Twisted Reflections

by vendetta543

She was a failure of a Mage, unable to cast even the simplest of spells. He was an Undead, a monster used as a pawn in battle he could never understand. They had nothing in common, and yet fate saw it fit to bind the two souls together.

63. Puppets on a String

Fight scenes galore in this bit. Lets truck through it quickly so we can get to the next plot chapter. Although, I have to ask: Do most of you guys skip the fight scenes? If so then I might start worrying about them less and just focus on dialogue or something.

---

The weeks passed by in a blur. Despite her words Alsanna never returned, which Henrietta only worried over briefly. She was more than capable of watching over herself - or at least she could assume so given her 'brothers' capabilities - and she had to focus on tomorrows...event.

They'd planned for it meticulously, ironing out the plan to the smallest detail, and yet she still felt absolutely nervous. One mistake, a single oversight or blunder, and this would all be for naught; one of them dying and Louise being permanently lost to them was one of the best case scenarios. At worst they could all perish along with any students and teachers that got caught in the crossfire.

She used both hands to massage her temples. How could she forget that she was putting innocent people at risk for this insane plan of theirs? A proper ruler would have cancelled the ball altogether, but that was akin to taking the bait out of a trap. Yes they could have sequestered Tiffania to her room, but would Sheffield continue her plan after she realized they had caught on? She couldn't take that risk, even if it meant putting others in danger. This was the one time they knew of her plans for them.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you for worrying." She gave Agnes a pained smile before turning her attention to everyone else gathered around the table. Tomorrow night the ball proper would start, so they had met once again for some last minute reminders. They all knew of the plan at this point, but never hurt to be prepared.

"Are you certain you are well, Queen Henrietta?" Eleanor asked, looking at the monarch worriedly.

"It's nothing, just a small headache. It will pass." She waved away, forcing a soft laugh. Better they focus on tomorrow's task, "Regardless, thank you all for coming. I'm sure you all understand your roles in tomorrow's undertaking but I thought it proper to have a reminder."

A chorus of nods and mumbles of assent came and went. They all had a stake in this, some more than others. She gave Eleanor, Raziel, Catt and the twin Vampires a discreet glance. Apart from her they cared about Louise the most out of everyone else here, so she had to keep a careful eye on them. She wanted to see her best friend safe once more - Brimir knew she spent every night praying for her safety - but letting their emotions overtake them served no one.

"So once more, everyone is aware of their roles, yes?" She looked at them all in turn. As simple as attending the ball seemed, they couldn't all just crowd around Tiffania in a circle and wait for Sheffield to come and take her. There had to be contingencies, fallbacks so someone else could take Sheffield down before she got close to the ball or intercept her Golems if they managed to bypass Tiffania's defenders.

"I shall be patrolling the skies with Azuro," Julio recited first. Henrietta thought a dragon was rather conspicuous, all things considered, but if push came to shove then she would rather have one on her side than not. He had also assured her that he knew how to keep a low profile despite his dragon's large size.

"I shall be on the rooftops..." Ciaran muttered, arms crossed in obvious displeasure. It was quite clear to her that the mysterious assassin would have preferred being at Tiffania's side during the gala, but she could do more as a countermeasure if that woman managed to bypass them all and take her cousin. She was fast - it was something both Raziel and Catt had attested to - so she could catch up better than any of them to any possible kidnappers.

"Sister Eleanor and I will attend the ball and we'll evacuate the students if Sheffield attacks openly," Cattleya said. The siblings had protested at first when she'd given them their roles, but they had eventually conceded when she reminded them of their responsibilities as teachers. As much as they both worried for their youngest sister they couldn't afford to completely ignore the others who would be at risk due to this plan of theirs.

"Amethyst and I will be close-by and we'll intervene at the first signs of danger." Daphne said, giving her sister an unsure glance. Ever since news of Louise's kidnapping had reached them the normally stern Vampire had become even more quiet. Henrietta knew both of them cared for her, though the exact nature of their relationship wasn't known to her. Either way she hoped they would be okay.

"I will be at the ball to help watch over Tiffania..." Raziel mumbled. He had insisted that either him or Ciaran be close by to watch over her, to which she agreed easily. She was cutting close to the line having only herself and him being truly nearby to protect her cousin, but there was a better chance of them taking her back rather than preventing her kidnapping altogether. They couldn't stop her from being kidnapped, of that she had little doubt, but with luck they could take her back before she was lost to them.

"I"ll...stay at the palace to deflect attention to your whereabouts." Agnes frowned, lips pursing together to keep herself from saying any more. All week long she'd insisted that she come with her or that she at least bring a few musketeers with her, but she had refused. No one, whether from the palace or the academy or otherwise, knew about her attending the ball. Much as Agnes' presence would have been helpful, she needed to be here to give the impression that she was simply staying in her room and doing more paperwork.

Even bringing along the musketeers posed a risk. The Duke and Duchess la Valliere had been told of their daughter's kidnapping and offered - well, more like all but forced her - to include their own house's forces. She had refused; throwing bodies at Sheffield in the vain hope that they would succeed was pointless. She could turn them against one another with a flick of her wrist, and she would rather have not dealt with that.

"And I'm going to be...bait." Tiffania took a deep breath and steeled herself, standing up straighter. Thanks to Julio's efforts her wounds had healed and she was walking once more, albeit with a slight pause in her step. Regardless, she appreciated her putting herself at such risk to save Louise, even if she did it out of a sense of guilt. With any luck her sacrifice would prove to not be in vain.

"Very good..." Henrietta took a deep breath and tapped the crude drawing of the formal hall, "For your safety, Tiffania, I recommend that you stay close to the edges, away from any doors or crowds. If Sheffield attacks openly the students will panic and it'll that much more difficult to get to you." She looked her cousin in the eye, "Do your best to not act suspicious, however. With luck she has not realized our knowledge of her plans just yet and we can take her by surprise."

"I...I understand." She gave her a nervous smile.

"Then may Brimir be with us..."

---

Tabitha trudged up the mountain slowly, every step heavier than the last. She could have flown up with Sylphid, but this way she could be alone with her thoughts. She had sent her Familiar away: Ostensibly it was to give her a break and allow her to hunt at her own leisure, but they both knew better. If things went badly, if she failed in her task, then she wasn't expecting to live. She'd seen Raziel's capabilities in combat and knew her chances of survival were slim once he realized her betrayal.

She stopped. Hands gripping her staff lightly, she took a deep breath to keep herself from shaking. She'd long ago learned to stop fearing for her life, but this was the first time she'd ever truly betrayed anyone. She wasn't afraid to admit that she was cold and shunned the company of others, but it was easier for everyone involved that she not let anyone get too close. Her life was dangerous and every mission she was sent on could may have well been her last.

But this was the first time she truly had to betray someone she'd made a connection to. While she cared for him less than she did for Kirche, she couldn't deny that he had gone out of his way to help her at no benefit to his own wellbeing. Even now, after asking for her help, he had sworn to find another one of the 'miracle cures' to try and cure her mother's condition. While one might have chalked it up to pure pragmatism, she still appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

And now she would repay that trust by taking that girl.

She made it to the top of the mountain with time to spare. That bastard's pet had called her here to iron out the last stages of their plan and to give her a 'gift'. She had no idea what in helheim that meant but she had a feeling it was nothing good. Bad enough they were making her take that Tiffania girl on her own, she wouldn't put it past her 'dear uncle' to make sure she attacked someone specific on the way out.

Footsteps came from behind. Looking back, she raised her staff briefly before the figures drew closer.

"Well, how nice to see you again." Damien smiled at her, a gesture she didn't return. She'd met the young-looking knight only a few times before and she couldn't say that she cherished those brief meetings. While he was nothing if not pleasant she could tell that his affability was a mask, a cover for his warped personality. That he was here now only worsened her feelings of doubt.

"Hmph...it's you." Jack scowled, looking away from her with a barely restrained growl. A couple of years ago, back when she'd decided to take her mother and leave her uncle's 'employ', he had been sent to stop her. Needless to say she wasn't in the mood to humor his threats and left him a limbless husk barely clinging to life before Sheffield decided the games were over and stopped her. While the experiments gave him back his body and more besides, he never stopped despising her or the fact that he had lost to a 'damn kid with mommy issues'.

She rolled her eyes and didn't bother verbally replying to either of the two would-be 'knights'. Their presence here could only mean that they were to help her on her 'task', which was a mixed blessing at best. The four 'siblings' were effective, she knew that from experience, but ever since two of their own had perished due to unknown circumstances she hadn't heard hide nor hair about their activities. That they were here now didn't bode well.

It wasn't long before they were joined by a fourth figure. The cloaked individual strode up confidently, their footsteps heavy. Tabitha's eyes narrowed; it was likely another Golem of some kind, she wouldn't have shown up personally if she didn't need to. Warily she stared at the dagger it held in its hands, its design unmistakably ornate and flawless. At first glance it appeared to be nothing more than a ceremonial dagger, a decoration to prop up on one's wall.

She knew better than anyone else just what it was.

"Good, you're all here." Sheffield's voice emanated from the construct, looking at each of them in turn.

"A pleasure as always, Lady Sheffield." Damien bowed politely, Jack following his example with irritated grumbles, "I understand that we were...lacking in our last task, but I do hope that our performance here shall make up for our previous blunder."

"Yeah, can't wait to get my hands on those two..." Jack muttered, pounding his fists angrily. That fucking brat with the sword who gouged out Bleu's eyes and the Queen who massacred Jeanette when her back was turned. All throughout his stay in that prison he at least took solace that his siblings were alive and well only to be met with the news of their demise. No matter what he would make sure that they would die screaming, like they did with his brother and sister.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but the creature and the monarch are not your targets." Sheffield stated easily, the construct playing with the dagger in its hands.

