Learn the truth.

Sprinting in across the chamber, much to your surprise is Xue. He comes to a screeching halt upon his hands and knees, not far behind you, and glances up towards Aak'aba from below. "Please," he begs. "Mistress. My patron. I know our contract has nothing to do with Kyle or his allies, but you mustn't slay him. I've seen how he cares for the others. He wishes only to stop a great evil--"

Aak'aba then holds up her hand, and immediately Xue ceases rambling.

That's the most I've heard him speak.

"Oh Xue," says the Empress of Ice. "You misunderstand. Though I've yet to come to a proper decision, I wasn't going to slay him, or even encase him in ice as a handsome statue to forever decorate my chamber."

You look between them. "Pardon me?"

She continues. "Yet you've entered here without your robe."

"Sorry, mistress," Xue apologizes. "I acted rashly."

"Stand."

Then the moment Xue returns to his feet, the Empress of Ice unleashes a torrential blast of magic directly towards him. It does no damage, though he's completely engulfed in a beautiful glimmer. Wind and snow swirls and dances around where he stands, though you can't make out anything through the miniature blizzard. Just then, a hat flies off to hit the far wall of the room. Then a jacket. Then pants. One by one, clothing is discarded. The last thing you see is a beautiful white pair of laced panties that hit you in the face before falling flat to the smooth icy floor.

After several seconds, the rush wafts past. The magic dies down. Then it seems in most ways that the figure standing before you is somebody else entirely. You also notice that in the far end, just around the corner, is a familiar shape. It looks like the crystal K'iina was using to power her television and game console.

Xue's beautiful, pale blue hair flows down just past her neck. She now wears a robe very similar to the one around you, though on her body it flows and looks so graceful and beautiful. Any sense of mystery has been replaced by elegance. Her eyes glisten under the magic lanterns which radiate down from above, more like the moon and stars than the sun.

You look her over in awe, and she looks back to you with a tint of embarrassment at such attention.

"You're--"

"I am," Xue says. Her voice is only slightly different now. Even in disguise before, she sounded more soft and gentle than perhaps some other men, though that wasn't very strange. Though now she doesn't hold back, and allows her natural tone to come forth. "And a pactholder to Aak'aba the Empress of Ice. She is the source of my power."

You're briefly stunned. Not just by the truth, but her beauty--her bright chestnut eyes, her soft hair, the way her robe reveals the slender nape of her neck, and how her new garb somehow matches her perfectly despite you having only seen her dressed so differently. "Why did you hide all of that? And does Captain Silver know?"

"She's the only one who does. It took a lot of convincing to allow me aboard her ship. But I've had to conceal my past life to keep my safety." She steps towards you. "Kyle. I hold this pact because my body wasn't able to do much else. No mana. No access to a class."

"I'm sorry--"

She then grabs your hands and squeezes them tight. Her stare is suddenly piercing. "Tell me, please. What did you do to overcome this?"

"... Xue, what do I always say about trusting others?" asks Aak'aba. "How well do you know this man to be suddenly so forward?"

"I must," says Xue. "Because Kyle has gone through what I have. He's from Earth too!"

"--What?"

You gasp under your breath as she continues to cradle your hands between hers. "You're from Earth?" you ask.

"I am," Xue replies. "I was born in Wuhan, China. Almost two years ago, I came to Absoterra. Too much happened to explain now. But after being on the run for awhile, I ended up meeting with the Empress of Ice. We made a pact, and now I can defend myself. So I'll ask again. How did you do it?"

"Oh boy. Where do I even start?"