The Burning Flowers

Chapter XVI

Leiolai Sartella?! This is the changeling?!

Abigail Reiner had never personally encountered the elusive changeling of the Kosah-Rei, and as far as they knew, the only ones who had were Ryokumo the day he was attacked by Barron Kristoff, and Master Nyx Rana, who was nearly killed by her in Hiriech. Aside from those two incidents, which took place within days of each other, the woman had never reappeared, so the fact that she was approaching them there in the supposed safety of Noctalus was terrifying. Not only did it reveal that the cultists were in the Great City, but it went against everything they had believed based on Lord Eganno Cartigan’s reports.

If Uma Miyon and Rotana Vesh are in Stellareid, then what is Sartella doing here?! Could The Angel be mistaken? But no, there’s just no way! This thing has always had senses far greater than ours, and it’s been in Sartella’s presence before! There’s no doubt that this is the changeling…so what do we do?

“Stay calm and follow my lead…” The Angel whispered in their minds. “From what I understand, Sartella is not much of a warrior. Stealth was clearly her goal here, so the fact that I’ve exposed her has turned the odds in our favor. Wait for my signal…”

R-right… Abi replied, and noticing the determined expressions on the faces of Nigreos and Lunara, she knew that the Cansi creature had given them the same message.

“This is a bold move!” The Angel growled, narrowing its eyes as it glared across the twenty-foot distance between them. “You would have been outmatched even if I hadn’t been here, so I can’t help wondering what the hell you thought you were doing?”

Leiolai let out a soft laugh, and to Abi’s surprise, her body began to change, her features turning more youthful as she grew a few inches while her hair pulled up into her head to take on a more boyish cut, the strands turning from gray to brown. Her eyes also grew narrower, giving her an intimidating aura despite her relatively soft facial features. Abigail wasn’t sure what the point of transforming even was other than to turn her body into a younger and more healthy state, but The Angel’s next question caused Abi’s confusion to increase.

“And now you would do something so stupid as show us your real face?” it demanded. “I’ll admit, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Her real face?! This is what Sartella looks like?

Leiolai merely shrugged. “Does it really matter though? I can be anybody, or anything, so if I want to hide, I will. Yes, this is the face I was born with, but a changeling doesn’t truly have a face they can call their own. No matter though… Consider this an act of trust between us…for I merely wish to talk.”

Abi and Nigreos exchanged uncertain glances, but despite The Angel’s orders to let it handle her, Lunara took a threatening step forward and responded sharply. “And what would you want to talk about? What is there to discuss between us?”

“Luna!” Nigreos hissed, but his little sister ignored him, focusing her full attention on Leiolai.

Abi immediately felt the overwhelming urge to reach out and forcefully pull Luna back behind The Angel since she already had an unsettling idea of why Lunara was even humoring this dangerous woman to begin with.

“If changing her cells isn’t the answer, then changing her body is the only other option, and the only potential means of doing so is with biological magic… A changeling would be necessary, yes.”

That was what The Angel had said a mere two days ago when it gave Neah its checkup, and with how desperate Lunara Noctis was to save her little sister, there wasn’t a doubt in Abi’s mind that, despite all of the many red flags, she was seeing an opportunity in this abrupt appearance of the only woman in the Empire that had even a slight chance of helping them.

But you can’t let yourself be blinded, Lunara! Leiolai wants the Great Houses wiped out! Neah’s death would benefit her, as would yours!

Leiolai cocked a curious eyebrow at the young dark mage, a slight smile curling her upper lip. “Well, you all know what it is I want… Peace, prosperity, fairness for the people… I’m sure the three of you couldn’t give me this by yourselves, but perhaps you could be a stepping stone towards such a goal. So how likely is it that you would trade Noctalus for Neah?”

Abi exhaled sharply as Nigreos’s eyes went wide with horror. She couldn’t see Luna’s face, but her body tensed at Leiolai’s words.

