LU 121 - Mira 7

I was just at home, agonizing over the events of the day prior. I had a half-empty coffee mug in my hand, but then set it down on the table I was stood by as I remembered the tower I had seen... I needed to go check if it was still there. The original place was taken down, so why would that tower still be up at this point-? Surely it would also be taken down. Nol never went out of it's way to sell things to other civilizations or anything before, so why would they keep it up to this day? Yeah it'd definitely be taken down...

Spoiler alert; it wasn't taken down.

I went to Spawn, things having looked as though it was all the same when I last saw it. And the tower was still up. I was dreading the reason as to why they would keep making themselves more known here... *Did they know?* Surely not, right? Nobody running this place would know that I was frequenting this town- I was sure I had made my presence as unknown as possible to people! Unless I had slipped up somewhere, there was no reason for them to keep making themselves more prominent here. Surely it was just to fill the shopkeeper's own ego. Definitely making up for something.

I just stood there, inspecting the tower from the front. Wondering why they had been trying to spread their influence here. That was until I heard something behind me- A grunt from a familiar voice, and the sight of a familiar person. I spun around, my hand reaching to the blade equipped to my side just to be prepared of the potential threat that had bestowed itself upon me, however remaining displeased as I had noticed who the person was that had interrupted my thoughts.

*Tori.*

Wish that he would fuck off already. This guy didn't know when to leave me be. It still haunted me that I had taken one of his lives, albeit the fact I felt less guilty about it as each day passed by, but his mere presence set my mood to a new low every time. This Soul Condor never learned his lesson, even when I had attempted to make it clear to him before.

I questioned him about why he was in my presence, receiving lies about how he had just been chilling on the roof of the shop he had fell from, and how the smoke had blown into his eyes. Though his stupid little masks were enough to have kept his sight fine enough to chill for a little while longer, surely. Thinking of that, it had become increasingly obvious that he was watching me. *Again.* Like every other time. Always me, or somebody that I knew.

Having thought of other people that I knew, it lead to me having queried about why he had 'confessed' to Chizzy the last time that I had seen him. He then claimed that he was lying about his feelings towards the druid, which was no surprise to me, but the fact he lied about it when it was so clear and obvious at the time was just ridiculous. Chizzy, nor Sytamni, needed to deal with him. They had already been dealing with other things, like the whole tree ordeal, and they didn't need more problems piling up on their plates. So I decided that I would deal with this one in their place.

However, before I could say anything more, he had stated that he had a mate- In which I had presumed to be dead, as he had told me multiple times before this. I turned out to be correct, but something he said threw me off... The fact that his mate 'wouldn't be dead for much longer'. I of course had mockingly asked if he thought he could somehow revive them, in which he claimed to have connections in 'high and low places'... 'Beings with power'.

t was unsettling. The whole 'beings with power' was giving me an off feeling. So I had asked him whether he was on about the trees, the ones that Space and I had asked him about before. He stated how he was disgusted by the trees, which I didn't particularly believe, but I shrugged it off for the time being. I kept pressing him about what these 'beings with power' could have been, only for him to snap back by saying:

*"That's for me to know and you to find out."*

I was getting irritated, my hand clenching the handle of my blade, until he spoke further -

*"Unless you'd like to help me."*

I felt sickened. Disgusted. Frustrated.

Why would he ask if *I,* the one that had *killed him,* would want to help him? Especially after what *he* had done?! He had manipulated me, kidnapped me *twice*, kidnapped my *friend*, and even attempted to kill *me* the first time that I had met him! And I made that very, VERY clear to him, that I wouldn't help him because of what he did.

Tori seemed to have an argument for 'what he had done', saying that I had killed him, which was a fair point. I snapped back at him with things he had done. He didn't deny it, however arguing back:

*"As if you're any better than me."*

It was aggravating how he thought he was in the right about this whole situation. He was a manipulator, a kidnapper, a *killer-* That's worse than I am! And he claimed that I had as much blood on my hands as him. And I hated that he was comparing me to himself. Somebody as *sickening* and *rotten* as he was.

So I decided to ask something simple. Something about what I did that was worse than what he's done, that *wasn't* me killing him. He only stated that he didn't deny what he did. Which was of course a lie. He's denied it so many times, to my *face-* He even called me a coward! I was just getting sick and tired of this shit at this point. I've *been* sick and tired of this.

