I blinked as I heard her words, furrowing my brow. Lifting a hand, I poked the tip of my finger in my ear and shook it with a grimace. One I stopped, I faced Sora and asked, “Can you say that again? I think I misheard you.”

“No, you did not.” Sora did not grimace, though she did smile apologetically, expression softening. “Our information seemed not only to be faulty, but outdated as well.” The Witch reached down and lifted a paper from the desk. She held it out to me. “As of last week, when we first arrived, we were right. Now?” She shrugged as I took the paper, watching as the script shifted before my eyes. “See for yourself.”

Indeed. As of a whole five minutes ago, Sora’s currently MIA agents had sent over verified information that Abigail DeVere of the Royal Family will grace Xadria with her presence in honor of my sacrifice in Nyrill. I read through it, taking in everything with a frown, but stiffened as I happened upon a specific spot. Emotions swirled within; a cloying sense of melancholy stuck to my ribs, weighing me down as I breathed. Anger bubbled and sloshed in my stomach, bile rising up my throat as nausea swelled within me. I pulled a hand from the paper and clenched it tight enough for knuckles to crack and pop.

“I see you’ve found the name of the second person of interest,” Sora said, her voice gentle, but stoic.

“Luke will be here.” My voice came out a ragged wheeze. Red clouded my vision, and I quickly closed my eyes, breathing out through my nose. I needed to calm down; I felt one step away from an eruption, like a bubbling volcano. This anger, it came from nowhere, yet it felt so natural in how it overwhelmed me. I couldn’t even continue reading the paper, so I lowered it and forced my shoulders to relax.

A hand wrapping around my empty fist startled me as I faced the source. Briar stared up to me, her mien an odd combination of white and green. Her lips curled upwards into a smile, eyes softening as she squeezed my hand.

Why does she seem so sick? Hell, she’s been like that since we arrived and Sora only seemed amused. Huh. Now that I look at her, Briar seemed pretty young all things considered; especially since she and Ash are two of Kacee’s Lieutenants. In charge of…what? Recruitment. But why-?

Wait. Is Briar…? She paid close attention to me as I spoke with Ash, never taking her eyes off me. She reacted as I spoke of Maggie and she’s clearly in pain when she’s near Sora and Alba. And now me. Why would she be in pain when just standing next to us?

Wait. Recruitment. Pointed questions about family. Strong reactions. Like what I’ve experienced.

Emotions.

“You’re an Empath,” I said as I felt my fury abating, slowly dying down as horror filled me. Briar felt emotions strong enough to be hurt by Sora’s presence, to be sickened when merely standing before her, and now me. That was the only thing that made sense. “I’m so sorry.”

Briar shook her head and let her hand fall freely. She faced Sora and steeled herself. “Who comprises Lady Abigail’s guard?”

Sora arched a brow at the girl, studying her with an analytical eye. “After distinguishing themselves with seven months of exemplary service, Luke Wirth and Colette Leblanc were henceforth assigned to guard the Second Princess.”

“‘Exemplary service.’” My voice came out rough as a red film overtook my sight. I turned my attention to the left, glaring at the map on the wall. She had moved the darts since I had last been here, with cords attached the bases. “If they knew the truth, they wouldn’t want him anywhere near the princess.” I released a slow breath, rubbing my face to try and calm myself. I’d rather not hurt Briar with my growing rage.

“Those who live, they create the narrative.” Alba demurred, rising from her chair and approaching the map on the far wall. “That is the way this world has been since time immemorial. The strong direct the world, while the weak are controlled.”

“That’s not right.” Briar denied, desperation and resignation coloring her tone.

Alba turned an amused glance towards the girl. “Believe what you wish, but that is the undisputable truth. If you want it to change, then spark a revolution and rule when the ashes have settled.”

Briar did not reply, just glaring at Alba impotently.

“Enough.” I cut into the argument before it escalated any further. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose to alleviate the building headache, a continuous pulse centered in my temples. “With that horrid piece of knowledge lodged in my brain, what are we going to do with it?”

“Even with her intentions to arrive, Abigail DeVere will only arrive late tomorrow night and speak in your honor on the eve of the final night of festivities,” Sora explained as she turned towards Alba’s desk, sifting through the papers. “In the midst of that, we’ll have you leave tomorrow morning for a ‘personal expedition’ to scout in response to rumored monster sightings.”

“But there aren’t any,” Ash said with a frown, causing Sora and Alba give him matching glares. He grimaced as he turned away from them, unable to meet their shared enmity.

