Headed by a Snake

Bella's question was another test.

Unfortunately, Tycondrius lacked the social intelligence to discern what a 'correct' answer for that test might be.

Thus, he determined his best response to be... honesty.

"My control over my eyes and the magic within are far superior," He said.

"Oh, really?" The Witch responded in a bland voice.

Tycon couldn't be certain, but he had a slight suspicion that he was being disrespected.

"You see, like, any signs of lizards?" Bella asked.

Tycon furrowed his brows, concentrating... focusing his vision. The magic in his eyes was enough to pierce any magical veils of a similar or lower level.

He found... no shimmering scale behemoths, no Spells woven in the clouds, nor did he find Formations lined out with rocks and trees.

"I see... nothing of consequence," Tycon admitted.

"And what of the rebels?" Bella asked in a flat voice.

Tycon exhaled deeply through his nostrils.

The Witch was referring to the rebel lizards.

From what he understood, a faction of the abhorrent beasts actively rejected the whims of their god.

It was strategically beneficial to Tycon's plans to coordinate with them... despite him despising the notion on a personal level.

He recalled a particular line from a treatise discussing Tyrion military doctrine-- one that assuaged his concerns.

'The enemy of my enemy dies next.'

"I've heard nothing of the rebel lizards since our meeting with Jerim Jya," He said.

"You trust her?" Bella said, something between an accusatory statement and a mocking question.

"Absolutely not," Tycon replied gruffly.

"Uh huhhh?" Bella tilted her head down, raising her eyebrows. "But Master Tactician, how could it be a coincidence that our supply line allows us to easily circle back to Forcen to make your lizard appointment on the 77th?"

Tycon grit his teeth, unable to find a response.

"Quay's kid," Bella mused. "Your lizard said he'd show up on that sun."

"She *implied* it," Tycon waved. "I cannot be certain that is what she meant. However, I can be certain of the beast-woman's wishes... or, otherwise, the wishes of her faction. On that sun, it behooves them that I am present at that location... or, perhaps, away from other locations."

"And you're gonna go," Bella grinned, "Like a good little snek?"

Tycon closed his eyes, "Jerim Jya wishes for me to live. There was... sincerity in at least that."

"She was trying to appeal to your emotions, Boss," The Witch said.

Suddenly, her expression twisted-- "Wait, don't tell me *that's* why you believe her?"

Tycon brooded over the thought.

Jerim Jya was a liar.

Yet... he wanted to believe she cared.

Granted, even if that was an indisputable fact, it would not prevent her manipulation, 'well-meaning' as it might be.

"We share a single motive with the Rebel Lizards," He said quietly-- more to himself than to Bella, "it would be preferable to all parties involved that the Realm *not* be destroyed..."

Tycon loosed out an exasperated sigh, "Jerim Jya said... in the Bristlebear Highlands, I'd be able to assist one or more heroes in... an extraplanar fight."

Bella's floating broom righted itself. The Witch stepped forward, crossing her arms while tapping a finger against her cheek.

"Heroes, she said... could that be talking about someone *other* than the scion of House Morninglord?"

"In this Realm and in this generation..." Tycon shook his head, "Pale is the only one with the qualifications of Hero."

"Y'know, Boss... I could go get Coraline. She's really good at figuring this kind of thing out."

"No, no," Tycon waved. "I can figure this out, myself."

"I mean, like-- it'd take me all of like five minutes."

"Have some faith, Sapphira," Tycon groaned.

"Oh, I have full faith in you, Tycon... with anything concerning field tactics... with spell formations and parsing, I guess. But, look-- we're talking about the logic of ten-thousand year old lizards--"

Tycon raised his chin, "Extraplanar manifest zones."

Bella twisted her lips to the side, "Wh... at about them?"

"What's near the Bristlebear Highlands?"

"Ugh," Bella rolled her eyes, "The hills around City-State Forcen are all infused with earth-type ley energy."

Tycon smirked, "Mystery solved-- and without asking for Heartsong's assistance."

"No," Bella insisted. "Mystery *not* solved, Boss. Airships can't go anywhere near that place! ALSO, Quay's kid and his party went missing in Nemaya Strana, which-- last I checked, is hundreds of miles and across a sea from Forcen. So without air-travel--"

"Bella," Tycon waved. "It was a mission on behalf of the Church. It is safe to assume the children have access to extraplanar travel."

Far from being assuaged by Tycon's logic, Bella made a mocking 'OoOooh' sound.

"Isn't that, like, classified information," She teased. "You learn that from your girlfriend?"

Tycon furrowed his brows, "My what?"

"The red-headed, holier-than-thou Archbishop? Or is there, like, a different, high-ranked Holy Country Priestess you're fooling around with?"

