In the dusty, poorly lit room, situated in the furthest corner of the palace's western wing, on the top floor, slept an old man. He sat in his chair, legs raised on a nearby table, which was cluttered beyond belief with books and scrolls.

The door to his chamber slowly opened and slammed shut, causing the man to jump from his afternoon snooze and almost fall over.

"Good day, Yuliar," Kargalan spoke as he pulled out one of the chairs and sat across from the old artificer.

"Good day to you, too, Your Highness. What can I do for you on this fine morning?"

"I want you to make something for me." The Prince said, pulling out a scroll from his sleeve and handing it to Yuliar.

Curiously, the old man opened the scroll, nodding to himself before looking back at Kargalan. "My apologies, Your Highness, but I believe this is something you can simply get custom-made by dwarves. I am an artificer, not a weaponsmith."

"Weren't you a weaponsmith in your youth, Yuliar?" The Queen's brother retorted with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Well, indeed I was. Best in the kingdom, dare I say!" The artificer chuckled. "Is there any particular reason you want my hands on this project?"

The Prince stood up abruptly, walking around the room with a slow stride, looking around as if inspecting it. "What became of the items we secured from Perriman's duchy?"

Yuliar looked at the young man nervously. "They were all destroyed, Your Highness. Per the Queen's orders. Lady Elisia saw to it herself."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. Would I dare lie to you? Even more, why would I hide such things when I know how dangerous they are?"

Kargalan stopped at the only window in the room, looking outside it at the palace front yard below. "Because I know you, Yuliar. Your search for your Magnum Opus. I came to you first with my request because of that fact. Because the dwarves lack the materials to make what I want and because they are too stubborn to ever admit that their pest control tools are indeed weapons."

"How could they lack-?" The old artificer suddenly stopped mid-sentence, looking back down at the blueprint with wide eyes. "Your Highness… you want their metal?"

"Yes. Can you do it?" Kargalan looked the man straight in the eyes, his expression stern but hopeful.

Yuliar ran his fingers through his long beard, not gracing the prince with an immediate answer. He worried that Kargalan was there simply to trick him into revealing the truth, that not all of the items recovered were destroyed. But the way he spoke, the way his eyes shone with ambition…

"I can, Your Highness." The old man admitted, worry be damned. The project was too tempting to refuse, worth even the worst of punishments.

"Excellent!" Kargalan clasped his hands abruptly, a huge grin appearing across his face.

"Prince, I would need access to the royal forge. Without any prying eyes." Yuliar said.

"And you shall have it." The prince clapped his hands, and the door opened again, a bulky beastfolk man walking into the room. He seemed to be a member of one of the many feline tribes. "This is Tayan. He will make sure to keep prying eyes and ears as far away as possible while you work."

"Thank you, Your Highness." The artificer bowed his head and quickly folded the scroll back up.

Kargalan was beaming as he headed for the door. "I need not remind you, Yuliar, what would happen if you are caught. I will deny all ties to you or this project. The punishment will be great."

"As will the reward, Your Highness," Yuliar replied with a cackle.

***

The image of Aurelia bleeding hasn't left Kargalan's mind since he saw it that morning, two days ago. Everything he believed to be true was challenged the moment he saw her missing fingers and an ear. If she were trying to sell how dangerous the enemy was, bringing heads would've been enough. High Elves loved themselves far too much to commit self-harm, regardless of what they were trying to achieve.

The Prince walked at a quick pace, heading for the front gate of the palace. Kyara was waiting for him in a field outside the city walls. It was a place where two trained and sparred, even before Kyara obtained the dragon's soul, as it was far enough away to avoid spooking the citizens and causing damage when the siblings fought unrestrained.

His horse already waited for him at the palace gate, readied by the stable boy. Kargalan hopped into the saddle and kicked the steed into a gallop almost immediately, not wanting to keep his sister waiting. It was not yet peak hour for the market district, so he could ride through side streets without drawing too much attention or getting caught in the crowd.

Kyara sat in the snowy field, poking at the ground with her sheathed sword. She looked up towards the city walls, hearing the gallop of her brother's horse. Kargalan was approaching from the eastern gate of Minrez.

"Took you long enough!" She shouted once Kargalan was in earshot. "Where were you? It's almost noon!"

