"We're running out of time."
Elsinore whispered to herself, crossing her arms across her chest as she shivered with cold. Her fingers dug into her arms, the skin breaking along the tips of her nails. Rivulets of blood ran down, soaking the sleeve of her prison uniform, the pain of the injury dulled by her inner panic. Pacing back and forth around her cell, she stepped in the fluid dripping off her clothes, tracking red footprints on the well-worn floor.
The illusion of Sophia sat on her bed, watching her with a bored expression. "Pretty sure we have nothing but time, living contained in a cell like this."
"SHUT UP!" Elsinore glared at her sister's image. "You heard her! Erin is going to MERION!" She threw up her hands. "Merion! Why would she do this to me? I swore never to return there!"
"Is that what happened?" Sophia tapped a finger to her cheek, "Why do I seem to remember that you were banished?" She grinned, jumping to her feet and walking towards her. Her ghostly image tracked over the pooled blood without disturbing it. "But sure, you can pretend it was your choice to not return. Definitely not your punishment for betraying the country... and selling me to the Devil."
Elsinore clutched her head, trying to ignore the voice of her dead sister, knowing it was her own illusion magic, her own delusion. "Roderick is planning something... why else would he bring her there of all places? No! We have to kill him before its too late!"
"Is that what you told my daughter?"
"She's betrayed me." Elsinore paced faster, her eyes wildly looking around the room. "She's lost focus. So many years. So many sacrifices. And now she's forgotten everything and abandoned me?!"
"You mean she's finally looked to a future beyond killing her father? Wanting to survive, get married, have a life that's about more than just one horrible man?"
"IT'S ABOUT AVENGING HER MOTHER'S MURDER!" Elsinore screamed at the figment of her imagination. "AVENGING YOUR DEATH! THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!"
"Elsinore..."
"SHUT UP!" She waved a blood stained hand, unsure if the dripping fluid was real or not, her gaze focusing inwards. "I haven't lost sight of the goal. If she won't kill him."
"Sister..."
"Then I will. "
There was a moment of tense silence, broken finally by the screams of the guards outside.
"Fire!"
"The whole building's burning!"
"Here, this way!"
The door to her cell opened, several armed men ran in, their eyes wide, staring at nothing. Elsinore smiled, spreading her hands widely.
"Why thank you, gentlemen. You've served your purpose beautifully."
The men looked at each other with confused expressions, that slowly changed into ones of horror as their minds fell prey to her magic.
"The witch escaped! Don't think you can run away!" Facing off, they drew their weapons, each striking the other accurately, and slumping to the ground. Even as they died, their faces were confused, unsure of what was real and what was not.
"Illusion is so close to reality, isn't it." Elsinore chuckled, stepping over their quickly cooling bodies and walking out the door. "You really shouldn't be fooled by such simple lies."
"You're one to talk!" The image of her dead sister snorted with laughter, but she ignored her.
"Let's go."
She walked down the hallway, her pace casual, unhurried as if she were walking in her own home on her way to tea rather than a bloody hellhole.
Along the way she was attacked several times. They never got near her, striking uselessly in the air as they were caught in her magic again and again. One man brushed passed her, and slumped with shock as she restricted his magic. He had time to scream in fear before dying under the confused attacks from his fellow guards.
The building was burning around her, the heat singing her hair as she passed by.
Elsinore passed by the bodies, the carnage, the destruction of her captors, and she quietly began to laugh.
"Sister..." The illusion of Sophia tried to reach out, but Elsinore could no longer hear her as her laughter grew louder and louder.
She walked out of the door, turning briefly to enjoy the sight of the government building that had been her prison going up in flames.
The fire burned brightly against the quickly darkening sky, the smoke filling the area. Elsinore watched it with fascination, unsure if it were truly burning or not. The guards had fired multiple blasts of flames, it was possible that one of them had begun it accidentally, destroying her former prison. But it could still be her illusion magic, Elsinore simply wasn't sure.
Not that it mattered either way.
Beyond the crackle of the flames there were no other sounds, everyone else beside Elsinore was dead. She leaned her head back, taking a deep breath to calm herself as her laughter died out.
"Roderick... I'm coming for you."
Finally he would pay for his sins.
Only then would she truly be free.
_____________________
Olivia and Frederick sat in the front car of the magical transport, each enjoying the trip in their own way.
Olivia was looking out the glass window, watching the scenery as the large metal locomotive moved forward, skimming across the sand as if it were as slick as ice. Resting her chin on one palm, she was a picture of calm. However, every once and a while she would shoot an annoyed glance further into the metal car where a banging noise could be heard.
