The Arcana: His Apprentice

"Blood. Bone. Sweat and Tears" - Asra's POV

       One week passed and one week until the masquerade and the ritual to obtain a new body for Lucio. I'm not looking forward to it at all, this will be my first masquerade without Y/N and I'd rather let Lucio die and rule another day in Vesuvia than needed.

       Once again I'm in the palace, I've been here for so long that it's glory doesn't seem to faze me. I walk through the empty vast hallways, contemplating on the rituals when I hear shouting coming from Lucio's wing.

"I'm growing tired of your failures, you insufferable clown!" I hear, recognizing it as Lucio's voice as I hear glass shatter.

"Is she throwing another fit?" I question to myself.

       I stop walking, listening to all the commotion that's going on upstairs, my lips curling up into a smile while I laugh.

"If you'd just let me- Oh-, ah-" I hear another voice say, recognizing it as Ilya.

       A sudden crash booms through the hallway as I watch Ilya stumble down the stairs. He looks up at me, his face red with a nervous sweat.

"Ahem. Asra. What, er. What are you doing here?" Ilya questions, trying to look composed but obviously failing.

"I mean, er. You're looking well, that is. You always look well, of course. But you're practically glowing-" He continues before stopping himself from speaking any further.

"Lucio's not impressed by you or beside manners, Ilya?" I question amusingly before being interrupted against by the loud booming voice.

"Don't come back until you have something real to show me!" Lucio proclaims.

"Servants! Someone clean up this mess!" He shouts as I hear footsteps rush over to the wing.

"Well, I'd say we can stage with some certainty that it's a no on leeches." Ilya says. My goodness, Ilya with his damn leeches.

"Shocking." I respond, sarcastically.

       We head back to the library. Ilya going to his desk as I dive right into a pile of plush pillows resting on the floor. I lay down on them and pull a book out from one of the shelves. I read my book until I hear Ilya mumbling to himself.

"Hrmmm. No, that's not quite right, is it? There must be something I'm missing... Asra?" He says, calling out to me.

       I glance up at Ilya from my nest of pillows, giving Ilya a mildly interested and questionable look, then looking back down at my book.

"Mmhmm?" I respond, eyes still locked on my book.

"What do you think? If I try to mix the venom with this solution here, is it worth a shot?" Ilya questions, I don't respond.

"No... no, that will make poisonous vapors. Damn. Something else then, there has to be..." He says, cursing to himself.

       Ilya trails off as I watch him pick up a quill and lean over his desk, scribbling something in his book. After writing, he sighs deeply and leans back into his chair.

"I think I've got something... Come look at this, would you? I'm close. I can feel it. I could use your eyes." Ilya says, intriguing me slightly.

       I sigh and stand up slowly from my nest, stretching my back out lazily before walking over to Ilya's desk.

"Alright, alright. I'm here-" I say, stopping myself.