《Witch of Andania》


 Chapter 1: Diplomatic Incident

    ¡°Honored princess Laura. The king requests your presence.¡± A maid-in-waiting bowed deeply as she approached.


    Laura pursued her lips in irritation but ignored the genuflecting servant as she continued strumming on her zither. She had almost completed her latest composition and it would certainly be a perfect masterpiece that would transcend time itself. She was so very close!


    ¡°Please honored princess¡­¡±


    The zither¡¯s string snapped with a loud discordant twang and Laura let out a loud angered scream. The maid-in-waiting trembled fearfully as Laura¡¯s gaze bore into the unfortunate woman.


    ¡°What does father want now? This better be very important!¡± Laura snapped as she slid her fingers across her neck to simulate a decapitating gesture.


    ¡°Please have mercy!¡± the maid cried as she fell to her knees. ¡°The king wants you to meet some suitors who have arrived from foreign lands. He wants to know which man you would prefer.¡±


    ¡°What, again!?! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting carted off with some random lout!¡± Laura¡¯s yell rattled the windows. ¡°This is unacceptable, I¡¯m only sixteen!¡± she sighed before snatching up her broken zither and marching double time towards the throne room.


    The harried maid trailed fearfully behind the furious princess, ¡°Please honored princess, you must wear your veil before entering the room¡­ the outsiders must not see your face.¡± the maid begged.


    Laura smirked as she darted between a pair of stunned guards before they could stop her. ¡°Well, father can punish them just like all the other insolent pigs. Twelve strokes of the whip for anyone that accidently sees my face, wasn¡¯t it?¡± she declared triumphantly as she shoved the gold encrusted doors wide.


    ...


    ¡°As I was saying, Andania shall remain a neutral party in this conflict. We have no wish to be involved in a battle between your empires.¡± Replied Muriel, the grey-haired King of Andania.


    ¡°Saadian will not recognize your fa?ade of neutrality when Vaishyan naval vessels continue docking at your ports. But we will accept your submission if you offer your daughter as tribute for our Emperor¡¯s pleasure.¡± Alarge proud man dressed in priceless silks declared rudely.


    ¡°Vaishya demands that you expel all Saadians from your shores. In return, we will guarantee Andania''s continued survival as a state within our mighty empire through a royal union.¡± Athin haughty scholar retorted from across the room.


    The ambassadors glared furiously at each other and seemed ready to leap at their opponent¡¯s throats. The soldiers escorting them drew their swords as a bloodbath seemed almost inevitable.


    ¡°Please calm down gentlemen. Senseless fighting here will certainly not be beneficial to either of your empires.¡± The aged king pacified. It was at that very moment that Laura burst into the hall, and all eyes turned to gaze at the intruder.


    The Saadian ambassador was the first to recover, ¡°Who is this uncivilized child? What insolence to arrive unannounced!¡± he protested angrily.


    The Vaishyan ambassador smirked at his opponents mistake and bowed mockingly, ¡°Well well, your royal highness. It is certainly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, it appears the rumors of your breathtaking beauty are not understated.¡±


    Laura ignored their comments and strode up to her father, ¡°Why are they even here Father? I refuse to get married to anyone!¡± she protested.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Laura, but the lives of every citizen are at stake and I have to make a difficult decision today.¡± King Muriel sighed as he suddenly seemed ten years older.


    ¡°Well where are the suitors then? Show me your faces instead of hiding behind these ancient pricks.¡±


    ¡°I am Aryan and the third warrior prince of the Vaishya protectorate. I have come today to claim your hand in marriage, your Royal Highness.¡± A young strapping lad of eighteen winters stepped out from behind the Vaishyan ambassador and bowed before Laura.


    The Saadian ambassador narrowed his eyes as he glared with barely veiled hostility at his opponents, ¡°I suggest you consider your options carefully. Our Emperor¡¯s mighty fleet will crest the horizon before the end of the week. Our Emperor always gets what he wants. Unless you submit to us, your tiny island will¡­¡±


    Laura cut off the Saadian ambassador with a dismissive laugh, ¡°What pointless bluster. We will have fed your body to the fishes long before your phantom forces arrive.¡± She then turned to gaze at Aryan, ¡°Well what are you waiting for? Kill your enemies!¡± she commanded arrogantly.


    The Vaishyan prince¡¯s eyes narrowed in anger at Laura¡¯s command, but he could not ignore the Saadian soldiers charging towards his forces. The room exploded with bloody violence as dozens of men began fighting to the death. Aryan danced between his foes and his colorful robes swirled like the feathers of a flamboyant peacock and the Saadian¡¯s fell one by one before his sword, until only the Saadian ambassador remained. Laura smirked while restringing her zither, as the blood of both the battling Saadians and Vaishyans flowed freely. Then she began strumming an experimental tune on her restored instrument, in perfect sync with the screams of the dying.


    ¡°I have diplomatic immunity! This means war!¡± the Saadian ambassador spluttered desperately as Aryan pressed the tip of his blade against his defenseless throat.


    Aryan hesitated and the ambassador sighed in nervous relief. But Laura let out a cold laugh before strumming a single magical note with her enchanted zither. An invisible magical blade shot out and buried itself deep into the horrified ambassador¡¯s gut. The man gasped with disbelief and fell to his knees in agony, but Laura continued strumming her deadly tune. Even Aryan was forced to leap away in shock as multiple attacks passed close enough to graze his armor.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Enough!¡± yelled king Muriel as he snatched the instrument from Laura¡¯s hands and tossed itaside.


    ¡°But Father, he was insulting you!¡± Laura protested.


    ¡°Do you even know what you have done? That¡¯s casus belli for a Saadian invasion.¡±


    ¡°And the Vaishyan fleet will be here to rout them, honored father-in-law,¡± Aryan replied as he bowed respectfully before the anxious king.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ you assume too much Aryan,¡± Laura giggled as she twirled at her long rose tinted hair. ¡°Who agreed that I was going to marry you?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Aryan spluttered in disbelief, ¡°But the Saadians will¡­¡±


    Laura yawned, ¡°I¡¯m sure Daddy and his soldiers will be more than enough to deal with any attack. You are dismissed.¡±


    Aryan¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, ¡°Dear Princess. It is my humble opinion that you are underestimating the gravity of your kingdom¡¯s current situation. Without protection from the mighty warriors of the Vaishyan Protectorate¡­¡±


    ¡°Fufu¡­ I like you, you are better than our court jester! Are you one of these mighty warriors? Let¡¯s duel then, I¡¯ll consider your marriage proposal if you manage to defeat a little girl like me!¡± Laura tittered.


    ¡°Laura don¡¯t¡­¡± king Muriel attempted to admonish his daughter.


    ¡°I accept. Don¡¯t blame me if I scar your pretty face.¡± Aryan drew his sword defiantly.


    ¡°Prince Aryan please¡­¡± king Muriel tried to warn the proud young man.


    ¡°Well I don¡¯t have all day. Come at me!¡± Laura giggled as she folded her hands across her chest and tapped her left foot impatiently.


    Aryan let out a loud battle cry as he charged at the apparently defenseless girl. Then he hesitated when she made no attempt to avoid his deadly strike. ¡°Arrgh!¡± Aryan yelled in frustration and tossed his sword aside before leaping toward Laura in an attempt to wrestle the slender girl to the ground.


    ¡°Cutely noble but so very stupid. You must be like the thirteenth idiot that has tried this!¡± Laura giggled childishly as she brandished a charm hidden in her sleeve. A sudden gust of wind blew Aryan off his feet and he slammed painfully into the roof above before crashing to the ground with a loud thud. ¡°Oie¡­ are you dead?¡± Laura prodded at Aryan¡¯s comatose body. The surviving Vaishyan diplomats gulped nervously but were too stunned to respond to the unfolding diplomatic crisis.


    Aryan let out a low groan.


    ¡°Papa, what¡¯s happening? I heard many loud noises¡­¡± an equally striking twin of Laura peeked cautiously into the throne room and paled at the sight of multiple corpses.


    ¡°Hey little sister Lily. I¡¯m just getting rid of our new pesky suitor.¡± Laura giggled as she perched on Aryan¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Got you now. Surrender!¡± Aryan yelled suddenly as his hands wrapped strongly around Laura''s waist and their positions were reversed in an instant. The prince panted and heaved with effort as he pinned Laura¡¯s slender arms against the ground to prevent her from further spell casting.


    Laura giggled in amusement, ¡°You see¡­ When I twitch my left toe like this¡­¡± her body was bathed instantly with waves of crackling lightning as she activated another charm hidden in her slipper. Aryan¡¯s body jerked as waves of electrical shock coursed through him, and he fell smoking to the ground. ¡°Oopies? Hehe, nice try I guess?¡± Laura taunted before standing up and straightening her rumpled dress.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over!¡± Aryan¡¯s grasped Laura¡¯s heel before pulling the astonished princess off her feet and wrapped her in a bear hug. Then he kicked off both her slippers before she could recover.


    ¡°So very persistent¡­¡± Laura sighed, ¡°I guess I really can¡¯t go easy on you after all¡­¡± she muttered as she twitched at the spell under her left eyelid.


    ¡°Stop!!¡± king Muriel yelled, ¡°You will marry Aryan!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ What!?¡± Laura lost control of her next spell, and the fireball she summoned careened wildly into the wall with a loud bang. ¡°But Daddy, he¡¯s so super weak!¡± she protested as she shrugged away from the pale stunned prince.


    ¡°If he came at you seriously, you would already have died many times over.¡± The king shook his head sadly as he glanced at his precious daughter.


    ¡°And I also have this¡­¡± Aryan added somewhat sheepishly as he dangled a golden necklace decorated with a single large ruby at the princess.


    Laura ogled in disbelief as she eyed the glistening stone, then her hands darted desperately to the hidden compartment between her legs where she had secreted the family jewel. ¡°My mage¡¯s pendant! You groped me! When¡­¡± Laura trembled in horror. The only thing any witch feared more than death was the theft of the pendant that contained her soul. Any such thief could instantly seal off a witch¡¯s source of power and render her utterly helpless. More gifted wielders could even subject a witch to a fate far worse than death, such as by turning her into a mindless slave doll. And Laura realized that Aryan was certainly an exceptionally gifted individual.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ it was kinda obvious.¡± Aryan shrugged while blushing slightly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me, I¡¯ll do anything! Anything you say.¡± Laura begged as she fell to knees.


    ¡°Here, it¡¯s yours. Please don¡¯t ever lose it again¡­¡± Aryan tossed the gem hurriedly at Laura.


    Laura smirked the moment she regained her gem, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the punishment is for molesting a royal princess before her father, but it definitely must involve something painful like this!¡± she gloated while pulling out a red paper talisman. Just as she was about to chant the incantation and subject Aryan to a uniquely unpleasant end, the words turned hazy in her mind.


    There¡¯s no way I forgot that¡­ Laura groaned inwardly to herself, ¡°Well this might be messier but it will certainly be just as fun!¡± she declared as she pulled out another talisman. She opened her mouth to utter the incantation but realized to her horror that she could not remember the words of her spell.


    ¡°You! You did something to my pendant! You despicable¡­¡± Laura squealed as her eyes flickered to the ruby in her hand and she spied a thin golden circle floating within the gem.


    ¡°Insurance? It will only last for several hours. Your father briefed me¡­¡± Aryan shrugged somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°Father! How could you ever betray me like this?¡± Laura pouted as she stomped up to the king.


    The aged king sighed wearily as he gazed lovingly at his willful favorite daughter, Laura was like a fresh budding rose and reminded him of his late wife. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good Laura, the Vaishyans will keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself!¡± Laura retorted angrily, ¡°Besides, who will activate the Tower if I leave the island?¡±


    ¡°The Vaishyans will protect us. If all else fails, the responsibility will be mine. Or your sister¡¯s.¡± The king sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re too old. And Lily doesn¡¯t have enough Talent to survive. You need me!¡± Laura protested.


    ¡°The Tower cannot grant every wish. Our trade routes will be threatened without Vaishyan support and Andania will be destroyed from within. Besides, I don¡¯t want you to end up like your Mother.¡± The king¡¯s eyes misted over and a single tear trickled down his cheek.


    ¡°I would rather die than marry!¡± Laura griped somewhat hesitantly.


    ¡°Enough!¡± the king¡¯s shout silenced his daughter, ¡°My decision is final!¡±


    Just as Laura was about to continue her protest, a messenger dashed fanatically into the room and whispered into the king¡¯s ear. He sighed before staring pointedly at Prince Aryan, ¡°I agree to your Emperor¡¯s conditions. I assume that the Vaishyans are prepared for war, the Saadian armada has just been spotted and will arrive before sundown.¡±


    Aryan nodded in affirmation, ¡°Certainly your Grace, the might of the Vaishyan navy will ensure that you will not regret your decision today. My ambassador will brief you with the complete details¡­¡± he continued before unfurling a large decorated map before the king.

 Chapter 2: A Mother’s love, A Daughter’s wish

    Laura sneaked out while her father and the diplomats were immersed in their pointless discussion, ¡°I¡¯ll show those Vaishyans!¡± she muttered furiously to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll show them that the Tower is greater than any of their puny wooden ships!¡±


    ¡°Elder sister. Where are you going? Father asked us to remain within the inner palace.¡± Lily cautioned timidly behind Laura.


    ¡°Pfft¡­ father this father that! Why don¡¯t you get married instead?¡± Laura grumbled.


    Lily blushed as she twiddled her thumbs, ¡°Erp¡­ Tee-hee¡­ He¡¯s actually kinda cute. A real prince from across the ocean! I wonder if his palace is even grander than ours? I wonder if I¡¯ll ever be able to fall in love with a handsome prince one day?¡± she giggled wistfully.


    ¡°Arrgh¡­¡± Laura protested, ¡°And becoming the plaything of that brown skinned monkey?¡±


    Lily frowned, ¡°It can¡¯t be all that bad. He does seem like a rather good person after all, and Father definitely likes him.¡±


    ¡°Enough! I don¡¯t want to hear you defending him or father, they are both super idiots!¡± Laura yelled, ¡°Anyway, we have arrived, I¡¯ll use the Tower to solve all our problems.¡± she continued as she stomped into an ancient connecting passageway.


    Lily glanced out fearfully from behind Laura, ¡°Sister, something¡¯s not right. Where are all the guards?¡±


    ¡°Key, key, key¡­¡± Laura muttered distractedly to herself as she twisted the rune etched rings of a massive stone circle to align the opening sigils. ¡°Hey Lily, do you have anything sharp on you? I need my blood to open the door. Lily?¡±


    Irked by her sister¡¯s lacking response Laura whirled around, intending to deliver a gentle admonishment. But her mouth only gaped open with shock as the words froze in her throat.


    A trio of unruly assassins had crept up unnoticed behind her. The foremost was grasping Lily by the neck and pressed a gleaming dagger against her chest. ¡°Shh¡­ be a good little princess and nobody gets hurt,¡± the leader hissed at Laura.


    Lily¡¯s eyes were wide with fright, ¡°Run sister¡­¡± she managed to scream before she was clubbed unconscious.


    ¡°You are all so dead! Like yesterday dead! Guards!¡± Laura shouted as she backed away from the approaching assassins. However, there was no response from the dozens of men that should have been stationed at the Tower.


    ¡°No one can hear you. They are all busy with a personal invitation from the Abyss.¡± The leader smirked as he advanced towards Laura while his subordinates flanked her from either side to prevent her escape.


    Laura fumbled desperately at the talisman pouch on her waist, but the assassin slashed at her before she could retrieve her spells. The princess staggered back as her torn talismans fluttered uselessly about her and her dress was stained red with blood from where the dagger had nicked her.


    Dashing forward, the assassin twisted Laura¡¯s arm painfully behind her back and pinned her against the stone circle. ¡°Tell me! How do we dispel the magical barrier around the inner palace?¡± he demanded urgently.


    ¡°Make me¡­¡± Laura countered defiantly.


    The sound of breaking bones rent through the air as the assassin snapped her arm, then he cracked her head violently against the solid stone circle. Laura gasped as intense pain shot through her body and her vision blurred.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask again,¡± the assassin hissed as he drew his gleaming dagger and thrust it threateningly at Laura¡¯s exposed abdomen.


    Laura feigned unconsciousness as her blood trickled down the magical stone circle and muttered the Tower¡¯s activating enchantment.


    ¡°Tower, Tower, proud and tall


    Bless my friends from hall to hall


    But slay my foes with the Krall


    Grant me the power to rule them all.¡±


    ¡°The girl vanished! How? Where?¡± The hardened assassin gasped in shock as Laura literally disappeared from his hands.


    ...


    ¡°I feel like ape shit¡­¡± Laura groaned as she reappeared in a dank claustrophobic room within the Tower. She staggered weakly to her feet and pressed a charm against her broken arm to dull the pain. Then she summoned a small flickering globe of light and examined her surroundings wearily.


    A small narrow passage led her to a steep winding staircase, and Laura sighed as she began the long arduous climb into the darkness. After what seemed like hours, she emerged in a slightly larger room. A plain wooden goblet was laid out on a worn wooden table at its center. Laura did not spare a glimpse at the cup as she strode through the room and resumed her upward climb.


    In the second room was a modestly fashioned goblet, made from hammered copper.


    In the third room was a simply decorated goblet, crafted from polished silver.


    Laura staggered through both rooms with hardly a glance as she grew increasingly exhausted from the relentless climb. It wasn¡¯t only physical exhaustion she felt, the light she summoned began to waver weakly as the atmosphere in each higher floor seemed to sip away at her magical stamina. As Laura paused to catch her breath, she suddenly sensed faint hostile presences hissing from the shadows. She gulped nervously and increased the strength of her illumination to drive away the shifting darkness creeping towards her. Suddenly, she had a premonition that if her light faded too much, something unspeakably horrifying would befall her.


    Just as she was about to enter the fourth room, Laura¡¯s eyes widened with fright and she took a step backwards. And her panic was so great that she almost tripped and fell back down the winding flight of stairs behind her.


    ¡°Turn back! Go no further!¡± Warned a black wraith-like apparition standing at the entrance.


    Laura took a deep calming breath and examined the stationary spirit, it did not seem to have spotted her even though it was just barely a meter away from her. The spirit seemed strangely familiar to Laura, it was the form of an elegant noble woman in a long flowing dress. She stood at the top of the passageway with her arms stretched wide to obstruct the way forward, even as she continued repeating the warning.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Tch¡­¡± Laura frowned in irritation and was just about to use one of her remaining talismans when she had a flash of inspiration. Removing one of her gloves, she tossed it silently at the wraith before her.


    ¡°Is someone there? Is it you, Caretaker?¡± The wraith flinched as the silken glove struck her. Then it knelt down and searched about blindly for the fallen glove.


    I¡¯m such an amazing genius! Laura gloated silently to herself as she slipped past the creature and entered the next room. The fourth room was decorated like one of the lesser halls in the palace, the floor was lined with scented pine and an intricately carved table sat in the room¡¯s center. And a sparkling golden goblet crafted with lesser gems beckoned temptingly.


    ¡°I can do even better¡­¡± Laura muttered under her breath as she strengthened her globe of light before turning towards the next flight of stairs.


    ¡°Laura? Lily?¡± The wraith cried out desperately.


    Laura¡¯s blood ran cold as she turned to meet the approaching spirit, ¡°Mother?¡± her voice cracked in disbelief.


    ¡°Turn back! Go no further!¡± The wraith fell on its knees and sobbed desperately.


    ¡°Mother? Is that really you?¡± Laura reached out hesitantly and brushed her hand against the spirit.


    Momentarily, the wraith seemed to solidify. It stared straight at Laura and its features twisted with desperate recognition. ¡°Turn back! Go no further!¡± The wraith let out a wild cry attempted to leap at Laura, but the spirit dissipated just moments before it came into contact with her.


    ¡°Haha, hahaha¡­ It can¡¯t possibly be. Mother passed on more than a decade ago.¡± Laura laughed nervously with a pale face as she trembled and sank weakly to the ground. ¡°It must have just been my imagination. The Tower is playing tricks on my mind.¡± She mumbled in a desperate attempt to convince herself. The wood beneath Laura was damp when she finally gathered enough courage to stand and resume her upward climb.


    The atmosphere grew increasingly inhospitable as Laura entered impossibly extravagant spaces. Her breath misted and she shivered from the dry chilling cold as she reached the ninth floor. The space was sized like the throne room and lined from floor to ceiling in hammered gold leaf. The massive and intricately decorated table in the room could have held a feast for hundreds. The goblet resting at its center was cast from the rarest mithril and decorated with gems that would have put the imperial crown to shame.


    Laura panted with exhaustion as she staggered across the room and continued to climb further. She was barely conscious when she finally crawled into the twelfth floor. The air was so thin that no normal human could survive, the cold so extreme that the harshest winter would have seemed like mid-summer in comparison, and the darkness so oppressive that it threatened to consume sanity itself. Laura had been forced to maintain five separate enchantments to survive the climb, and she realized that she was quickly approaching the limits of her magic.


    She gritted her teeth with effort and rose to survey the room before her. The space was so vast that her light failed to reach the other end of the room. The walls were lined with bricks of diamond and the floor was crafted from an endless emerald. The table was fashioned intricately from solid mithril and the goblet was crystal, cut whole from a priceless ruby.


    It took Laura an entire hour just to crawl across the vast space. She finally looked up when her head thumped against the far wall, ¡°Where are the stairs?¡± she grumbled in confusion as she gazed about her in a vain attempt to identify an opening in the seamless diamond wall.


    ¡°Is this my limit?¡± Laura muttered as she reached for her mage¡¯s pendant, the gem she palmed suddenly seemed incredibly plain compared to the vast riches around her. She gripped the jewel tightly and held it above her head, ¡°Open up! Laura Alexandra Muriel, commands you to open up!¡± she cried out. For a long silent moment, nothing seemed to happen. But just as Laura had resigned herself to crawling back for the ruby goblet, the wall slid open soundlessly to reveal the darkest passage yet.


    Laura gulped as she realized that, try as she might, her light did not illuminate the darkness within. ¡°Just one more, I¡¯ll make my wish on the next floor.¡± Laura whispered as she steeled herself and edged into the shapeless murkiness. She abandoned the remnants of her dignity, and dragged herself slowly upward on her fours. The shadows lengthened maddeningly around her as invisible chilly fingers stroked against her flesh and scrabbled for her soul.


    ¡°Begone demons!¡± Laura yelled defiantly as her light burnt brightly to pierce through the darkness. She heard a frustrated hiss as the shadows fled, but her power wavered and the darkness returned even before she had advanced a dozen steps. Somewhere, somehow, Laura realized that she had been cut. Fine painful lacerations scared her flesh and spots of blood trailed the stairs below her.


    ¡°I¡¯m tougher than this!¡± Laura cried out as the darkness reached for her again. She grasped everything she had and raced up the final few steps to the next landing. Laura collapsed on the rammed earthen floor and panted desperately for air. She realized belatedly that she had overextended herself when her defensive enchantments flickered out.


    I must make a wish¡­ Laura gasped as she forced her frozen eyelids open.


    It¡¯s too late, I must already be hallucinating! Laura thought to herself. She lay in a small simple room, just like when she had first entered the Tower. However, a plain looking man in scholar¡¯s robes was hunched over a desk within the room. He seemed to be deep in thought and would scribble fanatically on the parchment before him on occasion.


    ¡°Pfft. At least this means that I won¡¯t be married off to that stupid prince¡­¡± Laura muttered to herself as her vision began darkening at the edges.


    ¡°What!? Ahh!¡± The man turned at Laura¡¯s voice and let out a surprised cry when he spied her.


    ¡°Who are you? Am I dead?¡± Laura giggled weakly at his comical response.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Caretaker. Is that your wish? Interestingly wise. Although rare are those that seek the Tower for peaceful demise.¡± He replied with a small comforting smile.


    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t come for that!¡± Laura groaned.


    ¡°Oh, then you must be one of the foolish ones. Tell me, what is your wish?¡± The man sighed in disappointment.


    ¡°I only get one wish after coming this far? I should have stayed on the first floor then¡­¡± Laura sighed regretfully.


    The man laughed, ¡°All regret eventually, but you must be the first to feel remorse before wishing. Tell me honestly, do you want to leave this place? I did promise the woman who birthed you that I would grant you a second chance.¡±


    ¡°She was really Mother!?¡± Laura gasped in horror.


    The man closed his eyes for a moment of silent musing, ¡°The foolish woman drank from the fourth cup while wishing to protect her children. So, the Tower fulfilled her heart¡¯s desire. She now resides eternally as a spiritual warning for her descendants. She is strong, and hasn¡¯t yet regretted her wish.¡± The man shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°But give or take a few more centuries¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible! How can I save Mother?¡± Laura demanded.


    The man frowned, ¡°I¡¯ll have mercy and not grant that wish of yours. Now turn around and leave this cursed Tower before you regret it.¡±


    Laura laughed bitterly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any strength left¡­ I don¡¯t care what happens to me as long as I can save Andania!¡±


    ¡°Save Andania?¡± The man bent down and rummaged through the parchments on his desk before looking back at Laura. ¡°You will lament the wishes you make today,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°So, this means that I can get more than one wish granted then!¡± Laura inquired shrewdly.


    ¡°Sure. Two wishes? Or three perhaps? It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°Three it is!¡± Laura exclaimed. ¡°I wish for Andania to rule the world!¡±


    ¡°You wish is granted. A descendant of Muriel will unite the land and sea.¡± He intoned emotionlessly.


    ¡°I wish that the most powerful, handsome, and richest man in the world will fall madly in love with my sister Lily and wed her. Oh, and he must have the grandest palace too!¡± Laura continued.


    ¡°It shall come to pass.¡±


    ¡°I wish¡­ I wish that I will have the opportunity to complete my zither composition before I die.¡± Laura¡¯s voice trembled hesitantly as a single tear trickled down her cheek.


    ¡°You will compose a piece that will endure through the ages.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for everything, Caretaker.¡± Laura sighed as she closed her eyes and readied herself for a fate worse than death.


    ¡°No need to thank me. You will regret it soon enough.¡±

 Chapter 3: Ode of Despair

    ¡°Gah¡­¡± Laura groaned as she finally regained consciousness. ¡°Where am I? Why is it so freaking hot?¡± She complained as she opened her eyes.


    The roar of an immense conflagration jolted her wide awake and Laura ogled disbelievingly at the sea of flame raging before her. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it. I made a wish¡­ but whatever did I wish for? I can¡¯t remember anything.¡± Laura groaned.


    The ground shook violently and the sound of collapsing buildings reverberated close by, ¡°This must be hell¡­ I hope Lily¡¯s okay up there¡­¡± Laura muttered. She rose defiantly to her feel and yelled at the flames rolling towards her, ¡°Do your worst! I¡¯m not scared! I¡¯m¡­ eek¡± she shrieked in fear as a burning chandelier crashed to the ground beside her and showered her with a rain of shattered molten glass. ¡°Is that all?¡± The princess recovered quickly and began taunting at the flames creeping hungrily toward her.


    ¡°Hey you! Are you Laura or Lily?¡±


    Laura jumped in shock as a firm hand clamped on her shoulder and whirled to meet the assailant. Then her eyes widened as she recognized the soot and blood caked figure, ¡°Hello Prince Aryan, are you enjoying your visit?¡± she snickered.


    The prince sighed, ¡°You must be Laura. Come with me, let¡¯s get out of this place. I swore on my honor to ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Are you mad? You leapt willingly into hell to save me?¡± Laura spluttered.


    The prince shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do in this situation. After all, I did promise your dying father to escort you to safety.¡±


    ¡°Father¡¯s dead!?¡± Laura¡¯s disbelieving wail slipped from her lips.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. I saw it with my own eyes. There was an explosion that blew up half the inner palace, and then the assassins were among us before anyone realized it. I barely escaped with my life¡­¡± Aryan muttered. ¡°How did they even get in... I thought that the Andanian magical defenses were supposed to be impregnable!¡±


    ¡°Lily! Where is my sister Lily? She must have survived, I must have wished it¡­¡± Laura demanded as she grabbed at Aryan¡¯s bloodied vest.


    The prince staggered to his knees in pain as blood seeped from a gash in his chest, ¡°I don¡¯t know. It all happened so quickly and they weren¡¯t taking any prisoners¡­¡± he mumbled weakly.


    ¡°You are hurt!¡± Laura exclaimed as she tore off the hem of her dress and sketched a crude healing rune with his blood before pressing it against the wound.


    ¡°The assassins were good, I should have trained harder.¡± Aryan sighed wryly.


    ¡°Idiot. How am I supposed to punish you for your sins if you decide to die before I¡­ Hey!¡± Laura was cut of mid-sentence as Aryan dashed forward and shoved her to the side. ¡°What insolence! I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡± Laura spluttered. She whirled to face the prince, even as she activated the most torturous talisman she possessed, and¡­


    Aryan bled profusely from a gash in his side as he staggered and fell helplessly before the silent assassin.


    ¡°Jackpot. First the Andanian princess, and now the Vaishyan Prince himself! Emperor Xerxes will be extremely pleased.¡± The assassin gloated.


    ¡°My sister! What did you do to my sister?¡± Laura screamed furiously as she pointed her humming talisman at the assassin.


    The assassin¡¯s eyes widened as he finally recognized the princess, ¡°You are still alive! How is that even possible¡­¡± he gasped. Then he bent over and clutched at his stomach, ¡°Haha¡­ haha¡­ hahaha¡­¡± he began laughing madly. His eyes bulged in horror as he fell and continued laughing uncontrollably while rolling wildly about on the burning floor.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Aryan groaned as he pressed his hand against his latest wound while eyeing the assassin warily, ¡°What did you do to him?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Worry more about yourself. Here, let me staunch the bleeding.¡± Laura huffed as she pressed another healing talisman against the wounded prince.


    ¡°Haha¡­ hehe¡­ hohoho¡­¡± the assassin continued to laugh with tears of agony in his eyes as the flames licked at his blistering skin.


    ¡°You were going to punish me with that?¡± Aryan glanced suspiciously at Laura.


    ¡°Urp¡­ I mean, isn¡¯t it kinda effective? They are almost always too embarrassed to return for a second try.¡± Laura replied somewhat bashfully.


    ¡°¡­¡± Aryan muttered under his breath as he shot a dirty look at the princess.


    ¡°What?¡± Laura pouted.


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s not safe here. I have a ship docked at the port.¡± Aryan rose hurriedly to his feet and tugged Laura away from the spreading flames.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere! Andania is my country, who will rule without father?¡± Laura protested as they exited the crumbling palace compound.


    ¡°Stay if you want. But there¡¯s not going to be much left of Andania after tonight.¡± Aryan warned as he gestured furiously at the sea.


    Laura gazed in the general direction where Aryan had pointed. Hundreds of battling warships bearing both Vaishyan and Saadian colors filled the ocean up to the far horizon. The cries of desperate sailors drifted across the wind to the royal pair, but Laura frowned in confusion as she realized that the two sides were not fighting each other.


    ¡°You! You conspired with the Saadians to betray¡­¡± Laura¡¯s accusation dissipated midway as a massive tentacle rose up above the nearest battleship and smashed it to smithereens. The sailors leapt wildly to escape from the sinking vessel, but their struggles were in vain as hundreds of smaller tentacles shot out from the main branch and dragged them screaming to their watery demise. The surrounding ships bobbed wildly as commanders screamed desperate orders for counterattack or retreat, but the fleets were packed far too tightly for either option to be carried out effectively.


    ¡°Krall. You heard my wish, you came to save us¡­¡± Laura whispered with awed reverence.


    ¡°As I was saying, if it had been just one Krall, we could have dealt with it somehow¡­ But there must be dozens of those bloody things out there! And I thought that the Krall were solitary beasts? I¡¯ve never seen so many of those creatures swarm together in my life!¡± Aryan yelled. It was only then that Laura¡¯s whispered words finally sunk into his mind, ¡°What?? You summoned those beasts¡­ How? Why!?¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡± Laura retorted defiantly, ¡°Leave my lands foolish invader! Andania does not need your protection when the Krall will defend us!¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Have you gone mad with grief? Haven¡¯t you noticed those things crawling all over your city?¡± Aryan coughed.


    Laura let out a scream of unadulterated horror as she gazed at what had once been the royal capital of Andania. A wide fissure had spilt the city in two and hordes of twitching tentacles had emerged to flood the once pristine streets with a sea of squirming darkness.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening. All this must just be a really vivid nightmare.¡± Laura muttered to herself as she watched the writhing tentacles swarm into a nearby building and drag out the screaming citizens cowering within. She turned desperately to Aryan, ¡°Make it stop right now!¡± she wailed.


    ¡°The ship. Now! The entire island is breaking apart, there¡¯s nothing any human can do here.¡± Aryan clamped his hand firmly on Laura¡¯s wrist and began dragging her towards his waiting vessel.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Laura wailed as she struggled to break free from the stronger boy. ¡°I must save my people. I must stop that stupid Krall!¡±


    Aryan¡¯s lips tightened with frustration and he slung the struggling princess over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before racing towards the only vessel remaining in the port. Fortunately, the palace was located next to the ocean and their return to his schooner was relatively uneventful.


    ¡°Prince Aryan! You have returned safely. We must depart at once!¡± The pale-faced captain wrung his hands nervously as he glanced at the madness unfolding around him.


    Aryan immediately nodded in affirmation, ¡°Hoist the sails, raise the anchor. Double time!¡± he yelled as he dumped Laura unceremoniously on the deck before him.


    ¡°Nooo! You don¡¯t understand. I must return to the Tower!¡± Laura screamed.


    ¡°Snap out of it! Do you want to die?¡± Aryan yelled as he struck the hysterical princess across her cheek, ¡°Guards! Toss her in the brig, and make sure she stays there!¡± he commanded.


    ¡°Yes, your highness!¡± A pair of heavily armored warriors saluted the prince and began dragging Laura towards the stockade.


    Laura hung limply as she was hauled to the brig, ¡°Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t dying the price for my wish? Why am I still alive?¡± She muttered to herself, far too softly to be heard amidst the swirling chaos.

 Chapter 4: Kindling Vengeance

    In the beginning slept Krall.


    Then the Lord of Hosts separated the light from darkness, the land from the seas.


    And Krall was afraid.


    So the Lord of Hosts said, ¡°It is not good for Krall to be afraid; I will make a comforter for him.¡±


    And the Lord of Hosts caused a deep sleep to fall upon Krall, and took his tongue.


    From the tongue, made he a Woman and to her commanded, ¡°Sing!¡±


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Tack the sails, hard to port. Avoid that Krall!¡± The captain yelled desperately as the ship narrowly avoided the incoming tentacle. They were about twenty kilometers offshore and had broken away from the main fleet trapped on the other side of the island. However, just as they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, a gigantic Krall had emerged in hot pursuit.


    ¡°Mages! More wind now!¡± Aryan commanded. The trio of imperial casters strained with effort and the masts creaked dangerously as they were strained to their breaking point, but the schooner was propelled forward and avoided yet another incoming tentacle.


    ¡°Fire! Volley the cannons!¡± The ship trembled as the thunderous roar of simultaneously igniting gunpowder propelled two dozen enchanted depth charges into the sea where the tentacles had originated from. The Krall roared furiously in response and twice as many tentacles emerged to flail at the harried vessel.


    ¡°Having fun?¡± Laura''s voice dripped with sarcasm as she slid up next to Prince Aryan.


    ¡°Why did you escape!? Get back to the brig, it¡¯s safer there!¡± Aryan shouted as the ship was flung about like a toy by the churning waves.


    ¡°If you truly meant to restrain an Andanian witch, you should have bound me naked from head to toe in dimeritium chains or at least relieved me of my pendant.¡± Laura giggled impishly.


    ¡°This is no laughing matter! The Krall¡­¡± Aryan¡¯s face whitened as a tentacle darted out and tugged a screaming mage into the sea. ¡°Damnit! That was my magical history instructor!¡± Aryan swore.


    ¡°Woo-hoo! One less Vaishyan!¡± Laura cheered before turning to survey the scrambling sailors around her, ¡°Only fifty or so left to go?¡±


    ¡°Damnit Laura! These are my friends and servants¡­¡± Aryan raged powerlessly as the Krall¡¯s tentacles curled around the ship¡¯s stern. ¡°Fire! Fire damnit!¡± He yelled desperately.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t particularly upset when my family and people died, so why should I care about your Vaishyans?¡± Laura shrugged dully.


    ¡°This is not the time for this! Don¡¯t you care for your own life?¡± Aryan yelled as a tentacle snapped the ship¡¯s mast in two and dragged a dozen screaming sailors into the bloody frothing waves.


    ¡°Andania¡¯s in ruins and my family¡¯s assassinated. I don¡¯t care about anything anymore!¡± Laura laughed hopelessly as she danced gracefully across the tilting deck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even want revenge!?¡± Aryan yelled desperately.


    ¡°Revenge?¡± Laura questioned as a tiny flame sparked to life within her pale blue eyes.


    ¡°Revenge against the Saadians who murdered your family!¡± Aryan cried out as he slashed at the tentacles reaching towards him.


    ¡°And how are we supposed to do that when we¡¯re all about to be eaten?¡± Laura giggled hysterically.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Andanian royal family supposed to be related to the Krall somehow? Try talking to it!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ smart.¡± Laura muttered contemplatively in reply, then she strode hesitatingly towards the mass of Krall crawling onto the listing ship. The beast eyed the approaching princess balefully and let out a threatening wail. ¡°Shoo¡­ shoo¡­ little baby Krall. I can¡¯t leave with you tonight.¡± Laura waved dismissively at the monstrous beast. The Krall let out a loud distressed roar before redoubling its efforts to lift itself onto the sinking vessel.


    ¡°Urp. That didn¡¯t work, any better ideas?¡± Laura groaned as she backed hurriedly away from the approaching beast.


    ¡°Maybe, introduce yourself?¡± Aryan yelled as he grasped desperately at the slimmest possibility.


    Laura lifted her glowing ruby pendant high above her head, ¡°I am Princess Laura Alexandra Muriel. And I command you, leave us be!¡± Laura shouted as she poured her magic into the gem and used it to amplify her voice. The Krall shuddered as it glared at the lone princess standing before it, then it let out an almost plaintive cry before slipping soundlessly into the murky waters.


    ¡°I did it¡­ Aryan?¡± Laura turned to stare disbelievingly at the prince behind her.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha¡­¡± Aryan laughed weakly, ¡°Little¡­ Little baby Krall? That hideous beast was little?¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­ it¡¯s super bad luck to insult the Krall, especially when they can hear you. They can be very sensitive!¡± Laura snapped.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Baby, little baby¡­¡± Aryan muttered as he dabbed tears of relief from his eyes.


    ¡°See you in the next world, Your Highness.¡± Laura curtsied gracefully in front of the guffawing prince.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°What? They are gone, aren¡¯t they?¡± Aryan muttered just as the moon was blotted out by a monstrous tentacle ten times the width of his schooner. ¡°Shit, help! By the Vaishyan holy gods!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°Wrong gods.¡± Laura sighed as a swarm of wriggling tentacles shot out from the main branch and dragged the prince and his remaining retainers into the churning waves.


    Krall eyed Laura for a long silent moment before he turned away and began slipping away into the darkness.


    ¡°Hey! If you eat them all and leave me here to rot in this stupid broken bucket in the middle of nowhere, I¡¯ll drown! I¡¯ll definitely drown!¡± Laura shouted desperately at the departing Krall.


    Almost like a reluctant afterthought, a tentacle shot out and tugged Laura into the waters.


    ...


    Some distance away, in the mighty golden flagship of the Saadian Navy, an assassin cowered before a young imposing man of barely twenty-one years, ¡°Immortal Emperor Xerxes, Ruler of Saadian and of the Southern Realms, Master of the Burning Legions, Slayer of the Thousand Dragons...¡±


    ¡°Get to the point, I am busy.¡± Xerxes gestured dismissively while gazing intently at the strategic naval map spread out before him.


    ¡°We have brought the girl,¡± the assassin mumbled hesitantly.


    ¡°Specifics. I have many girls.¡± Xerxes snapped impatiently.


    ¡°We have captured the Princess of Andania,¡± the assassin trembled while muttering nervously.


    Xerxes sighed as he finally looked up from his maps, ¡°And where is this supposed princess?¡±


    ¡°Ahh... Here your Majesty!¡± The assassin snapped his fingers and his subordinates quickly dragged Lily into the chamber. The struggling princess glared furiously at her captors, but she was stark naked and trussed so tightly in dimeritium chains that she could not even twitch a single finger.


    ¡°You were tasked to escort both princesses to safety, so where is the other? And why in the nine hells is this one restrained like this?¡± Xerxes yelled.


    ¡°The other princess vanished into thin air! And this one is extremely dangerous, she managed to blow up three ships while we were transporting her to you.¡± The assassin pleaded desperately.


    ¡°Can you count?¡± Xerxes¡¯ eyes narrowed dangerously.


    ¡°Yess¡­ your Majesty,¡± the assassin stammered.


    ¡°How many hands do you have?¡± Xerxes demanded.


    ¡°Two your Majesty. Please have mercy!¡± The assassin begged as he prostrated himself before the mighty emperor.


    Xerxes flicked his little finger and summoned a glowing magical blade which cleaved off the hapless killer¡¯s left hand, ¡°Is that true? It appears that one of your hands is missing.¡± Xerxes mused.


    ¡°Yes, it is as you say your Majesty!¡± the assassin cried out as his face scrunched with agony.


    ¡°Remove yourself. You are bleeding all over the carpets.¡± Xerxes waved away his terrified minions before eying Lily with an apologetical expression. ¡°The hopeless subordinates of my late father,¡± he sighed ruefully as he undid the chains restraining her. The emperor turned and rummaged through his closet, ¡°I must have a dress in here, somewhere¡­¡± he mused absently to himself.


    ¡°Here, cover yourself¡­¡± Xerxes began turning back towards the princess.


    ¡°Die invader!¡± Lily screamed as she darted forward and stabbed Xerxes through the gut with a summoned icicle. As he staggered back in surprise, she gestured swiftly at the dimeritium chains and bound the emperor with the magic suppressing bands. Lily panted from the exertion and fell tiredly to the ground as sweat trickled down her soft supple skin.


    ¡°Such a feisty one, aren¡¯t you? I definitely should have sneaked in with the ambassadors!¡± Xerxes chuckled as his eyes twinkled with amusement. ¡°Hey can you please release me now? Bondage therapy isn¡¯t exactly my style, and I have a fleet to command.¡±


    ¡°Krall take you!¡± Lily spat angrily as she looked around desperately for a weapon.


    ¡°Calm down little princess. What have I ever done to wrong you?¡± Xerxes protested.


    ¡°Pretender! How dare you invade our domain and have the gall to feign innocence before me.¡± Lily retorted furiously as she strode up to Xerxes slapped him across the cheek.


    ¡°What lunacy is this!? Who informed you that I intended to invade Andania? This was supposed to be a peaceful trade mission. Don¡¯t you see that over half of our fleet comprises of merchant vessels? Why would I pack my ships with gifts if I intended to go to war?¡± Xerxes groaned in disbelief.


    ¡°The Vaishyans said that¡­¡±


    ¡°And you think that those backstabbing bastards would bother to tell the truth? They were the ones that ambushed us, just as we neared Andania.¡± Xerxes retorted.


    ¡°I felt my father¡¯s death. Your dishonorable assassins must have blown up the palace and slit his throat.¡± Lily wept.


    ¡°What!? King Muriel is dead? How is that even possible, the Andanian magical defenses were supposed to be impregnable!¡± Xerxes yelled in shock. ¡°Guards! Why hasn¡¯t anyone informed me of such an important matter? This changes everything!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± an advisor entered the room but wisely refrained from commenting on Xerxes¡¯ unusual appearance. ¡°The scouts reported a sudden explosion occurring within the Andanian inner palace, but none of the men we sent in to confirm the situation have returned. Our ambassadors were killed by the dishonorable Vaishyans, and they were the only outsiders at the Andanian court when the explosion occurred.¡±


    ¡°And what were our orders to the scouts?¡± Xerxes replied.


    ¡°To ensure the safety of King Muriel and his daughters¡­ oh please have mercy on me your Majesty!¡± the advisor begged.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t kill Father?¡± Lily stammered in disbelief.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Xerxes yelled. ¡°I was coming to offer a marriage proposal. Why in the nine bloody hells would I kill off my prospective father-in-law? I understand that my men might have been a little rough with you, but they were ordered to protect King Muriel at all costs. Besides, how would a bunch of those incompetent mundane idiots manage to dispel the legendarily impermeable barrier around your estate?¡±


    ¡°The Vaishyans betrayed us?¡± Lily groaned. As the princess slid to the ground in horrified disbelief, Xerxes snapped the chains binding his body before striding up to the shell-shocked girl and draping his cloak around her trembling body. ¡°You escaped? How are you unhurt after all that?¡± Lily gasped in surprise.


    Xerxes shrugged absently, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. That was just a little scratch, I¡¯m not exactly known as The Immortal for nothing.¡± The emperor then turned to his genuflecting advisor, ¡°Get up. Inform the fleet that we are falling back into Saadian waters. There¡¯s no point breaking through the Vaishyan blockade if King Muriel has passed on and the Vaishyan traitors have already overrun the nation.¡±


    As the advisor scurried to pass on Xerxes¡¯ commands, the boy emperor turned and looked kindly at Lily, ¡°What do you wish for my princess? I could return you to your lands, but the Vaishyans will just use you as another political bargaining chip. If your sister is still alive, she must have fallen into their hands.¡±


    ¡°I want revenge! Take me with you till all of Vaishya lies in ruins!¡± Lily demanded furiously.


    What a waste, such a beautiful and innocent girl but consumed utterly by revenge. Xerxes shook his head as he sighed bitterly at the cards fate had dealt him.


    ¡°Please. Please save sister Laura from the Vaishyans. I¡¯ll do anything for you if you will ensure the safety of my sister.¡± Lily added softly.


    The mighty Emperor of Saadian nodded slowly, ¡°It¡¯s a promise. I am Xerxes, the mightiest man alive. I swear on my honor that I will save your sister, even if this means bloody war with the Vaishyans.¡±

 Chapter 5: Drifting Hearts

    Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast the Lord of Hosts had created.


    And he said to the woman, ¡°Has the Lord indeed said, ¡®You shall sing for Krall, for all of your days¡¯?¡±


    And the woman replied, ¡°The Lord has said, ¡®You shall sing, and you must remain, lest you die.¡¯¡±


    Then the serpent said to the woman, ¡°You will not surely die. For the Lord knows that in the day you depart, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like Him, knowing good and evil.¡±


    So when the woman saw the seas and the lands beyond, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a voyage desirable to make one wise, she arose from Krall and departed.


    And Krall was afraid.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Bleah¡­ where the Krall am I?¡± Laura groaned painfully. She forced her salt-caked eyelids open and winced as the blinding noonday sun baked against her fair exposed skin. ¡°My pendant!¡± Laura screamed suddenly as she fumbled desperately to locate the precious gem, then she let out a loud sigh of relief as she realized that her ruby had not been accidently dislodged into the ocean. Laura shaded her eyes from the sun as she glanced groggily around her. She sat on a long sandy beach, but there were no other signs of life besides the occasional crab and seagull.


    ¡°Lily, Father, Andania¡­ I¡¯ve lost everyone. I¡¯m all alone now. Why? How could it turn out like this?¡± Laura wept bitterly as the waves lapped gently over her feet. Just as the forlorn princess was about to continue bawling her eyes out, an unmistakably colorful swirl of cloth was washed onto the beach next to her.


    ¡°Aryan!¡± Laura cried out as she recognized the tattered remains of his cloak. The princess shot to her feet and gazed searchingly at the crystal-clear ocean. Almost instantly, she spied the limp unconscious form of a flamboyantly dressed boy, drifting gradually from the shore.


    ¡°Magic, I need a talisman¡­¡± Laura muttered as she fumbled at the folds of her dress, but the scraps of paper she managed to recover were soaked through and fell apart at her touch. The princess groaned as she glanced alternatingly between the distant prince and the useless shreds in her hands. ¡°This better be super worth it.¡± Laura sighed as she shrugged off her heavy soaked garments and waded into the waves.


    Laura¡¯s limbs burned as she swam sluggishly, ¡°Why is mundane swimming such a freaking chore?¡± she grumbled when she finally reached Aryan¡¯s side. ¡°Oie¡­ are you alive?¡± Laura prodded at the prince doubtfully but failed to provoke any response from the cold pallid boy. ¡°Shit!¡± Laura swore as she swam to Aryan¡¯s back and slid her slender arms under his before clamping her hands tightly around his shoulders to ensure his head was tilted out of the water. Having secured the unconscious prince, the determined princess began her arduous swim back to land.


    ¡°No breathing, no pulse, dilated pupils. Oh gods, how am I supposed to fix this idiot?¡± Laura wailed as she stared helplessly at the cold unresponsive prince resting peacefully in the sand. ¡°Maybe a shock spell?¡± the princess muttered hesitantly as her hand traced down instinctively to her naked thigh, ¡°Shit no talismans!¡± Laura groaned as her eyes darted around desperately for something to write on, but the pristine beach was filled with only the finest powdery white sand.


    Just as the panicking princess was about extend her search by dashing further inland, her eyes glistened with unpleasant inspiration. Laura¡¯s narrowed her eyes as she stared at Aryan, ¡°You better be super worth your weight in Vaishyan gold!¡± she muttered as she retrieved her ruby pendant. Then Laura winced as she jabbed the sharp edge of her jewel into her arm, before soaking her finger in the red that gushed forth and tracing out a complex runic design on her bare skin.


    ¡°Shock!¡± Laura commanded for the third time and a blue crackling steam of lightning arched from her blood-soaked fingers and into Aryan¡¯s exposed chest. The prince jerked from the impact as the bolt struck him and water trickled from his nostrils, but he remained unconscious. ¡°What do I do now? This isn¡¯t working!¡± Laura groaned.


    ¡°Air!¡± Laura exclaimed suddenly, ¡°I need to get air into this idiot. But there¡¯s no spell for¡­¡± Laura frowned as her eyes flickered to his pale bloodless lips. ¡°Arrgh, why am I even hesitating after all this!¡± Laura sighed as she breathed in deeply before fusing her lips tightly against his. When Aryan¡¯s lungs were finally filled, she turned and immediately began tracing a fresh rune on her arm to repeat the procedure.


    Several long minutes passed before Laura fell numbly to her knees as her head throbbed painfully from a combination of blood loss and exhaustion. ¡°Please don¡¯t die¡­¡± she begged, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone. I don¡¯t have anyone else¡­¡±


    Aryan coughed weakly and groaned before edging his eyes open slowly, ¡°Laura? Anyone else¡­¡± he mumbled in confusion. Then his eyes widened with shock as he beheld the weeping princess, her arms were red with blood and her drenched silken chemise clung tightly against her small trembling body. ¡°Laura, you¡¯re hurt! We must¡­¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Laura muttered as she wiped the tears from her eyes and her lips curled with a small triumphant smile. ¡°Wait¡­ Whatever did you hear just now?¡± she questioned anxiously while turning away to hide her reddening cheeks.


    ¡°You mean the part about you being alone and not having anyone else?¡± Aryan added helpfully.


    ¡°Yes! Urp¡­ No! I mean¡­¡± Laura stammered with embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m out of talismans and I don''t have anyone else to chop the firewood!¡±


    ...


    ¡°Your Majesty. Dreadnought Spiraea has been sunk! The fourth defense fleet has suffered catastrophic losses!¡±


    ¡°We have lost all communications with Battleship Halstarr, the third fleet has broken formation and is drifting from its original course!¡±


    ¡°Our defenses won¡¯t hold! Hostiles inbound from four o¡¯clock!¡±


    ¡°Bloody Krall!¡± Xerxes cursed, ¡°Why won¡¯t that beast just leave us alone?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the fleet is doomed. We must break away from the damaged vessels before they get to us!¡± A multitude of advisors prostrated before Xerxes and implored desperately.


    ¡°Have all of you no spine? And you are supposed to be the pride of the Saadian navy! It is just a single oversized octopus!¡± Xerxes raged.


    ¡°We can¡¯t defeat that monster. No man in the world can!¡± The advisors wailed in despair.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of running away. Signal the fleet, turn the Yggdrasil around, and prepare for the Blood Ritual.¡± Xerxes commanded grimly. The advisors muttered uncertainly among themselves, but none of them were foolhardy enough to defy their emperor. A thousand mages chanted in union and the mighty flagship groaned as it turned on a dime to face the Krall. A knight knelt before Xerxes and the impatient emperor snatched up the long bone-white scepter he offered. Then the guards dragged a horrified gibbering slave before Xerxes.


    ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my call!¡± Xerxes demanded as he channeled his mana into the scepter and thrust the sharp end through the slave¡¯s heart. The slave¡¯s dying scream rent the air as tendrils of red crept up the bone white staff. ¡°Another!¡± Xerxes commanded and the next terrified slave in the long snaking line was instantly presented to the emperor.


    Xerxes faced the Krall defiantly from the bow of his ship and stretched his blood red scepter over the sea. The waters were divided, and a Krall twice the size of the Yggdrasil was lifted into the sky before the mighty emperor. ¡°Fire!¡± Xerxes commanded as he trembled from the strain of maintaining the spell, the Saadian fleet roared as one and hundreds of cannonballs and spells tore into the immobilized Krall. The Krall let out a mournful wail and flailed about wildly, Xerxes staggered and fell to his knees before coughing out a mouthful of blood, ¡°Keep firing!¡± he yelled desperately. The cannons roared again and again, and finally the hole riddled Krall fell limply back into the churning ocean.


    ¡°Xerxes! Xerxes! Xerxes!¡± The Saadians cheered with a loud victorious roar that spread through the fleet as the emperor thrust his arm triumphantly into the air. But their success was short lived, and the seas roared as an enraged wail shook the heavens. Then on the far horizon, a massive dark tentacle stretched high and blotted out the sun before slamming forcefully back into the ocean. The resulting tsunami that swamped over the ragged Saadian fleet instantly sank half of the surviving vessels, and the ships that remained were thrown into utter disarray.


    Xerxes felt fear for the first time in his life as Krall approached.


    ¡°Strategic retreat?¡±


    ¡°Temporary withdrawal?¡±


    ¡°Bait and switch?¡±


    The most enterprising advisors sidled up to the emperor and suggested hopefully.


    ¡°Krall.¡± Lily whispered with awed reverence as she strode up to the ship¡¯s bow and gazed into the distance. The ocean was filled with a mass of writhing tentacles that circumvented the horizon from end to end.


    ¡°There¡¯s no escaping that!¡± Xerxes muttered with barely masked horror, ¡°That thing must be large enough to stretch across half the ocean!¡±


    ¡°Krall is just afraid. I can calm him.¡± Lily replied softly.


    ¡°Prepare to abandon ship, fly for the highest mountain, wounded and women first¡­¡± the world¡¯s mightiest warrior blinked suddenly and gawked disbelievingly at the slender Andanian princess beside him, ¡°You can what!?¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°I can calm Krall. Just bring me a zither.¡± Lily replied patiently.


    A resourceful advisor delivered an elegantly decorated zither to the Andanian princess, then all of Saadian watched with bated breath. Lily sighed as she sat at Yggdrasil¡¯s bow and began tuning the instrument while humming to compose a fitting melody.


    ''Elder sister might be more Talented at magic, but she has always been second best in singing. If only she was here with me to see my performance!''Lily thought as a faint wistful smile etched on her lips. Then she breathed deeply and straightened up to face Krall.


    ¡° Little Krall what are you fearing?


    Little Krall why are you wailing?


    Little Krall who are you seeking?


    Let me tuck you in warm ocean¡¯s fleece,


    To soothe your woes and bring you peace,


    And seal your sleep with a royal kiss.¡±


    The radiant Andanian princess sang with the voice of an angel and stole the hearts of Krall and Xerxes. The Yggdrasil listed dangerously as Krall¡¯s curled tentacle circled lovingly around the singing princess. Xerxes frowned possessively as he stepped instinctively towards Lily, and Krall glared balefully at the approaching man. Xerxes the Immortal froze instantly as a chill shivered down his spine.


    ¡°Krall.¡± Lily rose and curtseyed gracefully.


    Krall blinked.


    ¡°I have to go for now. But I¡¯ll sing again for you some day.¡± Lily continued evenly.


    Krall let out a long hissing sigh. Then Krall departed, and the sea was calm.

 Chapter 6: The Witch of Vaishya

    Then the woman found a ship. After paying the fare, she went aboard and sailed for land.


    But Krall wept and trembled in fear.


    And a great wind swept across the seas, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to shatter. All the sailors were terrified and each cried out to his own god as they discarded the cargo to lighten the ship.


    Then the sailors said, ¡°Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.¡± So, they cast lots and the lot fell on the woman.


    Then they asked, ¡°Tell us, what have you done? What should we do to you to make the seas calm down for us?¡±


    ¡°Bring me a zither and let me sing,¡± she replied, ¡°and it will become calm.¡±


    And the raging sea was calmed.


    At this a great reverence fell upon the men, and the first Witch was born in the lands of men.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    One week later.


    The Vaishyan palace was in a state of total uproar, and imperial couriers dashed fanatically throughout the capital.


    ¡°What do you mean they all disappeared!? That was our entire fleet and one third of the army! We scrounged together every single wooden bucket with sails from the protectorate¡¯s northern arctic reaches to the central equatorial borders so as to impress the Andanians! By the Vaishyan holy gods! There¡¯s just no way a hundred thousand men could vanish off the face of the planet like that!¡± Heliocles Ishmael Zimran, the portly Sultan of the Vaishyan Protectorate groaned.


    ¡°The Saadians must have developed a new magical weapon of mass destruction!¡± an advisor suggested hesitantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. If the Saadians had that kind of firepower, Vaishya would already be in ruins.¡± Amir the crown prince explained patiently.


    ¡°It must have been the Andanians! They must have deployed some kind of wide range communication barrier.¡± Abel the second prince interjected brightly.


    Just then a dust-caked sweating messenger dashed into the audience chamber, ¡°Your Magnificence. Andania¡­ Andania has¡­¡± he panted as he paused uncertainly.


    ¡°Andania has what?¡± the royal family rose to their feet and crowded around the messenger like an eager pack of puppies.


    The messenger gulped nervously as he stared at their hopeful expressions, ¡°The scouts report that Andania has disappeared. There¡¯s nothing¡­ Nothing left!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by nothing? Did the island sink? What happened to our ships?¡± Amir demanded.


    ¡°The divers scoured out the seabed thoroughly. Although we did locate some Andanian structures that must have been broken off from the island, we found nothing that would remotely approximate the ruins of an entire country!¡± He replied nervously.


    ¡°What sorcery is this? You mean the entire freaking island just decided to get up and sail off into the stars?¡± Abel muttered disbelievingly.


    Queen Mavia let out a loud despairing wail, ¡°Aryan! My dear little Aryan, did you find him?¡±


    The messenger trembled and prostrated before the weeping queen, ¡°Great Royal Consort. This was the only item we retrieved¡­ we must assume the worst,¡± he replied reluctantly as he produced a flamboyantly colored scrap of cloth.


    ¡°Nooo! This can¡¯t be!¡± Queen Mavia cried as she staggered weakly into the comforting arms of her husband.


    ¡°The Saadians. What happened to their fleet?¡± Amir questioned tensely.


    ¡°Our spies report that the Saadian flagship Yggdrasil has docked safely at Riyadh, the capital. Their fleet is damaged, but intact.¡± The messenger answered apprehensively.


    ¡°How did the Saadians annihilate both the Andanians and our entire fleet in a single night?¡± Heliocles mused aloud as he furrowed his brows in bewilderment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but it is clear that the Saadians were the only survivors. Please forgive your servant¡¯s ineptitude, Your Magnificence.¡± The messenger pleaded.


    Just as the royal family was about to intensify their questioning, another messenger dashed fanatically into the chamber. ¡°Your Magnificence! The Saadians are mobilizing, and they have sent us an ultimatum! They demand that we immediately surrender both the Andanian territories and her crown princess.¡±


    Heliocles Ishmael Zimran, the matchlessly eloquent sultan of the prosperous mercantile Vaishyan Protectorate, was momentarily lost for words. His mouth gaped open and closed repeatedly, ¡°Repeat that, slowly please,¡± he finally mumbled as he sank back into his chair and buried his head in his hands.


    ¡°Your Magnificence. The Saadians are mustering their forces to invade our nation. They demand the immediate return of the Andanian territories and¡­¡± the messenger paused as he double-checked the unfurled parchment in his hand, ¡°one Crown Princess Laura Alexandra Muriel of Andania.¡±


    ¡°How can we return something that completely vanished off the face of the planet? Why doesn¡¯t that ridiculous boy Emperor pray for a miracle from his own gods instead of demanding the impossible from us? This trumped up pretext for war is totally unprecedented, even from those slaving scumbags! Send that miscreant a reply he deserves!¡± Amir yelled irately. The attending scribes nodded as the whisper of pens scribbled furiously against fresh parchment.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Convene the Grand Council immediately. We must begin marshalling our own forces before the Saadian hordes overrun the borders.¡± Abel commanded calmly.


    ¡°Empty the sultanate¡¯s coffers, hire every competent mage and mercenary you can find to shore up our depleted armies,¡± Heliocles added. ¡°Idon¡¯t understand why the Saadians had to come up with such a twisted scheme to entrap us, but it¡¯s clear at least that Xerxes intends to test the readiness of our remaining forces.We must muster everything we have and teach those slavers a painful lesson that they won¡¯t ever forget!¡±


    And thus, the Sultan of Vaishya sent word to the furthest ends of his protectorate. Then they came out with all their troops and mages ¨C a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And all of these forces made camp together at the Waters of Merom to battle against Xerxes.


    ...


    ¡°I¡¯m cold, I¡¯m bored, and I¡¯m super-duper tired of fishes!¡± Laura complained as she pouted at Aryan from across a flickering campfire.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not my fault that your Krall decided to dump us on this deserted island! There¡¯s just nothing else to eat here!¡± The prince shrugged helplessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s entirely your fault! This mess was started because you wanted to force me into marriage! I know, I¡¯ll have a piece of human for dessert. Maybe your brown skin will actually taste like cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e!¡± Laura¡¯s eyes glinted with anger as she reached for a talisman. Then she let out a hopeless groan as she remembered that all her charms had been destroyed by the ocean.


    ¡°Not so fierce without all your spells, aren¡¯t you? Little witch?¡± Aryan teased as his eyes twinkled with amusement.


    ¡°Arrgh! I¡¯ll get you for that!¡± Laura raged as she leapt over the flames and pounced at the prince before pounding her small fists against his muscular chest.


    ¡°Hahaha. This is just too funny!¡± Aryan guffawed as he clamped his hands around Laura¡¯s arms to restrain her violent tendencies.


    ¡°My life is totally ruined,¡± Laura muttered listlessly, ¡°Whatever could be worse than this?¡±


    ¡°Hey. Laura.¡± Aryan spoke with a serious warning tone.


    ¡°Just shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Laura pouted sullenly.


    ¡°This is very important!¡± Aryan insisted as he tugged at the resisting princess.


    ¡°What is it now!?¡± Laura complained.


    ¡°Your dress¡­ it is burning!¡± Aryan exclaimed.


    ¡°What?¡± Laura¡¯s eyes bulged with shock as she tore free from Aryan¡¯s grasp, ¡°Nooo!¡± she screamed as she ran wildly in circles and the fanned flames crept swiftly up her tattered clothes. Aryan lunged forward and pinned the panicking princess to the ground and smothered the flames with his body, then he patted desperately at the glowing embers that remained.


    Laura sobbed frightfully as she was pinned down, half-naked, by his strong unyielding arms. ¡°Are you going to eat me?¡± Laura shuddered as she wilted under his intense serious stare.


    ¡°There, there. You are safe now.¡± Aryan comforted the trembling princess by patting her gently on the head.


    ¡°I can think of many things I am right now, but safe is definitely not one of them.¡± Laura giggled weakly as her groin rubbed against Aryan¡¯s belly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Aryan blushed as he released Laura as if she was a scorching hot coal and sat down with his back to her. ¡°I¡¯m going to mediate for a bit,¡± he muttered.


    Laura sighed contemplatively as she stared at Aryan for a long silent moment, then she sat down and leaned her bared back against his. ¡°This marriage thing, it wasn¡¯t your idea either, was it?¡± she mused softly.


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. Vaishya desperately needs trustworthy allies and how better to secure an enduring political alliance than by royal union?¡± Aryan answered with a soft sigh.


    ¡°Idiot. And you came to Andania willingly, and in person?¡± Laura snorted.


    ¡°I guess I wanted to see for myself what my betrothed was like, and if I would fall in love with her?¡± Aryan shrugged vaguely.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Laura prodded mercilessly.


    ¡°And you¡¯re kinda cute I guess?¡± Aryan muttered, ¡°But also extremely foul tempered, unreasonable, and reckless!¡± the prince blurted out even as he winced and prepared for a renewed assault.


    Laura giggled, ¡°Idiot. But I guess you are not half bad yourself. I always wanted to travel and live in a foreign faraway land!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be amazed at what Vaishya has to offer! Our palace is built from white marble and inlaid with precious gems sourced from the furthest reaches of the seven seas. You can buy everything in the capital, Calcutta. Even exotic baubles like the one your father gave me. And the performances, the dances¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Laura screamed loudly as she leapt to her feet and darted recklessly before the shocked prince, ¡°Repeat that this instant!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°About the white marble palace?¡± Aryan mumbled with confusion.


    ¡°The bauble! What did Father give you?¡± Laura questioned intently while shaking the addled prince by the shoulders.


    ¡°Oh, you mean that fancy trinket?¡± Aryan frowned as he reached into his pockets and retrieved an intricately carved ring, etched with countless runes. ¡°It¡¯s surprisingly hard for silver, and your father said that I was to hand it to you only after our wedding night.¡± He added bashfully.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t silver, it¡¯s pure dragonfire forged mithril. It¡¯s the Calamity Ring!¡± Laura squealed with bubbling delight as she broke out with a radiant smile. ¡°You must say these words immediately, ¡®I Aryan Ishmael Zimran, take you, Laura Alexandra Muriel, to be soul entwined, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.¡¯ Then put that on my ring finger.¡± Laura demanded as she held out her left hand to the prince.


    ¡°What? You want to get married right now? But the ceremony should be held in¡­¡± Aryan protested weakly.


    ¡°Pooh, marriage is so whatever! Just say those words and I can get us off this cursed island!¡± Laura exclaimed cheerfully.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Aryan complied reluctantly as he glanced uncertainty at the suddenly exuberant princess, ¡®I Aryan Ishmael Zimran, take you, Laura Alexandra Muriel, to be soul entwined, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,¡¯ and he slipped the ring gently on her finger before flinching as if he had been half-expecting some horrific fate to befall him.


    ¡°Pfft. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not about to turn you into a toad.¡± Laura giggled as she attached her magical ruby to a cleft that had formed in the ring. Then she stood before the prince with a triumphant smile, ¡°I Laura Alexandra Muriel, take you, Aryan Ishmael Zimran, to be soul entwined, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.¡¯


    ¡°What now?¡± Aryan questioned as he eyed the princess warily.


    Laura glanced doubtfully at the ring in her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the ceremony performed myself, so I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± she mused thoughtfully before continuing, ¡°I think¡­¡± Just then, her ruby flared wildly to life with a radiance that blotted out the stars, and the ring of calamity burned with scorching fiery incandescence that seared into her very soul. And Laura fell agonizingly to her knees and screamed.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan dashed forward to wrest the ring from her fingers, but his attempt was in vain as a massive shockwave blasted him off his feet and thrust him face first into the ground. Aryan attempted to rise but a flying boulder collided violently against his head, and he collapsed in an unconscious heap.


    And Laura screamed. And screamed.

 Chapter 7: Binding Souls

    The Witch knew evil as she beheld the oppression of men.


    Every one by another, and every one by his neighbor.


    Brother delivered up brother to death, and children rose up against parents, and caused them to be put to death.


    Then she sang and caused death to fall upon Krall, and filled her horn with blood.


    With the blood, anointed man in the presence of his brothers.


    And He was evil.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    The atmosphere in the Saadian court tensed as a trembling messenger prostrated before Xerxes, ¡°Immortal Emperor Xerxes, Ruler of Saadian and of the Southern Realms, Master of the Burning Legions, Slayer of the Thousand Dragons...¡±


    ¡°Arrgh! Enough! Enough with the titles, I am not my father!¡± Xerxes shouted angrily, ¡°I will be addressed as Emperor Xerxes alone, or I will rip all your tongues out!¡±


    The nobles and advisors in court murmured among themselves while glancing warily at their master, but none came to the unfortunate courier¡¯s rescue. ¡°Emperor Xerxes! Highest Majesty! The traitorous Vaishyans have mustered their forces and have delivered their response to our message. Thus, sayeth the Vaishyan dogs¡­¡± The courier¡¯s voice quaked in terror as he stared numbly at the unfurled scroll and he did not have the courage to read its contents aloud.


    Xerxes trembled with effort as he fought the sudden urge to behead the courier with the sword that had inexplicably appeared in his hand. He shut his eyes and took a deep calming breath before sheathing the weapon and tossing it harmlessly across the room. ¡°My patience runs thin. Read or die.¡± He commanded with a voice that thundered across the spacious throne room.


    ¡°Please have mercy!¡± the courier begged as he prostrated himself before the mighty emperor, ¡°These words¡­ they must never defile your glorious greatness.¡±


    Xerxes rose furiously to his feet and roared, ¡°How dare you! How dare you tell me what to do. Don¡¯t you remember what happened to the last fool who attempted to manipulate me for his own gain?¡±


    The courier¡¯s face paled as the parchment fell from his numb trembling hands and his breeches were drenched with fear. Then he let out a loud scream of utter horror as he turned and fled from his emperor. The veins on Xerxes¡¯ face bulged with fury, and his thigh muscles coiled as he readied to close the distance with a single pounce as if he was going to tear the coward apart with his bare hands. The members of Xerxes¡¯ court fled swiftly from his path and cowered fearfully in the multitude of reinforced alcoves built especially for this purpose.


