Chapter One — The Spire

Wind rattled the window of the small cabin, the walls bathed in the purple glow of Cassandra’s power as she sat staring into the mirror, feeling a mix of dread and resolve, unsure of the face staring back, eyes twinkling with a violet shimmer. Levitating ornate combs, connected by thin ribbons of translucent purple energy, dragged dark, thick hair out behind her. Her stomach twisted as a strand of hair snagged on her comb. Cass felt her hands shake slightly as warm tears built in her eyes. Stray threads of power touched the mirror. In it, a vision of friends leaving, her plan crumbling. In the glass, she saw what could come and felt the dread surging through her. Fear her people would get hurt, and her goals would go unfulfilled. Her breath came short, her heart began to race as she fought to regain her power, to stop visualising how she would let down those who had come to trust her, all the research that had brought them to this moment, wasted. Drawing in a long, deep, unsteady breath, Cassandra collected the tear from her eye into a small vial. Tipping the vial, the liquid glowed purple; the vial warmed, and she stowed it carefully.

Placing the vial into a pouch on her fine leather belt, she felt another tear forming. Her combs twisted and clattered to the floor. Turning her gaze to the mirror. Her reflection pinched its mouth into a grimace, eyes scornful– the form-fitting dark leather, high boots and long cloak. Cassandra met her reflection’s judgemental gaze, “I can do this…” she whispered as the reflection snorted in disagreement. Cass narrowed her gaze as she noticed a thin strand of purple linking her to the mirror. A hair-fine thread of power tethered her to the glass; her double glowered back. Pulling back her errant power, the reflection returned to normal, the lips relaxed, and the eyes softened. Another slow breath later, she retrieved the velvet bag, clutching it between her delicate fingers, her combs returning to their work behind her.

The drawstrings on the velvet pouch came free easily, revealing several slightly luminescent orbs within– Astara pearls– Five small beads, valuable, beautiful, and powerful. Cass felt revulsion towards the pearls, too many memories, and yet she had no choice; they were too useful. Dipping her finger into the small bag, she carefully rolled them around, counting them, lightly testing her power against each one. She counted five, tested each– soft absorption–tied the strings back with confident fingers and returned the pouch to her belt. Another quivering breath later, looking into the reflection and her thoughts on the day ahead, her hair was becoming frizzy due to the constant attention of the pair of floating combs. Cass let the combs continue– the firm teeth along her back and shoulders eased her tightened muscles.

The hinges squealed as the cabin door swung open, revealing a tall man, draped in green folds of matte silk, short, thick, metallic-brown hair softly reflecting the light, a kind smile, and serious, deep-brown eyes. “Kor condemn this door. It may have just woken half of Kalista!” he swore under his breath, shaking his head before leaning against the doorframe, turning his eyes towards Cass. “Are you ready?”

Cassandra slowly turned to meet his eyes. Elman’s smile held, as his concerned eyes roamed from comb to mirror. “I expect I will never be ready. For any of it…” she softly admitted, feeling another tear begin to form as the pressure of expectations fluttered again. The man offered her a forced smile and stepped forward towards her.

“It’s still incredible, the ease of your aethermancy, the control you hold over the world around us. I personally think you are the only one who could be ready for what is to come…” The man spoke slowly as he watched the silver combs floating around her long hair. “May I?” he added, gesturing to the comb.

When his hand took the comb, his fingers pressed against her power that had been levitating it, sending a wash of emotion through her—admiration, hope, determination. His touch sparked a feeling of hope and connection, like light through stained glass, for her, her power, her objectives, and her beauty. The last one caught her by surprise– she would store that information for later. His hope embraced her like a warm hug, comforting and safe. Finally, his determination blended with hers, igniting her passion once more. Cassandra felt her breath hitch as everything flooded through her within a single moment. Turning to look at his face, she let herself smile. “How do you do that, Elman? Always be so positive?”

Elman returned her smile as he began stroking his fingers through the frizz, patting it down. “Well, it helps knowing that you’re going to get a full dose. I am a mender after all, Healing is my art.” His tone was gentle and reassuring as he pulled a weave from the sleeve of his robe, a soft green-glowing thread wrapping around her head, easing a knotting behind her eyes. He spoke kindly, calming her further. “I can’t imagine it, Cass, feeling emotions of others. If I had to feel the pain of everyone I healed…creation be damned, there would be no menders.”

