Endowed by Starlight

Off-key notes twang, the metallic chords which produce them tightening or loosening with each pluck and an upbeat hum sidles alongside them as Sirius tunes his guitar. His foot bounces with the rhythm of an unfinished song, a smile lingering on his face.

"You're in a cheery mood today!" Florio chimes nearby, morphing Sirius' smile into a grin. He looses a satisfied sigh but his focus remains on his task. 

"I bet he found himself a new 'muse'," a young woman chuckles to his right, earning a half-glare half-pout from her unit-mate. Lina flashes an impudent smirk at Sirius, firelight glinting in her brown, almond shaped eyes while her face is framed by lengthy, dark brown curtains of hair. 

A silver-white flash curls into her pupils as she peers into his eyes before swirling out about her face with delicate lines. "Yup!" Lina states with a sing-song pop, her smile continuing to curl her lips as her attention returns to the scribblings in her notebook.

"Lina!" Sirius complains but is unable to maintain his frown, loosing another sigh before getting back to work.

"They're cute," Lina notes in a casual tone as she considers the lyrics before her eyes, "How long you planning to keep this one?"

"You know I don't plan these things," Sirius answers, his voice lowering as if to dismiss the notion.

"She looks much prettier when she smiles," Leon states, his tone implying generosity, "For a commoner."

"And you're more likeable until you open your mouth," Lina echoes back instantly, matching his tone exactly. A toothy grin flashes across Sirius' face and a string of poorly stifled snickers sound from those gathered. Lina's eyes are piercing as she meets his disgruntled gaze, "For a noble."

"Why are you even tuning that?" Faustin interrupts as Leon frowns, turning from their card game, "Why use an instrument at all when you can generate any sound you can imagine!" Florio stretches and leans to peek at Faustin's cards, jumping back suddenly and giving a suspicious smile as Faustin's head whips back around, "You know how easily I could look at yours?" Faustin grumbles flatly, squinting. 

"Which is why we all agreed," Karl chortles, "No magic!"

"Perhaps its a gift," Danut suggests as he slips down a card, "For this new muse."

"It's so unfair!" Florio whines, looking between Danut and Sirius, "They practically flock to you two yet I can't even catch a glimpse of my spectral beauty's face!" Sirius flashes a look of warning to Florio and earns a quick apologetic grimace.

"Are you still chasing after her?" Aldric raises a disapproving brow at Florio before his eyes return to his cards, "You're being too obsessive!"

"Who's he chasing after this time?" Danut sighs, extracting a snort from Faustin. 

"I first saw her drifting through the plaza, as delicate as the moonlight bathing her golden hair!" Florio gasps dramatically with a hand to his chest and he even pinches his eyes shut.

Aldric groans, dragging his hands over his face as he had heard this proclamation far too many times already. Had watched him dash after this girl to no avail time after time, spiriting away like a true specter.

"She haunts my dreams," Florio continues, earning a smile from Danut, "And yet, every time I catch sight of her, she slips away before I can appreciate her full beauty!"

"Maybe she doesn't want you to see her," Lina suggests vacantly, not sparing him a glance.

"Sides," Karl snorts, "What if she's ugly?" 

"Don't kill his dreams, Karl!" Sirius chides, nearly satisfied with his tuning. Aldric looses another heavy sigh, placing down his cards as he loses interest in the game.

"And what has you so wound?" Faustin questions, eying the prince, "Zetian push you too hard today?"

"I'm surprised you managed to throw her this time!" Danut almost praises, "A pleasant change of pace."

"But she haunts me anyway," Aldric grumbles, crossing his arms.

"She's all up in arms about some incident," Florio explains for him, "Al's been trying to settle it all day but he can't find uhhhh...." Florio blanks, scrounging for the name. 

"Tia," Aldric denotes for him.

"That was it!" Florio agrees with a snap. 

"Well, if you're looking for Tia," Sirius sighs, packing the guitar away into its case, "Guess you can tag along. I'm headed their way!""

So there's yours!" Annie hums satisfactorily, presenting Albert with a simple earring. 

"I gave you this yesterday!" Albert exclaims as he plucks it up, brows high as he looks it over. He can sense the magic humming within nonetheless. 

"With that," Annie states proudly, "You should be as immune to electricity as Tia!" Albert clips the earring into place readily, happy not to be at risk of another stray shock from his unit-mates. Whether that be in practice or an errant spark fueled by Tia's temper. Ifani's fingers find their way to the beads woven into her braids as she listens in, wearing her own pleased smile. Annie releases a sigh as she continues, "Just one left then!"

"Oh!" Tia pops with her realization, catching Annie's gaze, "I actually wanted to ask if you could take a look at something for me?"

"Look at what?" Annie questions, inclining her head to the side. Tia shuffles around her sword, presenting it with a delicate flourish.

"This is a katana, from Nippon," Tia explains as Annie's eyes drag over its ornate sheath, "It's supposed to be enchanted... but I don't know in what way. Would you be able to tell?"

"Certainly!" Annie chirps, already excited to look it over. Annie readily plucks it up as she continues, "Let's take a look!"

Annie places the blade in her lap as she pulls her goggles into place. They all watch as she pinches the metal frame, twisting it and producing a slight click with each movement. Once satisfied with the adjustments, her fingers graze the letters engraved into the metal, bringing to life a dull luminescence. Annie's eyes drag over the sheath first, her fingers feathering over its lacquered surface.

"Seemingly ordinary sheath but..." Annie denotes before twisting her goggle frame again and a smile lights up her face, "A clever deception!" her eyes dart behind her lenses and her fingers drag over the enchantment hidden within the wood, "Someone went through the trouble of squirreling away the usual signs of enchantment. Already quite an interesting piece!"

"My mother said its been in the family for centuries," Tia states, smiling despite the mention of her mother. 

"This sheath doubles as a shield," Annie explains cheerily, "By the look of it, it cannot be broken. A strong Gokrilvek enchantment interlaid with a number of other Shield manifestations using..." Annie pauses, her mouth hanging open before her smile returns, "Material magic and alchemy!"

"What does that mean?" Tia questions timorously, not following her explanation.

"Oh," Annie peeps, "Don't worry about my fussing. Just admiring the craftsmanship!"

"So when you say it's unbreakable...?" Albert questions, jumping in.

"It means no matter how hard you hit it or what magic you toss at it, the sheath won't suffer any damage!" Annie states enthusiastically, "As long as you have enough energy to fuel the enchantment, that is, and the strength to hold it in place!"

"What about the person using it?" Orin questions and Annie's eyes slide to him, "Does it protect them?" Annie looks over the sheath again, studying the finer details and working out different scenarios. 

"Probably not," Annie answers, to everyone's disappointment, "It only protects the sheath itself so," she gives a weak laugh, "Perhaps be wary of your fingers!"

"Okay," Tia chuckles in response, still already quite happy with Annie's discernment so far, "What about the sword?"

"Right!" Annie sounds, already considerably excited to see what else lays in wait.

Firelight glints across the blade as Annie draws the katana, laying the sheath gently aside. Wonder immediately washes over Annie's features as she studies the sword, taking in every detail. The steel of the blade appears totally stained by smooth black ink and seeming stardust is scattered within the metal. This is interrupted only by the letters engraved into the blade, a mixture of ancient accian and kanji. These letters gleam with the same ethereal mineral spattering the black steel. 

"Well I can tell you already," Annie breathes, sliding her fingers along the dull side of the blade, "This is an extraordinary piece!" she gives a sniff of a laugh, "Both the materials and spells poured into this are breathtaking!"

"I've never been so jealous," Euan snorts as Annie marvels over it unabashedly, gently running her fingers over the starry steel, "Of a damn sword!" Annie's hands freeze and her shoulders rise, her flush visible despite the goggles shielding her face. Brynjar coughs down his own chortle, struggling to stifle it despite Ifani's frown in his direction. 

"Don't be a pig!" Tia barks at him with a fiery leer. 

"I-It's fine," Annie squeaks, Tia looking her over with concern.

Brynjar catches Inge's smile, spotting her shoulders jump with the slightest of laughs. He nudges her, giving her a stern shake of his head, and her smile falls away. Ifani watches the interaction, her eyes gliding between the twins as she is unsure of their exchange. 

"A-anyway," Annie takes a deep breath, trying to refocus, "The sword shares the same protective enchantment, it's also unbreakable!" Tia's eyes widen, quickly followed by a smile, "But I'd say the most remarkable quality it possesses is thanks to these beautiful inlays," she grazes the seeming stars within the blade, "These are syltharian crystals, crushed into a powder and mixed into the steel!"

"Syltharian crystal?" Tia questions, her ears popping forward at the increasingly familiar name.

"Syltharian crystals possess a number of unique qualities," Annie chimes, "Supposedly, they are found at the heart of every star! They can contain or channel energy like no other material. In this case," Annie snaps and holds a flame in her palm, "This sword should be able to channel magic!"

Annie presses her ember to the blade and, as the stars gleam with an orange light, fire sprouts across its surface. Delight touches her face while the rest of the gathering marvels in wonder. Annie wafts her hand again, her embers falling away until water takes their place and this liquid quickly overtakes the blade as well, the stars shifting into a cerulean hue. 

"It looks like there might be some kind of blade enchantment as well..." Annie states with some uncertainty, "But..." Annie's smile drops into a dissatisfied frown, "As beautiful as this piece is..." she lets her goggles drop back around her neck and her eyes slide to Tia, "You can't possibly use it."