"Apologies. I've had some things to take care of." The mage replied and hopped out of the saddle as the horse slowed down to a trot.

"Things to take care of." She mumbled and stood up, dusting the snow off her behind. "You know I hate waiting."

"Gods, I said I'm sorry." Kargalan rolled his eyes and walked over to her at a brisk pace.

Kyara made a sour face as the two began circling one another, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The Queen lunged at her brother, sword drawn with such speed the blade looked like a blur of black metal.

Kargalan dodged her initial swing, then another and another, skilfully keeping his distance, using a spell that required no chants or incantations to push Kyara back every time she got too close. She pushed through gusts of strong wind he sent her way, each making her more annoyed. "What is this, Kargalan? You plan to beat me by giving me a cold?"

She lit her sword ablaze and charged him once more, each swing releasing a burst of flame. The mage remained unfazed, dodging some attacks and redirecting others until Kyara got too close again. The blade came down, the swing much slower than before, giving Kargalan ample time to push her back once more, this time with a wave of snow.

"What's going on, Kyara? You seem awfully out of your element today." He asked, lowering his arms and walking over to her.

"I could ask you the same thing. Wind magic, really, brother? Have you come down with a case of pyrophobia this morning?" She sheathed her sword and sat back down.

Kargalan sat down beside her, his emerald eyes meeting hers. "I am nicknamed 'The Fire Mage' because I prefer fire-based spells, not because they are the only thing in my arsenal."

Kyara did not grace him with a reply. The two sat in silence, listening to the wind blow across the field and staring at the walls of Minrez in the distance.

"They are immune to magic. So fire conjured from mana would probably not work as well on them as, for example, a strong storm wind or a giant rock." The mage spoke. "You're thinking about Elisia, aren't you?"

"And Layla and Mitsy. I haven't slept at all since Aurelia ruined our morning with her presence." Kyara admitted, poking at the ground with her sword. "I can't bring myself to even imagine what they must be suffering through at the hands of those monsters."

Kargalan said nothing, listening intently as she spoke her mind. He knew Kyara had neither time nor luxury to allow personal fears and problems to bog her down, since matters concerning the kingdom and its people took priority, and those never seemed to end.

"I just want to ride out there myself, tear down that outpost, rip those bastards limb from limb and save Elisia, Layla and Mitsy, but…" She sighed in exasperation and shook her head.

"You know it's not as easy as that. They would-" He stopped himself before the words "killed the prisoners" could leave his lips. No need to speak aloud that which was already on his sister's mind.

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"I should've killed them when I had the chance. Executed them right then and there, along with that maggot Perriman." Kyara hissed through gritted teeth, clenching her fist. "Elves be damned! If I were smarter, I wouldn't have cared about how much they would bitch and moan that they haven't gotten their chance at retribution. Look what has become of their fucking retribution."

"Sister, you did the right thing. We didn't know what we were up against. We still don't. Even the almighty Aurelia ate shit when her turn to face one of them came." Kargalan smirked and nudged her with his elbow.

A small smile tugged at the Queen's lips. The situation was grim, but the fact that the arrogant High Elf got knocked down a peg or two gave her a tiny bit of levity. "Gods forgive me for taking joy in the suffering of others, but if it weren't for the satchel of heads and terrible news that she brought along, I would've laughed in her face."

"She would have destroyed us where we stood." He snorted.

"I know. I'd laugh all the same." She replied.

"So, do you wish to skip our sparring session today, sister?" Kargalan asked, turning his head towards Kyara.

"No. Your talk about a different approach has me curious. Fight me as if I were one of them, and I will do the same." Kyara said, getting up from the ground.

"Are you sure?" He asked, doing the same.

She nodded, taking a few steps back and readying herself. Mana erupted from her like a raging torrent, forcing Kagalan to immediately raise his mana barrier. Kargalan's horse neighed and took off running back to the city.

"Damn, starting with the dragon soul right out the gate. She's taking this seriously." The mage watched as snow melted and grass beneath it turned to ashes in seconds, Kyara's mana climbing higher and higher until it became visible. The entire field was engulfed in it as her eyes shone, her pupils turning slitted as the soul within her was unleashed.

Kargalan leapt into the air, clasping his hands together as a blue seal appeared beneath Kyara and began to spread until it covered the entire field, while another seal did the same in the sky above her.

