The royal palace of Tristain was a work of art, according to any opinion that mattered. It sat in the middle of the capital city, the high-walled edifice rising above the rest of the architecture, the white stone comprising its splendor gleaming in the sun. To Louise, however, the palace had once been a second home. But that was long ago, before life had taken she and the princess down different paths. In truth, this was the first time she had been back, and she couldn't have been more nervous.
As she and Tommy sat, waiting for the princess to request their presence, Louise couldn't help but fidget in anticipation. In particular, she fiddled with the ring on her finger, the very same one that the princess had lent to her all those weeks ago. She had to remind herself to stop, lest she worry a hole in the priceless royal relic. She was tempted to pace around the well-appointed room they had been requested to wait in, but such impertinence would not do in a royal setting.
"Remember what I taught you about proper breathing," Tommy said, "It applies in all situations, not just martial arts."
With no other option, Louise closed her eyes and focused solely on her breathing. In and out, slow and steady, and she soon found herself beginning to calm down. She would need to remember this for the future.
"How can you be so calm?" she asked.
"This is nowhere near the first time I've had to wait before an important meeting," he replied, "By the way, do you know why the princess is running everything? After I dropped you off at the academy at the end of the last mission, I came here to see how the prince and his people were doing and ended up meeting the queen, but she seemed not to be doing very well."
"You see, the king fell gravely ill some years ago and eventually succumbed," Louise explained somberly, recalling when she had first heard the news, "The queen, in turn, was stricken with overwhelming grief and has been unable to fulfill her duties, rarely if ever leaving her chambers. The mantle of rule therefore has fallen upon the princess' shoulders."
"I see," Tommy replied, his somberness matching her own.
"On the bright side, you should consider yourself honored for being among the few to meet with the queen."
The sound of the door opening caught their attention and in walked a maid.
"Her Royal Highness requests your presence," she said with a bow and stepped aside to allow them through.
This was it, she could do this. Louise and Tommy left the room, following the maid as she guided them through the immaculate palace corridors, and all the while she continued to breathe slowly. They came to a well-made door that they followed the maid through, the interior of which could only befit a princess: a wide room with a floor carpeted in a fine vibrant green that contrasted with the white walls. On the left wall were three tall windows that let the midday sun shine through, each framed by curtains of royal purple. The left wall was home to a set of portraits, some of beautiful landscapes while others held the dignified visages of kings and queens past. Upon the ceiling hung a finely crafted chandelier, its white glass and gold frame gleaming in the sunlight.
At the rear of the room sat a desk of finely carved and painted wood, two equally well-made chairs sat in front, and behind it sat the princess, dressed in her white royal gown, purple cape, and silver tiara. She was deep in conversation with a woman Louise did not recognize: tall with blonde hair in a bowl cut save for two long strands on either side of her face that hung to her chin. The woman wore a greenish-grey gambeson that reached to her ankles, which were encased in long, lightly armored boots. On her forearms were a pair of metal vambraces, her hands in leather gloves, and across her shoulders was a white cape that bore the royal crest on the left shoulder. At the woman's left hip was a longsword, while at her right, much to Louise's disgust, was a pistol.
"Your Highness, your guests have arrived," the maid announced, before bowing and turning to leave, closing the door behind her.
"Ah, Louise, Thomas," the princess greeted as she stood and walked toward them.
Louise made to bow but found herself swept into a tight hug that she, after a moment's hesitation, gladly returned.
"I am so glad to see you well," the princess began, "Thomas had reassured me of your safety, but I still worried, especially after what had happened."
"I am honored that you considered me worth such concern, Pri-... Henrietta," Louise replied.
"You are my best friend, you will always be in my thoughts," the princess said as she released her and gestured to the other woman, "Now, I would like to introduce you both to Agnes Chevalier de Milan, my new bodyguard."
"Good to meet you," Tommy said amiably.
"Yes, likewise," Louise added though more reserved.
The woman, Agnes, merely nodded in response, her expression taciturn.
"Now, let's begin our business," the princess said and led them to the desk.
As Louise and Tommy took their seats, she watched as Agnes took her place to the side and behind the princess, and thought she saw a slight change in the tall woman's expression. For the briefest moment, her taciturn expression became one of contempt before changing back.
"It had taken longer than I had wished, but I have found a suitable home for the orphans and their caretakers," the princess began, much to Louise's bewilderment, "Are the plans to relocate them still in effect?"
"Barring any unforeseen complications, everything should still be ready for tomorrow night," Tommy replied.
Orphans? What did this have to do with orphans? And why were they relocating them? More importantly, why hadn't Tommy said anything about this until now? One thing that she did know was that she would give him a thorough admonishment once they had returned to the academy.
"Excellent, Agnes, Prince Wales, and myself shall be there to greet you when you arrive," the princess said.
"H-how has Prince Wales been, H-henrietta?" Louise asked.
"He and his people have settled in well enough, though he is currently away seeing to their needs. Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?"
"There is one thing," Louise said as she took off the ring, "Regarding the ring you had given me before our previous mission. I am unsure how much Thomas has told you..."
"He did inform of how it has reacted strangely with regards to your magic," the princess explained, "In truth, I have never known that ring to be capable of anything of the sort. As far as I am aware, it is only enchanted to react in the presence of the royal ring of Albion."