"What do you mean I can't use it?" Tia questions, her joy falling away, "I thought you said it was unbreakable!"

"Oh, the sword isn't the problem," Annie half-laughs before grimacing, "I mean that you can't use it," Tia searches Annie's eyes for answers and she is hesitant to disappoint her, "There is a reason we don't ordinarily place so many enchantments into one item. Especially powerful ones like these."

"Energy consumption," Albert sounds to Tia's side, his tone carrying something akin to dread.

"No ordinary person could even begin to wield this blade, not without considerable risk. Overconsumption to this degree could even be lethal!" Annie emphasizes, "I doubt it was even made with the intent to be used on the battlefield. At least not by human hands!"

"But I..." Tia releases a pressured breath, glancing to Albert, "I have a lot of energy, don't I?"

"I don't think you understand," Annie tries to state delicately, "It would take someone like myself or a divine descendant to wield something like this to its full potential. If not an actual Aethid!" her eyes fall on the sword again, "If it weren't a family heirloom I'd offer a trade but..."

"I..." Tia hesitates, pressing her lips together as she recalls her interaction with Zetian. Her eyes graze her friends, her nerves falling away as trust takes caution's place. "I might be a divine descendant...?" Tia shares timorously and watches as brows shoot up across her friends' faces.

"Bullshit!" Euan teases, earning a quick leer, "Ye even know whit 'at is?"

"You... don't have that kind of ancestry," Albert speaks more gently than Euan, "As a Minx. Are you saying...?" Tia's shoulders tighten briefly as she braces herself, dropping again as she releases a sigh.

"From my mom's side," Tia states almost vacantly, "The women of my mother's clan are known to carry the blood of the goddess Amaterasu, often serving as concubines to the emperor. I think Amaterasu might be Sylthari... but I'm not totally sure," Tia pauses to scowl, "There's a lot I don't know about her clan, they wouldn't have anything to do with me!"

"That would explain," Albert mutters, laughing to himself before continuing, "Your seemingly bottomless energy!"

"I could tell you," Annie peeps, regaining Tia's focus, "I can give you a reading, if you'd like?" 

"Reading?" Tia questions warily. 

"Clairvoyance," Annie responds and presents her palms, "If you let me,  I can tell quite a bit about you!"

'This is a bad idea,' Duff sounds from Tia's shoulder, catching her gaze.

"You think everything is a bad idea," Tia mumbles to him but still finds herself sighing, looking back to Annie with a half-hearted denial, "You've already done so much for me today. I don't want you to push yourself too hard for my sake!"

"If you're not comfortable with receiving a reading," Annie reassures her quickly, "I understand. But..." she pauses to return the katana to Tia, "You won't know for sure if it's safe for you to use this otherwise. Just let me know if you change your mind, okay? It's really not any trouble for me!"

 "I..." Tia sighs, her eyes resting on the blade as she contemplates the temptation, "Would really like to be able to use this...!" 

Tia looks to Annie, her bright and eager eyes brimming with curiosity, before glancing to Euan behind her. She considers his unquestioning confidence in Annie. Tia's shoulders rise and drop again with another huff and she can sense Duff's dissatisfaction with her decision.

"Okay," Tia finally answers, stashing the katana at her side and offering her hands to Annie, "It can't hurt!"

"Okay!" Annie echoes with a beaming smile, wiggling closer to Tia and cupping her hands underneath Tia's. Annie's magic reminds Tia of a reclusive mountain glade, a quiet pocket of deep forest. Another wilder energy lay beyond this, out of Tia's reach. "Let's take a look then!" Annie chimes and presses her thumbs to Tia's palms. 

Tia can feel Annie's energy pressing into her immediately, feel Annie's mind press into her own similarly to Duff's probing. As Annie shuts her eyes before Tia, they open in her own perception within Tia's mind space.

Annie glances about, finding herself within an ethereal forest-constellation constructed of pure spring water. A clear pool makes up the forest floor, reflecting gleaming constellations above. The trees are each their own spring of water which shoot upward before splashing into shimmering screens of translucent leaves. Celestial light emanates from within each trunk, matching the light of the moon which hovers entirely too close within the inky sky above. Glittering stars swirl and flow adrift in vibrant nebula rivers, draping and straddling alongside the moon while the water below is alarmingly stygian beyond the stars decorating it's surface. What lies below these waters is too dark to make out.

"I can definitely see the celestial influence," Annie chuckles to Tia, "It touches every corner of your mind space!"

Annie wanders the forest with tenuous steps, glancing about while her thumbs probe Tia's palms.  She is surprised to see such a remote setting as most mind spaces are littered with familiar places, structures and people while this surface space lacks any such features.

The forest is instead occupied by the high tone of a lone flute as it sidles between glassy branches, the notes it produces eerily shrill and sharp while its melody is ghostly. The sound is profoundly lonesome and sorrowful, giving Annie a chill as she can't quite locate its source. The flutist leaps across branches high above Annie, too swift to keep track of as she whisks just out of sight in seeming timidity and she gives off a gentle luminescence. By contrast, a shadow dashes between trunks nearby and Annie's physical body jumps, nearly breaking contact with Tia. 

"Are you okay?" Tia peeps, watching her face with concern. The shadow remains mostly out of sight, hiding its form behind gleaming trunks but leering at Annie. 

'You aren't here for me, mage,' Duff's voice echoes about the forest, the only other sound to accompany the flutist. 

"Ah," Annie gives a light laugh, "Just your familiar, giving me a scare."

"Rai!" Tia chides, glancing to him with aggravation. 

"Let's see..." Annie breathes, peering out at the forest again, "Where is your energy well..."  

Annie knows any of these constructs could represent Tia's energy but also that any could represent her memories, self or emotions as well. These spaces can be tricky and confounding, highly symbolic. She reaches for the nearest tree, dipping her fingers into the gleaming spring. Tia watches as Annie's face grows suddenly pale, her grip on Tia's hands tightening as the color drains from her face. 

"Annie...?" Tia questions her again, searching her distressed expression, and Annie gasps. 

"S-sorry," Annie mutters, taking another deep breath to brace herself. She clears her voice before speaking, "J-just a misstep. Do you think you could manifest? It may make it easier for me to identify what I'm looking for."

Tia retakes one of her hands, Annie's grip shifting as Tia summons sparks between the fingers of her free hand. Thunder hammers in the sky of her mind space, the sound akin to drums as if to accompany her flute, and electricity jumps between the branches screening the sky. Annie watches as each of the little lights within the space shimmer and gleam brighter all together, especially the moon, casting shadows throughout the forest.

"Oh...!" Annie gasps, the realization stealing away her breath, "You..." she gives a small laugh as she pulls her hands away from Tia, "Are definitely a descendant of Sylthari and you shouldn't have too much trouble, energy-wise." Annie's brows knit together and she searches Tia's eyes, her mouth hanging open as she hesitates. She closes it instead and flashes a quick smile before continuing, "This sword is perfect for you!"

"Where are you taking us, Sirius?" Aldric questions as the pair wander through the winding tunnels of an old mine. It is seemingly picked clean and long abandoned. 

"Heck of a nook, isn't it?" Sirius chuckles and continues to lead the prince further in, "Apparently Euan stumbled onto it fishing around in the plane. They've been stashing away in here all week!"

"Euan?" Aldric echoes in a befuddled tone, "I didn't realize they spent time together..."

"That guy knows everyone," Sirius states with a wave of his hand. 

"Whether he's wanted or not..." Aldric grumbles, his words not reaching Sirius. 

A cavern opens up as they turn the next corner, countless crystalline surfaces amid the space reflecting back at them like a chaotic web of mirrors. A gentle glow emanates from within some of these elementally charged stones in an array of hues, gleaming brighter as those within come into contact with them. A swath of flame hovers in the center of the gathering, set in place by Annie when she arrived. Cheery chords thrum in this gentle space but fall to silence as Albert's eyes catch on Sirius. A brilliant smile lights his face and he jumps to his feet quickly, flitting to them. He only hesitates as he notices the prince dragging just behind Sirius. Albert's eyes widen and his face drains of color.

"Relax Bertie!" Sirius cushions his surprise, slinging an arm around Albert's shoulder with a ready smile. He continues into Albert's blinking, "No worries with this one."

"B-b-but...!" Albert stammers, his eyes sliding between Sirius and Aldric, "He's-"

"A friend," Aldric states steadily though his smile strains at Alberts frown, "Who Sirius sees in private is not my business," Aldric reclaims his smile as he leans toward Albert, "Though I am surprised to see a familiar face!"

"You two know each other?" Sirius questions, raising his brows at Albert and flashing a sly smile, "You're still so full of surprises...!"

Aldric's eyes skim over the rest of the gathering as a blush blooms on Albert's cheeks, most still too focused on their own conversations to have taken notice of them yet. Inge, Arabella, Ifani and Brynjar chat to one side while Tia is still engrossed with Annie and Euan. Orin listens in quietly nearby, watching her. 

"Is that..." Aldric questions, squinting at Annie, "The Allmage??"

"Oh...!" Annie gasps as Aldric steps into the light, growing rigid as panic settles into her stomach. Tia's eyes slide between them, watching Annie freeze up. 

"What are you doing here?" Aldric questions her, stepping across the room and dragging his eyes across the cavern. 

"I...!" Annie squeaks, her eyes darting as she seeks out an excuse. 

"What are you doing here?" Tia jumps in, giving Aldric a look up and down.

