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of a lunatic’s mind, it hummed with a potential that could
only be coaxed into shape by the sharpest of wills or the
strongest of magics—itself merely a dream given direction.
Yet this was the Prince’s mistake, as my will was equally
potent even without the benefit of magic words and sleight
of hand. I had no idea where I was specifically, which was
to my advantage. Without knowledge aforethought, my will
could place me wherever I wished “here” to be. Hence I was
able to bend the darkness into a journey—back home.
As I rode the darkness linking one shadow to the next,
I could feel the blackness parting behind me, pushed aside
by the Prince as he gave chase. I emerged from a night sky,
tumbling like a comet to the earth, through tree branches and
brambles, till at last the world rose up to greet me. I splashed
down into the murky waters of a cold forest pool.
Of the Prince, I heard nothing, but he was close, perhaps
only slightly farther than the distance of his magician’s
blades. “I bet you didn’t know this, but your opponent is the
son of a witch,” he said from nowhere in particular. “And his
father was a thirteenth son. So you must see by now, you’ve
really no chance, here. I’ve been charitable with you thus
far, primarily because you’re nearly the anomaly I am. But
regrettably for you, nearly isn’t quite good enough.”
“Strange, but you sound more like a cliché to me,” I
jeered, “not at all the anomalous creature you make yourself
out to be. You’re so rote, in fact, that I’m now fairly certain
your trio form is merely the predictable side effect of the
Power of Threes, undoubtedly exercised by your mother
at your birth. Why, I’m even beginning to wonder what a
common Halloween costume such as yourself is even doing
in this Game of Wolves.”
It was clear the Prince would not be so easily rattled at
the cusp of what he assumed were my final moments. “And
what noble blood makes you a more qualified attendee to
this sport of murderers, eh? It certainly couldn’t be those
awful ‘works of art’ you leave in your wake. I’ve known
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