The next morning arrived clear and bright, just like the one before it. The guards posted around the inner courtyards had been doubled, of course, both visible and invisible, while the Naulin guests tried not to move alone if they could help it. They were guests, yes, but both parties knew that their designation easily could flip from that to spies... It just needed one wrong step. Anya also noticed it as she followed Dermitos through the marble corridor that curved along the northern wing, but she wasn't in the mood to mention it anyway. She didn't care about the plight of her entourage... Plus, she had her mind on something else.

  "Where are we going?"

  "Somewhere fun," Dermitos answered with a smile.

  "Vague." Anya answered, looking at him from the corner of her eyes, "I am not interested in brothels. I will cw your eye out if you dare to do anything without my permission."

  "Ouch." The Prince winced, looking at her, "I am a pervert, not a brute..."

  "..."

  That clearly silenced the Naulin princess as she didn't expect such honesty... and the fact that she could smell hot oil wafting toward her, the kind of grease that was used to take care of weapons.

  “You really take your duties seriously,” she murmured as they approached the tall gate that was made out of engraved brass and bronze. “A sparring ground inside the pace? Convenient.”

  “Not only convenient,” Dermitos replied, smiling over his shoulder. “Necessary. We are the sons of Aerthus the Conqueror... My bloodline must not bring shame to his name.”

  “Then you must all be very sharp, too.” She answered with a smile that was more of a challenge than anything else.

  “Oh, painfully so,” he nodded, not backing down, butting heads with her verbally.

  When the doors opened, a wave of warm air hit her face, making her squint as she watched the inner training ground appear before her. It was vast, resembling a coliseum hidden within the pace itself, with walls built of dense, etched stone to muffle sound and absorb impact, and going by the runes on it... It could withstand a punch from a Harmony-level expert, too. And there, already working out while waiting for them, straight in the middle, was Xendar.

  “Your Highness,” he said, standing up, wiping sweat from his brow as he greeted her with a short bow.

  "I wish you could greet me like this sometimes..." Dermitos mumbled, his only answer being a roll of Xendar's eyes.

  "Mhm," Anya gave a slight nod, moving toward the ring, looking around, having an idea why she was told to wear something light, “So this is what you had in mind? Are you going to gang up on me or something?”

  "Never!" Xendar’s eyes flicked toward Dermitos, who was leaning against a pilr now, arms folded and smiling.

  “I told you, Princess,” Dermitos answered, "I am not a brute. I wouldn't fight you either, because it would be unfair and I just... Can't downsize my abilities. My inner affinity is just... not something that works that way. Unlike my good brother here! Don’t worry, he’ll go easy on you.”

  “I’d prefer if he didn’t,” Anya replied sharply, removing the light shawl that hung over her shoulders, her eyes hardening, visibly ready for a challenge. As it fell onto the sand-filled ground, under it, she revealed that she was wearing a fitted training tunic, a proper fighter’s attire. “If I’m to learn, I want to learn for real.”

  "..." Watching and hearing her... Xendar couldn't help but smile, his eyes glinting, making Dermitos giggle, watching as his good brother fell in love even more.

  “Very well,” Xendar said, shaking his head and lowering into a proper fighting stance, “But be careful, my affinity is lightning... I am fast.”

  “I am not afraid of anything,” she countered, drawing herself up, her feet light and poised. "No Naulin are."

  Dermitos didn't need to shout at all for them to begin, as Xendar moved first, stepping in, testing her guard with a straight palm strike. She dodged, just barely, her robe whipping past his arm as she twisted like a current avoiding a rock in a river. His second strike came even faster, and then the third, seeing that Anya was indeed good, even if weaker in strength. Each time, she evaded, sometimes by inches, sometimes by sheer instinct, her movements were flowing, fluid, and unpredictable. It was something Xendar had never seen before, wanting to learn more already.

  He shifted tactics for the next set, letting the faint crack of lightning fre through his muscles, making his body even faster. When he moved again, he blurred before Anya's eyes as she tried to dodge, but the dispcement of his body threw her timing... And it was too te. The impact hit her shoulder like a hammer, sending her stumbling back across the ring... but she didn't fall.

  "Ouch!" Dermitos whistled quietly. “Maybe I should’ve called for a healer first.”

  "Hmph!" Anya straightened immediately, spitting out some saliva, breathing hard but not retreating at all. “Again.”

  With an understanding nod, Xendar’s fingers curled, ready to move... yet, just before he would throw out a punch, Anya rushed at him. Her steps were light, near soundless, flowing above the sand, her hand slicing toward his ribs. Xendar sidestepped it easily, catching her wrist, but she used the momentum to spin and sweep for his legs. As an answer, he leapt back, letting her go, grinning despite himself.

