Social interaction. The concept to her was vague at best. Considering what she was, what she represented. The spawn of the almighty demon God, an entity that might not even exist. Yet that was what she was branded as along with those of the past. Dull gray hair, pale lilac eyes, and pitch-black horns coupled with a foul dark mana that reeked with malevolent intent, that was the demon God's spawns. All brought along with them ill intent and bad omens.
Most could not even speak said supposed evil God's name, a curse was placed on it apparently. Only those strong of both body and mind could utter it. She never tried to say it, doing so would only put her in a worse position. As the recent demon spawn, she had no easy life. Prejudice and violence were things directed towards her at any given moment.
From the moment of her birth, she was shunned and feared. Her demonic heritage was evident in her, most of all her horns. She did not know if it was due to being what she was but she often found herself plagued by nightmares, visions of burning cities and screaming souls. She could feel that foul darkness within her, a growing, insatiable hunger that threatened to consume her from the inside out.
Her parents, unable to cope with the shame and fear that she brought upon them, abandoned her. They cast her out into the wilderness, leaving her to fend for herself in a world that feared and reviled her. She had wandered for years, alone and lost in a vast and unforgiving land. She learned to survive on her own, hunting for food and shelter in the harsh wilderness. But the loneliness and isolation gnawed at her soul, leaving her feeling more alone than ever.
As she grew older, she began to understand the nature of her fate. She realized that she was a prisoner of her demonic heritage, doomed to a life of suffering and despair. She tried to fight against the darkness within her, to suppress the evil that threatened to overwhelm her. But her efforts were in vain. The demon's blood coursed through her veins, a constant reminder of her tragic fate. Even now this façade gnawed at her being.
It was a constant struggle against her own nature. She longed for love and acceptance, but her demonic heritage made it impossible for her to find companionship. She yearned for peace and tranquility, but her existence was marked by something she could not control. It was only when she came to the Academy that she found some measure of acceptance. Mirabella, the girl who chose to stand up for her and defend her. William and Ruby, they knew what she was but they did not judge her, even Adrian in some odd way.
Even so, this was still a strange situation she could not get used to.
In the quaint embrace of the outsides of a simple café, where the scent of baked goods mingled invitingly with the earthy aroma of herbs, the four of them convened around a robust wooden table, polished to a sheen by countless meals shared. Astrid, Mirabella's older sister and the crown princess had a bright smile on her face, no discomfort found. She surveyed the other sister—Valerie, barely elevenspring, fidgeting in her seat as if channeling the impulse to chase butterflies; and Mirabella, she looked annoyed.
At the table's corner, Juliana sat shyly, her head barely peeking above the rim of her own cup, pale lilac eyes downcast, as if they contained a world she wasn't quite ready to share. Astrid, with her personality, she seemed ever keen on knitting the threads of companionship tighter, she leaned forward, her voice a warm melody, "It was quite surprising to find out Mira had friends." She gave a small chuckle. "So, Juliana, I hear you and Mira have been rather close at the beginning of the academy semester. What's your secret to taming this tempest?"
Mirabella, offended or perhaps merely aware of her sister's teasing prowess, scoffed, her lips curling in mock disdain. "I'm not some tempest, Astrid!" she retorted defensively, her cadence dripping with defensiveness.
Valerie, seated neatly with her hands clasped under her chin, burst into a fit of giggles, her focused dignity slipping away like a leaf in the breeze. "You so are, Mira! I'm honestly surprised a shy girl like Juliana is putting up with you. You're always so brash and rude." she chimed in. "But you do seem happy now, or content at the very least."
"Oh please," Mirabella shot back, though the flush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her embarrassment. "What could possibly be bad about me? You're both simply messing with my reputation."
Astrid, sensing a delightful opportunity to unearth more of Juliana's character, redirected the conversation skillfully. "Juliana, help us settle this! What do you think of Mirabella? Is she really as fierce as she pretends to be?"
Juliana's face turned crimson, as her shyness wrapped around her like a comforting shawl, "I… um… well, I think she's just… complicated," she managed to stammer, her voice dipping to a whisper.
"Oh, complicated! That does sound like royalty!" Astrid exclaimed, her laughter light and bright as she poured more tea into her sister's cup. "You see, Valerie, even Juliana acknowledges the intricacies of our dear Mira's personality."
