“It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.”

- Philip K. Dick, VALIS

The man pursed his lips and spoke a short spell and flickering light bathed the room while everything took on an unreal shimmery appearance like being underwater bathed in the sunlight filtering down from far above. He wore a white robe edged by silver embroidery. His hair was wispy and his pale white flesh shone through. The features were gaunt to the point of illness but his dark eyes held a near feverish vitality.

Gesturing he raised a large opal inscribed with runes and with a shattering crack the jewel burst into pieces which were absorbed into the air forming two indistinct figures who got more defined by the second. One of them was the crown prince while the other…

A being made of sinewy tentacles leaned languidly on the doorframe while looking at the fallen man. The writhing vine-like appendages were arranged into a humanoid figure with voluptuous curves, the head was androgynous with rows of sharp triangular teeth. There was a certain lithe beauty to the creature- if you could stand the tentacles and all.

“A Lyru Daemon and a high one at that. It would not have come cheap, neither in the effort to summon nor in the means to compel.” The man rubbed his chin. “But sadly that does not tell us who conjured it. We could have a look at the aetherial disturbances of the last month or two. The Order of the hidden Eye should have a map.”

An older man in the rich clothing of a royal steward nodded. “I will inform his excellency. Spare no expense the culprit must be found.”

The master of the tower of time gave an acknowledging nod.

In the south of Margrinar inside a prosperous mansion.

Jamila Esmeralda von Nordstrom smoothed her troubled expression and knocked.

“Come in.”

The room was lavishly appointed with paintings framed in gilded wood, walls of gleaming white, a polished marble floor, and a white heavy desk. The person behind that desk was nearly two meters tall with a flowing blonde mane glittering in the morning light. White robes with blue highlights and gold embroidery completed the picture. His hair was held by a golden diadem. A short beard framed his dimpled chin.

High windows looked out over a carefully maintained garden barren because of the weather.

“Good to see you, Jamila. I hope the journey was uneventful and the tidings good?”

“Greetings Mr. Grenzwald.”

“Don’t be so stiff. In private you can call me Taberus.”

“I think I should not get in the habit of calling the honorary councilmember of the academy and heir to the Grenzwald fiefdom and their manufactoria by their first name.”

“Still as stubborn as ever. But be that as it may, I heard a lot of the happenings of the last months and am very curious about your take on things and how we are positioned for further actions.”

“There were complications. Alyssa Miner is still somewhat liked because of her strong bond with the last princess via Alea von Graufurt. I would not have thought the timid girl to have such deep plotting skills. The duel went as expected but Otto von Landesend and Leonhard Poroskar were sanctioned for severe misdemeanors. Otto at least is still at school if lying low at the moment while Poroskar was expelled. Calvin is sadly not amenable to making a deal even when I put nearly all of our offer on the table.”

“Tsk, tsk. Miss von Nordstrom, I expected your charms to tilt the balance at least enough for us to ensure his neutrality. Are you sure you did everything you could?” He emphasized ‘everything’ and his pale eyes bored into her.

It took some doing to refrain from fidgeting but Jamila managed. “Yes. I think there is nothing to be gained from making a fool out of us and trying to woo him further. The bluestone dealings have damaged the school's reputation even though it is expected that some of that takes place anywhere there are a lot of the magically gifted. We should use that.”

Taberus took a decanter and filled a crystal glass with an amber liquid. “Peach liquor from Pareus. Care for a drink?”

“No, thank you.”

The older man looked Jamila up and down not hiding his scrutiny. “By the way, my offer still stands. If you would accompany me for a week or two I could make the tomes available for your perusal.”

“Thank you, but no need.”

“Suit yourself.” He took a deep draft. “So. We should get back to business. In the next weeks, the other councilors will return and after the Arcane Exhibition, we will have the vote of confidence. When Illimen is ousted I will be in position to take over and you will be made a full professor. And after a few years have passed to make it more palatable for the hidebound traditionalists you will be appointed Master of the Tower of Air. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Jamila forced a smile. “Yes, that is certainly what I wished for.”

“How can we make life more difficult for Illimen and his supporters?” Taberus mused.

“We could arrange for an accident. Perhaps one that could be taken for another assassination attempt. We could implicate another teacher in the bluestone scandal.”

“Good ideas. I think we should go for...both.” The blonde man grinned widely.

Jamila nodded, “I will arrange it. But this time I might need some help.”

“And you shall have it. I will arrange for some men to be made available to you as well as some of my more deniable resources. But do bring me results this time, Mh? I so hate to be disappointed.”

The smile on his face became cold before turning brilliant again. “I insist you stay for supper at least. So feel free to refresh yourself in the meantime. I will send a servant to get you when it is time.”

The woman bowed, turned, and left the room. As the door closed with a metallic click the eyes of the older man turned colder still and he gripped a small bell shaking it without a sound.

Shortly after a servant entered. “Driamar. Please arrange for a shadow to be attached to Miss von Nordstrom. I fear that she has gotten a bit too independent for my tastes.”

