A wide, devious smirk spreads across my face as the carriage bumps away on cobbled street. Lumina wasn't satisfied with just mimicry. Makeup and powder had to come into play as well, as well as some leaves that stained my lips pucker red. It's odd. Not just the femininity I never realized, but also the unwillingness of my reflection to stop smirking.

Found an outlet, have you? I ask my reflection on Seeker's side.

More Crystals means more me, if you haven't noticed.

I have. In the silence of preparation that followed, I sought out the source of the voice and found it in me. Specifically in my [Soul Crystal], or as she calls it, ours.

I'm not sure how comfortable I am with that. Even knowing where the voice is coming from, I can't do a thing about it. I can't try to get rid of her because the only way to do that is to get rid of me. But I'm not eager to find out what happens when I recover my full strength, or even what happens when I cross to Blood Orange.

What do you want with me?

Haven't you been alone long enough? Reais was a tough nut, wasn't it?

I can't say it wasn't—she knows when I lie, there's little I can hide from her. I doubt there's any decision I can make without her knowing.

Do you have a name at least?

My reflection looks away, staring out her window, looking as beautiful as Lumina made us—her. How about you? Do you have a name?

I glance at Lumina, who's been stealing glances at me all the while. She's engrossed in thoughts of her own mission, her intent and what will come next should everything work out successfully on Valery's end. But she's cautious of me and my muttering as well.

I've kept my name away from their lips since the voice asked me to, all except for Lumina. To form a pact she has to know my true name, or a name that carries enough significance that I can answer to it. She isn't bound to keep it a secret, but the voice did advise I cover it up as quickly as possible. But they seem to be doing the good work all by themselves. They call me Demon or by the fake name they've spun for tonight's event, Fieria.

Names don't matter, I tell my reflection, and the smirk returns in full force.

Don't they, Nil?

The carriage halts, jerking me forward. When I look back to the Seeker, my reflection no longer has a mind of its own and I find a grimace on my face. She… the voice worries me.

Lumina's door pops open, but before stepping out with the help of a fine gentleman she catches my eyes, delivering a stern reminder of my instructions here. I nod. It's doubtful I'll need to do much else.

Following behind her, I accept a hand from my own gentleman, a Human man with a concerned look. The building we've ridden up on is magnificent. A palace of the Elves with all the golden, intricate cravings that glitter against the night sky. His worry is understandable—this is the capital of Hescaria, the old, the annexed. This palace no longer belongs to Elves, and tonight the fourth Prince of the Empire celebrates his fifth marriage anniversary.

I thank the gentleman butler and he takes Seeker away in a tray, something Lumina forewarned about. Other carriages gallop behind us and more of our people step out. I haven't paid much attention to the plan aside from my part in it, but I figure the lot of them are meant to be Lumina's regal entourage. They too hand their weapons away and step behind Lumina and I.

"Here they come," Lumina whispers to me, eyes trained at the top of the stairs where a clamor of noble folk gather to gasp and whisper. As we ascend the steps and enter the palace's main ballroom, the gasps turn to whispers and the crowd parts for a man.

He's tall, broad, and fit, with stunning gray hair. His presence silences the crowds while his eyes swallow up Lumina's graceful steps as she saunters toward him like she isn't one of the Empire's most wanted individuals.

"Lumina…" he manages, almost missing a syllable as his mind races. Like Valery and most of the people here, his mind is sealed behind wards. Taking a peek would hurt me more than it'd hurt him.

"Prince Deran, it's good to see you healthy…" her eyes fall behind him where a woman in a wonderful white dress creeps, "… and happy."

His eyes parse me and the men and women dressed for the event behind me. "You… where have you been? You…" he steals a glance at the woman beside him and grits his teeth. "Things could have been different."

"I didn't leave on my own accord, you know that. You were there."

His eyes snap around the crowd and he steps forward."Let's not talk here, alright?" He makes to take her hand, but she waves, pardoning his mistake.

"I'm not here to crash your party, Deran. Let the festivities continue, I am a gracious host, after all."

"Host?" He's bewildered. Lumina walks beyond him and I follow closely, doing my best not to trip on the footwear I've been punished with. She saunters past everyone, leading the party past the main hall to a large door. The Prince's calming effect on the crowd wanes as mutters and whispers carry through, worse yet as his wife is left behind in all of this. "Lumina! What do you think you're doing?"

She doesn't answer for a moment. Her hand presses against the door as she shivers with anticipation.

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"This door has been shut since my mother stepped off the throne to submit to your father, Deran. You might have just been a boy then, but I remember having to stand in front of you and your siblings as he gave Setrix the order."

"Lumina, that wasn't what either of us wanted," he pleas, a cautious distance away from her. In the chaos I see we've lost our entourage and I manage a smile. "What we want… we can have it without bloodshed. We can have it without killing every one of our race. I want you, Lumina."

A round of gasps at this confession. Lumina sheds a tear and turns to face the pleading Prince. Heavy boots echo through the hall and magic signatures thrum. Before long he's flanked by over a dozen Mages and Warriors, weapons drawn and ready.

"Ma'am, step away from the door!" their captain commands, boasting armor and heavy steel thrumming with magic.

I call for Seeker. Lumina shakes her head. "Deran, my mother died that day… in your palace, in your home. I've inherited her kingdom—"

"No, Lumina, we can forge—"

"—and I can see now that there's never going to be a place for Elves in Sainid, not beyond slaves, servants. Not beyond whores." She seethes at the last word. "I was taken, and all the plans, all the thoughts of equality, of a better life for the Elves and even other species, was taken away from your thoughts, wasn't it?"

"Ma'am, this is your final warning! Step away from the door!"

