Elizabeth stared at the runes for a long moment, her eyes wide. She could see the enchantment description. Clearly and Plainly. As if she had always done it.
'…How am I seeing this?'
This had never happened before. Enchantments were supposed to be Unknown, It took people half-guesswork and half-experimentation to know what they did. Only memory smiths and a handful of divination aspects could read them outright, and Elizabeth knew she was neither. Yet here she was, sitting in a bath with a four year old body, calmly reading a line the Spell had never shown her before.
'Is this also an effect of that ichor? So there is more to that ichor after all.'
It was the only conclusion that made sense. Somewhere between the lightning searing her body and the water healing her, something about the way she saw memories had changed.
The implications made her pulse quicken.
Being able to see a memory's description wasn't just convenient; it was monumental. Normally, Sleepers had to test their memories like unstable weapons, poke here, prod there, pray nothing blew up in their face. But now? She could skip all of that. She could understand exactly what a memory did the instant she acquired it, she could read it, grasp it, and wield it immediately.
She didn't hesitate.
"Alright… let's see the rest."
The runes shifted at her command.
Memory Enchantments: [Float]
Enchantment Description: [You can mentally command the dagger to float and control its movement from a distance.]
'Neat.'
She had already guessed that it would be something like this, so she wasn't too surprised by the description. She moved on.
Memory Enchantments: [Sharp Presence]
Enchantment Description: [The blade is surrounded by a sharp aura. Nothing can approach it without being cut.]
'That's pretty much what I thought it did.'
The urge to go through every memory she owned and pry open their secrets surged up, bright and eager. She could already imagine the web of information of every enchantment, of every precise effect laid bare for her.
Before she could indulge herself, a knock sounded on the door.
"Hey, Liz, I got you your clothes…"
Elizabeth sighed and dismissed the runes. The rune script faded from her vision. She grabbed a towel, quickly dried her hair, wrapped the fabric around her small body, and padded toward the door. Standing on her tiptoes, she fumbled for the handle until it finally turned.
Tessie stood in the hallway with a shopping bag dangling from one hand. Her eyes dropped to the door handle, then to Elizabeth's stretched-out posture, and a chuckle slipped free.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "It's really not that funny."
Tessie smiled and nodded solemnly. "Yes, it's not… but it's still cute."
She thrust the bag into Elizabeth's arms. Elizabeth took it with a roll of her eyes and peeked inside.
"…Tessie, what is this?" she asked flatly, pulling out a bright pink Victorian-style dress.
Tessie burst out laughing. "It was the only thing they had in the store. Also, I thought it would look cute on you. Especially since you never wear anything other than a tracksuit or training gear."
'Lies, I am sure they had more than this. Also, tracksuits are great.'
Elizabeth turned on her heel and retreated back into the bathroom. "What a great friend you are, taking advantage of my flaw like that…"
Tessie's laughter stopped on a dime. "Oh really? When you found out about my flaw, weren't you trying especially hard to annoy me? I'm just returning the favor, you hypocrite."
"Well, you were a Saint back then, and I was an immature kid," Elizabeth shot back from behind the door. "Right now you're just some grown woman bullying a child. What would people say if they heard the oh-so-glorious Saint Tessie acted like this?"
She finished changing, wrestled the frilly dress into place, and unlocked the door again. Stepping out, she stood there, tiny and regal in a puff of pink fabric.
Tessie looked her up and down and smiled, thoroughly pleased. "You look cute."
Elizabeth slammed the door behind her with a bit too much force. A hairline crack appeared across the small bathroom door window.
"I know."
**
A few hours later, they stepped out of the stronghold where Elizabeth had been kept. Tessie had handled most of the paperwork while Elizabeth was still trapped in the Nightmare, so the last formalities had gone quickly. Knowing Tessie had been confident enough in her survival to prepare in advance left Elizabeth oddly pleased.
The moment she crossed the threshold, the Antarctic wind slapped her in the face.
This time, though, it didn't bite like it used to. The cold that had once cut through her old body like knives now felt distant, almost gentle. More than that, the instant she stepped under the open sky, something inside her woke up. Power flowed through her limbs, bright and invigorating. Her muscles felt light, her senses sharped even more, her whole being humming with quiet strength.
it felt like she had been a fish finally thrown back into the sea.
'So the passive boost only kicks in when I'm outside. Was the roof blocking the sky so it could not be put start it's effect?' She let out a sigh. 'Great. My aspect is really going to force me to go outside more often.'
Tessie emerged behind her, stretching her arms with a content sigh. "Okay, want to grab a bite?" she asked, spinning the keys of her PTV around one finger.
Elizabeth's eyes lingered on the stronghold's doorway for a moment longer.
"What about Jennifer?" she asked quietly.
"…She's gone," Tessie said, rolling her eyes. "At least she showed up. Mael didn't even bother responding to the calls."
Elizabeth tipped her head back, studying the sky for a few seconds before turning toward the parking lot. "You coming or what? My body hasn't eaten in a week. I'm starving."