"Are there any records about the ring, Your Highness?" Tommy asked.
"I believe there are. Come, we shall venture to the royal vault."
As they stood from their seats, Princess Henrietta drew from behind her desk an ornate scepter, its long, polished black handle clasped in her hands while the blue gem and the silver, hexagonal structure that surrounded it gleamed in the sun streaming through the windows at the scepter's tip. They ventured forth, the princess in the lead while the rest marched behind her as was proper. As they moved through the palace corridors, Louise's thoughts returned to the commoner who currently accompanied them. What could have possessed the princess to give such an honored appointment to someone of such low stock?
"Your Highness, if it is not out of place for me to ask, why did you appoint a commoner to be your bodyguard?" she asked instead, as speaking her mind directly would not have been proper, "Surely one of Tristain's knights would be more fitting for the role."
"I could not take the risk, not after my last bodyguard betrayed us," the princess replied seriously.
That was right, she had forgotten. Or rather, she did not wish to remember... him. Louise's hand began to tremble, but she forced it down. She could not show such weakness here.
"If even Viscount Wardes could be swayed by Reconquista, then who can say how many of his fellow knights have not also been compromised, especially as he was their captain," the princess continued, "Besides, Chevalier de Milan has more than proven her loyalty as well as her skill."
Though the situation still bothered her, Louise knew the princess was right. Reconquista was more devious than anyone had realized, and no senseless risks should be taken in the face of such a threat. Their journey ended in an empty corridor, with a truly large door taking up the entire far end.
"If this is the vault, shouldn't there be guards here?" Tommy asked as he looked around.
"Only members of the royal family know the spell to open the vault," the princess explained, "If anyone wished to get inside, they would have to take it from me."
The princess approached the door and Louise gave it a closer inspection: double doors carved from solid stone, polished smooth to an extent that no other but a mage could attempt. Smaller yet still massive stone columns intersected upon the doors' surface, no doubt to keep the great doors firmly shut. In the center, divided between both doors, the stylized lily that was the crest of the royal family had been carved.
The princess raised the scepter and began to weave intricate patterns in the air, her expression a mask of absolute concentration. As she waved the scepter, the stone columns began to move, the deep grinding of stone against stone reverberating through the corridor until they fully retracted with a loud thud. The doors then began to slowly swing forward, the same low grinding accosting their ears until they too came to a thunderous halt. Princess Henrietta then lowered the scepter with a sigh, her expression weary.
"Are you alright, Henrietta?" Louise asked as she approached the princess.
"I am well," she replied, "But I confess that earth magic is not my forte."
They stepped inside, the vault near pitch dark save for the light that came in from behind them. With another wave of the scepter, many torches that lined the walls ignited, revealing a vast room filled wall-to-wall with shelves bearing the kingdom's most valued relics. Books and scrolls from times long past that Louise could not possibly fathom, pieces of jewelry that must be worth multiple fortunes, all placed with the reverence such treasures deserved. For the briefest of moments, she understood why thieves and other such lowlifes would be tempted by such wealth.
"This way," the princess said, "The records we seek should be to the far left."
As they traversed the many shelves, a feeling that Louise could not describe washed over her. It was entirely alien to her, and yet it felt so familiar. As they drew closer to their goal, the sensation doubled, and she felt an odd compulsion to move down a different row of shelves, as if she somehow knew where to go despite having never been in the vault before. She tried to resist, tried to stay with the group, but the sensation became more insistent. She gave in, allowing it to guide her. The closer she got, the more certain she was that it was where she needed to be.
There, sitting on a shelf, was a simple book bound in black leather. So simple that one would struggle to tell it apart from the others on the shelf. And yet, Louise knew that she had to take this book. It called to her, as if she had known it her whole life. She reached out and gently grasped it, holding it with the care one would take to cradle a newborn as she opened it. The first page was completely blank, as was the second, and the third. As she continued, she wondered what was so important about an empty book.
Pain suddenly lanced through her head, a pain the likes of which she had never known in her life. It was as if a burning knife had been plunged into her brain, slowly carving its way through. She grasped at her head, dropping the book in the process, and collapsed to her knees as the pain intensified, as if her head would burst open at any moment. Her vision began to swim, tears streaming down her face as she begged for it to stop. She wished to scream out, but she knew that if she did, she would be horribly sick in the process. She dared to look at the book, and through her impaired vision, she could see it was glowing. The glow then faded and the pain with it.
Louise gasped as she jolted awake, only to find herself surrounded by the others, looks of worry painted across their faces.
"Louise!" the princess exclaimed as she tightly embraced her, "Oh thank the Founder you're alright!"
"H-Henrietta...?" she asked, "Wh... what happened?"
"We saw a sudden glow coming from here and we realized you had disappeared," Tommy explained as he looked over the area, his expression now serious, "We rushed over and found you on the ground. You looked like you were having a seizure."
"W-what's a seizure?" Louise asked as she tried to blink her eyes back into focus.
"That's not important right now, what happened over here?"
"I... I don't know," Louise began, "I felt this sudden urge to come to this shelf and I found a blank book. Then my head started to hurt and the next thing I know, you're all here."
