Nari seemed really traumatised by watching this. Hikage proceeded to turn to her, grabbing her by the chin.
"You have seen the deaths of the ones you call 'friends'. You appear to be startled. Yet you have no desire to kill me. How strange, you seem to be a better candidate for a hero than your friend over there. Fate can be so cruel, right?" He questioned, "Tell me, you wanted it, didn't you? You wanted to be the Hero so badly, but your chance was taken by this girl. Am I right?"
Nari was staring right into his now crimson eyes with no emotion.
"Yes," she said, with some spite in her voice, "I should have been named the Hero. Not some peasant girl. But no, Mistilteinn chose her instead. A girl who had hardly any strength, a girl with no magic. I should have been the Hero I tell you!"
Iris started to tear up after hearing this from her friend. She felt a sense of betrayal.
"Is…is that how you really feel, Nari?" she asked sobbingly.
She nodded her head.
"Then," Hikage said, "If that's how you feel. Kill this girl. Your chance is here, do it."
He released her bindings and handed Nari a knife. She looked at Iris with nothing in her eyes.
"No." she told him, "I won't kill a friend out of jealousy. No matter how much I wanted it, she got the title."
Hikage looked on with interest.
"So, a person who truly wouldn't bend to their desires. You're one in a million. Why not join me, I'll see to it that you get the recognition you deserve. You will be a hero, but not in the way that you expect."
Nari mulled over the idea for about a minute.
"I want…to be a hero. If serving you will get me there, I'll do it. Besides, it's not like they'll take me back if I return without my companions." She finally responded.
Satisfied with this answer, Hikage turned to Iris at last.
"You. The one they call 'Hero'. I have plans for you." He said as Iris fell unconscious from a mysterious force.
Iris woke up in a dungeon room with only a bed and a rusty, iron door. As she looked around, she saw Brynhildr standing before her.
"So," she said, "you're the so-called 'Hero'? I've served many of your kind, but none have…interested me as much as you."
She drew even closer.
"I heard that you have no magicae, want some of mine? Keep in mind that it may change who you are."
Iris thought about it, being able to use magic would help her in her quest.
"Fine, I'll do it. But, who are you and why are you helping me?" she responded.
"No time for chit-chat," Brynhildr told her, "just take this."
She moved in and kissed Iris on the lips. Iris felt a dark power surge through her veins and could feel her very soul changing. Her once scarlet hair turned crimson, and her eyes went a deep azure.
"She's ready to decide, Domine mi." Brynhildr said.
Hikage came in and sat on the bed, looking at Iris.
"So, you have some magic now. If you would like to try, you can kill me. I won't fight back, I swear." He offered.
Iris readied her blade.
"Fine, I'll take you up on that!" She shouted as she drove Mistilteinn into him. There was no reaction from him. Iris was shocked.
"B-But, how? You shouldn't be standing after Mistilteinn's strike." she spluttered out.
"That's easy," Hikage replied, "as long as I'm Brynhildr's wielder, my body can't die. I won't die so long as Brynhildr doesn't change masters."
"Brynhildr?" Iris questioned, "The Demon Sword Brynhildr? The same one that the first thirteen heroes wielded?"
"Yes, it's a lot like your Mistilteinn. Except that it's a cursed blade, and it has a human form." He explained, "But that isn't what I came here to talk about. I got a bit of info from your friend Nari. I heard about what happened to your family, I can say that I know how you feel. Every Daemon in this Citadel is a part of my family, you and your party killed a thousand of my kin. But I only targeted those responsible, the ones behind it all. You should do the same. Don't hate the Daemons who killed them, hate the men who left your family to die, all because they weren't important to them."
"But." Iris said, "They weren't at fault, they were already dealing with an encroaching Daemon army."
Hikage looked her in the eye.
"There *were* no Daemons sent there." He told her, "My predecessor was strong, but he wasn't stupid enough to go near the Capitol."
Iris was shocked, she started crying.
"So…they left me…and Mama…to die? The people that I trusted in so much…they…betrayed us." She was hurt.
"I have told you the truth, for it is better than manipulating you. Now you can make your choice. Brynhildr has gifted you some magical ability. Now, will you continue to fight my Family, or will you join me and exact revenge on those that wronged you. Know that this is your choice. If you choose to fight us, then I shall let you go this once. Now decide, Iris Lowerider." He outstretched his hand to her.
Iris wiped the tears from her eyes and grabbed Hikage's hand.
"I will fight." she told him, "I will join your Family and fight, by my own volition. I will continue to fight until the ones who abandoned us are brought before me for judgement."
Iris felt her heart slip into darkness. Mistilteinn went from a shining gold to a twilight black. She had become a Fallen Hero, a soldier of the light, besmirched by the shadows.