[User] Smaller countries might collapse, and it would mean all-out war with the Four Great Nations. Lanak would never stand for that, though. Depending on how things go, we could see a death toll that exceeds the Dark Age.”

[Assistant] “You mean…” Renart shuddered to realize he was standing at a turning point in history.

[User] Evidently remembering something, Tinasha suddenly changed the topic. “Oh yes, how are you coming along with what I asked you to do?”

[Assistant] “I’ll have the forty obsidian stones for you by today. Tomorrow at the latest.”

[User] Tinasha nodded. “Just to be safe, you should make yourself your own defensive array, too.”

[Assistant] Renart inclined his head in silence. While he wasn’t a suicidal man, he felt he should give priority to his lady, not himself. Despite the fact that he’d so brazenly thrust his vow of loyalty on her, she’d smiled and accepted it. Renart intended to repay Tinasha no matter what it took.


[User] A new voice that slithered from behind the shadow of a pillar wonders, “Now what could you two be discussing?” As its owner emerged, Renart scowled without realizing it. There stood Chief Mage Bardalos.

[Assistant] The king had forbidden people in the castle from having excessive contact with Tinasha, but Bardalos took every opportunity to engage with her. For someone like him with such a bloody past, the fact that Tinasha had such immense magical power residing in such a slender body caught his attention and incited a sadistic interest. He made no attempt to hide his desire, and Tinasha stared him down with eyes as cold as ice. “I’m thinking of making a necklace. I asked him to gather some stones.” She stated, inclining her head back at the foul man.

[User] Bardalos’s lips curved up in a smirk. “A necklace, eh…? Yes, obsidian would look very nice against your hair and eyes. But shouldn’t a bride wear a different color? Like pearly white…or garnet red?”

[Assistant] “I’m not sure about red for a bride.” The witch replied, trying to pass by Bardalos.

[User] He stepped squarely in her path so as to bar her way, however. His already narrow eyes clamped down even further, giving him the countenance of a hungry reptile. “I think red would look wonderful on you. It’ll match the color of your blood. I’m really very interested in knowing just how beautiful those organs hiding inside that lovely body of yours are.”

[Assistant] “Go ask Lanak.”

[User] Even Renart didn’t quite understand what that meant. He glanced at her, but she appeared as cool and unaffected as always.

[Assistant] “Get out of the way.” Ordered the witch.


[User] “Or if you’re a baby who can’t walk on his own, perhaps I’ll move you myself.” A gleeful smile spreading on his face, Bardalos took a step back and cleared the way.

[Assistant] Sensing that something was off about that, Renart shielded his lady with his body as they passed by.


[User] For four days, Oscar had joined war conferences in Tayiri’s castle, and he was quickly growing fed up. He had suffered through many meetings, and not a single one had resulted in dispatch orders. Prince Reust was the biggest obstacle. Despite holding primary military authority, he merely parroted the words “We need to act carefully.”

[Assistant] Oscar was close to the end of his rope and wanted to point out that it was Tayiri who asked for help fighting in the first place. As if that weren’t bad enough, Reust’s younger sister, Cecelia, followed Oscar around every day, testing the limits of his self-control.

[User] Finally, he turned an exasperated look on the gorgeous princess and asked, “What do you think you’re doing here?”

[Assistant] “Am I not allowed to say it’s because I wanted to see you?” she replied with a sweet smile.

[User] Looking at her was enough to give Oscar a headache. His mind full of cynical thoughts, he stared back at the young woman.

[Assistant] Later, I am going to lecture the hell out of whoever let this woman into my room, thought Oscar as he bit back a sigh.

[User] His obvious annoyance must have shown in his attitude, because Cecelia arched an eyebrow, got to her feet, and sauntered over to him. Leaning against the armrest, she moved her poisonous red lips to whisper in his ear, “Don’t make that face. When you act so cold to me, it gives me certain thoughts.”

[Assistant] “Oh? Like what?”

[User] "That mage woman who followed you around in Farsas—that was the Witch of the Azure Moon, wasn’t it? It could be quite damaging to your position if I was to make that known,” she breathed.

[Assistant] The look in her eyes was challenging, and Oscar pasted on a smile in return. He’d known someone was liable to deduce that eventually, but how had Cecelia managed it?

[User] “So? Feeling a bit differently now?” Cecelia purred. She peered at Oscar while gleefully enjoying her advantage.


[User] Looping her arms around his neck, Cecelia snuggled close to him. Her perfume was cloyingly sweet. Oscar tipped up her chin and drew closer. Then he pressed his lips to hers. It was not a short kiss, and it was soul melting in its intensity. Intoxicated with her victory, Cecelia drank of it deeply.

[Assistant] After a while, Oscar pulled back to murmur in her ear, his low voice reverberating through her body. “Why do you think that? It could have been someone who looks like her.”

[User] “You won’t be able to weasel your way out that easily… I saw her myself. There’s no way I’m mistaken.”

[Assistant] Oscar trailed his fingers along Cecelia’s white neck. He could feel her blood pumping under her soft skin. “Where? I don’t believe you.” he said.

[User] At that, she let out a shrill laugh. “Do you truly desire that enchantress that much? She’s a witch, so I suppose she uses magic to make men into her slaves. She visits my brother every night, you know. What a trollop she is. I don’t think she even knows I’m watching.”

[Assistant] “…What?” Oscar almost crushed Cecelia’s windpipe in his hands. Restraining himself just before he did, he pushed her off and got to his feet. Cecelia was left in a daze, and he grabbed her chin and forced it upward. He stared down at her, no trace of sweetness in his gaze at all. “Tell me where Prince Reust’s room is.” Oscar demanded in a tone that was not to be disobeyed.


[User] Reust had asked the witch to come back the next day, but in truth he hadn’t actually expected that she would. Against all expectations, however, she did indeed return the following night and the one after. She floated beneath the moon, seemingly just out of reach. Each time she visited, she explained to Reust how foolish it was to discriminate against others. Sometimes she used roundabout comparisons, while other times she was more direct and brought home how truly hurtful it was. Not once did she look down on Reust or plead with him. Her voice remained ever calm and plain. The witch never remained too long, either. When she was finished answering his questions, she vanished. Reust never wanted their time to end, though. Each night he would insist, “If you don’t come tomorrow, I’ll send out the troops.”

[Assistant] “If you don’t come tomorrow, I’ll send out the troops.”

[User] How much better would it have been if he could have said, I want to see you again; I want to talk with you? Unfortunately, the woman he longed to see was a despicable mage of an enemy country. Saying such a thing was tantamount to betraying the history of Tayiri. Reust absolutely refused to cross that line, even if he’d been the one to set it for himself. Despite that, even Reust himself could tell he was wavering.


[User] He didn’t know if it was because of her or because of what she told him, but as their conversations continued, he began to falter in his belief that mages needed to be killed. Only three days remained before the two-week grace period the witch had set ended. If he could hold off his troops until then, something would surely change. Reust went out onto his balcony and looked up at the night sky.

[Assistant] Someone knocked on his door. “Reust… It’s me.”

[User] While he was suspicious of why she was visiting him so late, he went back inside and unlocked the door. He tensed in shock.

[Assistant] “…What do you want…?” He squeaked out the words.

[User] Behind his pale-faced sister stood the young king of Farsas, sword in hand. A tiny red dragon was perched on his shoulder. "Was it not your country who asked that we slay the witch?" There was a provocative look in Oscar’s eyes.

[Assistant] Reust gleaned the man’s meaning, and his whole body froze. He stood there petrified, and Oscar slipped past him into the room. He went right for the balcony, and Reust chased after him in a panic.

[User] Sensing that Oscar’s attention was no longer on her, Cecelia beat a hasty retreat.

[Assistant] “Stop! What is the meaning of this?” He shouted at the intruder on his balcony.

[User] “Play dumb, and this is only going to make you look bad.” He replied indifferently, drawing Akashia. The blade caught the moonlight and glittered an argent shade. A sword that killed mages. Tayiri could not have wished to own a finer weapon.

[Assistant] In that moment, Reust regarded that blade as the most accursed thing he had ever seen. Everything inside him screamed not to let the witch face her natural enemy. How was he to warn her, though? While Reust was thrown into confusion, Oscar stared up at the sky. The air beneath the moon began to twist and warp. “Don’t come over here!” He yelled up at the sky. Oscar opened his mouth to cry the witch’s name. However, the woman with dark blond hair who appeared was one neither recognized.


[User] “I wondered where you were going every night. Is that really what you were doing? !”

[Assistant] “Yes…” Pamyra was appalled, while the witch looked disillusioned. Tinasha leaned against the back of her chair and grumbled replies to the woman hurling a litany of questions at her. “He doesn’t seem that stupid. but he has some comprehension problems… He always says, ‘I don’t understand, so come back tomorrow.’ It’s proving entirely too difficult to change his beliefs. I give up.”

[User] Pamyra watched Tinasha stretch as she voiced several complaints. A wave of heavy exhaustion crashed over her, and she let out a sigh. “You don’t have to listen to him, you know. You’re too easily swayed by pressure.”

[Assistant] “I’m sorry…” She said, hanging her head guiltily. She picked up one of the obsidian stones laid out on the table.


[User] Next to her, Renart was polishing them as he shook his head in disbelief.

[Assistant] Pamyra planted both hands on her hips in a show of indignation.

[User] As soon as Tinasha told her the whole story, she knew that the crown prince of Tayiri had fallen for the witch. The only one who hadn’t realized that appeared to be the witch herself. Pamyra wanted to tell the prince off for daring to request continued meetings Tinasha. The witch was a busy woman. She didn’t have time for fools.

[Assistant] "But if I can soften his attitude, I’m sure it’ll help those mages of the future.” Tinasha mumbled as she turned over a piece of obsidian. “Mages can be born of non-magical parents. There will be no end to tragedy unless Tayiri changes its ways.” She lamented the situation even as she sighed.

[User] Pamyra and Renart grasped their lady’s intent and felt heat rise to their chests. If mages were born only to magical parents, Tayiri’s history of oppression would have ended a long time ago. All magic-using families could have left the nation, and Tayiri would be free of magic. The trouble was, magical aptitude wasn’t determined purely by blood. About half of those children born with magic ended up hurting themselves or their surroundings if they didn’t learn how to control their powers. The seeds of tragedy could be sown anywhere in the world.

[Assistant] A faint smile on her face, Pamyra faced her lady with a gentle expression. “In any case, tonight you should focus on creating magic implements. We don’t have much time left, so I will go to the Tayiri prince and put an end to this. Tell me the transportation coordinates.”

[User] “Put an end to what…?”

[Assistant] “………” While baffled at just how clueless her lady could be, Pamyra succeeded in obtaining the necessary information for the teleport.

