Author's Warning- This chapter contains swearing.

Alice's POV

Jack tore from the room and up the stairs, each step completely silent. His face an unreadable mask but through our connection I could see his visions. Different weapons but the body remained the same. A crumpled emperor curled at his feet, blood let free from dozens of wounds. Only a true killer, born of blood, could have such dark fantasies.

I followed him up and around the house, somehow he remained the exact way to our room despite only ever seeing it once. The door opened with an earsplitting creak and he slid inside. Darkness emanated from the room, but it was only partly the lack of candlelight. I walked in after him and what I saw made me stop cold.

His mask had slipped, and the monster inside was revealed. His upper lip was curled back in a snarl and his eyes shot daggers at nothing in particular. I could see know why his power had always manifested in fire before we joined, there was a suitable supply in his soul.

He had no hint of grief or fear in his eyes, just an unending bloodlust to fit an incomprehensible loss.

I didn't know what to do or say so I just stood there like the useless witch I am. He glanced in my direction and his eyes softened, but still sent shivers down my spine. I could see straight through to his soul, and a creature of darkness purred. This was Jack the heartless Assassin.

Just to have something to do, I threw off my cloak and slipped into the bed. Jack continued to pace around the room each step a silent promise for vengeance. I caught myself drifting off, and fought against it. After a few minutes words fell into my mind, and I started talking to him without meaning to.

I don't want you to go I thought begging him to understand the risks.

I have no doubt that you saw what I did, so how can you let that bastard rule for even a minute more? He shouted letting his desperation and fury fill his words.

We can fight some other way. I pleaded.

You know as well as I do that even if the emperor falls, that the world will fall into chaos over who is to fill his place. If you and I fight there will be no doubt over who is to rule after him.

I don't want to rule. I countered.

Then I'll do it. Better me than some general who managed to beat out all of the other rebels. We don't need another tyrant. He said, although I got the feeling like he wanted the crown all along.

Still, remember how easily we were captured? That could happen again.

Aliendra I flinched at the name if the world knew who you were, they wouldn't raise a finger against either of us.

That's not my name.

Yes it is. When will you stop running from your past?

You've seen what I've done, you know that I can never be that girl again.

That girl is the queen of Spera, and the future empress of the five kingdoms. He taunted.

No! "That girl is dead! She died a long time ago, and screw you for bringing her back!" I shouted abandoning our mental debate.

"I've seen that girl way too many times. Remember back in the prison cell? You tortured that guard not because he killed, but because he killed children. That was Aliendra peeping through, she isn't dead yet. You're hiding her because you're afraid she'll hate you for what you've become."

I stepped closer to Jack, looked him square in the eye and said "Fuck you." and walked out. I left the room, then the house, and started walking. I threw a cloak over my head and just walked aimlessly. I reached out to Jack, but met only resistance. He was shutting me out. I tightened the cloak and veered right changing course. Before I knew it I was at the gates of a grand castle.

The two guards at either side of the iron gates stood to attention. The leftmost one shouted "Halt! What business have you while the king is in mourning?" I merely glanced in his direction and his face drained of all color. He went limp and fell to the ground, completely and absolutely dead.

I turned to the guard on the right, and blood spurted from a cut on his throat. I looked down to see a dark iron sword in my grip. I didn't remember picking it up.

I thrust my hands forward and the gate flew off of its hinges and into the grand green yard. The only grass within a hundred miles that's green. I flew forward over the cobblestone path and to the main doors. They flew open without even a touch and I continued my assault.

Standing in the great hall was a couple dozen soldiers, each with somewhat familiar faces. As one unit they drew their blades and stood to face me. I held my dark iron blade in front of my me and put my weight on my back foot. They tensed and, like one, they marched towards me. I turned as if to run, and felt the legion behind me prepare to chase. I sprinted forward a few steps, the troops behind me doing the same each brandishing their weapons trying to get in a blow.

Suddenly I turned, a smile on my face, but the guards anticipated the feint. I barely had enough time to dodge a blow aimed at my ribs, and my sword flew up of its own accord to stop a downward swipe from another. I was quickly surrounded and blades flew at me like insects nipping at me tearing little gashes in my skin. The deadly dance had begun, a dance where even one misstep meant certain death. I let my body flow to its music and let my sword sing its song as it collided with others aware of the tune. Finally I saw an opening and thrust forward, my blade cut through skin and bone like parchment and a head fell to the floor. I turned to face the rest and continued the fight. My clothes stuck to my skin, from sweat or blood I didn't know. but still I fought. Bodies fell but I paid them no mind, they were just swords hat would no longer swing at me. I reached deep within myself and punched through the veil, allowing the magic to reinfuse my weak and aching limbs.

