A Brief History

A Brief History of Others, Thorae, and Magic

Thorae is home to beings known as Others, humans who mirror the humans on Earth. An Other can be created in many ways: a human with enough willpower to separate into more than one person, a traumatic event that fractures the soul, a decision to cast aside part of one's self, naturally born on Thorae through other Others, and even various forms of synthetic duplication. 

An Original is the human on Earth from whom the Other was created. Not all humans have Others and not all Others are mirrors of humans, though many of them are. From the moment an Other is created, they are known to have their own unique thoughts, actions, memories, and will separate and apart from their Original.

Others who live on Earth alongside their Originals are most commonly mistaken for doppelgangers, look-alikes, evil twins, or clones. Most Originals live on Earth and are completely unaware of the existence of Thorae or Others as a whole. A few of the Originals who are aware of the mirror dimension live in Thorae. Earth and Thorae are connected to each other through various rifts scattered between both worlds. These natural rifts can create portals, allowing safe passage between the two dimensions. 

Thorae contains an elemental magic system consisting of six concrete elements: fire, water, rock, wind, lightning, and frost. There are also two intangible elements which very few have been able to master: light and shadow. These elements naturally exist in Thorae and are accompanied with their own set of rules, laws, and logic. Others are more naturally tuned to these elements, but it is possible for Originals to learn them as well. The use of elemental magic is seen as a tool through which to accomplish tasks, leaving it up to the user to determine how best to apply it. Control of the elements is similar to using a natural talent, such as music. Someone may be intuitively skilled with a particular element while it takes someone else years of study and practice to achieve the same level of skill. Most Others can only control one element, if they have this ability at all. While some may be able to control two or three elements, mastery of all elements is exceptionally rare and almost entirely unheard of. The only known and recorded beings who could control all elements are the creator and the very first Other.

Thorae was once ruled by a long line of kings established by the first Other. In recent times, the creator overthrew the monarchy and declared himself the ultimate ruler and dictator of the realm. The creator completely wiped out the lineage of the first Other and destroyed almost all traces of this ancient kingdom when he came to power. Where the creator came from and where he got his power is a mystery, but he claims to be older than the world of Thorae itself. 

Chapter Seventy-Six

Chapter Seventy-Six

-Clockwork Syndicate Headquarters; La'Creval Clocktower, La'Esk, Thorae; May 2009-

General Salvatore patiently waited outside the door of the creator’s chamber. A man of great stature and fully armored, he stood taller than the guards around him. The crest of the Clockwork Syndicate shimmered in the light upon his breastplate. When the general was let into the chamber, he immediately dropped to a knee. “Your majesty,” Salvatore uttered, head bowed low. 

“Come closer, general,” a weak, slow voice answered. “And speak a little louder. These ears have grown dull.”

The general stood and approached as instructed, head still bowed. He stopped a few feet away from the figure hunched over a desk. Shaky, old hands were scribbling a note on a slip of paper among the many maps, parchments, and books. Among the many layers of ornate robes and furs sitting in the chair, only a head of wiry gray hairs could be seen. “Your excellency,” Salvatore said as he kneeled again, remembering to raise his voice a little. 

The gray head turned. Dull eyes and a wrinkled face stared back at the general. A thin, silver circlet crookedly sat against the creator’s bushy brow “Have you brought my tribute?” the creator asked in a frail voice. 

“Yes, your majesty.” Salvatore stood and nodded to his subordinates still by the door. Two soldiers dragged a chained man into the chamber and dropped him on the floor between the general and creator. The prisoner curled into a ball, trembling. He whispered a phrase over and over again. “She lies... she lies... she lies...”

The creator grimaced as he stared over the shaking man. “This is the best General Diagan and his scientists could conjure?” 

“This is the only one that has survived the process thus far, your grace,” General Salvatore answered. “It seems being exposed to interdimensional energy for an extended period of time can be… lethal.” 

