In the afternoon of the second day, the great walls of Apostle Joshua Fort could be seen. Not much later the smaller walls of Destroia came into sight. As expected, as the Unbreakable approached and stopped at the city’s Imperial Gate, the Imperial Crest on it was shining, which meant that a candidate for the throne was inside the city.

Most soldiers inside hoped, even expected, that there would not be a battle, but every single one of them prepared as thoroughly as they could, quickly taking positions as ordered so as to be able to exit the Unbreakable for offensive action should it be necessary. Colonel Rommel was a believer that all situations must be considered and Lia agreed with that judgment to a certain extent.

Despite Matarazzo’s protests, Lia decided that she would be in the first party to exit the Unbreakable. She was sure that Charles wouldn’t try something as crass as sniping her right as she exited her Mobile-Fortress and showing fear of that would mean showing weakness, as well as the implicit meaning that she considered such tactics valid. No, she would proudly and calmly walk out of the Unbreakable, likely see a welcoming party that would certainly include her brother and the city’s governor then she would smile at them. The Colonel would stay behind so that if any aggression broke out so he could command the troops.

A few minutes later, she was in front of an exit, Chelsea to her left, Franz to her right, Captain Lewis and Chamberlain Matarazzo behind them. She took a good, full and deep breath.

“Shall we then?”

With a nonchalant touch of a panel, the door slid open.

“Welcome to Destroia, dear sister. Took you long enough, I hope it was a pleasant trip?”

In front of her was Charles, one of her older brothers, and one of the other five candidates to become the next emperor, accompanied by two people. From a young age, he showed strong abilities in many academic fields, but particularly STEM. Many rumors say that he was involved in every single recent project pertaining to military weaponry. Among scientific circles within the Empire, it is said that his ambition for the throne would probably spell the greatest boon or greatest tragedy of mankind’s history of science. Many argue that him as an Emperor would likely bring the greatest technological progress ever in the history of the Empire, but that his likely death, should he fail, would be a great loss. When asked to describe his personality, few would hesitate to call him arrogant and none would dispute that it was justified. He had no patience for those who he felt were too much his inferior in terms of intellect, as well as quite spiteful. He was a person who never seemed to stop or truly take a look around him.

“Why, yes, even if it was mostly based on one of your older plans, I do quite like the Unbreakable, as expected of my genius brother.”

He was also very vulnerable to flattery when it came to anything he had designed.

“Of course! I only create the very best, even my trash is better than anyone else’s Magnum Opus. Just remember that your Unbreakable is nothing when compared to my Innovation.”

Lia descended from the Unbreakable to the platform. She was now at the same level as Charles.

“So, would you like to have a nice talk over a cup of coffee in a nice cafe the city, or are you in a hurry, afraid that one of our brothers is going to beat you to the capital?”

They stared each other in the eyes, one trying to ascertain what the other was thinking. Charles frowned ever so slightly, there was no overt hostility in Lia’s voice, but it was clear that the purpose of the conversation was not merely a pleasant chat. That very slight implication of challenge also seemed to bother him. He was far from politically illiterate and knew that she was probably inviting him to a low stakes battle of wits. Who would get the more interesting bit of information from the other? He couldn’t give any other answer.

“Sure, do you have any specific cafe in mind? It might seem needless, but I’m sure you also believe that proper knowledge of available leisure in each city we stop in is necessary to have a proper rest.”

Lia held back from smiling too much. He took the bait so easily. There was only one specific thing she really wanted to know.

“In that case, I have the most delightful place in mind.”

During the entire time, the poor governor of the city stood there, waiting for a chance to speak that never came. When he made motions to walk towards Lia, Matarazzo skillfully blocked him, and then curtly explained that he would be the one to discuss matters of safe passage with him, Captain Lewis accompanied them, leaving the two candidates alone with their respective Shadows and Swords.