"The book doesn't look blank anymore," Agnes said, speaking for the first time.
Louise turned to where the book had landed, and the open page was suddenly filled in. She tentatively reached for it, not wanting to feel that pain again.
"You said the book was blank?" the princess asked, now more concerned than ever.
"What's so special about that book?" Tommy asked.
"That's just it, it isn't," the princess replied, "At least, it isn't supposed to be. It is a replica of an artifact lost millennia ago called the Founder's Prayer Book, said to have been Founder Brimir's personal spell book. The replica was blank because no one knew what was in the original. We mostly use it for ceremonial purposes."
"Something tells me that it isn't the replica everyone thinks it is," Tommy said gravely.
As Louise tried to read what was on the page, her heart began to beat faster. She recognized this, even though there was no way that she should. Despite being written in some language she did not recognize, it was all clear to her.
"It's a spell," she gasped as she finished reading the page.
"Are you certain?" the princess asked, "May I see?"
Louise immediately handed the book over, though a part of her did not want to.
"I can't read this," the princess said as she looked over the page.
"I'm certain of it, Your Highness," Louise said as she clambered to her feet, "I can't explain how, but I somehow know that it is a spell. Thomas, we must return to the academy at once. We need to test this."
"If this is so then I must go with you," the princess proclaimed, "The book is royal property and it is my duty to see it safe. And I wish to be there for my best friend's first spell."
"Aren't you forgetting something, Your Highness?" Agnes asked.
"What could... Oh, the vault door!" the princess exclaimed, "I had forgotten in all the rush."
After the door had been sealed once more, the cacophonous sound no more pleasant the second time, the four teleported back to the workshop.
"O-oh my..." the princess said as she leaned against a table, "That was... an experience..."
"Teleporting for the first time does that, you get used to it," Tommy explained.
"Your Highness, welcome," Professor Colbert said with a bow, "I am Professor Jean Colbert, it is an honor to have you here so unexpectedly."
"Well met, Professor," the princess replied, "Thomas had spoken of you."
"I am honored that you remembered me," the professor said before turning to Louise, "Are you well, Miss Valliere? Are you absolutely certain about what you found?"
"How do you know what happened at the palace?" Agnes asked, her tone accusatory.
"It's complicated, we'll explain another time," Tommy interjected, "Let's head outside."
The group, now with Professor Colbert and Alpha joining them, ventured out to where their last experiment with her magic had taken place. Much like last time, the professor erected a stone target as well as a safety barrier, though it stung that they still thought her explosions were dangerous enough to warrant said protection. Nevertheless, she took her place, put the ring back on her finger, drew her wand, and opened the book to the page. She began to cast, eyes focused on the incantation, and it was only now that she realized that it was the longest incantation she had ever seen.
It was then that the feeling, the compulsion, had returned. The words began spilling from her mouth, every syllable flowing with ease despite having never spoken them in her life. She then began to feel it, the familiar surge of her willpower rising, yet it was different, greater than ever before. The more she spoke, the more it grew, and she realized it was becoming too much. Both the ring and book began to glow, and she knew what was about to happen, she had to act now. She wrenched her wand skyward with all her will, just as she uttered the final words.
"EXPLOSION!"
At first, there was nothing, only silence. In a flash, the sky erupted with a light so bright it eclipsed the sun and a sound so deafening that Louise had momentarily forgotten what sound was. A blast so powerful it shook the ground beneath them. Louise instinctively looked away, yet she could not help but wish to see. She squinted through the all-consuming glare to see what she could only describe as a sphere of pure destruction hanging far above them, before it vanished just as swiftly as it came.
She fell to her knees, unexpectedly exhausted, with a renewed pain in her head. She then looked around, some of the group still transfixed on where the explosion had once been, while others looked at their surroundings, as if checking to see if it was all still there. Then all eyes came to rest on her, and she could see the mix of awe and fear upon their faces.
"W... What was that?" the princess asked, her tone shaken.
"Something that's going to be very hard to explain to anyone who saw it," Tommy replied.
Louise looked down at the book and her wand still gripped in her hands, struggling to comprehend what just happened, before everything went dark.
Louise awoke in the infirmary a few hours later. She had been informed that she had expended all of her willpower at once and that she had fallen unconscious from severe willpower exhaustion. According to the matron, it was a miracle that she had recovered so quickly, and that kind of willpower use was normally far more debilitating. Tommy and Professor Colbert theorized that since she had only ever miscast spells until now, she had never actually used her willpower before, and so over a decade's worth of stored willpower flooded out all at once and into the explosion.
Louise was frustrated by the very notion. Her first proper spell, and yet she could not escape from explosions. As she lay on her bed, her thoughts repeating the previous day's events, she dreaded what was to come from this. The mockery from her peers would no doubt increase, she could already imagine how they'd laugh and talk about how she'd outdone herself this time. But most of all, it confirmed her fears. For the first time in her life, she knew that she had cast a spell correctly, it felt right in the way that she had been taught by her tutors so long ago. She could keep trying to deny it, but now she knew the truth. She was a void mage, and if that explosion had been as big as it looked, then everyone in the kingdom would know by the week's end.