[User] Tinasha watched Pamyra with concern as she drew the array. “If something happens to you, I will come.”

[Assistant] “You don’t need to worry. Renart! Please keep a close eye on Lady Tinasha!”

[User] “I would’ve done so anyway,” he answered.


[Assistant] With that, Pamyra transported herself to Tayiri’s royal castle. After appearing aloft in the night sky, she peered down and spied a castle, its gardens, and the crown prince’s balcony. Two men stood on it—and one of them was holding a sword Pamyra had seen in books.

[User] “The royal sword of Akashia…the Mage Killer…” What strange string of events had led the wielder of such a deadly weapon here? Pamyra didn’t have to ponder the answer. “You plotted this!” she cried. Her head flushed with heated anger, and she threw her hands out in front of herself. A powerful light bloomed before her palms and quickly began to spread. The woman who’d teleported in had immediately recognized Akashia and was filled with rage. A white glow burst forth from her hands.

[Assistant] Clicking his tongue in irritation, Oscar swung his sword once and dispelled the magic. “Nark!


[User] “Capture her!” He commanded the dragon on his shoulder.

[Assistant] Heeding the royal decree, the little scaly thing immediately began to grow larger. Mid-flight it expanded to the size of a small house, raking its sharp talons at the woman.

[User] Staggering in the sky, the woman threw up a short incantation to protect herself. At the same time, Oscar flung a dagger at her legs.

[Assistant] The hurled knife was one of Oscar’s usual maneuvers against mages who floated in the air. Its aim wasn’t to cause heavy injury. All it had to do was interrupt the woman’s concentration.

[User] To Oscar’s surprise, the blond woman countered that upset with another spell.

[Assistant] Action: Nark seized upon its opportunity in that instant and battered her with one of its giant wings.

[User] “Ngh, ahhh!” Although the woman shrieked in pain, she remained hovering.

[Assistant] The dragon circled around to claw at her again. Just before its talons caught flesh, there came another rippling and twisting of air. The next moment…a new woman appeared in the sky.

[User] Throwing up a defensive wall to repel the dragon’s talons, she let out a cry of surprise.

[Assistant] “Nark?!” Her jet-black locks rippled in the evening breeze. Her slender body glowed a pearl-white shade in the moonlight. Slowly, she turned to look at the balcony. Her eyes clearly fixed on one of the men there. Looking thunderstruck, she spoke his name. “Oscar…”

[User] “Come here,” he insisted irritably, reaching out to her.

[Assistant] At the offer of his hand, Tinasha froze in midair. She knew he was staying at Tayiri Castle but hadn’t expect to encounter him. Some small part of her had been anticipating that they’d run into each other like this, though.

[User] Stupefied, she stared at the man she’d once shared a contract with. His blue eyes had the power to arrest her. Entirely effortlessly, all her memories of when she’d smiled and laughed in his arms came rushing back. It hadn’t been that long ago, but it all felt incredibly nostalgic now. Tinasha’s lips quivered. If nothing had happened, she might have taken his hand. Before she ever had the chance, another voice broke her trance.

[Assistant] “Run! Now!” Action: Reust unsheathed his sword and slashed at Oscar, who parried it easily with Akashia.

[User] Tinasha remained unmoving.

[Assistant] “Lady Tinasha, we must go!” Pamyra hurriedly grabbed her lady’s shoulder and declared. Action: Pamyra looked up at the sky, and a transportation array floated up. It was a gate meant to transport multiple people.

[User] “I can’t hold it for long! Please hurry!” he urged. Action: Renart’s head popped out from the complex magic pattern.

[Assistant] Pamyra seized Tinasha and ascended with her. Nark was confused by the appearance of its former owner and looked to Oscar for new orders.


[User] After knocking Reust’s sword out of his hands, Oscar shouted. "Tinasha!" In the last moments before Pamyra and Renart pulled the witch into the array and out of sight, she threw Oscar a terribly anxious look.

[Assistant] Grinding his teeth in frustration, Oscar stared at the now-empty spot in the sky where the mages had vanished. That was his one chance…and he’d missed it. He needed to get her back. If he had her, everything else would work out. He’d talk to her, and they could come up with a compromise. Unforeseen interference had sent Oscar back to square one, however. Tamping down the irritation burning him up from the inside, Oscar put Akashia back in its sheath. Nark had miniaturized, and Oscar patted it on the head to thank it for a job well done. Then he glared at Reust.

[User] "Why don’t you explain what’s been going on?"

[Assistant] Reust licked his dry lips. The moon was red. A day of reckoning had come as silently as any other.


[User] "Lady Tinasha, are you hurt?" Pamyra asked, looking Tinasha over with concern once they teleported back to the witch’s room in Cuscull.

[Assistant] All the blood had drained from the witch’s face, and she stared blankly at Pamyra and Renart. After a while, she answered, "I’m fine, but what about you?"

[User] "The dragon’s wing just bumped against me a little. Please don’t worry about it."

[Assistant] Renart rushed to kneel in front of Pamyra. "Are you really okay? You don’t feel unwell?"

[User] "No, I’m fine… It was just a bit of a shock. That’s all." Assured Pamyra.

[Assistant] Frowning, Renart asked his lady. "You know the swordsman of Akashia?"

[User] Tinasha gave a little jolt at that. Some unnamed emotion welled up in her dark eyes. "That’s my… He’s a man I once signed a contract with. I trained him so he’d be…able to kill me." There was something Tinasha wanted to leave in this world, for the history that was yet to come. Oscar had given that to her. He was the king who would build a new era. The witch said nothing more. She closed her eyes and similarly shut out the feeling building within her.


[User] "Aeti, where are you?" He called her name.

[Assistant] Lanak peeked into an alabaster hall.

[User] Her slender arms were outstretched, and a finely woven spell burst forth like a flower blooming.

[Assistant] Giving him a sweet smile, "What is it, Lanak?"

[User] “…Aeti.”

[Assistant] Lanak had come because he wanted to see her.

[User] Lanak knew.

[Assistant] "Lanak?" She was looking at him with her dark eyes.

[User] Swallowing down the bile rising in his throat…and smiled. "It’s nothing, Aeti."


[Assistant] Her voice was in his ears. She gently shook him awake.

[User] Scenes of the distant past fading before him, Lanak blinked his eyes open.

[Assistant] “…Aeti?” he murmured by reflex, and she frowned the littlest bit.

[User] Letting out a deep breath, he straightened his posture on the throne where he’d dozed off. “I suppose I was…dreaming.”

[Assistant] "What kind of dream?"

[User] “A dream of the past. When you were still a little girl…I think.”


[User] Lanak racked his brain trying to recall the rest of the memory that was growing hazy with each passing second.

[Assistant] “How odd. Anyway, it’s already a new day.”

[User] Emotions ran deep in Lanak’s eyes as he looked at the woman. “It’s all thanks to you. Now the land can be at peace. Mages will live their lives without fear.”

[Assistant] The witch, once a little girl, narrowed her eyes as she smiled. “If that is what you wish.”

[User] “…Aeti.”

[Assistant] “Yes?” The low timbre of his whispered call was answered quite innocently.

[User] He didn’t know what he’d been thinking or what he was trying to say. Something bitter had been spreading inside his heart. That much he was sure of. “I’ll protect you, Aeti.” Lanak said, as much to remind himself as the woman. Now that she’d been reduced to a witch, he would protect her from others. He had to. She was now a wretched creature, shunned and despised by all. Lanak nodded with satisfaction at his own answer. However, the bitter taste in his mouth had yet to fully go away.


[Assistant] Oscar had successfully coerced the full story out of Reust and was livid to discover that the Tayiri prince had been so easily manipulated into wasting time. At sunset, Oscar, still fuming, met with the generals at the gates of the fortress. They discussed their marching route for the next day.

[User] Panting and gasping, she hurried to her king’s side and delivered a report. “Your Majesty, the scouts recovered a civilian girl. Apparently, she was attacked by the mages on the road leading from here to Cuscull. Everyone’s gathering in the council room right now. You should come, too.”


[User] Oscar found himself deeply impressed as he listened intently to the tale on his way to the council room.

[Assistant] “I can’t believe she’s unhurt after all that.”

[User] “Perhaps the Cuscull pursuers were merciful because she’s a child. In any case, you should hear it directly from her.”

[Assistant] Sylvia opened the door for her king. Oscar entered and joined a number of other royals and commanders from other countries. Encircled by these powerful people was the young girl.

[User] Immediately, her eyes lit up as they fixed themselves on Oscar. “It’s the prince! You’re really here!”

[Assistant] “…I’m not a prince…,” Oscar muttered out of habit but then decided it wasn’t worth making a point of.

[User] The girl had evidently heard his whispering, however. “Yes, you are! She showed me. She said you were really strong!”

[Assistant] “Showed you? Who showed you?”

[User] “The lady who saved me from the bad magicians. She was really pretty. I couldn’t stop crying, so she told me all kinds of stories. She showed me lots of stuff. She put her hand on my forehead, and I could see all these scenes like they were really happening.”

[Assistant] He sank to his knees and looked the child square in the eye. “Did she have black hair?”

[User] “Yeah. And black eyes. With no light at all, like nighttime.”

[Assistant] He’d expected that answer and let out a little sigh. “Damn that elusive woman…” Standing back up, he placed a hand on top of the thoroughly exhausted-looking little girl’s head.


[User] Oscar gestured for Doan to come speak privately outside the tent. “Is that true?”

[Assistant] "Nothing?”

[User] “Actually, we could sense some faint magic in the vicinity but didn’t detect any spells. That said…if Miss Tinasha set a spell, I don’t think any of us would’ve been able to sense it anyway,”

[Assistant] “I see. I thought so,”


[User] As Oscar was deliberating over the situation, a young woman piped up from behind him.

[Assistant] “I do wish you keep moving after asking me for a favor.”

[User] “…Here’s just the person I was looking for,” Oscar said, turning around to find the Witch of the Forbidden Forest pouting.

[Assistant] Hands on her hips, Lucrezia glared at Oscar. “I went to look at all the towns and cities! It was a lot of trouble, you know!”

[User] “Sorry. So what did you find?” Passing soldiers and commanders glanced over with interest at the beautiful lady having a hushed conversation with the king of Farsas. Oscar and Lucrezia continued undaunted, though.

[Assistant] “A bit of this, a bit of that,” she answered. “It certainly looks like our girl has done something extraordinary. While the citizens appear to have vanished, she’s actually just delayed their time to the extreme and placed them in a pseudo time-suspended state. On top of that, she’s put up a defensive barrier around them and taken away their sense of awareness. They aren’t gone. They’re all still there, even now. Perceptive humans should be able to sense them.”