    ¡°Stop. It hasn¡¯t even been an hour, and you have already killed three people.¡± A slender hand clamped firmly on Xerxes¡¯ shoulder even as he tore a spear from the guard beside him. The nobles trembled at the sight as they fought each other for the right to squirrel deeper into hiding.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes thundered as he whirled around to thrust the spear though the neck of the defenseless young girl standing calmly next to him. Fortunately, the gleaming blade was halted just an instant before it pierced the fair skinned maiden. Xerxes let out a primal roar of rage as he hurled the spear in the general direction of the fleeing messenger, and the weapon thudded harmlessly as it buried into the far wall.


    ¡°Good. That one survived.¡± Lily nodded with approval.


    ¡°Will someone please read that message! Anyone!¡± Xerxes demanded. But none of his nobles possessed the courage to answer his call. The Emperor let out a low growl as his eyes flickered again towards the nearest weapon. The guard blanched in horror, dropped his sword, and cowered fearfully behind the nearest column.


    ¡°You can¡¯t read!¡± Laura exclaimed as sudden realization washed over her, ¡°Xerxes, you birdbrain!¡± Lily giggled as she slapped his back with loud clap.


    The pungent scent of piss wafted from the alcoves as Xerxes turned slowly to stare at the Andanian princess. ¡°I think I know two or three letters of the alphabet,¡± he mumbled hesitantly, ¡°but none of my teachers ever survived long enough to teach me the rest!¡±


    ¡°Fufu¡­ fufufu¡­¡± Lily bent over with chortled with amusement as she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. Then she leapt casually from the dais and snatched up the fallen parchment. ¡°Here, let me teach you,¡± she instructed patiently as she pointed at each word before slowly reading it aloud:


    ¡®To the Saadian devil who reclines with dogs,


    Andania does not exist, and neither does any Andanian princess. We have nothing to offer you except fire and brimstone. So, sacrifice to your own whoring god if you desire a miracle.


    Sultan Heliocles Ishmael Zimran, Vaishyan Protectorate¡¯


    Xerxes sighed as he stared the letter with a perplexed expression, ¡°The Vaishyans really love their figurative language. I guess being addressed as a devil means that they respect my fighting prowess and sleeping with dogs means they know I¡¯m well protected. But why do they say that about Andania? And I don¡¯t get the part about why they think that you are some sort of phantom!¡± Xerxes frowned as he stared again at Lily, just to be sure. ¡°And they want to trade in sulfur, that¡¯s good since having more gunpowder never hurts. Finally, doesn¡¯t this last sentence mean that their Sultan wishes to pray for help with me at the Aphrodite temple here?¡± The emperor mused aloud.


    Lily blinked momentarily with disbelief before breaking out with peals of laughter.


    ¡°Ugh. I guess that means that I¡¯ve made a mistake somewhere? Reading is really tough.¡± Xerxes sighed.


    ¡°Fufu¡­¡± Lily gasped and grasped at her aching sides as she finally managed to rein in her mirth. ¡°The Vaishyans meant to insult you. They deny Andania¡¯s independence and disown her princesses. Next, they threaten to wage war, before implying that you will be defeated by their forces unless a miracle occurs!¡±


    ¡°Leave me!¡± Xerxes growled, ¡°please¡­¡± he added almost plaintively as he glanced at Lily, then the armrest he gripped crumbled with a loud snap. The nobles and advisors scrambled to obey their emperor, and the audience chamber emptied swiftly. Xerxes gazed balefully at the princess who remained, ¡°Please¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± the mightiest man in the world begged.


    ¡°I refuse,¡± the princess stood defiantly before the emperor towering over her.


    ¡°Arrgh! Why aren¡¯t you afraid!¡± Xerxes yelled as he swiped at Lily. Then he yelled again before lashing out, again and again. Finally, as the setting sun wrested the last of its amber rays from the palace rooftops, Xerxes collapsed tiredly in the room¡¯s center, ¡°How? How are you avoiding me?¡± Xerxes panted in disbelief.


    Lily¡¯s laugh tinkled gently through the silent air, ¡°I¡¯m a witch of Andania, how do you expect to ever hit me, if you yell out a loud warning each time before you throw a clumsy punch like that? You act exactly like Krall when he¡¯s afraid, just that you¡¯re smaller and much easier to deal with.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Guards!¡± yelled Xerxes. A hundred armored men peeked tentatively into the throne room and ogled disbelievingly at the surviving princess, ¡°Confine Princess Lily to her quarters. Then call up the Burning Legions and prepare for the Dark Ritual! We will go to war with the Vaishyans!¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Lily pouted as she was surrounded by a mass of nervous sweaty men, ¡°This many people isn¡¯t fair! And besides, if this Dark Ritual you mentioned is anything like that Blood Ritual I saw on the Yggdrasil, you¡¯ll fare much better if I¡¯m next to you.¡±


    ¡°Please just stay in your quarters, it just isn¡¯t safe, especially for you,¡± Xerxes implored. Then he turned to his cowering advisors, ¡°If Princess Lily is harmed at any point during the ritual, I will have all your heads along with those of your families to the ninth generation.¡± He growled warningly before striding out of the throne room and into the deepening darkness.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Aryan prodded Laura cautiously with the longest branch on the island.


    Laura paused from her mindless writing in the sand before her and her dull eyes glanced numbly at the concerned prince, ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­ It¡¯s gone¡­¡± she muttered repetitively as she curled up in a fetal position.


    ¡°What¡¯s gone?¡± Aryan questioned worriedly.


    ¡°My ruby¡¯s darkened. I¡¯m empty! One third of my soul is lost! Where, where did it go to? And what went wrong with the ritual?¡± Laura shuddered with shell-shocked horror.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think through this calmly. Are you absolutely sure that you got every detail of the ritual, right? Maybe you missed something, somewhere?¡± Aryan comforted the weeping princess gently in his arms.


    Laura¡¯s eyes narrowed as she glared at Aryan, ¡°I¡¯m The Witch of Andania. The Best. There¡¯s no way in Krall that I messed up any part of the spell...¡± Just then her eyes widened in sudden realization, ¡°It wasn¡¯t the spell! It was¡­¡± she paused warily.


    ¡°What was it? I don¡¯t ever want to see anyone go through that sort of suffering ever again!¡± Aryan yelled impatiently as his eyes glistened with tears.


    ¡°There was a reason why Father said those words,¡± Laura muttered as she clung tightly against the prince. ¡°You have to marry me before the sun goes down. We have to say the wedding vows!¡± She pled.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aryan agreed almost immediately.


    ¡°What!? You are just going to agree, just like that? Without the slightest protest?¡± Laura spluttered in disbelief.


    ¡°Why not? Didn¡¯t you say that it was just some words? If any words I speak can save you from that kind of suffering, I¡¯ll gladly speak till my throat breaks and my tongue falls off.¡± Aryan retorted with perfect honesty.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably have to say the Andanian version, I guess,¡± Laura muttered absently.


    ¡°What are we waiting for then? Princess Laura, will you marry me?¡± Aryan tugged the girl before him to her feet before kneeling before her in one fluid motion.


    The boy and the girl faced each other as they stood ankle deep within the ocean. The girl smiled shyly as she tucked a small fluttering flower in her hair. Then the boy held his hand up and turned his palm to face the sea, ¡°I, Aryan Ishmael Zimran, love you. Today I take you, as my lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish for all of our days. Krall be my witness.¡±


    And the girl blushed tenderly as she held her hand up and turned her palm to face the sea. ¡°I, Laura Alexandra Muriel, love you. Today I take you, as my lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish for all of our days. Krall be my witness.¡± Finally, the boy pulled the girl close in an embrace and kissed her passionately, and their hands were tightly locked as they waded back to the shore.


    Laura frowned as she was plagued with a sudden burst of lingering unease. Then the sun set, the ring burned, and Laura screamed. And screamed.


    ¡­


    ¡°Laura! Are you okay?¡± Aryan prodded Laura cautiously for the second time.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the marriage vows after all. It¡¯s gone¡­ two thirds of my soul is lost, I¡¯ll only last another night at this rate.¡± Laura muttered disbelievingly.


    ¡°What happens when all your soul is gone?¡± Aryan questioned anxiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Laura exclaimed, ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be human anymore once the sun sets.¡± She stared tearfully at Aryan, ¡°Swear to me in the name of Krall!¡± she demanded suddenly, ¡°Swear that you will kill me before the sun sets tonight!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that!¡± Aryan protested.


    ¡°Idiot. If you don¡¯t kill me, whatever¡¯s left of me will probably kill you.¡± Laura muttered.


    Aryan shrugged with a small wane smile, ¡°I guess that beats living alone on this stupid island for another fifty years?¡±


    ¡°Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.¡± Laura muttered, ¡°You are a super idiot!¡± she groaned. Then she perked up and thought furiously, ¡°Wait¡­ soul entwined! This ring must be transferring my soul to you, but the problem is that I¡¯m somehow not getting anything in return. The wedding vows only mention taking but not giving, which means that you must give me something to balance out the spell¡¯s effects!¡± Laura muttered as she glared at Aryan and her cheeks flushed furiously.


    ¡°Give you what?¡± Aryan backed away warily from the approaching princess, ¡°Are you going to suggest something hackneyed like digging out my heart for dinner or something?¡±


    Laura smiled malevolently as she darted forward and wrapped her arms around Aryan¡¯s waist, even as her dress slipped from her slender frame. ¡°I guess we could also try that,¡± she giggled, ¡°but I might have a super slightly better plan.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the point of tearing up all our remaining clothes and tossing them into the ocean?¡± Aryan protested awkwardly before an equally naked Laura.


    ¡°Well its warm today¡­¡± Laura giggled, ¡°And if this works, we won¡¯t ever need those stupid rags again.¡±


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Laura giggled louder, ¡°I¡¯ll be a monster and you¡¯ll be super-duper dead. So, I guess we won¡¯t need those rags either!¡±


    ¡°And so, what¡¯s this better plan of yours?¡± Aryan gulped as he couldn¡¯t help but stare at the naked girl stretching casually next to him.


    Laura reddened as she got down on all fours and twitched her perky teenaged ass at the nervously sweating prince, ¡°C¡¯mon you are a man, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t make me do all the work!¡± She frowned at the hesitating prince, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I am very super experienced at this sort of stuff!¡± she nodded her head while snickering.


    ¡°You are!?¡± Prince Aryan gulped and he looked as if he was about to flee into the ocean.


    ¡°Very super! My Andanian retainers do this all the time while I¡¯m playing with them in the palace.¡± Laura giggled.


    ¡°You do this with your servants too!? Is that some secret Andanian taboo?¡± Aryan paled and took a hurried step backward.


    ¡°How innocent!¡± Laura tittered as she slapped at her rear suggestively, ¡°Haven¡¯t you tried it? It¡¯s most amusing when there¡¯s dozens of them all in the same room.¡±


    ¡°And you played with your servants in the same room, and at the same time?¡± Aryan confirmed as he took another unconscious step away from the giggling princess.


    Laura pouted, ¡°Of course! Do you even have to ask? I¡¯m almost always stuck in the center, screaming for them to stop fighting and take turns!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Aryan muttered under his breath, ¡°I know that I recited the marriage vows and all, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to get down like this, and you are supposed to come at me from behind. Then the cute little boys go ¡®Woof, Woof, Woof¡¯ and the pretty girls go ¡®Hooowl!¡¯¡± Laura demonstrated helpfully.


    ¡°Wait. Your retainers are dogs?¡± Aryan spluttered as he sank into the ground and broke down in helpless laughter


    Laura nodded and stuck her hands on her bare hips as she stalked up to the guffawing prince, ¡°Idiot. Surely you must know what retainers are. They have four legs, long cuddly fur, and cute fluffy ears. And they start at just six months! I am SIXTEEN. There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t do what those little puppies do all the time with each other.¡±


    Aryan laughed even louder.


    Her face fell as she bit her lip apprehensively, ¡°I know that it¡¯s a super big favor for you and I might not exactly suit your tastes, but it¡¯ll probably save our lives¡­¡± she begged as a single tear trickled from her eye and glistened down her rosy cheeks.


    ¡°Haha¡­ hehe¡­ hohoho¡­¡± Aryan guffawed while rolling wildly on the soft white sand.


    ¡°How is this even close to funny?¡± Laura protested while stamping her feet impatiently. ¡°Please, we don¡¯t have much time left. The sun is setting!¡± She muttered as she resumed her original position.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you how I prefer it,¡± Aryan growled gruffly as he lifted the princess and pinned her down beneath him.


    ¡°The front? But how¡­¡± Laura¡¯s wondering protest was cut off as her eyes widened with a twinge of pain, ¡°Oh¡­¡± she murmured as she gazed into his hazel eyes and her arms locked instinctively around the small of his back as he thrust repeatedly into her most tender spots. Then Aryan grunted as his pupils dilated and Laura gasped as she felt a growing warmth spread through her body. All too soon, the sated prince slowed and panted contently against her.


    ¡°Only once? I¡¯m not sure once will be enough¡­ And I didn¡¯t get to do the howling part.¡± Laura teased as the sun¡¯s last golden rays faded slowly into twilight.


    ¡°How many times do you actually want it?¡± Aryan growled darkly.


    ¡°A puppy usually manages at least two or three times. And they do it from the back¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not one of your puppies!¡± Aryan spluttered.


    Laura nodded agreeably, ¡°Of course! So, I naturally have higher expectations for you. Two puppies?¡± she giggled questioningly.


    ¡°¡­Andanian princesses¡­¡± the prince muttered under his breath as he pulled Laura on her fours, ¡°You grossly underestimate me!¡± Aryan yelled as he rose to the challenge. And it was a most precious night of passion that they would always treasure.

 Chapter 8: Son of Krall

    He reigned and consumed his sisters to slay all his brethren with the sword, and also others of the princes of men.


    Then He knew her, and she conceived, and said, ¡°Behold, I have acquired a daughter from Krall.¡±


    And The Witch knew good.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°So, what is this Dark Ritual all about?¡± Lily questioned the gaggle of men clustered tightly at the other end of her spacious room.


    ¡°Shh¡­ Please whisper softly. He¡¯ll come if he hears you!¡± an advisor begged desperately as he prostrated before Lily.


    ¡°And so? It has been three whole days since I¡¯ve arrived at the palace, and I still don¡¯t have a single scratch on me. What¡¯s just another hour or two with Xerxes?¡± Lily protested.


    The guards peeked fearfully into the long snaking corridor as they whispered desperately to themselves, ¡°What do we do if He comes?¡± one shaking guard muttered to the others.


    ¡°Hope that He will forget about that last order of His to protect the Andanian princess?¡± the second guard wished wistfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already saddled the fastest horses¡­¡± the third guard muttered in a futile attempt to reassure the others.


    ¡°We¡¯ll actually hear Him coming, right?¡± the fourth guard glanced wildly about him as if he expected the emperor to plow straight through the walls around him.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to run out of patience. It¡¯s has already been practically three entire hours, and I haven¡¯t even had dinner yet! Are the bunch of you trying to starve me to death or something?¡± Lily accused as she gestured impatiently at the table before her. The guards gulped fearfully in response, but they remained rooted in the securely barred room.


    ¡°Please honored princess. Just stay here for another hour or two¡­¡± the advisor begged.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it, if you can deliver my sister to me this instant!¡± Lily demanded unreasonably.


    ¡°Honored princess, your request is impossible. This servant regrets¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. I¡¯ve enough of this nonsense. I¡¯m going to check up on that Xerxes before he actually hurts himself.¡± Lily sighed. Then she selected one of the talismansfrom the table and brandished it clearly before the advisor so that he could study its design.


    ¡°Yes. An icicle spell, we know about those.¡± The advisor nodded before snapping his fingers and four Saadian mages stepped into the room to flank the princess from each side, ¡°We¡¯ll melt it before you can break out, it doesn¡¯t matter if some of us die in the process¡­ we have many replacements.¡± He let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Besides, we have assigned hundreds of mages and thousands of guards to secure this part of the palace. You might be an Andanian witch, but surely you can¡¯t expect to defeat us all?¡±


    Lily¡¯s eyes glinted mischievously, ¡°You see¡­ the only ways to restrain an Andanian witch, are to either strip her naked and bind her from head to toe in dimeritium chains or to steal her pendant. But you have done neither.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± the advisor begged, ¡°He will slaughter everyone!¡±


    ¡°So, that just means that you can¡¯t possibly stop me then.¡± Lily answered as she rose to her feet. Immediately, the room tensed with magic as twenty additional mages appeared. Then one chanted a spell which tore apart the talisman in the princess¡¯ hand before she could activate it. But the slight teenaged girl remained unperturbed, ¡°I swallowed it,¡± she giggled, ¡°along with a whole bunch of other fun stuff.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± the advisor trembled as his face was masked in horror.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ I wonder what Xerxes will do to all of you if he finds me on the floor here, pierced through with dozens of magical icicles.¡± The sound of Lily¡¯s chuckles sent chills down the spines of the men arrayed around her.


    ¡°You are evil,¡± moaned the advisor.


    Lily shrugged innocently, ¡°Is that bad? I¡¯m a witch of Andania.¡± And so, the princess of Andania conquered the hosts of Saadian arrayed before her and journeyed to the Forbidden Palace of Saadian.


    ¡­


    ¡°What is this?¡± Lily inquired curiously as she gestured at the mountain of fine dresses scattered across the courtyard before her. The advisor paled before mumbling something intelligible as he shook his head from side to side. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going in to see for myself then!¡± Lily declared.


    ¡°Please have mercy!¡± the advisor begged, ¡°He is entertaining himself with the concubines. He must not be disturbed. Only the eunuchs are allowed within the Forbidden Palace. I don¡¯t know what goes on inside there! Just that they all go in, and don¡¯t come out after that!¡±


    ¡°Urp¡­ what!? That many concubines at once?¡± Lily wrinkled her nose in distaste as she counted the apparel strewn around her and quickly determined that there were definitely enough garments for about two hundred women. ¡°How does Xerxes do it so many times? This isn¡¯t like the puppies...¡± Lily blushed uncertainly as she clasped her hands shyly before her. Then she turned to examine the nearest discarded dress, it was a pink flowery kimono, sewn from the finest silks. Out of habit, Lily pressed the soft pre-warmed material across her shoulders to see if the clothes would fit her and quickly realized that the sizes were far too large in all the right places. ¡°So, that pervert prefers older and bigger women after all!¡± Lily exclaimed as she whirled to glare at the advisor who was whimpering next to her.


    Just then, the doors to the harem swung open and a company of nervously sweating eunuchs emerged and began marching swiftly away.


    ¡°Hey you!¡± Lily yelled at the nearest eunuch.


    ¡°We missed one?¡± the eunuch blinked in confusion, ¡°But it¡¯s already over.¡±


    ¡°This is the Princess of Andania! She¡¯s not to be harmed!¡± the advisor practically shrieked his lungs out.


    ¡°Greetings Honored Princess,¡± the eunuchs bowed down before Lily. Then Zheng, the head eunuch nodded at the princess, ¡°Please be patient, the Emperor is just getting dressed. He will be out shortly.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I am going in now!¡± Lily demanded as she tapped her foot impatiently.


    ¡°We can¡¯t allow that, only the Emperor¡¯s concubines may enter the harem.¡± Eunuch Zheng refused coolly.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll break this door down myself!¡± Lily declared as she strode towards the imposing metal barrier.


    The eunuchs immediately fanned out to restrain the invading princess. Some stepped forward and produced metal chains which they twirled threateningly above their heads, others at the rear began chanting out a variety of spells. Eunuch Zheng smirked, ¡°We might not be real men but we have spent our entire lives restraining uncooperative women, do you actually think that you can get past us?¡±


    Lily¡¯s face darkened as she shot a silent venomous glance at the cowering advisor beside her and gestured at her stomach.


    The advisor gulped, then he waved his hands fanatically in the air as he dashed forward, ¡°Stooop!¡± he shrieked, ¡°She will kill us all!¡±


    The eunuchs hesitated, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eunuch Zheng scowled. ¡°I have assessed her Talent, and she¡¯s nothing exceptional. We are accustomed to restraining Talented concubines.¡±


    ¡°You are underestimating her! That Andanian Witch has already defeated all the hosts of mages and guards in the entire palace. If you try to stop her here, the palace will be bathed with our blood!¡± the advisor begged.


    The eunuchs paled, their weapons fell from their quaking hands, and their spells fizzed out with loud popping sounds, ¡°Please have mercy! I¡¯ll open the gates immediately!¡± Eunuch Zheng genuflected desperately as he dashed back and unlocked the door to the Forbidden Palace.


    ¡°Better. You are dismissed.¡± Lily smiled frostily and she stomped into the dark silent compound as the servants of Saadian fled desperately from her presence.


    ¡­


    ¡°Where is everyone? Or anyone?¡± Lily muttered in confusion as she trod warily through the dark maze of deserted corridors. The palace was enormous, and she had already peered into a hundred rooms without locating a single soul. ¡°What would elder sister do?¡± Lily murmured thoughtfully to herself as she paused from her futile search and leafed through her stack of talismans.


    ¡°Oh! Hehe¡­ I¡¯ll just make the loudest noise possible.¡± Lily giggled with a flash of inspiration. She selected one of her talismans and added a few strokes to the intricate rune. Then she threw the activated charm down the corridor before leaping into the empty room next to her and clamping her hands firmly over her ears.


    A thundering explosion shook the entire harem to its foundations. In response, an enraged roar that rivaled the explosion in magnitude rattled the windows, ¡°I commanded that I was not to be disturbed!¡± Xerxes thundered.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ he¡¯s just too simple.¡± Lily wiped tears of glee from her eyes as she jogged towards the Emperor of Saadian. She soon arrived at a set of wide double doors, lined intricately with hammered gold leaf. Lily edged the nearest door open, and was immediately assaulted by the overwhelming scent from a multitude of priceless perfumes. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is what happens when I leave him alone for three hours. That wanton lecher. This must be the scent of hundreds¡­¡± Lily grumbled as she peeked tentatively into the room, half expecting to see Xerxes still engaged with the more adult competition.


    The emperor slumbered alone in the center of the grand spacious chamber. His wide scarred chest rose and fell gently as he lay spread-eagled on the red stained sheets in the room¡¯s center. Lily¡¯s feet pattered softly as she crept curiously towards the naked man and sat down quietly beside him. Then she frowned with consternation as she studied the bloody runic designs tattooed across his entire body.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Lily was jerked from her reverie when a hand clamped forcefully on her arm, and she was dragged forward roughly. She winced in pain as she fell onto Xerxes, and stared into the bottomless pools of his dark green eyes. ¡°Hey Xerxes, missed me?¡± she pouted, ¡°I guess not¡­ you have so many others.¡± she complained sullenly.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Xerxes yelled as he shoved the princess to the ground and rolled swiftly out of the bed from the opposing side.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lily regained her feet and crossed her arms over her chest as she refused to bulge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hurt you¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± Xerxes muttered as a shudder shivered down his spine.


    ¡°So, you are afraid! The mighty ruler of all of Saadian is afraid of one little princess, so he runs off and seeks solace in the arms of his concubines!¡± Lily blurted angrily.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes darted forward with blinding speed and crushed Lily in a massive bear hug.


    ¡°Oof¡­¡± Lily gasped as the sudden impact tore the air from her lungs and her ribs creaked from the intense pressure wrapping around her body. Then she looked up defiantly and met the smoldering gaze of the Master of the Burning Legions and blushed shyly as she remembered the Andanian retainers, ¡°Is this your newest attempt at scaring me somehow?¡± she giggled, ¡°It¡¯s not working, because you¡¯re acting just like an unruly oversized puppy.¡±


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes yelled desperately and threw the slender girl violently across the room. Lily¡¯s head cracked loudly against the far solid stone wall and she crumpled silently to the ground. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t¡­ Please, someone help!¡± Xerxes whimpered into the emptiness as he curled up and sobbed silently.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t very puppylike.¡± Lily groaned as she pressed her hand against her moistened forehead and mused silently at her blood-soaked palm. Then she pressed her lips together with quiet determination as her gaze flickered to the inconspicuous sliding door next to her, ¡°I think I get what¡¯s happening now, this explains all that perfume.¡± Lily sighed as she peeked gingerly into the hidden room.


    ¡°Eunuch! Get the imperial physician¡­ he must enter¡­¡± Xerxes yell was cut off mid-sentence and his eyes bulged wildly as he finally noticed Lily¡¯s movements. He dashed forward like a striking serpent and tore the slight girl away from the inner room, but it was already far too late.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ And I was actually almost jealous.¡± Lily smiled weakly as she lay down on the bed and her blood mingled freely with the other bloody stains on the sheets.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t ever control myself. Most last less than a minute with me, and even the strongest die in ten.¡± Xerxes wept.


    ¡°How were you ever conceived then?¡± Lily inquired curiously.


    ¡°My father. In his last days, when he was weakened with age. His subjects drugged him with their strongest poisons, and bound his body with chains and magic, then they sent many Talented women to him. But only my mother was strong enough to survive till childbirth.¡± Xerxes answered as a haunted shadow veiled his face.


    ¡°What about all those tattoos? Who came up with such a twisted spell?¡± Lily sighed as her eyes traced down Xerxes¡¯ massive naked body.


    Xerxes shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think that they were carved onto me, even before I was born. It¡¯s a magic that allows me to obtain unmatched strength, but also a curse and sips slowly at my sanity.¡±


    Lily pursed her lips and mused thoughtfully, ¡°The patterns are surprisingly similar to some ancient Andanian talismans that I¡¯ve read about. I¡¯m might not be as good at fixing talismans as elder sister, but I think I can slow down the curse¡¯s progression if I change some of the lines.¡± She staggered a little as she arose and walked up to Xerxes, ¡°Lie down on the bed. Let me study this more.¡±


    Xerxes¡¯ face scrunched up with barely suppressed violence, ¡°No! I don¡¯t know how you survived that impact. But you are bleeding, and I probably broke several of your bones just now. Go to the doctor immediately.¡±


    Lily frowned as she examined her body, ¡°Nothing seems to be broken, and the bleeding¡¯s convenient since I have to inscribe blood magic anyway.¡± She shrugged. ¡°You should have seen the last real fight I had with my sister, when we were only six,¡± she giggled suddenly. ¡°Our magic leveled half thepalace. Then she broke both my arms, stabbed me through the lung with an icicle, and tossed me into the cook¡¯s well. And the food stank of my blood for an entire month!¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Xerxes begged.


    ¡°Bed. Now!¡± Lily snapped coldly, ¡°Or do we actually have to fight for real?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t defeat me. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Xerxes¡¯ eyes flashed angrily.


    ¡°And so? Everyone has to die someday.¡± Lily retorted, ¡°Are you lying down right now or fighting me?¡±


    Xerxes let out a soft defeated sigh as his fearful anger subsided. He lumbered slowly towards the bed before lying down and closing his eyes. And the witch of Andania sang sweetly as she bent over the mighty warrior and carved her blood into his body.

 Chapter 9: Ship of Andania

    From the darkness, the white of steel


    Like a wraith, with speed of will


    Her price is soul, and blood to steal


    The fleet of Witches, the Phantom Seal.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Laura?¡± Aryan tapped lightly on the princess as the noonday sun baked harshly against their bared naked bodies.


    ¡°Bright¡­ Hot¡­¡± Laura groaned, ¡°pull the curtains and give me five more minutes.¡±


    ¡°You are not in Andania, Laura.¡± Aryan goaded gently, ¡°And you¡¯re going to get a really horrible sunburn if you continue sleeping out in the open like this.


    ¡°Open?¡± Laura mumbled, ¡°Ugh my poor aching back,¡± the princess groaned as she got up slowly and looked groggily around her. ¡°Where¡¯s my coffee?¡± she murmured as she reached blindly into the sand.


    ¡°Good afternoon Laura.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡± the princess cried out in surprise, ¡°Don¡¯t startle me like that, and bring me the¡­ Aryan!¡± Her eyes widened as she blushed and turned away. ¡°You didn¡¯t see that!¡± she insisted.


    ¡°Okay. But only if you start explaining how we are supposed to get off this island.¡± Aryan replied calmly.


    ¡°I just have to¡­ but it¡¯s easier if I just show you.¡± Laura answered as she glanced down at her left hand. The mithril band from before was replaced by a circular black and silver tattoo, burned deep into her flesh. She stepped up to the ocean¡¯s edge and dipped her fingers into the waves, ¡°Come!¡± she commanded.


    Almost immediately, a pure white eighty-meter-long cruiser rose up from beneath the waters and ran aground on the beach next to the princess. Laura bit her lip and she stood tensely still for several moments, before she allowed a large wide smile to creep onto her face, ¡°Lucky!¡± she cheered. Then she boarded the ship by striding up the gangway that had extended silently before her. And she turned to beckon at the gawking boy still rooted on the shore, ¡°Welcome to the Phantom, a ship of the Andanian Witches.¡±


    Aryan stepped gingerly aboard the large silent ship and examined his surroundings cautiously, ¡°How does this thing even move or float?¡± He questioned wonderingly, ¡°There are no masts or sailors, and the entire thing is crafted from a single piece of solid white metal.¡±


    Laura shrugged as she strode up to the ship¡¯s helm, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t been on this ship since my mother passed on a decade ago, but there should be a ton of clothes and other useful stuff stowed away downstairs by the prior users.¡± Then she placed her hand on the ship¡¯s wheel and commanded, ¡°Andania!¡± Laura frowned as the ship remained silent. ¡°The Tower!¡± Laura commanded a second time, but the ship failed to respond. ¡°Stupid metal crap! Why won¡¯t you listen to me?¡± Laura groaned.


    ¡°May I?¡± Aryan asked. Laura shrugged in response and stepped back to make way for the prince. Aryan placed his hand on the wheel, ¡°Calcutta?¡± he spoke hesitantly. The ship shook with a low vibrating hum, floated into the air, and began sailing away from the island. ¡°A flying ship!?¡± Aryan exclaimed in shock.


    ¡°Hey! I wanted to get back home. This stupid obsolete bucket doesn¡¯t accept new orders unless it reaches its initial destination.¡± Laura complained.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Aryan apologized.


    ¡°Oh whatever,¡± Laura sighed, ¡°I¡¯m more interested in the food anyway. There must be some sweet tarts and warm pastries left over from our last picnic. There might also be a box of fresh iced strawberries somewhere!¡± The drooling princess turned and strolled towards the stairs.


    ¡°Erm Laura? Isn¡¯t that all over a decade old? The food won¡¯t be edible.¡± Aryan immediately pointed out the obvious.


    ¡°Oh, nothing ever spoils on this boat. It¡¯s almost as if time doesn¡¯t exist or something?¡± Laura answered, ¡°C¡¯mon. I want lunch!¡± she grabbed the gawking prince by the hand.


    ¡°And the Andanian royalty uses a priceless treasure like this for picnics!? You could conquer the world with a ship like this!¡± Aryan half-shouted.


    ¡°Pooh. What would be the point? That just means more work for us.¡± Laura shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m happy with Andania. Besides, this is just one ship. Summoning more would get risky real fast.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯re more of these amazing treasures?¡± Aryan exclaimed in wonder as he grasped Laura eagerly by the shoulders. ¡°How many are there? If the Vaishyan Protectorate had even a dozen of these, we could revolutionize trade across the entire planet!¡±


    ¡°Woof, Woof¡­ you are kinda close!¡± Laura giggled, ¡°Maybe we should try out that comfy bed!¡± the princess teased. Then she continued with a more serious tone, ¡°Of the Calamity Ring¡¯s three primary spells, summoning a single Phantom involves the least risk. There¡¯s only a one percent chance that the ring will take my soul, but if more ships are summoned the risk increases proportionally. And the price of summoning the Phantom Seal, the fleet of a hundred Phantoms, is the soul of one Andanian Witch.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Aryan exclaimed as his face paled with horror, ¡°You mean you risked a fate worse than death, just to get this thing? And there is even risker magic than this?¡±


    ¡°R-E-N-T, rent. This Phantom will dissipate once we arrive at Calcutta, I will have to call it again to return to Andania. Besides, one percent is nothing. All higher magic involves some sort of risk or sacrifice.¡± Laura held up her left hand to Aryan so that he could see the tattoo scorched into her finger, ¡°This isn¡¯t the Presents Ring or the Freebie Ring, it was called the Calamity Ring for a very good reason.¡±


    ¡°And what happens if the ring takes your soul? Isn¡¯t your soul supposed to be inside me?¡± Aryan paled as he sank down weakly.


    ¡°Pfft. You¡¯ll be safe, your soul will return to you along with the ring which you can then reuse on another witch if you actually manage to seduce one. I¡¯ve seen it happen to Mother, the risk is all mine.¡± Laura rolled her eyes incredulously. ¡°Enough with all the gloomy stuff, the Phantom will arrive at Calcutta before sundown and I¡¯m super hungry!¡±


    ...


    Sultan Heliocles and Queen Mavia were enjoying a quiet late night supper in the grand veranda of the Vaishyan palace when a messenger dashed fanatically before them.


    ¡°Your Magnificence. We have an extremely dire emergency!¡± the messenger trembled anxiously as he knelt before the royal couple.


    ¡°Calm down. We already know about the Saadian invasion.¡± Heliocles smiled benevolently before sipping delicately on his flute of bubbly champagne and addressing the messenger, ¡°How bad can it be this time? Did the Nile flood again? Or has one of the states risen up in rebellion? Perhaps it¡¯s a case of The Plague in the city?¡±


    ¡°There¡­ there is a FLYING SHIP!¡± the messenger yelled.


    ¡°Puuu¡­¡± the Sultan choked as wine sprayed from his mouth, ¡°Flying what?¡± he spluttered.


    ¡°SHIPP¡­ The diviners report that a white vessel from the stars is heading directly for the palace!¡± the messenger shrieked as he pointed desperately into the sky, ¡°You can already see it coming!¡±


    ¡°Summon the high priests! The gods are descending!¡± the pale faced Sultan directed desperately.


    ¡­


    The high priests knelt before the boat that had paused next to the veranda as they arrayed a plethora of sacrifices before it, ¡°Oh great celestial being. We are honored by your holy presence¡­¡± the head priest chanted and prostrated fearfully.


    ¡°Hi Mom! Hi Dad!¡± Aryan waved.


    ¡°Aryan!¡± Mavia gasped in joyful surprise, then her face fell, ¡°It is good that my son has found a powerful god to serve in the afterlife,¡± she whispered softly to comfort herself as tears glistened in her eyes.


    ¡°Mom? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aryan laughed as he leapt of the ship and wrapped his arms tightly around the queen before lifting her into the air.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Mavia blinked away her sorrow as she smiled fondly at her youngest child, ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re in heaven. Rest in peace.¡±


    The head priest edged up conspiratorially, ¡°Psst. So, which god is it? We must prepare the appropriate sacrifices!¡±


    ¡°Heaven? god?¡± Aryan blinked in confusion, ¡°what god?¡±


    Just then the ship shook from a violent impact, and a loud angered scream cut through the air like a knife. ¡°No, no, no! You, super stupid boat! I haven¡¯t gotten all my stuff!¡± The priests cowered fearfully and the Sultan took a step backwards as he broke into a cold sweat. Then the Phantom vanished, and a young radiant girl, with fiery red hair and crystal blue eyes, fell from the empty sky and landed before the genuflecting crowd.


    ¡°Hi everyone?¡± Laura blinked in surprise at the scene before her and smiled tentatively as she peeked out from the heap of dresses strewn around her.


    The people trembled as Aryan grabbed Laura and tugged her roughly from her belongings and before his parents, ¡°Father, Mother. This is Laura.¡± He declared with a wide smile. The royal couple bowed deeply and the priests immediately prostrated themselves around them. Aryan frowned in confusion, ¡°Dad? What¡¯s happening? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Psst. We mustn¡¯t be disrespectful to the god!¡± the head priest hissed desperately at Aryan.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Aryan replied in bewilderment, as Laura began to giggle with amusement.


    Then she stepped up gracefully before the crowd and curtseyed elegantly before the rulers of Vaishya. ¡°Your Magnificence, Great Royal Consort. I am Laura Alexandra Muriel, Crown Princess and The Witch of Andania.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡­


    After recovering from their initial surprise, the royal family retreated to an inner room with their closest advisors. ¡°Since yesterday, the Saadian forces have begun advancing on our position¡­ And that is the current state of things in Vaishya.¡± Heliocles concluded darkly.


    ¡°What are your plans Father?¡± Aryan questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. This seems to be an extremely perplexing situation, perhaps the Saadians do have legitimate concerns regarding Andania after all.¡± The Sultan replied with a frown. ¡°And, I don¡¯t think that we should risk total war with the Saadians, just for a nonexistent island kingdom which we are not even formally aligned to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s technically not true Father,¡± Aryan interjected, ¡°Laura and I are married.¡±


    ¡°What!? When did that ever happen?¡± Heliocles spluttered yet again, as shocked murmurs spread swiftly throughout the room.


    ¡°There, there Helios, calm down. It¡¯s not the first time one of our boys decided to take the initiative. Besides, this union was already prearranged, there¡¯s certainly no harm with moving up the schedule by a couple of years.¡± Mavia pacified her husband, even as she shot a questioning look at the two teenagers.


    Aryan shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s complicated. Laura saved my life, but we were stranded on a deserted island. Then she was bored and we ended up talking about stuff. To get off, we¡­¡± Aryan frowned as he paused uncertainly and glanced at the snickering princess. ¡°Erm¡­ perhaps you can explain the rest Laura?¡±


    The princess flushed with a deep shade of scarlet, ¡°Aryan, I think it was during the second time when you were going ¡®Woof, Woof, Woof¡¯ behind me in on the beach. I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°What!?¡± Aryan¡¯s shocked yell was swiftly drowned by the shouts of the others.


    ¡°Enough! Quiet down.¡± Heliocles finally ordered. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on in my own family any longer¡­¡± he groaned with a small sigh. ¡°I need suggestions, how are we ever going to resolve this incident with the Saadians? This is utter madness, the two greatest empires in the world, fighting over a single teenaged girl! Vaishya will be financially devastated, even if we should win this coming battle, and there¡¯s no guarantee that they won¡¯t be back for more in a year¡¯s time.¡±


    The prime minster bowed low before Heliocles, ¡°Your Magnificence, the Saadians cannot be trusted. Even if you should hand over the princess, I doubt that their mad Emperor will leave us in peace. Giving in to any Saadian demand, is a sign of weakness that I believe we should avoid at all costs.¡±


    Queen Mavia fumed at the frowning Sultan, ¡°Don¡¯t even consider it! My son was lost, but now he¡¯s found. If something stupid happens to Aryan because of you, I¡¯ll pay that Saadian dog a personal visit and give him a piece of my mind!¡±


    Aryan stood up, ¡°Father. You can¡¯t possibly ask me to give up Laura. What if they demand for Mother next? Or one of us? Those despicable Saadians plotted for King Muriel¡¯s assassination, and now demand that we hand over his only surviving heir, justice is clearly on our side!¡±


    Heliocles sighed, ¡°I want to teach those slavers a lesson, just as much as the rest of you, but no Vaishyan army has ever overcome the profound black magic of the Saadian Burning Legions, and no man has ever defeated Xerxes in combat. I refuse to send all of you to your certain deaths, there must be some way we can parley with the Saadians.¡±


    Archdiviner Zinnridi prostrated before the sighing Sultan, ¡°Please forgive your subject¡¯s incompetence, we have been working on several countermeasures, but even if we manage to suppress their magic, Xerxes will not be defeated easily.¡± The advisors sighed as they murmured softly among themselves before falling into silent thought. Just then, a soft gentle snore cut through the anxious silence. Laura was nestled comfortably against Aryan¡¯s shoulder and her mouth was curled with a sweet angelic smile.


    ¡°Laura¡­ this is an important discussion.¡± Aryan reproached her gently.


    ¡°Five more minutes¡­¡± Laura mumbled before falling over and snuggling into Aryan¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Laura...¡± Aryan admonished.


    ¡°Is your discussion finally over?¡± The princess mumbled as she stretched out lazily for the white talisman she had tagged on the table. Then she stuck the charm on her forehead and activated the spell. ¡°Xerxes¡­¡± she yawned lethargically, ¡°It¡¯s just one man. I¡¯ll do it, if you will crush their armies and avenge my sister.¡±


    The advisors murmured in confusion as they stared at the snoozing princess, but they could not determine if she had been actually serious or was just talking in her sleep. And only Aryan felt a creeping sense of foreboding, as he stared at the smiling girl resting on his lap.


    Queen Mavia frowned in puzzlement, ¡°Aryan. What does she mean¡­¡±


    There was a massive surge of magic before the queen could complete her sentence. All the Talented occupants of the room jerked instinctively back in shock as they quickly activated their defensive spells and glared wildly about the room for the power¡¯s source. Then dozens of battlemages flooded fanatically into the room and surrounded the royal couple with a glowing multilayered defense.


    ¡°Assassins! Deploy the search spells! Seek out the intruders immediately.¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi ordered as he backed into a defensive position next to the throne.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Laura chuckled as she perched daintily on the dais, between the royal couple, and well within their defensive barrier, ¡°There is just me.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! You are just a sixteen-year-old child. What trickery is this?¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi stuttered in disbelief.


    Laura glared with barely suppressed annoyance at the diviner, ¡°Zinnridi Fendi Zoltan! You have been probing at me all night. Isn¡¯t that a horrid breach of etiquette? I¡¯m super tired and super grumpy and all I want is to fall asleep in my comfy bed, but that¡¯s impossible when you are sticking your slimy spells all over my skin!¡±


    ¡°You know my True Name! How? When?¡± the archdiviner gasped in shock.


    ¡°From before I stepped off from my ship?¡± Laura snapped frostily, ¡°You were camouflaged within the wall behind the Sultan, and I peeked to ensure that you would not pose a threat. I also know that you are no longer human, dabble mostly with blood and black magic, and that you are already over three hundred years old.¡±


    The archdiviner trembled and paled in shock, ¡°You¡­ what are you?¡± he stammered.


    Laura pouted, ¡°I am The Witch of Andania. Doesn¡¯t anyone here even know what that means?¡± She continued as she assessed Zinnridi coolly, ¡°If you climbed the Tower in your bestest peak condition, you might possibly reach the seventh floor, just like my younger sister. But I¡¯ve made it all the way to the very Top! In a no holds barred match, I would crush you in less than ten minutes unless you focused all your Talent on running and hiding from me.¡±


    ¡°What tower? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Zinnridi gestured helplessly.


    Laura sighed as her eyes swept briefly across the room, ¡°There are fifty-three Talented individuals here, if you include the five that just snuck onto the roof above and the one who¡¯s burrowed directly under me. If you took all that Talent, put it in one person, and multiplied it by three, you would come close to the raw Talent I was born with.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! Archdiviner Zinnridi is among the twelve most powerful sorcerers in Vaishya, there¡¯s just no way¡­¡± a battlemage protested.


    Laura snickered. And suddenly an intense magical pressure bore down on all the Talented guards in the chamber. Their barriers shattered, men and women staggered back in shock, and many fell weakly to their knees. And even Zinnridi paled as he gripped his staff tightly for support. ¡°This is just half of my full aura,¡± Laura mocked the kneeling battlemage. ¡°If you can¡¯t even exist within my presence, pray how will you even flee from my power? I will defeat Xerxes.¡±


    Then the princess slipped from between the pale, stunned Vaishyans, clamped her cold clammy hand tightly on Aryan¡¯s wrist and tugged him to his feet, ¡°Aryan,¡± she giggled with an exaggeratedly mischievous wink, ¡°I really want to enjoy your bed now. Won¡¯t you please show me the way? I¡¯m sure that your parents and their advisors can finish the remaining deliberations by themselves.¡± Then she tugged the prince playfully from the room and into the darkened corridor before he could protest, even as the room broke into an exuberant storm of heated discussion.


    ¡°That was all an act. You did not tell them the whole truth about your powers.¡± Aryan¡¯s eyes were filled with suspicion as he trailed behind the princess.


    ¡°Please Aryan, the shortest way to your room.¡± Laura pleaded before pressing her lips together tightly and leaning weakly against the wall.


    The prince frowned as he scooped the cold, pale princess into his arms, ¡°You need a doctor.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Laura hissed, ¡°Bring me to your room. I just need to sleep it off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling for the physician then, you look terrible.¡± Aryan frowned as he deposited Laura on his bed.


    ¡°No! Super-duper no! Nobody must ever see me like this.¡± Laura reached out weakly and clamped her hand on Aryan¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re look as if you¡¯re half-dead.¡± Aryan complained.


    Laura sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left. I¡¯ll tell you, if you swear to Krall that you will take it to the grave.¡±


    ¡°I swear. Krall be my witness.¡± Aryan swore as he held Laura tightly in his arms and whispered softly in her ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s my family¡¯s darkest secret. No witch is ever born perfect, and we all have serious flaws to our powers. The daily limit of my magic is three hours, no matter the amount of Talent I wield. And I fall helplessly unconscious for the rest of the day if I exceed that limit. It doesn¡¯t happen often, but that archdiviner of yours pushed me to my limit when he examined me repeatedly¡­¡± Laura mumbled as she drifted off in his arms.


    A pair of eyes glinted unnoticed from the darkest corner of the room, before slinking silently away through the walls.

 Chapter 10: Prince of Vaishya

    The gods said, ¡°The Witch has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. She must not be allowed to multiply across the lands, and live forever.¡±


    So the gods blessed the princes of men and commanded, ¡°Arise!¡±


    Then the princes arose and battled her for forty days and nights.


    And they overcame her, and cast lots to divide her possessions among themselves.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Laura?¡± Aryan mumbled drowsily, he had been far too anxious to sleep, but had finally drifted off just before the break of dawn. He stretched out searchingly across the bed, but quickly realized that he was its only occupant, ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan exclaimed as he shot up and glanced worriedly about the room.


    ¡°Looking for someone?¡± A masked killer rasped as she rose and stalked towards Aryan from across the chamber. The features on her intricately painted wooden wolf mask, shifted with each hypnotic sway of her hips. And Aryan was mesmerized momentarily by the alternatingly snarling and smiling wolf gliding soundlessly towards him.


    ¡°Assassin!¡± Aryan yelled belatedly as she was almost upon him. The Prince blanched, rolled, and snatched at the saber resting beside his bed. Then he shot a glance towards the door and began edging subtly towards the exit.


    The assassin jeered in response as she turned and began dashing towards the door, so as to cut off the prince¡¯s escape. But Aryan had already anticipated her actions. In the fleeting moment her blind spot was exposed, he shifted his stance and leapt towards her, even as he slashed down simultaneously with his saber. When she twisted desperately to avoid the gleaming blade, Aryan whirled swiftly and kicked her solidly in the gut.


    ¡°Ooof.¡± The assassin yelped in surprise as she was thrust across the room and she landed clumsily in a tangled heap on the bed. Aryan dashed forward and stabbed desperately at her, but she managed to hurl herself to the side at the final moment. A blinding cloud of feathers billowed into the air as the prince¡¯s sword tore into the mattress, and the assassin utilized his momental distraction to blast his saber across the room with a hastily gestured spell.


    ¡°Assassin and a mage!?¡± Aryan cursed in dismay as he was disarmed. But he adapted swiftly and leapt onto her to knee her in the lungs before she could cast another spell. The assassin bucked her hips in a valiant attempt to dislodge the prince, but he stunned her with a forceful blow to the head before seizing a dagger from the nightstand.


    The loosened mask slid off the struggling assassin, even as Aryan prepared to bury his weapon deep into her heart. ¡°Woof, Woof?¡± Laura giggled weakly as she coughed out a mouthful of blood, ¡°You super got me. I surrender.¡± She moaned.


    ¡°Laura!¡± the prince gasped in horror as his dagger fell from his hands. Then he rolled off the princess and quickly began examining the extent of her injuries.


    ¡°Seven points. I guess you¡¯ll be okay in a pinch?¡± Laura sighed with the barest hint of disappointment, ¡°Why did you release me? You would have died if an assassin was just using an illusion to imitate my appearance.¡± Then Laura blushed shyly as she wiped at her bloodstained lips, ¡°Are you really that desperate,mister Woof, Woof? Please stop peeking under my dress!¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that? You are badly wounded, I must have cracked several of your ribs when I hit you just now, I heard the bones snap when I connected. I¡¯m calling for the physician this instant.¡± Aryan glowered furiously at the princess.


    Laura sighed as she tottered to her feet and slipped out of her clothes, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll give you another point.¡± She smiled ruefully as she examined the collection of bruises forming on her body, ¡°You got two ribs, but I¡¯ll survive.¡± She winced as she pressed a talisman against the worst of her injuries. ¡°The mask I carved is a total success, since it managed to deceive even you!¡± she chuckled.


    Aryan growled darkly, ¡°Never do that again! I could have killed you!¡± He yelled furiously as he leapt to his feet and smacked Laura hard across the cheek.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Laura gasped from the blow as she fell back onto the bed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think...¡± her shoulders shook with soft pained sobs as she curled away from him.


    Aryan¡¯s fuming anger was instantly replaced by an all-encompassing concern as he dashed up to gather up the weeping princess in his arms and cradled her gently onto his lap, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have noticed¡­¡±


    It was only then that the prince perceived the small gloating smile she had been hiding all along, ¡°Idiot. Then what would be the point, if you actually noticed? Fufu¡­ hehehe¡­ you are just too funny! Oh, my poor broken sides¡­¡± Laura bent over with laughter and coughed weakly.


    ¡°This is exactly what I hate about you Laura. Why do you care so little for your own personal safety? It¡¯s all just a game to you, isn¡¯t it? Everything you do is just an act for your own amusement. Which part of you is actually the real you?¡± Aryan snarled as he shook the laughing princess roughly.


    Laura sighed and met his angered hazel eyes with her flashing crystal blue, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t grow too attached to me Aryan,¡± she retorted defiantly. ¡°I will probably be forced to make some difficult choices when I battle Xerxes, and I don¡¯t want to leave any regrets behind. I¡¯m just some princess from a backwater island kingdom, you¡¯ll be better off if you found another¡­¡± Then her eyes widened with surprise.


    Aryan cut her off with a desperate hungry kiss. Then he flipped her onto the bed and pinned her down beneath him, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he growled as he forced himself into her. ¡°I am a prince of Vaishya, and you are mine! We will face Xerxes in battle together, or I will summon all the diviners and enchantresses in Calcutta and have you bound in dimeritium until this entire war is over.¡±


    ¡°Stupid puppy¡­¡± Laura grumbled softly as she moved her hips to meet his thrusts. But Aryan silenced her with another passionate kiss before she could continue her half-hearted protest and Laura gasped as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her body. And then the princess howled with pleasure as the puppy woofed with joy.


    ¡­


    ¡°Happy now?¡± Laura winced as she clung tightly against the tanned muscular boy.


    ¡°What time is it? I must have dozed off again¡­¡± Aryan muttered as he gazed blearily out of the window and spied the noonday sun baking its rays onto the palace below. Then he finally remembered as he gazed at the grimacing princess, ¡°Damnit! How did it ever slip my mind, you need immediate medical attention!¡± He yelled as he leapt to his feet and scooped Laura into his arms.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ are you going to abscond naked through the palace¡¯s corridors with me? That sounds scandalously fun¡­¡± Laura eyes twinkled mischievously. The prince swore and laid her gently on the bed, before struggling into the nearest pair of trousers and flinging on a shirt. Laura stood up and stretched tentatively as she ran her hands gingerly down her sides.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be moving!¡± Aryan hissed in horror as he dashed back to the princess.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a worrywart, Aryan.¡± Laura replied with a small smile, ¡°I set the bones while you were sleeping, it was a piece of cake. I¡¯ll be as good as new in a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Are you delirious? Your ribs were broken, that takes weeks to recover from, if ever.¡± Aryan muttered in disbelief as he rested his hand on her forehead to see if she had a fever, before running his hands down her sides to examine her injuries.


    ¡°Hey it tickles!¡± Laura blushed as she flinched away from Aryan¡¯s searching touch.


    ¡°I know that hurt,¡± Aryan growled, ¡°stop fooling around Laura.¡±


    Laura shrugged, ¡°It was good practice, and I¡¯m sure my fixing magic will come in handy soon. Besides, I¡¯ve experienced far worse, one or two ribs is nothing.¡± She giggled impishly, ¡°You should have seen the last real fight I had with my sister, when we were only six. Her magic leveled half the palace before she finally caught me. Then she cracked my skull, snapped my spine, along with every bone in the lower half of my body. I only managed to elude her wrath by shoving her into a well and crawling into the sea before she emerged.¡±


    Aryan¡¯s mouth gaped open in wordless shock.


    Laura chuckled as a tear trickled from her misty eyes, ¡°I miss Lily so, the cowardly Saadians must have murdered her while she was still unconscious. There¡¯s just no way anyone could have defeated her if she had been really serious.¡± She mumbled as she buried her face against Aryan¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Did you not say that you were the most Talented witch? How is your sister even stronger?¡± Aryan stammered.


    Laura bit her lip as her eyes crinkled, ¡°Do I sense some buyer¡¯s remorse somewhere?¡± she giggled. Then she sighed, ¡°Lily liked you a lot more than I did, and she was a really kind and patient sister to me. You would have found a better match with her.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about that!¡± Aryan protested sheepishly as he failed to meet her playful gaze.


    ¡°You are such a tease Aryan!¡± Laura chortled, ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s stop moping about, it¡¯s already past noon and I¡¯m totally famished after all that exercise! Let¡¯s grab some lunch and then maybe you can show me the sights of Calcutta!¡±

 Chapter 11: City of Delights

    ¡°Who is wealthy?¡± One who is content with his lot.


    ¡°Who is wise?¡± One who learns from every experience.


    ¡°Who is strong?¡± One who overcomes his desires.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°High Prince, will you be travelling by carriage or on horseback for today?¡± the guards smiled and bowed respectfully as Aryan approached the palace gates.


    ¡°A carriage please, Captain Fafnir. I plan to escort Princess Laura to the central market.¡± Aryan replied politely.


    ¡°We will prepare the best carriage, High Prince!¡± the veteran soldier saluted smartly. Then he winked knowingly even as he hurried off towards the stables. Apparently, the rumors of the morning¡¯s rowdy royal tryst had already spread like wildfire, from among the palace¡¯s servants to even the guards stationed at the outer walls. And the significant damage to his room along with the bandages Laura requested had only served as additional fuel for the spreading gossip.


    Laura snickered as she whispered in his ear, ¡°The maids are still arguing about who¡¯s the big spoon in our relationship. Meanwhile the cooks just placed an extra-large order of fresh bay oysters and red chili peppers. And the palace guards are jostling for the night and morning shifts near our room.¡±


    ¡°Laura! Eavesdropping is rude, and how are you even accomplishing that?¡± the prince protested feebly as a faint blush crept up beneath his tanned cheeks.


    ¡°Just a bunch of talismans? I stuck them all over the palace grounds before you woke up this morning. You have to hear this! Someone is trying to figure out your favorite position.¡± Laura tittered as she pressed a talisman next to his ear.


    ¡°That¡¯s Captain Fafnir!¡± the prince flushed a deeper shade of red. ¡°But how did he get it right?¡± he groaned with disbelief. Fortunately, the requested carriage arrived promptly and saved Aryan from further embarrassment.


    ¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s this? I have to try that too!¡± Laura dashed nimbly through the crowd from stall to stall as Aryan struggled at her tail. The detachment of guards tasked with escorting them was already hopelessly lost in the previous street.


    ¡°How are you eating all that? And didn¡¯t you just have double portions for lunch?¡± Aryan muttered incredulously as he paid for the twelfth sweet pastry.


    ¡°I¡¯m a growing girl, and I have an extra mouth to feed now.¡± Laura countered playfully as she wolfed down yet another snack. Then she gaped in amazement as she paused before a grand three story complex, ¡°You have an entire building just for zithers? I have to see this!¡± She blathered excitedly and dashed through the colorfully decorated entrance. ¡°I¡¯m must be heaven,¡± the princess sighed as she gestured eagerly for the owner.


    The richly dressed merchant gasped in surprise as he spotted Aryan, and he bowed deeply before the royal pair. ¡°Greetings High Prince, Your Ladyship. How may I be of service?¡±


    ¡°I need a Zither with a firmiana simplex soundboard from the northern plains. And at least sixteen strings of magically reinforced steel, but twenty-one would be perfect. The design isn¡¯t important.¡± Laura demanded.


    The merchant smiled as he led them to the second floor of the complex, ¡°All these Zithers here will fit your requirements.¡± He quickly noticed Laura¡¯s overwhelmed expression and returned with an elegantly decorated twenty-one stringed Zither, ¡°May I suggest this one? This was the favorite instrument of a Talented enchantress, magically inlaid with the very finest ivory and mithril linings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it!¡± Laura brightened as she cradled the finely decorated treasure in her hands and cooed happily as she ran her fingers gently over the humming strings.


    The merchant smiled and bowed deeply, ¡°Shall I have it wrapped and delivered to the palace? That will be two hundred thousand denarii, High Prince.¡±


    ¡°TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND!?¡± Aryan¡¯s mouth gaped open in shock, ¡°You could buy a mansion near the city¡¯s center with that kind of money!¡±


    Laura shrugged, ¡°Put it on my tab. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to raise enough if I sell my services or something. Besides, I could always use the ring to magic up some valuable stuff. Calcutta is a large wealthy city, if it¡¯s anything like Andania, earning some gold will be a cinch. I even saw a sign just now, ¡®Young beautiful girls and boys wanted. Easy work. Instant payment!¡¯, do you think we would qualify?¡± She wondered aloud before the shocked merchant.


    ¡°Not funny Laura,¡± Aryan frowned. ¡°Stop joking around¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m super serious!¡± Laura pouted as she pulled out a talisman and activated it, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you!¡± The world seemed blur and bend at the edges as they hurtled from the shop¡¯s second floor balcony and through the air. Then they landed before a large gaudily decorated complex with a loud bang that startled the surrounding pedestrians, ¡°See? It says right there on the sign¡­ ¡®Easy work. Instant payment!¡¯¡± Laura declared loudly before the gawking onlookers. ¡°I wonder how much they will pay for the Crown Princess of Andania?¡±


    The bouncers stationed outside ogled with disbelief before falling to their knees, ¡°High Prince Aryan! How may we serve you and your¡­ distinguished guest?¡± They requested uncertainly.


    ¡°Aryan! They like us. Does this mean that we¡¯re hired?¡± Laura giggled girlishly.


    Aryan growled as he glanced furiously at the amused princess, ¡°This is a brothel!¡± he yelled.


    The princess frowned in bafflement, ¡°What¡¯s a brothel? We don¡¯t have that in Andania. Isn¡¯t this just some entertainment complex for your citizens? I might not look like it, but I¡¯m pretty good at strumming the zither and playing the flute.¡± The princess winked slyly at Aryan, ¡°Or do you really want to monopolize all my talents for yourself?¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°This is where they¡­ do the stuff we were doing this morning!¡± Aryan hissed in her ear as the gawking crowd began growing in size around them.


    ¡°What, you even have a national baby making facility!? Why would anyone pay to do that when it¡¯s free? Do they have nicer beds or fancier rooms or something?¡± Laura mused curiously.


    ¡°¡­¡± Aryan muttered darkly. To the relief of the bouncers, he clamped his hand on the thoughtful princess and began dragging her away from the seedy complex.


    ¡°Hey Aryan! Why don¡¯t we try out one of their special rooms? Maybe they can give us some pointers!¡± Laura shouted excitedly.


    ¡°No!¡± Aryan growled, ¡°I¡¯m not ever going into one of those places!¡± Then the prince tightened his grip on the inquisitive girl and redoubled his pace.


    ¡­


    ¡°Boo¡­ boring. I guess it¡¯s back to filling crystals after all.¡± Laura sighed as they finally arrived at a large nondescript warehouse at the far edge of the square.


    ¡®Ali¡¯s Andanian Supplies.¡¯ The unassuming words were painted on an aged signboard which creaked softly in the evening breeze.


    ¡°Laura¡­¡± the prince warned, ¡°this had better not be another of your harebrained get rich quick schemes¡­¡±


    The princess sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sure that even you will be satisfied with this,¡± she replied as she strode into the deserted building. ¡°Where is everyone? Why is nobody minding the store? Hello!¡± She shouted.


    A single merchant finally scurried to reception, and his eyes widened with surprise as he recognized the prince. ¡°High Prince,¡± he bowed deeply, ¡°I am honored by your presence, but I must offer you my humble apologies as we are unable to resupply you. Magical supplies from Andania have been scarcer than the usual¡­¡±


    Laura sighed as she slapped a single glowing gem on the table before the bowing man, ¡°How much for this?¡± she demanded impatiently.


    The merchant¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°An unused mana gem!¡± he exclaimed as he hurried to weigh the glowing crystal. ¡°It¡¯s full! Two hundred¡­ no three hundred denarii,¡± he stammered.


    ¡°Good. Now show me your biggest empty crystals and I will fill them all.¡± Laura directed impatiently.


    ¡°You are the Princess of Andania!¡± the merchant gasped with belated recognition.


    ¡°Yes. And he¡¯s the Prince of Vaishya.¡± Laura¡¯s voice was laced with sarcasm, ¡°Now do you want your crystals filled?¡±


    The merchant trembled suddenly as he stared fearfully at the lone princess standing before him, ¡°Are you the older or the younger princess?¡± he inquired suspiciously.


    Laura smirked haughtily, ¡°You¡¯re in luck. I¡¯m the safer one that won¡¯t accidently blow up your warehouse along with half the city, if you actually show me those crystals this instant!¡±


    The merchant let out a discreet sigh of relief, then he escorted them hurriedly to a spacious underground shelter. The two-storied basement was reinforced with hardened steel and designed to withstand an explosion from within. Laura nodded with approval as she glanced at the four large empty crystals located at each corner. ¡°Better. How much?¡± she inquired coolly as she sized up the gems that were each five times her height.


    ¡°Seventy-five thousand denarii each¡­ Three hundred thousand for all four.¡± The merchant¡¯s eyes brightened greedily as he answered her.


    The princess nodded slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll fill three of these. That will be enough denarii for me. Give me two hours.¡± The merchant beamed and nodded in agreement before scurrying out of the basement to gather the required payment. Laura turned to Aryan, ¡°You might want to wait outside, I¡¯m going to have to go all out, so it might get rather uncomfortable,¡± she warned.


    Aryan shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll have to experience your full strength sooner or later if we are going to fight Xerxes together. This is a good time as any.¡±


    Laura smiled faintly as she led Aryan to the room¡¯s center, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m doing this with anyone else besides my sister,¡± she sighed nostalgically, ¡°will you please hold me till it¡¯s all over?¡± She requested as she rested her cheek gently against his chest.


    The prince nodded silently in agreement as he braced the slight girl in his arms. Laura took a deep breath and her eyes filled with silent determination, ¡°Here goes,¡± she warned. Suddenly, the very air in the chamber seemed to still and heat up around them, then the atmosphere densified and the soft glow of liquifying mana materialized from the princess and poured into the waiting crystals. The princess trembled from the sudden increase in pressure, but Aryan immediately held her up before she stumbled.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aryan¡¯s eyes were filled with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just not used to actually filling up the crystals myself, my sister usually does that while I¡­¡± Laura gasped suddenly as she gazed at the prince. ¡°You are unaffected!?¡± she exclaimed with some surprise.


    Aryan frowned, ¡°Affected by what? I see the mana and feel a slight increase in temperature¡­¡±


    Laura straightened and clenched her fists. Immediately, the glow of mana increased noticeably and the air trembled from the incredible pressure that built up within the enclosed space. ¡°How about now?¡± she questioned as she panted softly from the strain.


    ¡°It¡¯s gotten a little warmer and brighter. You look so radiant Laura, just like a little moon fairy.¡± Aryan smiled gently as he brushed his hand admiringly through her glowing rose tinted hair.


    ¡°The ring, that must be it,¡± Laura murmured to herself as the light dimmed. ¡°You don¡¯t know how lucky you are Aryan,¡± she muttered gloomily, ¡°only the seven most powerful mages in Andania have ever seen me in that state and lived to tell about it. To remain utterly unaffected¡­¡±


    ¡°And you held them all like this?¡± Aryan teased as he caressed her warm glowing body.


    ¡°What? No!¡± The room was rocked suddenly as Laura blushed, ¡°This is a really delicate procedure. Please let me focus.¡± She stammered with embarrassment.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Aryan beamed contentedly as he held her securely in his arms and pressed his nose against her glowing rose scented hair, ¡°I could do this forever.¡±


    ¡­


    The merchant was waiting anxiously some distance from the warehouse when they finally emerged at dusk, ¡°Honored princess. The promised payment.¡± He bowed deeply as he gestured at the two laden wagons behind him.


    ¡°In silver coins?¡± Laura groaned as she eyed the stacks of chests apprehensively, ¡°Deliver two hundred thousand to the Zither store. You can deposit the rest in Prince Aryan¡¯s account.¡± She instructed absently before walking away from the genuflecting man.


    ¡°You are just going to give me more than twenty thousand denarii!?¡± Aryan whispered with surprise as they returned to the street.


    Laura shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just some metal, silly. Why would I ever want to lug a bunch of those heavy dirty coins around with me?¡± Her stomach growled loudly, ¡°But I do expect that you¡¯ll get me some more of those amazing pastries though!¡± she drooled eagerly as she led him back towards the central square.


    Aryan shook his head in disbelief, ¡°Are you sure you really don¡¯t want anything else?¡±


    Laura bit her lip thoughtfully, ¡°I already have everything I need and the things I really want can¡¯t be bought with all the silver in the world¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°But¡­¡± she smiled slyly and fluttered her luscious eyelashes, ¡°Maybe¡­ just maybe, we could try out that secret special, special room in that mysterious brothel place tonight? I¡¯m so super curious!¡±


    And the third prince of Vaishya groaned.


    ¡­


    In the dimly lit basement of the Andanian warehouse, a pair of solitary eyes widened with fear as they examined the filled crystals. Then they slinked away unnoticed into the shadows.

 Chapter 12: Temple of the High God

    The people jeered as Her body was bared in the streets of Sodom.


    Then they burned Her shrines and salted Her lands.


    Not one stone was left on another.


    And the gods rejoiced in their temples.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Where are we all going again?¡± Laura yawned disinterestedly as she sprawled out on her horse, at the head of a long winding procession of troops marching through the city, under the scorching midday sun.


    ¡°The Vaishyan Great Temple. It¡¯s a time-honored tradition for all soldiers to seek a blessing from the gods before they enter battle. And we leave for the front tomorrow.¡± Aryan explained patiently for the umpteenth time.


    ¡°Your god¡¯s blessings weren¡¯t exactly effective against Krall, are you sure that it¡¯s all not just one ginormous scam?¡± Laura sighed as she drooled longingly at the pastry carts dotting the streets.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the miracles my elder brothers obtained when they first submitted to the blessings, Amir was granted the services of a divinely blessed enchantress who descended from the moon itself. And Abel was blessed with immunity from all foul magics.¡± Aryan answered with a reverent look in his eyes.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Laura pouted suspiciously, ¡°that¡¯s really amazing. Two pretty girls must be much better than one. And magical immunity must be really useful for dealing with resentful Andanian princesses!¡±


    Aryan sighed as he rested his hand reassuringly on her shoulder, ¡°Trust and have more faith. The gods have always granted my family only the most appropriate gifts. Archdiviner Zinnridi is the perfect example, he was granted immortally by the gods when my great-grandfather submitted to his blessing, and he is duty bound to defend the Zimran royal family for the rest of time.¡±


    Laura frowned suspiciously, ¡°And what was the price for such a ¡®blessing¡¯? That ancient undead reeks of the darkest twisted sorcery, higher magic like that is never without some great cost. This sounds far too good to be true, I must definitely try this out this ¡®blessing¡¯ of yours before you do.¡±


    Aryan nodded agreeably, ¡°Why not? You were slated to go just before me anyway.¡±


    ¡­


    Laura felt an extreme sense of disquiet as they approached the grand marble temple and paraded into the blessed ground. The overwhelming presence of hostile foreign magics permeating the entire structure quickly nauseated the princess, ¡°I have a splitting headache,¡± she complained as she pressed a small round talisman to her chest and clung weakly against Aryan. The prince glanced at her with concern but the ceremony had already begun and squads of soldiers marched efficiently toward the priests lined at the altar.


    ¡°Great Vaishyan holy gods, we have come to receive your holy blessings. Grant us the strength to defend our nation and repel the invaders.¡± The Vaishyans prostrated worshipfully before a large grotesque many handed fish-tailed statue etched entirely from black obsidian. Then the priests stepped forward and anointed them, each with a drop of glowing holy oil.


    Laura bit her lip nervously as she activated a second charm to enhance her senses, then she used a third to repel the oppressive power bearing down from around her. ¡°This feeling¡­ it¡¯s is almost like when I was climbing the Tower!¡± she mused. But try as she might, she could not determine the exact nature of the force surrounding her.


    ¡°Laura, it¡¯s your turn. Are you okay? You look totally zoned out.¡± Aryan whispered.


    The princess blinked wearily with surprise, ¡°Already? Ahh¡­ it¡¯s already been two whole hours.¡± She straightened and stared warily at the dark silent statue looming before her, then her lips tightened with determination and she took a single step towards the altar. The atmosphere darkened suddenly as she approached and the priests glanced about them in consternation. Laura groaned silently as the short distance forward suddenly seemed incredibly distant, and she felt as if the ground had dissolved into quicksand beneath her feet. She utilized a fourth enchantment to enhance her strength and finally staggered unsteadily before the priests.