With a creaking grunt and a great deal of effort, the creator stood up and pushed his chair aside. He reached out an old, frail hand toward the prisoner. Uttering a string of ancient words, a black vine materialized from the hand and wrapped around the broken man. The prisoner gasped and attempted to scream, but it was too late. The light drained from the man and entered the creator. The chained man crumpled to the ground, now an empty husk. The frail king, on the other hand, was revitalized. The gray in his hair reverted to its original color and the wrinkles in his skin smoothed as his age regressed. The creator stood tall, still an older man than the general, but far younger and fairer in appearance than he was moments ago. The creator took a deep breath when the process was finished and straightened his crown. “That is better,” the creator said, voice now strong and deep. “Though this one had too few years left in him.” 

“If I may speak freely, your grace…” Salvatore paused until the king nodded. “This… tradition,” he started, using the best word he could come up with. “Has become more frequent in recent years.”

“It is a temporary solution,” the creator answered, resting his hands behind his back. “Once I find the perfect vessel, I will be free of this cursed existence. I will live forever.” The creator seemed to drift for a moment before returning to the present. He turned back to his desk and looked over the maps. “Tell me, how goes the war on the Tellian front?” the creator asked. 

“It goes well, your grace,” Salvatore answered. “Generals Valentine, Malewon, and Harwind have reported much progress these last few weeks. But they warn of assassins and bounty hunters drifting between worlds.” 

The creator did not seem bothered as he shifted some papers around. “Many have come for my life,” he said casually. “None have taken it. After all, who can kill a god?” he turned to Salvatore and smiled. 

The general inclined his head. “Of course, your majesty.”

The creator picked up a map of Thorae and held it to the light as he studied it. “One day,” he said softly. “All the worlds will be under my control. I will have ultimate power and I will have everlasting life, which I will then impart to my most faithful and trusted followers.” He glanced at Salvatore. “Tell me, general… Will you be among them?” 

“Till the very end, your majesty,” Salvatore answered, head still bowed. 

The general was dismissed and the creator sat back at his desk as the soldiers dragged away the chained body. Once they left, the door closed. Alone once more. Majesty. Grace. Excellency. King. Creator. Finally, he was receiving the proper recognition owed to him. After centuries in exile, a bloody war, and betrayal on every side, things were finally going his way. He was one step closer to achieving ultimate power. Ultimasi smiled to himself. He just had to find the perfect vessel.

Chapter Seventy-Five

Chapter Seventy-Five

Hanna and DJ trudged through the snow side by side. Ace was ahead of them. He did not seem to mind the lag as long as they were still following. Light was ever so faintly returning to the mountain. Sunrise was not far off. Their path took them around the ruins of the castle. When they reached the other side, DJ caught a glimpse of a large ice wall holding back snow. He paused to stare at it. The semi-circle of ice created a protective, sloped berm around what was left of the castle. He turned to Hanna. “Did you do this?” 

Hanna glanced at the wall, but kept walking. “Yeah. The explosion triggered an avalanche and I didn’t want the castle to get buried.” 

His eyes widened. “You stopped it?” 

“Yeah.” She continued walking. 

DJ easily caught up with Hanna and they walked together in comfortable silence. He thought about the amount of magical energy required to create a barrier that large. He also thought about what he saw at the North Pole. The fountains of water shooting into the sky and the geyser, all completely frozen into solid walls, crystalline structures, and jagged pillars of ice sparkling in the sunlight. The carnage on the screens during her solo battle for her life. The blizzard in the arena while he was fighting his EO. DJ had worked, fought, and trained with plenty of talented elementalists. He had seen walls of earth, storms of lightning, pillars of fire, and currents of water bent to a user’s will enough times to know such astounding feats were possible. He himself conjured a room-sized tornado. Even so, he had difficulty remembering the last time he saw anything that matched the scale of Hanna’s ice ability. She didn’t use it often, but when she did there was certainly plenty of aftermath. Come to think of it, she didn’t use her wings much either. She walked more than she flew. Sometimes he forgot she had them with the way she kept the black feathers tucked to her back. As if hiding them. A faint glow caught his attention. The gemstone embedded in the hilt of Hanna’s sword shimmered. 

