Rena wrestled with dreams. These dreams were plagues of her mind and in her better interests, these infectious ideals should be buried in the bowels of her psyche. Her Blessed Star hummed as it devoured her essence and stored her strength away. The familiar ebb of her life force was something she didn't admit she missed. Her eyes adjusted to the low light of the Medical Wing. The floor of the Citadel was occupied by nurses who made their rounds and they smiled at her as they passed. She glanced over to the form of Ana, who rested on her back.
She felt nothing. There was nothing which bound Rena to Ana in any way. Gelehrter's disappearance had sent waves through the Justicar. Those who were given clearance on her case were sworn to secrecy, but papers left about in complacency were easily committed to memory. Rena shook her head in dismay, but left the more complex aspects of it for later.
Ana raised her head and turned her gaze to Rena in wonder. The familiar flame of her innate curiosity still hummed within the depths of her eyes, but it remained only a shadow. Gelehrter had shared a bed with her before his disappearance, but it is unknown whether she would remember due to her condition. The puzzled expression seemed to always be present when she was awake, a side effect of an altered memory.
Several nurses approached the pair and checked their vitals. They paid special attention to Ana and stated her condition in hushed tones. From their body language, she surmised that nothing had changed since they were placed in the Medical Wing.
"How are we doing today, Rena?" One of the nurses attempted small talk.
"I am doing well." She answered cordially, but refused to bite. The nurse's fingers ran along her arm and rested on her wrist for a few moments. Another placed a thermometer for her to bite on and she took it begrudgingly.
"Have you seen anything new with your friend?" Another voice which she identified as Gavilis. He had accompanied them and she shivered at the thought of him slipping in unnoticed.
"Nothing. Ana hasn't shown anything new." The lie was firm, but it would not escape his notice. He normally would buy into it and search further into it, but this time felt different.
"You've been holding back. I know what it is you're holding onto and I would like to hold onto it." Gavilis pressed and she glanced about. The nurses were halted.
"You're using illegal magic in public."
"No one can prove that save for you and you are in no position to blackmail." Gavilis barked. "Gelehrter was exchanged for you, where is his Soul Cube?"
"It should be where you left it." Rena shook her head and buried her nervous reaction. Her arm tensed as she countered it trying to fidget. This did not escape him and he leaned forward, his emerald gaze piercing through her.
"Do not think you've escaped with the Soul Cube, we can always put you back." His threat struck a chord within her that she had not experienced.
As suddenly as he appeared he vanished. The nurses resumed their checks and hadn't skipped a beat. Ovelia strode from the entrance of the lift, her gait accompanied by a fellow Justicar. As they removed their hood, Arden's inquisitive gaze found her. Warmth which had filled them before were lost in the mask which she adorned so well. They waited patiently for the nurses to wander to other patients who demanded their attention. Arden retrieved a pair of stools and placed them close to Rena's bedside.
They took their respective places and Arden waved a hand over a quill. The feather danced as it dipped itself into a nearby inkwell.
"We've a few details to discuss before we get to the meat of our conversation. Do you know what happened to the Soul Cube?" As the latter of her words left her lips, she hushed her voice.
"I've no idea. I left when you did." She calmed her need to fidget.
She glimpsed the emerald gaze pierce through her again and her eyes darted to the entrance of the lift. The image of Gavilis vanished as the elevator took him away to parts unknown.
The quill halted and Ovelia pretended to read over the document which was prepared by her adopted daughter. Their minds pierced through her defenses and stepped into her psyche. She waited for them to take a seat there as well and reality was mimicked in this space. Their eyes glowed an otherworldly blue in the late afternoon light.
"We have made a change in our plan. I've made a few agreements with the Council to help root out an informant. There are a few traps set, one of them being the Soul Cube. It's gone missing, so that is one piece to the puzzle." Ovelia continued after a brief silence. "It is crucial you cooperate, for it could be our one chance to steal deeper into the Lower Sector."