Tessie watched her walk ahead, then smiled to herself. "Sure. My treat. But my PTV isn't exactly equipped with a car seat for someone your size…"
Elizabeth groaned and rolled her eyes. "Would you let that rest already."
"Not a chance," Tessie said, chuckling as she followed.
***
Hours later, she watched the dark skies sliding past the windshield, as Tessie drove her home.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about your nightmare?" she asked. "I know how traumatic it can be, and talking to someone would definitely help."
"I'm certain," Elizabeth replied.
"…Okay," Tessie said slowly. Her fingers tapped against the steering wheel. "But do you really want to go to NQSC to attend their academy? You only have two months before the winter solstice, and half of that will be wasted traveling there. I would recommend just entering the one here."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I wouldn't have minded going to one here if I was out of time, but NQSC has the best of the best professors, and a month of waiting to get there is definitely worth it. Plus, they have programs that haven't been fully implemented here yet."
"Such as?" Tessie frowned.
"Sorcery…"
Tessie let out a slow breath and focused back on the road. "…What about your appraisal? What grade was it, and what rank is your aspect?"
Elizabeth watched the landscape slide by outside her window for a few seconds before answering. "I got an excellent appraisal, and a Transcendent rank aspect."
She lied.
She felt guilt prick at her, sharp but bearable. It wasn't that she didn't trust Tessie, it was everything else she didn't trust: the unknown path of possessing a Divine Aspect. With the way news spread in legacy circles, it was only a matter of time before they began chasing her. Though she would skyrocket to fame, not all attention was good. Some people would see her potential as a threat, which sounded foolish to her since they were all fighting for humanity. But Tessie had already told her much about the darker side of the awakened world. A Divine Aspect painted a target on her back in flashing colors, and she wasn't ready for that, not when she barely understood her own powers.
Even if Tessie kept the secret, there were aspects that targeted the mind, digging through memories and secrets with obscene ease. Elizabeth didn't know who would be reckless enough to try such a thing on a Saint, but the possibility still existed. She herself was still weak; if someone with that kind of ability came after her, she would be helpless. But unlike Tessie, she didn't spend much time around Masters or Saint on a daily bases. By the time she grew strong enough to mingle with that level of power, she hoped she'd have counters in place.
Rethen had already shown her how terrifying mind attacks could be. killing someone before they even lifted a sword, turning their own head into the battlefield. Elizabeth had no intention of being caught off guard like that again.
"Gods… Liz, that's amazing!" Tessie exclaimed, her face breaking into a wide smile. "You genuinely have insane potential. I only know a few people with Transcendent rank aspects, and they're all incredibly powerful. Cain had one too. It must run in the family."
Elizabeth chuckled softly.
"With you having a Transcendent rank aspect, I don't think the House of Night will have any excuse to reject sponsoring you this time," Tessie added.
Elizabeth blinked and turned. "Sponsorship?"
Tessie nodded. "Yeah. It's nothing too crazy. Every legacy clan does it. They scout out people with high potential and sponsor them. I was sponsored too, back when I was a Sleeper."
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. "What are the benefits?"
"Oh, there's a lot," Tessie replied. "You get a steady supply of soul shards every month and about a fifteen percent discount on Memories, that's the basic package. Someone like you, with insane potential, would also receive one Awakened Memory of your choosing. And instead of fifteen percent, the discount would be twenty-two."
Elizabeth considered that. "Is there a catch? What do they want in return?"
Tessie fell silent for a few moments, then sighed. "…Yeah, there is. It's not a big deal, but if you accept and manage to become an Awakened, they'll want you to bind yourself to their citadel. They'll also be the primary buyer of any memories or shards you want to sell for the first few months, so you won't be able to take them elsewhere. After that, you're free to choose whether to join the Nightwalkers or go back to doing your own thing. Most people end up joining anyway because of the extra perks."
"It doesn't sound that bad," Elizabeth said.
"It's not," Tessie agreed. "It's actually the best deal compared to the other two great legacy clans."
Elizabeth weighed it in silence. As a Sleeper, shards and memories were everything. Yes, she already owned things others could only dream of, but she still lacked the basics, like a proper armor-type Memory. She didn't want to worry about her clothes the next time the Nightmare Spell dragged her into the Dream Realm.
The restrictions seemed manageable. She just had to sell things she didn't need for a while.
"Sure," she said finally. "I wouldn't mind getting sponsored."
Tessie's smile turned radiant. "Great! I'll definitely convince them—"
"But," Elizabeth cut in, "I want to change the terms a bit. Instead of twenty-two percent, make it thirty percent off all their memories. And I want to pick at least one dormant memory as well."
Tessie frowned. "Hey, I know how talented you are, but I don't think they'll change the terms just because of that. You're not the only—"
"I'm sure they'll consider it if you tell them that not only do I have a Transcendent rank aspect, but I have a true name as well while still being a Sleeper."
Silence fell over the car.
Tessie's eyes widened. She jerked the wheel, pulled the PTV to the side of the road, and parked. For a few seconds, she didn't say anything at all.
"You… you have a true name?" she asked quietly.
Elizabeth nodded and smiled, a hint of pride slipping through despite everything.
"I do. I am Siren of the Last Haven."