H-how does she know about Neah? I mean, how public is her condition?! I know Nigreos has said it’s not a secret that she’s sickly, but why would Sartella think she and the Kosah-Rei could help her? It’s almost like…she knows we need her specifically…

This time, it was Nigreos who ignored The Angel’s warning and stepped up to stand beside his sister. “What the hell are you talking about, Changeling? Noctalus for Neah?”

“Yeah, Noctalus for Neah,” Leiolai repeated. “From my understanding, Neah Noctis’s current condition is not something modern nature magic has been able to heal, right? You need a changeling, somebody who can safely use biological magic on another person to alter Neah’s body and enable her to handle the dark magic ripping her from the inside. You need me, don’t you?”

Just like that, Abigail’s suspicions were confirmed. Somehow, Leiolai Sartella had learned something known only by the royal team, The Angel, and the Noctis sisters. Wanting to know how she could have found out, Abi nearly lost her own cool, but before anybody could put voice to that very question, Leiolai’s body began to transform once again. She rapidly became smaller, black feathers sprouting up across her body as her arms shrank into wings, her nose and mouth jutted out into a beak, and right before their eyes, she was replaced by a black crow hovering in the air where she had been standing. She was only a crow for two seconds before the transformation reversed itself, her body morphing into the same human form as before, though since her clothes had fallen off, she stood in the snow naked, a smug grin on her face. Leiolai laughed, uttering a spell and flicking her hands as small, thin vines sprouted up out of the ground, coiling around her body and wrapping together to form a dress that quickly covered her back up.

“You…can change species, too?” Nigreos breathed. “What even are you?”

“A very talented changeling,” she gloated. “And one who only needs to fly up to a window and listen through the glass to hear exactly what I need to.” Leiolai’s grin turned even more amused as she watched their reactions. “Good thing I happened to be passing by Neah’s bedroom when you four were analyzing her. Perfect timing, eh?”

We messed up… Altering one’s sex was complicated enough for a changeling, but everybody kept insisting that nobody could possibly have the control to alter their species. We lowered our guard! Now, even the birds could be spies for the Kosah-Rei. This woman might not be a fighter, but she’s ridiculously dangerous! We have to capture her now!

“I don’t understand…” The Angel muttered in her head. “If she were outside the window, I would have sensed her! Has she come up with a way to bypass me? And if so, why didn’t she use it moments ago?”

She might have wanted us to notice her this time, Abi answered. Clearly, she’s trying to barter…

The creature of Cansi let out an internal growl of anger. “Then you’re right, Abigail. Defeating her is crucial. I must know how she got around me! Nigreos, Lunara, do not entertain her offer! She cannot help you!”

“Do you see what I can bring to the table?” Leiolai inquired. “I am a changeling unlike any you could find in this Empire. If anybody can fix her, it’s me…so here are my terms: Assassinate the Masters of Darkness and Light, as well as the Ladies of the NightLight, and I will heal Neah. You have my word!”

“You’re a liar!” The Angel spat, cutting off any possible response from Nigreos or Lunara, as if fearing they might actually allow Leiolai to get in their heads. “You would never spare Neah Noctis, because your very goal is to eradicate the Great Houses of this Empire!”

“I have not declared such a thing!” Leiolai’s features turned sharp, a flicker of anger crossing over her as she faced down The Angel. “I do not wish to kill people if I can help it, but I am also not blind to the reality of this cruel and despicable world! You’ll recall that we fully intended to spare Mallicent Malloway because we knew he would not defend the current regime! We were not the ones who cut him down, were we?!”

“And what about Aeyir Malloway?!” The Angel shot back.

Leiolai scoffed. “A threat, one that needed to be neutralized! Listen!” Turning away from the creature, she addressed the Noctis siblings once more, clearly aware that they were the ones more likely to adhere to her words. “So long as I believe you would not oppose us, I see no reason to kill you! Nigreos Noctis… Lunara Noctis… Join the Kosah-Rei, and Neah need not die so young!”