"Elur-ekaitza." He spoke calmly as the seals spun together. Snow and wind swirled across the field, creating a powerful blizzard that swallowed the area, reducing visibility and hiding mana traces.

"Erithras. Mendien, muinoen eta arroilen aita. Gidatu nire eskuak zureak balira bezala. Moldatu lurra zure mihisea den bezala." Small chunks of the ground flew towards Kargalan, forming a second pair of arms below his own.

The earth-made hands moved until the finger tips touched in front of his stomach, forming a symbol.

Kyara couldn't hear him chanting over the roaring blizzard, nor could she see where he went. "Damn. Clever move, brother, but this does little more than slow me down."

She swung her sword, the black doramite blade cleaving through wind and snow, sending forth a wave of fire that cut the blizzard dome in half. The spell faltered, but the seals remained, and the blizzard started anew the very next moment. Still, it was more than enough for Kyara as she could see where Kargalan was, floating in the sky above.

The Queen bent slightly, feeling her legs tense up in preparation for a leap. Before she could jump, the ground beneath her shook and opened up to swallow her. Kyara dodged in the nick of time, only to be struck by a boulder that came seemingly out of nowhere.

"Fucking snow." She growled, cutting through the first one and dodging another flying boulder that came from the swirling blizzard. Kyara drove her blade into the ground, unleashing a spell. "Erre!"

A vortex of fire erupted from the ground at the centre of the snow spell, shattering both seals at once. As the howling wind died down, Kyara could hear Kargalan chanting.

"Sulvera. Heriotzaren eta Berpizkundearen Erregina. Izotz Betierekoaren Ama. Eman iezadazu zure nagusitasunaren kontrola mundu honetan." The mage recited the incantation as snow began forming yet another pair of arms, this time above his own, hands clasping into another symbol where all the fingers pressed against one another, except the ring fingers, which were pressed against opposing palms, above his head.

Kyara watched in surprise and disbelief, unable to restrain a smile at the sight of Kargalan. "Gods, brother, you indeed are full of surprises."

Kyara knew her younger brother was far from a pushover, being regarded as the strongest mage in the history of Marbella and the only mage in seven generations to overcome the ailment that befell their lineage through sheer will and mastery of magic. Ever since he learned to read, the prince devoted every second of spare time to studying mana and its forms.

If it weren't for the dragon's soul within her, Kyara would never even dream of challenging her brother to a duel, let alone going all out against him.

"Such perfect mana control." She thought, unable to tear her eyes away from Kargalan.

Kargalan looked down towards her and smiled. He heard her praise but could not respond, as even he needed every bit of concentration he could muster.

With a swipe of his hand, the earth shifted again, the ground coming to life beneath Kyara's feet. Rocks and earth constructs began bursting from the ground around her, morphing shapes into whatever Kargalan needed.

He extended his left hand towards her, motioning with his palm for her to attack. Kyara grinned and gripped the hilt of her blade just as a block of earth shot out of the ground behind her, sending her flying towards her brother. Kargalan wasted no time, moving his right hand in a downward motion as a gust of icy wind struck the Queen mid-air and slammed her into the ground below.

The Prince did not let up, keeping Kyara pinned. She struggled to get up off her knees as the arms of ice and earth bestowed upon Kargalan began moving, reshaping the entire field. "Izotza eta Lurzoruaren espetxeratzea. Tundrako hilobia!" His voice boomed as he cast yet another spell.

Snow began piling on top of Kyara, solidifying almost instantly, shackling her where she stood as slabs of earth rose from the ground like flower petals and began closing in around her. The Queen exhaled loudly, the heat from her breath melting a small patch of snow under her face. She had admired her brother's skill for long enough.

Kyara slowly stood up, her mana set ablaze, melting the snow that was piling on top of her and keeping her on her hands and knees. Kargalan saw this, clasping all six of his hands together as the earth petals closed around the Queen in an instant, trapping her in a half orb no bigger than a peasant shed. Each slab fit perfectly with the one next to it, leaving no gaps for air to pass through. The slabs were thick enough that it would take considerable effort for her to cut through.

"Had enough, sister?" The mage shouted. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, but the other two pairs of arms remained in position, holding the earth prison in shape.

