The Viceroy chuckled softly as he wrapped an arm around Mavislin's waist, turning her to face him and pulling her close against his chest.
Despite the chill in Urnsfield's air, Zenos seemed perfectly content with nothing but a pair of black breeches, leaving his chest bare and radiating warmth against her.
"Are you not cold?" squeaked Mavislin.
"No."
The dragoness pouted as the blonde returned to his slumber, leaving her to another quiet, uneventful night.
Morning, however, arrived swiftly, and Mavislin was soon greeted by her scouts with fresh intel. She slipped smoothly from the Viceroy's grasp, careful not to disturb him, and prepared for the day while her girls reported their findings.
Their intelligence largely confirmed Venom's reports—a predictable outcome. Yet, something unsettling caught her eye. What was this "Paradise" everyone seemed to speak of?
At first, she had assumed it was merely a fleeting hallucination that victims experienced before death, an illusory haven.
But according to Taurus, it sounded more like an actual location than a mere mirage. Then again, who's to say an illusion cannot feel as tangible as stone walls? Under the right influence, one could easily mistake a damp cellar for Avalon itself.
Even so, if this "Paradise" was indeed luring victims, why had no one managed to breach it? Could it be the sheer difficulty of the task? Or perhaps Spring Song's power was at play?
Gemini suggested that her domain might be a projection of her own essence, a place where she preyed on the minds and sanity of those ensnared.
A gentle knock on the door broke Mavislin's concentration. She glanced over at Zenos, letting out a quiet breath of relief to see him still resting peacefully. Walking over to answer the door, the dragoness was slightly surprised to see her bunny.
"Matt? What are you doing here so early?" quizzed the girl, tilting her head to the side.
"Thought I could speak to you for a bit. About the upcoming battle. Well, I'm just concerned about the Guardian within me. I lost control before and I hate to do so again..." whispered Matt, looking away from his superior's eyes.
"We need to do something about that but so far, if you're to use just a bit of his power, do you still feel yourself losing control?" asked Mavislin.
"No. I can manage a few spells but if it's against an enemy that calls for a prolonged battle, I might succumb to the Mad King's... Madness..."
"I see. Perhaps you can head to the training range over here to have some friendly spars with Venom's disciples. I'm heading out for a mission later so I can't be around. Stop when you feel the Mad King taking over, alright? I trust that you can gauge that..."
"Of course. As for our enemy?"
"I can't relay that information yet but it's been confirmed that we are heading to Titania's Megdoha, where the reports' epicenter is at. Steel yourself, as this enemy will be the strongest foe we've faced," warned the dragoness.
The rabbit nodded before heading to the canteen for breakfast, while Mavislin softly closed the door. However, when she turned, her soul nearly left her body to join the cul de sac in the clouds as her face smashed into the Viceroy's chest.
With a hard shove, the poor girl screeched and pushed the chuckling blonde away, but not strong enough to dent another wall.
"Why the hell would you do that?! If you wanted a hug, you could've just asked! You don't have to attempt to divorce my soul from my body!" complained Mavislin, shaking her head in dismay.
"How entertaining it is that you would so willingly turn your back on an adversary. Had I wished, I could have simply feigned my slumber, waiting for the opportune moment."
"And I highly doubt you'd actually spring an attack on me... Anyway, I'm heading off to speak to Venom again before going out. Would you like to grab breakfast before we go?" quizzed the dragoness.
"Naturally. Just grant me a few moments to prepare-"
"What's wrong?"
"Did you truly mean it when you claimed I might be granted an embrace, should I simply request it?"
"Go and wash up, we haven't got all day," spat the blushing girl, turning her back on the blonde.
The pair snagged some ham sandwiches from the canteen and made their way up to Venom's office. Inside, the dragon-man was lounging with an apple in hand, half-heartedly perusing reports, his expression suggesting he'd rather be anywhere else.
His eyes brightened at the sight of the dragoness, only to darken slightly when he noticed the Viceroy trailing behind her. Setting the papers aside, Emmett leaned back, propping his chin on his hand as he looked at them both with mild interest.