[User] “Ah, I see…,” Oscar said, remembering how Suzuto had reported the feeling that something was there. Now that Lucrezia had explained it, Oscar understood the cities were essentially full of invisible, intangible people. Tinasha had somehow managed this incredible feat across eight cities simultaneously. He was struck all over again by how fearsome the Witch of the Azure Moon was. Full of admiration for Tinasha, the king asked, “Can you undo it?”

[Assistant] “No way, that would be too much work. Besides, she’s arranged it so that it will wear off naturally with the passage of time. It’s due to expire in another hour, in fact,” Lucrezia explained.

[User] “Seriously? !”

[Assistant] “Seriously. Okay, I’ll be going now.”

[User] “Hold on a second.” Lucrezia lifted her arms to teleport away, but Oscar grabbed one.

[Assistant] She gave him a quizzical look.

[User] “I’m sorry, but since you’re here, I’d like you to tell me if Tinasha has cast some sort of magic ahead.”

[Assistant] “Why me?”

[User] “No one else can.” Only a fellow witch possessed the skill necessary to detect Tinasha’s spell craft.

[Assistant] Lucrezia retorted coolly, “No matter what’s out there, you can’t afford any detours. So it hardly makes a difference. Rest assured, it’s not anything that will kill you.” Then she stuck out her tongue. Evidently, she already knew what sort of spell lay waiting on their path.

[User] Oscar sighed. “So there really is something. Nothing good comes of having Tinasha for an enemy.”

[Assistant] “If you really understood that, you wouldn’t have asked me for help. You’ve got enough on your plate just dealing with her. If she finds out I was involved, too, things will only get worse. Do you want to wring your own neck?”

[User] “I’m not in a position that affords choosiness.


[User] "For now, I can only deal with things as they come." Oscar felt pretty sure he could find a way to silence the other countries.

[Assistant] Lucrezia picked up on his implicit meaning and gazed at him in astonishment. “Stop acting so inflexible. It’ll backfire on you later. If anything, I’m giving preference to what she wants far more than you are.”

[User] "Giving preference? She’s acting with total disregard for her own interests." Oscar shot back.

[Assistant] "Even so, I can’t help you more than I have. You’ll have to figure something out on your own." Lucrezia declared.

[User] Oscar scowled.

[Assistant] Lucrezia gave him information but refused to get directly involved. That was her line in the sand. While it looked like she was forsaking Oscar, she was actually respecting human freedom.

[User] Oscar understood that and nodded, accepting that he wasn’t going to get his way. “Fine. I’ll figure something out myself.”

[Assistant] "What a good boy you are." Teased the grinning witch. Her smile quickly melted away, however. She turned very serious, far more so than Oscar had ever seen before. In a low voice, she said, “She won’t protect herself. You must be her shield.”

[User] “…I know.”

[Assistant] “I’m very glad she has you at this turning point,” Lucrezia admitted, a hazy fondness passing over her amber eyes. The emotion was gone after a single blink, and Lucrezia smiled as wide as she ever had. “Work hard and do your best.” After issuing some rather light words of encouragement, she was gone. Oscar had the distinct feeling that two witches had him in the palms of their hands.


[User] He took a breath to recenter himself, and then he went back into the tent. In the end, it was decided that the fifty thousand troops would proceed as planned along the original route, although they suspected a trap. In expectation of the worst, the royals and commanders were to all ride in the very middle of the formation, however. This included Oscar, who let his other generals lead the march while he surrounded himself with Als, Meredina, Kumu, Doan, Kav, and Sylvia, among others. As long as he had them near him, he knew he’d be able to weather whatever happened. Even if it was a magical trap. Much to the surprise of many, nothing extraordinary happened during the first hour of marching. The commanders gradually began to relax in the face of the uneventful monotony. As the procession soldiered onward, a messenger came running from a battalion stationed at the vanguard.

[Assistant] "No matter how far we go, our surroundings stay the same."

[User] Upon hearing that, Kav murmured wonderingly, “Wow… To set up a blockade of such a huge chunk of space. We had no idea we were going in circles.


[User] “Fairies use similar magic in forests a lot, but this might be the first time in history that one on such a large scale has been accomplished.” More than half of what he said sounded more like a compliment than anything, and Oscar felt a headache coming on. It was almost as if he could hear Tinasha shouting Just go around and around in circles, then! at him.

[Assistant] “Her very existence should be illegal.”

[User] Groaned. “How can we break the spell?”

[Assistant] “Locating its essence and destroying it is the quickest way out. Judging from the scope, Miss Tinasha is not actively maintaining it now. She’s set up sigils and something to use as a core to do that for her. That’s if we can find it first—it’s impossible to see this spell.”

[User] “I can’t see it, either.” They were at a complete loss. Privately, Oscar cursed Lucrezia’s heartlessness, though only just a little. The soldiers had halted, and from Oscar’s position in the center of the march, they seemed to be in quite the disarray. He looked around and saw that the generals, royals, and aides-de-camp were trading information and ideas on how best to escape their trap. His eyes caught sight of Reust, and Oscar made a sour face. It was all because of Reust’s time wasting that things had gotten this bad in the first place. Oscar felt a fresh wave of irritation threaten an angry outburst. Just as Oscar bit it back…a guest arrived. It was a man clad in black mage’s robes. He materialized in the midst of the crowd without any forewarning, and as everyone’s heads began to turn, he bent one knee and made a sweeping bow. In a full, ringing voice, he greeted the army with all due formality.

[Assistant] “I believe this is our first time meeting. I am the chief mage of Cuscull, Bardalos.”

[User] “Wha—?” Several soldiers drew their swords. In an instant, the air was crackling with tension, and Bardalos gave an exaggerated shrug.

[Assistant] “Ah, don’t be too hasty. If you kill me, you’ll never get out of here. This is a fine work of art crafted by the bride of our very own king. I doubt you’ll be able to get out now that you’re inside it.”

[User] “You clown… What have you come here for?” Spat out the general.

[Assistant] Only smiled at the attempted intimidation. He answered with theatrical flourish, as if reveling in his assigned role. “On this fine day, you are all bravely gathered here to make an offer of subordination to Cuscull. I am most extremely and humbly delighted. I would be thrilled to allow you the chance to witness our king’s great act of bringing the entire mainland under his control. If I may be so bold as to escort you…” Bardalos wheeled around to take in everyone surrounding him.

[User] “However, I’m afraid that I am unable to invite each and every one of you. We do have limited seating.


[User] "Yes, I do believe we have room for those of you who are here in this vicinity."

[Assistant] "Who would go along with that?!" Angry cries rise

[User] "Don’t get ahead of yourself!"

[Assistant] The man paid them no mind, a masklike smile painted on his face.

[User] Akashia in hand, Oscar stepped forward. "Fine. Take me."

[Assistant] "Your Majesty?!" Kumu shrieked.

[User] At once, Bardalos flashed Oscar a pleased grin. He spread his arms wide, black robes billowing. A complicated spell appeared before him. "Of course, I can take you… But all the rest must go as well. No one has the luxury of saying no. I’m afraid I rather need you as an audience. After all, you’re—"

[Assistant] "—to be the bride’s hostages." Bardalos sneered ominously.


[User] The transportation spell activated. The gate widened to encompass around fifty people, with Bardalos at the center. Screams and shouts of fright filled the air, muffling the latter half of Bardalos’s sentence. The transportation spell brought them to the middle of a huge, open wasteland. Gritty, sandy air whipped past. They were standing in the midst of decaying ruins. A round plaza thick with sand clouds was half-crumbled away, lined with a row of equally eroded white stone pillars. Much of the stone paving underfoot was cracked and peeling. Ten steps led up the center of the plaza to a raised section. Atop that sat an old stone altar and a suspiciously new-looking empty throne. Oscar stood in the middle of the plaza, turning to observe everything.

[Assistant] "We’ve been ambushed, just like they planned." he muttered.

[User] Everything looked peaceful, appearing as some visage from the distant past. Along the outer edges of the plaza, an arena of circular stone steps towered over them imperiously. The weathered things looked just like petrified flower petals. At present, the many rows of encircling steps were filled with several hundred Cuscull mages. Their chilling gazes were locked on their newly arrived guests. Mixed in among them were quite a few strange-looking creatures, including winged, mid-level demons. Presumably, these had been summoned and put to work. Oscar gazed at the crowd calmly, but the others were frozen in place, whether out of astonishment or fear. Keeping his eyes forward, Oscar called for one of his confidantes.

[Assistant] "Als, what’s your take?"

[User] "Not good. There’s way too many of them and way too few of us."

[Assistant] With only fifty on Oscar’s side, a head-on battle seemed a poor choice. Oscar checked on how his other subjects were doing and then drew Akashia. Pitching his voice so they could hear, he ordered,

[User] "I have a defensive barrier, so don’t worry about me. Protect yourselves."

[Assistant] No matter what happened, Oscar knew he would not die so long as Tinasha was alive. Oscar didn’t intend to let his team die, either, however, and he readjusted his grip on Akashia’s hilt.


[User] A man appeared at the top of the central stairway, flanked on either side by other mages. His white hair caught the eye, and his robes were a magnificent finery unto themselves. He stepped forward with his retinue trailing in his wake.

[Assistant] Bardalos bowed to him and gave way, next to the altar.

[User] Oscar fixed his eyes on the newly emerged man. "Lanak…" When those around Oscar heard his growl, shock crossed their faces.

[Assistant] Lanak surveyed his audience and smiled. "Welcome to the ruins of Tuldarr’s cathedral."

[User] Lanak took a seat on the new throne that rested amid the ruins of a country lost so tragically. "I’ve brought you all here today to share a proposal. At our current place in history, people suffer cruel discrimination and strife. Tayiri, the foremost enemy of our nation, is the greatest example of this. Their god is unfair and fickle. His power does not reach you. Such is why people murder one another. Whether it be hate or love, they kill." Lanak’s voice was even, bereft of both sternness and compassion. The man appeared to be a doll parroting a learned phrase. His eyes even seemed to be made of glass as he cast them down. "But we can put an end to that. No more fighting. That will be the rule. Anyone who can’t abide by it will be punished immediately, no matter where they are on the mainland… I have the power to enforce this."

[Assistant] "What?" Oscar cried without thinking.

[User] The ruler of Cuscull laughed. "I’m sure you know of the five huge reservoirs of magic known as magical lakes. They are formed of natural life energy, magic, and the souls of countless humans. Right now, each one is divided, mindlessly drawing in the life force of its surroundings. But if we use a spell to connect the lakes into a network, it would form a giant web across the continent. Once we do that, I’ll be able to see everything that happens right from this very chair. Even the weather will bend according to my will. Magnificent, don’t you agree?"

[Assistant] Oscar let out a puff of laughter.