The Sound of Beauty was one of the more prestigious establishments in Destroia, located nearby the eastern gate, through which came the merchants of the Wildlands, many of them being Mutants. It was one of the few high-class shops that allowed both Humans and Mutants. In addition, it was no secret that it was the favorite cafe of Duke Prelestia, partly because its owner was a great friend of his.

Charles could hardly hide his annoyance as they entered and Chelsea asked for a table for two.

“Is this some kind of provocation?”

The hostess, like most Mutants, was covered from head to toe. She wordlessly bowed and guided them to an isolated small table on a veranda.

“Why would it be? Isn’t this the most delightful place?”

Chelsea asked for Lia’s order, while one of the men next to Charles asked for his.

“Don’t you dare play innocent with me. You know I have no patience for that. There’s no way you don’t know the importance of this place.”

Lia calmly sat on one of the chairs.

“And does it change anything? I hope you don’t feel too uncomfortable around Mutants? I felt it was worth visiting this place at least once.”

Charles grimaced as he sat down.

“Bastard, you know very well I am disgusted with them. I really hoped to avoid coming here.”

That was quite the encouraging sign for Lia.

“Is that so? I can’t say that neglecting to respect the powers that be of this city is a very wise move, brother.”

Charles started tapping his fingers on the table, clearly irritated.

“The so-called Duke Prelestia? He is lucky I don’t feel like wasting war potential to clear some pests. I need nothing from him, and he was smart enough to not pester me again after I rejected the first messenger or send any kind of reprisal. Is that what you were after? What a needless ruse, if you just asked me I would have told you I wouldn’t even talk to some disgusting Mutant.”

That was actually all Lia really wanted to know. But since she was already there… She took the recently arrived cup of coffee. She took a small sip.

“Oh! This is actually quite good. So, do you intend to you intend to reach Raging Flame Fort before Alexander and hopefully take him out there? I’m sure the Innovation is fast enough for that to happen.”

The obvious flattery seemed to slightly abate Charles’ irritation. He glanced at the coffee in front of him, but did not touch it.

“Who knows, it’s not even completely certain that he’s going through the fort, what about you? You’re lucky I’m still saving my forces, next time we see each other, maybe I should just blast your Unbreakable to pieces, see how that name holds up. Risking the route to Oostburg might be a better idea.”

He didn’t deny any plans to go to the Raging Flame Fort. Was that actually a bluff? Lia didn’t think so. Why was Charles so bad at hiding information?

“Perhaps I might do just that, I’ve never been one to take the easier road, myself. Seriously, you should at least try the coffee.”

Charles still regarded the coffee with some suspicion.

“I’m good.”

At that moment, a human male waiter approached with a coffee carafe in one hand and two empty cups on another hand.

“I’m very sorry to the great Prince Charles. It seems that this establishment did not seem trustworthy enough for him, I am sorry that the others did not do enough to assuage your worries.”

He then tried to swap Charles’ cup with one his empty ones, but one of the men next to Charles stopped him with his hand. Charles shook his head.

“Wait, Alan, let him do as he pleases with the cup.”

The waiter showed a warm smile and took the cup.

“I will now prove that this coffee is fit for human consumption.”

He gulped the whole content of the cup in one go. Charles still regarded him with suspicion.

“Go on.”

The waiter smiled again.

“Then I shall also prove that this coffee is the same.” He then poured some coffee in both cups he had, drinking from one of them. He offered the other to Charles. “Please, I hope the Prince will enjoy it.”

By the end, Charles’ face was red from shame. He abruptly rose from his chair in anger.

“Is this a joke, are you mocking me? Was that your objective from the start? To fluster and humiliate me? You think the danger of being poisoned is a joke? You wretched woman!”

He grabbed the cup of coffee and tried throwing its contents at Lia. Many things happened at the same time. Chelsea pulled Lia back with incredible speed. The waiter overturned the table and put himself between Lia and the incoming hot coffee. Franz and the two men next to Charles drew their swords. For a moment, it seemed like a fight might break out, but a mutant approached Charles from behind and touched him with what were likely extremely sharp talons.