Flustered, Mirabella shot Astrid an indignant look, her usual bravado caving under the affectionate onslaught. "I'm not complicated; I just have high standards… for myself, and for my friends!" she clarified, but the timid quiver in her voice showcased her awareness of the mockery swirling about her.
Valerie, giggled, "You should be nice, Juliana! It makes it so much easier to be friends with Mira if you flatter her, like Astrid does!"
"Oh, I wouldn't want to flatter anyone, really," Juliana squeaked, her gentle demeanor shining through her usual bashfulness, "I just like that Mirabella is… strong-willed."
Mirabella, caught off guard, looked at Juliana, her expression softening as she realized for the first time how her bravado perhaps wasn't a necessity. "Well, um…" she mumbled, scratching her head, "I guess I appreciate that you see me that way."
"But you should really be more polite to others, Mira. Don't drive them away with your 'tempest'," Astrid interjected, her grin wide enough to provoke another round of laughter, as Valerie burst forth in another fit of giggles.
Taking advantage of the progressing banter, Astrid offered Juliana a playful eyebrow raise. "So, what's fueling this impressive shy aura of yours, Juliana? A great treasure, perhaps? A pantheon of magical light? Or just a boiling cauldron of insecurity?"
"Hardly the latter!" Valerie chirped, "You're brave for sitting with us!"
Juliana could only muster a small smile, her limbs shaking slightly from laughter and jittery nerves alike. "I-I just want to be a good friend! 'Good friends' are nice and quiet," she replied, the sincerity in her voice disarming the sisters, inviting another bout of closeness around the table.
"Good luck with that." Mirabella mumbled, with a smile. "I'm not easy to handle, you know."
"Maybe that's the beauty of it," Astrid said softly, raising her cup in a mock toast. "To complicated friendships, to tea, and to all the unexpected bonds that weave our lives together."
Valerie seemed eager to seize the moment, she was curious about something. The youngest princess leaned forward with her eyes sparkling, "Mira!" she declared enthusiastically, clasping her hands together. "Tell us about your time in Verdantis you always mention! You're always saying how strong you were. What have you been doing there?"
Mirabella scoffed, feigning indifference as she rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of pride bubbling beneath her bravado. She liked seeing her young sister act like the child she was. Too much time in the castle forced her to be too dignified for a girl her age. "It's not like it matters, Val," she replied, crossing her arms, the corners of her lips twitching upward in reluctant compliance. "I've just had some experiences that… shaped me."
Juliana's interest piqued, and she softly nudged, "I-I want to know too, Mirabella! You sound so fascinating." Her eyes flickered with intrigue, drawing Mirabella further into the light.
Astrid, sensing a moment ripe for encouragement, added, "Remember yesterday where you recounted that time you fought that cult of dragon worshippers? That right there was something strong-willed and brave!" As she spoke, her tone was thick with admiration, encouraging an uncharacteristic blush to creep across Mirabella's cheeks.
"Astrid!" Mirabella exclaimed, voice a fluttering mixture of embarrassment and pride. "I-it's not a big deal."
But Valerie was undeterred, "No, tell us! I want to hear everything!" Her enthusiasm was infectious, and the attention pouring onto Mirabella began to melt her usual façade of brashness.
"Alright, alright," she relented, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her initial resistance crumbling under the weight of their curiosity. "Fine. They were just a bunch of crazies. Hunting innocent people to fuel some ritual to revive a dragon."
Juliana leaned in closer, her eyes tinged with curiosity as she listened intently. "What did you do?" she asked, her voice a soft whisper, as if sharing a secret under the illuminated glow of the cafeteria's flickering candlelight.
Mirabella glanced around as if discerning the impact of her confession, and then recounted how she squared her shoulders and marched over to the group, lips pursed with indignation. "Of course I beat a lot of them up. Though after them there was an attack on a city where me and the rest of my group stayed. There was a strong guy there." She pursed her lips at the thought. "He beat like it was nothing, honestly it would've probably been the end of me." She smiled as if remembering something pleasant. "But this big idiot saved me."
In the brief pause that followed, Astrid could see the transformation that was taking place. Juliana's wide eyes reflected surprise, and even Valerie was spellbound, hanging onto every word. "That's so insane, Mira! I didn't know the curriculum was that dangerous," Valerie exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Honestly I was pretty terrified in that moment. Honestly it pissed me off," Mirabella admitted, a hint of vulnerability surfacing, her gaze turning soft and contemplative.
