Scared?" Sora teased. "I saw how you looked at the advanced models. Don''t worry your little head because of them. You don''t have to play with any of these things. It is just an option."
"That''s okay, Sora. Thanks for taking me there." Dawn answered with a long sigh. "Well, I have to work now, Cadet Sora. I believe you have activities to do as well."
"Ok, acting Headmistress. I''m off."
Two days later, they returned to the shop to pick up Dawn''s new set of sex toys. Later, in the privacy of Sora''s bedroom, she opened the box. There were instructions on cleaning and maintenance written on the back of the lid and there were three extra items not part of the set shown. A folded note told her these were a bonus, meant to be used only when she was used to the others to get her used to the bigger and more exotic models.
Sora closed the lid and pulled Dawn''s chin up. Looking candidly into the girl''s eyes, she said. "You are not messing with them in this state. You are too nervous. It is not like you have an obligation to... Know what? Let''s just cuddle and sleep."
During the next few days, Dawn experimented with the wooden toy set. While it was pleasurable, it wasn''t mind-blowing. She wasn''t sure why, but it wasn''t happening. She felt frustrated and almost thought of using her own comatose male body for fun, but that would open a whole new can of worms she knew she had to keep locked.
One day, she was checking on the two recovering patients, Aidan and Lumina. Lumina''s soul was shaping well back in her own body. Aidan still needed a few rituals to properly merge with the fragments the princess left behind. Cythrel was caring for them most of the time.
It was time for another Soul Restoration ritual. As usual, Sora acted as Dawn''s assistant, quite proficient in drawing the runes with the herbal extract on the subjects'' bodies. Dawn disrobed to the squirrel-kin''s surprise.
"I am thinking of doing an experiment. I''ll be part of this ritual tonight." She announced.
Using spare soul receptacles, Dawn cut off a small portion of Aidan''s soul, causing the same damage to herself. Nothing the ritual couldn''t heal in a single application. After the hours-long spell ended, Sora approached.
"What are you doing with those soul receptacles?"
Dawn grinned. "An experiment. The next step in my golem research is making flesh golems. Since a golem needs a living soul to function, I''m using mine so nobody can complain."
Sora followed Dawn and saw her kneel next to Aidan''s body. "What kind of flesh golem are you making?"
Dawn knelt next to Aidan''s hip. "Can''t you guess?" She teased Sora.
"No. That''s so wrong," Sora gasped as she watched Dawn reach for Aidan''s cock. "But it is your own body, you can do as you wish, I guess."
"Here it goes." She cut the flesh she needed for the golem, using Regrowth right after to regenerate the body. She also took a few other body parts she would need to finish her golem. They went all into one of Astromelicus'' stasis crystal boxes.
"Aren''t golems forbidden?" Sora asked. It was common knowledge that golems usually became crazy and went on a rampage after they existed long enough. "This thing will backfire."
"That''s the point of having the soul fragment and the body part come from the same person. Golems go berserk because the soul trapped in the golem body rejects its existence. But what if we use the same person for both the soul and the body? I think it will stabilize. Besides, I have to test this theory." The emphasis which Dawn used on the last sentence silenced Sora''s protests.
She knew the risks but she needed to test it. And if she could get something to solve her tension problems, the better. Shoving her ethical conundrum aside, Dawn proceeded to craft her experimental flesh golem the next morning after getting some rest.
The design was simple. She was going to first meld together two tongues to have the raspy upper part on both sides then graft the tongue against the cock, using a band of skin to close around the graft and animate the sex golem. Flesh golems were usually a whole human figure, but she needed to know if golems made from body parts were viable. A small rod of mithril with the necessary inscriptions to animate the construct was inserted in the base of both organs. Finally, using Creation magic, she closed and grafted the body parts together, mending the skin seamlessly.
Finally, she used the soul receptacles containing the fragments of her soul to bring the golem to life. It worked. Dawn felt the golem resonate with herself, forming a bond between her and the construct. She took the golem to show it to Sora.
"Here it is," Dawn showed Sora a wooden box. Opening it, she showed Sora the golem. "What do you think?"
"It is flaccid," The squirrel-kin girl quipped.
"Yes, it is resting. Once it is called to action, it will grow just like the real thing. It is the real thing, actually."
Sora studied the golem and asked, "Why the tongue? And isn''t it too long?"
Dawn snorted, "I needed something to close off the back since the rest of the man is missing, and the lady-comforter shop gave me some ideas. Therefore, a tongue. It can lick and move. And no, the tongue is that long. Just most of it stays inside the mouth all the time."
"I got to see this. Are you doing it now?"
Dawn picked up the golem and gently stroked it. It grew and became fully erect in a few moments. She felt its warmth and decided to start testing the tongue part. She kissed it and let the tip inside her mouth, to lubricate it. She took the golem and let it lick her pussy. The feeling of the tongue sent shivers up her spine. Soon she was wet enough to try the other side. Dawn slid the cock inside her vagina, moaning in pleasure. The golem wrapped the tongue around her fingers and held firmly. Then it started moving on its own, sliding in and out of her. Dawn just needed to keep her hand still and the golem would do all the work.
It felt just like the real thing. The warmth and texture of a real cock, even if it was a golem rapidly melted her mind out of sheer pleasure. Sora laid next to Dawn and watched as the golem worked the girl, pleasuring herself with her own fingers.
Aside from the presence of another person between her legs, it felt just like the real thing. Dawn felt her climax coming fast. She tasted the sweet release she craved for so long and the golem didn''t stop. It kept pulling and pushing, extending her pleasure. After the third orgasm, Dawn pulled the throbbing construct out.
"Girl, you''re loud!" Sora grinned at her side. "Was the golem that good?"
Panting, Dawn couldn''t even move, "Hell, yes. That good."
"Can I borrow it?" Sora reached and picked up the flesh golem. It was covered in Dawn''s sex juices.
"I have a better idea. I think I can use it on you. Let me just use a spell to regain control of my legs."
Dawn infused Life magic on her body to restore her stamina. She felt her pussy dripping but tried to put it out of her mind. She took the golem and inserted the tongue part in her, giving it a command to latch and hold inside. She felt the golem broaden the tip, curling it up. She could hold it inside by clamping the lower muscles. It was a strange feeling flexing her vaginal muscles, but they were there. It also twisted itself to keep the cock part pointing forward instead of dangling down.
Dawn moved and placed herself between Sora''s legs. The squirrel-kin girl looked at her in disbelief but Dawn adjusted the tip and pressed it against her opening. Sora threw her head back and Dawn took it as her consent. She pushed the golem and penetrated Sora. Angling her body so the golem couldn''t slip out, she started to move her hips in a way she was very used to do with Aidan''s body. Her breasts jumping around were awkward but she ignored them. The movement made the golem rub her own clit and move the tongue part inside her own pussy.
"Oh, how I missed it!" Sora moaned.
It wasn''t before long the two girls were having their climaxes with a few moments of difference between them. Dawn collapsed over Sora and kissed her, letting the golem move between them both, something the construct seemed very happy to do.
"Does the golem get tired?" Sora asked.
"I have no idea. I think we both will be completely demolished before it happens though."
"It keeps going!" Sora slid out from underneath, pushing the sex construct out. "Can I try it on you?"
"I''d be delighted to be fucked by you!" Dawn rolled on the bed to rest on her back and showed Sora how to "equip" the golem. Sora fumbled a few times before she could get the right position. Dawn laughed. "See, it is not as easy as you think."
Dawn''s taunt made Sora thrust faster. "I''m going to wipe that smug smile out of your face!" She challenged.
Both girls had to take a day off from their normal activities because they were too exhausted to do anything, even walk. The golem was properly cleaned up and stored in its box. It rested there quietly, savoring the feeling of a job well done.
The sleeper has awakened
Aidan opened his eyes and breathed. He couldn''t see a thing in the pitch dark room. And his body was not giving him too much sensorial input to tell what was going on except that he was lying on his back on something soft.
He knew he would wake up confused and sore but the world had a way to twist one''s expectations. He was so confused and sore he forgot he knew it would happen. He groaned and tried to remain quiet as his brain reignited all the nerve terminations in his body. Or as his recovered soul took conscious hold over his physical form. It was a full-body itch that felt very familiar to when Dawn awakened after her body was cut in pieces and regenerated to harvest Lumina''s original body.
It took some time, maybe a little but it felt like an eternity. At least he could think and remember, different from his female version that woke up like a baby. He asserted his body and felt he was naked, lying on a bed in the dark under blankets and with something soft wrapped around him. Not something, someone. He moved an arm, feeling a thousand needles pricking his skin and muscles and bouched the person with him. Lithe, small, soft. He touched and grabbed, still somewhat confused.
He heard Cythrel hum and turn around in her sleep. He caressed the elf''s long hair and pointy, knife-like ears. She shook and giggled. Aidan closed his eyes and felt her soft skin lying on his side, one arm and leg hugging him. He reached and gently kissed her temple but the girl didn''t wake up. He let her rest and remained motionless next to her under the blankets.
Next, he focused on his own soul. He felt calm and quiet he couldn''t remember. Before the attack of the rhinorses he wasn''t so aware, so attuned to his own soul, and after that, he had a most unruly tenant. To say the least. But now he was alone in his body and mind and he felt whole. He was himself, without the whims and wants of the Princess tugging at him at unconscious levels. The pressure she represented deep inside his own being ended.
Gone was also the need to spend his energy and willpower suppressing her. During the last months, Lumina became more and more of a burden to contain, culminating in the fight at the bakery. She calmed down once Brody was dead but that was another thing off his back. His mind was clear, his power, his. He was entirely Aidan. Even without checking he knew his soul was whole.
Another thing that returned in full swing was his libido. The feeling of his elven wife next to him, her scent, the tickling of her breath over his skin, and the softness of her budding female body had him pitching a tent in no time. He would probably have to devote the same mental energy he used to suppress lumina to suppress his own carnal desires.
And speaking of carnal desires, he should check on his other half. He could feel her presence on the other end of their soul tether. It felt as natural as knowing he had two legs with toes on their ends. Dawn was near and sleeping. He could tell the distance between them, less than ten meters. Their connection never felt so clear.
He had no idea if they were the same person or not. They were once two halves of the same soul and were always linked in thought and feeling but to preserve their sanity, decided to behave like they were different, but close, people. Dawn got a personality like an idealized adventurous Lumina. But one can lie only so far before the falsehood becomes reality. They were linked, one purpose, one mind. Different thoughts and tastes but it was more like an inner dialogue.
It was a lot like someone with a split personality where both personalities could talk to each other. At least they knew they would always cooperate with each other. Once she wakes up he would receive all of her memories from the time he was knocked out by the soul-splitting spell she used to separate Lumina''s soul from his. Another proof they were the same person. Soul magic used on one always affected the other. It was both a shield to resist hostile magic and a boon to share beneficial magic.
He started to remember the ritual. It seems that with their improved synchronization the memories would flow even when one of the minds was inactive. It was a slow trickle as if he was living through the memories and not just sending everything and "remembering" all at once if she were awake. He was startled when he learned what she did to Astromelicus at the end of the ritual and he stirred Cythrel awake.
"Humm... Aidan? Aidan!" The elf squealed in sheer bliss and threw her arm stumps over his neck.
He knew the noise woke up Sora and Dawn as the memories of his female counterpart during his recovery flowed onto him. She seemed to have a busy month. A lot went on and beside the sudden burden of running the academy, she even had time to do an experiment to further their golem research. However questionable that experiment was. He also knew she was "sorry not sorry" about the golem she made. He mentally sent her his approval. Not that she needed it but she thanked anyway.
Even though it was dark he now knew where he was. The bedroom in the academy''s laboratory building. Lumina was in the next room. He felt the mana-sealing bracelets on him but didn''t remove them.
Aidan hugged Cythrel and endured the stream of hugs and kisses the girl showered on him. "I''m here. Perfectly fine. Thanks a lot for looking after me during this month."
She noticed the effect her body was causing underneath the sheets and opened a wide, mischievous smile. Latching on him, she purred. "If this is how you greet me, last month was worth it."
He kissed her lips to stop the elf from talking further. Soon there was some light in the room. Sora and Dawn were next to his bed.
The first thing Aidan noticed now that he could see was a radical change in the elf''s outlook. "Cythrel, your hair is... golden?"
Aidan even prompted Dawn''s memories but she was as surprised as he was. As busy as the girl was running the academy and the treatment for both him and Lumina, she didn''t see Cythrel during this time and she was.
"Using an illusion to cover up her hair," Dawn mumbled as she finally noticed. "Crafty little thing..."
"I can finally shift my hair color with the seasons!" She giggled in delight. "I don''t actively shift it though. It seems my summer color is gold."
He felt happy for her. If it were not for her forearms severed halfway by the Otherworlder''s divine-powered ability, she would be whole. She will if everything goes according to plan. Aidan exchanged a glance with Dawn and she nodded. It will work. She already did the proof-of-concept for her own selfish reasons.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Get on you two. Standing out there with that little clothing will make you catch a cold," He told Sora and Dawn.
Sora came on his left side and Dawn pressed Cythrel from behind. The bed was not that big but for just staying together and sharing the warmth it would be enough.
Together, Dawn and Aidan performed the last Soul Restoration ritual on Lumina. Claire was present and eager to protect her sister and see the results of the month-long work. As a sign of respect, Aidan kept a blindfold over his eyes but it was more of an inconvenience, as everyone present knew that he could both see using Dawn''s eyes and that he could seel Lumina naked just by placing the clone of the Princess in front of a mirror.
"I appreciate your consideration, Aidan,"
Claire voiced it nonetheless, omitting the title of the nobleman. After all, they went through, he wouldn''t feel strange if she called him "brother". Or "sister" in any case. Aidan was past any pretense of pinning himself under any one gender label. He was both at the same time. His preferences were still females. Dawn liked men, most precisely the man that only existed for the brief moments Lumina''s soul took over his body but she had her golem now.
They performed the ritual, overcharging it and keeping the spell going for the longest they could. A whole twenty-four hours. Both Sora and Claire fell asleep on couches strategically placed on the corners of the ritual room for that purpose. Dawn and Aidan would switch as the lead caster to let the other body rest but the mental strain of controlling the flow of mana didn''t disappear. It was a good exercise for their magical muscles anyway.
Once the last drop of mana left them and infused the orichalcum laced ritual circle engraved in the room, they let their bodies sag and the muscles relax. The spell would still go for a few more minutes as the circle poured the last of the healing energies on the Princess'' soul but aside from a gentle and almost subconscious nudge, the casters didn''t need to focus as much anymore. Only their presence and will on their designated places were enough.
The glow disappeared as expected, leaving only the dark ink with reddish-golden specs glinting in the torchlight. Even though they were deep underground, the ventilation shafts had powerful spells pushing, filtering, and pulling air from outside to circulate in the room.
"Finished, at last," Aidan vented.
They were still trying to catch their breath, feeling the exhaustion, both physical and mystical. His words stirred the Princess awake and Claire rose from the couch she was napping on. She took a blanket and covered her sister for modesty. The ritual circle kept the stone floor warm enough to dispel any cold air away from the room.
"How''s she?" Claire asked.
Dawn rose and gently touched Lumina''s solar plexus, chantlessly casting Soul Reveal. Lumina''s soul effigy appeared. It seemed to be made of pure gold down to a lustrous sheen that caught the torchlight and reflected in beautiful shades of yellow. The naked illusion was like a precious sculpture, uncannily lifelike.
"She is perfect," Dawn cooed. "Tomorrow, we should transfer her to the hospital and prepare for her awakening. She will awaken reliving the pain of being crushed under those beasts'' hooves. After that, it is all up to you. You should only remove the mana-sealing bracelets after she calmed down."
Nobody wants a powerful wizard losing control of their magic. These bracelets were not locked like the manacles put on prisoners. If Lumina wanted, she could take them off herself. But the very act of noticing the bracelets and removing them usually meant she was in control of her faculties enough to not release wild magic.
"How are her affinities?" Claire asked, concerned.
Aidan removed the blindfold and studied the effigy with his magic sight. "They are in the upper B''s. Just like it happened with us, she also gained a ranking F on Darkness, Earth, and Fire. Even though we severed the soul nearer the purest portions of her, we still left faint traces of us in her. The spells'' effects will slowly run through the next month at most. During this time, her affinities will still grow as the minute cracks and damaged portions of her soul mend. She''ll end up stronger than two years ago, but not too much. The extra affinities will help her diversify her spell repertoire with low circle spells of the other elements if she so chooses."
Dawn approached and gently caressed the hair falling from Lumina''s head. "Is the hospital room ready? I can help you move her in shrouded in the cover of the early morning. It is only fitting that I do it since I was the one to take her away."
"I''m off to get some sleep with Sora and Cythrel," Aidan took his cue from what was about to happen and left.
Claire and Dawn cleaned Lumina and dressed her in a chaste nightgown. Dawn princess-carried the comatose Princess outside the ritual room and up the stairs. As they reached the ground floor, she spoke to Claire.
"Hold onto my sash and don''t let go. We are moving invisibly from now on."
Using Sky Wings and Invisibility, she led Claire away from the Academy and into the Royal Hospital right next to the royal castle. Lumina''s room in the Royal Ward was well-lit and its windows were open. Dawn carefully flew inside and found the same nurse that took care of her.
"We are here. Don''t be scared," She soothed the nurse.
Recognition flared in the woman''s face as she looked at the source of the voice, "Yes, Your Highness." And then gasped in surprise when Dawn released the Invisibility spell. "Is my old eyes playing tricks? There are two Luminas?"
"Mind your words," Claire chided her. The nurse paled and shrunk back.
"Hello. I''m Lumina''s twin and decoy, Dawn. We would appreciate if you kept it a secret," Dawn greeted the nurse, suppressing the impulse to thank her for the time she spent under the nurse''s care. Instead, she gently placed Lumina on the bed and turned to talk to Claire while the nurse deftly moved the sheets and blankets to make the Princess comfortable. "I''m going now. She should wake up sometime today. I already canceled the spell keeping her unconscious."
Claire sighed and stifled a sob. In a burst of spontaneity completely out of character for the stern and composed Princess, she took Dawn''s hand. "Thank you. I''m forever in your debt."
"Well, this officially sets my count of kidnapped Princesses to just one. I..." Dawn wobbled and almost crashed down if Claire didn''t rush to support the girl.
"You need to rest. I''ll have you take another room next to this one. When you are rested enough, you can slip out."
Dawn took the offer. She was in no condition to fly stealthily back to the academy. Just moving the three of them invisible drained the rest of her Mana and stamina.
Claire was almost dozing off sitting next to Lumina''s bed and basking in the afternoon heat. She changed back to her maid clothes in an attempt to make everything look as normal as possible to her sister. She did a long blink and then opened her eyes startled as a heart-rending shrill rang in the hospital room.
Lumina woke up and as expected was screaming in pain as her last waking memory was of being crushed to death by the rampaging rhinorses.
"Lumina! Lumina! Everything is fine! I''m here!" Clare rushed to hug and hold the girl before she could hurt herself. The nurse was getting on her feet from the mattress she used to sleep in a corner of the room.
"Claire? Claire? Where am I?" Confused, the Princess looked around and mumbled with ragged breath and hoarse voice.
"In the hospital. Are you hurt? Do you feel pain?"
The question drew her back to the moment as she evaluated her own being. "No. No pain. I''m just stiff from sleeping too much."
"That''s fine. You''ve been sleeping for two years after all," Claire comforted Lumina and blinked, letting a couple tears roll down her cheeks and soak the Princess'' nightgown. "Rest easy, Lumina. Everything is fine, sister."
"Sister?"
Claire touched Lumina''s bracelets. "Take these off and check my Regalia. Many things changed while you were away, Lumina. We have a lot to talk about."
Mirror oh mirror
Princess Lumina of Yutis was completely at a loss. Sitting on a hospital bed she tried to make sense of her own existence and predicament. Two years ago, she was trampled by rampaging rhinorses just as their exams finished. She was about to congratulate a fellow student and then... nothing. She felt her limbs cold as if her lifeblood refused to go there. Despite the feeling, sweat rolled down her face and her heart pounded like it wanted to run away. Her stomach swirled, in the back of her mind she could hear the beats coming to finish their job. Lumina wanted to run away. Wake up from this nightmare. Deny that it was true. Her life... what to make of it?
She knew she died that day. Or at least should have. The memory of bones breaking, the sheer terror of several tons of beast crashing down on them gnawed at the edge of her psyche. Everything else was blurred. She could feel even through that despair a silver lining. A familiar warmth sheltering her. She tried to delve into her memories to find what that was, but it only triggered her trauma. She remembered the pain. The loss. Her throat had a knot as if a thousand caltrops wanted to burst up through her mouth.
Arms wrapped around her. Claire. Her sister. Lumina blinked and the tears rolled down. "Claire..." Lumina mumbled and her upper body failed her, crashing back on the bed.
"Say nothing else, sister," Claire whispered in her ear. "You are here, alive, hale. Everything is over and everything will be fine. I love you, Lumina. I always did and I always knew I was your sister. You are here, alive, hale. Everything is over and everything will be fine. You just have to focus on my voice. I''ll repeat it for you as many times as you need. Live, Lumina. Breathe."
She bawled together with her estranged sister. Huddled on the bed, they cried their hearts out. So many years hiding a secret that was not. Claire''s warmth spread onto her and she could feel her limbs again. After quite some time after, Lumina forced herself to focus away from her own misery for a moment and spoke again.
"I love you, Claire."
"I know you fool of a Princess. Why did you have to push me away from these beasts?"
"I''d rather die than see you hurt. I had everything and you had nothing. It was not fair to have you dressed in drabs."
"I had you, up until I had not. Being with you was enough. A piece of me died that day."
"You have me. I won''t go anywhere. I won''t let go of you."
Claire kissed Lumina''s forehead. She gently met her eyes and smiled. "Yes, I''d like that."
That kiss dispelled her worries as if it was just a dream. The tension left Lumina and she let her body sink on the mattress. She breathed deeply and slowly, calming her heart and recovering her mind. She focused her magic on the secret technique Royals used to identify each other but nothing happened.
"The Regalia. I can''t see it now."
"Are you calm? Take off these magic bracelets if you are. They are blocking your magic for your own safety."
She did. Lumina once again used the spell and saw Yutis'' crest floating above Claire. A huge smile crept onto her face.
"Father accepted you."
"He surely did. Our family is growing by leaps and bounds."
Lumina froze and a primal rage burst like a volcano. "Did father remarry? Is some woman sleeping on my mother''s bed and birthing children?"
"No!" Claire hurried to rebuke. "No, the Royal bed remains the King''s alone. Although I do suspect he visits my mother every now and then," Claire sighed.
"But your mother is too old to bear children. I don''t mind if it is your mother."
The eldest Princess shook her head. "Mother has no intention of becoming Queen. Nor father or remarrying. Both are happy with their current arrangement."
Lumina sighed. "I''m sorry. I mean, to me..."
"It is fine. You love your mother and I respect that. Keep her alive in your heart. For my whole life I''ve dealt with your temper and tantrums, sister. I don''t mind because I know your heart."