"Looking for you, actually," Aldric answers flatly. Tia blinks and points to herself with astonishment. His attention slides back to Annie, causing her to jump. "How did you even get here without your shadow tagging along?" Aldric hums with a touch of laughter. 

"Lumi," Annie sighs with distaste, "Not easily, I assure you," her gaze locks onto Tia and a smile grows as she continues, "I'm here with Tia, actually!" 

"Really?" Aldric chimes, "I didn't realize you knew each other. How did you even meet?"

"Shenanigans," Tia answers with a grin, Annie flashing an appreciative smile, "She was taking a look at my sword," Tia shuffles it up for him to see, "Among a few other favors!"

"You dragged her out here for that?" Aldric questions, not hiding his disapproval. 

"What's wrong with that?" Tia answers with furrowed brows, "We all need to take a breath outside the compound sometimes. She deserves the same!"

"The Allmage is one of a kind," Aldric denotes unflinchingly, his tone ever dignified, "Her safety is paramount."

"She's plenty safe here," Tia answers with a touch of laughter, her eyes grazing over her friends fondly, "We wouldn't let anything happen to her. Besides, you're out here too. Why are you looking for me, anyway?" She watches a deep frown furl onto his face. 

"There is a matter I need to speak to you about," Aldric states rigidly and turns to the side, "If you can spare me a moment."

Tia glances to Annie and to Euan, receiving shrugs before she looses a sigh and rises to her feet. They step to another corner of the cavern near the entrance, Tia crossing her arms before her. She watches him warily as he continues more quietly.

"A certain incident has been brought to my attention," Aldric explains sternly, "Between you and Wu Zetian," Tia's brows shoot up as he continues, "And I think it would be in everyone's best interest to settle this without involving staff, if possible."

"Zetian..." Tia grumbles with an ornery sigh as she pinches the bridge of her nose, "Does she really still have a problem?" 

"She is quite upset," Aldric denotes sourly, furrowing his brows at her reaction, "And you hardly seem remorseful, given what happened."

"I'm sorry," Tia's tone is bitter and she gives a short laugh, "I should be remorseful?"

"Given the circumstance," Aldric insists, "And the position of Zetian and yourself, that would be appropriate!"

"Is 'position' the only thing that's important in Accia?" Tia retorts with considerable snark, catching the eyes of her friends as she raises her voice. Aldric's eyes flicker to them briefly before returning to Tia's, carrying irritation as she continues, "She can just do whatever she likes and I'm supposed to smile and kiss her feet??"

"I understand you are new to this lifestyle," Aldric answers coolly, his tone becoming as glacial as his demeanor, "And while I agree Zetian can be... difficult to handle it is your responsibility to uphold the expectations of a house heir, to place that responsibility over your own emotions!" his tone rises alongside a steely leer, "If you cannot regulate yourself or your new familiar, you ought to at least have the humility to apologize!"

"You're going to come in here," Tia rumbles, her markings crackling with energy, "And lecture me about self control, ask me to apologize to her?" Tia jabs a finger into his shoulder, "I don't care who you are and I don't care who she is! I won't let any of you keep threatening me and intimidating me at every turn!"

"Fuck yeah, moggy!" Euan hoots from the back of the cave and similar satisfaction dresses a number of faces. Aldric appraises their reactions carefully, scouring the group.

"If Zetian doesn't want Rai nibbling at her fingers," Tia continues with narrowed eyes, Aldric's gaze flickering back to her, "All she has to do is leave me alone!"

"I can see," Aldric pinches his eyes shut before dropping a disapproving leer onto Tia, "I was mistaken in believing this could be settled with a rational conversation. As much as it pains..." his voice trails, catching sight of Duff as he slithers about Tia's shoulders and peers into Aldric's eyes, "Is that...?"

"My familiar," Tia states readily, running a finger over his head, "Rai."

"That's the creature that attacked Zetian?" Aldric states with considerable disbelief.

"Is that what she told you?" Tia questions back, contemplating briefly before giving a bark of a laugh, "Of course she left out her own provocation! And you didn't even question her?" Tia watches as Aldric's stern expression melts away into blank realization and even brief embarrassment, "If you can show the same humility you expect from me," Tia bites before her hostility drops away, "You ought to at least hear my version of what happened."

"I..." Aldric sighs, his shoulders dropping as he swallows his pride, "I think that would be best." 

Tia turns, settling back in among her friends and gesturing for Aldric to join them. He takes a seat next to Sirius, looking over the unfamiliar faces about him before returning his attention to Tia. Most of them listen in on the conversation quietly.

"Zetian..." Tia grumbles, her eyes following Duff as he coils about her forearm, "Cornered me alone in the bath house and threatened Rai, threatened both of us."

"Luxis help me...!" Ifani breathes her exclamation before giving a wide gesture, "I left you alone for ten minutes!"

"What did she say, exactly?" Aldric questions as Ifani huffs with displeasure, Tia giving her a lopsided smile. A laugh is quick to leap from Tia's lips as she recalls the event.

"'I don't need to threaten you,'" Tia imitates in a snide tone, hoisting Duff in her hand and pretending to pinch his neck, "'You do realize I have your life between my fingers?'" Albert sucks in a sharp breath but Tia sniggers at the ludicrous nature of Zetian's threats, "Oh, but let's not forget, 'It's cute you think you stand a chance with him... or against me!'" Tia imitates with a comically high tone, most of the group smothering chuckles, "And, this was honestly the most ridiculous bit, 'You are a snake before a dragon!'" Brynjar bursts out cackling and Aldric blinks as Tia's friends snicker away, not quite understanding their amusement.

"That's..." Aldric sighs, trying at first to dismiss the claim on impulse but his mouth closes again. He knows every word aligns exactly with Zetian's self-indulgent and arrogant flair. "What reason would Zetian have to threaten you?" Aldric questions instead.

"She wouldn't be the first," Ifani grumbles, catching Aldric's attention with raised brows. This surprise doesn't linger for long. 

"You've been receiving threats regularly...?" Aldric questions grimly.

"Mostly Andrea," Tia admits with a scowl, "She never misses an opportunity to corner me. I don't understand what her problem with me is but," she gives another sharp laugh and bitter amusement doesn't leave her tone, "Zetian has it in her head that there's something going on between us!"

"Ugh..." Aldric's face drops into an acrid grimace while Orin tries to stifle his alarm, "Of course that's what this is...!"

"It's ridiculous," Tia exclaims, crossing her arms, "This is the first time we've spoken since my introduction!"

"Bold of her to play the victim," Orin grumbles behind her. 

"I mean," Tia chuckles, regarding Duff with a smirk, "Rai did go after her."

"She made it sound as if her life was under threat," Aldric complains, giving a hum of a laugh as he regards Duff's teensy form.

"Not her life," Tia chirps with laughter, "Just her fingers!"

"Fingers...?" Aldric questions with a squint.

"He's got a thing about fingers," Tia muses, raising a brow at Duff, "What is it about them specifically?"

'They have a delightful crunch,' Duff answers with palpable satisfaction, 'And there is such a unique flavor of sorrow in human flesh when they swallow that particular loss!'

They all wait with curiosity as Tia frowns at Duff, a stark expression which continues to deepen as she ponders his answer. As she perceives his delight.

"What did he say?" Albert questions and further disgust enters Tia's frown.

"You don't want to know," Tia answers flatly as she eyes her partner, "It's disgusting!"

"I must ask," Aldric continues steadily, skillfully stifling away his own amusement at the thought of Zetian's distress in such a scenario, "That you keep Rai's... appetite under control. You are responsible for his actions."

"And what about Andrea and Zetian?" Tia questions with a careful tone, again observing Aldric with heavy expectation. She speaks as if her words are a deathly trap, "Are they responsible for their actions?"

"They are," Aldric answers smoothly, "Their behavior has certainly been inappropriate."

"Inappropriate...?" Tia mouths the word, barely audible, and her expression tightens with bitter disapproval.

"Andrea ambushed and stabbed her!" Ifani seethes heatedly, catching Aldric's attention again. Another frown marks his face with his own dissatisfaction with Andrea.

"And security staff weren't alerted to this?" Aldric questions, looking back to Tia.

"It was the middle of he night!" Tia sighs breathily.

"Then without proof or a witness," Aldric states with no satisfaction, "There is no way to hold her to her actions."

"So, what," Tia snaps irritably, gesturing with a chopping motion, "She can attack people all she wants as long as she isn't caught?"

"I cannot control Andrea any more than I can control you," Aldric states plainly and Tia blinks, "Andrea is testing you. Testing if she can influence or control you, seeing what you will tolerate, because she believes you are weak enough that she can do so freely," Aldric pauses before speaking with emphasis, "Drea respects strength. If you prove to her you can take care of yourself, she won't act so recklessly."

"I shouldn't have to prove anything to her," Tia bites aggressively, "I want nothing to do with any of this!"

"You are a house heir. If you don't rise to the demands of your position," Aldric states with an eerie calm and melancholy hides within his eyes, "Then you will be crushed by them."

'He is right,' Duff states, quickly catching a wide-eyed glance from Tia, 'You cannot outrun who and what you are. You can only rise to meet it.'

"You're telling me not to run away?" Tia gives a harsh laugh, feeling every time he evades one of her questions he is running from something. Her eyes slide back to Aldric before she continues, "And what about Zetian?"

"Zetian is a wholly different creature," Aldric grumbles unfavorably, "She's more hot-blooded than even you," Ifani snorts at his suggestion, "Her only interest in you is this fantasy she's cooked up between us. If we keep our distance from each other for a time," Aldric sighs, rising to his feet, "Her focus will shift."