"What!? That's-"

"Perfectly understandable, of course," Damien interrupted, giving his 'younger brother' a chilling smile, "We of course understand that we have no right to protest given our previous failure to accomplish our task."

"But-"

"That will be all, Sir. Jack." Sheffield dismissed, her avatar already turning to look at the quiet chevalier, "Charlotte here will be the one to deal with the Undead and I will deal with the monarch myself; my employer insisted." It looked up slightly, exposing the manic smile it wore on its molded visage, "Worry not, I'm sure she's more than capable of avenging the injustice that has befallen your poor siblings."

"...Fuck."

"Language, Jack, we are in proper company," Damien chided gently, "If you don't mind my asking, my lady, who are we to confront this night?"

"Well, thanks to Charlotte here we know exactly who we'll be dealing with." She laughed. Tabitha felt the sudden urge to impale the construct's neck with an icicle, "You two will be dealing with the twin Vampires the monarch has under her control. As I understand it you've faced them before." Jack grumbled something incoherent under his breath, "I cannot have them involved, they will disrupt our plans. I want you to keep them distracted until we finish. Kill them if you must, their lives don't matter."

"At least I'll get some payback for the last round." Jack rubbed his jaw with a grimace.

"Consider it done, Lady Sheffield." Damien nodded.

The two left without another word, leaving them alone. Tabitha muttered a soft prayer; their success only helped in her mission but she found herself wishing for their demise. With luck Brimir would answer her call.

"As for you, Charlotte, our mutual benefactor wishes for you to incapacitate the Undead while I deal with the monarch. It shouldn't prove too difficult: As I understand you'd fight by his side beforehand. You should know of his capabilities." It clapped its hands, "The priest and the assassin will be dealt with by our new asset, so focus your attention solely on it." She giggled, "It's amusing how many things people leave behind. To think that I would find such a creature in a backwater village of all places."

New asset? Another golem of some sort or something else entirely? Either way she didn't have a good feeling about it, "...Understood." She pursed her lips tightly and moved to go past her.

"Ah, ah, ah! Hold on!" Its hand shot out to grab her wrist, "Your uncle worries for you, so he offers a gift." She raised the dagger and waved it in front of her face playfully, "You know who this is, yes?"

"...Undercurrent." She stared the dagger neutrally.

"A pleasure to see you again, milady." A distinctly feminine voice emanated from the dagger's hilt.

Undercurrent, the assassin's blade. A weapon that had imbued with a soul. It...her origins weren't known; the only thing known of the mythical blade was that she was capable of taking the lives of those deemed unkillable. She supposed it made sense: When you could take over anybody and then leave your host to die with no consequences it stood to reason you would be an unstoppable assassin.

"...A willing possession?" She didn't have to wait for the construct's nod to know what her purpose here was. Undercurrent could take anyone by possession, but a symbiosis was possible. In exchange for letting her control one's body Undercurrent would gift her with her knowledge and reserves of willpower, turning even the most novice of Mages into killers that would make even the most hardened warriors wet themselves. No fear, no remorse...

...No hesitation. No turning back.

So this was supposed to be insurance to make sure she didn't turn against them? Hah...it didn't surprise her. Anyone could see her doubt at having to do this.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she took hold of the dagger's handle and immediately felt her mind fade. Undercurrent wouldn't suppress her will fully - the exchange needed both to have a portion of control over her body - but it was enough. Her arm moved to grip her staff and she gave the puppet in front of her a smile, words echoing from her parted lips.

"Consider it done."

---

"Are you ready?"

Raziel looked to the Queen and Tiffania in uncertainty. He'd been told beforehand of the procedures, but he still found himself hesitating as he trudged to the other room and stepped in front of the mirror. As he understood it the mirror of illusions would disguise them as those they 'admired the most'. The exact requirements for such a choice weren't known to him, but already he felt himself dreading the outcome. He understood the reason for it - a poor attempt at stealth - but he preferred to keep his thoughts to himself.

Well, nothing else for it. He could only hope that nothing difficult would reveal itself.

The transformation, such as it was, had been almost unnoticeable. While it hadn't been the first time he'd worn a mask to cover himself, it usually didn't involve a physical change of clothes and a sudden rise in height. Shaking his head, he left the darkened interior and made his way to the next room. They would have a minute to inspect their new appearance before they joined the party proper and had to 'mingle' with the others in attendance.

The reflection that stared back at him was a face he knew all too well. He ran his fingers through the locks of brown hair, turning slightly to eye the thin strip going down his back. His skin appeared less sickly, the flesh a healthy tan even as his eyes retained their gray pallor. The attire wasn't too formal, a fancy white shirt and a park of dark trousers and boots; definitely nothing like his previous attire.

He recognized this body: An imperfect replica of the warrior whose body the shards had possessed in Lordran. Why this one of all things? He never admired that body in particular...though in the end he supposed anything was better than staying in that new form he now had.

"Sir. Raziel, is that you?"

Looking back, he raised a brow at the figure that greeted him. At a glance he could tell it was the monarch. Though she appeared different now he still noticed the resemblance the new form shared with her...looking closer she definitely held more than a passing similarity to her true appearance. A family member of some kind? The resemblance was unlikely to be a coincidence.

"It is me..." He replied softly.

"Ah, then I wasn't mistaken." She gave him a relieved smile, her now waist length hair shifting against her ornate dress as she stared at the previous room, "Let us wait for Tiffania then."

It didn't take her long to join them. As soon as he caught sight of the Oolacilian dressed in the opulent yellow gown he felt a painful stab in his chest. He knew he should have expected it, that given the way she talked of her mother that she admired her above anyone else, but it still did nothing to dampen the feeling of pain and rise of desire as she smiled at them both.

"Is...Is this alright?" Dusk...Tiffania asked softly, hands gripping the folds of her skirt nervously. Whether she appeared in a disguise or not it would make little difference, but they still needed to play along on the small chance that woman didn't know they had realized her plan.

Looking past them to the mirror, she released a soft breath as she found her mother staring back at her. She..She looked the same as she did five years ago, still as beautiful and radiant as ever. If nothing else she was thankful for the chance to see her mother once more outside of her hazy childhood memories.

"You look beautiful, Tiffania." Henrietta reassured quickly. "Don't worry, we'll do our best to protect you."

"Yes...worry not." Raziel forced a strained smile.

Stepping into the hall, Raziel winced as the sea of strangers seemed to greet them. Following his companion's example, he bowed politely and kept watch over Tiffania as she daintily walked to one of the tables. Sticking next to her like an overprotective dog would have been too obvious. Henrietta and he, along with Catt and Eleanor, would keep watch over her from a respectful distance. If there was even a hint of danger it would take no more than a second to be at her side.

"...I am surprised no one is panicking at her ears," Raziel murmured, watching a couple of well-dressed gentlemen already trying to chat with her. He could see the Humanity swirling inside them so it was clear they weren't golems.

"The venue helps. Contrary to popular belief, Elves aren't the only ones who have pointed ears," Henrietta answered, her gaze traveling slowly through the crowds, "The mirror doesn't always take specific individuals in mind. If you look through the crowd you can see that a few of them have turned to others races like the Winged Ones. A desire for flight and freedom overrides admiration for a specific individual if they wish hard enough. Besides, I'm sure they're entranced by her beauty."

"I can see more than a few others mimicking you..."He gestured to the group of clustered 'monarchs', each wearing a different attire even if they shared the same face, "I see you have the admiration of many; another thing you and Gwynevere share."

"I'll ignore the barb in that comment." She pursed her lips, clearly unamused, "What they admire is the crown, the ideal of what being a Queen is like. When the mirror looked into their desires they saw the crown and the power that came with it, I'm sure."

"You know that for certain, do you?" A single, soft laugh escaped despite his best efforts, "Well...I shall take your word on it. Despite his proclamations of being a paragon for mankind the only one Manus truly cared about was himself."

"Is that it...?" She blinked, trying to stifle her surprise. That was it? She had expected an argument, more insults about how Gwynevere had abandoned her people because she was seduced by a foreign God, "I...will admit I expected more vitriol from you given our previous interactions."

"Even if we do not agree, what is the point of starting a fight? We are here to defend Tiffania, not...discuss differences in ideology. So long as our goals align I see no further point in antagonizing one another. You keep your secrets and I shall keep mine."

"...I don't suppose that means you fully trust me, does it?" She asked. He didn't bother answering, "Right, of course not. Well...I can live with mutual coexistence." She sighed, both out of relief and annoyance. Things would be easier if they could cooperate the way she and Alsanna did, but this was better than the alternative to be certain. Maybe when Alsanna finally revealed herself she could close that gap.

Her musings were interrupted by the sudden chorus of music blaring through the hall. Ah, she'd almost forgotten: It was customary for partners to dance once all the guests arrived. Eyeing Tiffania, her cousin nodded reluctantly and took the hand of a dark haired young man as he led her to the edge of the crowd; well, at least she was still following her advice. She would have stuck out if she refused to join the celebrations.

Speaking of which...

Raziel made no verbal acknowledgement when she grabbed his hand and pulled, tugging him till they were a short distance away from the young half-Elf. Eyes narrowing, his lips curled into a frown as she placed her hand against her waist and another on her shoulder. She could feel a soft tingling where his hand touched her; hopefully he could deal with the discomfort of their contact till then.