I just simply responded that I had never denied what I've done. Hell, I even told Chizzy what I did. Almost right after it happened. It wouldn't come as a surprise to her- However if someone else had found out, that... would be a different story. But I had faith that he wouldn't know who else to tell about it. He didn't know many of my other friends. I would be fine if he told anybody about the fact that I had killed him, as long as I explain myself to them if they ask. So I wasn't worried about that.

What I hadn't expected though, was him telling me to *turn myself in.* The audacity of this bitch- I clapped back that he should turn himself in first, given that his crimes outnumbered my own. He couldn't just expect me to turn myself in when he was *worse than I was.* To go along with that I had also assumed he had committed murder himself, given that he had stated that I 'had as much blood on my hands as him'. It would only make sense, after all.

What pissed me off even further though, was the fact he said that he 'had a reason', as if accusing me of killing him with no reasoning behind it. As if he didn't think he was in the wrong! *Again!* I released my hand from the handle of my blade, clenching my hand into a fist as I defended myself, stating I had a reason. Which was true! I was doing it as revenge!

However he stated that he 'knew' they would come back- And having said that with my lack of knowledge of 'chances' at the time, I wouldn't have known if he would come back or not. And, he was right. I wouldn't deny that. That's why I hoped that he *wouldn't* have come back. Clearly though, he did.

We continued arguing. I defended myself from his last statement, claiming that it would have been self-defense regardless. That his actions were worse than mine, and that I only killed him for revenge. Payback. An eye for an eye. Whatever you would want to call it. The Soul Condor claimed that it wasn't the same thing, because he knew I would come back if he had succeeded in killing me the first time. So I rebutted that if he knew I would come back, then he would have known I would've come back to kill him regardless.

Then he called me *petty.* He mocked me about the fact that I said it would've been payback. But would it not have made sense?! I did say *'an eye for an eye'* for a reason! But it clearly wasn't good enough for him. So I accused him of believing that he could escape the consequences of having killed someone. That he wouldn't be punished for having killed *me* if he had succeeded. He argued back claiming that there was nothing else he could possibly have to lose.

I had to *explain* to him that he would lose another life- That him dying would be the consequence if he had killed me. He seemed to misunderstand what I was saying though; he asked if I was going to kill him, *again.* I told him that I might as well! He was lucky I had even held back from ending him when I had seen him back at Chizzy's house, when I had explicitly warned him that if I saw him there again, I would *end him.*

He attempted egging me on, saying that he didn't want me to hold back. Claiming that 'every second he spent here was torture', so in turn I states that every second I heard his voice was torture itself. And I was telling the truth... The fact he had shown his face in front of me was a mistake. I made it abundantly clear to him that I hated his guts, every time that I had seen him. Though he wasn't as bad as Space or Vice; which I was seriously beginning to think otherwise.

His next statement however, caught me off guard. The words that came from his mouth, behind that stupid mask of his, that sent chills down my spine. Words that I had never wished to hear, from ***anybody**.*

*"Then kill me, Your Highness, in broad daylight."*

I was shocked, to say the least. At the fact he had been so bold as to say such a thing as if *allowing* me to kill him. But also using *that title*, and referring to *me* of all people. I was sickened. I felt *sick.* But also, a little.. scared? Is that what the feeling was? It certainly wasn't a feeling I was used to. That, was my internal reaction.

My physical reaction, however, was to slap that stupid bone-like mask off of his dumbass face. The mask he always wore, even beneath all his other masks, had clanged on the earth that was beneath us. It rattled, almost, before coming to a still on the pathway.

It was almost unnatural seeing him without it, before he had covered his face using his hands. Whether the fact that he covered his face was from the shock of the impact, from the mask having fallen to the ground, or from the fact his face was now bare to the world, I didn't know what was going through his head. And I almost regretted what I did, a miniscule fraction of sympathy on my face as I lowered my hand... Until I heard that horrifying laugh of his. One that caused me to shiver, with a feeling of dread washing over me like a tidal wave.

I regretted what I did fully now, though not from the fact I felt bad about it. No. It was from the fact that he didn't seem offput in the slightest from what I did, that caused me to experience the dread that I felt.