“Obviously.” Sora rolled her eyes. “However, Alba has sparked the rumor amongst the masses with our agents. It’ll take time to gain traction. When it finally does, one of us will volunteer our team for the expedition.”

“Once you’ve mobilized, you’ll properly scout out a path for your journey to the Realm of Unmarked Graves.” Alba stepped over to a cabinet next to her wall map and opened it. Flipping through documents inside the drawer, she pulled out a folded piece of parchment. She turned and held it out towards Sora. “This is a map of the area between here and the border of Kohinoor.”

“Wait.” Ash broke into the conversation once more, grimacing under the combined glare from the woman, before centering himself. “You’re saying you know where…the Realm of Unmarked Graves is?”

Sora didn’t reply, blinking once as she stared at Ash in disbelief. Her eyes rolled lethargically towards Alba, whose expression twisted into frustrated exasperation, lips curled as she bared her teeth in disgust. The two locked eyes and commiserated in mutual frustration, before quickly looking away. “Yes. We do. May I continue without interruptions this time?”

“Ah.” Ash grimaced and shrugged. “Sorry.”

“Hmm.” Sora hummed, narrowing her eyes before she resumed. “We will stay outside of Xadria for the remaining time of the festival and return when we receive word that the contingent has left.” She paused, eyes flickering to Ash before she faced Briar. “May we count on Twin Flags to offer support for this task. Whether to have an operative or two join us or create a distraction to aid our departure?”

Briar, who seemed to regain her color quickly, nodded firmly. “Yes. I’ll have to speak with the Captain, but I’m sure she’ll go along with the plan.”

Sora nodded and unfolded the parchment studying the parchment. “How recent is this, Alba?”

“Two weeks since.” The Wight answered, searching through other papers. “The operative who missed their rendezvous updated it.” As she said that, she frowned. “Damn. I suppose that means that it may be compromised.”

The right corner of Sora’s mouth quirked upwards as she bared her teeth in a sneer. “Not so perfect, now are you?”

Alba gritted her teeth, glaring at the Witch. “Do not start, Soralynn. We have more important things to worry about. Like certain radicals.”

Sora’s expression fell, eyes narrowing and gaining a faint glow. “Them? I thought Penny ordered them to stand down.”

“They’re radicals for a reason.” Alba arched a delicate brow. “They wouldn’t be such if they obeyed orders, now would they?”

Sora bared her teeth at the passive-aggressive retort, but before she could snipe back, I caught their attention with a heavy sigh. I looked from Witch to Wight and said, “I don’t like being lost in a conversation.” I then regarded the equally lost Briar and Ash. “Plus, is now the time to speak of internal matters?” The two of them flushed, glaring at one another before turning away brusquely.

“Arce. The three of us need to speak about sensitive matters. Please escort our esteemed guests back to their headquarters so they can make their necessary reports.”

Arce deferred to me, and I nodded. Before she could continue, Briar cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to impose, but the Captain will likely ask one of us to remain with you to make communication easier.” She stiffened when Alba stared at her.

After a few moments of silence, Alba pursed her lips and nodded. “I’ll have Oxton show you to the tea room. We may be long, to warn you.”

“I understand.” Briar nodded once, though she ignored Ash’s intense stare. With that, Arce escorted the two of them out the room.

Once the door clicked shut, I watched as Alba returned to her desk and sat down. I grabbed a chair as well and sat down as I watched Sora continued to look through the map. “Now. Tell me about these ‘radicals.’”

Sora didn’t reply, still reading through the papers before her. Instead, Alba chose to field my questions. At her desk, the Wight pulled out more articles and handed them to me. As I took them, she began to speak. “During the tenure of your predecessor, he gathered a force of officers to lead his army, the Four Generals being the most well-known.” Held in my hands, I examined a collection of dossiers of several soldiers. “However, they were not the only ones, with me amongst those he sought to recruit.”

I gave her a surprised look; seeing my shock, her lips curled ever so lightly. “Monsters such as I do not age like humans and Beastkin. We thrive differently and, thus, have extended longevity.” She waved a hand, causing black splotches to manifest on her skin and her hair to slacken and turn to a pale blue. “As a Wight, an Undead creature, my longevity is already substantial compared to others. Because of that, myself and a select few others, led and guided the various divisions within his army.”

“How large was the army?” I asked as I quickly flipped through the papers, marveling at the sheer number of them.