Rolling her head, feeling the relief from the healing weave, Cassandra stood, bringing her hands together as she turned to Elman. He was a whole head taller than her, at least a decade her senior. She let her power coil around his wrist, soaking in his emotions. “It has its benefits, feeling your hope, your determination, maybe I am ready. Yes, I am ready.” Cass pulled her hands apart, and thin purple strings erupted around her, lifting her body gracefully into the air until she floated eye-level with Elman. “Let us get out on deck before I lose my nerve,” she said as she took another deep breath and glided slowly through the still-open door.

The wind buffeted her glide the moment she broke onto the main deck of the airship, the massive balloon looming over her as she emerged. Cass stood soaking in the twilight landscape, the distant fields, forests and the closer stone spires rising to greet them. Cassandra moved to admire the new brass plaque, Sylvia’s Folly, with its imperial seal. She felt her lips twitch into a smile reflected in the new metal. The aged wood still had light damage from where the Arcanum emblems used to rest. Cass remembered her ownership scroll, tightly locked in her cabin. Still not believing it was real, and her trader's name, “Sylvia Aurilien,” was accepted as legal on the enchanted parchment.

Gliding off the deck, A few of the crew stared in awe as she elegantly danced up around the balloon, offering her mundane crew a friendly, reassuring wave, landing on the top, enjoying the light bounce of the tight linen. Cass stood for a long minute, looking ahead to the large central spire looming over them. Kalista Airdock, spire after spire speared into the clouds, piers and walkways creating a plaza in the sky. Peacekeepers drifted from vessel to vessel, taking note of hull markings and craft model– owning one was a privilege, and registering a new one was nearly impossible. Cass took a moment to appreciate what she had accomplished to get to this point, and the people she was doing it for, the mundanes, the people born with no magical affinity, the vast majority, and the ones unknowingly suffering for it. The knots returned as she felt her power quiver uncertainly before snapping. Cassandra fell to her knees on top of the balloon as it flew silently into the dark gateway at the top of the spire.

Cassandra heard the clumsy landing– the rush of aethermantic power and awkward thud behind, she tried to bring her emotions back under control, collecting another pair of tears before dabbing her eyes dry. She breathed deep. Flight was new to the recently elevated caster, who had followed her; linking to his emotions was not required to know how nervous he felt as he approached her. Rising to her feet, the time had come; the man behind her had found his footing and was calling out.

“Lady Sylvia, the captain requests your presence on the deck before we breach the windwall,” he said, voice edged with nerves. Cass turned to him. His loose blue robes were similar design to Elman’s green ones. Blue threads, Vyl’s sigil, a declaration of his affinity for Vyl, the goddess of air and his nature as Vyl’sin. She nodded politely as she levitated to his eye level. Everyone in her life was so much taller than her.

“Thank you, Owen. I will attend the captain momentarily. You understand your part in tonight’s escapades?” she pushed as much confidence into the words as she could muster, and it worked– the older Vyl’sin almost snapped to attention as he rushed to respond.

“Of course, Ida and I are to remain onboard the Folly, below deck and out of sight until you return, Vyl’sin are not safe in the Airdock.” He repeated the instructions she had outlined almost word for word, though his tone lacked conviction. Cass knew he didn’t believe it, although he would trust her. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

Cass turned to leave, offering the man one last remark, “Oh and Owen?”

“Yes, Lady Sylvia?” his tone was obedient.

“It’s just Sylvia, you can drop the Lady.” Her tone was firm as she floated from the balloon, ignoring his protesting replies.

Drifting towards the helm, her team had already gathered and was waiting. Cassandra heard the orders being given by the ship’s first mate, ordering the mundane crew below deck. She felt a twang of guilt as they left their posts, offering the assembled group of aethermancers respectful nods. Cass could see the fear in their eyes, although she knew they had to be kept far from her plans, for their own safety. Cass felt a flush of hope return as her eyes settled on the group waiting for her– air pushed her hair back as she levitated to join them around the helm. The hatch banged closed behind, a signal that the moment had arrived. She offered them a soft acknowledgement as she glanced around the party. “Good Evening, and thank you for trusting me.”

