My domain wrapped around my body and supported it as I flew through the air. Marilyn followed beside me with an entrapping smile that seemed brighter than the sun. Every time I glanced at her it felt as if my mind was going blank. Some part of me knew that she was influencing my actions but I could not fathom any reason I would ever want it any other way.
Flying through the air, it did not take long before I saw the line of wagons slowly traveling through the mountain pass. I recognized the flags billowing in the wind as the colors of the Free Cities. Soldiers guarded each cart with a watchful eye. From the bloodstains on their armor, it was clear they did not have an easy journey to reach us here.
It did not take long before the soldiers spotted Marilyn and me approaching from the sky. Without hesitation, a commander shouted orders and without hesitation, dozens of archers readied their bows. I was impressed by their quick reaction, even if it was unnecessary.
I descended slowly so that I would not startle the cautious guards. My talent activated before I even touched the ground. Using what Marilyn had taught me, I was able to project across the soldiers with ease. Several men lowered their weapons as they fell into a trance-like state.
My dress fluttered in the wind as I landed on the ground as light as a feather. I stood directly in front of the caravan of wagons with a slight smile on my lips.
Horses neighed as the wagons were forced to stop. Nearly a hundred soldiers were watching us but none of them had any hostility or suspicion in their gaze. The man I had identified as the commander earlier hopped down from his horse. His well-polished armor clanked and clattered as he approached.
The man gave a polite bow before addressing us. “It is my honor to meet two experts of such power and beauty. I am Grigoris, acting commander of this unit. May I know why two great domain warriors have lowered yourselves to grace us with your presence?”
I looked at the commander closely. Despite the more ragged appearance of his soldiers, he was clean-shaven and spotless of any grim, definitely of high nobility in the free cities. I could even see my own reflection in his armor. I paused for a moment and sighed before I spoke.
“We are with the coalition army. I am here to inspect your cargo and escort your caravan the remaining distance to our camp.”
“Marvelous!” Commander Grigoris replied with a bright smile, “I am positive your presence will be a delight for all the men here. It has not been an easy trip. We have been hounded by Demonkin of all types from the moment we left Aktaio.”
“I see, well, you have no need to worry any longer. You will be under our protection the rest of the way but first, we need to check for hidden threats or potential poisons. Would you mind showing us what you have brought?”
Commander Grigoris hesitated slightly as his eyes shifted away uncomfortably. “I should really contact the councilwoman first. She is the one that is actually in charge of the cargo. I am simply charged with protecting the convoy.”
“There is no need for that,” Marilyn interjected. Her presence suddenly became several times more powerful and the commander’s gaze turned distant and unfocused. My presence was practically forgotten as he turned towards Marilyn.
“Of course, you are right. The councilwoman should not be bothered for a small matter like this.”
I watched the commander intently as he led us through the convoy. Marilyn followed behind me as she exerted her influence over the men.
“Why did you want my help if you were just going to take control anyway? Couldn’t you have done this without me?” I asked curiously.
“Our abilities do not last forever,” Marilyn replied with a shrug, “Once they wear off, these men will still remember what happened, even if they do not know why they acted the way they did. You have real authority in the army and a terrifying reputation. Nobody will question your actions afterwards like they would if I were alone. Together, you and I will accomplish wonderous things. You just have to stay with me from now on. You want that too, right?” As Marilyn spoke, she seemed to be practically glowing holy light. Even without looking directly at her, it still felt as if the entire world only existed where she stood. Nothing else mattered.
Despite being in control of the entire situation, Marilyn did not do much. She followed behind me as if she were my servant, speaking only when necessary and leaving everything else to me. Commander Grigoris showed us the cargo in the wagons without question. Most of it was of very little interest to Marilyn or me. There were countless barrels of dried meat and fish as well as a type of hard barley bread that tasted more like dirt than food. None of it caught Marilyn’s attention. That changed when we reached the tail end of the convoy of wagons.
There were far more guards near the back of the convoy than at the front. Commander Grigoris cleared his throat as he explained. “From this point on, the cargo in these wagons is not for the common soldiers. Many of the commanders and generals that led troops to join the coalition are part of the nobility or royalty. Even on the battlefield, they require the best. Most of these wagons are transporting fine wines, silks, and luxury foods that are expected by people of high standing.”
