[IC] Sworn By Their Swords

[TheWendil]

“You could sleep with a blanket on the floor if you want, but it won’t be any more forgiving than the dungeon,”

Melissa frowned at Alice’s blank tone and was about to comment once more but was cut off when the princess motioned for her to follow. Looking down like a scolded child, the former knight did just that. Had she upset Alice’s feelings? She supposed she must have felt dejected after the bed offer, but wasn’t that common sense? Hadn’t she been taught since day one to follow the path of humility and only take a royal’s offer is absolutely necessary?

She just didn’t know anymore. Entering into the bedroom, Melissa was surprised by two things. One, that it was so huge, and two, that it was already early evening. There was the sundown she had desperate craved only a few short hours before. Was it really that long ago? It honestly felt like it was longer.

“It might hurt in open wounds, but it’s just a bit cold.”

Melissa nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden contact, dropping Miranda to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she held firm and strong until the other girl was close to done. She had a new princess to impress after all.

“You already look so much better without that guck all over you.”

She looked away once Alice began to stroke her with a free thumb, that light feeling rising up again in her stomach. Why did she feel this way all of a sudden? She wasn’t supposed to harbor such thoughts to her Lady.

And yet…

“Your Highness?” She looked up to meet her gaze this time. “Alice. I’m…technically not a knight you know. At least, not until I’ve sworn oath. So…I mean, I’m not bound by a code of honor. I-I could sleep in the bed…if you still want me to…”

[Mousia]

Noticing Miranda lying limp on the ground, Alice bent to pick her up gingerly by the torso and set her down on Melissa’s lap. Then she continued to clean away until the other girl’s whole face was clean. She moved on her arm, taking a bit less care as it was more difficult to mess that up in haste. Besides, her guest was probably getting tired, and it would be rude to keep her awake longer than necessary.

When that was done, she moved onto the other.

Then she realized that she’d been distracted by Melissa’s pearlescent skin and hadn’t answered her question. Alice’s cheeks heated up with blush, and she hoped the faded light would cover it, though it probably wouldn’t.

“You may sleep wherever you feel most comfortable.” Her voice was quiet due to her fear that it would shake again.

She finished cleaning off the wounds preliminarily and made a note to herself to have her servants clean her better in the morning. Tossing the rag aside, Alice met Melissa’s gaze and opened her mouth to speak, but closed it after a second. She turned away from the white-haired girl with a small bitter smile on her face.

“I’ll be in my study. Call if you need anything at all.”

Alice opened the door adjoining the two rooms and then closed it behind her with a soft click. She sat down at her desk and began to scribble away, determined to write the decree without the help of a scribe. When she was satisfied with it, she left it on top of a pile of new minor royal orders. And what did the newest one say? Well, in short, it rescinded the charges against Miss Melissa Bellum, and made her a free subject of Crescentia. She was going to draft up the written version of the oath Melissa would be taking later, but she fell asleep before she was finished, her head resting on the desk and her small frame hunched uncomfortably. It wasn’t the first time she’d slept like that, and she always woke up aching. That girl would never learn!

[TheWendil]

“You may sleep wherever you feel most comfortable.”

Melissa mistook Alice’s quiet tone for one of disappointment and frowned. Even so, she was not going to deny herself a free bed. She just hoped she could please the royal in the line of duty when the time arose. The bitter smile and the attempt to make conversation troubled the former knight even more.

“I’ll be in my study. Call if you need anything at all.”

“Ok,” she answered back with her head down, reaching to bring Miranda closer to her chest. Watching her new princess-and new friend?-leave into an adjoining chamber, Melissa picked herself up and headed towards the bed.

She instantly buried herself well beneath the covers, closing her one eye and sighing in what she perceived to be a brief moment of happiness. Even if Alice acted stoic towards her, she still appreciated the other girl’s generosity. Musing on these thoughts, Melissa couldn’t help but compare her to her own kingdom’s princess. They were both so selfless and caring. But one was dead and possibly buried into the ground. Frowning, she turned over on her side and let sleep overtake her completely.

