The silence was eerie to the woman inside this hidden hideout. A base concealed to anyone other than a few who knew what the person that was part of their circle. The light on the lamp cast a shadow on the face of Claudia whose hands were interlocked. She looked at the piled documents and the weapons she had amassed. Crystal staffs, rods of powers, and talismans that could protect her. She wore a true silver plate mail with an overcoat that seems to shine constantly.

Tick, and tock, the clock strikes when the hand passes. Claudia couldn’t stop thinking. She couldn’t stop the voices inside her head thinking about the things that would come and the things that would destroy her. Images of her enemies seem like to come alive as phantoms, scourging her senses, making her thought that they were after her. They were after her and she had no way out. Her allies were doing their best but even Rufus was not around.

Claudia wanted to have only peace within the city. No crimes and fools who would rely on a tower that returned dead men into coffins. She saw what kind of monster that the tower can spit out. She saw how a large army backed by Favored Children were easily beaten by a being covered by the sky she sees in the night.

Her shaking legs created an echoing sound. The dark corners of the hideout made her uneasy knowing that she was only here because many wanted her head. Many wanted to sacrifice the Heretic Princess or wed her to those who wanted the Tower of Nimrod. Claudia hated the tower and what it represented. She hated how they were trying their hardest to take the towers and explore the resources beneath the tower. The tower’s magical nature was gone. But the monsters and the riches that the monsters produce were still present. She could hear the greed on their voices as they talked about truces and contracts. All of them wanted the materials the towers produce.

What did they want enough that they were willing to start wars when these continents weren’t the only ones? Claudia knew that they were going to an expedition and within this endless continents, there were lands to conquer and tame. Their goal was simply to conquer and they want to control the Tower first. Once they have the power then they would have the ability to produce powerful warriors.

The barrier was holding and the people were staying wary. Lady Rubina, of the Favored Children, was still out there in the open. The favored children were badly beaten by the being that appeared on that faithful day. The day where Claudia had to watch her friend block a being of frightening power to save her life. The day where when armies were lying helpless. Only one person was brave and strong enough to hold back the being of power. No one knew what happened and the soldier who told the tale was gone, dead, found in the sides where he lost his life to a stray bolt.

Claudia stayed silent while the flames were dancing. She didn’t notice the figure who saw across her, placing one leg on his knee, staring at the Heretical Princess.

“Good day,” the figure said.

“Huh?” She looked up. Her eyes widened in an instant. “Who are you!?” She brandished her staff and before it could activate. The figure wrote a runic spell that turned into a dart, piercing the creation of her spell.

“Princess Claudia, always overthinking like always?”

She calmed her nerves. “You, why are you alive?”

“I defeated the being. That’s all. Though I lost my powers and I am no longer as sturdy as I am.”

“Impossible!”

“What?” He blinked. “Do I look that weak? Or are the ‘Favored’ the only one who can defeat that being? I assure you that the being won’t appear, however, I defeated it at the cost of my soul being broken. I escaped and succeeded and now I came to you.”

“I,” she twisted on her chair. “Is that really you, Einar?”

“Yes, my friend.”

“Then thank the heavens,” she said as if she was given water after a long walk. “I thought I lost a friend.”

“Whoa,” he raised a brow. “Not going to suspect me any longer? What if I am an illusion? An assassin that came after your life?”

“An assassin would try to get close to me by now. And...I know how to recognize a friend. Who do you think I am? I lived my life knowing how to tell who would stab me in the back. You don’t have that aura around you, Einar.”

“That’s nice,” Einar folded his arms. “I thought you hated me.”

“Why would I hate the friend who saved my life more than I could count? I know that I am not a trusting person and I scream at the shadows forming around me. But, even I know how to recognize my friends. I glad that you are still among the living,” she smiled at him.

“Though,” she added. “I assume that you are here to work after being absent?”

“I am.”

“Checked on your parents?”

“They’ll know.”

“Your little sister?”

“Yes.”

“Anyone who knows that you are alive other than me and them?”

“Old Tarsus and the guards who saw me enter.”

“There goes my plan of scaring the rest of the army. Can I send you to kill their leaders?”

“It will be hard without my powers. I can try but I’ll take out at least one.”

“This coming from the guy who took down that monster?”

“Regenerating soul, and I don’t feel so good. It might surprise you that I am not exactly powerful after winning a gamble.”

“Was the monster dangerous?”

“Dangerous, too dangerous, and I’m glad that I took care of her.”

“Killed her?”

“Defeated her in a way of letting her meet someone equal.”

“Another monster?”

“Not really, just an old soul.”

Einar slumped on his chair, staring at the ceiling of the hideout. “Rufus, he went and gathered the Black Dogs. He’s wasting time holding the fanatics after me.”

“I’ll go after him..”