Zypher's Confession

At the end of the day, as she ascended her way higher and higher up the Tower's stairwells, Delphia soon came to a point where she could go no more.

Taking the paper talisman out of her satchel, she looked at it a moment, recognizing briefly a few of the sigils drawn, before holding the small piece of paper up in front of herself.

She injected a bit of her mana into the talisman and waited for a few seconds before the paper let off a glow, resonating with the space around it and activating the array that had hidden more of the staircase. The talisman didn't disintegrate, but instead, only the glow faded, and she put it back into her bag for potential future use.

Looking at the staircase, and then the space around it, she slowly stepped forward and continued to ascend the stairwells until she passed by a platform and door marked: Heir Thorne.

She stopped and retraced her steps, looking at the dark wooden door built into the wall. She paused, took a deep breath, then another, and knocked on the door confidently. There was a pause from the other side before she heard, "It's open," for a response. She squared her shoulders and took another breath before turning the knob and opening the door.

The heavy, ornate wood door of Zypher's study at the Magic Tower clicked shut behind Delphia, the quiet thud sealing them both in the room. It was a private space—one that few were ever allowed to enter, it seemed. The shelves were lined with books on magical theory and compilation tomes of arcane knowledge, a testament to Zypher's unbound genius.

Delphia stood near the door for a moment, surveying the space before her eyes flicked to him. The dim light from the arcane lights above cast flickering shadows, giving the room an intimate and almost secretive feel.

A few candelabras were lit around the room, interspersing the dark that lingered in the corners. He sat at the gathering area set up adjacent to his desk, in a high-backed chair, his maroon eyes watching her with a mixture of something… else—something heavier, more meaningful. She wasn't sure what he exactly meant by doing this, which direction this would go.

She could feel the tension in the air, thick and palpable. They had been circling each other for weeks now, engaging in their game of flirtatious quips and careful deflection. But today, the mood felt different, slightly oppressive.

"Take a seat," Zypher said softly, gesturing to the settee across from him. "I would like to talk."

Delphia raised an eyebrow but complied, crossing the room and settling into the middle across from him, its cushions plush beneath her bottom, while the fabric smelled faintly of the incense he burned in this room, that also clung to his body. Being so high up in the tower, this room did in fact have some windows in it, and a small window in the room was slightly ajar; Which lessened the overall smell, but she still found it delightful and calming for her nerves.

She maintained an unruffled front, though her heart was beating a little faster than usual. There was something in Zypher's tone that made her feel like this was no ordinary conversation.

He adjusted his posture in the chair, finding a comfortable position to begin. For a moment, he said nothing, just watching her as if weighing his options. Then after a beat, with a quiet exhale, he spoke. "I haven't been able to shake this feeling I have," he began, his voice low and soothing, something very pleasant to listen to.

"…for a while now." He was scanning her from top to bottom before settling on her eyes. Delphia tilted her head slightly forward, feigning innocence, "Oh? Do tell." Her neutral tone was cast with a flirty edge and a small smile lifted the corner of her lips.

"You're not…" He began. But then, Zypher's gaze sharpened on her. "You."

The word hung in the air between them and Delphia felt her stomach drop, though she kept her expression light and unaffected. A sense of unease churned in her gut as she gazed at Zypher, his piercing stare seeming to see right through her. Her muscles tightened subconsciously and she willed herself to relax. "What do you mean?" She asked cautiously, already bracing for the worst.

"You've changed," he stated firmly, challenging her to deny it. "Not on the surface, but deep down. It's something fundamental."

Delphia maintained a ghost of a smile on her lips, inside though, her mind was panicking; But, she wouldn't admit to anything until he confronted her about it directly. Keeping her breathing steady, she inhaled before speaking, "I've matured, Zypher. Change is usually the result that follows."

Zypher let out a soft, humorless laugh, deciding to attack directly. "No, you're not the Delphia I knew. The one I remember was... let's say, a bit more: impulsive," He ticked a finger on his hand, counting.

"Eruptive," Two. "Reckless," Three. "And, wouldn't you know it—a tail on the Crown Prince trying to garner his affection." Four. Yeah, so I guess he was pretty familiar with the original Delphia.

"But, now?" He questioned, pausing a moment in his speech to look at her. "You've become calm, withdrawn from everything, yet calculating and immensely knowledgable. And then there's the way you look at me."

Delphia's eyes flickered, but she remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"You look at me as if you actually like me," he said, leaning forward slightly, his gaze piercing. "Someone who has hated me from the moment she met me five years ago, is interested in me?" His question trailed off as he just stared at Delphia, his eyes flickering up and down her form once more as if he was looking for something.

"Where did all that resentment go, Delphia?" The inflection of his voice did not change once; Still slow, still soothing, still pleasant. His question hung there as he stared at her on the settee, but she refused to budge and leveled her gaze at him.

"What exactly are you getting at, Zypher?" Delphia finally asked, evading the main question. "Am I not allowed to like you?" She quickly followed her previous question with this, smirking as she challenged him.

A small smile broke out on his face too after hearing the question, "See. That is what I'm talking about. Four months ago you barely deigned me with a response that wasn't snippy, now you're openly flirting with me."

Absentmindedly, he ran a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes, something adding to his allure without intention. "Of course you are allowed to like me, I'm not saying that." He finished then took a sip of his drink next to him.

"What I am getting at, is that I'm nearly absolutely certain... that something happened to you. Something possibly similar to what happened… to me." The already silent room grew even quieter, the tension becoming almost tangible. The ticking of a clock on the wall seemed to echo loudly in the space, the only other sound was the collective breathing of those present.

Delphia felt her breath catch in her throat, her heart skipping a beat. He was just a normal Villain, I'm positive of that! What the hell could have happened to him?

Zypher sat back in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers. "I died," he said, his voice calm as he spoke. "Three-and-a-half months ago—at a different point in time—I died, and then I woke up… in my younger body, on November 28th, 1552." He took another sip of his drink, watching her reaction intently.

Delphia stared at him, her brain crashing and now rebooting.

She had known Zypher was different—had sensed it in their interactions—but hearing him confirm it was another thing entirely. He had regressed, just as she had transmigrated. They were both anomalies in this world, people who should have died but were given a second chance.

Zypher's eyes were unflinching as he spoke, "I have vivid memories of my death and all the events leading up to it. The choices I made, the enemies I acquired—they are all still fresh in my mind."

Delphia leaned back on the settee, body finally relaxing, her hands falling to her sides as she started tapping the fingers of her right hand against the cushion as she considered her next move.

She knows for a fact that The Rose of Avalon never mentioned or advertised anything about Zypher being a regressor, so this is completely new. And the fact that both their events happened at the same time, that's too big of a thing to be a coincidence. She regarded him across from her, his physical appearance like a roman painting, how his eyes were earnest even though what he was saying was unbelievable, and thought for a moment.

If he feels comfortable enough to tell me this… Then I can be honest with him…

"I don't doubt what happened to you." She started, and Zypher's eyebrows rose. "I'm not the same either…" Delphia said steadily, her voice calm but firm. "I'm not the Delphia you knew, because... I'm not the original Delphia."