Game of Thrones: King of Magic

Solomon. Braavos.

- Where...am I...? - The Artist asked herself uncertainly.

- This place is... magnificent..." murmured Kirana, admiring the view.

I sat on the throne and looked at the end of the long staircase leading down as the mesmerized and stunned mother-daughter duo looked around and couldn't believe their eyes. There was genuine incomprehension on their faces, yet they could not deny the beauty of this place, the Mirror of the Soul and the Noble Phantasm of Solomon.

We were in some sort of open-air throne room, made of pale stone and built on a floating island.

Wherever the eye went, it was met with white cumulus clouds, soaring rough stones of various sizes, and columns that seemed to pierce the clear and blue sky. And in it, just behind the throne, was a huge hole gaping as if drilled into the firmament itself, which showed thousands of bright stars illuminating the enchanting darkness of space.

It was all unnatural, unknown and incomprehensible, but the enchanting mysticism that permeated every pebble seemed to draw the eye to itself as if forcibly, not intending to let it go afterward. And anyone who would have come here would have declared with all certainty that this place belonged not to man, but to god himself.

As if it was from here that the god watched over the lives of mortals from among the clouds and the light of distant stars. All alone and away from the world where life and time passed by this place and the god himself. A separate space, a domain that he rules over, towering above the others.

The Noble Phantasm is the part of the hero, or Heroic Soul, that made him famous, writing his name into history and elevating him to the Throne of Heroes, a metaphysical place removed from the rest of the world and the very concept of time itself. And Ars Paulina was no exception. She embodied the part of Solomon where the One God gifted him with omnipotence and, in fact, power over the world.

To summarize, this was exactly what I was feeling at this moment. Detachment from the rest of the world and power. The power to command everything that exists here. From the laws of physics and molecular structure, to life and death.

In this place, Kirana and the Artist felt to me like... ants, as rude and arrogant as that sounds. All because I know and realize how insignificant they are at this moment.

- Welcome to Ars Paulina, my Soul Mirror. - I said, to which they instantly turned their heads toward the throne.

- "Soul Mirror, Master Solomon?" - Kirana asked intrigued.

- The materialization and projection of my soul, my own inner world, onto reality itself. A personal universe, if you will. The cloud you see. The air you breathe. The floor you stand on. Everything here is part of me, my soul, and therefore it is I who dictate the rules. Are you satisfied with the answer, Mistress Kirana? - I said, putting my fist on my head, to which I received a nod of my head and glowing eyes.

Kirana was like a child, full of enthusiasm and interest. Her attraction to magic wasn't normal as it was, but now that she had seen Ars Paulina, a dimension separate from the rest of the world, there was no doubt that it had risen to a new level. It's like showing a child a colorful toy with multiple elaborate details, the ability to talk and move, that simply outshone the usual wooden and plastic crafts.

- And why did you bring us here? - The Artist added in a tone of incomprehension.

Lavena had little interest in magic. She was only a means, not an end. So her reaction to what was happening consisted of incomprehension, some apprehension and fear of the unknown.

- To bring your conflict to an end. This place is completely cut off from the rest of the world, which means no one will know what happened here. You can use any method you like, whether it's conversation or violence followed by murder.

- And why should I do that? - The Artist asked irritably.

- Because we won't get out of here otherwise, Lavena, will we, Master Solomon? - Kirana said calmly.

- You're right," I nodded, to which I received another dose of irritation from Artist and understanding from Kirana, "You may begin. I won't interfere until one of you comes out victorious.

-0-

A minute passed, two, three, but they still didn't move from their seats, silently looking at each other. And each of them understood perfectly well that there could be no conversation between them, but only a battle to the death, which would decide the outcome of their conflict.

The artist is obviously not the kind of person who would act on someone's orders. Her behavior and attitude towards me speaks directly to this. Even after seeing my power, she does not change herself, is not afraid to show what she thinks, and is ready to go to the end, dying in the process, but on her own terms. Though given the circumstances and the seal on her body, Lavena will act the way I want her to.

