17 A Royal Proposition

Jin clenched his hand around his wooden sword's hilt before lunging forwards again. He could almost feel Theresa's sigh, as she twisted her body around his stab attack, and spun behind him. With one quick flick, she knocked his back, and brought him to his knees.

"Take a break already." Theresa said.

"One more." Jin repeated, for the fifth time.

Jin noted Theresa's concerned expression. Still, he stood to continue the "training". He didn't want to stop. He wanted to keep going til the aching in his heart disappeared.

"Sure. After I have myself a water break." Theresa said before sheathing her sword and walking over to some nearby crates. Jin's hand trembled with anger. All he wanted was to let off some steam, was that so wrong?

Well, "steam" didn't usually last more than a few days. This was the third day since he had fought the yargoth, and he still felt terrible.

"Jin." Theresa spoke up. "It's been a few days, and you still haven't told me anything about it."

"So?" Jin muttered, looking away.

"So, I can't help if I don't know what happened." She said, with a concerned expression. Jin looked up at her, but looked back down immediately when their eyes made contact.

He didn't want to think about it. Whenever he thought back to that fight, all he could see was the yargoth's claw scraping down Viscerin's back.

"I..." Jin said, trying to find the courage to speak further. "I failed."

"Failed what?" Theresa asked.

"I failed my friend." Jin let out, causing a slight shiver to go through his body. "We went on a hunting mission for the guild. A monster appeared out of nowhere. It almost killed us, and... My friend was hurt."

"Did this friend die?"

"No." Jin replied.

"Then be grateful." Her eyes turned slightly distant. "These things don't usually go that well." There was a brief silence, before Theresa cleared her throat. "So, what was the monster like?"

"It's called a yargoth. I read about it in a book, back in the forest. Black skin, large claws, wings that double as arms, red, glowing eyes. And, it has this weird ability, where it can harden parts of its body. It was giant too."

"That..." Theresa's eyes widened. "It couldn't be the same..." She whispered. "No, it has to be. Although, mine wasn't that big..." She continued to mutter. "Jin, what else do you know about that beast? Its origin? Its weaknesses?" She sounded desperate.

"Uh," Jin tried to remember what he'd read. "The book only said that they appear when 'the magic in Azeria is unstable', whatever that means." Jin shrugged. "As for weaknesses... I'd say surprise attacks are the only way to kill it. The only reason we survived was because my friend shot an arrow at it, at just the right time."

"When the magic in Azeria is unstable..." Theresa repeated. She looked distraught, her hand caressed her chin as her eyebrows furrowed. "It is said that magic is what created this world. It doesn't obey our laws, things like cause and effect don't apply to it, and thus, thousands of years ago, one day, magic simply spawned into existence, with nothing to make it. That force came together, and became sentient, forming the Goddess of Creation, Charlotte. She was magic incarnate." Theresa was pacing back and forth as she spoke. "She created Azeria, its wildlife, and the elves and demons. At some point, she either died or disappeared or ascended to some sort of paradise. No one knows which, but what we do know, is that her transition dispersed her magic into the world, and that is why we have mages, ice-wolves, thunder-bears, psycheons, among other things."

"I really don't..." Jin tried to interrupt her, but she continued.

"Magic retained its ability to defy reality, or maybe create reality, but never did so, until..." She stopped, as if she had arrived to some conclusion. "Until it became unstable, in the second era, and created the terreth, and the celestials. Entirely new races, just appeared one day, as if on a whim. Does that mean these 'yargoth' are a new race?" She shook her head. "If they are, then why did they disappear the last time they were here? I doubt an ancient society could have defeated a collective of them. There has to be something more to them..."

Suddenly, a commotion started in the distance. Jin turned towards it, his eyes landing on a crowd that was gathering near the northern gate. Several citizens, whispering to each other, with faces of... Concern? Anticipation? Anxiety? Jin couldn't tell.

Even the guards seemed nervous.

Theresa turned towards them as well, with one eyebrow arched.

"Hm? What's this?" She asked, and without another word, she moved towards them.

"H-Hey, wait for me!" Jin yelled, but she didn't hear him. He looked back towards the gate, but couldn't see past the crowd. Clicking his tongue, he scanned his surroundings until he found some wooden barrels placed in a triangle formation to the crowd's left.

He jogged over to them, and hopped on top of one, hoping it wouldn't break. With this, he could see over the citizen's heads.

Immediately as he stood on the barrels, a cart rolled into view. Jin squinted his eyes at it, he had seen a few carts here and there, but this one was different.

Red fur, and metal frames lined its edges. The horses that pulled it forwards were entirely white, to an almost blinding degree. Another way this cart stood out, was its walls. The carts Jin had seen didn't have any, but this cart had two walls on both sides, decorated with some strange symbol.

A red and gold symbol, composed of three circles with an eye in the center.

He scratched his head as the cart came in, and along with it came multiple carts just like it. What was he watching?

The crowd had been completely silenced though. And, as the cart came to a halt, Jin noticed Theresa in the distance, tapping her foot against the ground. Even she looked nervous. Jin wasn't sure she was even capable of such a feeling.

One of the cart's doors opened. From it, came two figures that made Jin's jaw drop.

One was a girl who was probably around Jin's height. She had to be around Jin's age as well, he thought. Her eyes were a deep amethyst, her hair was a sort of brownish grey, and her skin was pale and smooth. She wore a white dress, that hugged her thin frame tightly. She looked like a more... dream-like version of Viscerin.

She stepped aside, and from behind her, came a taller, slightly older looking woman. But, she was no less beautiful. In fact, her aged, experienced look almost added to her beauty. She had the same amethyst eyes, and wore the same dress, but her hair was black. Her skin was slightly wrinkled, and her smile carried a sense of confidence to it. And, unlike the younger girl, her ears were pointed, like Theresa's.