"...What are you doing?"

"Dancing..." She placed her foot back and twirled, letting her mind drift away to memories of practice sessions with instructors. Thankfully the dance was simple enough so she could lead him through the process. At events such as this the dances were more ceremonial than anything else, especially when you could never truly tell who your partner was. Hopefully they didn't make too many mistakes.

"That is not what I meant." Contrary to his words he seemed to find no difficulty following her lead. Dipping her head back, she felt his arm leave her waist to snake around the small of her back and keep her balanced, "Why are we doing this? Surely we can keep watch over Tiffania without this...farce." He raised her up slowly and fell back into the rythmic step of the calm music.

"Everyone is dancing. We would have drawn attention to ourselves if we simply stood like spectators," She whispered. Now came the next steps. Separating briefly, they both bowed to one another before he took her hands in his once more, spinning her back with surprising care. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward in tune with the gentle orchestra before turning again to face him.

"A warning would have been preferable." He scowled briefly as his foot tangled on the folds of her dress. Shaking it loose, his gaze turned to Tiffania, "...At least Tiffania still seems to be safe."

Despite the situation he felt a warmth run through him at the sight of Tiffania smiling...even if she used a face that wasn't hers. In the past few weeks she had clearly been saddened by the events that transpired so even a temporary moment of happiness was to be cherished.

"Don't let your eyes wander. We are trying to remain inconspicuous, after all." She grabbed his chin and nudged him to face her once more. Another brief scowl came and went before he followed her order, "I know that you worry for her, but try not to make it so obvious. Glance from the side, sweep your gaze through the whole crowd. Do not focus on her so blatantly."

"This attempt at disguise is pointless. Sheffield knows that we are aware of her plan, she left that taunt for a reason," He muttered, "She could be watching us right now. She has certainly proven capable of doing so before."

"Maybe so, but discretion is the better part of valor."

The dance continued for another few minutes before the song finally died down, leaving the partners to either make their way to the tables for food and drink or finding their own little pockets of privacy amongst the crowded hall. Tiffania was of the latter group, making her way to a corner near the terrace entrance with an assorted mix of nobles trailing after her.

"To the terrace, we can keep watch from her there." Henrietta said.

The monarch bit back a shiver as the cold night air hit her, chilling her to the bone. Glancing back briefly, she saw Tiffania wave at her and nod. Alright, so she still knew what to do. Making her way to the barrier, she took a moment to breath in the night air. The first time in months she attended a celebration and it was to prevent her cousin from being kidnapped and capture a Familiar of the Void...it depressed her somewhat that she no longer found that the worst thing she had to deal with this month.

"Sheffield has yet to show herself..." Raziel muttered, one hand fingering the hilt of his sword. No doubt others would have assumed it to be a sword-wand given his appearance.

"We could have been wrong about her riddle..."

"If we are then we have lost our chance to take Louise back..." He shook his head. No, they couldn't think of that now. They...it had to be right, they couldn't afford for it not to be, "She will show herself in due time...she has to."

"I pray that you're correct." She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. She needed to clear her mind, find something to fill the quiet air, "You danced rather well, all things considered."

"Hm?"

"Your dancing, back in the ballroom," She clarified, "While you weren't flawless, I expected you to make a few more mistakes than you had...no offense."

"None taken." He rolled his eyes. He didn't care about how adept or not he appeared in such activities, "I had a friend...Siesta." He licked his lips and shook his head. No, she had moved on by now and he was happy for her, "She was not a noble, but she taught me how to dance in her free time..." He looked down to mask his frown, "...Also, Manus attended more than his fair share of celebrations in his time. Much as I might try some of his memories still bleed through...if I recall correctly he and Gwynevere shared a dance during the anniversary of the dragon's defeat."

"Not the same dance, but yes." She replied, her voice never rising despite the hint of irritation that seeped into her tone, "Pardon me, Sir. Raziel, but I would appreciate if you didn't constantly refer to Gwynevere when we converse. I understand that you had a certain dislike for her, but I am not her any more than you are Manus or Sir. Julio is a venerated Lord of Light."

"Fine, though in exchange I would prefer if you did not call me by 'Sir'. I am no knight nor do I work as one under your employ..." 'Raziel' wasn't even a real name, much as he considered it his only one.

"If that's what you wish...speaking of which, who is it that you turned into?" He looked at her in confusion, "The mirror of illusion turns you into either a person you admire the most or a certain desire. I assume the person you turned into holds special meaning to you."

"...It does not matter-"

"Humor me then."

His eyes narrowed and he sighed. Taking one more glance at Tiffania he answered, "...I have no idea who this is. When I...first 'awoke' in the asylum the shards had already possessed one of the body in the cells. This form is not a perfect recreation of that body, but I...I suppose I simply wished to shed the visage I donned ever since the events of Saxe-Gotha. Since I did not wish to look like Julio once more...I suppose the mirror took that into consideration."

"I see..."

"What about you? Does that identity hold any special meaning to you?"

"An ideal, I suppose..." She laughed bitterly, "When I was young I admired my mother. When my father still lived she...she was so full of life." She took a moment to calm herself, "When father was taken with disease whatever zest for life she had- all of it was lost. I always held that time in her life in my memories as something special, a permanent reminder of the woman that the 'mourning queen' was." It felt even more embarrassing saying it out loud, "This form is an exact copy of a painting I once saw of her and father. She looked so happy then, that's something I'll never forget."

He looked her silently for a moment before he shrugged. There was nothing else he could say, "This transformation...it is more than a mere illusion." He raised his hand and moved his fingers experimentally, "I have been physically changed, as I am certain you have been as well."

"A clever trick, yes?" She smiled wryly, "Yes, we have been physically changed, but the effects are temporary; it's why the mirror is used as a luxury for events such as this. Those who have lived their lives for many years use it to regain their youth or achieve whatever it is they desire, and yet the blessing will eventually fade and leave them empty. Legends have stated that there had been wars fought for the mirror, of those obsessed with the brief taste of panacea it gives."

"They kill others so they could live a lie...I suppose it is as valid a reason as any to kill."

"Maybe...I know a few others who would kill for far less," She scoffed, "Last week a small war erupted between two minor barons because one's friend's cousin insulted the virility of another's uncle twice removed..."

"Haha..." He knew it was no jest, but he couldn't stop the small peal of laughter that escaped him, "I suppose that is to be expected." He shook his head. Tiffania was still chatting amicably with a few others; no golems or other constructs as far as he could see, "...I hope Louise is well."

"She's strong, she'll make it through this."

"I still worry, as I am sure you do as well." He brought a hand through his hair, letting out a fatigued breath, "Well, hopefully with Tabitha's help we can pull the wool over Sheffield's eyes."

"Tabitha?" She questioned. The name was unfamiliar to her.

"A...friend of sorts. I asked her for help with tonight's undertaking and she agreed, "He allowed himself a small grin, "Sheffield has no idea of her existence. Even if we all fail she should prove more than capable."

"You told someone else of our plans?" Her eyes narrowed, "Why didn't you tell me this before? Are you even sure we could trust this girl?"

"I wanted to keep her as...how does one call it? A 'trump card'. I could not risk Sheffield finding out. Tabitha is certainly capable, but it is surprise that will allow her to help us in taking Louise back." He looked up at the night sky, "And yes, you can trust her. We have not been...friends...for long, but she is a good person despite her reticence. I am certain we can count on her."

"If you're certain..." She let out a frustrated curse. She could only hope he was right about that-

What was that sound?

---

Ciaran crouched, eyes narrowed from beneath her mask as she watched over the proceedings. Manus and Gw- the monarch were conversing, Princess Tiffania nearby. The two siblings of the taken Valliere girl were also nearby, though their exact locations were not known to her. While she wouldn't have called it the best solution, she had to acknowledge that it was the best they were capable of in such circumstances.

Next to her, she felt Fenris lick her hand. Tearing her gaze away from her ward, she petted her companion absentmindedly. She would have much preferred to be there by the princess' side. She understood the reasoning for it: In the regrettable outcome that she was taken they needed others to give chase or even act as a secondary line of defense to prevent Quelara from reaching her in the first place. As adept as she and her fellow knights had been working together back in her home their tasks often led them to undertake their duties separately so this did little to perturb her.

She could only hope that Manus and the rest performed their roles properly.

A fluttering of wings from behind signified she wasn't alone. Looking back, she scowled as she saw her lo- Julio dismounting from his dragon and making his way towards her. It was difficult to see through the darkness but she could still make out the smile that adorned his face. If there was one thing she learned of the priest it was that damned grin he always had. Even on the few times his composure broke it didn't take long before he regained his cool.

"Evening, Sir. Ciaran. I assume you're well?" He stood next to her, making sure to keep a respectful distance. Fenris eyed the priest warily before eventually calming.

"You should be patrolling elsewhere." She turned back to the terrace. Still no sign of Quelara or her constructs. She looked to the princess and sighed - Were it up to her she wouldn't have been placed in risk like this, but in the end it wasn't her decision. She could only do her best to protect her should the situation arise.

"Worry not, I am still keeping a watchful eye. I simply hoped we could converse briefly."

"This is no game, priest." She snarled, giving the reincarnated Lord a chilling glare, "You and the others failed in keeping the Valliere girl safe, I will not be the one to make a similar mistake. Leave, before I lose my patience."

"Ha...you haven't a changed a bit." Despite her words his veneer of confidence never showed signs of faltering, "Relentless till the very end. I'm glad that your experiences in this world haven't beaten that out of you, at least."

"If you are here to make idle chit-chat then I will not humor you," She scoffed.

