Altercations and leaves

Seraphina palmed her cheek, feeling the smooth skin shuffle as she rubbed it gently. Her gaze was fixed out the window in her room, looking at the expanse of the sky above as she sat on the bed.

She reached out with a hand, only to stop after a split second. She moved it a bit, taking note of how it looked to her.

'This will certainly take some getting used to.' she conceded. Since this morning, when she'd woken, she experienced a complete shift in how she viewed the world. It looked almost normal - nothing distorted or changed colors - but the first thing she learned very quickly was the lack of depth perception. It took her nearly a quarter to get used to this sensation, but even then, Seraphina found herself hitting and knocking things over more often than she cared to admit. Only when she acted slowly was she able to avoid any accidents.

And that wasn't all. She only found out when she heard of Lucas waking up, but the moment Seraphina moved more rapidly, she was woefully made aware of her state. The change in her state - be it the acceleration, the blood pressure, or whatever else - made her left eye painfully remind her of its absence, and her sense of balance falter. Even now, the former pulsed, almost like it could begin bleeding again.

But her thoughts rapidly diverged. Almost instinctively, Seraphina licked her lips. The sensation of Lucas on her was still feelable - the taste of him on her tongue lingered even now. A deep flush spread beneath her skin, pulsing in rhythm with her heart. Never before had she felt its beat be this thunderous, heavy yet vivid. The trepidation-like sensation tickling her skin made her involuntarily smile.

She replayed the memory once again. Her hands grasping her waist, her fingers tracing his face. Seraphina's wide hips jiggled as her entire body shuddered. Another sensation surged within her, more primal than the flush, awakened by the kiss. Her pussy throbbed in her panties, wetting them as her arousal pulsed. She had to bite her bottom lip to halt the sensation, but even that didn't help much. Her body yearned for more contact. She couldn't help but wonder how it'd feel to actually hug him back.

But her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Turning around, she saw Ginis's hand on the frame as he barely peeked inside.

"=Princess, the maid you requested for is here.="

"=Let her in, Ginis,=" she responded, standing up and fixing her attire. Reminding herself of who was about to enter, Seraphina felt her entire body tense up, every last fiber quivering for the faintest of moments, a shiver of cold running down her spine. However, her countenance remained controlled, scanning the black-haired maid who entered.

The moment the door closed, Nimue stepped slightly closer, her expression shifting to a wary one.

"=Well, if it isn't the little royal brat,=" her voice cut the stale air, the tone one of clear dissatisfaction.

"=Nimue,=" Seraphina spoke her name. She looked the black-haired maid up and down with a curious, analytical gaze. She didn't appear any different than the last time she saw her, but instinctively, she could feel that the smaller woman had changed. The pressure that previously was barely tangible now faintly oozed from her being, like a presence she could no longer hide.

"=You must be really proud of yourself.="

Seraphina's brow shot up, puzzlement evident as she didn't comprehend the direction Nimue's thought was going. "=Why?="

"=You not only upturned this mansion in a day, but you're now also involved in a massive Classless protest. And to top it all off, you now have a scar to show,=" Nimue nearly hissed. "=Your political influence will grow sky high from that.="

"=That...=" the taller elf paused briefly, a hand going to check on her bandages. "=I was just tangled up in unrelated things.="

"=Do you actually think anyone will care?="

Nimue's question gave Seraphina a pause. Although she didn't want to think about it, she knew her words held true to some degree.

Before she could ponder too long, Nimue's voice cut the silence short, "=Now, what do you want from me?="

Seraphina breathed in sharply, once again reminded of who she stood against. However, she gathered all her strength.

"=Are you well?="

"=What do you care?="

Seraphina flinched, feeling the hostility of Nimue's question. It felt like the maid was barely restraining herself from a physical response. "=I... just wanted to see if you were alright. Cileres told me how much you strained yourself to save me.="

Nimue squinted. "=Let's make something clear,=" she said, words laced with venom. "=I didn't save you, nor did I intend to. You just happened to be in the same room as Lucas. I was more than happy to leave you there.="

The green-haired elf almost staggered a step back, taken aback by the smaller woman's hostility. She knew well Nimue felt nothing but hatred for her, but now, this appeared significantly amplified.