    ¡°Please kneel before Dagon, honored princess.¡± The high priest smiled amicably.


    ¡°Make me¡­¡± Just as Laura opened her mouth to deliver a heated refusal, an incredible unseen force bore down on her body and her knees buckled before hitting the tiles with a painful crack.


    The high priest did not seem to notice anything unusual, and he stepped forward to dab a single drop of glowing oil on the forehead of the struggling princess, but the liquid fizzled and went dark the moment it touched her skin. He frowned in confusion and repeated the procedure but obtained similar results, ¡°Honored princess, it seems like Dagon has chosen to withhold his blessing from you. Perhaps you should pray more earnestly for his favor.¡± He counseled before he turned to the approaching prince.


    ¡°That¡¯s not oil! You switched the container!¡± Laura hissed suddenly as Aryan knelt before the statue and prostrated deeply.


    The high priest blinked in surprise, ¡°Yes, it is customary that all members of the Zimran royal family will be anointed with the holy tears of Dagon. They have earned the honor of a greater blessing.¡±


    Laura reached out and snatched the container from the horrified priest, then she opened it and sniffed warily at its contents, ¡°I won¡¯t allow it! This is putrid liquid is blood, you intend to work some blood magic on Aryan!¡± she cried out.


    ¡°Laura, behave!¡± Aryan tore the container from the weakened princess and returned it to the priest. ¡°I apologize your holiness, please continue the ceremony. My wife is just feeling a little under the weather today.¡±


    The high priest nodded nervously and dabbed the blood on Aryan¡¯s forehead before Laura could lunge at him. Then the princess gasped painfully as a shadowy hand reached into her chest and scrabbled for the soul encased within her body. Her eyes widened in horror and she staggered away from the altar before pulling out a fifth talisman, ¡°Dark spirit, you are not taking his soul. Aryan is mine!¡± she cried out defiantly as she activated her defensive charm and poured all her power into it.


    The statue glowed with dark seething magic, and a voice like the churning waves echoed through the temple, ¡°Begone foul half-spawn of Krall. I am Dagon, the god of the northern seas and of the people of Vaishya. The prince of Vaishya is my rightful subject, and no mortal can prevail against me.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Laura retorted as she brandished the ring on her finger, ¡°I will curse all of your seas!¡± she threatened.


    ¡°You? And with that ancient trinket? Your mortal soul doesn¡¯t have that much value.¡± Dagon mocked as it raised one of its arms and summoned a mighty blade of darkness to strike her down. But the witch gritted her teeth and screamed in defiance as she pulled out a sixth talisman and hurled a glowing spear of pure magic at the god. The resounding impact thundered throughout the temple, blowing the priests off their feet, the statue was shaken to its foundations and teetered precariously. For one infinitesimal moment, the princess stood proud as the darkness was scattered before her. Then Dagon roared with fury and slashed down with its weapon, Laura conjured a bright shield and parried desperately, but the pure force from the impact drove her to the ground and she coughed out a mouthful of blood. And Dagon raised its weapon for another strike before she could recover.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Please have mercy mighty Dagon, I beg a boon from you in the name of Zimran!¡± Aryan dashed forward and knelt before the statue before it could inflict a lethal blow.


    ¡°Prince of Vaishya, you don¡¯t know what you are asking,¡± Dagon replied. ¡°That woman¡¯s fate is greatly cursed, she has robbed you of your soul and will lead you to your certain demise. Ask for any other, from the frozen wastes of the northern glaciers to the vast tropical central oceans, and I will grant you her heart.¡±


    ¡°I beg you Dagon. Take me if you must, but spare her from your wrath.¡± Aryan pleaded.


    But Dagon ignored the prince and brushed him aside as it prepared to attack the wounded princess again. Just then, a mighty bolt of lightning struck the temple and the entire structure was shaken as if there had been a mighty earthquake. Then a loud voice thundered from the heavens, ¡°Stay your hand, god of the northern seas. Her time has not yet come, and she must be allowed to live till her wishes are fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Dagon looked up into the skies and back at the princess who had staggered weakly to her knees, ¡°So, she is one of the most accursed who has drunk deeply from the cups of wrath. It explains why her fate is so darkly tainted, even more so than any other daughter of Krall before her.¡± The god of the northern seas gazed at Aryan with a great melancholy in its eyes, ¡°Son of Zimran, that woman will bring you great sorrow and deliver you to a fate worse than even death, will you also drink from the cup that she has drunk from?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Aryan answered respectfully.


    ¡°Son of Zimran,¡± Dagon declared, ¡°no blessing I can give will deliver you from the path you have chosen, no higher power can release you from the curse than has befallen you, and no blade can vanquish the misfortune that will overtake you.¡± The god raised his weapon and cleaved off one of its own hands, ¡°I once swore to Zimran that I would care for all of his children¡¯s children. Here is my hand, may it be your comfort on the day of darkest despair.¡±


    Then Dagon turned solemnly to face the princess, ¡°And will you, daughter of Krall, swear to treasure this son of Zimran, until the day your fate shall consume you?¡±


    ¡°I will, Krall be my witness,¡± Laura snapped.


    ¡°People of Vaishya,¡± Dagon commanded, ¡°this woman must not be killed by your hands. For any people who wrongfully slays her or interferes with her fate will suffer divine vengeance seven times over.¡±


    ¡°We shall obey,¡± the fearful Vaishyans answered as they prostrated themselves before their god.


    Then Dagon departed, and a cold eerie emptiness permeated the Vaishyan Great Temple.


    ¡­


    The prince paced furiously about the palace¡¯s isolated inner room, ¡°What did god Dagon mean by that? And what other secrets have you been hiding from me!?¡±


    ¡°I guess you have the right to know,¡± Laura sighed. ¡°The Tower of Andania can grant almost any wish, but extracts a heavy price from each supplicant. I know I wished for something exorbitant, I was prepared to forfeit my life when I set foot within the Tower! But, I¡¯m surprised that I¡¯m still alive and unharmed through our two weeks together. Each morning I wake up, either dreading that it would be my last, or expecting that something terrible would occur, but somehow nothing happens and I live to see another day.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by nothing happened!?¡± Aryan half yelled. ¡°Your entire country vanished into thin air, we are now on the brink of total war with the Saadians, and there¡¯s barely a day where you don¡¯t encounter some uniquely torturous experience. Remember those nights with the Calamity Ring? The risk you took to get us back to Calcutta? Your shattered ribs from two days ago? Or how god Dagon almost cleaved you in two in the temple just this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°It was actually all kinda fun. I always wondered how powerful one of the high gods actually were.¡± Laura muttered disingenuously as she failed to meet his angered glare.


    ¡°And?¡± Aryan¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as he fought the urge to strangle the stubborn princess.


    A single tear trickled down her cheek, ¡°Can we please stop fighting? I don¡¯t know how much time I have left, but it can¡¯t be long now¡­ And I can¡¯t change the past.¡± Laura pleaded.


    Aryan sighed and sat down slowly next to her, he gazed intently into her glistening crystal blue eyes and ran his hand through her warm rose scented hair. ¡°I love you Laura,¡± he whispered tenderly.


    ¡°I know, and I don¡¯t exactly dislike you either,¡± Laura replied as she snuggled against him.


    ¡°I feel so powerless,¡± Aryan groaned. ¡°I¡¯m a prince of Vaishya and I can¡¯t even protect the girl I love.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Laura comforted. Then a strange desperate look masked her features and she giggled, ¡°I really showed that Dagon, didn¡¯t I?¡± she chuckled. ¡°Fufu. Just think about how it must be feeling right now!¡±


    Aryan¡¯s eyelid twitched as he was almost overcome by a sudden growing frustration, ¡°What did you wish for? What did you desire so much that you were willing to discard your very life? Aren¡¯t you Crown Princess and The Witch of Andania? Couldn¡¯t you have achieved your goals through more normal means?¡± He demanded.


    Laura chortled loudly as her eyes gleamed with a hint of hopeless mania, ¡°I don¡¯t remember! I really don¡¯t! I remember fleeing into the tower to avoid the assassins and reaching the top, but I don¡¯t remember anything else before you came for me through the flames!¡± The frail princess buried her face in his chest and sobbed uncontrollably, ¡°What happened? What did I wish for? And why did things turn out like this?¡± She wailed.


    Aryan sighed and pulled her close, ¡°You have me now, and we¡¯ll get through this somehow, I promise. It¡¯s late, lets retire for the night and we can talk about things tomorrow as we head for the front.¡± The prince stood and offered his hand to the princess, ¡°Laura?¡±


    The princess took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes, ¡°Before that, there¡¯s one more thing I have to do if you wish to fight Xerxes beside me.¡± She rested her small pale hand delicately in his tanned firm one, ¡°Come with me,¡± she requested as her bloodless lips curled with a small tired smile.


    They traveled deep into an uninhabited wing of the large sprawling palace and through a dark cobweb strewn corridor before finally pausing outside an unmarked door. ¡°This is a bathroom?¡± Aryan questioned uncertainly, ¡°But why¡­¡±


    ¡°Come in, everything¡¯s already prepared. And I don¡¯t have much time left, I¡¯m running out of magic.¡± Laura answered, ¡°This was the only place I managed to find that was deserted enough for me to attempt this spell. Step carefully, and do not disturb the runes.¡±


    Aryan¡¯s eyes widened in horror as he peeked into the room. The entire chamber was painted from floor to ceiling with intricately etched runic designs that coiled out eagerly towards him. But he hardly noticed the higher magic as his eyes were glued to the large porcelain bathtub in the room¡¯s center and his stomach churned from the unmistakably metallic scent that wafted from it. ¡°How many people did you kill to gather that much blood?¡± Aryan lamented as he took an unconscious step backwards.


    ¡°None,¡± Laura muttered elusively as she looked down and counted at her toes, ¡°trust me.¡±


    Aryan strode into the room and clamped his hands on her shoulders, ¡°Laura Alexandra Muriel! I might not be a magician, but even I know that all blood magic requires human blood to work. Where are all your victims? Bring me to them this instant, we might still be able to save some of them!¡±


    ¡°There are no victims. Andanian magic doesn¡¯t work with normal human blood. A witch¡¯s blood must be given willingly¡­ and this is all mine.¡± Laura bit her lip hesitantly as she showed him the small white scars lining her wrist, ¡°I¡¯m not usually such a glutton you know? Even with my magic¡¯s assistance, I had to eat tons to be able to produce enough for this enchantment to work¡­¡±She explained sheepishly.


    ¡°You did what!?¡± Aryan yelled as his eyes bulged with shock.


    Laura rubbed her eyes tiredly, ¡°I¡¯m pretty proud that I managed it in just a couple of days, there¡¯s more than ten hours of my magic in this room, and I must be the first witch in generations to attempt a spell of this magnitude!¡± She beamed somewhat smugly.


    ¡°No! I absolutely refuse to participate in any ceremony that results in more of your suffering.¡± Aryan disagreed furiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Aryan, but I don¡¯t have any time left to argue. The spell does not allow me to force you into the tub. I know that it is unpleasant, but you will have to get in willingly and immerse yourself completely.¡± Laura apologized, ¡°I have eleven minutes of magic left and I need ten to complete your enchantment. If that fails, there¡¯s a good chance that the magic in this room will go completely out of control and turn all of Calcutta into a wasteland. I could of course use the Calamity Ring to prevent such an outcome if you prefer, but¡­¡± the princess looked up pleadingly as she leaned weakly against the bathtub.


    Aryan fumed as he stripped and strode towards the tub, ¡°This is bloody blackmail! When I get out¡­¡±


    Laura quipped feebly, ¡°You will have to carry me back to your room, mister Woof. And I will be content as long as my body isn¡¯t ravaged too excessively while I¡¯m unconscious.¡±


    ¡°You witch!¡± The prince growled darkly before taking a deep helpless breath, shutting his eyes tightly, and immersing himself completely in the warm sticky fluid.


    The princess bent down and nodded approvingly as she inspected her handiwork. ¡°Oh Aryan, that just won¡¯t do,¡± she gibed, ¡°you need to breathe out now before taking a deep breath while remaining under! And please open both your eyes and mouth while you¡¯re at it!¡±


    The prince shook his clenched fists furiously at the princess before several bubbles finally broke the surface of the red vicious liquid. And The Witch of Andania chanted as she drew a blade across her wrists to let her blood and magic run freely.

 Chapter 13: Waters of Merom

    But She was reunited with Krall in death.


    Then a great sign appeared in the heavens: a girl clothed in blood, with a sea of steel under her feet, and on her finger a ring of calamity.


    Her curse bound the gods and banished them to the earth


    And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Aryan murmured appreciatively as he was awakened at dawn, by a pair of soft warm lips pressing passionately against his. The prince ran his hands instinctively down the girl¡¯s warm familiar curves as his hardening member was enveloped repeatedly by a sleeve of warm tender moistness. Then his eyes snapped open and he growled furiously as he pinned her beneath him in their dimly lit chamber, ¡°You! You stupid witch!¡± he yelled, ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a tongue-lashing that you will never forget!¡±


    ¡°Witch? Huuu¡­ me?¡± the girl giggled with wide crystal blue eyes as she wriggled her hips and coiled her wet inner walls stimulatingly around his peaking shaft.


    The prince gasped involuntarily as he climaxed and emptied his load into the willing lass grinding energetically against him, ¡°Laura! I still haven¡¯t forgiven you¡­¡± he muttered moodily.


    ¡°Again then?¡± the warm animated teenager tilted her head seductively and allowed the heady scent of fresh roses to seep from her fiery red hair.


    Aryan pulled her upright and opened his mouth to deliver a furious lecture, but she chortled instead and snuffed his protests with a long lustful smooch. Just as both his rage and passion battled furiously for supremacy, his fluttering heart skipped a beat and leapt into his throat as a cold weakened hand reached out searchingly and brushed against his wrist.


    ¡°Aryan? It¡¯s too early¡­ five more minutes¡­¡± another young teenaged girl moaned feebly as she snuggled drowsily against his back.


    ¡°Aryan! It¡¯s too early! Five more minutes!¡± the lively girl in his arms tittered as a glob of white stickiness seeped from between her thighs.


    The prince of Vaishya paled as he shoved her desperately away from the bed and reached for his dagger, ¡°Who are you!? Begone apparition!¡± He yelped with fright.


    ¡°So, super noisy¡­ what apparition?¡± the girl behind him coughed weakly as she clambered up and peeked out blearily from behind his shoulder.


    ¡°Laura! What dark magic is this? She¡¯s you! Exactly like you!¡± The prince moaned as he brandished his knife uncertainly.


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened with surprised euphoria, she staggered from the sheets and crawled weakly on her fours to her purring clone. ¡°Lily!¡± she gasped as tears of joy glistened in her eyes. ¡°You are alive! You are safe¡­¡± Laura paused and her eyes widened in shock as she spied the gooey trail of whiteness trickling down her double¡¯s thigh. Then she turned and scowled at the soiled, rumpled sheets and glared at herconscience-stricken prince.


    The girl giggled loudly.


    Almost belatedly, Aryan buried his head in his hands and moaned remorsefully, ¡°Oh Vaishyan gods, what have I done!¡±


    Laura bit her lip and turned to look at her equally naked look-alike, ¡°Lily! Didn¡¯t I already apologize for eating your pudding all those years ago?¡± she pouted. Then the princess blushed uncertainly as she smiled and hugged her copy tightly, ¡°I guess I don¡¯t mind sharing him for a little, Aryan¡¯s really fun, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Aryan¡¯s fun, sharing¡¯s good, and Dagon will be happy!¡± the girl beamed as she patted Laura condescendingly on the head.


    Laura let out a small scream of horror as she shoved the girl aside and her eyes darted down to her double¡¯s waist, ¡°You¡¯re not Lily! You don¡¯t have her mole, who are you!¡± she shrieked as she scrambled desperately for the talismans on the nightstand.


    The girl snickered as she retrieved a piece of chalk and traced a glowing spell circle in the air, and the room was baptized in salt and water that instantly soaked through all of Laura¡¯s charms, ¡°I am Mirror.¡± She bowed, ¡°Mirror Alexandra Muriel at your service, Aryan¡¯s ideal companion, and the Immortal Hand of god Dagon.¡±


    ¡°That explains things I guess,¡± Laura sighed disappointedly as she lay down tiredly on the soaked bed and rested her head in Aryan¡¯s lap. ¡°Give me a couple more minutes¡­¡± she murmured, as she snuggled close and shut her eyes.


    ¡°Am I forgiven?¡± Aryan whispered disbelievingly, ¡°And you¡¯re just going to accept her just like that? Without even the faintest hint of jealousy?¡± He questioned.


    Laura yawned as she wrapped her arms around Aryan¡¯s waist and turned her face away from the peeking rays of sunlight. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed,¡± the princess smirked sleepily, ¡°that thing isn¡¯t even human. It¡¯s just an inanimate lump of rock that your god molded to resemble my exterior. It might seem like my exact twin, but it is just possessed with the soul of a stray kitten. Give me a couple of hours to study it and I will probably be able to recreate a similar copy.¡±


    ¡°But you aren¡¯t really human either, and you have already lost the rights to your own soul.¡± Mirror taunted with a wide angelic smile.


    ¡°What!? Laura whatever does she mean¡­¡± Aryan spluttered.


    Laura sighed, ¡°Please Aryan. Order that chunk of stone to shut up and dry our bed while it¡¯s at it. I must sleep for at least thirty more minutes or I won¡¯t be able to function normally for the rest of today.¡±


    ¡°Mirror knows everything! Mirror will tell you all her darkest deepest secrets¡­ even the ones she doesn¡¯t know!¡± the clone offered cheerfully.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Please Aryan, I¡¯ll answer all your questions someday. Just not before our battle with Xerxes.¡± Laura pleaded.


    ¡°What are you still hiding from me?¡± Aryan demanded, ¡°And I still haven¡¯t forgiven you¡­¡± he muttered with a scowl.


    Laura sighed as she reached out slowly for her soaked clothes, ¡°I guess you already had your fun with that pebble, so it makes us even!¡± she retorted. ¡°I will leave if you pry any further, and if you try to restrain me with your magicians, I will fall on my own magic. Do you actually want me, or my secrets?¡± She threatened.


    The prince of Vaishya frowned unhappily as he pulled Laura back into his embrace. Then he glanced toward the clone, ¡°Mirror, can you please dry my bed? We can talk about Laura¡¯s secrets at a later time.¡± He requested politely. Mirror nodded with a small disappointed smile, but she drew a counter-spell which dissipated the excess moisture and salt. As the princess finally drifted off into a disturbed slumber in Aryan¡¯s arms, Mirror crept quietly towards the couple and curled up contentedly next to the prince.


    ¡°Get off!¡± the prince hissed under his breath.


    ¡°Meow,¡± Mirror snuggled closer. ¡°Dagon did not compel me to obey your orders,¡± she purred while licking tenderly at the immobilized boy¡¯s stiffening manhood. ¡°The only way you will actually silence me is if you will¡­ slurp¡­ gulp¡­ slurp¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Laura, you have already secreted yourself in that carriage for two entire days!¡± Aryan complained as he rode up and rapped on the covered windows.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Aryan¡­¡± the pale faced princess peeked out slowly, with dark circles of exhaustion ringing her dulled blue eyes. ¡°Please bring me more food,¡± she requested absently, before shutting the window.


    ¡°Laura! You¡¯ve already consumed enough rations to feed twenty full grown men.¡± The prince¡¯s suspicions were quickly confirmed as he scented the faintest trace of coppery metal, ¡°Stop hurting yourself this instant! I¡¯ll kick down this door and drag you out if I have to!¡± He yelled.


    The princess sighed as she edged open the entrance and gestured for the prince to enter, ¡°I¡¯m out of magic anyway, how long before we arrive at the Waters of Merom? Any reports from the front?¡±


    The prince trod gingerly as he entered the blood-stained enclosure, ¡°Have you gone completely insane? Why are you even torturing yourself like this?¡± He swore furiously as he grasped the princess by the shoulders and shook her roughly.


    The princess bent over and vomited violently, ¡°Ugh¡­ morning sickness already?¡± she deadpanned.


    ¡°This is not funny Laura. We arrive at the battlefield at dusk and the Saadians might launch an attack at any moment.¡± Aryan raged, ¡°How will you even face the enemy in your current condition? You wouldn¡¯t even last ten seconds in a fight!¡±


    She stuck her head out of the carriage and gestured for the closest soldier. ¡°More food, I must have ten more rations before sundown,¡± she ordered hoarsely before slumping weakly in the darkened space. ¡°This is a super bad time Aryan, I must look worse than Krall dung,¡± she muttered self-consciously while running her fingers through her matted tangled hair, ¡°just let me eat and sleep it off tonight.¡± She explained weakly.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t even begin to clarify anything!¡± Aryan complained as he tucked her down gently on the seat and covered the pale trembling princess with his cloak.


    ¡°Mirror can explain,¡± Laura replied, ¡°I can already sense it lurking outside.¡±


    A veiled enchantress stepped in as the prince unlocked the entrance, ¡°Carrots, dried jerky, and more carrots!¡± she giggled mischievously before stuffing a hard, tasteless piece of meat into the princess¡¯ mouth. ¡°Hi Aryan!¡± she whispered seductively, ¡°I missed you so, what are we doing for tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tell me. By all that¡¯s holy! What has this stupid witch been up to?¡± the prince demanded.


    Mirror stepped up and pecked Aryan passionately on the lips, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± she purred. ¡°She¡¯s hurting herself for blood to inscribe higher magic in her talismans, it¡¯s the archaic Andanian way. Really retarded, if I might add. Dagon¡¯s powers are vastly superior!¡± The princess opened her mouth weakly to deliver a retort, but Mirror instantly stuffed a raw unpeeled carrot into her mouth, ¡°I could accomplish the same result in an hour, all without wounding myself.¡± She boasted.


    ¡°Blood sacrifices,¡± Laura spat in disgust before she could be silenced by yet another piece of unappetizing nourishment. ¡°You would have to take the lives of at least three hundred Talented or tens of thousands of normal humans to even come close.¡±


    ¡°Dagon will forgive me,¡± Mirror smiled sweetly, ¡°if I protect Aryan.¡±


    ¡°You will not slaughter my people!¡± Aryan blanched in horror.


    Mirror nodded slowly as she wrapped an arm lovingly around his waist, ¡°I understand that you will be saddened. Hence, I will only resort to such an option if there is absolutely no other choice. Dagon allowed me free reign, the only person I¡¯m not allowed to harm is this sadistic witch.¡±


    Laura mumbled, ¡°I probably wouldn¡¯t hesitate either, if I had to protect someone important to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just senselessly stupid!¡± Aryan protested idealistically, ¡°What if there was a spell that allowed you to revive your sister? Where would you stop? A thousand, or ten thousand? Would you take the life of your own father? What about me?¡±


    Laura admitted weakly, ¡°There¡¯s no convenient magic like that, and I cannot restore Lily without her soul. If there were¡­¡± Her voice trailed off ominously, ¡°I would be out there, stabbing at the closest people, about right now. Father would have been a pain, since he knows of my weaknesses, I would have to catch him unawares somehow. And hypothetically speaking, if I really had no other choice¡­¡± She hesitated momentarily, as her eyes shifted slowly to meet his distressed hazel ones, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t spare your life either. But I promise to accompany you on your journey to the afterlife, after I¡¯ve completed my spell.¡±


    ¡°You are a fool Laura,¡± Aryan muttered disbelievingly. ¡°To continually sacrifice your present for someone else¡¯s amorphous future¡­ have you really ever lived?¡± Then the prince¡¯s eyes hardened resolutely, ¡°If such a day should befall us, know that my loyalties will always be with Vaishya and her people.¡±


    Laura nodded agreeably, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve already noticed that even your servants are like family to you. If I¡¯m ever faced with such a choice, I shall be grateful if you will stop me. One sure thrust through my heart with a blade of silver, and off with my head.¡± She added feebly, ¡°That is what you must do to stop a witch.¡±


    Mirror snickered as she tiptoed and whispered temptingly in Aryan¡¯s ear, ¡°Dagon knows of such a spell, and it does not require a soul to work¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± The pale faced prince stammered, ¡°Leave us please.¡±


    ¡°Meow! I will always be waiting Aryan,¡± Mirror winked wistfully as she exited reluctantly.


    ¡°You should leave too,¡± Laura mumbled. ¡°You have an army to command, and I would just be in the way like this.¡±


    Aryan sighed as he cradled her feverish head tenderly in his lap, then he moistened his scarf and wiped gently at her soiled lips, ¡°How can I leave you alone like this? I won¡¯t have you whittling your life away to defeat Xerxes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you,¡± Laura apologized. ¡°I¡¯ll get us both through this somehow, please don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Aryan smiled wryly, ¡°You are just like an oversized baby, Laura. Whatever will you do without me?¡±


    Laura giggled weakly with relief and pointed to her open mouth even as her stomach growled loudly, ¡°On that topic, will you please feed me something besides raw carrots and dried meat? You have an army of thousands, surely someone must have a warm pastry or ten, tucked away somewhere!¡±

 Chapter 14: Shadows of War

    Now when the gods saw that they had been cast to the earth, they persecuted the offspring of Krall.


    But the children boarded ships of steel and fled from their presence.


    So the gods spewed flames from their mouths like a flood after them, that they might be consumed.


    But the seas aided the children, and the waters opened its mouth and swallowed the fires which the gods had spewed out from their mouths.


    And the gods were enraged, and set off to banish their history from the minds of men.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    <u>Vaishyan army: 400,000+</u>


    150,000 Mercenaries


    100,000 Heavy Infantry & Pikemen


    50,000 Archers


    30,000 Light Cavalry


    20,000 Heavy Cavalry


    15,000 Talented


    100 Catapults


    35,000 Medical & Logistics staff


    <u>Saadian army: 170,000+


    </u>1 Xerxes


    20,000 Burning Legions


    90,000 Light Infantry


    60,000 Light Cavalry


    10,000 Talented


    2000 Logistics staff


    ...


    In the Saadian¡¯s massive command tent, Xerxes tapped his foot impatiently as he glared at the map spread out before him, ¡°The staff of Verethragna is fully charged, I will sortie across the river with it at dawn and blast apart their central formations. Then send in the twenty Burning Legions and get them to kill everything. The regular army, cavalry, and mage companies are to await safely in their positions on the other side of the river. You can pick me up, after I have routed the Vaishyan forces.¡± The three chief generals of the Saadian forces bobbed their heads fanatically in silent agreement, and they sweated nervously as the emperor swiped his gleaming mithril blade casually through the still empty air.


    ¡°And you plan to walk into a heavily armed force of over four hundred thousand, with just a sword and stick?¡± Lily protested, ¡°I might be only sixteen, but even I know that your plan is pure foolishness! Even the witches of Andania aren¡¯t sent into to battle like this!¡±


    Xerxes sighed, ¡°Trust me Lily, I¡¯m a real veteran.¡± He jabbed his staff in turn towards his each of his quivering generals, ¡°Bang! Boom! Pop! I blast away a couple of times at the important looking bits and the surviving enemy breaks and runs. Then the Legions mop up the stragglers, and the mages collect me. It¡¯s efficient, reduces the number of casualties on our side, and we¡¯ll be strolling into their capital before the end of the week.¡±


    ¡°That is the entire Vaishyan army! It¡¯s not just the militia of some backwater province we are talking about. I already know about that stick of yours, it might be an impressive relic, but surely you don¡¯t expect to rout over four hundred thousand troops with some spells? How will a force of twenty thousand mundanes even hope to contend with an army over twenty times their size? And what about their Talented?¡± The princess protested.


    Xerxes shrugged, ¡°I won¡¯t have to bother with holding back like on the Yggdrasil. Their Talented will usually be the first to die or flee. Most mages cannot even tolerate being within several kilometers of my full presence. I staked out a couple of slaves in the desert and confirmed it. And modern armies tend to fall apart, when all their Talented start falling or fleeing inexplicably.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you then,¡± Lily demanded. ¡°Who will watch your back if you go in alone? What if you¡¯re hit by a stray arrow? Surely the scheming Vaishyans must already know about your simplistic tactics and prepared a devastating counterstrategy!¡±


    Xerxes brandished the blood red staff arrogantly before him, ¡°This scepter can split the mountains and tear apart the oceans, my body is fueled with several hundred lives from the Dark Ritual, and no Talented can exist in my presence. I am utterly unstoppable, what counterstrategy could the Vaishyans attempt with only a terrified troop of mundanes?¡± The mighty emperor gazed coolly at the defiant princess, ¡°You are very Talented, and I would be glad to be graced by your company in other circumstances. But even you would not be able to survive at my side. My power works best when I fight alone and without the hindrance of any allies.¡±


    Lily glared furiously at the Emperor of Saadian, ¡°Your overconfidence will lead to your demise. The Vaishyan battlelines stretch out for over twenty kilometers! You will not be able to disable all their Talented with just your aura alone. And what about those with greater Talents? What will you do if you are drawn into closed quarters against them?¡±


    Xerxes¡¯ laughter shook the tent, ¡°That would certainly be an eye opener! How many seconds do you feel a malnourished girl like you would last against me in a swordfight? How many lives must they expand for the mana to wound me even once?¡± he mocked. ¡°There¡¯s no man alive that can stand against my magic, and they would have to sacrifice all the citizens of Vaishya to gather enough power to stop me.¡±


    Lily opened her mouth to protest further, but the emperor stopped her with an upraised palm. ¡°Enough,¡± he commanded gently. ¡°You have already done me a great service, and I will be in your debt for the rest of my life. Let me repay your kindness by keeping my promise to you.¡±


    ¡°What if you¡¯re hurt in battle? Or worse? You¡¯re just a single man, Xerxes.¡± The princess murmured with tearful concern.


    Xerxes chortled with amusement, ¡°To worry about my wellbeing, you must be the only person like this in the entire world! Even if something should happen to me, my generals should be able to deal with the aftermath.¡± Then he glared at the trio of cowering men at the far side of the room, ¡°Secure the princess in the safest part of the camp, furthest away from the battle. If any harm should come to her, I will turn around and slaughter the lot of you, along with the Vaishyans!¡±


    The generals hesitated fearfully among themselves for a long silent moment. Then the Mage General crawled forward and prostrated desperately before his emperor, ¡°Your Majesty. We are unable to stop the princess, she threatens to harm herself whenever we attempt to restrain her movements!¡±


    Xerxes glared at the rebellious Andanian princess smirking silently behind his back, ¡°Then knock her out, strip her bare, and bind her from head to toe in dimeritium! You have my permission.¡± He snapped before striding out of the tent.


    ¡°Siccing your men on me is so unfair!¡± Laura griped as she glared at the offending generals, ¡°You would subject me to the humiliation of being groped by these cowardly old soldiers? I dare you to do it yourself!¡±


    Xerxes shrugged, ¡°They are the experts. I would probably kill you by accident, along with half of my army if I tried it myself.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The witch of Andania smoldered and the ground trembled as she reached out for the edges of her Talent, ¡°You are grossly underestimating me, Xerxes.¡± She warned.


    The emperor shrugged as he strode out into the lengthening shadows of dusk, ¡°Stop bluffing. If you are really that powerful, breaking out from my army and mages should be a cinch. Good luck with that.¡±


    ¡­


    It was midnight when the princes of Vaishya conferred intently with the nation¡¯s most prominent archdiviners and enchantresses within the luxuriously decorated command cabin of the Vaishyan army.


    ¡°Our battle against the initial Saadian advance will depend mainly on the quality of forces we can deploy. Engaging Xerxes with the regular infantry and Talented will just be a futile waste of lives. If the Andanian witch can delay Xerxes for several hours, we the Twelve Sorcerers of Vaishya and the Vaishyan core forces will eliminate the Saadian Burning Legions.¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi explained.


    ¡°Explain the Saadian battle tactics to me again. Do you mean that their emperor actually intends lead from the front and confront our entire force with just several dozen battalions of infantry? And how do they even plan to ford the river?¡± Aryan interrupted as he rubbed his eyes wearily.


    ¡°According to high god Dagon, the Saadians have always employed the same simplistic strategy in all their previous conquests. They were granted three great magics by their god, Verethragna. First, the staff of Verethragna, which is fueled by the Blood Ritual and possesses extreme destructive power, is the absolute bane of any concentrated formation of troops. Second, Xerxes¡¯ pseudo-immortality and divine Talent aura, which is powered by the Dark Ritual, can drive any normal Talented within a radius of three kilometers to insanity. Finally, the Burning Legion, thousand strong battalions of self-immolating infantry that cannot be stopped unless each individual in the battalion is stabbed through the heart. We have developed a spell that will be able to temporarily suppress the Legions, and it will ensure that we are able to destroy their forces more efficiently.¡±


    ¡°And how is Laura supposed to defeat Xerxes when he wields two divine gifts from their god? Aren¡¯t you just sending her out as a sacrificial lamb? You are the Twelve Sorcerers of Vaishya, the most Talented diviners and enchantresses of our kingdom. Why won¡¯t you challenge Xerxes instead?¡± Aryan protested.


    ¡°I beg your forgiveness, High Prince. Only Dagon¡¯s divine enchantress possesses the Talent to approach Xerxes unharmed.¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi sighed in response before glancing questioningly at the veiled serpentine woman seated beside Amir.


    Divine enchantress Phoebe turned to face the crown prince, ¡°With your permission my lord, I will join in this battle against Xerxes. We must not allow Verethragna to trample over the lands of Dagon with impunity.¡±


    Amir chuckled heartily, ¡°We won¡¯t throw your precious little princess to the beast. I¡¯ll come along with you, little brother, and ensure that you won¡¯t hog all the limelight.¡±


    ¡°Count me in too! I¡¯m still better with the bow than either of you, and it would be exciting to see if I¡¯m also immune to divine Saadian magic.¡± Abel interjected cheerfully.


    Archdiviner Zinnridi paled and trembled violently, ¡°You mustn¡¯t!¡± He protested desperately, ¡°If any misfortune should befall the three of you, the glorious future of the Zimran dynasty will be ruined!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you exaggerate as usual Zinnridi,¡± Amir replied dismissively. ¡°I understand your concerns, but we among the best fighters in Vaishya and possess divine blessings from god Dagon. What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡±


    ¡°We could end this war with minimal losses if we manage to kill or capture the Saadian emperor,¡± Abel added excitedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t our spies report the lack of any direct descendants or close relatives in their royal family? Xerxes¡¯ defeat could precipitate the collapse of the Saadian Empire and provide Vaishya with a thousand years of peace and prosperity!¡±


    Archdiviner Zinnridi sighed bitterly, ¡°High Princes, Xerxes is not to be underestimated. If you really intend to challenge him, we should come up with a detailed strategy. And please allow several companies of the best cavalry to accompany you, they can cover your retreat if anything unexpected should happen.¡± The aged diviner handed an elaborately carved medallion to the crown prince, ¡°Break this if you¡¯re faced with a desperate situation and I will come to your aid immediately. I may not be able to defeat that monster, but at the very least, I should be able to buy you several minutes to escape.¡±


    And deep into the night, the princes of Vaishya conferred with the archdiviners and enchantresses of Vaishya.


    ¡­


    Aryan yawned drowsily as he strolled alone through the sleepy camp in the dark of the night. When he finally arrived at his own silent tent, the prince frowned as he noticed the familiar veiled enchantress slumbering peacefully beside the doorway.


    ¡°Mirror, you were issued with your own personal quarters, please return to them immediately.¡± He sighed kindly while shaking her gently awake.


    ¡°Aryan¡­¡± the teenager rubbed at her eyes weakly and rose slowly to her feet. ¡°Ugh¡­ I must have dozed off,¡± she muttered, ¡°I wanted to see you one last time Aryan.¡± The girl smiled ruefully as she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled warmly against his chest.


    ¡°Mirror¡­ please,¡± the prince replied awkwardly as he detached himself. ¡°I need to see if Laura¡¯s alright, go to sleep, we will have a long day tomorrow if the Saadians decide to begin their assault.¡±


    ¡°Fufu¡­ can¡¯t you spare just a super tiny little place in your heart, for poor little Mirror?¡± she teased playfully. ¡°I might perish alone and unloved tomorrow¡­¡± she bowed her head sadly.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be immortal or something? Please go to bed¡­¡± Aryan sighed as he brushed past the veiled girl.


    She grabbed at his hand with uncharacteristic desperateness, ¡°Please Aryan, just one last kiss. I won¡¯t ever ask for anything else.¡± She rushed forward before the surprised boy could refuse and pressed her soft quivering lips tightly against his.


    ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Aryan spluttered as he pushed her away roughly. ¡°Enough Mirror! Go to bed before I get the guards to haul you to the stockade!¡± He commanded. Then he stepped into his tent without looking back and shut the entrance quickly behind him.


    Alone and unnoticed by any living soul, the veiled enchantress curtseyed gracefully at Aryan¡¯s back. Then her lips were set with a small determined smile as she funneled her magic into his abode.


    ¡­


    ¡°Laura, you¡¯re awake! How are you feeling?¡± Aryan whispered with concern as he slipped into the sheets beside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m all better,¡± she giggled as her eyes twinkled mischievously, ¡°I felt what you did with Mirror just now. Oh¡­ the ever-wandering heart of my wayward prince¡­¡± She wailed teasingly.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose! She forced herself on me again.¡± Aryan protested weakly.


    ¡°Aww¡­ many, many girls must force themselves on my handsome kind prince on a daily basis. When will I ever have a turn?¡± She sighed as she let a single glistening tear trickle down her rosy blushing cheeks.


    ¡°I love you Laura!¡± Aryan growled as he pulled her close and held her tightly in his strong sure arms.


    ¡°I love you too Aryan,¡± the girl whispered softly. ¡°Will you prove, how much you really love me?¡± she badgered playfully as she fumbled at the buttons of his shirt and pressed her warm naked breasts against his bared muscular chest.


    ¡°Are you sure? You were a total mess, just this afternoon¡­¡± Aryan blinked tiredly with surprise.


    ¡°Excuses, excuses¡­ did Mirror and the other girls suck you dry already? What happened to your special love for me?¡± She taunted seductively as she fluttered her long luxurious eyelashes.


    ¡°Just once,¡± Aryan relented finally as he mounted the willing girl beneath him, ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle. You need your rest¡­¡±


    The girl purred contentedly as she rose to meet his tender steady thrusts and locked her legs tightly around his as she received every morsel of his spurting ardor. Then they held each other close as the sated prince smiled and drifted quickly into a deep dreamless slumber. But the girl bit her lip wistfully as she gazed at her peacefully snoozing lover and fought to burn each precious moment, forever into her memory.

 Chapter 15: The Lion and the Wolf

    On that day, the Lord of Hosts shall return.


    He will comfort the persecuted with love and smite the wicked with righteousness.


    Then the wolf will lie with the lion, and their little child will lead them.


    And the children of Krall will live in peace, with the descendants of men.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    Saadian lines, six kilometers from the Waters of Merom. Dawn.


    The mighty Emperor of Saadian roared as he flexed his pectorals and shredded his shirt from his massive chest. His golden mane glistened brightly with the morning¡¯s dew, as it reflected the rising rays of sunlight, ¡°Victory to Saadian! Deploy the Legions!¡± he bellowed, and the very earth trembled at his voice. He glanced disdainfully at the Vaishyan encampment sprawled out across the far horizon, and his thighs bulged as he kicked off with a dash that spanned five hundred meters in ten seconds. Then his unleashed Talent gushed like a tsunami across the battlefield, and his doubled speed propelled him like an apocalypse asteroid towards his hapless foes.


    ¡­


    One kilometer from the Vaishyan lines, at the Waters of Merom. Dawn.


    ¡°This sucks,¡± Laura shivered apprehensively as she eyed the fast-flowing river before her. ¡°Must I cross? Or should I wait here and ambush him as he attempts to ford?¡± she mused absently to no one in particular.


    Just then, the equivalent of a massive psychic supernova roared through the battlefield. And the princess¡¯ eyes widened with worry as the immense power source began accelerating swiftly towards the Vaishyan camp.


    ¡°Three kilometers,¡± her eyes narrowed with determination as she assessed the approaching Talent. ¡°The Vaishyans will take heavy casualties if I confront him here. I¡¯ll have to cross and stop him at the other side somehow.¡± She smacked at her pale cheeks with her hands and grimaced with determination, ¡°I can take him with me,¡± she blustered to herself, ¡°that much power is nothing!¡± Then she retrieved a talisman and unleashed the full extent of her Talent, and the Waters of Merom were frozen beneath her feet. And The Witch of Andania donned her wolf mask and strode forward bravely to duel her mighty foe.


    ¡­


    Vaishyan camp. Dawn.


    The massive tide of Talent sweeping over the tent, followed closely by a sudden wrenching emptiness, jerked Aryan from his stupor, ¡°Laura!¡± he exclaimed instinctively as he turned and reached out to the girl lying at his side.


    ¡°Meow?¡± the wide-eyed kitten blinked in confusion before biting her lip as she realized her mistake. ¡°Yes Aryan? Need something?¡± she stuttered as she attempted a feeble coverup.


    ¡°Mirror! It was you, so where is Laura!?¡± Aryan¡¯s blood ran cold as he dressed and dashed desperately for the exit.


    ¡°You won¡¯t escape,¡± Mirror dropped her pretense and shrugged as she observed the prince¡¯s futile attempt at unzipping the tent. ¡°The witch infused this entire structure with a restraining magic that prevents you from breaking out with normal physical force.¡±


    ¡°Damnit Mirror! You conspired with Laura to deceive me and entrap me here!¡± Aryan yelled furiously.


    Mirror blushed as she pressed her small fists against her mouth to hide the drool trickling from her lips, ¡°I love you Aryan. She made me an offer I could not refuse... And I will treasure my first night with you for the rest of time.¡± She mumbled.


    ¡°I hate you!¡± Aryan screamed, ¡°Get me out of this prison, this very instant!¡± He demanded as he drew his sword threateningly.


    Mirror blinked back the tears of hurt that formed in her crystal blue eyes, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± She declined as she mustered all her determination, ¡°The witch is right, you will be safe here. And if she dies at Xerxes¡¯ hand today, you will be freed from her curse.¡±


    Aryan pointed his blade at his own gut, ¡°I¡¯ll kill myself if you won¡¯t release me!¡± he threatened.


    Mirror instantly activated a pre-traced spell that stunned the suicidal prince. Then she dashed forward nimbly and snatched his weapon from his numbed hands and flung it across the room. And she bound him tightly with a piece of twine before he could recover, and deposited him in the center of the tent. ¡°The witch was right after all,¡± she muttered morosely, ¡°I didn¡¯t actually think that you would be desperate enough to kill yourself for her.¡± She sighed softly as she circled the livid boy.


    ¡°Dagon, damn you!¡± Aryan cursed vehemently, ¡°I hate you Mirror!¡±


    Mirror drooped forlornly as she retrieved a pair of Laura¡¯s red talismans from beneath their sheets, ¡°The charms are ready, and now all I have to do is to stick one on you, and the other on myself. And we will both forget all the bad stuff and live happily ever after.¡±


    Aryan spluttered with pure trepidation, ¡°What?¡± he gasped in horrified panic.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Altering memories is apparently an Andanian specialty.¡± Mirror explained reluctantly, ¡°According to the witch, you will forget that Mirror ever existed. And mine will be altered so that I will become more like her. In a sense, we will both die for you today.¡± Mirror¡¯s lips curled with a small sad smile.


    ¡°No! Please no¡­¡± Aryan moaned as he cringed away from the approaching girl.


    ¡°Meow, I will always love you, even if I¡¯m forced to forget. So please don¡¯t hate me when I¡¯m gone.¡± Mirror wept as she approached the trussed-up prince with the humming charms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hate you Mirror, I¡¯ll curse you forever if you do this to me!¡± Aryan screamed helplessly.


    ¡°But you why won¡¯t you hate the witch instead?¡± Mirror quizzed dejectedly, ¡°This was her idea and this is all her magic! At least the witch has devised a replacement for herself. After today, poor little Mirror won¡¯t even exist any longer! Please have pity and gift little Mirror with just one last tiny moment of your love, please send Mirror off with a smile.¡± She begged as she tagged a humming talisman on Aryan¡¯s forehead.


    Aryan switched tactics, ¡°You don¡¯t love me Mirror! You wouldn¡¯t subject me to this if you really wanted my love. You¡¯re doing this because you love Laura more than me!¡± He accused.


    ¡°Meow?¡± Mirror shook her head in confusion, ¡°Why would I ever love that witch? The witch is bad, god Dagon told me so. Aryan is good, the witch is evil¡­ love Aryan!¡± She nodded with a small frown.


    ¡°Then why are you listening to the witch instead of to me?¡± Aryan hissed.


    ¡°Grr¡­ because she said that Aryan would love me if I followed her plan?¡± Mirror drooled happily as her ears twitched with joy, ¡°And she was right, you loved me and cuddled lucky little Mirror all night!¡±


    ¡°She lies!¡± Aryan roared, ¡°I only treated you like that, because I thought that you were Laura. If you follow through with her twisted plan, you will only earn my hate for as long as I shall live, and Laura will succeed in capturing my heart forever.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be loved?¡± Mirror hesitated as she stared warily at the remaining talisman in her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trap Mirror.¡± Aryan warned, ¡°You will perish alone and forgotten, the moment you stick that charm on yourself. Do you really want me to forget all about you? If that happens, I will only love Laura for the rest of my life!¡±


    Mirror yelped in fear as she tore the charms to shreds and flung the remains far away from her, ¡°You are right, the bad witch almost destroyed me with an evil trick!¡± The girl trembled fearfully as she curled up at the prince¡¯s feet, ¡°You saved me, good prince of Vaishya!¡± She sighed happily with relief as she rubbed her cheek against his chest.


    ¡°Well done, you are a smart girl Mirror,¡± Aryan praised, ¡°now release me, please.¡±


    Mirror frowned and shook her head in refusal, ¡°Yes, I am very smart. I know you will run off to be with the witch if I do that, and poor little Mirror will be alone again. Mirror doesn¡¯t want that!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t pet you if you don¡¯t untie me.¡± Aryan tempted, ¡°And I will never love you, if you continue to obey Laura...¡±


    ¡°You will pet me!?¡± Mirror screamed with joy, ¡°Mirror has never been petted before¡­¡± she bubbled happily as she tore off Aryan¡¯s bindings and rubbed her head eagerly against his hand.


    ¡°Laura was right, you¡¯re just like a lonely lost kitten.¡± Aryan sighed kindly as he rubbed at her head with his hand.


    Mirror purred ecstatically, ¡°I was cold, wet, and alone. But god Dagon came and made me strong! Now I have food, and good Aryan even pets me. This must be heaven.¡± She beamed as she curled her hands around his waist.


    ¡°Can you get us out of this tent?¡± Aryan inquired gently as he rubbed her behind the ears.


    ¡°Very bad idea,¡± Mirror shook her head fearfully. ¡°There¡¯s a big angry lion roaming outside, hiding inside here is safer.¡±


    ¡°Can Laura defeat that lion?¡±


    Mirror bit her lip and thought for a long silent moment, ¡°The witchy wolf is very sly, she even succeeded in tricking poor little me. Maybe, she will manage to hurt the lion and convince him that we aren¡¯t very tasty?¡±


    ¡°What if the lion doesn¡¯t want to give up?¡± Aryan prodded.


    Mirror frowned, ¡°Why won¡¯t he? The wolf will bite him many, many times before he manages to eat her. And she¡¯s probably not very yummy anyway.¡±


    Aryan sighed, ¡°The lion will come here. He wants to eat me, and all my friends. He will not give up, unless we kill him.¡±


    Mirror whimpered and curled up in a shivering ball of fright, ¡°Am I your friend too? I don¡¯t want to be eaten!¡±


    ¡°We have to kill that lion, Mirror. That¡¯s why I have to go to Laura, will you please help me?¡± Aryan requested.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a poor little kitty, I can¡¯t beat that lion. The hungry lion will eat me!¡± Mirror sobbed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you love me? I don¡¯t want to be eaten either. Help me out, we need to cooperate with Laura and defeat the lion together.¡± Aryan persuaded.


    Mirror bristled, ¡°I love you Aryan. I won¡¯t let that big bad lion have you!¡± She scratched the ground with her feet and sniffed analytically at the air, ¡°Thirty minutes. I need thirty minutes to an hour to break the witch¡¯s spell.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too long Mirror! Can¡¯t you do it faster?¡± Aryan protested.


    ¡°The witch is strong. And I don¡¯t have any blood for magic, I would have to¡­¡± Her eyes trailed down to the prince¡¯s groin, ¡°Maybe if you could give me a liter or two of your fresh milk¡­¡± she drooled hopefully.


    Aryan groaned, ¡°I¡¯m not a whale. Will my blood do? How much do you need?¡±


    ¡°Two¡­ maybe three little cups¡­¡± then Mirror¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°you want me to eat you?¡± She gasped and backpedaled, ¡°Mirror wouldn¡¯t dare to be so presumptuous, good Aryan¡¯s blood is a priceless treasure!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up! We don¡¯t have time, what must I do?¡± Aryan demanded as he grabbed at her wrist before she could flee.


    ¡°Meow,¡± Mirror purred as she stepped forward and licked eagerly at his bared neck. Then she frowned unhappily, ¡°The bad witch is very sly. She set a very evil higher magic to punish anyone who tries to bite or eat you. You have to feed me your blood with your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Done!¡± Aryan snapped, as he gashed his left arm deeply with a dagger. Then he drank deeply, and locked his bloodied lips tightly against Mirror¡¯s.


    Mirror gasped and her toes curled with pleasure as she gulped down eagerly before exploring his mouth with her tongue, for every last precious drop. ¡°More! Much more!¡± she demanded as Aryan finally pulled away and gasped for breath. The prince nodded silently, then he repeated the procedure, again and again.


    Finally, the enchantress was sated. She stood before the tightly locked tent and traced a bloody spell circle against the cloth. Then she mustered all her Talent and snarled out a chant, and the witch¡¯s obstructing magic shattered beneath her assault. The third prince of Vaishya wrapped a hasty bandage around his arm to stem his bleeding wound, even as he strode swiftly from his abode and yelled to rally his waking troops. And the ecstatic little kitten purred dreamily, as she licked her fingers clean while trailing in her master¡¯s shadow to confront the Lion of Saadian.

 Chapter 16: Flames of Sacrifice

    Give me your wounded, your poor,


    Your huddled slaves yearning to find rest,


    The plagued refuse of your teeming shores,


    And I will give Saadian victory.


    - High god Verethragna


    <hr>


    The ragged, mismatched gaggle of men and women stood in rough formations of approximately a thousand each, before the massed Saadian lines. No two were dressed or armed alike, some clutched at rusty scimitars, while others clung loosely onto crude metal clubs. Some were slaves at the end of their usefulness, while others were condemned criminals or disgraced courtiers. Many suffered from incurable diseases and sported missing limbs or heavily disfigured features. Countless had perished during the long relentless march to the front, and even the strongest among them tottered on their last legs.


    But these people all possessed something in common, they were all volunteers who had journeyed from the furthest reaches of the Saadian Empire to the battlefield. Some, to win the freedom of their loved ones, while others to clear their name or to redeem their clan¡¯s honor. And their eyes were filled with pride and determination as they each clutched at a plain drinking horn while struggling to remain upright on the barren windswept plains.


    Twenty veteran commanders, each with hair as white as snow and well past their prime, stood courageously before the Legions and raised the horns in their hands.


    ¡°This is where we burn them!¡± the commanders chanted.


    ¡°We come from dust; we return to dust,¡± the people replied.


    ¡°This is where we fight!¡± the commanders roared.


    ¡°Our lives for theirs, our souls for theirs,¡± the people answered.


    ¡°Onward, to victory! Eternal glory to Saadian!¡± The commanders ordered as they drank deeply from the horns in their hands.


    ¡°Death be our power, flames be our shield,¡± the people responded as they lifted the horns to their lips.


    A pallid silence fell upon the gathered people as twenty thousand and twenty hearts were stilled, twenty thousand and twenty souls were extinguished, and twenty thousand minds were emptied. Then a dark black smoke billowed from their bodies as their very flesh burst into flames. And the twenty Burning Legions raced forward swiftly through the plains, in perfect synchrony, to ford the Waters of Merom.


    ¡­


    ¡°Xerxes,¡± the alternatingly snarling and smiling wolf shrieked as she brandished a talisman at the approaching emperor. ¡°I will avenge my sister!¡± she howled as her body glowed with power. The skies darkened swiftly with billowing storm clouds and a bolt of lightning scorched towards her foe.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to do much better than that, little girl.¡± The Lion of Saadian snorted dismissively as he strode straight through the crackling arc of power. The bloody runes etched on his skin glowed brightly and his skin steamed from the heat, but he remained otherwise unscathed by the witch¡¯s ambush. His eyes narrowed as he assessed her coolly, ¡°I don¡¯t like slaughtering children and it must be excruciatingly painful for you, just being so close to me. Return in ten years, and I will grant you a merciful death.¡±


    ¡°If only you showed the same compassion to my sister,¡± Laura spat as she drew out yet another charm. Then she began chanting as a ball of concentrated flame gathered between her hands.


    ¡°Too slow,¡± Xerxes mocked as he dashed forward to snuff the blaze within his fist, ¡°this isn¡¯t a street performance, little girl¡­¡±


    The wolf smirked silently behind her mask as the lion pounced, and her power surged tenfold, a split second before his hand could curl around her flames. The fire elongated into a rope that twisted swiftly around his body, and scorched hungrily against his naked flesh. As the lion roared in annoyance at her deception and struggled to break free, the wolf conjured a dozen frozen icicles and flung them at his immobilized body. Then the ground split open beneath his feet and he was plunged deep into the dirt. And the witch rained down a concentrated spear of light before sealing the opening with a charm. ¡°How¡¯s that? You Krall forsaken¡­¡±


    Before she could complete her sentence, a hand shot up from beneath the soil and locked around her ankle. And the earth beneath her exploded as Xerxes burst out and lifted her upside down in the air, ¡°Enough! I have a battle to fight, you should return to your parents. It would be a waste to slay you here.¡± He reprimanded as he spanked at her behind with the blunt back of his blade.


    ¡°Your minions slaughtered all my relatives in cold blood!¡± the wolf howled as she twiddled her fingers furiously behind her back.


    Xerxes shook his head sadly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized, ¡°My Empire is vast, and even I don¡¯t have full control over what my people do. Please don¡¯t take it personally, don¡¯t throw your life away for revenge. You must have already recognized the vast unbreachable gulf between our Talents.¡±


    ¡°You lie,¡± Laura accused, ¡°this land will be your grave!¡± Suddenly, the wolf vanished from his grasp and reappeared five hundred meters behind him. She brandished a bloody red talisman and thrust her hands into the ground before her. And the earth trembled as her already boosted power rose threefold and a field of blood red icicles sprouted from the ground around the emperor and raced towards his undefended body.


    Xerxes¡¯ eyes widened in shock as the spell hurtled towards him, then he unleashed his Talent with a roar and shattered the ice with his magic. ¡°It appears that I have to take you somewhat seriously after all,¡± he murmured regretfully as the ground was soaked with a hissing red rain.


    The wolf snarled, ¡°This is just the beginning!¡± she taunted as she withdrew another talisman. A ball of sticky darkness congealed slowly in her outstretched palm as she began chanting out another incantation.


    ¡°Too slow again,¡± Xerxes jeered as he closed the distance in a heartbeat and slashed down with his gleaming blade.


    ¡°You are really stupid, aren¡¯t you?¡± Laura smirked as she tossed the spell in Xerxes¡¯ face as he neared. The magic splatted and dissolved into a horde of scrabbling inky spiders that scuttled into his orifices and blinded his senses. Then she darted forward soundlessly and stuck a talisman on his chest, even as he staggered back in confusion. And she dived desperately away from him and pressed her body tightly to the ground, while conjuring a glowing shield. A thundering explosion split the heavens and dug a massive crater at the epicenter of destruction, the raw violence ravaged the ground like a mighty earthquake and knocked the gathered armies off their feet, and the immense psychic concussion that followed brought all but the most Talented to their knees. Laura rose slowly to admire her handiwork, ¡°Did I get him¡­¡±


    Xerxes buried his fist deep into the princess¡¯ stomach before she could continue, and her slim body was flung wildly into the air. She hit the ground and bounced repeatedly before coming to a stop in a tangled heap. ¡°Surrender, this is your last warning!¡± the Lion of Saadian demanded.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The wolf rose up defiantly and mustered all her power. Then she brandished another bloody red talisman and chanted, and a sickly green mist began materializing around her. The lion began charging forward instinctively, but he paused and frowned warily as he quickly reconsidered his options. He sighed before pointing his glowing staff at his opponent, ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my¡­!¡± He commanded as he poured his power into his glowing scepter.


    ¡°Pigheaded fool, you immobilized yourself!¡± Laura snickered as she gestured at the magic strewn chaotically across the ground. Suddenly, all the blood that had been sprayed out, seemingly at random over the battlefield, coagulated into a single gigantic talisman beneath their feet. And Xerxes stuttered mid-chant as his eyes widened in abject horror and his partially unleashed magic spun wildly out of control. The wolf laughed as she gesticulated rapidly in response and the emperor¡¯s leaking mana was sucked out swiftly to fuel the growing catastrophe accumulating around him.


    ¡°First Symphony, opening sonata. Flames of Sacrifice!¡± Laura sang. At that one instant, all the magic, all the aura, and all the Talent on the battlefield was concentrated into a tiny incandescent pinprick before the Lion of Saadian. Then the unimaginable power howled and consumed him utterly, ¡°Even Dagon¡¯s statue couldn¡¯t have survived that,¡± Laura muttered, ¡°that was enough power to raze an entire¡­¡±


    Xerxes coughed and choked as he stumbled from the smoking epicenter of desolation, his charred blackened outer skin flaked from his body like the coat of a molting reptile, revealing spots of smooth regenerated dermis beneath. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind,¡± he snarled furiously, ¡°I¡¯ll rend you limb from limb before sunset!¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened with surprise, ¡°That was an original stanza from the Witch¡¯s Symphonies. How did he shrug off a divine scale attack?¡± The princess retreated quickly as she attempted to gain some space to reassess the situation. But the lion roared and surged forward with inhuman speed, and slashed down with his glowing blade.


    ¡°Second movement, adagio. Witch¡¯s Time!¡± Laura panted desperately. In that single moment, all his consciousness, all his strength, and all his Talent was suppressed to nothingness. And the wolf snatched Xerxes¡¯ blade from his flaccid hand and ran him through the heart with his own weapon.


    But the lion shrugged off the magic and ripped his sword from his chest before stabbing with blinding speed at the increasingly harried wolf. Laura twisted desperately as she expended a multitude of talismans, just to remain a single breath ahead in the deadly dance of death. And she fled hurriedly back to the gore specked wasteland and brandished another blood red talisman.


    ¡°Scherzando with trio. Neutron Sun Tango!¡± Laura cried out hoarsely. An incredible gravity hammered into the mighty emperor and crushed him to the ground like an insect. His bones were shattered, his ligaments were shredded, and his plasma solidified. And the witch conjured a great bloody blade and swung it towards her crippled enemy, intending to cleave him in two.


    The lion rolled agilely to the side and avoided her deadly blow. Then he snatched at her weapon with his bare hands and hauled her towards him with a single mighty heave. The unprepared princess was thrown forward, and Xerxes¡¯ staff connected against her undefended hip before she managed to dispel her weapon and hop away. The two opponents glared savagely at each other, the witch held a healing charm against her shattered pelvis, as the swiftly recovering emperor rose to his feet.


    The wolf slashed open her wrist and scattered her blood into the soil around her before the lion could raise his staff again, ¡°Allegro finale. Limitless Infinity!¡± Laura croaked as she poured the fizzling remains of her Talent into the concluding movement. Two dozen hazy blood doubles rose from the ground and struck repeatedly at her foe with a blinding combination of magic and blades that shook the earth.


    But Xerxes shrugged off the onslaught of the clones. His staff twirled while his mithril blade blurred continuously like a striking cobra, and the copies were crushed one by one. He leered as he turned to face the pale weakened princess, ¡°Is that all you have? Because it won¡¯t be enough to stop me.¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± the princess wheezed, ¡°my execution wasn¡¯t perfect, but I sang through an entire Witch¡¯s Symphony! That ancient class magic is supposed to be effective, even against the immortal divine!¡±


    The lion flickered forward faster than the eye could follow, his hand chocked around her neck as he pinned her effortlessly to the ground, and he staked his staff through her gut and ground her remains deep into the blackened dirt beneath her. ¡°You might have fared better if you had the Talent to utilize all four enchantments simultaneously. But you have already run out of magic, and I¡¯m just getting started,¡± he mocked. The staff hummed menacingly as Xerxes chanted, ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my¡­!¡±


    ¡°A witch never runs out of power!¡± Laura howled defiantly as she reached out and tore herself through the length of the scepter and pressed her slim body tightly against the startled emperor, ¡°I am magic!¡± She spat out the pooling blood in her mouth and blinded him as she thrust her shaky palms against his chest, ¡°Second Symphony, opening grave. Blood Funeral!¡± she commanded as Talent overflowed from her wounds.


    All of Xerxes¡¯ blood was vaporized, and all the blood the wolf had shed surged into the vacuum in his veins before bursting out like a countless forest of porcupine quills from every pore and orifice in his body. The emperor staggered backwards and fell. But the tattoos on his body glowed yet again, and the bloody quills hissed as they were forcibly ejected from his flesh. And the Lion of Saadian¡¯s opened his bottomless green eyes and rose gracefully to his feet.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t human!¡± Laura groaned in dismay as she crawled away in feeble retreat, ¡°Even a high god wouldn¡¯t have emerged unscathed from all that punishment!¡±


    ¡°I am Xerxes. The Immortal Emperor of Saadian. I have transcended humanity and I cannot be defeated.¡± He replied stoically as he flexed and shrugged off the remnants of her spell before tearing his staff from her broken body. ¡°Die,¡± he commanded as he impaled his mithril blade through the princess¡¯ beating heart.


    ¡°Second movement, andante. Soul Coffin!¡± Laura¡¯s blood surged out from her ruptured organ and tore Xerxes¡¯ soul from his flesh before entombing it within a red crystal prison. Then she fell weakly to her knees as she tagged her gaping chest hurriedly with a talisman to stem the damage to her mangled body.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t human either,¡± Xerxes guffawed. ¡°This will be very entertaining, I¡¯ve never had the chance to really go all out!¡± The princess threw herself swiftly to the side as he struck with increasing velocity, but his blade scored a glancing blow and dug a deep gash across her arm.


    ¡°Allegretto with trio. Mind Madness!¡± Laura¡¯s spraying blood seeped into his brain and ripped out his will. But his runes flared furiously in response and the emperor smiled and strode forward unharmed.


    ¡°A little insanity never hurt me,¡± Xerxes chuckled as he grabbed her by the hem of her blouse before she could twist away and slugged her powerfully in the face.


    ¡°Presto finale. Trinity Oblivion!¡± The blood-soaked girl howled as she bit Xerxes viciously on the shoulder and poured her Talent into his being. ¡°Ignite!¡± she screamed. Her magic dismantled his body at an atomic level, her blood tore apart his soul and flung the shattered pieces across the continent, and her power vaporized his consciousness and hurled it high into the heavens. But Xerxes¡¯ lone surviving fist clenched tighter against the trembling princess¡¯ blood soaked, threadbare clothing, as he immediately began regenerating from the damage.


    ¡°You can even recover from divine trinity eradication!?¡± Laura complained as she struggled away and her ruined dress was ripped from her shoulders. Then she staggered backward in retreat while fighting to remain on her feet.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan yelled in anger as he whipped his frothing steed and galloped towards the disheveled half-naked princess stumbling through the ashen wasteland, ¡°You stupid witch! You deceived me again!¡± His furious shout boomed across the plain.


    Laura wiped hastily at the blood staining her face and straightened her broken nose with magic, ¡°You shoved me away and enjoyed yourself with Mirror all night long. I was kinda super jealous, so I decided to get a little better acquainted with the Saadian emperor?¡± She evaded hopefully as she folded her arms across her naked chest with false bashfulness, in a vain attempt to obscure the partially restored hole over her heart. ¡°You should not have come¡­¡± she sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you, after we have defeated that Saadian dog.¡± The prince brandished his lance and glanced around the blackened bloody plains, ¡°Where is he?¡± he snapped.


    ¡°There¡­¡± the princess trembled as she pointed at a jerking smoking mass of bone and muscle, fifty meters away.


    ¡°You defeated him!¡± Aryan gasped in disbelief, ¡°all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Laura replied feebly as the skeletal figure lurched to its feet, ¡°he¡¯s already recovering.¡± She raised her hands weakly and grabbed at the sole of his boot, ¡°Please don¡¯t go!¡± She begged, ¡°He¡¯ll kill you. You don¡¯t stand a chance! Only I can¡­¡±


    ¡°Restrain her, and imprison her in the camp stockade.¡± Aryan growled to the nearest pair of knights that had finally caught up, then he hefted his lance and goaded his stallion into a reckless charge, ¡°For Dagon and for Vaishya!¡± he roared.

 Chapter 17: Divine Mortality

    But before that day, a great battle, as never seen before will be joined.


    And the mortal god of the South will rise up for war against the divinities of the North.


    On that day, an angel flying through the heavens will cry out, ¡°Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth.¡±


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Pikes forward, stand your ground!¡± the Vaishyan officers commanded desperately. The soldiers muttered dubiously as they eyed the blazing tide of smoking ruination sweeping toward them. The Waters of Merom steamed as the Burning Legions rolled straight into the rapidly flowing river without pause, and even the churning icy liquid was completely vaporized by their flames.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Those massive things weren¡¯t in the briefing!¡± A cavalry captain sweated from the radiating heat as he questioned the diviner beside him, ¡°How are we going to defeat that?¡± he gestured at the twenty meter giants leading each division of the Legions.


    The diviner wiped the sweat off his brow as he clutched at his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± He muttered with a look of horror as he swayed sickly and vomited before falling off his horse.


    ¡°Medic!¡± The captain yelled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with all these Talented? They are collapsing like flies, even before the battle. How are we going to face those monsters without any defensive enchantments?¡± Horns blared with panicked commands and the captain rode swiftly down his line of heavy cavalry, ¡°Lances forward!¡± he commanded, ¡°Charge!¡± Twenty thousand heavily armored Vaishyan armored knights surged forward as one to push the emerging enemy back into the river, and the sound of thundering hoofs reverberated through the land.


    Just then, the charge was disrupted as yet another massive shockwave reverberated through the battlefield. The closest horses were simply blown off their feet by the explosion, while the more distant steeds panicked and shied away from the terrifying combination of supernatural noise and conflagration. Less than a tenth of the scattered knights remained mounted as they plunged headlong into the billowing smoking darkness that had swallowed the parched riverbed. Then there were a multitude of loud agonized screams, followed by an eerie deathly silence. And the clouds of choking gloom surged forward yet again and smashed straight into the horrified disorganized infantry.


    ¡­.


    ¡°Stop¡­ this is far enough.¡± Laura panted weakly as the knights galloped up the nearest hillside and towards the Vaishya encampment.


    ¡°But your Royal Highness, our orders were to¡­¡± the knight did not let up from his breakneck retreat from the inhuman Saadian beast roaring behind him.


    Laura regurgitated a large mouthful of blood that stained his charger¡¯s mane with a deep shade of sticky red. ¡°This violent galloping¡­ you¡¯re killing me, I can¡¯t take it any longer¡­¡± she gasped as she stuck a tiny square talisman secretly on the horse¡¯s neck.


    The knight pulled desperately at the reins to slow his horse, ¡°Royal Highness¡­ we must treat your¡­¡±


    Laura exploited his momental concern to decapitate his steed and send them plunging headlong into the hillside. Then she broke free from the stunned knight¡¯s grasp and shrugged to her feet before brandishing another charm as his companion approached warily, ¡°Food!¡± she commanded desperately, ¡°Give me all the food you have in your saddlebags!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by food?¡± the mounted knight muttered suspiciously as his eyes darted to his moaning partner on the ground.


    ¡°By Krall¡¯s twisted tentacles,¡± Laura swore, ¡°if you do not hand over all your rations this instant, I¡¯ll shred you limb from limb with my next spell!¡±


    The knight narrowed his eyes as he considered the threat, ¡°Do your worst. Our High Prince¡¯s orders were to ensure your safety at any cost.¡±


    ¡°At any cost?¡± the witch spat. ¡°And you would even sacrifice Aryan, your master? Because as surely as Krall lives, Xerxes will squash him like a bug while you dither over mere technicalities here!¡±


    The knight frowned as he dismounted and retrieved a small package of dried jerky from his stores, ¡°Here,¡± he muttered as he tossed it at the princess.


    ¡°Good¡­¡± Laura¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the soldier as the bundle landed next to her feet with a thud, ¡°Now turn around and get me my zither! It should still be in Aryan¡¯s tent.¡±


    ¡°What zither?¡± The knight stammered, ¡°You mean the musical type?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The witch snapped, ¡°The one with strings and a wooden soundboard. Bring it to me undamaged, like your life depends on it! Because the fates of both your prince and the entire Vaishyan army rests on that instrument!¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°But my orders were¡­¡± the soldier stammered.


    ¡°Hop on it you fool!¡± the princess moaned as she fell weakly to her knees, ¡°Or what¡¯s left of history will remember you forever as the hesitating traitor who doomed his entire kingdom!¡±


    The man gulped fearfully as he fled back to his waiting steed before riding urgently into the distance. And Laura sighed with relief as she lay down in the grass, stuffed the tasteless meat into her mouth, and chewed desperately. The downed officer groaned and his heavy armor clanked loudly as he rose slowly to his feet behind the prone princess. ¡°Royal Highness¡­ what in the world? By the Vaishyan high gods!¡± He swore as he finally noticed the condition of his mount.