"Indulge my curiosity then." He pressed, "Despite myself I find myself wondering of your intentions. You've made your feelings on Raziel clear when you attacked him in the forest, and yet now you work together to protect Lady Tiffania from harm. A shard of Manus and a knight of Gwyn cooperating...if I didn't see it with my own eyes I would scarcely believe it."

"Your point?"

"I wonder if you could be of aid to us." He laughed softly, "Lady Elizabeth has told you of the situation, yes? Of the vicious wheel we've found ourselves bound in." He flicked his wrist, waves of light covering his fingers. His human body couldn't fully handle the strain of using Gwyn's blessed gifts, but it was a benefit all the same, "Do you believe me to be Gwyn? That Queen Henrietta is Gwynevere?"

"Whether you are or not is of no concern to me. My only goal now is to protect Princess Tiffania," She replied.

"And yet you treat Raziel as if he is Manus. Fascinating, that." He hummed, "And protect her from what, exactly? I understand that Lady Sheffield and her master pose a threat to her, but what about after? Do you plan to shadow her the rest of her life till the day she passes from this world? You are no fool, Sir. Ciaran. Even with her Elven blood you will eventually outlive her by the centuries, and what then?"

"That is...it is none of your concern," She scoffed.

"You throw yourself into the role of the protector because you have little else to live for...that is a feeling I understand well-"

"Do not act as if you know me, priest." She interrupted, golden eyes meeting his own, "You may have been blessed with Lord Gwyn's soul but you are nothing like he was. I can feel your magics attempting to worm its way into my mind; I have faced far worse than such coercion."

"Hmm? Oh, terribly sorry about that, but the gifts I've been given can never be truly taken away even if I wish it." He held up his hands in mock surrender, though he appeared genuinely remorseful, "I am here to talk to you of a more lasting impact. Lady Elizabeth told you of the cycle before her passing, and as it turns out Queen Henrietta has found out about it as well. She is attempting to put an end to it of her own volition."

"...I wish her luck then."

"You know what I'm here to ask, yes?" He continued, ignoring her not-so-subtle rejection, "Raziel and I are poised to assist her with whatever she requires, but your aid would prove greatly beneficial."

"...Lady Elizabeth made Manus and I promise to end this cycle." She replied slowly, "While I doubt this infant monarch can succeed...I suppose it is better than grasping at nothing." A sigh escaped her, "After we deal with Quelara and her master...we shall see where our circumstances take us."

"I only ask that you consider it, nothing more."

She said nothing more as he returned to his mount and disappeared once more into the skies. She saw the wisdom in his words, manipulative as he may have been, and she didn't forget her vow to Lady Elizabeth. Princess Tiffania's safety came first, so she would deal with her conflicting promises when Quelara's master had been dealt with. Perhaps then she would no longer have to live her life in fear.

A moment of silence passed before she heard it. A roar, loud enough to encompass the entirety of the academy. She saw Manus draw his sword and draw Princess Tiffania closer to him before another howl echoed through the night air. Fenris growled next to her, teeth already holding onto the dagger tightly. Ciaran's brows knotted in worry; the sound was something she'd heard before, she was sure of it.

A cloaked shape rushed through the edge of her vision. Looking back at the terrace her mouth parted in shock as she saw the hooded figure knock Manus away and take the princess in their arms, rushing through the panicking crowds.

Damn it, she had to get down there now!

Just as she prepared herself to jump the roar reverberated once more, closer this time. Fenris' growls intensified as he backed away, "...What is it?" Looking up, she drew her tracers from their sheaths as she saw the large shape bearing down on her.

A dragon, but not like the ones she'd fought in this land. The stone skin covering its body was distinct, as was the intense fire playing at its snout. It was difficult to make out details through the darkness but she could see that the creature was large, far larger than most of the dragons in this land, "It cannot be..." She felt a wave of hesitation rush through her before she suppressed it. Now was not the time for fear.

An ancient dragon, enemies of the Gods. There was no mistaking it for anything else.

Its gaze swept over the school before it stopped, staring right at her. Without warning its mouth parted and it released a crimson sphere.

Jumping back, she barely avoided the ball of intense fire, the projectile smashing through the roof of the building. Large chunks of stone collided with her raised arms and she winced. No doubt about it, that was a dragon.

With a speed that belied its size, it swooped down straight for her. Muttering another curse she turned and jumped, Fenris following after her. Again she heard the sounds of breaking stone, the building behind her crumbling as the abomination smashed through it with its hard body. She heard it roar in frustration, trying to shake itself loose from the collapsing foundations.

Good, that would give her some time.

The landing was painful, but it was the lesser of two evils. Rolling upon impact, she gave another call to her companion andrushed towards the forest. She couldn't fight it in the open like this and she needed to lead it away from the others.

She could only pray that the others could protect the princess in her stead.

---

Daphne gaped as she saw the dragon bound after the masked assassin and her pet, waves of fire expelling from its mouth as it charged towards the forest, "Should we help her?" She winced at the sight of entire rows of trees being ripped and torn away by the seemingly mad dragon. She had no idea of the masked woman's capabilities, though both Sir. Raziel and Sir. Julio had vouched for her capabilities.

"Julio can do that, we need to prioritize that woman and get Louise back." Her sister replied, sparing the ravaged building only a brief sideways glance.

"We need to hurry then." She looked toward Amethyst and nodded, her sister's fangs already exposing themselves. If what they were told was correct then this Sheffield used golems and other artificial constructs to do her bidding. If so then their limitations wouldn't prove to be a problem.

She just hoped they wouldn't accidentally end up exposing themselves...though between the dragon and the collapsed building she didn't worry too much about that.

Screams emanating from the hall drew their attention, "Come on, before anyone gets hurt." Amethyst nudged her head in the building's direction before running, Daphne following after her silently. This wasn't like their other tasks; if they failed here then they would lose their one chance to get Louise back. With that thought in mind she steeled herself with a deep breath and-"

"Amethyst, stop!"

A wall of fire rose to greet them, the heat and light contrasting with the nightly chill. At the sight of the flame she felt a primal fear overtake her mind, screaming at her to turn away. She planted her feet on the ground to stop herself from going any further.

Unfortunately, her sister wasn't as lucky.

"Argh!" Amethyst screamed, drawing back and letting out pained hisses as she held her burned arms closer to herself, "Blood and damnation!" She snarled, glaring at the towering inferno. It clearly wasn't natural and the height would make it difficult to jump over it. Another scream resounded through the wall, louder and more feral than before. They didn't have time for this.

A giggle came from behind, almost unheard amidst all the noise.

"...Someone's here with us."

She was proven right when a figure dropped from above, a fist hitting the top of her head. Her face smashed against the ground with a painful crack and she heard her sister scream something briefly before she moved, dodging a torrent of fire aimed in her direction.

A meaty hand grabbed her hair painfully and raised her head, "...You two again?" She sneered at Jack's scowling visage, "Haha...I was almost worried for a second there. Let me guess, that woman sent you as a distraction. I thought you'd learn after what happened last time with you and your friends..."

The large man said nothing, bringing his fist against her face once more. The impact hurt, but she'd faced worse. Bringing up her arms, she grabbed his leg and tossed him away, relishing briefly in his scream of surprise he skid against the ground roughly.

Daphne rushed to her side, pulling her up in a rush. The young man - Damien, her sister told her - helped up the hulking behemoth as well, "Jack, I told you before that we could have avoided conflict." He scolded, sounding for all the world like a parent reprimanding her child.

"Fuck that! These two were part of the group that killed Jeanette and Bleu! They die!"

Damien opened his to reply before he caught sight of the thrown spear. Side-stepping the thrown projectile, he looked to Daphne in mock delight, "Ah, a pleasure to see you again, my lady. I'm afraid our last meeting ended on a rather poor note-"

"Dispel the flames! Now!" She conjured another spear and pointed it at him threateningly, "I'm not going to ask again!"

"As uncouth as it might be, I'm going to have to call your bluff." He shrugged lightly, a smile breaking across his face, "Both of you could have killed us in our respective confrontations and yet you chose not to do so. While your reasons for such aversion aren't known to me, it would be a shame not to press our advantage." He clapped his hands, "Worry not, we aren't required to kill you. So long as you stay here and let our employer's plan pass without interruption we shouldn't need to come into conflict. A more than reasonable compromise, wouldn't you agree?"

A bolt of lightning whizzed past his head, singing the ends of his hair. Sighing, he stared at the second Vampire as she straightened her posture and balled her hands into fists.

"A shame. Well, I suppose we'll have to do this the hard way then..."

---

Raziel cut apart the golem and kicked its metal frame away with a grunt, Henrietta following behind him without pause. Golems upon golems, there was no end to them. He grabbed the next one by its head and smashed it against the wall, the metal crunching in his hand as it broke apart from the impact. With every one they killed more would come to take their place.

The hooded figure looked back briefly before running once more, an unconscious Tiffania in tow, "I said stop!" He gave chase once more, ducking under the Queen's chanted spell. A wave of focused water passed over him and collided against the next group, scattering their rigid formation. He ran through them once more, knocking away the few that managed to remain standing.

The figure again seemed to wait for them before continuing its escape, sprinting down the stairs with practiced ease.

"We are being lured..."

They couldn't continue like this. The kidnapper was going down, which meant they were going to leave through the front entrance. Making his way to the window, he pushed open the bindings and looked over below. No sign of them yet, perhaps they still had a chance, "I am going to jump-"

"What!?" She looked at him as if he was mad.