She felt ashamed. Somehow, the old anger had left her. Lumina felt... tempered like a blade straight out of the forge and into the cooling oil.
"A man has his needs, don''t him?" Lumina asked in a soft and coy voice.
"Indeed," Claire answered with a neutral,, unreadable face.
"I don''t mind if it is your mother," Lumina said biting her lower lip, searching Claire''s eyes for approval. "She did give me you."
"Indeed," A smile crept onto Claire''s lips and eyes.
"But then, how is our family growing?"
"To explain that I have to tell you of your unlikely savior and the price to bring you back."
Lumina shuddered. Something was at the edge of her conscious mind, taunting her. The thought or memory eluded her but she was afraid of what was in there. "Who saved me?"
"The same boy you spent the whole semester tormenting. The one you fought Astromelicus to get expelled."
Claire thought she had to give her the truth in small packages. With that in mind, she glossed over some details.
"During the attack, Aidan summoned a girl to hold your body alive and drew your soul into his body to safe keep it as he couldn''t maintain both alive at the same time. You remained inside Aidan these whole two years," Claire paused to let what she said get digested by Lumina.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
"Did that spirit live in my body all this time?" Lumina asked, voice trembling.
"Yes. But it was not a spirit, she was a real person. The fates of the three of you were inextricably linked. Should one perish, all would. They braved many perils to keep you safe and all three of you alive until they could research the magic that could restore you. Quite the tale but that can wait."
Claire stopped and Lumina made that begging face children do when asking for a bedtime story. Soon she understood that her sister was giving her the story in bite-sized pieces.
"That''s almost impossible to believe, Claire," Lumina mumbled trapped between disbelief and fright. "I... I don''t know if I would were anyone else telling me this but you."
"Why do you think that?" Claire goaded Lumina to open up. Lumina could see her sister knew the answer but in her current mental state, she didn''t connect the dots.
"The magic involved. It should be impossible. No, wait." Lumina remembered the talk she had with the Headmaster. In all her haughtiness and hubris, it was buried deep to hide her shame. "He''s the god-slayer. And a prodigy with spellcraft."
"Indeed," Claire nodded with a sage expression. "He almost doomed himself. The price he had to pay to keep you alive and kicking inside him was great."
Lumina stretched her back in surprise, "Kicking?"
Claire shook her head. "Not even the god-slayer was a vessel strong enough to hold Princess Lumina the Terrible, Queen of Slander and the bane of horny Princes everywhere." Her seriousness broke at the end and she chortled.
She didn''t even have the time to relax her body, "I beg your pardon, sister?"
"During their journey, every single time something you didn''t like came up, you caused a ruckus inside the boy''s body, breaking him from inside and usually making him bleed from every orifice under the sun. It wasn''t easy on him."
Lumina blushed. "I did that?"
"Yes. When Brody barged into our tea party, you almost killed him out of sheer hatred."
And just like that, all color left the Princess'' skin. "Brody!" If there was one thing she feared more than death, it was her fianc. "He came here? In Yutis?"
"Yes. Calm down or I won''t tell you anything else," Claire paused and got a demure nod from a frightened Lumina. "Brody came with a plot to assassinate the Royal Family and annex Yutis. Aidan got him to sign off his rights to you in a bet and killed him during a duel of honor."
Claire paused but Lumina was frozen. If an otherworlder were witnessing the scene, they would think of the acronym BSOD. Without any feedback, Claire continued.
"So you not only owe him your life but your freedom as well. And the prosperity of the nation because Heath will cease to be a thorn in our external trade soon enough."
"I... I don''t know what can I do to repay that..." Lumina focused on her feelings and found herself changed. "The old me would brush it off as ''he was doing his duty as a citizen'' but something changed."
"That much is easy to do. I have a guest outside waiting to see you. She has a request. All you have to do is agree to it."
Lumina looked at herself and saw she was dressed only in the hospital gown. It did a good job of covering her body but was too simple, too drab to entertain a guest.
"I can''t be seen like this," Lumina covered her breasts.
"The guest outside won''t mind it a bit. I''m calling her in."
Without giving time for Lumina to protest further, Claire opened the door to reveal a girl on the other side. Lumina at first couldn''t believe what she was seeing. The guest entered and she wondered if she was really herself. Or maybe...
"Mom?" It was the first thing that came to Lumina''s mind. "No. Not mom. Your face... Am I me?"
"I have a mirror with me if you want," The guest said with a smile as if she could read her thoughts. Probably yes, since she was Lumina.
"A-Are you me?" Lumina asked after stuttering.
The guest slowly approached, offering Lumina the mirror as she spoke. "That''s a good question, one I asked myself a few times. But while I had to stand-in for you all this time, the true answer is no. I am not you and I am not Lumina even though I lived in that body of yours for a year and a half."
Lumina took the mirror and looked at herself. She only remembered her former fourteen-year-old self. The girl in the mirror was her, but grown and bloomed into a splendid woman. Just like the other one in front of her.
"You are the girl Aidan created to keep my body alive!" Lumina''s eyes brightened a bit in realization. She felt silly by saying it out loud after the fact but concealed it.
"Yes, was that what Claire told you? Not wrong. I indeed kept your body alive while Aidan hosted your soul. But the only way to bring you back was to give me a new body. After a while, I became real, I think."
"You have my eternal gratitude for what you did. It does not please me that you walk around with my face, but Claire told me it was the price for my life. Come here, sit next to me. What is your name?"
The guest sat next to Lumina and looked at her in the eyes. Lumina felt an uncanny detachment as if the face of the girl was wrong.
"I''m Dawn, an adventurer. Or was. I''m now the acting Headmistress of the academy. Astro went on a soul-searching journey."
Lumina looked at Dawn and the feeling of wrongness only increased. "You have something... I don''t know."
Dawn smiled and gently raised Lumina''s hand holding the mirror. It really was if she could read her mind, Lumina thought. She moved and rested her chin on Lumina''s shoulder.
"Look at us through the mirror. What you are feeling strange is the fact the mirror swaps left and right. Our bodies are almost equal."
Relief washed Lumina''s face as she saw both faces in the mirror. It was as she said. Seeing the left and right sides in front of her without the swap was odd. Very odd and unsettling.
"I''m sorry. It''s just too much for me."
Dawn moved away, "Take your time. I knew it would be hard for you to accept my existence. I almost ran away but the academy would crumble if I didn''t work."
Lumina felt her eyes watering. A tug in her heart, almost painful, told her to not let her go. She grasped Dawn''s sleeve.
"Please stay. I want to hear from you. Please tell me your story. I must know. Tell me everything."
The despair of losing two years was too much for Lumina. The outrageous tale of her almost death and rebirth, Dawn''s existence. She felt as if she could live those years if Dawn spoke of them.
"Fa... The rest of the Royal family is waiting outside. I can tell you everything later. No, I will tell you everything later. But I dare not delay the King and keep him away from his daughters."
Claire took the opportunity to interrupt them. "Dawn, the request. Do it now."
Lumina looked between the two and remembered, "Yes. Your request. What is it that you want, Dawn?"
"King Helios offered to adopt me into the Royal family if you grant your permission. He even gave me this," Dawn showed her the Regalia ring. "This one is not yours."
"I know. I can sense mine," Lumina pointed at the castle. "That is a tall request. Becoming my sister."
"Dawn requested to be excluded from the succession line," Claire added. "You would still be third in the succession line."
"Oh," Lumina looked at Claire. "That is fair. You are older than me. You said Lucien is outside, does he know it?"
"It is all up to you, sister," Claire answered. "Either you accept her as our sister or you do not. She will probably vanish from our lives if you don''t, however."
Lumina narrowed her eyes and gave Claire a brief glare. Even in her weakened state, she could see through this kind of emotional manipulation.
"You really want it, don''t you, sister?"
"I want it very much. You have no idea how much of a benefit to us would be to bind her to the Royal family. Dawn is among the three most powerful mages I''ve ever seen."
Lumina looked away and sighed. She would want to keep her clone under her sight rather than loose out in the world. And wait for a second what did Claire meant...
"Where do I sit in this mage ranking of yours, sister?"
"Later," Claire dodged the question. "Now, make your choice. Father and brother are waiting."
Smoke, mirrors, lies and misdirection
Dawn sat next to Lumina and just smiled. A few rooms away, in a reserved examination room, Aidan was waiting with his two wives. They were nagging for juicy Royal gossip.
"Did she freak out? How many objects did Lumina break during her tantrum of being cloned?" Cythrel asked.
"Even I am curious? How did Lumina react?" Sora added.
Aidan just mimicked Dawn''s expression of a solemn and understanding smile. He knew that expression didn''t fall well on a male body but he really didn''t care. The two women kept prodding him to speak but he instead dove into his own mind to study the Princess'' reaction.
Lumina was changed. Dawn used Soul Sight and looked at the girl. Lumina''s soul became a dark sheen of gold, tempered now by the other three Elements she gained from their fusion. As much as they wanted to keep a "pure" Lumina soul, the fusion was too advanced to not leave a few scraps of fused soul-matter to her. In fact, he was afraid that the lack of too much soul-matter was what caused the problem that forced Astromelicus to sacrifice himself during the transfer.
The conclusion was that Aidan kept parts of Lumina''s soul for himself, and vice versa. To him, Lumina tempered his shyness and indecisiveness, making him bolder and more open to taking risks and trying things. That he also had a female body with all the female sensations and thoughts gave him a broader point of view to the world. Not to mention the power. Aidan was fractions away from breaking through the D-rank in Light, Water, and Air. Once that happens, he will become a Cosmos mage.
That was bound to happen as the healing energies of the Soul Restoration ritual were going to keep working on mending and bolstering his soul for a week more. Just like it was happening to Lumina right now.
On the princess side, her obnoxiousness, lack of empathy and haughtiness were mollified. There was one thing Aidan was amazed when he discovered was that both he and Lumina were introverts. While he was left to his own devices and became passive and contemplative, Lumina turned to aggression and detachment as both a defense and a coping mechanism. The Princess was too fair and beautiful to be left alone. She had the people skills taught to her and forced to interact with thousands of nobles, merchants and dignitaries.
It got way worse after her mother''s death. Sifting through the memories unlocked during his body''s possession by "Dusk", Aidan could see how Lumina became a cesspit of regret, despair, and rage. To crown the cake, her engagement to Brody almost drove her to the extreme of taking her own life.
They felt pride at being able to save her in more than one way. He also felt that were the circumstances different, his love life would be very different. Dawn hugged lumina out of the blue.
"Whoa!" Lumina was surprised. "Are you trying to bribe me with cuddles?"
Claire chuckled. Dawn shook her head, rubbing her nose on Lumina''s cheek.
"Not at all, Your Highness," She playfully intoned the honorific. "I''m just showing you how glad I am to have you back. Shed your past behind, Lumina. Both the grudges and regrets. You are a new person surrounded by people that care about you. People that would fight the world for you."
"People that would kill gods for you," Claire added. "There''s so much we can tell you, Lumina. But this is not the time."
Lumina exhaled deeply. Dawn could feel her tension disappear as the Princess gave in. "I don''t have the right to say no. These pleading eyes are too powerful," She said looking at Dawn''s. "And beautiful."
Dawn giggled, "Narcissistic much?"
"I know my assets, thank you very much. Was I lying?" Lumina asked with a smug face. "But I''ll accept on the condition you work as my dress-up doll for a while. I can see I''ve grown in all the right places these last two years and fashion waits for nobody. I need help to catch up."
"That''s a deal then. One week as your dress-up doll, sister." Dawn squeezed Lumina.
"Great. Now let us both do the dress-up doll thing on Lumina and make her presentable for the King. I''m going to bring him in."
Dressing up a noble lady was always an exercise on malleable materials engineering. They placed a hateful corset with hooks on Lumina and Claire left the tugging of the strings to Dawn as she slid the 7/8 tights along the Princess'' legs.
"Pull this as if you intended to murder me, Sister. If I can speak, it is not tight enough!" Lumina encouraged Dawn, getting a snort from both sisters.
"Do you know Dawn burned half your corset collection?" Claire asked. "She can''t do them."
"Her loss. We can talk about it in a few years when her breasts and stomach start to sag," Lumina quipped back.
"You asked for it, sister." Dawn tied the knot and poured Matter mana over the string, forcing all the fibers of the corset''s string to crawl over one another and tighten. She only stopped when Lumina moaned. "Is that enough?"
Lumina''s skin was a shade of purple but she nodded. They spread the dress on the ground and lumina walked over it. Dawn and Claire pulled it up, hanging the fabric over the hooks from the waist up and then closing the buttons. Dawn threw a towel over Lumina''s shoulders and Claire did her makeup.
In a record time of less than an hour, Lumina was prim and proper. Dawn even felt a small pang of jealousy as to how well the Princess could look. She had the same body but none of the skill at being a Royal Lady. Lumina noticed it.
"Is there something wrong?" Lumina asked. Dawn shook her head.
"No. I''m just amazed at how good you look." She didn''t hide her feelings.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"You look as good... sister. Don''t try to copy me, it is not fitting for Dawn the Adventurer. You are of a sturdier fiber, a woman of adventure and action, something I once wished to be." Lumina said with a nostalgic smile. She reached out and tapped Dawn''s cheeks. "Be yourself, go out there and have your fill of adventure. Then come back and tell it all to this court lady so I can live a bit off of it. And don''t be sad. All of us have our part to play."
They moved to the room where Helios and Lucien were waiting. The door opened and the three girls entered. Lucien seemed to be fighting the improper tears at the sight of Lumina between Claire and Dawn but King Helios was beaming almost as much as the celestial object he was named after.
"Daughters! It warms this father''s heart to see these three flowers each with her own exquisite beauty and uniqueness lined up like that," He stood up and ran to them. He hugged Lumina, drawing a yelp from the oxygen-deprived Princess. Helios sobbed and spoke softly to her. "Lumina. I am so sorry for never looking at you the way you deserved. For never asking your opinion before giving you away. For not talking to you after Alina went away. I love you, my daughter."
Helios released Lumina and knelt in front of her. "Please forgive this fool of a man."
"I was so angry all the time, I never gave you a chance, father," Lumina fell on her knees, her skirt and petticoats ballooning around her. "Please forgive this foolish child. Let''s start over, the five of us as a family."
She extended her arms and the other two girls helped her back on her feet. Helios also stood up and searched Lumina''s eyes. "Five?"
"Yes. For reasons both political and personal, I want to bind this girl to our family," Lumina nudged her head toward Dawn whose hand she was still holding. "But since she is of our blood, it is a shame we can''t just marry her to Lucien. It would solve so many issues... Anyway, adopt her, father. Yutis only has to gain from it."
Dawn sighed. Lumina will be Lumina, no matter how much you break her. The Princess squeezed Dawn''s hand in a reassuring way. She looked at Lumina and earned a wink and a smirk.
One does not just declare a new Princess out of the blue and go on with their day. No, sir. The court was summoned. Every noble in Yutis had to travel to the capital. A festival and a holiday never before seen after the liberation of the country were being held to celebrate the return of the Princess. Records were changed by order of the King. A secret tale leaked to bards and gossipy ladies. Queen Alina had not only one girl, but twins. One was stolen from its crib before she could even taste the bounty of her mother''s bosom, never to be seen again. The Royal Family decided to write her off in shame.
The lost Princess grew up as a peasant, hidden by dark forces that plotted against the Realm. Rumor had it that the rotten Royals from hateful Heath had a hand in it. After the assault on Lumina''s life and subsequent kidnapping from the hospital, the Knights that searched for her mistook one sister for another. Therefore, for the last months, it was Dawn that graced the castle and academy with her presence, not Lumina.
But after his defeat in a duel of honor, prince Brody of Heath revealed the location where Lumina was, opening the way for the Princess'' rescue. The hero that brought back both sisters earned the right to take the hand of one of them in marriage.
The number of ladies that swooned hearing this tragic tale of love, betrayal and adventure reached the thousands.
"I really can''t understand where do you get these ideas for the tall tales of yours, Aidan," Princess Pearl of House Juvela vented at Aidan.
They were, to nobody''s surprise, having an afternoon tea party in the palace gardens. Four Princesses, one noble lady, one ambassador, and one hero-of-the-hour.
"Otherworlder tales," The boy shrugged. "My family spent the last five millennia collecting them. I believe this one is called the ''Iron masked man'' or something to that effect. A king was replaced by his twin brother and forced to stay in prison wearing an iron mask so nobody knew his identity. I just omitted the iron mask part."
"I thought you wouldn''t want this level of exposure," Sora commented.
Aidan shrugged, "It is the best way to keep Dawn from becoming a political target. And to justify taking her with us on our travels."
"I personally think this is wonderful," Lumina added. "My sister will be protected by the God-Slayer and we will finally bind both families together as my mother wanted. And if Dawn doesn''t want it, I''ll take Lord Aidan for myself."
"Oh, come on!" Cythrel blurted out. "You had him for yourself for two years! You made him suffer so much you have no right to him!"
Lumina chucked. "Insecure little elf. You don''t need to worry your pretty flaxen head. I know I don''t deserve Lord Aidan, I was just teasing. Oh, your pouts are just so lovely, it makes me want to tease you even more, don''t you know? Please take good care of both him and my sister."
Cythrel was almost bursting in anger. She waved her arm and Lumina grabbed the stumps. "I also owe you no small deal. You were protecting your man but you also protected me," The Princess added. "You are worthy, Lady Cythrel the Elf."
"Humph!" Cythrel yanked her arms back and crossed them, looking away and pouting. Lumina squealed and everyone laughed.
Sora took advantage of the confusion to take a nondescript wooden case and pass it to Claire. "Here. I bought you one set since you can''t be seen going there."
"Oh, thank you." Claire blushed and accepted the case.
"It is the beginner set but honestly, the advanced ones are bad."
"I''ll take your advice to heart, Sora."
Someone appeared suddenly out of the garden and crashed their tea party. "What do we have here? It is highly unfair, Lord Aidan, to hoard all these pretty ladies to yourself."
Aidan groaned and shook his head at Lucien''s folly. "I don''t mind sharing their company, Your Highness. However, I believe these ladies should do what the ladies want to do."
Claire protectively clutched the case and it drew Lucien''s attention. The prince must have been feeling mischievous that day. He took the case from her.
"And what do we have here, sister? A tool case? Can I see it?" Claire opened and closed her mouth like a fish, too scared to answer. Lucien opened the case. "Wooden tools. What manner of strange shapes and turns, I wonder what are they for?"
Dawn seriously considered blasting Lucien away, but she needed to save Claire from a deadly embarrassment. "These are tools for gilding and metal leaf shaping. Claire needed a new hobby so we bought the tools for her."
She stood up and took the case from Lucien, leaving the piece he touched in his hand. "And please don''t touch them. The grease of your hand will tarnish the metal. In fact, this piece you touched is now useless."
"Yes, yes," Claire hurriedly added. "I love those delicate gold and silver sculptures. They are so life-like."
"I never knew," Lucien bit their cover story. "I''ve seen several pieces during my travels, I could''ve bought them for you."
"It is a new passion. I also didn''t know until recently," Claire lied through her teeth.
"I''m sorry for barging. You should go indoors, sister. You are obviously under the weather for too long. Look how red you are."
The girls withdrew from the gardens and regrouped in Dawn''s apartment, leaving Aidan behind to distract and hold back Lucien. Dawn''s chambers were next to Lumina''s but this time they were hers.
"I am so glad they don''t make them lifelike," Sora sighed once the girls were alone in the privacy of the newly-minted Princess'' bedroom.
"We would have to kill Lucien if he saw one that looked like the real thing," Cythrel added and snorted.
Lumina was out of the loop. But she knew Claire for too long and connected the dots. "Wait a second. Are these that legendary brand of..."
"Yes. They are," Claire said as if she was confessing murder. "I asked Sora to buy a set for me. Sorry, your sister is a pervert."
"No! Not at all! I only heard rumors of it but the ladies always changed subjects and I never got to ask. I want a set for me!"
Dawn chortled and Sora curtsied. "Consider it done, Your Highness."
Epilogue: One minute, nine POV.
Princess Lumina of Yutis didn''t go to the carriage driveway to say her goodbyes. It was too painful for her. She just holed up in her room along with her fears and watched them say their goodbyes hidden behind her room''s curtains. The little dragon Skippy flew around, roaring and puffing smoke, and finally settled down on Dawn''s shoulder, her clone-sister. A pang of pain in her heart made her look away. She opened a drawer and carefully lifted a fake bottom. Inside, the memento of her biggest shame. The bottom of a cracked eggshell, large enough to fit on her head as a helmet. A dragon''s egg. A dragon she murdered.
Lumina lied. She remembered everything. Telling them she forgot was just a convenient and childish lie to help her safe face. She remebered her bouts of hubris during her tender youth. The rage and despair she felt while she stood at her mother''s bedside, watching as the Queen whithered little by little while an inexorable death approached. The friend she drove away because of jealousy. The friend she murdered before they had the chance to even meet. She also recalled flashes of consciousness in Aidan''s body, usually triggered by the same feelings of rage and despair that shaped her whole life so far. She clutched the eggshell against her chest as if it could ease her pain. She lost so much, destroyed so much. The reminder of what kind of person she could be in that happy-go-lucky girl that walked around with her face was unbearable.
She also looked at the letter on her desk. A letter Claire gave her, one she allegedly wrote herself during a time when she possessed Aidan''s body. Of that she had no memory and Lumina was afraid of what the letter contained. Lumina knew she couldn''t open that letter. Coward.
She allowed her trembling knees respite and crumbled on the ground, shedding tears of self-pity.
Crown Prince Lucien of Yutis forced his feelings down his throat. He had to keep himself composed. He was almost shouting at her to not go. To stay. With him. For the rest of her life. The woman that stole his heart. In the rose-tinted lenses he used to look at her she was strong, spirited, focused, wilful, wise, independent, and she managed even while being all that to also be delicate, fragile, graceful, quick-witted, fun. A Queen he would love to have by his side for the rest of his days. He knew he would see her again. He wished he could see her every day. It was a challenge to just let her go home but it was necessary. She stayed away from home for too long and feared for the stability of her station. She had six siblings, three of them male and he knew that succession could be a dreary business.
To distract his fast-beating heart he looked at his new sister holding Claire''s hand as the little draconic pest landed on her shoulder. He felt guilty for being away with his unit fighting someone else''s war as a mercenary but it was necessary. Yutis was regarded as too peaceful and that was a way to forge connections and show their strength. He was not there for Lumina when she needed him and that was something it would be hard to fix. He would have to go away again soon. Away from home, away from Lumina, and even further away from Pearl. But he somehow knew everything would be fine.
His eyes met Dawn''s and the girl smiled at him while briefly poking the tip of her tongue out at him. Yes, with a sister strong like her, the Realm would be fine.