"You and I will go instead of the entirety of the Justicar. They will hide out in the city and we will draw them out." Arden pointed out a simple fact as she nodded in reassurance to Rena's puzzled look. "We've worked together before. It'll be some time before the operation goes into full swing and when it does, I need you there with me."
The words "...need you there with me..." struck a different chord in her than she anticipated. She simply nodded.
As Rena blinked, she found herself beside Ana once more, who sat up in her bed. The girl she had known from before had a different air about her. Even as she thumbed through a Manual of the Justicar Way--which Rena thought was odd, but remembered that she kept a copy with her nearby on periods of inactivity--she seemed to be more precise. She chose specific chapters in the manual than she normally would have, as if she...
"...Were the one who wrote it."
"Pardon?" Her tone shifted, but it was otherwise Ana's voice.
"Do you know what you are reading?"
"I can read, if that is what you are asking." Ana remarked. She stopped on several places which Rena had marked with slips of loose parchment. "I see that this gets plenty of use."
"Erm, yes, of course. It is good to be reminded of what you've been taught."
"Yes, it is." Her answer sounded matter of fact. She was known for her rough demeanor, but otherwise kept to herself. Ana focused on the page before her for a few minutes and reached for another copy of the same book. She matched the pages in both books before turning back to Rena, who stared at her dumbfoundedly.
"There has been no changes in these books since they were written." Ana commented and appeared to be as shocked as Rena was confused.
The whistling of the wind danced through the open windows. Curtains billowed about with the wind and shared an intimate dance. The pair were left to their own devices for a time before the doors opened again. Arden returned with a couple of worn wooden swords. She tossed one to her friend, who caught the weapon with ease. They stood adjacent to one another and took their respective stances.
"I'll be coming by to make sure you are in shape before anything happens." Arden lowered the tip of her sword to the ground and pressed it against the floor as she spoke.
"You know how I feel about sparring." Rena shook her head, but obliged her friend anyhow. Ana picked up one of the books and attempted to cover her eyes with it.
Arden lunged forward and opted to feint to the right, kicking up with her leg to block an incoming parry from Rena. Their blades clashed after a blur of movement and their breathing eased.
Rena's eyes widened as a fist crashed against her chest and her Blessed Star activated to block the blow. The partial attunement to her frame staggered her and she retaliated by adjusting to the force behind the strike. She pushed off with her foot then thrust forward with her shoulder. The charge fell true. Time seemed to halt around them as Arden recovered hastily.
"Ana has been acting strange lately."
"I know, I took some notes while she was occupied. Her book choice is vastly different than normal."
"There's little to go on." Arden deftly stepped out of the way and kept her senses acute.
"All the same. Gelehrter was the last one to know anything of Ernald's whereabouts and he was lost in the Lower Sector for quite some time. There could be something happening here even though we are unaware of it." Rena's explanation fell onto Arden like a ton of bricks. Rena didn't dare to hold back when she sparred with her good friend and as her wooden sword clashed against her shoulder, the weapon shattered like poorly worked steel. Arden shrugged it off and smiled at her.
"I'll be back everyday. Let me know how your nights go with her, for I will be doing reconnaissance during that time." Their mental link was severed and she raised her hand in reassurance. "Have a good day, Ana."
"Aye, you too, my lady." Ana watched her go and attempted to lift herself onto the side of the bed. Rena rushed to assist, but was brushed aside. Chimes danced with the wind as the sun slowly drifted behind the mountains. Scarlet eyes pierced through the darkness as the windows shut as an invisible barrier formed around the building. The night echoed with the sounds of distant bellows, the crimson lights flaring with rage as malevolent entities brandished their weapons in the night. Rena imagined the gigantic cannons finding their targets with ease and the perpetrators blown to bits, the image of the violence sent shivers down her spine.
Nurses did their rounds during the night and several stopped by Ana's bed to ask her questions.
"Have you been feeling alright, nothing unusual?" The question hung in the air while she worked her vitals.
