Suddenly, a hand tapped my right shoulder. The sensation caused the cold, blank void to crumble instantly, and reality rushed back in a dizzying surge. Louis was standing beside me, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Your Highness?"
I blinked, my breath coming in shallow gasps. "Ah... it is you, Louis."
"Are you quite alright?"
"I'm fine... but what of the table?" I asked, looking down.
"What table, Your Highness?"
I frowned, gesturing to the floor. "The table I bumped into. The glass that shattered."
Louis looked around the clear, unobstructed floor of the tavern. "I fear there is no such thing. Look about you, my lady."
I looked. The tavern was exactly as it had been—noisy, crowded, and entirely indifferent to my presence. There was no broken glass, no overturned table, and no hooded figure with red eyes. Was it an illusion? A mere trick of the mind?
"Heh... perhaps it was my imagination," I murmured, though my heart was still racing.
"Why have you come down here, Your Highness?"
"I heard the noise and woke up. I suppose I was curious."
"Well, it is a tavern," Louis noted. "It is bound to be a trifle rowdy when it is packed with people. It must be difficult for you to sleep through the din."
"Are you here alone?"
"Hardly," Louis said, gesturing to a corner table. "Everyone is here, save for young Cailean. He is still a boy, after all, and already fast asleep. I believe he is a year your junior."
"His appearance is that of a boy, but his mind is quite the opposite," I noted. "He is remarkably capable."
"Indeed, the lad is special. Would Your Highness care to join us?"
I accepted the invitation and followed Louis to the corner. The team looked up as we approached, their faces etched with surprise. Aldea was the first to speak.
"Your Highness... what brings you down here?"
"I found her wandering and invited her to join the festivities," Louis answered for me.
I took a seat between Louis and Zoe, facing Aldea. Darryl and Elpis sat nearby, their expressions relaxing as I settled in. Zoe leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It seems Your Highness's 'beauty sleep' was interrupted."
"You are not wrong, Zoe."
"It is a tavern, after all," Aldea interjected, her tone turning uncharacteristically sarcastic. "It isn't as if you are a mere assassin who can sleep anywhere, at any time. A Royal requires calm and quiet, naturally."
Zoe bristled, her fingers drumming against the table. "Yes, I am a former assassin. It is a far better lot than yours..."
They began to trade barbs, their voices rising in a familiar, sharp rhythm. I leaned toward Louis's ear and whispered, "Is this truly alright?"
Louis merely smiled, watching the two of them. It seemed the group found their bickering entertaining—a strange form of evening music. At one point, however, a specific word caught my attention.
"At least I deal in reality!" Zoe snapped. "I don't waste my time with imaginary monsters like some 'adventurers' I know."
"Imaginary?" Aldea countered, her voice rising. "Did you not see the beast Her Highness brought from the woods? If that beast is real, then the tales I have told are the absolute truth!"
I whispered to Louis again, "What tale is this?"
Aldea's sharp ears caught the whisper. She leaned across the table, her face inches from mine. "Your Highness has never heard it? Shall I tell it to you now?"
Zoe groaned, rolling her eyes. "Here we go again. The Great Saga of Aldea, the Kingdom's most illustrious adventurer."
"Quiet, you!" Aldea snapped. She turned her focus back to me. "During my first contract in the Southern Kingdom, I encountered a white mythical beast. I have never seen anything like it. It was as large as a horse, but far more muscular, with four powerful legs..."
"Everyone knows a horse has four legs, Aldea," Zoe interrupted drily. "No need to state the obvious."
Aldea huffed but continued. "This beast was far larger than any stallion. And when I observed it closely, I noticed the most incredible feature: it had a single horn protruding from its forehead."
My mind immediately jumped to the images of my former world. A unicorn?
"It had eyes of dark blue," Aldea said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And the horn was pure, shimmering white, save for the very tip, which was a vivid crimson. When I tried to approach, it sensed me and vanished into the trees. No one believes me because I was alone when I saw it."