King Helios couldn''t go and say his goodbyes. The Realm needed him and the amount of paper to read and sign off was endless. There were too many nobles, too many conflicting interests and everything rested on the King''s shoulders. He thought for a moment he should have some concubines. If he had, they would lend their own ears to the interest groups and bring him the filtered requests. And with a harem, he would have some female company to play around. There were only three problems with that. His children would never forgive him for replacing Alina. Without a Queen, the concubines would keep testing their limits and disrupt the harmony and calmness of the castle. And third, it would beget corruption as a culture of buying and selling favors under the table would form.
But Helios felt lonely. Dawn and her outbursts of spontaneity only alleviated the problem enough to show him he felt like that. It was funny how they turned the whole castle upside down in this few months since their arrival. But while daughters could fill a father''s heart with joy and his Princesses surely did, they could do nothing to fill the emptiness in a widower''s heart. Or bed.
He stamped his signet on the hundredth document of the morning and sent a longing glance toward the inner castle.
Princess Claire was all smiles. The nightmare ended and all was well in the kingdom. She held Dawn''s hand for a bit longer than she needed, unwilling to let them go. She grew used to having them around but she knew she had to let her go. To make a point, Skippy even landed on Dawn''s shoulder and huffed in annoyance at her presence. Claire understood that she was always the odd one out. A bastard child born of a tussle between the head governess and the King, elevated to the status of Princess because it was convenient to fill in the hole left by Lumina''s disappearance. That was why she worked so hard in helping her father however she could. To prove her worth.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
She didn''t feel like a Princess. Even Dawn, with only months of experience living as a woman, was a better Princess than Claire. And now it will be only Lumina and her. Without them, the castle would feel empty, unbearably empty. Claire almost wished Helios would send her off to be married into some house. Maybe she would find a new purpose or even new airs.
She was startled out of her musings by Dawn as the girl squeezed her hand and gave her a mischievous glance.
Princess Pearl of House Juvela, heir apparent of Gohar, land of gemstones. Pearl seldom thought of herself by her full title but now it felt too pompous. Preposterous even. She wasn''t Queen material, she didn''t feel like that. Her folly with the otherworlders would remain as a stain in her soul forever, even if Aidan bleached it with his rituals. Thousands were dead because she felt rebellious enough to perform the summoning ritual without her father''s consent. Thousands. She wasn''t a Queen, she was a Tyrant and a mass-murderer. If it weren''t for her new friends, she''d be dead by now. Or worse, enslaved. At least Gurf would still be alive. The sacrifice of the gentle giant was another burden she''d carry. She renewed her vows to care for his niece.
Pearl knew she had to go home. Even if it was only to hear from King Jett that she was disinherited. Slavers prowled in her home country and there she was out of home living a fairy tale. She felt reassured in her escort. With not one but two god-slayers coming with her, what kind of obstacle couldn''t be removed? They can''t change the past, she mused. Pearl decided to accept her fate with her chin up and the tip of her nose pointing at the sky. Whichever fate it was.
It seemed she would owe Aidan another favor. He said true friends didn''t tally favors but she couldn''t help it. It was ingrained in her upbringing.
Lady Cythrel the elf stared at the sky, impatient. Humans were too prolific, even in their goodbyes. Everyone here would see each other again, why were them on the verge of tears? It was not like they would go away for a century on a training journey like some warriors in her tribe did. It was the only occasion elves did a really long sending off for the traveler. Otherwise, why make a fuss over a short jaunt. And why weren''t they not flying? The distance was not that further away from Aidan''s home even though the direction was completely different.
The truth was that she didn''t get a moonlit picnic among the clouds as Sora did. And even if they took her there, it wouldn''t be like Sora had. Cythrel was a bit tired of being treated like a child. She was a grown woman even though her body were the size of a teenager human. Even then, the age difference between Aidan''s real age and her apparent one was only three or four years. She suspected there was another reason he wasn''t seeking her and the doubt gnawed at the elf''s heart.
She moved her arms underneath her cloak and the painful truth of having no hands stung her. What if he was with her only for pity? Because he felt guilty for her actions, her loss. It wasn''t a loss. Aidan meant the world to her. He rescued her from slavery, gave her a place to be when her village was all but destroyed. Gave her a purpose, even won her heart. No, her hands were a gift for him. A gift of life. She saved him because she loved him.
She just wanted to be loved back. In a physical sense if possible.
Sora smiled as she overlooked everyone saying their goodbyes. She felt warm inside, in a way she didn''t feel in a long time. Everything was finally back in place. Surely she would have to share Aidan with Cythrel but she had Dawn too. She briefly closed her eyes and remembered the moment Aidan grabbed her tail. She thought she would melt in that ballroom when her dream finally came true. Sometimes she grew tired of playing the big sister to these rampaging teenagers. Getting spoiled by Aidan like Cythrel was would feel nice.
But she needed to move on in more than one way. Cythrel was a good addition to their family. The elf was quick-witted, spirited and outspoken. A good counterpart to her demure and quiet demeanor. And it was time to leave Yutis behind. Forge new memories and blaze a new trail. Have adventures, see places. Sora was looking forward to ditching all these Royals behind and travel abroad only the four of them. Five with Skippy. She studied the dragon''s annoyed mood and it seemed to her that even the dragon wanted to move on.
Dawn, no, ''Dawn, Third Princess of Yutis'' as her official title said, squeezed Claire''s hand. She felt really good to be a princess, to be that woman''s sister. She tried not to laugh as she remembered how Claire would not let her even wipe herself after using the chamber pot. It was still Lumina''s body back then but now in hindsight, it felt so silly. Aidan was behind the carriage, safely stowing the enchanted crate containing the crystal case with Cythrel''s hands. The world could split in half but that crystal case would be safe. With the success of her golem experiment, they only needed someone with the expertise to work the mithril and the orichalcum in the shape they needed.
She tapped the adamantite-steel rapier hanging on her waist. She knew exactly who to commission that job. All they had to do was to go to Gohar. Escorting Pearl was also a good goal and doing both ''quests'' at the same time made them feel good.
Skippy landed on her shoulder and huffed at Lucien. The bully prince probably did something to the dragon and now he was staring at her. Feeling mischievous, Dawn showed the tip of her tongue at her brother. It was still a weird feeling.
Skippy was mighty irritated. His builder pigeon company project failed completely. The lazy birds didn''t lay a single brick, much less mix the mortar or even pick up tools. No matter what he did, the homing pigeons refused to work making homes and the little dragon had no idea what happened. He had even devoured a few of the ones that dared defy his orders and it ashamed him even more. No boss should be eating his workers no matter how lazy they were. Skippy was sure Aidan would reproach him for being such a draconic employer and also that Aidan could make the pigeons build a house if he wanted.
He landed on Dawn''s shoulder and huffed his worries, lifting a small plume of smoke from his snout. He didn''t even notice that Claire was startled or that Lucien thought the dragon was angry at him. All he wanted to do was get some cuddling and try to summon the courage to ask them how he should proceed. Maybe he should declare bankruptcy and close the company. These pigeons were not cut out for the life of a construction worker.
Skippy''s career as a contractor ended even before it started.
World Tour chapter 1 - Once again on the road.
Their carriage moved along the road going south bathed by the rays of the summer sun. Aidan watched as Princess Pearl of House Juvela, heir apparent of the Kingdom of Gohar sighed for the umpteenth time, her sadness at the sight of the devastated villages almost unbearable.
Pearl was short, just a little over a meter-fifty in height and with a slender build. Although her size would make her seem childish, the Princess had all the subtle curves in the right places. Rumor had it that the Earth magic common to the Royal bloodline of Gohar came from a remote dwarven ancestry. She had smooth straight hair that fell around her face like a picture frame. Her eyes were a deep earth brown and made her seem wiser.
The Princess felt responsible for unleashing upon the world the culprit for the mass murder of all these villagers. Hero Kazuya, a Japanese otherworlder she summoned on a whim went insane after Aidan cut off the connection between the Princess'' soul and the summoned hero and it turned out to be the source of his sustenance on this realm.
Without the power supply that came from devouring the Princess'' soul, the otherworlder went on a murder spree to absorb what he called ''experience points'' from the killing and ''level up''. He ended up going after them in the capital of Yutis, the kingdom they were now crossing to take Pearl home. They went to great lengths to stop Kazuya but in the end, the summoned ''hero'' kidnapped Pearl, killed the Princess'' knight Gurf. In the final fight, they almost lost if it were not for noble sacrifice.
Aidan sight moved from the petite and hot-headed Princess to the elf girl sitting on his left. Cythrel was an elf orphan they rescued in Gohar, running away from slavers. At first, they took her along out of pity but the elf girl could grow on people. During the final fight with Kazuya, she jumped in front of a strike that was meant to kill Aidan but lost both hands, severed below the elbows by the otherworlder''s severing technique.
Turned out that any wound made with that technique could not be healed or regenerated. Aidan tried every single magic available to him but all he could do was to close the arm stumps a little down from where the life-draining katana severed them.
Cythrel was not yet a full adult by elven standards even though she was thirty-three years old. Elves stop growing at the age of twelve and spend twenty years in a preteen body. Only after that, they grow for a few more years and then stop aging again for centuries, with the features of a young adult. She was even smaller than Pearl with one meter and forty centimeters - she had grown in this year they spent together - and her hair was flaxen gold although that would change. Elves with magic change hair color with the seasons. Since she''d only gained magic powers recently, the colors of the other three seasons were still a mystery.
He still felt guilty for what happened and his impotence at healing the girl. He even gave her Elder Fairy wings in the hope the fey magic could help but it only awakened her latent magic powers, turning her from an outcast mundane and magic-less elf into a dual-Element Mist mage. Cythrel was resilient and stoic. She didn''t let the sadness take her and even used Aidan''s own emotional vulnerability to seduce him.
He shook his head. Aidan was not ashamed of what happened between them. The elf girl won his heart fair and square and she became his second wife. They still didn''t consummate their marriage because Aidan wanted to wait for her to grow up. Just a few years. Since the elven account of time is somewhat skewed by their long lives, she reluctantly chose to wait.
He met his first wife''s gaze and the squirrel-kin girl chuckled, asking with her eyes what he was thinking. Nobody was in the mood to talk given the sorrow for the mass murder Kazuya wrought in these villagers.
Sora was one of his two childhood friends he remembered. Probably the only two anyway, given how recluse Aidan was growing up. She came to him because of an ancient covenant between the original god-slayer and the squirrel-kin tribe of beastkin people, a covenant respected even now five millennia later. For every generation of the god-slayer family, a member of the squirrel-kin tribe volunteers to go and serve the scion. Not in a sexual way and not as a subordinate, but as a lifelong companion and trusted advisor.
But falling in love for one''s squirrel-kin companion was not taboo and had happened several times in the past. Why the children of these union were always human was a mystery of their bloodline but after Aidan did the courting rite of tail-grabbing in the middle of a Royal Gala and made Sora his wife, he stopped worrying. He even regretted not doing it sooner but the occasion was a dance to remember. They even stopped an assassination plot against Pearl.
The ball was intended to celebrate the return of Princess Lumina of Yutis back home, with Aidan as the guest of honor for doing the deed. But it was not Lumina that returned with them. Due to another assassination attempt two years ago against Lumina''s life where Aidan was caught in as a bystander, he used a spell to keep himself alive despite the deadly wounds he suffered. Being a personal spell, he couldn''t save Lumina unless he did the unthinkable.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
The day of the assassination attempt on Lumina, Aidan took the princess'' Soul into himself and sheared his own in half, placing one part in the control of her body. From that day onward, he was a person that lived in two bodies. His own and the Princess''.
Everything started because of that. The assassin, a teacher at the magic academy they attended tried to dispel their life-sustaining magic but succeeded only in dispelling the pain resistance that was keeping them awake. Aidan and the part of Aidan running Lumina''s body went into a coma for a whole year while the magic that kept their bodies alive devoured their souls.
Being the least damaged portion, the part of him in the Princess'' body woke up first, putting the other half into an even deeper coma to supply the moving body with a small amount of magical power. They learned they couldn''t be separated by more than a few dozen meters. When Lumina''s father threatened to ship the Princess body to the Holy City for healing, they had to flee or die.
So Aidan kidnapped the princess from inside her own body. They traveled to Gohar, met Pearl and Kazuya, rescued Cythrel, developed a plethora of new spells to heal their condition and returned home to Yutis. Back at the academy, Aidan researched a way to bring Lumina back to life, for the lack of a better term. She never died officially.
During their stay they fought Kazuya, Cythrel lost her arms, and a lot of other things happened, including Lumina''s fianc arriving to make the Princess his at any cost. Aidan had to fight to avoid being wed to Prince Brody in Lumina''s place. In the end, he defeated Brody in a duel and ''won'' Lumina''s marital freedom.
He also learned that he couldn''t just remove his soul from Lumina''s body and place the Princess back in hers. During the year and a half they stayed together, the souls merged into their currently-occupied bodies. They had to clone Lumina''s body so they had a spare to put the Princess in. After that equation was solved a separate person came into being.
The third woman sitting on his side of the carriage, Dawn. Or more precisely, Dawn, third Princess of Yutis and Lumina''s twin sister. At least officially.
Being in both a male and a female body at the same time was confusing. Too confusing even now after all that. Aidan was slowly losing his sanity and even came close to just killing one of his two personas entirely until he decided to embrace the madness and create a second personality. Dawn the female adventurer and, later on, Princess was the answer he came to. Aidan had a few memories of Lumina back when the two played in the castle gardens in their childhood. Child Lumina was a tomboyish and daring girl. He molded his female half''s personality on that and created Dawn.
Dawn was adopted by King Helios of Yutis for their efforts in bringing Lumina back. She was received in the fold of the Royal family with open arms by Helios'' three children, Lumina, Claire and Lucien. The official cover story for Dawn''s existence was that the late Queen Alina had twin daughters but one of the girls was kidnapped from her crib.
Aidan wondered if it made Dawn the third kidnapped princess but he brushed the thoughts aside. Exchanging a glance with Dawn, both laughed at their folly.
They were the same person inside. Every thought, feeling and sense of them was available to both but they could display a distinct outward demeanor. But at the same time, they weren''t. Aidan and Dawn had different magical abilities and they could even cast different spells simultaneously. She was an Emotion mage, a complex four-Element combination of Light, Darkness, Fire, and Earth while he was a Cosmos mage with all six affinities.
It was a little gift for his troubles hosting Lumina''s wilful soul inside his body for more than a year. Aidan originally was an Underworld mage, wielding Darkness, Fire, and Earth, while Lumina was a Sky mage. Her Elements were Light, Air, and Water. During their bodily cohabitation, however, their souls mixed. When they separated, Aidan kept the lions'' share of the merged portions to himself while Lumina only took some bits and pieces.
The result was that Aidan developed all six affinities after their separation - although his original three are still the strongest of the six - and Lumina got a little bit more powerful with faint traces of his three affinities.
As far as he knows, Aidan is the only mage with six Elements in history. He already did some amazing feats of magic-using these Element combinations but he was so far keeping a low profile. Mages are a jealous and envious bunch, much like how Dragons seek and hoard power and wealth.
Not all dragons though. He glanced up at the luggage shelf of the carriage and found his sleeping familiar, Skippy. Skippy was a hatchling dragon, eleven years old. A baby by dragon standards. He got Skippy''s egg from his parents after they failed to find a cure for Lumina''s mother and since the little one hatched, they were inseparable. Their relationship was more of two close friends and not one of master and servant.
Pearl sighed again, shaking Aidan from his thoughts. Her personal maids, Deb and Lola tried again to raise the Princess'' mood but to no avail.
Aidan''s only hope was that her mood would improve once she was back home. Just a few more days to reach the last town near the border with Gohar, then two days in a tunnel under the mountains and Pearl would be home.
The Princess was afraid she would lose her standing as heiress to the throne. Given her blunder with the summoned heroes from Earth, it was possible. But Aidan was sure that coming with them and showing King Jett of House Juvela, sovereign of Gohar that the girl was wiser and had powerful allies like Aidan would make the King reaffirm her as heiress.
He was willing to put all the weight of his bloodline on the line for his friend.
World Tour chapter 2 - Bored
Princess Pearl of Gohar, the heir to the throne and friend extraordinaire, was bored. The carriage trip was taking too long, said the unspoken consensus of its occupants. Aidan watched her transformation during the last week. Due to a flood from the maelstrom, an inner ocean inside the mountain valley that was the territory of Yutis, they had to take a detour but in a few days, they would be back at the mouth of the tunnel to Gohar. The same tunnel they took when Claire delivered herself as a hostage to a greedy crowd to let them escape with Lumina''s Body.
It felt decades ago but it was two years and a half since the attack. The future Queen met her champion''s eyes and scoffed.
"Like what you are seeing, milord?" She asked with a haughty tone.
As they approached Gohar, Pearl was sliding back into her "regal" demeanor. Aloof, proud, imperious. Just like he remembered when they first met in Elmhill.
Aidan smiled back and nodded, "Of course, your Royal Highness. Your beauty is always a refreshment for the eyes."
She scoffed and tilted her head sideways. "I am sure you must be in paradise, milord. Nested between six beauties as you are," The Princess whined with a pout.
He chuckled with two mouths. On the left side of the bench, he was sitting on, his counterpart, Dawn, chuckled in unison. He looked to his sides. Between him and Dawn sat Sora and almost on his lap was Cythrel. Pearl had Lola and Deb flanking her. Pearl glared, Cythrel squeezed his arm. Sora bit her lower lip. Deb sunk a few inches in the seat. Lola closed her eyes. The temperature and moisture inside raised sharply.
"I must say, it is a wonderful opportunity to study female behavior for a prolonged period," Dawn spoke. "I might have the body of one, but my mind is still a male''s," She explained.
"Why aren''t we flying?" The petite Princess ignored the half-girl''s comment and asked the male in front of her.
"I don''t know who might be watching and it is tiresome and dangerous to fly all the way there. With the Maelstrom rising due to the increased water flow and other factors, several dangerous monsters might lurk near the surface. Several settlements had to be evacuated and my parents aren''t available to clean up the mess," He explained. "So I''m taking a long way around with my precious package."
He left implicit that he didn''t want to clean the mess himself. Whom or what was the "precious package" was left to the listener''s imagination but Cythrel sighed audibly. Sora snorted, telling the young elf she was mistaken.
Sora was wrong, Aidan thought. He didn''t want to spoil the surprise because it might not work and he loathed to create false hope but This trip was for Cythrel as well. He needed the help of a master craftsman in Elmhill to complete his plan to restore the elf girl.
And even though he wasn''t using magic to hasten the trip, he was using magic to make it comfortable. He had no idea if any of them noticed but the carriage was slightly bigger on the inside, shook a third of what it should and the temperature inside was always pleasant.
At least when the Steam wizard-Princess wasn''t literally boiling.
"Pearl," Aidan dropped the honorifics and spoke with a serious tone, "I know you. I''m your champion, after all. I know your thoughts. You don''t have to worry. Your station is secure. Even more, you will pass into history as the Queen that unraveled the conspiracy of otherworlder summoning."
Pearl stuttered. "Conspiracy?"
"Yes, a conspiracy. What I learned from the fight with Kazuya and Lumina''s memories about the summoning process, the same one you are still geased into silence," Aidan paused to let his words sink.
Only Princesses anointed with the Regalia of a royal bloodline can summon otherworlders. The training is taxing, expensive, and awfully secretive. Only the Conclave of Archmages gives the training, the supplies for the summoning, and as an added security, a powerful geass is placed on the Princess to keep the secrecy. Should she speak of the ritual, she''d die in both body and soul before any vital information leaks.
The geass is so powerful that Aidan dared not mess with it. But he didn''t have to. Because he shared Lumina''s body for more than a year. During that time, he unlocked Lumina''s memories and learned much of what the Princess knew and all of her magical knowledge, including the summoning ritual. What he learned left him baffled.
The ritual has two parts. The first part creates a Divine Tool. The second part sacrifices the Princess magical aptitude and binds her soul to the Divine Tool to call forth the otherworlders from a Realm called Earth. The otherworlders aren''t really summoned. Their souls are placed in magically-constructed bodies but never made flesh entirely. From there, the soul of the Princess is slowly consumed as fuel to power these constructs until the time she dies and then the otherworlders soon vanish.
No Princess survived more than a decade after the summons. No otherworlder survived their summoner by more than a year or two. But while they remained, these so-called "Heroes", or [??] (Yuusha) - Brave, ''man of valor'' in their home tongue, wield abilities that shatter the very fabric of reality and are nigh impossible to replicate or counter using arcane magic.
Kazuya, one of the heroes Pearl summoned, was able to teleport - one of the three great impossibilities of modern magic - from shadow to shadow and to inflict wounds that were impossible to heal and eventually would cause the wounded creature to bleed out.
Aidan detected the siphon in Pearl''s soul and used his magic to heal Pearl, severing the connection that fed Kazuya. It caused the hero to go rogue and into a murder spree throughout the Yutis countryside, ending with his invasion of Yutis'' Royal Castle and the kidnapping of Pearl.
He murdered Gurf, a lumberjack turned paladin and Pearl''s champion with a single slice on his abdomen. He almost killed Aidan, Dawn, and Lumina if it wasn''t for Cythrel''s sacrifice. The little elf jumped in front of the blow, blocking it with her arms. Kazuya liked Cythrel and tried to withdraw his blow but it was too late. The girl had both arms severed at the midpoint of her forearms. Aidan used the opportunity to slay Kazuya, ending the threat of the rogue otherworlder.
The only way to save the elf''s life was to cut the arms again, forcing the flesh to regenerate and the skin to cover the stumps. Not the greatest regenerative magic in the world, the Life Archmage Astromelicus was able to regrow the girl''s arms.
Thus were Aidan''s greatest debt and shame. He vowed to restore her arms.
But bringing up Pearl''s Hero Summoning triggered a cascade of memories in the Princess'' mind.
"I''m sorry," Pearl spoke softly, almost inaudible.
She squeezed Lola''s hand. The two girls looked at each other''s eyes, their shared grief still strong in their hearts. Lola was Gurf''s niece. Back in Elmhill, she tried to swindle Dawn out of some cash after Skippy''s Dragonfire mutilated his uncle. With the timely intervention of Shinji, one of the two summoned Heroes Pearl created, Gurf was healed and they pledged to serve Pearl. The alternative was punishment for Lola''s trickery.
"It''s fine, your Highness," The maid answered with a smile.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Aidan knew Lola''s opinion. Gurf died with honor defending the future Queen. He passed into history as a true paragon of knighthood from a hermit despised by his fellow townsmen. As Pearl''s handmaiden, Lola''s future was guaranteed. That was Gurf''s final wish.
The carriage went on for another hour before reaching the camping spot. They heard the whining and neighing of the knight''s horses before they saw the escort. Dawn tried to avoid any escort at all but she was a Princess of Yutis. She negotiated her escort down to four knights. Two rode ahead of the carriage, scouting for any dangers and two rode behind, in case of some ambush.
Not that many things could pose a potential danger to Dawn, but appearances had to be maintained.
The vehicle came to a full stop and Aidan was the first one to get out. He looked around and saw the four knights already preparing the campsite and another curious person. A priest of Hecate. In full garb. The priest met the young man''s eyes and smiled.
