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The summons came three days later. Wren reclined in her private chambers, a vast space dominated by a bed large enough for an orgy and decorated with the spoils of a hundred conquests. Tapestries depicting her most celebrated victories hung between weapon racks holding the arms of fallen enemies. She was idly contemplating whether to burn the northern tapestry, which depicted a rather unflattering angle of her, simply to see how quickly her courtiers would commission a replacement when her chief informant requested entry.

"Send him in." She did not bother sitting up, instead running a hand over the silken sheets beside her.

Vex entered, a creature who was so unremarkable he was nearly invisible. His form was vaguely humanoid but seemed to absorb the light around him, and his features were perpetually indistinct. He had cultivated mediocrity like other demons cultivated power, making himself forgettable enough to slip through any court, any secret gathering. He moved without a sound, his feet seeming to glide over the stone floor, and bowed low, his form a simple shadow in the green firelight of her chambers. "Your Majesty," he whispered, his voice like the rustling of dry leaves. "I bring word of a prize that matches your requirements."

"How delightful." Wren examined him with half-lidded eyes, a slow smile gracing her lips. "Speak quickly, before I grow bored with anticipation."

Vex produced a scroll of ancient, brittle parchment, handling it with extreme care. "The Celestial Mirror. A legendary artifact created during the Divine Wars, hidden away by the Order of the Argent Shield in their most sacred temple."

"A mirror?" Wren’s tone suggested profound disappointment, and she let her head fall back against the pillows.

"Not merely decorative." Vex unrolled the scroll, revealing a sketch of an ornate, oval mirror surrounded by complex, interlocking runes. "The legends are many, and they often conflict. Most sources I could verify claim it has the power to amplify the wielder's innate energy. For a being of your caliber..." He paused meaningfully, letting the implication hang in the air. "It would make your power approach that of the divine." He unrolled the scroll further. "However, some of the older, more obscure texts I found hint at something else. They whisper that the Mirror does not create, but only unleashes what is already there, or perhaps what is contained within. One fragmented text called it not an amplifier, but a key."

That hint of mystery, the contradiction, was far more intriguing than simple power. She finally sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Approach divinity? Those are bold claims, Vex."

"The legends are consistent on that point, at least," Vex confirmed, his shadowy form remaining perfectly still. "It was forged to help holy warriors channel enough power to stand against demon princes during the great war. In demonic hands, its effect would be reversed and amplified. Yet it has never been stolen. As far as records show, no one has ever made the attempt."

"And why is that?" Wren slid from the bed, her bare feet silent on the cold floor as she moved to study the scroll more closely. The runes were indeed authentic, their style matching the Divine War period.

"The temple is the most fortified location in the mortal realm. The Order of the Argent Shield is fanatically devoted to protecting their holy relics, and their knights are trained from childhood specifically to fight our kind." Vex’s voice carried a tinge of genuine, respectful fear. "The temple itself is warded with layer upon layer of protective magic. Consecrated ground, divine blessings, ancient seals. Simply approaching it causes agony to most demons. Breaching it would be nearly impossible."

"Nearly impossible." Wren traced one long, sharp finger along the Mirror's illustration, a thrill she had not experienced in decades coursing through her. "You know, Vex, those are the most seductive words in any language."

"Your Majesty, I feel obligated to mention the extreme danger…"

"Danger makes victory sweet," she interrupted, turning to him with a smile that had convinced gods to betray their most sacred oaths. "Tell me everything you know about this Order of the Argent Shield."

Vex hesitated, then launched into his briefing. The Order was ancient, founded to combat demonic incursions. Their knights combined martial excellence with holy magic. They were celibate, abstemious, and utterly dedicated. "They sound perfectly dreadful," Wren said when he finished. "Rigid, joyless, and probably insufferable at parties. And not one of those thousands of demons they have killed thought to steal their most precious artifact? How disappointing. How utterly lacking in ambition."

"With respect, Your Majesty, any who may have tried are now dead."

"Which proves my point," Wren countered, moving to her balcony and looking out over her city of sin and shadow. "They lacked the skill to succeed. I do not." The risk was precisely what made it worthwhile. The most defended holy site in existence, breached by a demon queen. The look on their pious faces when they discovered their precious Mirror missing. The songs that would inspire.

Wren strode past him toward the door. "Summon the court. I have an announcement to make."

Within the hour, her throne room was filled once more with demons eager to witness whatever entertainment their queen would provide. When the anticipation had reached its peak, she spoke. "I have found our worthy challenge," she announced, her voice carrying to every corner of the vast chamber. "The Celestial Mirror, held by the Order of the Argent Shield, will be mine. I will walk into their sacred temple, take their most precious relic, and leave them nothing but the memory of their failure."

A stunned silence descended, followed by an eruption of chaos. Kaelen pushed through the crowd, his expression a mask of concern. "My queen, this seems… unnecessarily dangerous."

"Danger is the point, Kaelen," she said with a brilliant smile. "Have you not been paying attention?"