Airi stirred restlessly, tangled in fitful sleep. Dreams twisted into a dark nightmare: she was imprisoned in a cold, desolate tower, held captive by a monstrous beast. Hope flared when a noble knight arrived, steel flashing as he felled the creature with a single stroke. Relief turned to terror as the knight's blade turned toward her. She couldn’t run. Couldn’t scream. The sword fell— and she woke with a gasp. She sighed, realizing that though there was no knight or tower, her kidnapping was not a dream.

  “Good morning, Princess,” came a calm, familiar voice- Alexei. He sat casually at the edge of her bed, his rose-pink hair shimmering in the dim light.

  Airi recoiled, tumbling from the bed.

  “What are you doing here!?” she yelled

  “It was easier to do this while you were sleeping.” Alexei said candidly

  “Do what!?”

  He met her frantic gaze with practiced patience “I’m going to need you to stay calm... and not scream.” He then gave Airi a mirror.

  Upon gazing in the mirror Airi immediately screamed. Her curled brown locks were now straight and pink. Her eyes were also the same vivid rose pink as her hair. Both were the same as Alexei’s hair and eyes.

  “What did you do to me!?” She panicked and screamed

  “Well, we can’t have the fugitive and prized relic, Princess Airi Aeltear, running around. Your appearance had to be... adjusted. From here on out you’re my distant cousin. You may pick your own name, but your appearance is non-negotiable. You must look like a Rosewall if our cover story is to work.”

  “C…can I still be Airi?” Airi stuttered.

  “I’m afraid not” Alexei said with a tinge of pity in his voice.

  Airi thought for a moment and then came to a conclusion. She’d use the name she imagined for her first daughter

  “What about Althea?” she asked

  “There we have it!” Alexei cheered. “Althea Rosewall. I like the sound of it. Come Althea, let me give you a tour.”

  The newly christened Althea followed Alexei through the ship. She moved mechanically, her mind still trapped between panic and disbelief.

  “This is our cafeteria. Come here for all of your meal and snack needs”. Alexei said, gesturing to a bustling hall filled with chatter and clinking utensils

  He walked her through the cafeteria, despite there being at least 100 people having breakfast the hall was clean. Althea grabbed a lone apple, her appetite crushed by unease.

  Alexei walked her into the room she had been in before. Reid was there playing with his glass device.

  “This is the mission board. You talk to Reid and he’ll find you a job. He’ll also pay out for any relics found.” Alexei paused, remembering he was talking to a relic. “Except you, of course. We don’t deal in people.”

  Finally, they entered a massive room dominated by a massive combat arena. Energy crackled in the air as groups of fighters dueled with magic-infused precision. Jagged earth spikes erupted, flames roared, and shards of ice spears shattered against conjured barriers. Althea stared in awe. For the first time since she woke she felt a spark of something other than fear: curiosity.

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  “What are they doing?” Althea asked.

  “Training. You see, everyone aboard this ship can wield triggers. Yourself included.” Alexei replied.

  “I can use a trigger?” Althea asked in confusion. Null them, use them, she didn’t understand triggers, but it seems they were going to be an important part of her life from now on.

  “Of course.” A devious grin crossed Alexei's face. “You know what, you look like a fast learner. Let's teach you how to use your trigger right now.”

  “Wait what” the awe subsided and the fear and confusion returned.

  “Clear the Arena!” Alexei yelled

  Everyone in the arena stopped, with varying expressions of frustration and sighs they cleared the ring as ordered.

  Alexei seized her arm with surprising strength and dragged her into the arena.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Alexei’s voice boomed. “I’d like to introduce my distant cousin, Althea Rosewall! She’s got one of the strongest triggers I’ve ever seen and is eager to use it for the first time! Which one of you, rank D and under, would like to be her first opponent”.

  “Wait, wait, wait I don’t-”

  “I’ll do it!” a confident girl with red hair tied back into a fluffy ponytail and a fierce look in her eyes spoke up, interrupting Althea’s pleas.

  “Ah, Fiorella, you’ll do just fine! The match will be until knock-” Alexei said before being interrupted

  “Listen to me!” Althea shouted

  “Ah, my apologies Althea. I got ahead of myself. This fight will be simple. Just repeat the words he whispered in her ear so fiorella wouldn’t hear ‘royal dance: annulment’. And you’ll be fine.” He stopped whispering “Trust me.”

  “I don’t want to trust you and I don’t want to fight!”

  “I do.” Fiorella interrupted once more. Suddenly charging Althea and delivering a heavy punch to her stomach so fierce it sent her hurtling into the arena’s steel caged wall. Every part of Althea’s body hurt, but somehow she was still standing. Fiorella pointed a finger gun at Althea

  “Ice trigger: hail storm” Fiorella shouted. A barrage of chunks of ice emerged from the air each flying in Althea’s direction like missiles.

  “Royal dance: Annulment!” Althea shouted desperately while holding out her hands in a futile attempt to block. That’s when the world went black. Suddenly she was all alone in a void. Across from her was herself, brown curls still intact.

  “Airi…say the words” Her other self said

  Althea found herself back in the arena. Fiorella’s attack had disappeared. Only dazzling blue particles remained, similar to what happened when she nulled Kaelum’s shadows.

  Althea felt dazed

  “Airi…say the words” echoed in her head. Althea held up her hand and the words automatically left her lips

  “Chaos Trigger:” Cracks began to form in reality itself, unleashing a strange red energy that poured into Althea’s hands. The arena began to shake.

  Alexei sat on the edge of his seat in anticipation. He knew he should interrupt, but the spectacle paralyzed him.

  Althea shouted “Endflame!” a deep red inferno shot from Althea’s hand, forming cracks as it barreled toward Fiorella who could only cower in fear.

  A dark barrier of shadows surged up, blocking the flames at the last second. The masked boy—Kaelum—held Althea’s wrist, forcing her aim skyward. The flames sputtered out.

  “Are you insane?” Kaelum snarled at Alexei in his usual emotionless tone.

  “Most curious people are.” Alexei replied. “But I saw you skulking in the corner and knew you wouldn’t let anyone die.”

  Kaelum sighed deeply, then turned his attention to Althea, who was in a state of shock.

  “Are you okay?” He asked Althea. Turning over hand, revealing her attack had burned her palm.

  “Is she okay!?” Fiorella interrupted. “I’m the one she almost roasted alive! Pay attention to me!”

  “C’mon, let's get you to the med bay.” Kaelum said gently.

  Seeing the masked boy who kidnapped her showing compassion was like whiplash

  “Y-yeah” Althea replied. Kaelum led her by the arm. She was still taking in what just happened. Her fear was replaced by a new realization. She wasn’t as helpless as she thought, in fact she was powerful.

  “Knew she’d be a fast learner” Alexei said to himself with a smug smile.