Heather was floating in the void a little ways from the spaceship. Her chains had been temporarily removed but her collar was so tight that she could feel it cutting into her skin and below that, into her soul.
Around her, a formless power was emanating as it hurled itself against the barrier protecting the world. Slowly but surely the barrier was showing signs of deterioration rewarding her efforts with a big of progress.
A figure with white angelic wings flew over from the ship and paused behind her.
"Lord Michael, what brings me the pleasure of your visit?"
Heather spoke without turning as she kept sending her powers to batter against the barrier. Not one moment did her concentration wane.
"I want answers and if teacher won't give them to me then you will."
"My knowledge pales in comparison to Alexander's so I won't be of much help. What would I be able to tell you that your teacher can't?"
"The truth! Why are teacher's actions so different from our doctrine? He simply tells me that I'm too young to understand but I'm already a deity! I deserve to know."
"Careful there, the truth is often painful and pursuing it can cost you your life. You are playing with fire."
"Are you threatening me?!!"
"I am warning you. I too searched for answers and look where it got me. Alexander was once my friend but now I'm nothing but a slave to him."
"As befits of a traitor. You reaped what you sowed. But I won't betray the light alliance so you will tell me the truth or I will make your life hell."
As he said that Michael clenched his fist and the sudden pain from the collar contracting made Heather jolt. However, Michael had no intention of seeing her suffer. He wanted answers therefore he quickly released the collar's restriction.
"Very well, you wanted to know why Alexander refuses to meet our opponents in open combat despite the doctrine saying that all that is not good must be purged, right?"
"Yes, he says they are more powerful than us but I cannot believe that!"
A barely visible, devilish smile surfaced on Heather's face but was hidden by her hood.
"The truth is that he is afraid of being surpassed. You, the new generation have much stronger innate understandings. If you were to face the evil of this world you would be able to defeat them. That way the old deities would lose their positions as leaders. But as long as you can't directly fight them you won't notice."
"You mean to tell me that my teacher has gone against the sacred doctrine solely to keep his position? There is no other reason?"
"I can understand if you won't believe me. I am only a slave after all. However, have you never felt like your teacher was a hindrance to your growth?"
Michael recoiled at the mere thought but unbeknownst to him the seed of doubt had already been planted in his heart. Heather didn't say anything more for if Alexander heard of the lies she had poured into his disciple's ears she would surely suffer.
"Teacher would never do such a thing! Get back to work you, lowly traitor!"
Michael looked angry and stormed off but he didn't punish Heather through the collar. As soon as she was sure that he had left Heather broke into a brilliant smile.
The boy was already standing at the cliff moments before losing his balance. Only a slight push and he would fall into the abyss. Oh, how she would take delight in his teacher's suffering. Making him lose such a promising student would show him what it meant to treat her badly.
"I will burn whatever you touch to the ground until you stand deserted of everything. Then I will be your only comfort and you will free me!"
Feeling a gaze from the faraway spaceship Heather schooled her face into bland neutrality as she redoubled her efforts of breaking the barrier.
On the spaceship, Alexander withdrew his gaze and looked at Michael who had returned to the bridge.
"Why were you talking to Heather?"
"I asked her something I didn't quite understand hoping she would have an answer."
"And? Did she tell you anything of use?"
Michael's face contorted with rage although he didn't know who the target of his anger was.
"It was more thing but the preposterous lies of a traitor! I should never have talked to her in the first place!"
Alexander nodded contently. He turned away from his student and put his hands behind his back as he gazed upon the world they would soon invade.
"It is good that you understand. Her words may seem like they will bring you ahead but that is not what you are meant to do. Just continue to study under my tutelage and one day you might become a pillar of the light alliance just like me. However, don't get your hopes up to high, the path before you will take centuries if not millennia. But as long as you keep at it you will reach it one day."
These words, spoken in good faith from a teacher to his student to keep him from becoming too arrogant were like fertilizer poured onto the germinating seed Heather had planted.
Michael didn't let it show on his face but he had already begun to doubt his teacher's words. Alexander meanwhile was completely oblivious of his student's hidden thoughts of doubt towards the veracity of his words. His thoughts were occupied with how to proceed with the invasion once Heather managed to crack the barrier.
"I will go train now teacher, my meditation still needs practice."
"That is a good idea. But always remember, you must clear all your thoughts before starting to meditate. Any kernel of thought that is left when you begin to meditate will grow to fill out the expanse of your mind."
Another warning that wouldn't be heard...