This story is part of the Wanderer series.
Looking out over the cliff at the night time landscape, Princess Miyako stared over the horizon at the mountains. She heard someone approaching behind her, and noticed an odd presence.
She glared over her shoulder as the soldier dropped to one knee and clasped his hands together.
“Your highness! Our troops are ready to set out!”
The princess did not respond.
The soldier looked up. “The men are awaiting your lead to victory!”
“How bold of you to approach me this way.”
His look changed to confusion. “Your highness…?”
She finally turned around to face the soldier, her armored figure silhouetted by the bright moon behind her. A pair of gleaming purple eyes shone through the shadows. “So this is the power of this nation’s priestess.”
The two of them stared at each other in silence. Then, slowly, the soldier’s face morphed into a wicked smile.
“How keen of you to notice,” the soldier cackled.
Miyako narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t used to hearing her trusted messenger talk this way. “Speaking to me through another body?”
The soldier unclasped his hands, but stayed low, dropping one hand to a knee. “Although I suppose it is a foreseeable result, given we both govern the same realm of magic.”
“It would seem…” thought the princess. “Their understanding of magic is sophisticated enough. Nevertheless…”
“Then, what will you do now?”
She narrowed her eyes again. With the soldier this close, she could easily detect which direction the puppeteer’s strings were coming from. “Not only did you reveal your abilities, but you revealed your true location. Is the priestess of the southern strait truly this shortsighted?”
“Oh?” The soldier raised his head even more. “I expect just as much from you. Although…”
Miyako did not wait. Widening her eyes, they suddenly glowed bright purple, three black arms swirling out from each pupil. Then, just as quickly, she disappeared, leaving the soldier all alone.
Though the soldier’ mouth stopped moving, he did not flinch at her sudden disappearance. He stayed frozen, still wearing that wicked smile, until, after some time, he went completely limp and sunk to the ground, unconscious.
She could see it. Far into the horizon, past the forest and behind one of the mountains, there was a glowing red dome. It was a seal, and the priestess’ power emanated from the center in a thin column, narrow and precise like a string, making detection unlikely. She could not teleport through the seal, but she could pierce it.
Appearing just outside the perimeter, wound up with her arms behind her, Miyako formed her deathly long sword and swung at the seal with one swift blow.
However, it did not strike the seal. Her eyes widened, as if realizing an invisible threat, and it took all her might to stop her sword short. Dropping to a crouch, she hopped backwards, distancing herself from the seal. Resonating her energy, the princess began to glow as bright as her eyes.
“As I was saying…” A feminine, almost childish voice came from within the dome. It echoed through the clearing. “I wouldn’t approach if I were you.”
Princess Miyako remained tense for a moment, poised to leap back even further.
“But alas, since you’re here, you might as well stay, and we can have a lovely little chat.”
She could feel her shield crackling from the strong aura around her. Then, she relaxed her shoulders and stood up straight.
“How keen of you,” the disembodied voice seemingly giggled. “To shield yourself this way. Had you made direct contact with my seal, I could have taken control of your body.”
The princess was likely powerful enough to resist such a spell, but she did not want to take the chance. With a menacing glare, she raised her sword to cross in front of her. “There are plenty of ways to crack a shell.”
“Oh, don’t be dull,” the voice drolled. “A fight is not why I am here.”
Miyako narrowed her eyes once more. “Then, what?”
“So impatient!” she shrilled. “Just like a child! Seeing you this close, you really do look like a child—”
“We are at war.”
“Call it off, then,” she chided. “If that is what it takes for us to talk; no hard feelings. I did not ask for this war, after all.”
“I will not be taken as a fool.”
“The Eastern Continent is not yours to conquer.”
Miyako tipped her sword to point upwards, changing her cross. “Is that all you have to say?”
“I have plenty more to talk about.”
Clearly, the princess was losing patience. “All you do is talk.”
“There are many powerful mages in the east. More powerful than I.”
“And do you consider yourself the gatekeeper?”
“Naturally. I govern this straight. The only land bridge to the east.”
In an instant, Miyako glowed brilliantly, releasing all the energy she resonated. With one step backwards, she raised her sword high above her head. The blade bursted with dark purple energy, lighting up the forest. Then, with a mighty swing and a fierce roar, she brought the sword down, its energy extending like a scythe and striking the seal. It shattered immediately as the blade of energy continued down to the ground, splitting the earth in an explosion of dust.
Peering through the dust with her piercing eyes, Miyako could see inside the seal now. Still, she did not spot the priestess. Only scattered flares of her energy, sprinkled around the crater Miyako created.
“Bah! I’m not done yet!”
The priestess’ hazy voice gradually reduced to a whisper as the remaining energy of the seal scattered into the night sky.
“Have some patience for once!”
Then, silence. Without the seal, the forest clearing became dark. Miyako was alone, shrouded by a cloud of dust. She scanned the clearing, her eyes and silhouette eventually dimming back to normal.
“Nothing. Just an empty shell.”