Staring at the blood pouring from my mother's chest, the sword gleaming in the Empress's hand, I screamed.
Tears blurred my vision. My throat burned as I shouted at her, powerless — yet something inside me stirred. Dark. Violent. Hungry.
It wanted to kill her.
And then… I saw it. My mother, smiling at the Empress, even as life slipped away. And the Empress? She looked terrified.
I jolted awake, breath hitching like it always did. That nightmare never changed. That day never left me.
Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, I called out, "Liora."
The door creaked open, and in came the maid assigned to "serve" me — or more like, spy on me. Whether it was the Emperor or the Empress who placed her here, I'd stopped caring.
"Y-Yes, my lady?" she asked, trying to sound calm. Still afraid of me. Good. Fear made her useful.
"Tell His Majesty I'm going on an adventure," I said coolly, pulling on my cloak.
Her eyes widened. "My lady, you can't just leave the palace without a proper reason—"
"Oh?" I tilted my head, smiling sweetly. "Wasn't it His Majesty himself who said I need to 'learn to control my magic'? That's what I'm doing. Being obedient."
She stammered, "I… I see."
"Also," I added, slipping on my boots, "ask him for some gold coins. If he wants results, he can at least fund the effort, right?"
"…Yes, my lady," she mumbled before scurrying out.
After packing only what I needed, I stepped into the garden to clear my head before leaving. The air was thick with the scent of roses, and just as I reached the marble path—fate decided to play with me again.
The Empress.
Seraphine.
She moved like smoke and silk, surrounded by her ever-loyal maids. I froze for a second, then offered a stiff bow, just deep enough to avoid accusations of disrespect.
"Your Majesty," I said, my voice smooth but distant.
She stopped just a few steps from me, her expression unreadable. Then, with a small smile, she spoke:
"Funny," she mused. "The wind changes every time you step outside. Like the world holds its breath when you walk."
I blinked, unsure whether it was meant to be a compliment or a curse. "Maybe the world's just nervous," I replied, voice soft.
Her eyes narrowed, almost amused. "It should be."
There was a flicker of silence. The maids behind her avoided my gaze like they thought my eyes could curse them on sight. Maybe they could.
"You're leaving," Seraphine said, more a statement than a question.
I nodded. "His Majesty wants me to work on my… control."
"How admirable," she said, brushing an invisible speck off her sleeve. "I do hope you succeed. Magic like yours, left unchecked... can be so messy."
"Then it's good I'm cleaning it up," I said with a polite smile, but the edge in my voice wasn't subtle.
Her gaze locked onto mine like a dagger being sharpened.
"Be careful out there," she said, turning to leave. "Some things can't be controlled — and some powers… don't like cages."
And with that cryptic parting gift, she swept away like a storm that didn't need thunder to be deadly.
I ignored the Empress's cryptic words — I wasn't in the mood to play her games.
Turning on my heel, I walked back toward my chambers, mood thoroughly ruined. The sun no longer felt warm. The air no longer felt free. That's what she always did — turned everything cold with just a few words.
I picked up my satchel and turned to Liora, who stood stiffly by the door.
"Did you and Kael pack everything?"
She nodded quickly. "Yes, my lady. All essentials, as you instructed."
"Good." I slipped the small glowing crystal from my pocket — a teleportation gem, laced with runes and power far older than the Empire itself. A gift from the Emperor. Or maybe a leash in disguise.
We activated the crystal, and in a flash of light and wind, we vanished from the palace gates.
When the world settled again beneath our feet, we were standing in the heart of Virelia — the city of illusions, trade, and secrets. A place where you could buy magic, sell your past, or disappear entirely if you knew the right alleyways.
The streets bustled with enchantments and masked vendors, shimmering wards hovering in the air like invisible butterflies.
It was beautiful.
And dangerous.
The smell of spices and old parchment filled the air as I walked deeper into the heart of Virelia's lower market — a place where the stalls shifted, and streets changed depending on who you were… or what you were running from.
I stopped at a crooked little tent tucked between two glowing crystal lamps. The sign read nothing. Literally, it was just a blank wooden board, hanging slightly askew.
Inside sat an old woman, hunched over a worn table stacked with scrolls, maps, and strange trinkets that buzzed softly like they were alive.
"I'm looking for a map," I said cautiously, my hand already hovering over the dagger strapped to my thigh.
Without a word, the woman slid a dusty, hand-drawn map across the table. The paper shimmered oddly under the light — like it was drawn in moonlight instead of ink. The cities moved when I blinked. Roads changed directions.
"This… is not a normal map."
"No map worth having is," the woman rasped, voice like the rustling of dead leaves. "But this comes with something else. No charge."
She placed a small object beside the map — a silver pendant shaped like an eye, but cracked down the center. Inside, behind the crack, something pulsed faintly. Like it was… breathing.
"What is this?" I asked, hesitating to touch it.
She smiled, and I swear for a second her teeth weren't human. "It finds what is hidden. Or hides what is found. Depends on the bearer."
Cryptic. Classic.
Against better judgment, I took both. Slipped the pendant into my pouch, rolled the map under my cloak.
I looked up to ask another question — but the stall was gone.
Gone.
The lamps flickered. The space where the shop had been now filled with vines and dust, like it had never been there at all.
"Virelia," Kael muttered behind me, stepping closer. "Remind me again why we came here?"
"Because answers hide in places no one trusts," I whispered, fingers brushing the strange pendant through the cloth. "And so do monsters."