Richard Adams

It was midnight, with the stars twinkling in the sky. Red had dragged me up to the top of the roof to stargaze with her. It was strange seeing how the vampire body affected how she thought. Though, it was really nice just spending time with her like this. The villagers were less terrified of her now, everything just kind of settled into a routine. Throw rocks at Dixon's window until it breaks. Then go work the fields. It was real simple, real peaceful even. I kind of wanted to stay here, just like Luf'Ard.

Rex bellowed out his challenge, which made Mimi, I mean Red, smile. I rubbed between her shoulders, watching as she jumped off the roof of the storehouse to spar with Rex again. It felt like the two had gotten a lot closer, no I guess it's more that we got a lot closer. Rex was landing blows on her now, and I could whenever we sparred. I knew we weren't a match for the body she preferred, but some of my doubts were slipping away. It almost felt like I could catch up with them.

It probably helped that she wasn't tempting me with power through our bond anymore. I kicked my feet, watching the two fight. A crowd of people eating some dough bites they had brought along. I know I only had to ask and I could just stay here, like this. Red would stick to the village since Mimi was doing her thing. We weren't holding her back anymore, we would be here if she needed us. I closed my eyes, looking back up at the stars. The sound of metal clashing against metal.

Another month has almost passed now, and Mimi told me about the parade going on. Silver, Rose, and Berry all wanted to watch it. They sent the memories to her. Though I never really liked the crowds that bunched together. It was something for the kids to enjoy, and by the time I got to see it, I was with Oswald as his apprentice. He didn't like going out, so I missed out on a lot of the parties above ground. I'd go, just to see it with Mimi and Pandora in person.

I laughed to myself, realizing we'd probably be on top of some roof or another. Maybe in some alley, just to stay away from the regular people. It still blew my mind how I could talk with her now. Even if I didn't get how Mimi explained it, I was able to ask how my girl was doing. She's a lot like her mom, especially in how she'll do whatever she puts her mind to.

I laid back on the tiles, watching a meteor shower. I could stay here, but then what? I'd have to tell Pandora about how I let her mother go on an adventure alone? That I just waited for her to call me when she was in trouble? Then there was Ember, who was still trapped in that damned castle. She wasn't doing well, and I knew Mimi well enough to know she was hiding how awful it really was. I could stay here, but that wasn't how it was supposed to work. The second I got my ax, we were leaving.

Until then, I would push my magic to its limits. I would use the resources we had here and make my formulas better. It wouldn't be that hard, because I knew Mimi. She'd do a death march for a couple of days, and spread her bugs out as far as she could. She'd tell herself she was making nodes when she was just making a safety net to find anything that might threaten Rex and me. Her bugs would start to get low, and she'd slow down. She'd convince herself that she needed to keep up with the previous plan until something else changed.

That's why I asked Red to tell me when she finally connected to the Trio again. I might not get all the nuance, I might not understand all the reasons, but I knew what she was going to do. I winced a little, still kicking myself for doubting her back then. I could blame it on the stress, all the death, and everything else. Now that I had some time to idly work without people depending on me, I managed to cool off. I finally had time to think. Time to just process it all.

It was a shame I couldn't enjoy how wonderful a night it was. My breath made a mist with each gentle sigh. It was just chilly enough to feel enjoyable. Now that I got the chance to think, now that I processed everything, I could only feel like I was just sitting here grinding my teeth. A pebble hit my shoulder, and I looked over to see it was Mark the vampire. He had his arms crossed as he looked down at me, "We have a problem."

I nodded, sitting up and looking at the bugs attached to his shoulders. It kind of felt like she was rubbing my nose in my mistake. Though she probably didn't care too much. I looked around, making sure nobody saw or heard us. "What is it?"

"Mimi found a child, suffering from near starvation and dehydration. They rhyme, but that isn't the worst of it. Mimi is taking care of the kid as we speak, and it keeps getting worse." He crouched beside me, so people were less likely to see us.