"Trust me." He placed one foot against the windowsill. He needed to time this perfectly; with luck he would be able to-

Now.

The figure passed the doorway and waited, once again looking back the entrance for any sign of them. Raziel jumped and crashed painfully against them, their grip on Tiffania loosening. The pair rolled against the ground briefly before they kicked him away and jumped back, dislodging their cloak in the process-

No. No Gods damned way...

"Tabitha...?"

In his shock he didn't notice the other golem coming before it was too late. The construct knocked him back with a dull mace and grabbed the half-elf in its hands, carrying her away once more. Forcing himself to stand, he heard Henrietta dropping behind him slowly, a levitation spell carrying her down. He could feel the blood trickling from his nose, the metallic taste of the life fluid on his tongue.

"What happened? Who is..." Henrietta looked at the younger girl in confusion. It was clear by the way that Raziel gaped that he knew her.

"You...? You are with..." Raziel mumbled something incoherent under her breath, though what it was she couldn't make out.

"Raziel, focus! We need to get to Tiffania!" She pulled him up. The construct that had taken her was gone now, but she'd seen where it went, "Before Sheffield gets away."

"Right, we should-"

"Go." Tabitha interrupted, nudging her head to the building the construct had ran to, "My task was to deal with the corpse; she said nothing of monarchs."

Task? So...she truly was working for that witch. Tightening his grip on Derflinger's blade, he raised the blade with his left hand and looked to the royal, "Go...get Tiffania back...I will deal with her." He could feel the heat on his right hand, the limb being consumed by the corrupted flame. Anger was always a dangerous catalyst, but right now he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Are you-"

"Go!"

Henrietta looked back at him hesitantly before rushing after her cousin, giving the wind Mage a wide berth. True to her word the young teen didn't so much as glance at her as she chased after the construct.

"...Were you always working for that woman?" He asked softly.

She didn't answer, choosing instead to throw spikes of ice in his direction. A pillar of dark fire rose in front of him, incinerating the spell before they could reach him, "...Answer me. Did you always work for the witch?" The pillar dissipated, allowing him to see her once more, "When I told you of what she had planned for Tiffania did you agree to help me while already under her employ?"

Again, no answer. She swung her staff, blades of cutting wind coming towards him. He held up his arms and winced as the invisible blades cut through the skin, crimson blood staining the cloth.

"...You are not even going to say anything?" He laughed bitterly, "You knew what was at stake, I told you that if this failed then Louise would be lost to us and Tiffania would be taken as well to Gods only knew what fate the witch had in store for her. That never caused you to reconsider?"

"You talk too much."

A blast of wind knocked him on his back, quickly followed by another barrage of spikes piercing his flesh. Once more he felt his anger flare. Ignoring Derflinger's sudden pleas for him to calm himself, he clenched his right hand and smashed it against the ground as he stood. Pillar of fire rose from the ground, rushing to where the mage stood.

The traitor's eyes narrowed as she jumped to the side, using a spell to boost her speed. Raziel charged, blade aimed at her chest. She ducked under the clumsy sweep and pressed the tip of her staff against his stomach.

"Air hammer."

The pressure against his body was overwhelming. Flying through the air once again, he landed painfully on his back and grimaced as he coughed up more blood. If he was human that would have destroyed most of the organs in his body. Spitting out the pooled blood, he stabbed Derflinger into the ground and pulled himself up. It was quite clear that she didn't care at all about explaining her self.

"I trusted you..."

She wasn't holding back and neither would he. As far as he was concerned she was just another obstacle to saving Louise.

---

The dragon's roar was almost deafening in the still forest, "Fenris, go!" She whispered quickly, gesturing to the closest cluster of foliage as she climbed a nearby tree. Dragons held the advantage when fought in open spaces. While the trees wouldn't be anything more than a minor obstacle it would at the very least limits its movements, even if only temporarily. When fighting such creatures she had to press whatever advantage she could.

It didn't take long for her to catch sight of its large girth, stony claws tearing apart the trees that stood in its way as it tried to find her. It's snout rose in the air and sniffed before it turned to her direction.

"I dtigh diabhail!" She cursed, jumping to another tree and climbing higher. So long as she stayed in a cluster of trees it would have a much more difficult time taking flight. If she stood any chance of killing this creature she had to keep it grounded.

The assassin found herself holding her breath as the primal monster drew closer. She'd fought dragons before to know they had a keen sense of smell, but only by comparison. The dragon wars had been fought over arid lands of stone and their presence had drawn attention. Here, in a forest filled to the brim with other life, it would have a harder time picking apart her scent to the rest of the animals.

It paused, fangs baring in a snarl as it destroyed a nearby tree. Ciaran felt a jolt of fear run through her before she quickly suppressed it. It was losing its patience and soon it would get careless. All she needed to do was wait.

She would have been lying if she claimed to feel no dread as the seconds passed, the dragon's searching becoming more frantic as it caught no sign of her. All she needed was one chance - Her eyes lingered on the space between its wings, where its 'spine' would be. She needed to strike there first, disable it's capability of flight. After that...she would have to take it down in combat.

Forgoing any sense of hesitation, she jumped from the branch as the dragon's gaze finally turned.

Taking a moment to secure her grip, she plunged both tracers through the gaps of its stony shell. The monster's pained screech was overwhelming and her hold slipped as it trashed about, smashing its back against the trees to try and dislodge her.

"Urgh!" She collided against the tree painfully, her armor taking the brunt of the impact. Picking herself up, she weaved under its snapping mouth and stabbed her traces against the underside of its jaw.

The blades skid along the skin roughly and did little else, "Bas cheana!" She tried once more, and again the blade scratched harmlessly against its hard scales.

She should have run, realized that she was outmatched and retreated, but she stood her ground. She only had a brief moment to contemplate her mistake before the dragon angled its head and bit down, taking her right arm and most of her upper body in its wide mouth.

Again she could feel the armor's enchantments at work, doing its best to defend against the powerful fangs. Her lips parted in a pained yell as the jagged teeth pierced through the armor, ichor drawing from the wounds.

Her remaining arm stabbed at its face frantically, but the creature ignored her strikes. The pain grew worse by the second and soon her armor would lost whatever meager protection it provided.

A loud howl resounded, the only warning the creature had before Fenris jumped onto its head and stabbed his short sword into its eye. It roared and shook its head, trying to dislodge the small wolf that attempted to claw out its other eye and releasing her in the process.

Ciaran landed painfully on her side, more ichor dripping from her wounds. Taking another gasping breath, she fumbled for her remaining tracer and struggled to stand.

Whatever burst of luck the wolf had dissipated. The dragon's claws raised and scratched its side, blood drawing from the gaping wounds. The animal fell to the unforgiving earth and the dragon swatted it away without another care.

"Fenris!" She raised her left hand weakly before it fell with another pained gasp. She couldn't...the pain was too much.

The dragon drew closer one more, fire emanating from its parted jaw. She took another breath and once more attempted to raise her blade. If she was to die here then she would do so looking at her killer with no fear.

The fire never came. A burst of light cut through the trees before colliding against the dragon's remaining eye, eliciting another pained roar from the now-blind creature. Fighting through her pain, she stepped back as Julio quickly landed his dragon next to her, "Come on!" He grabbed her free arm and pulled her onto the dragon, the mount quickly rising to the air once more to avoid the dragon's clumsy swipes.

"Fenris is...he is still..."

"We will save him, but first we need to heal you." He took her hand in his and clasped them together in prayer. A bright ling engulfed the ravaged limb before dissipating, leaving only a few wounds in its wake.

"...I can keep fighting." She coughed out more ichor and pushed away his hands. She could fully heal herself later, "Focus on striking the dragon with more miracles. It is blinded now but its scales still protect it."

"As you wish."

He draw Azuro closer to it once more and let loose another miracle, hitting its front leg this time, "Keep it up!" She dismounted the smaller dragon and grabbed her remaining tracer. Without its sight its move had become frantic...desperate. A panicking opponent was always the easiest.

She dodged its ungainly strike and stabbed the now weakened skin, running her blades through the vulnerable 'flesh'.

The next attack was similar. A bolt of lightning hit against its neck quickly followed by a few quick strikes from her tracers. With every strike she felt its movements grow sluggish, its roars fading to dull screeches of protest.

The final strike against its skull was met with a satisfying thud as the dragon finally stilled, head falling on the grassy earth. Panting, she pulled the gold and silver blades away from its stony skin and almost collapsed.

Not yet. She still had to make sure he was okay.

Pulling herself up, she trudged over to her companion and knelt by his side. His breaths were shallow and yet he still raised his head to greet her, tongue licking her bloodied hands weakly.

"You did well...thank you." She brought a hand through his neck with as much care as she could manage.

A soft impact from behind drew her attention. Looking back, she found Julio in a heap on the ground, his dragon nudging him gently with its snout. Whispering something she couldn't make out, he pulled himself up and made his way to her. Bursts of light ran alongside his right arm, his face knotting in discomfort with every wave that passed.

"Well...I suppose we did well, all things considered." He knelt next to her, mouth raised in a pained smile.

She ripped away her mask and hood, looking at him face-to-face. It was the least she could do, "...I need your help. Fenris, he-"

"Ah, say no more." He held up his right hand, "I...cannot heal all of his wounds, as you can understand, but I shall do my best."

She remained silent as he pressed his hand against the wide gashes at his side. Once more light covered the wounds and she saw the injuries beginning to fade.

It didn't last long. Julio's hand arm shook uncontrollably and his face distorted in pain, whispering unintelligible curses to himself, "Calm yourself, Julio." Ciaran grabbed his hand and held it tightly, doing her best to steady him as his limb spasmed. The pain would pass eventually but until then she could help him push through it.