"Fine by me," Tia answers testily with furrowed brows, her gaze shifting back to Duff. Aldric gives a nod to the familiar faces among them, his eyes sweeping the rest again  before he departs. He pauses by the exit.

"And if I can give you one more suggestion," Aldric continues, waiting for Tia to meet his gaze, "Get to know the other heirs. Andrea is less likely to offend you with more peers at your back." Tia presses her lips together, not responding to his suggestion. Sirius eyes Tia's unfavorable scowl as he leaves.

"Gods...!" Tia breathes once he is gone, "What a prick!" 

"He's not as bad as you think," Sirius chuckles and Tia blinks.

"He is the stiffest," Tia complains with heavy emphasis, "Most impersonal snob I've ever met!"

"All that he said about responsibility," Sirius states a bit more seriously, "And position? He puts that pressure on himself tenfold!" Tia releases a constrained sigh, contemplating Aldric's advice as the night drags on.

Caught Orange-Handed

A long but satisfied sigh drags from Tia's lungs as she enters the shadow plane, running her fingers through alabaster locks as she moves towards the compound. She always felt refreshed after speaking with Al. Yet as she moves forward, she collides unexpectedly with another. Her eyes flash open, resting in terror on Euan standing before her with a giddy smile.

"Hey," Euan chimes readily, "Been trying t' catch up t' ye fur... I dinnae ken how long!" Tia's face drains of color as he continues jabbering, her stomach dropping, "Am Euan, whit's yer name?"

'Get out of there!' Duff's voice stirs Tia from her panicked daze, jumping into action himself from within the compound. Tia stashes her hands behind her back and her eyes dart, seeking out an optimal escape. Keeping her hands out of sight, Tia whips around and swims urgently for the mesa top knowing Euan can't follow her there. 

"Oy!" Euan barks, already jumping just behind her despite his confusion, "Why are ye running??"

"Leave me alone!" Tia demands breathily, fear humming away in her chest as a sense of exposure swallows her. 

"I just wanna talk t' ye!" Euan persists, leaping in drastic bounds and quickly closing the distance between them, "I've never met another shadow stepper!" 

Tia's shoulders jump with a harsh wince, her movements faltering as the guilt pangs into her chest like a hammer. Euan gives another strong kick, appearing at Tia's side. He swings around in front of her as she turns away from him, placing himself between Tia and her intended escape. 

"Whit are ye so scared of?" Euan questions, popping a brow at her, "Is 'is about ma cousin?"

"Your..." Tia husks, her eyes sliding to his as the fog encroaches on her mind, "Cousin...?"

"Cuz 'at nyaff needed a good nubbing," Euan chortles, eyeing Tia as a sharp cut jabs into her brain, "Ye dinnae remember?"

"I..." Tia yelps, forcing away the thought and pushing the fog aside, "I'm sorry!"

Tia swivels and dashes back towards the compound, sensing Duff enter the plane. She imitates Euan's way of moving through the shadows, kicking off of them rather than swimming through, but Euan is close behind her. 

"Ye shouldn't run 'at way," Euan tries to warn her, "It's no' safe!"

"I don't want to talk to you," Tia insists, continuing her reckless flight, "I'm not what you think I am!" 

"You heard her, boy," Duff rumbles and a massive silhouette enshrouded by oblique shadows begins emerging amid the compound, "Back off!"

"Azryth's bawsack!" Euan breathes, his eyes widening as he slows.

Duff's eyes enlarge until he seems to eclipse the shadowy imitations below him. The sheen of caliginous scales and even darker, pointed horns poke out from the shadows. Yet before either of them reach the compound, Duff is yanked into the sea below. Azowyr drags Duff below the charcoal waves, restraining him with swaths of shadow and even muzzling him as he attempt to release a raucous screech. Neither Tia or Euan can see him as he's pulled into the center of the plane. 

"Duff!" Tia shouts after him, only met with silence.

'I'm alright,' Duff assures her through their link, 'Just get out of here!'

With a shuddering breath, Tia crosses over into the compound. She slinks into an alleyway in the lodging zone, ready to shift her appearance, but Euan steps out behind her before she can. She shifts into her father's form without altering her appearance, her feathers as snowy as her hair while the usually white spots splattering the inside are instead silver. Tia takes to the air before Euan has a chance to question her further. 

"Whit th' fuck...?" Euan mumbles, watching her flit to a nearby roof. Her usually emerald eyes instead resemble rubies, their crimson hue striking as they dash to Euan before grazing the compound for an escape route. 

Unfortunately for Tia, security staff spot her perching atop the compound first and are quick to jump into action. The bell tower announces their urgency, winged security staff instantly leaping forward to pursue her. Tia's face drains of color, raw fear rooted into her expression. Euan watches with his own astonishment as Tia soars in the sky above the compound, several staff tail-chasing and attempting to flush her into their co-workers' grasp. Two other staff even lock beams of light onto Tia, carefully illuminating the skies and trailing after her.

Tia is considerably agile thanks to her merlin features but she quickly realizes this evasion won't last. That they are simply keeping her busy while their allies fall into position. A bolt whizzes into the air past Tia, detonating in the face of one of her pursuers and causing the rest to scatter. Her eyes lock onto Euan below, crossbow in hand. He waves for her to approach and even prepares a portal for her. Tia swallows her hesitation, diving dramatically into the shadow with Euan close behind her. Light shines into the alleyway too late thanks to his aid. 

"Whit wis 'at??" Euan questions in his full rolling dialect, Tia letting her form fade as she pants for breath. Once able, Tia shifts back into Euan's form and continues to flee, buzzing with too much raw panic to remain still. "Och c'mon!" Euan gripes but this frustration gives way to alarm as he realizes her path, "Wait!" Tia flees towards the school and runs into Annie's vines before Euan can stop her. 

"What is this...?" Tia questions breathlessly, eying the grasping vines which caught her. 

"Dinnae move!" Euan warns her urgently, his voice dripping with caution and his own gaze raking Tia's surroundings, "Trust me, ye dinnae want tae get stung!"

"Stung by wha-" Tia pauses, a sheer black honeybee meandering past her head and landing on a nearby flower. She watches more carefully, spotting at least ten more bees in her vicinity, "W-why...? What are they?"

"Void bees," Euan states, deathly still himself despite maintaining his distance, "One sting will hurt like Azryth touched ye himself but if they swarm ye..." Euan grimaces, "Ye'll be torn t' pieces!"

"Gods dammit!" Tia gives a squeaky husk, already shaking, "W-what do I do?"

"Just stay very still," Euan instructs.

"Of course," Tia bites before meeting his eyes with a heated look, "You just couldn't let me go??"

"Can ye blame me?" Euan answers, popping another brow at her, "Hevn't ye always wanted t' meet another shadow ste..." his eyes narrow suddenly onto her hands, marked by bright orange flame patterns identical to his own, before Euan himself grows pale, "Ye... Yer a shape shifter!"

"Kuso!" Tia curses in a shrill breath, finding herself cornered, exposed and quivering. 

"Azryth take me!" Euan roars, swiveling and swinging a furious fist through empty shadows as a flush works its way up his neck. He shakes with anger, knuckles white as his disappointment overwhelms him. "I should o' known," Euan chastises himself in a deathly low tone, "Thir's no one else like me...!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Tia squeaks, unable to fathom how she might feel had Al been a fake. She waits through an agonizing silence until Euan's shoulders fall, a harsh sigh dropping out of his lungs in one huff.

"Jus'... dinnae move," Euan grumbles, "I'll get ye out o' there."

Euan moves towards the lodging zone without another word, without turning to even look at her. Tia's every reflex screams at her to flee amid this lonesome pause, testing her patience and self control. Yet the same fear which urges her to flee also locks her into place as a honeybee scuttles along her shoulder. As Duff remains silent and out of her reach. As she is left alone in uncertainty, the kingdom already alerted just outside the plane. All of this falls away as Annie and Euan approach, Tia releasing a gasp of a sigh. 

"Oh...!" Annie squeaks, eying Tia's appearance with wide eyes before she refocuses on the hive, "I-I'm afraid this is my fault!" 

"Its fine," Tia mumbles with no power in her voice, unable to meet Euan's gaze, "Can you help me?"

"Yes, of course!" Annie breathes, her eyes sliding to Euan briefly. He stands silent, arms crossed with a stony expression. "I can put them to sleep," Annie explains, "So you can step away."

"I want t' ask ye something first," Euan cuts in, gesturing for Annie to wait as his eyes seek out Tia's, "Are ye really a spy?"

"Am I what?" Tia questions, narrowing her eyes at him but his expression doesn't waver, "No I'm not a spy!" 

"Yer th' one th' king is after," Euan states, inclining his head as Annie's eyes dart between them, "'at's why they were after ye up there, aye?"

"I...!" Tia breathes, her heart hammering away, "I don't know why they're after me but I'm not a spy!" they hold each others' gazes until Tia's softens, "I'm just trying not to get caught!"

"Why would a shape shifter stick around 'is shit show?" Euan questions with furrowed brows, "Especially if they're after ye?"

"Because I'm a recruit," Tia squeaks at first, her tone sharpening as her aggravation builds, "I can't just leave everyone and everything behind!"

"Ye can be anybody ye want t' be," Euan snorts, "An' yer wasting yer time as a recruit?" he gives her another laugh, "Yer either an eejit or yer actually a spy!"

"Gods-dammit Euan!" Tia barks heatedly, "Just let me go!"