[User] "Your Majesty…" Als warned from his spot at Oscar’s side.

[Assistant] "Ah, I’m sorry. I’m fine. I’ll take this seriously."


[User] Lanak stood from his throne and smiled.

[Assistant] "The spell will take about an hour. Waiting might bore you, but I do want you to bear witness. This is the dawn of a new era, after all." The king of Cuscull made sure his audience gasped in shock before breaking into a wide grin.

[User] "Now then, allow me to introduce my bride. If not for her, we could have never performed a spell of this magnitude. I’ll be borrowing her power as the catalyst. Aeti, come here." Lanak waved his right hand, opening a teleportation gate next to him.


[Assistant] Lanak inclined his head, a smile on his face.

[User] "What’s wrong, Aeti?"

[Assistant] "Did you undo my spell?"

[User] "I didn’t. I helped Bardalos bring them here. I wanted them all to see."

[Assistant] "…Ah," Tinasha said shortly, then turned back to give a reassuring smile to the attendants that flanked her. She moved to sit down beside Lanak’s throne.

[User] Tinasha moves to sit down beside Lanak's throne and a rustic chair made of white stone popped into being to catch her, midway through her motion.

[Assistant] Lanak placed a hand on her shoulder. Then he began to chant a slow and deliberate recitation.


[User] As the sound of his incantation echoed off the ancient ruins, Oscar thought about what he should do. There was only one hour until the spell was complete. He had to do something to stop it soon. Simply trying to kill Lanak would incur retaliation from the surrounding Cuscull mages. The other captives would no doubt be dragged into the fighting, too. Worst of all, the enemy greatly outnumbered them, ensuring that Oscar’s side would lose. “I just need an opportunity…”

[Assistant] Oscar looked to his shoulder and saw Nark let out a little yawn. He then turned back to stare at the woman who gave him the dragon. Her dark gaze had dropped to her feet; she refused to meet anyone’s eyes. Oscar wondered what her goal was in all this. Pamyra didn’t let her inner turmoil show on her face and simply kept a close watch over her lady. She’d never thought they’d summon an audience. The mage couldn’t be sure whether that had been Lanak’s doing or Bardalos’s, nor did she want to think about how things were going to play out with this new change to the plan.

[User] "Give me power… Protect us…" Pamyra murmured to herself, praying to anyone who might be listening.

[Assistant] Lanak’s chanting echoed throughout the half-rotted sanctuary.


[User] Four hundred years was a long time. It was long enough to lose your mind, but Tinasha had overcome that. For the first century, she hadn’t been able to stand to talk to anyone besides Lucrezia. Her life had been an endless series of torments, from the loss of her country to the betrayal of the one she loved most. Even after she’d become a witch, there were those who still hunted her down, trying to gobble up everything she had. Tinasha despised everything about those who had let such terrible things happen to her. Eventually, she succeeded in locking away her grief and resentment but gave up on trusting and loving other people in the process. Tinasha feared her searing hatred would return and bring the world to ruin if she ever dared to love anyone again.

[Assistant] After the completion of her tower, Tinasha began to grant audiences to those who overcame its trials. As time went on, she discovered she was starting to like people a little. They were interesting. Fiercely devoted. She was envious of how their lives soared and dipped so beautifully.

[User] So this is what humans are like, she thought. Why am I different? How much more time would have to pass before she could die? Was slowly whittling down her own soul really bringing her closer to what she wished for? Life in the tower was peaceful and never changing. She was free and alone. Tinasha never found what she was looking for, no matter how long she looked. Nor did she know why she was searching. Her time was spent grasping at delusions. Then it came. At last, she found the person she was searching for.


[User] His humming voice was low and pleasant to listen to. It was the voice that had often been her lullaby. His presence gave her the strength to bear her empty childhood. So long as that boy was with her, she could survive being driven into a detached wing of the castle for her studies. It was a sweet voice, one that promised protection.

[Assistant] Tinasha closed her eyes and followed the magic that was being drawn out of her. She felt the enormous spell Lanak was weaving. Once it was completed, everything would change. The spell he was chanting was the beginning of the end. What she wanted lay just ahead.

[User] The sight of his demolished homeland didn’t inspire any longing nostalgia in Lanak. In the Dark Age, the Magic Empire spanned a large territory, yet was also impenetrable by other countries. The king at its head commanded multiple high-ranking demons, any one of which could decimate an army. Lanak had once believed in the future that ancient Tuldarr envisioned. He had vowed to see it done. All those feelings for his nation had died out at some point, however. Perhaps they’d vanished when he realized he was not to be chosen as ruler, or perhaps it was when Tuldarr fell. Even Lanak couldn’t remember anymore. A long sleep had worn his heart and mind thin. Even his very surroundings felt veiled and unreal as he sat on his throne. His one grip on reality remained the warmth he could feel coming off the witch he was clutching. He steadied his breathing and carefully wove together the words of the spell. "Silence drifting on a sea of grief. Countless outstretched hands choose me. Neither morning nor night. Their eyes are everywhere." Borrowing from Tinasha’s inexhaustible wellspring of magic, Lanak crafted the spell by tying together strands of her power. As small spells threaded together, the creation turned massive. At the same time, he reached out across the continent toward the five magical lakes, grasping and linking them. The growing spell sucked up even more magic from the lakes and urged them into harmony with one another. Quickly, Lanak’s conjuration began to extend out to every coast. Huge amounts of force pulsed and coursed, and winds began to eddy and swirl very slowly in the ruins. Amid the growing storms, Lanak’s voice crackled like thunder. "I command the first lake that was born. I am the one who defines. I command you under the name Compassion, which brought you into being. Your location shall be daybreak."


[User] “I command the second lake that was born. I am the one who defines. I command you under the name Jealousy, which brought you into being. Your location shall be morning.”

[Assistant] “I command the third lake that was born. I am the one who defines. I command you under the name Denial, which brought you into being. Your location shall be noon.”

[User] “I command the fourth lake that was born. I am the one who defines. I command you under the name Longing, which brought you into being. Your location shall be twilight.”

[Assistant] “I command the final lake that was born. I am the one who defines. I command you under the name Hatred, which brought you into being. Your location shall be midnight.” Calm feelings surging within him, Lanak gazed down at his bride

[User] Tinasha was staring up at him and perhaps had been for some time.There was a challenging glint in her dark eyes, which made him flinch and recoil.

[Assistant] Lanak stopped chanting. "Aeti, what are you…?"

[User] A smile flickered across Tinasha’s face. She brushed Lanak’s hand from her shoulder.

[Assistant] Lanak stumbled back several steps.

[User] With a radiant smile, she faced him. More specifically, she turned toward the spell configuration he had created. With elegance, she extended a hand. “Come.” In answer to her command, the enormous configuration rushed to her.


[User] Struck dumb, Lanak tried to stop the spell from going to her. He stared at the woman, thoroughly stunned.

[Assistant] “What are you doing?” Lanak asked. “This is—”

[User] With a snort, the woman took in her surroundings She gazed at the ruins of her fallen country with an overwhelming sense of wistful longing. “It’s been so long…” Her clear, lovely voice resounded far and wide. She beamed at Lanak with a smile so beautiful that anyone in the world would’ve found themselves entranced by it. “I’ve been searching for you forever… I really wanted to see you; I missed you. When we met again, I was so happy I could cry.” In her eyes shone honest admiration for Lanak. It was a look not unlike that of love, though not quite the same. Under her slender fingers, Lanak’s complex spell array wavered even more, jerking toward her. From her petal-shaped lips fell a whisper imbued with trembling ardor. “I really needed you… What I truly wanted…was the names of the lakes that only you, as the caster, knew.” The woman’s smile twisted, and suddenly she was someone new. In an instant, she changed from adorable young girl to powerful victor. Her grin was bewitching and cruel. Lanak felt the abyss within her seize hold of him. “I can finally set free the bound souls of the people you killed four hundred years ago—all those poor people who melted into the magical lakes.” A proclamation from the distant past echoed. It spoke of a wish that had survived the passing centuries. Finally, signs of dawning comprehension showed on Lanak’s face. The witch extended her pale ivory arms wide. “Come to me.” The spell was drawn into her arms. Lanak desperately tried to stop it, but it was wrested from his hands and quickly fell under the woman’s sway. With a sweet, beatific smile, she poured magic into the complex array, resetting it. At an incredible speed, the witch transmuted the spell from one that would control the magical lakes…into one that would dismantle and divert them.

[Assistant] “Aeti, you…” Lanak had lost all thought. All that remained in his mind were his few feeble memories. She should have been the person he needed to protect. Once she was a weak, lonely little girl, but now she was a feared and hated witch. She couldn’t survive without him. He had to ensure her safety. Letting her overpower him…was unacceptable. Lanak was waking from his long sleep. Fury and hatred blotted out the dreaming persona. Arising to replace it were the emotions that had been previously frozen dead within him, feelings from a time long since destroyed. The violent, indelible passion that had led Lanak to slice open a poor girl was now surging back to life. “Aeti… Would you betray me again?”

[User] “Betray you? The reason I am still alive today was all for this moment,” the witch declared.


[User] "Now, let the atonement begin!" Her roaring declaration was a link between the past and the present. Furious heat boiled in Lanak. Four hundred years later, this woman was still getting in his way.

[Assistant] "Why, you… I won’t allow it!" Furious, Lanak prepared a spell to attack, but Tinasha effortlessly lifted a hand and diffused it.

[User] "Kill this woman! …No, neutralize her! Cut off her limbs for all I care!"

[Assistant] Tinasha watched Lanak’s pale face contort with hideous fury as she leaped back a few paces. With a nasty sneer, she cooed, "It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you look like that. You’re the spitting image of the man you used to be. Does that mean you’ve finally woken up?"

[User] "You’ve got a big mouth for a little brat!" Lanak spat acidly. Renart and Pamyra hurried to Tinasha’s side.

[Assistant] She glanced at them, then snapped her fingers. Pieces of obsidian appeared, floating in the air all around her. With the same motion, Tinasha pointed at the captured audience still standing at the base of the stairway. Forty of the dark, glassy stones winked out and reappeared in a pattern around the group, forming a barrier.


[User] “Ahhh… I knew it!” Pamyra cried in consternation.

[Assistant] Renart sighed. The stones were infused with spells originally meant to form a protective barrier around Tinasha. Despite her power, she still required concentration for the incantation to divert the five magical lakes. That was why she needed a barrier that could protect Oscar and the others during the intervening time. Both Pamyra and Renart knew, however, that Tinasha was protecting the captives at the expense of guarding herself.

[User] “Go!” The witch hissed to her two loyal attendants.

[Assistant] Fending off the hail of offensive spells that came barreling downward from every direction, Pamyra turned down the command. "No!"