Diana stood next to Elman, almost as tall as him, a baby-faced youth, the youngest on board, her ashen skin and shoulder-length white hair making her a distinctive figure. Diana’s presence created discomfort amongst crewmen and aethermancers alike; Cass could feel her cold aura, seeping from powered weaves in her clothes, a warning aimed at life itself.

As Cass landed, her boots softly tapping on the wooden deck, two men in red turned from the aft. They loomed over her. Even the deck rails seemed lower around Umbrals. Postures straightened as she approached. Hector– the younger of the two men now approaching, His sleeves too short, his coat too tight. When his older brother, Galvin, had brought him to her, he wore the plain arcanum signet. Cass raised herself once more to meet their eyes as Hector grinned. Cassandra felt the warmth of family from both men: Galvin, dressed in red silks and Arcanum Dar’Qwen robes, much like Owen and Elman; intricate weaves and the Sigil of Qwen. Hector had no such robes—only his signet ring, permitting him to work with his Aethermancy.

“Lady Sylvia! I am finally ready to prove your gifts are not wasted!” he almost sang as Galvin slapped him across the back. Cassandra felt herself internally recoil. Her smile twitched as Hector invoked the L-word. She had now lost count of how many times she had requested they drop the honorific. Name had weight; She kept hers locked between a select few. Sylvia was no Lady– Cassandra was by birth. Title blurred the line, her teacher's voice echoed in her mind. “Hide your name, conceal your bloodline.”

“Begging your pardon, Lady, my younger brother has yet to learn etiquette. He means to say he is grateful for his elevation.” Galvin fell into a respectful bow, and Hector scrambled to follow. Cass returned their bow.

“Elevation– revealing true worth.” Cass thought back to the academy, and her anger flared—a stain she could never remove. Cassandra trusted Galvin, and by extension, she trusted his brother. The pair of ginger-haired Dar’qwen would be the warriors she needed. Elevating Hector to an Umbral, a necessity for her cause, even if his growth spurt irked her. Levitating to meet all of her friends' eyes was getting tiresome.

“Thank you, Galvin, Hector… once more, please, just Sylvia will suffice.” She smiled and turned to the final group. Captain Ives, the only mundane among them, stood seeming short, surrounded by Umbrals; the world seemed to feel smaller around them. Captain Ives squared up, his well-fitting leather coat and well-groomed beard allowing him to stand out with some dignity amongst the gaudy colours of the Arcanum robes. Towering behind him stood her final two Umbrals, Ida, her longtime friend, and their second Vyl’sin, a long, well-cut coat, no crests, no sigils, just pride in her own sense of style. Cass could not help but think the L-word would actually apply to her comfortable presence. Finally, Jennistra, with a patient, knowing smile, her long metallic silver hair draped around her pastel pink Arcanum robes, etched with the Sigil of Syl. Cass felt herself relax as she released the threads of power, lowering her defences.

Captain Ives spoke with authority as the wind began to still, and silence fell over the deck. “Outside of the Masters Circle, I don’t think the Empire has ever seen so many Umbrals in one place. Y'all are a wonder of the age, and that is our only advantage. So let’s go through the plan one final time. Those we are hunting tonight will not expect the overwhelming force you pose. There can be no witnesses. Once our opponents are aware, there will be Mageguard at every turn, and even Umbral’s should think twice before matching an Arcanum Mageguard.” his words came quickly. Cassandra felt the nerves returning– her gaze wandering to a passing peacekeeper, wondering how much different a Mageguard would look. The Captain continued.

“We are going to be docking in the southern skyway. You will not have long– disembark– cross through the trade-post, cross the main bridge to the administration spire and ascend to the Chancellor's office. Once there, Our Lady Sylvia will capture Chancellor Lyte, and we will put her to the truth.” Cassandra appreciated the matter-of-fact tone and casual glossing over the risks, which made the plan, her plan, seem simple. Elman spoke up next.

“I will do what I can to reduce collateral damage, so keep your focus on those ahead, let me and Jen handle the fallout.” He calmly added, Cass could see the concern etched in his eyes as he spoke. Jennistra added her voice to bolster Elman’s assurance.