"It's okay to be vulnerable, too," Astrid chimed in, her voice steady. "You're allowed to feel a lot of things, Mira. None of us are just one thing. We're all layers."
Juliana smiled shyly, her voice more confident now. "Yes, I think we all have those moments where we can be both strong and afraid. But, um, it takes a lot to really be strong," she confessed, admiring the courage it took for Mirabella to admit her complexities. Something she herself was struggling with, all she could discern as to most was the 'demon spawn'.
"You know what, Juliana?" Valerie interjected, her expression thoughtful. "I think that's exactly what makes strong friendships too! We're all layers, right? It's pretty special."
A serene silence draped over them, punctuated only by the soft clink of porcelain against wood and the melodic whispers of the other consumers outside.
Astrid, feeling a sudden wave of fondness wash over her, took a sip and looked at her sisters with some pride. Valerie could be herself and that was nice while Mirabella had grown in character, then looked at Juliana. "I'm so proud of you both—each of you has something unique to contribute. Why don't we make a pact to always stand up for each other. I know how difficult it must be for you, Juliana. But we will not ever judge you." The aforementioned girl's eyes widened at the words before her lips curled up into a small smile.
"A pact, yes!" Valerie cheered, visibly excited at the thought of their bond solidifying into an adventurous alliance.
"It could be our 'sister code'," Juliana suggested, her voice imbued with strange newfound confidence. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she held her head higher, emboldened by the moment.
"Absolutely! Sister code it is," Astrid affirmed, her smile swelling with warmth as they clasped hands together—this was more than nice, a rare but genuine moment she could not help but enjoy.
("Maybe...maybe it is fine for me to be happy too.") She thought, yes just because she had this curse did not mean she needed to be miserable. There were people all around her now, William and Ruby did not mind her presence neither did the three sisters.
"Oh?" She perked up as Astrid uttered a sound, the three girls followed the older girl's gaze. They took note of someone familiar, that lush and long white hair coupled with those red eyes, it was Lucinda walking about in the city. She was dressed in her costumed armor now, simplistic in design but it served its purpose. Though someone ominous looking was walking alongside her, pitch-black armor adorned with red and a helmet covering their face. "Ah, Lucinda and I wonder who that is."
"Maybe a date of hers?" Valerie innocently proposed.
"She didn't seem like the type to date anyone." Mirabella shrugged.
"It matters not, how about we invite her and her friend over?" Astrid suggested though she did not wait for their confirmation. "Hey Lucinda!" She yelled from her seat.
The aforementioned girl perked up and glanced in their direction, she spoke some words they could not discern before she and her odd companion took strides towards them. It took them little time to reach the four.
"Princess Astrid, Mirabella, and Valerie," Lucinda greeted with a slight bow before turning to Juliana. "And I fear we have yet to meet, Lucinda a pleasure."
"O-oh, the pleasure is mine miss Lucinda. I am Juliana." She greeted back, she was yet to get used to how neutral people were being to her.
"I say it's quite the coincidence seeing you here, but a good one." Astrid smiled, she snapped her fingers and two extra chairs came into existence around the table. "Please join us. It would be good to form closer bonds seeing as we will battle aside one another in the upcoming festival."
"Ah, thank you, princess, if you do not mind."
"Not a problem, and just call me Astrid. We are comrades after all." The crown princess stated with her usual infectious smile.
"Who's your weird friend?" Mirabella made her curiosity known as the two took seats.
"Yeah, such ominous armor. Are you trying to scare people?" Valerie asked with a raised brow.
Juliana herself was, of course, curious. Wearing that much armor along with a helmet obscuring their entire face could not have been comfortable. But she felt their gaze on her for a moment, she could not discern the intent. Was it hate, anger, or fear?
--------------------
Each person's individual mana was unique, for those who were not spawns of any God or Goddess this was true. They varied from color to color or even as simple as the range of density. Spawns, however, had the exact same mana signature and the only thing being different being quantity. Mikoto's eyes narrowed beneath his helm as he stared at Juliana while taking a seat across from her. A dark purple mana shrouded her with a dark outline, besides the quantity it looked exactly the same as that Chaosmaw's, Aegraxes was his name.