"=I... I know. And I'm sorry all this happened. I--="

"=Enough,=" Nimue cut her off, the singular word almost like a boulder. "=I'm not here to listen to some brat's half-assed apologies. Cut to the chase, now. Why did you want to meet me?="

"=I-I... I wanted to tell you something about... *Sigh* Limen's--=" Seraphina flinched, seeing Nimue's hand twitch. She knew how dangerous the water was that she was entering, but she had already decided she would push through. Fixing her posture, she cleared her throat, doing her best to pick the most concise wording possible. "=I... understand that you--="

"=You don't understand shit,=" Nimue spat. "=You're just a spoiled brat who never had to fight for her meal. Is it fun, to prod at my past, that you do so every time we meet? Or are you just that ignorant?="

The green-haired elf stepped back, feeling Nimue's presence expand as the maid's power surged. It was different from before, less controlled, and more primal, like a maelstrom of power controlled by the wind's whims.

"=Sincerely, I should snap your neck right now. Would spare us all a lot of trouble.="

Seraphina felt a cold shiver travel down her spine, realizing that Nimue was serious. She watched in stunned silence as the void of the maid's hair swirled whilst she turned around, her grimace full of contempt.

"=Consider yourself lucky it'd be more troublesome if I did.="

And then, the maid stepped away, toward the door. However, before she so much as halved the distance, Seraphina spoke up, "=There were only four bodies.="

Nimue flinched. Her expression shifted to a strange mix of question and appall.

"=What?="

"=I... T-Two weeks after the d-demon attacks that destroyed Limen's f-facility, a search party was created to investigate. They spent six days within, mapping the entire place. A-And... in a collapsed part of the deepest level, t-they found... a room,=" the Liveren Princess breathed shallowly, feeling the skin on her entire body tingle with fearful anticipation as Nimue's gaze was locked on her. She looked eerie, like an animal preparing to pounce. Not a single fiber of her being even twitched, and even the threads of her outfit appeared frozen in time. "=A-And in that room, there were eight beds for... the eight homunculi Limen c-created. B-But... o-only f-four bodies were recovered. The remaining ones... were n-never found. N-Not even pieces.="

Nimue squinted, mana threads forming at her fingertips as though she was about to attack. However, as a long second passed, her eyes closed for a prolonged moment. "=What is your point?="

"=I... I-I thought you'd have known, b-but our last talk made me realize o-otherwise. Y-You thought yourself the o-only survivor, but... that may not be the case.="

"=So what?=" the smaller woman spat. "=Even if, they are dead by now.="

"=But if you lived, p-perhaps--="

"=The same doesn't apply to them,=" Nimue cut her off. "=Not unless they... they...=" suddenly, she trailed off, her eyes widening as though some realization clicked in her mind.

"=Unless?="

A flash of blue filled Seraphina's vision before she so much as blinked. As she flinched, she felt the cold thread tie itself around her neck tightly, almost as if giving her a final warning not to speak again. She saw the ire in Nimue's green eyes and started to panic internally.

"=Are you trying to make me talk? Is that it?="

"=N-No, I-I-I just--="

"=Yeah, that makes much more sense. Gerdival couldn't find us himself, so he told all of you about us so that you would find us for him, huh? Is that it?!=" for the first time ever, Seraphina heard Nimue's voice rise. The rage underlying the maid's tone made her spirit quiver.

"=N-No. H-He doesn't k-know I know...=" Seraphina barely stammered a response. The bind around her neck was tightening like a python, the biting cold almost as unbearable.

"=Bullshit. Then how do you know about us?="

The Liveren Princess tried to speak, but found herself ****. Seeing that, Nimue retreated her hand, the thread loosening and disappearing. A moment of silence passed, filled with Seraphina's hasty breaths. Every cell of her body vibrated in fear, her vision blurring. However, she wouldn't be given a pause.

"=Speak.="

The command bore into her body. It wasn't a mind-controlling spell, but the pressure from Nimue's furious tone was no different.

