The Extra Wants Control

Topaz stirred on the soft bed, a white bandage wrapped around her head. The room, furnished with tasteful simplicity, was unfamiliar. A 'young' woman with dark, emotionless eyes sat by the window, a holographic display shimmering before her.

"You're awake," Bianca said, her voice cold and almost robotic.

Topaz flinched, the throbbing in her head intensifying. Memories, fragmented and hazy, flickered through her mind. This woman, she appeared in her room, talked about a master then she kidnapped her!

"Where am I?" she croaked, her voice hoarse.

"In my guestroom," Bianca replied, turning and offering a forced smile. "Master thought it best you recover here after… the incident."

"The incident? And who is this master?" Topaz thought.

" I have a video for you." Said Bianca.

"Can I see…" Topaz started, hesitantly gesturing towards the holographic display Bianca had been playing.

Bianca's smile 'warm' never faltered for a moment before she turned the display towards Topaz. It showed a blurred, chaotic scene of a fight. Neveah, a blur of dangerous movement, dominated the screen. Topaz, her movements sluggish and hesitant, was pinned to the ground with alarming ease.

"This is… me?" Topaz rasped, disbelief twisting her features.

"The first part," Bianca confirmed, her voice flat. "You were… overpowered quite easily."

The scene shifted, the blurry fight replaced by a close-up of an intricate hand gesture Topaz didn't recognize. A blinding blue light erupted, engulfing Neveah. Topaz looked on, confused and momentarily unguarded. Then, Neveah launched another attack, this time met with a desperate, almost feral movement from Topaz.

"But what…" Topaz stammered, watching the screen in horrified fascination as a dormant power seemed to awaken within her.

The fight continued, this time more even. Topaz, wielding a strange fighting style, managed to almost land a few blows on Neveah. But the tide turned again, Neveah gaining the upper hand. The final moments showed Topaz, sitting her back on the wall and in exhaustion, a look of pure terror on her face, pleading with Neveah to stop. Then, darkness.

The video ended, leaving Topaz reeling. Her body still ached, the memory of the fight both terrifying and exhilarating. The techniques she used seemed alien, unlike anything she had trained in.

"How is this… possible?" Topaz whispered, her eyes locked on the deactivated hologram.

"You tell me? I'm actually impressed, I should take her..." Bianca thought.

Topaz looked up, searching Bianca's face. "Then why don't I have these memories?"

A mischievous glint appeared in Bianca's eyes. "Oh, I could have," she admitted, "but where's the fun in that?" Reaching into a pouch, she pulled out a gleaming necklace, an eleven-star artifact humming with power.

"Besides," she continued, holding the necklace up, "seeing it firsthand is much more impactful than a mere memory, wouldn't you agree?"

Topaz gripped the sheets, the memory of Neveah looming large. She recalled the overwhelming power, the fear, and then… the drama between Neveah and the race leaders. Then darkness the moment the Human Empress raised her sword.

With a sigh, Topaz leaned back against the pillows. Bianca's playful cruelty never ceased to amaze her. Still, the knowledge that her memories could have been restored with a flick of a wrist left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Topaz, having regained a semblance of calm, fixed Bianca with a steady gaze. "You were the one who hid me at the tombs, weren't you?"

Bianca met her gaze, a hint of amusement playing on her lips. "At the young master's orders, yes."

"Young master?" Topaz echoed, a flicker of suspicion crossing her features. "You mean Neveah, right?"

Bianca cocked her head, a single eyebrow raised in mock surprise. "Is there anyone else you have in mind?"

Topaz chewed her lip, the question hanging heavy in the air. "What does the prince of Vampires want with me? I'm just… nobody special."

Bianca sighed, a theatrical display of exasperation. "That, my dear Topaz, is above my pay grade. The young master has their reasons, and frankly, knowing wouldn't be much use to you anyway. Besides you are special."

Topaz opened her mouth to protest, but Bianca cut her off with a flourish. "But fret not! While you await your 'grand destiny', I shall be diligently preparing you."

An excited glint sparked in Bianca's eyes. "Since you'll be by my young master's side, I believe a proper maid is in order! You, my dear, shall be my very first disciple!"

Topaz sputtered, indignation rising in her chest. "A maid? I don't…"

Her protest died in her throat as Bianca, with a speed that defied logic, whipped a silken sash around Topaz's wrist. The next moment, Topaz found herself disoriented and airborne, the room blurring into a kaleidoscope of colors as Bianca whisked her away, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a very bewildered maid-in-training.

A grim silence hung heavy in the air of the opulent chamber. Queen Verona, her face etched stoic, as she stood beside the unconscious form of Neveah sprawled on a plush chaise lounge.

With a flick of her wrist, the Queen summoned Bianca, who materialized in a flurry of silks and lace, the telltale signs of the newly acquired maid uniform clinging to her form.

"Bianca," Verona began, her voice low and laced with concern, "you are aware of the upcoming tournament, yes? Have you and the twins reached a decision on your participation?"

Bianca, still flustered from the teleportation, clutched the hem of her maid dress, a picture of hesitant awkwardness. "I… I…" she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Verona sighed, a hint of understanding softening her features. "Bianca," she said gently, "there's no need for formalities. Whatever decision you and the twins make, know that I will support you."