It really did feel like the guy was just getting crazier each time I met him. At least he wasn't calling Mimi his Queen. "I don't think Mimi taking care of a random kid is bad. Is she in trouble?"

Mark slowly nodded, "She will be. The kid doesn't like monsters, he thinks she is going to eat him."

I let out a small sigh, "Want me to try talking to the kid? I can hop in the teleporter. How is this bad, Mark?"

Mark shook his head, "The butterflies are there. The lost child is from this village. The people bringing them back died to a cult and summoned something very dangerous. Mimi is going to wait a day, then bring him back tomorrow night. You'll be on damage control?"

I started to ask what, but just shook my head. "Fuck..." I whispered. Mark gave a small wave and left. If butterflies were involved, there was only one monster I could think of. I knew she was going to fight it, but would it have killed either of them to tell me more?

Pandora Adams

The king's castle was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. It was so big, that I was certain hundreds of people could live inside it and never see each other if they wanted to stay in their little areas. So many floors, so many stairs. Even doors that teleported you to other sides of the castle. It was too much for my little bugs to not get lost.

Something that made it even worse, was the fact that the three assassins that probably never set foot in this palace were all able to navigate it without issue! Azula was leading the way, using her cheater magic. Chris followed behind, with mister Henry bringing up the rear. They joked about tragic upbringings and terrible backstories.

It was a game among the assassins as far as I could tell. Poor Chris saw his father eaten by a Kraken before his very eyes. The boat they were on was torn apart, much like the only family he had in life. He had to drift alone in the great sea, before finally washing to shore. A retired assassin took pity on him and injected him with every poison that he knew. Molding Chris into a weapon to be used against his enemies. All before being left alone with his name signed up for the assassins of the Fire Lord.

Azula was the disowned daughter of the Fire Lord himself, her mother forced into the service of various nobles and elites in the kingdom. Much like the other blood-related siblings she had, she was forced to 'tend' to the wants and 'needs' of every person that called upon her. She had a brother named Zuko, but he died in her arms after a tragic accident. Her mother simply disappeared one day, leaving Azula to 'tend' to any noble that would feed her. She ended up killing the noble that raped her, and to avoid going to prison for life she enlisted.

Then there was Henry, poor, poor Henry. He was raised in an assassin family. Two elites joined in union to blend their arts and traditions to make the perfect assassin. It was a loveless marriage, and he watched as his older brothers succumbed to potent blends of poisons. He watched them die, while the girls were sold off as slaves to finance everything. He was beaten by his father, his mother, and even his younger siblings.

The madness consumed poor Henry. It drove him to poison everyone's drinks when he was called to serve them. It wasn't enough to kill, but just enough to weaken them while he slit their throats himself. He talked about how hard it was to live on the streets as an orphan, with only the whores willing to house him. He was expected to earn his 'keep' which eventually led to him catching a disease that castrated him.

I kind of felt bad for the three, until they all started laughing about it. Chris even chimed in about how violently he had been raped. I realized they were all lying when Chris asked if it was too much. I was about to tell mommy how terrible a place it was in the Kingdom of Fire! I was tempted to use my ghosts and just take care of them all, but the more I thought about it the more it kind of made sense.

They probably didn't want to die, even though they said they were going to. The king might hesitate if they heard how sad their stories were, even if they were lies. Then they might be able to escape! I doubted it would go anything like how they planned, and I still haven't found Cheshire!

I kicked in my cell, not having to really focus on the connections as much anymore. I had new guards, that let me out for a potty break and even fed me dinner. My new best friend even snuck me some desert when he saw I wasn't feeling very chatty today. I wanted to talk to them, but I had to focus! They didn't know I was searching for Cheshire and I couldn't tell them.

