outlines

[VICTOR 4] - a heart's weakness
    Victor is forced to attend a meeting with his father early in the morning, along with Suzuri, Escurpe, and Tidricus. They are presented with the captured Meagan; Victor is ordered to handle her, as a measure of his mental strength and ability. He finds it very difficult to kill her; Suzuri and Tidricus both realize that he will fail at the same time, and at the same time they realize how useful Meagan can be. Victor watches as both of them claim she can be a useful hostage/spy/cannon fodder, especially for the wars that are ensuing. Their father agrees, and after a short moment of thought, decides that he will use all three of them (both as tools as well as to isolate/strengthen Victor). Lord von Dieter thus sends them off to Sanadia, to the home of the Black Demon clan, to appeal officially for aid and help in the budding conflict with Ordell and the Endless Successors. [They are Dieter's only hope - the Imperial Blades cannot be contacted, the Endless Successors are the enemy, the Stone Shield are on the side of the ES, and the White Flame are too weak to bother discoursing with.] Right after they leave, Father Mikelis finally arrives in the von Dieter complex - and starts to officially investigate Victor. As expected, Victor is completely wrecked by his powers of influence and his moral punishment of staying within Dieter point, and it is clear that he is very suspicious/hiding something. Escurpe does his best to safeguard Victor, but before very long it is clear that Victor is only a few talks away from exposing everything about himself. And then, with the worst possible timing, the news rings through the Dorter Point that Lord Lancaster of the Endless Successors has been killed.

Diamond Dragon - Alstromya receives a bounty on 'The Scorned Dragon' and hunts him down. Her and Sanadus have a sound battle, but Alstromya is easily defeated once Sanadus releases his Tyrant Eye. She is surprised that someone else has the ability. After following him to a rundown village that Sanadus defends from bandits, he shows her a newborn child - with Tyrant Eyes. She is surprised, and he states that it is a sign that the world and its inhabitants are changing. Boldly, Alstromya asks him to teach her how to use the Tyrant Eyes better, and although he initially refuses (with the confession that he can only manifest one), he eventually agrees. The two sleep together (not sex... yet), and when Alstromya awakes, he is gone. [Intro to Sanadus]