Jin almost fell off the barrel.

The crowd, still silent, began to kneel collectively. Even Theresa joined in the gesture. Who was this person, to command such authority? Jin wondered.

The older woman cleared her throat, and all eyes floated up to her.

"Greetings, citizens of Nova. I am deeply sorry that I have not the chance to engage with you, in the same pleasant manner you'd usually expect from me, but I am short on time, and I carry with me a grave proposition I must make to all of you. As many of you know, I have spent some time up north, negotiating with the demons for their aid in our war against the Griffins. I am sad to say, that the negotiations did not bear fruit. And thus, I find myself on a return journey to the capital. However, the Griffins took this moment to strike, and now, I find myself without an adequate amount of soldiers to defend me, and my daughter who travels with me. And so, I must ask of you, citizens of Daysinn Village, are any of you willing to aid me in my time of need?"

She spoke with an elegance Jin hadn't encountered yet. Theresa would be the most comparable, but even she fell miles short of the bar this woman had just set. Immediately as she stopped, every citizen began asking all sorts of questions that Jin couldn't quite internalize. They looked even more nervous than before. Jin feared that if he weren't so ignorant of the world's state, he would be nervous as well. But, as of now, he felt nothing. Only a great sense of amazement at the sight of this woman.

She lifted one hand up, and instantly, all speaking ceased.

"I understand my request is sudden. I will remain here for one day, to give myself, my daughter, and my soldiers a moment of rest. Tomorrow morning, we leave for the capital. Anyone willing to assist me, need only show up in front of my caravan. Good day." She bowed, lifting her white dress by its sides, before turning and entering the cart once again. Her daughter entered behind her, and the cart's door closed, cutting them off from the outside world.

What had just happened?

The caravan began moving further into the village, and once again conversations started. Jin could see people dressed in light armor, carrying basic weapons, arguing amongst each other. He could see guards pacing around. He saw villagers clamoring about those 'negotiations'.

Theresa walked back to him, and lightly grabbed his arm.

"Let's get something to eat." She said, before dragging Jin back to the inn.

...

"That was the queen of Nova." Theresa stated. Jin spat out the water he was drinking.

"What!?" Images of the storybooks he read flashed before his eyes. Almost all of them involved kings and queens, with some world-ending problem usually being the crux of the story. That was the queen of this nation!?

"Yes. I assume you know about the war by now?" Theresa asked. Jin shrugged. "Well, as we speak, Nova is at war with Griffin's Sight. The war is in a stalemate though, and up until now, the queen was negotiating with the demons up north, to hopefully turn the tide in our favor. But, those negotiations failed." She gulped down a large portion of water from her own tin cup. "This is trouble. Things are even right now, but without the demons to help, the Griffins could end up winning this war. And if the queen herself is killed..." She looked up at Jin. "Ah, well, I'm sure you don't understand what this means. You see, this queen was made the official queen of Nova just two years ago, when King Nathaniel divorced the past queen. In just one year, under..." Theresa shook her head, "... anyway, she became very popular. Extremely popular, because of her appearances within the poorer communities all throughout Azeria. In just two years, she has essentially, become the face of Nova. For her to fall, even though it wouldn't have an effect on the war directly, it would crush the spirits of Nova's people. And that, could absolutely have a direct effect on the war."

As she finished speaking, the inn's front door opened. Jin turned towards it, to his left, and almost dropped his cup when he saw one, elegant woman, wearing a white dress walking in.

Several of the citizens inside the inn, immediately stood and knelt down.

"Ah, it has been some time since I've walked inside a common inn. I've missed the cozy feeling." The queen said. Although he'd remained neutral before, now that he knew who this was, he was just as stunned as the other citizens. He was even more stunned however, when she began walking towards his table. "Ah! Do my eyes deceive me?" She exclaimed.

Theresa stood from her chair, and bowed towards the approaching woman.

"Your grace." She said, with a more professional tone than Jin had ever heard her employ.

"Please, Theresa. You need not use such formalities with me." To the Theresa's surprise, the queen hugged her. "I've missed you, taisen." Jin didn't recognize that last word, but he did note Theresa's intense blush. This was the first time he'd seen her like this.

"I-I don't think..." Theresa looked away. The queen chuckled, but even as she laughed she maintained her overwhelming sense of eloquence.

"Even if you don't wish it so," What she did next, stunned everyone in the room. The queen got on one knee in front of Theresa. "You will always be my taisen, Theresa."

"P-Please, your grace, stand!" Theresa whispered. The queen giggled once more, with a sound that was far more adequate for a girl Jin's age, before she stood.

"Alright, alright." Her face, while still maintaining a cordial smile, became slightly more serious. "But, now that I've seen you, I'd like to speak with you."

Theresa nodded, and gestured towards the table, where Jin sat. The queen's eyes landed on the yellow-eyed young man. She tilted her head as she gracefully walked over to him.

"Ah? Are you and this boy..."

"I'm just training him." Theresa said.

"Really? So, does that mean you've put what happened with..."

"No." Theresa said, with a shaking voice. "But I'm trying to." She whispered.

The queen nodded, and approached Jin, extending one hand in his direction, with her palm aimed down.

"Greetings, my name is Cerena Bravilion. Any fellow student of Theresa is a friend of mine." What did that mean? Jin looked towards Theresa, who was holding her own hand up and kissing the back of it. Oh, was he supposed to do that?

Jin leaned forwards and planted a small kiss on the back of Cerena's back. She seemed a little surprised.

"You didn't even flinch." She commented. "This is a dangerous boy you've found yourself, Theresa."

"No, he's just very ignorant." Theresa said.

"I'm right here, you know." Jin said.

"As I was saying," the queen continued, before taking a seat to Jin's right. Theresa sat down opposite him. "You heard me speak of my... Issue, yes?"

