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"Hold still you stupid bitch!" Rose's voice echoed down the stairs and Echo cautiously ascended the tight spiral, emerging from a hidden entrance behind a bookcase which was pushed aside.

In front of him, Rose was trying to hold down a chained-up Axan whose scales were the entire spectrum of colors that existed.

That's why she's called resplendent.

A small shaft of light broke through a window and glinted off the scales; a refracted prism spreading across the wall showing all the colors of the rainbow.

"Echo! Fumi! Get up here and help me hold her down." Rose was trying her best to pin The Queen down but was struggling mightily against her.

Echo and Fumi each got a different side of The Queen and Echo had to squint slightly as a pungent scent assaulted his senses - that of rotten flesh. Her face was unsightly - a half-decayed, draconic maw lined with razor-sharp but cracked teeth. Half of her left jaw was missing as if it had been snapped off.

With The Queen pinned down, Rose was able to pour the concoction into her gullet. The Queen went limp and the two looked up at Rose as she nodded, "Okay, you can let her go. She should be back to normal."

They did so and a few seconds later The Queen sat up straight, glancing around. Her body had seemingly re-knit itself together - although her eyes remained the milky white of someone stricken blind.

"Who are you three? How'd you get into my chambers?"

Rose pulled off her ring and smiled, "Queen Eleanore of the Resplendent Scale, it is a pleasure to meet you." Rose motioned to Echo and Fumi to take the chains off her and the two set about that task with haste. She continued, "I am the Lich Queen, White Rose, the former ruler of Kaad in The Dead Scar."

Queen Eleanore sat up and nodded, rubbing her wrists where the manacles from the chains were placed, "I have heard of you. Thank you for returning me to my rightful state - Trini!"

The Queen stood up and rushed past the trio who turned as the White Scale Axan had ascended the circular ladder. The Queen ran to her and gave her a large hug, "How long was I out?"

"Only two seasons, your grace.” She quickly filled in the monarch on how the Deathvine was acquired.

Queen Eleanore turned around and her posture straightened to that of royalty. She gestured and Trini ran over to a nearby wardrobe, pulling out ornate attire as The Queen dressed.

Echo turned away out of respect and went to the window, pulling aside the curtain as the true state of the room was revealed for all to see. Wrecked furniture, a scratch-mark-laden headboard, and shredded bed linens. It brought memories of his first passionate encounter with Fumi to mind, and glancing at her, he saw she was reminiscing as well.

Rose smiled and bowed to the other monarch, "I consider it a treat to have helped one of my kind." She slipped on her ring and smiled, "You have kept up remarkably well for one of the undead. It is true what is said of the Resplendent Scale; nothing can mar your beauty." She pulled out her small pad of notes, "We unraveled a conspiracy against you." Rose handed Trini the notepad.

Queen Eleanore smiled and stepped into the sunlight streaming into the room. She was quite enthralling. The light reflected from her prismatic scales in a dazzling display from every surface in the room. "I thank you three. Trini, I am sure, will fill me in on all the details of this conspiracy so I can resolve it. For that, I grant you each one boon. What do you desire?"

Rose put a hand to her chin for a few moments, "I don't desire anything, your grace. I would simply ask for a favor to be rendered in the future, for myself or my companions here."

Queen Eleanore smiled, her teeth striking quite the display against the beautiful regalia that made her appear much more approachable. "Of course. And to you two," She turned to Echo and Fumi who were standing next to the window, arms crossed. "What do you two desire?"

Echo pulled out the slip from Pomentar and stepped over, handing it to the monarch. "We want to be allies of The Kingdom. I want an assurance that you and any who serve you will not view myself, Fumi-" he glanced at Rose, "-or Rose as enemies. The same goes for any future companions we align ourselves with."

The Queen looked over the paper and nodded, "That will be granted. I read here that you should be given titles of Lord and Lady, and an estate. Trini dear, would you mind fetching my seneschal? I need to make this official."

Trini closed the hidden staircase, pulled out a key and unlocked the Queen's main door before vanishing down the hallway.

She glanced between the two monsters, "I thank you, sincerely, for providing the means for me to return to my sanity."

Echo grinned, "Happy to make new allies. I plan on living for a long, long time. And it is always nice having friends, isn't it?"

Queen Eleanore smiled her toothy smile once more, “It is.”

Rose turned to The Queen. "This conspiracy that Trini uncovered with our aid…is vast. And I know Echo and Fumi here do not wish to embroil themselves in politics. As I am their companion, I do not wish to, either. However, I offer my insight." She grinned evilly, "You should eliminate the entire royal court. Make an example of the current regime, and bring in newer, fresh blood to man the positions of power…Save for Pomentar and Trini, and your other trusted personnel. This will ensure that there is no chance that Lux learns of your current nature, which would be very detrimental to your…continuing health."

Queen Eleanore nodded and sat on the edge of her ruined bed, "I find that to be quite a wise thought." She glanced at Echo and Fumi, raising an eyebrow, "And you two aren't opposed to such violence?"

Fumi scowled, “Lux has a death mark against us. So no, I don’t have a problem with killing her followers.”

Echo followed up, "I just want to have friends in high places so we can live peacefully. I do have one other request, though."

“And that would be?”

He stared into her unblinking, white eyes. “Free the Crulon.”

