Aurelius desperately tried to escape out of the door, only to smash into an invisible barrier face first.

  His nose burning and abuzz with pain, Aurelius crawled away from the doorway back to the sitting room, as fast as his pain would allow him to.

  The woman just watched Aurelius crawl in amusement, swirling the red liquid in her glass elegantly, a charming smile on her lips.

  Yep. She was definitely bad news.

  His face burning up slightly in embarrassment, and fear, Aurelius stood back up shakily, and started to stare down the older woman sitting leisurely on her couch. Of course, he was simultaneously inching towards the windows, in a desperate attempt to get the hell out of this weird situation.

  He had a very bad feeling that this was not, in fact, something to do with the Commission.

  Without a single word, and a smile on her lips, the woman simply raised her index finger and yanked the air itself.

  Mana channeled itself, and the metallic charm pulled itself away from Wally Tona’s forehead, ending the sizzle of burning flesh.

  All over former sage Tona’s body, intangible golden chains, each link as big as a coppet, formed, and started to attempt to constrict his body like a fearsome python.

  However, as the charm pulled away, the chain seemed to loosen, separating away from the former sage’s body inch by inch.

  Then, with an ominous blue glow, the charm revealed its function.

  It started to unwind the chains that knotted themselves around the sage. The chains crossed over each other, over and over, and with increasing intensity, and its golden glow seemed to fade slowly as it unfurled its complex patterns.

  Within seconds, the chain floated simply, a single loop confining the old man.

  And with another blue glow, the chains melted into nothingness, dripping to the floor like liquid, and evaporating into intangible nothingness.

  Aurelius was absolutely flabbergasted.

  “Done.” The woman commented casually, as if vow breaking was a common thing to do.

  She was definitely a magister and above!

  Regardless, staying still and waiting for death was decidedly not Aurelius’s style. And he decided to make a run for it towards the windows.

  That spell must have taken some stamina out of the woman… right?

  However, he didn’t get far, as Aurelius felt the command of his legs and body disappear. His body was foreign to him now, and the echoes of his racing heartbeat escalated a step further.

  It was ‘Puppet’!

  Mr. Tona looked cold as he had just been, as he let down his outstretched hand, not even bothering to glance over at the frozen Aurelius.

  The charm had left a burn on his forehead, branding it with the complex geometric pattern that had been engraved on the charm.

  With a small, robotic bow, Mr. Tona spoke once more.

  “...Honourable one who walk the physical plane. I have brought to you Aurelius Vennor, Quetzalcoatl’s blessed, as per your request.” He muttered emotionlessly, and precisely.

  “I have given you all the information I can give you. There is no use for me anymore.”

  Aurelius felt chills down his spine when he saw that the woman had smiled wider at this comment. Her smile had felt… off previously, but now, it was on a whole different level of creepy. It seemed as if someone had carved out the mouth of a different person and sewed it haphazardly on her face.

  It was askew, too wide, too… foreign. And yet… familiar.

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  Wait… was that…

  “I ask that you return my wife. And her soul…” Mr. Tona continued as Aurelius’s heart sank, and his resistance transmuted into a terrible, terrible fear.

  “Yohualli, Queen of Names.”

  Aurelius would have sunk to his knees at this proclamation if he could. In fact, his pants would have been wet by now if his bladder had been under his control.

  It was Her! The Fae Queen!

  Could he not have the attention of the less… horrifying divine beings?

  The Fae Queen, scrutinising the old man’s face, started to laugh.

  “Huhuhu, you were indeed very useful to me.” She started.

  “So willingly destroying your own life, and for what? Your little wife?”

  This caused Mr. Tona’s eye to twitch slightly.

  “I have forfeited my life’s work, reputation and organisation. However, the price is appropriate for what I have given up. And I trust that you will not break in our dealings. If it is my life that you want, you may take that as well.” He replied, venom laced behind his calm, precise words.

  “What a strange little man you are.” The Fae Queen mused, sipping on Her wine.