I frowned at the commander’s explanation. “You wasted valuable cargo space on luxury items when the army is on the brink of starvation?”
The commander cleared his throat nervously. “This caravan is not an official provision of the Free Cities. The councilwoman funded all the food and supplies with her own finances. The families of the nobility and royalty fighting in this war were willing to pay a large sum to transport these luxury goods here. In turn, the councilwoman used that money to pay for most of the wagons, guards, and food for the army. While I agree these luxury goods might be an unnecessary extravagance on the battlefield, it was the careful negotiations for these commodities that allowed so many resources to be transported to the coalition.”
I paused in thought for a moment. “That is clever. I would like to meet this councilwoman. You said she was overseeing the transport, right?”
Before the commander could answer Marilyn interrupted him. “Many of those nobles and royalty you speak of are the same ones that deserted and fled when the Demonkin assaulted the plateau. These supplies should be confiscated and redistributed according to the merits each person has provided.”
Commander Grigoris looked troubled as Marilyn’s control faltered. Even if many of the nobility were cowards that fled the battlefield, this was a problem for logistics to sort out. It was blatantly obvious that she was just going to take everything for herself.
Marilyn stepped forward and ran a finger down the commander’s armor suggestively. “You understand, right?” she whispered as she leaned close to the man.
The doubt on the commander’s face vanished and he nodded blankly. “Of course, I will help you gather anything you need.”
“Is this all you were after?” I asked while looking at the dazed commander.
Marilyn smiled back at me. “Don’t you despise that pigsty of mediocrity we stay in? You were once an empress. You must understand. We have an entire castle at our disposal but we still sleep on the same cots provided to the common soldiers. We fought and killed a Demon together. Don’t we deserve better than that?”
I sighed in disappointment and shook my head. The small chain bracelet on my wrist started to glow as it seemed to come alive. Before Marilyn could react, the chain grew and twisted. It wrapped around her body, binding her tighter than any rope.
The commander and nearby soldiers were surprised by the sudden turn of events but my domain enveloped the area. Even if they were under Marilyn’s control, they could not move to help her.
Marilyn collapsed in surprise. Her own domain flared to life but the chain only tightened more, biting into her flawless skin until it started to draw blood. “I... I don’t understand,” Marilyn stuttered as her ability acted in overdrive. Anyone who saw her would be overcome with the desperate need to help the woman. “Why are you attacking me?”
I pulled on the chain in my hand and it curled up her body, trapping her arms and wrapping around her neck. Marilyn cried out in a wail that impacted all of the soldiers present as the metal tore at her skin but i did not give her any opportunity to break free. Despite their desires the soldiers could to nothing but watch while my domain was weighing them down.
“Give it up. There are not enough soldiers here to overwhelm my domain and you are not strong enough to break free of those chains.”
“I don’t… I don’t understand why are you not under my control? I didn’t feel any resistance from your mind. You shouldn’t be able to…”
I chuckled as I yanked on the chain. Marilyn was pulled face-first into the dirt. I knelt down next to her and smiled. “You really think you are that special? In this tiny realm, your power might be unique but among the Thirteen Divisions, abilities like yours are everywhere.”
Realization dawned on Marilyn’s face as she looked into my eyes. “You blocked my ability by entrancing yourself? How did you do that?”
I reached down and patted Marilyn's head condescendingly. “You really don’t know much about me, do you? I played along with your little farce to see what you would do but, honestly, I am disappointed. I am one of the Five Calamites. I know secrets that can destroy empires. I have knowledge that can turn the smallest of mice into a Demigod capable of ruling worlds. The riches I have hidden throughout just this realm alone could finance your wildest desires for centuries. Yet, when you think I am under your control, you have me stealing trinkets? Seriously?”
“I… but…” Marilyn muttered, at a loss for words.
I sighed and grabbed a fistful of Marilyn’s hair, forcing her to continue looking into my eyes. “I have given you several chances to prove yourself and time and time again you have proven that you are not able to be trusted. You helped me kill Berith. That is the only reason I am leaving you alive. This is your final warning. Remember it well.
“You… are not going to kill me?” Marilyn replied in relief.
I grinned maliciously as I leaned close and whispered in her ear. “No. That would be too quick. You wanted to leave me trapped under the influence of your ability it is only fair I return the favor. I have learned a lot about how to positively affect people but I have yet to test the extremes of how far I can negatively affect people. Now we can both find out.”