“Now, now, little prince, you have dirtied my honor way too much up to this point. I’d love to gut you like a pig right now, but I’d rather not have my friend’s establishment be rebranded as The Prince Slayer, or something like it.”

The Mutant had an almost hypnotic, melodic quality to his voice, his head was like that of a bird’s. Franz and Chelsea saw that Lia was unharmed, so they took a defensive stance and waited. Charles flared up, even angrier than before.

“You… Dare to address me directly? You filthy- Ah!”

He let out a gasp as the mutant slightly dug a talon into his back. Both men next to him immediately attacked the mutant, who then first kicked Charles, making his face hit the overturned table. Through sheer brute force, the mutant swatted one of the swords away, making it fly from the man’s hand and dodged the other sword. More Mutants appeared and before prince Charles’ Sword or shadow could really react, they were being wrestled to the ground and subdued.

“Now, what am I to do with you, Prince Charles? You refuse my polite message for civilized talk, making sure to leave one of my precious subordinates with a horrible scar on her face. Then, you make sure to call me a filthy animal in your violent reply. After that, you come to my great friend Alexei’s café and refuse to drink his delicious coffee, because you’re afraid that I have poisoned it in retaliation? What do you have to say for yourself?”

He gestured for one of the Mutants holding Charles down to stop pressing his face to the floor. His face was a mess, with a bleeding, possibly broken, nose.

“I swear… Once I am Emperor, this entire city will be a pile of- Argh!”

The mutant slapped his face, leaving him with a few extra deep cuts on it.

“You don’t threaten people when you’re in a situation like this, boy. Last chance, do you have some kind of apology in you? Just try, it won't hurt more than what I could do to you if I so fancied it.”

Charles was gasping, probably from pain, but managed one word.

“Bastard!”

The Mutant let out a sigh.

“Fine, here’s how we are going to do this. First, my men will peacefully escort you and your two companions to the entrance of the station. Second, you will not retaliate nor have any of my men killed by a sniper when they are walking back. Third, you will sit your beautiful and well taken care of imperial ass inside your beloved train. Fourth, you will not leave this city and give up on the Great Race. Fifth, you may leave once a new Emperor or Empress sits on the throne. Now, I swear this on the precious soul given to me by the Pool of Cain, if you fuck up on any of the demands I just put forward, you and every single one of your subordinates will be heading to a fate worse than death.”

Afterwards, his henchmen started carrying Charles and his men away. Franz and Chelsea were more than impressed.

“That was… scary, I must admit.”

The Mutant turned to them. There was something very disturbing in his lack of apparent expression.

“Hey, Alexei are you alright?”

There was genuine distress in the voice. The man who Lia first thought was a waiter replied in a pained voice.

“I’m not too sure… Could I borrow Sarah? I think I have burns all over.”

“Of course, she is probably at the office. Give it a call and say it’s an order from me, she will be here before you can even make another coffee.”

Franz offered the man a shoulder and to make the call for him.

“Thank you, sir, just, help me to that sofa over there.”

Still, things weren’t quite completely over.

“Am I right in assuming that you are Duke Prelestia?”

Lia addressed him directly.

“Now, you. At the moment, all you have brought me is trouble. I do so very much hope that you will bring me good things too. Care for a sweet? They do not lose in quality to the marvelous coffee you have already tasted.”

The mutant calmly put the table in its original position, took a chair from another table, kicked away the one on which Charles sat on and sat on the new chair.

“At the very least, I bring good intentions. I hope that’s enough to start fruitful negotiations.”

Lia didn’t want to admit to herself, but it was quite disturbing to look at and interact with that expressionless bird-face. He didn’t even have lips, his beak opened and a voice came out. Still, she had no plans to lose against her own discomfort: Too much was riding on this.