[User] "I refuse." Fending off the hail of offensive spells that came barreling downward from every direction, Renart turned down the command.

[Assistant] Lanak’s huge spell had already activated, synchronizing the magical lakes. If Tinasha relinquished now, a storm of magical power worse than when Tuldarr was destroyed would carve its way across the land. The only hope was to reset the spell and divert the magical lakes. Tinasha was the only person capable of such a feat. Guarding their lady, Pamyra and Renart retaliated against Lanak’s closest followers.

[User] Without an incantation, Renart summoned up a blade of wind. It mowed down two mages still in the middle of chanting.

[Assistant] Pamyra was about to give pursuit when she sensed something and threw up a defensive shield at Renart’s side. Black flames battered against it. "Ngh! Damn you…!" The attack was more intense than she’d anticipated, forcing Pamyra to devote all her strength into fortifying the shield. She stumbled a few steps back and glared at the source of the strike.

[User] “So you really did betray us! How hilarious!” Bardalos loosed another wave of dark fire. This time, he aimed for the witch, who was still deep in the middle of her diversion spell.

[Assistant] Renart hurried to block it, but a second spell came hurtling toward him and rooted his feet to the ground.

[User] “Lady Tinasha!” Pamyra screamed, afraid that Bardalos’s attack would reach the witch. Much to her relief and surprise, however, the shadowy tongues of fire never knew the taste of Tinasha’s flesh.

[Assistant] Looking slightly put out, Tinasha glared up at the man who had leaped to protect her.

[User] "You really need to learn how to ask me for help." He drawled. Before Tinasha stood the one man who could kill her. As Oscar was eyeing the situation at the base of the steps, Als came running up to him, hacking his way through Cuscull soldiers along the way. Doan and the other mages intermittently stepped outside the barrier to return fire against the enemy mages. Nark swelled in size and engaged in an aerial battle against five demons. Of those fifty who’d been kidnapped via teleport, close to half managed to grasp the situation and spring into action.


[User] Bardalos hurled a spear of light toward the man who’d stood himself in front of the witch.

[Assistant] "What? !" Bardalos exclaimed in shock as the magic pole arm merely struck Oscar’s barrier and shattered.

[User] Oscar cast a knowing glance back at Tinasha.

[Assistant] She returned the look while still working on Lanak’s spell. …He’s here. He actually came. Just knowing that was enough to fill her with a curious feeling of reassurance. The back of her throat grew hot.

[User] "What do you want me to do?" Oscar asked, and Tinasha looked down and ran some calculations.

[Assistant] Tinasha looked back up at Oscar, her dark eyes glowed with a light that Oscar knew very well. "Give me as much time as you can."

[User] "As you wish." He replied immediately.

[Assistant] Tinasha nodded. Then she began the new incantation that would overturn everything.

[User] Positioning himself in front of Tinasha, Oscar prepared to square off against Bardalos.

[Assistant] The mad mage grinned with delight. "The swordsman of Akashia, eh? Heard a lot of legends. Wonder how much is true."

[User] "Hmm? I don’t care." Oscar spat out and advanced on Bardalos.

[Assistant] The other man had been expecting that, however, and aimed a sickle of flames at Oscar’s feet.

[User] Instead, Oscar brought down his sword and smashed Bardalos’s magic apart.

[Assistant] Bardalos licked his lips. "You’re pretty good with that. I thought you were just a foolish swordsman who’d let the barrier do all the work."

[User] "I don’t want to make any trouble for her—that’s all." Oscar shot back.

[Assistant] Bardalos sneered as the king again fended off the magic rushing at him with a single sweep of Akashia. "It’ll be interesting to see how long you can keep that up. You might even die without ever moving a single step from where you stand. That sure would be a shame. My first audience with the Mage Killer is certainly turning out to be rather disappointing."

[User] "Sorry to say, but my merciless teacher gave me one hell of a training regimen. I promise you won’t be disappointed, though I can’t promise your survival."

[Assistant] "Bold words. I hope you have the strength to back them up." Bardalos sneered.


[User] With an arcane motion, he summoned up some two dozen fireballs that floated in midair. "Go on—burn to cinders." He cried with glee, commanding a flurry of fireballs down on Oscar. With one eye on his burning storm, Bardalos lifted his right hand to cast his next spell.

[Assistant] "Die." Unbelievable speed, unbelievable distance. A drawn sword glittered before his eyes like a polished mirror. In one motion, Oscar had cleaved through the foul man’s magical defenses and his neck.


[User] “Summon more demons! Kill them!” he howled.

[Assistant] Als came leaping up and quickly struck a mage near the throne down.

[User] "That can’t be true! There’s no way Lady Aeterna would betray us!” rose Tris’s voice above the melee. Unsure and unwilling, she simply stood stock-still in disbelief. As other Cuscull mages teleported to the center of the fight, she was pushed to the back. Finally, Tris tore her tear-filled eyes away from the spectacle and ran off. Tears trailing behind her, she vanished into the wilderness.


[User] "You can’t cut through magic with a normal sword." Doan reminded her, appalled, as he hurled a small lightning bolt at some Cuscull mages.

[Assistant] "Wasn’t it better than doing nothing?" She snapped back as she came in from the left. With a practiced motion, she severed the arm of a mage that’d been attempting to protect himself with lightning. He collapsed to the ground with a shriek, and Meredina continued to move forward.

[User] "You’re going a little too fast. Slow down." Doan calmly cautioned from behind.

[Assistant] Meredina shrugged and took two steps back, only to meet the sharp claws of a lizardman’s swipe. A terrible, metallic screech rang out in the arena. She exchanged three blows with the creature before plunging her sword into its scaly chest.

[User] Another lizard tried to grab her sword, but a Cezar general cut it down from behind and gave a casual wave back.

[Assistant] Meredina pulled the blade out and nodded at the general.


[User] Sword in hand in the middle of the battlefield, Reust looked at the dauntless Farsasian crew and bit back a sigh. He had a habit of losing track of time during fights. One moment would pass in a flash, and the next seemed to lag. It was like wandering endlessly through a fog with no clear exit. As he crossed swords with a wave of advancing demons, he looked up at the witch on the stone platform. Even at this distance, her white dress made her easy to spot. She seemed just as beautiful as ever, even as she chanted her spell. Reust was so caught up in looking at the lovely lines of her face that a small magic spear grazed his shoulder. When he looked to see who had thrown it, he saw a very young mage—a boy, really—scowling at him with fear and hatred.

[Assistant] "Die! Rot in hell, you monster!" The bitter cry was unmistakably meant for Reust alone.

[User] Tayiri had built up this hatred over the centuries. Seeing it right before him in the flesh took his breath away.

[Assistant] The boy sketched a rough spell array, then hurled it at Reust. It became a fireball as it arced through the air, leaving a trail of flames in its wake.

[User] "Is this the result of Tayiri’s sin…?" Faced with a literal burning manifestation of anger, Reust choked out. It was indeed a terrible thing to deny others the very right to live as human beings. Both sides had been born with a twisted resentment of each other. Had the day come for that to end? Was an end even possible? Reust closed his eyes, ready to accept what came.

[Assistant] Before the fireball could consume him, it was dispelled by a mage of Farsas who waved him off casually. "Save the deep thoughts for after this is over, Your Majesty. Right now, our priority is surviving."

[User] "...Got it." Reust answered curtly, though not without sincerity.


[User] Tamping down the bitterness rooted in his heart, he strode up to the mage boy.

[Assistant] Reust drove an elbow into his stomach as the little magic user hurried to prepare another spell. He supported the buckling boy, gently laying him down on the ground. The time to think would come later; for now, Reust knew he had to keep his head up high. He raised his sword, ready to engage his next opponent.

[User] Hurling attacks as they dashed up the stone stairs, Sylvia and Kumu finally reached the top and rushed over to Tinasha. Although she was in the middle of her long incantation, she acknowledged the pair with a smile

[Assistant] Overcome with joy that Tinasha was still her old self, Sylvia nearly broke down in tears. “We’ll protect you. I promise!” She then began to chant a spell.

[User] “O midday star, o nighttime flower. O thing that cannot be seen, breathe. Spiral up.” It was a rather elementary spell that induced sleep. However, in the hands of Sylvia, a court mage, the effect was strengthened to a degree one could only describe as bizarre.

[Assistant] Next to her, Kumu took point in front of the witch so that Oscar could enter the fray. He put up a defensive barrier and listened to the witch’s incantation more closely.

[User] “…A double incantation? !” Kumu yelped in surprise before he could stop himself, and all the mages around him turned their heads. The shock on their faces meant that they’d realized it, too.

[Assistant] “And not only that…” When Kumu realized what the second spell was, he gasped and fell silent.

[User] “This is…from Tuldarr’s coronation ceremony…” Pamyra had come up to him, and she finished his sentence.

[Assistant] As if in response, the witch stretched out her right hand, palm facing downward. A white glowing circle of light appeared around her. It rapidly expanded, stopping at the edge of the stone stairs.

[User] Lanak saw it from his position in the air above the fray, and he seethed with fury. “Aeti! How much further will you go to mock me? !”

[Assistant] Tinasha offered no answer.


[User] Perched from a high vantage point, Doan beheld the incredible display and muttered, “Could that be Tuldarr’s…? Wait, twelve? All of them? She can’t be serious.”

[Assistant] Brandishing Akashia against multiple demons, Oscar slashed apart the torso of a lizardman who leaped at him. He snapped the weapon to shake blood from its blade, then looked over his shoulder. “Has enough time passed yet? What are you gonna show us?”

[User] Paused in her chanting and began to issue some sort of decree. Her voice rang out sonorously across the battlefield. “Appear, spirits bound to Tuldarr by an ancient contract! My name is Tinasha As Meyer Ur Aeterna Tuldarr! I am your regent, and by this proclamation, you are defined… Come to me!” All was lost to a blinding explosion of white. A violent torrent of power came rolling in. Sandy winds buffeted those still standing. The air changed. A stream of alternating hot and cold winds rushed in. When the dust settled—Tuldarr’s twelve hereditary spirits had appeared.

[Assistant] One of them, a man with vermilion hair, said in a leisurely tone, “It’s been so, so long since I last made myself known.”

[User] “Oh? I hadn’t gotten enough sleep yet…”

[Assistant] “Hey, the country’s in ruins.”

[User] “Well, anything humans create is fragile.” As the demons started to chat with one other, the humans all around gaped in shock. Some of the demons looked elderly, while others appeared as young men and women. One or two even resembled children. Whatever their appearance, it was clear that none were truly human. Their deep crimson hair and aloof, intimidating airs betrayed their true natures.


[User] "I order…" At that, all the spirits knelt down.