She cursed her recklessness, she had been so caught up in her excitement that she threw away her desire for secrecy. Her eyes drifted toward her desk where lay the three objects responsible for her current turmoil. Her wand, the same as it had ever been, rested beside the ring and the book. That the princess allowed her to keep such priceless relics only intensified the conflict. What consequences would spawn from this, she wondered? What would her family think? What would happen to them when this reached the ears of the church? She shook her head, pushing the worries away, and only focused on breathing. She couldn't afford to let worries impede her when the mission was imminent. The sound of her door opening caught her attention and she opened her eyes to see Tommy step through.
"How are you feeling?" He asked as he closed the door.
"I am well, but this is the fourth time you've asked," she replied as she sat up.
"Can you blame me for worrying? This is the third time that your magic has caused you to pass out."
"Your concern is appreciated, but I should be fine."
"If you're sure. Get ready, we're about to head out."
"What even is this mission, Thomas?" she asked as she stood, straightening out her uniform in the process, "What does this have to do with orphans, and why keep this from me?"
He fell quiet for a moment and she knew by now, despite not knowing him for long, that his silence meant he was hiding something.
"On the night we stayed in La Rochelle, I went walking through the city to scout things out," he explained, "I ran into someone and she asked me to help the orphans that she and her sister cared for escape potential danger from Reconquista. You would know her as the headmaster's former secretary."
"You agreed to help Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?!" Louise practically bellowed, "Are you out of your mind?! She tried to kill us! Twice!"
"The first time she was under the influence of dark magic, she wasn't in her right mind," he explained, far too calmly for her liking, "And the second time was staged."
"Staged? What do you mean staged?!"
"She had been ordered to attack us by Reconquista, they threatened to attack her family if she didn't. We agreed to fake the fight to give her family more time."
Louise couldn't believe what she was hearing! She knew he had an unfortunate habit of taking the word of criminals, but this was beyond the pale!
"How can you be sure that she isn't lying?" she asked, "She's a thief, this could be some sort of scheme!"
"Because I've met the sister and the kids, they're as real as anyone."
"W-why keep this a secret for so long? Why didn't you tell us then? O Founder, does the princess know?"
"I didn't tell anyone immediately because I didn't trust... him. And to be honest, I don't entirely trust the princess either. The children are already in danger, I couldn't risk their only chance at safety being taken away if people knew the truth."
"You would deceive the princess and aid a known fugitive all because of some orphans?! I refuse to be a part of this! I will not be associated with a thief!"
"You never did answer my question from a while back."
"What? What question?"
"When we went into town, after we were attacked by those kids. I had asked what you would do if something forced your family to take illegal actions to survive."
Louise thought for a moment and the memory returned to her, she recalled four youths no older than her who had taken to banditry out of the belief that there was no other recourse. She condemned them without a thought, and would have seen them hanged if not for Tommy convincing her otherwise. But Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt was no child, she was wanted across the continent for her innumerable thefts! But if all this time she was merely taking care of her family...
"We're running late," Tommy said, breaking her from her thoughts, "Whether you come along or not, that's your choice. The children will be brought to Tristain either way."
"I... I will join you," Louise replied as she walked to her desk to procure her things, "I need to see this for myself."
"I appreciate it, Louise," he said before activating his communicator, "Alpha, send us to the rendevous point."
A bright flash and some disorientation later, Louise found herself standing in a forest on a cold Albion night. She wrapped her arms around herself as best she could as a frigid breeze passed over them, and yet Tommy didn't seem bothered in the slightest, much to her annoyance. They stood in a large clearing, with ten small, wooden houses with thatched rooves lining the perimeter. If it weren't for their mission, she would swear that this place was abandoned.
"You're late."
Louise turned toward the voice, wand raised, and was greeted by a hooded figure. Despite the shadows cast by the hood and the trees around them, the sparse moonlight allowed her to recognize a face that she had come to loathe.
"You," Louise said with disdain as she lowered her wand.
"Sorry about that," Tommy began, "We had to go over some last-minute clarifications."
"I still don't understand why she needs to be here," the figure, Fouquet, protested.
"Teleporting large groups of people is difficult, the signal from her bracelet along with mine will make the process easier than if it was just me," Tommy explained, "Plus, this will be a good learning experience."
Fouquet merely turned and began walking toward the farthest house, with Louise and Tommy not far behind. She still could not believe what she was doing, it all felt so wrong. It felt like she was betraying her family and the kingdom despite the princess organizing it. But the princess didn't know the truth, she was unknowingly aiding and abetting a fugitive. If this information became public knowledge, it could cause untold havoc!
When they reached the house, Fouquet knocked on the door in a rhythmic pattern and soon it swung open. From within stepped a group of at most fifteen children of varying ages, just as Tommy had said. Each was clad in stitched-together rags, with looks of unease or even fear on their faces as the older among them held the younger close to keep them safe. A wave of guilt washed over Louise, was she truly going to condemn them for the crimes of the one who cared for them? There had to be another way, surely the princess could find someone more suitable to care for them. But if what Tommy said was true, then Fouquet was the closest thing they had to a parent. If something had taken her parents away when she was that age, she would have been utterly distraught.