  This time, when he finally regained the opening from her and struck, she didn’t retreat; instead, she absorbed the force with a shifting stance, letting his momentum slide past her rather than meet it... But Xendar's powers were still way above her own... Then, as quickly as it had happened, the exchange ended as a pulse of force rippled outward, sending her skidding across the sand. She couldn't help as she was forced to roll, nding on one knee and exhaling sharply.

  “You should yield,” Xendar decred, stepping closer, lowering his hand.

  “Not yet,” she muttered, and before he could react, she feinted low and struck high, nearly tagging his jaw before he blocked it, catching the punch.

  “Impressive,” he muttered quietly, his honest, child-like joy shining in his eyes, “You are wonderful...”

  "Ehh...?!" Finally, both of them stopped, as Anya began panting hard, jumping back multiple times, her face redder than where she was hit, gasping for air, looking back and forth between Xendar and Dermitos. While the former realized his honest thoughts had slipped out and looked panicked, the tter was just ughing as if he didn't mind. Wait...

  "So..." Dermitos forced his ughter down, "That's it? Are you already finished?"

  "N-no... I'm not." Anya grunted, recollecting herself, attacking, but Xendar was so distracted with what he had just said that her palm strike nded at the right pce, knocking the big man down into the sand for good. "..."

  "Ouch." Dermitos walked over, looking at Xendar, who was lying on his back, conscious but... dazed. "This is the first time I've seen someone so far apart in levels to lose someone like this..."

  "His fault!" Anya snorted, crossing her arms, looking away yet stealing gnces at the idiot man lying in the sand.

  "It was my fault..." Xendar muttered, rubbing his jaw as he sat up, "Nice one, Princess Anya."

  "Just... Anya..." She muttered, blinking her eyes, feeling a bit out of pce.

  "Mhm..." Xendar nodded, smiling like a little boy. "Okay."

  ............

  Carthus was sitting on his balcony, sipping from a cup of cold tea, listening to the cnging of the ice cubes inside the highly decorated gss between his fingers.

  “Are we at the boiling point already?” he asked, almost as if he were speaking to himself.

  "Close," The voice of Nameless answered him from behind him, somewhere within the shadows, "The Naulins noticed the changes and the way their Princess is getting closer and closer to the commoner. Especially after our people began whispering that Prince Dermitos is being... cheated on."

  “And he pys along," Carthus chuckled, "I hoped he would! I am gd that he proved himself capable of being my heir. He can see behind the veil and catch on fast. As for Sentios... I am disappointed... I hoped he would wake up too, that his pn is foolish and fwed... but he has lost his calm. Depending on how this ends... I may have to disown him.”

  “What are we going to do with the Princess?”

  "Adopt her into the Empire, of course. Let my son's future General have her. Both are great assets to the Empire, after all."

  "The Naulins will try a st-ditch effort." Nameless added, "Their leader, that old woman, is hiding her strength... She is not as weak as she shows herself to be. She must be the assurance that Rudrick had sent over with his daughter."

  “Then you go and see who survives it.” Carthus turned away from the view, eyes cold with calcution. “Make the Naulins enact their backup pn... Ensure that Sentios does not receive permission for private audiences this week. If he asks why, tell him the clerks are busy. I want him to choke on his patience! Remove his spies at once! Whenever the two sides want to make contact, ensure that it does not happen. Isote both parties... it is time we end this charade... Dermitos won. I am tired of pying along...”

  "As you order, my Emperor," Nameless answered, disappearing without a noise.

  .............

  Sentios was sitting at his desk that night, surrounded by half-burned correspondence letters... Beside him, a single candle flickered on the parchment, a report written by one of his spies in the servants’ quarters.

  “…Her Highness Anya Naulin is seen daily with Commander Xendar. Their closeness has become a topic of gossip among the lower staff. His Highness Dermitos appears unbothered…” Just by reading it to himself, he wanted to cry, “Impossible,” he hissed, standing so quickly his chair toppled over behind him. “No… this isn’t how it was meant to unfold! You always fuck every hole coming your way, you stupid idiot?! Why have you grown a consciousness now?! WHY?!”

  “My Prince,” a voice said, bowing low, as one of Sentios's aids walked into the room. “The situation is deteriorating... I tried to contact our people close to the Emperor... They have all been silenced. I am afraid... the Emperor doesn't want us to interfere. Now... Even among our people, there are… questions.”

  “Damn it! Why can't her own people control her?!” Sentios snapped. “Wasn’t she trained to obey?! We were so close!”

  "Prince..." his aide continued, saying what Sentios was fearing, "I think the Emperor has decided..."

  .............

  By the fourteenth day, even the old woman in Anya's retinue was anxious. She heard the rumors, and at first, she didn't pay much attention to them, seeing the strings of that bastardly Aerthus VIII attached to them... But, she couldn't betray her own eyes, knowing she had to step in. This was getting out of hand, and the budding camity between Anya and Xendar had to be stopped. It was time to act.

