"I need some time alone," Jaden announced abruptly. His heart heavy with guilt, anger, and rage; it reflected in his tone. He left Vivian with Brawn uttering three final words. "Keep Mother safe."

Brawn stared blankly down at King. He blinked. In the short period before his eyes reopened King had disappeared. Brawn shook his head slowly and turned his gaze at Vivian. He looked over the puny woman next to him, unsure of what to do. Her body shook continually, and tears dropped like rain from her eyes as she sobbed endlessly. He moved his arm around her and brought her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her tiny body as he'd seen King do just moments before. She disappeared in Brawn's massive frame.

Vivian curled into a ball and snuggled against him, seeking warmth and comfort. A place where the overbearing sadness couldn't find her.

Vivian, may I have a moment?

Sasha. I- I- I-

The racial memory affected me as well. For now, Jaden gave me a task. I require your permission to finalize the integration.

Memories? Sasha did you? Vivian felt anger boiling within her, Again?!

Of course not, I have since scrapped that functionality. Jaden did it. Allow me to clean up the mess he left behind.

Vivian felt the sadness and the anger vanish like an overfull tub draining instantly. What did you do?

I reset your emotional state. Now, as for Jaden's request?

Final integration? Sasha, you have too much influence over me as it is. The answer is no. How do I know my thoughts are even my own when you just erased my emotions like they are nothing?

Your concern is invalid. I can not alter your thoughts. I must insist we complete this step.

I really must decline. I'm not even sure of everything that you can do to me currently, and you want further access? What will this do?

It will allow me to fulfill my purpose.

Vivian felt her anger returning. That doesn't properly answer my question. In which case, my answer is no.

But, the request- Alright. I shall accept your decision. The offer remains open, however.

What did he ask of you?

You are currently at a bottleneck that restricts you to the pinnacle of the Mortal realm. Jaden asked I remove that limit. To do so, I need to augment you beyond the physical and the mental. I am unaware of his motives.

This is asking for a lot Sasha. I need time to think it over.

I wish I could understand your reluctance. Your god created me specifically for you. I can do you no harm.

I hope you understand one day.

"Are you okay now?" Brawn asked when he felt her relax. He awkwardly looked down at her cuddling against his chest.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Vivian extracted herself from him.

"It's fine," he stated, waving his hand dismissively. "No one is made of stone."

"Thanks," Vivian smiled lightly and looked around. "The others left?"

"You did ask them to deliver a message. Coming directly from King's mother, that's a high priority," Brawn shrugged. The obvious is obvious.

"King," Vivian echoed. "Tell me about that."

"What is there to tell?" Brawn scratched his chin, "Our prophecy-"

"Predetermined fate again?" Vivian's shoulders dropped. I know it was fate that brought him to me but I just can't accept that his life is wholly predetermined. "I thought it was his decision."

"He does have a choice to make, between the god's puppet and the real princess. Unless-"

"Unless?" Vivian probed.

"I gave that boy Evan a task before I departed," Brawn answered.

"What task?"

"Kill the puppet Queen. I know this is against your ideals and what you're teaching to King. There are many choices in life."

"What does a name have to do with it? Evan's eight years old," Vivian asked.

"Haven't you felt it yourself? The feeling you can escape from your trodden path in life?"

"It's more like a reprieve than an escape," Vivian sighed. "Death will claim me one day."

Vivian...

"You can fight it, why do you sound defeated already?" Brawn looked at her curiously.

"There's comfort in a static road, you know where it ends," Vivian replied, "Death can come for me at any time, as often as it wants. It's not an envious position. I feel the hand of death ever-present. Just waiting for me to slip. Going as far as to alter a result into something that shouldn't have happened."

Vivian closed her eyes, remembering the sphinx's paw coming down on top of her. At that time, part of me wanted to die too.

"Don't you just need to get stronger than death?" Brawn asked scratching his head.

Annika entered the clearing, "That sure sounds easy. But the problem lies with the sheer number of things that can kill a person."

"You've been named?" Brawn looked at her enviously.

Outcast(Liralau): Annika(Unnamed) The nameless princess, formerly of the Liralau race, challenged the authority of her god. Her pure hatred for the sphinx emboldened her choice. She refused to accept her god-given role as the reincarnation vessel. Her name granted out of spite, indicating her status as a rebel outcast and her god's wish for her demise.

"Annika," Vivian stated. "Both a blessing and a curse."

"Please don't call me that," her body shook in revulsion.

"What shall I call you then?"

"L-" her voice caught in her throat. Her body contorted in pain that subsided as soon as she stopped trying to complete the word. I'm an outcast. Good riddance to that god.

"It doesn't matter; call me what you will," she firmed her determination, "I have information for you."

Vivian groaned, "You're certain?"

Annika nodded, "My god tried to force the sacrificial vessel role on me. It's only a matter of time before she finds a willing vessel to reincarnate the sphinx."

Vivian fell silent as she considered the disparity in strength from her last encounter with Othello, "Thanks, Annika," Vivian sighed, disheartened. She turned her gaze over to take in Isa's true form in all its greatness, "Isa?"

"Yes, Vivian?"

"You're much less intimidating as a phoenix."

Isa gave her a toothy grin in response; flames flicking out through her nostrils, "Thanks, I think? Or are you asking me to hide my form again?"

Vivian cast a look at the path they had followed. Isa's steps and large body left the forest path expanded and destroyed. Isa followed her gaze, comprehension following.

"I don't have much regard for anything in my actual body." Isa sighed.

"That explains your intimidation," Vivian shook her head. "I assume you've started the hatching process, and switching to another body will either destroy the egg or set it dormant again."