“The largest in Verum’s history.” A subtle pride-filled Alba’s tone, her splotchy eyes flickering with an indistinguishable emotion, as she hissed with a twist of her lips. At that moment, I could tell just how inhuman my newest cohort as the incipient Demon Lord seemed to be. “While he lived, no human, dwarf, or elven army could challenge us. Even together, marshaling their greatest of warriors, they could not challenge us.” She closed her eyes and exhaled gustily, her cracked lips parting and revealing blackened teeth. “Before the Hero King’s Ascension, we remained uncontested and undefeated. Nothing stood in our path for long; with their best and brightest only serving as easily-solved bumps in the road.”

“But upon his Ascension?”

Grudging respect, an emotion she seemed to be uncomfortable with expressing, overcame her. Alba gritted her teeth and shook her head, hands clenched in front of her. “It started slowly, with the occasional loss on our side. Lieutenants falling and key locations lost to the slow advance of Humanities marshaled forces; we never realized our inevitable defeat until my fellows, and I recognized an emotion in our Lord we’d never seen before…” Alba shivered, eyes closing as her appearance slowly shifted back to her human guise. Her mien crumbled, brow furrowing and lips pursed with a frown. “Fear.”

“Fear?”

Alba’s lips curled as she chuckled lightly. “One thing you must understand is that before the Hero King’s Ascension, your predecessor knew only victory. His every battle ended only in the conquering of his foes.” She met my eyes, wisps of mist exuding from them. “If every foe you’ve fought was crushed underfoot; if every battle you’ve ever led ended in joyous victory; then would you not hesitate upon hearing the loss of a checkpoint guarded by one of your elite warriors?” A shaky laugh escaped her, her face pale from remembrance. “When we heard of that loss, the previous Demon Lord’s fury was apocalyptic. It terrified all of us because he beheaded the scout who reported without hesitation, with nothing more than a red-eyed glare.”

A red-eyed glare. How often have I felt a rage at the edge of my consciousness, a fury that would only abate once I had spilled blood? How often will I feel it, until I lose all control? I’m not sure, but I do know that if I try to ignore it, it’ll only come back again and again, harder to control.

“The story of his defeat has been told time and time again, Joseph Blaine. I see no need to tell it again.” Alba met my gaze head-on, not looking away even as I noticed red in the reflection of her eyes. “What you do need to know is that a vast majority of my compatriots will not accept you as the next Demon Lord.”

In my periphery, I caught sight of Sora stiffening. She lowered the papers in her hands and faced Alba with an expression carved from stone. Her amber gaze glowed dimly, but sharply. Wisps of black energy flowed from the corners of her eyes and mouth. Green, ethereal energies crackled around her free hand, along the length of her arm. The cloth of her sleeve glowed before it began to tear apart, the threads coming to pieces under the weight of her power.

Alba rolled her eyes, her expression twisting into one of exhausted exasperation. “Stand down, Witch. I have no intention of going against Penemue’s orders.” Sora made no move to do as asked, though she did narrow her eyes. Now ignoring my companion, Alba focused on me. “Make no mistake, Joseph Blaine. My loyalty is not to you, but the ruler of Terras.” Her gaze shifted, becoming almost probing. It felt like my hair stood on end, like static electricity racing along my body. Still, I met her eyes without hesitation, hands opening, and closing in preparation. The corners of her lips twitched before she continued. “Penemue’s intervention prevented Terras from imploding from rampant Madness. It is only due to her that we still can act, beyond mindless destruction. If she asks it of us, we will support you, guide you until you can fully Ascend to the throne.”

Once again, the weight of her stare settled upon my shoulders. “Make no mistake, though. It is not you that we follow, but Penemue, the Regent of Terras. She returned to us our rationality, our ability to think beyond destroying the closest settlement.” She closed her eyes, and her shoulders slacked, rolling her neck to crack it. When her eyes opened once more, Alba treated me to an unstable glower that caused her guise to falter and her body to quiver. “Yet, even with that…” Her voice gained an unnatural quiver, a broken rasp that grated at my consciousness. “We stand at a precipice; at the edge of a cliff, where a single choice can throw us over the edge.”

Her elongated nails dug into the hardwood desk beneath her fingers with a creak. In my periphery, Sora continued to stand at the ready, the ethereal energy already destroying her left sleeve.

“Penemue may have granted us this opportunity, but her decisions have not sat well with all of us.” Alba remained in the guise of the Monster that simmered beneath the surface of her façade, staring at me, like a lion before a gazelle.