As the last child left the house, one final figure stepped through the door and Louise's blood ran cold. A woman, somewhat older than her, with long blonde hair and apprehensive blue eyes, and dressed in scandalously revealing green clothing. But what drew her eyes was the ears: long and coming to a point. Her heart began to pound as she took one step back, then another as she breathed heavier and faster: an elf. An honest to gods elf was in Albion, in Halkeginia, and she was about to help it enter Tristain.
"Tiffania, your hat!" Fouquet admonished the elf as she stepped defensively in front of it.
"Oh no, I forgot," it said before rushing back into the house.
She had to stop this, but how? She couldn't fight an elf, or Fouquet, or even Tommy. This was all his fault. He must have been planning this from the beginning, all this time he was using her, lowering her guard. But now she was alone and surrounded, with nowhere she could run. She was completely helpless! Except, she wasn't helpless. She was a void mage. She reached for her wand, hand trembling as she brought it to bear.
"What are you doing, Louise?" Tommy asked warningly as he stepped forward.
"I told you this was a bad idea," Fouquet said as she raised her own wand.
"What am I doing?!" she shouted and brandished her wand, "You're trying to bring an elf into Tristain! All this time, you used me in some scheme to help that monster!"
"I'm not using you," he said as he took another step forward, "And she's not a monster."
"How do you know?!"
"Because I know monsters."
It didn't matter what excuses he made, he was just a wretched dog like all the rest. She raised her wand, the incantation on her lips, but felt it come to a sudden stop. In the time it took for her to blink, Tommy had moved to stand in front of her, her wand hand gripped within his hand.
"Let me go!" she shouted as she tried to wrench herself free, hitting him as hard as she could with her free hand.
He swiftly took her wand and just as easily caught her hand, slowly kneeling until his eyes were level with hers, his visage completely obscuring everything else.
"Breathe, Louise."
"I will not be party to treason!"
"If you're not going to listen to reason, then look with your own eyes."
He shifted to the side, hands still clamped around her wrists, until the others came back into view. By this point the elf had returned, its ears now obscured by a wide-brimmed hat, and knelt to wrap its arms protectively around the children as they cowered in fear, all the while Fouquet stood protectively in front of them. Louise stared at the absurd scene in front of her: a notorious thief that she had heard countless stories about, acting the part of the protective mother. An elf, a beast she had been taught all her life to fear and loathe, cowered before her. Children on the verge of panic and tears as they held tightly to each other and their only source of safety and care. For the briefest of moments, she thought she saw her own family standing in their place, wrapped in the arms of her sisters as her mother stood protectively over them. A momentary flight of fancy, perhaps. Certainly not a memory.
Louise looked to Tommy, his gaze stern, impassive, yet waiting. She looked at her wand, still clutched in his hand as it remained firm on hers. She looked at her empty hands, which moments before she was going to use to attack these children. Was... Was she the monster here?
"O-oh no..." the elf said as it suddenly looked alert.
"Tiffania? What's wrong?" Fouquet asked.
"I... I hear someone coming."
Tommy released her hands and stood, activating his communicator.
"Alpha, are there any hostiles incoming?" he asked.
"Give me one moment... Aye yi yi, they just appeared on the sensors!" the android replied, "But they're barely on the edge of sensor range, I can't make out any details. They're due east of your location."
"Got it, you work on getting everyone out of here while we sort the situation out."
"I'm g-going with you!" Louise declared.
"No, you need to stay here," Tommy began, "Alpha will need the signal from your communicator to triangulate everyone's positions for teleportation."
"B-but...!"
"I trust you," he said, and returned her wand to her.
She took her wand, its weight somehow heavier than it had been moments before.
"I will go with you instead," Fouquet said as she stepped away from her family, leveling a glare in Louise's direction.
"I'm counting on you, Louise," Tommy said as they turned to leave, "Keep them safe."
She watched them leave, and in moments she was alone. Alone with the children. Alone with the elf. She could still end this, Tommy wasn't here anymore to stop her. But if she did, the children would be in harm's way. She could try to control how big her spell was, but she had never done that before. It didn't matter what she did, every option before her was wrong.
"Emma, wait!" the elf suddenly said.
Louise turned to see one of the children running up to her, a young girl no more than five years old with messily cut brown hair that hung to her shoulders. Clutched in her hand was what looked like a toy sewn from spare cloth. She came to a stop and looked up at Louise, a mix of fear and resolve in her dark brown eyes.
"A-are we going to be okay, Miss?" the child asked.
Louise only looked at the child, then at her wand, then in the direction that Tommy had gone. He trusted her, he was counting on her. The princess was counting on her. She will fulfill her duty to the crown, as a noble must. And as she had been taught all her life, a noble's duty was to care for the common people.
"Emma, was it?" Louise asked as she turned to face the child once more.
"Uh-huh..." the child replied.
"Everything will be okay. Thomas is unbeatable."
"Why are you doing all of this?'
The march toward the potential enemy came to a halt as Tommy turned to look at Mathilda who had stopped a few feet behind him.
"Because it's the right thing to do," he replied.
"You can't be serious," she said as she stepped forward, "You're going to all this trouble for a thief, an elf, and a bunch of orphans, what could you possibly get out of this?"
"I don't want anything from it," he explained, "It's just as I said, it's the right thing to do."