“Good. That does sound like a much more promising start, compared to the one I had with your brother. As for your first question, yes, I am Duke Prelestia, lord over a considerable territory at the western border of the Wildlands. Now, I will, as a show of good faith, tell you that I do have one very big favor I would love to ask of a possible future Empress. Don’t worry. It has nothing to do with my business. So, please do ask away what kind of favors you would like from me.”

Lia mentally bit her nail. How much should she talk about initially? Too little and she risks offending him, too much and she might end up in a bad bargaining position. She still didn’t know what he wanted. No, in a way she was already in a bad bargaining position. Damned Charles! She didn’t expect him to snap to that extent. No matter how she looked at it, if it didn’t seem like she was cooperative, there was no reason for Prelestia to not get rid of her. What am I doing? I’m stupid.

“I believe asking for safe passage through the city would be my first and most obvious request. Besides that, I am sure that someone of your stature would have connections capable of providing excellent intelligence, the kind of which most of the Empire knows nothing about.”

She hoped she wasn’t being too vague, but she still found it hard to be completely honest.

“Relax my dear, I am not a monster, you know? Although I do suppose my face tends to be slightly disturbing to most people, even fellow mutants. You know, one would think that a candidate for Empress would be made of sterner stuff, but if you so desire, I could ask for one of my men to bring a mask for me.”

That was some kind of test, wasn’t it? A furious battle raged inside of Lia’s mind. She knew, she was sure, if she asked Prelestia to put on a mask negotiations would be done, and she would likely be doomed. But she just couldn’t concentrate at all looking at that pretty strange face. But she would have to pull herself together, there would be much worse things to come.

“No, please, don’t burden yourself like that, I don’t mind at all.”

She thought she saw some kind of change in Prelestia’s face that indicated something good. He did sound pleased.

“Good! Now that sounds like a proper palace educated person. I think we will get along just fine, my dear.”

The my dear also kind of annoyed her, but she had no choice other than to let it go.

“I am happy you think like that. Now, if you could tell me of your request, I would be really thankful.”

In that meantime, a waiter arrived with a dish of crème brulée, which he put in front of Lia.

“Now, now, why go directly to the boring parts? We should probably know each other a little better first, right? Let me start by talking more about myself. You see, I do so love humans, they do so many delightful things, such as the delicious sweet you have before you, but alas, most humans do not seem to like me very much. At first, I somehow, silly me, thought that brutally murdering any human that looked funny at me might solve the problem. Sadly, it didn’t. So, now I am looking for cooperation, which, you see, shouldn’t be too hard, however…”

He left a long pause and gestured towards Lia, as if he expected her to complete his phrase.

“Humans don’t really want to cooperate with you.”

That should be close enough to his answer.

“Not exactly… The Emperor does not want to cooperate with me. Now granted, he also hasn’t moved against me, so there’s at least this, but I would really love a more… friendly person on the throne. As you saw, your brother Charles is completely out.”

He made an X with his arms in front of him as if to emphasize that. A slight sense of dread washed of Lia. She wasn’t sure if she wanted an answer, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“How exactly do you plan to kill Charles if he does leave the city? I can’t think that what you told him was an empty threat.”

Why was everything so far away from what she first envisioned? She didn’t think she would end up asking such a question.

“Good question, my dear. You might just leave here with most of the knowledge you wanted in the first place. You see, I had some of my more inconspicuous men leave a few presents in that gorgeous train of his. Not only that, I also have a certain associate that really wants him. In fact, that certain associate would love to also get you.”

Lia furiously linked the dots inside her mind. Inside the Empire, Mutants had no reach due to the fort beside Destroia. Prelestia’s “associate” couldn’t be another candidate, or else he would have no need for Lia. Which left only one possibility… Lia was on the verge of losing her calm.

“The infected! Can they be spoken with? Reasoned with? If you reached some sort of understanding, then…”

She ignored the horrified expression in Chelsea’s face. She had to know. She needed the truth. What she heard pointed at only one possibility.