"Frederick I swear, if you break this transport and we have to walk to Merion, I will destroy you."
CLANG!
An even louder noise filled the small space, as if to mock her threatening words, and a grease-stained Frederick poked his head up from a small compartment in the floor where he had been happily working.
"Really, you will destroy me?" he grinned. "You and what army?"
Olivia studied her nails, ignoring his sarcasm. "It's strange...I seem to remember during our last sparring session one of us being defeated... badly." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Like, so badly it was humiliating."
"Ugh, please don't..."
"I wonder who that was again?" Her grin was vicious.
Frederick glared. "Fine. Point taken. But keep in mind, I'm not breaking anything!"
"Really? That banging noise I heard was you just passively observing?"
"No, but all I'm doing is trying to get a closer look at this mechanism." His eyes brightened. "It's incredible to see a magical artifact like this, something so huge but it moves so smoothly!"
With one hand gesturing further down into the space below the floor, he continued to excitedly explain. "A level 5 earth artifact like this is the stuff dreams are made of. It actually combines several different magics involving the connection between the vehicle and the ground as well as speed adjustment, terrain variability..."
"STOP!" Olivia gave up. "It's so boring. Please don't make me listen to another hour long lecture on the wonders of artifacts!"
"This isn't just an artifact!" He argued back. "This is a work of art!"
"Still boring."
"How about we compromise? You listen to me gush about how awesome this artifact is, and in return, I'll let you talk as long as you want about a topic you want."
"Fashion."
He winced at her immediate answer. "Really?"
"It's that or we talk about the many horrifying and disgusting ways the human body can break down and how to fix them with healing magic."
"..." Frederick sat their silently with a pained expression.
"Well?"
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking!" He gave a long sigh. "Fine. Fashion it is."
Olivia rubbed her hands together. "This will be fun!"
"Okay, but first I get to talk about this artifact."
"Deal." She stuck out her hand, which Frederick grasped and shook briefly.
"So, the first thing I love about the mechanism of this particular artifact..."
"Hey you guys!" Christopher interrupted Frederick's impassioned words as he walked into the car with a pleasant smile. "Enjoying the trip so far?"
Frederick and Olivia didn't turn to face him. Frederick looked back down at the hatch with a frown, while Olivia pulled out a filing board and began touching up her nails. Neither bothered to respond.
"It looks like you were studying the engine?" Christopher noticed the open hatch in the floor, his cheerful expression fading a little. "That could be very dangerous, I really wouldn't advise that."
"Don't tell me what to do." Frederick snorted with laughter. "I know what I'm doing. If I want your opinion on something that you actually know something about, I'll ask for it." Rubbing his head with one hand, a trail of grease was left on his forehead.
Olivia pulled out a handkerchief, cleaning him off. "That's bold of you, assuming he knows something about any topic."
"Don't be silly!" Frederick flinched at her scrubbing, but rolled his eyes and finished letting her clean off his face. "He knows a lot about a ton of different subjects!"
"Like what?"
"How about flirting with everything that moves like a dog in heat?"
She nodded solemnly. "You're right! How could I have forgotten?"
"There's also harp playing."
"How about fiancé stealing?"
"Puppy murdering?"
"Hey!" Christopher broke into their back and forth with a frustrated groan. "I thought we had agreed to put that awful nickname behind us?"
Frederick nodded seriously. "You're right. It was getting old. We need a new one anyways."
"That's not what I..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "Never mind. I'm looking for Erin. Where is she?"
Olivia and Frederick glanced at each other, and then answered simultaneously.
"She died."
"Who's Erin?"
Christopher's face was twitching, he seemed to force himself to hold a friendly expression.
"Guys, can you tone down the hostility? I'm her fiancé. It's not like I'm trying to hurt her."
"You think this is hostility?" Frederick laughed. "That's cute."
"I'm really a friendly guy once you get to know me."
Olivia laughed. "Just keep telling yourself that, Kitten Killer."
"Ooh I like the new nickname!" Frederick politely applauded.
"I thought the alliteration would give it a certain flair."
"It certainly did."
"WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC!" Christopher's voice was raised. He paused, seemingly shocked at the crack in his normally impervious polite mask. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he continued in a more reasonable tone. "Look. I'm just asking a simple question. Do you know where Erin is, or not?"