"Was bringing Valliere here and almost getting us blown up also the right thing to do?"
"I brought her here because she needs to confront her prejudices. As long as she stays by me in this bizarre partnership we have, she's going to see me defend people who will offend her sensibilities. In fact, she already has. This will help her see beyond the surface assumptions that she's accustomed to. I'm sorry that she almost attacked your family, but this was going to happen regardless of if it was your family or someone else's."
"You're more coldly calculating than I thought," Mathilda said as she moved past him.
"To be honest, I do have another reason for doing this," Tommy explained as he followed, "I was an orphan myself. I was able to get adopted, so I was one of the lucky ones while a lot of other kids weren't. You could say that I'm trying to pay that luck forward."
Silence fell between them as they walked, until Mathilda began laughing.
"Did I say something funny?" Tommy asked.
"All that talk of 'doing the right thing', you sounded like you stepped out of a children's story."
"And I meant every word of it, helping people is what I do."
"It seems that I severely misjudged you. Here I thought you were just another powerful man, angling for some benefit to yourself, just like any noble. But you truly are selfless, aren't you?"
"I don't blame you for assuming the worst of me, not after everything you've been through. I honestly don't know if I wouldn't feel the same if I was in a similar situation."
They continued their march until another clearing came into view, as did their quarry: a figure clad in a hooded robe, surrounded by monsters.
"Well, well," the figure said, the voice feminine, "And here I thought I would be waiting all night."
"Who are you and what do you want?" Tommy asked.
The figure lowered its hood to reveal an oddly pale woman with long, dark hair and dark, teardrop-like markings beneath her eyes.
"You may call me Sheffield," the woman said with an exaggerated, mocking bow, "As for what I want? Well, that would be telling. I don't want to spoil things so soon."
"I'm going to give you one chance to walk away and take your entourage with you," Tommy warned.
"And miss all of the fun?"
Suddenly, a series of markings began to glow on Sheffield's forehead, followed by the same markings appearing on the beasts that surrounded her. One by one, they sprang to life, with bat-like wings flexing and claws stretching. Tommy drew Derflinger while Mathilda began to cast, and in moments a series of stone golems sprang up from the ground. The beasts charged, their taloned feet digging deep furrows in the forest floor with each step. Tommy moved to intercept, Derflinger's blade cleaving through the air to meet the creature's neck, only for it to raise a clawed hand to block the strike.
The battle was on as Mathilda's golems made contact with Sheffield's monsters, razor-sharp claws gouging through stone bodies while earthen fists tried and failed to put a dent in their opponents. Tommy leaped and spun, using the momentum to drive a kick into the side of the beast's head, only to feel a sharp pain as his foot made contact. He landed and momentarily disengaged as he formulated a plan of attack. These things were tough, and definitely not made of flesh and blood if the pain in his foot had anything to say about it. That, combined with the glowing markings, meant they had to be magic, but getting a good cut with Derflinger proved to be easier said than done.
He looked around to the wider battle and saw that Mathilda's golems were being overwhelmed, all the while she created more to make up for the losses. He looked back at the monster in front of him, trying to spot a weakness to exploit all while he dodged its strikes. The beast then lunged, trying to bite him with its reptilian jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth, and he suddenly had an idea. He thrust Derflinger's blade straight into its gaping maw, and he felt it pierce through. In moments, all the magic had been drained from it, leaving nothing but a lifeless statue.
"Nice move, Partner!" Derflinger said with an appreciative smack of his non-existent lips.
"Thanks, now for the rest," Tommy replied before turning to Mathilda, "Can you make something big enough to pin them all down?"
As she began to cast, Tommy raced into the fray, drawing the attention of the remaining constructs. He ducked and dodged as deadly claws came at him from all angles, the sound of steel on stone echoing through the clearing as he deflected their blows. The ground then began to shake and Tommy leaped out of the way as a colossal stone hand rose from the earth, its size blotting out what little moonlight shone upon them. It fell with a deafening crash, kicking dust into the air, and despite the sheer force that collided with them, the enemy constructs still writhed in their impromptu prison.
Tommy went to work, delivering the finishing blow to each enemy in rapid succession, until there was only a field of monstrous statues remaining.
"Why... why didn't you change into... your armor...?" Mathilda asked, exhausted from casting so much.
"My powers haven't been working properly lately," he responded with a shrug.
Their conversation was then interrupted by the sound of clapping, and they turned to see Sheffield with an amused smile on her face, not a hint of annoyance at the defeat of her army to be found.
"Well done, well done!" she proclaimed, "But I'm afraid that was just the appetizer."
Sheffield charged, faster than Tommy had expected. He raised Derflinger to block a strike, but realized too late that he wasn't the target. He turned as fast as he could to intercept, but all he could do was watch as Mathilda was launched deep into the forest, her brief scream trailing off into the distance.
"No more interruptions," Sheffield said as she turned to face him.
Tommy tightened his grip on Derflinger as he settled into a stance, staring daggers into his opponent. She charged again and he deflected her strike, but she didn't react in pain as the blade struck her hand, nor did it show any damage. She unleashed a flurry of blows, fists and feet flying with lightning speed, and Tommy retaliated in kind. He sent a kick to her torso but she dodged around it, closing the distance with a punch to his face that he ducked. He swung at her head and much to his shock, she caught Derflinger's blade with her bare hand, wrenching him free from his grasp and tossing him to the side.