*"That's not very royal of you, princess."*

His words disgusted me, almost as much as his face did when I saw it for the brief moment that I did. I felt sick to my stomach, almost as if I was ready to spill the contents of what I had consumed earlier. Though I had to shrug the feeling off. I didn't want to show the fact I was upset, the fact I was ready to run away right then and there, the fact that I wanted to *strangle him-*

I took a step back from him, a low growl emitting from my throat in an attempt to remain threatening. To hide the amount of fear and dread I felt from the fact that I felt I'd made a mistake. To act as if I was strong, resistent to what he was saying. I told him - practically *commanded* him - to shut up. To keep his mouth shut. However, he kept laughing, uncovering his face as his laughter, that was practically hysterical and maniacal, seemed to almost echo around me... all around the pathway that we both stood in.

It was overwhelmingly unsettling. But I didn't want to back down- I didn't want to act as if he was getting under my skin, just by *laughing.* So I questioned how he even knew of my former title. There was only two people that knew of my former royal title; Illios and Chizzy. He only knew about Chizzy, though they definitely weren't close enough for her to have spilled the beans about it, right?

*Right?*

That's when he had reminded me of what I had told him before I had taken his life. About the little 'speech' I gave, when I had tried belittling him at that time. When I had attempted making him regret his actions, to make him reflect what he was doing. But now he was using that *against me.* After all this time, and he only just now remembers it, when I'm feeling the most unsettled- The most on edge.

My eyes widened, however, at the realization. I made a grave mistake. And that realization made the pit in my stomach only grow deeper. It almost felt like I was suffocating at this point. I wanted to get out of here. *Or to get rid of him-*

But I couldn't get violent, I couldn't risk lashing out more than I already did. He already tried getting me to kill him, and that was what he *wanted-* I couldn't give him that salvation of death.

I attempted berating him, calling him insufferable, hoping that my expression had displayed how disgusted I was at all of what he was saying and doing. It seemed to go against what I was aiming for as he had received it as though it was a *compliment;*

*"Thank you, princess."*

*"STOP calling me that-!"*

I yelled out at him. I wanted to stop hearing his voice, to get him to get the fuck away from me, but he wasn't taking the hint- Instead, he was persisting about using my former status against me, asking about what I was 'pulling here'...

"*Planning on ruling this place?"*

*"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up shut up SHUT UP- I'm not planning on doing any of that-!"*

I wanted to get rid of that voice of his. To get him to stop talking. Why was he doing this to me-?! Was this his own version of payback for killing him?? Why did he insist on making my life a living HELL.

*"Or maybe you're planning on keeping your identity a secret?"*

I froze when I heard those words. No, nonono. I couldn't let this happen. I only trusted two people with that information, I wouldn't know what to do if other people found out- They would probably assume the worst of me- He would twist my story around! He would paint me in a bad light!

I heard him audibly gasp when he saw my reaction;

*"Wouldn't that be a shame..."*

*"-Keep your mouth SHUT-"*

I attempted to silence him, having tried cutting off his sentence halfway, a hand reaching to the handle of my blade once more as I briefly glared into his eyes, instantaneously shifting my gaze so we weren't making eye contact any further than that brief moment.

However I had found that my attempts to silence him had fallen on deaf ears;

*"... if your friends found out who you really were."*

He then accused me of thinking little of them- Why would he think that?! I tried to protect my damn friends from him in the first place, why would I think little of the people I considered close?!

*"I swear, if you tell them-"*

Ender eyes met his once more, and I had to force myself to look away again. I couldn't lash out. He would *want* that- I couldn't give him what he wanted. Though at this point, I was having an inner debate about whether I should lash out or not...

"*What? What will you do to me?"*

His words reached me, as if he was attempting to egg me on further. As if he was trying to dig into my skin more than he had already. As if it were a challen--

*"WHAT MORE CAN YOU TAKE FROM ME?"*

As if on impulse, I reached to grab the collar of his shirt, lifting him up so he was barely standing- And I had to fight myself to not stare right into his eyes. To keep violet from meeting teal once more. I wouldn't be able to hold myself back if that happened again.

*"Do you want to see what I could do?"*

My voice was almost guttural, growl-like as I spoke. Attempting to sound as threatening, as *hostile* as possible. As if I could be dangerous...

*"How much I could truly make you suffer if I wanted to?"*

I wanted to see fear in his eyes. I wanted to feel him tremble, and beg for mercy. I wanted him to plead for me to let him go, to ask for forgiveness for what he had done to get us both to this point. But I didn't receive that...