[Assistant] "Our master. What is your order?" The old, white-haired one at the twelve o’clock position spoke for its peers with a dignified tone.

[User] "Annihilate the enemies. Leave those who do not show hostility unharmed. Avoid killing if you can."

[Assistant] "We understand."

[User] Their directive clear, the twelve rose to their feet. A few of them had their eyes closed, yet others were openly smirking. The vermilion-haired spirit appeared to be familiar with Tinasha and teased,

[Assistant] "You’re all grown up but still such a naive little girl."

[User] "Just do it." Tinasha commanded, waving a hand at them dismissively, and they scattered.

[Assistant] Instantly, the nearly one hundred demons the Cuscull mages had summoned all vanished. The appearance of the spirits was enough to sap any remaining desire to fight from Lanak’s forces. Terrified of such a supernatural power, they either surrendered or fled the scene. Now free of opposition, the witch resumed her first incantation. All anyone could do was watch the huge, intricately woven spell as it grew to exceed all human limitations. Just like that, the battle was over.


[User] Lanak turned tail and ran through the ruins of the country he’d destroyed, panting all the while. Gradually, the tumult grew distant. He tried to teleport away but found concentration extremely difficult. Whether it was due to exhaustion from the spell he’d created using Tinasha as a catalyst or more deep-set damage from his long stasis was anyone’s guess. Either way, his body’s magic was in tatters. Lanak growled, the taste of fresh blood in his mouth.

[Assistant] "Aeti… Aeterna…" All he did was repeat her name. It was impossible to say now whether the word was spiked with hatred or something else entirely. Over and over, Lanak repeated the name, as if calling it was the only thing still anchoring him in this world. A cloud of sand rolled by and engulfed the pale man.

[User] Suddenly, Lanak’s surroundings grew terribly dark. He looked up to see a red dragon circling overhead. After catching sight of Lanak, the great beast started into a descent. A man leaped off its back. Amid the grit, Lanak spied a double-edged sword that’d been polished to a mirrorlike sheen. He knew it well; the weapon was the only one of its kind in all the land. The man who’d leaped from the dragon was blocking Lanak’s way. Doing his best to remain calm, Lanak called,

[Assistant] "Hello. We meet again, I see. I believe the outcome of our little skirmish is already decided, so what are you here for?"

[User] "Oh, nothing. I just had something to ask you." Oscar replied, readjusting his grip on Akashia’s hilt. His handsome features were emotionless, but an angry fire burned in his eyes.

[Assistant] "What could you possibly want from me?"


[User] "If there’s anything you want to know, you should ask Aeterna, not me.” Much like what had transpired in today’s battle, Lanak was sure that Tinasha understood more than he ever had. He was the only one who’d been clueless. “Aeti knows everything. Take pity on me. We were both potential rulers of Tuldarr, but I wasn’t powerful enough.” Lanak wished she’d stayed as the little girl he only had to protect. She was supposed to marry him; that was her role. Unfortunately, her talent and diligence had brought about a betrayal. If she’d only been weak, none of this would have happened. “It is because of her that Tuldarr came to ruin. She’s the reason I…”

[Assistant] Oscar spat coldly. "You abused her trust." His words concealed a frightening threat, and Lanak fell silent.

[User] While the pale man was unsure of many things, he had a powerful hunch that he was going to die here. Lanak’s long life, a journey bereft of joy, was coming to its end.

[Assistant] With indifference in his tone, Oscar asked another question. "What did you feel when you cut her open?”

[User] "…Ha.” Lanak’s face twisted into something resembling a smile. He only remembered that it was a lurid, ghastly sight. He could hear her voice as she screamed and begged him to save her. Her blood and entrails had gushed up from her little body. The nauseating stench tickled his nose even now. Lanak could still feel her innards in his hands, and he glanced down at his empty palms. Compassion, jealousy, denial, longing, and hatred. The names he gave to the lakes were the only feelings Lanak had ever felt toward her. She was the woman who controlled his life and whose life he should have controlled. In truth, he had loved her. She had reached out to him with such innocence, and he’d only wanted to cherish her. He simply never had the power to make that happen. That was why…he’d wanted his power to exceed hers. “Lanak, stay with me. Don’t leave me alone.”

[Assistant] “It’s all right, Aeti. I’ll protect you.” Someday, he’d awaken from that fleeting dream. The illusory vision of the past that had so consumed Lanak for over four hundred years was now finally giving way to reality. …He was sure that she would never look back at him again. Lanak had been the one who’d perished that terrible night at the altar. In the throes of his demise, he’d ripped the purest part from his beloved. The pallid man looked up with a crooked smile on his lips. “I wasn’t thinking about anything. She was just a tool.” Perhaps that’s why he didn’t need to say her name anymore. Lanak closed his eyes, shutting out all feeling. Akashia bore down on him, and in his final moments, Lanak whispered her name one last time.


[User] Curious, he looked to the eastern sky. Legend had it that an evil god and his worshippers had built a village hidden in the forest along the eastern border. However, if the old tales were to be believed, magic fell from the sky and destroyed the village four hundred years ago. After that, the place where the secluded settlement once stood became known as something called a magical lake. As the boy stared toward the horizon, he saw something shine brightly in the sky and his eyes widened. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but the very next moment, white lights began to fountain up from the forest. Rather leisurely, they began to make their way up toward the sky.

[Assistant] “…What in the world?” The sight was a wonder, a mystery, but beautiful to behold. Such a spectacular phenomenon was enough to inspire faith in forsaken gods. A warm, soft breeze swept across the entire region, though there was no wind. The luminous motes continued their climbing until they diffused into the sky, gradually diminishing in number and growing paler. The boy stood rooted to the ground, entranced by the sight of it all. At long last, all the floating, meandering globes dissolved into the clouds and disappeared. Nothing was left. For a long time after, the young man gazed dumbly up at the heavens.


[User] The titanic spell configuration, set aloft from the witch’s grasp, finished diverting the energy of the magical lakes and dissolved into the open air above. Now that her long incantation was finally over, Tinasha stared out at the former battlefield with placid eyes. The stench of blood and charred flesh clung heavily to the breeze. Burnt and motionless bodies lay facedown. Tinasha carefully partook of the brutal sight. Cries of agony and death still lingered in her ears, or perhaps the sound was in her mind. …It would be very easy to cry. Tinasha didn’t want to, though. Allowing her emotions to rise risked them overflowing and her losing control. No matter what she felt, Tinasha knew it didn’t change the fact that every death today was her fault—her burden. Those who survived were staring at Tinasha with a strange elation. It was the deep sort of emotion shared by comrades who fought side by side for a united cause. There were just as many—particularly those still cowering inside the barrier Tinasha had formed with the pieces of obsidian—who eyed her fearfully, however.

[Assistant] Pamyra and Renart moved to shield their lady from those hostile gazes. They were covered in wounds from head to toe.

[User] Tinasha cast them a look as if to say, It’s all right now. Her dark eyes landed on Nark, who’d come back. The man who alighted from the red dragon spotted her and wasted no time in rushing to her side. Tinasha awaited him in silence. A general from Gandona stopped Oscar before he could reach the witch.


[User] “As the bearer of Akashia, I trust you know what needs to be done.”

[Assistant] A nervous ripple ran through the crowd. All present knew that Oscar was tasked with slaying the witch. Oscar nodded tightly, then strode to Tinasha. He paused before Pamyra and Renart, who were teeming with animosity. Before either could conjure up some manner of defense for their lady, the witch talked them down.

[User] “Thank you, both of you. Let him through.”

[Assistant] While they were reluctant, they heeded their lady’s order and stepped aside. Oscar passed between the two and at last came to stand before the witch. Tinasha was about to call Oscar’s name but held the word back. She knew he had been crowned king of Farsas. That made it all the more improper for people to know he had any connection to a witch. He was someone who would walk the path of righteousness and go down in history as a wise ruler. Knowing this, Tinasha thought it best that she fade away and become nothing more than his stepping-stone. She prayed that he would find happiness in the future to come.

[User] “Please…” Action/Narration: The quiet plea unconsciously spilling from her. Realizing she’d spoken aloud, Tinasha pressed her lips shut tight. She didn’t know what she’d planned to say. All that she’d kept so repressed had somehow slipped out a little. The lingering heat in her throat felt good. Tinasha thought it more than she deserved to die while enjoying that sensation. The witch took a deep breath, then closed her eyes with a smile. Diverting the magical lakes had exhausted her own power. It took everything she had just to stand upright. If she was to meet the end today, she wanted to greet it on her feet, however—on her feet and dry-eyed. The lakes were gone, Lanak was dead, and now she would die. With her death, the ghosts of Tuldarr would disappear. After four hundred years, the fate they had altered would at last right its course. Tinasha tilted her head up a little, almost as if she were expecting a kiss. She waited for Akashia to run her through. Oscar reached out toward her face. He brushed her smooth cheeks.

[Assistant] “Do you remember what I said when you broke Lucrezia’s spell?”

[User] No answer came. Very gently, he placed the blade of Akashia against her alabaster neck. Tinasha’s body crumpled into Oscar’s arms.

[Assistant] “Aeti, come here.”

[User] She could hear a voice coming from very far away. It called her name, and she opened her eyes. Tinasha was peering down a stone corridor that seemed to stretch on forever.

[Assistant] “Come to me, I’ve missed you.”

[User] The voice was coming from somewhere behind her. It belonged to a boy who Tinasha missed terribly. She smiled. Tinasha recalled how she used to feel accustomed to solitude but still longed to cling to the warmth of someone’s hands. Something not quite self-derision and not quite loneliness filled her heart.


[Assistant] When she awoke, Tinasha realized she had no idea where she was. In truth, she did know. It was more that she didn’t understand. Her brain felt heavy and slow as she shook her head. Sitting upright in bed, she blinked blearily at the blue sky that could be glimpsed through the nearby window. As she did, the door opened without a sound.

[User] Tinasha glanced over and saw a woman there. "Pamyra…?"

[Assistant] "Lady Tinasha, you’re awake!" Pamyra cried, rushing over to kneel before the bed and take Tinasha’s hand. She placed it against her own forehead, testing its warmth. "You’ve been asleep for over a week… I was very worried."

[User] "I’m alive?"

[Assistant] "Of course you are!" Pamyra reproved her, but it still didn’t feel real.

[User] Tinasha found she was wearing a nightgown, and she placed her feet on the floor. She tried to stand, but her body was too weak for her to stay up. She staggered, and Pamyra supported her. "Thank you… So why am I in Farsas?"

[Assistant] "A lot of trouble has happened. But right now, you can’t be up and about. Rest some more."