He deflected a follow-up strike and landed a punch to her face, only to recoil as a sharp pain lanced through his arm, all the while she barely flinched. She punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him to double over, and then grabbed him by the hair as she threw him to the other side of the clearing, landing heavily on his shoulder before tumbling to a stop.
"The so-called greatest Power Ranger," she mocked as she approached him, "Look at you now. So feeble. So old. So powerless."
"What... Who are you...?" Tommy asked between heavy breaths as he tried to stand.
"Someone who's wanted to do this for a long time," she replied as she grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground, "If you're not going to use that power, then I might as well help myself."
The markings on her forehead began to glow once more, and he was overcome by pain, a pain he knew far too well. Arcs of white energy began to surge from his body and he would have shouted in pain if not for the vice-like grip around his throat, all the while his morpher began to burn his leg as it grew red hot in his pocket. As the pain increased, as if every atom in his body was being stripped bare, his Ranger suit began to appear and disappear with each flash of energy erupted from him. He raised his arm to try to hit her, to do anything to stop her, but his muscles spasmed too much to do anything.
Just as his vision began to darken, the sound of whistling reached their ears, followed by a sizable rock colliding with the back of Sheffield's head. She turned, only for a second rock to hit her in the face, its shattered remains joining what remained of its predecessor on the ground. Seizing his chance, Tommy reached for his belt right as Saba appeared and drew him. Swinging with all his might, the blade cleaved through his captor's arm, allowing him to drop to the ground and kick her away.
He looked behind Sheffield to find an exhausted Mathilda, one arm raised with wand in hand while the other looked like it was severely broken. He then looked at himself and found he was still morphed, whatever Sheffield had done seemed to have fixed his powers. He then looked to his assailant, only to be met with a startling sight. Where there should be blood and viscera from where he had cut her right arm off at the elbow, there were only jagged shards of metal and sparking wires, not a hint of pain on her features. He looked down at the severed limb, still twitching as it too sparked.
"How disappointing, you've spoiled the surprise," Sheffield said as she examined her new stump, picking at the torn flesh as if it were a minor amusement, "But this is just the first of many, and I can't wait to see the look on your face when you see them. Until next time, Tommy."
She then ran into the forest faster than most eyes could follow, and Tommy could only stand there and stare. He looked down at the arm, no longer twitching as what power it had left ran out.
"What in the Founder's name was that?" Mathilda asked as she limped over to him, "How did she know you? And... is that arm made of metal?"
"I don't know, I've never seen her before in my life," Tommy replied as he powered down, "And we don't have time right now to explain everything else."
He then walked over to where Derflinger had been thrown and retrieved him, placing him back in his sheathe.
"I agree with the thief lady, what the hell was all of that, Partner?"
"This was not how I expected to wake up, but I am glad to be awake again," Saba said as he appeared beside them.
"Hey, you're back!" Derflinger exclaimed happily.
"Yeah, glad to have you back, old friend," Tommy said before activating his communicator, "Alpha, all hostiles have been dealt with. How goes the evacuation?"
"All are safe and accounted for," Alpha replied.
"Good, but before you teleport us, I need you to teleport something... weird to the workshop."
Tommy took one last look at the arm that lay on the ground. This whole situation just kept getting worse.
The teleportation ended and Tommy took in his surroundings. They had landed in a forested area not too dissimilar to the one they just left. Much to his relief, the kids and Tiffania were safe, as was Louise, though she continued to cast dirty looks at the older girl. They were going to have to work on that.
"Mathilda!" Tiffania said as she rushed over, "You're hurt, what happened?"
"I'll be fine," Mathilda replied, "Let's focus on getting everyone to the house."
"You always push yourself far too hard."
"Come on, everyone, this way," Tommy interjected as he waved them onward.
The trek through the wooded area wasn't long as they eventually reached their destination. While not fancy by any means, the house was a significant improvement over what the kids previously had, with enough space for them to comfortably live and plenty of outdoor space for them to play and exercise. However, it hadn't been occupied for some time and some repairs need to be done, especially on the second floor, but it could easily be done with time.
Waiting in front of the house were Agnes, Prince Wales, and Princess Henrietta, just as the latter had promised, all clad in cloaks. The children began to talk amongst themselves as they saw their new house, some in awe of how big it was while others, particularly the older kids, remained skeptical. Tommy didn't blame them, but this was their home now, and he would make sure that nothing took that from them.
"One of them is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt and the other is an elf!"
Silence ripped through the assemblage of people as the words echoed through their ears. Tommy immediately turned toward the source and found Louise, unable to look him in the eye. He looked toward the kids and Tiffania, fear having engulfed them once more, while Mathilda looked as if she was about to explode with fury. He turned to the royals, looks of confusion and concern on their faces as their hands slowly drifted to their weapons. He had to intercept this now, before anyone got hurt.
"Okay, everyone," Tommy began as he turned to the kids, adopting his best nice teacher voice, "The adults need to have a brief conversation and then we'll get you all settled in, okay?"