"Milord Aidan. What a pleasure to meet you here. Worry not, my mistress sent me here to meet you."
Aidan nodded and wondered what the church of Hecate wanted with him. "I''ll listen to your request as soon as I finish my duties, priest. If you would be so kind as to wait a few minutes."
The priest nodded, his business smile unfaltering. "Absolutely, milord. I''ll wait as much as needed."
''Another way of saying that I can''t send you away without listening to your request,'' Aidan thought.
Wasting no more time, he helped the ladies off the carriage and into the packed earth of the resting site. It was usual to have these at predetermined spots on the road, to help travelers rest and to pace the caravans. It was one unwritten rule of the road that the resting spot was neutral ground. Some merchant companies employed lower leveled mages. Having the caravans stop at predetermined spots made it easier for them to scry on the travelers and check on their welfare. It also served as deterrence to bandits as they could never be sure that they weren''t being watched. The mages could warn nearby guards or the caravan of the attack, for example.
Skippy stretched on the roof of the carriage and flew away to find dinner. There was enough food for everyone but the baby dragon liked to hunt.
Once all the ladies were safely on the ground, Aidan approached the priest to see what he wanted. He was received with the same inscrutable smile.
"Speak freely, priest. I demand no honorifics. What is Hecate''s bidding?"
"I have a gift and a request for the Lady," He answered and fumbled in his pack for something. The priest produced two large wooden boards. "These are for you, milord. The goddess requested that you use them to, in the words of her oracle, ''create something fun that can irritate as many archmages as you can''. She also says that your identity is safe. I am under oath to never reveal that we met today."
Aidan remembered the last time he used one of these boards. They were Divine Tools of Hecate. Any spell designed on one of these would be easier to create and also free of flaws as the board would point out deadly or harmful mistakes. The drawback was that the spell would be available in all temples of Hecate. The creator could sign the spell, earning great renown or publish the spell anonymously. The clergy of Hecate was sworn to keep the name of the designer a secret under pain of death.
The goddess'' request was unusual but the spell he created previously was one that was completely unusable by most mages. it was an eighth-circle, five-elements Law spell that warded death on a target, at the expense of the mage''s entire magic pool. It was a marvelous piece of magic as it would keep a person alive longer than it should but it was impossible to suspend before the mage was entirely drained of magic or the target received enough healing to remove the deadly wounds.
Most mages couldn''t dream of casting a five-element spell, or an eight circle spell, or would never drain their magic to save another and leave them completely vulnerable. Learning that spell would take years of dedicated study for the average mage. Months for an archmage. And yet the spell was on display on every temple of Hecate to taunt the archmages. Aidan couldn''t imagine how many hairs on the head of these venerable masters of the arcane turned white with envy and rage at the sight of the spell.
It was probably beneficial for Hecate and now she wanted more. It would be Aidan''s pleasure to oblige. He took the two boards and glanced inside the bag. He could see there were more boards. Another quirk of these tools was that once you used one if the Goddess was pleased with your spell, she''d grant you another board. Boards could also be won by creating masterpieces of spellcraft or for teaching magic. That was how Astromelicus gained the board Aidan used. But to get two boards for one spell, that was unheard of.
Nevertheless, he thanked the priest. And to his dismay, the man didn''t move from his spot. The young god-slayer rolled his eyes after he turned his back to the priest. If he wanted ''fun'' spells, he would give him fun spells. He went back inside the carriage and chanted a spell.
"Phantom Desk."
It created a floating surface made of Force magic. He set one of the boards on the floating desk and thought of what spell to create first. Before he started, he penned ''anonymous'' in the space reserved for the developer''s name. Then he got an idea and wrote his first spell. Since it was a first-circle spell, it didn''t take long. He chuckled as his pen scratched the wooden surface.
[Cosmic Location] - 1th circle spell.
Element: Cosmos.
Type: Divination.
Classification: Support. Information. Instantaneous Casting.
Target: Self.
Grants the caster a momentary glimpse at their own relative location in the cosmos. The amount of information depends on the casters'' affinity with the Cosmos element and knowledge of both mathematics and cosmology. Casting this spell twice in less than 24 hours can cause severe disorientation and nausea.
As he penned the last runes of the diagram, the ink glowed and turned golden, digging an inlay into the wood. It was a sign the spell was finished. As a test, Aidan cast the spell for the first time.
"Cosmic Location!"
He felt as if his spirit was lifted from his body at a vertiginous speed. He was floating amidst the stars and he knew that deep down there in one of these stars, his body was located. All he could understand before being forcibly tugged back to his body was that he was less than a grain of dust in the great Cosmos. All of it took less than a second.
He blinked and looked at the board. The Cosmos mage was feeling insignificant before the mighty of the universe. And then he cackled like a villain. The information he gained was only useful to dig a hole in his self-esteem.
It was perfect. He put the golden board aside and started working on the other. He decided to craft a spell he knew his counterpart desperately needed. A tetra-element spell with lots of utility.
[Comfortable Support] - 2th circle spell.
Element: Gravity.
Type: Support.
Classification: Support. Eulogy. Long duration.
Target: Female touched.
Eliminates the influence of external gravity and inertia on the casters'' chest. It does not grant protection against attacks. The spell lasts for 24 hours. Applies a delicate inward gravitational force all around the chest, keeping it safely in place.
This one was also a practical joke. While the spell was very useful, especially for female mages, almost no caster would have more than two of the four elements that composed Gravity as most of the combinations of three elements didn''t exist.
Even though these two spells might meet Hecate''s requirements, they are not only jokes. ''But the fact that the spells exist should inspire some mages to research these elements'', Aidan mused. The ink on the second board changed colors to gold as the anonymous spell was accepted. Aidan stored his writing implements and dismissed the floating desk before going outside again. To his chagrin, the Priest was there, smiling.
The man handed Aidan, two other boards, finally emptying his bag. "The Goddess is pleased with you, Milord. These are a boon from her."
"I thank you for your patience, priest. May the gods protect you on your way," He dismissed the priest and sighed in relief as the man went away to his camp on the other side of the huge resting area. It was intended to host caravans, after all.
Aidan looked at the boards, two on each hand. ''I could get more of these, then I would use them as armor or shields,'' he joked. Divine tools were nigh indestructible, as he remembered the trouble they had with the slave collars in the Elmhill Dungeon. They were ambushed by slavers and nothing they did could break one of those collars. It ended in Shinji''s death by strangulation as he struggled against the power of the slave tool.
Worse yet, the fact the slave collars were a divine tool meant there was a god of slavery somewhere. None of the Twelve deities of the pantheon had this domain so it must be some newly ascended god. And given Aidan''s family business, it also meant they would inevitably clash. After all, the job of the God-Slayer was to serve as a deterrence for the deities. The God of Slavery would first have to defeat the God-Slayer to truly become one of the pantheon.
Yet another problem Aidan would have to deal with. Another day. He closed his eyes and focused on his female counterpart. Dawn was watching the Knights and the carriage driver set up the tents for the ladies all this time. The other women were merrily chatting about the most varied subjects. She focused and used the new spell.
"Comfortable Support!"
She felt relief as the spell freed her chest from the yoke of gravity. Princess Lumina was well-endowed and her clone had exactly the same body.
"Hey, girls," She called the attention of the other ladies. "Let me use my newest spell on you..."
WT ch. 3 - Im back and Im not happy
[Major Geass] - 7th level spell.
Element: Law
Type: Curse
Classification: Curse. Permanent. Language-dependent. Instantaneous Casting. Resisted.
Target: Creatures in range.
Places an absolute command on the target creatures. The creatures must be able to understand the command. Creatures cannot disobey the commands they understood. This spell can only be removed by the caster. The caster can specify a punishment for failing to fulfill the orders.
"It seems they really took your advice to heart, darling," Pearl quipped as she peeked into the no-longer-village she saw through the carriage window.
Dawn grinned back. "They better. Because a Royal Inspection is coming up."
"Too bad it won''t be a surprise one," Cythrel chimed from the other side. "I''d love to see their faces when you just popped before them."
"At least the knights won''t follow us into the tunnel," Sora added. "We will be free to be ourselves."
"And I will be free of all these bothersome layers of petticoats," Dawn added. "Can''t wait to put on some adventuring clothes."
Pearl glared at the other Princess. "You are a Princess. You''ll play your part. Whether you like it or not. That''s already a scandal that you won''t wear corsets. The castle staff gave up on putting any in your luggage after you burned them."
Cythrel snorted. "Can you believe she even crafted a custom spell?" She waved her slender fairy hands and mocked Dawn''s speech. "Incinerate Corset!"
The illusion of the dreaded piece of back-squeezing female attire burning appeared in the middle of the carriage. The mist sorceress'' magic was quickly shattered with the wiggling of a finger from the only male in the vehicle''s passenger compartment.
"We are arriving," Aidan reminded them. "We need to look the part and all your antics are doing is to break our concentration. C''mon."
Cythrel poked her tongue at him and then pounced to kiss his cheek. "As you wish, milord."
"You too, elf," Pearl reminded. "You are a Court Lady. Behave! And I''ll boil your tongue if you point it my way," She added.
She was about to reply to the foreign Princess when Aidan seized her chin and sealed her lips with his own for a moment.
"Behave and you shall be rewarded," He said, leaving the threat of punishment hanging in the air with the unfinished phrase.
The scout knights went ahead and warned the townsfolk of the Princess'' arrival. A welcome committee was hastily thrown by the city leaders. The former hamlet was visited by them twice in the last two years, once when they were on the run after kidnapping Lumina from the hospital and when they returned from Gohar through the tunnel. On both occasions, the interactions were less than friendly. But with Dawn firmly cemented and anointed as a member of the Royal Family, they couldn''t afford to wrong her a third time.
"Aidan, you go first to help us get down," Pearl said. "You take Sora and Cythrel out first, they take your sides. Then Lola and Deb go and flank the other side. I will leave before Dawn."
Despite all the mood swings Pearl suffered during the trip, she still deferred to the local Royalty out of courtesy. Protocol dictated that the most important person should leave the vehicle last. Dawn reached and squeezed the Princess'' hand. It was important to show that the new Princess'' standing and giving her that little benefit would allow a smooth interaction with the locals.
Aidan went out and scanned the crowd. The two hundred or so townsfolk were all assembled and eagerly trying to see the Princesses inside the carriage. He found the kind innkeeper lady that helped them escape and smiled at her. She was wearing nice clothes and seemed in good health. The other authorities were at her side but Aidan intentionally ignored them. If they were going to play the influence game, he''d play it thoroughly.
One by one the ladies stepped out of the carriage. The crowd held their collective breath as Pearl put a foot outside and extended her hand to Aidan. She looked magnificent and he understood her second reason for leaving Dawn to get out after her. She moved her head, smiled at the crowd and acted regal as she descended those three steps separating the carriage from the ground. Aidan studied every movement so he could replicate them with his counterpart.
Pearl didn''t just step out of the carriage. She waltzed down, flowing with uncanny grace even though her steps showed determination. Aidan had to admit she looked adorable as she moved. The result of a lifetime of coaching and training really showed.
Pearl moved to stand between her handmaids and Aidan focused on his twin sight. Dawn had an advantage almost nobody else had. She could see herself from outside her body, through Aidan''s point of view. That allowed her to fix her facial expression, correct the placement of her body. They focused on not mimicking Pearl''s moves but the intent. Flow gracefully, walk like she could see the steps underneath her skirt. While Pearl did it through practice and grace, Dawn cheated. While her eyes couldn''t see her own feet, Aidan was in a perfect position to do so.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Dawn could glide out of the carriage and make it seems like the easiest thing to do because of that. The alternative would be to either risk tripping or use magic to fix things. Once she reached the ground, the leaders of the growing town approached. She noticed that the kind innkeeper was left behind.
"Your Highness!" The same slimy village chief from before bowed deeply before Dawn. She spared him not a glance.
"Lady Anders!" Dawn called, startling the kind innkeeper. "Approach. You, out of my way," She commanded the officials.
Breaking protocol, Dawn took two steps forward and out of the formation to meet the woman, that quickly fell on a knee. "Princess. I''m honored you remember my name."
Dawn held her shoulders and embraced her after she got back on her feet. She spoke out loud for everyone''s ears.
"Of course I''d remember the name of the kind innkeeper that saved my life. If you hadn''t lent me your assistance on that fateful day when all others," She glared at the crowd as she said that, "were driven blind by their greed and intent on committing treason by capturing me, I''d be dead."
The temperature figuratively dropped a dozen degrees at the word treason. Dawn didn''t use it lightly but as one precious otherworlder book had it, once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. The innkeeper was crying on Dawn''s shoulders.
"Lieutenant!" Dawn called the leader of the scout detachment.
"Your orders, your Highness?" The Knight took a step forward, a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"I have a proclamation to issue. I''ll do it at the Staghorn inn. Lead the way."
One of the city leaders, the village chief that tried to bully Dawn when they surfaced, quietly tried to flee. With a nimble jump and shifting his scaled to red as he imbued his body with Fire mana, Skippy placed himself hovering in front of the man. Embers gathered in the little dragon''s throat.
"That''s your only cue to fall in and follow everyone," Aidan warned him without looking behind. He had one hand on each of his wives'' shoulders and walked with the rest of the party.
The former village chief followed.
Dawn waved a hand and a dais of stone rose from the ground. She climbed up the three steps and turned around, facing the crowd. She also summoned Light to shine on her, a sign of her bloodline as one of Yutis'' Royalty.
"Lady Anders, approach," She commanded with a clear voice, borrowing from Lumina''s haughtiness.
The innkeeper knelt on the first step. "Your Highness, here I am," She said with a wavering voice.
"For your unfaltering loyalty and sense of duty, going above and beyond what was required of you, by the powers granted to me by my father, King Helios, may he long rule, I hereby promote Anders, the innkeeper, to Baroness Staghorn. Lord Aidan, the scroll."
It was one of the things they arranged beforehand. Aidan had a Royal Decree with him, one they asked Helios. Now that the tunnel between Yutis and Gohar was a reality, the town on their side had to be ruled by the nobility. None better than the innkeeper herself. The woman met Dawn''s eyes with disbelief. Dawn smiled tenderly and nodded. Aidan unfurled the scroll and read it aloud. After the long preamble that was required by protocol, he reached the juicy part.
"... And for sheltering my daughters in their time of need and showing her worth, I am pleased to grant the title of Baroness Staghorn to lady Anders. Lieutenant Grouse and his men are now part of the Staghorn household. Peters, I expect you to assist the Baroness and teach her what she needs."
The lieutenant took a step forward and knelt. "I shall do as you command, your Majesty." He vowed.
Dawn met Pearl''s eyes. The older Princess narrowed her eyes and nodded in approval.
"Baroness, stand next to me," Dawn called. "Lord Aidan, where are those that defied my decree?"
Skippy slapped the former village chief with his tail. The man took a step forward, rubbing his cheeks. Aidan pushed them forward and forced them down on their knees.
"Here, your Highness."
This dual theater was second nature to him now.
"Gentlemen, you disappointed me," Dawn said curtly.
She didn''t allow anger to seep in her voice, making it as cold as she could. A pale shadow compared to what Lumina could achieve but she didn''t have to pretend to be Lumina anymore. She could find her own way of doing things and ''be herself''... in whatever sense it worked for the person-in-two-bodies.
After he separated himself from Lumina''s soul and fully repaired both his and Dawn''s bodies and souls, these two were more than just two bodies inhabited by the same person. Each one of them had their own mana pool and elemental affinities, each was fully capable of reasoning but they were connected at a fundamental level. If he had to explain in a few words, it was ambidexterity taken to the extreme in all aspects of life. Just like some people could write two different texts at the same time with one hand each, they could act independently while remaining the same person.
"I''ll offer you a choice," She continued. "You either accept a geass and work for the good of the country, or you are to be imprisoned for your crimes."
"The geass!" The former village chief quickly acquited.
"Lord Aidan, please."
Aidan gathered Law magic. Geass was usually cast with lower Elements, like Abyss, Blood, or Death. The type of punishment varied with the Element used but the weaker types always had some ways to escape. However, the Law element was the refinement of that chain. A geass of the Penta-Elemental Law theoretically was vulnerable only to divine magic.
"Major Geass!
"You are to work under Baroness Staghorn and zeal for the prosperity to Yutis, follow the laws of the country, never commit sedition, procrastination, or embezzlement, speak truthfully to the Baroness and her officers, promote safety for the Baroness and her fief, and execute her commands to the spirit of the orders. Give the Baroness useful and sincere advice with the deference and respect I expect from you."
The village chief felt the geass set and gave Aidan a questioning glance. The young mage knew what was amiss. There was no punishment for failing to execute the geass orders. They would soon discover that it wasn''t necessary. the Law was absolute. They would be incapable of acting against the geass.
Casting the spell on that many people drained more than three-quarters of his magic pool. But it was well worth it. The fatigue of using that much magic was visible on his face.
"Thank you, Lord Aidan," Dawn spoke. "You may go into the inn to rest. Dismissed."
"Your Highness, by your leave," Aidan broke off from the crowd and walked to the Staghorn inn, formerly the village chief''s house. Sora and Cythrel followed him.
"Baroness, these men will help you get used to your station and aid you in managing the Barony. You have the favor of the Royal family," Dawn declared to the woman and addressed the crowd. "And our wrath upon any who dares slight the Baroness."
She waved another mote of Earth magic and created steps on the other side of the dais. Dawn wrapped a hand around the new Baroness and found Pearl''s eyes. The other Princess smiled and walked into the inn. The Knights boxed around the noble ladies and they all went inside for a well-deserved rest.
WT ch 4 (*) - Cant touch this. Splashing is okay though.
Free from the confines of the carriage (even though it was slightly enlarged on the inside with experimental Space magic), the women decided to make use of the bathing facilities in the Staghorn inn, no, the residence of the Baroness Staghorn. Pearl was dying to soak in hot water, relax, and wash off the dust of the road. The Steam mage''s concept of hot water was just a few degrees from boiling though.
"Seriously, your Royal Highness? Normal people would become stew in this bath," Cythrel whined as she doused her burned foot.
"That''s what you get for not checking beforehand. Can''t you see the water is steaming?" Sora grinned behind her and slapped the elf''s pearly white butt.
Cythrel yelped and almost jumped forward into the Royal Soup Bowl. She turned her head around and snarled at the beastkin.
"Can you two stop that? It is unbefitting of two married women," Said the fourth female in the room. She shook her head and whined, "I don''t even know what I am doing here."
"That''s simple," Pearl answered. "We need to keep the appearances. It would be very strange if you didn''t come in, Your Highness. Whoever gets first dibs on the bath is at a higher station. Which one of us should be it, I wonder?"
Politics. Even though Aidan was raised and tutored in the ways of nobility, being a Royal meant a whole different ball game. One with spikes and poison, Dawn was slowly coming into. She was staring at the roof, avoiding looking at any of the naked bodies in the bathing room.
To keep appearances, Aidan was with the Baroness, talking about completely irrelevant subjects. Thankfully the woman was still unused to being nobility and was keenly interested in anything Aidan had to say. Two of the four knights loaned to the newly appointed stewardess of the tunnel mouth were there, keeping guard and watching them talk. To Aidan, it was a completely useless measure. If he wanted to spy on the naked women all he had to do was to use a clairvoyance spell. He could do it chantless and nobody would be the wiser. Of the mages in the bathing room, only Dawn and Pearl could detect normal scrying and he would bet she couldn''t detect his.
However, the appearances had to be kept.
Back at the bathing room, Pearl chided Dawn. "Oh, come on. Stop with the awkwardness, will you? You''ve seen me naked several times before, and this separation between male and female is just to avoid rumors regarding one''s child''s parentage."
"Yeah, no need to be awkward. You and Pearl in the dungeon, you went-- Yikes!" Cythrel''s quip was quickly interrupted by a shove from Sora. The elf leaned forward and tipped toward the boiling bath currently occupied by the petite Princess but the squirrel-kin grabbed her arms.
Dawn waved a hand and chanted a spell under her breath. A section of the bath where Pearl wasn''t stopped steaming. "It is safe to go in now."
"Don''t you dare relea---"
*SPLASH*
Sora dared. Cythrel fell face-first in the now comfortably warm bath. The elf turned around and waved her hand, sending a stream of water at the still dry beastkin.
"Water Jet!"
"Kyaa!" Sora yelped as her fur soaked.
"Mean girls get punished," Dawn whispered in her lover''s ears. Then she pushed her.
*SPLASH*
The recently anointed Princess calmly descended the steps, sitting next to Pearl. With her elemental affinities, Dawn could comfortably soak in the boiling water with the other Princess.
"Also, you should act naturally," Pearl moved to the side until their shoulders touched, "Because you will bathe with my sisters when we get home. I hope you can play along." She added with a tinge of fear in her voice.
After millennia of otherworlder summoning, some of the customs of the Japanese heroes seeped into the culture of the higher strata of society. One, in particular, taking baths in hot springs or bathhouses, was now firmly ensconced in their world''s culture.
"You don''t have to worry about that, Pearl. He''s not interested in pubescent bodies," Cythrel remarked bitterly while glaring at Dawn.
She didn''t answer and let her body sink in the water until only the head was out. Dawn knew of Cythrel''s demands but was still reluctant of crossing that line. She blushed and stared down at her own thighs.
"At least he''s spending the nights with you," Sora retorted. "Aren''t you happy?"
The elf narrowed her eyes and didn''t give in to the teasing. "It is not a ''walk in the clouds'' if all we do is talk, cuddle, and sleep," She complained.
The jab was well placed. After all, the elf was still owed her own initiation to the Mile High club. Dawn felt guilty but she was still attached to the belief that it was better to wait. Cythrel''s body needed to grow a bit more before they could enjoy each other and consummate their marriage. Or her other half and the elf, to be precise. Only Sora was comfortable with playing on both sides of the fence. But she loved the elf and owed her their lives. She got so absorbed in her own guilt trip that she was startled when an arm dropped on her shoulder.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
"It''s okay," The elf whispered in her ear then kissed Dawn on the cheek. "Only two years, right? Don''t make that face," she purred. "I can wait, I was just teasing."
Dawn turned her head and kissed back but Cythrel didn''t part her lips. The elf gave a mischievous glance at the Princess two bodies to her right and moved back to the other side of the bath.
''If they are happy with their dysfunctional three-and-a-half-some...'', Pearl thought with a bit of envy. She had to remain chaste or her value as heir apparent would plummet but she was as curious as to the next maiden. That very curiosity won over prudence, and she caught herself speaking.
"I did notice the fixed sleep arrangements. I was wondering, how are you doing, Sora?"
It was obvious from her body language that Pearl meant how she was doing without Aidan at night. The Princess of Gohar was blatantly probing for juicy details of Dawn and Sora''s private life and Dawn felt appalled by the naturality the real females were talking about that right in front of her. It was something unthinkable for the former male, that was an adherent of the ''kiss don''t tell'' line of thought.
