Jennifer turned to look at Darius, who regarded her with a similarly confused expression. If he already knew about this, then he hid it well. She returned her attention to Irwys, who stood at attention, waiting for her response.

"I would be honored, but don't I have to know proper courtesies or something. My interactions with the nobility have been brief, much less royalty. I don’t need to be prepared?” Jennifer asked, glancing at Darius.

“Normally yes, but I assume this will be a private meeting. The prince most likely just wishes to talk to you, as the newest mark to have joined the guild,” Darius replied as Irwys nodded.

Jennifer took a moment to think it over. It would be beneficial to see the person behind the delve, and the gathering of all these Marks. Yet, at the same time this was a [Prince]. Not her prince, but a [Prince] nonetheless. Royals were known for their absurd skills, able to give unfair advantages to the person using them. And she knew little of Zandria besides its propensity for having many [Seers] and [Diviners].

Offending a prince is a great way to lose your head as well.

Xar sent, a quiet curiosity being transmitted through their link.

Jennifer sent back to Xar and stopped herself from showing any movement as she felt his tiny legs crawl on her neck, as Xar shifted around. The spider tended to be so still that she'd forget he was on her neck.

Jennifer hummed quietly at that, the teleportation spell had given her a headache as well. Perhaps it was worse due to Xar’s small size, the mana involved that much more damaging to him. She'd have to look into the theory behind that at a later date.

She got an affirmation from him in response.

The spider chittered at that excitedly, and Jennifer turned back to Irwys. “Well, I agree of course. If there’s no issues with my clothes or anything like that.”

“There isn’t. His highness doesn't care what clothes you're wearing. Nor is he concerned about your decorum. You can feel free to talk to him normally, as long as you are respectful. And aware that it is a prince you'll be talking to,” Irwys said.

Jennifer simply nodded back.

A month ago I would be freaking out over this.

“Let us move to the inner chamber then. I’ll be able to create a secure connection from there,” Darius said, striding past a pile of neatly stacked books. The pair of humans and one tiny spider followed along.

“Rock! Standby at the entrance. If anyone comes then tell them I’m busy for a while. Don’t let anyone enter,” the mage said to the little golem.

Rock turned towards Darius, the golem’s eyes lighting up as it bobbed his head in acknowledgement. Turning around, it trotted out to the chamber's door, standing still like a statue as it took up its position.

Jennifer watched the little golem walk away, a part of her wondering over its incredible comprehension. Taking one last curious glance around, she put Rock out of her mind as she entered the inner chamber.

A smaller than expected room greeted her, its insides mostly empty aside from tables and equipment kept on them. The walls were tiled with white polished stone, fitted with light blue mana gems which glowed with a light blue sheen from the warding enchantment, illuminating everything in their soft light. She could smell the tinge of mana flowing through the room for each breath she took in.

“Give me a few moments to prepare,” Darius said as he walked ahead. His hands lit up with a similar blue light as a large amount of mana moved through the room. The wave of mana circled his hands, fractal patterns and intricate lines forming between them. His motions traced lines around the centre of the room, and a thin pool of water formed on the floor. Runes spread on the ground around the pool, lighting up the water as a spell construct began to form.

She watched, trying to catch every detail she could as the mage continued to weave the spell. Multiple threads of mana extended outwards as they spread further across the chamber, each strand flowing seamlessly into the next as they formed an intangible web with the pool of water at its center. To her senses, it looked like a series of intricate runes stringed in patterns that shifted as the mage continued casting. With a sudden pulse of mana, the water rose up, forming a waterfall.

Jennifer felt the magic slowing as a dull light formed. An image of a young man sitting on a beautiful chair projected from the other side. Irwys took a step ahead, coming next to her as he saluted the prince, bowing deeply. Jennifer followed along, clumsily bowing her head to the prince.

“Please, raise your head, no need to be so stiff," his soothing voice said, eyes flicking to his servant before returning to Jenn. "We can forgo formality here. It’s a private meeting after all.

“It is good to finally meet you, Jennifer Laine. I’m the second prince of Zandria, Laiken Verioss Zandria,” the prince added with a slight smile as he shifted, leaning slightly to the side as he delayed his next words. “And of greater interest to you, I suspect, the Mark of Fate.”

Jennifer sucked in a breath at the name of the Mark but she recovered quickly from the surprise and dipped her head in greeting.

“It’s an honor to meet you as well, your highness,” she breathed out and looked up to see the prince smiling back, the silver Mark on his forehead glowing lightly with a silver sheen.

“Likewise, I must say I’m surprised by the swift response. It'd only been a few minutes since I'd contacted Irwys about this meeting when he sent a message that you were in the guild. An interesting coincidence.”

With a Mark of Fate of all things, I'm not sure how much is just a coincidence. And a Royal with a Mark as well...

she felt his disappointment through their link, but it soon turned to something else.

Xar sent, and she could feel him drooling — well the mental equivalent of it — for the cores present in the room.

Jennifer wondered if regular dungeon spiders ate magic crystals. She hadn’t seen Xar eating insects like a normal spider and he seemed to do just fine on human food.

the little spider sent back with an excited chitter and she let him be, turning her attention to the prince.

Jennifer took a moment to look at the prince who was likewise inspecting her. I doubt playing nice or social games are something I can ever compare to a prince in. Better to be blunt and get straight to the point.