It wouldn’t last for long.

It had to be midnight when the air in the bedroom suddenly shifted ever so slightly. In one single instance, he was there. The Masked Jester from before. He walked casually, moving about with the aura of a ghost or perhaps a spirit. Glancing over at the sleeping Melissa, he phased himself through the walls and into the next room. His eyes narrowed behind his mask at the slumped over form of Princess Alice.

How utterly defenseless and feeble. Reaching out, he extended a single blade of crackling energy from his palm and prepared to strike.

A loud explosion made him pause, and he turned to see a smoking hole where his entryway had been. A glaring Melissa, still rubbing sleep from her eyes, had her own hand extended out, glowing in a darkened flame.

“So you sensed me? Your magical prowess is really quite interesting defective.”

[Mousia]

Running, running, running. Out of breath. How did it get so dark?

She’d lived in the castle since birth, and yet the corridors seemed endless. The only place she ended up was where she’d started. Why weren’t there any guards around? Where was Arthur? Had Melissa been recaptured before she could issue the new orders?

“Hey! Hey! Someone! Please!”

The monsters were only getting closer. Alice could swear there were no dead-ends in the castle, yet somehow she ended up at one. She frantically looked around, but there was no way out. Her breathing got impossibly fast, and she thought her heart would burst right out from her heaving chest.

One second they were little blue orcs and the next they were white will-o-the-wisps and the next they were snarling bloodhounds dripping crimson from their previous victim.

In a burst of sheer adrenaline, she ran right toward the demons, and around them. She sprinted and sprinted and sprinted down the endless halls, the pounding of paws behind her filled the air. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she saw Melissa hot on her trail. Right behind her on either side were the Jester and Miranda, who’d miraculously grown and gained the ability to move of her own accord.

“You thought you could trust me? Ha! Naive little girl! Go back to Mommy and Daddy. You don’t have what it takes to protect your nation.”

Alice began to cry, but didn’t stop running. The evil laughter from behind her gave her fuel. Then she saw her chance. An open window. She jumped without hesitation. The fall lasted for an eternity, and her heart raced. She cried more. Right before she hit the ground with a splat, she heard voices.

---

With a start, Alice jerked her body up in wakefulness and fell onto the ground. Inching away, real tears streamed down her face. Her heart was still racing and her breath still came in fast and shallow from the dream.

“G-get away. Both of you! Get away!” She opened a drawer with shaking hands and got her dagger from it. It was a pathetic defense compared to the magical forces on the sides of the other two, but it was something. She stood up slowly and held out the dagger with both hands in front of her, body quivering and tears still streaming down her face due to her fear.

“GET OUT, DEMONS!” She ran forth toward the Jester with her dagger, though her path was nowhere near straight and even a breeze could send her dangerously tumbling.

[TheWendil]

“GET OUT, DEMONS!”

Both the Jester and Melissa turned to look at the ranting princess; Melissa froze in being startled by Alice’s sudden actions while the Masked Man only looked on with no emotion. As she royal tried to strike at him with a knife, the Jester was by her side instantly. With no effort, he grabbed her flailing wrist and held her up high.

Raising her up to meet his masked visage, his golden eyes met directly with hers. A sudden sensation would engulf Alice, reminiscent of the fear magic Melissa had used on her just a few hours prior when she was still her prisoner. Whereas Melissa only made Alice uncomfortable, this more potent dosage was meant to drive the young girl insane, letting her inner fears become reality in her mind.

“Sink into your own darkness, Alice of Crescentia,” the Jester said calmly. “Drown and never wake up.”

“Let her go!”

Something soft was thrown at the Jester’s head; still clutching Alice, he looked down at his feet to see the stuffed form of Miranda. Looking up to comment on such weak offensive, he was met with a large conglomeration of dark fire to the face. It was enough to make him drop Alice to the ground, though he made no verbal indication of pain. Stumbling back, Melissa took the time to rush to her princess’ side.