They didn't seem convinced in the slightest, but they nodded anyway. He took one last look at Louise, her expression full of inner turmoil, and still she refused to look anyone in the eye. He would have to confront that later. He turned and walked toward the royals, his facade fading as he did until he was the picture of seriousness.
"What did Louise mean by that?" the princess asked.
"She spoke the truth," Tommy replied, "The caretakers of the children are Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt and an elf. Is that going to be a problem?"
"A problem?" Prince Wales asked as he drew his sword, "You use us to smuggle a thief and a monster into Tristain and you have the gall to call it just a problem?"
"She is not a monster, she is a person with a name," Tommy insisted.
"Henrietta, we must stop this at once," Wales said as he raised his blade, Henrietta raised her wand, and Agnes drew her pistol.
"You won't," Tommy said.
"And why is that?" Henrietta asked.
"Because I've known you both long enough to know that you're not cruel enough to attack innocent children. And even if you were, you're not stupid enough to do it in front of me. Or ever."
"You would dare threaten royalty?"
"You wouldn't be the first."
"Enough of this nonsense," Wales interjected.
"You would do anything for your people, wouldn't you, your highness?" Tommy asked the prince before gesturing to the assembled group behind him, "Well here they are."
"They are not my people!"
"Typical of the house of Tudor."
They turned to find Mathilda, hobbling toward them with the aid of her sister, her expression a mix of contempt and barely contained rage.
"You would dare speak of my family like that?!"
"I would dare because it's the truth!" she spat, "You claim you care but the moment someone steps out of line, it's to the gallows with them! Even if they are your own blood!"
"What does she speak of, Wales?" Henrietta asked.
"I speak of fifteen years ago, when the king saw fit to murder his own brother and anyone associated with him for the simple act of marrying an elf."
"What?!" the prince exclaimed, "My family would never...!"
"Oh, but they would! The proof stands before you! I was once Mathilda de Saxe-Gotha, and she was once Tiffania Tudor!"
Stunned silence echoed through the area as the words were processed. Tommy looked between everyone and while ready to intervene should it be necessary, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward at being caught in the middle of this sudden family feud. He had to admit that he wasn't expecting them to be related, but now that he looked, Tiffania and Wales did have similar eyes. The young woman in question looked as if she wished to be anywhere else right now.
"Wales?" Henrietta asked, "What does she mean?"
"I... Father said they were traitors, that it had to be done... He never..."
"Never told you why he sent his soldiers to kill us all?" Mathilda asked, "A coward as well as a butcher. It's only through pure luck that we escaped."
"No one has to live through something like that ever again," Tommy said before turning to the royals, "Whether you like it or not, they're going into that house. Or do you plan to back out of our agreement?"
A tense silence fell as everyone weighed their options, and not once were the weapons lowered. After nearly five minutes, Henrietta held her hand out to Wales.
"Wales, your sword," she said.
"What are you planning?" he asked.
"Please trust me on this," she replied.
With much reluctance, he handed his blade to the princess, causing her hand to briefly dip from the sudden weight. Gripping the hilt with both hands, she stepped toward Tommy, schooling her features to present an air of royal dignity.
"State your full name," she commanded.
"Thomas James Oliver," he replied, unsure where this was going.
"Then kneel, Thomas James Oliver."
In a moment, it clicked for Tommy what was happening and did as he was instructed, bowing his head for good measure.
"By the power vested in me as ruler of the kingdom of Tristain," she began, laying the flat of the blade on both of his shoulders, "I confer upon thee the title of Chevalier, knight of the realm. And henceforth, this house and the lands upon which it rests are yours to rule as you see fit. Now, arise, Chevalier Oliver."
Tommy stood, unsure of how to process this turn of events, but he wasn't about to turn down the ability to keep these kids safe with official backing. A knight, huh? That was definitely not on his list of expected outcomes.
"Why did you do that?" Wales asked of Henrietta as she returned his sword.
"Because she's family," Henrietta replied as she looked over to Tiffania, "I'm tired of losing family."
As everyone began to move the children into the house, Tommy made a detour toward Louise, who had remained quiet since her outburst.
"Why," he said, looking down at her seriously.
"Because... because I could not lie to the princess..." she replied, still unwilling to look at him.
"I see," he began as he processed her explanation, "I won't lie, I am disappointed in you for what you did. But I am also proud of you."
"W-what?" she asked, this time finally looking at him, dumbfounded shock on her face.
"You very nearly got Tiffania and the kids killed, that can't be ignored, especially not with your actions earlier. The only reason I'm not angry is because I wouldn't allow such an outcome to happen. But you also defied an authority figure to do what you believed was right, an admirable quality in the right circumstances."
"Then why do I feel nothing but shame?" she asked as her gaze fell once more.
"Because sometimes what we believe is right can be wrong depending on the context. And sometimes we have to do the wrong thing in order to do the right thing."
"Have you ever felt like this?" she asked.
"Every time that I have to hurt someone," he replied, "Now come on, let's help everyone settle in."
"I... I think it would be best if I returned to the academy."
She then activated her communicator to ask Alpha to teleport her back, and a moment later she was gone. Tommy sighed to himself, there was nothing he could do about that right now. Best to focus on what he could do, and so he walked to the house, technically his house, and helped to get everyone inside.