The woman continues to have her spear at the ready. I just sit and wait. It's rather boring but I don't wish to agitate the knight. Stone is escorted back with the knight who dragged him out earlier.

  “Brit, what's with the vigilance?”

  “Sir, Dennis left after asking the prisoner her name. As you can see, the barrier is down.”

  “I do see that. Strange, is the cell broken.”

  “Sir, the prisoner clearly broke it but refuses to say how.”

  “Huh that is—”

  Stone had walked into the Cell which restored the barrier. The two knights look confused.

  “Tired of hearin’ his voice.” He grouses. I smile as he sits next to me.

  “So what did they ask about?”

  “They wanted to know why I was luggin’ around a barrel of blood inside of a sealing chest.”

  “It got dumped again, didn't it?”

  “Was about to happen but a Drakenoid [Marshal] told them not to. It was rather bizarre.”

  Strange. The other guard brought up a marshal too. The answer did not take long. A black scaled Drakennoid was in front of the barrier looking rather shocked at me. I raise an eyebrow at his stare. The barrier drops.

  “[Priestess]?”

  I tilt my head. Quite certain my [False Soul] ring was set to [Basic Mage].

  “I do hold that title, well it's [Head Priestess] but do I know you sir…?”

  “Sir Ujan, do you not recognize me? Why do you have an Elf ear?”

  I shrug, “The only memories I have are of being an Elf. I came here to find out who I am.”

  He radiates a bit of distress at that. “Come, we shouldn't talk here. The Dwarf was your travel companion, correct?”

  “I had two others as well, Randinrin and Glindinal. They are still at Kargnia cells, last I saw.”

  “You, go collect those two.” He points at the knight named Brit.

  “Sir.” She runs off.

  We follow the marshal out.

  -----

  The Draknoid sits at his desk. He had led us through the citadel while taking glances behind him. Hoping to see something. But he was disappointed. He opens the drawer and grabs two cups. Then a bottle comes out. He drinks it down.

  “Rather rude not to offer a bit to your guests.”

  The Drakenoid looks at Stone, “Of course.” A third glass comes out and a new bottle. He pours some for Stone and hands it over. None for me though. Or so I thought. He cuts his hand with a silver dagger, mithril, and bleeds into the last cup. He hands it to me after it is filled. A bit of hope in his eyes. I shrug and take a sip. Anticipation and the rosé blend with the blood. I give a shiver. And sip some more.

  “It truly is you then. Apologies for the doubt. It just no other would relish blood like that.” His stress lowers, “Tell me of your life as an Elf.”

  I tell him about being a princess and my escape. That I knew of another half and that it was in the plains beyond Kargnia. That I knew nothing of my past. He listens and nods to these things. I show him my pardon.

  “Extradited and executed, I am not sure which of you had it worse.”

  “So you knew me from before.”

  “Yes, and after. I don't quite understand it myself but you are two bodies, two minds with one soul. So I've been told.” He sips at another glass of something that smelt stronger than the rosé. Why did I know it was a rosé…”Something wrong?”

  “I just realized that I knew something without ever being told it. It's strange.”

  “And what was that?” He asked with curiosity.

  “Just that what you drank before was a rosé.”

  Stone laughs, “Of all the quirks, that's what ya focus on?”

  I frown at him, “It's weird knowing the name of something without being told.”

  He shrugs. Sir Ujan speaks up, “Perhaps it's the proximity. Maybe you are regaining yourself.” Then he looks tired, “Your sister, she awaits in the plains. I had contact with her till last month. After that…” He pulls out a piece of metal from a drawer and throws it onto his desk. “The dungeon collapsed. I traveled south to find out what happened. I found that your sister was attacked by a high tier Elf. He used that to sneak into our lands. Lea…that is to say another former Elf who knew both of you…said that your sister was grievously injured and Lea had to stay there to keep her alive.” His mood plummets as he tells the tale. “The land is saturated in undeath. It's a cold wind that blows through there now. I fear this weather is in part due to the frigid winds.”