“There are no Mageguards within the spires. There are no Arcanum Umbrals aside from the Chancellor. I am not asking you to hold back, just remember, most of them have to choose between an attack and a defence. They will all choose incorrectly because there is no correct choice against you,” Cass felt Jennistra’s lilac eyes fix her as she continued, “any of you.” The meaning was clear– the amount of death dealt tonight would be up to them. Cassandra felt it was her turn to contribute, adding the details that the others did not want to believe.

“Chancellor Lyte is a Vyl’sin Scion. I know none of you wants to believe me, but I have seen it first-hand. All Vyl’sin here are under her direct control; their free will is an illusion. There is no cure, Diana will help me prove it, and then…” Cas stopped as she felt the feelings rise again. Elman stepped around to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. He whispered into her ear.

“Reach out,” he offered, words soft. Cassandra took a long, steadying breath and let her power seep through her shoulder and brush his hand. All at once, his emotions flooded through her again; she marvelled at how well he maintained his composure so close to such an important moment. Standing slightly taller, she resumed her statement.

“And then there is no cure for them. Any Vyl’sin we come across must be killed.” Cass let her words hang in the air as she waited for someone to protest. Cass felt her heart sink as she said it, a reality darker than any of them would accept. Diana chimed in to break the silence.

“So, you knock them down, I yank their little souls out to have a look, if it’s all mangled up, we put them out of their misery, nothing wrong with that!” she chirped as if she wasn’t talking about people’s lives. Cass nodded, her neck twisting awkwardly, making it feel unnatural. She knew Diana had an affinity for death– she supposed it would be natural for her to view it more callously. Galvin was the next to speak, his tone firm; she could hear the experience in his voice.

“Understood, we knock down the Mundanes for Elman and Jen to handle, Vyl’sin may have to be put down, and Chancellor Lyte is to be secured. Our Vyl’sin, Ida and Owen will remain hidden on the ship– I will protect the Folly as it is our only escape route. L-” He stopped abruptly as Cass fixed him with a stare. “Sylvia will lead Hector and Diana into the Administration Spire, Subdue Lyte and return her to the ship.” Galvin finished, and Cassandra’s gaze moved from face to face, noting their acknowledgement and consent to her brazen plan. Elman stepped into the middle of the gathering, spreading his arms.

“Violent, treasonous, even madness could apply. Label our actions as you wish. If even a fraction of what Sylvia has told us is true, then our actions are just, right and even required. Tonight, we step out of the shadows. Tonight we shine a light in the corners where evil hides.” Elman spun, his robes flourished as he faced her, and Cass felt her lips curl into a smile as he continued. “Sylvia has given us all so much more than power. She has given us purpose, and I, for one, will stand proudly beside each of you in shared purpose.” As his statement finished, murmurs of assent rose from the group. Cassandra felt her cheeks warm as she chewed her lip at the sudden attention. The deck jerked as Captain Ives pulled back on the heavy lever by the helm. Cassandra turned and watched as a figure in a blue robe streamed aether threads out towards her airship. She watched as her group quickly descended below deck out of sight as the ship was guided into the dock. She moved quickly after the others, whispering to Diana.

“He will be our first obstacle, the one guiding us in.” Her words came quickly as the hull jerked suddenly, Cass slammed into the wooden wall, the unnatural movement catching her off-balance as the Kalistan Vyl’sin’s power shoved her Airship into a narrow dock. “Careless Pik, if he scratches the new inscriptions…” she complained, pinching the bridge of her nose, as the mundane crew scrambled past her, returning to their duties on deck. Cassandra felt cramped in the hallway, surrounded by her looming team. She watched as Hector positioned himself near the small window, monitoring the docking process. Cass nodded expectantly to Jennistra, feeling anticipation rise as the gesture was returned. Watching aethermancers weave had always fascinated Cassandra- it was a beautiful, precise art. Her eyes focused on Jenn’s fingers as they pinched the air, a spark of fluorescent pink energy appearing between the delicate digits. Cass watched as Jennistra pulled the thread of power and began to shape it into symbols. Her mind translated the weave as the Umbral Seer created a loop within a loop. “Syl,” the enclosed circle. Cassandra felt her finger mimicking the action as Jennistra moved on from her power weave into her effect symbol. Cass remembered learning the effect symbols, although the one Jennistra had formed was unfamiliar. Her face must have betrayed her confusion as Diana whispered a response, quietly so as not to disturb Jenn.