“Calm down, my dear. As you suspect, I do have contact with someone you might consider a leader of Infected, however, saying that you can reason with them would be a bit of stretch. I also claim no knowledge as to how that… person’s mind works. Anyways, with all that context finally out of the way, shall we talk about my humble demand?”

Lia froze, realizing that she had been taken over by her enthusiasm. Having listened to that one very important piece of information, it felt like she was in an even worse situation. She mentally chastised herself, so that she would be careful in the future and didn’t pile up too many favors.

“Sure, I will listen to your request. If it isn’t something outrageous I am sure that you will have a favorable answer from me.”

Prelestia put in front of her a small bundle of papers, all bound together.

“This is a treaty I would like you to sign. To be honest, I would prefer that you read it in its entirety before signing, but let me just give you the gist of it right now. I want the creation of an independent city in the border between the Empire and the Wildlands. Apart from the stipulation that it must accept at all times humans and Mutants as eligible to become citizens of it and that it must start as a democratic republic, I will take no part in its politics and I want guarantees that neither will the Empire.”

It was utterly baffling. Lia wasn’t sure if it was utterly ordinary or completely outrageous. Would such a city’s existence be positive or negative for the Empire? Would there even be complains because of it? In the first place, how would such a thing even benefit Prelestia? Something like that, which he theoretically had no control over. If he wanted, he could just build such a city in his own territory. Sure, if it’s too close to the borders, it could cause friction, but still. In the end, she could only ask.

“Why?”

She was genuinely confused.

“I want to see the blossom of cooperation between humans and Mutants flourish, and I want to see what comes of it. I do not trust the paranoid Imperial institutions to accept it, and I believe that no matter how much care I put into it, my hand is too heavy and I’m sure I would carelessly smother it. So, I want the city to be independent, but I want guarantees that it will remain so. Basically, I want the Empire to not screw with a pet project of mine.”

Still, Lia could not wrap her head around it.

“No, but, what do you gain from this? Is it supposed to be a buffer? But there would not be a need for a city... I can't think of a rational explanation.”

Prelestia scratched his head, perhaps unsure how to make her understand.

“Let me put it this way. Why are you participating in the Great Race?”

“Because I wanted to be free of the Golden Cage, also because I know I can serve the Empire better than any of my brothers.”

“See? Now, where does your seeking freedom enter your “rational” calculations? How willing are you to do things in the political plane, just to serve your own whims? Entering the Great Race seems to be partly predicated on that.”

“Huh?”

“Look, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, my dear, so I will give you some advice, literally no strings attached, ok?”

It was almost mesmerizing, she couldn’t refuse.

“Ok.”

“Power is just the means, not the end in itself. If you truly want to do good as Empress, please do recognize this: You must know when you’re doing things for yourself and when you’re doing things for the Empire. If you cannot, then disaster will surely befall you. You have your own whims and desires, I assure you. This is true of all living beings. Taking care of them is fine, even if others tell you otherwise. If you confuse your whims and desires for the needs of the Empire, then you will lead it to destruction. There isn’t a single living being in this planet that isn’t beholden to its desires. Know them well, don’t indulge them too much and you might be a good ruler, deny them and sooner or later they will show up disguised as the needs of the Empire, then you will indulge them too much. This city here, planned by these papers, is a whim, my whim. I am not using it to get more power; I am using power to make it a reality, because I want to, for none other than myself. Now, try to pay more attention, and see when other people are doing things for power, for their desires or for others. Everyone is selfish at heart, and selfishness is anything but rational, don’t ever forget this, Lia.”

She couldn’t really respond. Just nod. When going back to the Unbreakable, she took the treaty papers, which she spent the rest of the day reading.

Once the three entered Destroia’s station, Franz saw that the Innovation was gone. So Charles decided to defy Prelestia. If we did the same, could we live? As they silently entered the Unbreakable, the thought consumed him. That “Bridesmaid” girl was one thing: Sure, while she did seem to be superior to Chelsea, Franz had the feeling that the two of them could easily take care of her. Not so for Prelestia, who showed power and agility enough to overpower even humans with the most advanced of enhancements. Was that even all he could do? Did Prelestia not have anything else? Somehow, Franz doubted that.