  Sister, dungeon, high level Elf. Arccor? I pick up the piece of metal. It was the same as the one made by Lincor. But it had my alt cover spell on it. They used my own spell to try to capture my sister. I begin to shake.

  “Lea told us that using a mirror might reveal those hidden by the spell. Something about Sara having the dumbest ideas. We have been screening travels ever since it proved true.”

  I give a rather annoyed look at the comment. But it wasn't…I rubbed my forehead. I got caught by such a screening. The door opens and a rather cold pair of Elves are ushered through. I smile at Rin and Glindinal.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Not quite sure I like the new accommodations.” Glindinal grouses.

  “Apologies for the harsh treatment. Elves have been hunting hybrids and Sara here in particular.”

  “Sara?”

  “Before I was an Elf, my name was apparently Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  “You were never an Elf.” Glindinal says glibly. Sir Ujan raises a brow ridge to that. She explains, “Whatever the [Empress] forced her to become, it was always not what she was. Thus not an Elf.” He nods at that, hand on chin.

  “So we can continue to where she needs to go?” Rin asks.

  The marshal shakes his head. “She has to go alone. I can't in good conscience have anyone else approach.”

  “But ya said ya went there, what's the issue?” Stone asks, a bit incredulousness tinged the question.

  The Drakenoid pulled out some necklaces with bits of carved wood. Then rolls his sleeve up to show a festering black lesion on his arm. “The land is flooded with undeath. Even with these protective charms I was marred. Only she can go.” I wince at the wound. I got up and walked to his arm. I push my blood into it. Slowly closing it.

  “How is it safe for her?” Rin asked, rather annoyed.

  “It's her aura. Thank you [Head Priestess].”

  I knew he was going to say it but I still squeezed my eyes in pain.

  “I'm going to need my medicine bottle.” I murmur.

  “Are you ill?” Sir Ujan asks.

  I shake my head, “It has the [Empress]’s blood.”

  His eyes widened, “You aim to kill her in the way you threaten the [Marques].”

  “Ya threaten a [Marques]? I wish I had met the previous Mourns.” Stone chuckles.

  “If I were to describe her in a word, it would be stubborn.”

  “Hmm guess some things don't require memory to be.” Stone replies.

  I feel a bit picked on. I know this is true when the others laugh.

  “Where is this bottle?” Sir Ujan asked.

  I look to Glindinal, “The city has my chest. It should be with the guard.”

  “Did they not offer to let ya take it with ya?” Stone asked.

  “They did but I wasn't going to carry it through the snow to have a talk with the knights. They said they would hold it till I came back.”

  I grip the bridge of my nose. The marshal writes something down then steps outside his office. He came back a moment later.

  “Is there anything else you need?” He asks, I shake my head.

  -----

  They had asked me to wait out the storm. To wait till the morning. To talk to the local lord. I simply shook my head to it all. I trudge through the snow. I don't even bother gaining my eight legs. I simply clutch my medicine bottle and walk towards my other half.

  “That’s ‘cause you're an idiot.”

  I quirk my eye towards the fairy. “You use that word a lot but never my name. Not even in private.”

  She flits around, “You don't believe in the names that have labeled you, but you are constantly thinking on how you're an idiot.”

  I frown at that.

  “So you're saying I think I'm an idiot for not going on eight legs.”

  She floats in front of me and points her finger at me. Then she pulls back her hand with a pew.

  “Where did you pick that up from?” I ask.

  “There was a bit of memory back there that had it. It was funny.”

  A bit of memory? Just sitting in the grass for Said to pick up?

  “That doesn't make any sense.” She just shrugs at me as I continue to walk through the snow. I look at Said again, and with a bit of grousing, “The snow is not even that high here.”

  “Still an idiot.”