"=A-A few years a-ago, I-I... snuck into my grandfather's o-office and... snooped around. I-I found s-some documents a-about Limen's r-research. G-Grandfather was mad that I found t-them, but I d-didn't tell him I read them. I-I... I feared he might've done worse than berate me if he knew.="

"=I'm supposed to believe that?="

"=I-It's the t-truth, N-Nimue...="

The black-haired woman sighed. Weighing her options, she scanned Seraphina's quivering form. With an experienced gaze, she searched for any tiny piece of evidence telling her that the little green-haired brat was lying. However, almost contrary to her expectations, the young girl appeared to be telling her the truth. The fear in her eye was evident, but rather than the 'I must keep information hidden' type, it was clearly the 'I fear for my life' one.

"=Fine, let's say I believe that. But I still can't understand one thing. Why are you telling me this? What intricate plan are you trying to carry out with that?="

Seraphina gulped down the nigh-frozen saliva in her mouth, feeling the tense atmosphere wane ever so slightly. Clearing her throat, she attempted to not show just how much she was still quivering underneath.

"=There is no plan. I'm not trying to use this information. I just thought you might've wanted to know.="

"=Oh, I see. You're trying to befriend me. You think this makes a difference? One good deed, and we'll be frolicking in the fields?="

"=...I'm not foolish enough to think that. You hate us, and I don't expect that to change, no matter what we do. And I know I can never amend for what's happened to you. I just hope I can prove to you that not all of us are the same. For that reason, I will say that your existence will not be revealed to anyone. I made sure Cileres will keep quiet about you as well.="

Nimue rolled her eyes with a scoff. "=Of course you'd say that. I can't decide if you're that delusional, or that stupid.="

The black-haired woman made a step back. They both knew that the talk was finished, even if the final beat felt hollow.

But before Nimue left, Seraphina felt her mind's gears swing, connecting some dots.

"=Wait. I... may I ask you a question?=" she called out.

"=...and what did I say? One question, then another. Exactly like everyone else,=" Nimue sighed, her tone more exasperated than angry at this point.

"=T-This... this is different. I'm not asking about your past. I promised not to, and I intend to keep my word.="

"=Then what is it?="

"=J-Just now, you mentioned my grandfather. You said he couldn't find you himself. What did you mean by that?="

For a few seconds, only silence stretched in the room. The maid's unmoving form told Seraphina that she was thinking about her question.

Then, unexpectedly, Nimue snorted, as if she'd just heard a good joke.

"=You... you really don't know, do you?=" she asked, turning around with an incredulous expression. "=I thought you were acting, but... he really didn't tell you.="

"=Tell me what?="

"=How do you think Limen was able to experiment on us for so long? How did he get a laboratory so large and so equipped, yet was never caught? Who do you think financed him?=" Nimue spat, letting the weight of her words sink in for a few seconds. "=For your information, there are three names on that list.="

And then, without waiting for a response, Nimue left.

It took Seraphina several seconds to wake from her daze. Sitting on the bed, she looked at her hands.

But no coherent thought wanted to form.

-10 minutes later-

Nimue closed the door to the kitchen without much haste. Ina had already left, and judging by the cleanliness of the place, she had freshly cleaned up. That meant the elf woman had at least a long while before anyone interrupted.

Sitting in a chair, she placed her hands on the table, feeling the rugged surface under her fingertips. Absentmindedly scratching the wood with a nail, Nimue closed her eyes. For long seconds, minutes perhaps, she did naught but that, her mind traveling the expanse of her memories.

And suddenly, a thought occurred.

'...is it possible?'

The thought jerked her out of her mindscape. Nimue almost involuntarily looked around, but she was alone. Although she wanted to, she did not see the fiery orange hair or the intelligent gaze of silver eyes. Strangely, though, she could not throw them out of her mind, either. Though she had long since buried these memories under the new chapter of her life, the shards of the old one now peeked slightly. And within it, she saw her.

The silver-eyed girl, slightly younger than her. She was almost anorectic, catatonic, but underneath the apathy, intelligence brewed.

A single memory suddenly surfaced

In a large room, they all stood, all eight, lined up. Her entire group, and that tall man in front of them. They listened, obeyed, wordlessly complying, emotionlessly nodding, and walking and doing anything he told them to. Jump to the ceiling that was ten meters tall. Lift a massive metal ball. Attack. Defend. Move. Support. And...

