The gates of the citadel loomed high above, silver-etched stone worn smooth by centuries of sun, rain, and war. Enormous statues of winged lions flanked the entrance, each holding aloft the city's crest, an open eye wreathed in flames.
Kai and Vepice approached at a casual pace, though their hearts were not nearly as relaxed.
Vepice glanced up at him, her features altered beneath the Mirage's Veil. Blonde hair now curled loosely around her shoulders, her skin fair and unmarred by travel, and her deep, reflective eyes had been replaced by a warm, earthy brown. Her pointed ears had rounded, giving her the illusion of a well-bred merchant's daughter. Kai, now donning the guise of Luke, his city-born alter ego and academy student, was similarly mundane in appearance, though the subtle weight of his aura would still set off alarm bells for anyone particularly sensitive to mana.
"Do I really look like a noble?" she asked, voice tinged with uncertainty.
