"Alright, let me get Null. We'll need to head down to the lower district for this. I know a guy who works in exactly this sort of thing. Tried to skip town after stepping on the wrong set of toes, but Lysska bailed him out back then. Owes her big, so he's loyal enough that we can trust him." Viper nodded matter-of-factly.

Null who…? Before the thought finished, it clicked. Right. His shadowy salamander. I could sense the creature a couple chambers away, lurking there. Still, I shook my head. "Null won't be needed."

Viper frowned. "We need to stay hidden, you know that, right? Yeah, we both have stealth skills, but the lower district's not exactly next door. By the time we get there, it'll be evening. Null's fast, you've seen it."

I waved him off. "Relax. I can guarantee my new method's much, much faster than your salamander." I gave him a slow grin.

He narrowed his eyes at me but didn't argue.

"Grab whatever you need, we'll head out whenever you're ready."

To his credit, he didn't press for details, though he should have. It took a bit of convincing to pry the owlcat off his head, and I had to rouse Vyra to take custody. The creature was heartbroken at being evicted from its favorite perch, and its wide, beady eyes were practically lethal weapons of guilt. I had to stay strong; the floof had to stay behind for this mission.

"You're going without me?" Vyra mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Mrra!" the owlcat added its own defiant purr of protest.

"Yes, and you're both staying put. It's just work. Dull, predictable, boring work." The admission itself tasted like ash in my mouth. Not a single errand of mine had ever concluded without a generous side of chaos. I shook my head. This time, however, would be different. Definitely.

"Alright, ready, let's go!" Viper said, already heading for the exit. I stopped him with a raised hand.

"No need for that." I flexed my hand, letting my index finger morph into a hooked claw as I activated the latest trick from [Transformation]. It let me selectively shift individual parts of my body into their dragon form with surgical precision. And by Thalador, this might have been the single most useful thing I'd unlocked yet, it fixed so many problems with pretending to be anything but a dragon.

I reached behind me, claw slicing cleanly through the back of my robe-like dress, making two long, precise slits. Vyra leaned forward, suddenly fascinated, as the skin on my back rippled and swelled, flesh pushing out through the openings in a controlled burst. The mass reshaped and hardened, unfolding into massive, radiant golden wings.

The gang's standing agreement 'don't ask questions about each other's abilities' held strong. Viper looked at the new appendages, then at me, a single questioning eyebrow raised. I simply stepped forward, bowed slightly, and scooped him up in a bridal-style carry.

"Wha- what are you?" he began, his usual composure cracking.

"Hold on tight and take a really deep breath," I instructed, cutting him off. "And don't waste it once we're moving. Air is… scarce along the route. I'm not entirely sure how one would even breathe there." I don't need to, but I knew a human with a yellow core could easily hold their breath for twenty minutes. It would have to be enough.

Without waiting for his answer, I triggered the dimensional Lamina. The world dissolved around us, its substance melting into a swirling, silent void. I watched, just as fascinated as he was, as Viper's form safely translated into the gloom beside me, his now-hazy body turning in pure, unadulterated shock and awe.

No time to admire the view. I snapped my wings wide in a motion that made no logical sense without air, yet propelled me forward all the same. How flight worked here was a question I'd had since my first step into this place, and one I was in no particular hurry to answer. I focused on speed, cutting through the ink-black stillness, and within mere minutes, we had crossed the city. The world's inky reflection distorted around us as we spilled back into reality, materializing in the secluded mouth of a lower-district alleyway. A small disappointment prickled as no wraiths crossed our path today. I could've used a snack.

I set Viper down immediately. He landed on his feet, steadying himself against the wall as he let out a heavy, reclaimed breath.

"A more explicit warning would have been appreciated," he rasped.

I just shrugged. I'd warned him. It was all there, in the subtext.

"Anyway… was that the actual Shadow Dimension? What? How-" His face shifted from shock to dawning comprehension. "Yeah… that actually explains a great deal about your stealth and phasing capabilities. But the last time you used that trick, your clothes didn't make the trip. While the moment was… uh… memorable, this time not only did your robe stay on, but you brought a passenger!"

Too many questions. "I got an upgrade!" I shot him a brilliant, evasive smile. The details were mine to keep.

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But he just shook his head, a rare look of genuine wonder on his face. "Anyway… it was fascinating. I've only ever read about that place in theoretical manuals. Never imagined I'd get a personal tour. It was a… singular experience."

I nodded in agreement. There was a peculiar, profound feeling in gazing upon the world's silent, monochrome reflection and traversing its serene, soundless expanse. Eerily scenic.

"Now, where are we headed?" I still had no destination in mind.

Viper paused, then grabbed the rough wall that ended the alley. With a fluid, graceful motion, he scaled it to the rooftop. I followed with a single, powerful beat of my wings, landing softly beside him.

"That way," he said, pointing west.

"Alright then," I said, sweeping him up again. "Hold on tight."

***

"Hmm… stay here for a moment," Viper said before moving ahead.

The place was shady in the way that made shady sound too polite. The kind where people didn't see violence as a last resort but as the first, second, and third. If Lysska had saved this guy before, I had to wonder what in Thalador's name he was still doing in a place like this.