Marilyn’s eyes widened in fear. “Wait! I can still help you. I was not lying about your ability’s potential to help your father!”
“Good, you can tell me all about it when you wake up.”
As I spoke, my entire body became engulfed in bright blue flames. I could feel Marilyn’s resistance as the flames as she tried to resist. Her domain tried to push back my power but she was not a skilled combatant and I was easily able to overpower her defenses. Her mind was a little trickier. Even once my flame entered her body and started attacking her soul, she resisted. The two of us remained in a silent deadlock for several minutes as a war raged between our two talents. I watched carefully as Marilyn's defended against my assault. I learned and slowly adapted to her resistance with each passing second. While Marilyn’s ability to control others far outstripped my own, I had no interest in actually controlling the woman. I only needed to burn her soul with my flame to incite her worst nightmares and when it came to controlling fire, I was second to none. Marilyn's expression turned desperate as her defenses slowly collapsed one after another. Before long, she started screaming in agony as she fought off some invisible foe. She clawed at her own face desperately, drawing blood with her nails.
I stood up and looked down at the woman writhing on the ground. I felt no pity for her. She had brought this punishment down upon herself.
Overwhelmed by her own invisible terror, Marilyn’s influence disappeared over the soldiers and commander disappeared. Grigoris blinked as if awakening from a dream as he looked around in confusion.
“Grigoris! What is happening?” I heard a woman shout from the very last wagon in the row.
The commander came to his senses and rushed to the wagon. “I apologize for the disturbance councilwoman. There are two domain warriors here and they seem to have come to a disagreement over the luxury goods we are transporting.”
“What utter nonsense. Why did you not come and tell me immediately that we had guests?”
“I… I am not sure,” Grigoris replied in confusion.
The councilwoman stepped out of the wagon with the help of a man dressed like a butler. Despite the long distance they undoubtedly traveled, she looked resplendently dressed. Her silver-white hair was tied in a neat bun that was marred only by the familiar scowl on her face. I shouted in surprise as I recognized the woman instantly.
“Grandma!”
My domain wrapped around my body and supported it as I flew through the air. Marilyn followed beside me with an entrapping smile that seemed brighter than the sun. Every time I glanced at her it felt as if my mind was going blank. Some part of me knew that she was influencing my actions but I could not fathom any reason I would ever want it any other way.
Flying through the air, it did not take long before I saw the line of wagons slowly traveling through the mountain pass. I recognized the flags billowing in the wind as the colors of the Free Cities. Soldiers guarded each cart with a watchful eye. From the bloodstains on their armor, it was clear they did not have an easy journey to reach us here.
It did not take long before the soldiers spotted Marilyn and me approaching from the sky. Without hesitation, a commander shouted orders and without hesitation, dozens of archers readied their bows. I was impressed by their quick reaction, even if it was unnecessary.
I descended slowly so that I would not startle the cautious guards. My talent activated before I even touched the ground. Using what Marilyn had taught me, I was able to project across the soldiers with ease. Several men lowered their weapons as they fell into a trance-like state.
My dress fluttered in the wind as I landed on the ground as light as a feather. I stood directly in front of the caravan of wagons with a slight smile on my lips.
Horses neighed as the wagons were forced to stop. Nearly a hundred soldiers were watching us but none of them had any hostility or suspicion in their gaze. The man I had identified as the commander earlier hopped down from his horse. His well-polished armor clanked and clattered as he approached.
The man gave a polite bow before addressing us. “It is my honor to meet two experts of such power and beauty. I am Grigoris, acting commander of this unit. May I know why two great domain warriors have lowered yourselves to grace us with your presence?”
I looked at the commander closely. Despite the more ragged appearance of his soldiers, he was clean-shaven and spotless of any grim, definitely of high nobility in the free cities. I could even see my own reflection in his armor. I paused for a moment and sighed before I spoke.
“We are with the coalition army. I am here to inspect your cargo and escort your caravan the remaining distance to our camp.”
“Marvelous!” Commander Grigoris replied with a bright smile, “I am positive your presence will be a delight for all the men here. It has not been an easy trip. We have been hounded by Demonkin of all types from the moment we left Aktaio.”