I rubbed my temples, more frustrated about how I'd catch a scent of the man now and then. He was definitely inside the castle, but he didn't know where he was going. Neither of us knew where the super-secret library was supposed to be. Uncle Berry was helping, but even he didn't know. I raised my lower arms, snipping them in the air angrily while rubbing my horns against the cell door. There was too much going on.

A small sigh escaped my lips, sounding more like a hiss. My new best friend was scared off, leaving me alone in my cell. Midnight was approaching, and the assassins were convinced something would happen then. That was the time they were supposed to do something. The parade was over, the king was returning home. Even a child like me could tell they were probably waiting for him to show up.

The magic king that traveled through time. The evil tyrant that kept my sister from me. The one mommy called a jerk and the guy that was going to kill poor mister Henry. I know Gray would be sad if he didn't get to teach his students anymore, just like mister Henry would probably miss helping the people from the Kingdom of Fire. He was the teacher of the assassination support group, and Cheshire (still mad at him) looked up to the old man.

Someone sanded the cell bars, so they felt nice when I rubbed my horns against the wood. I opened my eyes, as I realized something. They couldn't leave without Cheshire! I smiled, bouncing, "Duh! They can't leave without him!" I twirled, ignoring the guards looking at me with concern. I didn't have to find the books, or that jerk Cheshire. I just have to make sure the three dummies fighting the king make it out alive. Then they'd find Cheshire!

It was so simple! I did another twirl, giggling, before looking at the guards. I tilted my head, letting them see my creepy smile. New best friend just coughed in her fist, while they quietly closed the door. I took a deep breath and focused again. |"Uncle Berry, can you keep searching for the library or wherever Cheshire is going? Let me know if you find him, please."|

He chuckled a little, |"Oh? What are you going to be doing then?"|

|"I'm going to help the assassins escape because they have a meeting place. I don't know where it is, but they do. So, Cheshire will meet up with them there."|

|"Very well, I'll send a few more scouts into the castle. I'm certain your mother will be very proud if we get into the room with all the information. Knowledge is power, as Gray used to say."|

I gave him a mental hug, before refocusing on the three that spread out. It was a huge room, that looked like a church or something. There were stained glass murals spread in spots on the ceiling. There were pews lined up with two columns on either side of a purple carpet. The entire place was made of stone, with columns of marble. Empty suits of armor stood at attention on either side. Curtains with the emblem of Eclipse flowed among the top of the columns with blues, blacks, and golds. Moonlight filtered in, casting the place in a sort of somber glow. It was both holy, and foreboding.

My bugs continued to come in, being very careful to avoid the maids and butlers outside this room. It was probably as big as the church of Bo'Chi, that's how huge it was! My bugs made it towards the raised platform, allowing me to see the alter. More banners were held in place by two giant statues of the same woman. "Remember Xena," written at the bottom. The alter held a silver and gold chalice, encrusted in various gemstones. It was bubbling and overflowing with some kind of red blood with mist washing over it and the banner. The altar itself was made of stone with holes that I didn't dare follow to find out where the blood was coming from.

Behind the altar was a large throne, made of stone. Masterfully crafted, as I took a moment to remember every detail. This place would make Brick very happy, just seeing so many things going on. Everything was just well crafted and pretty. Though it let the assassins have a lot of places to hide. My bugs hid in the curtains, and the darker shadows to watch everything. I needed to make sure these three managed to escape somehow.

Azula gave a sign to the other two, as they hid. Both of them gave a sign in return to let her know they saw her. The doors were closed, but suddenly someone was sitting on the throne. They clapped slowly, deep purple hands hitting each other. Perfectly manicured nails reflect the moonlight. Ruffled sleeves of silver rising and falling with each movement. A dark elf grinned with their sharp teeth as they turned to each of the assassins.

His golden eyes changed from blue to red, then settled on a smoldering crimson. His hair almost floated as he stood from his throne. A golden crown lingered atop his head. "Well done." He was wearing black and white robes, that were made to fit him perfectly. He paused, resting both hands on the swords at his hip. "Congratulations, in fact. You are the first assassins to make it this far! You stand in the former welcoming hall of the first castle, restructured to be a tomb for the bandit queen herself."