"Wait a second..." Euan mumbles, wandering closer to Tia despite the bees. He circles around her and studies her face as she glares at him. He pauses face to face with her.

"What?" Tia bites, planting the hint of a smile on his lips. 

"Moggy...?" Euan questions, watching carefully as Tia gasps. As her eyes widen minutely his smile morphs into a grin. "No," Euan chortles as Tia's stomach drops, "It cannae be!"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Tia insists, her tone too high. All of his suspicion falls away and Euan cackles at her reaction despite how his realization grips her with tension. 

"Ow!" Euan sounds as a bee stings his arm, thanks to his jostling.

Tia watches as the flesh surrounding the sting expands with a sudden and violent pop, leaving nothing behind. The surrounding bees zip after him, stinging him twice more before Annie can raise her hands. A buzzing sensation washes through the area, putting every bee to sleep. The tension is quick to return, however, as Duff bursts from the shadowy sea below in his lupine form and snaps at Euan, forcing him back. A snarl sits in his lungs, his attention wholly on Euan and Annie as he looms before Tia. 

"Duff no!" Tia blurts, sensing murderous intent. 

"They know who you are..." Duff reasons grimly, his hackles raised, "I won't allow them to leave!"

"Oh shit...!" Annie squeaks and Euan is quick to step between them, his eyes planted on Duff warily. 

"C'mon now, pup," Euan reasons, taking a dagger from his belt despite his playful tone, "Ye think I'd get moggy into trouble?"

"I don't plan on giving you the chance, boy," Duff snarls and Tia leaps onto him. She throws herself over Duff's shoulders as he lunges, wrapping her arms about his neck and digging her heels into the shadows.

"Stop it!!" Tia roars in his ears and she can feel his body lock up briefly. Euan grips his dagger more carefully, poised and ready to defend Annie. 

"There is no room for your bleeding heart in this!" Duff denies harshly, thrashing and attempting to shake Tia off, "If we spare them you will have to leave everything behind!"

"If you hurt them," Tia rumbles in his ear, stifling her own panic, "I won't ever forgive you!"

"Would th' both o' ye calm yer shit?" Euan barks, Tia and Duff pausing to meet his gaze. 

"H-he's right,"  Annie peeps behind him, "There is no reason to panic. Let's all take a breath!"

"Do you think," Duff growls, matching the rumble in his chest, "I'd give you the opportunity to whisper in the king's ear, Shadow?"

"Wh-what does he mean by that?" Tia questions, glancing between them.

"Yer talkin' about th' King's Shadows?" Euan laughs at the suggestion, "I've got no loyalty t' th' king or his weird club!" Duff eyes Euan carefully, a bluish tint shining in his black eyes. He sees no deception as Euan speaks, none of Irkath's little black maggots creeping across his skin. 

"Then why were you so persistent about her being a spy?" Duff questions, his body relaxing in Tia's grasp. 

"Weel," Euan flashes a smirk, "It wouldnae be any fun getting into trouble wi' someone up t' serious bullshit like 'at," Tia blinks at him, "I finally got someone else t' share the plane wi'! Ye got any idea th' kind o' shenanigans we can pull together?"

"You... believe me?" Tia squeaks at him, earning a quick snort.

"Once I knew it wis you, moggy," Euan reasons in the same tone he always teases her in, "I knew ye weren't a spy! Ye cannae keep a secret t' save yer life!"

"Apparently not," Duff drones, turning his gaze to Annie as Tia releases him, "And you, Allmage?" Annie still hides behind Euan, surprisingly sheepish. Spooked even.

"Ye already knew, aye?" Euan questions her and Tia blinks.

"Yes," Annie peeps, clinging to Euan's arm, "A-and I won't tell anyone. You have my word."

"I need more than your word," Duff rumbles, causing Annie to retreat further behind Euan. 

"Duff!" Tia complains before looking to Annie herself, "How did you know...?"

"The reading," Annie states in a delicate tone, "I... accidently stumbled into a very pertinent memory. O-of your transformation."

"And you didn't tell anyone..." Tia mumbles, looking poignantly to Duff before returning her attention to Annie, "Can I ask why?"

"My life was ruined when the kingdom learned what I was," Annie explains, her voice too soft, "I lost everyone I loved. I would never inflict the same onto another... especially a friend," she pauses, her eyes finding Duff again, "Even if this is all a bit... terrifying."

"Oh..." Tia's gaze falls to Duff. Annie eyes him as if he were a nightmare brought to life. "But you still acted like everything was fine...?" Tia mutters, recalling their encounters since.

"It's not... you I'm scared of..." Annie assures her thoughtfully despite maintaining a timorous tone, "I-I knew from the memory you didn't have a choice in any of this."

"Tia is not contagious, mage," Duff states simplistically, "And I can have only one partner."

"Dinnae worry about Annie," Euan chuckles as she clings to him, "People living in those wee villages in the Chain are superstitious about 'is shite. But she's a smart lass, she'll come around!"

"S-sorry," Annie peeps again, giving Tia an apologetic glance. 

Despite Annie's apprehension, the relief that washes over Tia is contagious. Even Duff can't help but shake out his body in response. Annie and Euan both blink as Tia's eyes pour out tears, sniffling them back as she laughs. All of the tension which had wracked and gripped her body melts away in the face of their understanding. The number of instances she had pictured sharing her secret with her friends was only matched by how many times she had imagined their worst reactions, their utter rejection. Despite her fear of Duff, Annie approaches Tia and clasps her into a hug.

"I can't imagine how scary it must've been," Annie mumbles in Tia's ear, "Carrying this by yourself...!" Tia gives a gasping laugh in her ear, eagerly returning the embrace, "Does anyone else know...?"

"Just my family," Tia answers with a wisp of a voice, wiping at her face as Annie pulls away. 

"And the kingdom is after you...?" Annie questions, glancing to Euan and receiving a firm nod. 

"I don't know why they think I'm a spy," Tia states weakly, "Or how to prove I'm not. My dad is looking into it."

"Weel," Euan sounds, "I can see whit I can learn as a 'Shadow' candidate an' Annie hears a lot as th' Allmage, aye?"

"Mmhmm," Annie hums, pondering briefly, "The staff are definitely plotting something... I'll see what I can find out!"

"Just," Tia blurts before pausing, "Don't get yourselves into trouble for me, okay?"

"But trouble is th' best kind o' fun!" Euan snarks, earning a quick laugh, "Oh an' I gotta ask... whit did Ben do tae piss ye off so much?"

"B-ben...?" Tia questions, her mind fogging over. 

"Yeah," Euan chuckles, gesturing to his own cheek, "Ye gave him a nasty cut!"

"Ah!" Tia cries, clutching her head as a monumental migraine cuts into her skull. 

"You idiot!" Duff snarls, pacing about Tia and whining as her agony pings through their link. 

"What's wrong...?" Annie breathes, reaching out for Tia but recoiling as Duff snarls at her. 

"I-Its the..." Tia pants, shuddering as she tries to shift her focus, "The binding."

"Ohh," Euan hums, "That's whit yer missing!"

"Stop!" Duff barks at him, Annie flinching. 

"He's right," Annie peeps despite this, "Y-you might hurt her, Euan."

"Alright, alright," Euan agrees, gesturing to both of them with wide hands. 

"The best thing we can do for her right now," Annie sounds with resolution, "Is finish the last enchantment. Come on." Duff steps in front of them as they turn to leave. 

"If either of you," Duff warns as Tia regains her bearings, "Give Tia away, I will hunt you down. Are we clear?"

"Such a doting familiar," Euan teases, triggering a low growl from Duff, "Dinnae worry Duff," he grows serious only briefly, "I've finally got a partner in crime, Am no' gonna let anything ruin at!"

Kraken Open

"Okay!" Albert chimes as the party crests the mesa precipice, "Is everyone ready?"

"I still think this is a bad idea," Brynjar sighs, arms crossed behind his head. 

"Are you scared?" Ifani teases and earns a shrug.

"Sure I am," Brynjar answers unabashedly, "These things are huge!"

"I'm surprised anything scares you, with your magic," Arabella chuckles despite her eyes raking over the scrublands in wonder.

She had never braved stepping foot here, most Accian villagers living in fear of the mesa's presence. Especially those farming the lands along its border.

"He isn't invincible," Inge states, Brynjar donning a knowing frown, "But neither is the kraken."

Inge gratefully walks the surface of the mesa on her own, the consistent electrical discharges mapping her surroundings for her. One of many features she had already grown to miss in the short time since they'd departed, stumbling her way through the world below, but she knows she doesn't have an alternative. It had been hard enough convincing Brynjar their journey through the scrublands today would be inconspicuous and brief enough to go unnoticed.

"I think we can handle it," Orin sounds confidently, "Our unit isn't anything to sniff at at this point!" his eyes drift down to Rai, "Especially with you two!"

"I don't think you guys understand what we're fighting," Brynjar drones grimly, "This isn't a pack of fenrir spawn or an enraged gullinborsti boar. This is a kraken."

He looks between his unit-mates, meeting mostly blank unfamiliarity, but gives a hard laugh at Albert's fascinated expression. He's already burgeoning with curiosity at the mention of the other beasts of the mesa.

"Why don't you tell us then?" Tia suggests and Brynjar blinks, "So we know what to expect!"

"The kraken," Inge answers instead, "Is a colossal monster. While a jormungandr is capable of growing to such a size, if it can store up enough of a charge," Tia's eyes slide to Duff, draping over her shoulders and already at the thickness of her arms thanks to passing static, "The kraken is naturally giant."