Still, that was undoubtedly an ancient dragon - Smaller than the rest of its kin, but unmistakable all the same. She sighed, trying to ignore the pain from her own wounds. Once he had stabilized they needed to return to the school. Princess Tiffania was still in danger.

---

They were running out of time.

Daphne grabbed the earth golem's neck and threw it against the fire in frustration. How long had this fight lasted? Queen Henrietta and Raziel needed them, they couldn't afford to stay here any longer.

Amethyst ducked under the arc of Jack's axe, throwing a kick at his midsection. Despite his claims of superiority it was clear the weeks he'd spent as a prisoner in the dungeons had taken their toll. Blocking his next swing, she wrenched the constructed weapon from his grip and smashed the blunt edge at his side, bending the metal slightly. Sweeping her leg, she tripped the mammoth of a man and mounted him, smashing her fists repeatedly against his exposed face.

"Remove the spell." She snarled. Despite the pain Jack grinned at her and she smashed her fist against his once more, "Do I look like I'm joking? Remove the spell before I gouge your eyes out like your brother."

"Go...to...hel!"

Daphne growled in annoyance as Damien dodged another strike from her spear, throwing another spike to dislodge Amethyst's hold on his 'sibling'. This was just like their previous encounter; he didn't care about fighting back, content to taunt her with the knowledge that they they had fallen into their trap.

Louise was counting on them to win.

Letting her instincts take over, she charged towards the young man and raised her hand. Damien's smile faltered for a moment as the earth underneath him rose and knocked him off balance.

Not letting him recover, Daphne grabbed him by the leg and slammed him against the ground, a jolt of pain running through her head at the impact. The seals were acting up and already she felt the urge to let go of him.

No, not this time. They needed to leave.

"Big brother!" Jack knocked her away and rushed to her sister, a fist raised to attack her. Focusing on the ground at his feet, Amethyst clenched her hand and willed the earth to follow her will.

Tentacles erupted from the ground, grabbing onto his leg and dragging him away roughly.

Daphne grabbed Damien by the neck and raised him up, her grip almost like a vice, "Dispel the fires. Last chance." She pulled him close and bared her fangs.

The threat seemed to amuse him,"Hahaha...do you plan to actually do more than glare at me?" His smile returned, almost morphing into a grin as a hint of uncertainty seeped into the Vampire's features, "I will tell you now: The only way that fire's going to be dispelled is if Jack and I both perish." He coughed, trying to force out another laugh, "Your scare tactics won't work, I'm afraid."

Her hands shook. It was a simple thing; take his life, it should have been simple for her. As her mouth parted once more she felt the screams in her mind intensify, every fiber of being try to deter her from her next course of actions.

The image of Louise's dead body came to her, her beaten and broken as she looked back at her with empty eyes.

His life was worth less than hers.

Shutting out the voices, Daphne pulled him close and bit into his neck hungrily. The taste of blood on her tongue was mercifully brief before she pulled back, ripping a large chunk of flesh away in the process.

"...Huh?" Damien's smile faded as blood seeped from the gaping wound. That was...not what he expected she would do. Staring at him through blank eyes, the Vampire dropped him on the ground and stepped on his neck, pressing harder until she heard the audible snap of bones snapping.

"B-Big brother!" Jack fought off the tentacles and charged the Vampire, hands already conjuring another axe to smite her with.

He didn't get far. Daphne's hand swiped against his neck, leaving four deep gashes in the flesh. Jack's surprise lasted only a moment before she grabbed him by the scruff as well and tossed him into the wall of fire.

The sound of the remaining assassin's scream was not something Amethyst would forget anytime soon. As his struggles weakened and the fire spread throughout his body she slowly inched closer to her sister. Already the fires were beginning to fade, leaving only dying embers.

"Daphne...?" She called. her sister took no note of her presence, eyes remaining focused on her bloodied hands, "...Sister, are you-"

Her sister fell on her knees, tears escaping wide eyes. The younger Vampire brought her bloodsoaked hands through her hair, her mouth curling into a broken smile even as the tears continued to fall. The limitations they were under were there for a reason, she knew that, but to see her sister suffer the consequences was something she had never hoped to see in all her years.

"Daphne-"

"Louise..Louise is all that matters..." She muttered, finally looking up at her, "They...They had to die...or Louise would be hurt...hahahahaha..."

"...Come, sister...they need our help."

---

"Hey, partner, I told you to wait!"

"Wait? Are you insane?" Raziel deflected the next spike aimed at his face.

"Alright, bad wording, but you need to listen to me!" Raziel jumped over the next attack and rushed the Mage once more.

It was pointless. With every step he took to close the distance she would run away or jump over him, seemingly taunting him as she sent another wave of hard wind against him. Looking back perhaps it might have been wise to bring a gun or bow along.

"What could you possibly tell me that cannot wait- Argh!" He let out a frustrated scream as a spike embedded itself in his neck. Pulling it away with a snarl, he felt the wound immediately begin to heal itself as the flesh stitched together. The pain was loosening the seal; he could feel his grip on sanity beginning to fail him.

He needed to finish this now.

"If you'd listen to your damn partner for a second you'd know the dagger is the important thing here!" Derflinger screamed, "It's been years but I'd recognize that dagger from anywhere! Undercurrent's possessing that girl, that's why she's so strong! Most people would have run out of willpower by now."

"Your point?" He waited for her to cast another spell before charging, the spikes cutting through the flesh of his arm. A swing of the sword nearly hit her, the blade's edge just barely grazing her side and drawing blood. There was a delay to her next spell right after she finished casting and he had to take advantage of it.

"Brimir's tits, get the dagger! She'll be easier to fight once that's done!"

"...Understood."

Again he waited for her to cast another spell. Briefly regretting his lack of a shield, he rushed through the assorted blades of wind and bit back a scream as they tore through the skin of his arms and face. An attack that large meant she would need a moment before casting her next spell.

He was proven right when she attempted to stab him with the dagger. Making no attempt to dodge the hit, he grabbed the arm holding onto the weapon and smashed his fist against her elbow.

Tabitha didn't scream. Wincing at the dagger embedded in his chest, he pushed her away roughly and grabbed the dagger's hilt. It wasn't too painful by any means, but he felt a sudden dizziness overtake him.

"Shit, partner, get her out of there now! You gotta-"

"Too late." Raziel's face broke out into a blank smile as the feminine voice echoed from the dagger's hilt, "Well, well, well! I didn't expect to see you here, 'brother'! You do find the strangest pawns."

"He's my partner! And so help me if you touch a hair on his head I'll melt you down myself!"

"Large talk coming from someone as poorly forged as you." She laughed, "Now...oh, what's this? You placed seals on him? Now that won't do. I'll just-"

"Don't!"

Her 'brother's' voice faded into silence as she inserted her soul into the walking corpse. This should be easy; Undead were nothing more than barely upright cadavers animated with the soul of another. All she had to do was expel the spirit inhabiting the rotting body and take its place for her own. It should prove simple enough; certainly less troublesome than merely suppressing the will of a true individual.

...Odd, the corpse's psyche was dark, far more than any others she'd possessed.

It didn't take her long to see the seals. Hmm, crude as they were they certainly kept her from gaining access to the soul. She concentrated for a moment in reversing the process- Hm? Oh, it appeared Derflinger was trying to fight her off, how cute. Redoubling her efforts she broke through the first seal and immediately began to work on the second. It would go faster now she knew how.

At the back of her mind she wondered why exactly it was her 'sibling' had cast such an ancient magic. Had he known of her presence beforehand? No, impossible; she'd only found out she would be involved in this little plot a few days prior, there was no way he would have known as well.

Her focus shifted back to the final seal. Again she felt her 'brother' trying to fight her off, far more desperate this time. She shut out his incoherent ramblings and broke the last binding. There, now she could-

Something was wrong.

A primal fear began to overtake her. Thinking of nothing else, she concentrated and tried to will herself back to her original host.

...

Nothing. She was still here...she couldn't leave.

"What in The Creator's name...?"

She could feel innumerable eyes on her. Back to where the seal once remained crimson eyes looked back at her, the nightmarish irises the only light in the darkness. A blackened limb pushed through the darkness, tendrils grabbing her before she could defend herself and pulled her close. She saw the rows of razor sharp teeth, the large spikes it had in place of a face.

Undercurrent screamed.

Tabitha shook her head, the residual effects of the spirit blade's possession finally leaving her, "...Ah." Her face contorted in pain as the effects of her broken arm finally registered. Biting back a scream, she stood up shakily, her right hand groping for her staff. Her memories were somewhat hazy, but she definitely recalled the fight. It wasn't over yet.

A short distance away she found Raziel kneeling on the ground, both hands covering his face and gripping his hair tightly. It was difficult to recognize him through the illusionary disguise, but it was definitely him. Her eyes narrowed as caught sight of something by his feet.

Undercurrent's 'body', the blade blackened and shattered. The sword at his side was oddly silent even as the Undead finally stood once more. Tabitha's eyes narrowed and she raised her staff; without Undercurrent's aid her willpower reserves were weakened, but she could still fight. She unconsciously stepped back as he walked towards her, hands finally dropping to his face to expose his black eyes.

He charged. Tabitha cast a quick incantation and jumped to the side, her magic propelling her forward. Raziel's fist smashed where she once stood, a dark substance spreading through the grass he had touched.

"...What the?"