    ¡°Good, you are finally awake. Draw your sword and start cutting up that horse! The fate of your entire kingdom depends on it!¡± Laura ordered.


    ¡°What!?¡± The man cursed furiously, ¡°That was my best companion. Do you know how many campaigns we have¡­¡±


    The princess sighed as the blood gushing unchecked from her countless injuries continued to stain the withered grass around her, ¡°Is all of Vaishya filled only with a bunch of hopeless romantics? I need more food to fix my body. If I die here before stopping Xerxes, he will kill your prince before massacring your army and razing Calcutta to the ground! And all the remnants of Vaishya will remember you as the man who stood idly by as all his nation was doomed before his eyes. Start cutting you fool, and start a fire too while you are at it!¡±


    The tearful officer gulped in horror as he drew his weapon and chopped fanatically at the fallen corpse of his dearest animal friend.


    ¡­


    The prince¡¯s aim was true and his wooden lance pierced through the lion¡¯s heart, even as the beast staggered upright. But Xerxes roared with fury as the spear shattered harmlessly within his body, then he raced after Aryan¡¯s steed and grabbed it by the hind legs with his bare hands before hurling both rider and animal high into the air. The two dozen escorting knights charged forward bravely with lowered lances to ensure the safety of their prince, but the Lion of Saadian laughed mockingly as he flickered forward like the wind to confront them and decapitated the nearest warrior by punching off his head. Then he grabbed the bloody helmeted skull before it could fly away and hurled it at the next soldier. The thundering impact crushed through his armor, snapped his spine, and blew the paralyzed man off his horse. The remaining knights drew their swords and fought back desperately as Xerxes blurred rapidly among them, but they stood no chance against his supernatural majesty. Their blood was spilt, their limbs were torn, and their bones were shattered effortlessly by the unstoppable king of beasts.


    But the lion paused warily in mid-pounce as he glared at the couple that materialized suddenly before him. And his eyes widened with surprise as Aryan groaned before drawing his sword and rising slowly to his feet. ¡°Who are you?¡± He thundered.


    Amir bowed mockingly, ¡°Greetings Emperor of Saadian. I am Amir Ishmael Zimran, the crown prince of Vaishya.¡±


    An enchanted arrow whistled through the air, pierced straight through his back, and into Xerxes¡¯ heart. He roared with rage as he whirled and pointed his staff at the man who had snuck up behind him, ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my call!¡± He commanded and his staff spat out a howling magic that devastated the land.


    But Abel remained unscathed, ¡°And I am Abel Ishmael Zimran.¡± His relaxed laughter chimed refreshingly through the air, ¡°It appears that even your supposedly divine magics are ineffective against me.¡± He chortled as he nocked another arrow to his bow.


    Aryan stepped up beside his eldest brother, ¡°And I am Aryan Ishmael Zimran. We have come to slay you, and this land will be your tomb.¡±


    The mighty emperor guffawed loudly and wiped tears of mirth from his eyes, ¡°An enchanted sword, magical resistance, and regeneration. Your gods were fools to spread out their paltry divine gifts among so many people. If they had granted all these treasures to that sorceress from before, I might have been forced to fight for my survival. As it is, you each possess so many individual weaknesses that you¡¯re hardly worth crushing!¡± The lion¡¯s eyes bored into the silent veiled enchantress standing beside Amir, ¡°No. What I really want to know is, who are you?¡±


    Her soft ethereal voice tinkled across the blasted battlefield, ¡°I am Phoebe, daughter of Dagon, and the Divine Enchantress of Vaishya.¡±


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Xerxes snapped arrogantly. ¡°The gods swore never to interfere directly in the affairs of mortals, it would be a pity if I harmed you by accident.¡±


    The air around Phoebe shimmered with visualized power, ¡°Defeating you would hardly count as interference. Collectively, the godly gifts and Talent you possess have already propelled you well into the ranks of divinity. Verethragna is the one at fault for encouraging a divine war by proxy.¡±


    The bottomless pools of the lion¡¯s dark green eyes flashed with rage, ¡°So be it!¡± He roared, ¡°Dagon will soon mourn the loss of one of his daughters!¡± Then he jabbed his glowing staff directly at the enchantress and opened his mouth, ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my call!¡± He demanded as his Talent flared up to rend the heavens apart.


    ¡°What a crude waste of power!¡± the celestial enchantress mocked as she strode forward to meet the lion¡¯s roar of magic. And her smaller Talent surged up to almost rival his in magnitude as an endlessly intricate circle of divine runes crackled between her long graceful fingers. The timeless hieroglyphics spun with a mind-blowing complexity that would have instantly driven any ordinary mortal insane, and Phoebe serenaded gracefully as she sang and danced in perfect harmony within the storm of unfathomable force gathering around her.


    ¡­


    Unnoticed by the other combatants, a trembling little kitty cat, camouflaged deep within her sneakiest concealment magics, crept up silently before a dying knight, ¡°Psst¡­¡± she whispered urgently to the broken, paralyzed man bleeding out swiftly before her, ¡°will you give your life to save Prince Aryan?¡± The man¡¯s dulling eyes widened with almost unconscious recognition as he stared blindly into the swiftly approaching afterlife, and he opened his mouth and croaked out a single word with his final breath. Mirror purred eagerly in response as her mouth was instantly filled with the magical willingness of sweet, sweet blood. Then she darted furtively to the next dying soldier on the vast battlefield and repeated her request, again and again.

 Chapter 18: A Daughter’s Duty

    Then let those in the plains flee for the mountains.


    Let none in the seas return to recover their offspring.


    Let no one on the housetop go down to retrieve anything out of the house.


    For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of time until now ¨C and never to be equaled again.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°It¡¯s hopeless!¡± the pikeman stared in terror as the company of infantry before him was utterly devoured within the smoking clouds of doom, ¡°They are immortal! And we can¡¯t even see them!¡± He yelped with horror as he dropped his weapon and turned to flee. Visibility was limited to just ten or so meters, and thunderous shakings that rampaged ominously through the lands threw the even most disciplined formations into disarray.


    ¡°Get back to your positions!¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi glared, ¡°Our counterspell is almost ready!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight those monsters¡­¡± a fleeing lieutenant wailed.


    His words were cut off abruptly as Zinnridi traced a spell that sucked out all his life force and turned him into a withered corpse. ¡°Any coward who breaks ranks without orders will be summarily executed for betrayal!¡± He shouted to the watching soldiers, ¡°Believe me, we will use all the blood magic we can get!¡± The routing division of troops scurried back to their positions as they noticed a massive spell circle forming around them. At the far rear of the harried Vaishyan lines, two thousand enchantresses sang and danced in rough formation as three thousand diviners chanted hoarsely from behind them.


    ¡°Forward! We are ready to release the spell.¡± Zinnridi ordered. The Twelve Sorcerers of Vaishya raised their staffs and stepped up to meet the approaching Inferno Giants of Saadian.


    ¡°How are we going to defeat them?¡± the colonel in charge protested as his uniform smoked from the approaching inferno.


    White Frost. A blinding hail materialized over the Burning Legions and bombarded the Saadian forces with a frozen salvo. The bloodied muddied dirt beneath the invaders hardened and glaciated, locking many of the smoldering enemy in place. As the smoke was dispersed by a magical breeze, the massed Vaishyans stared apprehensively at the finally revealed Legions. The enemy was clearly no longer human, their bodies were charred far beyond recognition, and many sported multiple seemingly lethal wounds and lost limbs. But the corpses struggled silently as they began breaking out from the icy restraining field.


    ¡°Undead demons!¡± the soldiers gasped in horror as they hesitated.


    ¡°Charge you fools! Our suppressive containment won¡¯t last forever.¡± Zinnridi yelled desperately as he fought to restrain one of the still smoking giants with his spells, ¡°Dismember them while they are immobilized or Vaishya will burn beneath their feet!¡±


    The most courageous elites among the surviving reserves goaded their horses into a desperate charge, lowered their lances, and prayed desperately for divine deliverance from their gods. Then the infantry hefted their weapons, surged forward with a fanatic roar, and hacked furiously at their undead foes.


    ¡­


    The Divine Enchantress of Vaishya panted with exhaustion as she rained spell after spell at the Emperor of Saadian while deflecting the massive booming attacks he unleashed leisurely against her, ¡°That twisted defensive enchantment you possess! It¡¯s a direct contravention of the high gods¡¯ non-proliferation treaty. Verethragna, you god betrayer!¡± She raged as she blasted Xerxes with yet another divine strike.


    The runes on Xerxes¡¯ body glowed brightly and he shrugged off her latest attack, ¡°Verethragna is dead, one of my distant ancestors destroyed him hundreds of years ago, and I will send you over to join him shortly.¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s eyes widened in horrified realization, ¡°Someone must have sacrificed the gods themselves for enough power to derive that perverse enchantment. I finally remember the source of those ancient markings, they stem from original magic from The Witch of Krall. Your tattoo mixes both new and ancient magics, you have committed the highest forbidden sacrilege!¡±


    ¡°Does that even matter, when you are about to die?¡± Xerxes mocked as he stalked towards her, ¡°Oh and there¡¯s one little trick to the markings on my body that you haven¡¯t even noticed.¡± He smirked, ¡°Your Talent is undoubtedly superior, but that feisty wolf from before was certainly the more entertaining opponent! An ancient shark like you must simply be out of your element on dry land.¡±


    ¡°You are stealing my magic!?¡± the divine enchantress glanced worriedly at the princes arrayed beside her.


    The lion smirked as he extended his scepter at them, ¡°As you have finally noticed, if you hit me with the same spell more than once, the energy from that attack is absorbed into my body. The wolf from before realized it almost immediately, but you have been far too complacent. How many of your full power spells have you cast on me, more than once? Four? Or perhaps five?¡± He gloated as his scepter hummed with unimaginable power.


    ¡°Run¡­¡± Phoebe screamed to the princes of Vaishya.


    ¡°But don¡¯t I have magical immunity?¡± Abel questioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± the shark snapped. ¡°That¡¯s no such thing as a perfect magical defense, Dagon¡¯s blessing will not be able to shield you from a simultaneous attack that¡¯s equivalent to the full power of six divine gods. Three hundred meters, split up and get away from me if you hope to survive!¡± The princes blanched as they broke off and sprinted in opposing directions, and the divine enchantress sang fiercely as she mustered all her Talent to deflect the lion¡¯s mighty blow.


    ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my call!¡± the lion roared. Unmeasurable power, devastating might, and pure unadulterated force rampaged from his crackling staff and tore through Phoebe¡¯s divine defenses. A shaking earthquake unlike any recorded before rumbled through the earth¡¯s core, and was felt even as far as in the palace of Calcutta. ¡°Hahaha,¡± Xerxes laughed, ¡°I did it! I vanquished even a god¡­¡±


    The shark coughed feebly as she swam out from the magical conflagration and wiped the soot from her blackened lips, ¡°Dagon damn you!¡± She cursed, ¡°This fight isn¡¯t over, you cheating mortal!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Xerxes is in danger! And your Burning Legions are crumbling!¡± Lily raged furiously as she perched on the highest hilltop and berated the dithering Saadian generals. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the obvious flaws in his current strategy? He has already expended almost half of the Dark Ritual¡¯s defensive enchantment, and the enemy sorceresses must have deciphered at least some of his weaknesses by now! Even as we speak, the wolf is recovering swiftly from her wounds and restoring her Talent to its full strength, and he still hasn¡¯t noticed that cat who¡¯s gathering a vast amount of energy by sneaking about the battlefield! Xerxes¡¯ life will be at risk if he¡¯s hit simultaneously by their combined power!¡±


    ¡°Please calm down honored princess,¡± the Mage General pacified. ¡°Emperor Xerxes, honored be His name. He always knows exactly what he¡¯s doing. The Shark of Vaishya, is already on the brink of defeat. And our victory will be assured, once He slays her. The combined lesser Talents of the other two sorceresses do not even match up to His, and He possesses two unstoppable divine gifts. What could go wrong?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°I can think of dozens of things that could go wrong!¡± Lily screamed with frustration. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that your harebrained emperor is basically a one trick pony? All he has is that stupid boom stick and a relatively hard shell. That wolf is plotting something, I can smell it from even here! You must deploy a force to destroy her immediately, before it¡¯s too late!¡±


    The generals gasped wordlessly at the princess¡¯ insolence, ¡°We must never act without His signal¡­¡± the white-haired Mage General stammered nervously.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Lily demanded.


    ¡°Methuselah Van Galder, honored princess¡­¡± the aged Mage General answered with a frown, ¡°what does my name have to do with¡­¡±


    ¡°Methuselah!¡± Lily threatened, ¡°You must have many descendants at your advanced age. I swear by Krall¡¯s twisted tentacles that if your inaction today results in Xerxes¡¯ death, I will personally eradicate all traces of your progeny from the face of this planet!¡±


    General Methuselah smiled wanly with relief, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to accomplish that by yourself, my clan numbers in the tens of thousands and we have mages that are far more Talented than even I am. It would be a major concern if your innate ability was closer to that little kitten, and an extreme source of anxiety if your Talent rivaled that of the wolf, but a single first tier sorceress like you could never¡­¡±


    Lily sighed as she slipped off her white silken glove and held out her uncovered palm to Methuselah, ¡°Take my hand,¡± she demanded.


    The general¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion, ¡°You are an Andanian witch. I would certainly not be foolish enough to touch you.¡±


    Lily¡¯s smile dripped with sarcasm, ¡°Are you that much of a coward? You are the twenty-seventh ranked Talented in the Saadian Empire, and I¡¯m just a harmless teenaged princess. Why don¡¯t you measure my power with your own hands and tell me if I¡¯m able to keep my oath?¡±


    ¡°My true ranking is one of the most protected national secrets and it¡¯s not recorded on any ledger in the entire palace!¡± The man hissed in dismay, ¡°Just who did you bribe and what did you offer them? Was it the prime minster? Or my eldest son?¡± Methuselah demanded furiously as he stomped towards the smirking princess.


    ¡°Measure my Talent and I¡¯ll tell you how I managed it! I¡¯ll even promise not to cast any spells while you are holding my hand,¡± Lily giggled mischievously as she beckoned gracefully towards him with her slender fingers. ¡°Come on, you must be a real veteran this, and we are surrounded all the mages in the army. What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡±


    The general muttered darkly as he clamped her small slim hand within his larger wrinkled pair, ¡°Well? A Sorceress of the First Class, very impressive for a sixteen-year-old child. You must rank in the low thousands, even amongst the most elite mages of Saadian.¡±


    ¡°Methuselah,¡± Lily chided gently. ¡°You aren¡¯t really doing it correctly, are you? Doesn¡¯t the normal protocol require that you raise a Talent shield to protect yourself before you measure an unknown¡¯s magical potential?¡±


    ¡°A shield? That¡¯s for protecting novices when they assess their masters!¡± The ancient man spluttered, ¡°I might not be among the most powerful, but I am still one of the Hundred Archmages! What do you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ranks thirty-five, forty-nine, sixty-three, and seventy-five.¡± Lily picked out the four additional archmages disguised among her identically dressed guards, ¡°Get over here and reinforce Methuselah¡¯s defenses.¡±


    Their eyes widened in surprise as they shuffled up reluctantly, ¡°How did you build up such an impressive spying network in just a few weeks?¡± The sixty-third ranked archmage quizzed disbelievingly.


    Lily winked slyly at the balding man, ¡°Reinforce the dear general¡¯s shield and you¡¯ll find out,¡± she giggled childishly. The archmages stepped up and linked their powers hesitantly, then they chanted a lengthy incantation as they poured all their magic into a solid, five-layered shield. ¡°More!¡± Lily demanded when they finally paused to catch their breath.


    ¡°What?¡± Methuselah stammered with growing confusion, ¡°Whose Talent are we measuring? You are not Emperor Xerxes!¡±


    ¡°Oh, just humor me please! It has been a really long time since anyone besides my elder sister measured my Talents.¡± Lily giggled coyly as she held up her hand to partially obscure the playful smile forming on her lips, ¡°You do want to know more about my secrets, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The archmages whispered doubtfully among themselves but they finally shrugged and redoubled their efforts. A ten-layered defense shimmered potently before the princess, comprising of half an hour of combined energy from the five archmages.


    The witch of Andania smiled, ¡°Good. Are you ready Methuselah? Lean on that column behind you and remember to brace yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°We have been ready for hours,¡± the general grumbled irritably as he enveloped her slender hand completely within his, ¡°this is a total waste of our¡­¡±


    The witch of Andania took a deep calming breath, then for a fleetingly infinitesimal moment, she unleashed the partial Talent within her single palm. The ten-layered shield was blasted apart like confetti, the tent was ripped to shreds, and the mundane guards were thrown wildly from the enclosure like a bunch of rag dolls. And the five archmages staggered back and coughed out large mouthfuls of blood before falling to their knees before the princess.


    Lily focused her will to suppress her chaotic energyback to its original level, then she leaned down and whispered in Methuselah¡¯s ear, ¡°I don¡¯t need any spies, I calculated your ranking by assessing the strength of all the Talented within the entire Saadian Empire. Now do you finally believe that I will be able to keep my promises?¡± She tittered, ¡°Oh, whatever will happen to your poor innocent family, if Xerxes dies and isn¡¯t there to stop me?¡± She wondered aloud as she twirled at a strand of her fiery red hair.


    ¡°You are a monster! What manner of demon are you? And why didn¡¯t any of our spies, ever report about your immense strength?¡± Methuselah coughed feebly.


    ¡°Questions, questions.¡± Lily sighed, ¡°Do you really think that any of your inferior subordinates could actually manage to experience my full power and survive?¡±


    ¡°You must be the Impregnable Shield of the Andanian Palace!¡± the thirty-fifth archmage gasped weakly.


    ¡°Oh please, I¡¯m not an object,¡± Lily waved dismissively. ¡°That thing was just some old toy my sister and I put together for laughs when we were twelve.¡±


    ¡°Just some toy?¡± Another archmage huffed in disbelief, ¡°Do you know how many of our best people died, while trying to navigate that dreadful labyrinth guarding your palace?¡±


    Lily shrugged, ¡°I guess that explains all those bones we found, while we were playing hide and seek inside our puzzle bauble. My sister crafted the spell, I just helped out by providing some extra power, so I don¡¯t really know how it would actually react to intruders.¡±


    ¡°But how did¡­¡± Methuselah opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Lily tapped her feet impatiently as she scowled at the archmages kneeling before her, ¡°I¡¯m going to retrieve Xerxes before something worse happens to him. You have two options, you can listen to my advice and release me, or you can follow Xerxes¡¯s command and try to restrain me. Decide immediately!¡±


    ¡°Honored princess, please have mercy on our pitiful existences!¡± the Mage General begged as he prostrated before the witch. ¡°Emperor Xerxes swore to massacre us to the last man, if you step one foot off this hill! We will deploy all our forces to assist Him immediately, please be gracious and allow us some hope for survival.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed warily.


    The ten thousand mages in the Saadian army dispelled their concealment magics rose up from around the broken tent. And the tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry arrayed defensively around the hill clutched at their weapons nervously as they stared up above them.


    ¡°We will fight, and to the very last man and woman if we have to,¡± Methuselah stated gloomily. ¡°And I will also call on every archmage in Saadian to assist us. At the very least, this will ensure that some of the people in Saadian will actually survive Emperor Xerxes¡¯ rage.¡±


    Lily rolled her eyes and pouted, ¡°Why is everyone in Saadian so terribly afraid of that Xerxes? Jeez¡­ you are all exaggerating. He¡¯s really not that scary!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t really known Him long enough,¡± Methuselah sighed. ¡°He favored my exceptionally Talented granddaughter once, but even she did not survive His temper for more than a year. He will certainly tire of you, and dispose of you eventually.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s really just a super spoilt playboy who can¡¯t control his urges! I knew it!¡± Lily muttered moodily, ¡°I¡¯m going to give that insatiable pervert a huge piece of my mind when he returns.¡±


    ¡°You will spare us?¡± the Mage General inquired hopefully.


    ¡°I swear to Krall that I will not depart from this hill, until the battle is over, even if I should see my only sister bleed out in front of me.¡± Lily snapped, ¡°Happy now?¡±


    The archmages bobbed their heads fanatically with relief.


    ¡°Scat. Deploy all your forces and destroy the Vaishyans immediately before I decide to toss this entire hill across the river and do it myself!¡± Lily sighed unhappily.


    The archmages and generals paled and gulped nervously as they fled from the Andanian witch and shouted out fanatic orders to their subordinates. And the Saadian horns blared loudly as the officers reorganized their forces and prepared to charge straight for the tattered Vaishyan lines.

 Chapter 19: A Kitten’s Love

    During that time of unrivaled suffering,


    The horses will be overcome with terror and abandon their masters,


    Even the wolf¡¯s unquestioned loyalty will be sorely tested,


    And the lion will strike mercilessly at the heels of stragglers.


    But a little kitten? She will deliver the Father of Kings.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°High gods of Saadian! Answer my call!¡± Xerxes roared as he jabbed his staff at Phoebe. The divine enchantress sang hoarsely in response as she defended against the thundering blast that crackled fiercely against her crumbling shield. Then the shark squirted swiftly sideways as the lion slashed down rapidly with his mithril blade, but the king of beasts shot forward and rammed his naked foot down into her shin. A loud cracking sound, like that of a falling tree, rumbled through the battlefield, and Phoebe gasped in pain as she traced a crude hasty spell circle and propelled herself away from the deadly combination of blows that rained into the space she had just occupied.


    ¡°What happened to all your fancy magic, expired sea shark?¡± Xerxes taunted as he pursued the fleeing goddess.


    ¡°I¡¯m not expired yet, I¡¯m still only twenty-four¡­¡± she panted out a whining complaint as she tripped and fell to her knees, ¡°¡­hundred, and ninety-nine years old.¡± She gestured hurriedly and a distinct spell began accumulating in each of her hands, one to restore the bones in her shattered leg, and the other to neutralize the immense power gathering in the lion¡¯s scepter. But Xerxes caught up before she could complete her magic and swung his sword to decapitate her, ¡°Buy me some time!¡± She cried out as she flung herself behind the two princes.


    Amir and Aryan yelled out desperately as they intercepted the attacking lion, their blades whirled blindingly as they rained a well-executed combination attack on their foe, and Abel capitalized on the lion¡¯s momentary distraction to bury two additional arrows into the beast¡¯s undefended back. But Xerxes snorted mockingly as he ignored the projectiles and parried every strike the two princes unleashed, without even breaking a sweat. Then he swiped out blindingly with his sword and jabbed out rapidly with his staff. By some miracle of the gods, Amir managed to bring up his enchanted blade and parry the weapon cleaving towards him, but the raw impact from the blow blasted him off to the side and into the second prince. The third prince didn¡¯t possess the same god given fortune, his eyes bulged with shock as he stared at the gaping hole the staff had punched through his chest and his weapon fell weakly from his hands.


    ¡°Aryan!¡± his brothers shouted desperately as they untangled themselves and struggled to their knees, but they both suffered from multiple fractures, and were just too far away to make a difference.


    ¡°This is what happens when imprudent gnats like you decide to challenge the Emperor of Saadian!¡± the lion gloated as a spurting red gushed from Aryan¡¯s wound and trickled down his staff, ¡°And I will¡­¡± Xerxes¡¯ voice choked off with strangled pain and his brief moment of exultation was cut off abruptly when the blood hissed like strong acid against his fingers. ¡°Arrgh!¡± He roared in agony as he flung both Aryan and his scepter away from him before sticking his fingers into the soil and rubbing desperately in a futile attempt to remove the biting bloodstains from his hand.


    Aryan staggered upright as the rod slipped from the crater in his chest and he gasped dumbly at the fluid gushing from his wound, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± he muttered in puzzlement. Then his consciousness faded away and his entire body degraded into a heap of bloody talismans that glowed with monumental power. The charms cawed menacingly as they flapped up like a flock of sodden crows and surrounded the suffering emperor within a glowing red paper column. Then they surged forward as one and stuck themselves over every inch of his skin. The emperor¡¯s loud torturous cries wailed across the battlefield, like that of a viciously tormented wraith, and all of Saadian who recognized his voice trembled in fear.


    ¡­


    The little kitty cat licked her chops as she glanced up from her latest willing snack, several kilometers away on the battlefield. And she sighed with relief as the horde of anguished screams rolled toward her, like thunder from an approaching storm. ¡°Oh, god Dagon,¡± Mirror meowed gratefully with a barely suppressed shudder, ¡°thank you for delivering me from all of the witch¡¯s very evil traps!¡± Then she rose swiftly while mustering all her Talent and darted off to retrieve the fallen staff of Verethragna.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey Aryan!¡± Laura winked with forced cheerfulness as the shocked prince materialized before her, ¡°You must have died. Tell me super quickly, how did Xerxes kill you?¡± She fumbled desperately for a healing talisman, even as the raw horse¡¯s liver she had been munching on fell from her mouth.


    ¡°An angel? Am I in heaven?¡± Aryan answered dreamingly as he gawked at his completely restored body.


    ¡°Faster! You have three seconds¡­ how did you die?¡± Laura hissed.


    ¡°You¡¯re Laura! Erm¡­ he stabbed me through the chest with his staff¡­¡± Aryan muttered sheepishly as his hands drifted to the spot where his wound had been, ¡°how did you save me¡­¡±


    Laura sighed with relief as she tagged the spot on her body, hurriedly with the charm, ¡°I can probably fix something like that¡­¡± she clenched her teeth with an anticipatory grimace. Then a hollow crater blasted through her budding bosom, accompanied instantly by a large fountain of gore that further stained the already reddened hillside, and the princess cried out due to the extreme pain and pitched over face-first into the sopping stained grass.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Laura! You stupid foolish witch¡­¡± Aryan fell to his knees with horrified realization as tears streamed down his cheeks, ¡°You gave up your life for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Super idiot,¡± Laura gasped faintly, ¡°don¡¯t write me off that easily¡­¡± she groaned painfully as she raised her trembling hand and activated the healing talisman.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan crawled up to the blood-soaked girl, ¡°You aren¡¯t dead?¡± he muttered in disbelief. ¡°But he ran me straight through the heart!¡±


    ¡°Gah¡­ holy Krall, this hurts so much that I can¡¯t even concentrate properly. Normal mundane pain is even more inconvenient than I imagined!¡± Laura complained. The princess giggled as Aryan continued to gape repeatedly at her like a goldfish out of water, ¡°Tired of my company already?¡± She tittered teasingly, ¡°This is like your once in a lifetime, super best opportunity, to off me while I¡¯m still completely incapacitated. All you have to do is to lope off my head before my heart heals itself.¡±


    ¡°You are still alive?¡± Aryan spluttered belatedly, ¡°How is it even possible¡­¡±


    Laura chortled, then she coughed feebly and convulsed from the excruciating agony shooting through her critically wounded body. ¡°My spell is a super smashing success! If I¡¯m feeling so much pain, that stupid lion must be going mad from the tenfold amplification! Sneaking that extra modification into the empty lines in the fifth ethereal layer was a super brilliant¡­¡±


    ¡°Laura¡­¡± Aryan growled darkly, ¡°what if he had also cut off my head or disintegrated my entire body with a direct blast from that staff of his? Would you have been able to recover from¡­¡±


    ¡°Questions, questions.¡± Laura shrugged dismissively, ¡°Hey, lift me up in your arms and show me what¡¯s happening to Xerxes!¡± The wolf sniggered excitedly as the lion¡¯s plaintive yelps began echoing across the land, ¡°I mustn¡¯t miss his solo choir performance!¡±


    ¡°But you have a big bloody hole in your chest!¡± Aryan stammered, ¡°We must¡­¡± he glanced wildly about him but quickly realized that the nearest Vaishyan healer was situated miles away.


    ¡°And so?¡± Laura pouted with a sigh, ¡°I know that I¡¯m all sticky and icky now, but I saved your freaking life! So just do me a favor and lift me up so that I can see what¡¯s happening to Xerxes. I¡¯m quite close to deciphering how his defensive tattoo works!¡±


    ¡°But Laura, you are¡­¡± Aryan protested tearfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m in this lousy state right now, because you wouldn¡¯t listen to my warnings, ran off to play hero, and got yourself killed!¡± Laura goaded exploitatively at the boy¡¯s growing guilt, ¡°So stop arguing for once and do as I say!¡±


    The third prince of Vaishya nodded obediently as he cradled the bleeding princess of Andania gently in his arms and turned to face the screaming lion behind him.


    ¡°Hey you!¡± Laura beckoned to the officer that had been gaping silently at their antics, ¡°Where are my kebabs? Bring them to me this instant!¡±


    ¡­


    The mighty Lion of Saadian thrashed about in utter misery as Laura¡¯s higher magic scorched unforgivingly against his flesh. First, he rolled and lashed about in an uncontrolled frenzy, then he dug his fingers desperately under his own hide in a vain attempt to tear the countless talismans from his body. ¡°Arrgh¡­ it hurts¡­ someone please, help me!¡± he whined plaintively as the blood from his self-inflicted wounds soaked into the blackened soil beneath him. The intense agony that the spell inflicted on him was far worse than death itself and drove the maddened emperor to suicide. Unable to bear the immense pain for any longer, Xerxes reached out and grabbed at his mithril sword and thrust the sharp end straight through his own beating heart. He toppled over face-first into the dirt and lay still for a long silent moment, then the intricate runes on his body blazed brightly, the torturous talismans were blown to smithereens, and he rose to his feet with a loud furious roar that shook the heavens. ¡°WOLF!¡± the lion glared directly at the far hillside, ¡°YOU ARE DEAD!¡± he snarled as he blurred towards her like an unstoppable gale of obliteration.


    ¡°Curly Krall crap¡­¡± Laura cursed weakly as she choked on her smoking skewer of meat, ¡°I can¡¯t stop him like this, run Aryan! You¡¯ll be caught in the blast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never abandon you!¡± Aryan swore furiously as he looked around urgently for a weapon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Laura retorted. ¡°You don¡¯t stand a chance, and if he kills you again, my spell will transfer all that damage to me!¡± she lied desperately. ¡°Officer! Protect your prince with your life! Get him away from here this instant!¡± The wolf pushed weakly away from the prince and staggered upright, before activating a talisman and sprinting away.


    The lion smirked as he immediately understood the princess¡¯ intent and continued speeding towards his original destination, ¡°I¡¯ll kill him first!¡± he sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll tear all the people you care about to pieces before your hapless eyes!¡±


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Laura screamed as she turned back and unleashed all her power to confine the emperor. For one infinitesimal moment, the princess¡¯ overloaded Talent soared up and exceeded even Xerxes¡¯ monstrous ability, then she collapsed helplessly to her knees as blood steamed from her reopened wounds. And the lion¡¯s laughter thundered mockingly as he shrugged off her faltering magical restraints and stampeded towards the prince and his sole surviving bodyguard. The knight gulped in horror, but he brandished his sword and yelled bravely as he charged towards Xerxes. The lion snorted with scorn as he sidestepped the officer¡¯s attack before slugging him in the chest with his naked fist. The mighty blow tore effortlessly through the unfortunate soldier¡¯s armor and his corpse was blasted apart into a multitude of mushy pieces that rained across the hillside. Xerxes smiled viciously as he cracked his stained knuckles loudly, then he moved with purposeful slowness towards the doomed prince of Vaishya.


    ¡°Please¡­ you can¡¯t¡­ anything but Aryan¡­¡± Laura wept as she poked desperately at her Calamity Ring. But the princess¡¯ injuries were simply to severe, her exhausted Talent refused to submit to her distraught mind, and the horrified magicless girl fell helplessly onto her fours. The lion gloated, his upraised mithril sword gleamed brightly as it reflected the rays of the gentle morning sun, and he swung with deliberate slowness to extend their instant of despair to an everlasting eternity.


    ¡°ARYAN!!!¡± A feral kitty cat, bristled savagely as she interposed her body between the two men. The staff of Verethragna yowled violently as it disintegrated the lion¡¯s mithril fang, along with his entire arm, and the earth trembled from the impact as she pummeled the mighty emperor in the gut, with an eight-hit combo. Then she pounced wildly on the staggering lion¡¯s chest and gnawed off his left ear before darting away to avoid his distressed retaliatory swipe.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes moaned as his tattooed runes glowed again and his damaged arm began regenerating swiftly. But his eyes widened with horror as blood continued to pour from his mangled features and he clutched at the side of his bleeding face as it refused to heal.


    The angry kitten leered as she chewed viciously, and her throat bulged as she swallowed, ¡°I¡¯ll eat you, Aryan hurter!¡± She growled as she poured her Talent into the humming scepter and jabbed it at the wounded lion.

 Chapter 20: Magic Mirror

    There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:


    The way of a floundering shark on the land,


    The way of a wounded wolf on the hunt,


    The way of a fearful lion in retreat,


    And the love of a kitten for her Master.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± the bleeding king of beasts flailed about as he fled from the hissing kitten racing after him.


    The kitten drooled dreamily as she jabbed her stolen scepter at Xerxes, ¡°I like catnip!¡± she demanded. A massive hedge of gigantic herbs sprouted up from the ground and the horrified emperor plunged straight into the dense greenery. Mirror flicked her staff, and the multitude of vines twisted around the struggling lion and encased him within a solid avocado colored tomb.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Achoo! What is this accursed plant!?¡± the lion moaned as he rubbed desperately at his body and slobbered uncontrollably.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ tuna bones are pokey?¡± Mirror flicked the staff experimentally at her intoxicated foe, as she recalled the first time she feasted on a fish¡¯s leftovers. The plants vanished and Xerxes was dumped unceremoniously on the ground, then he looked up and howled in horror as thousands of tiny unavoidable needles rained from the cloudless skies and jabbed for his innards. He screamed repeatedly as he convulsed painfully in the dirt, then he staggered back onto his feet as the glowing runes on his body finally delivered him from his torment.


    ¡°Many more pokey tuna bones? And what about¡­ some of that brown bitter stuff too!¡± Mirror mused thoughtfully. And the lion cried out again as he was afflicted with a vicious hail of poisonous cartilage. Then he flopped about helplessly in the dirt as he clutched at his retching stomach. The wide-eyed kitten meowed with surprise as she stared at the staff of Verethragna, ¡°This stick is very EVIL!¡± she gasped with surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­ I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡± the lion wailed plaintively as he struggled to his feet and charged desperately at Mirror.


    The kitten frowned, ¡°Cold, wet, and alone!¡± she exclaimed. The heavens thundered with unmeasurable might and the horrified emperor was consumed within a humongous grating slurry of ice and water. Then an incredible force punched the yelping lion a kilometer beneath the frozen earth¡¯s surface. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Mirror winced sympathetically, ¡°very bad red stick!¡±


    ¡°When I get my hands on you¡­¡± Xerxes roared furiously as he clawed his way swiftly upwards.


    ¡°How about¡­ sunny day burns?¡± Mirror whispered. A massive raging fireball hit the lion just as he emerged from the crater and blasted him back into the depths. And Xerxesscreamed as the intense heat fused the molten rocks into his ionized flesh. ¡°Who made this wicked witchy stick?¡± Mirror sighed as she shook her head disapprovingly. Then the kitten shrugged indifferently before turning and beaming at her astounded prince, ¡°Aryan, I saved you!¡± she purred as she pattered back to him and nuzzled her rosy cheek against his chest. ¡°Pet Mirror please!¡±


    ¡°Aryan¡­ you are alive, I¡­.¡± Laura interrupted as she staggered towards the cuddling couple.


    Mirror snarled hatefully at the approaching princess, ¡°Go away, very bad witch! You ran away and left poor good Aryan to die alone! I saved Aryan, he is mine!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± The princess fell miserably to her knees and heaved up a steaming puddle of blood.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan exclaimed with heartfelt worry as he abandoned Mirror and raced up to the severely wounded princess. And sudden tears formed in the jilted kitten¡¯s crystal blue eyes as she bit her lip to hold back a sorrowful cry. Just then, the earth thundered as the Lion of Saadian roared and glared menacingly at his enemies.


    ¡°Witches are the worst!¡± Mirror shrieked with frustration as she jabbed her rod at Xerxes and shoved all her gathered emotion into it. The staff of Verethragna groaned with the extreme overload of power, then it splintered into countless shards that staked into the ground around the dismayed emperor.


    From the blasted wasteland, rose a dozen grotesque mud dolls, then a hundred, and then a thousand. An endless flood of tittering misshapen witches surrounded the trembling Emperor of Saadian as they brandished a multitude of blood red talismans. ¡°High god Dagon, accept our sacrifice!¡± they chanted mockingly as one and the very air crackled with materialized magic. Then their spells tore repeatedly into the hapless emperor, his skin was flayed, his heart was gorged out, and his marrow was drained from his bones. His regenerative runes glowed furiously to negate the damage as he stuck out forcefully at the attackers, but the dolls forced him to his knees by sheer weight of numbers.


    ¡°I will never be defeated!¡± the mighty Immortal Lion of Saadian roared with maddened fury. ¡°Dark Ritual! Give me more power!¡± He arrogated. The runes etched on his body flared brightly as his already immense strength and Talent immediately surged upward, ten percent, thirty percent, and then fifty percent. And the profound magical pressure surrounding Xerxes grew to such an extent that the very laws of physics were stretched to their limits and space and time seemed to warp around him. The dolls screeched in frustration and hurled another wave of attacks at the lion, but their magic slid harmlessly around the natural barrier that shimmered around his body. Xerxes fumed, a single mighty swipe from his bare hand fanned a windstorm that scattered the obstructing dolls in his way, and the earth thundered with each step as he strode out like an unstoppable divine being to mete out judgement on his puny mortal foes.


    ¡°Meow!¡± Mirror squeaked as the incredible pressure forced her backward. The kitten trembled as she fled from the approaching lion and cowered fearfully before Aryan, ¡°We have to leave now!¡± she hissed urgently. ¡°The big angry lion is coming to eat us!¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Save yourself Mirror, it is okay. I¡¯ll stay here with Laura till the end.¡± Aryan directed as he cradled the weakened princess in his arms.


    ¡°That¡¯s not okay! Good Aryan will be eaten, poor Mirror doesn¡¯t want to be left alone again!¡±The kitten wailed as she turned back to glance in horror at the approaching menace before scrabbling at his chest in an attempt to lift up the heavier boy.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡± the wolf croaked as she brushed away from the prince and rose unsteadily to her feet, ¡°Mirror, grab this super idiot and drag him somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°Witchy wolf is right!¡± Mirror nodded fanatically with emphatic agreement, ¡°Come with me good Aryan, she will die with the angry lion and buy us time to escape.¡±


    Aryan seethed with fury, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, I¡¯ll hate you!¡±


    The girls sighed as they pouted at their prince, ¡°Super stupid¡­ Idiot¡­¡± they groaned simultaneously. Then they turned and stared calculatingly at the approaching king of beasts.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Laura wondered with relief as she assessed the approaching emperor, ¡°And I figured out his secret now, I can take him¡­¡± The wolf retrieved the single black talisman that she had been saving up.


    ¡°You have been holding back sneakily, all this time!¡± The kitten frowned, ¡°You are letting the lion hurt you on purpose so that good Aryan will cuddle you more!¡± she accused as she reached out for the vast reservoir of blood magic that she had gathered.


    The wolf snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, I¡¯m not a masochist like you. It is simply basic strategy to conserve my most costly spells, at least until I¡¯ve figured out all of my enemy¡¯s abilities. My higher magic isn¡¯t like yours, I can¡¯t just waste it away in every encounter. Besides, haven¡¯t you just been playing around all this time?¡± Laura countered.


    The kitten scrunched up her face in disgust, ¡°Ugh¡­ that inedible lion tasted like vomit, good Aryan¡¯s so much better. And isn¡¯t hitting him just a waste of energy? He regenerated from all of Phoebe¡¯s and your attacks, it¡¯s smarter to reserve my magic so that I can flee safely with tasty Aryan.¡± Mirror drooled excitably as she couldn¡¯t help but glance at the prince behind her.


    ¡°You did what to Aryan!?¡± the princess fumed as she glared furiously at her loudly purring double.


    The kitten chortled contentedly, ¡°Good Aryan¡¯s even better than live swimming tuna! Oh, the moist willing warmness of his lips, and that fresh syrupy sweetness coursing down my throat, I¡¯ll treasure it for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aryan retorted defiantly when the princess glared silently at him, ¡°I had no other choice, you were the one that imprisoned me in my own tent!¡±


    Laura sighed with defeat as she scowled at Mirror, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you later. Now buy me some time so that I can chant my incantation.¡±


    The kitten shook her head vigorously, ¡°Witchy wolf is tricky wolf. I won¡¯t listen to you, ever again! You will probably run off with my good Aryan while I¡¯m eaten by the angry lion!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you and run off with Laura,¡± Aryan reassured, ¡°will you please buy her some time? I¡¯ll pet you all you want later if we survive!¡±


    Mirror sighed as she gazed at the approaching lion with trepidation, ¡°Two pets! And you must cuddle me too.¡± She demanded as she glanced suspiciously at the princess next to her. Then she snarled at the oncoming emperor and drew on the blood magic that she had gathered, and her tripled power surged past the wolf¡¯s to match sixty percent of her approaching foe¡¯s ability. ¡°I am Magic Mirror!¡± the kitten bristled boldly as she stalked forward to intercept Xerxes, ¡°And I will bite you many, many times!¡±


    ¡­


    The quintet of Saadian archmages licked their wounds as they raced swiftly towards the stationary wolf and her prince, but they paled as yet another immense power source flared up towards the heavens. ¡°Methuselah!¡± number thirty-five complained to the Mage General, ¡°Monsters! They are all a bunch of Talent horrors. How do you plan to take them on?¡±


    Methuselah signaled to his colleagues and they paused for a strategic discussion, one kilometer from the closest combatants. Even at that significant distance, the five powerful mages bore strained expressions as the immense crushing pressure sapped away at their energy. ¡°How much blood magic have you gathered?¡± The general demanded, ¡°We must hit that wolf with everything we have, if we hope to come out of this alive!¡±


    The reluctant archmages each retrieved a glowing blood gem from beneath their cloaks and displayed the amount of higher magic that they had reserved. ¡°Blood magic won¡¯t be enough to overcome that wolf, the gulf between our innate abilities are just too vast!¡± Number seventy-five muttered.


    ¡°Good,¡± Methuselah concluded as he assessed their crystals, ¡°I have already summoned the Hundred Archmages. Our mission is to disable the wolf while she¡¯s occupied with her incantation, disrupt her higher spell, and buy as much time as possible. We will be able to regain the initiative once the other archmages arrive, our total base Talent is still more than double the current power of three Vaishyan enchantresses combined, and they have already resorted to higher magic.¡±


    ¡°I feel like a rat in a cage,¡± number forty-nine groaned as he drew liberally on his blood gem to diminish his discomfort, ¡°this tremendous gulf in raw ability, it reminds me of the first day I stepped into class as a novice.¡±


    Methuselah shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s still not as bad as facing Emperor Xerxes, and we have managed to suppress even Him during the several times when He lost control of His powers. Their massive amount of Talent works to our advantage, the wolf hasn¡¯t noticed us in the chaos, and we might be able to catch her off guard with a surprise attack.¡± The five archmages conferred brusquely before breaking up and scuttling towards the chanting wolf.


    ¡­


    ¡°One, two, three, four, five,¡± Phoebe¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared into the distance. ¡°Amir, use your medallion and call for Zinnridi. A pack of nasty Saadian rats are closing in on our position.¡± The divine enchantress sat down and buried her face tiredly between her knees as she finally managed to mitigate the worst of the princes¡¯ injuries. The crown prince retrieved his medal and snapped it hurriedly in two, a single seed fell from the broken medallion and sprouted into a twisting magical vine, and the Archdiviner stepped out gingerly.


    ¡°You lost?¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi stammered in horror as he glanced at the exhausted divine enchantress, ¡°But who¡¯s fighting Xerxes then?¡± the ancient man cowered as a massive surge of Talent, accompanied by yet another powerful shockwave rattled the battlefield.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lose!¡± Phoebe protested irritably. ¡°And I¡¯m not yet expired¡­¡± she muttered bitterly to herself. The goddess gestured at the five significant specks scampering swiftly towards them, ¡°Intercept and eliminate those rats, you can manage that much at least, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Archmages of Saadian, and already boosted with blood magic.¡± Zinnridi assessed the approaching enemies thoughtfully as he retrieved a shrunken glowing device acquired from Ali¡¯s Andanian Supplies. Then the weasel licked its lips, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± he nodded and his Talent soared as he ferreted quietly towards his unguarded opponents.

 Chapter 21: Mirror of Blood

    An angered lion can be calmed,


    A famished shark can be baited,


    And even a riled wolf might be cowed,


    But a spurned little kitten? Oh gods, beware the kitten.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    The kitten circled the significantly larger predator cautiously, but Xerxes growled as he turned to face her. ¡°No more playing around,¡± the emperor snarled, ¡°I¡¯ll grind your bones into dust and feed your flesh to the dogs!¡± His Talent surged as he closed the distance with blinding speed, and he reached out swiftly in an attempt to grab the veiled enchantress. But Mirror ducked gracefully and dug her claws into his sides before headbutting him in the chest. A thundering crack shook the plains as she connected with a force that shattered his defenses and snapped his ribs, and the larger lion stumbled back from the blow. The kitten exploited the opening and dashed forward to bite off a chunk of his flesh, before hopping just out of his reach yet again. Mirror chewed viciously on the scrap of meat in her dainty mouth and the emperor bled profusely as his wound refused to heal.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes yelled and slammed his fists into the ground. A large crater formed at the point of impact as the ground undulated and tilted violently, and the lion pounced with a roar as Mirror scrabbled to maintain her balance, while lashing out with his fist. The kitten dodged agilely and avoided a direct hit, even as she chanted to conjure a protective barrier, but the compressed air from the mighty lion¡¯s blow surged through her defenses and snapped her head back with a forceful crack.


    Mirror yelped with pain and slumped to the ground, and the lion leapt forward confidently to crush his victim. But the kitten channeled her power swiftly to her limbs and she snuck off to the side, even as she grabbed Xerxes by the arm and pivoted to use his momentum against him. The lion was hurled headfirst into the side of the crater¡¯s wall and she immobilized him by skewering him through with a long white bone before clamping her jaws down on his thigh and chewing through with savage efficiency. Then she twisted to avoid his desperate wild kicks and scampered off to a safer distance.


    The emperor gaped with disbelief as he bled from multiple wounds, ¡°This is impossible!¡± He griped as he glared at the hissing kitten, ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be immortal, how are you even wounding me!?¡± The lion took up a defensive posture as he prepared to receive yet another attack. But the enchantress smiled as she circled patiently, and the harried emperor continued to bleed out from his wounds. ¡°Rarr!¡± Xerxes cried out in frustration, and turned his back to dash towards Aryan and the chanting wolf.


    ¡°Big mistake,¡± Mirror¡¯s gloated. Her breath misted against Xerxes¡¯ jugular as she latched firmly on his shoulders and caught him in a stranglehold. His eyes widened with shock as she reinforced her biceps and forearm with her magic and clamped onto his carotid arteries like a vice. The gasping emperor propelled himself desperately into the air with a kick that split the land, but the kitten caught him like a recoiling elastic band and slammed him into the earthen fissure that he had created. Then she lifted the stunned beast by the arm and twirled him around swiftly before propelling him into the far hillside with a force that split the grassy mound in two.


    A look of disbelief was etched on Xerxes¡¯ face as he staggered to his feet and clutched at his torn bleeding neck, ¡°Impossible! How are you keeping up with my speed and tossing me around when your power is only half of mine?¡± He whined with incredulity.


    Mirror snickered, ¡°You¡¯re just really bad at using the Talent you already have. It¡¯s almost a crime to have so much power, yet not have the slightest idea of how to use it properly. If you weren¡¯t possessed by that irksome defensive tattoo, I would have bitten you all up by now!¡±


    The lion roared with rage as he charged towards the veiled enchantress and lashed out with a blinding combination of kicks and punches, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll smash you to pieces!¡±


    But the kitten focused all her Talent into her petite feet and danced with incredible nimbleness to avoid each of his countless attacks. As the winded lion slowed and began panting for breath, she caught him by the arm as he lashed out clumsily and dragged him forward, while kicking his legs out from under him. The slender girl danced gracefully as she wrestled the mighty beast to the ground, twisted his arm behind him, and kneed him in the back. Then she gnawed ferociously on his exposed limb as the supine emperor was pinned down against his will.


    The ground rumbled as Xerxes bucked wildly in a vain attempt to dislodge the tenacious enchantress. Then he took a deep breath and twisted his head around. ¡°Rarr!¡± The combination of pain and desperation he experienced helped him pour out his Talent through his voice, and a massive shockwave smashed into the unprepared enchantress. The blast stunned Mirror and she tumbled from the beleaguered lion¡¯s body, and Xerxes capitalized on her moment of weakness to twist around and slam his knee into her stomach. As the wounded enchantress fell, he grasped her by the arms and pinned her down with a thundering bang beneath him. ¡°Got you now!¡± Xerxes gloated.


    Mirror gathered all her strength into her right leg and kneed Xerxes brutally between his legs. His eyes bulged with agony as he released her to clutch at his crushed privates, and she snatched him by his long golden mane before flipping him into the ground behind her. Then the kitten staggered upright and bit him viciously before scuttling away, even as the emperor rose in hot furious pursuit. But the vast majority of his powerful attacks failed to connect, and the blood pouring from his bite wounds traced the battlefield with an increasingly complex pattern as the deadly high stakes game of cat and kitten intensified.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡­


    The archmages were less than five hundred meters from their intended target when the ground collapsed and plunged them into an underground basin filled with twisting poison ivy. The veterans reacted swiftly to the ambush and chanted a variety of spells to counteract the hostile magic. Methuselah bathed his body with a flaming arrow and sped forward with unabated speed as his spell scorched through the plants in his way. Two of the lesser archmages levitated as they swatted desperately at the vines reaching out for them, while the remaining pair froze the creepers closest to themselves before darting sideways in opposing directions in an attempt to circumvent the quagmire of toxic plants.


    ¡°A reality marble!¡± An archmage cursed as he quickly realized that he was trapped in an illusionary alternate dimension, and he glanced warily around the endless twisting forest of vines as he finally realized that he had been isolated from his other colleagues. He fired a powerful magical flare into the air to signal his location and quickly spotted a responding signal. Then he drew deeply on his blood gem and shoved his way forcefully through the dense greenery as he made haste to regroup with his comrade.


    ¡°Methuselah!¡± The archmage breathed a sigh of relief as he finally spotted the familiar cloaked figure, mediating calmly at the center of a scorched clearing. The man stepped forward, ¡°We have to find the others¡­ and¡­¡± his eyes widened with caution as he finally realized that the figure was simply a carefully arranged vegetative figurine. But the ambushing weasel¡¯s spell tore into the archmage¡¯s chest before he could reinforce his defenses. The Saadian caster opened his mouth to shout out a final warning to his colleagues, but the fungal spores proliferating through his flesh consumed his soul before he could scream.


    ¡°One down, four to go,¡± the weasel¡¯s teeth glinted in the shadows between the waving ivy as he smiled silently, before launching yet another flare to bait the nearest remaining rat.


    ¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s something hunting us out there,¡± Methuselah muttered darkly as he finally managed to regroup with one of his colleagues, ¡°the number of Talent auras in this space has decreased by three.¡±


    ¡°But how did they manage to create such a large section of alternate reality? We should have sensed something at least, if they had that much raw ability!¡±


    Methuselah shrugged as he surrounded himself within a strong defensive barrier and razed the plants around them with a hurried incantation, ¡°Perhaps they used a magical tool of some kind, or utilized a spell to mask their presence. Don¡¯t let your guard down, whoever our enemy is, he probably already got to several of the others.¡±


    Just then, a bloodied cloaked figure staggered out from the mass of twisting vines, ¡°Watch out Methuselah!¡± the wounded man cried out, ¡°He¡¯s the weasel!¡±


    ¡°Stop panicking, forty-nine & seventy-five.¡± the Mage General snapped at both of his tense colleagues who were just about to rain a devastating attack at each other, ¡°neither of you are the enemy, don¡¯t fall for their ruse.¡±


    ¡°But he attacked me!¡± Seventy-five accused the archmage standing next to Methuselah, ¡°His Talent signature is exactly the same¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop overreacting,¡± Methuselah replied calmly, ¡°get over here. This dimension is just like an inferior copy of the Andanian labyrinth. The perpetrator must only be slightly more powerful than one of us, since he has only engaged us individually and attempts to exploit our suspicions. He must have hidden somewhere nearby to ambush us as we fight among ourselves. You have almost exhausted all your energy, we will defend you while you contact the princess and seek an exit.¡±


    ¡°How do I know it¡¯s not just another trap,¡± seventy-five panted weakly as he clutched at the final dregs of his blood gem.


    ¡°You are going into shock.¡± The Mage General explained reasonably, ¡°Study the difference in the power we still have compared to your remaining stamina. If there¡¯s really no one left besides us, there would be no reason for deception if you were our enemy.¡±


    The wounded archmage took a deep calming breath before scurrying under the overlapping defenses of his colleagues. Then he sank down to the ground and let his defensive magic splutter out as he began tracing a communication circle in the ground before him. The message spell crackled to life as a precious drop of blood from his almost empty crystal splashed into its center, ¡°Honored princess,¡± he requested hoarsely, ¡°please respond!¡±


    The sound of heavy static crackled from the magic circle as the surviving archmages gulped worriedly, then a girl¡¯s concerned gasp hustled through the noise and the channel quickly stabilized. ¡°Methuselah?¡± Lily¡¯s anxious voice responded, ¡°The lot of you disappeared suddenly from the battlefield, along with a single Vaishyan diviner, have you managed to defeat him yet? The wolf¡¯s higher spell is almost ready!¡±


    ¡°We ran into a major problem,¡± the Mage General answered apologetically, ¡°we are trapped in an alternate pocket dimension, similar to the shield of Andania. Can you help break us out?¡±


    The Andanian witch closed her eyes and concentrated, ¡°Oh that¡¯s simple. Just tag that diviner¡¯s body with any spell and the dimension you are in will collapse automatically. He¡¯s listening in to our conversation, fire some offensive magic at your five o¡¯clock, thirty-two meters from your position.¡±


    Archdiviner Zinnridi gulped in surprise as he rose up from his position, even as the three archmages launched a trio of powerful spells toward his general direction. Then the weasel¡¯s eyes widened in horror as he ferreted instinctively to his left and realized belatedly that the spells were aimed for the exact spot that he had fled to. ¡°How did that sorceress even predict the direction I would try to escape in?¡± he gasped in pain as his defenses crumbled and the Saadian spells smashed him into the dirt. And the four survivors were dumped unceremoniously back onto the blasted battlefield.


    ¡°Bloody rats!¡± Zinnridi swore as he staggered back on his feet and patched the worst of his wounds with blood magic.


    Methuselah¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sized up their opponent quickly, ¡°Deal with him, I¡¯ll complete our objective alone,¡± he commanded hurriedly. Then the Mage General¡¯s Talent quadrupled as he drained his blood gem and raced off in a black blur of magic. The two remaining archmages drew on their final reserves of energy as they advanced cautiously to flank their opponent from opposing sides.


    The archdiviner begin to pursue the lone escapee, but he quickly realized the rat general¡¯s objective. And the weasel smiled as he ceased his pursuit and turned to face his remaining exhausted opponents, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Shall I demonstrate the vast superiority of Vaishyan magic?¡± he beckoned mockingly as a sea of withered vines surged from his arms and slammed into their battered defenses.

 Chapter 22: Lion’s Fall

    Then the nobles and officials thronged before the king of beasts, and said thus to him: ¡°O Almighty Emperor, live forever! All the nobles and officials of the kingdom have consulted together to establish a royal statue and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O Divine Emperor, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O Emperor, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the South, which does not alter.¡±


    But the lion blanched in horror as he emphatically refused, ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid, what if that kitten is thrown in with me again!?¡±


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Can you still move? Chase me more!¡± Mirror teased playfully as she pranced up to the breathless Emperor of Saadian.


    ¡°What the blazes have you done to me¡­¡± Xerxes panted weakly as he fell to his knees and continued to bleed profusely from his countless shallow bite wounds. His defensive tattoo flared furiously as it attempted to replenish his vitality, but failed to keep up with the increased drain.


    The kitten gestured at the glowing massive spell circle spread over two square kilometers across the pitted battlefield, ¡°You are all rolled out like a big ball of yarn,¡± she purred as she admired her handiwork.


    ¡°What horrid trickery is this? I¡¯m supposed to be immortal! I can¡¯t be defeated!¡± The lion roared as he gathered up all his remaining strength and leapt at the enchantress, but Mirror neatly sidestepped his clumsy attack. The beleaguered beast stumbled and fell headfirst into the mud and Mirror chortled mockingly as she crouched down next to the prone emperor. ¡°Just kill me¡­¡± Xerxes moaned. Then his eyes flickered with a spark of realization, ¡°None of the wounds you have inflicted on me are lethal, in fact, you have gone to extreme lengths just to avoid inflicting a fatal injury. This means that I can negate all this damage by simply dying!¡±


    ¡°Somewhat smart,¡± Mirror nodded with approval, ¡°have fun killing yourself!¡± The kitten¡¯s eyes twinkled mischievously as she made no move to stop the desperate emperor.


    ¡°Am I mistaken?¡± Xerxes inquired doubtfully as he examined his surroundings with distrust, ¡°Wait, what does this spell circle even do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing before. But now that I¡¯ve fulfilled the enchantment¡¯s requirement by answering your question, it reverses your time,¡± Mirror explained gleefully. ¡°I plan to use this higher magic to revive you before you can heal yourself by dying. Any more questions? Little Mirror loves answering questions!¡± The kitten giggled.


    ¡°A stalemate?¡± Xerxes considered inquiringly as he sat up slowly and glared at the veiled enchantress.


    ¡°Another question!¡± Mirror grinned eagerly, ¡°No it isn¡¯t. There must be some limit to your defensive magic, and when that is finally depleted¡­¡± the kitten drooled and licked at her lips with anticipation. ¡°Oh and by the way, now that I¡¯ve informed you, each additional question you ask will increase the amount of time that my time reversing enchantment lasts! What else do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Damn you! Blasted witch!¡± Xerxes moaned as he rose weakly to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a witch, I¡¯m the Immortal Hand of god Dagon.¡± Mirror answered gleefully, ¡°Although, your kind of immortality might be somewhat superior to mine?¡±


    ¡°That counted as a question!?¡± the aghast emperor spluttered in protest.


    Mirror nodded, ¡°This is my spell, and I set the rules here. If I say it counts, it counts! By the way, this is the fourth question I have answered so far!¡± The impish kitten gloated, ¡°What should I do next to this big bad Aryan hater?¡± She drooled as her gaze burned into him, ¡°Almost anything eventually becomes edible with enough salt, so I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be more palatable if I turn you into a stack of sausages!¡± She nodded agreeably to herself as she began tracing a sinister looking spell circle on the ground before him.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Xerxes shouted desperately as he hobbled up to rub out the kitten¡¯s magic circle.


    Mirror giggled as she stepped back to observe his fanatic antics, ¡°Oh Mr. Lion. If you hurt me, or interrupt anything I do here, extra time is added to my reversing enchantment! And this also counts as another answered question.¡±


    ¡°You are evil!¡± Xerxes groaned, ¡°This is impossible, such a spell should never exist!¡±


    ¡°Good and Evil is all a matter of perspective,¡± the kitten replied sagely, ¡°I¡¯m sure that many of Dagon¡¯s worshipers will thank me for stopping you here. And if higher magic can grant you an immortality tattoo like that, reversing time by a couple of seconds should be a cinch in comparison! Two more questions answered, any more?¡±


    ¡°You are lying!¡± Xerxes accused, ¡°There¡¯s no such convenient higher magic, no power can change the past. If there were such a spell, the gods would have already gone back in time to change the flow of history a millennium ago!¡±


    ¡°Truth and Lies are just two sides of the same fish,¡± she replied teasingly. ¡°What did I lie about? And which parts are true? I never promised to answer any of your questions truthfully, why should I help you escape from my snare?¡± She yawned as she stretched and pranced slowly away from the stupefied lion.


    ¡°You!¡± Perplexed indecision ate at the emperor¡¯s normally unassailable confidence, as he stared uncertainly at the massive spell Mirror had prepared. Then he shut his eyes to reconsider his options, before roaring with frustration and punching his fist through the chest to crush his own heart.


    The kitten turned as the dying emperor gasped and collapsed into the dirt. Then as his glowing defensive runes began restoring his wounds, she drew on her remaining reserves and activated the spell that she had painstakingly crafted. An intense rumbling shook the very earth as the soil blackened from the accumulating force as she raised her hand, pointed to the still immobilized emperor, and chanted,


    ¡°I am the one who seals and silences divinities.


    I am the one who knows the alpha and omega of genesis.


    With the power of the 118 elemental affinities,


    Bind the ties woven between life and death.


    Now all of creation shall be imprisoned here, within my bloody wreath.¡±


    The ground groaned from the abuse and collapsed beneath them, and a large crater with sheer steep walls, eight hundred meters wide and three kilometers deep opened up to swallow the two combatants. Mirror mustered her magic to slow her fall, but the recovering lion had no such luxury. A dark beam of energy crackled hungrily as it tore through his defenses and ripped his body apart before slamming the few surviving pieces into the solid bedrock with a sickening crack. ¡°Score!¡± Mirror jested as she snatched up a still intact leg that had detached from his body and flung it outside the hole. ¡°What now?¡± The kitten taunted, ¡°Immortal, heal thyself!¡±


    Xerxes groaned as he staggered up on one foot and glanced desperately for his missing limb, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± He moaned as punched himself in the chest and collapsed, but the exhausted man missed his vitals and escaped instant death by a hairsbreadth. As the kitten snickered and scampered forward mistakenly to assault him, the dying lion capitalized on her fleeting vulnerability. He thrust himself forward by kicking out with his single remaining leg and his palm pierced like a blade through her ribs before exiting her back with a spray of gore. The enchantress¡¯ eyes widened with horror and her mouth opened with wordless shock, then the impaled girl slumped down powerlessly before him. Xerxes clamped his fist tightly within Mirror¡¯s body to prevent her escape, ¡°Got you now¡­¡± he gasped as the darkness finally claimed his life, but his runes flared brightly, and the lion began regenerating swiftly from his wounds as the critically injured kitten struggled to tear herself away from the king of beasts.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Save me Aryan¡­¡± Mirror whimpered softly as she squirmed desperately in an attempt to break free, but the lion¡¯s fingers were curled like an ironclad vice around her spine, and the weakened girl continued to bleed out even as the slumbering lion¡¯s power surged back to its peak output.


    The lion¡¯s eyes flickered open, and his burning pools of deep green bored into the cowering enchantress in his grasp, ¡°Your death will neither be quick nor merciful,¡± he gloated vengefully as he rose smoothly to his feet and dangled the helpless kitten in the air before him. ¡°I will certainly enjoy flaying you apart gradually from the inside out,¡± he shook the frail girl forcefully and painted her innards across the shaft walls.


    ¡°Help¡­¡± Mirror mewed faintly as the blood she coughed out, weighed down her veil with a deep shade of red. The soaked gauze-like material tore slowly as it ripped from her face to expose her dulled blue eyes and disheveled fiery red hair.


    ¡°Whatever should I do next?¡± Xerxes mused, ¡°They usually scream loudest while I tear off their¡­¡± The emperor¡¯s words were choked off with a strangled whine of horror as her face was revealed, ¡°Princess Lily!? No, your power is different¡­ you must be that sister she mentioned. Blasted curses! I¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± He detached his fingers delicately from her mangled body and glanced hurriedly at the small patch of sky above them, ¡°I can still keep my promise!¡± he muttered desperately as he cradled the semi-conscious girl gently with an arm as he clawed upwards with his remaining limbs. But the countless spell circles lining the walls hummed fiercely, and he stumbled and slid back down into the pit as a forceful magical gravity bore down on him. The lion paled in horror as he was shoved back into the dirt, ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± He moaned, ¡°How do I get out?¡± he questioned her desperately.


    ¡°Forever, and forever, and forever¡­¡± Mirror meowed direly, ¡°I¡¯ll never let you hurt him¡­ rot in this hole for eternity¡­¡± Then she coughed out another dark mouthful of blood, and the cold ashen girl lay still in his arms.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± The distressed emperor roared with a voice that reached up to the heavens, ¡°Dark Ritual! Give me everything!¡± he demanded as he pushed past the limits of his already immense Talent to achieve a miracle. His thigh muscles swelled as all his magic was gathered in his legs, then he blasted upwards with a velocity that exceeded the speed of sound and overwhelmed the suppressive capacity of Mirror¡¯s restraining magic. Seven long precious seconds passed as the peerless king of beasts hurtled upwards through the three-kilometer-deep tunnel and returned to the surface. And a massive sonic boom entwined with both sound and magic blasted out in his wake and thundered across the lands. Then the exhausted emperor trembled as his overexerted body steamed with heat, and his eyes glistened as tears of regret threatened to overflow their depths as he cradled the silent enchantress tenderly in his arms.


    ¡­


    ¡°Now!¡± Two strained voices cried out simultaneously as they both gathered up all the power they possessed.


    The wolf completed her chant as she raised her dark talisman to face the sun, ¡°You can have my life,¡± she cried out, ¡°three years!¡± Then she screamed as she concentrated all her remaining Talent into her finger and ran towards the distracted emperor. A dense black fog seeped from the ground beneath Xerxes, and his face scrunched up with disbelief as all of his power and strength was utterly suppressed. In that briefest of moments, the mighty immortal king of beasts was reduced to a vulnerable mortal man.


    Methuselah brandished a writhing globe of blood as he sped to intercept his foe, and he shouted triumphantly as he flung his gathered magic at his unprepared target. The princess¡¯ eyes widened in dismay as she finally noticed the approaching rat, and her face was filled with despair as she was forced to raise her finger to deflect the spell the Mage General hurled at her. The very air tremored as the two mighty magics collided, and it was clear that the wolf¡¯s spell possessed the superior penetrating strength. Her magic turned into a great flaming lance that shattered the bloody sphere¡¯s core, before surging into the skies, and bathing the plains with a consuming white brilliance. But the surviving tendrils of the rat¡¯s higher magic continued unabated towards her, and inflicted countless gashes on her already battered body.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan cried out as he charged at the spent archmage and thrust a splintered lance into his side before he could mutter another spell. And Methuselah staggered backwards as blood spurted from his wound.


    The wolf shot her prince a silent grateful glance as she closed the distance to the mortal emperor and lashed out with her bloodstained fists. ¡°Die!¡± she screamed desperately as she slugged him in the chin with an uppercut. But she had exhausted all her power, and her blow only contained all the physical force that a young teenaged girl could muster.


    The lion snarled with fury as Laura¡¯s fists glanced off his body, but he did not retaliate and turned desperately to shield the kitten in his arms. For one single moment, all the runes tattooed on his back were utterly exposed before the attacking wolf, and The Witch of Andania dug her gore encrusted fingers into the ancient carvings and etched her blood into his body. Then she rammed her shoulder forcefully into Xerxes and toppled him back towards the hole he had emerged from. Xerxes stumbled off balance as Mirror fell from his embrace, and his arms flopped wildly as he teetered precariously on the brink.


    The lion heaved a sigh of relief as he finally managed to stabilize himself, and his eyes were filled with worry as he twisted around to glance at the slumped enchantress. But just as he began to take a step forward, all the runes on his body flared wildly out of control and his dysregulated energy surged up chaotically. Then the already brittle ground crumbled beneath his feet and plunged Xerxes back into the depths.


    ¡°Yesss! I managed to off him somehow! I¡¯ve avenged my sister¡­¡± Laura exclaimed disbelievingly.


    ¡°Xerxes, nooo! It wasn¡¯t supposed to end like this, I hate you wolf!¡± Lily wailed as she sensed the abrupt disappearance of the emperor¡¯s magical signature. The distressed princess took a single impulsive step forward as her heart overflowed with anger. A Talent that dwarfed all other powers on the battlefield flared into existence on the most distant hilltop over five kilometers away. The raw magical might from her voice alone, materialized like a cone of devastation that raged across the battered landscape and reached out to the furthest rear of the Vaishyan lines. And all the multitudes of normal Talented in its direct path were instantly incapacitated by the immense blast of magic.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes widened belatedly with horrified realization as the Talented tasked with escorting her were slammed to the ground by the wild power gushing from her body. The intense agony they experienced prevented them from entering the sweet release of oblivion. And the unfortunate men and women screamed with tortured agony as they wriggled like worms at her feet. Unable to withstand the vast quantity of magic she emitted, their overloaded magical channels burst open, and flooded their bodies with devastating lethalness.


    The Talented wrecked untold devastation as they perished throughout the Saadian encampment. The mage on her right gasped with terrified anguish as his skin blistered and cracked, then his entire body was ignited in a raging fireball that incinerated the squad of soldiers around him. The sorceress on her left stretched on her hand in a desperate attempt to crawl away, but a glacier of pink tinted icicles exploded from her mangled fingers and scythed through a cluster of light cavalry before they could bolt away. And countless other screams surrounded the dismayed princess as she witnessed the chaotic wave of death and destruction sweeping though the forces arrayed around her.


    ¡°Monster¡­ there was something this much worse waiting in their reserves all this time!?¡± Laura squeaked out as she was driven to her knees by the immeasurable magical pressure radiating towards her. If her Talent was like a brightly burning torch, and the lion¡¯s power like a roaring bonfire, the force she now experienced resembled the conflagration that had consumed the entire Andanian palace. In that one instant, she understood the vast unbreachable gulf between their innate abilities. An abyss so astronomical that no amount of preparation, no enlightened strategy, and no higher magic she possessed could ever hope to mount a resistance against the still growing menace. The cornered wolf glanced at the dazed prince at her side and realized that she would never be able to flee with him in her weakened condition.