"Lumina, without you it got complicated, almost impossible!" he sputters. Lost in a jumble of his own thoughts, he steps forward, but Lumina takes a step back, leaning against the door.

She nods. "Then that's why I have to do this. For my people. For Hescaria. I declare independence from Sainid and proclaim myself its Queen! Leave my palace, the lot of you! Return to your Kings and your Emperor, tell him Hescaria is done!"

Before she can even get the last word out, a flash, bolt, and streak of elemental magic rushes through the hall, spearheaded by the captain's roar as he charges down the hall to ensure her mutiny is put down.

Their magic slams against an invisible wall, the surge of the two clashing raises hairs on my neck and arms. I grin at the spectacle of destructive light. The hall's walls strain, but with Lumina's hands on the door something clicks. Magic circles swirl and chains tipped with spearheads snap at the spectators, taking lives as quickly as the Seeker Blade blitzing through the unsuspecting Mages and Warriors, sliding through the chinks in their armor I noted while they postured. I let Deran live with a little cut at his cheek because Lumina's been explicit about not hurting him.

The large golden door leading to the throne room creaks open and Lumina slips away behind it, ignoring the call of the handsome, desperate Prince. With her gone, the chains from the magic circles cease and I'm the last bastion beyond the impenetrable door behind me.

Wind from the groaning Mages whips my hair as I let go of my mimicry and uncoil to my true height and weight. The captain and what's left of his men marvel at my growth. Some are wiser though and chant for magic. I don't let them.

"Alhak za."

The dome juts out, turned into a rectangle by the shape of the hall. The captain stirs and grips the handle of his cleaver greatsword.

"Alhak za." I take a step forward and catch the Seeker Blade as it severs yet another unprotected Mage and pings off the armor of the captain. I frown, but my smile returns as I think of the challenge in breaking him.

"Alhak-" a bolt of fire and a shard of ice snap at me, but they're nothing like Valery's and break against me instead. "-za."

Mana drizzles, and despite my command not everyone seems taken with my magic. The captain's charge is uninterrupted, and he grunts at the weight of his weapon as he swings for my head. The Seeker Blade parries the attack and suddenly his speed increases. Twisting on his heel he takes another swing, and another and another until I growl and snap forward, Essence coating my nails as I lunge out for his heart.

I catch him off guard—with his constant attacks he's left himself open. But my fingers can't break through his armor. A horror I've only seen in Reais. I slash away at his exposed face instead, and have the Seeker Blade cut toward his wrists.

His sword glows with a swing, and rather than the blade shredding the bones in his wrists, it's knocked back by a blast of some unseen force.

Spaced out from each other, he stares up at me in the dress. A frown forms at how much leg I have exposed beneath the wonderful material, whereas the Seeker Blade spins into my hard grip. With the sword and armor, he's at least a strong Crimson tier if I were to put him in our ranks. I can't underestimate him too much. I'll have to disarm him if I want to take his head.

He turns back and finds his forces silent, the Prince begging for someone to do something, to get Lumina, but they're all unresponsive. I have yet to set their illusion, so for now all they see is what they last saw before my spell.

"You are an efficient one, Knight of the Elven Queen," the captain breathes, tightening his grip and preparing for a strike. Whatever got him so quick on his feet earlier, I know he can't keep it up.

His mind isn't as guarded as others. I tilt my head and smile. "You respect her. I figure that's odd for Humans."

He shrugs. "We're a flawed people, but the Prince and I, and you as well, we're the exception, yes?"

I laugh. "You think me a Human? I'll have no trouble blending in and ruling what's left of your race if you can't tell me apart."

At this he frowns and narrows his gaze at me. "Half-Elf?"

"Captain! Lumina is behind those doors and her men are slaughtering and capturing my guests! I don't even know where my wife is! Take that giant of a woman down and break the door now!"

"Guess you have to kill me now," I tell him with a sympathetic smile. He doesn't like working for the Prince.

"Yes, I'll make it quick, if I can." He hefts his sword, testing its weight once more.

"As will I." An injection of Essence to the Seeker Blade's Crystal empowers it as it twirls in my hand.

The captain bursts forth, dancing across the hall in a zigzag manner to confuse me, but I wait at the end of the hall for him, unmoved. He takes the bait because he has to and lurches forward for a quick stab. His arms become a flurry of motion I parry effortlessly, until his weapon glows and thrums with mana again.

With my back so close to the door, I'll be slammed against it, knocked off-balance if he gets the chance to activate his sword's magical ability. But I've already won—my Seeker Blade slices through his wrists and the weapon clatters on the floor as his blood spurts out of his new stumps, a scream barely restrained as he turns to ask how but can't for the shock of losing his hands so suddenly.

Snatching his neck in my hand, I begin to squeeze. "You're not entirely immune to my magic. Call it close-up illusions." I let him free of the slight illusion I put him under and reveal the Seeker Blade in my hand is just an extension of my fingernails, whereas the real thing is coated in his blood.

I snap his neck quickly and let him drop. To his credit he made his weapon terrifying, even against a Demon's fingernails. I almost lost a finger to him, almost.

Stepping over his body, I approach the static Prince. There's little fear in him, like he knows I would've killed him already had Lumina not cared so much.

"You should know, I've called my personal battalion. They should be arriving any moment now," he says.

I snort and study the captured Mages and Warriors I've trapped in my illusion.

How about some Essence?

She's back. Valery isn't here.

We can make our own… with enough blood.

And how would that be possible?

I'm older than you, She says like that explains everything.

I can get out of this on my own, but if you want Essence that bad, you're going to have to spill some truths of your own. Your name… who are you?

I will give you the name you've always known me by then.

Deal.

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