Inside his own room, alone this time, he stared at his hands. But they were not really his hands, where they? No, they weren’t. Just like so many others, he had long traded his frail organic limbs for something that could withstand those horrors that besieged humanity outside every city’s walls. Was Prelestia one of them? He did seem like a decent enough being, but his strength was horrifying. When he remembered the sensation of being on his mount, he felt worse. Maybe in that form he could stand a chance against Prelestia, but what was he, when he was mounted? Humans weren’t animals with four legs and two arms. In that form, there was very little of what he felt as his body that was his actual body.

In a way, he hated it, he hated himself, he hated his body and he hated his worries, even though they kept him as himself. He worried about not having the strength to stand to others, yet he could not stand the price he paid to be able to stand to others. He caught himself in that spiraling negativity. Before it got too bad, he knew what to do, what to remind him of.

“How can you hate yourself, when I love you so much?”

He whispered to himself those words, which Chelsea told him so many times in the past. Chelsea. The reason why he didn’t mind being the way he was that much, because he knew that he was chosen by Lia because of the way he was. If he didn’t worry so much, if he didn’t let the humiliation of being an orphan get to him, if he didn’t mind having his father being called a weakling, he wouldn’t be as good as he was. Of that, he was sure.

Chelsea, Lia’s Shadow, his counterpart, his complement, his love. When he thought it was better to wait and see, she hurried, where he bound himself in invisible chains, she walked free… When he hurt himself, she healed him.

They met each other shortly after Lia left the Golden Cage. Franz still remembered the mock duel tournament. One was always held when an heir to the throne indicated their intention of participating in the Great Race, so that they could more easily find a Shadow and a Sword. At that time, Lia had already decided on Chelsea for her Shadow, but was still looking for a Sword, someone to kill her enemies.

Franz still remembered feeling confused when he was called by the Princess: He had lost in the semi-finals.

“You’re good, but you worry too much about hurting the enemy, don’t you?”

Those words reached his core. What he learned were deadly techniques, the way of ending other people’s lives, yet he lost a mock duel, because he did not execute his attack perfectly, for doing so would likely have broken his opponent’s bones.

“Yes, it is as the Princess says, shameful, isn’t it? I guess my aspirations as a knight will end as just that, aspirations, or perhaps as something false.”

He remembered being irritated then, thinking that this Princess had just called him to humiliate him, or something, but her answer still surprised him.

“Then let us do it like this: Give me your conscience and become my Sword, from now on, if you so desire, any blood on your blade shall be on my hands and your crimes shall be mine alone. Do you accept it?”

He did not have any reason to say no, being as he did not have his own ambitions. Lia only had him kill two people for her to assert control over Nessa, but he would have gladly killed thousands more, if that was what she wanted. In a way, that might have been a salvation for him, but as a result of that, he wasn’t so sure anymore that he was a human.

No limbs of flesh and bone, no dreams, he did not even have a guilty conscience! Those thoughts tormented him, and if not for Chelsea, he might well have become a mindless tool, existing only to kill. She told him not to worry about things so much, that it was a waste for such a handsome man to just be a killing machine, that if he needed something to distract him from such dreadful thoughts, then he should try working on conquering her.

Was it just a physical attraction at first? Probably, he was sure that he had already been captivated when he was staring at her, up there in the stands with the Princess, while he was down there in the arena. He never asked her when she first felt attracted, but Lia secretly told him that as she was torn between him and another participant in the tournament, Chelsea made the final decision. He didn’t know if that was true.

So he calmed his heart. He once again felt gratitude to the woman who helped him find a direction and purpose in his life, while also helping him find the one who gave him love. There was no use worrying about things. Even if they had to fight a whole swarm of Infected, all he could do was push through with all of his strength and ability, regardless if it was possible or not.