The snow-covered area between the statue of Rulis Noctis and the trees went silent as Leiolai extended her hand towards them. Abi wanted to speak, to shut her down without question and declare her a liar the way The Angel did, but at the same time, she was desperate to hear Nigreos and Lunara do it first—to know that neither of them were even slightly considering this horrific offer. She could sense The Angel’s magic at the ready, prepared should Leiolai or her Teeth make any sudden moves to attack, but Nigreos and Lunara were frozen and silent.

Suddenly, a petite hand was pressed against Abi’s cheek from behind.

She hadn’t sensed anybody, indicating the usage of distortion magic, leaving her so taken off guard by the sudden touch that she didn’t instantly react.

“Aw, come on… And it was such a perfect chance, too…”

That pouting tone was instantly followed by a breaking of the ice as Nigreos and Lunara reacted to the arrival. Rei’s Teeth all burst from their positions, drawing their swords as they charged the Noctis, The Angel moved to protect them, and Abigail was violently wrenched into the air over her friends’ heads, her body soaring towards the trees before she could even begin to come up with a plan of defense. All she knew was that she must have been yanked forward by either Leiolai or a Tooth, so her first priority was landing safely.

She had been rather useless at the battles in Hiriech and Wilham. When she first came to the Academy of Erika, nature magic was all she knew—an affinity not terribly fixated on combat. That wasn’t to say she couldn’t fight, but her skill was limited, and she only truly witnessed those limitations after joining the royal team. Her inability to use wind magic forced those who could to slow down and wait for her, and the need to be with the earth to use combative nature magic handicapped her when Mallicent lured Laura Harrison to the third floor of West Wilham High. Because of that, Abigail had been determined to study at least the basic spells of the other four affinities, and by the end of her fifth semester, she was quite proud of how far she had come.

“Prohi!” she shouted, sending wind magic through her body and slowing her fall, allowing her to gracefully turn herself and plant her feet against the snowy park ground. She could hear Nigreos, Lunara, and The Angel deep in combat with Rei’s Teeth back towards the statue, but given how distant they sounded, she realized with dread just how far she had been hurled. The pathway they used to enter the park was nowhere to be seen, and as she turned her head towards where she heard the fighting, she grit her teeth with frustration at the sight of Leiolai Sartella standing confidently against a tree twenty yards away, watching her with a grin.

“You know, you’re not the only one who’s learned a few more tricks these last years,” she taunted, wind magic swirling around her raised wrist as if to make it clear that Leiolai was the one who separated her from the others. “It’s nice to properly meet you, by the way. It feels strange to have never chatted when I’ve had your face a few times. You’re cute in person.”

No longer having any interest in chatting with Leiolai, Abi muttered, “Vitacanis, Vitaursas.”

Her right hand sent magic into the ground and created a semi-sentient puppet out of the grass beneath the snow, the vines sprouting upwards and taking the shape of a wolf. Her left hand did the same, except she directed more power its way to form a bear that rose up to about her height on all fours. Leiolai seemed slightly surprised that Abigail was getting right to the point, but the changeling sighed and glanced up into the trees just as another woman dropped from the branches to stand beside her, her distortion falling just before she did so. Abigail fully intended to fight, but now that there was a second, unknown variable, she couldn’t help hesitating.

This woman… She’s the one who snuck up behind me. Her distortion isn’t actually all that strong, but I let myself get distracted by Sartella. The question is…who is she and why did she touch my face like that? I didn’t feel any mana entering me. In fact, nothing happened at all, so…?

The newcomer was smiling sweetly, and as Abi quickly looked her over, she was surprised to find that she must have been barely eighteen. She was small, with thick and slightly curly hazel hair, as well as wide and strangely innocent eyes. She wore a soft blue dress that did not seem fit for a battle, and there wasn’t a single thing that seemed threatening about her. When she greeted Abi, her voice was cute and bubbly, as if merely saying hi to an old and beloved friend.

