[Chapter 13 part 1] Rose - The Room Of Skulls

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Thankfully, they weren’t human. Mythical monsters invariably made their way onto Enera. Either summons were made real, or less friendly entities crossed over on their own, consuming large amounts of life to sustain themselves. Demonic beasts. The remains of both hung high around her.

On three sides, the room’s glass doors lead out to a balcony. The interior wall was a fireplace flanked by bookshelves. Opposite was a fancy bar, and between was a large coffee table with sofas and armchairs. The extravagance was rounded out by a piano, chandeliers, and lavish lamps.

I’m not the first. Rose installed herself near her two brothers. Light was engrossed in the trophies, while Soul was frowning at the bar. That’s right, what kind of rare liquors do world leaders drink? She’d never taste alcohol so the pretty bottles were tempting. Maybe later.

Rose smirked. Soul really can’t help worrying over everything. Sensing this, he turned to her and shook his head. ‘You are not thinking things through’, his expression said.

Rose paused, imagining her siblings drunk. Good god, that can never be allowed, especially Free. Certainly not while she was trapped in the same living space. What would I find in my room tomorrow? Rose grimaced, and Soul smiled sadly. ‘Now you get it’.

As if I hadn’t enough concerns… While being ‘doppelgangers’ might pleased Light, the bounty on their head was significantly less ‘cool’. Hopefully mother’s outlook is overly pessimistic. On the plus side, the mystery that’d haunted her was over. All that was left was the ramifications. I sense meeting Lily Morgana will be an issue.

Dawn, Silver, and Wise entered. Rose joined them studying the decor. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between a serpent skull and dragon skull. Of those she could categorize, five were reptilian, two ape, one wolf, and three feline. The rest are hard to place.

“Wise, what’s that?” Dawn pointed to the fifteen foot fang above the bar.

“That’s a Leviathan tooth. It’s from eons ago, back when it was still small.” Wise explained as the others pressed him for details. Only two missing. Free was examining the Tomb Ivy. As for Hope… We should’ve drawn lots. Glancing at the alcohol, she regretted it in more ways than one.

We’re getting pranked later, Rose sighed. Their sister would hide touch-activated stones in unexpected places: bags, beds, shoes… Next thing you knew, you’d be drenched in water or realize your shoe was glued on with a rock inside. Once, she’d awoken to discover herself neon pink. Making it glow-in-the-dark too was vicious. It’d been mortifying, especially when Astra had declared: ‘Take this opportunity to master controlling your skin tone’. She’d never been so motivated to learn. I pray it won’t be that bad.

Free and Astra arrived. Their mother looked around, “Where’s Hope?”

“Napping.” Dawn answered. That doesn’t seem right.

“Oh really?” Astra was about to summon fairies when Hope burst in.

“Sorry, I’m late.” She panted.

“Did you have a good rest?” Astra asked coldly.

“What’re you talking about?” Hope whimpered.

“You were lying face down motionless.” Dawn stated.

“Ah…” Glaring daggers, Hope stomped over to the sofa. Next time, let’s leave Free and Dawn together.

“Simon’s reporting to Nero and will return shortly.” Astra began “Tomorrow, we’ll warp to Isle of Dreams. I’ll have the airship sent separately, so repack what you need.”

“Once we land, I’ll leave for the Adventurer’s Guild and be occupied the rest of the day.” Astra made an ugly face. She isn’t a fan of ceremony.

“You’re job is to stay hidden at the Rose Palace, your home for the foreseeable future. You’ll be in Lily’s care, and she’s worse at parenting than I am. Make do.” Oh, wonderful. While Rose had dreamed of escaping from under Astra’s thumb, this wasn’t what she had in mind.

“Moving forward, Lily and I will assist you in acquiring the resources you’ve been lacking. You’ll participate at the Stone Coliseum, building fame and renown. Remember to keep your identities secret.”

“Lastly, try to enjoy your time while you have the benefit of anonymity. Enera is filled with good people. Meet some and make friends.”

Wow… ‘Enjoy your time’ and ‘make friends’ might be the most motherly things Astra has ever said. It was weirdly upsetting. It feels like a goodbye of sorts…

“Any questions?” Astra said, earning a few chuckles.

“What happens if our identities are leaked?” Silver asked.

“I don’t fully know but can predict the basics.”

“First, I suspect most nations wouldn’t allow you to be harmed for fear of angering me and the other heroes. That’s why bounty hunters will target you outside civilization, which is more problematic than it sounds. Exploring dungeons and frontier territories is practically a requirement for reaching the wall.”

“Next, some older immortals will exert pressure to see you neutralized, and, since Lily’s position is weak, she could be forced out. You’d then need to seek sanctuary somewhere else, which is where things get ugly. The future military power you represent together is too great, and the world won’t accept its concentration. Worse case could be war.”

“Complicating everything, those conspiring against Lily or hungering for Sola’s legacy will target you as a means to an end.” Astra sneered. “Because that’s how politics work.”

“Can’t we explain we’re untainted?” Hope asked.

“It’d be nice if simple assurances were enough, but there’s the memory of the Black Banquet. Some will argue you might be undetectably tainted and want you isolated, which is a death sentence. No one has attained immortality from confinement.”

My turn. “Can you tell us more details about the bounty? Also, how are we getting rid of it?” Rose asked

“The World Council passed the Doppelganger Eradication Agreement, which set up the bounty. The DEA wasn’t controversial and was ratified by all. A two thirds majority is needed to revoke it, which won’t happen overnight. We’ll have to convince members to stop honoring the agreement, slowly collecting allies…” Astra gave a tired sigh. “If consensus building was my strong suit, I wouldn’t have ended up in the arctic…” Mother’s cynicism must be tied to her failure with Sola’s legacy.

