Stella could not believe what was happening. Raven had told her everything that he knew of Phoenix the Fire Lich. He was a hero. The Fire Lich, thought to be a bringer of doom, was a warning that all was not right in the world. It started with the surfacing of the fabled Lich King, who was a lich that created himself, sacrificing his own body and retaining his mind, yet still becoming a monster. He had powers over death itself, and raised an undead army to cleanse the world of the living. The denizens of the Crevasse would then be free to raze the world as it was known, and from the ashes rise to create their new home.
The denizens, of course, were demons. The Lich King's goal was to revive Archleon and bring the demons back from the Crevasse. No one knew why the Lich King would want this, but it also did not matter. The demons would then exact their vengeance on the beings that had defeated them in ages past, and nothing would remain. While Phoenix had destroyed the Lich King before this could come to pass, he was too late to stop the evil monster from breaking into the very place Stella was intending to go. Once there, the Lich King had done something that allowed demons to return without the aid of a vessel to dwell within.
After listening to the story that many of the higher ranks already knew, she was more convinced than ever that the place beneath the castle would bring the answers that she was seeking.
'And to think, I would not have come across this at all if Faradeigh had not brought it to my attention.' Stella realized.
She stopped for a moment when the thought of Faradeigh entered her mind. It had saddened her when she learned that Syrah found that she would never be able to look at him the same way again. Stella really had hoped that Syrah had found someone that she could be happy with. Yet, for some reason... Stella was glad that she did not harbor feelings for the powerless warrior. The very thought wrecked her frame with guilt, yet that was how she felt on the matter.
"You can either follow me, or tell me to drop the issue." Raven blurted, "None of this in-between, hesitation stuff!"
He was hastily leading her towards the castle dungeons, the place where she would find the Fire Lich in question. She recognized the corridors, and knew that they were fast approaching their destination. Even though it was not yet quite sundown, the candles in the castle's halls were already being lit. There were not too many people roaming around near the dungeons, but those that they did come across paid them no mind. One servant did ask if the Princess would like to have some tea waiting in her bedroom, something that Stella had respectfully declined.
Still, despite everything that was going on, and despite where she was headed to... she could not find it in herself to drop what Raven had said.
"I'll have you know-" Stella began to correct.
"Come on Princess!" Raven called, turning his back to her and pressing forward.
'Why do I get the feeling that he wasn't referring to me by title?' Stella inwardly groaned as she followed the fallen half-angel.
Obviously, she had spoken too soon. It seemed as though Raven would be able to get away with quite a lot around her.
"Faradeigh?" Stella asked, finding him already present when she arrived in the dungeons.
His back was turned to her. In fact, it looked as though he were about to turn into another corridor. The guards were instructed to allow Corvin's Blades through as they wished, regardless of the reason. There really was no point in having it any other way, as a Blade of Corvin with the will to enter would cause much more damage forcing their way in than they would if they were simply allowed past. They were much more powerful than standard warriors after all.
However, before Faradeigh could answer her, the sound of thudding footsteps came from the hallway Stella and Raven had just entered through.
"What is that?" Faradeigh asked aloud, having not recognized the noise.
"You coming or what!?" Asked a voice from further down that Stella recognized as Cornelius. "I didn't bring you here so you could get cold feet on me!"
"Someone's coming!" Faradeigh shouted back.
"So what?" Raven asked in general, "People are allowed to be here after all."
Syrah sprinted into the foyer before anyone else could say or do a single thing, much to the Princess' surprise. Stella had wanted to put her own thoughts into the mix, but decided that asking why her friend was present was more important.
"Syrah... It's good to see you, but... what are you doing here?" Stella asked, confused.
"Forgive me milady I was jus- What are you doing here?" Syrah responded.
"I.... uh, well...." Stella started, not anticipating having to lie.
"Well this is awkward." Cornelius pointed out as he stepped into the foyer and bit into an apple. Evidently, he had been eating it for some time as the fruit was little more than a core by this point.
The room became silent save for the obnoxious chewing from the Dragon Lord, which Stella suspected he had been doing on purpose. Cornelius finished his apple and threw it to the ground when Faradeigh, of all people, broke the silence.
"I've got matters to investigate, so..." Faradeigh spoke before walking down the hallway.
"Wait!" Cornelius called before following, "You have to let me do the talking!"
What was said next was inaudible due to the echo across the walls, though Stella guessed some sort of playful argument had broken out. Despite how Faradeigh was around new people, he had a habit of creating interesting relationships with them... and dragons for that matter. Raven did not seem to enjoy the silence and took after the other male warriors.