“Do you think there was any truth to EDJ’s portal comments?” Hanna asked, breaking the silence. “Or was he lying again?” 

“Who knows.” DJ sighed. “It’s EO, after all. I wouldn’t put anything past him. Did he have anything to say about our new friends?” 

“He called them wacko and crazy, if that counts for anything.”

“That’s not surprising,” he commented. “He likes to resort to name calling when he has no real power.” Seeing her frown, he added, “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think they would go to all this trouble of convincing us to join them if they planned to vaporize us with a faulty portal.”

Hanna snorted with a wry smile. “Then you have more faith than I do.” 

“There are a lot of unknowns with this venture,” he said, attempting to cheer her up. “The one thing we do have is enthusiasm!” 

DJ smiled, but Hanna still seemed to be bothered by something. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. 

“Hm?” 

“I…” She took a breath. “I fell asleep earlier. I put us both in danger… again.” 

“I fell asleep too,” DJ answered with patience. “I was only planning on resting a while.” He shrugged and adjusted his hold on the mirror. “Don’t worry about it.” 

Hanna worried about it anyway. She worried about putting her friends in danger. She worried about leaving EDJ behind with Jester. She worried about Ace’s truthfulness and motives. She worried about Shard getting out again. She worried about Lui. What was waiting for them in this other dimension? What was she supposed to expect from a world she had never been to? What if they got there and Lui ended up being somewhere else entirely? Was he okay? He had been in the mirror for so long already. How were they going to save him with her constant mistakes? What if they couldn’t get to him in time? What if… “What if this is the wrong choice?” she asked, voice trembling. She stopped and looked to her friend for reassurance. 

DJ also stopped and turned to her. “Then we readjust and make a better one.” He tilted his head. “You’re going to have to make a choice one way or the other so make it and be done with it.”

“And what about consequences?” she asked. “Am I supposed to ignore those?” 

“Of course not. You take them into account when you can. But every single choice you make will have repercussions you didn’t anticipate so there’s no sense dwelling on them. Indecision is corrosive. Doubt will paralyze you in the seconds that call for action.” The way he spoke made Hanna think these were perhaps lessons he had already learned the hard way. DJ watched her anxious eyes dart back and forth as she frowned at the snow. Father, help her. Guide her to You. Grant her troubled heart peace. Help her see the Light. “Mistakes will happen,” he continued gently. “No matter how hard we try to avoid them. Dwelling on them does not change the past, but don’t give up. You have to keep moving forward. It’s the only way to keep going.” DJ looked over his shoulder to see Ace standing at the top of the ridge, watching them. He turned to Hanna. “Lui is waiting for us. What’s it going to be? Are you in or out?” 

“I’m in,” Hanna answered. She resumed walking through the snow toward Ace and DJ followed. 

They met Ace at the top of the ridge. True to his word, there was an odd energy presence nearby, but no visible sign that anything was different. 

“Is everyone ready to go?” Ace asked. DJ and Hanna both nodded. “Good. May I see the mirror?” He held out a hand. Hanna bristled and shot DJ a wary look. 

“I’ve got it right here,” the Original answered. He held the mirror up, but did not yet hand it over. “Do you need it?” 

“Yes,” Ace said with a hint of annoyance. “It acts as a link for the portal. It will help us determine Lui’s exact location. It shouldn't get anymore complicated than that.” 

“Ok.” DJ handed the glass object over with care. “Here you go. Please be careful with him.” 

Ace took the mirror and inspected it. He waved a hand over the glass and frowned. After a moment, Ace turned to Hanna. “I have a serious question… How far are you willing to go to save this friend of yours?”

Hanna’s eyes narrowed. “To the ends of the earth,” she immediately answered. 

“That’s a start,” he said with a nod. “You’ll have to go a little farther than that. We already knew he was stuck in Thorae, we just didn’t know where… exactly… We’ll be entering the easternmost point. Lui is trapped on the western coast.”