Relief washed over Bianca's face, and she finally managed a small, hesitant nod. "O-okay," she choked out, before dissolving once again into a shimmer of purple light.

As Bianca vanished, Verona's gaze returned to Neveah's unconscious form. Her brow furrowed in concentration. "He's still not here yet," she murmured to herself, "but it should be soon. Please, be quick," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation, "I don't have much time before…"

Her sentence was abruptly cut short by a chilling voice that seemed to emanate from the very depths of her being "Before we leave," red eyed Verona finished finished.

*****

A bewildered Topaz blinked as Bianca reappeared beside her, seemingly unfazed by their high mountaintop location. "Disciple," Bianca announced with a flourish, holding out a stack of leather-bound books. "I reviewed your manual reward. Not bad, but terribly outdated. So, I took the liberty of adding some annotations and improvements."

Topaz, who hadn't even noticed Bianca's absence, could only stare at the proffered books. This whole situation felt surreal. A moment ago, she was a student, and now, here she was on a mountaintop, thrust into the role of a 'disciple' to a strange maid.

"Here," Bianca continued, shoving a smaller book into the pile. "Master these techniques before I get out. You have There years."

Topaz grumbled under her breath. "I still don't know what's going on. All I want is a normal life! And what's with this book of being a bride?" She flipped through the books, her eyes widening in confusion. "How to be a good bride? Seriously?

And a bride to who."

" As a maid there are times you need to relieve your maste... " But before she could finish she was met with a very confused look from Topaz.

The mischievous glint in Bianca's eyes dimmed for a moment. Perhaps Topaz's innocence was more genuine than Bianca initially assumed. A sigh escaped Bianca's lips. "Never mind," she muttered, "I'll explain that later. Focus on these techniques for now."

Topaz frowned, frustration tinging her voice. "But what about the Academy? And what about my life… my 'responsibilities as the human clan's daughter'?"

Bianca's response was a blunt, dismissive, "Forget it."

Topaz sputtered, her mind reeling. "And three years? What happens in three years?"

Before Topaz could get an answer, Bianca vanished once more. Disoriented and alone, Topaz found herself trapped in a secluded cave. It wasn't a prison, exactly. The cave was surprisingly well-equipped - a comfortable bed, a makeshift bathroom carved into a secluded corner, and a large, dedicated training area. In the center, a sturdy reading desk held the mysterious books Bianca had provided.

Gazing around the unexpected training haven, Topaz couldn't help but mutter, "Now let's break through," mimicking Bianca's earlier declaration. Yet, with a sinking feeling in her gut, she knew this breakthrough wouldn't be of her own choosing.

Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of the cave, a shimmering portal shimmered into existence. Bianca, now clad in a different attire, one suited for combat, stepped out, her face hardened with resolve. With a deep breath, she settled into a meditative pose, her eyes gleaming with an unseen purpose.

It was clear: Bianca had her own agenda, one now intricately tied to Topaz's fate, and the path forward wouldn't be easy.

******

A jolt of energy ripped through Neveah, dragging him from the comfortable oblivion of unconsciousness. He blinked, taking in the dimly lit chamber, the scent of lavender and earth clinging to the air. His back throbbed, a dull ache that paled in comparison to the previous training sessions. His gaze fell on Queen Verona, a curious expression etched on her face.

"Awake at last," she said, her voice devoid of its usual regal tone. It was softer, laced with a hint of concern.

Neveah tried to push himself up, wincing at the unfamiliar stiffness in his muscles. "What… happened?" he rasped, his voice hoarse.

"Consider it a necessary reset," Verona replied, gesturing towards a shimmering pile of violet crystals nestled near the corner. "Go on, feed."

Neveah's mouth drooled, drawn ti the crystals by an instinct he couldn't explain. As he popped a crystal into his mouth, it wasn't tasty, or energizing he felt nothing.

Unlike previous training sessions, this one didn't leave him feeling pain or exhaustion atleast not yet...

Verona knelt beside him, her gaze fixed on a pristine section of his bare back. In her hand, a shimmering auta pulsed with a faint purple light. "This time," she announced, her voice serious, "will be different."

Neveah tensed, expecting the familiar searing pain. Instead, a cool, tingling sensation spread across his skin as her hand touched him. He felt, mesmerized, as intricate patterns bloomed across his back, etched in the same violet light emanating from the needle. It wasn't a painful inscription, but an intricate dance of technique leaving a permanent mark.

"Try to feel it," Verona instructed, her voice soft. "Reach out with your senses. Try to manipulate the mana around you."

Neveah frowned, focusing his newfound energy. He pushed, he pulled, he strained… but nothing happened. The ambient mana, a swirling sea of power that everyone instinctively manipulated, remained stubbornly distant. Even before when he was cursed he could move it but he couldn't store it within himself or power any powerful attacks.

It felt as if an invisible barrier separated him from it, a barrier that pulsed with a faint rejection.

"It doesn't work," he said, frustration creeping into his voice. "The mana… it doesn't respond. It's like it doesn't recognize me."

Verona's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. "Good," she simply said, her voice devoid of explanation.

Neveah stared at her, bewildered. But before he could question her cryptic response, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, pulling him back into a dreamless sleep. As Neveah slept, the newly etched patterns on his back pulsed with a subtle violet light...

The training wasn't even close to starting....

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