"What kind of magic can we expect?" Albert questions, scribbling away into his notebook.

"They are mostly utilitarian and defensive. It is immune to all mental magic," Inge notes and his brows shoot up, "Which is likely why we need it for this spell."

"It's supposed to be a squid or an octopus, isn't it?" Orin questions, "Shouldn't it be in the ocean?"

"It swims in unseen waters," Inge replies steadily, turning her face upwards and wafting her arm in a mystic manner, "A magnetic current flows above the entirety of the mesa. Rivers, lakes, whirlpools. An invisible ocean swirls to its own unique dance."

"Is that its second ability?" Albert questions, earning a nod, "Ralgot's Movement..." he sighs as he scribbles away.

"This is a beast that swallows ships and razes villages," Brynjar states in a gravelly tone, "It won't go down easily," his eyes seek out Tia's, holding her in a grim stare, "If things go south, I will put my sister first."

"I..." Tia breathes, her eyes drifting from Ifani to Albert before returning to Brynjar, "I understand. I don't want any of you sacrificing yourselves today. Not for some spell!"

It takes nearly an hour for them to trek to their destination, an archipelago infamous for being kraken territory according to the twins. A maze of islands float above the surface of the mesa, draped in stormy patches and persistent rain. Some of these isles meander along unseen pathways, the smallest among these travelling more quickly than their larger counterparts. Dense alpine forests dress jagged mountains atop the islands and rivers plunge off of their precipitous lips, scattering to the wind.

Tia and Duff bring their allies up to their island of choice, one by one. Inge and Albert find a rocky outcropping to tuck themselves underneath while Orin, Brynjar, Arabella and Ifani settle into place for the ambush. Tia gives them all a firm nod before she and Duff depart to lure the beast out. 

'Is there no talking you out of this?' Duff questions, coiled about her torso as she glides between islands. 

"A little late for you to object, isn't it?" Tia laughs, her eyes busy scraping for any sign of movement. 

'All of this is unnecessary,' Duff states flatly.

"I won't overlook these headaches anymore!" Tia proclaims with a scowl, "I need answers." Duff feels her try to weasel further into his mind, only able to scrounge up the sense that he was hiding something from her. 

'Are answers,' Duff questions enigmatically, 'More important to you than your life?'

"Why is it one or the o-" Tia answers with a sassy tone, cut short as something massive catches her eye.

The kraken emerges from behind an island, a massive mustard octopus rising over the horizon. Two pale yellow orbs, their linear pupils larger than Tia herself, are set into a bulbous head while tentacles lined with suction cups curl and coil out from its body in every direction. One of these tentacles alone are thicker than any tree Tia has laid eyes upon and each stretch seemingly for a mile. Brynjar hadn't exaggerated enough, this beast was gargantuan. It locks its unsettling gaze onto Duff. Tia feels a chill lick up her spine, sensing the territorial nature of the beast as it looms before them. This tension breaks all at once, the kraken seemingly swimming through the air with alarming speed. 

'We're inbound!' Tia alerts Inge as she and Duff split from each other.

[Author's Note: I suggest listening to some metal/rock during this fight. I listened to a lot of Metallica while writing it!]

Tia darts and weaves about islands and even dips into the forests dressing them as the kraken gives chase, dodging out of the grip of looping tentacles as they attempt to coil about her. Tia thanks her aunt with each evasion, pushing her through such relentless training day in and day out as she evades a mess of unpredictable limbs. Duff holds his own as well, zipping along electrical currents amid the storm above, and retains most of the creature's focus. She can still sense Duff's desire to take on a more preferable form, smothering this desire as they arrive at their intended battlefield. 

As Tia swoops into the valley of the island, Arabella directs lightning from the storm above into the kraken's face and it recoils, tentacles rubbing into the site of the painful zap. But that's all the lightning is to this massive beast, as miniscule as a bee sting. Duff swims and circles in the clouds above, focusing on absorbing as much electricity as he can gather while they distract it. The kraken pauses to regard the valley, its eyes darting to Tia buzzing about its head as it settles onto the valley floor. Before it can swipe at her again, Orin looses a plasma bolt. He aims for one of its eyes but his bolt catches instead into a passing arm. 

The kraken looses a string of dissatisfied pops and clicks as its tentacles curl in pain but they don't wait for it to lash out. Orin, Ifani and Brynjar jog into the valley with weapons readied while the sound of an electric guitar slides into the valley under Albert's fingers, an amplifying crystal at his side. They all feel energy swelling within them as the notes reach their ears, boosting their abilities. Arabella whips the storm above into a squalling fury, directing it from the mountaintop above with wide stirring gestures. Duff grows larger than Wulong already swimming amid her manipulations. 

'Let's kill a kraken!' Ifani announces into everyone's mind, the rain searing away instantly as it touches her metallic skin. 

'Gods...!' Brynjar breathes, a fierce grin breaking across his face as he slings his axe at the kraken, 'Every time I think you can't get any hotter, you crack my heart right open!'

'Focus!' Inge chides him, 'And pull her back!"

At Inge's command, Brynjar gestures to Ifani and yanks her towards him with his magnetic pull. A tentacle slams into the earth where Ifani stood and she skids to a stop before reaching Brynjar. The same tentacle sweeps towards them, attempting to wrap about the pair, but Ifani presses herself into it. She scorches its rubbery flesh until the beast recoils away. Brynjar hacks away at passing tentacles with his axe, shearing into its flesh thanks to his inhuman strength.

Orin battles on his own, deftly wielding a plasma spear to tear into the kraken's arms as they near him. His cuts and jabs leave cauterized wounds which continue to burn and ache. He pauses only to shoot long plasma arrows, able to morph his spear into a bow and back with Albert's amplification. He focuses on covering Tia's blind spots as she taunts and zaps the beast from above to keep it distracted, weaving between airborne tentacles with ample agility. Despite this, she finds the kraken's hide too tough for her claws or broadsword.

As the teens continue to slice at and burn its arms, the kraken trills another series of pops and it leaves the ground. The creature hovers over their heads, swiping down at them more carefully than before and decidedly ignoring Tia. 

'We're not doing enough damage!' Ifani calls out through the link, unable to reach the creature.

'Just keep it off of Brynjar,' Albert redirects her, 'He's most at risk!'

An arm winds in Brynjar's direction as he slings his axe into the air but the creature hesitates as Ifani steps in the way glowing orange. It's eyes dart over the group, growing irritated. 

'Are you ready yet, Rai?' Tia questions, already growing wet and weary. 

'Almost,' Duff replies. 

'Let's see it keep ignoring me,' Tia grumbles with a scowl, her katana peaking from its sheath under her hand, 'With a bit of extra bite!'

'Don't!' Albert warns her urgently, 'We haven't tested your tolerance yet!'

Tia looses a haggard breath, stowing the blade back into her belt. She swoops before the kraken's eye instead, slashing a claw into its pupil. A swath of arms coil towards Tia, swatting at her and shielding its eye. Faltering, Tia finds herself wrapped and rubbery cups press against her body. The pressure of its grip pushes the air from her lungs instantly and her body throbs and screams as it bruises her. Before the kraken can crush Tia, a shriek sounds from the storm above and Duff crashes into it.

The kraken's focus shifts entirely onto Duff, nearly half of its size as he coils about the flexible creature. Orin looses an arrow into the arm which coils about Tia and she is finally able to wriggle her way out. The kraken grunts and clicks at Duff, grasping his scales with its suction cups and bruising the flesh beneath his hardy scales. Its arms wriggle between his serpentine body and its own and pushes him off, tossing him into the forest. Tia can feel his pain as he thrashes into the trees, they can all feel it through Inge's link.

'He isn't big enough!' Inge sounds as they all grimace. The kraken grunts at the humans harassing it, narrowing its good eye on them. It coils its arms into its body, loosing them all at once in one unforgiving and unbidden assault. 

"No!!" Tia shrieks, watching from above. Tia's eyes dart about the valley, desperate to spot her friends amid the dust. 

'They're alive!' Inge sounds, to everyone's relief, 'But... they need cover!'

'Got it,' Arabella rumbles, loosing a barrage of lightning strikes onto the creature. It shields itself with its arms as Tia swoops below. Ifani is with Brynjar, both of them battered and bruised as they lean on each other. Ifani clasps her ribs, taking shallow breaths, while Brynjar is unable to put any weight onto his right leg and blood pours down the sides of his head. 

"Shit...!" Tia gasps as her eyes dart over them, "You two need to get out of here!" she glances about, "Orin??"

"I'm fine!" Orin sounds, staggering out of the dust. 

"How...?" Tia breathes, grasping him by the shoulders and looking him over. 

"Best defense is an offense!" Orin chuckles despite a pallid complexion. One of the beast's limp severed arms smokes in the background, seared off by his assault, but Orin is clearly tapped out.

"All of you need to go!" Tia insists, gesturing towards the forest.

"H-how are we-" Ifani gasps for breath, wincing. 

'Inge,' Tia sounds, wary eyes on the kraken above as it squirms, 'Can you reach Euan from here?'

'Yes, with Albert's help,' Inge answers in a worried tone, 'But...!'

"Orin, get them out of here!" Tia demands with steady resolution, not turning to look as she takes to the sky again, "I'll draw it off," Orin sweeps under Brynjar's right shoulder, the trio hobbling towards the woods, 'Rai, come on!'