In my previous world, I recalled that European explorers had often mistaken rhinoceroses for unicorns. They saw a horse-like creature with a horn and let their imagination do the rest. But this was a fantasy world. Here, the mythical was often real.
"I believe it was a real beast," I said firmly.
The table went silent. Zoe stared at me as if I had sprouted a second head. "Your Highness... forgive me, but is your head quite alright?"
"Zoe, mind your tongue!" Aldea chirped, looking triumphant. "Her Highness is a woman of intellect; she understands the truth when she hears it."
Louis looked at me curiously. "What leads you to believe her, my lady?"
"The presence of Geri should be proof enough," I said. "If a wolf of that magnitude exists, a horned horse is hardly a stretch of the imagination."
"But Your Highness," Zoe insisted, "a horse with a horn? It's absurd."
"It is a mythical creature, Zoe," I countered. "By definition, it exists beyond common sense. Tell me, Aldea—as an adventurer, what exactly is a mythical beast?"
"As you said, Your Highness," Aldea explained, "it is a creature that exists in the realm of folklore and myth. They are so rare that people like Zoe refuse to believe in them until they are bitten by one."
"And what of you, Zoe? What is your definition?"
Zoe leaned back, looking relaxed. "I don't know, for I have never seen one."
"It comes back to the observer, then," I noted. "Are there records of such things in the ancient scriptures?"
"There are," Elpis answered, "though they are often dismissed as legend rather than living proof. It is a matter of faith for the reader."
"Are there other types?" I asked. "Besides the mythical?"
"There are the Magical Beasts, Your Highness," Elpis said.
Aldea made a face. "Now that is the sort of beast I don't believe in."
"Ho? You believe in unicorns but not magical beasts?" I turned to Elpis. "Tell me of them."
"They are similar in appearance to the mythical ones," Elpis explained, "but a magical beast possesses true sapience and magic. According to the old books, a mythical beast is a wild creature of instinct; it can be tamed through fear or strength. But a magical beast must acknowledge its master. They seek out those of great wisdom or determination. They are far older than the mythical records—some accounts date back ten thousand years."
"Is there any proof of them today?"
"There are rumours," Elpis said, her voice dropping. "They say the neighbouring Empire possesses them."
"Propaganda!" Aldea snorted. "Nothing more than imperial bluster."
"What sort of propaganda?" I asked.
"The Empire claims they have a magical beast that protects their people," Aldea said. "They swear to unleash it if disaster ever strikes. Their citizens swallow the lie, but those of us outside the border know better."
"Has it ever been seen in public?"
"Never."
"And what of this Empire?" I asked.
Louis looked at me with a startled expression. "Your Highness... you don't know of the Empire?"
"I... perhaps I have forgotten," I said, covering my tracks.
Louis took a breath to explain. "The Holy Imperium consists of four kingdoms that have submitted to a single ruler. The ruler herself owns no land save for the Imperial Capital. It is called the Holy Empire because the ruler is known as the Holy Mother. She is so sacred that she never appears in public—even the four kings have never seen her face; they only hear her voice. The rumours of the magical beast are centred on her. She has ten subordinates, known as her 'Fingers.' Two remain in the capital, while two are stationed in each of the four kingdoms to maintain her presence. It is whispered that each subordinate is escorted by a magical beast, though they are never shown."
"So, that is why Aldea calls it propaganda," I mused.
"Precisely!" Aldea beamed. "I knew Your Highness would see through it."
"She is smart enough to see through it," Zoe giggled, "though it is a shame the Imperial subordinates aren't as clever."
"What was that?" Aldea snapped, and they were off again.
I needed to speak with Geri. I whispered to Louis, "Where is she?"
"In the backyard stables with the horses."
"I shall be back shortly," I told the group. I rose from the table and made my way towards the rear of the inn.