“Are you ok?” She crouched in front of Alice, ready to strike again if the Jester advanced. But the Masked Man was done for tonight. The flames having dissipated from his masked face, he was already flickering out of existence.

“I’ve seen all I need to see. Yes, this is most interesting…consider your kingdom under attack Princess Alice. Let that be your punishment for failing to die on this night.”

The Masked Man’s pupils narrowed.

“I declare war on you all. Hail the Ultimatum. Hail Yggdrasil.”

And with that, the enigmatic man faded away, leaving behind a torn apart bedroom, a shaken princess, and a worried rouge.

“Alice, please say something!”

[Mousia]

Alice’s eyes stretched wide. She was too scared to scream, too petrified to make a sound. When she hit the floor, she stayed there. Even the Masked Man’s words sounded distant, as if she had been submerged underwater. She vaguely felt Melissa’s touch, vaguely heard her voice. Alice’s head lolled to look up at the other girl. Her face contorted into a smile.

“Heh. I guess I’m really not cut out for this, am I?”

She moved to get up, the adrenaline from before still pulsing in her veins giving her false strength. Nevertheless, she stood up on shaky legs at first, though she gained her balance as the fear subsided little by little. Only...the effects did not. She pulled the pins from her hair out one by one, tossing them about haphazardly. The crown pinned in place was next to go. She tossed it aside without a care.

Her fragile frame would suggest weakness, but it was strong enough to tear her dress. The sound of it ripping would reduce any tailor or seamstress to tears.

“God, it reeks in here.”

She wandered around, sending stacks of books toppling and spilling ink. Alice ran to the other side of the room and threw open the windows, only fate stopping her from falling through it. She screamed as loud as she could into the inky sky. Turning around suddenly, she ran around the room in circles, dancing as she went to music that wasn’t playing.

“Ha! There’s no point to anything! It sure smells in here, though!”

She fell against the wall in her uncalculated steps, but that didn’t faze her. Kicking off her shoes, the princess stretched like a cat and laughed a cackling laugh.

“C’mon, Melissa! Dance with me, hey! Jump around! You too, Miranda! Let’s run away into the forest and eat wayward travelers! Why not? Let’s go.”

She grabbed at the neckline of her dress, tearing it a new one. Her sleeves were next to be shredded.

“It’s so hot in here, isn’t it? It smells like rotten meat in here, doesn’t it?”

She ran right up Melissa and gave her a quick, sudden peck on the lips.

“I’ve been wanting to do that. C’mon. Dance with me! This song is great for it. Jump around!”

Only...there was no song. There was no rotting flesh. And, if anything, it was a little breezy from the open window. Indeed, the fear had gone so deep into her that she was imagining things. And not only that, but her sense of duty and self were...compromised...to say the least.

“C’mon. It’s so hot in here, though. Let’s go outside. Let’s go!” She stumbled for the open window, sticking her face out into the wind. “Let’s fly! C’mon.”

[TheWendil]

“God, it reeks in here.”

“W-What?”

Well, she had wanted an answer of recognition. Though she hadn’t expected this to occur. Watching Alice move around like a mad person or one of those religious nuts always preaching about the Dytenziextity…well, it was disturbing to say the least, though not uncommon. Sighing, Melissa watched Alice prance around to the window, making sure to shield her eyes when the princess undressed.

“Fear magic,” she muttered. To her knowledge, very little could save someone from being exposed. The main resort was usually physical consequence. Whoever this Masked Jester really was, he wielded the arcane arts with little effort.

“C’mon, Melissa! Dance with me, hey! Jump around! You too, Miranda! Let’s run away into the forest and eat wayward travelers! Why not? Let’s go.”

“Wait, your Highness! You’ve been affected by fear magic and so I have to-”

Her mind promptly shut down on itself when Alice leaned over and kissed her right on the lips. Disbelief was soon replaced with a sense of almighty fear. Looking around, she made sure there was no one present to watch this spectacle.

“Crap, crap, crap, crap…this isn’t good Miranda!”