“Meaning it’s going to be a long trip!” Jester said loudly as he rejoined the group, seemingly from out of nowhere. EDJ was not with him. “We’ll have to cross an entire Syndicate-infested continent! My favorite!” 

Ace turned his attention back to Hanna. “Are you willing to go that far to rescue him?” 

“If it means saving his life, I’ll go as far as I have to,” she answered without hesitation. 

“And you?” Ace turned to DJ. 

The Original nodded. “Anything it takes to rescue him.”

“I will hold you both to that,” Ace said with a nod. “Jester, do the honors.” He handed off the mirror to his brother. 

Jester took the object with a wide grin. “Stand back, everyone! Here we go!” He raised the mirror and a beam of blue and white light shot out from the glass and into the rift. A swirling blue vortex appeared in front of the group. DJ and Hanna stared at the portal in wide-eyed wonder. Ace and Jester were business as usual. They had seen their fair share of portals. “Buckle up, Dorothy! It’s gonna be a bumpy ride! I can’t keep it open forever so hurry it up!” Ace jumped through the portal first without waiting for anyone. 

DJ was about to follow, but stopped. He turned to Hanna. Doubt still plagued her. “Hey,” he said softly, getting her attention. He offered a tired, hopeful smile. “Everything’s going to be ok. We’re going to save Lui. Whatever it takes.” He held out an open hand. “Always Hope.” 

Lui’s waiting. Hanna looked him in the eye and gave a brave smile. “Always Hope,” she repeated, accepting the offered hand. They entered the portal, leaving Earth behind. 

“Finally,” Jester muttered before jumping through himself and closing the portal behind him. 

Chapter Seventy-Four

Chapter Seventy-Four

Fortunately, EDJ stayed silent for a while. Unfortunately, Hanna was having trouble staying awake. All the talking earlier distracted her from her fatigue. Now she had no distraction. Stay awake. Her head dropped and she yanked it up again. Stay awake. 

“Hey! Icy!” EDJ called out. “Keep your eyes open. You don’t want to fall asleep here.” 

Hanna ran her hands down her face and patted her cheeks. “Didn’t know you cared.” She took a breath and sat up. 

“I don’t,” he answered. “But I sense this is probably my last chance to socialize before the crazy people come back and you venture off into the great unknown.” Unknown for you, anyway... “If you’re going to fall asleep, at least swap out with your friend first.” 

Hanna shook her head. DJ needs the rest. She looked back at the fire. Still going. She looked at DJ. Still breathing. She stared back at EDJ blankly. “Wait, do you know them?” 

“Nope. Never seen them before they walked into the cabin.” Seeing her confused look, EDJ added, “You didn’t freeze my face as much the second time so I could actually hear most of the conversation. By the end of it, the torture suggestions would have been more pleasant in comparison to enduring all your back and forth arguing.” 

“Oh...” Hanna leaned against the wall again. “Did you know about the portal to this other dimension?” 

“I built my castle less than two clicks away from an interdimensional rift. What do you think?” he answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes

“Wait, that’s why you chose Everest?” she asked. Her brain was not wanting to cooperate with both staying awake and keeping up with the conversation. 

“There were a lot of reasons for choosing Everest,” EDJ answered. “It’d be a waste of narrative space to explain them all. Just be grateful we’re nowhere near the death zone. Building any higher would have been insane, impractical, and ridiculously expensive. Not that it means much now. If anything those crazies were saying is true, none of it will matter anyway. If you save Lui or whatever… I disappear…” He looked over to see her head droop. “Psst! Hey! Don’t you dare close your eyes! Hanna! Wake up!” Too late. She was out. EDJ frowned. “Just my luck. I’m surrounded by narcoleptics.” A new thought occurred to him. She didn’t reinforce the ice prison. EDJ started wiggling and thrashing around. Maybe if he could get enough momentum to tip the block over, he could smash through the thinner parts of the ice. A few small cracks appeared. Just a little more… 

“Yo! The crazy people are back!” A new voice echoed off the mountain, halting EDJ’s escape attempt. Ace and Jester approached the makeshift shelter from the other side of the ruins. “Aww, look at that! The little Originals are asleep!” Jester commented with a laugh, walking closer and stopping near EDJ.