"Look Stella..." Syrah started. "I know that you are The Black Rose. I figured it out when you just showed up one day, and joined Corvin's Blades. Just out of the blue. I think... I think I always knew... And looking back, I don't believe that you ever even attempted to mask your voice. I'm sure others know as well... But, I still cannot figure out why you are here or why you would do such a thing."
"Syrah... I..." Stella muttered. "I'm sorry."
"I don't want to hear it Stella, I think I understand." Syrah consoled, "But I must ask one thing. Why did you want Faradeigh here so badly?"
"I... I'm not exactly sure." Stella responded. "We met on the day I first became The Black Rose, years ago, but I had not seen him since. At least, not until Glenwood... He was obviously a demon slayer and had useful knowledge... but there's something else as well, I know it. I suppose I wanted him aboard so that I could figure that part out."
"I see..." Syrah replied with a sigh. "I know you were investigating matters with Faradeigh, and I know that you may even agree with him. Know that I am unsure. However, my own investigations have given me a personal stake in the matter. With your powers... I was wondering whether you actually believe Faradeigh, or if you are wishing to investigate something for yourself as well."
Now this shocked Stella. While she knew the claim itself should have been bold, and perhaps even offensive... it was not. In fact, it got Stella wondering if her words were in fact true. Was she curious of her own powers? Was she so desperate for answers that she was willing to believe in any excuse that could bring her closer to such knowledge?
At first Stella denied this, reminding herself that she was interested in Faradeigh's theory long before she had any idea of where the investigation would lead her. Yet... the beginning could be explained by her yearning to spend time with the dragons. To spend time with...
'With who Stella?' Her thoughts seemed to ask her.
Stella shook her head free of that voice, deciding that perhaps there was a personal stake in this adventure for her as well. But why did that have to mean that she was only there for herself? Why did it have to be impossible for her personal interests and what was right to line up together? The world was not painted in black and white, but was rather many shades of gray. Sometimes to do what was right was to do what was selfish, and sometimes people had to do wrong things for the right reasons. Stella supposed this was one such time for the former.
"Perhaps I do have a personal stake in this." Stella confronted. "So what? Regardless of my involvement, there is a risk here that we cannot afford to ignore. It might be selfish of us to seek this knowledge, but we need to know more if we are to have any hope of finding and defeating our enemy. I know why I am here. Why are you here?"
"I may not believe, but I know it is a risk we cannot take." Syrah affirmed. "I am coming because I know for certain that it will yield something! So, I can afford to take this leap into the unknown. Faradeigh and I may not be on the best of terms right now, but I can at least trust him to do the right thing. Yet, going it alone as we are is madness. So I took the liberty of inviting the members of our team, and the Alpha team."
In an almost poetic sense of irony, Valiant, Castor, Devon the Black, Dester, and even Thayo had traversed into the area. Everyone was accounted for, and everyone was armed. Stella's eyes widened at this, and Syrah chose that moment to inform Stella that she had told them all of her little secret. The exposure was an unwelcome feeling, but she knew the time would come to reveal her true self. She just had not expected for it to be so soon, nor had she expected that Thayo would be brought into this. Ever since she first lay eyes on him, the Princess knew that she did not like him one bit.
However, there was much more to consider than her hatred for one individual. Syrah had not seemed to like him either, so if he were present then perhaps there was a good reason for it. Taking a breath and calming down, she went over what she and Syrah had discussed, and came to the conclusion that she should reveal her secret identity to the entire castle upon their return.
"I guess I should change for the occasion." Stella reported as she made her way to the arsenal, thankful for a brief moment of respite.
There was some talk about her, and discussions of how they were foolish to have not figured it out sooner. Stella hoped they were wrong about that last fact, as that would mean that she had been much too obvious. If that were the case, then there was no telling just how many others would know. Was it even a secret anymore? Or even more frightening... was it ever a secret?
Her investigation had truly gone places. What started out as a nagging thought on Faradeigh's mind, had turned into weeks of studying books, questioning of peers, and the eventual plan to descend to a place she did not even know had existed until recently. All of that time she had been living above such a place... and all of that time the Fire Lich had been a great hero. She wondered why Phoenix was not properly celebrated as a hero while she changed into her Black Rose garb. Stella also knew that there had to be a good reason that it was not made common knowledge. The investigation was at its end... It was time to take a leap of faith and traverse into the unknown. What lay next, Stella did not know. But she was more than ready to find out.