The roar that he emitted was chilling. Nearly dropping her staff in the sudden, overwhelming feeling of fear, she watched with shaking hands as the skin of his face cracked and split open, exposing the grotesque darkness underneath.

Shaking her head, she stood her ground as he charged, another spell already cast at her feet. One mistake and her end was set.

Rolling past his crazed swipe, she activated the spell and watched as blades of wind erupted from the ground, cutting through whatever flesh they could reach. Aiming her staff at him, she grasped for the last of her willpower and created as many spikes as she could muster.

The barrage of icicles tore through his flesh, black blood seeping from the numerous wounds. Crushing any sense of regret she felt, she lowered her staff and panted, her legs shaky. She had...it was over; for better or worse she had accomplished her task. Now she had to-

Raziel twitched. Mouth parting in shock, she gaped as the Undead pulled himself up, the wounds on his body fading and being replaced by corrupted flesh. That was...she knew he was an Undead, but to survive to such a degree...

"...No." She raised her staff and, though she knew it was a futile gesture. She had no more willpower and she could barely stand.

She could do nothing but raise her uninjured arm to defend against his next attack. Biting her tongue to keep from screaming, she was smashed to the ground with a powerful swipe. She could taste blood on her mouth.

Before she could regain her bearings she felt a painful hold on her leg. Moving through the air briefly, her head collided once more with the unforgiving earth as he tossed her about like a ragdoll.

Twisting her around, a fist hit against her face as the crazed monster began to beat her. Her glasses were gone, long since shattered in the first attacks. The third punch knocked more than a few of her tooth away and she could feel blood pooling on her mouth.

Manus looked down at the beaten girl, fist raised for another strike. She made no attempt to struggle, staring back defiantly through swollen eyes. Her bloody lips parted and he saw the teeth floating in the pool of blood.

"Kill me..."

---

Henrietta suppressed a wince as she heard the door close behind her. She knew full well she could have been walking into a trap, but the alternative was letting Tiffania be taken and that was a price they couldn't afford to pay.

The woman's laughter echoed throughout the dark halls. Keeping her wand close at hand, she trudged through the hall, the lights of the twin moons her only guide. She didn't recognize this building, though she knew it was definitely not one of the dormitories. Taking a moment to calm herself, she turned the hall and narrowed her eyes at the door at standing at the end of the hall.

She doubted it would be as simple as following a singular hall. Placing her hand on the knob, she hesitated only briefly before she pushed it open.

Nothing but the darkness greeted her. Muttering a soft incantation, a small fire lit itself at the end of her wand and she held it up like a torch. Given the lack of windows she could only assume it was a storage room of some kind, or at least a building whose purpose didn't require much in the way of human manpower.

Before she could think twice a pair of hands shoved her inside and the door slammed behind her, "...I should have expected that." She scowled. Breathing deeply to try and calm her beating heart, she removed her heeled shoes and ripped open the bottom of her dress. It was something she should have done earlier, but time hadn't exactly been her friend ever since the night started. At least now if she had to run she wouldn't have to fear tripping over herself.

She was definitely being herded somewhere, that much was clear. Muttering the incantation once more, she tried her best to see through the darkness. This part of the building appeared unfinished, half-formed walls and open doorways making up the bulk of the interior. She shook her head; why would this even be here? Had someone attempted to construct a building and simply forgot about it partway through.

Shadowed figures ran through the halls, their forms nearly indistinguishable in the darkness. She cast another quick spell, a small torrent of water running from the tip of her wand to the figure's back and knocking it against the wall. The others made no attempt to help it so she walked ahead, careful to keep her wand pointed at it at all times.

"What in the world...?" The figure was a crude golem, obviously inhuman unlike the previous ones. Hesitantly she reached a hand and tapped its jaw. It looked like an amateurish sculpture of clay, nothing like the one that had taken her cousin.

The constructs eyes rolled to look at her and she stood, another incantation already on her lips, before Sheffield's voice echoed from its parted mouth, "Well, that was certainly rude of you." She sighed, "My master was kind enough to invite you to this little soiree of ours and yet you attack one of the guests. Tsk tsk, I would have thought a Queen would possess better manners than that."

"Where are you?" She hissed.

"If you wanted to find us you needed only follow the rest of the attendants. Don't worry, master insisted that you be unharmed during the proceedings and I've chosen to ignore your little lapse of judgement. Oh, do hurry if you can. Lady Tiffania is getting restless all on her own."

She resisted the urge to kick the construct and left the hall, making her way up the dusty stairs. It eerily reminded her of the events back in the theatre, walking into another blatant trap for a chance of getting some answers. She still had little clue as to what this building was supposed to be, though her curiosity slowly began to ebb as she reached the top of the stairs.

Another door, this one slightly ajar. Trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, she pushed it open and stepped inside.

The room at the other end was small, at least in comparison to the ones she'd gone through previously. She coughed at the plume of dust and noted the stacked boxes lining the sides, most of them covered by dirty cloths of varying size. A storage room of some kind? It would certainly explain its decrepit state. In places like this they simply dumped whatever wasn't needed and forgot all about it.

Placed in the center of the chamber was a mid-sized table. She couldn't stop herself from scowling as she caught sight of the same golem that had attacked them three weeks prior sitting at the head, a smile plastered on its face. Next to her sat Tiffania, her open eyes glassy and unfocused as she gazed at the table. Again she she was tempted to cast another spell, even a small cantrip.

"Ah, you're here." It called. She would never get used to hearing that woman's voice coming from a clearly male avatar, "You look different- Oh, of course, the celebrations." It steepled its hands together and laughed, "The resemblance you hold to your mother is uncanny, I must say, as is the one she holds to hers." It looked towards Tiffania, "I never expected to see the princess of Oolacile here of all places."

"Enough of your games." She snapped, "You...'invited' me here for a reason. Tell me what you want."

"Well, first I'd like you to take a seat." It gestured to the chair opposite hers.

She bit back the barb at the tip of her tongue and sat, extinguishing the fire spell igniting the tip of her wand. The candles that dotted the table were here only source of light, but already her eyes were adjusting to the darkness.

"There now, that's much better." It swept a hand through the grimy cloth covering the table, "I must apologize for our chosen venue, but the rest of the school is in no condition for a private conversation, as you no doubt know." Another laugh at the 'joke', "Well, I suppose this is our first proper conversation. Our last meeting was merely to convey a warning, after all."

"...What do you want?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. While others are expendable as far as my master's concerned he finds you...amusing." It played with a fork in its hands, "So I suppose we shall sit here and talk, at least until my master calls me back."

"And you take Tiffania..."

"If that's what he wishes, then yes." It shrugged, "I'm surprised you're not asking more questions. You were rather chatty when you were with Jeanette, after all."

"What would be the point? Even if I knew why you were doing this it wouldn't change anything." She scoffed. Besides, she already had an inkling as to why they were doing this: They were abhorrent monsters, "If you expect me to play along with this 'game' of yours then you're sorely mistaken. I have no intention of being your doll."

"Of course. After all, it's the Queen that makes puppets of others." She replied back lightly, a distinct cheer in her voice, "You realized our plans from the start and yet you let the ball continue. I'm curious, did you not feel guilt for all those that might have gotten hurt? Not just your pawns, but the students and teachers attending the celebrations. Why didn't you stop the festivities if you knew where we were going to be."

"If you're trying to make me feel guilty, it's a futile task." She wouldn't be saying anything that she hadn't already told herself before, "...Fine, I'll humor you and ask: Where are you, away from your countless golems?"

"I'm not here, if that's what you're expecting. My master was insistent I not be physically present for this undertaking." She giggled, "Ah, I understand now. Perhaps you wished to capture me, torture me until I gave up my master's location?" Henrietta said nothing, but the construct's smile widened regardless, "If so then you're going to be disappointed. On the chance that I did come here and you managed to capture me I would kill myself before betraying my master."

"We shall see about that..."Her hands shook under the table, "...What did you do with Louise?"

"Ms. Valliere? Oh, she's been my master's guest. She's been remarkably amicable in the weeks she spent with us." She paused for a moment before continuing, "She was...uncooperative when she first awoke, but she cooperated not long afterwards when the situation was explained to her. She's been a very pleasing addition ever since."

"If you hurt her I swear I'll-"

"What? Make more impotent threats? Send your monsters and pawns after me?" She asked back lazily, "Whether you plan to threaten me with those Vampires or the festering corpse she considers a Familiar it matters not. So long as you have no idea where we are you may as well send them to attack a a wall for as much good it does you."

A roar came from outside and she felt a chill ran through her at the sound. That was Raziel... "Hm...it appears the beast has lost control of itself. That'll be troublesome." Its smile faded, replaced instead by an irritated sneer, "Well, I guess that's that then. A shame we weren't able to talk for very long but please say your goodbyes to-"

Enough was enough. Pointing her wand at the construct, a quick incantantion of the cantrip was all it took for a powerful wave of water to expel from her foci. The torrent of water knocked the avatar off its chair and to the wall behind it. Not wasting any time, Henrietta rushed towards her cousin and pulled her up, groaning slightly at the added weight.

They needed to leave, now. Looking around the room she chanted another spell and aimed at the closest bit of exposed wall.

The ball of water exploded upon contact with the surface, knocking away the stony foundations. Without thinking twice she ran and jumped, another cantrip already cast. A levitation spell would take too long and slow them down. She needed something more immediate.

She only had a moment to see the forming wall of water before she closed her eyes and fell headfirst into it. The chill of the water was uncomfortable, but at least it slowed her fall. Rushing through the makeshift wall, she clamped her mouth shut as a scream threatened to escape. The spell wasn't mean to act as a cushion and the fall on her side wasn't pleasant.