“I see, well, you have no need to worry any longer. You will be under our protection the rest of the way but first, we need to check for hidden threats or potential poisons. Would you mind showing us what you have brought?”
Commander Grigoris hesitated slightly as his eyes shifted away uncomfortably. “I should really contact the councilwoman first. She is the one that is actually in charge of the cargo. I am simply charged with protecting the convoy.”
“There is no need for that,” Marilyn interjected. Her presence suddenly became several times more powerful and the commander’s gaze turned distant and unfocused. My presence was practically forgotten as he turned towards Marilyn.
“Of course, you are right. The councilwoman should not be bothered for a small matter like this.”
I watched the commander intently as he led us through the convoy. Marilyn followed behind me as she exerted her influence over the men.
“Why did you want my help if you were just going to take control anyway? Couldn’t you have done this without me?” I asked curiously.
“Our abilities do not last forever,” Marilyn replied with a shrug, “Once they wear off, these men will still remember what happened, even if they do not know why they acted the way they did. You have real authority in the army and a terrifying reputation. Nobody will question your actions afterwards like they would if I were alone. Together, you and I will accomplish wonderous things. You just have to stay with me from now on. You want that too, right?” As Marilyn spoke, she seemed to be practically glowing holy light. Even without looking directly at her, it still felt as if the entire world only existed where she stood. Nothing else mattered.
Despite being in control of the entire situation, Marilyn did not do much. She followed behind me as if she were my servant, speaking only when necessary and leaving everything else to me. Commander Grigoris showed us the cargo in the wagons without question. Most of it was of very little interest to Marilyn or me. There were countless barrels of dried meat and fish as well as a type of hard barley bread that tasted more like dirt than food. None of it caught Marilyn’s attention. That changed when we reached the tail end of the convoy of wagons.
There were far more guards near the back of the convoy than at the front. Commander Grigoris cleared his throat as he explained. “From this point on, the cargo in these wagons is not for the common soldiers. Many of the commanders and generals that led troops to join the coalition are part of the nobility or royalty. Even on the battlefield, they require the best. Most of these wagons are transporting fine wines, silks, and luxury foods that are expected by people of high standing.”
I frowned at the commander’s explanation. “You wasted valuable cargo space on luxury items when the army is on the brink of starvation?”
The commander cleared his throat nervously. “This caravan is not an official provision of the Free Cities. The councilwoman funded all the food and supplies with her own finances. The families of the nobility and royalty fighting in this war were willing to pay a large sum to transport these luxury goods here. In turn, the councilwoman used that money to pay for most of the wagons, guards, and food for the army. While I agree these luxury goods might be an unnecessary extravagance on the battlefield, it was the careful negotiations for these commodities that allowed so many resources to be transported to the coalition.”
I paused in thought for a moment. “That is clever. I would like to meet this councilwoman. You said she was overseeing the transport, right?”
Before the commander could answer Marilyn interrupted him. “Many of those nobles and royalty you speak of are the same ones that deserted and fled when the Demonkin assaulted the plateau. These supplies should be confiscated and redistributed according to the merits each person has provided.”
Commander Grigoris looked troubled as Marilyn’s control faltered. Even if many of the nobility were cowards that fled the battlefield, this was a problem for logistics to sort out. It was blatantly obvious that she was just going to take everything for herself.
Marilyn stepped forward and ran a finger down the commander’s armor suggestively. “You understand, right?” she whispered as she leaned close to the man.
The doubt on the commander’s face vanished and he nodded blankly. “Of course, I will help you gather anything you need.”
“Is this all you were after?” I asked while looking at the dazed commander.
Marilyn smiled back at me. “Don’t you despise that pigsty of mediocrity we stay in? You were once an empress. You must understand. We have an entire castle at our disposal but we still sleep on the same cots provided to the common soldiers. We fought and killed a Demon together. Don’t we deserve better than that?”
I sighed in disappointment and shook my head. The small chain bracelet on my wrist started to glow as it seemed to come alive. Before Marilyn could react, the chain grew and twisted. It wrapped around her body, binding her tighter than any rope.
The commander and nearby soldiers were surprised by the sudden turn of events but my domain enveloped the area. Even if they were under Marilyn’s control, they could not move to help her.