First off, she was a wanted criminal. Second, she was in the princess’ personal chambers. Third, it would look to any outside viewer that she had drugged the royal girl. Lastly…she had been kissed! By another female! The leader of a nation no less!

“I’ve been wanting to do that. C’mon. Dance with me! This song is great for it. Jump around!”

Fighting down the blush that was no doubt redder than her remaining eye, Melissa rushed towards the window to pull Alice back.

“Hey come on, you can’t do that your Highness!”

Pulling her in, Melissa did the next best thing: slapping some sense into Alice. Literally. The first strike made her gasp a little and she whirled around again. Great, now she was manhandling the princess. She continued to do so until she finally dubbed it safe to reverse the effects with her own fear magic. It wasn’t easy getting Alice’s deluded form to stay still, but she finally managed to lock her gaze with the single eye, concentrating.

It took little more than five seconds, draining Melissa to the brink of exhaustion.

“Please tell me you’re back to normal,” Melissa panted.

[Mousia]

Her head was pounding. Bringing a hand to her temple, she noticed small scrapes from rubbing them against rough things, probably. Those could be attended later. Despite the pounding in her skull, she chuckled a small, controlled chuckle.

“I acted very improper just now.”

The hormones pumping through her from the fear had subsided, and the insanity from before had too. Though she was still a bit on edge, it was mostly pain that she felt. And embarrassment. Her cheeks heated up with flush, and she turned her face away from Melissa’s to look at the debris on the ground nearby, though she wasn’t particularly interested in it.

“You know, I might have been intoxicated with insanity, but I didn’t say anything that wasn’t already on my mind before,” Alice whispered quietly, tentatively. “That’s how fear magic works, right? It just amplifies what was already there.”

She wriggled around, but to no avail. Heaving a sigh of effort, she covered her face in her hands.

“I understand if your faith in me is shaken. Don’t feel obliged to continue with this kingdom. Either way, I already wrote up the official document to free you from your charges, so you’re at liberty to do as you please.”

Alice carefully opened her fingers so she could spy up at Melissa’s face to gauge her reactions.

[TheWendil]

“I acted very improper just now. You know, I might have been intoxicated with insanity, but I didn’t say anything that wasn’t already on my mind before. “That’s how fear magic works, right? It just amplifies what was already there.”

“Yes I know,” Melissa said playfully, just thankful that she hadn’t lost her friend in the later stages of madness. “I know that better than anyone else, remember?” She had seen people do many terrible things under the influence of fear magic. How she had managed to stay sane through it all was beyond anyone’s guess; though the question rose if she was mentally well at all.

“I understand if your faith in me is shaken. Don’t feel obliged to continue with this kingdom. Either way, I already wrote up the official document to free you from your charges, so you’re at liberty to do as you please.”

Frowning, Melissa reached out with a hand and gently pulled Alice back to her feet. Bending down again, she grabbed Miranda and hugged her to her chest.

“Leave? Now why would I do that? I mean, you already know I’d just stumble in the forest and wait there for death or wolves to claim me.”

She said this stoically, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Alice, you know I have nothing to live for silly! If you died, well then I’d have to die too. Ooh, and so will Miranda! Thanks to you, our lives mean absolutely nothing to anyone anymore! Aren’t you glad?”

Straightening up, she saluted fondly at the other girl and bowed.

“To you, your Highness! Although…”

She then remembered the kiss.

“Although…er, apologies for my assumptions but…do you like me? Like, like like me, Alice?”

[Mousia]

Alice’s face fell when Melissa reminded her of the fact that she’d basically robbed her of any life goal or purpose. What a mess she’d made. Besides that, an extremely powerful man had declared war on her country. What had he said? Hail pig dragon? Hail big dragging? Hail…? Oh, nevermind!

When she was brought to her feet, the blonde struggled to find her equilibrium, but she didn’t fall. Well, not literally. Metaphorically, though, she fell and fell and fell. Into what? Well, into the darkness of reality. The reality of knowing that she’d single-handedly unleashed the wrath of an unknown threat, freed a possible con artist, and realize her own unholiness.