"Aye, nothing unusual." She shook her head to affirm her answer. The nurse checked her watch then motioned for Rena to follow her. She appeared to reach for a book in her satchel, but as Rena approached, her voice was low as she addressed her. There was audible concern in her tone.
"We've been monitoring her. The growth is abnormal and we fear for her health. There are no records of her lineage save for Eisener, who had taken her into his home. He had no records officially, they were obtained with Justicar reports... We must have her consent or another appointed representative sign for her in case she goes into labor." Rena wore shock like another mask, but in her heart of hearts she knew it to be true.
Rena lowered her head and nodded. She reached for a quill and hastily scrawled her name across the page. The nurse smiled at her, mouthing the words, "You're doing the right thing, you know?"
She departed shortly afterward. There was a hollow feeling attached to that phrase and it was something Rena would have to bear.
The feeling refused to leave her as the weeks wandered on. During a duel with Arden, which became part of their routine and she felt her strength returned with pleasing results. Her commune with magical energy had been fruitful, her body flowing with renewed fervor.
Time slowly wandered by as her rigorous training continued. Their practice blows slowly ventured into the avenue of danger and they echoed into the veil of twilight. Rena witnessed Arden's prowess firsthand and still the frustration of the effortless bubbled from deep within. Their blades cackled as they clashed, their dark uniforms shining with the Blessed Star. Rena aimed primarily for her opponent's limbs, the malicious intent boiled from a familiar memory. Her blade flashed with a brilliant display of savagery as she swept to the heavens in a crescent. Arden turned the steel aside with her bracer and she knocked the blade away.
"What is the issue, friend?" Her partner grimaced and nursed her arm. "I've not seen you fight in this manner before."
She lowered her head, but refused to reply. There was hatred in those strikes. Rena stood upright and prepared another volley of strikes. Several moments as their impromptu duel raged on she found herself plummeting into the abyss. Its blaze enticed more strength from her frame than she could recall. The warmth licked her boots as she danced about the entrance, her sword gaining a will of its own. Arden's shortsword danced as well in tandem with their unique rhythm, sweat beading down her brow. Her smile spread across her visage and it was in this moment when Rena struck that horror welled from realization.
The tip of her blade pierced into the Blessed Star. A gigantic crack formed at the center of her uniform as its defenses were breached and as the darkened robes faded away, Rena fell into the dark. Arden quickly reached for her holy weapon. Solstice gleamed in the evening light as it kissed the air and ignited. The fiery blade nicked the edge of Rena's sword and it shattered into thousands of pieces.
Her comrade sheathed both of her swords and faced her friend amiably. Rena felt a pang of guilt smother her in its embrace and she watched her friend's armor rebuild itself in seconds. She appeared poised to strike again but it was the innate fear of the Mortem which stayed her hand. A few seconds passed as she replayed the final moments of their match, recollecting the speed which her friend drew her enchanted blade.
"You've refused to answer my question." Arden reminded her. The fragments of her sword melted and then turned into flecks of dust. She gripped the hilt tightly and scowled.
"Mortem scum..." Her hate bubbled forth in a whisper twixt clenched teeth.
"What did you say?" Arden pressed and took a few steps closer.
"Nothing." Rena bottled her anger deep within her psyche. "I am sorry...it appears that I am anxious to begin our mission."
"You will get your wish soon enough." Arden's words held a different meaning then. It was under her dark thoughts that she swallowed their intention and she warped it to her liking. They tasted sour and frothed in her stomach, Rena's mind wandering away. They spoke their normal goodbyes and agreed to return with another weapon at another time. The world seemed leagues under the sea as she entered the Medical Wing.
The curtains danced hand in hand with the wind. Ana perked up as Rena passed and she reached out to her.
Guilt stung Rena like an annoying wasp. It swelled from the puncture and throbbed as Ana's hands grasped hers. She halted immediately once the warmth of her soft skin caressed hers, but all the same it felt alien and unearned. Their eyes met and Ana returned her gaze lovingly.
"What is the matter?" Ana cooed. She turned away and settled into her bed. The Blessed Star faded away and she felt the linens of the hospital bed caress her skin.