“Hello, Abigail Reiner! You can get rid of those nasty familiars, you know? We don’t need to fight…”

Abi furrowed her brow in confusion, but not wanting to allow herself to get distracted when she needed to go help the others, she ignored the pointless comment and demanded, “Who are you? What did you do to me back there?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she replied with a dismissive wave. “I tried something and it didn’t work. Just my luck, I guess. As for my name, I’m Tali Firrik! Nice to meet ya!”

Firrik?

“Album and I didn’t know what to make of it, but at the very least, we came to one conclusion: Mallicent called her Firrik rather than Mother, and we think the Lady Yoral we spoke with was actually the changeling.”

That was what Ryokumo had told her and Ilirianna the day they first entered Omaruo. At the time, Abigail hadn’t thought anything of it, for it made perfect sense. The problems and contradictions started to arise after they returned to Ijiria and new information surfaced. For one, The Angel had revealed to them that Leiolai Sartella was the changeling, so they had been forced to conclude that “Firrik” must be somebody Leiolai transformed. What really bothered Abi was something she had recalled one night when pondering the changeling—something that had caused her to shiver.

“When I used my sense on Yoral Malloway, I not only didn’t feel a threat from her, but the reading was pure,” she had told Ilirianna the day after the realization struck her. “Which means there’s only two options here: The changeling can bypass my sense, or this Firrik is not my enemy.”

Ilirianna hadn’t known what to make of it either, and in all that time, they never learned anything about the woman named Firrik, so Abi had no means of learning the truth.

So if this is her… Tali Firrik, then…

Abigail activated her sense, allowing it to get a reading on both Leiolai and Tali. Utter confusion was the only thing that could be used to describe what she felt in that moment. Two leaders of the Kosah-Rei, people she had been trying to hunt down for years and who were partially responsible for the massacre at the ball, were both registered as pure, good, and trustworthy.

What? That’s not possible… I-I don’t…understand…

***

Leiolai Sartella couldn’t help but frown as an inexplicable change overcame Abigail Reiner. Ever since she confronted them in the area around Rulis Noctis’s statue, Abi had been facing them like the enemies they were, and that was to be expected. After all, the members of the royal team had been some of their biggest opponents since the Kosah-Rei first made their existence known. On top of that, Abigail was a part of the group that had gone to Omaruo, and for all Leiolai knew, she was the one responsible for the death of Mallicent Malloway. They were enemies, so even though Leiolai had separated Abigail from her allies in order to try and negotiate, a part of her had known that the nature mage wouldn’t truly give in. A fight between them seemed almost inevitable. That was why she was hesitant to have Tali standing right beside her.

Then again, everything about today has been unfolding exactly as Tali foresaw. Even those details I found hard to believe have happened, so there’s not much of a reason to be nervous here. However…I don’t understand that sudden look in her eyes.

The magic in Abigail’s hands had returned to her body, as if she suddenly decided not to attack them, while the anger in her features had been replaced by apprehension. Yet, on the surface, nothing had changed, so Leiolai could only guess that Abi had realized something Leiolai and Tali did not.

“Glad to see you’ve come to your senses,” Tali chirped, clearly noticing Abigail’s shift as well. “I do think that the three of us share a certain ideology, so I believe there is a means to speak with one another. You are, after all, a very caring and loving woman, and we know what it is you spent your life doing before going to the Academy. You wish to help the common people, just like us.”

“I…” Abi bit her lip, turning her eyes to gaze blankly down at the snow around her. “I don’t… You killed people… All those people at the ball…brutally blown apart right before my eyes… You’re trying to overthrow the government…with violence… So why…?”

Tali tilted her head curiously. “Why? Why what?”

“WHY IS EVERYTHING SO WRONG?!” Letting out a guttural scream of desperation and confusion, Abigail’s magic suddenly shot back to her hands, which she extended towards them as she snarled, “VINO!”