  Not that long ter, when the moon was already out, Anya was returning from the training hall, her hair tied back, her robe dark from stains, utter exhaustion written in her every movement. But she wasn't alone as Xendar followed behind at a respectful distance, his steps light, almost as if he was skipping along, happy to escort her.

  “You don’t have to walk me back,” she murmured without looking at him.

  “I do,” he answered simply.

  "No, you don't."

  "But I'd like to." Xendar countered again, making Anya purse her lips that slowly turned into a small smile.

  They reached the junction near her courtyard when Xendar finally stopped, just as she did.

  "Well..." He said, watching as Anya finally turned and looked at him. "Tomorrow?"

  "Mhm." She nodded, "Tomorrow..."

  There was nothing else to be said... However... it was such a weird feeling for both of them. In a good way. It even made Anya forget about her own situation as she entered their courtyard... only for a cold air to knock her to the side, making her body stiffen.

  “What...?” She blinked her eyes, her head already swimming as she recognized that old hag looking at her... “Why are you—”

  “You disappoint me, child,” she said softly as her aura was focused directly on Anya, keeping her still. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

  "I do... What... I want..." Anya hissed as she was doing her best to straighten her back. “We are not... In... Naulin.”

  “Shame,” The woman sneered as her pupils dited until her eyes turned a solid, glowing violet, shocking Anya, as... That shouldn't be possible, her eyes weren't... Oh no! She was suppressing her gift! She was one of her father's death soldiers! But the realization came too te. Those fanatics could excite their tent gift, even if they couldn't awaken it by themselves... but it was a one-time use only, as it would require a high price... their sight. “I warned you once. You didn't listen... now I will cripple your mind and make you obey.”

  "No..." Anya stepped back instinctively, her aura rising in defense, but it was swept away by the Harmony-level pressure coming from the old woman, “What are you—”

  “Obey.”

  The word hit like a physical strike, directly against Anya's brain. It was a pulse of psychic energy that tore through everything. She gasped as the world twisted her thoughts, rewriting her will and beginning to force a foreign desire into her. Yet, before it could be finished, the link broke as the eye contact was shattered by a figure descending between the two without hesitation. Anya knew this back... and she just watched as Xendar moved before either of them could think things through.

  “Get away from her!” he roared, attacking the old woman.

  With a snap of her head, the old hag turned her gaze toward him, bringing a Harmony expert’s full presence crashing into his body. Without waving a hand, Xendar's knees almost buckled as he was pushed back, and blood sprayed from his nose and from his cracked lips at once.

  “You dare interfere?” she whispered.

  “I… dare,” he growled through clenched teeth, muscles trembling.

  "Then I will use you as the scapegoat." She scowled, but Xendar didn't listen, only jumped forward to attack once again.

  His fist flew forward, but it only sliced through her illusion, only to receive the woman's fingers like a spear, hitting him in the chest, sending him flying back again, smashing against the wall next to Anya. The impact cracked the stone, yet he refused to fall, nding on his feet, still standing.

  “Kneel!” she commanded.

  “Fuck you!”

  With a bestial roar, Xendar took one more step forward... Then another. Every one of his efforts left a bloody footprint on the ground, his shoes long gone, his toes cwing against the stone until he was once again standing between the old Naulin and Anya.

  “Then die.” She snorted, feeling blood flowing from the corner of her eyes as time was running out...

  The deceptively old hand of hers flew forward, purple energy condensing into a needle of light around it, aiming to pierce through Xendar. It struck him squarely in the chest, yet, at the st moment, Xendar managed to shift, so the strike didn't hit his heart, yet it still went through his chest, piercing his lungs. For a moment, his body jerked... Then he stood still, his breath ragged, blood bubbling forth from his lips… yet still... he did not move aside, only grabbed her wrist with all his remaining strength.

  “Not… enough... You dried up... cunt...”

  And then, he headbutted her. Fair and square, even if it had no effect at all. Yet... something incredible happened. There was a bck fsh as the old woman's head snapped backwards... then left her neck, spinning in the air, decapitated. Even Xendar knew that it wasn't his headbutt that did it... and looking behind the now old body going limp in his hold, he saw a bck figure stand there, holding a scythe in his hand. He didn't remain for long, only to reach down, pick up the severed head... He was about to pluck out the eyes when they burst into fmes, burning them and the woman's eyesockets, melting the flesh and destroying everything before he could acquire them.

  Without hesitation, the figure just threw its head away and disappeared before it could hit the ground, finally bringing Anya out of her shock. The next moment, she was screaming out Xendar's name as the man fell backwards, unconscious... nding in her sobbing arms, holding his head to her chest.