And woe befell her, because she found in herself something bubbling up. What was it? Freedom, rebellion? No longer was she chained to the restricted life she’d led before. In a perfect storm, she found reason to smile, and be joyous despite her dire fate which certainly entailed untimely death whether in body or in soul.

Melissa’s words brought her out of her thoughts, though not unpleasantly.

“I don’t know. I’m not thinking straight today.” A beat. “But maybe that’s a good thing. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

She smiled with a little too much of her gums showing, but it was at least real. It was more beautiful than her perfect ones because her eyes did too, and the happiness bubbling in her stomach went untamed.

“Would you allow me to court you?”

[TheWendil]

“Would you allow me to court you?”

Er….what? Melissa remained silent, watching Alice with a reassuring smile. It was quite obvious that the princess was still recovering from any lingering wisps of the fear magic. Very soon, she would revoke her statement and apologize for the slip up. Right? It was all a ruse. Right? Er….right? Melissa waited. And waited. Waited some more. After thirty seconds she panicked. And after a minute, she widened her eyes in dread.

“Oh…you want to….oh.”

Her cheeks became the same pigment as her single seen eye, red and dark and rosy. So Alice actually did like her in that way? And she wanted to…

“C-Court me? You’re…really s-serious about this, aren’t you, your Highness?”

Melissa fiddled around with the stuffed arms of Miranda. To be fair, it wasn’t like anyone else had a sight for her, especially given her physical appearance and behavior. Sure, Alice had cleaned her up just fine, but frankly, soap and water are no substitute for a lost eye.

“Oh what the hell! I mean, I guess I…k-kinda like you too?”

She looked down and hid her face with her hands, as if that act alone would somehow erase the blush.

“I’m sure it’s all good in the eyes of the Dytenziextity,” she mumbled through her hands.

The Dytenziextity…wait a minute! Melissa looked up at her new friend-lover?-with a worried gaze.

“I forgot! The Masked Man said there would be war against you and the Ultimatum. Alice, I’m afraid I’ve brought more trouble to your nation.”

Clenching Miranda tighter to her chest, she leaned back into Alice’s grip. She didn’t mean to, but it seemed to most appropriate way to inform her princess of the danger ahead. Or at least, that’s what she told herself.

“The Ultimatum is a massive kingdom that wasn’t heard of until recently,” Melissa explained. “Their leader, Yggdrasil, is trying to conquer…well, everything. Apparently he thinks he’s doing it all for the Dytenziextity’s will or some crap like that.”

[Mousia]

The confirmation sent a crazed smile to Alice’s lips. The first person she’d felt those feelings for and they were going to move forward! What incredible luck she’d been blessed with.

But then Melissa reminded her of the gloomy clouds coming in on the horizon of fate. Yggdrasil! That was it. And the Ultimatum! That’s what the Jester had been speaking of. Yet there was hope. The white-haired girl had been a part of their organization. Yes, this was a unique advantage.

“Alright. Then we must move quickly, because the Jester seemed cross, and he doesn’t seem the type to forgive quickly or easily.”

The blonde rushed to her desk, inking her quill and scrawling quickly the rest of the oath record. Melissa, having previously been a knight, probably already knew it, but Alice was in the habit of keeping extensive records. It was easier to prove things and remember them if proper records were taken and kept. She finished swiftly and signed the paper at the bottom to mark her approval of it’s officiality.

“Quick, let’s do the oath now, then I’ll write up another document appointing you my personal guard. That will give you more liberties of action than most, and you will serve directly under me, instead of under other knights doing trivial tasks. Then we will have to go right to work mapping and strategizing. You’ll be key in this whole thing, but it’ll still be a lot of work between the two of us.” By the end of the spiel, she had trailed off into merely thinking out loud. Looking back up at Melissa, her eyes were alive.

“We can do this. Ready?”

Alice fetched a book of the holy teachings of the Dytenziextity and held it out for Melissa to put her hand on so the oath would be presided over by Him.

[TheWendil]

“Alright. Then we must move quickly, because the Jester seemed cross, and he doesn’t seem the type to forgive quickly or easily.”