“They need the rest,” Ace replied. He walked between EDJ and the sleeping Hanna to check on DJ and the mirror. He frowned, straightening to look around the ruins. “Unfortunately, it’s far too dangerous for them here.”

“Back to HQ then?” his brother asked with his arms crossed. 

“If they can survive the trip.” 

“Better wake them up. I ain’t carryin’ them,” Jester said flippantly. 

“Are you just going to stand there and ignore me?” EDJ asked, somewhat insulted that he was being treated like a houseplant. 

“Don’t interrupt professionals while we’re working,” Jester spat. “We have a job to do.” 

Ah, a worthy opponent. “I heard your little ploy back at the cabin,” EDJ started with a smile. “You think my friend Hanna here is actually going to believe your schemes even for a second? She doesn’t trust you and DJ’s smart enough not to fall for your tricks either.”

“Shut your trap, you insignificant little….” Jester stopped himself and took a breath before returning the polite smile. “You’re forgetting who it is that has the power to scorch you in 2 seconds, including thaw time.”

“Lucky you for not being the one encased in ice.” EDJ smirked back. “You want to let me out of this ice cube so we can have a real fight, Lester?”

Jester grinned at him. “I'd love to! Too bad I have a duty that does not include killing you.” His smile dropped. “So shut it before I have to do it anyway.”

“Your power of persuasion,” Ace interrupted, stepping back out of the shelter and addressing EDJ. “It sounds…” 

“Lame?” His brother finished for him. 

“Er… yes…” Ace grimaced. “And I’ve seen the way you fight. Nothing wrong there except you use mortal weapons.” 

“HEY!” EDJ’s polite facade broke. “I’ll have you know that persuasion works extremely well! I had Hanna within a hair’s-breadth of turning evil permanently. So you can keep your holier-than-thou attitude and get off your high horse before someone comes and knocks you off.”

“Oh, this must be the power to put people to sleep! I see now!” Jester laughed. “No wonder they’re unconscious!” 

Ace shot his brother a look before kneeling in front of Hanna. He reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. “Hello? Wake up, please.” 

Hanna groggily opened her eyes. “Ugh… wha…?” Seeing the stranger directly in front of her, she reeled back with a yelp and reached for her sword. 

Ace jumped to his feet with his hands raised. “Good morning, Miss Hanna,” he said pleasantly. 

She blinked at him, far too out of it to really process what was going on, but her sword remained sheathed. What happened? The last thing I remember was EDJ’s incessant chatter… I must have been exhausted… Where are we…? She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be protecting something. Hanna gasped and leapt up, but immediately collapsed in the snow. “Where’s DJ?!” she asked in panic, frantically looking around. 

“He is still asleep right now.” Ace gestured toward the shelter while he attempted to help her up. “There is no need for concern. His vitals are within normal ranges.”

Hanna ignored Ace’s assistance and grabbed the wall for support. She exhaled in relief when she saw DJ was exactly where she left him. Still breathing... Good... She looked at the mirror. “And Lui?” 

“His status has not changed,” Ace answered. 

Hanna slid back into the snow, resting against the wall. She looked at EDJ, who was thankfully still in his icy prison. 

“Hi.” EDJ grinned at her, but she frowned in response. 

Hanna turned to Ace and Jester. How long have they been standing there? How long was I out? It was my job to stay awake and I fell asleep. They could have… She could already feel the familiar pangs of failure and guilt creep in. “I let my guard down,” she whispered. “And you didn’t do anything?” 

“I was MORE than tempted to kill this idiot over here, but I made sure it didn't happen,” Jester answered, jerking a thumb toward EDJ. 

“Ha! You don't have the guts to kill a defenseless person, that's all!” EDJ threw out with chaotic zeal. “If mortal swords don’t work against you, give me one of yours and we'll have a real fight!”

“We can't give you one of our swords because the power would just burn your hand off,” Jester sneered back. “You still want one?”