She must have felt his gaze as she shrunk under it.
"You idiot, can't you see you're not seeing you're making her uncomfortable?" Mirabella uttered out annoyed.
"Why so rude, best buddy?" Mirabella furrowed her brows in confusion while an utterly perplexed look found its way onto her face.
The gears went to turning inside her voice, it must have taken a while to find out why his voice was so familiar due to how much the helmet was muffling his voice. "Mikoto!?" She blurted out.
"Yep, I had the very same reaction." Lucinda sheepishly admitted.
"Where the hell were you these past few days!?" The second princess questioned.
"Why you missed me or something?" Mikoto shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. "I already told you Mirabella that we're not meant to be." He continued in a dramatic voice.
"Ah, so you did fancy him." Astrid muttered with a cheshire-like grin.
"He's speaking bullshit!" Mirabella flushed with embarrassment as her older sister chuckled, Valerie seemed to remember something.
"Mikoto....I know that name, you're that weirdo with that weird mask!" She exclaimed, were it not for his helmet she would have received a dry stare.
("Mikoto, he's the one who came to our aid that time. Ruby and William's friend.") Juliana noted. He was all the talk, a strong young sorcerer who fought and matched the crown prince of Vel'ryr. Who destroyed and restored an entire forest. It was scary to think someone her age held such power, but she wondered why she held his stare for a moment.
"No but seriously you've been gone for five days. What were you even doing?" Mirabella questioned once more.
"I must say I myself am curious. Father was insistent on meeting you concerning the upcoming festival." Astrid mused.
"I had to get a sword. Then I fought against this chick for five days."
That was new to Lucinda, she tilted her head. "You fought someone for five days straight?" She questioned incredulously.
"Yep, it's a struggle staying awake. I could use some coffee." He confirmed, Astrid obliged by gesturing for a nearby waiter and asking for a cup of coffee.
"Five days straight?" Valerie blurted out. "I would not even be able to stay up for a single day." She cutely admitted.
"You wouldn't even be able to stay up past bedtime, Val." Astrid corrected with a chuckle.
"That's not true!" The smallest sister retorted, Mirabella, meanwhile, was still utterly confused.
"Someone matched and fought you for that long?" Mikoto was strong, she knew that much. So the knowledge that someone fought him for that long was a bit shocking. Added to the fact that the battle apparently went on for five days and shocking gets upgraded to absurd.
"That's right, she was pretty strong." He confirmed as the waiter came back with his coffee, he hummed in satisfaction as he took the cup. Suddenly he could feel the piercing gazes of all present at the table, even Juliana seemed invested. "Uh what?"
"You finally showing your face?" Mirabella seemed strangely intrigued, too intrigued in fact.
"I must say I am also rather curious as to what you look like, not many would obscure their face for everyday." Astrid hummed out with interest.
"Yeah your face was covered by that odd mask the first time we met," Valerie voiced. "Do you honestly detest your appearance?"
"Hmm, I used to, I suppose," Mikoto raised his free hand and only slightly lifted his helmet, exposing only his lips. Normally, his hair would have also been exposed, but a simple levitation spell lifted the strands of hair higher in his helmet. He took satisfaction in seeing their disappointed expressions. Lucinda looked at his exposed lower face. Young as he was, she was expecting someone with a more rugged-looking lower face. But his fair and unblemished skin was counter to that, not to mention his surprisingly rosy lips.
("They look... kissable.") A surprising thought from Mirabella, though she quickly cut off such thoughts by rapidly shaking her head.
"Aww, I was hoping to see your face," Astrid whined. "You should not be shy around us, Mikoto. We may yet be strangers, but we will be comrades soon, you know?"
Mikoto shrugged, lowering his helmet once more. "Not shy, just don't like exposing my totally handsome face."
"Whoa! Look at that!" Valerie suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the sky in the far distance. They all looked to see what caught her attention. Two golden streaks of light sailed upwards like comets. To others, that was the extent of what it was. ("Telluris? And someone else, both are keeping their mana hidden, so no wonder everyone here isn't way more shocked.") The other party had quite an abundance of mana, less than him, more than Lucinda, and equal to Galadriel's court mage. ("Still, my instincts are going haywire, same as with Telluris. What the hell is happening?")