Strangely, though, I did not feel fear or trepidation. No. I felt calm; at peace.

No…

That’s wrong.

I wanted her to attack me. To attempt to kill me. I felt similar to how I did when I encountered those bandits. I had yet to reach my limits, to learn of my real strength. I had this need, this drive, to satisfy that unending curiosity that poked and prodded me at times.

But this was not the time to satisfy mindless curiosities. I wanted my answers, and I would get them by force if necessary.

“What are her orders?”

Alba’s lips curled to reveal teeth reminiscent of gleaming and chipped charcoal, her eyes shining with predatory approval. “To standby and watch. To aid the growth of our next King when he rises. To do nothing. Do you not see how that grates and aggravates those who followed your predecessor?” She gritted her teeth as her chest heaved and fell, expression twisting into something ugly and wrong. “We were conquerors. We took what we wanted and crushed those who stood against us! Under his rule, we were gods among men! Worshipped and feared for standing above all who opposed us!” She gnashed her teeth, sending green spittle onto her desk as she rose to her feet abruptly. The chair fell back as she stared down at me, eyes alight with primal and animalistic fury.

“That damned Hero King stole everything from us! Our power base! Our subjects! Our reign of terror! Our King!” She slammed an open hand onto the surface of her desk, tearing a hole through it and sent wood and debris everywhere. I leaned to the side to avoid those sent in my direction, but never took my gaze off her. “We had everything only to have it all taken away by a usurper! In our Madness, we would’ve ravaged the earth and all who stood in our path.” Her lips curled into a cruel sneer. “With our liege, he lost his life. With his death, there would’ve been none who could’ve stopped us!”

She closed her eyes with what appeared to be a forced exertion. Like a visible transformation, Alba’s human guise returned. Like watching a film reel in reverse, the decay that encompassed her body reverted until she returned to ‘normal.’ With an exhale through her nose, she rolled her shoulders and straightened her ruffle clothing. She opened her eyes and studied me with a visage of stone, a cold gaze meeting mine as though I had seen nothing out of the ordinary. “Yet, as lost in our Madness as we were, we failed to realize that it was more than the monstrous strength that elevated us. Our King’s guidance. Our intelligence and wisdom. Those were the traits that brought us to the height of our power. Not the nigh-limitless brute strength that Madness had granted us.”

Alba shook her head as she waved her hand. A thud behind her caused me to notice her chair asserting and fixing itself up so that she could sit once more. “With our King gone, we had lost all of that. We had lost everything that had granted us victory.” She closed her eyes as her entire form crumbled before me, grief filling her. But I did not feel pity for her. No. I felt nothing for her. I just needed information from her.

The Wight straightened herself, meeting my gaze with tired defiance. “I tell you this so that you’ll understand. Some of us chose to accept Penemue’s command, following her orders in the hopes that His successor will rise to power. I am among that number, so I’ll do what I can to guide you, Joseph Blaine.” She frowned towards me, an unknown emotion filling her eyes. “I can’t explain it, but I can’t help but detest you. I know nothing of you beyond the paltry rumors that have overblown your deeds. You’ve not earned my loyalty, and I doubt you ever will.”

Upon hearing her words, I couldn’t help a sliver of emotion that wormed its way into my heart. A description of it refused to come to mind. No words came forward, only a sense of confusion. In a way, it didn’t bother me. A part of me felt glad; a real Monster sat in front of me. Someone who had the blood of countless innocent people sat before me, unrepentant of the atrocities she had no doubt committed. For the first time in my life, I had met someone who genuinely reminded me of the villains that I’ve read of in my stories. It felt almost…nostalgic.

But…if I’m to thrive in a world like this; I had to come to terms that I’ll likely run into more people like Alba.

Monsters who act in self-interest and only care for their own dreams to succeed.

Monsters who hide among people as if they belonged, only to use the status quo to their advantage.

Monsters that disguise themselves as people, using that public face to further their goals.

If I’m to thrive…will I have to become a Monster like that?

I stood from my seat, pushing my chair backward in the process. “Then, this radical you’ve mentioned, they’re one of your old compatriots. Is that what you’re saying?”

Alba nodded to my deduction. “I’ve no doubt. Either through subversion or death, they’re preventing us from gaining the information we need.” She studied me intently, eyes narrowing as she met my gaze.

