"Well, that happened." Karen said with a rough approximation of cheerfulness. "But, more importantly, what are we doing now?"

 

Zephyra sighed and sat back down. There was too much drama. And, a lot of pressure on her to make sure that things go smoothly. 

 

"I think that Bob was right."

 

Bob smirked playfully, he loved being told that he was right. It was such a nice feeling and it didn't happen as often as he'd like. 

 

"Oh? I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that. I was what?"

 

Zephyra rolled her eyes. Gods he was such a dork. But, she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of repeating herself. "We should train ourselves. A lot has changed and we won't be able to leverage our abilities to the fullest extent possible. Not to mention that we really need to work on and learn to operate as a team and not just as an individual."

 

"We definitely need to work on it. The last time that we were all together, it was a mess." Phil agreed wholeheartedly. It would be better than wallowing in his self pity and reeling from the backlash of the visions. Perhaps, it could even help him find the discipline and stability that he desperately craved right now. 

 

"I have a few ideas for some exercises and routines that should help us work as a unit." Bob supplied helpfully. "The church… has a lot of problems, but they also have a decent militant training routine."

 

"That's great and all, training is a good short term goal." Karen interjected. Her strict business-like manner cut straight to the crux of her concern. "But, why are we trying to improve ourselves? Do we have a long term goal? What are we working toward?"

 

Zephyra took a sip of her coffea. She really needed more caffeine before she could tackle any of these serious and difficult questions that the morning had sprung on her. 

 

"I…" Zephyra started more hesitantly than she had intended. She cleared her throat and started over. "I want to get revenge for the death of my Father. I want to make the church pay for what they've done!"

 

Phil and Bob stared thoughtfully at their breakfast. They found it difficult to imagine losing someone that important to them. Especially in such a violent manner. If they were in her place, wouldn't they want the same?

 

Karen took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. A niggling suspicion that everyone around her was incompetent snuck into her thoughts. And, in a way, it felt as though it should've been jarring, she hadn't thought of someone negatively that often. It certainly wasn't a habit. 

 

Yet, it seemed to be occurring more frequently the last few days. Ever since she had changed.

 

"That's… not a plan."

 

Zephyra blinked owlishly at the girl. She seemed so different than she had been. There were obvious physical differences. But, it was almost as if her entire personality had been supplanted. There wasn't much warmth, or kindness that nearly bordered social anxiety, anymore. 

 

"How do you mean?"

 

"It's just what I said." Karen continued. "That's not a plan. It's a wish. A dream. And, a dangerous one that will get us all killed. Unless you properly plan for it."

 

"Wh-"

 

"How are you going to fight against the Church? They're a multinational organization with thousands upon thousands of followers. Do you want revenge against all of them? Or, simply the ones that had a hand in your father's death?"

 

"Well… I…"

 

"And, if you want revenge against the entire church. How will you do that? You can't march straight in and kill every last one of them. No matter how much we train, or grow in strength, that would be suicide. The church, currently, outweighs us in every category. They have more people, more resources, money, power and everything that can bury a small party like us six feet under the ground."

 

Karen took a bite of her scone. She wasn't particularly hungry. And, it didn't taste much like anything to her. But, she thought that it would provide a good opportunity for her words to sink in before she continued her barrage. 

 

"Furthermore, which Church are we talking about? They're all interconnected to an extent. But, do you intend to excise the Cult of Skalgnos? Or, perhaps, the Cult of Alirius? Graunne? Magnifiri? Do you want to take on the gods themselves? Or, simply, the corruption within the Church?”

 

Zephyra’s cheeks flamed and she squirmed underneath the intense scrutiny of the mage. She hadn’t thought that deeply about it. She had been more concerned with the more immediate necessities. Yet, Karen obviously made a very strong point. They were practically directionless at the moment. And, she didn’t have any sort of concrete plan to follow. 

 

“I don’t really know yet. I hadn’t, um, thought that far yet.”

 

“I didn’t think so,” Karen nodded in self satisfaction. “And, it seems like you have a lot to think about now.”

 

“Yeah. I’ll need to figure it out…”

 

“We’re all here to help you.” Bob spoke softly in encouragement. “You’re not alone in this.”

 

“Well…” Karen turned to the side and stared at something suddenly interesting on the wall. “My will and my power is my own. And, I’ll use it as I see fit. No matter what any contract may say.

 

However, as long as you think about it properly, and come up with something worthy of my support, I will lend you my abilities.”

 

Bob chuckled awkwardly and scratched his cheek while he mindlessly commented. “That's a little self important, isn’t it?”

 

Karen turned and blinked toward him without emotion. It didn’t seem that self important. In fact, it seemed straightforward. Why should she help progress a half baked idea that would get them all killed? Especially when she was capable of so much more, entire empires would crumble and bow at her feet.

 

“It isn’t self important. It's a fact. I’m capable of more than I had ever allowed myself to pursue.

I had held myself back, unable to see past my own fears, failures, and fantasies. Yet, the last few days have shown me that I’ve squandered my potential. And, I won’t do that again.”

 

Bob wasn’t quite sure what to say as a reply. It wasn’t as though she was wrong. Yet, it still sounded narcissistic to an extent. As though she was rating herself above all of the others. It rubbed him in the wrong sort of way. But, before he could object, Zephyra stepped back into the conversation. 

 

“I’ll make sure that we’ll have a proper plan. I won’t mess up the second chance that you’ve given to me.”

 

Karen smiled. It was a cold and mirthless sort of smile. She stood and wiped off her robes and walked over to her darling necromancer. She grabbed her chin and pulled her head up to meet her eyes. 

 

“I’ll make sure that you won’t.” Karen drew her face closer to Zephyra and whispered in her ear. “But, if you do, I might just take the rest of your power for myself.”

“That should be all for now. I will retire to my room as well. I am going to practice my magic even further.” Karen retreated and waved to the rest of the room. Then, she practically glided up the stairs and out of view.