Just as abruptly as her attitude had shifted the first time, it returned to rage as dozens of thick and powerful vines burst up from the ground, scattering snow into the air. Leiolai let out a sharp exhale, sending wind magic into her feet, sputtering out Proto, and barely managing to dodge out of the way of the oncoming attack, the vines smashing into the spot she had just been standing.

“Tali!?” she exclaimed, her head snapping back to scan for her friend, only to find the Voice of Rei crouched on the tree branch above her previous position before using small amounts of magic to hop from branch to branch away from Abi.

Good! She’s getting out of here! That means I won’t have to worry for her safety! Leiolai could already sense Abigail’s onslaught of vines twisting towards her new position, so she sent her magic throughout her entire body, prepared for the battle. I don’t need to beat her! Hell, from the sound of it, Tali wasn’t able to get a vision, so I don’t even know if I can beat her… But no matter, I’m not going to die, and this plan in Noctalus will unfold exactly as she predicated! Therefore, I only need to hold Abigail off until Tali’s vision comes to fruition!

She wasn’t proficient enough with wind magic to make any powerful attacks, but she had enough control to outrun the oncoming vines, increasing her speed and distance as she dodged and weaved past the green tendrils while using the trees around her as cover. Abigail Reiner, however, was remaining exactly where she started, her familiars guarding her position as her eyes easily followed Leiolai’s movements.

Ha! She’s been keeping up with Ryokumo Caeli all these years, so there’s no way I’m too fast for her! Very well then! Let’s see what Edwar Grunly’s beloved protege can really do!

“Vitaavis!” Leiolai chanted, deciding that creating a set of familiars wasn’t that bad of an idea.

When it came to these nature puppets, one could create a single and powerful one like the large bear guarding Abigail, or they could use the same amount of magic to create a swarm of smaller and less powerful, but more numerous, ones. It was that latter option that Leiolai went with, the grass beneath the snow coiling upwards to take the shape of twelve little birds, their wings and bodies made of fiber and their beaks formed of wood. Since they were made of her mana, they would do what she wanted without her needing to give vocal orders, so the second the flock was in the air, they scattered, flying in every direction and putting distance between them and Abigail.

Leiolai’s opponent was very clearly suspicious of them, but since they weren’t going to do much damage to her, she only considered them for a few seconds before her attention returned to the changeling. Abi’s eyes narrowed once more, and without warning, the nature magic Leiolai could sense in her arms shifted to wind.

“Perkari!” Abi casted, sending blades of wind straight for the still sprinting changeling. Even though she had been informed that Abigail had trained herself to use the basic spells of the alternative affinities, she hadn’t expected the spells to be as fast or frequent as they were.

Leiolai ducked down into a roll, the first blade soaring over her head, followed closely by one that nearly nicked her thigh. The third one was so soon after the second that Leiolai wasn’t able to move fast enough, resulting in the blade slicing through the side of her waist, opening a wound that was shallow but still painful.

Damn it, she’s strong! No wonder we’ve lost so many supporters to her! Seems like I’ll have to make myself a smaller target if I don’t want to get captured!

Even though it was risky, Leiolai used the spell she had shown her opponents back at the statue, but did so far faster, turning herself into a small black crow in a matter of seconds. With any luck, Abi would have seen her disappear behind an oak tree, and to make sure she wasn’t spotted, Leiolai flew upwards, keeping her form always blocked by the trunk before she faded into the snow-covered branches and perched herself upon one. Down below, Abigail was standing at the ready, carefully observing every tree around them as she attempted to pinpoint Leiolai’s location.

Good. She didn’t see me transform. I’ve got the upper hand now.

The wolf and bear familiars were still at Abigail’s feet, and the vines that had been blasting out of the ground had all pulled themselves back into the earth, only to reappear in a circle around the nature mage, creating few openings Leiolai could use to get in close. Up above, Leiolai’s familiars were circling the battlefield like carrion, surly keeping hold of Abi’s attention enough to distract her ever so slightly.