“Of course I do, you wimp! I think you’re scared of me!” EDJ arrogantly snapped back. Jester laughed again in contempt. 

While the Evil Others bickered, Ace crouched to Hanna’s level and watched her curiously. “Why would we do anything? You’re no good to us dead. Not to mention…” 

“Not to mention… what?” she pressed suspiciously. 

“I said you’re no good to us dead.” Ace stood up. He offered a hand to help her up. “Please wake your friend. We must leave.” 

Hanna swatted his hand away and got up on her own. She moved around the fire and knelt next to DJ. “Hey.” She softly shook his shoulder. 

DJ jolted awake. “I’m awake!” He blinked and looked around. “Huh?” Seeing no danger, he settled back and put his head in his hands. “How long did I sleep?” he asked, rubbing his tired eyes. 

“Hopefully long enough for you to regain your strength,” Ace answered. “We have some distance yet to cover before we reach safety. I suggest you gather yourselves as quickly as possible and follow me.” He stepped away from the shelter. 

Hanna frowned at him with pursed lips until he walked out of view. She turned to DJ with concern. “Are you okay now?”

DJ nodded and stood up. “Quite ok, thanks. Although I’m still cold.” He picked up the mirror and stepped out of the shelter, wincing at the gust of wind that hit his face as he left the fire. 

Hanna was right behind him. She watched Jester and EDJ still arguing for a moment before turning to Ace. “So, how will we get to this Other world?”

Ace pointed off into the distance. “It’s right here, just over the ridge beyond the castle. You won’t be able to physically see it, but the conflux of energy is hard to miss for anyone who can wield magic. We will use that energy to create a portal.” 

“Oh, sure! Trust the crazy wackos and their magical portals,” EDJ taunted. “Who knows where they’ll lead. If they don’t end up ripping you to shreds in the process!”

“I told you to shut your trap!” Jester countered. “Everyone knows portals are perfectly safe. Especially when I’m the one making them.” 

EDJ rolled his eyes, his volume increasing. “If anyone is stupid enough to buy that, I’ve got oceanfront property in Arkansas. Portals are a scientifically interesting way to die screaming. Ask anyone!”

“That’s teleporters, not portals!”

“Same difference.”

“What portals have you been through?!” 

“The ones that give you lemons.” 

“That’s life! Not portals!” 

“See? I told you they’d get along well,” Ace commented.

“And what did we decide about my EO?” DJ asked, still holding the mirror. 

“Jester will remain with him to make sure he does not escape while we make our way to the rift.” Leaving it at that, Ace headed off in the direction he indicated earlier. Hanna and DJ dubiously watched Jester and EDJ continue to argue and one up each other.

I wonder how long that will last, Hanna thought. She turned to see DJ already going in the same direction as Ace. She caught up to him and spoke softly. “You’re fine with just leaving them like that?”

“We agreed to trust them,” DJ answered. Honestly, he was too tired and cold to deal with it. After the week he had, he was glad to let his EO be someone else’s problem for the time being. He needed a break. Aside from that, what was the point of agreeing to trust someone if you weren’t actually going to trust them?

Chapter Seventy-Three

Chapter Seventy-Three

Hanna placed a few extra branches into the fire as quietly as possible, trying not to wake DJ. She readjusted the mirror, still unable to see much beyond the glass. It was too dark and the glare of the firelight did not help. She could not tell how long they waited at the castle ruins, but it was much longer than she would have preferred. If I’d have known they were going to take this long, I would have taken a nap back at the cabin. Not finding anything else useful to do to distract herself, Hanna moved back to her watch point just outside the shelter. The question about humanity and thoughts of the cabin reminded her of the conversation with Ace. She thought back on Jester’s words about Evil Others as well. “Did you really mean what you said about freedom?” she asked. 

EDJ blinked at her. “I said a lot of things, oh mighty captor. You’re gonna have to remind me.” 

“The part about not running,” she explained. “About not hiding that I’m an Evil Other. Do you think it’s possible for the world to live with that? Could they see that I’m still trying to choose good in spite of it? Or is freedom only possible inside a hierarchy of villainy in which I choose evil?” 

