Chapter-23 Discord In Motion

The air inside the training hall felt heavy, thick with tension and the scent of damp stone. Torches lined the ancient walls, casting flickering shadows that danced like watching specters.

Frederique stood in the center, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, while the members of the Shadow Corp surrounded her, each radiating their unique presence.

At her side, Lira lingered closer than the others, offering a playful grin, her cat-like ears twitching.

"Nervous yet?" she teased, voice light but her eyes sharp.

Frederique scoffed, masking her unease. "I'm never nervous. Should I be?"

Lira purred, leaning in just enough for Frederique to hear the soft chime of a purr under her breath.

"Maybe. They're not easy to impress. You know, Shadow Corp types... always watching, always testing."

The captain, the pale-skinned Nocker with his perpetual scowl, clapped his hands sharply, silencing the quiet chatter. His mismatched tools dangled from his belt, each giving off faint, unnatural glows.

"Enough chatter! Today begins your training in Discord. The Art that sets us apart."

Frederique felt the weight of every gaze on her... seven pairs of calculating eyes.

The captain stepped forward, voice cutting like iron. "Discord is not just magic. It is survival. Chaos weaponized. You will master deception, speed, power... if you survive long enough. Fail, and you will be a liability. And we do not tolerate liabilities here."

His glare burned into her.

"Understood?"

Frederique nodded. "Understood."

The troll spoke next, the calm one with deep mossy skin and quiet eyes... so unlike Groff.

"The Art works in stages. Levels. Each level builds on the last. You will learn them in order, and only mastery earns progress. Half measures will get you killed."

Lira leaned closer, whispering, "They call it 'House of Mirrors'—the first level. Want me to explain, or you want to see it for yourself?"

Frederique raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

Lira's grin sharpened. She stepped forward, and suddenly her form shimmered, splitting into three perfect reflections. Each version of her circled Frederique, their footsteps synchronized, voices overlapping.

"Hard to hit what you can't catch, right?"

The illusions moved with her, distorting the sense of space. Frederique swung a hand toward one, but it flickered and vanished.

Another circled behind her, whispering directly into her ear, "Boo."

Frederique twisted, fangs bared, but hit only air.

The captain's voice cut through. "You will master House of Mirrors before we move on. It can save your life... or someone else's. Watch closely."

The troll stepped forward next, slower, more deliberate. As his skin rippled, multiple versions of his towering frame appeared around the room. But unlike Lira's playful trickery, his reflections radiated intimidation... each mirage standing still, arms crossed.

"Same Art. Different use," he rumbled.

"Some inspire fear. Some confusion. Learn the difference."

The illusions faded, leaving only the real members standing.

The fox-like Pooka stepped forward next, a smug smirk on her lips. She hadn't spoken much yet, but her voice now was smooth, dripping with dangerous allure.

"Of course, you can also make the illusions more...distracting."

Her reflections shimmered into existence, but these felt different. Softer, alluring. Each moved with a predator's grace, circling Frederique.

The real Pooka whispered, "Sometimes, the best defense is making them forget they wanted to hurt you at all."

Frederique's fangs clicked shut. Her hunger stirred, but she forced it down, determined not to lose control.

When the illusions faded, the Sidhe... Eirlys...spoke next.

"Your turn, Redcap."

Their voice was sharp as ice.

"Summon the mirrors. Show us you belong here."

Frederique clenched her fists, focusing on the echoes she'd seen. The sensation of splitting felt unnatural, like pulling against her own reflection. Power surged, raw and untamed, as two imperfect copies of herself flickered into existence.

One had too many teeth. The other lacked eyes entirely.

Lira whispered, "Not bad for a first try."

Eirlys, unimpressed, gestured with a frosted blade.

"Illusions should mislead, not terrify. This is the Art of Discord, not raw fear. Control it."

Frederique ground her teeth, dissolving the warped images.

The snake-like Sluagh hissed from the shadows, voice slithering like oil.

"She's trying too hard. Fear isn't the goal... doubt is. Let the mind unravel on its own."

Frederique felt a spike of anger. She spun toward the Sluagh.

"You want to test me?"

The captain's voice snapped like a whip.

"Control! Do it again. Properly."

Frederique inhaled sharply. This time, she let the hunger flow just enough... channeling it instead of resisting. Three copies formed around her. They mirrored her movements better now, stepping in perfect sync.

"Better," Eirlys admitted.

Lira clapped lightly. "See? You can play nice."

The captain crossed his arms, finally seeming satisfied.

"You'll train with each of us. House of Mirrors is only the beginning. Once you master it, we'll move to Hermes' Fleetness. Speed. Survival. Discord is not a game... it is war disguised as art."

Frederique felt her heart pounding, but a new determination burned in her chest.

The lesson continued. Each member demonstrated their version of the Art. The Sluagh made his illusions twist in ways that defied reality, whispering curses that echoed long after the images faded. The troll's versions loomed, imposing like living fortresses. Eirlys turned theirs into dancing figures of frost, delicate but deadly.

They moved with purpose. Each one more dangerous than the last.

By the time the session ended, Frederique's body ached. But her mind felt sharper.

Lira lingered as the others left, her feline tail flicking lazily.

"You're not bad. But you're holding back."

Frederique frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Lira's playful grin faded.

"You're not using any real magic, are you? Just teeth and strength. What's your Art, Red? All Changelings have one."

Frideria hesitated.

"My Art?"

Lira tilted her head. "Yeah. What can you do? Not your Hunger... you."

The words lingered, uncomfortable but true.

Frederique clenched her fists.

"I don't know. Yet."

Lira offered a rare, genuine smile.

"We'll figure it out. Eventually."

But as Frederique watched her new companions leaving, she realized she'd have to learn fast—before Discord consumed her completely.