“That’s Hide, it’s a subtle magic symbol, they don’t teach those.” Diana’s conspiratorial tone carried a playful intent as the younger girl fixed Elman with a smirk. Cass noticed Elman squirm uncomfortably under the attention. Making a note to ask about the strange interaction later, Cass returned her focus to Jennistra, her fingers having completed the Hide weave, now linking it into an unfamiliar motion symbol. Cassandra felt frustration bubbling up; she had always thought the few symbols she had been taught could not have been the whole scope, and here was proof of her incomplete education. She was about to probe Diana for another explanation as Jennistra flourished a final destination weave, completing her spell. A neat weave of pink thread floated in the air between them. Cass felt a sense of wonder at the intricate shapes. Jennistra let out a slow breath, a slight smile on her lips. Jenn shifted her eyes towards Cassandra, giving a delicate nod as she spoke softly. []

“It’s ready. On your signal, Sylvia.” Jenn said as she lifted her hands on either side of the shimmering weave. Cass nodded and turned to Hector, who had taken up a position near the window. The group all followed her gaze as the young man shrank back from the window, bracing against the hull. He looked excited, a feeling Cass could not share. Tonight was a sombre affair. Hector's smile faded when his eyes met Cassandra’s. She felt a twinge of guilt; her face betrayed her true feelings far too often. Hector spoke conspiratorially as he leaned away from the window, as if they would hear him. “We’ve docked. There are three city watch and the Vyl’sin waiting at the end of the gangway.” His hushed tones sounded worried as Galvin stepped forward, keeping his voice level. Cass felt the reassurance as he offered his insight.

“Standard procedure for any new arrival. We were expecting this.” His head turned to Jennistra, still holding her glowing weave. “Stay close to Jenn as we disembark,” the older man shifted his eyes to Cass as he continued, “Keep it non-lethal for the mundanes, Elman will follow behind and heal them.” Cassandra appreciated the reassurance. Tonight was her responsibility, and she would have to live with the consequences if innocent life was lost. A firm hand landed on her shoulder, her heart skipped a beat, and her mind was distracted. Cass looked up into Elman’s deep-brown eyes, locked with hers, and his fingers tightened, as if challenging her to reach out. He spoke softly, and Cass felt her power reach for his fingers, searching for the hope.

“Jenn and I will reduce the collateral damage. Do not look back until your mission is completed,” Elman stated. Cassandra felt her shoulders relax as her power touched Elman’s fingers, the powerful flood of supportive emotions cleansing her inner turmoil. She held his gaze a moment longer, wondering if he truly understood how much his emotions supported her. He continued, breaking eye contact and looking to Hector. “No weaving, prepared stitches only. No mistakes.” Cass felt the nervous shift ripple through them, fingers fidgeting to check their sleeves. They had spent the last few days preparing stitches for as many situations as possible, as powerful as they were, spellweaving was still dangerous for the wielder. Elman gave his words time to breathe before nodding to Jenn, showtime.

Jennistra brought her hands together, crushing the intricate weave. Pastel-pink power erupted from between her interwoven fingers, flooding out in all directions. Cass watched in wonder as the energy formed into a translucent pink dome over her group of six. There was a beauty in aethermancy that Cassandra found fascinating. Rotating on her heel, she soaked in her friend’s magical signature. As she settled facing Jennistra, it became apparent that everyone was staring at her; in particular, Jenn was giving her a concerned grimace. The seer’s eyes had a pink shimmer as she spoke, “Is something wrong, Sylvia? Did my weave snap? Everything feels normal.” Cass shook her head apologetically.

“It’s just a beautiful display, Intricate, it feels like we are wrapped in a pastel blanket,” Cassandra said, taking another glance around the translucent dome. Diana giggled as she poked Cass unceremoniously in the stomach.

“Show off, the whole point of her invisibility ward is to be invisible,” Diana smirked as she turned back to Jenn, “Which is it, to everyone except our prodigy, it seems.” Cass felt her cheeks heat up, suddenly feeling small amongst her tall crew. Singled out. She knew Diana meant no harm; her words weren’t mean-spirited. Cass’s emotions were running on overdrive with the anticipation. Once again, her face must have betrayed her flurry of feelings as Jennistra spoke calmly, reaching over to touch Cass as Elman had before.