Was it bravery? No, more like stupidity. However, such a will makes one wonder what a person's life is worth if he is constantly bending under someone else. What is more important for him, to live a short life, but being himself, or a long one, but changing and losing himself. A philosophical question, which worries even modern thinkers, I would say.

And that's what attracts me to this girl. She does what I was afraid to do in my past life. The reason lay not only in the condemnation of modern society, but also in the inner core. And if it is fragile, a person rots from within, closing himself off from the world, society and himself. How-ever gray reality is far from personal happiness and dreams.

Kirana's goals and principles, on the other hand, are simple and straightforward. For her personal happiness, freedom or position in the world do not matter, but only her family, which made her what she is now. Pragmatism and cold calculation, that is the motto of all mage families and their generations. And it was she who started to act first.

A wave of mana traveled through her body, indicating the activation of magical circuits and the application of an analog of "Strengthening". In one swift motion, Kirana pulled a ruby from her pocket and threw it at the Artist with speed and force. Lavena repeated her actions, except for the throw, and dodged it by grabbing the hilt of her brush and lunging at her mother.

A moment later, a deafening explosion erupted behind her back, releasing a pulse of force and creating a large cloud of fire, but it failed to distract the duo from the fight. The wind blew their dresses and hair, and the serious looks of the two women that began to move around the peculiar arena expressed nothing but coldness and a desire to end it all.

Having strengthened her body with a spell, Kirana circled around the Artist, throwing small fireballs at her opponent, while the bracelet with six inlaid gemstones on her hand flashed brightly every now and then, draining her mana.

The artist had no choice but to try to shorten her distance in order to strike. Even without her magical training, her "Strengthening" was more effective than Kirana's, making her faster than Kirana, though not by much. But her mother's long-range attacks overrode this weakness, forcing the Artist to dodge from side to side and avoid the fireballs' blast radius.

The fight was fought until their opponent's first mistake, when either of them would get framed or fail to dodge. Sweat began to soak their dresses and foreheads and their mana began to deplete, but their determination to win never faltered for a moment.

At one point, the Artist almost reached Kirana, but she used a fireball and forcibly detonated it right next to her, causing the flames to engulf her as well. Lavena was not expecting this move, but still managed to jump back and avoid most of the damage, though the flames hit her free arm and scorched some of her hair. Kirana was not unharmed either. Part of her dress was burned and her palm was covered in burns, but neither even squeaked in pain.

- You are skillful, Lavena. I wonder how strong you would be if I did take you on? - Kirana said, lowering her hand.

- I don't need your praise, 'mother'. - The Artist replied irritably and gripped her brush tighter.

- But is that what all children want?

- Not from a mother like you. - Lavena parried and attacked again.

- Oh? So you don't hate me, you resent me," Kirana nodded, creating a wall of fire in front of her, "You resent me for not being a real mother to you, don't you?

- What...? - Lavena froze for a moment, and one of the balls almost hit her, but she managed to dodge - What makes you think that?!

- A premonition," Kirana replied calmly and, changing position, created two more walls of fire, "And judging by your reaction, I was right.

- Don't pretend to know me! - The Artist shouted furiously, and the mana flow in her magical chains increased, making them glow on her skin - You are nothing to me!

- Then why did it hurt you so much? - Kirana asked, creating three more walls and locking Lavena inside the pentagonal formation, while five of the six stones in her bracelet lost their color and crumbled into dust - Did you long for a mother's love, my daughter?

- Don't you dare call me 'daughter'!" - The Artist roared and, covering herself with a closed field, tried to get out of the formation.

It was too late, however, as Kirana threw the same emerald she had shown me into the wall of flames, causing the fire to quickly change its color to acid green, and then an explosion erupted.

