Kliss didn’t get her answer from me about Skyisle. I didn’t want to explain things to her with my parents around. I didn’t want to involve them in my dangerous plans, didn’t want to drop a truth-bomb on them. Constructing a leaning tower of elaborate and complex lies in front of them was starting to stress me out. Mom’s growing frustration with dad was bothering me too. Why couldn't everyone in my family just trust each other? Things were so easy between Delta and I. We trusted each other.

[Delta? Do you trust me?] I asked.

[With my entire spell-soul, captain!] The answer came back.

I smiled and looked back at Kliss.

I was having a hard time establishing trust with her. I didn’t exactly want to let her into our brother and sister duet since Kliss wasn’t made of my beliefs and memories like Delta. I didn’t know what Kliss wanted and didn’t quite understand her goals or motivations. Delta believed that the Overseer was our enemy.

On the other hand, I recalled how Machiavelli, in "The Prince'' discussed the need to pay more attention to enemies than to friends. The potential to win over former enemies to a case was important according to the Italian Renaissance philosopher.

Kliss sniffed, tears glittering down her cheeks. It has been twelve years. Could she have changed in twelve years? Was she actually sorry for what she did? Was she ever in control or did the Overseer’s Vow really drive her forward to my execution?

I sighed, not knowing what to say to her.

Kliss looked like she gave up, folded inward and closed her eyes, crying quietly to herself. Her image as the Overseer fell apart as she faded into the background of our home.

“Save… Skyisle?” Mom muttered, looking at me in concern. Her eyes flashed at the bees. “I’ve heard this phrase used before… many years ago. My parents said it, right before they went into the Valley of Death!”

She caught my eyes. She somehow managed to read the thoughts inside of my head, somehow deduced what I was planning to do.

“Is Elder Delta planning to take you into the Valley of Death? I forbid it!” She barked.

“Cass,” my dad tried to speak. “Relax please.”

“No!” Mom stood up. “I’m not going to relax!”

She wasn’t looking at the bees anymore, wasn't acknowledging them as a person. Her angry gaze struck me and I flinched at the gale of her voice.

“DANTE! You are not to go into the Valley of Death!!! Do you understand me?!!”

“I… urhm…” I tried to speak over her yelling.

“Dante, where is Great-Aunt Delta right now?” Mom demanded. “It’s always letters and bees… secrets and lies! Damned wizards! I want answers, Ishira damn it all!”

“Cassandra, do not forget your place,” I insisted sternly through the [Vox Colony] as Professor Kerenski. Delta made the person made of bees step in front of me. “Your son unlocked his Soul-Song. He is of age. He is my apprentice, not yours!”

“Dante! You need to swear a Vow to Ishira, to never go into the Valley of Death!” My mom circled the bees, appealing to me.

“No,” I shook my head. “I just promised Dad not to make vows. I’m not going into the Valley of Death.”

Mom shot a glare at dad.

Kliss started to giggle softly. She sounded a little mad. Did the competing Vows manage to break her, drive her insane? Another healing spell flashed into her chest.

She suddenly stood up, her arm moved up before either of us could do anything. A spell slammed into mom. Her eyes closed and she started to fall. Dad was out of his chair in a second, holding her body. His other hand held a carving knife that seemed to appear out of nowhere, now pointed at Kliss.

[What was that?] I mentally yelled, [Modify] flashing in my hand.

[Just a sleep spell!] Delta replied. [Relax! If she does anything dangerous, the bees will make her pay dearly.]

“I… I need to talk to Mage Delta, and Dante,” The Overseer of Skyisle said coldly. “I don't have p-patience for this family drama. As the Imperial Overseer of Skyisle I want answers. T-take your wife and leave… t-to your workshop.”

Dad glanced at the bees.

“It’s fine, George, leave us.” I spoke through the bees. "Delta and I can handle it."

Dad left, holding the sleeping body of our mom in a fireman's carry.

“Good,” the Overseer of Skyisle relaxed just a tiny bit. Then she folded in on herself again, hissing. “Goddess, it hurts so much… I’m doing my job. I’m doing my job, I’m protecting Skyisle! Let go of me, damn you!”

I thought about how I could help her. Maybe I could modify her Friendship Vow to be stronger?

“I order you to sacrifice as many of your skills as necessary to the Vow of Friendship, to make it stronger than the Overseer’s Vow!” I commanded, facing Kliss.

Kliss blinked, pain and suffering painted on her face.

“Do it! For friendship!” I pressed on.

“I… cannot!” Kliss shook her head “I am not allowed to make new Vows or Vows stronger than my f-first Vow. It’s one of the Laws of Equality that the Citizen’s Vow makes me obey!”

So much for easy solutions.

“Then how the hell did you make a second Vow to begin with then?” I asked in annoyance.

“I’ve been asking myself that for years…” She lamented. “I think that my first Vow was momentarily damaged by the Rewind, I was completely out of mana and I was under threat of being burned alive. It won’t work again. It’s been twelve years. It’s gotten a lot stronger!”

She folded up in pain.

“You’re doing a great job, Overseer… well done! Keep it up! You’re the best Overseer we’ve had!” I said, trying to help her.

My words seemed to have calmed her dominant Vow. A skewed smile crept onto her face. “Thanks…”

I nodded.

Kliss closed her eyes, trying to relax.

[Delta?] I inquired. [Is your Destruction sacrifice Vow... like this? You’ve levelled up a lot and you've been active in the Astral for years. Did it get stronger?]

[Nu-huh,] she replied. [I think it got completely scrambled up when you converted me into a homomagicus. It hasn’t grown at all or acted on me.]

[So there IS a way to stop a Vow?]

[I suppose there is… are you going to rip her soul out and make her into a homomagicus too?]

[No,] I said. [I highly doubt that she’d let me do that.]

[Well then, tough luck. Actually, you know what… we could knock her out, rewind her, burn her alive again and then try to force her to Modify her Friendship Vow under threat of imminent death? Sounds good?]

[No, that doesn’t sound good. I’m not torturing her… again for something that might or might not work.]

. . .

“Will you please tell me what in Equality’s name is going on in this damned house?!” Kliss opened her eyes and looked at me.

“It’s complicated,” I said. “A matter far, far more complicated than curious Imperial Overseers should be privy to.”

“You aren’t teleporting anywhere and you lied to your parents about the Valley of Death,” Kliss insisted. “You are planning to go down there.”

“Am I?” I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Kliss nodded. “My armacus has a truth-sensing rune. Who’s behind you? Great-Aunt Delta? Someone else?” She glanced at the bees. “If you’re planning to hurt Dante, by taking him down there, I will have to stop you. There’s no way to go down into a magogenic fault and survive.”

“Nobody is behind me and Delta isn’t planning to hurt me.” I said. “We’d like to investigate the Valley of Death someday, but it won’t happen anytime soon. Will you assist us? We’ll try to help you break your Vow.”

“Impossible,” Kliss uttered. “A divine Vow cannot be broken.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Really,” Kliss nodded. “It’s reinforced by a goddess! It doesn’t matter what your level is, a Vow cannot be undone by a mortal soul.”

“Delta had a vow,” I said. “I broke it on her.”

“What?!” she barked.

“It’s true.” I nodded.

“What the fuck are you?” She demanded, aiming her armacus at me. “You are not twelve! You might look twelve but you do not act twelve! Not only are Vows unbreakable by definition, but a twelve year old even saying that… is absurd, insane! Quit screwing with me! Who are you?! Tell me the truth!”