"Yes." Theresa replied.

"Well, then there isn't much to say. I need you, Theresa." The queen stated. "My soldiers are few, and the ones remaining are far from my best. The only real help I've got left are but three Saviors I took with me. I had originally taken four."

"The Griffins killed a Savior?" Theresa asked. She sounded legitimately shocked.

"Who are the 'Saviors'?" Jin asked.

"The most elite knights in all of Azeria." Theresa promptly answered before turning her attention back to the queen. "When did they become so ferocious?"

"Truth be told, I doubt they could have killed him if we had been fresh, but these past few weeks we've been running from these strange monsters we kept encountering. The savior in question had already been wounded before the battle that did him in." The queen said. For a moment, Theresa locked eyes with Jin.

"These monsters, could you describe them?"

"Certainly." The queen answered. "Black skin, glowing red eyes, large wings. One of them, we fought two, had the ability to control the weather. It could summon thunderstorms, or make the air unbearably cold. The other could summon several ice beams around its head."

"What?" Theresa pulled back. "I... I see."

Jin didn't miss the details, or why Theresa was so concerned. These yargoth had different abilities than the ones they had faced.

"So, you understand why I'm in need of your assistance?" Cerena asked.

"O-Of course, I understand completely." Theresa paused for a moment. "But, I have a duty now. I've promised this boy," she gestured towards Jin, "that I'd train him. Make him as strong as he could be. With all due respect, your grace, it is his decision whether or not I go with you."

The entire inn seemed to gasp at her words.

"Really?" The queen seemed surprised. "But, why don't you both go with me?"

"Your grace, he is far from ready. If he went on this journey, I fear he wouldn't live through it. If even a Savior was killed..."

"Hm..." The queen went silent for a moment. "I see." Another pause ensued, before an idea appeared in the queen's mind. "Well, how's this?" She turned her attention to Jin. "Young man, what do you know of magic? Can you cast it?"

"Not much." Jin shrugged. "And I only know one spell."

"Ah, but you are capable. You are already at an advantage, only about one in four elves can cast magic." Jin surpressed the urge to say that he wasn't a full elf. However, how perceptive was this woman that she identified Jin's ever so slightly pointed ears? "Well, I offer you this. If you come with me, and we all make it to the capital, I will give you a full scholarship to Nova's Grand Academy." She proclaimed with a slightly smug expression.

Theresa's eyes went wide.

"You're serious?" She exclaimed.

"You should know by now how stubborn I am." Cerena indicated. "Even up north, I didn't give up until they threatened to toss me out of the city by force. I will have you come with me, Theresa." She stated, before turning back towards Jin. "Well boy, what do you say?"

"Let him consider it." Theresa spoke up. "He's never heard of the academy. He can't make a decision right now."

Cerena looked displeased. She closed her eyes and stood.

"Very well. You have until tomorrow morning, as the rest of the villagers do. I trust you will arrive at a satisfactory conclusion." She said, before turning and walking away.

Decena's POV

What had she just seen? Decena found herself crouched against her wall, with her eyes bulged. Had they come for her? No, of course not. Why would the queen travel to this painfully average village, just for her? It wasn't like she was the only murderer in Nova, and she was serving her sentence at this very moment. Exile. That was the decision the king had come to. Had he changed his mind?

More importantly, why did she care? If this were happening a week ago, Decena may have simply walked up to the queen and asked her for death herself. But instead, she felt a cold shiver passing by her heart.

Another thing that shocked her was, she didn't recognize this queen. She looked different. Was this even the same person who had, maybe, convinced the king to exile her? The only reason she knew this was the queen was because of that symbol on the carriage. Was this a new woman, seeking to eliminate all remnants of the previous queen's decisions?

Her shock and confusion started this morning, when she paced through the dirt streets of the village, looking for fresh food to buy. She wanted to try new things, maybe see the village in a new light.

Boy, did that go well eh?

Instead, she came dangerously close to someone who could execute her on the spot with no repercussions.

A knock sounded at her door. She breathed, trying to calm herself down. She told herself not to worry, of course the queen wasn't here for her. Why would she be? Even if they were going to execute her, and overturn the decision they'd made, why would they send the queen? And her daughter, apparently.

She laughed at herself, for freaking out like that before walking up to the door. How foolish she'd been.

She opened the front door, and her jaw sank when she saw a middle-aged woman, with amethyst eyes, and brownish grey hair standing in front of her.

"Red hair, very young, angry look on your face. Yes, I'd say it's you." She said. "Hello, Decena~" The queen said in a sing-song voice.

She almost fell to her knees.

"W-W-W..." She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth.

"Please dear, I've been walking all day. My legs are killing me, could you, maybe, allow me to sit somewhere?"

"Y-Yeah." Decena squeezed out of her throat, before stepping aside. She almost tripped and fell.

The queen walked in, and immediately, her face crunched up with disgust at the condition of Decena's home. She wandered over to the living room table, and sat on one of the chairs. The only moderately clean part of the house.

"Well, I'd say this is just about the kind of home I would expect an exiled murderer to live in." She stated.

Decena's discomfort turned into anger. She approached the table and sat down on the opposite end.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"My, the venom in your words is surprising. Have you forgotten who you're speaking to?"

"I... I don't care." Decena replied.

"Clearly you do. Maybe at one point you didn't. I was informed of your rather blank face on the day of your trial. But now, something has changed, has it not?" The queen giggled. "Ah, but pardon me, I've been on edge these past few days. I'm afraid I've made a bad first impression. Oh dear." She said. Suddenly, her face turned stoic. Business-like. "I'll have you know, I'm not fond of making deals with murderers. But, at this moment, I find myself in desperate need. So, I have to do this. I need you to come with me, and protect me on my journey to the capital." She said.