As I approached the stables, I saw Geri lying in the straw. She didn't look up, but I knew she sensed me. As I reached her side, she spoke—not with telepathy, but with her actual voice.
"Your aura seems different than before."
I sat against her warm, fluffy belly and looked up at the stars. "You don't need to speak with your voice, Geri. Telepathy is safer."
"As you wish."
"What do you mean, my aura is different?"
"I feel as though you have been approached by something... something that has left its mark on your spirit."
I thought of the red-eyed man. "In the tavern, I encountered a man. I couldn't see his face, but his eyes were a vivid, burning red. I was terrified—not of his size, but of his gaze. It felt as though he intended to kill me where I stood. Then he simply passed me, and I was trapped in a void until Louis found me. What was that, Geri?"
"It is quite a mystery," Geri replied.
"Geri, tell me the truth."
"I believe you met one like yourself," she said solemnly. "A Messenger. And the phenomenon you experienced was his ability—or rather, the ability of his spirit."
I sat up, staring into her yellow eyes. "A spirit ability? If he can do that, when shall I learn to do the same from you?"
"When I deem it appropriate," she said, dodging the question.
"It was incredible," I whispered. "To trap someone in an illusion like that..."
"It was likely a spirit of the Demon Kin," Geri explained. "There are four main Spirit Kins. I am of the Beast Kin, which handles the magic of destruction—purely offensive power. The Demon Kin specializes in illusion; they can manipulate an enemy's mind or render their master invisible. Then there is the Wood Kin, such as Dryads and Elves..."
"Elves?" I interrupted. "They are real?"
"They are," Geri said. "The Wood Kin handles Alteration—the bending of the physical laws of the world and the detection of life. Finally, there is the Human Kin, which handles Restoration. These are the spirits of deceased humans—former heroes or mages—who provide healing, shields, and regeneration. Those are the four."
"I see. And what of the talk in the tavern? The difference between mythical and magical beasts?"
"Those are human terms," Geri sighed. "A 'mythical beast' is simply a wild creature of unusual size or prowess. It has only instinct. A 'magical beast' is what humans call a spirit. They cannot comprehend our nature, so they call us magical because we can speak and use magic. To a messenger like you, I am a spirit. To a commoner, I am a magical beast."
"And the other kins? Why are they not called magical beasts?"
"Because they do not look like beasts. The Human Kin looks like a person. The Wood Kin—like Elves—can easily hide their ears and pass for human. And the Demon Kin moves in the shadows. Humans only recognize the Beast Kin as something 'magical.'"
"Wait... you have the ability to shrink yourself, do you not?"
"I do."
"Then why not shrink to the size of a puppy or a common wolf? Then no one would accuse you of being anything 'mythical.'"
Geri suddenly sat up, a low growl rumbling in her chest. "BECAUSE I HAVE MY PRIDE!"
"Your pride?"
"I told you I was the Greediest One!" she barked, her eyes flashing. "I will not become a common cur or a lapdog for human amusement! I would sooner die than endure those weak eyes looking down upon me as a weakling. I chose to keep my stature!"
"You are a stubborn creature," I sighed. "Does all your kin share this arrogance?"
"We are the strongest," Geri said, tilting her head arrogantly. "We have earned our pride."
"Well, sometimes pride can lead to ruin."
"Keep your lectures. I shall keep my pride."
I told her then about the Holy Imperium and the rumours of the magical beasts. Geri snorted. "They boast of having magical beasts? What an arrogant move!"
"Look who's talking," I muttered.
"Quiet, you."
"So, what do you think of the rumour?"
"For now, I have nothing to tell you."
"What does that mean?"
"It is merely a rumour. If it is true, it is better for you to learn the truth by encountering another spirit, rather than hearing it from me."
No matter how I pressed her, she ignored me. Finally, I gave up and walked back to the inn. I made my way to my room and collapsed onto the bed, the weight of the Empire and the red-eyed man heavy on my mind.