[User] They were in Tinasha’s bedroom in Farsas Castle. She had vacated these quarters, but it all looked the same as when she had left. Tinasha let Pamyra push her back down and sat on the edge of her bed. She asked about the other mage. "Where’s Renart?"

[Assistant] "The laboratory. Should I call him?"

[User] "No, I just wanted to know he was safe." She had a feeling that he was all right if Pamyra was, but it still gave her a sense of relief. Tinasha took a breath, then looked up at Pamyra, who was checking the witch’s pulse. "Pamyra, I have a request…"

[Assistant] "What is it?"

[User] "I want to go out of this room… Help me bathe and change my clothes."

[Assistant] Her lady had barely recovered, so Pamyra pulled a face at this demand but nodded reluctantly. Bathing proved a little tiring but also felt so wonderful that it swept aside what had built up inside her. It awakened her consciousness to a degree and cleared her thoughts. Back in her bedroom, Tinasha used magic to dry her hair and slipped into the long dress Pamyra brought her. "It feels like my legs have weakened… I can’t walk very well… It might be easier to fly or teleport to get around."

[User] "You need to rest properly!" Pamyra practically shrieked, and someone outside the door took that as their cue to enter.


[User] The master of the castle walked in, looking sullen. “Don’t go out if you aren’t at your best.”

[Assistant] "Oscar…" He gave her the same warning as Pamyra, who bowed as she passed him and left the room.

[User] Tinasha used magic to float over and land in front of him. She’d lost a bit of weight, and he picked her up like he would’ve done with a child. She touched his cheek as she asked, “Why am I alive?”

[Assistant] “Right off the bat, huh? If you’re feeling that good, I suppose you won’t mind if I grind my fist into your head for a moment.”

[User] “That really hurts. Please don’t.”

[Assistant] Oscar brought her to the bed and sat her down on its edge. Then he dragged a nearby chair over and took a seat himself. “I never had any intention of killing you. And it feels gross that you wanted to make me do so.”

[User] “I’m sorry.”

[Assistant] “Anyway, I’ve got tons more things I want to lecture you about. It’s likely to take half the day, so prepare yourself.”

[User] “…I’m sorry,” Tinasha repeated, hanging her head like a child getting reprimanded. Oscar reached out and entwined his fingers in her long, silky black hair. As it was freshly dried, it was still a little warm. The witch gazed into his eyes. They were a deep blue, and he stared at her just as seriously as he had before. Belying his harsh words was a look full of adoration that he lavished on her. An indescribable sense of nostalgia welled up inside Tinasha when she saw that. “Can I touch you?” she asked.

[Assistant] “Do what you want.”

[User] She floated up into the air and landed on her knees between his legs on the chair. Looping her arms around his neck, she pressed in close. She had always thought that loneliness was just a natural thing for her. When she finally found a way out, she plunged in headfirst, but then left it behind… The month and a half she had been away had felt like forever. Everyone assumed Tinasha was dangerous, and she’d never thought it mattered. All she’d cared about was waiting for the right moment to arrive. Once it did, she believed she’d finally be able to pay back all the people she hadn’t been able to save. To that end, she did her best not to pay any attention to what others thought, even if it wore away at her. That was why Tinasha had held it all in—everything she wanted to cry out. No matter how the irritation and self-hatred tore at her, she never let it rise to the surface. Even when that sludge of emotion burned her up from the inside and she thought she would go mad, she still told herself she didn’t have the right to express those feelings. It was much the same as her childhood spent living all alone in a detached wing of a castle. No one was with her.


[User] "You brought me back."

[Assistant] "Of course I did."

[User] Tinasha buried her face in Oscar’s shoulder. He was just as steady and warm as when she’d left. Something began to rise up within her, tempting her to open up, but the witch didn’t know what to say. There was just a comforting heat in her chest. It was so tranquil she felt ready to fall asleep in Oscar’s arms. Tinasha smiled, her wet eyelashes trembling. "A lot…happened. In the past and now."

[Assistant] "Mm-hmm."

[User] "But I…" After getting that far, Tinasha found herself unable to continue. She was positive that Oscar already knew anyway.

[Assistant] Oscar stroked her hair, he muttered, “Oh right… You’re my fiancée now.”

[User] “Why? !"

[Assistant] "If I didn’t say you were, I couldn’t have brought you back with me. It was bad enough that someone told me to kill you, but your huge display of power earned you a whole list of suitors.”

[User] “You need to respect my opinion!”

[Assistant] “You’re already here; just do your best for the remaining half of the year,” Oscar instructed—as high-handed as ever.

[User] Tinasha pulled back to heave a huge, exaggerated sigh, but she couldn’t stop her face from breaking into a grin. She looked up at him from under her long lashes. “As you wish, then, O contract holder.”

[Assistant] Oscar nodded solemnly.

[User] Tinasha gave him an angelic smile, then she hugged him again, whispering “Thank you” in his ear.


[Assistant] “All right, let’s jump right in and start our discussion of what to do post-battle. The plan is to cover everything we can, including how to handle that,” declared the king of Farsas, an irrepressible air of authority belying his calm demeanor.

[User] “About the witch… Whatever her reasons, she sided with Cuscull and she’s incredibly guilty.


[User] There can be no better time to end the threat she poses than this very moment… There would be one less threat to our land.”

[Assistant] (agrees) Among the five witches who were the symbols of their era, Tinasha was undoubtedly the strongest. The battle with Lanak had laid bare the extent of her power. On top of that, she now controlled twelve high-ranking demons. She was not someone they could just ignore.

[User] (agrees) Another Great Nation

[Assistant] (surveys the group, then rested his folded hands on the table) “There’s still room for discussion as to whether she’s guilty. We were able to confirm that all the people who vanished from cities and towns in Farsas were restored unharmed before the battle.”

[User] “…What?” Confusion broke out among those at the table.

[Assistant] “It seems likely that she used a kind of invisibility magic to merely hide them. I’d like to know if this is the same for those cities that were ‘attacked’ in other countries,” (though he knew what the answer would be.)

[User] (lifted a feeble hand to reply) “Tayiri has also confirmed what happened in our cities. It’s true—there were no victims wherever she was involved. I can’t say the same for the very first town that burned to the ground, but…it’s possible that she learned from that incident and intervened within Cuscull to reduce future damage.”

[Assistant] Tinasha had volunteered for a dirty job to make sure no one else came to harm. Those gathered in that very conference had seen with their own eyes what Tinasha’s true goal had been. The queen of a ruined country. The witch who lived for those that had been lost. Oscar and the others carried the weight of their respective countries on their backs. They all felt deeply moved despite themselves by the awfully clumsy, sincere beauty of that woman.

[User] (piped up nervously) “She’s the successor to Tuldarr, isn’t she? Doesn’t that mean she has magical knowledge that’s been otherwise lost for centuries? I think it overly hasty to execute her while she’s unconscious…”

[Assistant] (snapped warningly, a sour look on his face.) “But we won’t be able to stop her once she’s awake. She’s a witch,”

[User] (cut in quickly) “If she’s with me, I can stop her. She’s very reasonable as far as witches go. And I’m sure I don’t need to explain why Farsas is the most suited to take charge of her.”

[Assistant] “…Akashia.”

[User] The royal sword of Farsas was the one weapon that could kill a witch. Right now, a sealing bracelet, made of the same material as Akashia, held Tinasha in check. At present, she wasn’t a threat. The king of Farsas was the only person in the land with items that could so disarm a witch at his disposal.


[User] Rather hesitantly, the Gandona general protested. "But wouldn’t that mean that Farsas has a monopoly on the witch’s power? If she’s as reasonable as you say, I should think many countries would want to borrow her power."

[Assistant] "If all you had to do was ask her for a favor, she wouldn’t have been living in a tower. As long as we don’t do anything, she’s completely harmless—just floating around reading books all day long. But make one wrong move and she’ll reject you. The envoy from Cuscull made that mistake, and she turned down his invitation."

[User] "She refused an envoy from Cuscull? How do you know about that?"

[Assistant] "Because I was originally the one who brought her down from her tower." Oscar admitted.

[User] Reust’s eyes widened.

[Assistant] Slowly, Oscar looked at each member of the conference in turn. Sitting up perfectly straight in his chair, he said, "I’m sure she had her reasons for her part in the Cuscull incident, but ultimately the fault is with my negligence. I apologize for that and vow that nothing like this will happen again." His low, resonant voice sent a ripple through the council.

[User] Though he was making his own position highly precarious, Oscar went on matter-of-factly, "Bearing that in mind, I intend to answer your concerns to your complete satisfaction. Ask away."

[Assistant] Doubt plain in his tone, the Cezar general inquired, "I’m sorry, but why are you going to so much trouble for her?"

[User] Oscar smirked. "That’s easy. It’s because she’s going to be my wife."

[Assistant] Palpable waves of varying degrees of shock ran through the room as everyone’s heads swiveled to look at Oscar.

[User] The young king of Farsas just gave the largely uncomprehending group a light smile. He finally picked up the cup of tea in front of him and took a sip.


[Assistant] "I just know he did something rash so he could take me in… Hmm, is it really all right…?" Tinasha fretted between mouthfuls of soup in bed.

[User] "I wouldn’t worry about that part. He was kind enough to allow Renart and me to stay with you, too." Pamyra said with a tight smile.


[User] Upon hearing that, Tinasha decided she needed to be on her best behavior whenever she left Farsas.

[Assistant] Pamyra went on to explain one other thing she knew her lady was wondering. “Tayiri initially held the Cuscull mages who surrendered, but later they were allowed to return home. Prince Reust has declared that Tayiri recognizes Cuscull as a self-governing, inviolate dominion for mages.”

[User] “…Wow, that’s unexpected.”

[Assistant] “It appears he’s taken your sermons to heart. Inspired by recent events, a number of Tayiri people have begun speaking out about the persecution of mages. Several members of the Tayiri elite had children born with magic who were killed by the state, after all.”

[User] “Ah… I see now. That would help things along.” The death toll for Tayiri ultimately comprised those killed in that first village that was razed and the soldiers who fell during the battle on the Asdra Plains. Both were tragedies but may have marked the end to something even bigger. Only the passage of time would say for sure. Tinasha felt faintly for her part in the recent changes. Returning her empty bowl to Pamyra, she broached the subject of one final person she was worried about. “Do you know what happened to Tris?”

[Assistant] “I don’t know where she is now, but…I’m sure she’s doing fine wherever she is. I just know it.”