Decena resisted the urge to laugh.

"Why would I?" She said. "Out of the kindness of my heart?" She felt a sense of victory rising within her. She'd imagined herself cursing the king and queen of Nova in her dreams before, and now she'd have the chance to do so. "Am I not a cruel, and cold murderer?" She asked, leaning forwards, getting closer to the queen.

The queen smiled, and quickly brushed her index finger against Decena's bottom lip. Decena yelped and pulled back, causing the queen to burst into laughter. She was almost crying. A furious blush appeared on Decena's face.

"Threatening people doesn't suit you, dear." The queen said. "I've conducted deals with mercenaries, slavers, bandits and the like. Did you really believe a teenager could intimidate me? No. Especially, when I know why it is that you committed your crime." The queen placed her elbow on the table, and her hand on her chin. Decena was still reeling. "I was told of what happened. A man took the one you loved, you fought to get her back, he killed her, you killed him. Let's be honest, you aren't a cruel and cold person. You're just someone who lost something dear to them, and wanted revenge for it." The queen said, before holding one finger up. "But, you didn't lose everything." Decena's eyes shot back up to the queen's. What? What was she saying? "Yes, you lost the one you loved, but, the one who gave you shelter, took you in and raised you as her own... She still lives."

Verana. Decena thought. Her adoptive mother. She had almost forgotten about her over these past few years, but the instant the queen mentioned her, Decena found herself back at that dirty, cobblestone street, walking inside a bathhouse, ran by a woman with pitch-black hair, and an apathetic expression. The woman who'd show Decena a kindness she didn't think possible. Suddenly, she looked up at the queen, with a grave expression on her face.

"No, I'm not threatening to kill her." The queen cleared up. "Rather, I'm making you a simple offer. Mutual exchange. You come with me, protect me, and ensure both my safety and my daughter's, and I pardon your charges. You can walk the streets of Nova, freely, once again."

"What? No, the king is the one who,"

"No. I have the right to pardon charges as well. The king may, if he wishes, overturn my decision, but I doubt he would. When I was researching you, he was the first person I asked. He didn't even remember your name. Why would he be mad about me pardoning someone he can't even place in his thoughts?" The queen said. Decena looked down.

"Why? Why me? I'm..."

Suddenly, a hand lifted Decena's face. She was standing dangerously close to one of the most powerful women in all of Azeria. When did the queen even stand up?

"Decena, I know about your exploits. I became queen just two years ago, before that, I was a woman of the people. Just like them, The Red Knight was a figure I idolized. A peasant who was developing into a force even the nobles feared? How could one not respect such a person. I'll admit, I was among the most disappointed when I heard about your crimes, and your exile. But, I have not forgotten how good you were with your sword. It is because I'm armed with that knowledge that I have chosen to find you, and make this request. I need your skills, and I'm willing to forgive your crime to get them. You have until morning to make a choice. Please, choose wisely."

With that, the queen walked away, leaving a confused and conflicted Decena standing in the middle of a dark house.

Ker'Tallen's POV.

He was insane for even thinking of this, truly, but today, he'd seen something that he could not ignore. Was this the opportunity he'd been looking for?

He rubbed his right, clawed hand against his green, scale-ridden arm. A hiss escaped his reptilian mouth. It would be a miracle if he wasn't killed on the spot. But still, this was the kind of opportunity that merited such a bold action.

He could still remember the feeling of that damned metal collar around his neck. He had risked everything to escape from that nightmarish place, and arrived here, successfully. However, he hadn't entered the village yet. He feared that he'd be killed immediately.

He wasn't ignorant. He understood that it was his country, his race that these people feared. Still, even if he were to die here, it would be better than life as a slave.

But, if he were to achieve what he wanted... Was that queen's offer genuine? Would she accept all help, no matter who offered it? He'd heard her speak from just outside the village walls, and when she spoke, his heart raced at the thought of it. This was it. He could make a better life for himself, finally.

Walking in the village, all eyes immediately locked onto him. He expected this, and thus, he confidently continued his stride, until a guard stood in front of him.

He looked at Ker'Tallen with eyes that screamed "are you stupid or something?"

"You're coming with me, beast." The guard said. Well, at least he didn't kill him. That was a start.

Ker'Tallen simply nodded, and extended his hands, which the guard quickly placed handcuffs on.

Walking through the village, with this guard pulling him forwards, he noted how bright everything was compared to his former home. There were so many trees. So many animals.

Back in Griffin's Sight, you couldn't see over five feet in front of you because of all the sand. He knew the entire world wasn't a desert, but to see this much... Green. It was mesmerizing.

The guard led him to a large building. Was this their version of a castle? The one in Griffin's Sight was so much more... Crude. This one seemed lush, with windows allowing air to breath through the structure, a bridge leading into it, almost saying "hey, look how awesome we are!" But, he couldn't deny that this was an amazing sight.

The mountains in the distance, the grass beneath the bridge, yes. He could call this place home.

... If they didn't execute him, of course.

They entered the castle, and again, all eyes fell on him. It was getting a little redundant at this point. Had these people never seen a beastman? Although, to be fair, "snake-heads" as they were often referred to as, were rare, even back in Griffin's Sight.

They walked along a vast hallway, until they ended up at room that held several doorways leading to other places, butlers who looked deathly shocked to see Ker'Tallen, and a few chairs near the back of the room. Thrones, he assumed. However, they were vacant.

Instead, the man Ker'Tallen assumed owned this place was speaking to the woman who had ignited that hope inside of Ker'Tallen. The queen.

This was it. Either he'd die here, or he'd find a new purpose. A new life.

"Uh, sir." The guard spoke. "This Griffin, we found him just kind of... wandering around the village."