"Oh, I''m doing great," The squirrel girl bragged. "Especially after Dawn crafted a go--"
Fearful of having her secret spilled, Dawn hit the water and splashed Sora. She glared at her loose-lipped mate. Sora gave her an amused and annoyed glance before grinning. Dawn soon noticed the reason as Cythrel pounced back.
"What did you crafted ago? Back in Yutis? Is that one of those wooden toys you don''t let me use?"
Sora snorted. Dawn sighed in relief as it was obvious the elf misheard the words. She thought and decided to compromise.
"If I make one of those toys with a softer material, would you want it?" She proposed the elf.
"But if it is too soft, how will it..." Pearl asked then noticed what she was about to say. The Princess blushed hard and slinked until only her eyes were above the water.
"I think I know how that works," Dawn deadpanned. "Better than any of you three," She added, speaking between her teeth.
"Indeed, darling!" Pearl exclaimed, returning from the land of the drowned. "There was something I was dying to ask if you allow! Have you ever tried to... with yourself... I mean, between you and your other self?"
Dawn failed to catch the innuendo at first, but the way both Sora and Cythrel perked up and literally turned their ears around to focus on her answer gave her the last piece she needed.
"Oh. Me and myself? If I..." She fidgeted around, wondering if she should either answer or run away. Or hope that Rise to the Challenge would allow her to invent teleportation. ''Big fat chance of that happening'', she dashed her hopes. Biting her lips, she decided to be completely honest.
"No." She vehemently affirmed. "I never did and didn''t even try. I can count on a finger the number of times I''ve been naked in front of myself and I''ve never been alone."
The time she was healing in Elmhill didn''t count as she was barely conscious.
"Seriously?" Pearl asked, incredulous. "From what I know about men, it would be the first thing most would try. Had the thought of doing it even crossed your mind? I mean, you are gorgeous and attractive. I believe the majority of men wouldn''t resist."
Back in the Baroness'' sitting room, Aidan committed the faux pas of spilling the tea. He quickly improvised a magical effect to remove the stain but he had to excuse himself and withdraw to the garderobe, leaving a befuddled former innkeeper behind. The young mage cursed Pearl savviness.
Dawn took a deep breath.
"Okay, if you want to know, I''ll tell. [Greater Scrying Screen!]" She chanted a spell to protect the room. While she was sure she could detect even archmages scrying them, she wouldn''t take chances with what she was about to disclose."
"Okay. You are correct, Pearl. I thought about it, and yes, I am aware that this body is gorgeous and attractive and very sensual. However, there are several reasons I didn''t even try."
She paused to see if any of the three girls would say anything but they were within arms'' reach of her and apparently holding their breath. The amount of interest they had on the subject was great even though their reasons to want to know were completely different.
"First, I''m Lumina''s twin sister. Clone, if you want to be technical but the only difference was that I wasn''t birthed by the late Queen Alina. It would be awkward to say the last. While the two years I spent in this body made me comfortable being myself, this face is still Lumina''s. That''s why I cut my hair shoulder length. It is long enough for nobility but makes me different from Lumina.
"Second, I already have two wives. Why would I waste... time with myself when I can spend that time with them?
"Third, I don''t want to know how it is. I know how it feels for both genders. I also feel everything happening to both bodies at once. Doing it with myself will either be ridiculously good as the sensations will multiply or underwhelming. I think it will be the latter, because..."
She paused again to look around. Sora and Cythrel nodded for her to continue and Pearl was finally suffering from overheating as her cheeks were beet red. Probably the steaming water on her side of the bath as Dawn''s magic to keep the temperature uneven was still in effect. None of the three females spoke anything so she had to go on.
"Because if you compare the pleasure of doing it yourself and sharing the experience with someone else..." She sighed. "It is much better when you are with another person."
"Is it?" An annoyed Cythrel asked and earned a glare from Sora for interrupting Dawn. "I mean, I wouldn''t know as I''m the only one here that wasn''t fiddled by Dawn," She stabbed.
Pearl gasped and became an even darker shade of red. Sora nodded and nudged Dawn. "Fix it tonight," The squirrel-kin ordered then declared: "We''re swapping sleeping arrangements. I expect deeds worthy of the God-Slayers," She added.
The use of plural by Sora wasn''t lost on Dawn. She looked at Cythrel and the elf nodded, displaying a rare bashful demeanor. Dawn smiled and pulled the forest-dweller to her lap.
"So there you have it," She concluded. "I don''t think it is worth to even try, I don''t need to, and I can keep the other me from getting involved too deep with the Royal family."
The last part made the politician in Pearl raise an eyebrow. "Aren''t you betrothed?"
''To yourself'', the unspoken modifier lingered on the air.
"Yes and no. It was mentioned in a conversation with my family sans Lumina when I asked to come to escort you but it was never decided, officially or otherwise. As far as Yutis knows, I''m going to Gohar as a goodwill ambassador to show how deep is our friendship."
"Dungeon deep," Cythrel mumbled.
Dawn squeezed the elf shut.
"Help, I''m being smothered by ye Royal Mammaries," She feebly protested.
WT 5 - Here I stand, in the light of day!
[Invisible Porter] - 2th circle spell.
Element: None.
Type: Phenomenon.
Classification: Support. Sustained. Harmless.
Target: Touched container.
Enchants the touched container to move as if being carried or towed by a person with average build and move no faster than a normal walking speed. Upon casting, the caster can decide if the container will hover or not. Hovering decrease the spell duration and upkeep interval to one minute instead of one hour. Regardless of mode, the container can never go further than ten meters from the caster or the spell ends.
The dragged container will move on its own across the ground as fast as a person can drag it or move on wheels if it has any, like a wheelbarrow or a small cart. There is no weight limit although the container might not move if a person with average build wouldn''t be able to. Heavier or bulky containers might not reach full speed but objects with a single wheel or axle will balance themselves as if held by a person.
A hovering container can up to a meter from the ground. A hovering container cannot weigh more than twenty kilograms.
They emerged on the other side of the tunnel after five days. Pearl was irritated but she understood the benefits of getting the old smuggler''s tunnel done in five days instead of five months. Or years. She instead recalled a section from the litany of Elements. Underworld was Cavern plus Fire. Cavern was Earth plus Darkness. Therefore, the mage-with-two-bodies, an expert in underground construction was the best person to magick the tunnel into being.
As the group approached the end and saw the unmistakably reflected rays of sunlight, Sora sighed in relief. There was no tribe of monstrous humanoids this time on the other side. Only a garrison of Gohar''s soldiers. A barricade blocked both the tunnel and the way to the deeper parts of the cave complex.
"Who goes there!" The guard shouted from afar. "This tunnel is closed! Go back at once."
Pearl''s lips curled into a predatory smile. The petite Princess seemed to grow by almost half a hand instantly as she let her mirth fuel years of practiced moves and donned her figurative princely regalia. "State your name, soldier! So I can know who to punish for denying the heir to the throne entry to her own domain!" She told with a practiced tone both imposing and commanding, projecting her voice without the aid of magic.
Silence reigned on the other side of the barricade. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Pearl!" He shouted and then they heard the clattering sound of metal hitting stone. "We are just protecting the Realm. Please be merciful!"
Behind him, the sound of more metal hitting stone and some blurb rang down the tunnels before Pearl felt it was time to move forward. She nodded with her head and willed tongues of flame to appear above and to the sides of her head. The flames changed shape and assumed the Royal emblem of Gohar, a gemstone set in the heart of a mountain with a shield, a goat, and a double-headed ax.
Aidan was surprised at how well-executed the spell was. She cast it without a chant or any movement beside the nod. He recalled that the battle-ax meant a disposition to fight, the goat meant wisdom and a wish to solve conflict through diplomacy, the shield that they were ready to defend themselves and protect the Realm while the mountain was the land Gohar claimed. And the lozenge diamond meant honesty and their wealth.
It was very fitting for a land where many claimed dwarf blood, including the Royal family. To him, the only oddity was that the Element of their Royal Bloodline was Fire and not Earth. Maybe the mountain was a volcano?
His musings were put aside as Pearl walked, no, glided forward. Dawn shuddered and forced to keep a fangirl squeal from escaping her lips. Pearl was her role model in behaving like a "real Princess" and right now the girl looked imposing and regal. She could be walking either to a battlefield or a gala with equal probabilities. The group left the tunnel behind the Crown Princess and found the whole garrison kneeling. Most of the guards were looking down, but one with a fancy helmet tucked under his arm was looking forward.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Her Royal Highness, Pearl of House Juvela! Welcome home! We are at your service."
"Captain Krolm, we met again," Pearl had a victorious smile on her face. She moved her hands calmly to frame her following words. Her voice mellowed as she progressed. "I am most pleased that a competent commander such as you was designated to garrison this tunnel. Great wealth will flow through it and I was afraid corruption would sap most of it. With you here, I can be at ease. Arise, friend."
Aidan noticed that the captain trembled as he received Pearl''s words. The man rose to his feet and saluted, his eyes full of determination and zeal.
"Your Royal Highness'' words are too kind," was all he could reply with. The man became a statue.
Pearl opened her hands with the palms up in a broad and welcoming gesture. "I mean each one of them," She said with a nod. Then, to prove her honesty, she took a step forward and withdrew the left hand as she turned the right-hand palm up before the captain.
The veteran knight swallowed dry and immediately bent his knee. The devotion in his stance was visible. "I am honored, your Royal Highness," He exhaled and carefully reached to grasp the tip of Pearl''s fingers. Then he moved his head near her hand but the nearest part was the forehead, not the lips. "We are at your service."
Pearl grinned for a while before re-donning her mask. The Princess was brimming with joy inside.
"Captain Krolm, at ease!" She gently withdrew her hand and waited for him to stand up. Just the fact that she was using his name was a show that the Princess really had him in high esteem. "Allow me to introduce my dearest friend and our honored guest." She called Dawn with a wave of her left hand. "Princess Dawn of Yutis."
She moved forward, her hands crossed in front of her skirt and a smile on her face. Dawn''s shoulder-length hair waved
The captain bowed as Dawn approached. "Your Highness, welcome to Gohar. I hope you find your stay pleasant."
The bow was another thing assimilated from the otherworlders'' customs.
Dawn didn''t offer her hand to him. She didn''t curtsey either, as the Captain should have a lower nobility title if any. But she could grasp some of the situations by now. Captain Krolm was probably out of favor with the higher-ups and was sent to garrison the tunnel as some sort of punishment or prank. It could also be a move to make him vanish from sight. A prank that if she read Pearl''s intentions well, Pearl was about to set it to backfire spectacularly at the prankster.
"Captain Krolm, it is my pleasure," Dawn nodded with her head and grasped Pearl''s hand. "It is not my first visit to Gohar as you might know. I was mistaken with my sister Lumina at that time. I''ll be in your care."
Pearl squeezed Dawn''s hand to reassure her. It was unusual for Princess to act that friendly with one another and with that was basically a declaration they were equals.
It was in the nature of the heart to succumb to flattery. Imagine a sheltered existence, where one''s every whim was fulfilled above and beyond what was required. Where everyone around the central person basically worshipped and pampered, and all one heard was how great and wonderful they were and how everything else was beneath their feet. Such sheltered and spoiled existence had a name. Princesses. And each one of them believed themselves without peers, below only to the eldest Royals of their own family.
What happened then when two of them met? A game of dominance. Hazing. Bullying. The worst in their nature brought to bear as weapons to hurt the other, to bring the other down and estabilish a pecking order. Some of them had wise tutors and nannies that imparted them a semblance of common sense but these were few. That didn''t apply to Dawn as she was not even entirely female much less raised as a Princess and Pearl''s wanderlust and natural talent in diplomacy led her to have a better understanding. Now, after her ordeals and adventures, it could be said she became worldly.
The two Princesses were glad to stand shoulder-by-shoulder. Even though the two had their ups and downs, now they were, as otherworlders would put it, truly BFFs.
"It will be an honor, your Highness," Krolm answered.
"Commander, this is Lord Aidan, my champion," Pearl introduced the only male in her group. The knight couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow as he appraised the young man''s physique but then he smiled.
"Milord magus, welcome. It is an honor to meet the one chosen by our future Queen to be her champion," Krolm bowed respectfully.
Aidan was surprised at the knight captain''s mental flexibility. "The honor is mine, captain," He replied and bowed slightly less than the soldier. "Pearl was my benefactor, she saved my life and I was fortunate to be in a position to repay the favor. These are my wives, Lady Cythrel and Ambassador Sora of the Squirrel-Kin."
The two ladies curtsied. Behind them and next to the animated carts with the luggage, the two maids didn''t mind being completely ignored. Besides taking care of Pearl''s needs, messing with foreign diplomacy was well above their pay grade.
"This way, please!" The captain pointed to the exit. "I would not dare hold our precious Princess and her guests a moment more than what''s needed in this boorish cavern."
"Lead the way, Captain Krolm!" Pearl kindly ordered.
WT 6 - A Barons misfortune
[Freshen Up] - 3th circle spell.
Element: Sky.
Type: Elemental. Healing.
Classification: Support. Sustained. Harmless.
Target: A 10 foot cube.
Creates an area of cool air, that can invigorate and refresh creatures or an objects in the area of effect. The air can be felt as humid or dry depending if the creature is drenched or not. After a minute, fatigue is greatly reduced and objects and creatures are cleaned up. Debris, moisture, and other impurities removed are deposited on the far corner of the cube relative to the caster. Does not kill mold or parasites. Repeated applications of this spell have no particular effect on fatigue if used within a day of the last casting. The spells'' effectiveness is halved if used where the sky is not visible.
This spell was designed by Princess Lumina of Yutis.
Imagine you were the governor of a small city in the middle of nowhere with old abandoned mines and nothing else of interest around, only impassable, monster-filled mountains separating your city from the neighboring country. And one day, the most exciting event of the city''s existence happen. The Crown Princess arrives with two otherworlder Heroes in her retinue. It was a chance to earn some favor! And then everything blows up in the following months, the Princess vanishes and your city is raided by slavers.
The Dungeon recently discovered was a disaster. Not only the Princess'' party was wiped out but it spewed both Kobolds and slavers in equal measures. Something slaughtered both parties and that was worse than dealing with the tangible threats. The amount of bloodshed and gore that was the result of the carnage made them take the decision of triggering an avalanche to seal the Dungeon. The second party of slavers came to check on their comrades and rampaged when they learned of their fate.
Slavery is not even legal in Gohar.
Suddenly it is your fault that the future Queen vanished, that the slavers attacked. You did not support her, you did not set patrols, you did not do your job. A little part of you even wished you were taken to the capital and executed because at least the pain would cease. But no. The powers that be decided you should repent from your sins by doing the freaking job you were appointed to do in the first place, but this time under the close scrutiny of capital scribes.
And the investigation reveals that the Princess fled the country through an old and forgotten smugglers'' tunnel under unknown circumstances with a party rumored to contain the most hated and dangerous Princess of the continent, whereabouts unknown for neither her or the two Otherworlders. Another slap in your figurative face. To make matters worse, the capital sends a garrison of knights, led by a Captain your faction doesn''t like. That almost no faction likes as the vultures are plotting to bring down the runaway Princess and knock her out of the succession line in favor of their preferred scion. A Captain that is said heiress staunchest supporter and held a title of Viscount, over-ranking a mere Baron like yourself.
Life wasn''t recently either easy or kind to Baron Elmhill, that is a certainty.
It was a terrible day as usual in the City Hall. The Baron had no idea even why he was still sitting on his chair in his office. The auditing scribes went and came as they liked and ordered everyone around anyway. A messenger barged in and the Baron sighed. Not even the peasants respected him enough to knock on the door.
"My Lord! My Lord! She has returned!" The young men shouted, clearly flustered.
"Speak, man! Who has returned?" The words had left the Baron''s mouth when he noticed the pronoun. His mouth dropped. "Her?"
"Her Royal Highness! Princess Pearl has returned!"
Baron Elmhill froze. The hangman''s noose never felt so comfortable.
He was not a warrior but he wasn''t aware of how out-of-shape he was as he ran up the hill to the place where the knights were building a fort. The rocky region was hostile to the horses'' hooves and a road connecting the town to the fort was the lowest priority. The Baron remembered vaguely that a hermit ranger lived in this region and he never caused trouble until the Princess arrived. He was panting and sweating, cursing inside at having to present such a disheveled mien to Royalty but he had to reach the Princess before the proverbial well was poisoned.
His hopes were dashed. He saw the last of a train of floating luggage enter the half-erected walls of the fort. It meant Pearl had a mage in her retinue as he was aware that the Princess had lost her magical powers as the cost of the summoning ritual. And to make a Princess'' luggage float, it had to be a good mage. His wife was a baroness and he knew no mage in Elmhill could make all her luggage float.
The Baron steeled himself and pushed forward. Two knights were guarding the gap where one day a gate would sit and they blocked his way by crossing their halberds.
"Milord Baron, good morning!" One of the knights did the traditional salute. "Unfortunately we cannot allow you to go through. Captain''s orders."
Elmhill ground his teeth. Being a viscount, it was like the captain carved that region of land out of his domain. He felt another wave of powerlessness.
*SCREECH*
Something screeched from behind and above. Baron Elmhill turned around and ducked in fear. Behind the nondescript background of clouds, it was hard to judge the size but a dragon was approaching.
A freaking dragon!
He broke and sobbed, hiding his face with his hand. A stupid thought flashed in his mind. If he could die fighting a dragon, maybe he could enter the annals of history as a hero and not as the failure he lived as. The Baron stood and drew his sword.
"Come, beast! I''ll show you the nobility of Gohar fears no challenge. I shall defend Princess Pearl with my blood!"
He roared his challenge at the approaching mythical creature. Brandishing his sword and shouting his challenge, the Baron mentally prepared himself to become a barbecue. He saw with his peripheral vision the halberds of the knights flanking him. He felt proud.
The dragon grew as he approached. Baron Elmhill found one oddity. The beast cast no shadow. Because it was obvious a monster of that stature should darken the land underneath its passing...
"SKIPPY!" A velvety and refined young male voice shouted from behind. "Stop playing pranks on people. For crying out loud, one day you''ll make someone die of fright!"
The dragon paused its descent, hovered far away. Elmhill felt the wind from the wings brush his face like a breeze. Then he shifted and took a step sideways, parallax telling him what his mind couldn''t accept.
The fearsome dragon was no bigger than a dog.
"Come here, before the knights skewer you!" The same male voice said. "I''m sorry, gentlemen. He''s my familiar."
The Baron''s eyes stung. It was the dust raised by the dragon, not tears. Of course. He slowly turned around, sword in hand. He saw a young man, of average height and less impressive physical build, wearing expensive traveler''s clothes and with no discernible weapon on him. The man raised his arm and the dragon comfortably nested on the limb like a bird of prey. And the baron remembered a word he said.
"Familiar?"
He cursed inside as he spoke it out loud. The young man''s eyes met.
"Baron Elmhill, good morning. I''m Aidan, from Yutis, a friend of Princess Pearl," He bowed slightly but enough to show he regarded the Baron as someone slightly above himself in station. Then he addressed one of the knights. "Have anyone informed the Princess that the Baron is here to see her?"The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"No, milord," He ran inside, his armor clanging.
The other knights were ashamed as they shook their heads. The baron felt a pang of relief. Maybe that boy could be of use to him.
"Baron Elmhill, I know the hike up here from the town is a bother, especially under this weather. Please allow me," He said and quickly cast a spell.
A wave of cool and dry air with the faint scent of wildflowers enveloped the Baron, removing the sweat, cooling his body, and erasing his fatigue. He was sure it even cleaned up his clothes. After a minute, the Baron felt as if he had just showered and donned new, clean clothes.
"I thank you, milord Aidan," The baron nodded.
Elmhill replied and measured the man''s reaction at the treatment pronoun. The lack of one pointed out the young dragon tamer was indeed nobility. To have a dragon whelp as a familiar, he was probably the one making the luggage float. Pearl fled to Yutis, didn''t she? Was this man someone hired by her.
A knight approached. "The Captain ordered to usher the Baron in. Thank you, Lord Champion."
Champion, the Baron smirked. Maybe he could foster a relationship with that man and gain some points. The two noblemen walked behind the knight and into the fort area. A small wooden hut was still in the middle. It probably belonged to the savage ranger that lived here. Elmhill wasn''t prepared for what he saw. He could see the towering figure of Viscount Krolm next to a group of ladies. Pearl''s retinue, most probably. The pile of once-floating luggage was next to them but out of the way.
And as he approached, he heard the lamentations of a woman. Soon he found out it was Princess Pearl, hugging someone in maid clothes and crying.
"I''m so sorry, Lola!" The Princess whined then looked tenderly at the wooden hovel. "I''m sorry, Gurf."
Gurf! That was the name of the ranger! The Baron tried to approach but the young man raised his arm to block his path. The nobleman decided to err on the side of caution and let this slight go.
"Your Royal Highness!" Captain Krolm exulted. "Please don''t cry. I still don''t understand, forgive me. Who was Gurf?"
Pearl turned around and met the Captain''s eyes. Her eyes were already swollen. "My knight. He died defending me. My mistake killed him."
The maid Pearl was hugging was also crying. Maybe she was related? The Baron narrowed his ears to listen.
"Then he died with honor! He fulfilled his duty as you are here and hale, your Highness. Tell me, what order he belongs to? We must honor him."
The Crown Princess shook her eyes and sobbed. Elmhill could not believe she was openly displaying such weakness. To admit she was responsible for the death of a knight? Preposterous. The soldiers existed to die for them, nobility and Royalty.
"No order," she replied. "I found him here, in this hut, a wild hunter that liked his solitude and his niece even more," she squeezed the maid. "I ordained him and took his vows right here where I stand. Oh, Gurf. How I regret taking you with me. You could be here, living a happy life."
"He was honored to follow you, Princess. His life had meaning once you took us in," The insolent maid dared to talk openly to the Princess.
"We shall honor him, your Highness. Should we initiate him posthumously into an order?"
"Would you listen to the story of my failure, my dear captain?" The Princess asked. "I need to make amends. After I ordained Sir Gurf, we..."
The Baron heard slack-jawed the tale of betrayal. The otherworlder she summoned went rogue and assaulted Yutis'' royal castle. During the struggle, he fatally wounded that Gurf guy and kidnapped Pearl. Only due to the efforts of one Lord Aidan was the otherworlder defeated and Pearl rescued, hale. It was a tall tale and if it were not for the Crown Princess shaming herself by telling it, he would not believe. Did someone defeat an otherworlder? That person would be in the league of a legendary hero or a demigod.
The gears in the Baron''s head were rusted. They refused to turn but after a pregnant pause, he connected the dots. Pearl''s champion. Dragon Tamer. A nobleman from Yutis. The Baron looked sideways and drew the attention of the young man.
"It is all true," the man told the Baron as if he could read his mind. "And yes, I know Pearl is not helping her case by speaking up but she had to open up and put it out of her. Only this way she can move forward," He exhaled deeply. "She has a long battle ahead to restore her status and we have to help her. You are aware of that, aren''t you, dear Baron?"