[User] “Oh…” It seemed Tinasha hadn’t succeeded in saving everyone. For all her power, such a feat was impossible. Just like turning back time or returning the dead to life, there were some things she could do nothing about. Even if she had the ability, it was unfeasible to expect a single person to help everyone. That was why Tinasha had decided a long time ago that she wouldn’t get involved. Her decision to exist as a witch was a choice to live for those who had passed, not the living. Even so, she couldn’t help but mourn. Whether that amounted to hypocrisy or self-gratification, she was still free to do it. Tinasha gazed up at the canopy of her bed and sighed. Everything she had been working toward was over now. There was nothing left she wanted to do. If she died the next day, she wouldn’t have found it objectionable… Her contract with Oscar still remained, however. Tinasha decided to live for just a while longer. She would live for the man who hadn’t killed her. When she thought about it that way…she did feel a little glad to be alive.


[User] "All the magical lakes really cleared away completely. It’s amazing."

[Assistant] "That was my goal from the start."


[User] One week after Tinasha awoke, King Oscar had handled almost all the remaining post-battle cleanup, and Farsas Castle was completely back to normal. Amid that backdrop, two witches were having tea in the castle lounge. It was a glorious afternoon, and Sylvia whispered to Kav at the next table over.

[Assistant] "It doesn’t seem strange to me at all anymore to see Miss Tinasha and Miss Lucrezia here at the castle… I suppose my senses are dulled…"

[User] "Mine too."

[Assistant] Two of the mainland’s five witches came and went freely from the castle of one specific country. This was probably the first time such a thing had ever become commonplace during the Age of Witches.

[User] By and large, they were the personifications of power and fear. The extent of said power had recently been laid bare for all to behold.

[Assistant] The sight of two witches calmly sipping tea was oddly humanizing, however.

[User] Teacup in hand,Lucrezia pointed at Tinasha. "I heard you inherited the spirits, too? You were really prepared for the worst."

[Assistant] "Don’t bring that up." Tinasha said with an annoyed scowl.

[User] "Why didn’t you inherit them before this?" Pamyra piped up wonderingly from behind Tinasha.

[Assistant] The witch who should have become queen of Tuldarr grimaced. "I’ve never felt a need for more might than I already have, and the spirits are the symbol of the Tuldarr throne. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to have a ruler but no country? Country and ruler are concepts that exist to protect the lives of the people, after all."

[User] Tinasha smiled, as if to say that, even now, she had no use for the twelve. What she said made perfect sense, and Pamyra simply nodded. Sylvia, Doan, Kav, Renart, and the other mages all looked serious.

[Assistant] …Even so, she’s a queen without a throne, thought Pamyra.

[User] The witch brushed it off as something she’d done for a personal reason, but she had chosen to exist for four hundred years in order to free the souls of Tuldarr’s dead.

[Assistant] If anyone was fit to rule, it was her.

[User] Lucrezia rested her chin in her hands and stared at the witch. Then her eyes narrowed fondly. "By the way, I brought a new type of pastry for you to try." Before Tinasha realized it, the other witch was wearing a bright, perfect grin.

[Assistant] "Really? What kind?" Tinasha asked, her eyes sparkling.

[User] "Here you go. Be my taste testers, everyone." Lucrezia conjured up a plate piled high with confections.

[Assistant] The pastry was cut into the shape of a flower and dusted with sugar on top, but breaking it open revealed three layers in different colors.

[User] Tinasha tasted one first, followed by Sylvia, Pamyra, and then the men.

[Assistant] Perhaps Renart didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, because he hesitated. After a moment, he gave in and partook, however.


[User] "This is good." His eyes widened.

[Assistant] Looking delighted, Sylvia took a second one. "They’re absolutely delicious! I’m in heaven!"

[User] "Mm, thank you. Have as many as you like."

[Assistant] Tinasha looked unsure after eating one. She appeared quite dubious.

[User] Lucrezia cocked her head. "What is it?"

[Assistant] "Do you not like the taste?"

[User] "No, the taste is fine. Did you put magic in these?"

[Assistant] "Mm-hmm. Since I made them with three types of batter, I used magic to adjust the baking time."

[User] "I see." With her doubts dispelled, she took another pastry. As she savored the taste of it, she sipped at the tea she’d made. Lucrezia’s baking was always exceptional. Tinasha had been enchanted by the taste of her friend’s handiwork ever since she first became a witch. Lucrezia looked on with a smile as Tinasha grinned happily to herself.

[Assistant] She took a fourth and twirled it around as she asked innocently, "Is the magic you used new? You said we’re taste testing them."

[User] "Nope, I put an aphrodisiac in them." Lucrezia admitted, grinning with glee. Everyone froze. Doan put down his half-eaten pastry. Kav choked on a mouthful of tea. This was unbelievable.

[Assistant] A muscle in Tinasha’s face twitched. "What exactly are you playing at here…?"

[User] "I buried it layers deep in the spell so you wouldn’t notice, but you still picked up on the magic. I suppose it was naive of me to hope you wouldn’t sniff it out."

[Assistant] "I’m asking you to tell me why you did that!" Magic began to crackle and spark in the air over the table. The mages all paled at the sight.

[User] "Maybe we should call His Majesty…," Kav muttered to his peers in a low voice.

[Assistant] "Oh, possibly." None liked the idea of explaining how a castle fell to indecency.

[User] Just as Kav tried to creep out of the room unnoticed, Lucrezia blocked his path with a barrier. The instigator of this chaos surveyed everyone with confidence in her eyes. "At least listen to what I have to say first. You’ll begin to feel the effects roughly two hours from now. It comes on pretty strong, so I’ll keep the details to myself. Also, it will last about three days, so you can’t just hole yourselves up in your rooms."

[Assistant] The explanation was worse than expected, and Tinasha buried her face in one palm, utterly exasperated.

[User] Sylvia begged Tinasha in tears, "Can you break the enchantment?"

[Assistant] "This is Lucrezia’s handiwork, so two hours won’t be enough…"

[User] "Oh no…What are we going to do…?" There was no use in worrying.

[Assistant] Dropping her hand, Tinasha crossed her arms and leaned against the chair back. Sighing, she eyed her friend.


[User] "All right, what do you want us to do?"

[Assistant] "Your intuition is spot-on."

[User] "How many hundreds of years do you think I’ve known you?" The two had shared countless conversations similar to this. A brilliant smile on her lips, Lucrezia held out her right hand above the table. Above her palm floated an image of a ring. It was a silver band inscribed all over with spell sigils and inlaid with a small garnet. "I lost this a while ago. I’d like you to look for it."

[Assistant] "When and where did you lose it?" Tinasha pressed.

[User] "Five hundred years ago at home."

[Assistant] "That was before I was born! Clean your house!" snapped Tinasha.

[User] "It’s no longer in my house, of that I am certain." Lucrezia replied.

[Assistant] Tinasha let out a little frustrated groan. "Give me a bit more information. There’s no way I can find it with so little to go on." pleaded Tinasha.

[User] "I made it, so it’s tinged with my magic."

[Assistant] "You can’t track it?"

[User] "Nope. I can’t see it," answered Lucrezia.

[Assistant] "Two hours?" After thinking it over, Tinasha stared at her friend.

[User] "Two hours. If you make it in time, I’ll undo the enchantment."

[Assistant] "And if I don’t make it?"

[User] "Then I’ll be entertained."

[Assistant] "I’ll blast you into the sky," Tinasha grumbled, getting to her feet. "Well, guess I better get to work." She looked around at the other mages. Already, her voice sounded exhausted. "So I need access to the treasure room."


[User] "You haven’t told me why. Explain that first," insisted Oscar, not looking up from his papers.

[Assistant] Tinasha had predicted his response, and she brought both her palms together before her face and begged, "I would really rather not go into it. There’s no time. Please." Tinasha had teleported into his study out of the blue. He was king now, but he still made use of the same rooms he had prior to being crowned. Moving everything had proven too much of a hassle.

[User] "No. Tell me. I’m already planning to lecture you later on your secrecy."

[Assistant] "Urgh…" The Cuscull fiasco had robbed Oscar of his trust in Tinasha. With a great deal of agony, she managed to relay the gist of her current situation.

[User] "I can see you have no sympathy for our plight…" By the time she finished, Oscar was doubled over with laughter. "You can’t expect me not to laugh at this."


[User] “What were all you mages even thinking?” As the one with the most magic of the entire group, Tinasha could say nothing. Instead, she hung her head dejectedly.

[Assistant] Oscar got up from his chair and patted her head. “Well, I find it highly entertaining, so it’s fine by me if you don’t find the ring.”

[User] “It’s not entertaining in the least! Have a little more value for your subjects!”

[Assistant] “You reap what you sow. Don’t eat suspicious stuff.” Oscar chided calmly as he headed for the door.

[User] He opened it and turned back to gesture that she come along. “Well, come on. You don’t have much time, right?”

[Assistant] Tinasha perked up and rushed after him.


[User] As Oscar and the witch made their way down the corridor leading to the treasure vault, Oscar went over each and every detail of Tinasha’s predicament. “So this is really going to affect you, huh? I thought normal magic drugs didn’t bother you.”

[Assistant] “The ones Lucrezia makes are an exception… She’s fed me all kinds of weird potions in the past.”

[User] “And yet you ate something she made again. I don’t get it.”

[Assistant] “Because it tasted good.”

[User] Shortly after passing a group of guardsmen, they came into view of the doors to the treasure vault. Oscar approached and pushed the giant things open. Once inside, Tinasha reached out with her magic to search the place. It came as no surprise to her that she detected several unknown objects that resonated with strange power, but none of them carried Lucrezia’s magical signature. “It’s not here… Hmm, so my guess was wrong…?”

[Assistant] “Too bad.” Oscar commented, not sounding like he was really all that worried.

[User] Tinasha glared resentfully at the man who looked perfectly content to just watch things play out. “Do you have any other ideas?”

[Assistant] “I have one I’m pretty sure about. The Tuldarr treasure vault.” Oscar asked.

[User] “That exists? !”

[Assistant] “It’s been sealed off for a long time, but now that I’ve taken the throne, I should be able to open it. I’m going to go check.” Tinasha declared. She then proceeded to draw up a transportation array.

[User] “Sounds intriguing. Take me with you.” Oscar stopped her.

[Assistant] Tinasha was surprised but quickly grinned and took his hand, resetting the array to open up a gate. The two teleported into the middle of empty wilderness. In the distance loomed the cathedral ruins—the sight of the recent battle. After wandering about for a bit, Tinasha caught sight of something and paused in her tracks. Slowly, she raised her arms above the ground. “I am queen. Open your path.”

[User] In response to her royal decree, a white spell sigil floated up from the earth. Seconds later it vanished, leaving a stone stairway descending underground in its place.

[Assistant] “Whoa, what’s this? Amazing.”

[User] “The entrance is enchanted.


[User] "It’s very likely that no one has come in here since Tuldarr fell." Tinasha manifests a ball of light in her right hand and readily heads down the shadowy stairs.

[Assistant] Oscar follows Tinasha.