Keep her on her toes and, when the opportunity arises, strike.

Leiolai noticed the sudden widening of Abi’s eyes, as if she abruptly realized something, and before the changeling could wonder what, the nature mage began rattling off Perkari, launching blades of wind into the crowns of the trees, their force snapping branches apart.

Shit! She figured me out!

As a blade just barely missed Leiolai, she spread her wings and flew from her perch. Abigail saw the movement instantly, forcing Leiolai to once again dodge and weave through the branches as a constant barrage of wind magic nearly cut her apart. The benefit of being a bird was that she was a smaller target, but the terrifying drawback was that if she took even a single hit, her small and light body would blast apart and she’d die instantly.

Stop thinking like that! Tali gave you her word! Abigail can’t kill you!

Deciding that since her cover was blown, she would just have to take the risk and go through with her plan, Leiolai turned downwards in a nosedive, the familiars above doing the exact same thing. All at once, thirteen birds darted straight for Abi’s position while Leiolai sent magic into her mouth and throat, creating human lips on her bird face and forming a voice box just strong enough to utter out, “Exalaant”. Steam erupted from her small body, covering everything within twenty yards of them, serving to blind Abigail. As for the birds, they were not intended to actually attack the young woman, rather if they swarmed her position, Abi wouldn’t be able to tell where Leiolai was since the familiars shared her mana signature.

The changeling split off from the birds, landing five yards behind Abi as her body grew and altered back into her human shape with the sole exception of the ears that morphed into a bat’s. Though the cold morning air was terribly uncomfortable against her naked skin, Leiolai bit back the discomfort, using her enhanced hearing to pinpoint exactly where Abigail stood.

Like I said before, Abigail, I’ve picked up a few new tricks of my own!

“Corsik—”

“Repulsa.”

Leiolai was halfway through her incantation when she just barely heard Abi mutter the name of that unfamiliar spell. Since she had no idea what it did, her first thought was purely defense, swiftly altering her own casting to the shield of wind, Nex, and to both her relief and terror, that was the right move to make. A shockwave of flames exploded in all directions ripping apart every single bird, as well as Abi’s own familiars, and melting away every inch of snow in a six yard radius of her position. Leiolai hadn’t been ready for something so destructive, so while her shield took the brunt of the attack, it still broke, the impact launching Leiolai backwards before she smashed into the trunk of the tree and slumped down to the ground in utter pain.

W-what? That’s a powerful fire spell… How the hell did she learn to use it so safely?

With the steam all gone, Leiolai had a good view of Abigail, and she instantly realized that the mage hadn’t learned to use it safely. Both of her hands had severe burns that spread all the way up to her elbows, charring the skin an ugly red and black. Her features were tensed in pain as she turned her head back to identify where Leiolai had fallen, and without hesitation, she cast Vino, creating vines out of the ground that instantly bound the fallen changeling to the tree.

It seems…I may have underestimated her a bit.

Abigail slowly approached her, muttering Benedio in an effort to heal the burns on her body.

Ah, so that’s why she did that… Her healing ability is so good that she can hurt herself all she wants. Shoulda thought of that…

“Sartella,” Abi breathed, her hands already patched up enough for her to speak more clearly. “What…is your goal here? Who are you?”

Choking back her own agony, Leiolai could only shrug. “I thought I already told you. I’m just a simple girl fighting the unfairness of this world. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Since her changeling magic did not have incantations, she decided she had an opportunity to flee, so fixing Abi with an amused wink and a small smile, she shrank her body back into a bird, her smaller form releasing her from the binds, and bolted up into the sky. Abigail sent a flurry of blades after her, but Leiolai was already above the canopies and soaring away from the young nature mage.

Oh well… I was supposed to hold her off until the others finished their jobs, but whatever. I think I stalled them long enough…