Baron Elmhill cursed inside as he realized what was happening. The reason he was allowed to listen to the Princess'' confession was to rein him in and that dragon tamer had that in mind all the time! His faction was one that would profit if Pearl lost her right to succession or at least was swapped down the line by one of her siblings. There was no lack of heirs in Gohar as King Jett''s loins were powerful and Queen Elmas'' womb was plentiful.
"Indeed. The Princess has a tough battle ahead of her," He replied noncommittally.
"My dear Baron, I would cast my luck with Pearl," The man confirmed Elmhill''s suspicions as he spoke, a subtle threat climbing as the tone of his voice lowered. "Because that fight is not one she will lose. I would make the ''right choice'' right away if I were you."
"Grawk!" The dragon crowed and shook his head in agreement.
Elmhill hesitated. The young man spoke again before he could make up his mind.
"Let me tell you a little not-so-secret. This town is going to be revived. We are soon opening the tunnel connecting Gohar and Yutis, and both Kings already agreed to a trade deal. It will shorten the trip between both nations by two months. The villages on both sides will grow into true towns or cities as the wealth will flow on both sides."
That much the Baron knew. He was even suffering some pressure to swap demesnes with a piece of a count''s domain on the other side of the country. Away from the damn mountains, in the valley of all places.
"I know that. I don''t see--"
"Baron," The man rudely interrupted him. "Pearl is going to be Queen of Gohar if she so wishes. This region will be too valuable for a mere barony. When the time comes to promote the region, what would happen? Would the future Queen move in one of her own nobles, or promote the one that is already here? I know her situation is not stable but she has heavy backing, and I am not talking just about me. I am sure you know who is the Lady in the red dress there, next to the elf and the squirrel-kin."
The Baron squinted and gasped, startled. Her hair was too short but he recognized that face. Why was she here? Why was she back? That Princess was trouble incarnated! "Lumina?"
"Not Lumina but I think you met before briefly. Princess Dawn of Yutis, she was lost until recently. Pearl has her unconditional support and King Helios sent her here to show she has his too."
As if she could hear them, the Princess turned around and waved at the Baron. It also drew Pearl''s attention.
"Go ahead and bend the knee, Baron," The man gently pushed him forward. "You''ll thank me later."
Elmhill cursed inside but now the Princess'' gaze was locked on him. His situation was precarious and the outcome, nebulous. Any stance he took was a gamble but maybe jumping ships would give him a different perspective.
"Baron Elmhill, you may approach," The heir to the throne called him.
"Your Royal Highness. I came here as soon as I knew you returned. May the gods bless you," He bowed a full ninety degrees but didn''t kneel.
"I will be imposing on your hospitality for a while, Baron. I appreciate that you took your time to see me," she said, clearly displeased.
He felt the judging gazes of everyone. The dragon tamer, the two Princesses, the ladies next to Dawn, even from the captain. He was a Baron but right now he might as well be a captured enemy soldier. And it was not like Pearl was going to vanish even if she lost her position in the line of succession. At the end of the day, she would still be a Princess and he would still remain a lowly Baron. Elmhill considered his choices and decided to gamble.
"Was it your champion that defeated the otherworlder, your Highness?"
It was an impudent question and one that could get him punished for daring to pry. But Elmhill knew he had some value to them or the dragon boy wouldn''t attempt to entice him.
Pearl stared at him in silence and the Baron could swear he saw flames licking the inside of her eyes. She raised an arm and moved it broadly in the direction of the three foreign ladies. "Lord Aidan, Princess Dawn, Ambassador Sora, and Lady Cythrel defeated him and fixed my blunder together."
He looked at the three women. They didn''t seem powerful but looks could be misleading. Even four to one, to kill a rogue otherworlder was quite the feat. Otherworlders were strategic weapons, able to turn even wars around. Each country usually held one Princess capable of summoning as a deterrence to other nations. When Pearl went ahead and summoned them in times of peace, it was a disaster. Gohar had just wasted its good hand, deploying its cards and showing the world that they were either planning to invade someone or wasting their strategic resource.
Invading a neighbor would be against Gohar''s beliefs but would still be a better outcome.
Diplomatic relations plummeted, especially when news that Pearl fled to the secluded nation of Yutis spread to other countries. On the surface, it was so she could study in the renowned magical academy there but that assumption held less water than a woven basket. But now she showed up with four heroes, born to this world in her retinue. Feeling comfortable enough to even admit her mistakes.
He knew Pearl was naive, young, and should curb her desires to travel the world but he also knew she was no dolt. She had a plan and he saw in her eyes it would succeed.
"Please pardon me, your Royal Highness, our future Queen," Elmhill knelt. "I beg you to punish me for my insolence. Welcome home, and use this servant as you see fit, Princess Pearl. I pledge my loyalty to the crown and to you."
"Arise, Baron Elmhill. All I wish is that you coordinate actions better with Captain Krolm here. The tunnel will open soon and all sorts of undesirables will flock here. Keep corruption and crime out of our Realm. That is my only wish. No. There''s another. Captain?"
"At your service, your Royal Highness!" Krolm promptly snapped.
"Has this fort been named yet?" She asked.
"No, your Highness. It is not even built yet."
Pearl turned sideways and met Dawn''s gaze. The visiting Princess smiled and nodded.
"That can be fixed. Princess Dawn and Lord Aidan here proposed to donate us the labor for the construction. Have your architect and engineers available for them. I''m naming this fort now."
"Your will be done! Cadet Jorhal, see that the Princess'' orders are known!" the Knight Viscount immediately sent the orders down the chain of command. One of the knights behind him bolted away.
Pearl hugged the maid once again and let go of her. She took a step forward and with perfect synch, the other Princess waved her hand and a stone dais rose underneath Pearl.
"On my authority as the Crown Princess of Gohar, I name this fort after the man who dedicated his life to protect. From this day forward, this fort will forever be called...
"Gurf''s VIgil."
WT 7 - I swear one day a visit to the Adventurers Guild will go without a hitch.
With the garrison fort baptized and the Baron, hired, they were about to leave the Knights behind to return to town.
"Wait, your Royal Highness," Captain Krolm insisted. "Take four knights as a honor guard!"
It cemented their suspicions that Krolm had fallen out of favor with someone high up in the Kingdom. Having his knights escorting the Crown Princess would be a big boost to their reputation and morale. Aidan was about to discreetly suggest Pearl took on his offer but the Princess had other plans.
"It would defeat the purpose of having a Champion with me, Captain," Pearl rebutted. " And Lord Aidan is strong enough to be worth two garrisons. I''ll have to decline."
He had absolute certainty that he could live without the enmity of the Knights but now the damage was done. Every single armored person in the courtyard was staring at him.
"Forgive my impudence, Princess Pearl," Krolm glowered. Aidan noticed the utter break of protocol and that the man couldn''t contain his anger. "But I can hardly believe this young men, dragon taming mage notwithstanding, is adequate protection to yourself."
The only thing betraying Pearl''s irritation was a slight twitch of her left eyebrow.
"Captain Krolm, have I not laid accolades at the feet of my chosen Champion?" Pearl asked like someone commented the weather.
The fact that the Steam Princess was cold should be a huge giveaway of her mood but the Captain was oblivious to that, so absorbed in his outrage he was.
"Why don''t we settle that in a friendly way?" Aidan suggested in a conciliatory tone. "Captain?" He then put the ball on the knight''s court, blatantly telling Pearl to stay out of that and avoid widening the chasm.
"Your Royal Highness?" Krolm stubbornly deferred to the Princess instead of being a man and taking the responsibility to himself.
At that point Dawn was thinking the captain was quite childish. She glanced at her wives next to her and found they were of one mind. Pearl, however, was lowering herself to his level.
"Arm wrestle him, Lord Aidan. I''ll allow any technique that doesn''t cause harm to the other party."
He couldn''t believe. "Do you expect me to..." But as he spoke, he used his other head to think. No, not that one. Dawn''s. The female half was very good in getting these subtle cues that his male half ignored as random noise.
"I expect you to win, my Champion," She replied with pride. "And as for you, Captain, I expect you to do your best to avoid that."
"Goes without saying, your Royal Highness. I apologize in advance that I have to make your champion disappoint you."
She smiled and adjusted her bearing slightly so she was paying attention to the knight, "That is my wish, Captain. I''m not perfect, maybe I chose a bad champion. Please show me."
"If I may intrude in the conversation," Baron Elmhill intruded, "The God-Slayer is visiting the town. You could make him your champion."
Having ties to the fabled God-Slayer was clearly almost as good as having otherworlders, every Royal knew that. What puzzled Aidan was that he was right there. It could only mean one thing. A grin spread on his lips. He glanced over his shoulder and Sora was also grinning. He nodded at the same time as the squirrel-kin.
"Wait a second, who is that..." Cythrel started to protest but Dawn grabbed her and put pressure on the little elf''s shoulders to silence her.
"Not now," She wispered to the other girl. "I''ll explain later. Just play along and feign ignorance."
Pearl turned around and made eye contact with Dawn. She could tell that the other Princess was asking what to do and dawn squinted her nose, gave her head a small shake and a little shrug with her shoulders. ''It is not worth of concern'' she conveyed. Pearl nodded and turned around to oversee the arm wrestling contest. Dawn released Cythrel and moved to the luggage, to fetch one of Hecate''s holy spell boards. There was no way Aidan could win that contest against the muscular knight-captain without some help. With her own magic, she quickly lit her fingertip on fire and burned the runes she needed on the board.
[Inexorable Wrestler] - 2nd level spell.
Element: Law.
Type: Eulogy
Classification: Harmless, sustained, self-only.
Target: Self.
Upon casting, this spell sets a Law upon the caster''s arm. While the spell lasts, the casters'' arm can only move forward along one path predetermined during the casting. The spell ends when the arm reaches the end of the path or if the caster takes damage. All forces exerted against the arm that would move it backward on the path are neutralized.
She did it in record time. Hecate''s divine tool helped wonders with the spell design process by pointing out flaws but the help was only as good as the user''s spellcraft skill. But with double the brainpower than other mages coupled with his natural talents, Aidan was more than able to pull it off.
The burn marks from Dawn''s enchanted finger turned golden, a sign that Hecate approved the new spell. Despite its silly purpose, it belonged to a Transcendental Element, one composed of five basic elements. All the silly spells Aidan crafted on these boards had one lofty purpose. They were very efficient training tools for a caster''s magical affinities. One of the biggest problems with training an affinity from the ground up was the inexistence of tools to exercise these ''magical muscles''. This one and Cosmos Awareness filled that gap nicely.
But time was up and it was Aidan''s turn to sit across the table with Krolm and have his arm-wrestling match. Pearl held the men''s hands up and Aidan silently cast the spell, drawing the diagram with mana under his magical sight. he drew a quarter-circle from his hand to the table on the side that was his win and pumped mana into the diagram.
"Start!"
Pearl released the hands and Aidan pushed in the direction he wanted. Krolm resisted but Law spells were nigh-absolute. Aidan was certain only Divine Magic could go against one. Or if they were dispelled. There was no risk of any in that situation, however. He put in the effort to push Krolm''s hand though. His magic only avoided going back, with zero help going forward. But Aidan only had to push, not fight back. He could very well relax his arm and rest his muscles for a concentrated push later. Krolm caught what was happening as he could measure the tension in the young man''s arms.
"Do you expect me to... Cheat. Cheat was what you would say, right?" The knight asked the mage with a hushed voice.
"Not a cheat," Aidan whispered back. "I''m using my talents and skills to win as her Highness asked. In fact, the spell I''m using didn''t exist until five minutes ago."
"Braggart!" Krolm grinned. "That''s a single spell? Color me impressed. I''m not giving you an easy win. Let''s see if I can defeat you at your own game."
Aidan didn''t reply. He kept focusing on reading Krolm''s movements, waiting for him to tire his arm so he could push a little more. When he forced, it felt as if Krolm had duplicated his spell.
He didn''t though. Aidan was still using magic sight and would''ve noticed any use of magic.
"Wha..." He gasped in surprise.
"Sometimes, brat, you''ll face an enemy you can''t defeat. It doesn''t mean you have to give them an easy win though. Sometimes a draw against a proud enemy is as good as winning. And you are too easy to read once I knew what you were doing."
"My turn to be awestruck, Captain Krolm." Aidan replied. "How did you end up in Gohar''s butthole? Some political fall of grace?"
His remark hit Krolm spot-on. The Captain''s mind wavered and Aidan pushed his arm further and beyond the other man''s confortable zone. It was a matter of minutes before Krolm''s hand touched the table.
"That was a low blow," Krolm groaned, massaging his hand. "But you are correct," He grasped Aidan''s hand. "Take good care of our crown jewel. I leave her in your capable hands. My loss!"
Aidan stood up and felt his arm sore. Krolm hadn''t sold his defeat cheap and taught the young mage a good lesson. If you can''t win...
"What a splendid display of masculinity," Baron Elmhill cheered.
"Less barbaric than other ways to solve a dispute, I must admit," Cythrel added.
The two were blatantly ignored. Pearl met Krolm''s eyes and asked, "So, Captain. Is my champion approved?"
"Yes, your Royal Highness. I''m sorry for doubting your judgment."
"You are forgiven, Captain. I know your heart had the best of intentions. Now, gentlemen, we need some refreshments and a half-built garrison fort hardly have the facilities required. Shall we?"
She asked Aidan. He nodded and addressed the Captain. "Captain Krolm, could you assign someone to carry our luggage? I will go ahead, preparing the terrain. A wagon or large cart would be the best."
He waved his hand and used an Earth magic spell, the same he practiced in the tunnel to smooth the ground and make a road. Dawn joined him and they moved ahead, finally making a road connecting Gurf''s Vigil to the town.
Princess Pearl''s entourage came after the two mages.
"So, the God-Slayer has graced us with his presence, Baron." The Princess started the conversation as they walked down the new road. "When did he arrive?"
"Less than a week ago," Elmhill replied, at the same time elated and concerned about being on the Princess'' good side.
"Great. Once we are settled, I''m paying the Adventurer''s Guild a visit. You will come along, won''t you, Lady Sora?"
The squirrel-kin grinned. "I wouldn''t miss it for the world."
And so they did. Baron Elmhill gave them free reign on a wing of his mansion and assigned more than half of his staff to serve the Crown Princess. Aidan, Pearl, and the party freshened up, ate lunch and went to the Guild Branch.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
To meet the world-famous God-Slayer.
By the time they went out of the mansion, the whole city knew the Crown Princess of Gohar was finally back. There was a big number of merchants and other local officials wishing to have an audience with Pearl but Aidan snuck them out through the back gate. Once on the road, nobody would dare to stop the Princess for some petty reason. It didn''t stop the people in the streets from kneeling or bowing as they went.
Aidan noticed it was a different reaction from the last time they met here, a year ago. But Pearl was different too. Ever since they emerged from the tunnel, no, ever since they got on the road she was changing. Returning to a better version of her old self. He could only guess at what was going on in her mind. The nobility of her country, split in factions. The trump card of Otherworlders, spent. Maybe Pearl was behaving like a cornered animal.
Skippy wans''t with them. The dragon decided to avoid the crowds and hunt in the mountains. Aidan told him to scout for slaver camps or anything unusual while he was there.
it was undeniable that he was learning a lot about how to behave like a Princess. The way Pearl walked, her body language, the way she looked at the world around her. It was as if the peitte Princess had grown to the height of an ogre with the grace of a nymph and the majesty of a griffin. It was breathtaking.
He would do almost anything to help her. Short of evil, of course. But now it was time to meet the God-Slayer. They''d reached the Guild. A receptionist with glasses was at the door, looking demure and waiting for the Royalty. She curtsied before Pearl.
"Your Royal Highness, welcome to the Guild."
"Thank you," Pearl replied. "I am here to meet the God-Slayer, is he here?"
She gave a business smile back. "Yes, they are with the Guildmaster now. Please, this way."
Aidan gave the receptionist no gap to cut him off as he trailed behind Pearl like her shadow, Dawn, Sora and Cythrel even closer behind him. They moved in a single line through the guild, some adventurers kneeling but all of them watching the procession. They took a flight of stairs up and went to a fancy double door. The receptionist that somehow moved past them knocked on the door.
"Guildmaster, the Crown Princess is here!" She announced.
"Enter!" The voice of an old man shouted from inside.
She opened the door and Pearl walked inside. Then the receptionist tried to close it, shutting Aidan outside. He glared at the woman and used an improvised variant from the spell used at the arm wrestling contest. That door could only open now. He filed past her but couldn''t let the opportunity to give a warning go to waste.
"You try to steer her Highness away from us again," He whispered to her as he took a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it in front of her, showing the national coat-of-arms embroidered with Pearl''s personal sigil side-by-side, "And you will find no employment in this continent. Tell whoever ordered you to do so to keep away from us. You don''t want me looking into your business. Was I clear?"
it was funny to watch the woman trying to close the door, stare at the handkerchief, keep the appearances, and shed cold sweat. Aidan went past her, deftly stowing the cloth so nobody else could see it and Dawn came right behind him.
"I heard what he said. You weren''t going to shut the door on a guest Royal from Yutis, were you?" She added with a evil grin. The receptionist let go of the door handle and curtsied.
"Of course not, your Highness Lumina."
Dawn didn''t reply. Cythrel nudged her with an elbow after Sora went inside. "It is her twin sister, for crying out loud. You blew it, girl."
Leaving the receptionist with full marks on the cardiac health report behind, they entered the room and across the guildmaster they met... what could only be called a harem party. One handsome, hunky and muscular men wearing a fancy gilded plate armor, arms open embracing two women on each side.
Hugging him back there were a blonde human with the fanciest hair Aidan had ever seen, golden ringlets making wide and lazy spirals on the sides of her face. On the other side an elven woman with an archery bracer and leather armor, a gnome girl with mage robes next to the blonde and on the other side a squirrel-kin girl with scout clothing.
The latter was looking at Sora as if she was being visited by her great-grandmother''s ghost.
"Guildmaster, I am sorry for intruding in your meeting, but I was dying to meet your guest," Pearl broke the silence. "I''m Crown Princess Pearl of House Juvela, heir to the throne of Gohar," She just nodded with her head at the group and met the blonde girl. "Princess Marisol of Argyris, welcome to Gohar."
Dawn held her breath. She was unused to all this yet and forgot what Pearl told her. When meeting people that could be Royalty, use the Regalia Sight on them briefly. It was one of the special abilities Royalty had. They could shift their gaze to see the Regalia of other Royals, allowing them to know each other''s presence and country. It was just like Aidan''s magic sight but specialized for the divine enchantment placed on their bodies rather than magic. She did and saw two Regalias in the room. One, floating over Pearl''s head with Gohar''s coat-of-arms and the other on the ringlet blonde. Argyris'' coat of arms was just a blazing sun held by two lions.
There was some rivalry between Argyris and Yutis by a matter of Elements. Yutis'' Royal Element was Light, only Light, while Argyris split their boon between Light and Fire, the Sun Element. Both nations wanted the title of Land of Light for themselves and arguments flew every so often as to which nation should have it. It was totally stupid but it was a matter of pride.
The blonde woman was glaring at Dawn. She remembered that there was bad blood between Argyris and Yutis ever since it was rumored Lumina had charmed Prince Orian into shaming himself and the Royal Family of Calanthe during his engagement party to Princess Melissa. There was no proof it was Lumina but rumors demanded none. Poor Prince Orian was executed for soiling the Queen, throwing a wrench into the alliance between his Sun country and her Flower one. It was the cornerstone of Lumina''s world-class bad reputation.
And right now Orian''s sister was in the same room as Lumina''s clone.
"Pearl, my dear!" Marisol beamed a fake smile. "It is so good to see you back after you were kidnapped by those thugs from Yutis! I was so concerned for your safety but it seems you didn''t get rid of them yet. Would you mind if we went somewhere with friendlier company so we can have a good talk? Lumina, I am amazed you managed to get out of Yutis in one piece. I heard not even your fiance wanted you alive and hired a teacher to murder you!"
Oh, the hidden stings. Dawn was so not missing them. Let''s not talk about the not-hidden ones.
"Different from your late brother, my elder sister is not one to crawl through holes, Marisol. Maybe that''s why she is still alive. Pearl is too astonished by your rudeness to introduce us, I''m Dawn of Yutis, third Princess. Lumina''s twin, kidnapped as an infant and raised as a commoner. I was only recently returned to my real family."
Two could play that game. And the face Marisol did as she realized she''d misplaced the Royal before her was priceless. Nobody liked to make a fool of themselves, and it counted double for the Princesses. The blonde Royal was without words during a pregnant and silent pause.
"I see the apple really didn''t fall far from the tree," Marisol replied too late to be of impact. "Anyway, pleased to meet you, Dawn of Yutis."
"Likewise, Marisol of Argyris. They should really start planting the apple trees on hilltops, I see," Dawn replied shifting her gaze between Marisol and the man hugging four women at the same time, with a hint of disgust in her face, hinting that Marisol was as promiscuous as her dead brother.
Pearl turned her head gracefully and gave Dawn a glance. Dawn moved slightly behind, signaling that she was done.
"I had to come here to meet your guest, guildmaster. Baron Elmhill told me but I could not believe. Is it true that the legendary God-Slayer is here, in this room?"
Pearl''s double entendre was not lost on some people in the room. Cythrel made a faint snort, Sora tapped her feet, Aidan let his posture slide slightly making his presence dimmer, and the two squirrel-kin girls were having a silent eye-to-eye. Nobody else noticed it as the hunk let go of the women''s shoulders and grinned, flashing pearly white teeth at Pearl.
"Why, my dear Princess, look no further than yours truly. I''m Dolion, the current God-Slayer. Me and the girls are traveling the world, seeking evil wherever it lies and vanquishing it. We are investigating the slaver raids here in this corner of Gohar, you''re welcome. You can show me your gratitude later, and even bring in your short-haired friend there."
One could play several games of seven errors with what he said and his body language while he said it. He''d rather be the real God-Slayer, because he had just offended Princesses from three major countries in the continent.
In the pause before Pearl could formulate a proper answer to Dolion''s harassment, Sora spoke.
"Yama, how are you? It''s been almost a decade since we last saw each other. You''ve grown so much, sister," She beamed yet another fake smile at the other squirrel-kin. Yama wan''t Sora''s sibling, it was an endearing treatment. "I see you are in the God-Slayer''s entourage! How fortunate of you! Oh, how rude of me. I should introduce you to my husband. Aidan here. Can you believe I had to wait ten years for him to get my tail?"
Yama might as well be the latest victim of a vampire because all blood left her skin as she went deathly pale. She looked at Sora, then at an embarrased Aidan and made her best fish impression.
If there was someone on Dorion''s party that knew exactly how screwed they were, it was Yama. After all, she was one of the candidates for the selection for the next partner for this generation''s God-Slayer and she lost to Sora. Even if she wasn''t, there was no squirrel-kin in the continent or even the world that didn''t knew who Sora was. And who was the man next to her.
Millenia ago, the squirrel-kin were saved from extinction and slavery, maybe not in this order, by the original God-Slayer. Ever since then, as a way to repay the favor, one of their tribe was selected for each generation to be a lifelong companion to the God-Slayer. It was one of the greatest honors for the chosen one as being on friendly terms with God-Slayers was always a boon and the ambassador usually became figures of legend themselves during their travels.