The servant gave an affirmative nod waited for a second and Taberus gestured for him to leave. He refilled his glass and savored the smell drifting from the syrupy liquid while looking out of the windows thinking deeply.

Inside the Crooks outside of Kronenburg

Iseret drew her khopesh and twirled it lazily before leaning beside the door. Vanessa arranged her cloak. As always she looked a bit too small for the heavy cloth. They were in the middle of the Crooks and it was nighttime. The lost eye had set already and darkness reigned. A dog barked in the distance and a woman scolded someone, probably her husband. Somewhere nearby in one of the wooden houses adjacent to this muddy alley, someone mumbled incoherently.

Without much of a signal the smaller girl slashed the door with her claws, wood splintered and burst as she jumped inside, Iseret followed suit.

Inside was a scene straight from a charnel house. The occupants, two older men, had been torn to pieces and a monstrosity formed like a centipede made of ribs and bone held together with sinew and muscle covered in a thin layer of gleaming mucus feasted on their entrails. Sickle-like appendages like the mandibles of an antlion cut into the dead bodies and slurping sounds could be heard. The other end featured an elongated stinger.

Vanessa spoke a short spell and a lance of ice steaming with frost shot into the tail and nailed the creature to the floor. Whipping around like a taut wire suddenly cut it tried to skewer her but was yanked back by the barest measure. The mouth part opened and multiple tendrils with hooklike teeth undulated like seaweed. A gust of fetid breath blew in her direction causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Then there was the sound of metal meeting bone and the head drooped, held only by a thin string of sinew and a bit of bone.

Iseret raised her khopesh and finished it with another blow. Even the disciplined snake woman was affected by the sight and drew back her head as liquids gushed from the separated parts which were still twitching.

“So this makes three. The double monstrosity in the group housing counts as one I think.” Iseret gave a half-smile and then cleaned her sword with a short incantation. Water ran over the blade taking slimy dark blood with it.

“Yes, I think so too. Those two here are beyond help. Let’s finish for the night.” Vanessa still had a faintly disgusted expression and pulled Iseret out of the door.

Seeing her so comfortably grabbing her the snake woman smiled.

“What? We need to leave before someone comes and associates us with this mess.”

“Naturally.” She had a slight smile as she said that.

“Hmpf.” Vanessa felt her dignity slipping away and let go as they were outside again. The air stank of soot and the leavings of humanity but everything was better than the sweet rotting stink of the beast.

“Are you okay heading back to the academy at this hour? Will it affect you tomorrow?”

“I will be fine. I’ve had worse.” Iseret put one hand to her chest and bowed. “It is important work we do here. The poor aren’t even protected by the watch and I fear that some of those monsters are able to propagate. I am glad that you took this responsibility upon yourself.”

“Go before you swell my ego any further. Thanks for tonight and safe travels.” Vanessa hugged herself and nearly vanished inside her cloak.

Iseret smiled at the bundle of cloth, spoke a prayer, and jumped up to the roof of the small cottage to her right before jumping with great, wind magic assisted leaps towards the distant city wall.

Vanessa looked after her departing companion. Despite the horrifying scene, she was somewhat satisfied to have gotten another of Poroskar's creations. What in the nine hells had he been doing and for what purpose?

This damned city was much more dangerous than she had expected. The girls were constantly in trouble and now there were assassinations and rivalry for the throne. She would have to be prepared. Mentally she went over the possible means she had to further strengthen herself and her friends.

And she did not even care for anything but her friends and eventual vengeance on the Heart-Stealer.

She heaved a deep sigh and spoke a spell greatly lessening her weight and jumped for the nearest rooftop before swiftly venturing towards her adopted home.

Wisteria Dorms

Cyrus jumped on the table and the cup of tea shook so much that some of the hot beverage spilled. Alyssa looked at her companion and thought again that it would have been more practical for him to remain a bit smaller. He had hit a growth spurt lately and was now half as big as she herself. It had been sad to see him so disheartened as he tried to jump on her shoulder and nearly bowled her over. She could still carry him because his body was still lean and most of his height came from the long neck but sitting on her shoulder was...inconvenient.

Butler One gently took the cup calipers extending with a soft 'snick' and blotted the spill with a bit of cloth.

“Thank you.” Alyssa absentmindedly said.

“My pleasure.” The buzzing words gave the girl goosebumps and she looked a bit suspiciously at the lifelike automaton. Did it have a mind of its own?

The wyvern bumped his head against her shoulder and mentally complained about the lack of attention. Grinning wearily she fed him some scraps of dried meat she always carried with her. Like some people with horses who always had an apple or two at hand. She had been exposed to Maximilian who liked to ride when he was free and had spotted this habit of his.

Today they would return to the townhouse in the ivy terrace and tomorrow she would accept the crystal being into her body. She shuddered and pulled Cyrus close. But she would not give up on being able to use void magic. It had been a part of her since birth and for all that it had harmed her, it was her most potent gift. She was special because of it and it gave her the power to determine her own fate.

And if she was completely honest, the rush it gave her when the gate in her chest opened and the power tinged with pain flowed from her fingertips...there was not much she would miss more.

Asandria felt the direction of her thoughts and smiled.