    And so, The Witch of Andania cried out defiantly as she unleashed the ring of calamity to protect the one she loved.

 Chapter 23: The Dark of Calamity

    I watched as the girl clothed in blood raised her ring of calamity.


    There was a great earthquake.


    The skies turned black like sackcloth stitched from goat hair.


    And her foes were crushed beneath her heel.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    The princess of Andania mediated desperately as she fought to suppress the wild power raging within her body. The tortured grass swayed wildly as the vast pressure from her Talent radiated out in concentric circles of force that was visible to even the mundane. And a loud cracking noise shuddered through the hill as it began crumbling to pieces. The surviving picket of mundane Saadian soldiers were paralyzed with indecision, as they stared in dismay at the princess that they were commanded to protect.


    ¡°What do we do now? All of our mages have perished, even the Emperor¡¯s personal page stationed at the far end! How did she devastate our forces with just a single shout?¡± A horrified captain stammered.


    The lone remaining colonel cursed loudly as he attempted to stem the blood pouring from his severed arm, ¡°Sorceress First Class my ass! I should have never trusted those devious archmages, there¡¯s no way any normal human could have slaughtered all our Talented along with half our forces in an instant. She a demon in disguise! Fall back, only the Hundred Archmages will stand a chance against a monster like that!¡±


    ¡°But our orders were to protect¡­¡± Another captain protested weakly as he turned back to stare apprehensively at the princess. Swelling veins of purple blood lined Lily¡¯s normally blemishless complexion, her crystal blue eyes gleamed with swirls of golden threads, and the crackling lightning flickering from her body scorched the blackening ground around her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡± The colonel snorted as he mounted his horse and fled desperately, ¡°What does that creature need protection from? We are the ones that need protection!¡± The vast majority of the troops followed after their fleeing commanders and deserted their positions. And the eerie silence that permeated the campsite was only interrupted on occasion by crackles of electricity striking nearby objects.


    ¡°No please¡­ I mustn¡¯t ever again¡­¡± Lily whispered hoarsely as she stamped down fanatically on the growing flames of her own Talent. ¡°I don¡¯t want this! Please, go away¡­ Mother help me!¡± she moaned as the chaotic power rising up within her threatened to consume her sanity and transform her into a mindless tool of destruction. The witch of Andania was so engrossed that she failed to notice the ominously darkening sky. And she remained utterly unaware as the Calamity Ring¡¯s magic raced towards her.


    ¡°Kill!¡± Laura commanded the ring of calamity as she gestured recklessly at the distant unseen target. The wolf was too far off to recognize her own twin sister, but the vast amount of Talent Lily emitted made it impossible for her attack to miss. An all-consuming power gathered on the tip of her ring as a massive fissure split through the quivering ground between the two princesses. A deep darkness that swallowed even the sun, blackened the skies as if at midnight, as an ancient forbidden magic aggregated within a diamond of incandescent brilliance crowning her ring. ¡°Annihilate!¡± the wolf screamed as she struck out at her sister, and time itself seemed to slow as a concentrated spear of extreme magical force hurtled towards her target.


    Lily cried out into the sky as she fought a desperate losing battle against the uncontrollable power in her body, and her tears of frustration sizzled loudly into the burning soil beneath her. Her voice tore through the darkness shrouding the blackened skies and bathed her within a circle of warm soothing daylight. And she was illuminated like an ethereal beacon of devastation in the deepening darkness. Just as she was about to give in to despair, her heart glimmered with a spark of hope as she finally spied the shrieking Spear of Calamity struggling to penetrate the edge of her condensed aura. ¡°Thank you, Mother,¡± her voice trembled with surprised relief as she rose to her feet, while parting her defenses wide to allow the spell to race forward and embed itself deep into her chest.


    ¡°I actually did it? I silenced even that demon¡­¡± the wolf gasped incredulously as a thundering explosion snuffed out the monstrous power. The princess gawked at the smoking ring on her finger, then she giggled and sobbed with hysterical relief as she wrapped Aryan in a tight embrace, ¡°I won! I defeated¡­¡± Laura experienced a sudden bitter emptiness wrenching through her body, and she slumped powerlessly against the prince.


    ¡°Laura! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aryan exclaimed as he grasped at her suddenly chilly flesh.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± The pale panting princess refused to meet his gaze as she bit her lip, ¡°You are alive. So, everything¡¯s alright.¡± She replied hoarsely as she pressed her cheek against his chest and trembled frailly.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°High Prince!¡± A ragged squad of two dozen battle-weary knights interrupted their conversation as they rode towards their position. ¡°We must retreat from this area immediately. An entire company of Saadian cavalry is advancing towards this position!¡±


    ¡°My zither, do you have it?¡± Laura demanded.


    ¡°Here it is.¡± A soldier rode up from the rear and handed a large package, swaddled in waterproof fabric, to the princess.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Laura nodded as she clutched her zither wearily, ¡°now get over there and tell Zinnridi to signal a general retreat from the river, I¡¯ll give you ten minutes to pull all your forces back. You must be at least a kilometer from the river, and preferably ten...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, we are still engaged with the Burning Legions! There¡¯s just no way¡­¡± the highest-ranking officer protested as he turned to Aryan with a silent pleading stare.


    ¡°Laura, there¡¯s no way we can pull back right now. Our foot soldiers will be routed by the advancing Saadian cavalry if we abandon our defensive positions. We have to stop them as they attempt to ford the Waters of Merom...¡± Aryan explained patiently.


    The wolf shrugged as she began unwrapping her elegantly decorated instrument, ¡°You have nine minutes, then I¡¯m going to sing every living thing near the waters straight to hell with me. I¡¯ll destroy the Saadian army, seal off most of the border, and guarantee Vaishyan eighteen years of peace. Consider it my final gift to you Aryan.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t even begin to explain anything, and I forbid you from harming yourself!¡± Aryan yelled as he tore the zither from her numb trembling hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re too late,¡± Laura smiled with resignation as she sank down in a sitting position on the churned muddied hillside. ¡°I was forced to use the Calamity Ring¡¯s magic to slay that Saadian demon. My life is already forfeit, so I may as well go all out with a bang and take the rest of the enemy with me.¡± The princess frowned as she stared at the stupefied prince, ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? The penalty for using the ring will soon befall me. I can either die, or die while taking the Saadian army with me.¡±


    ¡°No! This can¡¯t be¡­¡± Aryan protested.


    ¡°Enough talk,¡± Laura smiled wanly, ¡°I¡¯m sure that Mirror will explain everything.¡± The princess gestured for her zither, ¡°This is where we part, I have fulfilled my objective by avenging my sister, and sacrificing my life was an acceptable price. I was born to destroy the enemies of Andania, so don¡¯t let my death be in vain and let me fulfill my purpose. As I recall, you¡¯ve never attended any of my performances. Before I go, let me sing an original tune that I composed myself. You¡¯ll be impressed!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts,¡± the wolf reached out and eased her instrument gently from Aryan, ¡°you are a prince of Vaishya. Didn¡¯t you tell me that your loyalties were first to your country and people? Is your determination only worth so little? Muster your knights and hold off the Saadian cavalry for me, and don¡¯t forget to signal the retreat!¡± The princess bent down and hummed intently to herself while tuning her instrument.


    ¡°There must be some other way out of this. Laura, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡±


    ¡°That Laura you are talking about never existed,¡± the wolf snapped. ¡°I¡¯m The Witch of Andania, and not some pampered half-witted princess that needs to be coddled at every juncture. I was born to fight and die for my country, and not to live out a long life of idle luxury in some foreign palace. Hah, I¡¯m a living weapon who could have slaughtered all the inhabitants of Calcutta on a whim, only a fool like you would have invited me into your city.¡±


    The prince of Vaishya pulled the quarrelsome wolf up to face him and held the cold trembling girl close, ¡°Incredibly stubborn even till the very end, are all Andanian women like this?¡± He sighed, ¡°Is there nothing that I can do for you?¡±


    A single tear trailed down her mud stained cheeks, ¡°Idiot. I¡¯m the all-powerful Witch of Andania, the Best. Whatever could a mundane human like you hope to do¡­¡±


    Aryan silenced her half-hearted grumbles with a tender kiss. ¡°Really nothing?¡± he whispered softly as he cradled her pale bloodless cheeks gently in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. I am the mighty Wolf, and the peerless Talent of Andania.¡± She muttered proudly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing on earth that you could offer me¡­¡±


    The prince snuffed out her weakening protests with a passionate kiss. ¡°Nothing at all?¡± he asked quietly.


    The princess blinked swiftly as she fought back her tears, ¡°High Prince Aryan, you presume far too much. We¡¯ve only been together for two and a half weeks! You should forget about me and spend the rest of your life with some other lass¡­¡±


    His steady hazel gaze bore into her distressed crystal blue, ¡°A prince of Vaishya only falls in love once. I¡¯ll love you Laura, and only you, until the end of my days.¡±


    The princess lowered her head and rubbed at the tears in her eyes, ¡°Ugh¡­ romantic poppycock. I¡¯m not good at mushy farewells, um¡­ don¡¯t pine away like my super idiot father. Remember to pick up Mirror, she saved your life, and Dagon will be able to patch her up in no time. And please don¡¯t die when fighting off the Saadians, after all that crap you put me through to keep you alive, I¡¯ll never forgive you¡­¡±


    ¡°Laura, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    She silenced him by resting a single slender finger on his lips, ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry too that things had to turn out this way. Perhaps the legends are true, that no witch can survive long, away from the shores of Andania.¡± Laura bit her lip hesitantly, ¡°I researched a spell that will delay the ring¡¯s consequences till dusk, defeat the Saadians quickly, and we can spend a little more time together.¡±


    ¡°Promise me that you will wait for my return, Laura.¡± His eyes hardened with resolve as he glared at the approaching Saadian detachment and rose to meet his foes.


    ¡°I swear, Krall be my witness.¡± Laura whispered, as she turned away from the departing prince, ¡°I shall wait till my very last breath, so come back safely.¡±


    And so, the prince of Vaishya departed with his brothers for war as the princess of Andania strummed her zither and prepared to sing destruction upon their enemies.

 Chapter 24: Song of the Wolf

    I saw Krall rising from the waters, as her song filled him with fear and anger.


    The land was torn asunder.


    And both friend and foe were shattered beneath his flailing, as the rivers were drunk with blood.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°For Dagon and for Vaishya!¡± Aryan yelled. Three princes and two dozen knights lowered their lances and plowed straight into the approaching company of Saadian cavalry. The heavily armored Vaishyans scythed through their lightly equipped opponents like a hot knife through butter, and the surviving Saadians scattered hurriedly in an attempt to avoid their deadly charge. But the battle descended quickly into a wild swirling melee as the Saadians leveraged their vastly superior numbers to surround and hack at the Vaishyans from all sides. The outnumbered Vaishyans fought back courageously, but the Saadians attacked viciously with utter disregard for their own lives, and knight after knight fell beneath their blades.


    Archdiviner Zinnridi crept through the battlefield and summoned a swarm of creepers to entangle a squad of Saadians that had flanked behind the princes. But the exhausted weasel was quickly forced back onto the defensive as he was assaulted by the dozens of Talented casters distributed throughout their forces. Aryan rallied his men and fought valiantly, but the Saadians poured through the ragged Vaishyan ranks and surged towards where their emperor had fallen.


    ¡°Enough! Piss off!¡± A loud angered shout thundered across the land as Phoebe rose to her feet. The shark gestured furiously and summoned a rain of watery blades that swathed through the approaching Saadians. Then she spurted towards her enemies and flung a wave of burning acid at the nearest mage before blasting the screaming man into his nearby comrade, and their bodies smoked as they fused together in a bloody puddle of gore. Her massive magical aura forced the Saadian Talented away from the harried Vaishyan forces and bought the weasel some relief. But the Saadian assault remained unabated as additional forces joined the fray against the divine enchantress. A team of well-trained archers spread out to avoid the worst of her magic while firing alternatingly at the wounded shark, and they forced her to weave and parry repeatedly.


    Aryan deflected the curved scimitar swinging down towards his chest, their weapons collided fiercely with a defending clang of steel, and his hands were numbed from the impact. His larger Saadian opponent pressed the advantage as he attacked repeatedly and forced the less experienced prince onto the defensive. The prince parried repeatedly as he was pushed backwards, and he grimaced as his opponent¡¯s blade scored several glancing blows against his body. And only the excellent quality of his training enabled him to eke out a tentative stalemate against his opponent.


    But he never stood a chance. A Saadian horseman charged forward and rammed his steed straight into Aryan as he was occupied by his initial opponent. The flanking attacker lunged recklessly off his horse even as Aryan stabbed him through the gut, and his momentum slammed them both to the ground. And the lethally wounded Saadian smiled as he raised his dagger and buried it repeatedly into the prince¡¯s body.


    ¡°Laura¡­¡± Pinned down beneath his dying opponent, the prince of Vaishya felt no pain, only hopeless regret as a deep shade of red stained the soil beneath him. He struggled to heave the man away, but a sudden weakness overcame his body as his vision clouded over into a sea of utter darkness.


    ¡­


    ¡°Super idiots.¡± Laura sighed as she reached clumsily for her zither before turning to face the sound of cavalry thundering towards her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone know anything about Andanian magic anymore? Can¡¯t they just let me die in peace, I¡¯m already all out of magic, and even my vision is starting to fade away.¡± She muttered morosely to herself, ¡°What would Lily think if she saw me in such a miserable state? Haha¡­ that overly kind idiot sister would probably have smacked me and spent my entire last day lecturing me¡­ Ugh¡­ I guess they are close enough by now¡­¡± The wolf raised her head tiredly as the harsh noonday sun baked its rays on her skin, then her lips tightened with determination as she stretched out her ring over the Waters of Merom.


    ¡°Krall!¡± She shouted loudly with a clear crystal voice.


    Unnoticed by the combatants, a single slender tentacle poked out inquisitively from the waters.


    ¡°Krall.¡± She called out with a sure steady voice.


    The waters churned wildly as a mass of writhing appendages slithered swiftly to envelope the vast riverbed.


    ¡°Krall.¡± She whispered softly with a faint trembling voice.


    The lands were cleaved in two as the Waters of Merom were torn apart and Krall rose up to circle the earth from as far as the east is from the west. And a large spray of saltish water showered over the lands as Krall wailed and gazed mournfully at the dying girl who had summoned him. A horrified silence fell upon the battlefield and weapons clattered from the hands of soldiers as the people froze and gaped at the monstrous beast who had appeared before them.


    The princess giggled as she sensed their stupefied shock, ¡°Slaughter them all!¡± she commanded gloatingly as she gestured in the general direction of the Saadian army. The earth trembled as Krall wailed and shook his head with abject refusal, and all the people sighed with relief as they began edging silently away from the tentacle teeming shores.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I get it. This is the part where I have to sing to make you do my bidding.¡± Laura brightened as she strummed her zither, ¡°Well here goes nothing...¡±


    ¡°Kill her, kill her now!¡± A Saadian cavalry officer yelled desperately as he pointed at the trembling unarmed princess perched lonesomely on the muddied hillside. Half a dozen of the bravest riders managed to goad their terrified mounts forward, and they readied their blades to engage the weakened wolf.


    But Krall roared with possessive fury, the lands quivered as he slammed a massive dark tentacle onto the approaching Saadians and ground them into mincemeat. Then a countless sea of smaller appendages lashed out from the main branch and dragged the screaming Saadian officer and the remainder of his luckless horsemen beneath the red frothing waters. The surviving Saadian and Vaishyan forces abandoned any remaining pretense of orderly retreat as they broke formation and fled from the monstrous beast looming above them. And The Witch of Andania straightened up to sing as Krall circled possessively around her.


    "Rising like a bloody sun from the east,


    Proud with unbowed majesty,


    Krall the oceans¡¯ almighty beast,


    Arise my tide of calamity.


    Smite all my foes with your merciless fist,


    Strike them with insanity,


    And on a sea of corpses feast,


    Till their domains ring with tragedy."


    A great fear overcame Krall as the princess sang of death and destruction, and Krall wept and flailed about in terror. Massive tentacles surged up to blot out the skies before thundering down into the lands around him, and the earth shrieked from the violence as his appendages gorged deep twisted valleys into the plains and toppled the mountains. And neither the princes of the earth, the generals, the strong, the Talented, nor everyone else, both slave and free were spared from the fearful calamity of Krall.


    ¡­


    Abandoned by their betters amidst the panic, an aged servant and a young slave cowered behind a ragged tent in the deserted Saadian encampment. The aged man limped painfully as he peeked at the silent princess lying motionlessly in the mud. ¡°Psst! Is she dead? She hasn¡¯t been moving for quite some time now¡­¡± He questioned nervously as he nudged at the slave crouching at his side.


    The heavy iron chains binding the slave rattled loudly as she shrugged absently, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that magic arrow thingy poking from her chest, she must be as dead as a doornail. Nobody can survive a wound like that, right? What did she do to deserve a punishment like that? I heard many loud explosions, then everyone fled and abandoned us!¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­ you¡¯re making far too much noise!¡± The servant moaned as he clutched at his head and rocked fearfully in the dirt, ¡°She¡¯s a bloody monster! What if she hears us!?¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Aww you coward,¡± the slave sniggered dismissively, ¡°as if anyone could still move after¡­¡± Her mocking tirade choked off with a horrified disbelieving gasp as they both stared at the twitching princess.


    ¡°Mother¡­ sister Laura¡­¡± Lily groaned as she turned around to face the sky. She grimaced as she gripped at the glowing Spear of Calamity piercing through her chest, and tore the shrieking magical blade from her body. No visible wound remained on her flesh, and not a drop of blood stained her dress, as the weary princess eyed the weapon in her hand.


    ¡°Demon! Unholy fiend! We are all doomed¡­¡± The servant whimpered with strangled dread as he crawled desperately away from the recovering princess.


    ¡°Hello? Is anyone still there?¡± Lily called out hopefully as she glanced in the general direction of the sounds while resting the loudly sizzling weapon beside her.


    The slave gasped as she staggered back in fright, but the loud rattle of chains gave her position away. She hung her head with dismayed resignation, as she shuffled slowly into the open to face the dreadful princess. ¡°Ma¡¯am, noble lady, I¡¯m your washerwoman, I do your clothes... I mean please have mercy¡­ I¡¯m only twelve summers¡­¡± the child stuttered and stumbled over her words in her nervous haste.


    Lily smiled kindly as she patted at the beaten grass next to her, ¡°My name is Lily, come and sit with me over here, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Naomi!¡± The slave squeaked as she prostrated before the princess, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­ I¡¯m just a slave, and you are someone really important, aren¡¯t you? I heard some guards talking¡­ No! I wasn¡¯t spying or anything, I swear!¡±


    Lily giggled, ¡°Since you know that I¡¯m an important person, shouldn¡¯t you be obeying me then?¡±


    The child gulped as she sneaked a cautious glace at the amused princess before burying her face back into the grassy hillside, ¡°Me, slave¡­ you, important lady¡­ Saadian law, no sitting together! Execution!¡±


    ¡°Naomi, so what does Saadian law say about disobeying important people?¡± Lily chided gently.


    The girl blanched in horror but remained motionless before the sighing princess, ¡°Death by a thousand, thousand cuts! Oh, dear gods please have mercy on my soul!¡±


    ¡°Come sit over here and I promise that you won¡¯t be executed.¡± Lily incentivized encouragingly. The slave shuffled forward doubtfully before plopping down with a noisy crackle of irons next to the princess. Lily drooled happily as she tugged the trembling girl headfirst into her lap and fondled at her curly brown hair, ¡°I finally figured out what¡¯s really wrong with that boring Saadian palace! There just isn¡¯t anyone around my age, where do they keep all the other children anyway?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t eat me¡­¡± Naomi looked up to the princess with wide fearful eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sure that I don¡¯t taste very good at all.¡±


    ¡°Oh com¡¯on! What do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°Evil hell spirit?¡± Naomi spluttered out before she could stop herself, and her eyes were filled with horror as she pressed her hands against her lips and shook her head fanatically.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ hahaha¡­¡± Lily chortled, then she finally sobered up and gazed at the chaotic wreckage strewn around her. ¡°Grr¡­ I guess that this is mostly my fault after all. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t eat you.¡± Lily sighed, ¡°I¡¯m the princess witch of Andania. You know, the one that Xerxes brought back from his escapades?¡±


    ¡°Xerxes!¡± Naomi screeched as she attempted to bolt upright and prostrate herself yet again, ¡°I mean¡­ Great Immortal Emperor Xerxes, Ruler of Saadian and of the Southern Realms, Master of the Burning Formations¡­ err¡­ Legions, Slayer of the Thousands? Oh yes, flying dragons...¡± Her voice trailed off with mumbled horror as she failed to recall the remainder of his innumerable titles, ¡°Oh gods have mercy, I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± she wailed desperately.


    ¡°Oh please, that idiot doesn¡¯t deserve any of those stuffy titles. Stupid idiot Xerxes! Yes, that¡¯s what we will call him from now on!¡± Lily grumbled to the horrified girl lying on her lap.


    ¡°Never! They will feed us feet first to the piranhas!¡± Naomi protested as her addled mind struggled to process the remaining information, ¡°And you are princess!¡± Tears of fright trickled down her cheeks as the child struggled and flipped around in an attempt to bury her face back into the dirt before Lily, ¡°Princess equals very, very, very important person! Sitting with princess equals many, many executions!¡±


    ¡°Hey that tickles!¡± Lily gasped as the desperate child rubbed her face repeatedly against her tummy. Then she brightened mischievously, ¡°Revenge!¡± she crowed as she retaliated by tickling Naomi relentlessly and the helpless laughing, crying child squirmed in the princess¡¯ lap as she panted for breath. ¡°Idiot Naomi, how can they even execute you more than once? And besides, do you actually think that anyone will dare to harm you while you¡¯re with me?¡± Lily giggled.


    ¡°Me only slave. Not worth any protection. Execution confirmed.¡± Naomi sighed darkly as she snuggled with comfortable resignation in the princess¡¯ lap.


    ¡°Do you actually prefer life as a slave?¡± Lily questioned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be my cuddly puppy¡­ Ahh yes! Apprentice! You can be my apprentice, and I¡¯ll teach you all about magic and stuffs.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any Talent. Everyone gets checked when they are seven, and all the Talented slaves are sent off somewhere¡­¡± Naomi muttered moodily.


    ¡°Blah blah. Talent is completely overrated, I realized that after studying Xerxes¡¯ tattoos. I just need to experiment a little¡­¡± The princess coughed as she quickly noticed Naomi¡¯s horrified expression, ¡°I mean, I have a theory on how you can use magic¡­ No, I¡¯m actually almost sure it will work out actually.¡± She added in a hopefully convincing tone.


    ¡°Will it be painful? Like death by a thousand cuts?¡± The slave narrowed her eyes suspiciously.


    Lily mused thoughtfully for a moment, ¡°Hmm¡­ probably not. And I¡¯m quite sure that you will survive, so how about it? Be my apprentice and nobody will ever be able to harm you again!¡±


    ¡°No executions¡­ apprentice, good¡­¡± Naomi mumbled hopefully. And she blushed with embarrassment as Lily cooed triumphantly while fondling at her undeveloped body.


    Finally, the sated princess rose to her feet, ¡°Here take this spear.¡± The weapon glowed brightly and shrieked angrily as Lily picked it up and thrust it towards Naomi.


    The child let out a small horrified scream and leapt back in terror, but Lily forced the weapon into her hands before she could refuse. The spear dulled to a steel grey and fell silent as Naomi clutched it tentatively in her hands, ¡°No more sound? Bad magic screaming gone?¡± She inquired cautiously.


    ¡°This is the Spear of Calamity, one of the ancient treasures of Andania. It doesn¡¯t inflict only physical damage, it also sucks out all the magic from any Talented it touches. Hold on to it please, it makes such an irritating noise whenever I come into contact with it. I think that it¡¯s mostly useful for eliminating monsters and stuff.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re alive!? And your magic isn¡¯t gone? Not monster, demon?¡± Naomi groaned.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Lily pouted as she fluffed out her sparkling fiery hair and flashed her crystal blue eyes. ¡°I have two hands and two legs and¡­ Ugh¡­ how the Krall did you even arrive at that crazy conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Succubus demon!?¡± Naomi squeaked, ¡°You were stabbed right through the heart! And don¡¯t normal people die when all their magic gets sucked out?¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Lily nodded empathetically, ¡°I¡¯m a witch. A heart wound isn¡¯t particularly incapacitating for someone like me. Besides this is an Andanian weapon and my predecessors weren¡¯t stupid. We already have more than enough enemies, why would we ever craft a weapon that could be used against one of us? This spear was designed primarily to enable even mundane heroes to overcome foreign Talented, monsters, and divinities. Some hidden safety mechanism must have kicked in, since it didn¡¯t inflict any lasting physical damage when it hit me, and my powers were just temporarily suppressed for several minutes.¡±


    ¡°What are the witches then?¡± Naomi questioned skeptically.


    The princess frowned as she mused thoughtfully, ¡°Hmm, good question. No one really knows for sure, but several dubious legends actually suggest that we are descendants of Krall or insist that we are somehow related to him. That¡¯s just completely implausible, right?¡±


    ¡°Krall?¡± The child quizzed, ¡°Who on earth is that, was he a prince of Andania?¡±


    Lily¡¯s amused laughter echoed across ravaged hillside, ¡°A prince? No way! That timid little crybaby? He¡¯s the adorable and mostly harmless pet mascot of the Andanian royal family¡­¡± Her cheerful voice trailed off as a dark wailing mass of writhing shadow rose up from the Waters of Merom and showered them with a heavy spray of salted water, ¡°Again? That¡¯s not funny, Krall!¡± Lily complained as her soaked dress clung tightly against her slender curves.


    ¡°That hideous thing is Krall!?¡± Naomi gulped out, ¡°That creature is worse than a horde of demons! We must flee immediately or that humongous monster will devour us all!¡±


    ¡°Oh com¡¯on, there¡¯s no need to be afraid. Krall is just a big harmless crybaby¡­¡± Lily¡¯s kind attempt to comfort the trembling girl cowering behind her back was foiled as a massive tentacle slammed down into the already battered Saadian encampment and swept away half the surviving tents. The unprepared princess squeaked as they were both blown off their feet by the massive shockwave, ¡°Oops, ugh what happened¡­ why are you so afraid again?¡± She grumbled as she rose back to her feet and rubbed at the spots of dirt in her soggy dress.


    ¡°Please! You¡¯re a powerful sorceress. Aren¡¯t you, noble lady? Help me flee from that demon! It¡¯s, it¡¯s¡­¡± Her chains clattered loudly as her mouth foamed with fear, ¡°It¡¯s eating everyone!¡± Naomi begged. The child clung fiercely to Lily¡¯s waist as Krall thrashed about randomly and dragged both the Saadians and Vaishyans to their watery graves.


    ¡°Hey! Krall, I¡¯m right here! So, don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Lily shouted enthusiastically. And Krall turned slowly to eye the eagerly waving princess perched on the distant hillside. A dozen massive tentacles slithered out to encase the hill within an impenetrable sea of squirming appendages. And Krall¡¯s mighty body rose up to cast a large shadow across them as he opened his maw to wail with terrified distress.


    Naomi blanched and a puddle of steaming piss pooled beneath her quivering feet. And she stared numbly at the countless rows of glistening razor sharp fangs lining Krall¡¯s massive maw and spied the multitude of half-munched chunks of men, women, and beasts lodged between the gaps in his teeth. ¡°Oh, Lords have mercy, receive my soul¡­¡± she squeaked out as she fainted.

 Chapter 25: Song of Krall

    Sing aloud, O witch of Andania!


    Let your carols resound, O daughter of Krall!


    Behold, your king has come to you; weary and burdened with fear.


    Afraid and becalmed on land is he.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    Laura rejoiced as Krall trembled and thrashed about in tune with her singing. The earth cracked and shattered as his massive tentacles, the width of entire buildings, slammed repeatedly into the tortured landscape. The horrified cries of people and animals rang through the air like a macabre symphony, and the pungent scent of coppery blood stained the air around her. She sighed with satisfaction as an enormous appendage slammed into the Saadian encampment and smashed it into churned kindling. ¡°Good, kill them all Krall! Slaughter the foul invaders till there¡¯s nothing left¡­¡± The exhausted princess muttered vengefully as she leaned weakly on the three-story high appendage quivering beside her and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Laura complained bitterly as Krall withdrew his tentacle and slunk away from her. He dragged himself laboriously, up from the crumbled riverbanks and onto the plains, and stretched out towards the distant hillside. Krall wailed loudly as he strangled the mound within a sea of squirming appendages and his massive maw widened as if to consume the Saadian encampment entirely. The princess straightened up and strummed furiously, ¡°Swallow! Swallow!¡± she cheered eagerly.


    ¡°Bad Krall,¡± Lily tutted reproachfully as she admonished the beast looming above her as if he was just another misbehaving child. And she swatted at the tentacles that had crept towards the unconscious girl in her arms, ¡°Look at all the damage you caused! Aren¡¯t you the least bit ashamed of yourself?¡± Krall nodded mournfully in reply as he reached out to pluck at all the bloody pieces lodged between his teeth and stacked them into a massive bloody totem of shattered corpses before the disapproving princess. Lily sighed as she glanced at the ruined tentage around her, ¡°Well Krall, there¡¯s nothing left here. So, if you want to hear me sing, fetch me a zither!¡±


    ¡°Why, why have you forsaken me?¡± The wolf strummed and sang feebly in an effort to recapture Krall¡¯s attention. But he wailed in protest and Laura let out a strangled cry as a tentacle darted out and constricted forcefully around her slender neck before tugging her into the air. Her legs cycled powerlessly as she gasped for breath and her zither fell to the ground with a discordant clang as a weakening numbness crept down her limbs. Laura opened her mouth to scream, but Krall shoved a tentacle down her throat and silenced the helpless witch before she could cry out, and his limbs swarmed over and encased her suspended body within a cocoon of squirmy moistness. Krall heaved a sigh of relief as he inspected his handiwork before retrieving the fallen zither and delivering it to the distant hillside.


    ¡°How excessively gaudy¡­¡± Lily stroked the delicate strings gently while humming a wordless melody. Then the princess breathed in deeply and straightened up to face Krall.


    "Little Krall what are you fearing?


    Little Krall why are you wailing?


    Little Krall who are you seeking?


    Let me tuck you in warm ocean¡¯s fleece,


    To soothe your woes and bring you peace,


    And seal your sleep with a royal kiss."


    The beautiful Andanian princess smiled as her angelic voice drifted out over the battered landscape and calmed the fearful hearts of Krall and man. And Krall wobbled with contented relief as he curled around the singing princess and closed his eyes to snooze.


    ¡°Krall. Why did you come? Were you so afraid that I wouldn¡¯t keep my promise?¡± Lily inquired gently.


    Krall responded by gashing his teeth with frustration as his head swayed from side to side with dissent.


    Lily nodded observantly, ¡°Well in any case, you are stuck. All because you forced yourself into that too narrow stream and trashed about like that. I suppose that it will take years for you to untangle your body now. Why did you do this?¡±


    Krall raised the securely sealed cocoon before Lily and pointed repeatedly at it with his tentacles, then he shook it angrily as he jabbed at the zither while miming an attempt to play the instrument.


    The princess sighed, ¡°So a witch sang and you were afraid? You¡¯re such a wuss Krall, I hope that you didn¡¯t kill her too. You have inflicted more than enough death and destruction for today. So where is this naughty witch?¡±


    Krall groaned with relief as he uncurled his appendages and dumped the gagging wolf in an unceremonious heap before Lily. The wounded wolf was on her last legs, she moaned as she stretched out blindly across the battered grass, ¡°Aryan¡­ Aryan¡­¡± she whimpered weakly as she trembled powerlessly in the dirt.


    ¡°You!¡± Lily flushed with anger as she stared at the culprit, ¡°You were the one that hurt Xerxes!¡± The furious princess raised her heel to grind it into her opponent¡¯s body. But she hesitated as the wolf coughed out a steaming puddle of blood and her features softened with pity. ¡°Why would you resort to such extreme measures, don¡¯t you care about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Another Saadian!¡± Laura swore with fury as she propped herself to face the voice and gestured sightlessly, ¡°You assassinated my only sister! Kill her Krall! Destroy them all!¡±


    Lily pursed her lips disapprovingly as she faced the wolf lying at her feet, ¡°Krall isn¡¯t some servant that you can order around like that, you don¡¯t understand him at all.¡±


    ¡°How dare you! Who are you to lecture me like this?¡± Laura cried out, ¡°Krall is mine! I inherited him.¡±


    ¡°I am also a witch. And I say that Krall isn¡¯t a piece of property to be owned or used by anyone! Krall was born to be free!¡±


    The wolf seethed with indignation as she assessed her foe¡¯s Talent, ¡°A witch serving the Saadians? A weakling like you must be from some long-forgotten branch family! How dare an impetuous upstart question me like this? I am from the purest pedigree, with the strongest claim to Krall.¡± She coughed weakly as she gasped for breath, ¡°That¡¯s it. I demand a trial by Krall, Krall will decide if he will serve under me or listen to your worthless chatter.¡±


    Lily frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest, ¡°Considering the witch¡¯s three trials, we don¡¯t have any paper for talismans and you are certainly in no condition to fight me. Do you mean to challenge me in song then?¡±


    ¡°Pick whatever you want.¡± The wolf growled as she snatched up a jagged shard of rock and staggered to her knees to face her opponent, ¡°I¡¯m not some worthless sheltered wimp like you. I¡¯ll draw or fight, even if I have to carve the bloody spells into my flesh.¡±


    Lily sighed as she gazed at the tottering wolf, ¡°Can you even sing?¡± She questioned doubtfully.


    ¡°Hah, who do you think I am? I was trained to do anything, I¡¯m the Best!¡± Laura boasted confidently, ¡°You would be a fool to pick a trial by song, I could decide to sing anything! Even a song that you have never heard in your entire life¡­ you wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance!¡±


    Lily placed the ivory and mithril lined zither before the crouching wolf, ¡°Do your worst, Miss Wolf. If I win, you will swear to never frighten or hurt Krall again!¡±


    Laura growled as she clawed the zither onto her lap, ¡°I¡¯m not going to play around with half-baked requests like yours. If I win, I shall have both your head and heart!¡±


    ¡°Krall be our witness, Krall be our judge.¡± The sisters entwined their fingers together and channeled their Talents to seal a binding contract between them. And the wolf gloated, her graceful haunting voice pierced like a blade through the air as she sang the song she had painstakingly composed to rile Krall into his terrified destruction.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Beat that.¡± The wolf smirked as she tossed her zither to the ground. The final notes of her tune drifted off slowly as Krall shivered with fear, ¡°Remember, you have to sing the exact same song, and do it better than me! Have you even managed to memorize the words? If you grovel at my feet and beg, perhaps I will be kind enough to write them down for you.¡± Laura mocked.


    Lily ignored her opponent¡¯s taunts as she shook Naomi to her feet, ¡°Here¡¯s your first task as my apprentice,¡± she instructed the trembling child with a soft calm whisper, ¡°bring me your washing board and some steel tentage strings. I refuse to use the instrument that was responsible for stroking Krall¡¯s fear.¡± The child gulped as she stared at Krall, then her chains clattered loudly as she scampered off into the tents and rummaged desperately for the requested items.


    ¡°Running off won¡¯t save you,¡± Laura queried uncertainly as she peered sightlessly towards the sound of departing feet, ¡°have you decided to concede already?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still here, I won¡¯t be going anywhere before I defeat you.¡± Lily answered patiently.


    ¡°There were two of you!?¡± Laura jerked back with surprise, ¡°But you are the only witch, how did that Talentless mundane survive Krall?¡±


    ¡°I asked Krall not to harm her, nicely.¡± Lily explained.


    ¡°You did what!? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Laura spluttered, ¡°Whatever is your relationship with Krall?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to think that Krall and I are mutual friends. It¡¯s just too bad that Krall can¡¯t speak well, so I¡¯ll never know for sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­ Haha¡­¡± Laura sniggered, ¡°Have your gone completely batty with stupid? You¡¯re might even surpass that super idiot sister of mine, you would have got along really well with her if she was still alive¡­¡± The princess wiped at the tears that trickled down her cheeks, ¡°You¡¯re not half bad, let¡¯s just call this match a draw and you won¡¯t have to die here.¡±


    ¡°I refuse,¡± Lily pouted. ¡°Your song was horrible and filled with untruths. Why should I tie with a blind witch who doesn¡¯t even understand the first thing about Krall? I¡¯ll ensure that you will savor the taste of defeat today.¡±


    ¡°Are my ears also failing me?¡± Laura muttered incredulously, ¡°Do you even remember the words I sang? How do you expect to win if you can¡¯t even sing my song?¡±


    ¡°It is the heart that counts,¡± Lily teased impishly, ¡°Krall will understand.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Laura spluttered with disbelief, ¡°Rules are rules! If you flout the laws of the contest, Krall will destroy you¡­¡±


    ¡°Noble lady, mistress¡­ princess¡­ Um the washing board and strings as instructed,¡± Naomi trembled fearfully as she knelt before Lily and proffered the items she had gathered. And the child could not help but sneak repeated glances of horror at the eagerly drooling beast that had curled up to surround them.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Lily praised her kindly, ¡°now sit next to me and observe my performance, you will have much to learn if you wish to be an accomplished witch one day.¡±


    ¡°A witch? But she doesn¡¯t have any Talent, is she even from our bloodline¡­¡± Laura argued.


    ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s my turn to sing now.¡± Lily instructed distractedly as she poured her magic into the wooden board in her hands and sculpted it into a roughened soundboard. Then she stretched out a dozen strings of varying thickness to form a device that vaguely resembled a musical instrument. The princess strummed the strings experimentally, and a harsh discordant note screeched from the crudely crafted item.


    ¡°Hah. What are you doing? Destroying my zither won¡¯t help¡­¡± Laura¡¯s taunts were silenced as Krall rested a thick slimy appendage warningly on her shoulder. The princess gulped and wisely choose to keep her mouth shut as Lily continued to shape her instrument patiently.


    ¡°It is done,¡± Lily nodded approvingly as she examined her handiwork. A small and roughly hewn twelve-stringed zither nestled in her lap. She strummed the instrument one last time, and a passable melody piped out from the zither she had carved from the humble starting materials. ¡®If only elder sister was here with me to witness my performance!¡¯ Lily thought with a faint wistful smile as she raised her eyes to meet Krall¡¯s excited gaze. And the princess of Andania straightened up to sing a song that bubbled straight from her heart.


    "Setting like the westward star be at peace,


    Meekness in reality,


    Krall rest within my voice¡¯s fleece,


    Be still my dear child of amity.


    Calm your soul and your endless limbs uncrease,


    Regain peaceful faculty,


    And in eternal slumber liest,


    Till your fears have all found remedy."


    As the radiant girl sang, Krall let out a long hissing sigh of contentment and his waving limbs drifted lovingly to surround the singing princess.


    ¡°Krall,¡± Lily rose and curtseyed gracefully as the final notes of her melody trailed off into the distance, ¡°who would you like to hear from again?¡± Krall chortled with gladness as he snuggled against Lily while avoiding the dismayed wolf.


    ¡°Impossible! How?¡± Laura blanched with disbelief as she realized that she had been utterly overcome by her opponent, ¡°You flipped the intent of my song by switching up all my words while using the same melody? It took me months of hard work, just to come up with those two verses! But you managed to compose a perfectly synchronized counter chorus during the fleeting moments of our competition? How can a nobody like you, possess such genius? Who are you? There¡¯s no way that we wouldn¡¯t have heard about your Talents!¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lily sighed sadly, ¡°I¡¯m just a lonely princess from a forgotten kingdom, searching for my lost sister.¡± She turned away and nodded at Krall, ¡°I realize now that instigating a war of this magnitude, just to recover my sister, was a worthless endeavor. Perhaps your presence here will be beneficial to the people of these kingdoms after all. Will you please return the Vaishyans to their lands and prevent another war from breaking out while you are lodged here?¡±


    Krall nodded silently in assent, thousands of tentacles shot out to blot out the lands and separated the Vaishyans from the Saadians. The people screamed in horror and fought back desperately to break free, but Krall did not harm a single soul as he deposited them safely on their side of the border. And Krall drew a deep warning line through the soil on either side of the river, and filled the trenches with the corpses of their dead.


    ¡°What shall I do with you?¡± Lily inquired gently as she turned her attention back to the listless wolf.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost and my life is forfeit.¡± Laura muttered grudgingly, ¡°I have nothing else to live for anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Aryan,¡± Lily uttered a single word, ¡°does that name ring a bell?¡±


    ¡°Aryan!¡± Laura babbled with horror as she screamed and clutched at her suddenly aching head, ¡°He was someone important! I promised to meet him¡­ Ugh, my magic¡­¡±


    Lily eyed the mumbling wolf kindly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not noticing it earlier. You must have used a forbidden device in your fight, perhaps I can help¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Laura wailed as she backed away desperately, ¡°I promised to see this Aryan person right now. I remember, there¡¯s no more time left!¡± The ring of calamity embedded in her finger began to smolder and the wolf¡¯s features contorted with barely suppressed agony.


    ¡°That¡¯s an Andanian treasure!¡± Lily exclaimed as she strode forward swiftly, ¡°You were desperate enough to wield the Calamity Ring? Surely you knew the consequences of using it! Where did you find it? Who are you? Remove that mask of yours immediately!¡±


    ¡°Who am I?¡± The wolf growled as she struggled to pry her mask from her body. But try as she might, the obscuring device had somehow been fused to her flesh during the heat of battle. Lily stepped up and attempted to tug part of the cursed item from her face, but the wolf screamed with pain and a powerful surge of energy lashed out from the ring in her finger and blasted the two sisters apart. The wolf¡¯s eyes glinted with hopeless mania, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am anymore, we will never meet again. I just need to get back to Aryan before this ring kills me.¡± She wept as she fell to her knees and begged.


    Lily shook her head sadly, ¡°What a waste. You can¡¯t be much older than me, why did you throw your life away like that? What did you hope to accomplish?¡±


    The wolf chuckled crazily as tears coursed down her cheeks, ¡°Hehe¡­ I don¡¯t remember. I don¡¯t remember anything! Hahaha! I just need to get to Aryan right now!¡±


    Lily gazed sympathetically at the wolf, ¡°Say please, and I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    Laura cast aside her lingering remnants of pride and prostrated immediately before her younger sister, ¡°Please! I beg you, send me to Aryan¡­ I¡¯ll do anything, I¡¯ll give you anything you want¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything, this is goodbye then...¡± Lily sighed as she bent down to retrieve the shrieking Spear of Calamity and thrust it into Laura¡¯s hands. ¡°Here is the weapon you flung at me just now, you should take better care of your treasures, witch of Vaishya.¡± The princess turned to Krall, ¡°Please send this girl safely back to the man named Aryan.¡±


    Krall nodded silently, he curled his limbs around Laura, lifted the confused princess into the air, and transported her swiftly back towards the Waters of Merom. ¡°Wait¡­ she¡¯s a princess¡­¡± Laura mumbled under her breath as she fought to piece together her fading memories, ¡°This spear, I threw it. The Saadian witch is related to the demon, the only person I know with that much power¡­ and the ability to sing like that¡­¡± Her eyes widened with realization as Krall lifted her across the river, ¡°Lily!¡± she cried out, ¡°You are alive! You are safe¡­¡± but her younger sister was too distant to hear her shout of joy.


    Lily dusted off her dress and turned to the child at her side, ¡°It¡¯s finally over, let¡¯s go find out what happened to that idiot Xerxes. Hmm¡­ was it my imagination, or did someone call my name?¡±


    Naomi stared numbly at the princess and at Krall¡¯s departing back, then she surveyed the destruction Krall had wrecked through the lands and contrasted it to the damage Lily had inflicted on the Saadian campsite. ¡°I believe the legends! They must be true!¡± She blurted out impulsively before she could stop herself, ¡°You are certainly a relative of Krall!¡±

 Chapter 26: A Witch’s Soul

    While the witch was still speaking, some people came from the house of Zimran, the king.


    ¡°Your son is dead,¡± they said. ¡°Why bother her anymore?¡±


    Overhearing what they said, the witch told him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, your child is not dead but asleep.¡±


    But they laughed at her.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°All is well! Lily¡¯s alive!¡± The princess hummed cheerfully to herself as Krall deposited her within the battered confines of the Vaishyan campsite. The shell-shocked soldiers that were scattered about the compound barely reacted and his limbs slithered away unopposed. ¡°Aryan! Good news, I have finally found this Lily person!¡± The wolf giggled. She fumbled about blindly as she entered the large white tent before her, her toe caught on an outstretched limb, and the weakened princess tripped and fell flat on her face.


    ¡°Honored princess,¡± A pair of burly hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her gently back to her feet, ¡°the healers tried their best to save him¡­ but¡­¡± The soldier broke down and wept bitterly.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t hear properly from my left ear anymore.¡± Laura twisted her head around slowly to face the weeping man. ¡°Say that again, mister. And where is Aryan? We had a promise, he was to meet me after the battle!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± The soldier blurted out in disbelief, ¡°I was the knight that brought you the zither. We rode off to fend off the Saadians but were overwhelmed by their numbers, the High Prince fought bravely but the backstabbing Dagon cursed cowards¡­ he was¡­¡± His sorrowful voice choked off with emotion.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see! I¡¯m blind!¡± Laura pouted as she tapped her foot impatiently, ¡°And I don¡¯t care about some random battle, why isn¡¯t Aryan coming for me? Where did he wander off to?¡±


    ¡°High Prince Aryan is lying before you, honored princess. He perished from wounds inflicted in battle and he remembered you with his last words¡­¡± The morose soldier folded back the sheet covering the deceased prince and guided the princess down to the cold stiffened corpse.


    The princess swore furiously as she bent down and traced her hands across his pallid features, ¡°What wounds does he have, what treatments have the other physicians attempted, tell me immediately!¡±


    An exhausted healer rose up and bowed deeply, ¡°Honored princess, he perished from multiple stab wounds to the chest. A punctured lung, a ruptured spleen and liver¡­ we tried out best to fix the damage¡­ ten men offered up their lives for the chance to save him, even a drop of blood from divine enchantress Phoebe herself¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your dithering excuses.¡± Laura snapped, ¡°Is that the complete list of his injuries?¡±


    ¡°It was impossible!¡± The healer protested, ¡°The dagger was lodged straight through his heart¡­ there was no way we could have repaired that much damage in time, even the gods¡­¡±


    ¡°Get to the point, any other wounds?¡±


    ¡°Honored princess, we found several fractured ribs and a shattered thigh bone. And he also has multiple minor cuts and abrasions on his skin, how does that even matter? A heart wound of this magnitude is always lethal!¡± The confused healer answered.


    The princess stretched out a scarred trembling hand towards the healer, ¡°The dagger, give me the weapon you found.¡±


    ¡°Please have mercy, honored princess!¡± The healer begged as he prostrated before her.


    The princess sighed, ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, or anyone else. Give me the dagger and get out, everyone get out!¡± The nervous man pressed the blade into her waiting hand and fled from the enclosure with his remaining aides. The princess turned to the grieving soldier as he prepared to leave and allow the princess some moments of privacy with her fallen prince, ¡°Hey wait, I wanted to know one final thing,¡± she questioned the heartbroken man, ¡°who is this Aryan? And what was my relationship with him?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The soldier finally noticed the ragged condition of the girl swaying before him, ¡°Are you alright? You are badly wounded, we must get you to a physician immediately!¡±


    ¡°I hit my head accidently and lost some of my memories,¡± Laura lied. ¡°Um¡­ don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m totally fine. Just give me a brief synopsis of our relationship.¡±


    ¡°Aryan is the High Prince of Vaishya, and you are the Crown Princess of Andania. When he went missing on an extended voyage to Andania, the entire nation mourned his loss until the day the both of you descended from the stars like the gods themselves and declared that you were inseparable! And he loved you loyally till the very end¡­¡±


    ¡®Go me, amazingly extravagant as usual!¡¯ Laura bit her lip to suppress her giggles, ¡°And what about this Lily person? Was she my rival in love or something?¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? I served as a guard in the Vaishyan palace and there¡¯s no noble with that name¡­¡± He scratched his head with confusion, ¡°Maybe it was someone you knew from back in Andania¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh whatever,¡± Laura answered lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve said my goodbyes to her anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°You need immediate medical attention! You must be suffering from a terrible concussion if you can¡¯t even remember who you are!¡± The soldier protested as he peeked out from the tent and opened his mouth to yell for the nearest healer.


    The princess carved a bloody rune into her palm with the dagger and darted forward to stamp her spell into the soldier¡¯s back. The man¡¯s jaw slackened as he stared dreamily into the distance at nothing in particular and the wolf tiptoed and whispered into his ear, ¡°You will stand outside this tent and turn away all visitors until dusk. You will say that the princess wishes to grieve alone.¡±


    The soldier nodded absently as he walked out to stand beside the entrance, ¡°Oh yes, yes¡­ The princess is grieving, please leave her alone, it is only proper¡­¡± He muttered to the bystanders.


    ¡°Okay now¡­ it¡¯s one heart, one liver, and one spleen. And the lung, bones, and other superficial injuries must be regenerated before he regains consciousness to minimize his pain. I remember that Mother began with a marrow transfer, that will do the job¡­ ugh this is so much tougher when I can¡¯t see anything¡­ how did Mother do it in this condition?¡± The princess fumbled about until she finally managed to obtain a bundle of bandages and she uncovered the prince before shrugging out of her own tattered clothing. Laura sat herself down slowly before the comatose boy and stretched out again to confirm the sites of his numerous injuries.


    ¡°Here goes nothing¡­¡± Her face contorted with an anticipatory grimace as she stuffed the dressings into her mouth and bit down tensely, then she stretched out her left leg, clutched the dagger in her trembling hands and raised it high into the air. Laura¡¯s screams of agony were snuffed by the cloth in her mouth as the blade amputated her limb at the knee. She slowed the blood gushing from her wound with a clumsy tourniquet, before turning her attention to her detached leg. Sweat beaded on her brow as she worked quickly to dissect the bone from flesh and she cracked it open to scrape out the marrow within. ¡°There, please work!¡± Laura moaned as she loaded a syringe with the extract and injected it into Aryan¡¯s thigh. His body jerked suddenly as a slow warmth spread upwards from the site of the inoculation, but before the princess could sigh with relief, the overwhelming coldness dominating his flesh began creeping back down.


    Her eyes widened as a dreadful feeling of panic fluttered in her heart, ¡®Curses! Why didn¡¯t that work?¡¯ The princess thought fanatically, ¡®Mother was¡­ oh yes, Mother was bigger so she had more marrow in her bone, and I was also smaller then.'' The princess did not hesitate as she stretched out her remaining leg and her blood splattered across the sheets as she repeated the gruesome procedure.


    ¡®No breathing, no pulse, but whole. I was in time, and I can still fix this idiot lover of mine!''The slender princess smiled as she straddled across Aryan¡¯s waist and cut out the ruined organs from his body. A tortured cry escaped her lips as she slit open her chest and tore her liver from her own flesh.


    ¡°Is everything really alright? We should and examine the princess and see if there¡¯s anything we can do to help¡­¡± A pair of concerned healers accosted the lone guard standing outside the entrance.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± Tears of anguish trailed down Laura¡¯s cheeks as her haunted wails drove the Vaishyans away. The princess worked quickly as blood cascaded from her wounds, she dug her sticky reddened hands into her opened chest and shoved aside her ribs to tear out her spleen, then she pushed the organs into the gaping emptiness in Aryan¡¯s body. And the princess sighed with respite as the dagger cleaved cleanly though the arteries tying her heart to her body and she clutched at the precious beating organ in her cold trembling hand before prodding it into Aryan to fill his being with vitality. The emptied girl carved her final talisman on some scraps of surviving skin and she fell weakly to embrace his warm comforting chest, ¡°You can have my life,¡± she whispered, ¡°everything¡­¡± as the soft fading rays of golden sunlight began drifting slowly beyond the horizon.


    ¡°The sun¡¯s setting¡­ dusk¡­ Laura!¡± Aryan jerked awake and swung his head about desperately.


    ¡°Hey that hurts,¡± Laura complained as she was almost thrown off by his struggles.


    ¡°Laura! You are alive, and I am alive!? Or are we in heaven?¡± The prince babbled as he gazed affectionately into the princess¡¯ crystal blue eyes.


    ¡°Hi, miss me?¡± The girl and the boy faced each other as their bodies melded together in the deepening shadows. The girl smiled shyly as she brushed at the unruly locks of her matted fiery hair, and the boy wept with relief as he clung tightly to her and traced his hands down her delicate familiar curves.


    ¡°I, Aryan Ishmael Zimran, love you.¡± The boy whispered tenderly in her ear, ¡°Be mine to love, and cherish for the rest of time.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ ugh¡­¡± The girl¡¯s eyes clouded over swiftly as she failed to recall her own name, ¡°I¡­ love you too, Aryan.¡± She answered meekly as her warm blood flowed freely and formed a widening puddle around their bodies.


    ¡°So much blood!¡± The boy shuddered with horror as he finally recognized the sticky coppery fluid bathing their bodies, ¡°Laura! Your feet¡­ what in the world¡­¡±


    ¡°Gah¡­ my everything hurts. Please don¡¯t shout anymore¡­ I¡¯m so super-duper tired. And I¡¯ve kept my promise to meet you, so be nice and hold me again for a little while, I just need to sleep it off¡­¡± The girl blushed innocently as she pressed her breasts against his bared chest, a trickle of icy blood escaped her stilled lips and traced its way down slowly to her chin, and her eyes sealed shut as she slipped away silently in tranquil rest.


    As the prince¡¯s anguished howls echoed through the encampment, the soul of a witch and the soul of a boy brushed reluctantly past each other as they returned to inhabit their original hosts. And the ring of calamity clattered loudly to the ground, along with the shattered shards of a blood red ruby.


    But in the darkest unlit corner of their tent, a pair of eyes crinkled with relief as they averted themselves from the weeping prince. And they crept away unnoticed beneath the earth.

 Chapter 27: The Witch of Saadian

    And it came to pass, as The Witch traveled to the house of one of the chief Princes to eat bread, that they watched her. And behold, there was a certain slave dying before her who had leprosy. And she answering spoke to the nobles and Princes, saying, ¡°Is it wrong to save a dying slave?¡± But they held their peace. So she took her, and healed her, and set her free.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Noble princess¡­ please wait for me¡­¡± Naomi¡¯s burdensome chains clattered loudly as she trailed behind the princess skipping swiftly down the hill.


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s keeping you? You are even slower than puppy speed. It¡¯s just a couple of steps to where idiot Xerxes fell and I hope to arrive before dusk.¡± Lily frowned in confusion as she turned to face the child as she stumbled slowly down the slope.


    ¡°Noble princess¡­ please have mercy, I can¡¯t walk¡­ not any more¡­¡± The child panted tiredly as she finally flopped down before the patiently waiting witch.


    Lily¡¯s lips pursed with concern as she studied Naomi carefully and rested her hand gently against her brow, ¡°I don¡¯t see any external injuries, are you feeling unwell? I came across a lengthy tome that described the many horrid diseases that humans could suffer from, but I fell asleep before I got to the end¡­¡± She confessed sheepishly as she withdrew an ominously knife shaped talisman, ¡°Hmm¡­ An obvious lack of breath? Clearly it must be a dangerous infection in your lungs! Forgive me, but I will need to experiment a little. I¡¯ll probe around inside for a couple of minutes and see if I can identify the root of the problem.¡± The princess smiled comfortingly as she loomed over the horrified child.


    ¡°Eek! Help! Someone please save me¡­¡± Her chains clattered loudly as Naomi attempted to crawl away, but the princess caught her deftly by the heel before she could flee and the horrified child was tugged back to rest in Lily¡¯s waiting lap.


    ¡°There, there¡­ don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m just going to perform a routine examination.¡± Lily nodded agreeably, ¡°This won¡¯t hurt one bit! I¡¯ll just use my handy snippy talisman to pry apart your chest, then I¡¯ll pull out a couple of your lungs and check if they are infected. I remember that the book mentioned something about black spots? Or irregular growths within the alveoli? You¡¯ll be as good as new, once I¡¯m done¡­¡±


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± Naomi screamed as she struggled desperately for her life, ¡°Help! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡±


    ¡°Erp... why does everyone say that to me, all the time?¡± Lily sighed moodily, ¡°I have never hurt a fly in my entire life! Erm okay, there was just that one time when I squished my sister¡¯s bones into a pulp by accident. And I guess that incident in the Saadian encampment was mostly my fault too, but I¡¯ve never willingly hurt anyone!¡±


    ¡°Please, have mercy! I¡¯ll try harder, I¡¯ll walk faster!¡± The child begged for her life.


    ¡°Mercy? How is ignoring your plight mercy?¡± Confusion clouded Lily¡¯s features, ¡°Your condition is growing steadily worse, excessive sweating, an overtly pale completion, dilated pupils, and loss of breath. Immediate interventional therapy will be essential for your survival, I must excise all your defective parts and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick! I¡¯m just a little tired, I need to rest a little¡­¡± Naomi whimpered.


    ¡°But we have only been strolling along for less than five hundred meters?¡± Lily frowned as she turned back to examine the short distance they had travelled, ¡°Surely even mundane humans aren¡¯t that feeble? Ahh! You must be just like my elder sister. The type that feigns fatigue before slinking off to suffer alone... I won¡¯t let you die Naomi! You promised to be my first experiment¡­ err student! Yes student!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ill! I swear, by the gods!¡± Naomi cried out desperately.


    ¡°Okay? Even assuming that I actually believe you, how do you explain the deteriorating condition of your body? Why are you like this after just strolling along at a snail¡¯s pace for such a short distance?¡± Lily pouted disapprovingly.


    ¡°The ball and chains are tying me down! They are too heavy and I can¡¯t walk for any extended distance in these bindings¡­¡± The child explained anxiously, ¡°Please forgive me noble princess! I¡¯ll get stronger¡­ I¡¯ll work harder¡­¡± Naomi sobbed frightfully.


    ¡°This is heavy?¡± The deforming irons screeched loudly as Lily tore the ten-kilogram ball from its chains and spun it lightly on the tip of a single finger, ¡°But even that idiot Xerxes could have lifted a hundred of these things without breaking a sweat.¡± She mused suspiciously, ¡°You must be jesting, isn¡¯t this item just for aesthetics? You know¡­ like the cute little musical bells they put on kittens?¡±


    ¡°Noble princess! How did you do that¡­ my chains were twice forged iron!¡± The child stared at Lily with wide shaken eyes.


    ¡°Huh, what do you mean by how? See, I put my fingers in the joints and push a little¡­ piece of cake!¡± The shackles binding Naomi snapped off and clattered noisily to the ground as Lily demonstrated patiently.


    ¡°Noble princess, you are very strong! Is that magic?¡±


    ¡°Bah¡­ that was nothing,¡± Lily boasted bashfully, ¡°with magic, I can¡­¡± She crumpled the iron ball in her hand like a piece of paper and folded it effortlessly into the form of a sparrow, ¡°See? A pretty bird! I can make it sing too!¡± The bird hopped from her hand and tweeted cheerfully as it flapped its wings and rose into the sky and the magical minion travelled for several hundred meters before falling back to the ground, ¡°Ugh¡­ Not as impressive as I hoped, my sister could have flown a dozen of those things beyond the horizon.¡± The crestfallen princess murmured.


    ¡°Great noble princess genius sorceress, this humble slave is honored to exist in your presence!¡± The trembling child prostrated at her feet.


    ¡°Aww you must be exaggerating, I¡¯m not that good.¡± Lily blushed, ¡°Hey call me Teacher! You are my student now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Lily?¡± Naomi answered hesitantly.


    ¡°So cute!¡± Lily¡¯s crystal blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she pinched Naomi¡¯s cheeks and ruffled her curly brown hair, ¡°We must begin the experiments¡­ erm lessons immediately! Let¡¯s spank that idiot Xerxes into shape and get started as soon as possible! Come it¡¯ll be faster if I bring you along with me.¡± The giggling princess scooped her up in a bridal carry before she could protest and retrieved a talisman that catapulted them high into the air and straight towards their target.


    ¡°Eek! We are all going to die!¡± Naomi screeched out as they hurtled swiftly back towards the ground.


    ¡°Stop squirming around! I need to retrieve the stop charm!¡± Lily fumbled through her stack of talismans and finally managed to retrieve the correct spell. Their rapid descent jerked to an abrupt halt, barely half a meter from the earth, ¡°See? Safe! I got this!¡± Lily nodded with a cheerful smile, ¡°I usually find it in time, and definitely during more than half of my jumps!¡±


    Naomi¡¯s teeth chattered violently, ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t find it in time?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing serious. I just hit the ground and bounce around a couple of times, a dozen broken bones perhaps? Definitely nothing to worry about!¡± Lily smiled as she patted Naomi reassuringly on the head and the child wisely refrained from any further questions.


    ¡°Xerxes! Stupid idiot Xerxes!¡± Lily¡¯s shout echoed slowly down the deep tunnel as she peered hopefully down into the darkness.


    ¡°Rarr! I¡¯ll kill you, I tear you apart!¡± The ground quaked violently as the emperor rammed the side of the pit at full force, and a powerful blast of wind gushed from the depths, along with his frustrated shouts of rage. The trapped lion clawed swiftly upwards, but the restraining circles of magic lining the pit¡¯s walls suppressed his attempt to escape and shoved the maddened beast back down into the darkness.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Alive as expected¡­ pervert¡­¡± The princess muttered as her fiery hair fluttered wildly in the gale. She frowned as she studied the powerful spells lining the entirety of the pit, ¡°Ahh a fancy puzzle, I just need some stuff to solve that retarded lecher.¡± She nodded calmly as she gathered up a bunch of weapons and armor that were strewn about near them and the princess beamed happily to herself as she began tossing the sharpened items down into the hole. The items crashed down with blinding speed as they were accelerated by Mirror¡¯s restraining magic and tortured screams of rage and pain bellowed from the depths in reply. ¡°Oops,¡± Lily shrugged unapologetically, ¡°start dodging idiot Xerxes! I¡¯ll get you out soon!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Lily, what are you doing? Are you going to vanquish the emperor?¡± Naomi winced as Lily tugged yet another heap of pointy objects toward the hole.


    ¡°How did you even come to such a ridiculous conclusion?¡± Lily pouted, ¡°I¡¯m helping him!¡± she sighed as she shoved the entire stack of items down into the depths and elicited yet another round of anguished screams. ¡°One of the Vaishyan sorceresses devised an innovative magic riddle to restrain Xerxes, but if I manage to fill the hole with enough stuff, surely even that idiot will be able to jump out.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± the child stuttered, ¡°why did you pick all those sharpened weapons¡­¡±


    The princess giggled impishly, ¡°Training! That idiot Xerxes needs to brush up on his dodging skills, I¡¯m killing two birds with one stone! Isn¡¯t this really efficient?¡±


    ¡°At this rate, I think you are going to kill more than just two birds.¡± Naomi muttered under her breath.


    Lily smiled brightly as she turned to eye the child behind her, ¡°Hmm¡­ did you say something? Why don¡¯t we add you to the training program!¡± She suggested cheerfully, ¡°Come over here and hop right down! It¡¯ll be fun, like dodgeball! I¡¯ll toss down the stuff I find and you¡¯ll dodge it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass¡­¡± Naomi shuddered as she backed away from the eagerly beckoning princess.


    ¡°Aww spoilsport¡­¡± Lily teased, ¡°my sister wouldn¡¯t have turned me down.¡±


    ¡°Not funny, I¡­¡± Just as Naomi opened her mouth to deliver a well-placed retort, a large boom of energy materialized in the air above them as dozens of Saadian archmages finally arrived at their location. Their usual smug expressions were instantly wiped from their faces as the powerful Talented men and women blanched at Krall as he slumbered in what had been the Waters of Merom.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Beast of Armageddon! Kill it! Kill it!¡± Several archmages screeched simultaneously with horror as deadly spells began crackling in their hands.


    ¡°STOP!¡± Two yelled simultaneously to restrain the terrified archmages. One a grizzled ancient man standing at the rear of the formation of the Hundred Archmages and the other a young princess who stretched out her arms from side to side as if she could have prevented their spells from reaching Krall. The beleaguered Saadians spluttered with disbelief as they turned to stare alternatingly at both the man and the girl.


    ¡°Colleague Sotil! We must attack immediately, the legends¡­ that beast will end us all!¡± An archmage spluttered incredulously.


    ¡°You are wrong! Krall is my harmless, peace loving¡­¡± Lily protested.


    The dissenting archmage whirled about to glare at the girl beneath him, ¡°What insolence! Interrupting a conversation between your betters! I claim the right to summarily execute this boorish upstart.¡± An orange ball of flame materialized as he chanted and the spell raced forward to consume the unprepared princess. Lily began leafing causally through her stack of talismans, but Krall acted before the witch could defend herself. A mass of dripping tentacles raced out between the combatants to snuff out the offending flames and the unfortunate screaming man was dragged straight into Krall¡¯s waiting maw.


    ¡°No, bad Krall!¡± Lily groaned as she tugged at his closest appendage, ¡°Spit him out immediately, you promised not to kill anyone.¡±


    Krall wailed disapprovingly but he spat out the slime covered human. The terror-stricken archmage squealed in the most undignified manner known to man as he staggered away from the offended beast. He bled profusely from a large puncture through his gut and both his arms were lopped off at the shoulder. Then Krall picked slowly at his teeth and hurled the remaining limbs into the back of the unfortunate mage. The deranged man whimpered as the impact smashed him face-first into the churned mud, then he screamed in horror as he eyed the remains, his addled mind finally grasped the full extent of what had happened, and bloody bubbles of foam frothed from his lips as he collapsed and convulsed with shock.


    ¡°Good boy!¡± Lily beamed as she waved at Krall and the earth shook as Krall nodded and waved happily in reply. ¡°See, he¡¯s totally harmless! Krall wouldn¡¯t kill a fly!¡± Lily turned to the child cowering behind her for confirmation.


    ¡°Yes! Krall couldn¡¯t kill a fly.¡± A pale faced Naomi bobbed her head fanatically in assent.


    ¡°Who are you!?¡± The grizzled ancient man demanded.


    ¡°Humph, aren¡¯t you supposed to introduce yourself before asking for my name?¡± Lily frowned. Krall¡¯s angered glare bored into the offending Saadians and his tentacles began creeping swiftly towards his next victims.


    The horrified archmages backed away hurriedly from the approaching menace and the trembling man bowed before the disapproving princess, ¡°Esteemed witch. I am Sotil Cairon, the 1<sup>st</sup> Archmage of Saadian. May I please inquire about the nature of your business in our nation?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± Lily mused as she scratched at the back of her head, ¡°you are clearly the number two Talented in Saadian. What does the number one person do then?¡±


    ¡°Esteemed witch, do you know where the Mage Whisperer is located?¡± Sotil inquired shrewdly.


    The princess concentrated momentarily, ¡°Hmm¡­ a whisperer? An apt name, I sense him floating around sometimes, but it¡¯s surprisingly hard to pin down his exact location. His soul wanders like the clouds and it¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s in more than once place at a time. But that can¡¯t be right, only Krall and the divine can exist simultaneously in several places.¡± Lily¡¯s crystal blue eyes sparkled with renewed interest, ¡°Ah another puzzle! I love puzzles, but first I must solve this idiot Xerxes.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, that idiot¡­ what!?¡± Multiple men and women coughed loudly to hide their accidental slip of tongue.


    ¡°He¡¯s the Emperor of Saadian! Isn¡¯t that just a little impolite?¡± Sotil snuck an anxious glance at Krall as he admonished Lily gently.


    ¡°Stupid idiot Xerxes!¡± Lily bent down and shouted loudly into the pit. Immediately, a massive burst of power blasted out from the depths in response, accompanied by a furious roar of rage. The princess turned and beamed at the pale, sweating Talented around her, ¡°See? He likes it!¡± She giggled playfully.


    A perplexed expression was etched on Sotil¡¯s face as he studied the unconcerned girl, ¡°How do you remain unaffected by the emperor¡¯s aura? I have assessed your Talent, your abilities are equal to a Sorceress of the First Class, someone like you shouldn¡¯t be able to move freely this close to Emperor Xerxes! Have the witches devised a special talisman for resisting auras?¡±


    Lily giggled coyly as she eyed the Saadians gathered around her, ¡°Do you really want to know? Measure my Talent and I¡¯ll tell you how I manage it!¡± She smiled teasingly as she slipped off her glove and beckoned temptingly at the curious archmage.


    ¡°DON¡¯T DO IT!¡± Methuselah yelled as Sotil floated down to take her hand and the wounded Mage General limped forward slowly to finally reunite with the gathered archmages.


    ¡°Colleague Methuselah!¡± Sotil tucked his hands securely behind his back as he turned to greet the ragged archmage. ¡°The battle reports we received where hopelessly jumbled. What happened here? Where are the Vaishyans? And where are the other archmages?¡±


    ¡°Dead, the Vaishyan Talented massacred us. They even managed to hurl Xerxes into that pit¡­¡±


    ¡°But Emperor Xerxes survived. We won, didn¡¯t we?¡± Sotil frowned uncertainly.


    ¡°The witch standing behind you is the Princess of Andania, do not underestimate her abilities. I don¡¯t know how, but she managed to overpower the Talented that defeated Xerxes, and she summoned Krall to vanquish the Vaishyan army singlehandedly!¡±


    ¡°Humph, spoilsport!¡± Lily pouted at Methuselah as Sotil backed warily away from her.