  A silence fell into the room, as Aurelius struggled against the magic that bound him.

  “Why do you assume that you are worthless to me? Is it because of that foolish Djinn?” She asked, smiling creepily as she pushed the stray gray hairs off of her forehead.

  This seemed to elicit a terrible reaction for Mr. Tona.

  His composure faded for a second, as a wave of horror flashed across his face.

  “Your name is safe, Wally Tona.” She said, emphasising every syllable in Her mouth, as if relishing in his fear.

  Mr. Tona froze. He was not sure where She was going with this, yet he was becoming more and more certain of the doom that She heralded.

  “Selling your name to sever the soul’s mystical connection… I can give you humans points for… creativity…”

  “Your wife… Is a lovely vessel.” She continued, licking Her lips in delight as She looked on at the uncertain Tona.

  Mr. Tona had now dropped his facade of calmness, falling to a battle stance, his wand materialising out of his hand. Aurelius stood frozen on the side as he observed the absolute fury coating the old man’s entire face, radiating a different intensity from that of Sage Yeltz. He carried the aura of a cobra, with hatred leaking from his eyes.

  Then, something changed in the Fae Queen for just a second.

  “Sweetie!” The woman screamed, her face suddenly contorting in fear and horror from the complete leisure that was just on her face.

  Tona’s wand stopped mid-air, and his knees gave out at the scream, and Aurelius was once again completely lost and terrified.

  “YOU BITCH” Mr. Tona screamed, as he struggled to get back up.

  The woman’s face returned to a face of absolute control once more, that horrible smile sewn onto it like a terrible patchwork of flesh.

  “You’ve put in so much… soul into her…” The woman said, standing up and trotting over to the window with absolute control in Her steps.

  “Did you fools think your true names were enough?” She mocked, Her smile fading from Her face, and turning into irritation.

  “Did you think that I would honour a deal with a rat?” She spat.

  “Did you think that you won?” She screamed.

  “Were you looking down on me?” She asked, running a hand through Her hair, as Her face filled with madness.

  “How dare you.” She hissed.

  Suddenly, the woman faltered on her knees.

  “My love!” She yelled.

  Mr. Tona grit his teeth, and cast a spell.

  “Honey!” She yelled.

  A rough looking ice spear shot towards the woman, who had become the Queen once more, with fierce intensity, creating an arc of blue in the air.

  The woman didn’t even look back, and stepped sideways just enough to let the spear pierce Her shoulder.

  Aurelius could see the devious smile reflected on the shattered glass windows as She switched once again.

  “WALLY!” She wailed, falling to her knees as she staggered under the weight of the spear that had passed through her shoulder.

  Mr. Tona’s eyes, filled with hatred and fury just moments before faltered. It was replaced with horror, then regret, then pain.

  And he was gone.

  ???

  A light rivaling that of the Sun descended upon the city of Tlacualtzin, driving away the blackness of night with ferocity, and engulfing the entirety of the city in its glory.

  And the combined voice of a hundred mages rang out through the city.

  “Rodric commands that his righteousness be followed.” It commanded.

  “Rodric commands that all who oppose his rules be slain.” It ordered.

  “Rodric commands that no bomb and fire may disgrace the peace of night.” It declared.

  The light faded in intensity after each decree, condensing into a dull, white barrier around the perimeters of the city.

  Within seconds, all fires across the city went out at once, and a singular explosion in the distance was caught mid-blast, fizzling out powerlessly against the magic.

  Archsage Livia and Archsage Andrew watched this sight with little regard.

  “How many life prisoners do we have in custody?” Archsage Livia asked, prompting an already pale Archsage Andrew to pale even further.

  “No! We’re not doing that!” He yelled in protest, inching away from the intense woman.

  “...I can dictate the votes of Valentine and Theases.” She said simply.

  However, the protest didn’t seem to phase Archsage Livia in the slightest.

  “It’s necessary.” She said, smiling sweetly and leaking evil from her very presence.