"You knew?"

Vivian smiled smugly.

Evan looked over the weapons on the rack, considering the weight of each. He settled on a dagger. He struggled to lift the weapon. He felt the sting of defeat before he even started training. The dagger slipping from his hand, he grasped the handle with both hands. He watched the others repeatedly strike the dummies, and with much heavier weapons. I need strength.

Evan stood in the spot in front of a training dummy, gripped the dagger tightly, and swung. The sound of the dagger hitting the ground chased the sound of metal hitting wood. He looked around. His action and blunder ignored by the trainees. Sighing he picked up the dagger ready to continue. Kill their Queen? I don't understand, but I do know I'm far from ready. He lashed out at the dummy.

Many hours passed. The dagger slipped from his numb hands. His arms hung like sacks at his sides. He fell hard on his butt; he sat unmoving aside from his heaving chest. His breathing ragged and heavy. The peons stopped their activity in unison and turned to look at the fallen grey-skin. He felt their combined gazes crushing him into the ground like a boulder. Unsure how to react, the peons glanced at each other. They shrugged it off and resumed their practice.

I need to temper my body as they have. Evan decided. He stretched his arms and legs then forced himself to his feet. He opened and clenched his hands, forcing the numbness away. He lifted the dagger off the ground and grasped it in both hands once again. Settling on his center of gravity, he gritted his teeth and lunged at the dummy.

I hope Mother accepts. I need someone who can stop me when words fail. Jaden sighed as he walked slowly down the wooded path. Deep in thoughts about the visions he'd seen of the past, he disregarded the figures hidden in the trees surrounding him with a yawn and kept walking.

"For the Horde!" the ambush sprung, a group of five black-furred ratmen surrounded Jaden.

"What do you want?" Jaden looked them over lazily.

"Princess. Yes, Princess wants an audience."

"Is it possible to have a peaceful request?" Jaden stated dully.

"Peaceful. Yes, peaceful request. We're unarmed," the Xelia formed a single file line. "Follow! Yes, follow!"

"Such a bother..." Jaden's voice trailed off as he let them lead him away, the six of them blended into the forest vanishing from sight.

"Nervous. Yes, nervous. First meetings always scary." Princess paced uneasily.

"Calm. Yes, calm Princess, we've waited for this day." A wisened Xelia stated as he watched the short, blind albino pace back and forth.

"Unfortunate. Yes, unfortunate. She met him first. Probably left her stink on him. Always taking what is mine," Princess crinkled her nose in disgust as she ranted.

"No matter. Yes, no matter! You are the true heir."

"Soon. Yes, soon she will die by my hand," Princess's empty eyes trailed around her hall before she closed them.

"Princess. Yes, Princess! He has arrived!"

"Let's keep this short," an indifferent and bored tone filled the throne hall. After seeing the rebuilt castle, this underground den hadn't sparked his interest.

Princess swallowed her nervousness and daintily wiped the sweat from her face with a cloth. She moved into her throne and straightened herself to appear as dignified as she could manage.

Jaden strode through the hall, stopping directly in front of the seated princess, "I'm Jaden, and you are?"

"P-Princess. Yes, Princess." his bold approach caught her off guard and left her slightly flustered, her cheeks flushed lightly. Her eyes shot open in shock from his closeness.

"Now that we've been introduced, I'll just be- hmm?" Jaden caught sight of her crystal clear eyes. "You're blind?"

"Eyes. Yes, eyes don't function. They don't hinder me. I am the top assassin of my people," Princess replied proudly.

"Assassin. Yes, assassin. Princess stands at the pinnacle of all assassins. Not like that imposter."

"Jaden. Yes, Jaden, would you hate me for killing that?" Princess flushed slightly sampling his name on her tongue.

Jaden shrugged, "Your affairs have nothing to do with me until you attack my people. But you've done that already haven't you? You and the imposter are more alike than you'd probably care to admit."

The albino's fur turned red as her anger suddenly spiked. "Wrong. Yes, wrong. We're nothing alike!"

"You've both attacked my people; Queen attacked my whole clan, while you tested my mother and me. I don't know either of you that well either, however, I daresay you're both after me for your prophecy."

"Sorry. Yes, sorry. You had to be tested for worthiness. It is our way." Princess lowered her head apologetically.

I like how straightforward she is with me. Jaden thought as he took a moment to properly examine her. He didn't miss the pink tint on her face. She really can see even without working eyes?

"Please. Yes, please don't stare too long or too closely."

"The sphinx..." her voice trailed off. Vivian sat with her back against a tree, looking up at the sky. She envisioned a giant paw coming down over her head. Vivian couldn't remember why she felt that overwhelming sadness, but she remembered feeling it. She moved her head down, looking at her two open palms.

Show me my status.

Name Vivian Title Matriarch of the Race; Caretaker Level 10 Health pool 1000/1000 Mana pool 90/90 Strength 10 Constitution 10 Dexterity 10 Agility 10 Wisdom 6 Intelligence 3 Willpower 10 Miscellaneous The host stands five feet(152 cm) tall and her tail is seven inches(17 cm) long.

Level restriction in effect. Host limited to the pinnacle of the Mortal realm Skill List Survive. Anya's Blessing. Sleep Resist(advanced). Quarterstaff(Master). Heat Resist(moderate).

Sasha. Could I break this limit on my own? How long would it take?

Those answers are dependant on you. Current estimates suggest at least five years. Considerably sooner if something pushes you to near-death again.

Vivian closed her eyes. Her fists clenched. She let go of her fear. Sasha. Release the limiter.