    ¡°Honored Princess, what are your intentions with Emperor Xerxes?¡± The Mage General inquired.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I plan to toss sharp objects into the pit. When it finally fills up, even that idiot will be able to jump out.¡±


    ¡°Your magical senses are vastly superior to mine,¡± Methuselah spluttered, ¡°surely you sense the emperor¡¯s abnormal aura. Someone must have altered the magic in his body to rile him into this condition, what if he goes berserk once he reaches the surface?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll scream at him and kick him back into the hole repeatedly until he finally calms down.¡± Lily smiled and her teeth gleamed as they reflected fleeting rays from the setting sun.


    ¡°And when you fail?¡± Sotil muttered incredulously as he studied the slightly built girl.


    The princess shrugged, ¡°Krall will slap him.¡±


    The surviving members of the Hundred Archmages gathered together for an urgent conference. After several tense moments of discussion, Methuselah emerged and prostrated himself before Lily, ¡°Honored Princess, please allow us an opportunity to retrieve Emperor Xerxes.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± To the relief of the gathered archmages, Lily grabbed the stunned gaping child rooted beside her and stomped off towards the sizable supply camp that their apprentices had set up some distance away, ¡°I want dinner and a nap, idiot Xerxes can rot in that hole all night for all I care!¡±


    ¡°Why did you change your mind? You wanted to save him immediately, didn¡¯t you?¡± Naomi questioned softly when they were finally alone.


    ¡°Humph! Didn¡¯t you smell the scents on that idiot¡¯s body? That insatiable pervert was busy groping the Vaishyans that attacked him!¡± Lily fumed bitterly, ¡°He lost the battle because he couldn¡¯t control his stupid bestial lusts! Let him rot in that hole for eternity!¡±

 Chapter 28: Emperor of Saadian

    A whip for the horse, a rod for the slave, and Krall for the blood of fools!


    Like a maniac hurling flaming spears of death, is one who cheats on a witch and says, ¡°I was only joking!¡±


    Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone throws a stone, it will be flung back at them.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    As the skies were painted with the golden rays of daybreak, the Hundred Archmages ringing the pit strained again as they chanted their magics to calm the mighty Lion of Saadian. ¡°How many attempts has it been already?¡± Sotil sweated nervously as he turned to the Mage General beside him.


    ¡°A hundred? Maybe more?¡± Methuselah answered tiredly. ¡°How did the Vaishyan wolf modify the Emperor¡¯s tattoos in the midst of battle? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be invincible? And how did she edit that endlessly complex ancient magic without suffering from any repercussions?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant. Our highest priority is to calm the emperor down, we can study the magical modifications at a later date. Next! Bring us the next volunteer!¡± Sotil demanded.


    ¡°1<sup>st</sup> Archmage Sotil,¡± an apprentice stammered as he prostrated before the man, ¡°we have run out of volunteers¡­¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Sotil paused with shock as he rubbed his eyes tiredly, ¡°Bring the slaves then, surely there are some attractive women among them. Perhaps we can find a girl whom the emperor will settle for.¡±


    Just then, a pair of girls fell straight from the skies and landed between the conversing mages. One, the Andanian princess who absently waved a charm to halt their decent as she chewed on a warm pastry. The other, a screaming pale faced child who had yet to adapt to the princess¡¯ abrupt means of travel. ¡°What girl?¡± Lily questioned disapprovingly as she sniffed at the air, ¡°Why does it always involve girls when it comes to idiot Xerxes?¡±


    ¡°Honored Princess!?¡± The archmages were momentarily lost for words as they eyed her apprehensively.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t the lot of you supposed to retrieve that idiot? Why is he still inside the hole? And why is the air filled with the scent of blood? What twisted sorcery have you performed on Xerxes this time!?¡± Lily sighed.


    ¡°We mustn¡¯t return him to the surface before he calms down, the emperor¡¯s runes have gone out of control! If the emperor goes berserk out here, it will be difficult for us to stop him without harming him.¡± Methuselah explained.


    The princess kicked idly at a broken spearhead and sent the sharpened fragment bouncing into the pit. She elicited an agonized cry of pain, followed immediately by a thundering clap of rage from the rampaging emperor beneath them, ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like you have had much success. How have you been trying to calm him?¡±


    The archmages glanced uncertainly at each other, ¡°Err¡­ we sent in a couple of volunteers to sate his anger?¡± Sotil answered hesitantly, ¡°Whenever Emperor Xerxes loses control over his powers, the only two methods for regaining his sanity are to either knock him senseless or to pacify his desires. We usually try the soft approach first, since it is more effective and results in fewer casualties¡­¡±


    ¡°So that idiot misbehaves and the lot of you encourage him by pandering to his basal urges?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as she stepped towards Sotil and glared furiously at the sweating man.


    ¡°Err¡­ sure if you put it that way¡­¡± Sotil stammered nervously, ¡°I mean, of course it¡¯s not like that! We just don¡¯t want to hurt our emperor needlessly!¡±


    ¡°Okay, my turn then!¡± Lily scowled, ¡°You¡¯ve run out of volunteers, haven¡¯t you? I volunteer to go down and teach this idiot emperor of yours a lesson he will never forget!¡±


    The archmages glanced worriedly at Krall who had been observing their conversation in an almost intelligent manner, ¡°What will happen if Xerxes kills you?¡± Methuselah shuddered as he gestured towards the massive creature towering like a mountain above them.


    Lily smirked, ¡°Who knows? Maybe Krall will finally lose his temper and smash the entire world into pudding!¡±


    ¡°Please reconsider! Honored Princess, you mustn¡¯t throw away your life in vain! We can still try¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not going to stand idly by while you send innocent after innocent to their deaths to satisfy Xerxes¡¯ uncontrollable fetishes!¡± Lily fumed, ¡°Get out of my way!¡± she commanded as she pushed past the obstructing archmages and strode towards the darkened pit. Lily stomped angrily to the edge of the precipice and the archmages tensed as they mustered their magics, both to rescue the rash princess and to flee for their lives. Then they sighed with relief as the frowning girl hesitated from her suicidal endeavor and turned back to face them. ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯re right, jumping straight down without any preparation isn¡¯t very smart.¡± Lily nodded calmly as Xerxes¡¯ wild roars raged threateningly at them, ¡°You must first bind me from the shoulder down in dimeritium chains before casting me into the pit. And please don¡¯t forget to stick this talisman at the back of my head!¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°We must do what!?¡± The archmages muttered in disbelief, ¡°Doesn¡¯t dimeritium suppress magic? What are you trying to accomplish? Surely you must have meant Xerxes¡­¡± The Saadians conferred among themselves before sending several apprentices to retrieve the required items. Sotil turned and nodded at the impatient princess, ¡°I understand, we will try to restrain the emperor with the metal while you attempt to pacify him¡­¡±


    ¡°No, are you all being silly on purpose? I¡¯m the one you must restrain, not Xerxes.¡± Lily sighed and rolled her eyes, ¡°I need to give that idiot a handicap so that I can beat the shit out of him without killing him accidently!¡± The princess paused to examine the gathered Saadians calculatedly, ¡°One more thing. The lot of you must withdraw to at least five hundred meters from the pit¡¯s entrance and your apprentices must be stationed at least three kilometers away.¡±


    ¡°But if we fall back, how can we assist¡­¡± An archmage spluttered.


    ¡°Bah, don¡¯t you worry about helping Xerxes.¡± Lily snickered, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to go easy on him so he¡¯ll probably survive. Besides, I don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be of much help either. The pit¡¯s three kilometers deep, so maybe Sotil and a couple of the stronger ones can stay, but it definitely won¡¯t be a comfortable experience for any of you¡­¡±


    The Saadians gaped with barely veiled skepticism, ¡°I hope that you¡¯re just jesting¡­¡± Sotil murmured.


    ¡°Ahh I get it¡­ all my suitors used to say something similar at first, then it quickly becomes ¡®Help! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡¯, and ends when they run off weeping hysterically like babies. You are a little too old for me right now, try again in two hundred years or so?¡± Lily waved the man off dismissively, ¡°My sister usually handles my suitors now, since in her own words, I ¡®Drive them totally crazy¡¯. If you find her, I¡¯m sure that she will let you get in line or something.¡± She smiled encouragingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Honored Princess. This is no laughing matter! I¡¯m not trying to court you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah¡­Men. I guess you¡¯re the type that wants to propose marriage on the first day?¡± The princess sighed, ¡°They are all serious at first, but run off screaming after I suggest some harmless experiments to ensure our compatibility!¡± Sotil was lost for words as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly as he attempted to wrap his mind around the absurd turn in conversation. Lily shook her head in disappointment and clapped her hands together sharply to regain his attention, ¡°Okay conversation¡¯s over. Don¡¯t be shy, bind me in those chains and toss me into the pit with Xerxes.¡±


    ¡°Arrgh! This is impossible!¡± Sotil pulled at his greying hair in frustration as he glared at the princess, ¡°Please be reasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°I get that a lot when I turn suitors down.¡± Lily nodded agreeably, ¡°No worries!¡± The princess turned and waved at the mountain of squirming appendages behind her, ¡°Krall! It would be a really big help if you provided some helpful encouragement to the idiots that still refuse to heed to my advice!¡± Krall smiled in response and parted his lips to reveal the countless rows of sharpened fangs in his maw, then his tentacles slithered steadily towards the worst offenders.


    ¡°Tie her up and throw her in! Now! Before the world ends!¡± An ashen faced Sotil ordered. His fearful apprentices scampered forward and bound Lily from the shoulder down with dimeritium, stuck her charm on the back of her head, and hurled the happily humming girl straight into the pit.


    ¡°Oops, I forgot my stop charm again¡­¡± Lily sighed as she accelerated towards the roaring Emperor of Saadian.


    ¡°Rraw!¡± The slavering lion pounced at the bound princess before she hit the ground and pinned her against the wall of the tunnel.


    ¡°Hi Xerxes, missed me?¡± Lily giggled as she winked at him.


    ¡°You!¡± His eyes widened with horror, ¡°Get out! I¡¯ll hurt you¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± Xerxes shuddered as he tried to back away from the trussed-up princess.


    ¡°Hey philandering pervert,¡± the princess demanded imperialistically, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance to sober up or I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    The lion¡¯s eyes bulged with uncontrolled rage as he buried his fist deep into her stomach with all the strength his body could muster. He howled with unrestrained fury as he lifted the slight girl over his head before swinging down and cracking her back across his knee. ¡°Die!¡± Xerxes gloated as he hurled the broken girl away to join a pile of similarly ravaged victims.


    Lily sighed as she cranked her head around to peek awkwardly at the roaring lion pounding at the tunnel walls, ¡°That was the last straw, I was really nice, wasn¡¯t I? Elder sister? No one can blame me for getting just a little angry after all that¡­¡±


    The lion whirled around at the sound of her moody mummering and he stared with disbelief at the conscious princess, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll rip out your guts and tear you apart from the inside out!¡± He raged as he thundered towards his immobilized prey.


    Lily sighed loudly and puffed out her chest with a long deep breath.


    Having ignored Methuselah¡¯s repeated warnings, several enterprising archmages crowded around the pit to peer into the darkened depths, but the spectating Saadians muttered with surprise as Xerxes¡¯ angered roar tapered off into a fearful whimper.


    ¡°STUPID IDIOT XERXES!¡± Lily¡¯s Talent laced voice blasted upward with a force that drowned out the lion¡¯s helpless wails of horror. The concussed Saadians staggered back from the hole, their eyes were blank and unfocused, and blood poured freely from their shattered eardrums. For ten torturous seconds, Lily¡¯s power surged up to split the heavens. Then the ignited talisman fastened behind her head detonated with a massive concentrated bang and the pit was shaken violently as large cracks webbed swiftly throughout its destabilized surface.


    The dimeritium chains binding the princess crumbled to dust around her as her body tottered back to its feet, ¡°Grr. Everything always breaks when I lose my temper, I hope that they won¡¯t charge me for all the dimeritium I destroyed¡­¡± Lily mumbled as she watched her body grope around blindly in the darkness, ¡°Get over here, rest of me!¡± Her detached head ordered with a giggle and the headless body of a sixteen-year-old witch pivoted around gracefully to reattach herself. ¡°Ahem, testing, testing, one, two, three.¡± Lily stretched and examined her rapidly regenerating injuries, ¡°Great, I¡¯m almost normal again.¡± The pleased princess nodded happily as she prodded at the blackened smoking carcass of the lion of Saadian, ¡°Oie! Wake up! Don¡¯t make me fix you!¡±


    The runes lining Xerxes¡¯ body flared up one final time before spluttering out completely and the mighty emperor of Saadian curled up into a fetal position as he shuddered at the smiling witch standing before him, ¡°Help! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± He whimpered frightfully.


    The crestfallen princess pouted petulantly, ¡°Why does everyone say that to me, all the time?¡±

 Chapter 29: Requiem of the Witch

    Krall is my shepherd; I shall not want.


    Though a thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand before me.


    Yea, though I voyage through the oceans of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.


    Thy waves and thy arms they comfort me.


    Surely goodness and mercy shall befall me all the days of my life.


    And I will live in your presence forever.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    The long solemn procession winded silently through the streets of Calcutta and a sea of flags fluttered weakly at half-mast amidst a cold steady drizzle as the normally colorful city was wreathed in the grey shades of mourning. The prince leading the line of mourners had discarded his favored colors for an ashen suit of roughhewn sackcloth and his unchecked sorrow was plain to all his people. The priests bearing the polished stone casket rang their bells with practiced synchrony as they chanted their prayers to the gods above and the people parted respectfully as they paid their last respects to the witch that had shaken their lands. A veiled sorceress studied Aryan anxiously as she rode slowly behind the weeping heartbroken boy and she sighed softly to herself as she leaned down to meow softly to her mare.


    ¡°To tell, or not to tell, that is the question:


    Whether ¡®tis better for him to suffer,


    The boney tuna pokies of misguided sorrow,


    Or to fan his hope with a spark of truth,


    And by telling him: to doom myself to loneliness?


    The horse snorted dismissively as it ignored the whispering kitten and Mirror sighed as she leaned against her steed and closed her eyes in thoughtful contemplation. The pallbearers finally arrived at the large gated cemetery at the city¡¯s outskirts and the weeping prince trailed behind the dampened casket as it was carried to its final resting place.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± Zinnridi¡¯s expression was inscrutable as he rested a hand on Aryan¡¯s shoulder.


    The prince wiped at the mix of rain and tears trickling down his face and his hazel eyes were filled with emotion as he turned to face his people. ¡°Princess Laura Alexandra Muriel was a legend. In her brief lifetime, she created a myth of what a single girl could accomplish, a true Andanian who transcended nationality. For Vaishya, she became a symbol of bravery in battle and selflessness in sacrifice. But the girl I knew was also a warm human being, impulsive but shy, delicate and in fear of rejection, yet ever avid for life and ever giving in love. We would all not be standing here today had she not chosen to face our enemies, had she not chosen to say we shall not-no we shall not be moved.¡± He bowed his head in sorrowful remembrance as the plainly decorated sarcophagus was lowered into the willing embrace of the earth beneath them.


    ¡°I love you Laura.¡± Aryan¡¯s voice cracked with sorrow as the shoveled dirt finally obscured her from the eyes of man. And all that remained of the mighty Andanian witch was a simple marble gravestone.


    Here lies Laura of Andania,


    Forever loved,


    Forever missed,


    And dear to our hearts.


    The citizens of Vaishya sighed as they witnessed the finale of their short and tragedy filled relationship and they shook their heads as they wandered off one by one till only the grieving prince was left standing alone amidst the drizzle and the fading sunlight. But the forsaken prince wept and wept as he knelt before the grave and his tears of sorrow mingled freely with the rain into the freshly dug dirt. At last, his brothers came for him as twilight graced the skies with a hue of dull grey and they led the grieving boy away to a waiting carriage that departed for the palace.


    ¡°Aryan?¡± Mirror stretched drowsily as she rubbed her eyes and yawned. The horse she had been riding on had meandered off to munch on a patch of grass as she had slept and the kitten shivered as the damp chill of the night crept into her bones. She goaded her mare back towards the witch¡¯s resting place in an attempt to locate the prince but quickly realized that he must have returned to the palace with the others. ¡°Cold, wet, and alone.¡± The meowing kitten shuddered in the rain as she glanced pityingly at Laura¡¯s grave and it was difficult to tell if she had been referring to herself or to the witch buried beneath her. Mirror flicked the reins of her steed and was just about to ride off when her eyes fell on the inscription on the witch¡¯s tombstone, ¡°That is wrong¡­¡± the kitten muttered with a frown as she dismounted and scratched in a single additional letter.


    Here lives Laura of Andania,


    Forever loved,


    Forever missed,


    And dear to our hearts.


    ¡°There! Fixed it, Aryan will be happy now.¡± Mirror purred contentedly to herself as she rode back towards the palace to rejoin her prince.


    ¡­


    In a dimly lit private audience chamber, the Archdiviner of Vaishya bowed low before his Sultan, ¡°Your Magnificence. I feel the dire need to protest your decision again, I fear that it will place our entire nation in extreme jeopardy. Her body must be burnt, then the ashes must be mixed with silver dust and burnt again. Then we must seal the remains in multiple dimeritium urns and cast them separately into the most distant seas!¡±


    Heliocles sighed as he stroked his long white beard, ¡°I know that your loyalty to the nation is unquestioned, but don¡¯t you think that the measures you have suggested are just a tad too extreme? Do not forget that the princess gave her life for our nation and to save my son. And I find your explanations inadequate, how would a single deceased child ever be a threat to Vaishya?¡±


    ¡°I have a premonition your Magnificence, a witch is never to be taken lightly, even in death. Since ancient times, tradition dictates that the bodies of all witches must be sprinkled with silver and reduced to ash. No cursed witch must ever be buried on our nation¡¯s soil or¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Heliocles ordered, ¡°I refuse to entertain your suggestion. Whatever the other witches were like in the past has nothing to do with the princess. She was an invited guest who gave her life for our nation¡¯s survival, we will not desecrate her body in any such manner. This is an order, do not attempt to remove her body from the grave, she is to remain undisturbed.¡±


    ¡°As you wish your Magnificence, I merely exist to serve your will.¡± The anxious archdiviner bowed low in reply before departing from the chamber.


    ¡­


    Lily hummed a cheerful tune as she skipped unopposed through the lengthy hallways of Saadian palace. The people had begun treating her with more respect ever since the day she had saved that idiot Xerxes, although most of them had for very mysterious reasons, fled while screaming in fear when she had emerged from the pit with the emperor in tow. She had even managed to acquire an entire section of the sprawling underground dungeons for her exciting experiments¡­ no magic upgrade lessons. And the surprisingly helpful torturers¡­ no imperial truth-finders had even allowed her to borrow all sorts of fancy surgical instruments for her classes. Best of all, she had finally managed to recruit a very willing cute cuddly volunteer who was equally ecstatic about her research theories¡­ no new laws of magic.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Naomi, there you are!¡± The princess declared excitedly as she flung open the door to the steaming laundry chamber. A hundred pairs of eyes widened as the people stared at the royally dressed girl standing at the entrance and the slaves immediately discarded the soaps and partially cleaned garments in their hands as they prostrated before the noble visitor.


    ¡°Honored princess, how may we serve you?¡± A trembling supervisor knelt fearfully before Lily.


    The princess frowned at the man, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell everyone that Naomi is to be my personal apprentice? Why is she back in chains?¡±


    ¡°Your Royal Highness, I didn¡¯t get the message!¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened in horror, ¡°This morning, that slave returned to us and volunteered for duty at the washing chambers, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lily leafed absently through her bundle of talismans and retrieved a blood red charm from the stack. She tagged the spell on the petrified supervisor¡¯s forehead and closed her eyes to concentrate, ¡°Hmm¡­ it doesn¡¯t appear as if you are lying outright¡­¡± She mused.


    The trembling man heaved a loud sigh of relief.


    ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t like the way your eyes and hands wandered down her body while you are clamping your dirty chains around her. Punishment! You need punishment!¡± She teased playfully.


    The man shrieked with absolute terror as a pool of piss puddled around his quivering legs.


    ¡°Oh com¡¯on. I won¡¯t turn you into a toad or cast some other uniquely horrible spell on you like my elder sister!¡± Lily pouted as she glanced at the portly slaver, ¡°You look like you need some exercise anyway so why don¡¯t you hop over to the river where Krall is and shake his hand, before hoping back to work with the others?¡± The princess smiled encouragingly, ¡°Krall must be so lonely out there, please remember to sing a song for him while you¡¯re passing by.¡±


    ¡°Help! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± The supervisor¡¯s eyes darted around desperately for a means of escape but he quickly realized that the only route to freedom was being blockaded by the princess. ¡°What¡­ what happens if I don¡¯t do as you say?¡± The man stammered fearfully.


    Lily sighed and shook her head disapprovingly, ¡°That might be bad, especially if Krall gets really lonely and decides to visit your home one day. He¡¯s really harmless, but stuff tends to break whenever Krall visits¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hop! I¡¯ll hop! Please have mercy on my family!¡± The man blanched and immediately began jumping towards the distant goal.


    ¡°Problem solved!¡± Lily brightened as she strode over to Naomi and cuddled her close, ¡°My poor little adorable puppy, were you afraid? I¡¯m here to save you, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything anymore!¡± The princess tugged the tongue-tied girl to her feet and marched towards the exit. The chains binding the child to the other slaves clanked loudly and a whole row of other children were dragged up along with her. ¡°More happy volunteers?¡± Lily drooled as she eyed the bunch of horrified kids with a predatory expression.


    ¡°Please have mercy honored princess! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± The children wept and trembled as they eyed the iron head crusher in her hand.


    ¡°Die?¡± Lily tilted her head in bafflement as she tapped the metal torture device absently against her thigh, ¡°Who said anything about dying? I¡¯m just going to transform Naomi into my cuddly magic minion, you won¡¯t be allowed to die. How about it? Want to join her?¡±


    ¡°No, please no!¡± The horrified children fell onto their knees and crawled away from the disappointed princess.


    ¡°Humph, spoilsports.¡± Lily pouted as she snapped off Naomi¡¯s chains with her bare hands, ¡°I guess it¡¯s just you and me, loyal apprentice! Unless no actually means yes in Saadian?¡± She smiled hopefully as she turned back to glance at the shivering children.


    Naomi stared at the moody princess with bleak despairing eyes, she had almost begun to hope that Lily would forget about her if she returned inconspicuously to her former position. But the witch must have had senses superior to that of a bloodhound to pursue her all the way into the depths of the slave quarters. ¡°Leave my friends alone!¡± She mustered every iota of courage she possessed as she straightened up to face the horrifying predator looming over her, ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but only if I¡¯m your only volunteer!¡±


    ¡°I get it!¡± Lily smiled happily, ¡°You want to monopolize all my experiments to yourself! What are we waiting for? Off to the torture chambers¡­ no underground classrooms, where nobody will be able to hear our screams of joy!¡± The witch declared with barely suppressed excitement as she tugged the horrified child deep into the bowels of the earth.


    ¡°What¡­ did you do to them?¡± Naomi moaned as cold sweat beaded on her brow. The uninviting stone floor of the dungeon was crusted with brownish stains of dried out blood and decorated with the occasional decaying body part. And a staggering quantity of fear inspiring devices, each designed to induce a unique form of exotic torment, decorated the vast brightly lit chamber they had just entered.


    Three most dismal men occupied the otherwise deserted space. The first had what seemed like a talisman wrapped steel rod pierced through his skull, just above his ears. He stood silently in the open space at the room¡¯s center and his eyes bulged with agony, but he was frozen in place despite the lack of any visible restraints. The second moaned hoarsely from within an iron maiden. His blood and excrement was pooled on the floor beneath him and his veins had long since run dry, but he was somehow still alive despite the lethal wounds that had been inflicted on his body. The head of the third opened and closed his mouth repeatedly with soundless screams. The remainder of his carefully dissected figure was spread out over a blood drenched table and each of his organs had been meticulously catalogued by his own hands.


    ¡°The most experienced imperial truth-finders in Saadian! A really curious people.¡± Lily explained with a smile, ¡°The first wanted to know if I had any method of inflicting pain without inducing physical damage, so I lent him my sister¡¯s handy mind bendy talisman. The second wanted to develop a method for increasing the durability his wounded guests, so I helped him out with a personal demonstration. And the third was just so shy¡­ he tried to leave without asking any questions, so I simply reviewed basic human anatomy with him. And they all really enjoy their lessons!¡± The princess skipped towards the three men, ¡°Just fascinating when you learn the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± First man managed to scream.


    ¡°Very enlightening!¡± The second moaned.


    ¡°¡­¡± The third head nodded fanatically in silent agreement.


    Tears of absolute fright trickled down Naomi¡¯s cheeks as she beheld the miserable state of the empire¡¯s most hardened torturers, ¡°You murdered them all¡­¡± she mumbled, ¡°you¡¯re a hideous demoness¡­¡±


    Lily stared at the sobbing child with a slightly miffed expression, ¡°What do you mean by that? They are all clearly still alive and well. My elder sister is the one that actually kills anyone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what forbidden magics you used to bind their souls to the world of the living, but there¡¯s clearly no way that any of them will walk away unscathed after what you did to their bodies!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait a minute, do you actually underestimate my fixing up abilities?¡± Lily pouted as she pried open the iron maiden and tagged the shattered corpse with a dark talisman, ¡°Erm what was I supposed to say again? Ahh¡­ you can have my life, one attosecond.¡± The charm crackled with a massive surge of power as the wounds on the torturer¡¯s body were sealed one after the other. Then the hysterical man was physically whole and he opened his mouth to scream.


    ¡°Arrgh!!! Help, no more! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡±


    Lily winced and her hands bolted up instinctively to shield her sensitive ears, the released iron maiden slammed shut, and the unfortunate victim¡¯s shrieks were silenced into a choked agonized gurgle as a fresh mist of blood and gore sprayed out from the deadly device. ¡°Whew that was loud. See? I was sure that I could fix them all, nobody ever dies!¡± Lily smiled victoriously.


    ¡°A fate infinitely worse than death! What¡­ what¡­ are you?¡± True untainted horror was etched on Naomi¡¯s features as she stared at the innocently beaming princess.


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Lily, the princess witch of Andania. But don¡¯t you already know that? Did you hurt your head somewhere? We should immediately examine your brains for disease!¡± Lily tugged the child into her arms and studied her with growing concern.


    ¡°Witches are pure evil¡­¡± Naomi moaned as her final struggles were snuffed out effortlessly by the princess¡¯ vastly superior strength.


    ¡°I get that all the time, isn¡¯t that just amazing? The good little witches in all my story books tend to die in the most unpleasant ways.¡± Lily cooed contently as she straddled her happy volunteer across the hips and reached out for the closest sharpened hacksaw. And the witch of Andania smiled as her puppy stared at her with wide eager eyes and opened her mouth to scream with ecstasy.

 Side Chapter 1: The Albatross

    To raise new questions, understand new possibilities, to examine old problems fearlessly from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advances in magic that only a true witch can achieve.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Captain on deck!¡± Lieutenant Marcel saluted smartly along with the duty crew as the senior officer emerged from his quarters.


    ¡°At ease,¡± Captain Grimm returned their salutes and nodded at his experienced crewmembers as they returned to their duties, ¡°Quartermaster, how long before the witches arrive? Let¡¯s go over the itinerary again.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. The witches are expected in an hour, we will then take on their cargo and depart for the neighboring island of Katar. We will then lay anchor, at least three kilometers from the island and not approach under any circumstances until the prearranged signal is given exactly twice.¡± The experienced officer hesitated momentarily, ¡°Sir, do you still think that we have made the correct decision to accept this mission? According to my sources, none of the locals would even consider taking on the witches at any price. In addition, Katar is rumored to be overrun with an unidentified magical plague of unknown origin¡­¡±


    Grimm shrugged, ¡°Both witches are merely pre-adolescent children and all our men are armed to the teeth, how bad could it get? More importantly, the King himself promised to pay a bounty worth seven times the value of our entire ship for just one short trip to Katar. And I¡¯m sure that the plague isn¡¯t seaborne yet since none of the inhabitants residing on the other islands are affected, all in all, the risks are minimal. We would have to sail for over a decade to hope to make that much profit¡­¡±


    ¡°MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!¡± A pair of girlish voices screamed in unison as they plunged from the cloudless skies above the ship. Grimm and the crew stared with disbelief as the tiny blot of black grew swiftly larger above them and the captain gulped as he realized that he was in their direct path. Fortunately, his many years of experience finally kicked in and the man leapt desperately sideways as the pair of seven-year-old girls smashed straight through the upper quarterdeck of his ship and into the cargo hold beneath them. The crew paled as they stared cautiously into the gaping hole in their vessel, but none of the sailors had the inclination to investigate the fate of the children who had obviously suffered from a most catastrophic magical disaster.


    ¡°Maybe we should wait for the King to arrive¡­¡± Lieutenant Marcel suggested reluctantly as he pulled his shaken superior to his feet. But just as Grimm shook his head and opened his mouth to order his crew to assess the damage, his eyes widened with disbelief as the argumentative voices of the pair of children echoed from beneath them.


    ¡°Aim for the nearest ship¡¯s captain you said? I warned you that it wasn¡¯t a good idea!¡± Laura shouted irritably.


    ¡°It was all because of that lousy stop talisman you made, ¡®ground level¡¯ isn¡¯t ship level! You should have made a spell that stopped us several meters higher. Now Father will bill us for the entire stupid broken boat! I¡¯m so tired of filling crystals in that dark boring room under the palace.¡± Lily muttered unhappily.


    ¡°Maybe we should just destroy all the evidence¡­ I know! We can blame it all on Krall! He did this! And I have just the spell to produce all the victims we need.¡± Laura suggested conspiratorially.


    ¡°No you idiot! How dare you push the responsibility on poor innocent Krall, you are too evil. He would never do something terrible like that!¡± Lily pouted.


    ¡°Well how about you distract Father again while I stick my handy mind bendy talisman on him? I could make him think that all ships have holes or something¡­¡± Laura suggested hopefully.


    ¡°You would also have to stick those talismans on all the sailors above us and on all of Father¡¯s guards. Did you bring enough paper?¡± Lily brightened as she searched her pockets.


    ¡°One, two, three, four¡­ arrgh¡­ I should have written more of these charms. Maybe we can turn some of this wood around us into paper or something, give me a sec, I remember a transmutation inscription that we can easily modify to smash these beams into¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem, ladies?¡± Captain Grimm cleared his throat nervously as he swung open the door to the hold and stepped in cautiously with the most loyal members of his crew.


    The girls stared about them in bafflement, ¡°Ladies? What is this about ladies?¡± Laura stepped up to shield her sister, ¡°Go away, we are not interested in you. Not yet and definitely not in the way you are interested in us anyway.¡±


    ¡°Elder sister, they look like the pirates from the picture books we read together. Pointy metal sticks on their left, metal cylinders on each hip, and each dressed in a different costume! We should add them to Father¡¯s collection of palace minions, life has gotten so very dull lately¡­¡± Lily requested hopefully as she peeked out from behind her sister.


    ¡°Brilliant idea!¡± Laura nodded thoughtfully, ¡°I just reverse engineered this dimensional shrinkage magic yesterday. We could try sticking them, pirate ship and all, into a pretty glass bottle. The cost of feeding them all would certainly be minimized and Father will definitely be pleased with our handiwork. All we need now is the perfect glass bottle!¡± Laura declared as she gazed searchingly around the hold.


    The nervous captain cleared his throat for the second time, ¡°I suppose I should ask, just to be sure. Who are you?¡±


    Laura frowned as she turned to her sister, ¡°Foreign mundane pirates aren¡¯t very intelligent, are they? Shouldn¡¯t they at least recognize the people that are about to acquire them?¡±


    Lily smiled as she stepped out from behind her sister¡¯s shadow, ¡°Sorry about that dear Sirs. My sister is an unforgivable tsundere, we are the Witches of Andania. I apologize for the fact that we may not spare much time in conversation with you, our Father is arriving shortly, and we have a pressing problem to resolve.¡±


    Captain Grimm shivered instinctively, the witch¡¯s uncannily delivered greeting seemed even more threatening than the ominous verbal threats her twin had dished out, ¡°We are not pirates, Honored Princesses. This is the Albatross and we were commanded by the King to escort you to Katar for a secret mission¡­¡± His voice trailed off uncertainly as he eyed the abject disappointment etched on Lily¡¯s features.


    ¡°Elder sister. These mundanes are the ones that mustn¡¯t be hurt, don¡¯t you remember Father¡¯s lecture from yesterday?¡± Lily frowned as she glanced with growing worry at her twin. ¡°You must be seriously ill, if your memory has deteriorated to such an extent! We must examine your brains for disease immediately, dearest sister.¡± Lily nodded to herself as she began leafing slowly through the stack of charms in her hand.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    An infinitesimal flicker of fear flashed across Laura¡¯s features, but it was swiftly suppressed with a cheerful smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be a super idiot little sister, witches don¡¯t ever suffer from mundane diseases. Don¡¯t you even remember that handwritten memo at the beginning of the medical encyclopedia you were reading? Maybe you¡¯re the one that needs immediate medical attention for brain rot!¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember those scribbles, butthey were added much more recently, and¡­ the author¡¯s scent was surprisingly similar to yours¡­¡± Lily bit her lip with concern. ¡°Maybe we should peek quickly, just to be really sure¡­¡± She nodded agreeably as she reached out towards Laura.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Laura shook her head disapprovingly as she grabbed at her sister¡¯s hands, ¡°that¡¯s just a blatant excuse for you to play doctor. There¡¯s no time and we still have to resolve this mess before Father arrives.¡±


    ¡°Aww you¡¯re such a spoilsport,¡± Lily pouted disappointedly, ¡°it¡¯s actually just a tiny little hole anyway. And it¡¯s not as if we blew up the entire harbor like the last time we played hide and seek together? I¡¯m sure that Father won¡¯t be too mad¡­¡±


    ¡°Honored Princesses, please do not concern yourself about the damage to the ship. How about some tea? We have prepared the best cabin in the ship to accommodate you.¡± The wise captain interjected with diplomatic hurriedness.


    ¡°Tea! What a smashing idea.¡± Lily smiled brightly as she clapped her hands together and skipped past the packed crew members before they could react, ¡°I¡¯m sure that your unique blend of Vaishyan Darjeeling and aged Saadian Pu¡¯er will be an enlightening experience.¡± The witch giggled contentedly as she disappeared up the narrow stairwell.


    ¡°Darjeeling and Pu¡¯er?¡± Grimm blinked with confusion as he stared at the remaining princess before him, ¡°But how did she¡­¡±


    Laura¡¯s cheerful exterior was instantly replaced with a chilling seriousness as she stared at the men arrayed defensively before her, ¡°No matter what happens, don¡¯t ask any more questions, don¡¯t try to understand anything, and don¡¯t show any fear. Do as I say and most of you will actually survive to see another dawn.¡± She hissed softly even as she waved a talisman to seal the chamber from observation, ¡°This is your super-duper final warning!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Marcel stammered incredulously.


    ¡°Sister Laura, hurry up, tea¡¯s waiting. Stop whispering to those mundane sailors down there, I promised Father that I wouldn¡¯t hurt them. So stop worrying!¡± Lily shouted as she stomped impatiently on the wooden floorboards.


    ¡°Coming! Jeez, it¡¯s just some tea, why are you suddenly so excited?¡± Laura dashed hastily up the stairs to reunite with her twin. Her smile flipped instantly into a disapproving frown as she jerked open the door to the finely decorated cabin Lily was residing in, ¡°You promised Father not to hurt anymore!¡± She complained as she eyed the trembling crewmember crouching at the corner of the chamber. The man moaned softly as he curled up into a fetal position while clutching at a vicious head wound. The blood gushing from his injury, stained deep into the wooden floorboards, and soaked through the deck beneath them.


    ¡°Oh elder sister, you¡¯re finally here. Come quickly, I¡¯ve already figured out how to brew just the perfect pot of tea!¡± Lily smiled cheerfully as she gestured eagerly at the elegantly decorated tea set laid out on the table before her.


    Laura sighed loudly as she tugged the man forcefully to his feet and tagged him hastily with a healing talisman, ¡°Oh bloody Krall, what did you do to him? Lend me some of your blood, I can¡¯t fix this stupid mundane with just my magic alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was just a harmless procedure that let me borrow a piece of his mind, here you can return it to him! I wanted to learn how mundanes brewed tea on a ship and he helpfully volunteered to teach me. Aren¡¯t Father¡¯s hired sailor minions just such a kind and generous people?¡± Lily nodded reasonably as she brandished the white quivering piece of brain in her hand.


    Laura muttered darkly under her breath as she shoveled the jelly-like substance back into the skull of the horrified sailor. The princess marched up to her twin and stabbed her wrist with a blade before she could protest and filled a saucer with her blood. Then her brows furrowed in concentration as she dipped her finger in the fresh red extract and she began tracing out an intricate restorative spell on a blank piece of parchment. The princess sighed finally as she blew softly at the damp newly created talisman, ¡°Okay, now we fix that stupid mundane and wipe his memories before he¡­¡± Laura¡¯s voice trailed off as she blinked with disbelief, ¡°holy Krall, where did that stupid run off to?¡±


    Lily let out an anticipatory giggle, ¡°The book was right! He enjoyed my ministrations so much that he ran out to invite his friends to join in the fun. I can already hear his screams of joy and the ecstatic heart beats of my approaching mundane volunteers!¡± Laura cursed in reply as she dashed towards the entrance to bar it with a defensive talisman but the door caved inward as a red-faced Lieutenant Marcel burst into the chamber and jabbed a loaded pistol at the twins.


    ¡°What did you do to our cook?¡± The agitated man demanded furiously as Laura backed warily away from between him and her younger twin.


    ¡°I warned you not to ask any questions¡­.¡± Laura groaned as Lily sidled up expectantly to the fanatic officer.


    ¡°Here, you¡¯ll understand everything after a few tiny upgrades¡­¡± Lily cooed comfortingly as she pressed her handy snippy talisman against his skull.


    ¡°What!? Wait¡­ no¡­ help¡­ arrgh!¡± Marcel screamed as Lily¡¯s magic cleaved straight through his forehead. The panicked man discharged his weapon straight into Lily¡¯s slender chest and the powerful pointblank blast blew the unprepared witch off her feet and into the far wall. ¡°No¡­ what have I done?¡± The Lieutenant gibbered in disbelief as he eyed the crumpled child and clutched at the blood pouring profusely from his head wound.


    ¡°What happened here!? Oh gods, get the medic immediately!¡± Captain Grimm yelled in horror as he dashed into the room with the rest of his crew.


    ¡°Interesting. I would like to acquire your ability to summon a divine medic, I just have to borrow several of your parts for a couple of minutes.¡± Lily nodded from among the gathered crew as she rubbed at the bloody smudge in her dress.


    ¡°Aphrodite¡¯s tits! How the hell did she get over here?¡± A sailor stammered in disbelief as his eyes darted repeatedly between the bloody patch where Lily had lain and the girl standing amidst them.


    ¡°So many curious volunteers!¡± Lily giggled as she waved excitedly to her sister, ¡°Dearest elder sister, wanna join them? It¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    ¡°I warned you.¡± Laura muttered at the confused crew of the Albatross. Then she smiled wanly at Lily, ¡°I think I¡¯ll have a short nap at the masthead while waiting for Father to arrive. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have enough fun even without me. Please, please remember not to sink the boat, we still need it for the picnic remember?¡± The princess retrieved a talisman and fled hurriedly from her younger sister to the highest part of the ship and she plugged her ears and squeezed her eyes tightly shut as the captain¡¯s decapitated head hit the deck.


    ¡°It¡¯s a demonic monster! Kill it, kill it!¡± The still intact crewmembers unloaded a volley of heated lead into the witch. The air grew hazy with smoke as her bloodied body jerked repeatedly from the impact of several dozen rounds.


    Lily frowned at the horrified crew as she straightened up and eyed the tattered remains of her dress, ¡°I must protest your highly improper treatment,¡± she smiled, ¡°it appears that I also have to educate you on the niceties of society. Why don¡¯t the lot of you settle down and listen to my lecture, Father will definitely be pleased if I instruct you on the finer points of Andanian mannerisms and culture.¡± The princess darted forward with a blur of speed and tore off a pair of heads before arranging them carefully on the nearest table.


    ¡°Help! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± The surviving crew scattered in various directions as they discarded their ineffective weaponry and fled either towards the gangplank for the shore or directly for the closest railings to leap into the ocean


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, nobody ever dies!¡± Lily shouted reassuringly after the fleeing crew, ¡°my sister¡¯s the one that actually kills anyone!¡± Then their screams of joy filled the air as she added their heads to her collection of very willing listeners. And not a single soul made it off the Albatross in one piece as the witch began her lecture.

 Side Chapter 2: Demon of Katar

    Only two things are infinite: A Witch¡¯s magic and human stupidity; but we are still not really sure about the Witch.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°They look super different.Did you actually screw their heads back onto the original bodies?¡± Laura whispered doubtfully to her twin as they eyed the approaching procession of Andanian guards.


    Lily shrugged absently with a bored yawn, ¡°Does that even matter? I think that my new arrangement of parts is superior to the original layout. And I¡¯m sure that they can always trade among themselves later if they are still unsatisfied?¡±


    ¡°You did what!?¡± Laura blurted out with exasperation, ¡°Didn¡¯t I explain repeatedly that mundanes must be put back together in exactly the same order they are dissembled? They don¡¯t have conveniently interchangeable bits like Krall does!¡±


    ¡°Stop overreacting, dearest sister.¡± Lily smiled brightly as she turned to inspect her handiwork, ¡°The crew of the Albatross really like their newly arranged parts. Don¡¯t you all?¡±


    The sailors arrayed neatly behind her snapped to attention instantly in perfect synchrony, ¡°Yes! Honored Princess!¡± They yelled at the top of their voices with an eerily exact harmony, ¡°Your humble servants are infinitely grateful for your guidance.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way a bunch of random mundanes could react like that! Did you stitch parts of their brains together too? Didn¡¯t Mother warn you not to do that to our servants? It totally messes up their individual personalities when you mix their thoughts up like this and they all tend to break down after a while¡­¡± Laura groaned as she was torn between either trying to resolve the smoldering magical disaster behind her or attempting to obscure it from the approaching convoy of Andanians.


    ¡°Well¡­ they weren¡¯t exactly our servants¡­¡± Lily rationalized, ¡°And it improves their ability to learn things multi-fold! Now all they have to do is to assign one person to study something and all of them can apply their newly obtained knowledge together!¡± The witch beamed hopefully at her twin, ¡°Dearest sister, we should certainly consider a similar arrangement, imagine how much more efficient it would be. I would be able to acquire all your remaining magical abilities instantly, it will definitely be a smashing success!¡±


    ¡°And have your twisted thoughts swimming within my brains for eternity?¡± Laura shuddered as she stuck out her tongue at her slyly smiling sister, ¡°No thanks! And I don¡¯t see how I would benefit from such a lousy plan. You¡¯re just trying to squirm out of your magical studies again! Besides didn¡¯t Father tell us that magic is best learnt the old-fashioned way? Just knowing about a spell isn¡¯t enough to obtain full mastery over it, you need to be able to flexibly apply a customized inscription to deal with each individual situation. And that¡¯s something no amount of knowledge will fix.¡± Laura lectured smugly.


    ¡°Aww, you are such a miser.¡± Lily pouted disappointedly, ¡°I¡¯ve already memorized most of the books in the library and I¡¯m sure that I know about a ton of spells that you haven¡¯t managed to learn yet. Sharing is caring! Don¡¯t you care about me, dearest sister?¡± Lily fluttered her wide crystal blue eyes entreatingly at her twin.


    Laura shrugged indifferently, ¡°Nope, I¡¯m definitely not doing it, learn your own magic the normal way!¡± The princess ceased her biting retort and turned to greet the approaching Andanian convoy which had closed within earshot.


    ¡­


    ¡°D1 are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± A misshapen fiend chortled amidst a mountain of decayed human corpses on the otherwise lifeless island of Katar.


    ¡°Of course I am, D2! Do I even have any other choice? And it¡¯s all because of the cursed witch that fused our minds together over ten centuries ago. It was a merciful fate she said¡­ And now I¡¯m stuck with your bloody voice for the rest of time!¡± The skeletal form of a powerful lich materialized from an oversized boulder beside the demon and glared furiously at the spirit snuggled between the corpses. ¡°When I finally get my hands on that witch, I¡¯ll¡­¡± the lich rubbed habitually at the non-existent tears in his hollow eye sockets, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely apologize and beg for forgiveness again! And maybe she will finally dispel this cursed magic and let me pass on in peace!¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ ten centuries is such a brief span of time. Why don¡¯t we enjoy ourselves for another thousand millenniums or so? I¡¯m still waiting for the next ice age so that I can walk off this island and journey to the continent of wooly mammoths!¡± The fiend drooled with anticipation.


    The lich clutched its head in agony, ¡°Shut up! Just shut up! It hurts whenever you try to talk and think the exact same thing at the same time. Why can¡¯t you just leave me alone for a moment or two?¡±


    ¡°Well, just look at what happened when I dozed off for a mere century? Our entire island started sprouting humans like a bunch of weeds! And what do you think would have happened if I had left you alone with them for any longer?¡± The fiend mocked.


    ¡°I was so close!¡± The lich gashed his teeth in frustration, ¡°If the human population had multiplied for just a little longer, I would have been able to gather up enough blood magic to escape this cursed binding for good. Or at least force a message through to one of my relatives¡­¡± The undead¡¯s eyes smoldered with rage as he sensed the fiend¡¯s growing amusement, ¡°And you just had to wake up and massacre them all! Did you know the numerous difficulties I suffered to convince the first people to settle down on this barren rock? And now, it¡¯ll be a thousand years before anyone will even dare to approach this place again!¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I know¡­ of course I know everything. But it was just so amusing to watch hope blossom within your shriveled heart, only to snuff it out at the last moment. Ahh¡­ this perfect mix of utter helplessness and despair¡­ I feel so satisfied whenever you fill me with such amazing emotions! You must let me feast on this feeling for the rest of eternity!¡± The fiend gloated.


    ¡°Just leave me alone¡­¡± The lich moaned as it sank down in despair. ¡°What did I ever do to deserve a cruel torture like this? All I ever asked for was a single kiss¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°This island stinks,¡± Lily complained moodily, ¡°why can¡¯t Father ever let us picnic at a more suitable location? Why must we always picnic alone on some random lifeless island?¡± The witch pouted as she stepped off the small wooden dinghy and eyed the lifeless rocky beachhead with a practiced expression of dignified distaste.


    ¡°Remember the last time when you¡­¡± Laura began condescendingly.


    ¡°But that was definitely not my fault! That peasant was insulting us behind our backs and I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°And you just had sneak out in the middle of the night to modify his throat? All because of one tiny insult? And he was the Duke of Windsor, not some bloody peasant!¡± Laura protested.


    ¡°It was just a harmless prank! I simply made him shout out every thought he had to everyone around him, honesty is always the best policy! Isn¡¯t that part of our national policy?¡±


    ¡°He was the lead diplomat from the kingdom of Osaka and we were attending a delicate international meeting! How in Krall is it supposed to be helpful when one of our key trading partners starts sprouting off stupid phases like ¡®the Countess¡¯ boobs are so big¡¯, ¡®I wonder if I can cheat the others by inflating my costs further¡¯, or ¡®how much will the bandit gangs pay me in bribes to overlook their attacks on my partners¡¯ merchants¡¯ in the middle of a conference?¡± Laura groaned.


    ¡°But I exposed that evil corrupt man for who he really was! He was defrauding Father of our hard-earned money! We should never¡­¡±


    ¡°You caused an international incident! They traced your handiwork straight back to us and blamed us for bewitching him!¡± Laura sighed, ¡°Besides who would ever believe the words of a man who was clearly being influenced by the magic of a foreign power?¡±


    ¡°But I was so sure that they would all begin to see things my if they would just consent to a few tiny modifications¡­¡± Lily muttered with perplexity, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone see the value of¡­¡±


    The princess began to deliver a heated retort but tensed up suddenly and snatched at her twin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hey did you feel that? Something¡¯s definitely off with the island today!¡± Her eyes widened as a shiver of caution trailed down her spine.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing serious, the sleeping spirit over there finally woke up. You know, the large shiny rock I poked at a couple of times the last time we came over? There was an undead man living inside and a fiend was hibernating beneath it.¡± The witch smiled cheerfully as she skipped towards the epicenter of the desolated island, ¡°Hey let¡¯s go over and say hi to the demon, maybe it will have some interesting bedtime stories to share!¡±


    ¡°Ugh oh okay¡­ WAIT WHAT!? A DEMON!? Let¡¯s get the hell out of here, we must warn Father immediately, then get the mages, and¡­¡± Laura shuddered reflexively and turned towards the small wooden rowboat they had arrived on.


    ¡°Dearest sister,¡± The witch¡¯s hand clamped like an unbreakable vice around her twin¡¯s arm, ¡°hell is over that way, you always did have the poorer sense of direction.¡± She pointed unmistakably at the most blighted portion of the island, ¡°I¡¯m sure Father already knows about the fiend, its magical signature was unmistakable even from our palace back in Andania! More importantly, I wonder if that undead knows any fancy magic tricks? And do you think the fiend will be able sing a song for Krall?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t manage to sense that demon before I set foot on the island, Father and the others haven¡¯t the faintest chance of detecting it! This is a potential magical disaster of a national magnitude, just waiting to happen. We must¡­¡± The princess warned desperately as she attempted to shake free from her twin¡¯s ironclad grasp.


    ¡°Aww what¡¯s the worst that could happen? It¡¯s just a tiny little spirit thingy and some dead old man! Besides if we tell Father now, he won¡¯t ever allow us to return to the island. I spent so much time preparing those sandwiches and we are fresh out of backup picnic islands!¡± Lily giggled mischievously as she began dragging her reluctant sister away from the shore.


    ¡°We mustn¡¯t risk it! Didn¡¯t I make you read that tome on deadly paranormal beings? A demon is¡­¡± Laura protested weakly.


    ¡°Bah¡­ that musty oldbook was clearly written to frighten naive little children! How could poor harmless Krall be classified as a World Level threat? And don¡¯t you remember what was at the very top of that imprudent fairytale list?¡± Lily retorted mildly.


    ¡°A witch¡­¡± The princess muttered under her breath as she quickly realized that she was on the losing side of their dispute.


    ¡°My point exactly!¡± The witch concluded triumphantly, ¡°We are just harmless seven-year-old children! You might have killed a couple of people, but I have never harmed a single soul in my entire life! How can we be treated as a threat that could end civilization on the planet? This is blatant discrimination! The author¡­ gosh! If I meet that little girl hater, I¡¯ll definitely give him a piece of my mind!¡± Lily declared loudly as she stomped eagerly towards the source of demonic energy.


    ¡°Wait! Please reconsider! We should¡­¡± The princess begged.


    ¡°Dearest elder sister,¡± The witch turned to clasp Laura¡¯s face in her hands and stared straight into her crystal blue eyes, ¡°I have explained my actions in an extremely logical and understandable manner, it is clear that my suggested course of action will result in the greater benefit for us both. If you still fail to understand my position, perhaps it is because your ability to reason has been compromised in some manner. We should immediately examine your brains for¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it! I get it! I was just super joking!¡± Laura replied hurriedly as blood drained from her cheeks, ¡°What are we waiting for? I¡¯m just as excited as you are about this, let¡¯s go over there and smoke out that spirit! I wonder if it likes sandwiches?¡±

 Side Chapter 3: The Andanian Retainers

    There are only two methods for crafting an unbreakable magic. One way is to make it so perfect that there are obviously no weaknesses, and the other way is to make it so powerful that even the obvious deficiencies cannot be exploited. The mastering of the first method marks a true witch from a demon.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching swiftly, D1!¡± The fiend chortled with anticipatory joy as its acidic drool hissed loudly against the blighted soil. ¡°How are they resistant to the magical plague on this island? Do you think that they will taste better than rotten flesh? I¡¯ve never managed to meet a living human during my entire existence, do they have emotions, just like you do?¡±


    ¡°Stop lying. You¡¯re just trying to get my hopes up again.¡± The lich muttered morosely as he curled his hands around his knees and stared at the grains of soil beneath his feet. ¡°I won¡¯t fall for such an obvious deception. Only an experienced mage could hope to stand a chance against the toxic aura you emit constantly whenever you¡¯re awake. And why would any mage worth his salt travel to this blighted doubly-cursed¡­¡± His remaining words of complaint froze in his throat as a warm soft hand rested on his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey mister, want a sandwich?¡± Lily giggled mischievously.


    ¡°Ahh! Ugh¡­ blasted barnacles! How did you sneak up to¡­¡± The lich swore as it whirled around swiftly, but the witch skipped around soundlessly to hide at his back and his gaze fell instead on her wary twin sister. ¡°Honored Princess Charlotte!? You survived the battle of Trafalger after all! Why didn¡¯t you take me with you? Where have you been all these years...¡±


    ¡°Boo!¡± Lily shouted gleefully as she shoved the unprepared lich forcefully from behind. The astonished undead was thrown forward into the princess and they collapsed in a tangled heap of limbs.


    ¡°Get off me you stinking uncultured molester!¡± Laura swore as she struggled to free herself.


    ¡°A thousand, thousand apologies my dearest princess! D2, I mean that cursed fiend must have¡­¡± The lich dislodged himself hastily and turned to glare at the perpetrator behind him. ¡°I will definitely kill you this time, you demonic¡­¡± His voice choked off for the second time as he stared disbelievingly at an identical copy of the girl beside him. ¡°Two witches? But how¡­¡± He whimpered in disbelief.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± Lily cheered brightly, ¡°You seem quite durable, mister. Let¡¯s play a game of hide and seek together!¡±


    ¡°A game¡­¡± The lich stammered. ¡°Ah you are just a child, Princess Charlotte must be¡­¡± The undead nodded with belated realization as it turned back to examine the other girl beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m not my great-great-great-grandaunt either.¡± Laura shook her head with flat denial as she dusted off her dress, ¡°I know that she was about our age when she perished during some lousy battle at sea, but it¡¯s been over a thousand years since then! Surely she would have grown a little if she was still alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Hide and seek! Hide and seek! Now, now, now!¡± Lily jerked him around forcefully and stomped her feet impatiently.


    ¡°Oh, I see. I had always feared for the worst when she confined me to this island, all those years ago, and never returned for me. I must apologize for mistaking you for someone else, my memories of her appearance seem to have faded with time. Please leave me alone, I wish to mourn in peace.¡± A mix of disappointment and sorrow was etched on his features as the lich sank back slowly down onto the earth.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Lily pouted impatiently, ¡°Let¡¯s play some games immediately! It¡¯s been ages since we¡¯ve found anyone good enough to finish a game with us!¡±


    ¡°Remember that book I placed at your nightstand about three months ago? Didn¡¯t you promise to read it after I reminded you repeatedly¡­¡± Laura began lecturing somewhat obnoxiously.


    ¡°I get it! I get it! It was that moldy old tome about our family history. But it was far too depressing for me to finish! Those lousy ancestors kept dying in the most ridiculous ways ever! I hate it when people die, why does anyone have to die?¡±


    ¡°But death is just so fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± The fiend chortled as it appeared before them and tossed a decaying skull at their feet.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± Lily paled immediately at the sight. Then she sniffed at the air and quickly identified the nearby pit which contained the partially buried remains of several dozen former residents of the island. The distraught witch staggered backwards with a traumatized expression to clutch at her sister, ¡°They are all dead! But I didn¡¯t do it¡­ I didn¡¯t lose my temper, I swear! I don¡¯t remember anything, so it¡¯s definitely not my fault!¡± She begged desperately.


    ¡°Begone super foul demon! I won¡¯t ever let you hurt my sister!¡± Laura shouted bravely as she brandished a talisman at the fiend diving towards them. An intricate globe of magic glittered brightly as it expanded to form a barrier that resisted the spirit¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Hah! A puny witch¡¯s trick like this will never stop the great D2¡­¡± The fiend¡¯s gloating trailed off as a look of horror glimmered on its features, ¡°You must be lying! There¡¯s no way that you are both witches when you both look exactly alike. And you¡¯re sisters¡­ TWIN SISTERS!?¡± The demon let out a sudden whimper as it backed away cautiously from the pair of children.


    ¡°Whatever does mister spirit mean? What does being twins have to do with anything?¡± Lily frowned in confusion.


    ¡°Nothing! Ignore it. It¡¯s just a stupid lying spirit so it¡­¡± Laura flashed a hurried smile.


    The fiend glanced alternatingly at the two identical girls before it, ¡°Which one of you is the CURSED ONE? Arrgh¡­ But it¡¯s already obvious!¡± The spirit spat angrily at Lily, ¡°She must never be allowed to come of age! Why didn¡¯t your mother offer her to Krall when her powers first manifested¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± A single tear trickled down Lily cheek, ¡°Elder sister, what happened to Mother? I¡­ Erp why can¡¯t I remember?¡± The witch groaned as she fell to her knees and clutched at her head. And the earth began to tremble as a massive destructive power began accumulating swiftly within her.


    ¡°NOT ANOTHER WORD! Just shut up before I blast you to cinders!¡± Laura threatened. Then she bent down hurriedly and tagged her moaning sister with a pitch-black talisman, ¡®You can have my life, ten years!¡¯ she thought desperately as she activated the powerful charm to suppress Lily¡¯s emerging memories. ¡°There, there¡­ dearest sister Lily. Everything is alright, don¡¯t try to think too much about anything, it¡¯s not important. Remember our agreement? I¡¯ll handle all the complicated stuffs and you just have to focus on being a good little sister. You must be very tired, so why don¡¯t you take a short nap¡­¡± Laura cooed tenderly as she nestled Lily¡¯s head gently in her lap.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Nap, yes I really like naps¡­¡± Lily smiled languidly as she wrapped her arms tightly around Laura¡¯s waist and drifted off into a dreamless enchanted slumber.


    The princess looked up and glared at both the lich and the fiend, ¡°That was close you idiots!¡± She hissed furiously, ¡°Alright, playtime¡¯s over! You probably have an hour at the most, so turn around and run as fast as you can towards the horizon, and never look back! This is your final warning!¡±


    ¡°D2, what¡¯s the meaning of this? They might be witches but they are still children!? I might not look like much, but I¡¯ve spent the past thousand years honing my skills and you¡¯re basically an irksomely invulnerable spirit! Why are your thoughts in such a jumble, I didn¡¯t even realize that you realized what fear was like¡­¡± The lich frowned in confusion.


    ¡°We must flee immediately!¡± The fiend gibbered desperately, ¡°We must lift the sealing rock together and hurl it into the sea. Time is of the essence! The water will interfere with her senses, so if we sink ourselves to the bottom of the ocean we might be able buy enough time to escape. I¡¯ll dig a trench in the ocean bed to hide us, I¡¯ll lend you all the Talent I have, we must obscure ourselves immediately with higher magic¡­¡±


    ¡°You just aren¡¯t making any sense! The reason we have been trapped on this cursed island for all these years was because of the fact that you refused to cooperate! Why have you suddenly changed your mind just because a pair of witches visit our island?¡±


    ¡°Witches never exist in pairs!¡± The fiend literally shrieked, ¡°On the rare occasion when twins are born to a witch, both of them should be sacrificed immediately to prevent even the slightest risk of¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence! Never speak again!¡± Laura capitalized on the fiend¡¯s state of distracted distress to fling a crackling talisman at it. The spell smoked violently as it cored straight into the spirit before vanishing with an ominous crackle.


    ¡°What did you do to me, you witch!?¡± The horrified fiend turned to stare at the princess as its normally hazy form began solidifying swiftly and masses of fur began sprouting from its formerly hairless skin, ¡°What did you¡­ Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°D2!? Holy barnacles, you managed to transmute that fiend into a puppy! Even his thoughts have become puppylike!¡± The lich stared warily at Laura as he began backing away in a defensive posture.


    ¡°Formerly Francis Dolohov, hailing from a long line of esteemed archmages. Achieved the status of mage first class at the tender age of twelve. Rumored to possess a rare friendship with the Princess of Andania, Charlotte Rowle Muriel. You vanished amidst the chaos of the battle of Trafalger. While the historical accounts accuse you of betraying your friend and country in her hour of most dire need, it seems that my ancestor just couldn¡¯t bear to take you along with her to a risky skirmish. Hence she spelled you here with a fiend to prevent you from following her.¡± Laura nodded analytically, ¡°Not exactly the most creative idea, but relatively effective. The only problem with her plan was the fact that she went off and died, so there was nobody to dispel the magic binding you to this island.¡±


    ¡°So? Even if you know my history, it doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± The lich countered cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch. I can free you from the magic binding you to this island. In addition, I also know the exact coordinates where Princess Charlotte¡¯s ship sank. Seeing that you have managed to survive for such an extended time, you must have researched some fairly advanced necromancy. Perhaps you can work your magic and revive your loved one in some similar form, even after all these years.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, what if you turn me into that?¡± The lich glanced at the eager fluffy puppy woofing at his feet. The undead spread his arms wide and gestured at his decaying body, ¡°Look at what happened to me, the last time I decided to trust a witch!¡±


    ¡°At least you¡¯re still alive, Princess Charlotte must have bound you to the fiend to protect you from your enemies. And there are many worse things that could have happened?¡± Laura smiled impishly.


    ¡°What could be worse than being imprisoned with a fiend for eternity?¡± The lich questioned suspiciously.


    ¡°How about being imprisoned with two fiends and this lucky puppy for eternity? I read about the spell she used, so I can easily replicate it and strand you permanently on this island.¡± Laura suggested wickedly as she stood up and strode threateningly towards the undead.


    ¡°And do you think I¡¯ll stand idly by while you stick your accursed talismans on me?¡± The lich loomed threateningly over the princess and gathered his power to strike her.


    ¡°Or what?¡± The princess laughed as she dashed up recklessly before the undead with a flash of magic, ¡°Will you kill me? The great-great-great-grandniece of the witch you swore to protect?¡±


    ¡°Petrifcrse Completus!¡± The lich summoned a wave of dark freezing fluid that swamped towards the approaching girl. But the princess retrieved a charm and dismissed the approaching spell with a lazy wave.


    ¡°Outdated monochanted textbook restraining magic,¡± Laura mocked dismissively as she continued her advance, ¡°I know at least six hundred and twenty-seven ways for countering that highly defective spell. If you mean to kill me, come at me like you mean it! A half-hearted attempt to bind me with some mediocre roadside technique will never succeed.¡± The princess stepped forward with deliberate slowness as she countered every single spell the lich cast at her. ¡°Defeated already?¡± She mocked, ¡°You¡¯re far less Talented than the history books suggested. Our kingdom¡¯s qualifying standards must have been far lower in the past!¡±


    ¡°Blasted barnacles! How dare you underestimate me!¡± The humiliated lich huffed furiously as he gathered up all his strength. A complex multilayered spell circle flashed into existence before the undead and spun with blinding speed as it launched a volley of assorted spells at the overconfident princess.


    ¡°Counter! Counter! Counter!¡± Laura¡¯s shouted with increasing strain as she blocked spell after spell with her swiftly dwindling supply of paper charms. Then a bolt of freezing ice slipped past her defenses and thudded forcefully into her chest and the daintily built child was blasted back into the blackened dirt. The princess gasped with surprise as she stared momentarily at the blade of frost protruding from her body, then she coughed out a large mouthful of blood and fell silently to the ground.


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re a witch, right? There¡¯s just no way that you were incapacitated by that single hit!¡± The lich that had been Francis shouted from a comfortably safe distance, but he failed to provoke a response from the girl that had crumpled to the ground. ¡°Bloody barnacles!¡± He swore softly as he strode cautiously towards the princess, ¡°You can¡¯t be dead! I didn¡¯t¡­¡± The lich muttered desperately as he scooped up the profusely bleeding girl and cradled her tenderly in his arms.


    ¡°Hehe, I gotcha!¡± Laura cheered as she tagged his forehead with a blood red talisman as all the blood she had shed coagulated swiftly into an intricate talisman beneath their feet.


    ¡°You!!!¡± The swiftly transforming lich managed to stutter out a single word of horror before his warping vocal cords interrupted his speech. And the princess grinned victoriously as she cuddled yet another fluffy puppy in her arms.


    ¡°Elder sister, what¡¯s happening? I heard many loud noises¡­¡± Lily muttered drowsily as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes. The witch gasped as she finally noticed her sister¡¯s ragged bloodstained dress, ¡°You¡¯re hurt! We must fix you immediately¡­¡± She exclaimed worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, little sister.¡± Laura countered condescendingly, ¡°It was just a tiny scratch, I¡¯m all healed up already. Hey, won¡¯t you hold this naughty puppy for me, it bit me while I wasn¡¯t paying attention!¡± The exhausted princess sighed as she stuffed her newly acquired pet at her sister.


    ¡°But I can still smell the blood¡­ And we must punish also this big bad puppy immediately!¡± The witch pouted insistently as she glared at the offending animal, ¡°I¡¯ll make you feel the real meaning of¡­¡±


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡± The cute cuddly puppy barked eagerly as it drooled at the picnic basket beside Lily.


    Lily frowned, ¡°Dearest elder sister, this particular puppy is a little weird. I sense¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be silly!¡± Laura replied hurriedly as she stuffed the second puppy at her sister before it could flee, ¡°It¡¯s just because they are part of a recently discovered endangered species unique to this island! They are the Andanian Retainers! We now have a boy puppy and a girl puppy so if we take good care of them, we will soon have lots of puppies to play with!¡±


    Lily squealed with wide eyed excitement as she cuddled the barking canines tightly in her arms, ¡°Two puppies! And they are both so fluffy that I¡¯m gonna die! Do you think they will like sandwiches? I wonder if they are smart enough to play games with us? Oh, oh! I just had another smashing idea, what if we¡­¡±


    And the princess and the witch chatted eagerly about their plans for their newfound pets, till the setting sun cast its fire red rays upon the churning ocean waves, and the first stars twinkled softly on the gently darkening skies.

 Chapter 30: The Weasel’s Wile

    Thus it is written, and thus it behoved her to forget, and to rise from the dead the thirteenth day.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Please! No more¡­ mercy¡­ just kill me¡­¡± Naomi whimpered helplessly. Never in her entire fleeting life as a slave did she realize that the human body could experience such pain. Forget all the cruel and unusual punishments meted out by her often sadistic supervisors or even death by a thousand cuts, an incredibly merciful fate in comparison, the agony that was flaring through every pore of her skin made even the worst Saadian torture seem like a minor discomfort in comparison. And there was just so much blood, the vast ten thousand square meter space they were enclosed in was already pooled knee deep with the red torture dripping slowly from the ragged wounds in her body. But the witch¡¯s magic had kept her fully conscious throughout the entire horrendous experience where she had bled out a hundred times as her organs had been harvested repeatedly before they were regrown with magic.


    ¡°Hearts, livers, kidneys, spleens, stomachs, intestines¡­¡± The princess of Andania examined the carefully categorized mountains of pulsing innards as she continued to hum happily while ignoring her adorable puppy¡¯s ridiculous demands. ¡°Almost done with the preparations!¡± Lily exclaimed encouragingly, ¡°Once we have accumulated an adequate supply of spare parts, we can finally begin the magic upgrade project! Don¡¯t worry, with this many spares, there¡¯s no way in Krall that your life will be in any danger. You are in Teacher¡¯s perfectly safe hands.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even started yet!?¡± Naomi moaned as she struggled to break free from the irons crucifying her against the rectangular surgical table. But the slightest movement ignited an incredibly powerful burst of torment in her entire being and she was forced to experience the full brunt of her disobedience as the witch¡¯s magic prevented her from drifting off into the humane bliss of oblivion. ¡°Help¡­ forgive me¡­¡± Naomi croaked as her body convulsed involuntarily and fanned the surging wildfire of cruciation into a maddening crescendo that tore at her already tattered sanity.


    ¡°There, there¡­ I know that you¡¯re eager to help, but you have to be patient. The entire process should only take thirteen more days, then we might actually be able to play fun games together without accidently breaking you.¡± Lily giggled innocently with excitement.


    ¡°Please¡­ Honored Princess Lily! What did I ever do to wrong you? No more, I¡¯ll repent of all my sins¡­ I¡¯ll do anything you want!¡± Naomi begged.


    ¡°Sins? What sins?¡± Lily frowned in bafflement, ¡°You¡¯re my cute little apprentice! How could you ever offend me?¡± The princess kissed her willing pupil tenderly on the forehead even as she tore yet another heart from her body in a spray of gore. She nodded with satisfaction as she eyed the healthy beating organ even as she judiciously applied another regenerative talisman on Naomi¡¯s tattered body.


    Naomi¡¯s eyes widened with perfect terror, ¡°If I haven¡¯t wronged you¡­ are you just torturing me for your own entertainment? I always knew that witches were evil, but you¡¯re worse than I¡¯ve ever imagined! Just kill me already! Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Entertainment? You have the weirdest ideas about fun Naomi. I¡¯m really trying my best over here, you know.¡± The witch wiped at the blood that had splattered onto her face as she sawed a sharpened blade methodically through her pupil¡¯s body to extract her gut. ¡°Oh, are you hungry? I can ask one of the truth-finders to get you some dinner¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ why are you doing this to me?¡± Naomi wept hopelessly, ¡°It hurts, it hurts so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t that obvious? The experiments¡­ no upgrades might get a little unpleasant later. And I¡¯m collecting replacement parts so that I can fix you even if I¡¯m unable to restore you with magic alone. Erm what hurts? I know that mundanes conceptualize pain differently from witches, but it was just a couple of organs and I healed you immediately after that, right? Wait a minute, I made sure to do it exactly like the truth-finders¡¯ memories advised, is my technique still incomplete?¡±


    ¡°It gets much worse?¡± Naomi let out a small despairing scream.


