Our strange group of four didn’t just waltz into Ohen. For one thing, the twins looked like foreigners, and Ela had a horn poking out above her forehead. I couldn’t just bring back strays and expect for the villagers to take care of them.

So as we neared the village, we took a detour into the woods. Around this time, Sentra should be caring for my not-tea leaves, and sure enough, there she was.

As we made it into the open field, cleared out by Sentra ages ago, there she was, tending the plants. Sentra likely heard our approach, but did not immediately come to greet us. Instead, she finished up the small task she was doing before standing up, and turning to gaze at us. Her four silver tails, flowed smoothly behind her, as she brushed her hair aside. “I see you’ve brought guests,” She said with a quiet whisper only I could hear.

I smiled. “I want you to make a cabin for these two,” I ordered Sentra. She took a look at the twins, before nodding. “Also, was there anything in the mail for me?” I asked with a smirk.

Sentra’s ears twitched, as she nodded. “It came in yesterday in the evening,” She informed, reaching into her satchel, and pulling out a sealed letter. As Auden and Elaze whispered amongst each other, clearly surprised by the sight of another Fox, I stepped over to Sentra and took the envelop.

The message was sent through a magic Aniel had developed. It was a sort of teleportation magic, that fly the envelope on a trail of magic, and drop it off at its destination. It’s travel was several times the speed of sound, but with such a small size any sonic boom would be inaudible. However, when it stopped, it was designed to flash several times, as a beacon for me to retrieve it before just falling to the ground. For that reason, the envelope was rolled into a metal canister to keep the letter clean.

However, the envelope was also protected by a layer of magic. If someone tried to open it improperly, the whole thing would catch on fire, and send a powerful signal, which Violet would be able to sense.

Simply put, I didn’t trust Sentra with sensitive information. I wasn’t completely stupid.

Each envelope had instructions on how to “unlock it”, written in English. Either a password, or some sort of ritual, like spraying water on it, and wrapping it in one of my hairs. But this one was different. The envelope simply said “Tear seal in Accelerated Mode.”

In other words, the envelop was set to catch fire immediately, and that I was to read its contents with my power. This message was for my eyes only.

So I did as I was told. I shifted into an accelerated state, slowing time down to a snail, and then, as I was told, I tore the seal off the envelop. The message as usual was in English.

Waste no time. Travel to Senha as fast as you can.

Lein has mobilized. We believe they intend to crush our resistance.

Bring that Fox woman you have as a hostage.

Do NOT let anyone but who you bring know you’re coming!

I don’t know how long I spent reading that message.

Going by its contents and the lack of a “password”, this was an emergency situation. Of course, the line, “Lein has mobilized” is one I need to interpret. Are they sending an army of soldiers? Dragon riders? What?

What’s more, the third line:

Bring that Fox woman you have.

Why bring her specifically? Does she have value as a hostage? Certainly, she was a close servant of Lein so she might be worth something, but she isn’t as valuable as an entire Kingdom, right?

Did Aniel learn something he hasn’t told me?

I looked on both sides of the note, held the note up to the light, checked for signs of hidden writing, but nothing. Aniel was keeping me in the dark.

No, he was keeping Sentra in the dark. She could read my mind after all. Well, I’ve disciplined her to not go peeking around in there, but it’s not a bad idea to stay vigilant around her with sensitive information.

And the last comment.

Does he think there are Lein spies in Ohen?

It’s a possibility.

Well fuck. What to do?

I’ll go, but how do I leave on such short notice?

If it were just me, I could trek all the way to Senha, and it would be as though only an instant had gone by. I would be exhausted as fuck, but I could make the journey nonetheless.

But he doesn’t want me to come alone.

Sentra for sure is coming.

Yenna? Probably. She’s good war potential.

The twins will have to stay with Jenn, no doubt. The cabin will have to wait.

I quickly resume to normal time, and shoot a look towards Yenna. “We need to go now. Escort these two to Jenn. I’ll hurry ahead and fill him in,” I said. “Sentra. Pack our luggage. We’re headed to Senha.”

I didn’t want to waste any time, so I travelled to Jenn’s place using my time-stop ability. I entered his home at the center of the village, and made my way towards his study. He seemed to be doing paperwork at the moment, but I didn’t have time to be polite and wait for him to finish.

I undid the effects of my power, and called out. “Uncle Jenn.”

The old man, still with traces of vigor in his eyes, looked up to me with raised eyebrows. “You’ve returned,” He commented, before frowning. “But not for long.”

I nodded to his assessment. He’s perceptive like that.

“What do you need?” He asked, setting aside his work for the time being.

“I hope you don’t mind if I drop off some children for you to babysit,” I asked, scratching my cheek.

Jenn seemed to frown, as he looked down at me with stern eyes. “Explain.”

I averted my gaze, not wanting to spill everything to this man. It’s not that I didn’t trust him; in fact I trusted him a lot. Maybe a little too much? But I felt that if I told him everything, he would get mad, or try to fight in my place. And yet for some reason, I didn’t want him to fight in Princess Aire’s war.

“I found them along my trip. They had nowhere to go. I was planning to take care of them myself, but a matter has come up, so I’ll probably be gone for a while, and I’m taking both Sentra and Yenna,” I explained briefly.

However, Jenn continued to frown, and then shuck his head before letting out a deep sigh. “I still think you shouldn’t involve yourself,” Jenn stated. He knew about my deal with Princess Aire, so he should know that I am headed for Senha. He doesn’t approve.

“I’ve already involved myself,” I said with a faint smile. However, as I turn around, and begin to make my leave, he stops me.

“There’s one more thing you should know,” He announced.