“I’ve a question.” Dawn spoke up. “It sounds like gathering support will be a long enterprise. Shouldn’t we begin right away?”

Wanting to brute force her way… That’s so her. It was a terrible idea. Please explain, mom.

“There are reasons not to.” Astra said. “First, no one is looking for doppelgangers, so you can move about without danger. Since you’ve lived in isolation, I wanted you to enjoy that freedom for a while.”

“Next is the conspiracy behind Arther’s murder. I’d like to investigate and determine who my ——our—— enemies are before proceeding.”

“Lastly, I must build some clout. Due to my long absence, my influence is at its weakest. I haven’t even met half of today’s leaders. If I can get some to owe me, it’ll be useful.”

“Does that answer your question?”

“Yes, thank you.” Dawn nodded. Getting her on board was important. She already has the habit of unguarded comments.

“Any way we can help?” Light asked.

“Get stronger.” Astra answered. “Bounties attract hunters on a risk reward basis. With a high prize on an easy target, they’ll flock like moths to a flame. The opposite also holds true, which is why a committee used to increase rewards for notorious doppelgangers. That body has long since been dissolved. Become saints, and no one will come after you for the paltry sum offered.”

“Problem is the bounty is likely to be an obstacle before then.” Rose added.

“True.” Astra admitted.

Simon came in quietly and pulled up an chair, “Having a productive discussion?”

“Yes, we’ve covered many issues.” Astra hesitated. “Which reminds me of one I forgot.”

“You’ve seen Dawn take control of my summons. This is possible since the soul is the inherit identification method for magic. The only reason she couldn’t command all my creatures is that I employed safeguards developed during the Dark Age. These are temporary in nature. In a few months, Dawn could return to Earth’s End, and everything would obey her as though she were me.”

Wait a minute… Lily is my original and she has no idea I’m coming. Doesn’t that mean all her magic will be unguarded against me? And If she has her own army… Maybe she won’t mind if I borrow some.

Astra faced Wise, “Every door in the Black Citadel will open for you. This is what made Sola’s doppelgangers so terrifying. They could walk through our defenses and turn our weapons against us. It was a nightmare.”

“Each of you is security risks. Hope, you could cross the Northern Emperor’s palace unimpeded. That vulnerability can’t even be patched since Jenna fashioned those enchantments. Aery will be concerned about Dawn and Soul. Light will scare the Barsal Empire. That’s off the top of my head. There’s no telling what forgotten sorcery you might to control, further complicating everything.”

“There’s another topic you haven’t addressed, Mother.” Free spoke up. “And it’s a big one… right?”

Astra, leaning against the fireplace, didn’t answer, so Free resumed, “The way I see it, aren’t I the biggest concern?”

“It’s obvious really. You’ve a message about a Dark Age, and Sola’s doppelganger shows up a week later. It doesn’t take a genius to picture the reaction.”

“Even putting that aside, I’d still be a quandary. While the seven heroes are amazing, they’re ultimately extremely powerful immortals. Sola single-handedly waged war on humanity. Not to sound arrogant, but, if we’re speaking military potential, aren’t I worth more than everyone combined?”

“Then there’s the ability to access our original’s magic. Isn’t that terrifying in my case? It’s the doors at Earth’s End which would open for me. My mere presence might awaken something left behind…”

It was deathly quiet. I’d forgotten her unique circumstances. She glanced towards Soul. He probably hadn’t. I’ll work with him to cheer her up. There’d be no alcohol involved. Two birds, one stone.

“Was I the reason we had to grow up in the arctic? If there’d been seven instead of eight, would things have been different?” Free…

“No. On that point, you’re categorically wrong.” Astra exclaimed. “The rest… You’re right.” After another silence, she added, “It’d be helpful if you could limit yourself to plants.”

Free grinned lopsidedly, “I’ll see what I can do but make no promises.” If she’s cracking jokes, she’s still alright. Rose was relieved. Though I too wish you’d restrain yourself…

“Does Lily have a lot of summons?” Rose asked as casually as possible.

Astra stared back hard. While I wanted to shift the mood, I should’ve been patient and used Wise. Surprisingly, her mother smiled wryly, “Yes, she does. Her favorites are phoenixes. They’re less powerful than mine, but she has hundreds.”

Hundreds! Rose salivated at the prospects. Why’s she so forthcoming?

“A tip though. If Lily is around, she’ll easily take back whatever you steal.”

“You said there are ways to guard against that.” Rose asked. “Couldn’t I use those?”

“You mean to use anti-doppelganger tactics against your original? You know that’s evil?” Astra shock her head in amusement.

“Speaking of villainy.” Rose countered. “Why are you advising me?”

It’s way too suspicious! Letting the smile slip, Astra spoke seriously, “Lily acts like a child. While I plan on changing that, she’ll no doubt bully you into going along with her self-absorbed lifestyle when I’m not around. Giving you some leverage might level the playing field.”

“Despite some of your inclinations, I’d say you’re more mature than she is. If you could shame some of that into her, I’d be grateful.” Astra looked around. “This goes for everyone. Please help Lily shape up her life.” If I can obtain phoenixes, I’ll give it my best shot.

“Have you spoken to her yet?” Simon asked.

“No, I was waiting for you.” Astra answered. “Can you make the call?”

(continued in part 2)