    ¡°Of course. I never said that the improvements would be easy, did I? A couple of organs is nothing, see?¡± Lily reversed the blade in her hand and thrust it into her own chest without batting an eye. She sawed swiftly even as her wounds began to regenerate and tore out her own bloody heart. The witch tossed the beating organ on to a nearby desk as the ragged hole in her chest sealed itself. ¡°Piece of cake! I didn¡¯t even require any magic to fix a harmless scratch like that.¡± The witch demonstrated absently, as she placed an activated talisman into the large boiling cauldron that she had been stirring. ¡°Now, time for the real thing,¡± she instructed as she ladled out the black squirming liquid, ¡°drink up now. Be a little braver, we are just getting started.¡±


    ¡°Arrgh¡­mercy!!! Gugugu...¡± Naomi opened her mouth to scream preemptively but the steaming vicious fluid Lily decanted down her throat silenced her before her cries could further terrorize all the Saadian prisoners within earshot. Her eyes widened with expectant distress but a soothing warmth spread swiftly through her body as the potion¡¯s effects were manifested, ¡°What? It doesn¡¯t hurt at all?¡± She muttered with a mixture of confused relief and hesitant hope.


    Lily clapped her hands triumphantly, ¡°That was the anesthesia, I¡¯m glad it works. Here we go then!¡± The witch bit her lip to draw a single bead of blood as she stuck a midnight stained healing charm on Naomi¡¯s chest, ¡°You can have my life, one minute.¡± Lily commanded moments before she locked her moist bloodstained lips against Naomi¡¯s and fed a single drop of her blood down her eager puppy¡¯s thirsty throat. The witch¡¯s cells were stimulated by her higher magic and multiplied swiftly within the horrified child even as they began fusing together with her defenseless body on a genetic level.


    Cataclysm, fatality, tribulation. It was impossible to describe with mere words, what Naomi experienced as the willing witch¡¯s power infected her body. Did her body meld with the witch''s? Or did the witch devour her body? Either way, the net result was utter maddening excruciation like never before as her flesh was assimilated and transformed, cell by cell, from the innermost depths of her being. It was at that very moment, as the first agonizing changes swept through her body, that Naomi understood the vast asymmetry between all of humankind and the alien horror leaning against her. Then the child thought no more as she opened her mouth and screamed. And screamed.


    ¡­


    ¡°Fishes¡­ many happy fishes¡­¡± Mirror mumbled hopefully as she snuggled between the sheets and rubbed her head drowsily against the sleeping prince¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan jerked upright tearfully as he grasped the purring naked kitten by the shoulders. Then the faint flicker of hope faded as his face was etched with disappointed sorrow, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you, Mirror. Didn¡¯t I ask you to refrain from breaking into my room while I¡¯m sleeping?¡±


    ¡°But I was cold and lonely, Aryan is warm.¡± Mirror pouted as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, ¡°And I¡¯m hungry, feed me Aryan.¡± For a moment, the prince opened his mouth as if to deliver a heated retort, but he sagged back into the sheets instead and wept bitterly as he cuddled her tightly in an embrace. Mirror groaned as she stuffed a feathered pillow into his snot encrusted face, ¡°Stop slobbering all over me again! I already spent all morning grooming myself.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aryan muttered as he dabbed at the tears trickling down his cheeks, ¡°but I just can¡¯t help myself!¡± The prince bawled loudly as he buried his face into Mirror¡¯s carefully combed hair.


    ¡°Eww¡­ sticky icky Aryan!¡± The kitten squirmed away desperately as a slimy blend of tears and mucus dribbled against her scalp. She rolled swiftly off the bed before he could tug her back into his arms and scampered out of an open window before climbing onto the palace¡¯s curved rooftop. ¡°This is even worse than I thought it would be,¡± Mirror sighed unhappily as she stretched out and allowed the midday sun to bake warmly against her exposed skin, ¡°Aryan¡¯s completely broken. And it¡¯s already past lunchtime!¡± The kitten sighed, ¡°At least I had food and some cuddles when the evil witch was with him,¡± she mused absently as she stared out towards the city¡¯s distant outskirts. Mirror closed her eyes and spread her limbs apart as she rolled over to recline against the heated tiles, ¡°Today¡¯s the thirteenth day¡­¡± she mumbled as she snoozed, ¡°maybe the witch will finally fix Aryan when she wakes up¡­ zzzz¡­¡± the kitten muttered softly to herself as she drifted off into a moody dreamless slumber.


    ¡­


    Deep within the cool unfeeling embrace of earth, on the sparsely populated outskirts of Calcutta, a tiny fragment of Krall¡¯s tentacles twitched back to life within the broken body of a still silent girl. The cells multiplied swiftly within the moist acidic environment of her belly and began devouring her remains for nourishment. But the foreign invasion was halted when the girl¡¯s body detected the incursion and martialed its innate defenses to resist the incursion. Her stomach growled with awakened hunger as a fresh infusion of digestive juices gushed out to consume Krall. For a brief moment, the balance of the battle within her body oscillated precariously between the invader and the invaded, but the girl¡¯s vast numerical advantage finally won out over Krall¡¯s small potent force, and the starving girl digested the fragment of Krall trapped within her body. Fueled by the catalytic source of energy, a raging warmth spread swiftly from her core to the rest of her body, and a single heartbeat echoed softly within the polished stone casket.


    ¡°Bleah¡­¡± The girl groaned as her crystal blue eyes snapped open to stare into the silent darkness surrounding her, ¡°Where the Krall am I? What was I doing? And¡­ who am I?¡± She moaned as her damaged body was writhed with a wave of agony and she convulsed helplessly against the unyielding stone prison entombing her. As she splayed out her hands to grope desperately at her surroundings, her scarred fingers were thrust into a sticky gooey substance. The girl recoiled in surprise and sniffed cautiously at the unidentified substance, then she stuck out her tongue and licked at the gel oozing slowly down her palm.


    ¡°Is this sweetness?¡± The girl sighed contentedly as the pleasurable flavor spread gently across her tongue, then she stretched out to snatch at the stale partially decayed pie placed beside her. ¡°Is this happiness?¡± She gasped questioningly as she chomped down curiously and swallowed a generous mouthful. Almost immediately the girl felt strength gush back into her arms and she smiled as she wolfed down the entire pastry. Then she fumbled about eagerly for more and quickly discovered an entire stash of stale treats around her, the girl smiled with relief as the worst of her hunger was quickly satiated by the nourishing warmth of the snacks she had consumed.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey did you hear that?¡± A guard muttered nervously to his companion.


    ¡°Hear what?¡± His companion yawned as he answered with a mildly annoyed expression, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you actually believe in ghosts or the undead or something equally ridiculous? Concentrate, we were posted here to guard against looters, and not to jump at every little imaginary sound.¡±


    ¡°THERE! You must have heard that! It came from right over there!¡± The guard gasped with fear as he gestured at where the princess of Andania had been buried.


    ¡°It¡¯s just your nerves. What¡¯s so special about that lousy grave anyway?¡± His companion sighed as he wandered over to study the inscription carved on the tombstone, ¡°Here lives Laura of Andania¡­¡± he muttered to himself with a confused frown, ¡°lives? Surely they meant ¡®lies¡¯? Damnit, someone must have defaced this grave! The guard captain isn¡¯t going to be very happy about this¡­¡± His companion groaned as he retrieved his notebook and began drafting out an incident report to his superiors.


    ¡°Tetetetete! Yarrrrrr! Aiiieee!¡± Blood drained swiftly from the guard¡¯s face as he eyed the quivering mound of earth and backed away uncertainly from the grave.


    ¡°Oh shut up, you coward! I¡¯m trying to concentrate on the report.¡± His companion retorted as he turned to scowl at the man behind him, ¡°What in the name of Dagon are you¡­¡± But his irked admonishment trailed off into an unseemly squeak of shock as a hand shot up from beneath the earth and clamped tightly around his knee.


    ¡°Moore fooood!¡± A chilly voice laced with what seemed like pure malevolence spoke from beneath them as the grave was split open.


    ¡°Help me! Undead rising! Demon!¡± The man screamed desperately as the earth exploded behind him to reveal an emaciated soil encrusted wisp of what had once been the body of a beautiful teenaged girl. But his partner had long since fled the scene and the man¡¯s eyes bulged with unrestrained horror as he stared at the scarred hideous creature clawing up his body.


    ¡°Food! Give me food!¡± The apparition demanded desperately.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t eat me!¡± The man trembled uncontrollably as his breeches were moistened with a mixture of piss and excrement.


    The girl wrinkled her nose with disgust and released the man with a sigh, ¡°Just get me some food, anything will do¡­¡±


    ¡°Arrgh!! Undead demon!¡± The guard twisted away desperately and drew his sword before burying it repeatedly into the girl¡¯s malnorished body. ¡°DIE! Take that! And that! And that!¡± The man yelled desperately as eighty centimeters of cold unforgiving steel ravaged through his target¡¯s already battered frame.


    The girl whimpered helplessly as she curled up into a weak defenseless ball and absorbed blow after blow from the terrified guard. Just as she was about to flee back to the relative safety of her grave, the violent assault ceased abruptly and her body was bathed suddenly with a sticky red fluid. Despite the sudden warmth, the girl shivered instinctively as she raised her eyes slowly to gaze at her savior. The ancient wrinkled man looming over her reeked of decay and dark magic, but he seemed somehow familiar to the girl who had lost all her memories. ¡°Food! Please¡­¡± The girl begged miserably as she trembled from her freshly inflicted wounds.


    ¡°Here, eat this.¡± Her savior tossed the severed head of the guard before her. The guard¡¯s mouth opened and closed with muddled disbelief as tears of despair trickled down his cheeks.


    ¡°Is this also food?¡± The girl frowned with hesitant confusion.


    The smiling weasel¡¯s teeth gleamed brightly as they reflected the pale unfiltered rays of the full moon hanging above them, he snapped off a single finger from the guard¡¯s still quivering corpse and popped it into his mouth. The weasel smacked his lips together with satisfaction as he crunched down noisily before swallowing the boney morsel whole. ¡°Human, best food!¡± He prodded the head towards the hesitant girl even as he struggled to keep his true emotions in check.


    The girl nibbled tentatively on the edge of an ear and she gasped with pleasure as a fresh meaty ecstasy from that tiny morsel filled her mouth with unimaginable pleasure. ¡°Best food!¡± She nodded with agreement as her initial inhibitions were banished and her pearly teeth tore swiftly through the skull of the guard with gusto and she supped eagerly at the mushy whiteness within.


    ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± The weasel shoved the headless corpse of the guard before the drooling witch, ¡°Here. Eat, drink! Sate your hunger.¡±


    The girl moaned and it was as if something within her had snapped, she darted forward and buried her head into the body to feast like a wild beast upon its warm tender innards. Then she screamed with pleasure as she gnawed fiercely at his limbs and swallowed chunk after chunk of nutritious flesh. In a short span of mere minutes, the guard¡¯s body had been reduced into a ravaged assortment of scraps, and the still famished witch twisted her head around desperately as she searched for her next source of sustenance.


    ¡°Many more fresh tasty snacks just hiding over there!¡± The weasel goaded deceptively as he pointed to a small dingy cluster of huts located at the edge of the city¡¯s slums.


    ¡°Foooddd! Moore fooodd!¡± The girl drooled excitedly as she staggered forward to the nearest building and punched straight through the flimsy walls to dine upon the best feast she had ever known. And the sound of horrified screaming began reverberating through the once silent night.

 Chapter 31: Price for Power

    Blessed are the deranged: for they can never experience true despair


    Blessed are the helpless: for they can never harm those they love


    Blessed are the deceased: for they can suffer no more.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Kill me, kill me please! Just let me die, I beg you!¡± Naomi begged tearfully as the patient witch stitched yet another batch of organs back into her body before reapplying her regenerative talisman. A burning flame of pure crystalized torture swept through her entire being for the sixty-sixth time as the witch¡¯s cells spread out swiftly and fused into Naomi¡¯s body. For a brief moment, the human-witch hybrid organs functioned just as intended, but then the precarious balance swung completely out of control as the transformed cells devoured her weaker human ones and her innards degraded swiftly into a dangerous tumor-like growth that threatened to turn her entire body into a shapeless slime.


    The witch groaned with disappointment as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes and activated a burning talisman to cauterize the invasive growth from Naomi before it could inflict further damage on her already ravaged body, ¡°Just one more time, I think that I was really close just now! Just one more time and I¡¯ll get it right for sure!¡± Lily nodded with a forced smile of encouragement.


    ¡°That is what you have been saying for the past dozen days! But the pain has just gotten even worse!¡± Naomi wailed in horror, ¡°Please, I don¡¯t care about magic or anything anymore. Just let me die in peace, please Teacher Lily¡­ don¡¯t hurt me any longer!¡±


    The princess sighed with exhaustion as she ladled out the final dregs of the anesthetizing potion she had brewed, ¡°Here this will make all that big bad pain go away¡­¡± Lily petted her whimpering subject in a clumsy attempt to comfort her as she fed the numbing drug down her throat.


    ¡°Please, that potion doesn¡¯t even come close to suppressing the pain I feel! Just kill me Teacher Lily! I can¡¯t! I just can¡¯t do this anymore!¡± Naomi screamed desperately as she squirmed weakly against the steel bindings pinning her to the bloody surgical table.


    The princess mused thoughtfully to herself, ¡°According to my elder sister, the ability to withstand pain is what makes a witch superior to any other Talented. If you are unable to endure this tiny little discomfort, you will never be able to utilize all your abilities to their fullest. You need to be brave, I want you to be my bestest apprentice ever! We can¡¯t have any fun if you aren¡¯t strong enough¡­¡±


    Naomi glared hatefully at the witch looming over her, ¡°Easy for you to say! You aren¡¯t the one suffering, I¡¯m the one that has to pay the price for each and every one of your bumbling mistakes. Why don¡¯t you try feeling the same pain I¡¯m feeling? You¡¯ll understand soon enough how horrible it is!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Thanks for your help.¡± Lily agreed cheerfully as she leafed through her stack of talismans, ¡°I have just the spell, this handy magic allows us to spilt all our senses equally between us. My sister devised it to help me concentrate on using more of my power at once! If you can split the discomfort with me, I will probably be able to use twice as much magic as usual. You always have the best brilliant ideas, my most royal apprentice!¡±


    ¡°What? Huh?¡± Naomi¡¯s torture clouded mind failed to process the new snippet of information. And she nodded eagerly as the witch tagged them both with a matching pair of charms.


    ¡°Thank you, Naomi.¡± A single tear of relief trickled down Lily¡¯s bloodstained cheek as she took a deep preparatory breath. ¡°Here, you¡¯ll definitely need this. Even my sister can¡¯t take all that pain when I turn up my Talent. And please try not to bite your tongue off, I didn¡¯t make any spares of that.¡± The witch shoved a bandage into the perplexed puppy¡¯s mouth before she could change her mind.


    Then the palace of Saadian was shaken to its foundations as Lily poured her soaring Talent into her apprentice¡¯s mangled body and Naomi finally understood the true meaning of regret as she was transported into a realm of utter consuming pain, an agony so great that she never thought could even be possible. The puppy would have opened her mouth to scream, but the pure torture coursing through her nerves was just too vast, and her utterly overwhelmed mind cowered within the darkest depths of paralyzed insanity in a futile attempt to survive the unimaginable onslaught.


    ¡°This feels so much better, it¡¯s been awhile since anyone agreed to siphon off some of the discomfort I feel.¡± Lily heaved a grateful sigh of relief and she straightened up with a delighted smile as if a huge burden had just been lifted from her shoulders. ¡°Oh, my cute little adorable apprentice,¡± she praised the now motionless girl as she caressed her rosy cheeks, ¡°thanks for volunteering your help. I feel like we can truly accomplish great things together! I can¡¯t wait, I must introduce you to elder sister once I retrieve her from the Vaishyans!¡± Then the witch of Andania sang cheerfully as she bent over the child of Saadian and weaved her blood and magic deep into her body.


    ¡­


    ¡°Nyan!¡± Mirror yelped as she was jerked awake suddenly when she slid off the roof and smacked down onto the courtyard below. The kitten blinked with surprise and scuttled off to her chambers before the alerted palace guards could investigate the disturbance. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so dirty dusty again!¡± Mirror pouted as she brought up her hand to her lips and began to groom herself, ¡°Owwie!¡± She groaned as she licked at her reddened sunburnt skin, ¡°I¡¯ve overslept again and I¡¯m totally starving!¡± She sighed softly with a languid yawn as she flopped onto her bed and filed her nails absently against the finely crafted wooden headboard. After several long moments, the kitten cocked her head to the side, ¡°What was I supposed to do again?¡± She frowned thoughtfully.


    ¡°Fishes!¡± Mirror exclaimed suddenly as she nodded to herself, ¡°I want to get some happy fishes with Aryan, but first I have to dig up that witch. I wonder if they stuck her alone inside the ground to protect her from scavengers? But surely no animal would be stupid enough to eat that evil witch while she was sleeping.¡± The kitten scrunched up her face with distaste, ¡°But that means that I¡¯ll be all muddy and dirty again, why must I always do all the work? Maybe I can convince Aryan to do the digging for me!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The kitten smiled contentedly as she began striding towards the nearest window but she hesitated as she perched on the windowsill and spun back to eye her chamber, ¡°Oh but I mustn¡¯t forget the clothes, god Dagon says that I can only take off my clothes with Aryan. All because of some strange custom as humans don¡¯t have enough fur? Grr¡­ these very naughty clothes, where did they sneak off to while I was napping?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°What am I?¡± The child crucified against the damp surgical table croaked softly. Her dark blue eyes snapped open suddenly and the blood pooled throughout the room vanished abruptly as it was sucked rapidly back into her body. Her dark brown hair had been bleached as white as snow and her tanned skin had been reduced to the purest white porcelain. She strained against the large iron nails staking her to the wooden slab beneath her and the entire table shattered into splinters beneath her newfound strength. Then her primalinstincts kicked in and her stomach growled loudly as she eyed the remaining plies of organs beside her, ¡°Food!¡± she screamed as she stumbled forward with desperate famishment and filled her mouth with piece after piece of warm quivering flesh.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I think I have a headache from using all that power. Did it finally work this time?¡± Lily groaned as she struggled upright. The witch blinked with momental confusion as she stared at the empty splintered remains of the solid wooden table before her. Then a small triumphant smile crept onto her lips as she eyed the child beside her, ¡°Blue eyes, I did it! I always knew that it was possible, but elder sister never believed me¡­ oh but the hair¡¯s the wrong color, maybe I should have asked Krall for a piece of his body instead¡­¡± She mused thoughtfully to herself as she strode towards her transformed apprentice, ¡°Hey N¡­¡±


    ¡°Get away from my food!¡± The untamed child screamed furiously as she twisted around and struck the approaching witch with all her strength. Lily¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as the blow squeezed the air from her lungs and hurled her forcefully against the wall behind her. The child darted forward in a blur like a wild beast and the room was shaken as she pinned the witch down by the shoulders. ¡°You will also be my prey!¡± The child drooled ravenously.


    Lily nodded her head calmly, ¡°Ah you must just be a little confused after the transformation. But eating me would probably be a very bad idea. You see, according to my elder sister¡­¡± The witch¡¯s eyes widened with wordless surprise as the child silenced her by clamping her jaws tightly around her throat. Lily shoved her attacker swiftly away from her but the child¡¯s teeth tore a ragged hole through her jugular even as they were separated. ¡°Whew¡­ safe!¡± Lily sighed with relief as she ignored her rapidly healing wound and brought up her hands instead to catch the blood spraying from her damaged throat, ¡°People always stare at me funny whenever I walk around with red drippy clothes¡­ Yes, I must always act normal, look normal, think normal¡­¡± she muttered to herself. Just then she happened to glance at the child who was chewing viciously on the scrap of blood and flesh in her mouth, ¡°Stop!¡± she screamed in horror as she dashed towards the child, ¡°You mustn¡¯t swallow!¡±


    The child grinned victoriously as the living morsel slid soundlessly down her throat, ¡°This is amazing, I can already feel the strength flowing through my body! I¡¯ll consume every scrap of you till there¡¯s nothing left!¡± She gloated, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ help¡­¡± her expression of overwhelming glee was suddenly replaced with a mix of extreme agony and horror as she clutched at her stomach which had swelled up uncontrollably like an overblown balloon. ¡°Arrgh!¡±


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Lily screamed as she darted forward and channeled an incandescent flame that blasted forcefully into the distressed child to excise her swiftly deforming body parts. Her wild uncontrolled attack tore her target into pieces and sent tremors snaking through the foundations of the earth.


    The abused remains of the child¡¯s smoking head bounced about repeatedly before finally coming to rest at the witch¡¯s dainty feet. ¡°Hehe¡­ hahaha¡­¡± the ravaged head laughed and sobbed with alternating mania, ¡°How am I still alive?¡±


    ¡°Oops?¡± Lily shrugged as she cradled the head against her bosom. ¡°I was never very proficient with memory modifying magic. I must have messed up somewhere when I tried to edit out the wonky parts of your mind.¡± The head was rattled about as the witch shook it forcefully as she waded through the rubble strewn chamber, ¡°Hello! Anyone still in there? Hang in there dearest Naomi! I¡¯m sure saw a couple of leftover organs somewhere just now, so I can fix you up in just a couple of minutes.¡± The witch hummed cheerfully to herself as she dug through the rubble strewn chamber to retrieve the necessary parts before positioning them neatly on the gore encrusted ground. ¡°There, just as I promised. Even better than new!¡± Lily concluded smugly as she clapped her hands excitably, ¡°Now we can have lots of fun together! I know, why don¡¯t we start with some hide and seek?¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡± The restored child trembled with helpless terror as the eager witch loomed over her like a predator about to devour its prey.


    ¡°Oh, come on Naomi! Don¡¯t you even remember your dearest gentlest Teacher anymore?¡± Lily pouted as she shoved a massive bundle of talismans at her. ¡°Here, I stuck all your memories into these charms. You will need to regain at least some of them if want to use your powers. Remember this, a witch¡¯s magical potential is exponentially correlated with the percentage of memories retained. If you manage to forget too much about yourself, you won¡¯t be able to use even the simplest spells!¡±


    The child received the witch¡¯s gift with barely masked apprehension. ¡°My memories? What do you mean by memories?¡± She muttered skeptically as she tugged out a single talisman from the bundle before resting it tentatively against her forehead.


    ¡°So? How did it go? You didn¡¯t break yourself again, did you?¡± Lily questioned anxiously as she eyed the silently shaking child.


    ¡°Ugh, what¡­ why was I hung upside down for two whole days?¡± The child muttered with tears glistening in her eyes.


    ¡°Excellent! It¡¯s working after all.¡± Lily beamed cheerfully as she tugged out a bundle of dimeritium chains from a nearby closet. ¡°Let¡¯s speed this up just a little more!¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± The child muttered dubiously as she backed away from the smiling witch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just relax.¡± Lily replied with almost guileful simplicity as she trussed her apprentice from the neck down with the magic suppressing bindings before she could begin to resist. Then she hummed happily as shesnatched up several dozen talismans and stuck them all over the child¡¯s body, ¡°Tell me if it gets really bad and we can skip the worst ones!¡± she instructed as she activated them all at once.


    The solid steel rails of even the darkest dungeon cells were rattled violently as a new source of barely suppressed magical potential flared swiftly into existence. And the screams, the fresh tortured screams resounded throughout the dungeon yet again. As Naomi¡¯s still nascent mind was forced to relive all the concentrated pleasure, pain, happiness, and sorrow she had ever experienced throughout her lifetime.

 Chapter 32: Night of Blood

    At her best, a witch is the kindest of all Talented; devoid of mind or reason she is the worst.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°That¡¯s the royal princess, isn¡¯t it?¡± Captain Fafnir questioned uncertainly. The most elite members of the Vaishyan royal guard muttered among themselves as they arrayed cautiously around the blood-soaked beast who was gorging upon a heap of broken corpses. From their bloodied remains, it was clear that she had been indiscriminate in her slaughter throughout the city. Both the young and old, from poverty stricken peasants to wealthy nobles, and even well-armed members of the city guard had fallen before her rampage. The girl hissed with irritation as she eyed the approaching troop of soldiers, even as she tore the entrails from a screaming boy and thrust them eagerly into her mouth.


    ¡°The princess is long dead. What you see before you is just a hollow shell, possessed by a demonic spirit.¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi warned, ¡°If you let your guard down for even the slightest moment, you will certainly become yet another victim in this growing magical disaster. We must destroy this threat immediately to ensure Calcutta¡¯s security.¡±


    ¡°We should wait for orders from the royal family,¡± Captain Fafnir demurred, ¡°Prince Aryan might be able to restore her to her senses.¡±


    But the weasel simply smiled slyly in response as the growling beast pounced towards them, ¡°You are certainly free to do as you wish Captain, but I doubt that the demon will simply wait for him to appear.¡±


    ¡°Ready men, prepare the steel nets! Diviners, slow her down with binding magic! We will restrain the princess until Prince Aryan arrives.¡± The captain commanded bravely. The well-trained contingent of royal guards sprang swiftly into action as their target bounded towards them. The princess¡¯s movements were immediately slowed as the ground dissolved into a viscous muck beneath her feet and the guards pinned her forcefully to the ground with a combination of magic and weighty netting. After several long minutes, the combined strength of five dozen of the nation¡¯s finest Diviners and soldiers finally managed to fight the struggling princess to a precarious standstill. Devoid of her Talent, the princess¡¯s furious cry of frustration echoed throughout the otherwise deserted city streets.


    ¡°We did it! Our prince will be pleased.¡± The royal guards cheered among themselves.


    ¡°Hey! What is she doing?¡± A sharp-eyed Diviner¡¯s cry stole the mirth from their lips. The princess had begun to bleed profusely as she pushed recklessly against the metal bindings as if she could squeeze her body through the miniscule holes in the netting.


    ¡°More suppressive magic! We need to stop her from harming herself!¡± The closest guard shouted with concern as he stepped forward to prod her backwards with the blunt end of his spear.


    But it was the worst mistake of his life. As the princess continued to struggle mindlessly, blood sprayed out from her self-inflicted wounds and several tiny specks of red splattered onto the approaching soldier. He did not even have the opportunity to scream. The moment her blood touched his flesh, her body blurred like a wraith through both physical and magical barriers and sped like lightning towards the him, and the man¡¯s corpse exploded as she tore through his armor as if it was scrap paper. The remaining soldiers stared in horrified silence at the growling beast before them as they were all showered with the resulting rain of blood.


    And then the famished princess pounced towards her freshlymarked victims and the screaming began.


    ¡­


    ¡°Aryan, oh Aryan!¡± Mirror flung open the window and bounded excitedly into the prince¡¯s darkened chamber.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you again.¡± The hollow-eyed prince sighed softly as he slumped listlessly in his bed.


    ¡°Nyan! This is terrible, how can you stand being like this all the time? Even the evil witch must be disappointed in you!¡± Mirror pouted unhappily as she illuminated the room brightly with her magic.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ too bright. Please leave me alone Mirror. I¡¯m tired, just let me sleep.¡± The prince sobbed sadly.


    ¡°But you have already been sleeping for two whole weeks! It isn¡¯t healthy and you definitely need some exercise. So why don¡¯t we go and dig up that evil witch right now. Here I even managed to get you a shovel.¡± Mirror replied eagerly as she tossed the solid metal tool at the sullen boy.


    ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± The tiniest flash of anger flickered from beneath Aryan¡¯s heavy mask of sorrow. ¡°Laura sacrificed her life to save us all, how dare you even suggest that I violate her grave? And she¡¯s not evil, I forbid you from always referring to her as an ¡®evil witch¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Dead? Who¡¯s dead?¡± The kitten scoffed. ¡°Let¡¯s stop dilly dallying and dig her out, then we can go for some happy fishes together! She must be really famished after you trapped her underground and starved her for two entire weeks.¡±


    ¡°Laura¡¯s not dead?¡± Aryan frowned with growing befuddlement, ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, Mirror. Go play your childish tricks on¡­ Oww!¡± The prince yelled as Mirror dug her teeth painfully into his thigh.


    ¡°Grr¡­ I¡¯m a growing kitten, not some immature child!¡± Mirror growled, ¡°And didn¡¯t she already spell out the conditions for her death clearly enough? Did you ever stab her through the heart with a blade of silver?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, why would I ever¡­¡±


    ¡°And then, did you behead her?¡± Mirror ignored the prince¡¯s frustrated protest and continued her barrage of questions.


    ¡°No!!¡±


    ¡°Well then that evil witch isn¡¯t dead, she was just hibernating to recover from her wounds! Surely you have the intelligence to figure out something simple like this?¡± Mirror concluded smugly with a satisfied meow.


    ¡°What!? That just isn¡¯t possible, there¡¯s no way she could have survived after sustaining those hideous injuries. I had the nation¡¯s best doctors and diviners examine her body and they could not detect the faintest sign of life!¡± Aryan protested incredulously.


    ¡°Your doctors and diviners are fools; didn¡¯t they conclude that I was also ¡®dead¡¯? Thanks be to god Dagon, you would certainly have buried me with the evil witch if he hadn¡¯t intervened to save me!¡± Mirror shuddered. ¡°The witch isn¡¯t human either, so why would you judge her by your dumb human standards? A creature of evil like her won¡¯t be vanquished so easily.¡±


    ¡°If what you say is true, why didn¡¯t you say anything during her funeral!?¡±


    ¡°Fun--eral?¡± Mirror frowned thoughtfully as she cocked her head sideways, ¡°Oh right, that¡¯s your bad human prank where you all have fun by burying someone sneakily in a random distant location after you catch them unawares? Grr¡­ what a horrid human custom. I¡¯m really good finding safely hidden nap spots, but how do the rest of you ever manage to sleep in peace?¡± Mirror questioned curiously.


    ¡°LAURA IS ALIVE!?¡± Aryan exclaimed loudly as his sorrow was swiftly replaced by an ecstatic expression of hope as he grasped her tightly by her shoulders.


    Mirror rolled her eyes in annoyance, ¡°Grr¡­ so loud, stop stating the obvious. And why can¡¯t you be happy like this whenever you see me?¡± She pouted, ¡°It¡¯s always Laura this, Laura that with you. I really don¡¯t get it, we look exactly the same, so why are you only infatuated with that evil witch?¡±


    ¡°Guards!¡± Aryan yelled as he leapt to his feet and dashed down the corridor, ¡°Saddle the horses immediately, we will ride for the royal cemetery this very instant!¡±


    ¡°This will be worth it. Fishes, many happy fishes are waiting for loyal little Mirror¡­¡± Mirror whispered under her breath to encourage herself as she trailed reluctantly behind the departing escorts and into the chilly night.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡­


    ¡°Aiieee!¡± A hardened criminal shuddered madly as he stared at the approaching witch.


    ¡°Huaaa!¡± A vicious mass murderer screamed in horror as he lost control of his bowels.


    The third prisoner was so panicked that he bashed his head against a wall and knocked himself out cold.


    ¡°Dearest apprentice, they all seem quite unwell. I wonder if I can help them feel a little better?¡± Lily mused as they passed through the packed dungeons. The witch curled her lips into a friendly smile as she turned to wave at a row of occupied prison cells, ¡°Hi everyone! Need help?¡±


    A third of the convicts immediately collapsed from stressed induced heart failure, a third shrieked madly as they fought like rodents to cower in the darkest corner of their cells, and a third were so terrified that their bodies were frozen in place.


    ¡°Oh no! This can¡¯t be good¡­ I detect clear signs of a spreading epidemic! We need to heal them immediately before...¡± Lily exclaimed worriedly as she strode swiftly towards the trapped inmates.


    ¡°Monster¡­¡± One of the least affected prisoners squeaked reflexively.


    ¡°Monster? Where¡¯s the monster?¡± Lily inquired curiously. The deforming metal bars of the prison cell screeched loudly as she shoved them aside effortlessly with her bare hands, ¡°Don¡¯t worry mister, I¡¯m here to help. I¡¯ll catch all the big bad monsters and keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°Stay away! Helppp¡­¡± The wide-eyed man shrieked with absolute horror.


    ¡°Hey about this monster, what does it look like? Do you know where it is?¡± Lily questioned kindly.


    The man¡¯s teeth chattered wildly as speech failed him. He pressed his back against the far wall like a cornered rat and his mouth foamed with blood.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ all these Saadians. Is it a common disability? Why is it so hard to communicate mundanely with any of them?¡± The witch sighed as she turned to glance ruefully at the grey skinned zombie-like trio of imperial truth-finders shambling up silently from behind her. ¡°I know that I wasn¡¯t very successful with them, but maybe you¡¯ll be able to talk better after a few tiny upgrades!¡± Lily suggested hopefully as she rested one hand comfortingly on his shoulder even as she dug through her stack of talismans with the other.


    Her touch was the final straw that shattered his already fragile mind. The man¡¯s eyes dilated further as his gaze flickered towards the lifeless husks of what had been the empire¡¯s most hardened torturers, stumbling through the corridor towards him. And his mouth opened and closed repeatedly in a vain attempt to scream, but his fear devoured mind had already lost the ability to operate the rest of his body. Then his muscles twitched uncontrollably as he fell to the ground and convulsed violently in the dirt as blood gushed freely from his orifices.


    ¡°Dead¡­ he¡¯s really dead! I couldn¡¯t save him!¡± Lily sobbed sadly as she backed away from the bloody corpse. ¡°Why does everyone always die and leave me alone?¡± She wept bitterly as she wrapped Naomi in a tight embrace, ¡°Dearest apprentice! I¡¯ve put my bestest magics in you, so you won¡¯t ever die and leave me alone like all the others, will you?¡± She mumbled sorrowfully.


    ¡°Of course not, cross my heart and hope to die.¡± The pale-faced child pacified the witch quickly with barely veiled sarcasm before she could reach for her talismans.


    Lily sniffed sadly as she wiped away the tears trailing down her cheeks, ¡°It definitely wasn¡¯t my fault, I would never hurt anyone willingly! It was just an unfortunate coincidence that he died when I touched him.¡± The witch forced a smile back onto her lips as she turned to address the surviving prisoners, ¡°Don¡¯t worry everyone! I¡¯ll be sure to get the bad scary monsters soon, I just need to search all your rooms for it!¡± The witch explained reassuringly as she turned towards the cell with the loudest screams.


    An immediate deathly silence fell upon the entire dungeon as the surviving prisoners shoved their hands into their mouths in a desperate attempt to suppress their uncontrollable cries of horror.


    ¡°Huh? Why did the screaming stop?¡± Lily blinked with surprise, ¡°Whatever happened to the monsters? If I can¡¯t sense them, it must mean that they are really good at hiding their auras!¡± She frowned as she stared at the silently shivering prisoners but failed to elicit any response from them. The frustrated witch pouted, ¡°Naomi! Why isn¡¯t anyone talking to me? Do they all have defective throats?¡± She complained as she stomped her feet with exasperation.


    ¡°The monsters must have fled when they sensed your presence.¡± Naomi fibbed in a hopeful attempt to rescue the trapped prisoners.


    ¡°Naomi¡­¡± The witch¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as she clamped her hands tightly on Naomi¡¯s pale slender shoulders. ¡°Never lie to me again, or else¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Naomi¡¯s mind raced for an escape, ¡°You were just mistaken, there are no monsters!¡± She cried out desperately, ¡°Just leave them alone and they will all be better-off!¡±


    ¡°No monsters? Really!?¡± Lily scrunched up her face with effort as she amplified her senses to the maximum. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be lying about the humans either¡­¡± She admitted reluctantly as she stared into her apprentice¡¯s tearful cobalt tinted eyes. ¡°Oh well.¡± She shrugged absently, ¡°I must be tired, mistakes do happen I guess? Now that we have resolved this incident, why don¡¯t we leave this gloomy residence and get some sun? I¡¯m famished after all that spellcasting, I wonder if they still have any pudding in the kitchens?¡± The witch hummed a wordless melody as she skipped nonchalantly towards the exit, ¡°Com¡¯on, stop dilly dallying over there Naomi!¡± She began shouting impatiently before pausing as a new thought slipped into her mind. ¡°Oh! Why do all these Saadians want to live in those cold dirty cubicles anyway? It can¡¯t be very healthy! You know¡­ maybe I should be more responsible and help them by changing their minds¡­¡± The witch concluded happily as she turned back towards the dungeons.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Naomi bounded forward desperately before the witch could return to the prisoners, ¡°You don¡¯t have to help them with anything! Let¡¯s just forget about the prisoners and get some lunch!¡± She insisted hurriedly.


    ¡°They are prisoners? What are prisoners?¡± Lily inquired curiously.


    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t you have prisoners in Andania too?¡± Naomi replied hesitantly, ¡°So how do you stop people from committing crimes in your nation?¡±


    ¡°Crim-es?¡± Lily smiled with growing interest, ¡°What are these crim-ies? Are they tasty? Like a special sort of cream pies?¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Naomi questioned nervously, ¡°So, how do you stop people from doing bad things in Andania?¡±


    ¡°Bad things?¡± The witch clapped her hands excitedly, ¡°We don¡¯t get to meet many naughty people because the maze my sister made swallows anyone with hostile intentions! But¡­ Father lent me some really naughty friends once and I convinced them to play a game of hide and seek with me! Teehee¡­ it was so much fun!¡± Lily¡¯s gleeful expression faded quickly into an unhappy pout, ¡°But I never understood why Father refused to lend me any more people after that one and only time!¡±


    ¡°What did you do to them¡­ just what is this game of hide and seek about?¡± Naomi¡¯s voice quivered with extreme fear and foreboding.


    ¡°Nothing, I would never dream of harming anyone! Dearest Naomi, surely you must believe me by now!¡± The witch nodded confidently, ¡°It was just an unfortunate coincidence that they broke! But I managed put them back together so they were even better than new!¡±


    ¡°They broke¡­¡± Naomi stammered in terror, ¡°What do you mean by that? Did they become like those truth-finders over there?¡± She gulped nervously as she stared the hollowed-out husks of the former imperial torturers.


    ¡°Naw¡­ They are just a little overwhelmed by their enlightenments.¡± Lily replied reassuringly waved brightly at the pallid men. The utterly shattered humans responded by raising their hands robotically and waving back reflexively. ¡°See? They responded. They are all are perfectly fine.¡± She concluded cheerfully.


    ¡°It was much worse than that?¡± Naomi blurted out incredulously.


    ¡°Aww you are beginning to overexaggerate things like elder sister.¡± Lily giggled dismissively, ¡°It was only an itsy bitsy bad thing that happened because they were all too weak.¡± The witch sighed with pity, ¡°The poor, poor naughty people in Andania¡­ elder sister is in charge of dealing with them now. She¡¯s merciless. The naughtiest ones are executed immediately while the remainder are turned into puppies! Hurting them just because they happened to do a bad thing or two, isn¡¯t that just too inhumane? Doesn¡¯t everyone deserve a second chance?¡±


    ¡°Urp¡­ she¡¯s completely unhinged¡­ someone please save me¡­¡± Naomi moaned under her breath as she backed away surreptitiously from the wistfully pondering witch.


    ¡°Oh! I get it now!¡± Lily shouted excitably as she rebounded from her melancholy mood, ¡°Prison sounds like¡­ prisun-ers! Doesn¡¯t that old French word mean, people who have been seized? And aren¡¯t people usually seized because they are naughty people that need to be punished?¡± The witch chortled ecstatically, ¡°Oh, oh, oh! This must be my lucky day, let¡¯s all have a hide and seek marathon right now!¡±


    ¡°NOOO!¡± Naomi screamed as she attempted to avert yet another impending disaster. ¡°I mean¡­ they aren¡¯t naughty people! Erm¡­ It¡¯s just their job!¡± She explained hurriedly, ¡°See, it¡¯s their duty to stay inside those dirty cubicles and act as deterrents to the real naughty people. So, we mustn¡¯t interfere with their important mission!¡±


    ¡°Humph spoilsport.¡± Lily pouted, ¡°Surely it must be horrible for them to live in such a boring dingy space like that, don¡¯t you feel that a tiny little change in pace is in order here?¡±


    ¡°No! Please stop disturbing these honest hardworking citizens! Nobody has the time to play with you.¡± Naomi blustered desperately.


    ¡°Aww¡­ a little fun never hurt anyone! Just five minutes, five minutes of hide a seek is all I ask¡­¡± The witch smiled hopefully as she fluttered her luscious eyelashes entreatingly at the horrified child.


    The witch¡¯s apprentice mustered up all the courage in her heart and clamped her hands tightly around Lily¡¯s wrist before she could race back towards the terrified convicts. ¡°Teacher Lily. Didn¡¯t you promise to teach me more about magic? And didn¡¯t you say that you would care for me? So why are you neglecting your duties when your poor staving student is in dire need of attention?¡±


    ¡°Oh right, you still have to eat like all the other humans.¡± Lily noted apologetically, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped since your transformation wasn¡¯t perfect. Well what are we waiting for? Off to the kitchens then! I¡¯m sure the cooks will spare us a tasty treat or two. Maybe they will be able to prepare something to satisfy Krall too!¡± She added as she skipped blithely towards the nearest exit with her newfound apprentice in tow.

 Chapter 33: The Witch’s Wight

    Sky, starless night.


    Fae, Witch¡¯s Wight.


    Aye, to your temples flee oh people in dread.


    Nay, only fools rush in where demons fear to tread.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Stop!¡± Mirror hissed tensely as she darted before the modest trio of guards racing through the darkened streets of Calcutta. The spooked horses reared in surprise at her sudden appearance and the soldiers fought to calm their nervous steeds.


    ¡°What is it now?¡± Aryan demanded impatiently, ¡°I have to¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­ silence! Something¡¯s not right Aryan¡­¡± Mirror muttered as her eyes flickered uncertainly between the silent rows of buildings stretching out before them, ¡°Where are all the mice?¡±


    A guard advanced cautiously towards the veiled enchantress, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t know who you are but High Prince Aryan is on a critical mission. Please do not obstruct our¡­¡±


    The kitten ignored the approaching soldier as she sniffed at the still night air and twitched her ears in an attempt to identify any potential abnormalities, ¡°Aryan! We mustn¡¯t go this way!¡± Mirror pleaded, ¡°I don¡¯t know what, but something¡¯s very wrong here. We must return to the palace immediately.¡±


    ¡°What could go wrong? We are in the center of Calcutta, my city!¡± Aryan protested, ¡°And I have to save Laura!¡±


    One of the more cautious officers frowned as she returned from her forward position, ¡°High Prince Aryan, shall we make a brief detour to the nearest guardhouse? There should be one just a short ride ahead. We can request for additional reinforcements there before resuming our trip.¡±


    ¡°Aryan, you must listen to me!¡± Mirror tugged insistently at his leg, ¡°There¡¯s something strange¡­¡±


    ¡°Lead on Lieutenant Carol, we will head for the guardhouse immediately.¡± The impatient prince chafed at the delay as he brushed aside the kitten¡¯s plaintive pleading. His escorts nodded in silent agreement and they resumed their original positions around the prince before the distracted boy finally turned to address the kitten that had been pawing at his feet, ¡°Mirror you can ride with me if you promise to behave¡­¡± Aryan paused in midsentence as he searched in vain for the missing kitten. Then he sighed softly into the darkness, ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you, I promise.¡± A somewhat guilty expression was etched on his face as he stared back into the empty street behind him, ¡°I¡¯ll get you an extra-large tuna tomorrow¡­¡± he whispered softly as he goaded his horse into a swift canter towards his destination.


    ¡°Only humans rush in where even mice fear to tread.¡± Mirror squeaked silently in protest as she squirreled herself within the secluded confines of a shadowed ledge. The kitten shivered instinctively as she stared at Aryan¡¯s departing figure, ¡°This is stupid, all humans are stupid! Why won¡¯t any of them stop him?¡± She grumbled unhappily under her breath, ¡°Gah, this is impossible! But I have to protect my extra-large tuna¡­¡± She drooled in anticipation as she crept reluctantly after the already distant retinue.


    Just then, the kitten yawned as she was suddenly overcome by an intense feeling of exhaustion and she slumped against the temptingly warm wall beside her, ¡°I just need forty winks. Aryan, don¡¯t be frightened, I¡¯ll catch up in no time¡­ I want my happy extra-large tuna¡­ zzzz¡­¡±


    The weasel¡¯s teeth glinted faintly in the darkness as he ceased his chanting and stalked soundlessly after the departing prince.


    ¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡± Aryan shouted impatiently from outside the guardhouse, ¡°Rouse the reinforcements and let¡¯s go already! This is an emergency. Surely the guard commander can afford to spare a few extra men?¡±


    ¡°High Prince, something¡¯s not right¡­¡± Lieutenant¡¯s Carol¡¯s shaken voice finally responded from within the otherwise silent structure.


    ¡°What isn¡¯t right?¡± Aryan complained as he dismounted from his steed and barged into the fortified building, ¡°Gah. Does the commander actually want me to put in a request in person?¡±


    ¡°Gone¡­¡± The shaken Lieutenant stammered as she turned to face the approaching prince, ¡°They are all gone!¡±


    ¡°Gone? What do you mean by gone?¡± Aryan demanded, ¡°My father decreed that every guardhouse in the city must be staffed with at least two dozen guardsman at all times! This is a horrid dereliction of duty¡­ this is¡­¡± The prince¡¯s sanctimonious protest was choked off abruptly as he stared at the bloody broken helmet that was locked in the white-knuckled Lieutenant¡¯s trembling grasp.


    ¡°High Prince, if there¡¯s something out there capable of rampaging through a fortified structure filled with soldiers, we wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it by ourselves. We must withdraw to the palace immediately; the diviners will be able to scry out the perpetrator.¡± The shaken Lieutenant stammered.


    ¡°I understand. Gather the others and let¡¯s return to the palace for now.¡± After a long moment of silence, the prince sighed in agreement as he turned towards the exit.


    ¡°Wait, what do you mean by the others?¡± The Lieutenant paled as she pressed her back against the wall and glanced nervously at the lengthy shadows stretching through the gloomy structure, ¡°Weren¡¯t the other two escorts waiting with you? Outside?¡±


    Aryan frowned as he turned to face Carol, ¡°Huh? That not possible. I sent them in after you, because you were taking so long. It¡¯s a straight passage from the entrance to this chamber, there¡¯s no way you could have missed¡­¡± His words froze in his throat as a large warm sticky blob of viscous fluid splattered down onto his tunic before soaking through and streaking a trail of red down his chest. The prince trembled as he raised his head silently to stare into the void above him, but the high ceiling was shrouded in complete darkness and he detected nothing besides the sinister crunching sound of bones splitting and the eager slurping of marrow.


    ¡°Psst¡­ quickly, back here. While it¡¯s still occupied. There must be another way out of this place.¡± Carol signaled urgently as she nudged open the rear exit.


    Aryan nodded tensely as he crept hurriedly from the chamber, along with his sole surviving escort. And he let out a soft sigh of relief as he shut the wooden door firmly behind him and barricaded it silently with a solid steel deadbolt. ¡°We¡¯re safe...¡± The prince cheered softly as he slumped against the cool safety of the meter-thick stone walls behind him, ¡°That definitely wasn¡¯t human, no mortal could have taken out two of our best men without a sound! Hey Carol, what do you think was that creature¡­¡± Aryan blinked in confusion as he stared at the now empty space where the Lieutenant had just been standing.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Carol? Officer Carol? Hey, damnit! Where did you wander off to? This isn¡¯t the time for practical jokes¡­¡± Aryan broke out into a cold sweat as his gaze flickered wildly across the shadowy emptiness around him. But the only response he managed to elicit was the distant screech of tearing armor and the sickening sound of teeth ripping into unresisting flesh.


    His eyes budged with horrified disbelief, ¡°Assassins! Cowards! Show yourself and fight like a man!¡± Aryan drew his saber and yelled defiantly into the unresponsive darkness.


    ¡­


    ¡°Great Dagon, why do you still forbid me from destroying this obvious threat to our nation? Something this twisted should never be allowed to exist¡­¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi suppressed an instinctive shiver of apprehension as he approached the feasting girl. The carnage that he had nudged into motion had long since exceeded his wildest predictions and over a thousand of the city¡¯s inhabitants had already perished beneath her fangs, in less than two hours since her awakening. However, what most concerned the weasel was the fact that her appetite had shown no signs of waning and the death toll had continued to rise exponentially along with the absurdly inhuman abilities she was swiftly acquiring. Even without her Talent, the girl¡¯s raw physical strength and speed would soon surpass even his own magically enhanced abilities. And the swiftly accelerating rate of carnage would ensure that over half of the city¡¯s inhabitants would be consumed long before the first light of dawn.


    ¡°Ahem¡­ How unexpected, are you letting that one get away?¡± Zinnridi forced a smile onto his bloodless lips as he glanced at the shouting prince stumbling blindly through the darkened corridor beneath them.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The girl raised her head from the ravaged carcass stashed between the rafters, ¡°There was another food?¡± She frowned as she stared at the prince beneath them, ¡°But it did not smell like a human.¡±


    ¡°Not human?¡± Zinnridi blurted out seconds before he suppressed his confusion with an awkward cough, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about the smell, it¡¯s even more tasty than any of the others!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes smoldered with renewed interest as she flung the guard¡¯s lifeless corpse at the archdiviner, ¡°Here, hold onto this for me.¡± She directed absently and the beams creaked as she kicked off forcefully and pounced directly at the boy beneath her.


    ¡­


    Aryan jerked his body around as he finally detected the slightest whistle of an object hurtling through the air towards him. With a speed that surprised even the prince himself, he managed to whip his blade towards the approaching threat. The boy let out a yell, tinged with both fear and desperation as he swung ferociously at the shadowy assailant and his weapon blurred with inhuman speed as it scored several glancing hits, and his attacker let out a girlish cry of pain as she raised her hands in defense while staggering backwards in surprise.


    ¡°Die demon!¡± The triumphant prince roared as he raised his sabre to deal the finishing blow. But he hesitated at the faintest glimmer from her terrified blue hued eyes, ¡°Laura?¡± Aryan gasped with disbelieving concern as he lowered his blade and stepped towards the crouched figure.


    It was a mistake. As he approached, the girl¡¯s body blurred as it vanished into a bloody mist and materialized directly behind him. Slender unyielding arms clamped down and locked him in place before he could turn to face the threat, and his blood splayed into the air as razor-sharp teeth locked in a death grip around his exposed throat.


    ¡­


    ¡°Excellent! Isn¡¯t it?¡± Zinnridi commented as he levitated slowly to the ground before discarding the half-eaten guard¡¯s corpse beside him.


    The girl scrunched her face in disgust as she straddled the silenced prince while nursing her freshly inflicted wounds, ¡°Ugh you must be joking¡­ this was the worst thing I¡¯ve ever tasted. And what is this Laura? Why does all the food say that word?¡± she questioned slyly as she raised her hand to shield her lips from his sight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, what the food says is hardly important.¡± Zinnridi deflected hurriedly.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± The girl rose gracefully as she turned away from the archdiviner and strode swiftly towards the exit, ¡°Well then, off to the next!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ you only took a single bite. Aren¡¯t you going to finish your meal?¡± Zinnridi glanced back, but the girl ignored him as she slipped out into the darkened streets. The perplexed weasel shot a hasty glance at the prince¡¯s body, but his cursory examination failed to detect the faintest sign of life. ¡°What did she mean by, not human?¡± Zinnridi frowned as he approached the fallen prince. But a loud chorus of screams distracted the archdiviner who shook his head as he hurried after the already distant witch, ¡°Must minimize the carnage somehow¡­¡± he muttered, ¡°why hasn¡¯t Dagon acted to protect our people?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Blood!? Nooo¡­ My Aryan¡¯s most precious blood!¡± Mirror¡¯s eyes snapped open as the familiar scent drove her into a crazed frenzy that instantly overcame the spell induced lethargy. ¡°Who dares! Who dares hurt Aryan!¡± The tiled roofs rattled loudly as the snarling kitten dashed towards the unmistakable smell. Then worry overtook her anger when the bloodied scent strengthened rapidly as she approached the desolated guardhouse, ¡°No, it can¡¯t be! Aryan, Aryan! Answer me! Don¡¯t leave poor Mirror alone!¡± The loud clatter of shattering glass stripped away the night¡¯s silence as she crashed recklessly through the nearest window.


    ¡°Aryan¡­ Aryan¡­¡± The horrified kitten sobbed as she eyed the blood pooling beneath the supine prince, ¡°What do I do? How do I save you?¡± Mirror wept hysterically as she darted forward to cradle him tenderly in her arms. But just as her fingers brushed against his bloodied flesh, she recoiled in agony as the liquid hissed like highly corrosive acid against her flesh.


    ¡°That very evil witch! She did something horrible to poor innocent Aryan!¡± Mirror yelped in pain as she rubbed her smoking bloodstained fingers against the nearest wall. ¡°Nobody can save Aryan now!¡± She wept in despair as she slumped down a safe distance away from him. ¡°Fishes, who will bring me happy fishes now that Aryan has become an evil monster?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The Great Temple? Of all the places in Calcutta?¡± Zinnridi spluttered with some surprise as she strode towards the imposing structure. The weasel sighed with inward relief as he trailed at a safe distance behind the imperious girl stomping up the stairs. He had been racking his brains for a scheme to lure the princess into Dagon¡¯s lair before the entire city¡¯s inhabitants were slaughtered, but it now seemed that his efforts were unneeded as she had practically made a beeline for the place from the moment she had exited the guardhouse.


    ¡°Fae-fi-fo-fum,


    I smell the stench of a rotting fish on land,


    Be it live, or be it dead,


    I¡¯ll grind its bones into sand.¡±


    The girl jeered as she rested her palms against the massive steel gates barring the entrance of the temple. For a fleeting moment, it would have seemed impossible to any onlooker that the slender girl would even be able to make the slightest dent on the barrier. But the moment passed as the loud screech of deforming steel shattered the night¡¯s silence when the girl tore the gates from their hinges and flung them aside effortlessly.


    ¡°Enough!¡± The temple shook with rage as it was filled with the divine presence of the god of the northern seas. ¡°My patience wears thin, foul witch! Even if you are under the Caretaker¡¯s protection, it does not give you license to rampage throughout my city and desecrate my shrine!¡±


    ¡°Considering that you¡¯re just a useless fish, Dagon. You certainly have some balls to address me in such a manner.¡± The girl mocked condescendingly as she stared straight at the massive obsidian many handed fish-tailed statue looming over her.


    ¡°You will regret offending a true god, mortal.¡± The statue rumbled as it raised one of its arms and summoned a mighty blade of darkness to strike at her.


    Safely hidden within the shadows, the weasel frowned with consternation as he observed the heated exchange, ¡°Dagon? But when did she even learn about Dagon?¡± He muttered softly to himself.

 Chapter 34: Prelude to Oblivion

    Then a terrifying sight descended from the heavens: a huge winged serpent with a thousand heads and a thousand crowns on its heads. Its tail swept up one third of the gods of the lands and rulers of the seas, and its fangs devoured their shattered corpses. Then the serpent said in its heart, ¡°I will enter into the depths, I will subjugate all that is beneath me, and I will make myself greater than even Krall.¡±


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Pudding, pudding¡­¡± The blood drenched princess hummed happily to herself as she emerged from the dungeons. The unfortunate couriers she happened to come across paled apprehensively as they eyed the gore encrusted witch and cowered in fearful obeisance as she waved absently at them.


    ¡°Too slow! You¡¯re all too slow.¡± Lily pouted impatiently as she turned to eye the shambling trio of grey skinned truth-finders, struggling through the tide of servants fleeing desperately from her presence. She sighed in disappointment as she appraised their desperate efforts to increase their pace, but their hideously battered bodies and shattered minds were clear impediments to their obviously pitiable progress. ¡°This is probably my fault, I should have spent a little more time putting them back together.¡± The princess sighed reluctantly as she began leafing through her stack of talismans.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too slow, am I?¡± Naomi trembled as she eyed the witch beside her. ¡°Um¡­ Teacher Lily?¡± She questioned pensively yet again, as she tugged at the hem of her bloodied dress when the distracted witch failed to respond.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Lily screamed girlishly as she jerked away in startled surprise from her apprentice. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you.¡± The princess sighed with a relieved grin as she eyed Naomi with a guilty expression, ¡°For a moment, I thought that elder sister had finally come to lecture me. You¡¯ve become pretty good at sneaking up to me, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be really amazing at hide and seek now!¡± The princess smiled as she finally retrieved an intricately complex talisman and pointed it experimentally in the general direction of the mass of terrified servants who immediately redoubled their efforts to evade the impending disaster. ¡°Hmm¡­ how does this spell work again?¡± Lily frowned as she examined the ominously glowing charm in her hand.


    Naomi stepped swiftly behind the princess to avoid the unknown magic accumulating in her palm. ¡°What are you doing? Teacher Lily?¡± She questioned hurriedly, in an attempt to buy some more time for the fleeing servants.


    ¡°Eek!¡± Lily shrieked as she leapt away forcefully in her shock and bashed her head against the distant rooftop. The magic in her hand ran wild and ignited with a loud explosion that collapsed an entire section of the passageway, trapping the remaining people between the witch and freedom. ¡°Oww¡­ That was just so evil, dearest Naomi! How did you even get behind me like that?¡± Lily complained as fresh blood streamed down her forehead. ¡°I almost lost all my remaining clothes in that explosion! Luckily I managed to throw that talisman away before it could burn my dress to cinders.¡± She giggled mischievously as she patted Naomi''s snow colored hair, ¡°With your amazing invisibility, we can definitely play an amazing prank on sister when she finally visits!¡± She whispered conspiringly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Please don¡¯t punish me again¡­¡± Naomi wept in horror as she prostrated before the soot covered princess.


    ¡°Dearest apprentice Naomi, when have I ever, ever, punished you!?¡± Lily grumbled incredulously as she tugged the sobbing child forcefully into a choking embrace.


    ¡°Help! I¡¯m suffocating!¡± Naomi gasped as she writhed about desperately as she accidently inhaled a large mouthful of soot from Lily¡¯s bosom.


    ¡°Oof.¡± Lily gasped as a glancing shove knocked the breath from her lungs. A single push from Naomi cratered her against the far wall with a loud bang and her shattered arms hung listlessly at her sides. ¡°Hey, be nicer to your teacher!¡± Lily pouted as she struggled to her feet and realigned her broken limbs.


    ¡°I can¡¯t breathe! I¡¯m dying¡­¡± Naomi moaned desperately as she coughed and clawed at her throat with growing horror.


    Lily stared skeptically at Naomi before breaking out into peals of amused laughter, ¡°Can¡¯t breathe? What do you mean by can¡¯t breathe? Why do you even need to breathe?¡±


    ¡°Help¡­ I¡¯m choking to death¡­ Save me please¡­¡± Naomi screamed as her lungs refused her mind¡¯s desperate commands to inhale. The moaning child fell to her knees and several long moments passed before she finally realized that she wasn¡¯t blacking out. Naomi blanched in disbelief as she eyed the tittering princess, ¡°Am I some sort of undead?¡± she muttered in resignation.


    ¡°Bah, what nonsense.¡± Lily smiled mockingly, ¡°If witches had to breathe all the time, how would we ever be able to visit Krall in the sea? You should be able to live on a single breath of air for at least a day and up to a week in a pinch. And your lungs will shut off automatically for several minutes whenever you happen to inhale anything particularly irritating, it¡¯s just a natural innate reaction to noxious stimuli. Just don¡¯t try it with my elder sister. She¡¯s weird and can only hold her breath for a little more than three hours.¡±


    ¡°What is this insane ability?¡± Naomi squeaked in disbelief.


    ¡°You have many more ¡®insane¡¯ abilities.¡± Lily replied as she gestured cynically at the people behind Naomi. The servants¡¯ now silenced forms lay scattered around the stoic truth-finders who stood like grey pillars of jellied flesh amidst the carnage. Here and there, still partially conscious servants moaned softly as blood poured freely from their ears.


    ¡°What¡­ what did I do? You were the one casting the spell¡­¡± Naomi denied feebly.


    ¡°Humans are very sensitive to sound. You have to avoid all harmful frequencies when shouting, at least according to elder sister. Oh, and be careful of extremely high frequencies, it¡¯s hard to have tea when the tea cups keep breaking.¡± Lily added helpfully.


    ¡°How do I even know which frequencies to avoid?¡± Naomi whispered in horror.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s simple. Just look at them, the man over there is particularly sensitive to the 20.27891 kHz wavelength, while this woman over here will be incapacitated if you scream with a sound that includes a 20.11871 kHz wavelength. It¡¯s similar for most of the others, so you just have to avoid the wavelengths that have the greatest resonance with each of their tympanic membranes by looking before you scream.¡± Lily answered smugly.


    ¡°How about the people you can¡¯t see. This is impossible!¡± Naomi exclaimed loudly, before clamping her hands around her mouth in horror as fresh blood spurted from the victims around her.


    ¡°Why do you even need to see? How do you intend to move around safely if you just rely on eyesight?¡± Lily sighed impatiently, ¡°I can feel the exact position of all living creatures and magical constructs within a radius of at least five kilometers, even without magically extending my senses. Surely you can do something similar?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Naomi closed her eyes and concentrated deeply, ¡°One, two, three¡­ Dear gods, I¡¯m a monster. I¡¯ve murdered almost three hundred people with my voice alone.¡± The paled faced child whispered in horror as she stared at the princess.


    ¡°Three hundred and thirty-two, to be exact.¡± Lily nodded agreeably. ¡°Your senses must be defective like elder sister¡¯s if you can¡¯t even detect anyone more than a hundred meters away. But you didn¡¯t kill anyone, I¡¯m sure most of them will be walking around like nothing happened in a couple of minutes. In Andania, we maintain a team of mages whose specialty is to fix minor accidents like this.¡± The princess shrugged as she turned back towards the kitchens, ¡°Now, shall we have some pudding?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing in Saadian¡­¡± Naomi stammered, ¡°Magical healing is an extremely rare ability and reserved only for high nobility¡­¡±


    Lily shrugged absently as she stared at the silent bodies interposed throughout the rubble strewn passageway, ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m sure that even the weakest humans will be able to regenerate from this much in an hour or two. It¡¯s kinda hard to die from a minor injury like this right?¡±


    ¡°Please Teacher Lily! You have to save them, I don¡¯t want to become a mass murderer! Saadian law sentences all mass murderers to death by a thousand cuts!¡± Naomi begged desperately.


    Lily frowned as she stared at her teary-eyed apprentice, ¡°But elder sister always says to leave them alone¡­ Apparently most humans don¡¯t really like it when I use my fixing abilities on them randomly.¡±


    ¡°Please, please teacher Lily! I¡¯ll do anything, so please just save them all!¡± Naomi pled.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Lily replied somewhat reluctantly before brightening suddenly, ¡°Oh oh oh! I just had the bestest idea, why don¡¯t we start your magic lessons right here.¡± The witch thrust a talisman into Naomi¡¯s horrified hands before she could refuse, ¡°Here¡¯s the first charm my elder sister ever crafted for me. The Anything Talisman! It can do anything and everything you would ever want. Just close your eyes and wish for it to happen!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure this will actually work?¡± Naomi stared doubtfully at the dubious looking talisman in her hand.


    ¡°Of course, it will! My genius sister designed this charm for total amateurs, the spell always works perfectly.¡± Lily reassured agreeably, ¡°Just channel your power into it and your most heartfelt wish will become reality!¡±


    Naomi bit her lip nervously as she glanced at the dying victims strewn across the rubble, ¡°I guess this means that at least some of them will have a chance of survival. Well here goes nothing!¡± The child squeezed her eyes shut desperately as she held up the talisman and wished.


    ¡°Amazing! Just amazing, dearest apprentice! I always knew that you had the greatest latent talent!¡± Lily clapped proudly.


    Naomi eked her eyes open gingerly, ¡°Where did all the people go?¡± She muttered in bewilderment as she stared at the gaping emptiness before her. The rubble, corridor, and servants had vanished into nothingness and only a gaping hole, fifty meters deep and wide, remained of what had been an entire section of the palace. Then the child squeaked in fright as the entire floor trembled when a large stone crusted hand rose up and clamped onto the edge of the crater. A many headed multi-armed buddha like stone and metal golem roared as it propelled itself from the depths and landed before Naomi with a thundering crash. ¡°What¡­ what is this monster!?¡± The trembling child screamed as she retreated and cowered at Lily¡¯s back.


    ¡°I always knew that combining people made them better!¡± Lily nodded contently, ¡°But adding stone and metal to the mix, that is definitely an amazing stroke of ingenuity! Well done, apprentice! It appears that I have nothing left to teach you.¡± Lily smiled as she admired Naomi¡¯s handiwork.


    ¡°What¡­ what happened? I didn¡¯t ask for this¡­ this demon to appear!¡± Naomi moaned.


    ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t that obvious? You simply fused three thousand, four hundred, and thirty-five humans together, and condensed them along with several tons of stone and metal to produce this obviously superior servant.¡± Lily nodded at the trembling three-meter statue prostrating before them, ¡°I like it. Legion, I name you, now bring me some pudding from the kitchens!¡±


    ¡°Why did the body count increase so drastically¡­ I definitely didn¡¯t wish for something like that!¡± Naomi muttered in hysterical denial.


    ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t wish for that? The Anything Talisman my sister made always grants your wishes. What did you even wish for?¡±


    ¡°I wished¡­¡± Naomi¡¯s dark blue eyes widened with dread filled realization. ¡°I wished that the people and the palace around me would always be protected from harm¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly! See nothing was wrong with the talisman!¡± Lily declared smugly. ¡°That much improved servant won¡¯t be damaged easily by your accidental shouts and the integrated pieces of palace in that golem even gained a capacity for self-regeneration. What more could you ask for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve become a monster that makes monsters!¡± Naomi sank to her knees in despair just as Legion returned with a cup of differently flavored pudding in each of its many hands.


    ¡°Very fast, and you are a most excellent chef, Legion.¡± Lily nodded contently as she helped herself to her favorite dessert. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to mention this, the Anything Talisman is infinitely self-replicating. Once any witch is offered one, she gets to use it anytime she wants!¡± The princess demonstrated with an easy flick of her wrist, ¡°Just say the words, ¡®Anything Talisman¡¯ along with this gesture and it will instantly appear in your hand! Handy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lily smiled as she eyed the bowl of pudding in front of her and activated the charm in her hand, ¡°I want more fresh strawberries in my pudding!¡±


    Needless to say, the merchants throughout the Saadian capital of Riyadh were utterly mystified when all the best strawberries in their warehouses and storefronts vanished mysteriously.


    ¡­


    ¡°By the Vaishyan holy gods¡­¡± Aryan moaned as he clutched at his painfully throbbing head before rising up and glancing wearily about him. ¡°What in the world happened to me?¡± He grumbled as he massaged his faintly aching throat, ¡°I must have fallen somehow and knocked myself out in the darkness¡­¡± he mumbled in confusion. ¡°What the¡­¡± his eyes widened in horror as his hand plunged into the warm viscous fluid around him, ¡°this is blood¡­ so much blood.. Lieutenant Carol! Anyone, respond! We have an emergency! A terrible monster is roaming around the city!¡±


    ¡°You are the monster!¡± Crystal blue eyes flashed sadly in the darkness as Mirror growled ruefully at Aryan.


    ¡°Aah¡­¡± Aryan yelped in surprise before he finally spied the kitten¡¯s familiar form across the dimly lit chamber, ¡°It¡¯s just you Mirror, don¡¯t startle me like that. For a moment, I thought you were the blue-eyed demon that attacked me!¡±


    ¡°You must have attacked yourself then¡­¡± Mirror snorted in disbelief as she glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to bite an obviously poisonous monster like you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You aren¡¯t making any sense.¡± Aryan complained as he rose to his feet.


    ¡°Stop trying to deceive me fake Aryan. I¡¯ve already examined the other remains strewn throughout the building and they were all stained with your unmistakably evil scent. Especially around all the bite marks.¡± Mirror snarled warningly at the approaching prince.


    ¡°I would never do anything like that!¡± Aryan protested incredulously as he reached out to convince her.


    ¡°Stay away from me, you bad evil monster! And stop trying to impersonate my good prince Aryan!¡± Mirror yowled furiously as she twisted away from his bloody grasp and fled to the relative safety of the rafters. ¡°I should have killed you while you were still trying to lure me in by feigning death!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m Aryan!¡± The prince protested as he reached out supplicatingly. To his surprise, his simple action propelled him several meters into the air and his hand locked around Mirror¡¯s exposed heel.


    Mirror screamed in pain as his bloodstained fingers hissed against her flesh, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me you demon!¡± She cried out as she attempted to stake him through the chest with a spear of pure magic, but the blood surrounding his body congealed into a shield which deflected her hastily conjured attack. The shocked kitten was knocked off balance by the magical backblast and splashed straight into Aryan¡¯s bloody embrace.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t mean it¡­ I¡­¡± Aryan¡¯s grip slackened as he finally realized what had happened and the wounded kitten finally managed to twist away from him.


    ¡°You evil, evil monster. Pretending to be Aryan!¡± Mirror moaned as she staggered desperately away from him. ¡°I know how you got to all the others without a struggle now! This is mighty god Dagon¡¯s city. When I tell him about your evilness, he¡¯ll definitely come and turn you into a jellyfish!¡± Mirror smiled victoriously as a communication spell formed in her hands, ¡°Um¡­ god Dagon? Hello? Why aren¡¯t you responding.¡± Mirror whimpered as she was overcome with a sudden premonition of impending doom. ¡°It¡¯s a trap! God Dagon, run¡­ save yourself¡­¡± Mirror meowed as the light in her eyes flickered and dimmed suddenly when the divine power fueling her body was snuffed out. And the silent kitten pitched forward face first into the dirt.