Marilyn collapsed in surprise. Her own domain flared to life but the chain only tightened more, biting into her flawless skin until it started to draw blood. “I... I don’t understand,” Marilyn stuttered as her ability acted in overdrive. Anyone who saw her would be overcome with the desperate need to help the woman. “Why are you attacking me?”
I pulled on the chain in my hand and it curled up her body, trapping her arms and wrapping around her neck. Marilyn cried out in a wail that impacted all of the soldiers present as the metal tore at her skin but i did not give her any opportunity to break free. Despite their desires the soldiers could to nothing but watch while my domain was weighing them down.
“Give it up. There are not enough soldiers here to overwhelm my domain and you are not strong enough to break free of those chains.”
“I don’t… I don’t understand why are you not under my control? I didn’t feel any resistance from your mind. You shouldn’t be able to…”
I chuckled as I yanked on the chain. Marilyn was pulled face-first into the dirt. I knelt down next to her and smiled. “You really think you are that special? In this tiny realm, your power might be unique but among the Thirteen Divisions, abilities like yours are everywhere.”
Realization dawned on Marilyn’s face as she looked into my eyes. “You blocked my ability by entrancing yourself? How did you do that?”
I reached down and patted Marilyn's head condescendingly. “You really don’t know much about me, do you? I played along with your little farce to see what you would do but, honestly, I am disappointed. I am one of the Five Calamites. I know secrets that can destroy empires. I have knowledge that can turn the smallest of mice into a Demigod capable of ruling worlds. The riches I have hidden throughout just this realm alone could finance your wildest desires for centuries. Yet, when you think I am under your control, you have me stealing trinkets? Seriously?”
“I… but…” Marilyn muttered, at a loss for words.
I sighed and grabbed a fistful of Marilyn’s hair, forcing her to continue looking into my eyes. “I have given you several chances to prove yourself and time and time again you have proven that you are not able to be trusted. You helped me kill Berith. That is the only reason I am leaving you alive. This is your final warning. Remember it well.
“You… are not going to kill me?” Marilyn replied in relief.
I grinned maliciously as I leaned close and whispered in her ear. “No. That would be too quick. You wanted to leave me trapped under the influence of your ability it is only fair I return the favor. I have learned a lot about how to positively affect people but I have yet to test the extremes of how far I can negatively affect people. Now we can both find out.”
Marilyn’s eyes widened in fear. “Wait! I can still help you. I was not lying about your ability’s potential to help your father!”
“Good, you can tell me all about it when you wake up.”
As I spoke, my entire body became engulfed in bright blue flames. I could feel Marilyn’s resistance as the flames as she tried to resist. Her domain tried to push back my power but she was not a skilled combatant and I was easily able to overpower her defenses. Her mind was a little trickier. Even once my flame entered her body and started attacking her soul, she resisted. The two of us remained in a silent deadlock for several minutes as a war raged between our two talents. I watched carefully as Marilyn's defended against my assault. I learned and slowly adapted to her resistance with each passing second. While Marilyn’s ability to control others far outstripped my own, I had no interest in actually controlling the woman. I only needed to burn her soul with my flame to incite her worst nightmares and when it came to controlling fire, I was second to none. Marilyn's expression turned desperate as her defenses slowly collapsed one after another. Before long, she started screaming in agony as she fought off some invisible foe. She clawed at her own face desperately, drawing blood with her nails.
I stood up and looked down at the woman writhing on the ground. I felt no pity for her. She had brought this punishment down upon herself.
Overwhelmed by her own invisible terror, Marilyn’s influence disappeared over the soldiers and commander disappeared. Grigoris blinked as if awakening from a dream as he looked around in confusion.
“Grigoris! What is happening?” I heard a woman shout from the very last wagon in the row.
The commander came to his senses and rushed to the wagon. “I apologize for the disturbance councilwoman. There are two domain warriors here and they seem to have come to a disagreement over the luxury goods we are transporting.”
“What utter nonsense. Why did you not come and tell me immediately that we had guests?”
“I… I am not sure,” Grigoris replied in confusion.
The councilwoman stepped out of the wagon with the help of a man dressed like a butler. Despite the long distance they undoubtedly traveled, she looked resplendently dressed. Her silver-white hair was tied in a neat bun that was marred only by the familiar scowl on her face. I shouted in surprise as I recognized the woman instantly.
“Grandma!”