Everyone's faces showcased different emotions. The king, Ker'Tallen assumed he was the king anyway, seemed shocked. The butlers were deathly scared. The queen, to his surprise, seemed amused. That scared Ker'Tallen more than anything else he'd encountered so far. What kind of person was she?

"Yes?" The king (maybe) said. "Was... Was that it?"

"Yes. He was just sort of... Walking around." The guard shrugged.

"Truly?" The queen, the woman dressed in white, who almost blinded Ker'Tallen with her radiance, said. She began taking several steps towards Ker'Tallen. A guard walked up to her, and tried to hold her back, placing his hand on her shoulder.

If looks could kill, the one the queen gave him, would have splattered his entrails all over the room. He quickly apologized and stepped back.

The queen smiled, and continued pacing towards Ker'Tallen. This was truly a fearsome woman.

The woman of Griffin's Sight were rough, sure, but this was a different kind of toughness. How could someone be so sure of themselves?

"What's your name?" She asked. Ker'Tallen cleared his throat. He'd been practicing this moment for months, ever since he first ran away.

"Ker'Tallen." He answered in his guttural voice.

"You are from Griffin's Sight?"

"Yes." He replied.

"You are a soldier?"

"No." Ker'Tallen glanced down at his stained, dirty tunic, and ripped pants. How could anyone believe him to be a soldier? "I was a slave."

"Ah? Was?" She said. "No longer?"

"I ran way." He said. "I betrayed my country." He stated. Murmurs started. This was good, he needed them to talk, to discuss him. To change what they thought.

"So, why are you here? Why didn't you simply live the rest of your days out in the wild?"

The moment of truth.

"By pure coincidence, I arrived here today, as you did. I heard you speak. I heard you make your offer. I," he took a few steps forwards. Several guards unsheathed their swords, but the queen held her hand up, stopping them. "I wish to accompany you, to land my sword to you." He said, before getting on both knees and bowing his head.

"I think you mean, 'lend', and you don't seem to have a sword to give." Ker'Tallen quickly assumed she was denying his request, but just as he was about to plead his case, she began laughing. "Well, well. This is truly interesting indeed. How do I know you're not a spy, dare I ask? How do I know you aren't lying? How do I know you will not slit my throat as soon as I turn my back?"

The way she said it, Ker'Tallen could tell that she didn't believe any of that would happen. That confidence, it did not cease to surprise Ker'Tallen.

"Chain me. Restrain me. But allow me to prove myself, through my actions."

"That's all nice and good, but I don't even know if you'd be a decent fighter to have." The queen said. "Here," With complete ease, she unsheathed a guards sword faster than he could stop her, and threw it at Ker'Tallen. Everyone gasped. More guards unsheathed their own swords, and stepped forwards but she stopped them.

"It has been some time since I sparred." The queen said, before taking someone's sword from their hands. "Come at me, Ker'Tallen, I will judge your prowess."

Was she joking? No. Her smirk, her squinted eyes, her laid back stance, all indicated that this was no joke.

"My queen, I don't think," the man she had been speaking with started.

"Silence." She ordered. No one spoke. Ker'Tallen was impressed. In Griffin's Sight, if a woman were to tell a man to be silent, she'd have her head cut off. Of course, many of them still did it, but here, no one moved.

He had to respect her will.

Was Ker'Tallen a good fighter? Well, the guards who tried to stop him from running away would say so. If they weren't dead.

He held his sword in both hands, and nodded at the queen, as if asking her "Are you ready?"

She nodded back, and he lunged forwards. He went to stab her, although he planned to stop his blade just before reaching her stomach.

Instead, displaying an agility Ker'Tallen didn't expect, she spun and landed the side of her blade against Ker'Tallen's head, hitting him like a punch and only slightly cutting his green skin. What kind of a technique was that?

"Again." She said.

He ran forwards, and went for a vertical slice. Effortlessly, the queen raised her blade and deflected it. He tried to slash her waist, and again, she avoided it.

Strike after strike, he couldn't get through her defenses. She wasn't a perfect fighter, she slipped up from time to time, but she was insanely skilled. Finally, she pushed him back with a single kick to the stomach that knocked the wind out of him.

It was only then, as she raised her pale leg that he realized, or rather, remembered, that this entire time, she was fighting in a dress. If he fought in a dress, he would be cut down immediately. Still, with her mobility hampered, she still beat him.

"You are skilled." She said with a strained voice. Despite her victory, she was certainly tired. "I will entertain your request for now."

She tossed her sword down, and nonchalantly went back to speaking with the man, who stood with his mouth wide open.

Ker'Tallen understood then, why she had fought him. The message was loud and clear.

If he betrayed her, as he did his home country, she'd kill him herself. His respect for this woman grew by the minute.

"Uh," another guard spoke up. "Where do we take him?"

"Keep him here, at the castle where you can keep a close eye on him." The queen quickly answered. "Surely, you must have a guest room? Otherwise, where will I be staying?"

"S-Sure, your grace." The guard bowed and grabbed Ker'Tallen by the shoulder, dragging him to a nearby room.

They went through a large hallway, but all the while Ker'Tallen could only think about how he'd gotten here.

He risked everything when he ran away. He'd let go of his family, his friends, his... Well, it didn't matter. Somehow, this idiotic plan worked. All he could do was see it through.

Mariana's POV

Querida madre,

Ya hoy llegué a mi quinto día en esta ciudad tan extraña. He conocido a muchas personas, y los extranjeros aquí me han tratado muy bien. Espero que hayas recuperado de tu enfermedad, por lo menos un poquito.

Te quiero, Mariana

With dirt all around her, she let go of the quill she held in her right hand. She stood, and began walking over to the nearby post office.

The citizens around her, equally as dirty and tainted as she was, scowled as she moved past them. The truth was, this village had been hell from the moment she walked in.

In just five days, she hadn't been able to secure any sort of safety for the one she left back in that small colony called Corona.