BOOM

The power was enormous, so much so that a magical protective circle was even formed in front of me. A rumbling sound rumbled throughout the entire Soul Mirror. Dust and flames mixed together to form a veil that covered almost the entire arena and blocked my view. The momentum of the explosion blew away the nearby clouds, and the rising wind developed my long hair.

I waved my hand, and the veil dissipated, revealing the aftermath.

The white stone arena had turned into a scorched crater, with acid-green lights still burning in places. The columns were covered in soot, and the stairs to the throne were partially destroyed by the force of the explosion. And the duo was nowhere to be seen.

A couple seconds later, Kirana emerged from behind one of the columns. She looked shabby and tired, her magical chains were almost empty, and the last stone in her bracelet had turned to dust like the others. Her movements were sluggish and inert, and her expression was calm and relieved.

- I have won... Master Solomon...? - Kirana asked in a tired voice, to which I just smiled and looked at her but didn't answer.

Seeing this, she started looking for Lavena with her eyes, who herself showed up a moment later, and her fist punch to the face made Kirana fly a couple of meters and sprawl on the ground. Then, limping, the Artist walked slowly over to Kirana and sat on her stomach, bringing her brush above her head and preparing to crack her mother's skull.

Kirana's attack was powerful, and if Lavena had hesitated for even a moment without risking a rush through the flames and pouring all the mana into the strength of the closed field and Fortification she had in her reserves, she would have been dead.

Her left leg was practically failing and covered in caked blood. Her right eye was bleeding and burns covered the lower part of her face. Her hands were also scorched by the flames, making them shiver in pain but still holding the brush. Some of her hair had been burned off, so that it now reached her shoulder, and her dress was nothing but rags.

- The moment of truth, I suppose? - Kirana asked weakly, looking the Artist straight in the eye - Finish it, Lavena. Isn't this what you wished for?

The Artist hesitated. It was as if she couldn't make up her mind to take the final step and finish the job. Her restless gaze met with the resigned one that Kirana sent, realizing that she no longer had the strength to continue fighting.

- Perhaps I really should have accepted you. You would have made a good heiress, after all, you even managed to defeat me," Kirana said with an ironic grin, "And I must say, I'm proud of you, even if I wasn't the mother you dreamed of. Finish it while you have the chance, because you won't get another. I just won't allow it.

Kirana's words worked like a trigger. Lavena froze, the trembling stopped for a moment, and then one sharp blow, accompanied by the sound of a blade digging into flesh. Kirana's blood spurted to the sides, splattering the Artist's face and arms. There was a deafening silence, and only her breathing diluted the air of finality that spread throughout the Soul Mirror.

I looked at Lavena, waiting for her reaction, but... there was none. At least not a visible one. I sensed no sadness or joy from her, but something else. She looked at the breathless Kirana with a frown on her face and didn't know what to do or think, and the brush was still sticking out of her head, though her hands were no longer holding onto it.

- Any thoughts, Mistress Lavena? - I asked, finding myself at her side. - Your goal accomplished, and your face was definitely the last thing she saw.

- It's... strange..." she muttered. - I should be glad it's over, but...

- You don't feel quite what you expected, do you?

- 'Yes...' Lavena said, and then made a disgruntled face. - And your questions are annoying, Master Solomon.

- Can we say that your conflict is rather pointless? - Ignoring her jab, I asked, to which she clucked her tongue but nodded.

- In that case, fine," I smiled and snapped my fingers.

Kirana's body instantly disappeared without any sound or flash of light. Lavena, seeing this, looked at the now empty space in surprise, not understanding what had happened, and then at me, waiting for an explanation. But there was no need for one, because...

- That was... amazing..." Kirana said out of nowhere. Her body and clothes were completely unharmed, and she stood looking up at the sky, or rather, at the part of it where the hole was.

- What...?! How?! How can this be...?! - Lavena jumped up, not believing her eyes.

- I told you that I dictate the rules here, didn't I?

-0-

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