“You have no idea,” Melissa concurred as her new companion rushed over to her desk. “It’s just the way he acts…hell, at least I can tell Yggdrasil is just some guy with way too much arrogance under his helmet. But Jester? It’s like he’s not even human…”

Thinking about it too much made her shudder and she looked down at Miranda comfortingly. Best not to try and understand what went on in that enigmatic man’s head. Though her doubts were soon purged away when she caught sight of Alice’s smile. It just seemed so natural and free; a stark contrast to her twisted fake.

“We can do this. Ready?”

Melissa nodded, walking over to the holy text and placing her palm on the leather cover. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on the words nearly lost on her all those years ago. Once she was sure they were within her grasp, she took a deep breath and looked Alice in the eye intently.

“This is the oath of a Knight of my sworn Kingdom and should be for all of us to take to heart. I will develop my life for the greater good. I will place character above riches, and concern for others above personal wealth, I will never boast, but cherish humility instead, I will speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word, I will defend those who cannot defend themselves, I will honor and respect women, and refute sexism in all its guises, I will uphold justice by being fair to all, I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship, I will abhor scandals and gossip-neither partake nor delight in them, I will be generous to the poor and to those who need help, I will forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven, I will live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward. Thus sayth, Dytenziextity.”

The newly anointed knight sighed in relief, anxiously smiling at her princess.

“Did I do it right?”

[Mousia]

“Yes, yes. You did very well. Thank you.” Alice took the book to her desk and began to rapidly scrawl yet another document, assigning Melissa Bellum as her personal guard. She finished by signing it, and set it aside in the pile of new documents pertaining to the one-eyed girl.

“Now… What to do…?” The blonde was mostly talking to herself, racking her brain for the next thing to do. That was her way. Always assessing what had yet to be done and planning on how to do it. After some thought, she came to the next step.

Alice stood up suddenly and hurried to the other side of the room, fetching a map of the continent from a pile of them she’d had produced en masse in case of a new Crusade. As it happened, they would be put to good use.

Clearing off her desk by placing all the books in piles on the ground and all the papers in drawers, she set down the map and fetched a brush because the paper was larger so a quill’s writing would be much too small.

“Here,” she said, pointing to Crescentia on the map, “is where we are. The capital is here, and the castle we’re in, which is the main castle, is right here. Now,” she looked at Melissa hopefully, “do you remember where roughly the Ultimatum is based, or any significant locations where they might be? Any common attack routes or strategies are helpful too, if you can remember anything…”

Alice didn’t want to come off as demanding, but there was a certain rush in her tone, inevitably. There was little to do about that, though.

[TheWendil]

“Here is where we are. The capital is here, and the castle we’re in, which is the main castle, is right here. Now, do you remember where roughly the Ultimatum is based, or any significant locations where they might be? Any common attack routes or strategies are helpful too, if you can remember anything…”

Melissa frowned before saying, “All I know is that they’re supposedly from a land not from this continent. I did hear rumors of their main base being located underground during my time there, though I can’t verify much about that.”

The new knight crossed her arms and tried to think back to her time in the Ultimatum. They were definitely secretive, she knew that much. What did Yggdrasil used to preach about? Unity or something like that?

“Oh that’s right! I remember their leader saying that he wants to unite the world through conflict. That being said, I think it’s safe to assume that the Ultimatum started out as a collection of smaller kingdoms and they just expand whoever they conquer into their army. Maybe? Something like that…”

The one-eyed girl lifted up Miranda and scowled at the stuffed bunny.

“What do you think Miranda? Do you remember anything? Hmm? No…nothing? Aw jeez, you could at least pay attention sometimes!”

She shrugged and gave Alice an apologetic look.

“Sorry. Miranda doesn’t know either in terms of location. As for strategy…eheh, I’m more of a just throw magic everywhere type of person so…”

[Mousia]

“That’s alright. Don’t worry about it. What you do remember is very helpful.”

