In Cleo’s office, Anna was studying how to read runes that were used in the books. She was struggling with it, but Cleo was patient with her.

“This is.. Eilghoz?” questioned Anna nervously. “Meaning ‘to protect’?”

“It’s Algiz.” corrected Cleopatra. “Yes, it means ‘to protect’.”

Anna groaned. “Why is this so hard?!”

“Be patient sister, I was once like you too, struggling to read it, and I have no mentor whatsoever.” said Cleo calmly.

“Pluto didn’t teach you?”

“No sadly.” sighed Cleo. “I wouldn’t mind having a private lesson with him.”

Anna stared at Cleo weirdly, before a knock came from the door. “Mistress, may I come in?”

“You may come,” said Cleo. The door then opened, revealing a handsome man, he had his hood down, because of that, Anna could see his facial features. Anna blushed a bit as he saw him, but keep it to herself.

The man then walked towards Cleo, saw Anna. he threw a questioning look at Cleo.

“A new apostle,” said Cleo calmly.

The man was surprised. He then bowed to Anna, before he faced Cleo again. “Mistress, I have done it.”

“What did they say?” asked Cleo.

“They attacked me.” answered the man calmly. “So I wiped them out.”

The man then dropped a bag on the floor, it looked heavy.

Cleo nodded. “Good job Altair, you could put their heads in the trophy room.”

“Mistress. If I may..” cut off the man.

“What is it?”

“When I was in the east, I heard some rumours about another apostle.” informed the man.

Cleo raised her eyebrow. “Really? Well why didn’t you look it up?”

“Well..” murmured the man nervously. “Because that man has ten rings.. instead of one.”

Cleo was surprised, as well as Anna. a ring could make an ordinary girl like Anna become attune to magic.. let alone 10, so they were definitely surprised.

“Are you sure?” repeated Cleo. “Father gave him 10 rings? What is he thinking?”

“That man became a warlord.” continued the man. “He waged war on everyone, before disappearing altogether somehow.”

Cleo hummed. She thought about it for a second, before snapping her fingers. “Then I’ll investigate by myself.”

“Mistress?” questioned the man, surprised. “But you could just ask the others to investigate it?”\

“If he has ten rings, Altair, surely father liked him a lot.” said Cleo. “I will investigate it myself.. who knows what knowledge I would get.. maybe I’ll become father’s favourite again..”

Anna and Altair raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. They’ve got a feeling that she wants to investigate in the wrong direction..

—

[China, a couple of months later]

Wenwu was sitting on his throne, watching his minions train diligently as another batch of men was getting a tattoo of the ten rings. He had been proud of what he did, but it wasn’t enough.. he wanted to conquer more lands, more people, he wanted more power..

He stood up, making the others bow before him. He told them to stand down, and he continued walking towards a pavilion, where he could see everything in his base.

He took a deep breath, enjoying the scenery. Sounds of shouts from training could be heard echoing throughout the sky, and he felt at ease.

Until something appeared in the middle of the field. It was an orange portal, and from that portal, came two women and a man, all cloaked in white.

Wenwu frowned as he saw it, and jumped to them, making the ground shake as he landed.

“Are you Wenwu?” the woman who had tanned skin asked.

“Who are you?” questioned Wenwu with a frown.

The woman didn’t say anything, instead, she scanned Wenwu’s body. “You’re not an apostle..”

“Apostle?”

The woman ignored the man once again, she turned towards the man behind him. “He’s not an apostle Altair.”

“Forgive me mistress.. I thought it was because of the rings..”

“That’s not even rings.. that’s bracelets.. the man who named it ‘ten rings’ is quite stupid.”

Wenwu’s eyebrow twitched as he heard it. Before he knew it, his hands shook, and the ten rings– I mean bracelets shoot out through the air, launching towards the woman.

But strangely, the rings didn’t hit at all, as if an invisible force was forcing it to move the other way.

Wenwu was surprised, but he kept trying, to no avail.

He looked like an idiot, his ten bracelets kept missing the targets, not hitting it at all. As time went on he grew frustrated, and the woman looked amused.

“You’re not going to give up, are you?” asked the woman in boredom, which made Wenwu more pissed.

He kept trying and trying, to no avail.

The woman sighed, she then suddenly conjured a magical chain, and forced Wenwu to kneel on the ground.

Wenwu spat blood as the chains were stabbed to his body. He looked at the woman in front of him curiously, with a bit of anger in his eyes.

The woman walked towards him, she touched his chin, and examined his eyes. “I’m sorry to disturb you.. you’re quite rude to a woman like me..” said the woman calmly.

“Who– Are you?” Wenwu groaned as he held the pain from the chains.

“Me? I’m Cleopatra?” answered the woman. “You see, I thought you’re an apostle of my father.. turns out you’re not.. Well, I think it’s time we part ways.”

The woman then walked away from him, she and her peers entered the portal, before disappearing away, as if nothing had happened.

The people around Wenwu were astonished by the sight. The chains have disappeared, but Wenwu was still bleeding. His disciples quickly helped him.

Meanwhile, Wenwu was thinking..

He had never felt that way before.. he’s never been.. dominated.. It's a strange feeling. He could also feel something strange when he remembered that beautiful face. He.. wanted to feel that way again.

Wenwu gulped as his vision darkened. This feeling.. he wants more. He wants to find that woman.. and he wants to make her his..