“It is gladdening to hear my power is beautiful. Let us both hope it is equally as potent.” She smiled. Her touch was light, Cass let her power seep into her fingers, and her world twisted. Fear, Anxiety and concern overwhelmed her body; she collapsed to her knees, the rough wood making her knees crack with pain. Jenn’s hand recoiled as Cass fell forwards onto her elbows, tears openly flowing. “SYLVIA?” she exclaimed while trying to keep her voice low. Elman dropped down quickly, embracing Cass.

“Connect to me, now!” he whispered into her ear. Cass felt her mind cloud over. The face in the mirror returned to her mind, whispering, drowning out Elman.

“The night is doomed, there is no hope. Just give up” Tears flowed freely as her insides knotted, her arms went limp. Elman caught her. His voice returned as he pulled her into a tight hug, her slight frame sliding easily against his chest.

“Reach out, Please.” He pleaded, but Cassandra didn’t want to; she wanted to run. Instinctively, she reached for her power, intending to shove Elman and everyone else away. Her mind warped into frustrated anger as she pushed against Elman’s embrace; the moment her power impacted him, his emotions crashed into her. Whiplash, her fear, Jenn’s fear, collided within her mind against Elman’s hope. Confidence splashed against anxiety, washing it from her muscles. Cassandra’s world spun as emotions that were not her own fought for control of her mind and body. She had no awareness of how long had passed. Elman had lifted her a few minutes ago. She was being carried back onto the deck as the group moved together. Cass squirmed free of Elman, giving him a nod of appreciation. Jenn offered her a worried, guilty glance, and Cass returned with a smile and silently mouthed a thank you. Despite the overload, it was a relief to know she was not the only one burying her feelings this evening. Taking a deep breath, she moved to the head of the group and led them towards the gangplank down to the dock. Captain Ives was already on the dock, speaking with the Kalistan dock manager.

Very slowly, she soft-footed down the gangway, the six tall umbrals sneaking behind her. It would be comical if not for Jennistra’s invisibility ward, keeping them all hidden from sight. Cass felt the plank under them bend from their weight, raising a hand, the group slowed to a shuffle. She did not want her ship or crew implicated in events about to unfold; if the dock workers or guards see them departing, they will all have to die. The thought chilled her, kept her grounded and motivated not to rush into errors. As they approached the group in discussion with Captain Ives, Cass appraised the Kalistan Vyl’sin, a bored-looking older man, whose blue Arcanum robes shimmered with prepared stitches. The man yawned and waved a wedge of parchment at Ives, invested in the conversation and, more importantly, not channelling any aethermancy. Cass felt herself release a breath she did not realise she had been holding. If this Vyl’sin had been vigilant with aethermantic detection, Jenn’s ward would have been exposed. She had to remind herself that most aethermancers had to be sparing with their abilities. Her group were exceptional, thanks to her.

Passing within metres of the discussion, Cass noticed Hector and Diana grinning excitedly, and another twinge of annoyance burned through her. Nothing about this should be enjoyable. Pressing back her feelings, she led the group off the main walkways and across the open staithe, where the folly would be unloading its cargo over the next few hours. Feeling the distance grow between her and the dockworkers, she spoke softly to the group, her eyes fixed on a shimmering barrier in the distance. “Detection wards,” she pointed to the large gate leading towards the administration spire. Above the gate, she could see the spire and several balconies overlooking the docks. “I’ll take Hector and Diana over them, Jenn, sneak the others through, when the gates open” Cass turned to her group, “Thank you, and good luck.” The group nodded their acknowledgement as Cassandra let her power spill from her, sheets of purple energy wrapped Hector and Diana. The joy and excitement surged through her. A smile came unbidden to her lips as she shared in their emotions, taking a moment to enjoy the sensation, even though she knew it was wrong. One more deep breath, and her power pulsed, and the three of them were ripped from reality. Thrill surged through her; using her power had never felt so good as she focused on the image of the balcony. Her mind raced as the world around her swirled into a dark purple void. Diana and Hector’s emotions only became more excited, distracting her focus. Finally, Cass found the balcony in her memory and ripped her hands apart as if parting curtains; the purple void split around them, all three falling three feet onto the hard balcony.