Duff zips before the kraken and Tia perches atop his skull, steadying herself against a horn as it regards them. It gives them another series of pops and grunts and Tia can sense a spike of anger in Duff as if the kraken had insulted him. Arabella's attack comes to an end, the girl slipping to the ground after her onslaught. Albert continues his musical amplification despite this, focusing all of his energy on Tia as she leers at the beast. 

"Come on you ugly, oversized squid!" Tia roars at it, pouring as much electricity as she can muster into her partner. Duff enlarges rapidly, close to matching the kraken in size. To Tia's delight, the creature's eyes burn as she speaks to it, reflecting an unexpected sentience. She continues, sliding herself down and grasping Duff's horns, "See if you can catch us!"

Duff matches her taunt with an earsplitting screech of his own, everyone wincing from the sheer volume. The kraken lunges after them as Tia and Duff zip upward. Her unit-mates watch in frightful awe as they disappear into the storm above, rolling away like thunder. 

Tia hugs Duff's horns and clings to his skull with her knees desperately as he wriggles through the cloud. Unforgiving, frigid winds thrash away at her and limp wet hair is pasted to her face while the kraken slinks and zips after them. It moves with unpredictable speed, slipping ahead of Duff and pausing to reach out or thrash its arms at them.

Flashes of its frightening silhouette flicker inside the cloud alongside ferocious cracks of lightning and thunder. Duff's eyes dash frenetically, busy as he attempts to predict its movements and keep track of its choppy lunges. He coils and dodges as his own long body slips between the kraken's tenacious grip. Tia's heart hammers in her chest amid this titanic dance, trying to take comfort in Duff's steady composure and adroit evasion, in his confidence.

As Duff zippers between two coiling arms, another swipes at him with a punishing force driving it along. He loops dramatically up and backwards to evade and Tia's grip on his horns slips. She hugs his serpentine body as she slides along his back, further slickened by the rain rolling along his scales and a frightened shriek escapes her lungs. Tia manages to catch herself along one of his spines and clings to it with what little strength her numbing limbs have left amid the frigid breath of the thunderhead.

'Hold on!' Duff calls to her in alarm. Duff descends from the cloud, slipping down and into the forest of another island.

Tia slides to the ground with trembling legs and lungs heaving for air, her muscles weakened and cramping after being pushed past their limit.

'Stay out of sight,' Duff rumbles, his eyes drifting to the kraken as its arms stretch and curl down from the cloud above, 'I'm going to rip its smarmy mouth out!'

The kraken settles onto the lone mountain towering over the island, its good eye raking the forest for Tia. Duff screeches his own insult at the beast and the kraken's eye narrows as it locks onto him. Duff slithers along the isle, trees snapping and flattening underneath his colossal body like a great comb splitting a giant's hair. The two titans collide with each other atop the mountain, Tia's wobbly legs giving out beneath her as they rumble the island. She watches Duff coil about its boneless form. He squeezes it relentlessly, grunts and clicks sounding as its arms attempt to wriggle between his body and its own. As it pushes Duff's torso away, a loud hissing breath sucks into its lungs.

"Just..." Tia pants, her legs quivering as she rises to her feet with the aid of a tree trunk, "A bit more...!"

'Tia don't-' Duff refuses, his eye sliding to her.

Despite his protest, Tia empties what little energy she has left into Duff. The kraken's eyes fall onto her as the charge connects and Duff's body grows bulkier. Her form falls away as Tia collapses to her knees on the forest floor, huffing for breath and pale. Duff doesn't waste her aid, sinking his fangs into the kraken's bulbous head and squeezing it with every ounce of strength he has. He wraps every inch of himself about the beast, pressing the air from its lungs without mercy.

The kraken grunts with the last of its air and its arms curl and yank at Duff's scales with its suction cups. It doesn't have the strength to pull him away but this assault isn't enough. It's boneless body slinks within Duff's grasp and, rather than pushing him away, it uses its many arms to pull Duff's body closer. Tia watches, gripped by horror and clasping her mouth, as the kraken's beak splits Duff's body open ruthlessly. His eyes are wide as he digests his mistake, his hubris, sliding to Tia as his entrails spill down the mountain.

'Hide...!' Duff manages to gasp before she senses his mind go blank. 

Tia muffles the shriek which seeks to explode from her chest at the death of her partner, her eyes wide and body trembling as she dodges behind the nearest tree. Yet as the kraken tosses Duff's body to the ground, shaking the earth beneath her again, Tia's lost memories flood into her mind all at once. The kraken descends into the forest, seeking Tia out as her mind reels. She doesn't have time to make sense of the dizzying memories, tentacles lacing between trunks and groping about. Tia knows she has no magic left, unable to even manifest her wings, and her legs tremble as she tries to stand. She cannot run. 

Amid the sheer terror clenching Tia's stomach, she gasps as a familiar power pangs in her chest—cold, empty and hungry. Tia feels cold hands overlaying her own, inviting her to wield his power again, no longer impeded. Desperate for any aid as she watches the kraken's arms twist about the forest, Tia allows the esurient sensation to spread freely. It radiates out from her chest and across her whole body, dying her pitch black as it spreads.

Tia can feel an emptiness swallow up her panic and hopelessness and sorrow, swallow her up entirely. It leaves behind only a cold wrath, her own hunger for revenge and the ever insufficient satisfaction wielding this power supplies her with. With an icy leer and teary eyes, Tia draws this power to her, plucking the teensiest pieces of void from all around her and chilling the air with her touch. The wintry wind which previously bit at her wetted skin no longer bothers Tia and her shivers fall away, this cold now at home across her stygian flesh. Miniscule at first, little black shards begin humming to life all around her as she concentrates the power together, guided by the unseen hands overlaying her own.

Before Tia can continue, a tentacle finds her leg and yanks her into the air by her ankle. The kraken hoists Tia before its face, its unnerving gaze boring into her. Tia's eyes find their way to Duff's body behind the kraken, shorn nearly in half and tossed aside with an empty gaze. Tia's rage burgeons further at the sight, further fueling the severe vacuum formed within her chest as she continues pulling this ravenous power to her.

The kraken doesn't see the growing shards hovering all about as it clicks and pops at Tia with narrowed eyes. It speaks to her in an unknown tongue. Tia mashes the shards together into one long razor edge with a squeezing gesture as the creature exposes its beak to her, the cold hands directing Tia clawing into her flesh with the gesture. Behind the kraken, unseen to Tia beyond its hulking form as it readies to swallow her whole, Duff's two halves begin to tremble violently and pour out shadow. 

"Eat this," Tia hisses, the guiding fingers gnawing into her flesh as they press too tightly, "You slimy shit!"

Euan steps out of a shadow in the forest as Tia's blade cleaves the kraken open in one brisk motion, splitting it in two. He blinks, Duff hissing to life behind the colossal beast and bringing his own draconic head over it as if to strike. The blade passes over him, not touching his flesh, and he freezes as his eyes fall onto the corpse and Tia before it.

Tia lands atop rubbery legs as the kraken dies but her shriek isn't from this tumble but from the agony dressing her arms. Most of the inky markings leave her body as she cuts the connection but long jagged streaks of blackened flesh remain across her hands and arms nearly to her elbows. Her flesh is split open and even frostbitten where these marks touch. Tia shivers from the pervasive cold starving her body of heat and blood dribbles out where her flesh has split apart.

"Wh-what is this?" Tia wisps in a squeaky voice as her hands tremble uncontrollably before her, tears streaking her face alongside rain. Duff shrinks down into his natural form, stepping to her and regarding her hands carefully.

'No...!' Duff gasps, his lupine body quivering with guilt as he regards her wounds, 'Y-you shouldn't have- I could've... ' he glances back to the kraken's corpse, 'How could I let this happen...!' Tia ogles him with wide-eyed disbelief as he paces before her, unable to still himself as worries flood his mind. As he chastises his own overconfidence against the kraken.

"Y-you're alive...?" Tia squeaks, "But you-"

"Damn!" Euan sounds, jogging over and ogling the kraken and then Tia's state. 

'Tell him to get the mage!' Duff demands as Euan approaches.

"Moggy ye-" Euan begins.

"Get Annie!" Tia yelps, the flesh of her hands continuing to burn cold, "Please!"

"Right," Euan sounds, quick to melt into the shadows. 

"Duff..." Tia whimpers, her eyes seeking him out, "You died!"

'Don't worry about me right now,' Duff states, curling his body around her as he lays at her side and attempts to warm her.

"B-but..." Tia gasps, "I-I don't understand what-what just happened and..." her voice trails off and her eyes narrow as she parses through her restored memories, "You... you bound me!" Duff's head pops up and his eyes widen. It hadn't crossed his mind that his death might release the effect. 

'Tia...' Duff drones in a cautious tone.

"How could you do that to me??" Tia's voice leaps as her pain only seems to worsen. She expects her accusation to lash at him but his composure is unwavering as she continues, "It was you this whole time!"

'Everything I do is to keep you safe,' Duff answers with a steady tone.

"My friends could have died today!" Tia seethes, "And all for what, for more of your secrets?"

'I don't care what I have to do,' Duff rumbles suddenly, 'To keeps his hands from you! To keep more of this from happening!' He points his snout to her hands and Tia falls silent, her expression pinching as she contemplates further.

"You know what would have kept whatever this is from happening?" Tia levels an unforgiving leer onto him and he flinches as she holds out her hands, "Telling me what all of this is!"

"What's wrong?" Annie sounds stepping out of a nearby shadow and glancing wildly for Tia. Her eyes widen onto Tia's hands, dropping down before Tia immediately. 

