Walter started to walk around the room as he talked, moving, stopping just behind the king. Then he paused there and glanced at the king who gave a subtle nod. Mash noticed the motion and started watching the mediator more carefully. The king had picked this man for a reason, so there had to be something about him Mash wasn’t seeing.

“Mash, you are powerful enough to be a threat to any force on the planet. However, that alone would not bring his majesty to address you now. No, it is the fact that you cannot be killed conventionally. Even if his majesty or another king or god were to slay you, you would simply return at some point. There is no way to permanently end your life. Even you could not relinquish it willingly. That makes you a threat akin to the sleeping beasts of this world’s depths or a force of nature in a way.”

Walter’s words were more of a summary of the situation than anything else, and they bothered Mash. This wasn’t anything new, but the information still bothered Mash. The knowledge that he would live long after everyone else. Only someone whose life was tied to something as fundamental as change could live like him. That was the big curse that hung over his head. The long life and seemingly endless possibilities did not compare to that curse. He pushed aside those dark thoughts and pressed Walter to move on.

“And so, what? There are other creatures that live endlessly. Why does it matter now?”

Mash couldn’t help but sound a little angry. Walter had brought up a topic that Mash was desperately trying to avoid. It was something he would need to consider, but he could do that later. Hopefully years, or maybe even centuries, from now. Walter was quick to nod to his question.

“Of course, I meant nothing by it. I was simply giving you some background to understand the next idea. I would like to ask you some questions in regard to your motives and aspects. Is that okay with you?”

Walter spoke confidently, his voice filled with the thrum of excitement. Whatever the king’s plan was, it seemed like Walter was about to start it. Mash wasn’t exactly sure what the king could do here, but he had been punished for that arrogance more than once. This time would be different. He focused his domain on Walter, ready to stop anything the man tried. Although he didn’t do anything fancy, just kept talking after Mash nodded.

“Thank you. I will ask you some questions, though I do not need any immediate answers. However, you are free to do as you wish. To start, I want to ask you what you think about who deserves freedom. It is clear that you are biased, as you have acted explicitly against kings while preserving that of others. Is that in line with your aspect, or do you have more control of it than you have let on? What of the king? Are you going to deny his freedom to govern his kingdom whenever he does something you dislike? Are we bound by your will?”

Walter was talking fast, though he never stumbled over any words. None of his words got jumbled together, and Mash thought about the questions as they came. Was he right? Were his actions acting against his aspect? Should that matter to him? More questions ran across his mind, and he felt something within him react to the doubt. Red was quicker to notice the problem than Mash, and she interrupted Walter quickly.

“Mash! Don’t listen!”

Priscilla reacted just as fast as he did, severing his sense of hearing. Walter’s words cut off abruptly and were replaced by a low buzzing noise. Mash still didn’t get it though.

[What is wrong?]

The message was Priscilla and Red, whom he could still communicate with telepathically. Red responded though she was clearly uncertain. Her aura really did give a lot away, especially when she was in his domain.

[I think they’re trying to trap you by your aspect. Use your nature to stop you from getting involved.]

That made some sense and it certainly kind of worked. But was that it? Was that the grand plan the king had come up with? Walter was good with words, and it might’ve worked against other creatures, but this just felt small. Without responding to Red, he let his hearing return. Walter was still talking.

“Your aspects are-“

“Just stop.”

Mash interrupted him, and to his credit, Walter seemed to know when to shut up. Mash eyed the man, and then looked at Lex and Irkish. From their expression, he could tell that this was supposed to work. Finally, he turned to Arthur who hadn’t done or said anything. Did he know? Did he plan to trap Mash in the same way? Mash pushed that thought aside, choosing to hope that he wasn’t aware. Turning his focus back to Walter and the king, Mash shook his head slowly while speaking.

“You thought, you could stop me from doing something with the aspect of Freedom? That’s not how freedom works.”

He felt certain as he spoke. The words came easily as he thought of his aspect. Oddly, the questions Walter had posed had worked in a way, though probably not as the man had intended. Mash felt even closer to the aspect now than he had before. And he knew that this ploy wouldn’t work.

“I’m not the Chimera of freedom, and even if I was, this wouldn’t work.”

He said it mockingly, turning and looking over the room. Except for Red, Mash felt like the rest were fools. How did they not understand? He continued to chastise them, his words turning more biting as he continued.

“Freedom doesn’t stop me from doing anything. Change won’t either. Do even understand what they are?”

That comment made Walter take a step back. Mash met Walter’s eyes, and horror flashed across them. He, not so subtly, retreated behind Lex, but the king seemed just as uncertain.

“That’s not true you have restrictions. Every aspect does.”

