Chapter 36

Crystalline chandeliers hang above a floor of frozen quartz. The air is still, but electric—like frost on the edge of a lightning storm. Lily and Astera stand across from the throne, where King Givre lounges, draped in furs spun from sleet and bone, frost wisps rising from his gauntleted fingers.

Givre
(coldly amused)
So, the princess of paradox and the floral boy of legend come to play court assassins.

Astera
(raising Chrysanthemum and Empire)
You’re no king. Just a thief wearing the corpse of a crown.

Lily
(her eyes glowing with dark and light arcana, Dramatic Play drawn)
I’ve seen bad theatre, Givre. But your rule is beyond farce.

Givre
(smiling icily)
Then allow me to end this act swiftly.

He lifts his hand. A crackle of universe-fracture frost splits the ground—faster than thought. Lily dashes forward, aura burning with paradoxical energies, but Givre is faster. He raises his hand—

Givre
(softly)
Fracture.

A jagged bolt of absolute frost—spirit-rending, world-tearing—lashes from his palm, straight through Lily’s torso.

Astera
(staggering back)
LILY!!

Lily’s body crashes across the ice floor, limp. Blood blooms in the frost like ink in water. Dramatic Play slides from her fingers, silent. Astera falls to one knee, face twisted in shock. Givre lowers his hand.

Givre
(flatly)
A shame. I expected more from the spawn of legends.

Astera
(trembling)
You… you…

He looks up slowly, tears lining his eyes—then suddenly smirks.

Astera
(quietly)
You just triggered the overture.

A cold wind swirls behind Givre. Then—

Lily
(from behind him)
Act One.

A flash of silver slashes the air. In a blur faster than Givre can register, his head—crowned in frost—is severed cleanly. Time seems to halt. His body still stands for a heartbeat longer before collapsing in two halves.

Givre's Head
(eyes wide, falling)
...Impossible...

Lily stands there, blood still staining her shirt, but glowing—healed. Her weapon has shifted. Its mask gleams. Its threads shine like ink against the stars.

Lily
(coldly)
“Thirteen Stage Act: Chronicle.” Stage One—Prelude.

Dramatic Play pulses in her hand, its aura dark and luminous, as if narrating its own story. Astera walks to her side, wiping his blade on his sleeve.

Astera
(smiling)
You timed it perfectly.

Lily
(softly)
I knew he’d aim for me first. They always do.

Astera
(looking at the body)
Let’s go tell the others the first act is complete.

(staring at Dramatic Play) 
One down. Twelve acts to go.