'D-3, Teleport.'

The moment flashed in front of her eyes. The fiery-haired girl, frail and innocent looking, suddenly disappeared, the world around her position distorting, before she reappeared twenty meters away, her small fist breaking a small boulder into a million pieces.

Nimue's breath hitched. Her fists curled against the table surface, the remembrance suddenly giving way to reality around her. However, the feeling inside her didn't wane at all.

'We thought it was the demons who destroyed the storage room... but...'

Her emerald eyes shot up toward a basket of ingredients in the corner. Without thinking for but a second, she poised a hand, a singular blue thread shooting forth and grabbing a leek before bouncing back. Holding it hanging in front of her, Nimue focused. She was used to only grabbing things with those threads. Never in her life did she think they would be good for much else.

But suddenly, Nimue clenched her fist. The mana threads listened, effortlessly splitting the leek in twain. With a thud, the pieces landed until the woman grabbed one and threw it up a little. With a mental command, the blue lines moved, slicing the vegetable apart several more times.

Nimue exhaled shallowly, recalling her power. Studying the result of what she's done for a couple of seconds, she looked at her hand.

'...D-3... if you survived... is that why all of Gereval was gone?'

-3 hours later, early evening-

Lucas leaned against a windowsill, the gaze of his violet eye aimed outside. The grand garden looked as splendid as ever, but he could not find it in himself to enjoy the view. The gravity, the weight of his thoughts, memories, and the trepidation of what was going to happen next was enough to stave away any thoughts of relaxation.

Suddenly, something brushed his hand. He nearly flinched before looking at Nimue, who stood next to him, her fingers gently interlacing his. The warmth of her skin felt like a remedy to his state. He squeezed her hand, doing his best to ease his mind from going down the dreadful road again. He was alive, and so were Nimue and Seraphina. That was all that mattered.

Yet, a dreadful feeling budded in his heart. Seemingly sensing it, she squeezed his hand.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, emerald eyes glistening as they locked gazes briefly.

"...yes. I'm just... thinking," Lucas replied hesitantly, looking around the corridor for a few seconds. However, barring him and the black-haired maid, the place was empty.

"About?"

He released a heavy sigh, his gaze returning to looking through the window. Watching the small figures in the distance, he could easily recognize his mother and sisters, as well as Seraphina's retinue. They stood a small distance apart, the arch of the beacon behind the latter giving off slight light as a portal formed within.

"...a lot of things happened," he continued languidly. "I'm still... trying to piece everything. And... I still can't understand a lot of of it. It feels like some kind of an ill-mannered dream."

He felt Nimue's cheek rub against his shoulder as the elf woman hugged his hand tighter.

"I know. But I'm here if you want to talk."

Lucas hesitated, looking at Nimue's expansive hair that hid the woman's face. Truth be told, it felt reassuring to know there was someone he could lean on. Nimue had always been by his side and was never the type to shun him - he understood that, and he loved that aspect of her. However, among his muddy memories, he could remember more than just the careful, cute maid. Though it was still scraps, he remembered Nimue with a face that looked like it was half torn off, with ice covering her hands and magical threads slicing through metal and stone without any resistance.

'When the biggest questions I have are about you...'

Still, he didn't so much as frown. For now, the answers he wanted from the woman could wait. He needed to make sense of his mind first.

"...I know," he replied. "But there's still Mother and all that. She was already furious before. I can't imagine she will take this situation lightly."

Nimue flinched against him, her fingers twitching as she clutched his hand tighter.

Lucas didn't even notice. His attention was focused on the elves who started walking toward the beacon. Although he could not use Keen Senses anymore, his imagination supplied the missing details.

The world around him seemed to wane and vanish. He allowed it to, for just a moment, escaping the bounds of what was around. It was instinctual, beguiling, promising. For just a moment, it was like things were back to how they were a week ago. He was standing here, holding a bowl whilst the beacon shone, telling him of the method Seraphina and her retinue arrived by. Using Keen Senses, he expanded his senses, allowing himself to look at them, taking in their looks for the first time.