It was rare but not unheard of that this lifelong companionship ended up in marriage. It was the very reason the selection usually was done among tribesfolk of the opposite gender.
"Hello, Yama," Aidan waved and greeted her sincerely. Whatever charade she was playing, he wouldn''t hold it against her. "I hope we can be friends."
He tried to withdraw but Dorion whistled. "Lucky bastard. How did you manage to nail the furry? I''ve been trying with Yama for months but she told me if I grab her tail she will either kill me or die trying," He clicked his tongue in annoyance, "So stupid. I mean, why stay attached to these old customs eh? Much better to just enjoy life!"
And his arms went back right to hold Marisol and the stoic elf archer. He didn''t reach to grab Yama or the gnome wizard, meaning he had ''captured'' only half of his harem party so far. Another otherworlder loanword.
"She is probably waiting for you to visit the squirrel-kin village, Dorion the God-Slayer," Aidan gave his reply with a deadpan face. "I heard every God-Slayer has to visit there at least once in their lifetime, as a matter of protocol," He began to let some emotion seep into his words. "To renew old covenants and keep the deep trust between your family and their tribe."
That was a obscure nugget of lore, but not one that was secret. Aidan watched as Yama''s tail almost froze in place, a clear sign of fear.
"Yeah, I mean, I intend to do so. Yes, I know the old customs," he gave a nervous giggle. "But I am amazed you know so much about my family, Lord Aidan."
Maybe Dorion wasn''t the idiot he sold himself as.
"Oh, it is just a hobby of mine. I spent a lot of time in Yutis'' Magic Academy''s library studying, and I''ve read a lot of books regarding the history of the God-Slayer. It is funny how they never record the name of the current generation, I wonder if you could shed some light into this doubt I had since forever."
"Pfft, that one is easy," Dorion answered with a spluttering scoff, blowing a strawberry. "It is to protect the scion. The God-Slayer has a ton of enemies around. One of them could attempt to end the line by killing the scion before he can have children. That''s what I tell the girls all the time."
''That they have to have children with him'', Dawn couldn''t help but roll her eyes as she connected the dots.
"That was my theory," Aidan said. "Thanks for telling me."
"No problem, dude. We have to look after each other. And if you need a hero," He poked his own chest with a thumb, "I''m your slayer, be it a monster, a dragon, or a god."
"Oh, what travesty. Why are you putting.--"
Cythrel had enough and tried to protest but Dawn hugged her and got her to shut up before she ruined everything. "I''ll explain later," the Princess whispered to the Elf.
"Well, I came here just to say hello and meet you. Dorion, have a good hunting, I pray that you are able to rid Gohar of this slaver plague. Marisol, have fun, and I''m here for you if you run into any problems. Guildmaster, ladies, I''ll take my leave."
They went outside, Pearl closing the line this time. After they were outside, Aidan released the spell on the door and it slammed shut. They returned to the Baron''s mansion and after he set some privacy wards, Aidan, Sora and Dawn held each other and jumped in joy in front of Pearl and Cythrel.
"An impostor! Sora, we have an impostor!" Aidan exulted.
"Yes, I couldn''t believe Yama was so dumb as to go with that farce but it is her problem now!" Sora added.
"Impostor, impostor!" Dawn repeated.
"Gaaaaa!" Cythrel shouted in despair. "Can the idiot trio explain to me using language I can understand why are you so happy? There''s an idiot out there, stealing and soiling the good name of the God-Slayer, lying and banging a Princess he had no business fooling, with that Yama chick as an accessory, and you are jumping with joy? I don''t understand!"
Sora giggled. "Well, that''s easy to explain. Aidan?"
"Why, thank you, wife," He held her by the waist and kissed her cheek. "There''s no such thing as pride or a good name attached to my lineage, wife," AIdan told Cythrel. "It is not like we are the God-Slayers because we want to, it is something that came in the package with our birth. Any of us would quit the job with a snap of our fingers if we could. Which we don''t. It is not like the power we hold can be extracted or lost. And what we said there is true. Our family has a huge slew of enemies, from followers of slain gods to people wanting to murder us just to prove they''re stronger than us.
"And if there''s an idiot willing to distract all that murder intent away from us, who am I to say no?"
"That''s callous," it was all Cythrel could comment.
"Yes, but we didn''t force him. The real reason the name of the current generation God-Slayer is not openly disclosed is to allow these impostors and copycats to exist. Let them enjoy the attention and the glamour, it''s usually a brief dream."
"Before it is utterly crushed by something really evil and really powerful bent on vengeance," Sora added like a campfire horror story.
WT 8 - Those you cant shake off
Creating the fortress of Gurf''s Vigil was hardly considered an exercise for Dawn. With her entwined mind and soul spread over two bodies and the coordination that the last two years of practice brought, she used the plentiful materials available in the mountains around to create the fort, a wall around the mouth of the tunnel and pathways connecting both and to the city. An invasion from the tunnel was all but impossible without powerful magic and for the Princess of the adjacent nation to do that, it meant a lot of trust. Aidan was social and strategically placed as a mere helper. After all, they were one person with two faces.
It took a week because it would be unfitting for a Princess to work from dawn to dusk. Social functions devoured most of the time and they had to make the construction of the fortress to look like a hobby. The worst thing was to deal with Marisol''s animosity. The Princess of Argyris had a bone to pick with Lumina and her "twin sister" was the perfect proxy. Aidan was sure some of the wilful Sky Princess'' karma rubbed on him after he merged with most of her soul.
But the deed was done and the "God-Slayer''s" party was present with all the important people of the city to the inauguration of the fortress by the Crown Princess. With that out of the way, Aidan could focus on the main reason he came to Elmhill, escorting Pearl just the cover. But the fake hero party wasn''t letting them.
Two days after the inauguration, three Princesses were sitting on Baron Elmhill''s backyard gazebo, enjoying tea and some local pastries.
"I am amazed at how good with Earth magic you are, Lu... Dawn," Marisol said in a pointed way, meaning the compliment as an insult.
Unfazed, Dawn took a small sip of her almost boiling tea before gracefully laying the cup back on the saucer. Then she met Marisol''s eyes. "I dabble in most Elements though my main is four, Marisol. It is really useful to have a broad range of options and resistances."
Between the two, Pearl also took a sip of her own tea at the same time Dawn finished her line. Marisol''s was yet untouched. "Is the tea not to your liking, darling?" The petite princess asked the ringlet blonde.
A brief flash of pink took Marisol''s cheeks before she reined herself. She understood perfectly what they meant and also that she was outnumbered. She gazed Pearl with disbelief and then her eyes drifted to the steaming cup in front of her. She held the cup''s wing, forcing her face to remain still. It was almost burning her fingers.
"Didn''t you summon the otherworlders, Pearl?" Marisol asked to gain time. With the other hand on her lap, she drew the diagram for a heat-sink spell and cast it.
"Yes, I did. A terrible blunder by a younger and foolish me," Pearl admitted too easily. If it were Marisol, she''d bury the incident and embellish the truth until she shone as either the heroine or the victim. Not admit her fault to two foreign Princesses like that. Pearl shouldn''t do that, as powerless as she was. That realization caused Marisol''s breathing to halt for a moment. She felt confused.
"But the tea..." She mumbled.
Was Pearl using some kind of spell or enchantment to drink the tea? Marisol knew very well the price of a summoning ritual, the reason she refused to learn it, leaving the "honor" to her sister Arianna. Frustrated by the lack of information, Marisol sipped her tea. It still singed her tongue. She couldn''t help but wince, her mind distracted trying to figure out what the two were doing. Was it some kind of hazing? Was Dawn using fire magic to make her tea hotter?
"Is something wrong, Marisol?" Dawn asked, concerned.
It was weird. Marisol was good at reading people but the short-haired girl in front of her seemed genuinely concerned. She was Royalty, Marisol could see the Crest of Yutis floating over the girl''s head with her Regalia Sight. But she lived as a peasant up until last year. She might have some kind of tutor teaching her the manners of high society. She wasn''t uncouth like Marisol expected. It also meant the whole ''kidnapped'' thing was some kind of hoax invented by Yutis. There''s no way the kidnappers would educate their victim into a refined lady.
She could raise a few hypotheses on why Yutis decided to hide Lumina''s twin sister while giving her some support. An easy one was to guarantee the bloodline. You couldn''t murder a Princess whose existence was unknown. Another, to keep them valuable. A Kingdom that has a single Princess has one treasure. Three or more and they are just expensive baubles. Like Pearl. She was heiress to the throne and yet could screw up a dozen ways and run away to the next country and keep holed in there for a year and a half without much issue because King Jett had seven children. If she were the only Princess, the King would send for her the next week. That made sense because King Helios was also hiding his bastard Daughter as Lumina''s maid.
"I was wondering how do you feel living as Royalty now, Dawn. It must''ve been a shock to find out you were a Princess."
To Marisol''s surprise, Dawn chuckled and almost choked on the petit-four she was about to bite.
Her laughter paused for a moment to say, "You have no idea how shocked I was."
Even Pearl was full of mirth, a broad and knowing smile plastered on her face. That was one of two mysteries harder to figure out than to find a purple unicorn. Dawn and Pearl seemed to be too close to be Princesses. How could these two... share the spotlight like... best friends? Maybe Dawn that was raised as a peasant or lower nobility but Pearl? She was groomed to be a Queen since before she first sucked on her milkmaid''s teats. Marisol knew Pearl. She had an inner candidness that put the other Princesses at ease but being this open? Anathema.
The other one was that boy that came with Pearl''s entourage. The one Yama seemed wary of. Marisol knew too little of him. Just that he was a mage with many talents, tamed a dragon, married an elf and a squirrel-kin and was Pearl''s champion. At first, she thought Aidan and Pearl had something going on but from what Marisol could observe and probe, they behaved more like respected friends or even siblings than lovers. The boy didn''t steal glances at Pearl or forced unnecessary physical contact. He always spoke in a very polite and respectful way with Pearl but without much deference.Stolen novel; please report.
Next, Marisol thought he might be Dawn''s lover. But the boy and the Princess treated each other like acquaintances at best. They only spoke the minimum with each other and most of the time it was like one did not recognize the other''s existence. And yet they showed coordination without peer in building the fortress. Marisol knew how hard was to mages to coordinate their spells. And these two did that as if they were apprentices to the same master.
In fact, it seemed that there was something going on between Aidan''s wives and Dawn. While it wasn''t unheard of that a Princess would find solace in another female''s arms, it was still a scandal.
Marisol needed to find the truth.
"So you were saying, Sora, this one knows the truth, right?" A spiffy, spunky elf with the nose pointing slightly upwards in smug confidence threw the passive-aggressive question like a challenge to the third party in the private booth of a restaurant.
The two squirrel tails in the room twitched in alarm at the smaller girl''s words. Yama nodded. "Of course. No member of the squirrel tribe would fail to recognize the true God-Slayer." She said with a sigh.
Both arms crossed over her lap, Cythrel slammed the table with her telekinetic hand, the muscles of her neck stiff as she glared at the outsider. "Then why support this travesty? I heard the reasons from Sora and Aidan and while they are fine with that, I want to hear from your mouth."
Her words pierced Yama''s heart more than she knew. It was a travesty, the younger squirrel-kin knew that more than anyone. A painful but necessary travesty. One she submitted to willingly. She didn''t need to have her hypocrisy thrown at her face like that but maybe she deserved. Yama sighed.
"Even if it is a lie, I wanted to feel how it was to go on a grand adventure. To feel what it could be if it were me and not Sora the chosen one," She blinked and the tears came down her cheeks. "I... you have no idea how much I envy you." She sobbed and stopped talking.
Sora gently held Cythrel''s forearm under the table, squeezing it as a sign that she should ease the pressure.
"And how is it working for you so far, Yama?"
Sora got no reply. Yama''s chest rose and fell without rhythm as she bit her lips and clenched her eyes to stop, head almost touching the table. Yama knew Sora could read her mood by the movement of her tail, mostly involuntary. And her tail was telling a tale.
Most of the time Dolion made for a good stand-in. He was closer to the legends of the god-slayer the general public knew than Aidan. It was par for the course as Dolion studied the same legends extensively to build his fake persona. He was a womanizer but Yama wasn''t so attached as to want to keep the fake all to herself. Her eyes wandered between the two wives the real one took. Since it was all make-believe, she wasn''t too worried about avoiding him too. And Dolion was an experienced womanizer. The things he could do with a girl in his hands...
Yama blushed as she reminisced. Her tail moved in a sinuous way and she rosed her head to meet a grin from Sora.
"Lady Cythrel," Yama finally broke her silence. "I beg your forgiveness and understanding. Dolion is hurting nobody even though he is a farce, he even solves some problems here and there. I believe sister Sora explained to you how he feels about me." - ''He'' being Aidan.
The elf rolled her eyes and rose an arm stub to point at her. A chill born out of fear and respect rose in Yama''s chest. In her tribe, the commitment to the God-Slayer family was almost at worship levels. Ever since they released them from servitude to the other beast-kin tribes, that friendship has paid itself over and over through the dozens of centuries afterward as the God-Slayer always helped them, a genuine friendship that endured the test of time. Being selected to become the new generation companion was the greatest honor one could achieve, becoming one''s mate was to achieve unsurpassed bliss.
Yama couldn''t help but feel respect for the elf. That she jumped in front of certain death to protect him, was a feat even Yama would have hesitated to do.
But she crossed her arms and tilted her head away, pouting. "Yes, they talked to me. They were even happy they had an impostor. But I can''t let those grubby hands tarnish the reputation of my husband," she emphasized ''husband''. It was as if she''d stabbed Yama. "But I guess if you want to keep fantasizing in your little lie, you can. I have no power to tell you what to do but I can ask."
Her sharp tongue felt worse than being flogged. "Yes, ask!" Yama clung to that shard of hope.
"Keep his harem from expanding. Especially keep him out of the Mary Princess'' panties. The least I want is some Royal bimbo claiming to bear the God-Slayer''s child."
Yama sighed in relief. She didn''t request anything absurd. "Don''t worry. Her Highness Marisol has to keep herself chaste."
To her surprise, Cythrel snorted. "I know more Princesses than I''d care to. Save rare exceptions, they are an opportunistic bunch that is desperate for a man of sufficient status. The only reason they keep their legs together is to maintain their expensive status. I have no doubt the blonde will gladly take him when she is sure he is the real deal. That she hadn''t so far means your Doll-on is still on probation."
Her wisdom baffled Yama. Did the elf glimpse that much insight from just one meeting? But going back to what she witnessed, Yama knew she was right. Marisol playfully rejected Dolion''s advances in a playful way that enticed him to chase her. At first, Yama thought the Princess was just playing hard to get but the revelation brought by the elf gave it a whole new dimension. Marisol was not stupid, Yama concluded.
As for Yama, she felt like rejected goods ever since she lost to Sora, twelve years ago. Condemned to a lifetime of mediocrity while the woman across the table lived with the status she desired for herself. She was the first one to accept Dolion on her bedroll and she didn''t regret it.
"I can do that," Yama nodded. "Lady Cythrel, I admire you. Your courage, your wisdom, your fierce devotion," Yama confessed openly.
"He saved me," Cythrel shifted away from the offensive and opened her heart. "I had one of those collars on my neck and was starving when he found me stealing out of all things. I know you can understand how wonderful he is. Yama, he gave me everything and asked for nothing."
"Yes, I can understand. Lady Cythrel, that is wonderful!" Yama reached across the table and touched the stump of her forearm. "Do you still feel you don''t deserve your place?"
It was the elf''s turn to moisten her eyes and cheeks. Cythrel''s throat rose and fell in a spasm and she gently nodded. Sora put a hand on her back and rubbed.
"One day I''ll take you to my tribe," Yama promised. "And then you''ll see how much you deserve your place. You have my gratitude for being there for him, Lady Cythrel. Stand tall, raise your head. Wash away those doubts, milady! Look no further than Sora''s face. I know my sister understands more of you than me and she too accepts you."
Cythrel wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and smiled.
"Maybe you are not that bad, Yama," She finally smiled candidly. "Can we start over?"
Yama''s grasp on the other girl''s arm tightened, "I''d be honored, milady!"
WT 9 - For whom does the bellows toil?
[Synchronous Mage Vault] - 5nd level spell.
Element: Metal.
Type: Enchantment
Classification: Harmless, long-lasting, object, cooperative.
Target: One metal trunk.
This spell requires two or more casters. It locks a metal trunk and reinforces its structure to make it nigh impenetrable. The casters must cast the spell at exactly the same time from beginning to end. The trunk is reinforced as if the aptitude that locked it was equal to the lowest Metal aptitude plus three ranks for each extra caster. Duration is a decade for each rank above E. A rank of SS or SSS is achievable. To dispel the lock or damage the trunk the force of the attacker must be equal to the locking power. A second cast by the same group of casters can either unlock temporarily the trunk or dispel this enchantment.
Extremely difficult to cast with several people, this spell nonetheless grants almost perfect security.
Rumor has it that some stronger versions or enchanted vaults increase the duration of the effect by orders of magnitude.
A few days later, the "God-Slayer" Dolion''s party departed to search for slaver camps in the mountain passes. They departed early morning but Aidan still felt like waiting for a whole day just in case they forgot something and came back. Only then he relaxed.
They were in an inn room, the same Pearl reserved more than a year ago. The Crown Princess once again took over the entire place as her base of operations. The Baron didn''t want to let her go but everyone could see it was just a polite resistance as the man previously belonged to a faction that opposed Pearl and would profit from playing two hands - as long as he wasn''t caught.
"My, my, what a bother being near those five," Dawn sighed. Near meant less than half a county away.
Next to her on the couch, Sora leaned on her shoulder. "Yama is not bad."
"She is half-bad. She is making everyone think the God-Slayer is a half-wit muscle brain," Cythrel retorted.
"That''s because you don''t know my father," Aidan replied with a chuckle. When the elf gave him a weird glance, he added, "Yet."
"Your father is not dumb," Sora defended the senior God-Slayer. "He just... worries less than he should about everything."
A knock on the door interrupted their family chat. "Milord Aidan, her Highness is ready to visit the smith."
Aidan took that as his cue to stand up, take a heavy bag of coins and slap it on the coffee table. "Wives, your mission for today is to disrupt the local economy by dumping copious amounts of money on useless but pretty baubles," He ordered.
Sora gave him an ''I know you are up to something'' wife-like gaze between slitted eyes but said nothing.
"Come on, Sora," Cythrel said, twirling her chin to cast a spell and making the bag float with an invisible magic hand. "I know a lot of dwarven Jewellers that make awesome pieces."
The two left the room and Dawn moved next to a trunk that remained unopened all these days. She raised two right hands and cast the locking spell twice in unison. That particular spell could only be undone that way. The trunk opened revealing a treasure trove, two of the most prominent objects were a broken mithril sword and a crystal case, glowing with enchantments.
Aidan moved these two objects plus some ingots and vials to a backpack, Dawn rubbed a smelly oil on her hands, donned her riding gloves, and made sure to have her rapier firmly affixed to her belt. Once all preparations were done, they left the room. Lola led them to the common room where Pearl was waiting for them. Like Dawn, she wasn''t wearing the multifold petticoats their class was renowned for using to assert their personal space but comfortable travel clothes. Leather pants underneath a single skirt, made from a very flexible leather with intricate embroidery. A shirt made of a breathable fabric covered Pearl''s corset.
"You are the only person with the courage to make a Princess wait, Lord Aidan," She scolded them. "Shall we go?"
Aidan bowed. "I''m sorry, your Royal Highness," He deferred to Pearl. The inn staff was waiting. "And I am eternally grateful for your help. Yes, let''s go."
Aidan made it for the door but Pearl stopped him and dragged the Cosmos mage to a corner where they could talk with privacy. "Are you sure you want to do that? Isn''t it... dangerous? They usually go berserk."
"Yes, I''m sure, and no, they won''t go berserk. The reason for this erratic behavior is forcing a soul to be something it doesn''t want to be. I, however, developed a way to eliminate that problem. We made a test prototype and it is behaving as expected. No problem whatsoever."
"You really made one?" Pearl asked, alarmed. "What is it and where is it? Did you bring it to Gohar with you?"
"Yes, we brought it and it is not dangerous. We did not make a full one, just one part," Aidan replied.
"And what part was it?" She asked, curious.
"I can''t say, sorry."
She saw Aidan blush and found that Dawn was blushing even harder. Then she added two plus two and suddenly some strange events during their trip made sense. "You didn''t!"
"Maybe we did. I won''t tell though."
"I''ll leave it at that," She opened a predatory smile and reached out for Aidan''s ear, "You naughty Princess."
Aidan shrunk down and said nothing. They made their way out of the inn, Pearl took his right elbow and Dawn the left one. Together, the trio, followed by Lola a few paces behind, walked down the streets of Elmhill and into a particular smithy. The plume of smoke rising and the ringing sound of metal being hammered by several smiths betrayed how much master Gaemon''s smithy grew.
The apprentice watching the shop gasped and looked to the sides in confusion as the Princess and Lord entered the smithy. "Yo-Your Royal Highness!" He shouted and splayed himself on a knee, wobbling to keep his balance and lowering his head as if he was about to be knighted. In the process, he dropped a bucket of horseshoes, making a loud noise.
"At ease," Pearl said with a soft voice but did nothing else.
The teenage boy was trembling and didn''t move. A raspy voice came from inside. "What is this commotion?" A dwarf, older than Gaemon, appeared from the leather curtain separating the ambients. "Milord, Milady, how may I be of service," He said once he recognized the visitors as nobles.
"Your Royal Highness, please forgive him," the apprentice pleaded. "he comes from the subterranean clans," he tried to explain.
"Oh, it is fine. A visitor from down under, then? Tell me, master," Pearl asked, trying to defuse the situation. "Are you related to master Gaemon?"
"Third cousin from my mother''s side," He answered. "Are you Jett''s daughter? I''ve met the King-above-mountain once."
"Indeed, I''m Pearl of house Juvela, first Princess of Gohar. I''ll be in your care for the day, master."
The dwarf nudged the human apprentice with his foot. "Get up, lad! Princess, there won''t cut off your head or throw a tantrum for you being yourself."
He then returned his attention to Pearl, "Thane Gralkus, princess. Come, come. Gaemon is venting his frustration on the anvil, let''s go save his tools."
Pearl chuckled at what could only be a joke. Aidan remained neutral.
They entered the smithy and while everything was much like what Dawn remembered, it was busier. Enough dwarves to fill one or two platoons were busy molding metal into weapons, armor, and tools. More of the former than the latter. Gaemon was at his anvil in the central forge. He was hammering at an ax head. Gralkus moved next to him but didn''t stop the other dwarf until he quenched the metal.
"What is it, Gralkus! Why are you there, tainting my metal with your bad breath?" Gaemon growled.
"You have Royal guests, cousin," Gralkus shrugged. "Jett''s child is here."