 Chapter 35: Dagon’s Demise

    Then the serpent took The Witch to the highest mountain and showed her all the kingdoms of men and their splendor. ¡°All this I will grant you,¡± it said, ¡°if you will bow down and worship me.¡±


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°A true god? Hah what a preposterous claim, insect.¡± The girl mocked as she neatly sidestepped Dagon¡¯s blade and pressed down onto the back of the weapon with a single outstretched hand. A massive shockwave radiated outwards as the magical sword cratered into the ground before rocking the entire city as if an earthquake and shattering windows were turned into deadly projectiles that blew wildly through the city streets. For a moment, it seemed as if the statue would teeter off balance from overreach, but Dagon managed to recover in time by dispelling the weapon.


    ¡°Impressive for a mere mortal. Witch, you have grown in strength and audacity since the last time we have met. But you are still no match for my power which transcends mortality!¡± The pillars supporting the temple shook as Dagon roared and raised its hands to the skies, ¡°Salt spears, pierce through!¡± A spear of pure white crystal materialized in each of its hands and the statue gloated as it hurled a hail of devastation directly at the seemingly defenseless girl.


    ¡°Just salt?¡± The girl smirked, ¡°Shatter.¡± She sang with single resonating tone which disintegrated Dagon¡¯s attack into a cloud of harmless powder that whipped past the unharmed girl. ¡°Please, this second-rate masquerade isn¡¯t even mildly entertaining.¡± She goaded disdainfully. ¡°Surely even a puny worm like you has an ultimate attack or two that would be worth my time.¡±


    ¡°Puny worm?¡± Dagon spluttered with rage, ¡°Ten thousand years. For ten thousand years, nobody, nobody has ever dared to address me with such disrespect! I am the divine god of the northern seas!¡±


    ¡°And which muddy puddle was that again?¡± The girl smiled mockingly as she continued her advance towards the statue.


    ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Dagon¡¯s countless years of experience finally kicked in despite the seemingly unbridgeable difference in power and the divine god suddenly felt a prickling sense of impending doom as the unarmed girl stepped steadily closer. ¡°Ultimate maelstrom! Bury this upstart into the depths!¡± The statue¡¯s hands traced out an endlessly complex series of magical symbols with blurring swiftness and the ground shuddered as a twisting vortex began materializing beneath her.


    ¡°Ha, do you actually expect me to do nothing while you muddle through that amateurish morass?¡± The girl smirked as she traced a single symbol which destabilized the god¡¯s nascent spell, ¡°Confess weakling. From who did you appropriate your powers?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± The Dagon¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Who are you? How do you know about the Cataclysm of the gods? You¡¯re not Laura, how did you possess that witch¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°Non non non. Did your brains putrefy with age? Surely, it¡¯s a little obvious by now.¡± Her gloating smile widened.


    ¡°You! You¡¯re the Foreigner, the serpent from the stars! But it can¡¯t be¡­ No, it¡¯s impossible¡­ The Witch dealt with you personally, eons before the Cataclysm.¡± The statue of black obsidian quaked in fearful disbelief.


    The girl smiled as her timeless gaze bore into the trembling statue, ¡°Well, even The Witch wasn¡¯t perfect. Or maybe a group of rebellious upstarts managed to dispose of her before she could complete the job. Hehe, lucky, lucky me.¡±


    ¡°Begone Foreigner!¡± The statue¡¯s eyes darted about with increasing uncertainty as the unperturbed wisp of a girl, continued her steady advance. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing. If you¡¯re still trapped in that mortal¡¯s shell, there¡¯s no way you regained your full powers. I will be the one to vanquish you!¡± Dagon roared desperately as a massive silver trident materialized in its hands, ¡°Die!¡± Crackling lightning ionized the atmosphere as Dagon flung the scorching trident straight at her bosom.


    ¡°Yesss¡­ I will finally be free from this prison of flesh!¡± The girl hissed victoriously as she spread her arms wide to embrace the weapon hurtling towards her.


    ¡°What?¡± Shocked realization was etched onto Dagon¡¯s features as he attempted in vain to halt his attack and the white-hot spear screamed into her bosom with a force that shook the earth.


    Laura spat out a sizzling mouthful of blood as she was flung against the far wall like a broken marionette and the bitter scent of burnt flesh filled the chamber. A dark lightless mist seeped from the gaping wound in her chest before congealing into the form of a shadowy serpent, ¡°You idiot, I almost had the situation contained.¡± Laura croaked weakly.


    ¡°Free, I¡¯m finally free!¡± The temple¡¯s pillars trembled as an immense magical pressure began emanating from the roaring serpent¡¯s swiftly solidifying form.


    ¡°What have I done?¡± Dagon gazed with pure horror at the serpent writhing throughout the temple.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Stop gawking like a fool! Get me out of this mess and help me seal that thing before it materializes completely.¡± Laura ordered with a groan.


    The panicked god scurried up to the witch and ripped the weapon carelessly from her body, ¡°Everything¡¯s over. The Foreigner will devour us all! It¡¯s too powerful, even the higher gods could never defeat it.¡± Dagon moaned in despair.


    Laura coughed out another mouthful of blood as she staggered weakly to her feet, ¡°The sealing must be performed in pairs. Here, take this and activate with me.¡± She tore strips off her already ragged dress and scribbled hastily with her blood-soaked hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re delirious,¡± Dagon spluttered as it stared apprehensively at the tattered bloodstained rag, ¡°Only witches can use talismans.¡±


    Laura giggled at the god¡¯s ludicrous protest, ¡°Well we can always sit down for tea and wait for my dear sister to show up, but I don¡¯t think that you have that much time.¡±


    ¡°How do I even use it? How bad will be the backlash for using a witch¡¯s forbidden magic?¡±


    Laura shrugged, ¡°The talisman just requires a vast quantity of magic, just channel everything you can through it. Humans usually die if they are lucky, but you¡¯re some sort of magical being right? I¡¯m sure you will fare somewhat better.¡±


    Dagon dropped the bloody talisman as if it was a scorching hot coal, ¡°That¡¯s too risky, get one of my humans to do it! We have plenty of diviners.¡±


    ¡°You would consign one of your servants to certain death?¡± Laura¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You are all mortals, you¡¯ll all die someday. But I can live forever!¡± Dagon protested while backing away from the witch.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work, a normal person won¡¯t have close to enough Talent. The magical pressure in here will be enough to incapacitate almost anyone and that creature is will definitely escape before you manage to obtain someone suitable.¡± The witch smiled as she thrust the talisman back into Dagon¡¯s trembling hands, ¡°You don¡¯t really have a choice.¡±


    ¡°Damn you, witch!¡± Dagon cursed, ¡°Why did you have to come to Vaishya?¡±


    ¡°Vaishya? Did Father build a new temple while I was asleep?¡± Laura smirked impishly. ¡°So, are we doing this, or would you prefer to be ¡®devoured¡¯ when that creature finally frees itself?¡±


    ¡°You are evil!¡± Realizing that there was no other choice, Dagon protested furiously before activating the talisman moments before the serpent broke free. The god of the northern seas was utterly focused on managing the wild magical maelstrom that gushed from the talisman and it was several long moments before it realized that the witch had made no move to activate the charm in her own hand. ¡°You! What are you doing? Help me seal the Foreigner!¡± Dagon roared in anger.


    ¡°Interestingly, it appears that your power will be sufficient. For a self-proclaimed god, you aren¡¯t half bad.¡± Laura smiled as she backed away to a safe distance and leaned weakly against a wall for support.


    ¡°You tricked me, you liar,¡± Dagon yelled furiously, ¡°You said that the spell must be performed in pairs!¡±


    ¡°I did not lie. My sister and I would have to cooperate to perform the spell successfully, but you seem to be completing it just fine on your own.¡± Laura answered tiredly as she slumped to the ground.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m getting¡­ I¡¯m being sucked in with the Foreigner. Arrgh¡­ save me!¡± Dagon¡¯s rage was swiftly replaced with horror as the weighty statue was dragged towards the strengthening vortex that it had summoned.


    Laura observed calmly, ¡°It¡¯s working just as intended. The ancient spell was devised to seal away dangerous magical entities and I¡¯m not really surprised that you qualify as one. Well at least you can take comfort in the fact that you saved your servants from whatever that creature was.¡± The Witch of Andania answered no one in particular as both the serpent¡¯s and Dagon¡¯s magical signatures had already vanished. Finally alone, Laura sighed tiredly in the now silent darkness as she eyed the faintly glowing circle etched into her palm, ¡°It¡¯s actually over, I did it. The Witch¡¯s Seal must have weakened while I was unconscious but none of the imprisoned entities managed to break out. And although I don¡¯t know what that creature was doing with my body while I was busy with the others, I managed to recapture it somehow. I even managed to get rid of that weird talking statue!¡±


    The relieved princess struggled to her feet and staggered towards the entrance of the temple, ¡°Stupid Lily,¡± she muttered grumpily to herself, ¡°where did you run off to this time? Or is this some kind of elaborate prank? Why aren¡¯t the guards coming to clean up this mess, I¡¯m definitely complaining to Father¡­¡± She halted mid-sentence as she gazed in bewilderment at the utterly unfamiliar city spread out before her. ¡°Haha. Very, very funny everyone.¡± Laura shouted. But to her absolute surprise, she received no response. ¡°Hey, joke¡¯s over. Dispel this stupid illusion!¡± The princess yelled.


    ¡°Gotta do everything myself huh? Blasted Krall, when I get my hands on whoever pranked me¡­¡± Laura threatened as she reached out for her pouch of talismans. ¡°Shit, they even took my talismans?¡± She groaned bitterly, ¡°And why can¡¯t I find my pendant?¡± The anxious princess gazed about her, ¡°Something¡¯s not right, I¡­¡± As she staggered a single final step forward, her bare feet splashed loudly on the growing puddle of blood surrounding her. ¡°Huh, why am I still bleeding?¡± The bewildered princess finally noticed the quickly worsening state of her body as her vision blurred and she pitched forward and slid powerlessly down the blood-stained stairs. ¡°What happened to my heart¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Yesss! You destroyed that cursed witch god Dagon!¡± Zinnridi hissed victoriously as the bloody broken princess crashed out from the temple. The archdiviner emerged from the shadows before sneaking silently into the empty temple and prostrating before the pedestal, ¡°Now, I just have to burn that corpse before anyone else arrives. Surely, you will permit it?¡± Silenced reigned for several long moments and the weasel broke out into cold sweat, ¡°Oh great and mighty Dagon, surely you are not offended by my actions?¡± He pled desperately but failed to receive any reply yet again. Finally, unable to take the tension any longer, Zinnridi peeked at where Dagon¡¯s statue had stood and realized belatedly that the pedestal was completely empty.


    ¡°Huh?¡± In all the centuries of his life, the Archdiviner had never seen the statue leave the temple¡¯s pedestal. ¡°God Dagon?¡± Zinnridi paled with disbelieving horror as he looked about the temple but failed to find even single fragment of the once imposing statue.


    And neither the weasel nor the witch noticed as a single surviving tendril of darkness seeped quietly from the temple through a fine crack in the wall.

 Chapter 36: The Witch’s Apprentice

    You can strengthen spells and techniques in innumerable ways, but there¡¯s a limit to the strength of mind.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Um¡­ Teacher Lily?¡± Naomi questioned nervously.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Lily jerked up with an absent dreamy expression, ¡°Oh it¡¯s just you, dearest apprentice. Did you need something else?¡±


    ¡°You were teaching me about the different types of talismans when you drifted off into silence. And it¡¯s already been two hours¡­ Is something wrong teacher Lily?¡±


    Lily stretched out and yawned, ¡°Sorry, I must have drifted off again, my elder sister constantly complains that I do that far too often. But studying really bores me and learning about the other types of talismans is rather pointless when the Anything Talisman is all you¡¯ll ever need. More importantly, did you feel that large surge of power? Someone used a really extravagant spell just now, I was just about to identify the source when it vanished into thin air. If they are really that good, I must invite them to my hide and seek party!¡±


    Naomi wisely omitted the fact that she had failed to sense even the slightest shift in magic, ¡°Did it have something to do with your sister?¡±


    ¡°Elder sister? Without me? Bah, not in her wildest dreams. It was more like if idiot Xerxes suddenly acquired the brains of an Archmage¡­¡± Lily blinked with surprise at the sudden revelation, ¡°More brains, a merge! Why didn¡¯t I think of THAT sooner! That would probably be an immense improvement. Gosh, don¡¯t you agree that Xerxes would be just so excited to try that out?¡±


    ¡°You mean Immortal Emperor Xerxes, Ruler of Saadian and of the Southern Realms¡­¡± Naomi¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°Yes yes¡­ I already know that he has a long musty list of titles.¡± Lily rolled her eyes dismissively as she leapt to her feet and strode determinedly towards the corridor, ¡°Hey, maybe he¡¯ll agree to let you practice your surgical skills on him, I¡¯m sure that you have already mastered the basics.¡±


    ¡°I have mastered what?¡± Naomi mumbled in bewilderment as her horrified mind began piecing the witch¡¯s ludicrous suggestion together. Then blood drained from her already pale face, ¡°You want to do what to Emperor Xerxes!?¡± she squeaked.


    ¡°Oh com¡¯on, surely you didn¡¯t already forget about the upgrades¡­ I mean the magic lessons? After all that tedious firsthand demonstration while I was carving up your body?¡± Lily frowned as she twisted about to cup Naomi¡¯s ghostly white cheeks between her warm rosy hands, ¡°My bad. I must have missed out a part or two while I was putting you back together. Hmm, let me see¡­ or maybe I should have reinforced the connections in your temporal lobe a little more? Any spells of sudden dizziness perhaps? Misfiring nerves? We must conduct an emergency dissection¡­ I mean treatment!¡±


    ¡°I REMEMBER! I REMEMBER EVERYTHING!¡± Naomi literally shrieked as Lily began flipping through her stack of talismans, ¡°Nothing is wrong with me!¡±


    ¡°Are you really, really sure?¡± The witch frowned doubtfully, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just being stubborn like my elder sister? I keep reminding her that Mother messed around with some of her childhood memories you know, but she refuses to ever let me fix them¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really, really, really sure. Nothing is wrong with me. Everything is perfectly fine!¡± Naomi nodded as vigorously as she could.


    ¡°That¡¯s just peachy, I guess¡­¡± After another long and concerned stare, Lily finally concluded with a somewhat disappointed expression. ¡°I wanted to start with Xerxes anyway, so let¡¯s get going already!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I mean¡­ um what if Emperor Xerxes refuses?¡± Naomi shuddered.


    ¡°Why would anyone refuse such an obvious upgrade?¡± Lily dismissed her apprehensive apprentice¡¯s concerns with a nonchalant wave, ¡°Just look at how nicely Legion turned out. When we are done with Xerxes, he¡¯ll be even better!¡±


    ¡°Wait! But you haven¡¯t even finished your lecture on the talismans!¡± Naomi spluttered in a final desperate attempt to delay the impending confrontation.


    ¡°Oh, that? Here, you can have this.¡± Lily rummaged through her dress and retrieved an intricately decorated golden key.


    ¡°Huh? What does this key have to do with talismans?¡± Naomi stared at Lily in befuddlement.


    Lily sighed impatiently as she snatched at Naomi¡¯s hand, ¡°Can¡¯t you even feel how this simple artifact functions? You must be just as magically dense as elder sister. Here, just prick your finger like this. Stick a drop of your blood on the ruby here, press on that emerald there, and stretch the key before you and twist. No books or studying required!¡± The air before them shimmered as a magical rift materialized before them, ¡°Tada. The Andanian imperial library. All ten million, three hundred and fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and twenty-eight tomes on talismans, along with the complete collection of their accompanying appendices, supplements, and addendums. Absorb all of that and you¡¯ll learn more about talismans than you¡¯ll ever want to know. I can wait, will five whole minutes be enough? You might even have the time for a short snooze in between¡­¡± She monotoned absently with a barely stifled yawn.


    ¡°Five¡­ five minutes? You want me to read all these books in five minutes?¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes almost popped out of her head as she stared disbelievingly at the endless silent corridors and the rows upon rows of carefully arranged tomes stretching out from floor to ceiling.


    Lily frowned, ¡°Of course not, didn¡¯t you hear me? Just focusing on the ten million or so that relate directly to talismans should be sufficient for now. You probably won¡¯t ever need the four hundred and twenty-five thousand volumes on heredity and the six million odd texts on court etiquette are quite a complete waste of time. Hmm¡­ it is your first time, so you might actually need an extra ten seconds to familiarize yourself with the library layout? You don¡¯t really have to flip all those individual pages like my elder sister does, you know. Just step in, sense for all the appropriate tomes simultaneously, then take a deep breath, and voila! Knowledge acquired.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t read¡­¡± Naomi stammered apprehensively.


    ¡°Yeah that might be a problem¡­ some of the languages in the older talisman specific tomes are pretty ancient. Elder sister encountered some trouble too. Um¡­ But no worries, we have other books dedicated to language. If you take a sniff at section five hundred and twenty-two on this floor, you will instantly acquire the knowledge required to translate all the tomes written in the most recent two millenniums. Then hop down three levels and absorb sections three hundred and thirteen through six hundred and forty-three¡­ Oh and don¡¯t forget that reference book my elder sister left out on the desk in the corner over there. Then skip down four more levels and¡­¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t read. Not at all. They never taught us slaves any of those letters¡­¡± Naomi muttered as she took several doubtful breaths, ¡°And Teacher Lily? I don¡¯t think this breathing method of yours is going to work for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can fix even that! Here, with the handy mind connecting talisman!¡± Lily beamed with opportunistic excitement as she tagged Naomi on the forehead with the dreaded charm before she could dart away. A white scorching agony seared into Naomi¡¯s consciousness as pure suffering overflowed from every pore of her being and every muscle in her body twitched convulsively with anguished torture. In the next instant, an utterly overwhelming tsunami of knowledge surged into her pain maddened mind. Naomi did not even have the opportunity to scream. For the briefest of moments, the girl swayed unsteadily as she managed to remain upright, then blood and gore gushed from every orifice in her body and every pore on her skin, and the bloody girl plunged soundlessly forward into Lily¡¯s ready embrace.


    ¡°Ves ican liakz murr...¡± It was late in the afternoon when Naomi finally managed to croak out a single phase.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the water, drink up. Ready for another round? We only managed to skim over the first thousand or so tomes before you collapsed.¡± Lily smiled encouragingly as she stroked her feverish forehead.


    ¡°Lisan iten nien!¡± Naomi moaned in horror as the bloodied child crawled desperately away from the witch.


    ¡°Are you okay? Did you forget how to speak in Common? We must fix that. Luckily, there are three hundred¡­¡± Lily locked her arms deftly around Naomi¡¯s shoulders before affixing a fresh talisman on her forehead.


    ¡°Aieee!¡± Like a crazed beast, the child snapped her head backwards into the witch¡¯s face before she could activate the charm and there was a loud crunching of cartilage as Lily¡¯s nose was crushed by the violent blow. As blood splayed from the staggering witch, Naomi stomped down violently and shattered her kneecap. Then she swung her wildly by the arm and flung her into the nearest shelf of books with such force that the solid marble racks were shattered by the impact.


    Lily groaned loudly as she was buried beneath a massive mountain of ancient tomes.


    ¡°Teacher Lily. I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to. I just couldn¡¯t control my reflexes¡­¡± Naomi¡¯s body shuddered uncontrollably as she continued to back away from the witch.


    Lily pouted apprehensively as she rose to her feet, ¡°Hey, treat the library with a little more care! I don¡¯t really mind, but elder sister isn¡¯t going to be pleased when she finds out that we bloodied a bunch of tomes that she hasn¡¯t read yet. The last time that happened, I lost my head! Do you know how hard is it to walk around for days without a head?¡±


    ¡°How? You aren¡¯t injured. But after all I did¡­.¡± Naomi gasped in bewilderment, ¡°Wait¡­ what? Your own sister? She beheaded you just because of a few books? But how are you still alive?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be silly,¡± Lily giggled mischievously, ¡°how would I ever survive elder sister¡¯s tantrums if I was hurt so easily? Well the beheading was the least of my problems, elder sister is just too evil whenever she loses her temper. I still remember the last time when she ambushed me, stole my head, and hid it in another dimension! It took me two whole days to actually find my body!¡± The witch shuddered as she recalled the memory, ¡°It was dark, boring, but worst of all¡­ there was no pudding!¡±


    ¡°Head in another dimension, no pudding¡­ uh-huh, and it wasn¡¯t a big deal¡­¡± Naomi mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, and that was exactly what elder sister said when I complained to Mother!¡± Lily stomped her feet in protest, ¡°Wait a minute, are you saying that you actually agree with elder sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I mean no, of course¡­ losing your head is definitely a big deal!¡± Naomi stammered.


    The witch was so swift that Naomi had barely registered the faintest flicker of movement before Lily¡¯s nails were planted against the nape of her throat. The witch¡¯s aura shimmered with an alien darkness and her normally whimsical attitude had been supplanted by a terrifyingly savage menace that chilled the blood in her victim¡¯s veins, ¡°Not the head, silly child. What about the unforgiveable fact that elder sister conveniently forgot about my pudding?¡± Lily hissed venomously.


    A tense moment of incomplete silence, as the floors of the library shook ever so slightly, and as countless tomes were rattled within their marble shelves. Naomi gulped nervously as she ran her tongue across her suddenly parched lips and considered her next words with utmost care, ¡°It was truly evil to forget about your pudding, Teacher Lily! Haha, I mean, isn¡¯t that just too obvious? So obvious that I didn¡¯t see the need to mention it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± The threatening aura vanished just as swiftly as it had appeared, ¡°as long as we are all on the same page about my pudding.¡± Lily declared with a ditzy grin on her face. ¡°You know, we can easily screw a head or two back on. But a pudding gone stale? Why that¡¯s completely irrecoverable!¡± She grumbled.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Anything Talisman grant any wish? Why can¡¯t you simply make the pudding fresh again?¡± Naomi questioned.


    ¡°Is that a trick question, dearest apprentice? I might be a little dreamy sometimes, but I still haven¡¯t forgotten about the three fundamental tenets of magic. It¡¯s obvious that I can¡¯t simply return to a time when the pudding was still fresh. And since the ingredients are dead, so I can¡¯t heal them back to freshness either.¡± Lily pointed at the massive symbols carved above the library¡¯s luxuriously decorated foyer. ¡°First, nothing can ever bring back the past. Second, no spell can revive the dead. And third, never open the Witch¡¯s Seal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Naomi mumbled apprehensively.


    ¡°The Witch¡¯s Seal? Oh, it¡¯s just some tattoo that¡¯s inherited by the most senior living witch. It¡¯s supposed to appear on your left palm or something and since there¡¯s still nothing on my hand, I know that elder sister¡¯s doing perfectly fine!¡±


    ¡°No, I mean what¡¯s that black granite sarcophagus doing in the middle of your library foyer?¡± Naomi pointed hesitantly at the elaborately decorated tomb just beneath the symbols.


    ¡°Oh that.¡± Lily whispered conspiratorially, ¡°Don¡¯t tell elder sister, but that¡¯s my favorite secret nap spot! It¡¯s actually empty inside and it has the fluffiest pillows ever and it helps ever so much with my headaches. I get them a lot, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I see. Yes.¡± Naomi nodded mechanically as Lily continued to chatter excitedly about the wonders of slumbering within the mausoleum.


    ¡°¡­ Oh, and by the way, I¡¯m glad that you seem to be doing just fine.¡± Lily nodded contentedly, ¡°For a moment, I thought that the mind-merge had hurt you in some manner. I guess a thousand tomes was nothing, let¡¯s try for another ten thousand tomes this time! Or would you prefer the indisputable benefits of a more permanent connection?¡± Lily fluttered her eyelashes entreatingly, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to boast, but I¡¯ve already memorized most of the¡­¡±


    ¡°Ye¡­ HELP! NOOO, PLEASE NO MORE!¡± Naomi screamed as she flung her body to the side and snatched up the nearest fallen tome, ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll read all these books, all by myself! I will, I really will!¡± The child wept as she held up the musty volume before her as if it were a shield.


    ¡°Okie dokie.¡± Lily shrugged indifferently, ¡°Elder sister did mention that magic is best learnt the old-fashioned way. But if you ever feel the slightest need for any help or advice¡­¡± the witch smiled kindly while leafing through her stack of talismans.


    ¡°No! I mean, it¡¯s only ten million tomes, right? That¡¯s a piece of cake!¡± Naomi pleaded desperately as she plopped down on the nearest chair and began flipping fanatically through the tome.


    ¡°Exactly! Ten million will be a breeze.¡± Lily agreed. ¡°Jeez, and I almost forgot about Xerxes. Dearest apprentice Naomi, you must remind me about the most important appointments. My schedule has gotten so hectic, ever since the day I left Andania, that there¡¯s hardly any time for a proper nap.¡± The witch sighed as she held up two slender fingers before her, ¡°Upgrade idiot Xerxes, then nap. Don¡¯t forget, me! Upgrade that idiot first, before any naps.¡± She mumbled repeatedly to herself as she strode towards the exit.


    As she pretended to be deeply engrossed by the tome before her, Naomi heaved a subtle sigh of relief as the witch retreated into the distance.


    ¡°Hurry up, Naomi. If you dally around there any longer, I¡¯ll have to add you back into my list!¡±


    The chair was freshly dampened with moisture as the apprentice scurried after the departing witch as if her life depended on it.

 Chapter 37: The Witch’s Gem

    Hardness of Body. Solidity signifies strength, while Malleability assures resilience.


    Clarity of Mind. Translucency signifies efficiency, while Dullness assures concealment.


    Dimension of Soul. Grandness signifies power, while Petiteness assures swiftness.


    Color of Talent. The fiery Red of Blood signifies restoration, while the crystalline Blue of Krall assures destruction.


    Three elements complete Her potential, while the fourth reveals Her abilities.


    Flawlessly hard yet soft, clear yet opaque, large yet small, red and blue.


    The Witch¡¯s gem, the complete equilibrium of paradoxes and the source of limitless magic.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Mother! Save me! Mother!¡± The girl fought furiously against the web of dimeritium chains that rooted her against the reinforced dungeon wall.


    ¡°Answer me, you witch! What have you done to Dagon?¡± Archdiviner Zinnridi swore with an anger that rivaled that of his captive.


    The gathered archdiviners and enchantresses murmured among themselves before the most prominent member stepped up to confront the fuming weasel, ¡°I¡¯m not certain why you¡¯re so insistent that the witch was responsible, but it is obvious that this line of questioning is futile, Zinnridi.¡±


    ¡°For the last time, Arastina! She was there at the scene, she was the only one who could have¡­¡± Zinnridi spluttered in exasperation, ¡°We must torture the truth from this criminal immediately, restoring Dagon is our utmost priority!¡±


    ¡°And questioning her any further is clearly not going to help us. It is painfully obvious that she is just another victim in yesterday¡¯s still unexplained magical tragedy. Both her personality and physical body have regressed back into a preschool level and she can barely control her own Talent. It is doubtful that this child retains any memories that would be useful to us and agitating her further is clearly a waste of our efforts. It would be more productive for us to study the traces of magic still remaining in the temple, instead of leaving such a delicate task to our juniors.¡±


    ¡°She is clearly a threat! Look at what she did to my apprentices!¡± Zinnridi gestured angrily at the protective gaggle of hissing, croaking, and growling animals surrounding the witch. ¡°She transmuted them into a horde of jungle beast guards!¡±


    ¡°Anyone of us could have done that.¡± Arastina shrugged, ¡°It was legitimate self-defense. You should have taken more precautions while you were imprisoning her. We will work on reversing the effects of her childish prank later, after we analyze the magic at the temple.¡±


    ¡°You can study the magic by yourselves,¡± Zinnridi raged, ¡°She is guilty! And I¡¯m not leaving this place before I squeeze a confession from that accursed witch!¡±


    ¡°The conclave has decided. In the absence of any further instruction from god Dagon, we will return the witch unharmed to Prince Aryan. And we will all proceed to the Temple, together.¡± The enchantress¡¯ eyes narrowed with suspicion, ¡°You know Zinnridi. You might be Dagon¡¯s closest aide and the most senior member of the conclave, but sometimes, just sometimes, I wonder if you know something we don¡¯t. Maybe something important about what actually happened last night? Or about how the perpetrator managed to evade all our detection magics and spatial snares?¡±


    ¡°How dare you.¡± Zinnridi roared indigenously, ¡°Everything I do, I do for the good of Dagon and Vaishya!¡±


    ¡°Yet far too often, you insist on taking unilateral actions in direct opposition to the democratic will of the conclave.¡± Arastina shook her head disapprovingly, ¡°In this situation of extreme uncertainty, we have decided to ensure that you will take no independent action. Three of us will remain with you, at all times. Unless of course, if you have decided to relinquish your position and all its accompanying privileges and responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°You will all regret this mistake.¡± Zinnridi¡¯s eyes smoldered with barely suppressed rage as he strode towards the exit.


    ¡­


    ¡°Laura!¡± Aryan shouted with a voice filled with worry as heshoved his way through the final set of guards. Momentarily, the prince paused in confusion as he eyed the solitary child chained within the chamber. Then he pressed his lips together in determination and strode swiftly towards the imprisoned witch. ¡°Laura, what happened? What did they do to you?¡± He questioned anxiously.


    ¡°Mother! Save me! Mother!¡± But the witch ignored the prince as she continued her repeated cries for help.


    ¡°Laura, you must listen to me. The diviners said that your memories have been¡­¡±


    As the prince continued to approach the seemingly distracted child, she snapped her head towards him and spat out a mixture of blood and saliva, ¡°Monkey!¡± She chortled, ¡°Turn into a monkey and untie me before that undead mage returns!¡±


    The prince sighed as he wiped the spittle from his face, ¡°Laura. You don¡¯t have to use any magic to convince me to help you. But you have to promise that you won¡¯t harm any of my people if I release you.¡±


    The faintest flicker of dismay. ¡°Protection? Or insufficient blood?¡± The child muttered before biting deeply into her tongue and spitting out an even larger glob of magic. But the forewarned prince sidestepped her spell. ¡°Stand still, you Krall forsaken monkey!¡± The witch cursed in frustration.


    Aryan took a final step forward and cracked his hand loudly against her cheek, ¡°Listen to me! You foul tempered, unreasonable, and reckless witch!¡± He yelled.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    An expression of complete shock. ¡°You hit me¡­ You dared to lay your hand on Princess Laura Alexandra Muriel. I¡¯ll kill you, I feed your ashes to Krall!¡± The child spat out a deadly stream of power that should have incinerated the prince instantly.


    Aryan wiped the ineffective spittle from his face, raised his hand, and slapped her again. ¡°I¡¯m Prince Aryan Ishmael Zimran, remember me? You¡¯re my wife.¡±


    Tears of panicked trepidation. ¡°Huh, a prince? Wife? I¡¯m married?¡± The child sobbed with disbelief, ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t I promise not to be naughty ever again? Why did you sell me off? I¡¯m only six!¡±


    ¡°Laura, you are sixteen. You came to Vaishya willingly, but you seem to have lost all of your recent memories. And your mother passed on over a decade ago.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!? Mother¡¯s dead? I¡¯ll never believe you!¡± The child yelled, ¡°She¡¯s the Witch of Andania. The Best.¡±


    ¡°You are the Witch of Andania now. Remember this?¡± Aryan retrieved the intricately carved Calamity Ring.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s Mother¡¯s ring. Why do you even have it?¡± The child gasped, ¡°She¡¯s couldn¡¯t have lost in an honest fight. Who was it? Who betrayed Mother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, your mother passed on years before we established formal relations with your kingdom. And King Muriel handed me the ring, moments before he was assassinated.¡±


    ¡°They got Father too? Then who¡¯s the new ruler of Andania?¡±


    ¡°Andania was destroyed by Krall. And you sister was kidnapped by the Saadians during the chaos.¡± Aryan replied.


    ¡°Lost¡­ so it¡¯s all gone. Everything!¡± She wept bitterly.


    ¡°There, there. I¡¯m here now, and everything will be alright.¡± Aryan held her close to comfort her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you lecher. I¡¯ll never wear that ring, I¡¯ll never be your thrall!¡± The child resisted desperately.


    The frustrated prince clamped his hands on her shoulders, ¡°Listen to me, Laura! You were already using the ring¡¯s powers, that is why you lost your memories.¡±


    Utter despair filled her tear stricken eyes. ¡°So that was why my magic failed. I understand now, your humble slave will not resist.¡± She bowed her head lifelessly and sank against the wall.


    The weary prince shook his head in exasperation as he released the child from her bindings, ¡°Can you please turn all these animals back into humans?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Master. Immediately.¡± The child dashed up to the torturer¡¯s rack, snatched up the closest sharpened instrument, and gashed herself deeply in the arm.


    ¡°Stop hurting yourself!¡± Aryan yelled in anger.


    The blade fell from her hand and clattered noisily onto the ground as the trembling child prostrated before the prince, ¡°Your slave seeks forgiveness for failing to comprehend your commands. A witch¡¯s blood magic is most efficiently dispelled with a greater blood magic.¡±


    ¡°Whatever is wrong with you? You are acting strangely, Laura!¡± Aryan questioned angrily as he lifted the child to her feet.


    ¡°My soul is hostage to Calamity Ring. You have fulfilled the conditions of our contract by explaining the situation to me and I may not knowingly refuse any bearer of the ring. I await your orders, Master.¡± Laura answered dully.


    ¡°Damned witches and their bloody cursed artifacts!¡± Aryan swore loudly in reply as he snatched up her hand and thrust the ring back onto her finger, ¡°How about now? Better?¡±


    Laura stared numbly at the ring on her finger, ¡°You are a super suicidal idiot.¡± She muttered as eyed the prince calculatedly, ¡°Do you actually understand how much power you just handed back over to me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the last time you used it, you almost destroyed the entire known world. Just try not to do it again this time.¡± Aryan sighed as he rummaged through his pockets, ¡°Here. I¡¯m not sure if this actually helps, but I also retrieved the pieces of your soul gem.¡±


    ¡°A ruby? You must be mistaken.¡± Laura frowned as she examined the shattered gem, ¡°Mother was the only one with a ruby of this size and clarity. My sister and I? Well we¡¯re both obviously Alexandrite, it¡¯s even in our middle name!¡±


    ¡°You have been using that ruby from when we first met,¡± Aryan replied, ¡°and that was the gem you mounted on the Calamity Ring. I¡¯m certainly not mistaken.¡±


    Laura frowned, ¡°Even assuming that I believe you, using a ruby as my soul gem would have been grossly inept. How do I even explain this? Pure red rubies are a good fit for Mother because her Talent is rigidly specialized, that¡¯s why she¡¯s literally the best healer in the world, though she¡¯s limited to treating patients one at a time. My Talent isn¡¯t as focused. And by the way, that means that I can literally be great at everything. Hence, that is why the pleochroic properties of Alexandrite are an excellent fit for me. Anyway, the most important takeaway is that while I could have shoved my amazingly adaptable powers into this stone, it would have limited the daily use of my powers to basically¡­¡± She closed her eyes in thoughtful contemplation.


    ¡°Three hours?¡± Aryan added silently.


    ¡°¡­ a maximum of eight hours theoretically, depending on the specific ruby. And if I was limited to just three hours, then this particular gem must possess an incredible...¡± her eyes snapped wide open, ¡°Wait a minute, you mean that you weren¡¯t just jesting? That I actually did use this super incompatible thing as my foci?¡±


    ¡°I do not jest.¡± Aryan stated calmly.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it seems that I have a considerable amount of catching up to do. Tell me everything you know!¡± Laura demanded imperiously.


    The prince crossed his arms in refusal, ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone teach you any manners at all?¡±


    The child smirked pridefully as she gestured at the animals milling about behind her, ¡°I¡¯m the crown princess of Andania, and my surviving minions tend to learn their lessons.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the prince of Vaishya and your husband, and I¡¯m certainly not one of your servants. You are in Vaishya, so can¡¯t you treat me with a little more respect?¡± Aryan argued.


    ¡°Problem solved.¡± The witch snapped her fingers and the bare dungeon floor was instantly replaced by a luxuriously soft carpet. And the moldy surroundings were substituted by seemingly endless sections of scholarly literature. ¡°Welcome to the Andanian imperial library, now answer my questions immediately unless you prefer a visit to the Andanian zoo.¡±


    ¡°This does not change anything.¡± The prince stated defiantly, ¡°And your magic was ineffective, remember?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Well that¡¯s only because I didn¡¯t have a talisman!¡± Laura blushed in shame as she snatched up the nearest pen and paper and scribbled furiously, ¡°How dare you, I¡¯ll teach you the meaning of obedience! Now tell me everything or I¡¯ll turn you into my puppy!¡±


    ¡°No. Not until you learn your manners.¡± Aryan countered stubbornly.


    ¡°I warned you¡­¡± Laura growled childishly as she brandished the talisman at Aryan, ¡°Spend an hour as my cute fluffy puppy and reflect on your actions!¡± She proclaimed as she activated her brightly glowing charm. Reflexively, the prince of Vaishya braced his arms against his face as they were both surrounded by a blinding whiteness.


    A rapid shrinkage in size accompanied by sprouting fiery red fur of incredible fluffiness. Then eager panting and the damp sensation of a tongue against flesh. ¡°Huh? Nothing happened?¡± Aryan blinked in bewilderment as he stared at the cutest little puppy, perched amidst a jumble of oversized garments.


    ¡°Woof. Woof.¡± The puppy eyed the prince¡¯s picnic basket with undisguised longing.


    ¡°I guess that it¡¯s almost time for lunch. And I even brought along all your favorite pastries Laura.¡± Aryan sighed, ¡°Now sit!¡±

 Chapter 38: Slipping Sanity

    There is a fine line between genius and insanity. Question not The Witch, for her genius will dazzle you into insanity.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    The guards blanched as they eyed the mismatched trio marching straight towards their position. To the uninitiated, the massive multi-handed golem looming over the disheveled girls would have clearly been the most threatening figure. But these were men charged with defending the Emperor¡¯s court and they were wise enough to recognize the slender princess at the fore, despite her ragged, blood drenched appearance.


    ¡°Honored princess, how may I assist you?¡± The captain of the guard bowed politely while remaining at a safe distance.


    ¡°Greetings!¡± Lily smiled brightly as she finally noticed the guards, ¡°I am here to acquire Xerxes.¡±


    ¡°Honored princess, the royal court is currently in session. Perhaps you would prefer a more private appointment with the Emperor, later this evening.¡± He suggested tactfully.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I forgot about that court thing. That¡¯s where he plays catch with his minions, how many people has he killed already, today?¡± Lily sighed.


    ¡°The Emperor¡¯s temper has improved significantly since he returned from the battlefield. There have been no fatalities today, just several wounded.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Lily beamed, ¡°It seems that my magic had a beneficial effect on his personality. So, it¡¯s time to move on to the next phase!¡±


    The captain wisely refrained from asking any unnecessarily dangerous questions, ¡°Honored princess, Saadian court etiquette requires that all supplicants be properly attired before presenting themselves before the Emperor. I will have to ensure that you are somewhat presentable before you appear before him.¡±


    ¡°A new dress,¡± Lily mused absently as if she had just noticed the shocking state of her attire, ¡°That would please me¡­ do you have anything that would complement my hair? Perhaps something with a tint of crystal blue, the color of the waves¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, honored princess, I will summon the royal tailor immediately. Meanwhile, please allow me to guide you to the nearest private bathhouse.¡± The captain bowed respectfully.


    ¡°Another brilliant suggestion,¡± Lily nodded agreeably, ¡°I hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to freshen up in days.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t so bad. The captain thought silently to himself as he escorted the dangerous witch away from her imminent confrontation with Xerxes. ¡°Honored princess, we have cleared this bathhouse especially for you, please feel free to enjoy it at your leisure.¡±


    The witch smiled, with an expression that would have appeared completely innocent, had it been anyone else. ¡°I¡¯m so ever grateful, Captain. Please allow me to gift you with a humble token of gratitude for your kind assistance.¡± Lily¡¯s slender hand clamped like an unbreakable vice around his arm before the horrified soldier could flee.


    ¡°I¡­ I appreciate your offer,¡± Moments of his relatively uneventful life flashed before his eyes as the trembling captain shuddered uncontrollably, ¡°But I did not do anything worthy of¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I must insist! What would Mother even think¡­ I must¡­¡± Lily hesitated momentarily as she pressed her other hand against the sudden flash of pain throbbing through her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She smiled kindly as the moment of discomfort passed, ¡°Now, where was I? Oh, about your reward¡­ how about¡­¡± Her pronouncement was more chilling than a death sentence.


    ¡°Teacher Lily!¡± Naomi dashed to the rescue before the witch could bestow her ¡®reward¡¯. ¡°You are embarrassing the poor Captain. It violates Saadian custom to accept any rewards from a personal guest of the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lily blinked as she released her terrified escort, ¡°I knew that, didn¡¯t I?¡± She giggled to hide her confusion, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insult your customs kind Sir, I¡¯m such a ditz. Teehee.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you for saving me.¡± The pale faced soldier bowed gratefully before Naomi as they finally exited the bathhouse.


    ¡°Shhh¡­ not so loud.¡± Naomi hissed even as she activated a warding talisman, ¡°You must immediately inform the Emperor that his life is in danger! Investigate the dungeons, the witch plans to¡­¡±


    ¡°Naomi dear, won¡¯t you please help wash my back? I can¡¯t seem to find elder sister¡­ And please stop conspiring with that kind gentleman outside, I¡¯ve never hurt anyone! So, stop worrying!¡± Lily called out lazily.


    ¡°Coming!¡± Naomi forced a cheerful tone back into her voice as she shoved the solider away to safety and strode bravely back into the lair of the witch.


    ¡­


    ¡°This better be very important.¡± The Lion of Saadian growled as he eyed the gathered archmages within the heavily warded chamber.


    ¡°Divine Emperor. We are in complete agreement. The evidence is indisputable. We must act to neutralize the Andanian witch before her condition deteriorates any further.¡± Archmage Sotil advised calmly.


    ¡°Lies! You¡¯re all just conspiring against her because you fear her overwhelming Talent!¡± Xerxes fumed with silent frustration.


    ¡°Emperor Xerxes. You must have noticed the signs, that her condition had deteriorated significantly ever since we returned from the battlefield, especially since you are also cursed with a similar ailment.¡± Methuselah murmured.


    ¡°She managed to stabilize my condition somehow! You are the most accomplished Talented in all of Saadian. Can¡¯t you just examine what she did to the magic on my body and perform a similar ritual to cure her?¡± The mightiest man begged as tears gathered his eyes.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Unfortunately, your request is far beyond our abilities. We still barely understand the modifications she made to the glyphs carved into your body. And even the most perfunctory examination demonstrated that the magical force responsible for preserving her current mental state is significantly more complex. Attempting to restore the lost magic within her would be like asking a common blacksmith to repair a defective Antikythera mechanism.¡± Sotil bowed regretfully.


    ¡°Do something! I command it!¡± Xerxes roared in anger as his fist pummeled through the splintering armrest beside him.


    ¡°If we preserved her body with stasis magic, perhaps the rate of deterioration will decrease¡­¡± Methuselah suggested hesitantly.


    ¡°You would rob her of what little time she has left by pinning her like a butterfly in a preservation case?¡± Xerxes growled with a low threatening tone as he glared at the nervously sweating archmage.


    ¡°Divine Emperor, our options are severely limited. She is suffering from an unknown form of magically induced mental degradation, and if her personality suffers from a critical meltdown, we would not be able to guarantee the safety of any citizen in Riyadh. Would you prefer a repeat of the series events that cumulated in the death of the former Emperor?¡± Sotil answered curtly.


    ¡°Unacceptable!¡± Xerxes bellowed in frustration.


    ¡°Her affliction is unprecedented, and it is difficult to determine the precise moment at which complete mental breakdown will occur. Tonight, might be our final opportunity to ensure her safety.¡± Sotil counselled as he placed a small clear vial before the emperor, ¡°Make her drink this somehow, it will calm her mind and ensure that we will be able to restrain her without pointless violence.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Strip.¡± The stark-naked child huffed with red-faced humiliation as she finally managed to shed the final traces of her unexpected polymorphy.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you learnt your lesson yet?¡± Aryan lectured forbearingly, ¡°Say please and I¡¯ll¡­ Strip? Wait, what? You want me to, what!?¡± He spluttered with disbelief.


    ¡°Take off all your clothes¡­ Please? Don¡¯t make me beg¡­¡± Luscious fiery red locks of waist length hair fell gracefully across her shoulders, barely obscuring her childish curves. The sway of her hips was almost seductive as the panting child advanced towards the flustered prince.


    ¡°Laura¡­¡± Aryan gulped nervously, ¡°Maybe later, when you get your body back¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already groped my helpless naked body for an entire hour!¡± Laura pouted, ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, so stop playing around!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± His face flushed with embarrassment, ¡°But you were a puppy. A puppy!¡±


    ¡°And so?¡± She remained undeterred, ¡°After all that humiliation you put me through, don¡¯t tell me that you have changed your mind? Take responsibility!¡± His tunic crinkled between her delicate fingers as she latched onto him before he could retreat.


    ¡°You are a child, Laura. Stop this immediately.¡± Aryan admonished.


    ¡°Just a child? What are you even talking about?¡± Laura dismissed his refusal shamelessly, ¡°I¡¯m a witch, just in case you still don¡¯t know. I¡¯m super-duper experienced at this, and I¡¯m all grown up inside, so just relax and let me do this immediately!¡± Her confidence faltered as she finally noticed the disgust etched on his face, ¡°Please¡­ I must do this. I promise to be super gentle, so it won¡¯t hurt one bit. I¡¯m definitely better at this than any mortal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a kid. Maybe in another ten years.¡± He answered gruffly.


    ¡°Ten whole years!?¡± Laura groaned, ¡°That¡¯s like in forever! And this is an emergency!¡± Her eyes narrowed calculatively, ¡°You weren¡¯t so distant while I was a puppy, so if it¡¯s just because of my appearance, I can easily turn back¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I do not prefer puppies!¡± Aryan cut her off with an angered growl.


    ¡°There must be something you want, anything. Some desire, some secret fantasy. Speak and I¡¯ll grant it.¡± She offered tentatively.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Laura,¡± Tears streaked down his cheeks as he crushed the bewildered child in a tight embrace, ¡°It was my fault that you became like this. I promise, I¡¯ll find some way to turn you back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Urp!¡± Her cheeks reddened as her bared chest pressed against his crotch, ¡°Wha¡­att are you do¡­ing¡­¡± She stuttered, ¡°This is¡­ I didn¡¯t give you permission to¡­¡±


    He knelt before her in one swift motion and locked his lips against hers before the wide-eyed princess could continue her protest, ¡°I love you Laura. I just want to help you get back to normal.¡± He whispered tenderly.


    ¡°Lo¡­vve? You wha¡­att? Are you underestimating me? I might be small, but I¡¯m still a witch of Andania!¡± She huffed as she shoved him away and rubbed furiously at her lips.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing, I want more than this.¡± Aryan replied calmly, as the trembling child wilted beneath his deep hazel gaze.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really, really serious about helping me¡­¡± Laura mumbled bashfully, ¡°Strip. Take off your clothes. I need to do this¡­ please?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± The prince complained bitterly as he disrobed reluctantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am very super experienced at this¡­¡± Her snicker trailed off into a suffocated gasp of shock as her gaze was drawn to the semi-hardened member between his legs.


    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? I¡¯m not sure how this is related, but let¡¯s just get this over with¡­¡± Aryan grumbled as he sat the stunned child against his loins.


    ¡°Pervert¡­ lecher¡­ pedophile! Super unforgivable! I offered you anything, and this is what you settled on?¡± Laura gulped.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The baffled prince frowned, ¡°But you are the one that insisted?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ But I didn¡¯t¡­ Hey! Stop rubbing me down there, it feels super weird¡­ And I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t hold it in any longer...¡± She moaned as she arched her back and the carpet beneath them darkened as it was stained with her involuntary secretions. Tears of pent up despondency overflowed the shimmering crystal blue of her eyes, ¡°You even made me pee in the library. Ugh, this horrible humiliation¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to recover my chastity¡­¡± her delicate shoulders shook as she sobbed against his warm broad chest.


    ¡°Laura? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Everything''s just so wrong!¡± She trembled indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m a witch. Are you insane? I¡¯m dangerous, and I could level a tower or squash an entire company of knights with a single spell. But instead of asking for great power or endless wealth, like all the others¡­ the first thing that enters your perverted mind is to¡­ is to¡­ Arrgh!¡± She cried out in embarrassment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that.¡± Aryan declared, ¡°You promised me anything. So, I want you Laura. All of you.¡±


    ¡°Erms, even if you say that¡­ this is just TOO SUPER SUDDEN!¡± Laura protested, ¡°I know that you¡¯re an eager Male in heat and all that, but can¡¯t you please wait for me to at least regain part of my memories or something? Or do you have some sort of pre-school fetish?¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad that you finally see things my way.¡± Aryan grunted as he lifted the child and sat her down to the side, ¡°Let¡¯s revisit this issue in ten years.¡± He turned away from her as he began shrugging back into his robes.


    ¡°WAITT! Why are you putting on your clothes? I haven¡¯t had the chance to¡­¡± Laura protested.


    The prince sighed, ¡°What is it now? Didn¡¯t we just agree to wait? Get dressed, you shameless exhibitionist!¡±


    Her mouth gaped open and shut repeatedly as she was momentarily lost for words. Then the child let out a small chagrined scream as she sprung towards her fallen dress, ¡°You saw¡­¡± She glared accusingly at the prince, ¡°Everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind, Laura.¡± Aryan smiled wryly, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, there wasn¡¯t much to see anyway.¡±


    Her face contorted momentarily with self-righteous ire, as her gaze wandered temptingly towards the pen and paper at the nearest table. But her anger was chased away by an expression of complete resignation, ¡°I understand.¡± She twiddled her fingers with bashful apprehension, ¡°I promise to grant that wish of yours when I get a little older. So, could you please remove your clothes now?¡±


    Aryan sighed, ¡°Laura. What¡¯s with you and your perverse fascination for my naked body?¡±


    ¡°Per¡­verse? Me?¡± She spluttered, ¡°I just need to examine that magic on your body. I etched that defensive enchantment, didn¡¯t I? Maybe I can regain some of my memories by studying it.¡±

 Side Chapter 4: The Pudding’s Temptation

    A battle between witches may rend flesh and disintegrate bone but is only decided by the total and utter annihilation of an opponent¡¯s gem.


    - Andanian Chronicles


    <hr>


    ¡°Stay alert, stay alive.¡± Apprentice Eyrin sweated nervously as her gaze was fixated on the lone six-year-old perched at the epicenter of the large circular hall. A casual glance at the scene would have revealed nothing unusual. The child was deeply engaged in a game of make believe while cuddling a fluffy stuffed teddy bear in her arms. The scale model of a massive castle was the dominating centerpiece on the long table before her. And countless rows of little toy soldiers were arrayed in alternating offensive and defensive formations, within and without the fortifications. At the side, was a navy of delicately crafted ships, their cannons primed for breaching the defensive walls. And the child hummed a meaningless tune as she prodded at the arrangement, seemingly at random.


    Any closer observation however would have quickly identified several baffling inconsistencies. First, the intricately decorated castle, accurate to the last murder hole, was simply too extravagant to have been conceived as a plaything for even the wealthiest noble. Second, the unnaturally lifelike expressions on each individual soldier arrayed amidst the surprisingly realistic landscape. Third, the brightly glowing crystal of Alexandrite hovering over the battlefield and the occasional sparks that burst forth to slam against the magical barrier around her. Fourth, the outer ring of twelve senior apprentices and an inner triangle of the kingdom¡¯s most powerful sorcerers, all fighting to sustain the defensive barricade.


    ¡°For the last time Princess Laura, it won¡¯t work. Your mother designed this barrier personally, so be a good little girl and stay right where you are until she returns from her assignment!¡± High Sorcerer Traros Millstone counselled as his wings flapped nervously behind his back.


    ¡°But I¡¯m so bored Uncle Trari! Surely Mother wouldn¡¯t mind if I stepped out for just a wee moment?¡± Laura flashed her most innocently angelic smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored too? So how about entertaining me with a harmless match of Castle instead? I¡¯ll personally satisfy that most secret feathered fetish of yours if you manage to defeat me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it Traros, we have an agreement!¡± Hissed his pale skinned, dark haired colleague from across the barrier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a meanie,¡± Laura giggled as she undid the buttons on her dress and stretched out lithely to fully expose her jugular. Then she drew a single sharpened fingernail languidly across her flawless skin to flood the chamber with an unmistakable coppery fragrance. And she raised her bloodied finger and beckoned enticingly at the pale skinned sorcerer as her white silken chemise was slowly dampened with a bright shade of red. ¡°It¡¯s all going to waste Uncle Alfred!¡± She sighed theatrically, ¡°My pure, young, virgin blood. The blood that no vampire alive has ever managed to taste! Nothing like that inferior crap you extract from those mortals, or that synthetic shit Mother pays you with. Step right in, beat me, and I¡¯ll let you drain me till the last drop.¡± The child cowered down and allowed an expression of wide-eyed trepidation to creep onto her face, ¡°I can already imagine it. Your deadly silver fangs shearing deep into my tender unresisting flesh, the weakening flutter of my heart against your broad chilly chest, and the final spark of my flickering life snuffed from my helpless body as you crush me with a frozen unyielding embrace¡­¡± Laura shuddered as she licked her bloodied finger delicately, ¡°You could be done, long before Mother returned, and actually live to tell the tale!¡±


    ¡°Wipe that drool off your face, Alfred.¡± Rasped the lich beside him, ¡°You are starting to make me nervous!¡±


    ¡°Hey Uncle Ainz! How have you been lately? Old bones still holding up alright?¡± Laura mused with overexaggerated thoughtfulness before the clearly decaying undead, ¡°It¡¯s such a damn shame that your soul anchor has crumbled. Even with Mother¡¯s inhibiting magic, I guess you have two or maybe three years remaining, assuming your luck continues to hold up?¡± Laura let out an exaggerated gasp as she tossed her Alexandrite gem across the barrier, just beyond his reach. ¡°Oh no! Dear me! What a horrid pickle this is!¡± She gasped, ¡°My precious soul just fell out! And if that terrible undead takes a single step forward, he¡¯ll acquire enough power to live on for at least an entire millennium!¡±


    ¡°You know very well that we cannot vacate our positions.¡± The lich rasped irritably, ¡°But if you¡¯ll swear a blood oath, I¡¯ll play you for your soul!¡±


    ¡°Ainz, stop that immediately!¡± The two other sorcerers yelled as the barrier wavered unsteadily.


    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s so sweet of you Uncle Ainz!¡± Laura giggled, ¡°But challenging a ten thousand-year-old lich to a game of Castle is hardly my idea of a fair fight. So, let¡¯s just race instead.¡± The witch backed temptingly to the most distant edge of the barrier, ¡°Com¡¯on Uncle Ainz! You can do it, just one tiny little step for another millennium of life!¡± The princess smirked slyly as the distracted sorcerers failed to notice the approaching flicker of a carefully masked power.


    Apprentice Eyrin raised her Talent shield an instant before Lily unleashed the full extent of her power. Distracted by Laura¡¯s provocations, the other apprentices failed to react in time as the massive concussive blast surged through their overloaded magical channels. Her vision swam as she staggered painfully to her feet and she fled immediately for the nearest exit.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Her blood chilled against the warmth of a small dainty hand resting against her back. ¡°Honored princess Lily¡­ To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?¡± Eyrin forced a nervous smile onto her face as she turned and bowed before the princess.


    ¡°You will not attempt to contact Mother.¡± Lily tore the enchanted cross from the apprentice¡¯s hidden hand and crushed it effortlessly.


    The apprentice mustered up her courage, ¡°As you wish, princess. Can I tempt you with a game of Castle, or would you prefer some dessert instead? I hear that the head chef conjured a new pudding recipe just yesterday¡­¡±


    Lily stared condescendingly at the trembling apprentice, ¡°I won¡¯t be deterred by childish temptations. I have arrived to conduct a peaceful, mature conversation with my uncouth sister. Return immediately to your post and you will remain unharmed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, honored princess.¡± Eyrin lowered her gaze before retreating immediately to her alcove.


    ¡°Hi Lily! Miss me already? Come over here and let me baby you! I know that you just can¡¯t wait to cuddle with my teddy!¡± Laura teased playfully.


    Lily circled her imprisoned sister like a predator stalking its prey and smiled coolly as she retrieved the shard of Alexandrite that Laura had tossed from the barrier. ¡°Dearest sister, have you finally realized why Mother decided to imprison you within this barrier?¡± She questioned as she twirled the delicate gem between her fingers.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m clearly the greater threat?¡± Laura retorted defiantly, ¡°I mean, what would a goody little two-shoes like you even do?¡±


    Lily sighed, ¡°It is because, I¡¯m clearly the more mature one, and¡­¡± she tugged at the necklace around her neck to reveal an Alexandrite gem that was ten times larger than Laura¡¯s, ¡°¡­ because this puny barrier wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against my power.¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Laura folded her arms across her chest, ¡°if size was the only thing that mattered, we would all be sporting gems as large as the moon! If you¡¯re so confident, why don¡¯t you switch places with me right now? No, Mother was just scared, she was scared that I would beat you senseless in a fair fight!¡±


    ¡°Brave words, sister dear. Considering that I hold your soul between my fingers.¡± The faintest hint of bloodlust crept into Lily¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Laura retorted, ¡°why should I fear a coward who issues idle threats while hiding behind a barrier? If Krall hadn¡¯t swallowed all your guts, you would step in here and fight me, fair and square!¡±


    ¡°Just in case your memory has already failed you, dearest sister. I¡¯ve won six of our most recent bouts, while you have barely avoided a most miserable defeat in the remaining four.¡± Lily stated arrogantly.


    ¡°Humph,¡± A faint pink crept up Laura¡¯s cheeks as she stuttered with a modicum of embarrassment, ¡°that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s clearly not true. Mother¡¯s biased! She always interferes whenever I¡¯m just about to turn the tables!¡±


    Lily raised a hand to hide the sly smile forming on her lips, ¡°Surely you jest, sister dear. Remember last month when you almost drowned while trying to evade me? Counterattacking while suffering from a cracked skull and paralyzed from the waist down? Pray tell, how would you have managed it?¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Laura countered pridefully, ¡°That was all part of my plan! You couldn¡¯t have escaped from the well after I shattered both your arms, and I knew exactly where you were! And I was just about to launch this most amazing magic when Mother rescued you. So, you definitely didn¡¯t win!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Lily shook her head as she fought to hide the flicker of doubt that had appeared on her features, ¡°With just this puny little gem of yours? And how would you have penetrated my defenses? I had a tri-layered shield covering the well¡¯s entrance at all times!¡±


    ¡°Now, now, little sister. Surely, you don¡¯t expect me to reveal all my secrets.¡± Laura giggled.


    ¡°I could make you.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as she waved Laura¡¯s gem at her.


    ¡°Ooo¡­ so scary¡­¡± Laura teased, ¡°My super peaceful and mature littlest sister is toying with my soul.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Lily¡¯s Talent spiked momentarily as she lost her temper. The princess trembled as she laced her fingers together in a meditative pose and fought to rein in her immense power.


    ¡°Weakling.¡± Laura taunted, ¡°How embarrassing, little sister. Do you still wet your bed too? What¡¯s the point of such a large gem when you can¡¯t even control it?¡±


    ¡°Honored princess Lily.¡± Sorcerer Traros counseled, ¡°Please avoid falling for your sister¡¯s childish provocations. We will be sure to report her misbehavior to the Queen when she returns.¡±


    Lily took a deep calming breath before beaming at the elderly sorcerer beside her, ¡°Of course, Uncle Trari. I¡¯m all grown up now, and not like that stupid immature monkey right there!¡± The princess resumed her predatory pacing around the magical barrier, ¡°As the acting regent of Andania, I have arrived for an official investigation! Dearest sister, I wonder if you have anything to do with the head chef¡¯s recent bout of amnesia?¡±


    Laura giggled mischievously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t he always rather absent minded? Oh, did he mix cockroaches into your favorite pudding again?¡±


    ¡°I knew that it was you! You admit it. Punishment! You need punishment!¡± The air trembled as Lily shrieked in fury.


    ¡°I admit nothing, littlest sister.¡± Laura smirked, ¡°And you have no proof!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll simply have to interrogate you until I squeeze an official confession from your lips, and I¡¯ll flush out all your co-conspirators this time.¡± Lily smiled wickedly as she cupped Laura¡¯s gem between the palms of her hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, wait for the Queen¡¯s return.¡± Sorcerer Ainz rasped, and the other two Sorcerer¡¯s nodded in silent agreement.


    ¡°No!¡± Lily shouted angrily, ¡°Mother is far to merciful, and she¡¯ll receive a light lashing at best! Do you know the penalty for attempting to poison a member of the loyal family? High treason is punishable by summary execution!¡±


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean to execute your sister over a childish prank?¡± Sorcerer Alfred spluttered in disbelief.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just some harmless prank. She locked down the chef¡¯s memories with a new magic that I couldn¡¯t counteract. Without any pudding? For three entire days before Mother returns? That¡¯s pure murder!¡± Lily screamed in frustration.


    ¡°So, you finally admit that my abilities are superior. Maybe you should focus more on your studies then, instead of stuffing your bloated belly with pudding all the time.¡± Laura snickered provocatively.


    ¡°Calm down, Princess. We¡¯ll scour the kingdom for a replacement chef, immediately.¡± Sorcerer Traros pacified.


    ¡°No!¡± Lily stomped her foot in anger, ¡°Why should I compromise on my pudding? I¡¯ll just wring out that counter-spell from her mind and make her wish she had died in the process!¡± Lily glowered furiously as she channeled her magic into Laura¡¯s gem, ¡°Now! Answer me or suffer till Mother returns!¡±


    Laura staggered backwards to lean against the table behind her as a thin trickle of blood oozed from between her lips. But she retained all her defiance, ¡°Ha, this is nothing. Do your worst!¡± she croaked.


    ¡°Arrgh! You asked for it, you idiot!¡± Lily raged as she poured all her strength into the shaking gem.


    Laura activated a set of talismans that she had prepared for just this moment. A humming defensive barrier expanded swiftly to envelope her body even as she assumed a cross-legged meditative posture to counteract the effects of her sister¡¯s assault. Laura winked, ¡°Aww it isn¡¯t working,¡± her voice cracked midsentence as she swayed under the immense strain of the magical siege.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you¡¯ll manage to hold out then.¡± Lily retorted confidently as she redoubled her attack. The twin sisters glared determinedly at their mirror opposite as each refused to concede defeat.


    ¡­


    One day later.


    Lily¡¯s stomach growled loudly as her sweat soaked dress clung tightly against her slender frame, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give up already¡­¡± She growled.


    ¡°Ha, still two more days before Mother returns.¡± Laura panted as she coughed out a mouthful of blood and spittle, ¡°And I had a triple portion of lunch yesterday! I¡¯ll make it till the end! It¡¯s my victory, you¡¯ll run out of stamina well before tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you unrepentant criminal! I can still destroy you at any time!¡± Lily snarled. Her hands trembled as she forced an even larger flow of disruptive magic into her sister¡¯s gem, and a loud cracking echoed through the hall as a faint fissure ruptured through its once smooth surface.


    Laura lurched unsteadily as her magic was destabilized and a large painful gash tore through her thigh.


    ¡°Stop that immediately!¡± The sorcerers roared in unison, ¡°No permanent damage, you promised!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be permanent if she surrenders!¡± Lily raged, ¡°Let¡¯s see if I¡¯ll run out of stamina before you run out of blood!¡±


    ¡°That was a big mistake, little sister¡± Laura smirked as mana began seeping from her damaged gem. And she stretched out her toe and traced a spell through the blood that had pooled from her wound. Driven by her magic, the mana coalesced into a pair of jagged needles that darted into Lily¡¯s exposed gem before the surprised girl could defend herself.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Lily moaned as she coughed out a mouthful of blood before pitching face first into the magical barrier before her. The witch screamed in pain as its powerful magic burned through her skin and she clutched at her soot blackened face, even as she lurched desperately away.


    ¡°Score!¡± Laura giggled, ¡°Take that you¡­¡±


    ¡°You disfigured my face again! Just die already, you unrepentant idiot!¡± Lily screamed as she brought up her foot to crush the fallen Alexandrite crystal.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Yelled the three sorcerers as they absconded from their posts to save Laura¡¯s gem.


    Laura¡¯s eyes filled with opportunistic glee as the barrier flickered out of existence, ¡°FIRE!¡± She screamed. A deafening explosion shook the room as all the countless miniature cannons, mounted on both the model castle¡¯s walls and on all the ships, unleashed a simultaneously devastating volley. Each of the tiny enchanted cannonballs, the size of buckshot, impacted with an explosive force that rivaled that of its full-sized counterpart. Caught directly in the volley, both Lily and the trio of sorcerers were blasted from the hall and through the castle¡¯s shattered fortifications. ¡°Super strike! Four in one!¡± Laura giggled as she turned to eye the sole conscious member remaining in the hall, ¡°You better not sell out to Mother.¡± She warned.


    ¡°My lips are sealed, honored princess.¡± Eyrin squeaked in terror.


    ¡°Good, then I won¡¯t have to seal them away for you.¡± Laura smiled angelically before turning back to her forces, ¡°Hey reload already!¡± She yelled to hurry the toy soldiers scurrying about like ants on the battlefield, even as she darted forward and retrieved her fallen gem.


    The very atmosphere trembled with rage and power as a soot blackened child barged back into the hall to confront her sister, ¡°You ruined my favorite dress! Laura! You will pay for this!¡± Lily shrieked as she brandished a glowing talisman in each hand.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Laura commanded. A fresh hail of enchanted buckshot sped with blinding speed towards her opponent, but the enchanted projectiles clattered harmlessly against her sister¡¯s reinforced defenses. ¡°Well it was worth a try.¡± Laura muttered to herself as she ducked behind the safety of her toy castle, ¡°Fortify!¡± She summoned a dense magical barrier that reinforced the castle¡¯s walls and obscured her precise location.


    ¡°Burn in hell!¡± Lily screamed as she launched a concentrated spear of flame towards her sister. The magic seared effortlessly through the paltry defense Laura had conjured, incinerated the entire model castle, blew through the solid stone walls behind, and into a nearby fortified tower. The massive impact shook the entire island to its foundations, pieces of the shattered tower were tossed about like confetti, then a powerful concussive heatwave blasted back into the hall. ¡°Shit. No, holy Krall shit.¡± Lily gasped dumbly at the unfolding devastation.


    ¡°Haha, you did it Lily! I¡¯m sure that everyone will be impressed by your peaceful and mature actions!¡± Laura giggled mischievously as she rose up from behind the other end of the table. At the final moment, she had flung herself to the side to avoid her sister¡¯s powerful assault and was completely unharmed. Laura gasped with mock shock as she admired her sister¡¯s handiwork, ¡°Wow, I sure hope that there weren¡¯t too many people in that tower.¡± She giggled, ¡°I could never hurt a fly, you said¡­¡± Laura teased as she imitated her sister¡¯s voice. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to show Mother what happened!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault¡­¡± Lily mumbled, ¡°You tricked me! How could I have known that your defensive magic would crumble that easily? You¡­ you¡­¡± Lily sobbed regretfully.


    ¡°Okay! Fight¡¯s over. Let¡¯s just consider it a draw this time alright?¡± Laura vaulted effortlessly over the table and wrapped her sister in a comforting embrace, ¡°I just wanted to break out from Mother¡¯s barrier anyway. If we work together, I¡¯m sure that we can salvage the situation somehow¡­¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Lily screamed in fury. ¡°This is all your fault!¡± She headbutted her unprepared sister and slugged her in the chest with her fist. The talisman she had wrapped around her knuckle activated upon impact, and a massive bolt of lightning arched through Laura¡¯s undefended body. Laura¡¯s muscles spammed involuntarily as she gasped in pain and smacked face first into the dirt. ¡°Surrender now and I¡¯ll spare you till Mother returns.¡± Lily demanded imperiously.


    ¡°Ascendare!¡± Laura croaked as she fought off her sister¡¯s paralyzing magic and forced herself back onto her knees. Just as her sister telegraphed yet another blow towards her, Laura activated the charm which she had secretly attached onto Lily back while embracing her. The incredibly potent flying magic rocketed Lily straight through the castle¡¯s many floors as the spell propelled her high into the distant skies. ¡°Oops,¡± Laura giggled as pieces of bloodstained rubble rained from the ruined ceiling, ¡°I might have overdid that a little. I wonder if she¡¯ll actually make it to the moon this time?" The princess strode hurriedly to one of the unconscious apprentices at the edge of the hall, ¡°Hey, wake up!¡± She demanded as she tagged his chest with a healing talisman.


    ¡°Honored princess¡­ Laura? What¡­¡± The dazed man mumbled as she tugged him to his feet.


    ¡°Plan B, we are switching to plan B. Get it? You must inform the others. And raise your talent shield before she knocks you out again!¡± Laura hissed as she shoved the staggering apprentice out into one of the still intact corridors.


    ¡°Honored princess, what should I do¡­¡± Eyrin cowered fearfully as the bellow of evacuation bells began echoing throughout the island.


    ¡°Contact Mother,¡± Laura retrieved a communication pendant from her dress and tossed it at her, ¡°then evacuate to the shelters or something. It should take her several hours to return, so I¡¯ll deal with my sister till then, somehow.¡±