Lis'te, Ginis, Seraphina, and the rest of her retinue. He looked at them from afar, wondering what went through each person's head.

But then, he noticed it. The curtain of green swung slightly as Seraphina came to a halt, turning around. A silver dress hugged her body tightly, its contrast against the dark green hair showing off her voluptuous figure to its fullest. Her bust, on the low end of moderately endowed, had a thin line of cleavage running from the cut of her dress. Her flaring, child-bearing hips, supported by her long legs, appeared to demand just as much attention. But what caught her attention the most was the faint glimmer - if it ever even glimmered - in the singular eye as Seraphina looked right at him. Her lips curved gently, a faint blush gracing the youthful skin of her refined cheeks as she smiled.

And then, her lips parted.

"=Bye, Lucas.="

She mouthed the terse words, but Lucas could clearly hear her voice in his mind. The tone was laced with longing, gratitude, and a promise that one day, they would meet again.

"=...bye, Seraphina,=" he answered quietly, the motion almost like a sigh.

The world appeared muffled. As Lis'te stepped through the beacon, the shining light dissipated, dimness entering his vision before Lucas's eyes ventured up. The distant swell of the sky seemed more enthralling than ever before, the deep blue shifting to soft purple hues to orange as his eyes traced the sight above him. Yet, within that, he could see the glimmer of stars already start to show, the tiny points blinking invitingly.

But then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Lucas!" Nimue's voice entered his ears, almost entirely muffled.

With surprise, the young Stormrider flinched away from her. Blinking rapidly, he felt the multitude of sensations attack him at once, from his eyes adjusting to seeing the woman in front of him instead of the stars, to his ears that strangely did not let any sounds in just now. Even the prickle on his skin felt dull.

"Nim-- Nimue," he **** out, taking a second to recollect himself. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Are you alright? You looked strangely not present," she asked with a tinge of concern.

"I, uh-- y-yeah, I'm fine," Lucas shook his head before swiping his hair. "I spaced out for a moment, is all."

The small maid sighed, though he wasn't sure if the gesture was more relieved or annoyed. Her hand relinquished its hold of his, although not before gently pulling him away from the window.

"Let's go. Your mother is going to call for you any second now."

Lucas nodded, pushing himself from the windowsill and following in Nimue's trail. However, just one last time, his gaze escaped toward the outside, looking at the now-dim beacon. The sky above, the darkening blues on one side and fiery orange on the other, was completely void of any stars.

But as they turned a corner, he shook the images out of his mind. His mind steered toward his mother. And deep inside him, a sense of trepidation stirred. His heartbeat reverberated in his ears as they descended the stairs, slowly but surely approaching the Great Hall. His mother and sisters would be here any minute.

His next trial was about to begin.

However, lost in his thoughts, the man didn't notice what Nimue was doing. Covertly, the small elf exuded a bit of her power. It wasn't enough to be noticeable unless one looked for it. The tiniest of mana threads connected to a fingertip would also be easy to miss, shorter than a finger.

But then, Nimue clenched her fist. And almost immediately after, her lips curved in the smallest smirk.

-Meanwhile, in Rugis-

The light shining from the beacon died off seconds after she stepped through, the night's embrace swallowing the surroundings, broken through with some lonely lamps scattered around the place. Taking in the air, Seraphina immediately felt a part of herself relax. The clean, untainted air of Inallel was completely different from what she'd felt in the Stormrider manor. The scents of flowers, guided to her by faint whiffs of air racing through the expansive garden shielded by a dozen massive trees rising around the place in a ring, were as sweet as ever.

However, she could not ponder on the sensations for longer than a second.

"=Seraphina!=" a womanly voice called out to her, concern and worry evident. Immediately, a lithe but tall woman raced forward, her elbow-length hair the same hue as Seraphina's.

"=Mother!=" she almost burst laughing, pushing forth to meet her mother's advance. Within seconds, the two hugged tightly, reveling in each other's presence.

"=What happened to you, child? What's that bandage?=" the older woman asked.