  -----

  I stepped into the wasteland. I couldn't call it plains. There was no snow. The ground was cracked, the grass is yellow and brown. Dead. And putrefying. I continue walking forward. I can smell it all. It's all rotting meat. It hurts to be here. The moment I step past the snow cover and onto the dead grass, something in my chest pulls. I don't understand. Then my right arm hangs limp. The only thing preventing it from falling apart is the tightly wrapped bandages around it.

  I searched myself for answers. My core isn't making undeath anymore. It got pulled out of me. I don't understand. Now I am down an arm while entering the land of the dead. I huff out some annoyance and continue.

  -----

  I can see the citadel, it was grey stone. Its shape is similar to the one from before only this one was built into the plateau. It looked bleaker then the hound remembered it. I had walked by the undead. They mill about. Not a one caring that I am here. It is disquieting. Said stopped talking the moment we stepped into the wasteland.

  “This is unlike you, where is the quip of me being an idiot.” I try to get her attention as she just hovers with a bleak gaze.

  “I was born here.”

  I frown. “I thought you were a part of my soul.”

  She simply gives me a sad smile. But says no more.

  -----

  The gate was blown out. Something large had crashed through it. From the inside. I step inside and see a thin wall of undead. There are Elves among them. I wince at that. They see me. All of them turn to look at me as one. Then they part. To give me passage. I walk past them. Head tall. My fear internalized. They just stare the entire time.

  Another set of doors. Equally destroyed. I step in. Another corpse sits in a recess that has a shattered fountain behind it. I feel the pull from there. I walk towards the corpse with a glaive rested in the crook of its shoulder. As I near the head picks up, showing a withered old face with two cat ears. There is intelligence behind those eyes. It smiles at me. It has two dagger blood red horns on its forehead.

  “Violet.”

  My soul shudders at the mention of the word. I see her skeletal hands holding a swirling green and black orb.

  7 ? Vampire

  “Who are you?”

  A bit of mirthless laugh echoes out of the Vampire. Said zips to her.

  “Lea, you look terrible.”

  “Trouble maker, you came back. Thought Red said you were gone for good.”

  The fairy shrugs. She is the one Sir Ujan said was keeping my sister alive. The Vampire stands with a creek.

  “Sorry, I'm in the way. Come. I did my best. I held what was left of your soul for so long.”

  The Vampire sounded so tired. She stepped out of the pit and sat to the side of a dessicated corpse. My eyes widen at the brutalized remains of Arccor. The vampire sees me staring.

  “I was a bit upset when I retrieved the core.” Another mirthless laugh.

  I look back to the spot she vacated. A wooden casket with a hole in the top half. I place my bottle down and step into the pit. I pull back the top to see a young girl's body in a white dress. She is missing her hands and head. I look back to the Vampire not understanding.

  “She is still there. Push your aura over her. Take her back from me.”

  I do as she said. The soul tether snaps to me. Then it becomes part of me, no longer a tether. But I don't feel anything on the other end. This Lea just gives me a sad look. I reach down and hug the body with my one arm. I feel a film covering it. It's like the sealing chest. I drain the mana out of it. The spell breaks. But the body is still unmoving. I hug it harder. My blood mana flows into it. The hands return. So does the head. She has blood red curly hair and cat ears. And those awful horns. Her skin is pale but tinged with her black red blood.

  “Sera?” I whisper.

  She doesn't answer. I look above her, above us. I see my Tapestry but not hers…no it's there but spread out. So far out. Like it had exploded. I lift her up. My chin is on her shoulder crying. I look down and see no tail. She deserves a tail. She is not right without one. I put her back down. The living doll. The only living thing here besides me. But not for long.

  I feel my core come to the base of my throat. I grab at it. My fingers grow claws as I dig. I scream as I rip it out. I press it against my sister's chest. At the same spot. It goes in. Eager even. I sit back as it sinks into her. I have a bit of a smile when the core in Lea's hand zips out and into my chest. I feel the hole I made fill as undeath floods my body.