Liesel

While Liesel had the reputation of being unabashedly carefree and unrestrained, when it came to matters outside of her Exalted activities, she was actually quite obedient.

She obeyed her parent's wishes without complaint, understanding that her position as a noble lady of House Belle carried unique obligations. It annoyed her at times, but as she matured, she learned to think of them as trade-offs. In exchange for her participation in Ardair's nauseating political game, she was afforded the resources of House Belle to practice her Gift.

For a long time, this arrangement suited her desires.

But when Thanatos fell and the citizens of Isarelle were left to fend for themselves, Liesel suddenly found herself at odds with her father for the first time.

Being forced to remain standby and watch as her beloved city was desecrated by Vigil's bombs was one thing.

Seeing one of the hallmarks of Isarelle destroyed before her eyes was another.

Thanatos had existed since the birth of this canal city. The spire was not simply just a demonstration of the royal family's authority, but it also served as a symbol of security for the Ordinaries. For Liesel, her Gift was just an extension of herself. But how did the Ordinary civilians of this kingdom see it? In their eyes, her control over the icy element must have been unnatural. It veered on the divine. It was blasphemous. How can a mere human possess powers that should have belonged to a god?

Thus, it was natural for Ordinaries to fear the Exalted. Thanatos was a reminder that even Exalted were not above the law, and that punishment will be delivered onto Exalted who behaved arbitrarily.

Now, that symbol had been destroyed. And the very monsters that it had been containing were unleashed onto the city.

I've had enough.

Those thoughts were boiling inside of her when she stomped into her father's office. Her butler protested against her intrusion, but she paid no attention to his warnings. She was no longer in the mood to simply comply.

"Father, explain! Why are we still on standby?!"

Otto was seated by his desk. He had his reading glasses on, his eyes grave while in the midst of composing a letter. He glanced up to meet her eyes, sighing as though anticipating this confrontation. Liesel watched as her father's face hardened. The change was so subtle and smooth that she wouldn't even have noticed if she hadn't been specifically looking for it. The mask of Otto von Belle had been slipped on.

"My daughter," her father began with a confident and dismissive tone, "You shouldn't—"

"Just answer the damn question!" she snapped, not yielding an inch to her father's games. Ice constructs shaped into spears materialized around the room. The sharp ends were directed at Otto. The phenomenon emerged suddenly without so much as a warning. No characteristic blue light of a Gift being activated. None of the signature dissonance of mana crackling. Her command over the esoteric energy was nearly unparalleled.

"…Liesel, what the hell are you doing? Stand down!" her father ordered, rising to his feet. His voice radiated authority, but Liesel caught a hint of fear beneath his father's performance. He was clearly shaken up. Never once had she ever aimed her Gift at her parents.

"You have ten seconds to start speaking. Otherwise, I will take a squadron and head out myself," Liesel declared, "If the governor of Isarelle won't perform his swore duty, then I will do so on his behalf."

"This isn't what this is about. Sit tight. There's a reason why—"

"People are dying! And we're doing nothing!"

"Enough!"

Otto slammed his fist down in a burst of anger. A loud splinter shrieked through the room. The oak desk that had served him for years was now split in half.

"Do not interrupt me again," he spat in a threatening tone, "Your mother and I did not raise you to behave with such disrespect."

Liesel narrowed her eyes. The back of her throat burned with a caustic taste. Her father still wasn't taking her seriously.

"I have no respect for cowards," she snarled as she turned towards the door. There was no malice behind those words. They were her unvarnished thoughts.

Otto flinched. The mask that he wore crumbled in an instant as his expression softened.

"Liesel, please wait. Let me explain."

To the world, Otto was a cunning and ambitious man who raised House Belle close to the apex of authority in Ardair. To Liesel, he was simply a father who adored his family. He brought House Belle into relevancy to ensure that they would never be hungry. He propped up the house such that it could stand on its own without external influence. Liesel was the direct benefactor of his efforts. Her decision to break off her arranged marriage was only possible because House Belle did not fear the royal family's retaliation. They were fortunate that Prince Rory's own fall to disgrace had shifted the public opinion to their side, but that was not something they counted on when Otto made up his mind.