"=Mother, wait, I can expl--="

"=This instant, I want an explanation right now!=" she demanded, seizing Seraphina's shoulders possessively yet protectively, like her daughter could shatter all of a sudden. "=What happened, Seraphina?!="

But suddenly, another voice cut through the air.

"=Lamina, give her a moment,=" the voice belonged to a man, equally tall but with darker hair. His blue eyes, however, were as sparkly as his daughter's. "=She's just arrived.="

"=Father!=" Seraphina called out, struggling free from her mother's grasp and immediately lunging at the man.

"=There, there,=" he soothed her, his rugged hands rubbing his daughter's back.

However, as a few seconds passed, he slowly pushed her away. Holding her at arm's length, he inspected her with attentiveness. A deep frown entered his face, his eyes glaring toward the blonde elf who entered last.

"=Lis'te, what's the meaning of this?=" he asked, his tone lower.

"=We were attacked, Lord Rindel,=" Lis'te dropped to one knee, immediately followed by his comrades.

Color left Rindel's face. Then, looking at the state of his daughter's retinue, his expression turned to ire.

"=You allowed this to happen?!="

"=I take the blame, my Lord,=" the blonde elf responded curtly, not daring lift his head.

"=No, wait,=" Seraphina stepped away from her father, taking a position in front of Lis'te. "=This was my fault! Lis'te did nothing wrong!="

"=Seraphina, do not interfere,=" Rindel almost growled at her.

"=Father, just listen--="

"=STEP. AWAY,=" her father repeated, a hand lifting in a motion that Seraphina oft replicated. "=Those responsible will be punished for your injuries.="

Seraphina felt her breath hitch, seeing six flashes of light coalesce into spirits around her father. Two naiads, two sylphs, and two light spirits, each preparing to strike at the moment's notice as Rindel sized Lis'te up with a dangerous gaze.

But within her, another feeling surged. Her hand poised before she thought better. The mana in her body responded, and likewise, six flashes appeared around her as well, all turning to light spirits that hummed lowly as they charged.

She heard murmurs. Shooting a glance around, Seraphina saw some maids and butlers exchanging quiet words of admiration and apprehension.

Lamina, standing next to Rindel, looked completely aghast, stunned into silence by her daughter's display of power. For all she knew, Seraphina could only summon two spirits. That was what her daughter could do at most just last week, when she saw her off.

Seraphina's father flinched. A flash of regret passed through his face before realization kicked in.

"=Spirit Parade?=" he half-stated, half-asked, his hand lowering. "=When...?="

"=Father,=" Seraphina said, her voice full of authority she seldom exuded. "=Please. Lis'te, Ginis, none of them did anything wrong. Allow us to explain.="

Rindel blinked. Almost as though he realized the situation in full, his hand lowered, the six spirits around him disappearing one after another. His expression changed several times, first from disbelief to faint regret, then to ponder, until finally, the man sighed in defeat.

"=Firstly, go get accommodated. We have a meal prepared. We will speak of this then.="

Rindel glanced at his wife. Lamina's eyes were unwaveringly focused on their daughter, her focus only shifting to him when he locked his arm with hers.

Seraphina breathed out in relief. Finally releasing control, she felt her Origin Magic wane, the light spirits dimming and disappearing into nothingness. She turned around, just in time to see her retainers stand up.

"=You should not have done that, Princess,=" Lis'te was the only one to break the silence.

"=You will not suffer for my mistakes, Lis'te,=" she retorted.

Lis'te exhaled with exasperation. "=Truly, you still are young, Princess,=" he said, seemingly more to himself than her. "=For now, let us go.="

Seraphina nodded.

But before she moved, she felt something. The tiniest of flashes entered her vision, somewhere in the corner of her eye. Mana in the area moved almost imperceptibly, like a single drop of water in a lake. She didn't need any explanation to know it wasn't a spirit. But before she managed to respond, the flash had disappeared. Likewise, the shift in mana was gone.

Just as she started to think if she was seeing things, Lis'te asked, "=Princess, is something the matter?="

"=...No, I was just thinking for a second. Let us go.="

However, when they finally went away, she cast one last gaze back. And she saw it.

On the grass, illuminated by a nearby lamp, lay a short strand of her deep-green hair.

---

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