Gaemon raised his head and smiled. "Princesses! Zombie lad! I''m glad you are back," His gaze drifted to Dawn''s waist. "How may I be of service to you?"
Pearl nodded, "Master Gaemon, I am here to request your assistance. My friend here has a very unusual request only your skills at forging magical metals can fulfill. Please, I ask you to led him your aid," She delivered her request as if asking otherworlders to kill the Maou and save the realm although there was never a maou in recorded history. Demon god five thousand years ago? Check. But heroes are just political tools.
Gaemon stared at Adain and then Dawn. He took a step closer to the latter and spoke. "Let me see your weapon, girl." Dawn detached the rapier and handed it over to its creator. Gaemon unsheathed it and glanced over. "There''s a scratch," He groaned. "What did you do to her to scratch my secret alloy, girl?"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
"I had to cut my brother''s enchanted mithril sword, master Gaemon," Dawn replied calmly. They needed the master smith''s help and had to butter him up. "In a single strike," She added with a smirk.
He raised an eyebrow and asked in disbelief. "Really? Can I see your hands?" Dawn removed her gloves and showed him her hands. She knew Gaemon was looking for calluses and he would find some. He patted her hand where the calluses should form. "Not enough practice, eh?"
"I''m a Princess, master Gaemon," Dawn started her defense and retrieved her own hands but not before Gaemon smelled them, "And I am just a bit away in Air affinity to become a Metal mage. Until then, I was using rough-root oil on my hands during my training sessions."
"Ah," Gaemon interjected knowingly, "That was the smell in your hands. Good, good. Now, you said you cleaved enchanted mithril with this baby?"
It was a lie, the fact that Dawn was using rough-root oil, a magical plant that would toughen the skin temporarily and avoid the formation of calluses. She had just acquired the ointment and applied it before leaving. She was using Life magic to keep her hands soft as it would be unfitting for a Princess to have the kind of swordsman''s calluses Aidan had, for example. But she was practicing the rapier nonetheless so keeping the method of maintaining her hands a secret was no problem.
"I have the mithril sword here, master Gaemon. You can examine it if you don''t believe my Princess," Aidan added with a tiny bit of annoyance in his voice. They couldn''t let the dwarf roll all over them.
"Show me!" Gaemon demanded.
Aidan took his backpack off and took the sword''s scabbard, handing it over to Gaemon. The dwarf quickly removed the broken pieces and examined them closely. "I see, I see! Indeed a faint trace of the enchantment lingers on the blade! And I can see now, the white scratches on the rapier are indeed this mithril," He guffawed then showed the weapons to his cousin. "See this, Gralkus you knave! I told you my adamantite-steel alloy was awesome!"
Gralkus examined the weapons and sighed, "You are right, cousin. You are right. Now, since the Princesses so kindly brought you the proof you needed to convince the guild, you are going to take their request, aren''t you? We would be troubled if a word comes out that you turned the future Queen around."
"Do you want this blade reforged, lad?" Gaemon asked Aidan. His bad mood was long gone.
"I don''t know, master. I might need the mithril for my project."
"Well, if you need this much mithril for your project, what exactly are you doing?" Gaemon asked, his curiosity spiking.
"It is better if we dismiss all the apprentices for the day, master," Pearl suggested. "This is an important matter," She added in a more commanding tone.
Gralkus walked to a bell hung from the roof beam and rung it. The sharp noise soon drowned the hammering. "Everyone out! You knaves got a free day," The thane shouted. "Now stow your tools and scram, the last one to stay behind is polishing all anvils until I can see my beard reflected on them."
Like a licked anthill, the smithy became chaotic, with the young humans and dwarves swarming everywhere. Soon they vanished one-by-one.
"I''ll stay and help," Gralkus butted in. "I''m also getting a clean bench and some refreshments for her Highnesses."
About half an hour later, the smithy was emptied, only the five of them remaining inside.
"I guess it is time to show what you have in stock for us, lad," Gaemon broached the main subject.
"Surely," Aidan replied. "I need your expertise to work an alloy of mithril and orichalcum for an enchanted item, master. Although it will sound strange, you don''t have to worry, this project was cleared by the headmaster of Yutis'' Royal Magic Academy and Princess Pearl herself."
The fact that it was Dawn that approved the project abusing her status as acting headmistress was omitted. She was officially invested anyway.
Pearl nodded. "Indeed, masters. Please give my champion Aidan your full support. This is a vital project. He has my full support but I have somewhere else to be. As I won''t be helping with either the smithing or the enchanting, I leave you to your endeavors."
"I''ll escort you out, your Highness," Thane Gralkus bowed. "Your maid is waiting outside."
With Pearl gone, Aidan removed the crystal box from the backpack along with the ingots and vials. Gaemon looked inside the case and his eyes went wide open.
"What are these?"
With a sigh, Aidan confessed, "They are exactly what you think, master. We need to rebuild the internal structure using the metal and then some external filigree to hold the enchanted glyphs and diagrams."
A pale Gaemon stared into Aidan''s eyes, "Are you a necromancer?"
"Master gaemon, I am a person of many talents. Yes, I can use necromancy but it is far from my only specialty."
The dwarf''s shoulders slumped from the weight of the task. He picked the vials and examined the contents without opening. "You have a King''s ransom here, boy."
"I hope nobody kidnaps a King to ask for these supplies, master Gaemon..." Aidan chuckled, "Because I''d be forced to let the King die. And you will have to find another punishment for your apprentices. Excuse me."
Aidan sterilized the entire smithy, using a spell that removed any trace of swarf, slag, dust, soot, ash, grime, or impurity. An otherworlder would compare the smithy''s cleanliness to a modern surgical center if there was any around. Only then they opened the crystal case and took the precious pieces held inside its enchanted chamber. Then work began in earnest. Aidan peeled the outside layers carefully as to not damage them, exposing the inner support structure the dwarf smiths had to copy using metal. He immediately put the soft parts back in the case, to avoid any contamination or damage.
Gaemon used a special clay to make molds of the several pieces while Gralkus kept the forge hot to smelt the mithril and orichalcum.
"We are going to melt the sword," Gaemon announced once they checked the crucible where the two mythical metals were alloying. "This mithril is too low quality. See the amount of slag it is forming? That''s normal silver. Orichalcum hates impurities, we need to improve the quality of the mithril."
And without a shard of regret, the Third Princess of Yutis put the national treasure in the crucible herself. The reaction was immediate. The orichalcum dust melted into the pure mithril and alloyed, becoming a tarnished silver. Meanwhile, Aidan was painstakingly carving the animation and soul transfer glyphs and preparing the stone slabs to receive the two soul gems.
Gaemon took the crucible and poured the magical alloy in the mold. Smoke rose and dawn tensed.
"Relax, it is going to work. I''m more worried about assembling it back inside without ruining the outside."
"We can only hope, master."
With the internal frame cast, Gaemon broke the clay and exposed the paired metallic parts. Dawn took them to a workbench and started to engrave the minute diagrams that would combine into the magical circuit of the finished product. Gralkus and Gaemon then started to weave thin mithril sticks, bending them and shaping into a set of four ornate filigreed cups, mimicking vines with flat surfaces on the inside to receive even more magical diagrams. While Dawn kept engraving the inner structure, Aidan double-checked the stone plates that would transfer the soul fragments and empower them. Satisfied, he took the cups and started to engrave the diagrams on the inside. When it was all done and checked, he took the soft parts from the crystal case and drew some glyphs on them.
Then it came the moment to assemble everything. Dawn took the metal inner frame and Aidan the soft outside.
"Giant Growth!" He cast a spell on his part, enlarging them enough to push the frame inside without much damage.
They reassembled the parts and Aidan used another spell of the Genesis Element to mend and bind the metal to the organic parts. Then they slid the ends into two of the cups and he activated the enchantments in sequence, making two enantiomorphic pieces. One left one right.
"And now, we will grant them life," Aidan declared. "Princess, please move them to the plates. I''ll start placing the charged cores."
The two mages moved with deft movements, in perfect coordination. Gaemon thought they must have done that dozens of times and he feared what Yutis had hidden in their secret magical vaults. But he couldn''t help but marvel at the beauty of the two pieces they crafted. It felt as if these two delicate pieces were timeless. Then Aidan activated the soul diagram and he sensed the dark magic at work. That ephemeral moment of appreciation disappeared with dread.
"Imbue, empower, bestow, pacify. You who were once pieces of the same whole, become as one again!" The mage mumbled and chanted as he directed the magical energies of the two diagrams like a maestro conducting an orchestra. Gaemon saw tears forming in the boy''s eyes, filled with a drive and determination he saw few times with his senior dwarven master craftsmen when they were making artifacts of legend.
Because he was. One year of research, of frustrated attempts, of resource gathering. It all came to this. Aidan''s eyes were deep like the night sky as he focused his sight entirely on the magical realm. The two soul fragments departed their receptacles and eagerly entered the place where they once inhabited. The pieces became whole and they jolted as they came alive.
Golems.
Made of flesh and metal, imbued with a burning desire. The two golems moved for the first time, like newborns trying their muscles for the first time. The metal vines of the filigreed cups merged with the flesh and the metal bones inside. The properties of flesh became those of metal and vice versa. Thus the alloyed mithril rigid structure could move as if it was articulated and the skin outside became as resistant as magical plate armor.
The two golems attempted to crawl, unsure, touching around and wriggling their slender protrusions. Aidan caressed their backs and the golems calmed down.
"What about the two other cups?" Gaemon asked, breaking the silence.
"These, we will put on the rightful owner of these," Aidan replied. A knock on the door sounded right as he delivered his phrase. "And they are here. Let''s move these two back in the box for now, and cover it."
"You may enter!" Dawn announced after Aidan hid the product of their crime.
Pearl, Sora with Skippy cradled on her shoulder, and a feverish Cythrel supported by Deb entered. Lola came behind and closed the door.
"Aidan!" Sora called. "What is going on? Pearl told us we should get ready for an outing but then Cythrel started to feel ill and we were brought here. What is going on?"
"Bring her to me," Aidan replied. "Master Gaemon, the remaining cups."
Aidan sat on a chair next to the covered box and sat the elf on his lap. She was burning with fever.
"Aidan? I feel strange. My arms, they itch," Cythrel mumbled.
He caressed her cheek, "Do you trust me, Cythrel?"
"With my life, husband," She answered, a meek cheeky tone slipping on the last word.
"Let me put these on your arms," He presented the cups to her.
Cytrel raised the stumps of her arms. "HA!" Gaemon shouted, unable to contain his feelings as he understood what was happening. Aidan slipped the two cups like cuffs on the stumps, covering them. Then he activated the final enchantment on them.
"Ah! Ah!" Cythrel gasped and moaned, her magic drained into the cups as the metal grafted on her skin and bound to her. Her eyes rolled, unfocused. Aidan hugged her against his chest.
"She is not in pain," Dawn explained. "She just has to adapt to the new feelings. It is more like an itch or an inflammation than real pain. It will pass soon."
The box underneath the cover shook and jumped as if something tried to push the lid from inside.
"I can feel them," Cythrel mumbled, delirious.
"Yes, yes," Aidan soothed. "Does it hurt?"
The elf sobbed and tears rolled down her face. "No. I can feel them, Aidan!" She crowed in disbelief. "I CAN FEEL THEM!" She rose her mithril-clad arm stumps and exulted.
Dawn removed the cover and took the crystal box to Cythrel. She lifted the lid and the two pieces inside attached themselves to the cups on her forearms. The elf slid out of Aidan''s lap and moved her arms, showing everyone what happened. The women watching made faces of disbelief, surprise, elation.
And Cythrel wiggled her fingers, rubbed them against one another. She reached and touched her own face, feeling, poking her skin. She pinched one hand with another. She traced down from one wrist to the matching mithril cups and then up her own arm. She reached out and grabbed Aidan''s hand.
"What are these?" She asked, breaking the silence, her voice still clad in confusion. "Are these my hands?"
"Yes. These are your hands. The cheat power of the otherworlder may have changed your soul, but two can play this game. Astro and I kept your hands in stasis after the incident. And after that... Do you remember the fragments I took from you when we were... healing Lumina?"
Cythrel nodded then put everything together. "Are these golems?"
Aidan nodded. "They were made from your very flesh and soul. As far as I care, they are part of you. Improved, even. But that''s irrelevant for now. How do you feel, my love?"
She nodded, wiped the tears and smiled.
"I feel whole."
WT 10 - Interspecies Misconceptions
It was a sunny day at the end of the summer. Dawn knocked rather fiercely on an inn door.
"Cythrel! How long are you going to stay cooped up inside your room?"
She put her mouth next to the door frame, shouting past the privacy ward erected in the room. After a while, the door opened. A fairy''s face with vivacious flushed cheeks peeked from the other side, the rest of the person wearing a nightgown.
"What is it?" The elf asked.
After returning from the smithy on cloud nine, Cythrel locked herself in a room. The door only opened to let food and drinks in and the chamber pot out. That was the only cue they had to soothe Pearl that the golems hadn''t gone berserk and murdered their master.
It was awkward to speak with the face glued to the door but Dawn endured. "How long are you going to stay there? It''s been three days! Are your hands working fine?"
"I was just going out to grab something to eat. And yes, my refurbished hands are working awesomely. Did you know they were detachable?" She said with a coy smile.
"Yes, I designed them," Dawn deadpanned, oblivious to the innuendo. "If you are coming, get dressed fast. We are going on an outing today."
"Yessir, your Highness ma''am sir!" Cythrel saluted. "One elf lady, coming out right away."
Dawn let the door close and went on with her day. Staying in the same room for days wasn''t good. The room had a funky smell already, she thought as she went down the stairs to eat breakfast with the rest of the group.
"Are you sure you want to come, Pearl? It won''t be nice to revisit that place," At the table, Aidan asked the Princess.
"I have to," Pearl answered with a sigh that denounced the gravity of her decision. "I have to, that''s my sin."
He was amazed at the strength Pearl was showing. Even he was on the verge of tears when he discussed with Sora the need to return there. That night years ago was terrifying. The price they paid to escape, overwhelming.
Dawn joined them and after exchanging their good mornings, ate her food. As she learned every Princess worth her tiara should, she took the tiniest bites out of everything in the table.
"You need a personal maid, darling," Pearl commented in a whisper. "I know how difficult it is for you given your... condition, but you should think about getting one. It is too odd for you to not have your own entourage. I mean, I have Deb and Lola to aid me, but just for the two of us, we should be traveling with at least ten people."
"I found a plethora of spells to assist in one''s personal care in Lumina''s spellbooks," Dawn replied. "My sister too, traveled with very little people to groom her."
"I know," Pearl chuckled once, "Your family is very independent. But you need to act with propriety according to your station, your Highness," She playfully snubbed at the end.
"Once we return, I will request your Highness'' assistance in selecting some maids to aid me," Dawn compromised.
"Good. Now eat your food. I recommend the grain biscuits there. They are made with goat''s foot seed, a grain that only grows in one place in the entire world, the mountains of Gohar," She explained proudly. "In the palace, we put glazing over them to make them look good."
Dawn took one of the biscuits and bit. It was dry, crunchy, but had that strong nutty flavor and a warming aftertaste.
"I bet the glazing keeps them from crumbling," Dawn commented after she regained the ability to speak.
"It does," Pearl replied, amused. "How did you like them?"
"Delicious! I think I''ll get some seeds for the Elder Fairy''s garden. Would you mind?"
Pearl''s eyes became predatory, "Are you trying to steal one of our country''s treasures? That''s war right there, Dawn."
The two stared at each other for a while.
"Are they going to make out anytime soon?" Cythrel''s voice broke the silence. "I''m hungry."
Dawn stifled a snort and then both Princesses laughed.
"You can''t have the seeds. And don''t steal them behind my back," Pearl concluded.
"Boring," Cythrel booed. "They''re catfighting for seeds? They better be Yggdrasil''s pinecones. Oh, cookie!"
"Would you mind telling us why you locked yourself in for three days?" Sora asked.
"I wouldn''t mind, but do you really want to know?" Cythrel grabbed one wrist and pulled the golem out. "These babies are detachable and remote-controlled," She explained, waving the still-moving hand. "Perfect for reaching awkward spots and scratching one''s back."
"I don''t--"
"I lived one year without hands, Sora!" Cythrel sighed. "I had some catching up to do, okay? Do you want me to draw you a picture? Mou!"
"I think it won''t be necessary, Cythrel," Aidan interrupted. "Are you coming with us?"Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Yesh, mai mam," She answered with the mouth dry because of the cookie.
"You''re right, Darling. I''m asking Deb to teach the cook how to do the glazing," A somewhat disgusted Pearl decided.
After breakfast, the ladies went on their own to get ready for the trip. Aidan took Cythrel to his room for a talk. He sat down on a chair and the elf unceremoniously took his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her skirt dangled down in a crumpled mess.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her.
She gave him a sultry stare and then kissed his lips. "Better," she whispered and opened a mischievous grin. "And I know just how we can improve on it."
Her innuendo was obvious. That she was gazing at the main furniture of the room was not even noticed.
"That''s not what I meant. Your mana. These golems have quite the upkeep."
She blinked, bit her lower lip, and sighed. "It is not worse than the Headmaster slaving me to charge his cores. I''m used to it," She replied, dismissive.
"Good," Aidan smiled knowingly. It was less empathetic than what she wished and had some evil mastermind undertones.
"You put me to that!" Cythrel accused. "You had the Archmage give me all those exercises!" She slapped his shoulders and chest. "Do you have any idea how many nights I spent with a headache from mana exhaustion!" Aidan just endured her outrage. It angered her even more. "Say something!"
"Guilty as charged, milady," He was barely suppressing his mirth.
Pouting, she turned her face away from him, slapping his face with her golden hair. After a minute or so of silence, she mumbled. "Make it up to me." He didn''t respond. In fact, he didn''t move at all for a few moments. "Husband?"
He blinked. "Sorry. I really need to get some handmaids. These dresses are a bother to don alone."
She slapped his shoulder again. "Don''t you dare girl talk to me, mister! You''ll ruin the mood!"
"What mood?"
"The one in which we fight and then have make-up---"
"Not happening," He deadpanned. "Your hands. Mana upkeep. Drain. Status report."
"As I told you already, I''m fine," She answered, angry. "It is not worse than Astromelicus'' exercises. I think it will even improve my mana affinity. There, happy?"
"You know, I''m just--"
"Being a human, that''s what you are doing. Grandfather Oak, it is so irritating," She vented. "What is wrong with enjoying the moment for a while before getting to the main point? No, it is a hurry to go from here to there, then back here and then over there. You''re like worker ants, you know? Crawling all over endlessly."
She could see he was holding back his laughter. He''d get a point for restraint and then lose ten for restraint. "Woe is you, industry."
Aidan sighed, lowered his head and then grabbed the small of her back. He pulled her tight and ran the tip of his nose softly through her long neck, raising all kinds of odd sensations. Startled, she just mumbled some vowels.
His trip ended at the tip of her ear. He paused, letting his breath do the job for him. Cythrel couldn''t even think straight. She waited for him to say something but he just kissed behind the place where her jawbone met the neck. His nose never broke contact and he went up and behind her ear, diving underneath her hair. Her heart raced and she felt like a small rabbit out in the open with a tiger. A hungry one.
"You only got half of us figured out, little elf," He whispered. "Humans only lose in lust to orcs. Don''t you think I want to trace every single inch of your fair skin, milady? That I don''t wish to dive with you in those white sheets? I want to pay back every single tease from the last year, my little Cythrel. Can''t you read me? Do sense me, my dear. What is my body telling you."
As if she could say something. Her mind was elsewhere deeply absorbed in the sensations, taking its time to digest the words he spoke. It was as if her whole skin was tingling, some places more than others. That he didn''t stop nibbling her neck and ear didn''t help at all. Even remembering to breathe was a daunting task. Gone was the gentleman, a lower noble but still a noble. In his place awoke something primal. She... didn''t dislike this other Aidan. After a while, she got an answer.
"I''m sorry. Too many petticoats to sense anything. But..." She paused, met his eyes, and spoke with the sweetest voice she ever made, "Thank you. Let me tell you one thing about us elves then, human."
She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Our ears are too sensitive. And now I need a change of undergarments."
He chuckled. Cythrel used that time to catch up on her breathing. She touched her forehead to his and kept staring into his eyes. Elves were sensitive to magic, and the quality of the Cosmos mage''s had a depth that threatened to suck her in. She could stare at those mysterious pupils forever.
"Before you go," He broke the silence, "I really need to check how you are adapting to your hands. Sora and I are in the common room waiting for Pearl to get ready so we don''t have much time."
"After our delving, could we come back here and do another kind of delving?" She negotiated.
"We can see what comes by. Now, excuse me."
He touched her solar plexus, a requirement for his spell to draw her soul effigy out. Cythrel always thought annoying that the effigy seemed to be naked but fuzzy enough to not show the important bits. Her affinity orbs circled around the effigy but now two thin lines were going from her heart to the stubs of her forearms. The golems didn''t show up and that made her feel a bit bitter. These days she adapted to them so much that she sometimes even forgot that she was wounded.
"So, how long do I have to live, doctor?" She teased.
"Anywhere from seven hundred to a thousand years, miss," He reported matter-of-factly. "I can see some strain in your mana affinity, tiny cracks in the orb but nothing your own healing can''t help with. It will definitely grow bigger. If you feel anything strange, please tell me."
She felt the urge to joke about what he thought would grow bigger now that he was basically staring at her chest but it wasn''t the proper timing.
"I... just... did," She bashfully replied. Steeling herself, she pushed her embarrassment away. "I didn''t get to thank you properly. This is fantastic and something only you could pull off. I mean, Pearl told me how much you spent on me and..."
She blinked away the moisture. Now it wasn''t the time for that.
"You saved our lives, silly girl. I would drive a kingdom or two into bankruptcy for you. Not out of gratitude. I did this because I love you."
And his eyes were deadly serious. Aidan wasn''t a "good guy" like the heroes of legends. He was very comfortable in his own gray zone. Cythrel feared what he would be capable of if the world betrayed him. Given that he held the potential to kill deities and the ultimate form of magic, she was very concerned with steering him into the lighter shades of gray.
It also meant that Sora and she had to become stronger. They couldn''t be liabilities, weak points, trophy wives.
"Now that I got a clean bill of health, could you teach me how to use these babies'' hidden powers? I know there is a lot hidden in here. Like these depressions here, they look awfully like the core sockets in your spell diagrams."
Aidan was amused. "You got me. They are for cores. We tried to design the cores to stay inside but without a truly living force, the cores would degrade. And as for abilities, or ''hidden powers'', there''s plenty. First, Your forearms and they are as hard as enchanted mithril. There are only three things I know that can damage them. Adamantite, Dragonbreath, and Ether. So if you are in a fight, you can use the golems to parry blows. Even if they take some damage, they will repair themselves."
And then he started to ramble about all the other dozen or so features he imbued in the golems. Or so he would haven''t Pearl barged in.
"Ceres'' mercy, you are clothed," She sighed relieved. "We have to go. Now."