Azula walked out of her hiding spot with a shrug, "I didn't even see you, how did you get there?" She smiled warmly.

The king tilted his head, "How does lightning strike?"

Azula crossed her arms while Chris tried to quietly sneak on one side of the room. "You're saying that we don't question how or why lightning strikes, so we shouldn't question this?" She raised a brow.

The king yawned, "Close enough," He pointed at Chris, "One more step and I'll kill you." Chris froze, but mister Henry was missing. I lost sight of him. "I'm going to give you three one chance." He held up a single finger, still pointing at Chris with his other hand. "You're outmatched, outclassed, and just generally out of your depth. Leave, before I start giving a speech."

Azula shot Chris a withering glare, as the man held his hands up. "Why did you stop when he pointed at you?"

Chris shook his head, "I don't know..."

Henry stroked his beard, appearing out of thin air. "It's because you engaged him in dialogue, and we're trespassing."

The king gave another slow round of applause, "Exactly! I'm able to enforce unspoken rules. Just through my sheer charisma and the power of my talent, I can make you kneel. After all, you are in the presence of a king."

The three struggled, before kneeling. Henry chuckled, "How interesting, this whole charade was even more hopeless than we thought."

Azula grit her teeth, "It seems that way."

Chris grunted, "How can you guys be so calm? We're about to die!"

The king walked in front of the altar, "He's right you know, you may end up dying. I can tell you don't plan on leaving since I told you to. That's how you break my spell."

Henry rolled his eyes, "Which binds us to another since we're 'agreeing' to leave on your terms. Chris, it's time."

Chris let out a sigh before taking a deep breath. Azula and Henry got up, both of them drawing daggers. The king cracked his neck, "Offer still stands."

Azula and Henry charged towards him, while he drew his swords. Chris kept his hands over his mouth. "Such a shame." The king sighed, pointing with his sword. "The second you climb onto this platform, you die." He was only a few steps towards the edge, while both assassins got closer. The two were preparing to jump, when the king leaped towards them.

He spun in the air, both blades sweeping through the air as both assassins were forced to block and parry. The king spun, his swords moving through the air with practiced ease. He wasn't hitting either of them, but keeping himself moving. Henry cursed, "Elvish blade dancing."

It looked unconventional, but the more he missed, the more I realized he was only doing it to make it seem like he had openings. The two assassins were following after him, Azula throwing a dagger only to have it deflected towards Henry. Henry caught it, before tossing it up in the air. He rushed towards the king using both of his daggers to catch one of the king's blades. He stepped back, narrowly avoiding a cut to his throat, his beard falling. Then he lurched forward as Azula jumped off his back to catch her dagger.

The king twirled, severing Henry's hand. He had tried to grab the king. Chris was turning blue from holding his breath, falling to his knees with tears in his eyes. He struggled to hold it in, as Azula twisted in the air, just barely avoiding being skewered by one of the swords. Henry charged into the king with a shoulder tackle, but it was expected. A twist of his foot, a quick grab along the shoulder and hip, and Henry was spun and tossed at Azula.

Azula dove under Henry, starting to rise with her daggers for a grueling slash. Only, she hesitated when the king's boot was going for her face. She pulled her arms together, blocking as she was thrown backward by the force. The king did another twirl, hitting Chris in his shoulder with a dagger. Chris gasped in pain, while the king smiled. "It's rude to use your talents against a king."

Chris quickly took another deep breath, while Azula and Henry got up going for another round. The king tilted his head, spreading his arms wide. "Kneel." He looked at them with a grin, as both of them fell to the ground, their knees skidding against the stone floor before they came to a stop.

Chris exhaled and tried to take another breath. He wobbled, before falling to his knees. "Fuck... poison..." He passed out.