In truth, Otto was a man who cannot refuse his daughter's wishes. Liesel knew this, and yet she never lashed out or acted unreasonable. She did not want to exploit her father's feelings. She trusted him to make the right choices. He would not be able to love her so purely otherwise.

"This was the will of the Isarelle noble council. As a collective, they've decided not to intervene against Vigil's actions."

"What?!" Liesel nearly screamed in disbelief. Otto quickly raised a hand to placate her as he continued to explain.

"Their official stance is that Vigil's destruction of Isarelle will tarnish the royal family's reputation and the people's faith in their rule. Some of the backlash might fall onto the nobles, but it was judged as an acceptable risk."

I really hate this kingdom sometimes.

"And what's the unofficial reason?" she asked, reading between the lines.

Her father's shoulders dropped as though he was ashamed to speak. "This is merely conjunction on my part, but some of the families took heavy hits from the bombs planted in the Noble's Quarter. They're scared. No noble family in the history of Ardair has been attacked so boldly like this. They feared that there's worse coming if they strike back."

Liesel shook her head, barely holding back her anger. Everything that the nobles of this kingdom did was a performative act. Accumulating wealth, adding Exalted into their fold, scheming in the background—all of it was just pretense to project strength. When it came time to actually confront a crisis, they did nothing except hide in their makeshift fortresses and pray for the event to pass. No spine. No dignity. No honor.

"And you've decided to fall in line?"

Otto gave her a sad smile. "House Belle might be strong, but even we can't stand alone. As much as I want to remain neutral in this factional dispute, I cannot risk us being caught in the crossfire between the royal family and the nobles. Our line to the royal family has been cut off. And while the nobles are cowards, well, even cowards have their methods of making our lives hell."

Liesel closed her eyes, deep in thought. I guess this is partially my fault then. Her decision to annul her marriage with Prince Rory had placed her father in a difficult position. For the first time in her life, she realized the rippling consequences that her actions had on this kingdom.

"Even so, I still refuse to simply standby and watch as Vigil desecrates Isarelle. We might be allied with the noble faction, but we still have our duties as the governors of the city," she proclaimed.

The door to Otto's office suddenly swung open. The interruption was unusual as her father's butler would not have allowed anyone to barge in unannounced. Liesel was the exception.

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"Lord Otto, Lady Liesel, I apologize for my intrusion!"

Liesel turned around, finding a familiar face all haggard and out of breath.

It was Delilah. The young lady was scheduled to perform on stage today for the opening act of the Aurous Festival. Liesel felt a hint of relief, seeing that she was okay despite the chaos.

"Speak," Otto demanded, once again wearing the mask of a dignified leader.

"I have a message from Emil Milligan who is assisting the Lionhearts to repel Vigil's assault."

Liesel flinched at the mention of her rival's name. So he's fighting. Of course, he'll be. The shame of her inaction tore at her heart.

Delilah began reciting Emil's message to Otto, "I would like to call upon the debt that Sven of House Belle owes me as part of our agreement. He's obligated to leave the confines of House Belle and assist with the disaster that afflicts Isarelle. He's permitted to bring additional parties to help fulfill this debt if he so wishes."

The debt? Oh right, Sven had made a promise to him since he won the sparring match.

She vaguely remembered that Emil hadn't yet given the man an answer.

"Hahahaha!" Otto burst out into laughter. "What a conniving boy. Did he know about our situation? Or did he just do this on a whim? I seriously can't get a read on him."

"Father!" Liesel called, realizing the opportunity.

Otto nodded. "I allow it. You have proper justification to support Sven, not as a member of House Belle, but as a friend helping to resolve a debt. It won't affect our standing. I'll make sure of it."

She nodded and immediately rushed out of her father's office. Her first destination was the training field where all the Belle Exalted were feverishly waiting.

Emil, thank you.

She gazed ahead, resolved to make use of her friend's opportunity.

Emil

Rain pattered incessantly. The heavy droplets washed away the grime and blood smeared across his face. The rhythmic cadence drew on his exhaustion, threatening to lull him into a restful slumber. He wanted it. The thought of closing his eyes was tempting, if not for the familiar face grinning creepily in front of him.

