Mord- no, Mordred was awakened by the rays of sunlight that warmed her face. She slowly rose from bed and glanced out the window from where the light was coming from, a solid confirmation that the dark days of winter were now gone. Here came spring, a time for new beginnings.

  She supposed that it was fitting for herself too to set out now.

  When she slipped out from the sheets, the dragon blinked in surprise at the sudden arrival of several things she didn't remember being there last night. Bags, a roll of cloth that looked like a tent, some pots. Useful travel equipment, if she had to guess. But those were like just loose gold coins in a hoard, compared to the magnificent crown jewel that stood on a stand, literally above them.

  She nearly gasped at the sight of seeing her mother's scales once again. But while they had been big when she was a dragon, these ones were small for her now as someone who walked. Her hand reached out and ran along the side of the magnificent scale armor, tracing the shape until coming upon the note tucked inside.

  I think she'd like for you to still be protected by her in some way.

  "She would," Mordred whispered and didn't hesitate in getting changed. She wanted to try it on now.

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  "I look absolutely like that black knight who slew the hero's father and awaited them as a secret boss."

  "And obviously with some sob story to match, along with the option to either slay or recruit."

  I grinned and snapped my fingers, pointing at my amused puppet. "Yes, slay doll."

  "Indeed I will," cackled Kuch. They shifted the dragon bone armor around, finding the heavy weight not a hindrance but actually quite satisfied too. It truly felt like a weight of responsibility sat upon their shoulders. One last test then. They donned the helmet made to go along with, one with only a small slant to see out of without even a visor to lift up. "Oh, the padding is a bit nice.."

  "If it's going to sit on my head whenever I'm in public, might as well make it comfortably," I idly reasoned while studying the full set. "Yep, it's all good. You can't tell it's a puppet is inside that suit of armor now."

  "And if they ask why I'm wearing my helmet all the time, make up a tragic backstory. Horrific burn scars from a dragon?"

  "Sounds about right, given present company."

  Said company now arrived in the great hall, and I was beyond thrilled to see Mordred was wearing the suit of armor I'd made! "You put it on already, great!" I rushed over and immediately began to unabashedly go over her entire form, eyes tracing each and every curve. "Any troubles putting it on? Any discomfort? If it's too small or too big, please let me know immediately, I've got my tools here to adjust-"

  "Woah, woah, too close!" Mordred blurted, frantically waving her hands with a slight blush. Ah, I supposed it could have come off as a little ogling. She loudly cleared her throat when I backed off just a bit, looking at her expectantly. "Ahem, I really do like it. Seriously, it's a perfect fit and I barely feel it once I got used to it."

  "Good. It's also quite striking," Kuch praised with a satisfied nod. "That matters a lot in building your name as an adventurer."

  "I guess so. You're looking pretty nice as well," the dragon commented, frowning when she spied the two handles poking out from behind the oathbreaker doll. "You've got weapons already too?"

  I couldn't resist and drew them both to show off. "Of course. What do you think?"

  She blinked, then studied the weapons intensely. "Those are made from dragon claws, aren't they?" Her face darkened when she took in the one with a slightly scarlet hue. "That one...it came from the crimson dragon, didn't it?"

  "Well, considering that I don't think he'll be asking for his hand back anytime soon, figured I wouldn't waste it."

  "Good," she said with some grim satisfaction and took another long look at the heavy armor itself. "Now that it's on my mind, that's dragon bone from his arm too, right? I didn't recognize it with those dark colors."

  "Pure white doesn't suit an oathbreaker. I applied some black dye made from charcoal to achieve the result," I explained before waving over to Mordred's. "Yours is mostly unchanged in comparison. Your mother's scales, they are far too brilliant to be distracted from. Perhaps when you're older, if you're willing to part with some scales yourself I could interlace them in the mix."

  "...I'd like that," she mentioned before giving a light cough. "So um, not to sound greedy, because this is already a big gift, but-"

  "-Do you get a weapon too?" I asked slyly before gesturing to right behind me. There, leaning on the wall so casually, was a polearm smugly wrapped up in that red cloth I so loved. "Over there. Come on now, don't be shy- but I'll brag a little and say it's probably my best work yet."

  Mordred seemed to hesitate when she reached out to touch the wrapping itself, like it could suddenly turn and bite her. But, with a reassuring nod from both Kuch and I, she took the weapon into her hands and began to slowly unwrap it. I really hadn't planned for it but a beam of sunlight struck the shining lance head just as it was revealed, making it almost seem as if the solarium blade shone so brilliantly.

  It briefly blinded the dragon, but even then her hands continued to move, driven to expose the rest of the weapon now. Her body tensed up entirely at the stark white dragon fang that made up the shaft, carved from one of her mother's teeth. Her entire body began to shudder and I coughed, wondering if that perhaps I had gone too far. "If you don't like the shaft, just let me know and I can probably carve a nice wooden replacement-"

  "No, please just...shut up," she hoarsely told, voice choked with emotion. I realized now that she was sniffling, perhaps trying to hold back the tears. "Shut up, you stupid puppet. I love it. It...it feels like she's here, with me still.

  "Damn it, I'm a dragon. I can't be crying. Not until I avenge her." Her attempts to hold back the emotion were crumbling as she sank to the floor, holding onto the upright lance like it was the only thing that could give her strength. "Mother, you...you told me you would take me around the world some day. Even when I said I wanted to fly alone, that was just me being tough, so that you didn't worry-! All the things that I should've told you, this precious life you've given me-! It's unfair, you were so smart! You should have lived!