“I see. Thank you.” I accepted her answer with a nod. I rolled my shoulders as a rush of energy surged through me, a chill racing down my spine. “Before I take my leave, I’d like to offer a piece of advice, if you’re willing.” As I spoke, my voice cracked as hints of my earlier fury returned to me. I reached the side and grabbed the edge of her desk. With an exertion of strength, I had no idea I had, I upended her desk and flipped it to the side. The only reaction Alba gave before I acted was a widening of her eyes. My left arm burned from the exertion, almost uncomfortably, so as I stepped forward, I used my right to reach forward and grasp the Wight by her throat.

My hand tensed as I wrapped my fingers around her throat, the touch of her skin cold to the touch. Adrenaline sent my heart pounding in my chest as I lifted her bodily from the chair and slammed her form against the wall hard enough to shake the room. Various paraphernalia sitting upon shelves vibrated in place, nearly falling the ground; paintings and maps hanging on the walls fell to the ground, face down. The wall cracked from the impact; a gag escaped her as I squeezed. I leaned forward and looked her in the eyes, not at all surprised by the vibrant red glint in the reflection of her dead gaze.

“Never raise your voice to me again, Alba.” My voice never raised above a casual volume, as if speaking nonchalantly. “I used to think that I was a patient person, due to my forced exile, but ever since coming to Verum, I learned how mistaken I was.” Never turning from her mute surprise, I cocked my head to the side. “You say you’ve lost everything, but you’re mistaken. You’ve never had anything to lose, Alba. You’ve clearly always been cold, so nothing’s changed for you.”

I tightened my grip on her throat, causing her to grasp my wrist both of her hands and gag audibly. She made no move pull it away, merely meeting my gaze with an intrigued glint in her eye. “Betrayal. Loss. Death. They can change people. On both sides of the divide. Power, though?” I leaned forward, the smell of her strained breath tickling my nose as I neared her. Mint. A mask for the undertone of decay that my enhanced sense of smell had pierced. “Does Power change people? Or does it bring their true character to the surface?”

With one last squeeze, I abruptly released Alba and stepped back to watch her collapse to the ground. She held her throat, but never tore her gaze from mine, an unknown emotion simmering in her lifeless orbs. “Consider those words the next time you speak to me. I may still be new to this world. But cruelty?” The cruelty to force a pair of children to live on their own. “The callousness of those with power?” The callousness to separate a mother from her children. “Self-serving actions at the cost of others?” Luke’s betrayal. “I understand those perfectly well. If you think you can manipulate me; if you think you can twist me towards your own ends; then you’re mistaken.”

I stared down at her, watching as her eyes widen and lips part. “You never have to see me again, Alba. Just give Sora the information from now on. Because if you think you can speak to me that way again…” I casually lifted my foot and drove the sole of my boot into the wall next to her head. The wall shook again, dust and specks of debris falling from the ceiling above us; the clatter of more fallen items filled the awed silence Alba afforded me as I pulled my foot back. “I have my goals, my own dreams to fulfill, Alba. Ambitions that I will achieve. Stand in my way, no matter your allegiance, and I will bring everything I have to bear against you. Against your old comrades.” My voice never raised above a whisper, but I knew she heard me. “Your past doesn’t matter. Your ambitions aren’t a factor. Your loyalty means nothing to me. Only your compliance.”

I reached down and took by her chin, meeting her eyes in her catatonic state. “Whether it’s to Penemue or me, means nothing. Just fulfill your obligation to gather and supply information. Everything else is irrelevant.” I straightened and abruptly released her, turning to leave. “We’re done here. If I see you again, it’ll be too soon.”

As I walked towards the door, I nearly stumbled as I caught sight of my reflection in a fallen, cracked mirror. Hair as white and pure as the driven snow; eyes the color of freshly-spilled blood, devoid of all humanity and remorse. Skin paler than a freshly killed corpse. An expression contorted into a rictus of controlled and direct fury. The cracked mirror depicted someone that I couldn’t recognize, yet knew deep in my heart, no matter the fervent refusal. In the mirror, the broken, corrupted, visage showed me a Monster that stood in that very room. A Monster that hid in place sight, waiting for an opportunity to rise.

When I blinked, it vanished. My shoulder-length, nigh unruly, black hair, and dark blue eyes. Tired. That’s how I looked and felt, in that very moment. I spared no more than a few seconds at the observation, before returning to the exit.

“Sora. Gather the rest of the information we need. Find me later.” With that, I left Alba’s office with a slam of the door, ignoring a call of my name from one of them. I didn’t even know from which one. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Now. Where the hell is Briar and Marishka?