Emil stared at Melody. The former second-year student of Exalted Academy stood with one hand clasped on her hips and the other twirling a bundle of her soaked gray hair. Her eyes were wide with anticipation. She wore a smile brimmed with childish mischief. It might have looked cute and endearing if she made even the slightest attempt to hide the bloodlust radiating from her exposed teeth.

"Sorry Emil. But I'm going to have to ask you to die. Kleine will be quite angry with me if none of the inmates we freed make it out of this city alive."

Tumultuous thoughts raced through Emil's mind. He was still grieving the consequences of Blood Father's death, but he pushed that aside for the moment. Melody. The girl had lived in the back of his mind for the past month. She was like a specter. Every time he stepped onto the training field he replayed the humiliating defeat in his head. He had taken second place at the Clash of Dawn. People were finally recognizing his skills at the banquet. He was being noticed. He was admired.

Then she demolished everything and left him for dead.

And now a similar sequence of events was unfolding again.

"Why?" he asked, almost pleading, "Why do all of this?" He gestured at the destruction around him. He knew it was a pointless endeavor. They had long blasted past the stage to attempt a common understanding. The weight of Vigil's crimes cannot be forgiven. Still, he felt compelled to ask, if only to remove what little inhibition he had left towards the girl in front of him.

Melody raised an eye as though he was asking the obvious. "Cleanse the rot. Topple this kingdom's corrupt authorities. Let it rebuild anew. Haven't you been listening?" she recited those words with the cadence of a marionette. It sounded hollow. It lacked conviction.

"You don't mean that," he accused, "What's the real reason?" Vigil made their mission sound noble, but there was nothing except evil in their actions.

"You want to know a lady's deepest darkest secrets? Hahaha! How naughty of you," she jeered playfully, "But well, I suppose I could humor the request of a dead man."

Her smiling visage suddenly disappeared. The playful bloodlust in her vicinity warped into something more malicious. Hatred seeped every word as she spoke earnestly. "Honestly, what use is there in this piece of shit kingdom? Hm? The nobles are greedy and cowardly. The institutions have unchecked power and a dearth of morals. The royal family are content to watch and maintain the status quo while everyone else is treated like cattle to be slaughtered!

"Ah, but I suppose that makes me seem too noble. No, Emil, it's not that complicated. I'm simply a spiteful person. This kingdom decided that I was vermin and thought it was fine to rob me of a happy childhood and a bright future. And so, I chose to do the same back. Forgive and forget? Move on? Oh heavens, no! I have too much self-respect for that."

Melody inexplicably twirled on her heels as she lowered herself into a curtsy.

"Understand me now? If it was up to me, I'll be rampaging through Isarelle just like some of those Thanatos inmates. Of course, I'd start with the Noble's Quarters first and then work my way down to the Black Shoal. But alas, Kleine gave me something far more specific to do."

Melody's eyes suddenly steeled. Her head tilted unnaturally. She radiated insanity. A sadistic grin reemerged on her face as she stared at Emil with the gaze of a predator.

"I can't have him be disappointed with me. So, I need you to die. Okay?"

Emil reached into his pockets and grabbed of a syringe of stimulants. Without hesitation, he plunged the needle into his arm.

Melody lunged forward. She crossed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Mana engulfed her legs as she lashed out a vicious kick empowered by Mana Arts. Emil stepped back. The trajectory of her attack was wider than he realized, however, and the edge of her heels grazed the ends of his fingers.

The syringe snapped off with half of the needle still embedded in his arms. Its contents splashed uselessly on his shoulder and then was quickly washed away by the rain. Emil winced—his fingers throbbed from the initial attack. The pain lasted for just an instant, however, before fading into a faint buzz. The monster inside his head squealed in delight. Exhaustion and agony were erased. His senses grew sharp, no longer dulled by the unforgiving rain.

The effect wasn't nearly as potent as usual, but the dosage was enough to let him fight.