Her mother.

She still remembered the day she left, the way the older woman looked at her, with a mixture of love and hatred. Love, because she was her daughter. Hatred, because she left her in her time of need.

Mariana explained many times that she was leaving to gather funds, to pay for a healer, for her mother's disease to be cured, but her mother couldn't believe it. There weren't any mages in Corona, most people believed they didn't even exist.

But Mariana dreamed the opposite. She held an ember of hope in her heart that there would be someone in the world with the skill to cure her mother. And so, in the dead of night, she left her home.

After several days of walking, a thirteen-year-old girl, alone in the wilderness, she came across this village. It was a magical moment for her, until she realized she'd have to make enough money to pay for a healer before she could return to Corona.

So, she did the only thing she knew how. Stealing.

Now, after she gave her letter to the courier's office in this detestable village, she turned and walked back into the dirt alley she called home.

There, alone, she stripped her ripped clothes off, and put on a black shirt, black pants, and a black mask. The only things she took with her when she left Corona.

Nighttime fell upon this village, and Mariana got to work. Only, this time, she wasn't heading for some random house, she was heading to the largest structure here. The castle.

Normally, it would take months of stealing to garner enough money for anything significant, but today, like a divine light falling on one of those priests she used to mock, an opportunity fell on her lap.

The queen of Nova had come to this village.

Truth be told, she didn't need to do this. She had already acquired a few dozen silver, the her only failure so far had been that embarrassing encounter with the elf. Mariana could almost still feel her cheeks heating up at being treated like such a child. Aside from that though, she'd been pretty successful.

But, she couldn't take a single day further in this place. She hated it. Hated its condescending people, its dirt streets, its hopeless aura.

She wanted to be rid of it.

Also, she didn't know how much longer her mother had. Her mother had been living with this disease for years. She was on her deathbed when Mariana left. Could she save her? If she could, she still wouldn't be able to see it happen personally. The healer would most likely arrive at Corona much faster than she could.

But with this final heist, she could pay the healer for his service, and pay his trip to Corona. She'd have to remain here however, until she got enough money for her own travel, though she could just walk back, but she wasn't too eager to go on such a perilous trip again.

Especially with all this talk of monsters on the roads.

So, here she stood. Gazing up at a window on the side of a stone building, standing just beside the bridge.

The only sound in the air was that of the insects, crawling around the nearby grass.

She began to conduct her usual ritual. One long breath. She flexed her thin shoulders back and forth. She stretched her legs for a moment, and finally, she was forced to stop stalling.

She began by placing her small hands on the edges between each individual stone. The architecture may have looked impressive from a distance, but once you got close to it, you could see each random indentation caused by either sloppy construction workers, or just the flow of time.

She didn't like being so much smaller than everything around her, but it worked in this case.

With a few silent grunts, she propelled herself up the wall slowly. There were three guards to her right, all of them talking amongst each other, laughing about something she couldn't hear. For a castle, the security sure was shoddy.

It took just three minutes for her to reach the window.

With just a single muffled thud, she landed inside. Now, she couldn't even hear the insects. There was a dead silence, save for the man snoring away in the bed to her right.

She began to move across the carpeted room, quickly getting to the door.

This next part was one of the biggest gambles she'd take on this heist. What if she opened the door, only to find guards patrolling the halls? She'd be killed on the spot. Her mother would never receive the help she needed.

But it was the only way, and so, she opened the door slowly.

First, she peeked inside, looking to see if there was someone in her line of vision. She was careful not to let the intruding light hit the sleeping man as she opened the door further.

There was no one here.

She understood that she had gotten insanely lucky, and thus, she had to take advanatage of that luck. With a great quickness, she began to move across the hall, completely exposed.

How did she know where to go? She didn't. All she knew, from hearing the guards speaking to each other before she got to the wall she had to scale, was that the queen was staying in the guest rooms.

She was in the living quarters, so the guest rooms couldn't be much farther away.

She continued, and eventually, voices echoed in the air. A woman, and a young girl, who sounded just a little older than Mariana herself. They seemed to be arguing about something.

The noise came from a room just a few meters down the hall, which now extended into a few sort of, alleys. Behind her, she saw the glow of a torch, and ahead, where the two women were arguing, she heard a door open.

She ran to the side, crouching down in the other hall. She couldn't go anywhere else. She was at her luck's mercy now.

"Mother, I'm telling you, let me fight alongside the soldiers! At least let me act as their healer! You've said many times that I am as skilled with Light Magic as anyone you know."

"I will not have it, Eliara." The older woman said. "You are my only daughter. I cannot risk losing you!"

As they continued to argue, the glow of the torch drew closer. Mariana's heart was about to burst.

"Do you trust me that little, mother?" The younger girl said.

"Of course not, I just..." It sounded like they were moving away. Good! Mariana thought of something, a sly plan to deal with the intruding guard.

As soon as that torchlight drew too close, illuminating her body, and that guard appeared within Mariana's vision, she sprang towards him.

He began to yell, but in an instant, Mariana was behind him. She leapt up, and wrapped her arm around the man's neck. Using her weight, what little of it she had, she tried to pull the man to the ground. He struggled, until Mariana wrapped her legs around his torso, trapping both his arms in the process.

After fifteen seconds, the guard stopped struggling. Mariana let him go. If she kept the hold up any further, she'd kill him. Her old mentor in Corona probably would have told her that should have been her objective from the start, but Mariana hadn't killed anyone before, and she wasn't about to start now.

She spun the guard off her, but didn't stand up. A figure prevented her from doing so. She wanted to scurry away, but her fear froze her.

In front of her, stood two women. One clearly of around forty years, the other much younger. Both were dressed in white nightgowns. Both had purple-colored eyes, and both pairs of eyes were locked on Mariana.