*"What? Like you did with your subjects?"*

My grip on his shirt loosened, almost from shock. At first, I had assumed he had found out about what I've been doing at my house- Until I realized he was still on about my previous status. There was no way he'd know about *those,* after all.

*"Is that why you left?"*

He kept pushing- My patience was growing thin with this guy. I wanted to just throw him into the ground right now and *break every bone in his body-* But I had to restrain myself. I also had to clear up the accusation before he attempted to make a mess out of it after this, and I stated that I ran before I had even received the crown, though my words were almost cut short by his wings flapping in my face, enough for me to let go of him so he could perch back atop the roof opposite of the tower I had previously been staring at.

*"You ran? What're you running from, princess?"*

I felt the pit return to my stomach. I kept spilling information that this guy didn't deserve to know. I kept digging myself a deeper grave. Along with all of that, he could use it *against me*. So I decided to attempt discouraging that before he tried, simultaneously telling him to stop with that *forsaken title-*

*"It's funny, because I knew you were stuck up."*

I immediately denied his words. He was *still* trying to rile me up-! Even after I threatened to make hin suffer. This guy really had a death wish.

*"I knew there was something off about you."*

I narrowed my eyes at him. He kept trying to get under my skin, but I couldn't allow that- I couldn't keep feeding him information that he could use against me. But was it that obvious that I was *different* than most other people, just because of my lineage? Just because of the family I was born into?

*"But, realizing you're a princess... You have royal blood running through your veins, and you gave it up..."*

I was getting sick of what he was saying, and I needed to get him to shut up somehow- To stop *pestering* me like the little shit that he was. So I teleported onto the ledge of the second floor of the tower, glaring straight down at him as I had prepared to take out my blade... To leap down at him and silence him somehow--

*"You ran away from it all... Why?"*

I flinched at his question, raising my hands to my head to cover my ears as if to block out his voice. And I yelled at him, once again, to try and shut him up-

*"I don't need to hear this shit from you!"*

To no avail, as he kept speaking. Prying into my life;

*"Issues with the king and queen? Mommy and daddy?* *What made the princess give up her throne?"*

I felt myself flinch at what he was saying, and I silently cursed at myself, before unsheathing my blade, feeling myself getting further enraged just hearing his voice.

*"FUCK OFF ALREADY!"*

The sight that befell me though was one that I wished I could unsee. I wish he hadn't reacted the way that he did to what I said. He smiled. And I immediately knew I fucked up;

*"So it was your parents? Thanks for letting me know."*

My blood had almost run cold when those words left his mouth. The grasp on my sword went slack briefly, and I just had an empty gaze as I lowered my head to stare aimlessly just below the roof that he stood on. I didn't know what to say, how I could make this situation better for myself. Or how I could *get myself out of this mess that I had made.* I had given Tori the information he needed to screw my life over. It felt that way, at the very least; who knows how other people would react, if they knew this about me. I felt *pathetic.*

I simply lowered my head, claiming that he wouldn't understand...

*"I promise your secret is in good wings."*

He spoke with such a malicious tone in his voice, and I felt like he had just stabbed me where it had hurt most. I felt like I should have just given up trying to fight back right then and there.

*"Sure it is..."*

I heard him laugh, paired with footsteps as if he had been preparing to take off from the roof. I stood there, slumped over for a mere moment before I realized I still had another weapon on me, so I sheathed my sword back in place. I didn't have the adrenaline in me anymore to use a melee weapon, though that never stopped me from *shooting him out of the air-*

*"Goodbye, your highness."*

I heard the flap of his wings as I reached for the recurve bow from the holster on my back, quickly loading an arrow into it as I aimed it at him as he was taking off, narrowly missing his wing as he started to fly out of sight.

*"Don't you dare run-!"*

I had teleported to the floor, attempting to chase him as I felt a new rush of adrenaline to shoot this guy out of the air. *To make him rocket to the ground and watch him writhe in agony-* I aimed my bow at him once more, before he had soared above another building... And out of sight.

I cursed to myself as I lowered my bow, putting it back into my holster and returning the arrow I had into the quiver. I failed myself in trying to kill him when I had the chance.

*"I swear, on any higher being in the world... If I ever see that low-life ever again... There will be no more life left in him."*

But I *won't* fail the next chance I get.

*"I swear to the void."*