The Queen frowned, “That is something I cannot do. I cannot go against the will of a Goddess.” She smirked, “To be perfectly frank, I don’t see the need for the Artificial Gods now that The Void has been defeated. If Lux happened to meet her end…well, I would be fine freeing all the Crulon and using mindless undead in their stead."

Echo smiled, “So if we kill a God, you’ll abolish slavery in the Kingdom of Cruxia?”

The Queen nodded, “Yes. You have my word. Lux being around is an imminent threat to me should the truth of my health be discovered. And, since you are both death marked…to you two as well.”

She grinned, and her toothy maw was unsettling as the immaculate white teeth shone in the daylight. “I even know of a god of light that could take her place if you pulled it off.”

Trini returned with two people in tow. A Violet Scale Axan and a Crulon dressed in immaculate attire compared to the other ones seen on the way through Crux Omega.

"Your Highness! Thank the Gods you are returned to your sanity."

"...Thank us, not the Gods." Fumi frowned slightly and exuded an aura of menace from her posture.

"Errmm. Yes! Brave heroes, I heard from Trini." He turned back to The Queen, "Majesty, what do you desire?"

The Queen smiled and handed the Axan the quest paper, "Everything on here for those two. And a seal of passage for White Rose."

"Your Highness! I hesitate to remind you, but the seals are limi-"

"I know they are limited. White Rose is a Lich Queen. She is the most qualified to assist in my condition in the future should something arise." She smiled at Rose, explaining that the seal would allow for teleportation once per season directly below the Queen’s bedchamber.

Rose bowed, "It is a great gift, your highness."

The Violet Scale Axan slumped his shoulders, "Your will be done. Please, you three, accompany me and we will sort it out."

The Queen turned to the trio and gestured for them to leave, "Thank you, again. I have quite a bit of catching up to do and a Kingdom to run."

Echo bowed alongside Fumi as the two followed the Violet Scale out of the chambers. Trini walked in and the doors shut.


Rickard grinned with manic delight.

He’s here.

Echo had walked into Lux’s most holy city on Heimfold. The only way this could have been better is if he had walked into The Citadel of Light itself.

He strode into the light of The Sun and basked in Lux’s radiant glow.

Serve her will.

Kill monsters.

Kill him.


An hour later the trio was escorted out of the castle past the still-recovering guards and their replacements who gave them a wide berth.

Echo and Fumi both had royal seals that marked them as eternal allies of The Kingdom of Cruxia, a rolled-up deed to a manor, and noble titles bestowed upon them inscribed on the seals. Rose had a similar royal seal, but instead of a starburst embedded with a yellow circle, the circle was black.

The portcullis closed and Fumi grinned, grabbing Echo's arm, "Quest complete."

Echo patted her head, "Mhmm. Time to head home." He looked back at Rose, "Thanks for what you've done."

Rose smiled gently, "I look forward to seeing what the next step of your journey is. And I hope to be a steadfast ally."

Fumi nodded, " You're a bit cold, but you’re nice enough."

Echo nodded, "You already added your apartment onto ours, and I don't know if that's reversible."

"I do want to pick your brain a bit when we have some downtime. I'm curious as to your past life…" She trailed off and pulled out a notepad, jotting down several questions for future reference on another notepad.

The trio walked past The Royal Academy and began going down the main thoroughfare. The evening was beginning to set in as the light of The Sun began to grow dim. They walked in silence when a commotion behind them broke out as several feet began to slap against the stone walkway.

A yell sounded which drew attention as clearly as a bell.

"Echo! I knew it was you, you bastard! Turn around and face me!"

I know that voice.

Echo wheeled around and immediately pulled his weapon and shield from his pocket dimension. Fifty meters away stood a familiar figure.

Black hair and brown eyes, a scar across his right cheek, and decorated in a much brighter full plate than before. Rickard, the cleric of Lux stood with a massive war-hammer in his hands. "The Goddess revealed the truth of your nature to me!"

He began pacing forward and tapped his hammer on the ground behind him, cracking the stone as it impacted. Holy radiance seeped from the ground where he tread, and a halo circled the top of his head.

People scattered down alleyways and called for guards as he slowly approached the trio, stopping ten meters away and planting his hammer in front of him.

"What do you want, Rickard?" Echo asked.

A maniacal smile crept across his face, "The Goddess demands the death of monsters who plague the land." He pointed at Echo and his face contorted into one of rage.

He looked up to the sky and pounded a fist on his chest, "At her temple, begging for her wrath upon you. She chose me!" He looked down and lifted the hammer, pointing it at Echo. His eyes were glowing gold with a divine radiance.

"I am her paladin! Sent to kill monsters like you. Monsters in human skin."

He pointed the hammer at Rose, "Monsters who hide among the innocents."

He turned the hammer to Fumi, "And Monsters from a past long dead and buried."

He grinned maniacally and let out a raucous laugh, “I’m going to destroy you, here and now. Feel the wrath of my Goddess!"

Echo instinctively activated Alacrity. Fumi did the same.

The two leaped away as Rickard raised his hand and formed a fist. "Burn under her withering glare, Sun's Wrath!"

A beam of pure white light descended where the trio had been standing…but only Rose was standing there.

It's okay, I should take the damage for her-

The light crashed into Rose.

All Echo saw as her eyes met his was a look of sorrow before she disappeared, vanishing into powder which fell to the ground along with her few possessions.

A corpse returning to dust.

Next Chapter >

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