“Ouch!” yelped Diana as she landed awkwardly on the stone. Hector had managed a more graceful landing, and Cass had been caught by her power, floating gently above the pair of Umbrals. Hector recovered first, standing tall, looking back towards the dock, before glancing back at Cass.

“This wasn’ the plan, Sylvia. We were meant to clear the path,” he said, concern etched in his voice. Cass nodded slowly before pointing down at the trade post below them.

“Burn it.” Her words came cold, calculated. The plan changed when she realised she could see the spire from the dock. Hector seemed to shift uncomfortably before resolving himself and nodding towards her, a slight grin on his lips as he looked down onto the trading post.

“One firestorm coming right up…” he said as his hands reached under his shirt. Cass watched his eyes flare crimson as he plucked a stitching from his shirt, the red thread humming with malicious intent. The sky shimmered over the trading post as Hector pushed his power through the stitching, and then screams as fire poured from the sky. Cass watched in wonder as blue, yellow and red fire poured like liquid over the building, igniting it instantly. Hector turned slowly, his eyes fading back to their normal light brown. “Third degree burns all around,” he offered with a dark glance. Cass nodded, focusing on the ward keeping Jenn and Elman out. She considered opening it herself, although the risk of empathic feedback was very real. She turned to Hector once more and gestures to the gate. He followed her finger and nodded as Diana stepped up beside them, her eyes glowing black. Diana spoke solemnly.

“Three dead, I’m…going to seal their souls. Maybe Elman can help them.” Her words were unsure as she drew a stitch of her own. Cass swallowed the feelings; she knew there would be death tonight. Cassandra turned to venture into the spire, and Hector launched a stream of fire at the gate, announcing their presence. The door was rough and well-used. Cass just needed to get away from the screaming that now filled the air. Opening the balcony door, she discovered the room she landed in was far from empty, with large sprawling tables, wall to wall, a mess hall. Seated along the tables, twelve Kalistan citywatch, their black distinctive uniforms unmistakable. They all sat in silence, staring at her as she held the door open. Her heart sank as they slowly began to stand. She searched her mind for words as her fingers dived into her pearl pouch.

“Oh.”

Chairs scratched against stone floors as a dozen uniformed citywatch slowly stood, all eyes on her as her fingers palmed a pearl from her pouch. The small orb was tingling against her power. Cassandra scanned across the figures in the room, expressions ranging from curious to confused. She noted the lack of openly hostile gestures as they appraised her. Her mind pushed power into the pearl between her fingers as she folded it into her palm, concealing it even as she imbued it with intent. The seconds felt drawn out as one of the men began to approach her. The man was a head taller than her, a thick black beard shading his expression. Cass could imagine a scowl, although his approach was cautious. She took a moment to examine his fine-cut black uniform, the emblem of three spires on his breast and silver epaulettes on his shoulders. ‘An officer,’ she thought, although her understanding of military ranks in any of the kingdoms was only from stories. As the man drew closer, she felt her heart quicken; intuitively, she flared her power in her eyes. The room flashed into a pale pink. Minor enchantments on emblems, weapons, wall sconces and even the cooking pot in the corner all became illuminated in her vision. The man approaching her had stopped, his arm halfway to his sword, although he had not completed the action. Cass tilted her head towards the man; his expression was stoic, unreadable. Whispers, the guards were all whispering about her.

“Sorceress?”, “Why is she here?”, “It’s really her”. The conspiratorial whispering suddenly stopped as she locked eyes with a female guard near her, as if acknowledging it. The pearl in her now closed fist hummed with warmth; her power had set. Cass turned her attention back to the officer who had now abandoned the idea of drawing his weapon. He approached a couple more steps before offering a bow, one hand around his waist and the other behind his back. Cass had never seen such a clean show of respect, as he bowed deep, she caught a shimmer of her reflection in his polished silver eppulettes. Purple orbs, her eyes, were glowing prominently back at her. Ah. She thought as the hesitation they exhibited began to make sense. Cass relaxed, letting her aetheric sight fade, lifting her hand towards the bowing man, unsure what he expected her to do. Her heart raced, her arm felt limp, thoughts of command danced across her mind, altering her already altered plan. He straightened at her gesture and began to speak in a high Kalistan accent.