EDJ again blinked at her. “I think I’m the wrong person to be answering these questions…” 

“Oh, now you don’t think I have the power to be evil?” Hanna questioned with a raised brow. 

“You have the potential, but you lack conviction,” he answered. “For good or evil. You’re a lukewarm, mediocre in-between who can’t decide one way or the other. You don't have the power to suppress what evil you do have and the evil you have doesn’t have the power to stay in control. It’s a moot point.” He sounded annoyed. 

Hanna smiled a little. “You expect me to believe you’ve given up so easily?” she asked. “What about all that false flattery you fed me back there?”

“Seriously?!” EDJ physically turned to her as much as he was able to. “That was all to get you to believe that you truly had evil in you. Self-motivation is one of the most powerful convincing tools I have!” Seeing her blank face, he continued. “You do realize that was my actual job, right? I turn heroes for a living. I lure them in with flowers, chocolates, and promises I have no intention of keeping. I’m supposed to make evil look cruelly attractive. If a hero doesn’t turn, I eliminate them. That’s why I was the one hired for this particular task. I have a fifty percent success rate, by the way. The other fifty percent are the dead heroes that didn’t make it through the traps.” 

Hanna’s suspicion softened, but did not immediately melt away. “That’s it?” she persisted. “You’re not after anything else with your powers of persuasion?”

EDJ let out an exasperated breath. “I’m good at what I do, princess, and I don’t do it for free. You were nothing more than a paycheck... A hefty one at that.”

“Hey!” Hanna folded her arms, insulted.

“That’s a good thing!” EDJ said, miffed. “My point is, it was my actual job. I pay taxes and everything.” 

Hanna raised her eyebrows and almost laughed in disbelief. “You pay taxes?” she asked, clearly not buying it. 

“Duh.” EDJ rolled his eyes. “Even I know better than to get caught with federal tax evasion. That's only the second cardinal rule of every single organization of evil in existence ever.”

“What's the first rule?” she asked curiously. 

“Don't get caught.” 

Hanna snickered. “It seems you have a habit of breaking things.” 

“Only rules,” he responded casually. “And laws... And wills... And hearts, occasionally.”

She shook her head with a sneer of disgust and disapproval. “You're despicable.”

“I can't help evil is so alluring. It comes with the territory,” he said in his usual self-justified tone. “Can you imagine how much harder my job would be if I weren't at least a little bit charming?” 

Hanna coughed uncomfortably and cleared her throat. “I think I threw up a little...”

EDJ scoffed. “Hey, considering how quickly you initially raced out here to confront me by yourself, that says way more about you than it does about me.”

Hanna grimaced. She adjusted to lean against the outside wall of the shelter. “That’s such an oddly specific skill to have too. How do you even figure out that’s something you’re good at?” she asked. 

“I broke a few things,” EDJ answered in a low voice. He watched Hanna, who still seemed on the fence about whether or not anything he told her was truth or lie. “I don’t know what else to tell you, frosty,” he started. “You’re not special. If that’s not the answer you were looking for, I am sorry to disappoint you.” He smirked. “Aside from that, something tells me your icy heart is already spoken for by someone far less interesting.” 

She stared directly ahead and spoke in an unattached, businesslike tone. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Only the obvious. He sighed and asked the one question she would take seriously. “How’s Lui?”

Hanna turned and glared at him. Curiously, there wasn’t as much anger in her eyes as there was pain. “Don’t pretend like you care.” 

EDJ attempted a smile that ended up more of a half grin, face long since completely numb with the cold. “He is still my Other. I don’t hate the guy. Well, maybe a little…” Maybe a lot. “Regardless, I don’t wish him dead.” Again she looked like she didn’t believe him, even though that part was fact. “Why do you care so much about him anyway?” he asked. 

“Sentimental value,” she answered coldly, turning away again. “He is my friend.”

“Do you treat all your friends with such fierce loyalty?” he pressed.