After a short talk with Jenn, I decided to write short farewells to my closest friends in Ohen. It was a standard letter, explaining that I’ll be gone a few weeks. However, as soon as I got two sentences written, I remembered the poor literacy rate of this time. Mildly frustrated, I tear the pages apart, and decide to just let Jenn tell them I’ll be away.

I took the chance to instead take a walk through the village. It had been a while since I did so at my own leisure, and with all the crap that was about to go down, I thought I deserved it.

Mr. Aliuen was hard at work as usual, and his wife was looking on at him from the door with a faint smile. Ellen was teaching her daughter Linna how to sew, while Linna struggled like a lost child. I even checked up on my old playmates just to see if they were alright.

My adoptive mother seemed to be reading a book, alone. I wondered to myself if I should have spent more time with her. She raised and protected me all these years, so it’s the least I could do, right? Brushing her hair aside, I leaned forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you later,” I whispered—knowing full well she couldn’t hear me—before leaving her behind.

As I made my way out of the village, I passed up Yenna and the twins, and took a moment to look at them. Ela had a hood pulled over her head to cover the eye-catching horn. It’s a shame, but I wouldn’t get much time with the twins, despite everything. I kinda like them; Auden’s timid nervousness is fun to tease, and Ela’s attitude is refreshing too. Well, I’ll have time to connect with them when I get back.

With my tour of the village over, I walked north and waited for either Yenna or Sentra to return. I shifted myself back into normal time, and while sitting atop a tree I waited.

I contemplated my next actions from here. I’ve been mostly playing around the last couple years, waiting for Aniel’s signal to move. Why did I agree to be his banner? I haven’t forgotten; I want the secrets behind Aniel’s magic. In theory, I should have already had all the leverage I needed for the exchange in information. However, Aniel knows the true value of the knowledge he possesses, and even by saving his life once or twice, he won’t just give it to me. In truth, the value of knowledge varies by who has it. If you told a medieval commoner the detailed process to create a nuclear bomb, even wrote it down for them to think it over and digest it, that information would be worth nothing to them. However he is hesitant about exchanging such information with me, because even though I may not be some sort of nuclear physicist, I have a basic understanding of Physics and Chemistry, and with my longevity I should be able to create Weapons of Mass destruction—eventually. That is probably his fear.

But the lives and hopes of his friends are worth more, and he’s grown to strongly desire the enthronement of Princess Aire.

That is why I’ve allowed myself to become a political tool. But only for Aniel and Princess Aire. My desire to understand is great enough that I don’t mind doing absurd tasks, like becoming the center of a cult, or fighting a war. Hell, I’ll go the extra step and kill all their enemies, if they want me to.

The two of us are willing to do something undesirable for something we strongly desire.

I guess that’s what one calls a compromise.

“What are you thinking about?” Yenna’s voice suddenly dragged me from my musings and back to reality. I took a look down towards my flaxen haired sister, and smiled.

“Just about what’s going to happen from now on.”

“Are you thinking of reconsidering?” Yenna asked, a trace of hope in her voice. She’s already made it clear she doesn’t want me fighting something pointless like a war, but…

“I’ve already made my promise,” I said with a shrug. “If I turn back now, what good would my word be?” I reason with her. “Besides, I want to learn the secrets to Aniel’s magic,” I stated.

Yenna had nothing to respond with, however while waiting for Sentra to arrive with the supplies, Yenna went ahead and climbed up the tree I was in, sat beside me. After a brief period of calm silence between us, she spoke up, “Are we going to where our enemies will be?”

I nodded slowly. “Aniel and the Princess can probably be trusted. Other than that, it’s just you and me,” I said, reaching my hand up to her head, and bringing her closer. She didn’t resist, as the two of us enjoyed the song of birds and insects.

“She’s coming,” I whisper, and then reach my leg over Yenna’s lap, and demanded “Bring me down,” before sticking my tongue at her childishly.

Yenna rolled her eyes at me, but still brought me into her arms, holding me in a Princess Carry, before she dropped from the thick branch we were sat on. As we descended, her foot pushed against the tree trunk, killing some of our momentum, before finally having a smooth landing. Yenna was willing to play along with my games up to this point—as soon as we reached the ground, she dropped me onto the dirt, letting me hit my ass.

“Ow,” I complain, as Yenna walks away from me, leaving me to pull myself up.

As Sentra came into view, she looked between us, seemingly tempted to ask what happened, but she kept quiet. As I stood up, I stretched my body a bit and found myself yawning.

“Alright,” I said after letting out a breath. “Let’s go then!” I exclaimed.

Sentra nodded, before approaching a tree. As she reached her hands forward, her magic began to work. As her hands moved, and seemed to dance, the tree became deformed, and stretched out. Like her usual magic, the tree began to move at her beckoning, turning into a fluid at her command as a large bulb forms from the tree. A round cancer-like growth formed from the tree, and at Sentra’s gestures, the mass of wood split itself from the tree.

The mass of tree-flesh continued to shape itself at Sentra’s will,twisting in on itself, and bulging out until it finally took the form of a chariot, bearing branch-like legs.

This would be our vehicle for much of the way to Senha. This was apparently a magic technique she developed ages ago, and used to travel far distances in a short time. Although she wasn’t use to using it with other people aboard, it shouldn’t take her long to get adjusted to the imbalance.

But with it, we could bypass the main routes, and cut straight forward thanks to its maneuverability, and the fact it could traverse all terrains. It’s rather convenient, and almost makes me wish I was born with this ability.

“Alright, let’s go!” I announced as the three of us boarded the chariot.

“I… mistress, I suggest holding tightly to the railing,” Sentra said as she began to move the vehicle.

“Right right, now let’s go!” I repeat, just as the freak of nature chariot shoots forward!

As it turns out, I have motion sickness.