Alice ran her hands through her hair. It was so cumbersome at times. Twisting her golden locks, she wrapped and twisted them into a tight bun against her head, tucking the end into the middle to keep it fixed.

The moon was high in the sky and the sky was pitch-black, the stars covered with clouds. Indeed, a storm was coming, and it would not be a mere refreshment, but a struggle between elements. Lightning and rain. Life and death. Peace and war. Crescentia was doomed. Out-numbered and dumb compared to the Ultimatum. Still, certain death was no match for reckless optimism.

“We’ll need to change our whole strategy,” the blonde muttered to herself. “Fight fire with fire. It’s the only way to go.”

She found the flint and fire striker and lit a candle in a candlestick holder. Once it was alight, she poured water on the fire burning to illuminate the room and carefully picked up the candlestick holder and started out of the room, beckoning Melissa to follow her into the darkness.

Walking slowly down the halls, she went down and down and down until they reached the courtyard, a large and expansive garden in the middle of the castle, with a stone space in the middle with benches to relax on. Alice meandered to the center and placed the candle on the bench.

“Will you teach me how to fight? I want to be useful against the Ultimatum.”

[TheWendil]

Melissa followed her Lady obediently and without hesitation into the dark unknown. If Alice had a plan, then surely everything would be fine? Even as a foreigner, the dark mage was aware of how strong Crescentia’s military force was back in the time of the Great Wars. It would take more than worded threats to bring this mighty nation down.

Her inner thoughts were soon interrupted upon her booted feet meeting with cool grass. Alice had led them outside into the night, the inner borders of a wide courtyard now surrounding them. Curious as to what they were doing here, Melissa tied Miranda’s arm to her waist for security before glancing at Alice.

“Will you teach me how to fight? I want to be useful against the Ultimatum.”

“Wait…what?” Melissa asked, taken aback by the request. In hindsight, she figured it made sense for Crescentia’s leader to take action but they probably only had this one night before the Ultimatum’s troops were at their castle walls. Still, if Alice really wanted to…

“Um, with all things considered your Highness, what exactly do you want to learn? I mean, you probably know basic survival right?” The knight brought her hand to her chin in thought. “Have you ever displayed signs of magical affinity? I can only control black magic but I can teach you the basics if you do. If not, we can always start with sword play…”

Melissa’s words trailed off as the realization finally hit her. How had she forgotten for all this time?

“Aw man! I completely don’t know where my sword is! It must have been taken when I was captured!”

[Mousia]

A small, grateful smile touched her lips and her eyes softened. “Thank you, Melissa. I needed that.” Suddenly overtaken by a strange new urge, Alice pulled Melissa into an embrace. Unbeknownst to her, small wisps of pink and purple and white floated around them. Pretty, sure, but even if she could recreate it in battle, it would serve little purpose other than alerting the enemy of their position. That would work against their cause. Or would it..? Either way, Alice was not aware of these wisps, and obviously had no conscious control over them. Still, it was a start, and hope of some possibility of improvement. At least the ability hadn’t died or expired or something. What a pity that would have been. What an incredible pity. When Alice pulled away, the wisps abruptly dissipated into the air. “Okay. So…” She closed her eyes and thought of snow. Yes, white flakes falling from the sky. Though the air was still, she thought she felt a breeze and suddenly opened her eyes. Not a flake had fallen. Visibly deflating, she sighed and racked her brain for memories from when she could use magic. Of course, nothing came up because she’d been asleep. Frustration built within her, and her brow creased with determination. One bead of sweat budded at her temple as she tried more and more thought exercises, all of them fruitless. Clenching her fist in anger, Alice ground her teeth. She felt the bubbles of anger threatening to overflow. The compounded anger, frustration, dread, guilt, regret, and fear from years past exploded within her and she let out a yell, a primal scream. With that scream came a burst of light. Red, orange, black, grey, gold, white. It only lasted a second or two, but it was enough that Alice faltered when it was over. Her mouth hung open, though no sound escaped her lungs. Eventually, she found it within herself to make a tiny squeak. “Wow.”