Deep within the gilded heart of the Citadel—beyond the sprawling glass towers and sacred domes that shimmered like captured stars—stood the Emperor's Palace. A monolith of grandeur and quiet menace, it rose above the city like a silent god, its spires of obsidian and emerald crystal catching the sun in a way that cast permanent twilight over the lower courts. Though stunning in its beauty, the palace felt heavy... as if centuries of unspoken oaths and bloodshed had seeped into its very foundation.
Within its sanctum, in a garden of pale roses and silver lantern trees, two women stood facing one another.
The first was a vision carved from ice and celestial light. She bore long, flowing hair as white as driven snow, her skin pale and luminescent like moonlit porcelain. Even her lashes and brows held no color, casting her visage in an otherworldly aura. She wore armor of gleaming ivory plates, etched with sacred runes and symbols of balance—neither ornamental nor ceremonial, but battle-forged and blessed. She looked like an angel exiled from the stars.
It was non other than Nefer
Opposite her stood a woman draped in living green, as though the wilderness had chosen her as its emissary. Her hair flowed like moss in the wind, deep emerald and streaked with flecks of black. Her eyes—equally green—were bright and full of thought, burning with quiet intensity. She wore a cloak of woven vine-thread that shimmered with hidden enchantments. Beneath it was a light armor—layered, efficient, designed for movement. In her hand, she held a staff grown from a living tree, dark wood entwined with glowing veins of bioluminescent energy.
It was massa
The wind stirred the air between them, carrying the scent of rose ash and earth. Nefer broke the silence first, her voice as soft as falling snow but edged with tension.
"He's against us," she said, her pale eyes flicking toward the palace behind them. "The Emperor. He may not say it aloud, but you know as well as I do—he's watching. Waiting. If we overstep even slightly, he'll act."
Massa narrowed her eyes. "You don't think he trusts us?"
Nefer tilted her head slightly, one armored finger brushing along a petal of a glowing white rose.
"No," she whispered. "And we can't stay here forever, Massa. This place… it may be his prison, but it's not meant to be ours. He's lived here for more than fifty years—maybe longer. But we don't belong in this cursed cage. We weren't born to rot behind golden bars."
Massa crossed her arms, leaning lightly on her staff. "And what do you propose? That we just leave? Walk out through the veil's shadow and vanish?"
"If it comes to that," Nefer replied.
There was silence between them, broken only by the hum of magic pulsing faintly from the palace walls.
Then massa spoke again, voice low and measured. "And if the Emperor forbids it? If he refuses to let us go? Would you draw your blade on him, Nefer?"
Nefer didn't answer immediately. She looked up, past the garden walls, toward the massive archway that led into the palace throne room. Her face remained serene, but her hands—those warrior's hands—tightened into soft fists.
Massa studied her, then added, "Would you duel the Emperor?"
A slow nod. "If it comes to that... yes."
Massa turned her gaze back to Nefer, a flicker of sorrow dancing behind her snow-white lashes. "Then you're a braver fool than most."
Nefer chuckled lightly, a dry sound like wind in a dying forest. "Or maybe I'm just tired of waiting for someone else to act."
Massa's expression was hard to read. She looked away again, her eyes falling to the rose bush nearby. "You've always been bold. But don't let boldness make you blind. The Emperor isn't just a ruler. He's—"
"Comparable to an Ascended," Nefer interrupted, mimicking the phrase. "A master-tier Awakened even by waking world standards. I've heard it all. And his right hand—yes, I've felt the chill too. That man… is tough
Massa nodded slowly. "He's not just a fighter. He's a shadow that watches. Always present. Always silent."
Nefer's smile was sharp. "Then I'll duel them both, if I must. I've never cared much for nightmares. And besides…"
She trailed off.
Massa turned her head, her tone softening slightly. "What about him? Have you seen him lately?"
Nefer's smile faded.
She didn't need to ask who Massa meant. Only one person warranted that kind of silence—only one person could bring hesitation to even her bold heart.
Hope.
"No," Nefer said quietly. "I haven't."
Massa arched a brow. "You're not a very good friend, you know. You just left him out there, all by himself."
"Don't say I," Nefer replied, the edge returning to her voice. "We left him. And he chose to go, remember? He left the Citadel willingly. Chose to live in that godforsaken edge of the place."
Massa sighed but didn't argue. shrugged, her green cloak rustling. "And anyway, I've heard rumors. Some of the Awakened here... they're afraid of him."
That made Nefer smile.
Massa looked concerned, but Nefer's expression was one of grim amusement.
"A good reputation to have," Nefer said softly. "I'll pay him a visit. I'll talk to him. Add him to our side."
Massa shook her head. "He may not agree to that."
Nefer's smile widened.
"Oh, he will," .