I'd never been in this part of Varkaigrad. Chaos here had a strange… lull to it. The streets looked calm enough at first glance, but the tension still rippled underneath like a taut wire. Then again, when someone like the Iron Pact had the power and the control to back it up, the lower district didn't argue with lockdowns. They just endured them. Riots might flare, but they'd be stomped out quick, Iron Pact had the manpower and raw strength to crush unrest before it even got warm.

If you had no power here, life was basically the world's hardest difficulty setting. I'd been like that not too long ago. Powerless, resolve cracked to dust, nothing but a doormat for the world to walk over. That memory alone was enough to give these people my pity.

I let my gaze drift, taking in the details.

A rowdy pub sat open just down the street, spilling raucous noise. People with makeshift weapons, iron rods, chipped and ugly swords, loitered like they had nowhere better to be. I tucked my golden hair into a bun. Hiding was second nature; even in plain sight. Was never hard for me, if I didn't want to be seen, I simply… wasn't.

My attention fixed back on Viper as he approached a set of stairs leading down, guarded by two men who could only be described as goons.

"I need to meet with Viktor, it's urgent," Viper said.

"Can't do," one grunted.

"What do you mean 'can't do'? He's right there or do you not know who I am?"

The man chuckled darkly. "Oh, we know. You're one of Whisper's lapdogs. Too bad your master's a goner. Won't be long before the rest of you fall apart too."

Whisper's a goner? News to me, considering she was very much alive and in the city.

"Heard she got captured by the Sablethorn head," the man went on. "And you know what happens when someone from down here catches the eye of those demigods. So she's not coming back. Boss' orders: you're not going in. Viktor still owes us, so his services stay exclusive to the Black Wolves until he pays up. Now fuck off."

Oh damn.

Viper glanced over his shoulder, probably couldn't actually see me, but turned back to them. "Hey, just between us… Whisper's back. And if she finds out the Black Wolves threw her under the wagon the second they heard a rumor, I promise you, it's not going to be pretty. We just need Viktor this one time. Next time, it'll be Whisper herself talking to your boss. We're short on time here."

I could tell he was sweating under the stare, probably imagining me stepping out of the shadows to peel these two apart like fruit. Tempting… very tempting.

No.

Bad Jade.

Diplomacy was a skill. Let him use it. And for a moment, it even seemed like he might be getting through.

Then the bigger rakari of the two growled and crossed his arms, standing firm. "No. Now fuck off before I call everyone else, and then you'll really have a problem."

Or not.

Yeah, screw it. We didn't have time to waste. I still needed to figure out how to pull Viera out from under those bloodhounds. The sooner we wrapped this up, the sooner I could deal with the real problem.

I dropped my stealth technique and materialized right behind Viper, one hand landing on his shoulder. With a deadpan stare, I locked eyes on the two idiots blocking the way.

They weren't impressed. Mildly surprised, sure, but mostly unimpressed.

"Three seconds," I said.

"What?"

"Three seconds to change your mind before I tear off each of your limbs and mail them to your so-called boss."

"WHAT—?"

"Two."

Even Viper looked rattled, stepping in fast. "Venam! Hey! Look, I know you're strong, but the Black Wolves aren't just some street gang. They've got alliances with multiple gangs. While you handled that red core, I need you to be cautious here." His voice dropped to a hurried whisper.

If he knew I'd already gone toe-to-toe with a gold core, low gold, sure, but gold all the same, he might actually faint. And the twelve red cores I'd eaten for breakfast? That'd probably finish him off.

"One."

They didn't budge. Not even a twitch.

I grinned. This was exactly what I wanted.

I remembered what I'd told Xaleth when I got his spellbook: Watching pricks squirm is my love language.

I vanished before either of them could blink. A fraction of a second later, my fist drove into the first one's gut with enough force to send him flying like a ragdoll. His mouth opened in a strangled scream, but only blood came out. And this was me holding back, if I'd put even half my strength into that punch, he'd have popped like an overripe fruit.

The second one had just enough time to inhale before a tentacle whipped from the slits in my dress, coiling around his throat. One sharp jab to the back of the head and he slumped into unconsciousness.

A few passersby saw, but none reacted beyond a faint ripple of fear. Good. Let them remember that.

"No time for diplomacy. Let's go."

I stepped inside without waiting, and Viper just sighed before following. The stairs led down into a sprawling basement turned lair, though it looked like it doubled as a storage yard for goods of… questionable legality.

"This is why I told you to be careful," Viper muttered. "They've turned this place into a proper hideout. Probably keeping people here against their will. I know what you're capable of," he bit his lip, "but I'd prefer to solve this with as few fatalities as possible. The Black Wolves have some decent people. I've worked with them. This reeks of a new, ambitious leader getting greedy."

The moment we stepped into the main chamber, the rowdy atmosphere died. Dozens of eyes turned toward us from where they lounged on crates, barrels, and assorted loot of dubious legality. The air grew thick with tension.

Viper immediately opened his mouth, no doubt ready to launch into a diplomatic explanation.

…I almost wanted him to fail. Again. Because I had an idea and it was going to be fun! After all, he said no deaths.

And who said aggressive persuasion required a body count?

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