Kyara heard him, shaking her head and smirking as her mana began flowing into her sword, feeding the three dwarven runes that were engraved on the blade right by the hilt. The blade went from black to glowing as her mana heated the doramite, yet the sword's shape and composition remained held in place by the runes. The Queen drove the blade into the wall of her confinement, releasing the stored-up mana as she twisted the sword.

Chunks of smouldering rock flew across the field as one side of the earth orb exploded violently. Kyara wasted no time, inhaling deeply as a red seal appeared in front of her face. She exhaled, sending a conflagration towards her brother.

Kargalan moved his hands, a solid wall of ice forming in front of him to block the fire. Kyara leapt into the air, cutting through it, each swing of her blade leaving a trail of fire. As quickly as she reached him, she was pushed back to the ground by another gust of air.

Both siblings seemed to have entirely forgotten about their surroundings, focusing entirely on beating each other. The ground shifted as it were clay for Kargalan to shape however he pleased, and ice rained from above like mana-charged daggers. Kyara dashed across the field, knowing that even a single misstep would give Kargalan another opportunity to suppress her. The dragon's soul provided her with amounts of mana that would allow her to easily outlast any human mage in a duel.

However, that did not apply to Kargalan, for his mana control was so precise that it made even Vatur mages seem clumsy and sluggish by comparison. The fact that he managed to maintain and cast such complex spells with minimal incantations was proof enough.

The Queen was so impressed by her brother's abilities that she forgot entirely the original purpose of their duel and focused on taking him down as he was.

"I need to get rid of this fucking ice." She grimaced as several of the ice blades grazed, immediately freezing the areas they made contact with, only to be melted by her blazing mana.

Kyara stopped running, gritting her teeth as she withstood the ice that rained on her. She drove her blade into the ground, mana surging into the soil. The temperature across the field rose to an unbearable degree, melting all of the ice and burning away the grass under it. The field became riddled with cracks as every droplet of water within dried up, fire whirls rising from them. To the enthralled guards and citizens of Minrez who had piled up on the walls of the eastern gate, drawn by the duel, the entire field resembled a red dragon's nest.

"Sugarren Habia: Askatu." The Queen pulled her sword out from the ground, finishing the ruination of the field with a spell to prevent the fire and heat from dying down.

There was no more snow or water of any form on the ground or air around them that Kargalan could draw from, cutting his arsenal in half. Without hesitation, the mage dispelled the icy arms and focused his mana on using the remaining set of spells he still had control over. However, that proved to be very difficult, as even maintaining a constant resonance with the mana in the ground, the amount he had remaining, and the blinding heat from Kyara's spell made him start to lose focus. Kyara was immune enough to his fire spells that using them would be a waste of stamina.

His sister did not show him any reprieve, extending her hand towards him and unleashing another inferno. Kargalan dodged it but was forced to land. The scorching soil burned at his feet even through his boots. He had nowhere to go.

"Alright, alright, I yield." He huffed, dispelling the second pair of arms as well.

Kyara rushed forward, her nature and draconic lust for battle pushing reason aside. Her blade swung upwards, and Kargalan managed to dodge it just barely, not without having his robes seared by the heat radiating from the sword.

He grimaced in annoyance and swung his right hand, smacking his sister across the face to snap some sense into her. "I said I yield, damn it! Get a grip!"

Kyara snapped out of her trance, dropping her scalding sword before accidentally burning Kargalan. "Sorry. I got a bit carried away."

He looked down at her ruined clothes and sighed. "It's alright. You had a lot of steam to blow off."

Kyara nodded, picking up her sword that had returned to normal and sheathed it. The field they were in began to cool down, too, once the fire spells stopped. The damage to it, with massive chunks of scorched soil and rocks thrown everywhere, remained.

"You really thought a lot about how to fight them quite often, didn't you?" The Queen asked as the two started walking towards the city walls.

"Every day since I first saw them kneeling in the throne room and heard what they had to say. If their war machines truly are as they describe them, a direct assault just wouldn't work." Kargalan gave her a cheeky look as in their duel, she was focused more on beating him than demonstrating how she would approach fighting the invaders.

Kyara just rolled her eyes and shook her head, her mind already drifting back to Elisia and the others.

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