The water soon dissipated, leaving her to gasp desperately for air as it crumpled around her. Next to her she could hear Tiffania breathing in startled gasps, the shock of the impact dispelling whatever spell the malevolent Familiar had placed her under.

"Tifannia, are you okay?" Oh, her sides hurt. Biting her lower lip, she took a deep breath and stood up shakily. She had taken the brunt of the fall

"I-I'm fine!" She swept her now-ragged hair out of her eyes coughed, "What is- Look out!"

Henrietta fell on her back once more as the ground shook. Pointing her wand at the source, the incantation died in her mouth as she made out the source. "A titanite demon..." She muttered, the name suddenly coming to her. Gwynevere had never fought a day in her life, but she'd heard enough stories from the others to know of the creature's capabilities.

Where did she even get such a creature? How much power did she and her master wield?

The avatar jumped from the hole she created, impacting the ground with a dull thud, "Well now, that was rather rude of you. I told you before that we would have left you be if you simply calmed down and then you had to do this." She shook her head in mock disapproval, "Oh well. I would have preferred avoiding conflict, but master told me to do what I must if you proved...uncooperative."

The metallic creature raised its trident to smite them...and paused. Henrietta looked up at the monster, waiting for the moment that it would let the weapon fall and take their lives.

Nothing.

"What in the..." Sheffield muttered, the construct turning towards the creature.

Henrietta shivered as the air seemed to chill. The demon in front her was being frozen; a thick sheet of ice covered its 'skin', spreading from its legs all the way to its head. She heard the Familiar sputtering, rushing out a slew of curses as the attempted to make it move once more.

The demon shattered with a powerful crack, almost deafening to her ears. Through the shattered remnants she saw Alsanna, her warped visage almost unrecognizable as she turned her attention to the remaining construct.

"Who in the abyss are-"

That was all she managed before it was frozen was well, a thick layer of frost rendering it immobile. Alsanna's head tilted for a moment, as if she was considering her next action, before she touched a hand lightly on its icy form.

The shattering was less overwhelming due to its smaller size, but it was no less shocking. Next to her she heard Tiffania whimpering, looking at her with fear in her eyes.

"...Alsanna...you're here..." Her lips quirked in a relieved smile as the pale woman helped her up. Even through her shivers she felt a sense of relief upon seeing her friend once more, "Thank you for saving us..."

"It was no trouble..." She pulled Tiffania up as well, her gaze warming at the sight of the familiar figure, "I have found something, but that can wait till later. My brother has lost control, I must save him."

---

"Kill me..."

Gladly. Manus brought his clawed hand to end her life before he stopped. A pale hand gripped his wrist and pulled him back, separating him from his prey. He snarled and clawed at the new arrival.

"Brother, please." Alsanna took his other hand and struggled to pacify his thrashing form. Her presence calmed him, she knew that, but in his rage she wondered if that would be enough, "Control yourself...don't give in to the hunger that consumed the rest." She pulled him in a tight embrace, "Please...I do not wish to lose any more of my family to madness."

He attempted to bite her.

She was forced to release him and back away, ice emanating from her fingertips as corrupted fire consumed his right arm. She was the weakest of her siblings, she knew that, but she couldn't afford to back down from this. Even as every instinct told her to give in to her cowardice she stood her ground.

Her brother charged, mouth open and exposing his jagged teeth. She created a wall of ice and grimaced as he smashed through it, the dark flame melting through the barrier easily.

The claws ran through her stomach, dark blood seeping from the wound. She grabbed his hands once more, ignoring the pain of his attack, "I can help you...you must trust me-"

"Raziel!?"

His attention was drawn from away from her, struggles ceasing once he caught sight of the illusionary ruler of Oolacile and the child of Light. Tiffania looked at him through wide eyes, hands covering her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

"...Dusk.

Now was her chance, "Brother, you must remember." She pleaded. Reluctantly she released her hold on him. Already she could feel the rage ebbing, the soul lulling itself back to sleep. All it needed was a little push.

"You will be alright..." She cupped his cheeks gently, turning him to face her. Already she could see the darkness beginning to fade, his eyes turning grey once more as the cracks removed themselves from his flesh. She turned to Henrietta with a smile, "Heal the injured one. She will help you in saving your friend."

"R-Right..."

"Who...Who are you?" His voice was hoarse and weak, but it was his own.

"Your sister...it's nice to finally meet you, brother."

---

And done. Fight scenes were bad, bla bla bla: My friend actually commented on the impotent length of the fight scenes and is writing his own version. I'll post his versions in the next chapter as an extra. If you guys have a good reaction to it then maybe he can write any subsequent fight scene and be the co-author. You guys decide.

The Vampires get shafted in this chapter in terms of length compared to everyone else, but that's at least justified: Their problem isn't that they can't fight - Indeed you can see Amethyst decimating Jack throughout the segment - but they can't bring themselves to kill. Once you get past that the fight is over, hence why it's so short. Then again I doubt anyone really cares since they're side-characters, but oh well.

Ciaran's dragon fight was also slightly longer from it's rather pathetic length because the dragon actually conversed with her, reminding her of the role she played in the dragon wars and the revenge it planned bla bla bla. Cut that out because it didn't sit right with me so we get the now weirdly short length.

Reviwer - There's a light...it's just a really long tunnel. And the light is an LED flashlight.

Roku - Thanks for the long review ;) Yeah, Tabitha gets the short end of the stick in this chapter...but on the bright side, she's not dead ;P Unlike canon she's unlikely to leave and save her mother alone to get captured given her state so things might finally be looking up for her. But yeah, characters are dragged through the mud in this story, but if they were having an afternoon nap and a blowjob it wouldn't exactly pique my interest.

Whats Pillars of the Earth? As for Joseph, it's mostly his pre-existing characterization that builds his segments, I just have to expand a bit. Anyway, hope you can sleep better after reading this chapter :)

Dzk87 - Really? I have two friends who used bows and they both said one eye is much harder than both.

SirSquirtle - You're well within you're right to ship, but it wasn't meant to be romantic. Just a heads up.

Kishinkurobi - You just couldn't help yourself, could you? :/ I get every joke except the finger one; I get why it's dirty but not exactly how it relates to Dark Souls. As for Tabitha, it's mostly in her character to trust herself over others. Also, she didn't exactly know everything about the group until Raziel told her, and even he doesn't know the capabilities of the entire group. Just look at this chapter; most of the characters get their asses kicked and just scrape together a victory on their opponents.

Remvis - Tabitha's paranoid and finds it difficult to rely on others fully. While Raziel is a powerhouse, physical and magical strength isn't what's needed to fight the likes of Joseph and Sheffield. She has no idea how intelligent Henrietta or the others are because Raziel doesn't relay that to her.

As for the Raziel and Cattleya scene, I'm surprised you don't call BS on it considering it implies an Undead can have sex with a living person. They were supposed to talk about it briefly in this chapter, but I decided it would be weird to talk about it during a planning group so we'll save that for later.

We'll return to Karin and the rest when we deal with Joseph. They were supposed to be involved in this arc but I thought it would make it too bloated and convoluted introducing her to the cast while Louise was still kidnapped. Also, what makes you think there's a deal with Estelle? ;P

Spirit of Justice - Ironically enough he probably can't even use the bonfire properly. Anyway, the Karin bits aren't that important as of now so don't worry about it.

Rokei - I have a thread on spacebattles if you wanna conversate. Search 'Spacebattles Twisted Reflections' on google and you should find it.

1. Yes I always intended a change, but not to the exact specifications. Hell Raziel was supposed to be genderless post-Saxe Gotha before I axed that idea. He changed appearance in this chapter again due to the Liar's Mirror so it's not a big deal.

2. Probably, but you need a homeward bone and he doesn't have one. Likewise that's a pretty nice theory :) Definitely has some interesting plot potential since curing her would require the suffering of another soul.

3. Most likely not. I can add lore, but specific items don't really get ported over unless they have plot relevance like the mushrooms or the Divine Blessing.

4. Cause I just plain forgot about it. The tail fetish was a minor gag that hasn't really shown up, as has his attraction to Marianne. Maybe next time, but don't hold your breath.

5. Originally he was supposed to use it because I was going to follow canon and have him leave Tiffania behind till later. That got dropped, and it's fair to say it's gone by this point since he lost most of his stuff at Saxe-Gotha.

Siesta was supposed to show up in the last chapter, but the Cattleya scene was used instead.

NeverendingZero - Post DS2 if they ever show up.

Sejinter - I imagined him more as Tyrion Lannister rather than Varric, but whatever works.

Mingyu - Well they gotta rescue Louise first before they discuss the bite marks Raziel leaves or how Cattleya can't muffle her voice. Anyway, we'll go back to Louise's POV and take a character out of the bus.

WardenOfLore - Despite the reason Raime might have been banished, Nadalia's dialogue makes it clear that she's either evil or insane and the Fume Knight's devotion isn't meant to be a love redeems scenario like with Alsanna and her king.

Krulla Chief - In all seriousness it smells like nothing since despite being a rotting corpse no one ever mentions him smelling. If you wanna be funny just imagine it smells like roast beef.

Cloudstrel - It's not a stretch to assume they repaired it; it's easy enough to do and the enchantment isn't broken by smashing it. Also, only played DS 1 and 2. Not interested in 3 for anything but lore.

CrimsonGrEEd - Well Gwyn and Gwynevere really are dead since neither Julio or Henrietta identify as them, but beyond that have fun trying to avoid being played.