"Bella," Tycon pursed his lips... "Natalya and I... we are not romantically involved."

"Oh... That's... Huh."

Bella sat up, crossing her arms and nodding sagely.

"Tycon."

"Yes?"

"You're an idiot."

Tycon narrowed his eyes, "And why would you think that?"

"If you can't, like, follow my line of thinking, then you're hopeless."

Tycon figured he had made or was making a social blunder. However, he had neither the patience nor the desire to correct himself.

"This... is undoubtedly an important and illuminating topic, Sapphira," He said... "but now is not the right time."

"Right," Bella sighed. "So like-- the most common manifest zones in the Sleeping Country go to the plane of ice."

"If you are unable to follow my... *like*... line of thinking, Miss Sapphira..."

"Stop right there," Bella tilted her head back,  smacking her palm against her forehead. "Your point has been made, Prince Tycondrius."

"Hm. You should call me that more often."

"Oh, I'll circle back to it... that is if you can get to Fourth-Circle."

Tycon narrowed his eyes. Without the aid of magical tools, his physique limited him to spells of First-Circle. And of that fact, Bella Sapphira was quite aware.

"Bella..."

"Tycon-- so, like, about your new soul..."

...Tycon tilted his head. The shift in conversation was odd, both in topic and the uncharacteristically serious expression Bella was wearing.

"What... about it?"

"Still no tasty side-effects?"

"...None that I can determine."

Bella pursed her lips, "Do... you really think you're still you?"

"Bella," Tycon frowned, "what is this about? And why are you asking me this only now?"

The Witch rubbed her chin with a gloved hand before making an exaggerated shrug.

"Nevermind. I'm goin' ahead!" She declared as she stepped up, onto her broom, "Oh, and be careful. Tower R&D wants me to try out some of the large-scale theoreticals."

He watched as her speed away, clutching her oversized hat to keep from losing it.

...It was a wonder that she insisted on standing on her broom instead of sitting astride it, as was common.

Perhaps she did so knowing that no one other Witch had the skill to emulate her.

Of course, Tycon could do so... if he *really* wanted to.

He would not.

Sitting was far more comfortable.

He could also engineer Spells of Mass Destruction without being Fourth-Circle.

He just needed... time... effort... and a synchronized host of skilled participants.

Tycon waved down one of the Sapphire Tower's Witches. Every able-bodied caster from the Tower had a large conical hat that made them easy to identify, even from a distance.

"Good morning, young lady... Ah. Miss Caitlyn, was it?"

"Oh, you're the-- Um. Good morning-- uh, Sir? And uh, it's... Cortlyn, actually."

"...R-right," Tycon smiled politely. "Please direct me to the rendezvous point for Teleportation."

"Ohhh... uh... about that," Caitlyn said, puffing up her cheeks. "We... don't have any of those."

"...We don't?"

The Sapphire Tower was the most powerful collection of human casters in the Realm. Portal Mages were certainly not *common* in the Free Nation, but there were several in his home territory of Charm-- including his mother.

"Yeah, isn't Teleport... like a Fifth-Circle Spell?" Caitlyn asked. "And doesn't establishing a Gate require uber-rare artifacts or combination-rituals that take several years to complete?"

"...Please forget I said anything," Tycon said, inclining his head.

"Uh. Yeah. Would it be alright if I like-- sent you to the stables?"

The stables?

The notion was absurd... and it irked him that the girl's responses lacked both respect and urgency.

Tycon took a deep breath to calm himself. In the next few minutes, Bella was going to begin large-scale bombardment on the walls of City-State Making.

He wanted to see it.

...and he planned on taking note of any observable flaws to nitpick on a later sun.

"Direct me to the armory, girl," Tycon commanded.

The effect was instantaneous. The young woman appeared shocked by the change in tone and demeanor, her mouth hanging agape.

...Thus, Tycon gave another order:

"Answer."

"We... what for? Sir?" Babbled the panicking child.

"I *require* some sort of apparatus capable of flight. Then, I suppose I'll accompany one of your formations for efficiency's sake."

"There... there aren't any extra brooms, S... sir--"

"Commander," Tycon said, his voice barely above a whisper. "My title is Commander. Do you understand?"

"C-commander??" She gasped, "You're the-- Oh! I see."

Tycon narrowed his eyes and leaned in to meet the Witchling's gaze.

"R e s p o n d ."

"Y... yes, Commander," She squeaked.

Tycon sighed to himself. That level of respect would have to do.

"Your broom, then," He said.

"Well, um... okay?" Caitlyn mumbled, "Y-you can ride with me... if you want?"

Tycon furrowed his brows. That wasn't... exactly what he wanted.

However, he judged that to be a reasonable compromise.

",