The king spoke incredulously as if this was impossible. Mash saw the certainty in Walter waiver, and even Irkish let one of her hands fall to her weapon. For the first time since entering the room, Walter seemed unsure of what to say. He knew better than to get involved now, and the king rose from his seat to block Walter. Mash met the king’s eyes flatly.

“And why do you think that?”

The king might have some experience with monsters or people with aspects, but his aspects didn’t restrict him. Yet, they had come up with this plan fully confident that it would work. Mash almost wanted to laugh in their faces. He is trapped by nothing more than a technicality, as if that could happen. The king shook his head, his voice raising suddenly as if authority was the same as truth.

“No, to have an aspect is to become that aspect. You may claim whatever you wish, but I know you can’t control people.”

Mash got it then. The reason the king had believed in this plan was just dumb. Mash raised his own voice, matching the king in both volume and power.

“That was my class! The aspects are just a kind of power. It may embody some ideals and react to some things, but the only thing it does is tell you what the power is good for. The only thing I can do is release that power.”

The king was quick to reject the idea.

“No, every monster follows its aspects perfectly.”

That might be a fact as far as history went, but Mash was stunned by the wrongness of the statement. The world, or at least Lex, had been operating under the assumption that the aspects were absolute. Was there someone out them with an aspect like life, who did nothing but the opposite? Hopefully, that wasn’t the case. It seemed like he only got access to his aspects because he truly believed in what they represented. If that was the case for every monster then the king’s assumption was somewhat justifiable. However, Mash knew just how destructive an assumption could be.

“I’m telling you, that’s wrong. At best the aspect does nothing more than suggest something. Basically, I just know if I’m doing something the power connects with or not. In most cases though it just does nothing. I mean, my other aspect hasn’t so much as done anything in terms of guidance of restriction.”

“Then why can’t you control things?”

Walter spoke, his question was practically a whisper compared to the shouting of the king. The man’s words were calm and controlled in complete contrast to the sweat beading on his forehead. Mash was a little impressed that he found the courage to speak again after his plan had failed.

“It was my class. And clearly, even that isn’t very strict, considering the situation.”

Mash swung his head around making sure everyone understood what that meant. Irkish didn’t rise from the table, but somehow Mash could tell that she was about to speak. His attention hung on to her as she nodded and took in a breath.

“So, there are no checks on your power. Whatsoever.”

The way that Irkish casually kept a hand on her sword’s hilt while saying that, made the comment sound a little like a threat. She was one of the few high-leveled that actually looked old, and Mash couldn’t help but think that the wrinkles around her eyes made her look wise. It was the kind of look that said that she had been in his shoes before. He didn’t back down though. He hadn’t done that before Toroken, and who knew how old he was?

He knew what his aspects meant to him. Freedom was something he believed in, but even he didn’t want anarchy. His other aspect was different though. Change wasn’t a matter of belief. It was simply how things worked. Everything changed, that was all. He wasn’t about to doubt the idea of change. But he thought he knew why he felt so close to the aspect. It was because he understood the need for it. Mash revealed none of these thoughts to the others and just gave the general a short reply.

“Nothing, but my morality. Whatever, you decide that’s worth.”

Irkish actually smiled at the comment.

“I would say a lot if any of the things Arthur or Luna say is true. And frankly, I’ll take any excuse not to fight you. Judging by what you said, I doubt you will mindlessly start slaughtering kings and queens.”

The general chuckled a little as she said it, but she was definitely being serious. Was that thing they were worried about? That his aspect would make him kill every king. Mash had to shake his head at that idea. If that was going to happen, it would’ve started the moment he got the aspect.

“You didn’t actually think that would happen, did you? Arthur?”

Mash looked over the weary faces and paused on his brother who looked especially guilty. His brother didn’t hesitate to reply.

“No, not now. But as you know, your next advancement could change you drastically. So, the king wanted to know how closely tied to your aspects you were.”

“And the trap?”

Mash couldn’t stop the hesitation from leaking into his voice. He didn’t know if he wanted to hear the answer. What would he do if his brother had been a part of that plan? His brother was quick to shake his head.

“I didn’t know, but I’m still sorry. I didn’t think the king would act so cowardly.”

Hearing his brother admonish the king was surprising. Arthur almost never said anything negative about anyone. The king seemed to know that too as his hand twitched at the comment. Lex coughed, clearing his throat.

“If it was anyone else, you would not think the same. And I had to take the chance. Mash, you have been on a rampage. Both in terms of your leveling speed, and the way you’re affecting the world. Kings and Gods are moving around you. The meeting that the Empress is setting up is growing to a ridiculous degree. Not to mention what your doing just at this moment.”

Lex had more to say than just that. Even though his ploy with Walter had failed, it still seemed like he had a lot of complaints. Mash couldn’t help but think the king was acting a little too casually. However, their discussion didn’t last much longer after that. Mash felt like this wouldn't be the last time he saw Lex or his negotiator.