"Whit's wrong wi' her?" Euan questions, his eyes skimming Duff briefly as he lingers nearby.

"Elemental marring...!" Annie breathes, brows knit as she studies Tia's hands. 

"What...?" Tia peeps, Annie's eyes flicking to hers briefly. 

"It..." Annie speaks hesitantly and her hands cup Tia's, earning a wince, "It happens to mages, sometimes," Annie explains as she pours energy into Tia's hands, a gentle warmth refreshing Tia's frostbitten flesh, "When we use more elemental magic than we can handle. Each aspect will corrupt the caster's flesh in its own way."

They all fall silent as Annie works away at Tia's wounds, fingertips dragging over each branch of the markings. Annie's magic pulls her flesh back together and breathes warmth into Tia's injuries until the markings fade away. Despite this, Tia's hands are left with thin white scars, reaching from her wrists along her forearms. It remains cool to the touch, a dull ache remaining, and she still feels as though those cold fingers grip her hands.

"Am no' surprised ye pushed yerself too far," Euan notes and he juts his chin to the body of the kraken, "I've never seen anything like 'at before!"

"Oh...!" Annie gasps, "Right, the spell!"

"I don't need it anymore..." Tia mumbles in a bitter tone, her stormy expression finding Duff again, "I remembered."

 "Really?" Annie questions, cocking her head to the side until Tia offers a sour faced nod. Her eyes slide back to the kraken as she continues, "Would it be... inappropriate of me to... to take a few pieces?"

"Go ahead," Tia gives a harsh sigh, her body still sluggish and heavy as she rises to her feet, "After all you've done for us? Take whatever you want! In fact, grab something for me. I want a momento," Tia's voice drops into a severe tone before she looks to Duff, "And what about you? Are you going to give me any answers today?"

'Just one,' Duff answers coolly, 'If you continue to wield these powers, the scars that mark you won't just be physical. They will change you.' Duff fades into shadow as he utters his warning.

"I dinnae whit he said," Euan chuckles, "But he's just as dramatic as Azowyr himself!"

"What..." Tia mutters, eying her new scars, "Are we going to tell everyone happened...?"

Euan eyes the kraken as they both fall into thought, as Annie meanders the remains plucking up pieces here and there. Tia even catches Annie drawing circles in the air with hands stained black, stashing materials into teeny portals.

"We say Annie did her spell on ye," Euan states, meeting her eyes, "After ye and yer familiar killed it," a smile tugs at his face, "An' maybe I helped out a bit!"

So Close

"Take a seat," Modeste directs, barely stifling an irate tone. Ben paces the confines of her office, Modeste watching his brisk steps and wide-eyed gaze. The man pauses in front of her desk, rigid as he tries to reel in his emotions. "What is this about?" Modeste questions into his silence. 

"I..." Ben husks, taking another deep breath, "I remembered something about the girl."

"You did?" Modeste inflects dramatically.

"I did," Ben answers and gives a grimace, gesturing to his head, "I-I think her familiar did something to me, so I would forget... But I remember!" Ben gasps, his eyes flashing to Modeste, "I have to tell the Marshal!"

"Give me your report first," Modeste insists, gesturing to the chair before her desk, "I'd rather not waste her time with something trivial."

"You don't understand," Ben exclaims, gesturing wildly in his urgency, "I know who she is!" Modeste watches him with brows raised, holding his gaze before rising to her feet. Ben flinches, feeling particularly wary with who hears this information.

"Wait here then," Modeste requests with a curt sigh, her tone heavy, "I'll send for her."

Modeste gestures again for Ben to sit, the man releasing a tumbling sigh as he settles into the chair. His leg still jumps and he quickly finds himself glancing to the door. Modeste steps into the hall, cracking the door shut, and he hears her ask an aide to bring Beatrice. His brows knit as he realizes there are no footsteps outside as Modeste shuts the door. There is no one in the hall.

Ben's gaze searches the floorboards at his feet as he tries to work out why Modeste would keep him from the Marshal. Modeste herself steps steadily back to her desk, settling into place as she regards Ben. A moment of silence passes between them, her sky blue eyes never leaving his.

"What makes you so sure you know who she is?" Modeste questions him finally. 

"I..." Ben draws out his breath as he considers, "I've seen her before."

"The same girl who attacked you?" Modeste questions, popping up a brow and receiving only a stiff nod from Ben, "I see." 

A silence persists between them, confounding Ben further. She was making no attempt to question him or to stall. Modeste was indeed waiting for Beatrice's arrival and Ben wonders if he's being too paranoid. She watches his shoulders lower as he takes another calming breath. A knock sounds on the door, Beatrice arriving much quicker than he had expected. She steps into the room, a smile touching her lips as she glides to the desk with arms tucked behind her back. 

"Is it true?" Beatrice questions, holding his gaze with surprising intensity, "You know who she is?" Ben nods to her, a brief movement, and she struggles to stifle her excitement, "Lets hear it then!"

"I met her before my assignment here," Ben explains, his eyes jumping between the two women, "On an escort. Before she..." he presses his lips together at the memory, "I think before she became a shape shifter."

"So you know her true identity?" Beatrice questions with eager eyes.

"Yes," Ben answers rigidly, holding a breath in his lungs as he considers the implications of Tia's identity. As he tries to grasp how she could possibly be a spy. This was one of many questions his revelation has left him with. Beatrice and Modeste glance to each other, Modeste easily recognizing the exuberance barely restrained in her superior's expression. 

"Go on then," Beatrice requests, "Who is she?"

"Her name is..." Ben begins, falling silent as a butterfly lands on her shoulder and he stiffens, "W-why are you... in the wrong uniform...?" 

Ben watches as Beatrice freezes, her eyes dropping down to the fabric framing her. Her uniform is red where it should be white. Her body tightens and her hands clench into fists amid her silent lamentation, as she chastises her own hastiness. She releases her disappointment all at once in a dramatic sigh, leaning her body lazily against the desk as she regards Ben with a frigid leer.

"And we were so close...!" Beatrice complains in a lilting tone, her shift in behavior leaving Ben pale, "Gods, I truly do hate these gaudy garments."

"Ma'am?" Modeste questions stiffly, pulling a chuckle from her superior. 

"The jig is up, hun," Beatrice titters, flicking a sly look to her cohort, "I don't think he's falling for our little act anymore."

"I see..." Modeste hums, pacing her way to the door and switching over the lock. The sound claws Ben's shoulders with a cold fear, his stomach jumping. 

"Ben, wasn't it?" Beatrice questions with narrowed eyes, tilting her head to the side, "You strike me as the fearful sort of man. A man who values his own life." 

Ben flinches as a knife flies over his head, striking the string holding the curtains to the side and washing the room in shadow. Modeste steps forward and places her hands on the chair just behind Ben's shoulders. He watches as her skin takes on an almond tone, as she morphs into a less feminine body. Ben's eyes widen, darting to Beatrice as she shifts back into Lily. 

"Sh-sh-shape shifter spies...!" Ben gasps as his eyes dart between them.

"Ohhh, yes," Lily titters, clapping her hands together with amusement, "Such a cute little fabrication isn't it? A bit on the nose, really. Yet here we are, playing it out anyway!"

"Mother," her companion admonishes her, dropping their voice. 

"Oh, I know," Lily sighs, chuckling briefly, "Nothing to worry about, Cuntur. I don't think this one will survive to tell anyone..." her smile only sharpens as she sees the panic which touches Ben's eyes, "Or... I suppose that depends on the choices you make, Ben. There is only one way you're walking out of here, you see." As Lily continues to speak, the butterfly on her shoulder morphs and Wyrm takes on his favored serpentine form. He coils about Lily's shoulders as claws extend from Cuntur's fingers, resting on Ben's shoulders.

"Y-you think I'd crack," Ben denies despite his fear, "Just because you threaten to kill me? I'm a soldier!"

"Oh, Ben," Lily's voice lilts with a string of laughter, "Death surely isn't the worst I have in store for you!"

Lily steps closer to him, running a finger over his forearm. Ben jumps, Cuntur holding him still as he grimaces, sharp sensations digging underneath his flesh. His stomach wrenches as maggots begin wriggling their way out from underneath his flesh.  Another laugh graces Lily's lips as Ben fights getting sick, feeling them gnaw away at his arm and burrow through his skin. 

"Why do you even need my help," Ben hisses, "She's one of you!"

"All I need from you, Ben, is her name," Lily hums, leering over him, "And then me and my children will take her and go! No more spies, no more traps, no more shape shifters hiding among you. Everyone gets what they want!"

"His majesty... wants the girl," Ben drones quietly at first but his quivering fades as he makes up his mind, "I don't care what you do to me. I won't betray my kingdom!" An orange light wells before Ben, within his palms, but before he can finish Lily exhales a puff of spores into his face. The orb peters out as Ben falls unconscious. 

"I suppose I misread him," Lily sighs as he droops in Cuntur's grip, "Take him back and have the children work on him," her eyes slide to Wyrm as she speaks, "Get me that name!"

"Do we have anyone lined up to take his place?" Cuntur questions, shifting back into Modeste's appearance.

They watch as Lily presses her lips together in thought. Mushrooms sprout all about Ben's limp body as Wyrm coils about him, quickly swallowing up them both before they fade into Ithkor's Plane. Lily waves her hand, the remaining mushrooms fading away at her gesture.

"No, we won't be replacing this one," Lily states decidedly, "I think it best Ben goes missing!"