Olivia stood up, her face grim. "I've been wanting to say this for a while." Her finger raised in the air, poking Christopher's chest hard enough to force him to step back. "Erin is a better person then you or I will ever be. She's my best friend in the whole world and I would crawl naked over broken glass before betraying her again. So no, I don't know where she is, I will never know where she is." She glared. "At least as far as you're concerned."
Christopher stared back at her, confused. "What do you mean again?"
"Olivia, you don't have to tell him..." Frederick tried to interrupt, but Olivia quickly took over.
"No. He should understand this." She turned back towards the golden haired young man with a frown. "I made a mistake. I let myself be used by Erin's enemies. I used an artifact to steal other people's powers and let her take the blame. I even kidnapped..."
"YOU USED WHAT?!" His earlier calm completely erased, Christopher reached out and grabbed Olivia's shoulders, shaking her back and forth, silencing her. "You stole other's powers, leeched their magic, and she FORGAVE you?" He snorted derisively, his face still red with rage. "Impossible. She must not have realized what you were doing! Otherwise she would have left you, there's no way..."
BAM!
Frederick had moved, almost faster than the eye could follow, and pushed Christopher away from Olivia, slamming him back against the wall of the transport. His fist slammed against the wall, fire magic blazing around his fingers.
"Don't. Touch. Her." Frederick looked calm, but his eyes showed the anger just underneath the surface.
"What, no quippy jokes?" Christopher raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconcerned by the burning fist mere inches away from his face. "How unlike you."
"Just keep going in this direction, and I'll give you something to laugh about."
The young man sighed, looking tired. "Fine, fine, I can take a hint. I'll go away. You can stop threatening to set my hair on fire."
Frederick stepped away slowly, the flames around his hand sputtering out, and Christopher turned and left through the door towards the next car without another word.
"..." Olivia stepped forward, a complex expression on her face. "Thanks for that."
"No problem." Frederick shrugged with a grin. "It's not your fault you're so weak that you get bullied by everyone else... but it's more fun if I'm the one who gets to do it."
"..."
"Olivia?"
BAM!
"OW!"
_____________________
"You okay?" Gerald reached over from his seat across hers and held Erin's hand between his own. They had grabbed their own passenger car after Frederick loudly complained about their public display of affection blunting his cynicism and hatred for the world. Erin had rolled her eyes at the time, but was now appreciating the space. The car was quiet, with only the low rumble of the engine moving the transport to break the silence.
She shrugged, staring out the window as the land raced past.
"I'm not sure what's ahead, but worrying about it won't change anything. We have to face it."
"Hey at least the worst is behind us." At his words, she turned to look at him incredulously.
"What do you mean?"
"EXAMS ARE OVER!" He pumped his fist in the air, a goofy smile on his face. "I'm so happy we survived."
Erin sighed. "Even ignoring the fact that you somehow have placed exams as the worst thing after we have faced murderers, assassins and entire ARMIES together... you do realize we still have to take final exams at the end of the year before we can graduate?"
"..." Gerald stared at her, looking shocked.
"You forgot, didn't you?"
His only answer was a sad groan. Chuckling, Erin patted his cheek. "Don't worry, I'll help you prepare."
"Well at least there's that."
They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, both watching the scenery from the window.
"Gerald, I'm worried." She leaned her head on his shoulder, taking comfort in his warmth.
"What's wrong?"
"I think I'm starting to lose control." She rubbed her forehead. "It used to be easy to keep things hidden, keep things restricted, but now... It's like something is unbalanced inside me. How many times have I destroyed whole buildings since we've returned?"
"I mean, I'm just saying, if your father and that brat of a fake fiancé would leave you alone you could stop rearranging the school architecture, ..."
"Maybe it's from using Aunt Elsinore's magic for so long... maybe it's something else. I don't know..."
"Well maybe we can ask her... have you heard anything from Aunt Elsinore?" Gerald asked her quietly.
Erin shook her head. "No, not since our last conversation, even though I've tried several times to contact her." Her hands curled into fists. "Do you think..."
"Think what?"
"Think my father got to her?" She closed her eyes. "She's never been out of reach before... and now I worry..."
"Erin..."
"That she'll end up just like my mother."
"ERIN!" At Gerald's shout her eyes sprang open. The window next to them was cracked, the seat around her torn to shreds. It looked as if a storm had raged in the tiny passenger cabin. Erin stared around her, feeling shocked.
"You see?" She reached out, gently touching the cracked glass. "Ever since we fought that army, even the artifact isn't doing much anymore."