Hanna’s voice still sounded detached. “You seem to be implying something again.”

“I am trying to understand,” he said simply. “I want to know what you see in him. Purely to satisfy my own curiosity, of course.” He attempted another polite smile. 

What did she see in Lui? Hanna wrapped her arms around her legs and looked up at the stars in thought. For some reason, it wasn’t a question she really stopped and considered before. Not in any great length. “Peace,” she answered quietly. “Joy. Patience. Compassion. Lui is content. He doesn’t try to prove he’s better than anyone. He doesn’t hurt people or put them down. He builds them up. He is excited by life and wants to share that with everyone he meets. He’s not afraid of trying new things or making the wrong decisions. I can talk to him about anything and he’ll listen. I can trust him. He is open and honest and genuine. Lui is…” Her face scrunched in thought as she searched for the right word. A word she could use that would offer the highest compliment she could give to his character. If there was an exact word, it eluded her, so she said the only word that came to mind. “...safe.”

EDJ paused, waiting for more information. When there wasn’t any, he asked, “That’s it?” How incredibly boring. 

She shot another glare at him. “Lui doesn’t go around kidnapping people to make himself feel better.” To make sure he got the message, she added, “Unlike some people I know.” She leaned back against the wall and took out the little bracelet from her pocket. 

“Pfft,” EDJ snorted while rolling his eyes. “You mean he’s harmless, that’s all.” He frowned. “Being harmless isn’t a virtue.” 

“Kindness is,” Hanna said softly, twisting the green and black thread of the bracelet between her fingers. “After everything I’ve done... After all the trouble I put him through… All Lui’s ever been to me is kind.” Fresh tears ran down her cheek. Stupid tears! Stop crying! She sniffed and wiped her face as quickly as possible, hoping EDJ did not notice. 

EDJ raised an eyebrow, noticing. Wow, that’s really sappy. “He’s a Christmas rom-com with less flannel,” he said, still trying to comprehend why anyone would be attracted to such a thing. He shook his head. “Being weak isn’t noteworthy. Now, being a monster and not acting on it, well…” He paused with a smug smile. “That’s another story entirely.” 

Hanna stood up to face him, clearly furious again. “You want applause for showing restraint?” she asked. 

“Not necessarily,” he answered calmly. “But a pat on the back every now and then would be nice.” 

“That’s just being a decent human being,” she said, still glaring. “You should try it sometime.” 

EDJ gave her a perplexed look. “I expected a little more empathy from you. You know exactly what it’s like to hold back a monster.” 

Hanna looked away with a grimace. “The world could use less monsters,” she muttered, returning to her spot by the wall. “Controlled or otherwise.” She put the bracelet on her wrist and adjusted it so it would stay in place. 

“Hmm,” he hummed in disagreement. “There you and I differ. There are far too many sheep for my liking and wolves get hungry.” Hanna hugged her knees again, trying to ignore EDJ as he continued speaking. “If you aren’t capable of cruelty, you’ll always be on the receiving end of anyone who is.” He gave a halfhearted smile. “The truths they don’t teach in Sunday school.” 

Hanna’s glare softened. Something in his tone tugged at her. She turned and watched him with new eyes, searching for the hidden undercurrent driving all his words and actions. EDJ saw the strange and somewhat sympathetic look she was giving him. “What’s that?” he asked with amusement. “Feeling sorry for me?” 

Her head snapped away and her voice held its icy edge again. “As if anyone could feel sorry for a heartless monster like you.” 

EDJ laughed a dry, hollow, empty laugh. “Don’t worry,” he assured. “I have no plans to use Lui against you again. Your secret’s safe with me.” His voice shifted as it took on a more serious note. “You do realize how obvious your affection for him is, right? Even Lui’s not that clueless.” Hanna’s cheeks were pink, but she remained silent. “A bit of advice, unsolicited as it may be,” EDJ continued. “If you have the chance to be truly happy, take it before someone else takes it from you.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Hanna eyed him suspiciously. “Is that a threat?”

Forget it. EDJ sighed. “You think everything’s a threat.”