Melody gave him no time to rest. She carried her momentum into a spin and immediately unleashed another follow-up kick. Emil tossed himself onto the ground. Her leg sliced the space above his eyes. Falling rain droplets sprayed laterally. The air screeched from the speed and power of the move.

Hortensia's advice wormed its way inside his head, and he begrudgingly agreed—blocking Melody's attack was a death wish. Each of her strikes were enough lethal to kill through the flimsy armor produced by Bulwark.

I have to dodge. Not much had changed since their last encounter. Melody's advantage in close quarters was still unmatched. The rain suppressed his ability to use Blaze. But those weren't his only options.

Still on the ground, he watched as Melody's leg descended on his head. Death beckoned. He slammed the ground with his palms, injecting mana into the earth.

The ground beneath his back writhed, sending him backwards in retreat. A stone pillar simultaneously shot up below Melody's position. The construct lifted her up into the air as her kick swiped at nothing. A narrow miss, but Emil finally had a second to breathe.

"Fragment!"

He rolled onto his feet and launched a counter. Stone missiles stormed towards Melody's position. She sped down the elevated stone construct in a blur. Projectiles tore apart her surroundings, but none seemed to hit. Emil's eyes struggled to keep up with her speed as her Mana Arts enhanced physique weaved through his barrage effortlessly.

"Trace!"

Seismic Sense triggered, scanning for her location. The pings of mana rippled along the ruined earth. Emil could feel her rapid approach. The rhythmic cadence of her strides. The arch of her foot as she pushed down into a lunge. The slight twist in her legs as she sent power into her upper body.

She's going to punch!

Emil stomped ahead. Bulwark triggered, reinforcing his stance with a layer of stone armor. Dodging wasn't his only option. Mana suffused his limbs, raw and unvarnished, strengthening them beyond human limits. Melody wasn't the only one who could use Mana Arts at will.

Boom!

The air trembled at the devastating collision between two Mana Arts enhanced strikes. Shockwaves rippled outwards, kicking up a cloud of dust and rubble from the battered earth. Energy crackled with violence. The dissonant shrill screeched into a crescendo as the unvarnished mana vied for dominion.

Emil clenched his teeth. His arms were screaming from the clash of force. He could feel his bones crack and his muscles tear under the strain despite mana's fortifications. At a glance, their attacks looked equal.

No, I have the advantage!

He convinced of it. His body was stronger. His foundations were more stable. His stance had been fortified with Bulwark. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was the results that he gained after enduring Steiger's training.

"Haaa!" he roared to summon strength.

Melody's confident expression faltered for the first time. The force of their clash spluttered out. She was sent backwards, reeling as her right arm was blasted aside. Emil pounced with two vicious hooks targeting Melody's vitals. She somehow managed to raise her arms to guard in time. Unfazed, Emil lifted both fists and threw them down like a hammer.

"Ngh!"

Melody was pummeled into the earth. The ground cratered at the force of her landing. She gasped, throwing up blood as her body bounced off the floor. Emil caught himself smiling. Glee shuddered through his body. He could win. Mana Arts empowered his limbs once more as he went for the kill.

Calm down.

His subconscious seized control, quelling the voracious monster threatening to send him into a frenzy. At the same time, Melody's body began to glow a brilliant blue. Mana spiraled violently, gathering into a dense sphere at the center of her chest. He recognized the attack. Mana Burst—an advanced application of Mana Arts that triggers a localized explosion using mana. It was the cause for his loss in their first confrontation.

I knew she would use it in a pinch.

He skidded into a stop and stomped the ground. The earth beneath Melody stirred. A stone projection shot up and launched her into a random direction. It didn't matter where, as long as she was away from him. He covered his vitals and shrouded his body in stone armor.

Blue light inundated the area accompanied by a thunderous boom. Mana Burst went off. He felt the force of blast even at a distance away as his legs rocked back. The stone gauntlets on his arms were scalding hot from the energy unleashed by the attack.

As the dust settled, Melody was revealed behind the veil. Still standing. But she was a mess. Her clothes were been shredded into rags. Her gray hair had been singed into crisps despite the rain. Burns littered her face and body. She looked monstrous.

And that impression was only reinforced by her sinister smile.

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