Azula bit her lips enough to make them bleed. Henry just lowered his head. The king wasn't even breathing harder, "Attacking a foreign king is grounds for execution. Such are the laws of your home kingdom and this one. Carry out the punishment and kill yourselves." The two pulled their daggers out, holding them to their throats. "Any last words? Such is my mercy. Please, try to make me feel bad about this."

I moved my ghosts towards the two, stinging them. I had to tell mommy about this! Henry spoke first, "I only regret that I couldn't even manage a scratch. Well played."

The king nodded, holding a hand in front of the man. He gestured to Azula, "Your final words?"

She grinned, "I'm pregnant, making me kill myself is..." She slumped, right as Henry did. The sleeping venom making them fall in front of the king.

The king chuckled, "How's it going, Pandora?" He tilted his head, looking right at the bugs I was watching through.

I swallowed hard, trying to return to my main body. I felt even more worried when I couldn't. My magic wasn't working as it should.

The king rolled his shoulders, "You can't leave until I dismiss you, dear. You trespassed." He stuck his tongue out at me. The doors opened, and heralds entered the room. He looked at them, "Take these three away, put them in the designated Hole cells." He waved his hand dismissively, before walking to the stone throne. He dusted off his lap, while I tried to 'leave' again. He said I could earlier!

He held out a finger, "I need to talk to you, missy. Come on, and don't try anything. You know attacking the king results in self-execution."

I knew my body teared up, because I could feel something wet. I was a little afraid, even as I had a few scouts land on his finger and lap. Mommy was going to be upset because I died without helping her. Cheshire was going to die, and it was all his fault. Mommy was going to be so mad, and then the king might hurt my sister. My scouts were marching, a few of them crawling in circles.

The king leaned back, gently rubbing their wings. "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you. If you want to find Azera, you should listen to me."

I perked up at that, looking back at the king. My bugs weren't marching anymore, but I knew my body was sniffling. Why can't I leave?

Charles rolled his eyes, "You can't leave because you need to be excused. You got caught doing something bad, just like how Azera keeps you in a room because you caught him. How you interpret things allows me to use my talent on you. Unspoken rules are a pact, just as laws are a pact. You adhere to them under the guise of safety and trust. Quite the broken talent, right?"

I had a bug bob up and down. It was unfair, but it made sense when he said it like that. Wait, did he read my mind?

The king chuckled, "You can call me Charles, and no I didn't read your mind. I've just had this conversation with you before, so I know what you're going to ask before you even ask it." He tilted his head, "Though I guess it's our first time meeting each other. A wonderful time to meet you, lady Pandora." He kissed his fingers and blew on them. Almost like a chef's kiss, but different.

You're weird, did I say that before, mister king guy? Where's my sister?

The king sighed shaking his head, "I'm not weird, you're weird. I told you to call me Charles, and Azera is down the hall to the left. Go down the stairs with your bugs and crawl behind the painting. You'll find a switch that opens the super-secret door to the chamber of secrets." He winked, "See? I can't read your mind. You asked me where your sister was, but I didn't even acknowledge it."

It made sense, he couldn't be a mind reader because he just told me he wasn't. I still want to know where my sister is, but how do I tell him that? Wait did he acknowledge it? No, he said he didn't. I felt like something was looping in the wrong way... I tried to squint at the king, but I only had bug eyes. He was squinting at me, so he knew I must have squinted. He gave me directions, but why should I follow them?

Charles nodded, "I hope you don't find the map that leads to a huge pile of candy. I mean that's my secret candy stash! It'd be really rude to just take it from me." He rubbed his chin, "Probably for the best if some thief did find it. They'd have to make sure to take it all and not leave me a single piece left. Then I can only shrug because I know someone must have stolen it. Might need all the bugs in the kingdom to find the map though."

Wait, he gave me directions. That means I have permission to go! I put on a mental pirate hat and had my bugs fly away for the treasure map hidden in the chamber of secrets!