The Age of Solace: The Silver Wolf

Chapter 7: Preparations

Princess Stella Rosenguard had only just made it back to her room. She was exhausted, breathing heavily as she looked upon herself in her mirror, still clad in her black clothing. Creating portals was exhausting to do over such long distances. It was also a skill that she preferred to keep secret, even as her alter ego.

'The Black Rose...' Stella thought to herself, 'It'll be a while before I see you again...'

As she thought this, she began to strip out of the black combat clothing, making her way to her wardrobe where she procured a regal white dress. She had done this so many times that she had mastered the art of donning the horridly useless garb. Once she had the dress on, she proceeded to fold her black clothing and hid it away. There was a loose floorboard underneath her bed that served as the perfect hiding spot for her stuff. She would have to find time to wash them later.

To play off on her appearances, she had to fix up her hair and apply her makeup. It was an exhausting process, but one she had been raised with. She knew what her duties as a Princess were, but her blood and soul yearned to be on the battlefield with her friends and with Corvin's Blades.

Picking up one of her catalysts, she summoned a blade and looked at it from a variety of angles and poses. She no longer felt any exhaustion, even after using her abilities to open a portal back from Glenwood. She was certainly getting stronger.

'But not strong enough...' She thought to herself as that previous mission entered her mind, causing her blade to shimmer and fade.

With a sigh, she picked up the second catalyst and hid them along with her Black Rose clothing. That mission... she thought she would be ready to handle whatever was thrown at her. She had read so many books. Stella Rosenguard was more knowledgeable of demonology than any researcher or scholar she had ever met, had trained both her body and mind, her powers were strengthening... yet despite this, a mere illusion had brought her to her knees. She had been the one whom needed to be saved...

'Faradeigh...' Stella thought, recalling the one that had caused so much commotion in Glenwood.

Her findings revealed that a lone traveler had been investigating, finding, and slaying spirits. What made those particular events odd was the fact that spirits could hide from even demons if they so wished. To find out how he was doing it, she donned her Black Rose garb and followed the stranger. One night, he was attacked from behind by a spirit, with no way to know it was there and no way to counter. But then a silver wolf appeared in between the two and signaled for the stranger's attention. Her eyes had widened at the sight of course, but more surprising to her was when he drew his weapons. In his left hand was a familiar looking demon knife. No two demonic weapons looked alike and there was only one person whom she had witnessed wield that one. He looked to be about the right age as well.

After that, her mind was set. She decided to lure him into her mission with Syrah, in order to give her an excuse to nominate him as a candidate to join their cause. She cursed Syrah's stubbornness, as she still had to throw the idea out there. There was something about that boy, and the only way she would ever find out was if she were able to watch him up close.

More intriguing... while she was upset he took so long to intervene in their mission, she now had to admit it was the perfect opportunity to do so. He knew that demon woman by name... it was possible he felt her presence and waited for her to use that hex before stepping into the fray. It was also possible that he was observing them out of curiosity and jumped in only when the situation became dire. Either way...

'Most men are so simple...' Stella thought critically, 'Always about fame, fortune, or fulfilling their desires... Cornelius, bless his heart, is the perfect example of this. If only he would take his duties more seriously, like his sister. And Syrah... why must you be so hard on everyone and yourself?'