“What's the purpose of this meeting? If you forgive me for being so blunt, your highness,” Jennifer replied, waiting for the prince’s reaction. Her anxiety grew slightly when she didn’t immediately get one.

Maybe I’m pushing too far with things. This is a prince, and nobles are haughty enough as is.

“Curiosity perhaps, but I suppose that won't convince you, will it?” the prince asked, and once again the mark on his forehead glowed lightly.

“Since you've shown the courtesy of not dancing around the subject, I would like to do the same.

"I’ve been divining the outcomes of this war, or what would lead to a war from the aggression on Lienmont. The signs are chaotic, as is the case with many wars, yet they all point towards- you,” the prince said with a slight smile and this time she saw the silver strings shifting all around her.

“What secrets are you hiding Jennifer? Why does this war all end up leading to you? No, this probably isn’t the place for this. Let us talk a bit more privately,” the prince said, clapping his hands. Jenn was about to object as the room around her shifted.

“What... have you done?” Jennifer asked as the world changed. No longer was she in a cramped room with Irwys and Darius looking on. Instead, she was in a dark space dominated by the silver throne on which the prince sat. Silver threads extended from the base of the throne as words shifted and rippled across its surface. The strings multiplied as they spread across the room, fading into the darkness the room was surrounded by.

Jennifer spun and found images of an unfamiliar land splayed in the air about her. Wars and coronations, swords and arrows, the cycles of a kingdom. All was visible around her. Some images were so old she could see titans who still walked the earth, roaring as the last of their kin were slain, she saw the strings all leading to each person in these lands who'd ever lived and she saw how it all tied back into the throne.

Jennifer tried to send it, but she found the link gone, it’s end leading into the oblivion surrounding her.

“I’ve created a private place for us to talk. Your Mark friend isn't here,” the prince said, walking closer to her. Jennifer stared at him, the prince wasn’t too tall, standing less than a head taller than her. Neither was he built athletically. But she could feel the pull of his presence, stronger than anything she’d felt before. He didn’t use his aura. He didn’t need to. This was a [Prince], and she finally understood what it meant to stand in front of one.

She hoped she'd never have to find out what it was like to stand against him.

“[Sanctuary of Fates]” he said out loud and she felt the weight of his words. The weight of an ancient kingdom embedded into them.

“That is my skill, or my version of Zandria’s skill. Beautiful isn’t it? The fate of each person in Zandria has a string attached to this place. All its history and legacy, tied by the strings of fate. Yet, this isn't why we're here, is it?” the prince asked, his light red eyes piercing into her.

“Mark of Time. You claim to have seen the future. To have seen a war that threatened your city. That is true. The Alliance has already sent hundreds of scouts to discover the scope of the war. You may have single handedly shifted the fate of the continent with this information. Yet, why is that when I see your future Jennifer- all I see is darkness? Even dead people leave an impact on the world. Death is not the end of one’s destiny after all. But somehow, just for you, I cannot see what the future holds.” The prince circled around her, his hands brushing against the thread that ran through the area, ethereal and ever shifting.

“What is your plan Jennifer? Why do you matter so much? To this war and to your city.” the prince asked.

She felt the push of his skills, his presence starting to close in around her. The class of a [Prince] weighed heavy on her meager [Enchanter]. Hers was a feeble strength, a class of crafting and magic, while he held the legacy of a kingdom.

“I-I don’t know. I just want to survive the invasion. And prevent it, if I can. I don’t have any answers to give you,” she replied, to which the prince hummed.

“If it has to be this way,” the prince said before snapping his finger.

“[A Thousand Lies]” Laiken intoned and the world split into a thousand. Jennifer's Mark began to burn as magic spread all around her. She stood between a hundred places, a thousand questions as various possible worlds spread out in front of her.

In one world, she stood back in the streets as her city collapsed around her, going up in flames and she walked through its remains alone. In another, she talked with the prince, as he excitedly shared stories about his kingdom and his aspirations and she laughed as she found an unlikely friend. In another she watched as the Prince stood over her corpse, staring with cold eyes as she remained on the ground, unmoving.

Magic spread through her arm, her mark pulsed with each breath as she lived the same moment a thousand times over. And then, with a snap, it was all gone.

The prince stood his eyes wide before they narrowed, his expression turning thoughtful. Jennifer stared at the prince, her heart thundering as she panted. Images swarmed her mind, lives not-lived in that same moment. She took a shuddering breath, still trying to shake off the hundreds of scenes and possibilities that flashed through her mind.

“Forgive me for being this crude Jennifer. If I hadn’t sensed the attack when I did, this wouldn’t have happened. But to think… time itself is being twisted. I won't remember this will I?” the prince looked at her, a slight smile on his face that shifted into a frown.

“There'll be an attack on the guild in a few moments. I wasn't sure what threat I'd been sensing until this moment. But I see it now. And I'm far too late.” The prince turned to look at her, his red eyes burning as his Mark lit up, glowing with a bright silver light that spread through the entire room.

“You carry many fates, Jennifer. Run from here, and try to survive. But even if not, this won't be the end. Use my Mark, and if the fates align, then find me once more,” the prince said, grabbing her hand. She felt their marks shift as the strings in the room started to twitch. All of them swirled, snapping to her hand as the room began to shake. Another mark imprinted itself onto her hand, another crescent filling up, this time with silver threads.

“May the Fates be by your side,” the prince whispered as his form faded and the throne room shattered, plunging her into darkness.