There were only around 10 men left. I pictured a fireball brewing in my hand, and thrust it at a group of enemies to my left. They burst into flame, but as soon as fire caught, they were extinguished. I threw another and another, but they refused to burn. A stabbing pain in my back resolved me to fight using only my blade, I couldn't allow my attention to waver again.

Finally the last men fell, and I was alone. Surrounded by bodies, I took stock of my body. Everywhere hurt and blood coated every surface. My eyes stung and I threw my hand over them to wipe the sweat, and it came away completely red.

I stepped over the corpse and threw open the final door, something on the other side made my breath catch. The crystal room was exactly as I had seen it in Jack's memories, but something was off. Instead of one central golden throne. there were two. Seated in them were a man and a woman each appearing to be in their early twenties. The man had hair as dark as night, and resembled the emperor in every way, right down to the sneer. The woman was different, dark brown hair fell down to her shoulders and a very large crown rested upon her brow. Her eyes cold and fixed upon me.

I stopped dead and looked at them both, neither of them rose to strike at me, but neither tried to speak to me either. Eventually after the silence threatened to suffocate me, I finally asked.

"Where is Emperor Ternac?" They only laughed.

The woman responded. "Emperor Ternac has been dead for several years, and in his absence we thought it best that we rule instead."

"Yes it seems only fair that we remain, to keep the empire together." The man said.

I stood silently, something about this situation felt sickening. I was suddenly very afraid, all of the anger I had felt upon leaving the house ebbed away leaving a painful feeling behind.

Curiosity got the better of me and I asked. "Is magic still illegal?"

They laughed again, a soulless laugh that left me feeling drained rather than mirthful. The man answered. "Where has this girl been these past years? Of course magic is legal, in fact it is illegal not to have magic."

A lump rose in my throat but I had to ask anyway. "What do you do to people who don't have magic? Do you kill them?"

"We are not monsters!" The woman shouted. "We merely put them to work performing jobs that befit them, they work as slaves in the mines and fields"

I thought about how many people lived in the empire who couldn't do magic and gagged. That would be thousands if not millions of slaves. I looked up at the two monarchs and they seemed far more familiar. Jack's anger and resentment looked down on me, and Alice's fear of being the minority. This is what would happen if Jack and Alice fought and won the war: a genocide of anyone who looked down upon them.

They both rose from their thrones, suddenly much younger and they weaved a spell that mixed fire, water, ground, and air. It spun around them creating a stream of pure energy, they shut their eyes and thrust it towards me. I barely had time to open my mouth before the spell overcame me, and darkness took control.

Someone was shaking my arm as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. I was back in the command center for the Band of Spera, I suppose I should say that I was back home. I looked to my right to see a concerned Jack shaking my arm, trying to wake me up. Despite the unending darkness outside it looked as if he hadn't slept at all, perhaps his family's death hadn't been part of the dream.

I'm sorry, I would never say those things to you. He apologized. I knew he had seen everything.

I know, and I'm sorry about your family. I promise we'll tear him from his throne.

He looked past me, the fury he had dissolving into a deep sadness. I just want to make sure that he doesn't do this to anyone ever again.

He may, and that is why we have to stop him. Look let's go to Spera tomorrow, there we can help the rebellion and keep his troops occupied.

They all will fear the great Alice and Jack. He joked.

I tore my gaze from him and stared out the window. That was what I was afraid of.

Author's Note- This chapter was a lot of work to get to work just right, and I am really proud of how it turned out. I received a review the other day that I would like to publicly answer. It asked what I will be doing with The daughter of the Sun. I have received this question a lot and have put some serious thought into answering it. There are two possible things that I will do as soon as this story is finished, I may start the burning heart series all over again now that I have gained a bit of skill and know what I want it to be, or I could start working on a different project. Odds are the different project will be a real honest-to-god book which I plan to publish after finishing, and it will never see this website. I do not know which I will do, but I know that I have a bit farther to go before I can see myself writing a full-length novel.