She gulped.

"That was impressive." The older one said, before taking a few steps forward.

"Mother, she might-"

The older one lifted a hand, prompting her daughter to go silent. She walked over to Mariana, and smiled as she extended a hand.

"May I ask what it is you were doing?" The older woman said.

"Mother, is it not clear that-"

Again, she lifted a hand to quiet her daughter.

"I was..." What kind of excuse could she make? She had just rendered a guard unconscious. She was either a thief, or an assassin, clearly. But, she did know that thieves generally received lighter sentences than murderers. That was true no matter what country you were in. So, she decided to do something a thief would never think of. Being honest. "I was going to steal something."

"Steal? What? From whom?" The older woman seemed to be taking a great pleasure in this situation.

"I was gonna get some money... From..." Her already thick accent sounded even weirder with the strain in her throat. She tried to make up a name, lie about who she was going to steal from, but she was paralyzed in front of this woman. Nothing came to mind. "The queen."

The younger woman's mouth opened, but the older woman only smiled when she heard this.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I... I need the money."

"For food? Why not steal food from the tavern, or the inn, or-" With frustration growing inside her, Mariana interrupted the older woman.

"For my mother. She is sick, and needs treatment. I wanted to pay for it." She said, looking down at herself. She wasn't fond of the pity her situation usually garnered, but her life was at risk right now. What else could she do?

"Ah, see, Eliara? This is what speaking with people gets you." She spoke to the girl behind her. "Dear thief, I have a proposition for you~" She said.

Eliara's POV.

"Mother, I don't think it is wise to just let her go." The young girl said, with her arms crossed. Her mother lay on a bed opposite hers, with her arms behind her head.

"Why? Do you believe she will come and steal from us?"

"Not now, but what about on the road? During the journey?" Eliara said.

"Eliara, dear. There are still several lessons you need to learn." Cerena leaned forwards, smiling at her daughter. "One of them, is that generally, people want things. And sometimes, they will do anything they can to get those things. Even if that means behaving in ways they don't usually behave like. She is a thief, but she wants something. To ensure her mother's safety. And to get it, she is willing to stop being a thief. It's every living being's nature."

"But, mother, why do we even want her? Did you see her? She's like, twelve!"

"She snuck in this castle rather easily, did she not? In a battlefield, shadows, people who can move unseen and strike from the darkness, are generally useful."

"But, I..." Eliara couldn't find the words to reply. Not just because there was logic in what her mother was saying, but because she could feel her mother looking at her, as though she were much younger than she was. Even at sixteen, her mother still treated her like a child.

Heck, she treated the thief with more respect.

"Eliara, trust me. I know what..."

"Trust you!?" She snapped. "Trust you!? How about you trust me! I've been telling you for the past hour, about how I know I could be useful to you out there, and you still refuse to see things my way. I'm skilled, mother. You know that!"

"Enough!" Cerena's thunderous voice sent a shiver down Eliara's spine. It wasn't her mother speaking, this was the queen talking. "I've already told you, you will stay in the carriage with me, and that is final!"

Eliara surpressed the tear that threatened to come out of her eye.

"Alright, your grace. Fine." She said, before walking out of the room. She heard Cerena beckon her back, but she ignored her voice.

It was always like this. Whether it was back at Nova's capital, or at Farrah Valor with the demons, her mother always treated her like a child.

She was sick of it. She wanted to run away, she wanted to leave, and never come back, but where would she even go? Even now, pacing through the halls all she could manage was to reach a balcony, where she could see dozens of places, south, north, east and west, but none that she could call home.

"Ah, I thought I had made reservations for this place." A hissing, guttural voice spoke beside her. With fear in her heart, she looked to her right, and found that snake-man from earlier, standing there.

She was about to run away, when the man held a hand up.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't mean to do so." He said. Eliara couldn't see his face very well in the moonlit darkness, but there was a sort of kindness in his voice.

"I'm sorry. I..." It hit her suddenly. What was she doing? This man was a potential spy, a bandit, someone sent to kill the queen, and she was about to engage him in friendly conversation? Ridiculous.

Instead of responding, or just walking away, she turned back towards the plains in front of her.

"Beautiful, is it not?" The man said. "I haven't seen any of it up close, but I'm sure it must all be stunning."

Eliara tried to resist the urge to speak, but a single question appeared in her mind, and her mouth moved before she could stop it.

"Why did you join the queen's mission?"

"Your mother's mission, you mean?"

Eliara didn't respond.

"Well," he continued, "I had nothing else I could do. I escaped from my home country, and I needed to find something better. And, I believe I've found it."

"But, we're at war with you!" Eliara almost yelled. "How could you even,"

"I was a slave." He interrupted her. "I was tortured regularly, I was starving most of the time. It wasn't really that hard to betray them." He said. "Well, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. As brief as this chat was, I found it pleasant. Have a nice night."

Just like that, he walked away. Eliara was left standing there, with numerous questions hanging from the tip of her jaw.

Finally, she sighed, and decided to head back herself.

Jin's POV.

"What do you think?" Jin asked. He was currently sitting down, on his bed, facing Theresa who was standing by the door.

"It's a great opportunity, truly. But, logically speaking, Jin. You are not ready."

"For the academy?" He asked.

"No, for the journey." Theresa said, before moving towards the nearby window. "Jin, we aren't going to be fighting mindless beasts. The queen is being hunted by experienced soldiers. People who have seen more battles than you could dream of. The chances that you will die if you go, are astronomically high."

Jin slouched, looking down at the floor in front of him.

"Tell me about the academy. I know you already explained it, but I just... Don't understand."

"Well, I can see why it would be confusing for you." Theresa said, before turning and walking back towards him. "The academy is a place where people go to learn about various things. The world, history, and magic mostly. Honestly," She sighed, "I can train you well. I have... Experience, but with different teachers and tutors, you will learn faster, and learn more than you could with I."