“Deepest apologies for my ignorance, my lady.” He said while his eyes averted to the floor by her feet. Cass felt her teeth chew into her bottom lip as she kept her words to herself. She was fairly certain she was being confused for her mother; speaking would certainly shatter that illusion. Instead, she lifted her empty hand to her face, keeping the primed pearl from view in her other closed hand. Wordlessly, she let her power dance across her fingers, tiny purple sparks jumping between them. The officer stiffened as his gaze was drawn to the energy; his eyes widened as he half-turned towards the room to bark and order. “Everyone Out, We will use the Barracks on the third floor. Now, MOVE! MOVE!.” He turned back towards Cass, offering another bow before slowly backing away himself. Cass felt warmth wash through her anxiety as a smile tugged at her lips. ‘Power’. She thought as she watched the scurry before her. Diana came in from the balcony, the tall girl's eyes arched at the scene as she stepped over to whisper in her ear.

“What in creation did you do to them…” Diana said slowly. Cass offered a light lift of her shoulders as she let her eyes sweep the room; the retreating citywatch only offered a cursory glance at Diana’s appearance. Diana spoke softly, but the whisper was gone. “We can’t let them leave, too many witnesses…” The tone was urgent. The thought had already crossed Cassandra’s mind as she enjoyed the fleeting feeling of command. She knew Diana was right, and the pearl was beginning to soften from the power she had been pressing into it. Taking a deep breath, she slowly nodded towards Diana, raising her closed hand to reveal the glowing pearl within. Cass locked her eyes on the door on the far side of the room as the citywatch began to open it, and her power flashed, a streak of purple energy tore across the room and struck the door. She felt the backlash of confusion as her power sealed the door, touching the female's hand on the door handle. Cass pushed the foreign feelings away as she cut her link to the door, leaving it sealed. A dozen eyes turned to look at her, eyes wide, hands drifting to swords. Diana’s hand moved to a weave in her sleeve. Cass couldn’t tell its nature, although she recognised the protect symbol. Her heart lifted with a beat of pride that Diana had not moved to an offensive weave first.

Rolling the pearl between her index and second fingers, Cass felt the orb concave as she braced it, like warm dough, as she lifted her fingers to shoulder height. The pearl shimmered with a soft purple glow, drawing everyone's attention in the room. Cass noticed even Diana had tilted her head towards the light source. The butterflies had set up a colony in her stomach as she prepared to fling the pearl out into the room. Cass had practised with the pearls, with mixed results. They were simply too expensive for regular training. Taking in the room, she chose a spot near the officer, a target. Cass thought back to Elman, fishing through her memory for his uplifting emotions, digging for any resonance of the confidence he imbued in her. The sound of steel scraping steel drew her attention as one of the citywatch slid a dagger from a sheath. Time had run out, she spoke, leaving a message.

“My name is Sylvia, Sorceress. My friend here is a Touched Umbral.” Cass began, feeling Diana straighten beside her as she declared her affinity to the room. Touched, even the Arcanum wouldn’t name the goddess of death. “I tell you this, so you comprehend how fortunate you all are to survive this meeting, and understand our goal is not to harm you.” She finished, flicking the pearl from her fingers towards her chosen location in the middle of the room. The citywatch moved back as the orb bounced onto a table, the group still processing her words, all except one. An older man, his uniform worn and tattered, the blacks fading to greys. Cass had observed him drawing his dagger a few moments earlier. She focused on the pearl, pushing her power to detonate her stored power as the older man acted, throwing his dagger. Diana reacted, and Cass felt her heart skip a beat as Diana pushed her aside. A sudden swash of air and a wet thwack as Diana screamed.

The pearl imploded as a pulse of purple energy swept the room. Cassandra felt her buttocks slam into the stone floor from Diana’s shove as her mind spun. The energy wave struck the first three citywatch, washing them in a purple glow, enchanting them, and Cassandra felt the feedback immediately. The disruption to her focus had distracted her from severing her link to the power. Lethargy rolled over her body and mind as she slumped. Cass’s last sight was her hand going limp in a puddle of warm blood, Diana’s blood, as aetheric sleep claimed her and the twelve citywatch.