"Training today was rigorous like always."
It was then that Rena delved into her own mind in the dreamspace. There she was safe. In her mind was a place where she knew she could be anyone or anything she wanted. Her dream took her to the innards of the Soul Cube. An infinite void welcomed her and she took stock of the many vestiges of herself working tirelessly in the emptiness.
Rena stood in the midst of her misery and began to cackle. Her memories flooded through and beyond her into the void, her dark eyes widening maniacally. The void brought comfort and it was there that she raised her blade to versions of herself. They turned to her with their swords, her mind racing fanatically as she minced her past into a sea of blood. Gallons of her essence gathered into a solitary figure which formed a few yards away. Orbs of the rising sea stared back at her.
Her gut beckoned her to flee this new thing. It was new. New was different and in her mind different was terrible. She only wished to face herself and her inhibitions. The array of terror surged through her as she turned to flee. Mounds upon mounds of corpses of herself barred her retreat and the figure could only advance. Matter passed through the silhoeutte while she desperately made her attempts of bounding over the gargantuan piles. Her boots absorbed residual blood which flowed from the bodies like small creeks and she slipped.
Instinctively she turned around to see the figure looming over her. It was then that she raised her hand to form the intricate symbols in the air. She expectantly waited for the magic to form as the incantation left her mouth. Rena scrambled away when there was no effect. Her boots grew heavy and she trudged through the rising ocean of crimson.
And yet, the silhouette kept pace. The figure seemed to be toying with her, at least...in her own mind. This was her own mind. How could she not command it?
This question burned into the bowels of her psyche, her entire being devoted to debunking this phenomenon. She glanced over her shoulder to find the silhouette now burgeoned into a gargantuan figure. Judgement reared its ugly head and it was then that one of their hands reached down to her. Rena extended her arm and finally her arcane incantation found its mark. A massive burst of divine energy shoved the arm upward and the limb evaporated into dust.
Millions of voices cried out from the figure's maw. Their shrill cries resonated deep within Rena and she stared on in horror as it bent down to engulf her in its jaws.
Her eyes shot open and she slowly rose to sit in her bed. Ana slept soundly a few feet away in her bed. Rena stared intensely over her friend, her dark eyes drinking in her figure. She pulled her sheets away and padded over to her bedside. Her hand hovered over her arm and she turned away finally. The Blessed Star activated, her dark armored robes flowing forth from the symbol emblazoned on her chest and Rena solemnly spoke a few words. Flames ignited from her fingertips and she thrust down with all her might.
A barrier deflected her magic and deactivated her armor. She shook her head. A parasite which shields their host. Strange. Rena's dark thoughts raced with possible solutions to the anomaly but was halted by movement from the corner of her eye. Garbed in white robes, the silhouette immediately struck fear into her. The familiar sapphire gaze from her dream stared into hers, the pale skin appearing to shine in the dim light as they approached. She knew all too well the being who stood before her. Her hair shone brilliantly as she approached slowly.
"You know of the Soul Cube and witnessed its mysteries, yes?" Her voice seethed with a certain madness and her smile spread from ear to ear. "Then you know all too well of his sins. He fears the rampant disease which is the vampire. He wishes to eradicate them for no other reason than for them being abominations. They are people too, yes?"
"Y-Yes..." Rena replied feebly. She habitually reached for her blade and glanced at Ana. She sat upright and her eyes were held fast, her mouth agape. She reached out to her and fell from her perch to crumble into dust. The chamber began to dissolve into a vast array of colors and lights as the figure loomed over her now. Its feminine features seemed to swell and ebb into nothing before the room returned to normalcy.
"Then you must take Ana and give her the Soul Cube. With this artifact you may stand against Arden and all the Mortem who still live, including myself." The figure gestured to herself and then pointed downward. "I wait for you in the Citadel's dungeons. Free me and we shall take Sanctuary and give all Her Children a place... Take this as well, it is a formidable weapon, but use it wisely, for it will devour you and all who stand in your way."