Gerald sighed. "Your magic flows a lot more easily now then it ever did. With my level 5 Insight you glow like a sun. The amulet holds back less and less each day."
"It was always supposed to be a temporary solution. But I need it to shield things for a little bit longer. A foreign country is not exactly the best place to confront my father."
She sighed, placing her head in her hands. "I think he suspects my true powers already."
"Well, I'll contact my parents, ask my people to look into what's happened to Aunt Elsinore."
Erin smiled at his attempt to comfort her. "Really? It would make me feel a lot better to know she's safe."
"Of course! I'll call them as soon as we arrive." His head snapped up as he finished talking, seeming to sense something, as he turned towards the door of the cabin with a furious expression.
"No need."
The words were spoken quietly, barely audible within the passenger car, but the effect on Erin and Gerald was instantaneous.
She leapt to her feet, her face pale and angry, every muscle in her body tense and ready for a fight. Gerald also stood, putting his body partway between Erin and the new arrival, his posture clearly communicating an intent to protect as hers was to attack.
General Roderick smiled, the expression causing cold chills to run down Erin's spine. "Sit down. We're not going to fight here."
Reluctantly, Gerald and Erin sat back, down, this time on the same side. Slowly, her father walked closer, sitting across from them, casually looking around, ignoring the increasingly tense atmosphere.
"What did you mean by 'no need'?" Erin's mind was racing as she thought back through their conversation. What had he overheard? How long had he been standing there?
Gerald squeezed her hand reassuringly beside her, and Erin calmed down slightly, with his insight there was no way her father could sneak up on them easily.
"Your inquiries after your aunt." Roderick's smile widened. "I'm afraid she's no longer to be found in her government residence."
"You mean her prison."
He ignored her interruption, continuing. "She burnt the whole place down, killing all of my men."
"..." Gerald and Erin stared at each other in shock.
"I assume you will see her soon enough, so need to waste the time looking for her."
"What do you...?"
"She'll be on her way to kill me." Even as he discussed her aunt's murderous intentions, he seemed... bored. "I expect her sometime in the next few weeks."
Erin stood up again, struggling to hold in her magic as anger took hold. "You could be lying. She might be still imprisoned, injured, or...or dead..."
"Oh, Éirinne." He threw back his head, laughing. The sound filled the room, filling her with unease. His eyes met her own and she nearly stepped back at the sense of danger. "I have no reason to lie. She means nothing to me. Her hatred, her desire for vengeance, mean even less to me than yours."
At these words he turned to leave the room, almost running into Christopher.
"FINALLY! Erin, I've been looking for y..." The golden-eyed young man trailed off as he stopped in front Roderick. His face paling, he sketched an elaborate bow. "Pardon me, General."
Her father frowned, stepping back away from him as if wary of being too close. "Be more careful in the future."
With that, he was gone, and Erin could breathe once again.
"Well, at least you're good for something!" Gerald grinned, although the expression was strained. "Driving away nuisances like General Roderick."
Christopher shook his head, looking offended. "I didn't drive him away! He was already leaving." Hesitating, he took a step towards Erin, who stared impassively back at him.
"Erin, can we talk alo..."
"No." Her answer was short, she turned away from him to face the window. Undeterred, Christopher stepped forward again."
"I just need to..."
"I cannot tell you how very little I care for what you want or need to do." Her gaze met his, and Erin didn't bother to hide her rage. "Leave me alone, and you can still leave in one piece."
"..." A silence came over the room. Gerald stood at Erin's side, arms crossed. He didn't comment but his posture made it clear he supported Erin's words. Finally, Christopher sighed.
"FINE." He threw up his hands. "Just bury your head in the sand, try to pretend the world isn't ending. I'm trying to save it, but you are so wrapped up in hating me, that you can't see it!" His face for once did not hold his pleasant, masklike smile but a snarl of frustration. "You know what? Forget it! I'm tired of all of this. You can come crawling back to me when you regret it, and hopefully it won't be too late. "
He turned to walk out, but paused to say one last thing.
"How could you be so different from your mother?!"
And with that he was gone.
Erin felt her head spin, and unsteady, sat down, clutching the edge of the window for support. The seat cushion underneath her began tearing, the wood groaning under the strain as her poorly controlled magic bent it away from her. The spider web cracks deepened on the window, the frame warping around it.
"Erin, are you okay?!"
After a long, uncomfortable pause, Erin looked up at Gerald, trying to take deep breaths, to control her emotions, her magic.
"How does Christopher know my mother?"