"You're not doing a good job of not making me want to go." Jin laughed.

"I'm not going to lie to you. Jin, if I'm not mistaken, this is your first real decision since you left your old home. I'm going to give you the tools you need to make the best choice possible."

"Why?" Jin's question seemed to catch Theresa off guard.

"W-What? What do you mean?"

"Why do you care so much about me?" There was no malice behind Jin's words. He was simply curious. Theresa was fidgeting, clearly uncomfortable with the nature of this question.

She turned, and leaned over the window before she spoke again.

"Several years ago, I had an apprentice. Someone I tried to teach everything I knew. Someone I wanted to travel the world with, and watch him grow." Theresa spoke with a clear pain in her voice. "But, one day, this man died in front of my eyes, because I was too bad of a teacher to truly guide him. His death is on me." She spun towards Jin, with a slight humidity in her eyes. "When I met you, I saw traits of him in you. I've never been one to believe in religion much, aside from what is factually correct. But, maybe, just maybe, you are my chance to right that wrong." Her professionalism returned. "It is for that reason that I do not want to leave your side. I do not want to see you die in front of me, as he did. So, I'll tell you this. Whatever you choose, I will stay with you. I will help you become better, as you requested of me."

She turned, and began walking towards the front door.

"You have until tomorrow morning to make a choice. I will be with the queen. You can tell me of your choice then."

And with that, Theresa left.

Jin was left alone, but his head ached slightly. Why couldn't things be more simple?

Instead, here was, not even a month into his stay here, and he was making the biggest choice of his life.

Leave what he knows, or go with the queen and risk almost certain death?

He flopped back onto the bed, staring at the celing above.

At that moment, a single question appeared in his mind.

"What would my mother want me to do?" He asked himself. He wished, of course, that he could simply ask her.

Still though, the answer was clear. It was said to him just before he left for this place.

"She'd want me to go." Jin stated, out loud. "She'd want me to see the world."

Could this journey help him do so? Probably. And, if that academy could teach him new spells, and how to better manipulate the magical forces around him, that objective would be made that much easier to accomplish in the future.

The choice had a clear answer, but there was still something Jin had to take care of before he could leave. A loose end he had to attend to.

So, he put on a black shirt, and left his room.

The night was frosty, and even hugging himself, Jin could still feel the sharp blades of the cold entering his body, but he didn't go any slower. Instead, he continued to walk through the village, until he was standing in front of a small, brown house. There was the faint sense of light coming from one of the windows, so Jin went up and tapped against the front door.

It opened, revealing a middle-aged man with brown hair.

"What do you want?" He asked. Jin could virtually feel the grime on his clothes through the sound of his voice.

"My name is Jin. I'm here to see Viscerin. Could you, tell her I'm here?"

The man scanned Jin up and down, squinting as he made eye-contact with Jin. Jin didn't flinch. What was this man doing?

"You're a brave one, eh?" He laughed. "Though, you'll find my daughter is in no condition for a midnight dance. Sure, I'll get her down here."

The door closed, but opened a few minutes later, revealing a girl in a wheelchair, with bobbed, cinnamon hair.

Those warm feelings returned, though, Jin didn't mind them anymore.

"Jin, what are you...?" She still sounded equally as crestfallen as the last time Jin saw her.

"Viscerin, I'm going away." He said.

Instantly, understanding appeared in her expression.

"The queen thing, right?" She asked. "I heard about that. I had a feeling you'd accept."

Jin knelt down before speaking again.

"Come with me." He said.

"Jin, that'd be pretty hard to do with this thing attached to me. How would I even move?" She laughed. Jin didn't understand, but his face still flushed. "No, Jin. Besides, I've given up fighting."

"What!?" Now Jin was shocked. "You, but..."

"That monster." Her voice broke, ever so slightly as she spoke. "If I'm thankful for anything... It's that, it made me understand something. I'm not my mother. I'm not a fighter. I like archery, as a hobby, but I don't want to go out there and risk my life every day like adventurers often do. Like you will." She said.

"I... I'm sorry." Jin said.

"Why?"

"It was my fault. I should have done something to stop the thing, if I'd...."

"Jin, what happened to me was that monster's fault. Its fault alone." She said. Jin looked up, and his eyes widened when he saw her smiling. "Did you think I've been blaming you this whole time?" She leaned forwards, and before Jin could understand what was happening, she planted her lips against his forehead. "I never blamed you. Heck, if anyone deserves any blame its... I don't even want to say his name." A venom appeared in Viscerin's voice that Jin couldn't believe she was capable of producing. "But, no. I never blamed you. And, actually, I want you to go."

"Why?" It was Jin's turn to ask.

"Because," she smiled at him, "then you can come back, and tell me all about it. I'm still gonna be here, Jin. And heck, when you come back, I'll probably be walking again. So yeah, go. Don't worry about me. Besides! I've started painting!"

She leaned to the side, highlighting a canvas behind her.

"I didn't know art could be this fun!" She said. "So, yeah. Go. I support it. And, understand, you'll always have a friend in this small, little village."

He stood, content with what he heard, but still weirdly in some sort of pain. He turned to leave, but he stopped. An idea came to his mind.

"Viscerin,"

She was startled. She didn't expect him to speak again.

"Yeah?"

"Where's your bow?"

The next day.

Jin strapped his gauntlets on. He sighed as he saw Viscerin's bow lying on the bed, beside his sword. It was time.

He walked downstairs, and all eyes seemed to stick to him, even as he left.

The air had an almost somber tone. Jin couldn't tell why.

He continued, until he reached the southern gate. In front of him, were several different people, a luxurious caravan, and Theresa standing beside it. He nodded to her, she nodded back, and that was it.

His new journey began then and there.