She held aloft an ordinary red scabbard. No jewel or trinket adorned the simple crossguard hilt as well, the weapon appeared to be an ordinary longsword. Rena extended her hand to its handle and a shiver slithered up her spine as her fingers tightened around it. The sword seemed to seethe with malignant intent as it kissed the air and drank in the night. She felt the sting of a thousand needles prickle her skin, her magical armor appeared to soften and recoil as the needles bared their fangs. Rena's fist tightened around the handle, her resolve melting into despair. The weapon drank her life essence hungrily and the combined drain of the sword and her weapon caused her to nearly faint.
As soon as the sensation filled her with dread it vanished. Her dark eyes scanned the room and she found the weapon still in her hand. It's dark edge seemed to wear the cloak of an ordinary blade and it's sinister tendrils were burned into her mind. Ana remained in her bed and slept soundly.
Rena reached forward and shook Ana gently. The woman's eyes and rolled about before she jolted awake. Her emerald eyes were wide with anticipation for a fight, but she sighed in relief to find Rena standing over her.
"We must leave." Rena offered no explanation despite Ana's eyes pleading desperately for one. "This is not our place any longer."
She sheathed her new blade and took her wrist. Ana appeared eager to join her. They padded along to the lift and it met them as they approached. She hesitated but followed through with Ana in tow. The box jostled for a few moments before it descended to the lower levels. Their ears rang with the eerie silence which pervaded all of Sanctuary, the usual hustle of the Sanctuary's mighty Citadel seemingly absent. A few moments later and the darkened dungeons appeared before them. They ventured out into the blackness, their eyes adjusting quickly. Rena followed her memory down each hallway and suddenly halted when she heard the faint echo of a sob. She finished a hasty incantation for a globule of light which illuminated dully above her head.
Rena approached the slab of steel and peeked inside a small slit in the door. It's cold surface tickled her skin as she pressed against it for a moment. Habit demanded she activate her Blessed Star and she obliged.
She found a woman in the center of the chamber. Her body was hunched over in a fetal position, but she was not rocking to and fro. A quick scan of the room revealed no immediate threats and she hastily tried the door. A light shone in the corridor as it washed over her body.
"Justicar Rena Arlene identified. Proceed." The door hissed slightly as it opened to reveal the hunched frame of Accalia. She turned slowly over her shoulder to peer directly at Rena. Her eyes flashed with the familiar dull sapphire glow of a Mortem, her blood boiling at the sight of the rotting figure before her. As Accalia rose to her feet slowly, her arms revealed the unholy decay which crawled through her fingers and throughout her body. Her smile spread across her face as she staggered toward her.
"Come to me...let me aid in our destruction. Sanctuary will be undone as it has always been. Rena Arlene, you who have suffered in the bowels of the Soul Cube, join the vampires in their crusade!" Accalia's voice tolled as it reached Rena. She shook for a few moments as her mind began to process the amalgamation of her duty as a Justicar and the prospect of joining her sworn enemy. It was at this moment she felt a deeper desire rise from within to kill all Mortem. The eradication of the most powerful family in all of Sanctuary to cleanse it of the bred hatred which plagued it eternally. "With Ana in your company, we can start with Ernald when he is born."
Thousands of moments flashed before in her mind. Her boot pressed onto the chest of her dear friend Arden and her blade would drink. Ovelia's head would roll through the Council Chambers and shortly after Gavilis's. Not for any of their wrongdoings toward her but to the people of Sanctuary for perpetuating a conflict for many millennia. Their vengeance which trailed the loss of the mighty Ernald and Eloise would end in a righteous fire after the enemy which they so feared drank from their bodies like wine glasses.
"Take me there."
In a brilliant flash of white light the floor beneath them began to dissipate. In an array of arcane symbols they were engulfed by millions of tiny hands which pushed them into the floor all at once. They were swallowed by the gaping maw as it encompassed the chamber and as it took them, Rena turned her head to peer over her shoulder.
"Justicar Overlord identified, Arden Mortem. Proceed."