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  "How could you be so cruel to leave me, and yet love me so much!"

  Kuch and I closed our eyes and became still, like immovable statues as a daughter finally openly mourned for her mother. I...truly hadn't expected my creation to move Mordred so, but I guess I really should have known better. My creation, it was a literal work of art that had stirred the emotions she had tried to bury, tried to ignore until her revenge was complete. I suppose I did cross a line then.

  Just that I was sure that if I tried to apologize, Mordred would probably punch me without holding back this time.

  Her sobbing finally petered out and she unsteadily got to her feet, hands never once leaving her new lance. "You saw nothing," she mumbled, sniffing and wiping at her tears. "Does...does it have a name?"

  "It is whatever you wish for it to be." I showed off my hammer and chisel. "I will add whatever title you give it into the shaft, in your kind's long forgotten tongue. So please, name it for the world to know."

  The dragon beheld the gleaning tip, then gave a firm nod. "Heart Piercer. Because I swear to you now that this will be the weapon to kill that crimson dragon."

  "A fine name. Allow me to engrave it."

  That was not the only engraving. In the lance head, inscribed into the face of the solarium was a litany in the elder dragon tongue. In FLOW, ancient dragon ruins had featured them to describe what grand feats their kind had achieved in the day or even prophecies for a far flung future they could glimpse. It was my hope for Mordred to receive even a fraction of this blessing, so I had included a little message that few in this world, if any, could understand.

  Behold the wielder of this lance

  Embraced by her beloved mother

  Defiant, determined, destined

  Rise above, overcome what trial may come

  And become the light opening the way.?

  I had even gone so far to make the letter of each line to spell out her mother's name, if any were to have harbor any doubts for whom Mordred would name her sire.

  Heart Piercer- Dragon Lance (Final Grade: 786)

  This would have been a weapon the Ten Lights would have proudly bore into Harbinger, though the grading still perplexed me.

  By the rules I knew, I had been prepared for something maybe in the mid-seven hundreds. Something that reflected the work I put into refining the thing, but hampered by a little substandard material like 'just' an illusion dragon fang. I would've thought that would have brought it down a little because of the lacking quality.

  Yet the opposite had occurred. Was it because I had engraved that dragon litany in the blade before make the shaft, so when it all came together it achieved unintended resonance? Or was it a hidden blessing from Bedra, to know that her daughter could set out with a weapon that could very well pierce the hide of an apocalypse?

  I didn't know. I couldn't say. The system, I feared, might be working with rules similar yet unfamiliar to me. Maybe [Doll Maestro], [Dragon Dive], so much more, it could actually be new things that worked outside what was in FLOW.

  But looking at the way Mordred hugged her lance when I returned it after finishing adding the name, I decided to not push too hard in trying to understand it all. For all I cared, this might've just been a bug. And it would be enough reason for me.

  "We should get going, cover as much distance as we can eastward before the sun sets. I reckon it'll probably take two days on foot to reach the city," Kuch mentioned, patting gently on the dragon's shoulder. "Unless you want to take a day to recover-"

  "No. No, I'm ready to go." She gave the lance one last longing glance, then nimbly strapped it over her back, next to travel bag. "Time to start my...adventure, I guess. You're coming along?"

  "I did make a promise to your mother that I'd take care of you," the doll reminded before frowning. "But more than that, I think coming along with you would be the best way to learn about the world. We'll be both new at this, and it's less suspicious if there are two instead of one person asking questions. That is, if you'll have me."

  "I don't mind, just don't slow me down."

  Kuch nodded and Mordred turned to me directly now, instead of continuing the conversation through her new traveling companion. "You sure you're going to be alright by yourself here?" she asked before snorting. "Wait, no. You'll probably go insane again. So I'll be dropping by now and then to make sure you're still alive."

  "I appreciate the thought, though I should be alright," Frie mentioned. "I wouldn't mind if you brought back useful goods and materials though. And we can always talk through Kuch."

  "Yeah, I guess- hold on! Wait!" Her head snapped around, realizing something now. "Wait a damn second, when did you just- there's three of you now?!"

  "Do you not remember me?" Frie idly teased with a slight bow. "I hope otherwise so, because we have been sparring with one another for a very long time now."

  "...Frie? You got a new body too!"

  "Made with the last of the kaolin clay, and with your mother's blood mixed in," I answered smugly. "So don't worry about me, I've got company here."

  "Argh! Stupid puppet!" she screeched and stomped over to the front door, armored figured following along amused. "I'm not going to come back, this is all too confusing!"

  "So I'll see you in about a week?"

  The door slammed shut behind Kuch and I laughed, turning to Frie. "Ah, don't think I'll ever get tired of that reaction."

  "It's a bit mean, don't you think?" I responded with a sigh. "She's trying her best to not admit she'll miss you."

  "Well, I mean, I'm still with her."

  "A fair point." There was a long silence between my two selves, maybe realizing that for the first time, we had the manor entirely to ourselves again. "...Dare I suggest it?"

  "Dress up show with myself as a reward for all that hard work?"

  "They do say loving yourself comes before loving the world, after all."

  "Gods, when did I become such a narcissist?"

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