Lord Newton let out a sigh as he watched the sun set. This was going to be one of the hardest decisions he had ever made. Impersonating people was his inner power but it was forbidden in Crescia, so he had to lay low. Very few people had it, though it was taken as a curse after its use was banned. A knock sounded on his door breaking him from the reverie. Letting out another sigh, he walked to the door and found a Knight standing there. But this wasn’t just a normal knight. Newton could tell from his dressing code he was from the royal army. The crest on his armour was golden colored, unlike the one on palace guards, which was silvery.

"His Majesty has left," the knight reported. "From now onwards, I’ll be the one relaying information between you, His Majesty and the general, and shall refer to you as Your Majesty. But you have to shape shift first," he added, displeased by the fact that Newton was still in his original form.

"Give me a minute," Lord Newton said and closed the door. He let out a sigh for the nth time, raking his fingers through his hair. Why did this feel so wrong and right at the same time? He wanted to be a general, right? So why was he even having second thoughts when the perfect chance had presented itself? But what was Griffin’s aim? Could be that woman alone? Newton could feel Griffin was up to something greater. But what it was, that he didn’t know.

He had to do this! It was also too late to turn back since Griffin had already left. Maybe it was time he experienced how it felt to be a king. It was an experience he was looking forward to, though temporary. He walked closer to the mirror before he closed his eyes tightly.

A black like smoky halo materialized from his being as he mumbled some words that only he could understand their meaning. The smoke was concentrated at his feet gradually spreading in his room. He envisioned Griffin’s figure in his mind and just like that his body shifted to that of Griffin’s. But it was with a price. Shape shifting used some kind of black magic that required much of the executor’s energy. Newton almost lost his balance but was quick to grab a nearby chair.

Lord! His head felt heavy. The knock sounded on the door again. "My Lord, are you okay? " The knight asked from outside. To Lord Newton, his question was background noise. His head was throbbing in pain. He held his head, feeling the urge to uproot it, a crazed look forming on his face. Veins popped on his forehead and the world was literally spinning around him.

"My Lord?" The knight called again but still got no response. His patience was growing thin and he could tell something was off. He knew how shape shifting worked after all, that’s why the general had picked him. "I’m coming in now!" He warned before taking a few steps back and crushing the door.

"God! Are you alright. You need to drink some water," he said, assessing Newton’s condition before he rushed on the table and poured a glass for him. "Here!" He said offering the water to Newton who drowned the contents instantly. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hands as he stared blankly at the floor, panting hard.

"How are you feeling now Your Majesty?" He asked startling Lord Newton. He lifted his head and stared at the mirror in disbelief, touching his face as if it was alien to him. Of course it was. The person staring back at him was a surprised King Griffin.

"It worked!" He said in a whisper.

"Yes it did. From now on, you’ll assume the duties of a King and shall reside in his Chambers. Don’t worry about your existence. You will tell people that you sent yourself to the camp in preparation for the upcoming war." Of course they had everything covered! Newton chuckled.

"Your supper is ready Your Majesty. This way please," the knight said, gesturing Newton to lead the way. He smiled at the knight before he threw one last glance of his new version, steadying his collar.

"What is your name?" He asked the royal army’s knight as they walked through the hallways. It was better to know him since they would be working closely. It already felt nice to be a ’king’.

"Kael Your Majesty," the knight replied, trailing closely behind his new liege.

"You can just call me Newton when we are alone." He knew who he was so there was no need to behave like the almighty Griffin every time he was around him.

"Okay," Kael simply said.

"How did you know that... about handling shape shifters?" Newton asked. A few maids who were working immediately left whatever they were doing and curtsied at His Majesty.

"Greetings Your Majesty," they said in unison. Lord Newton just nodded as he had seen Griffin do all the other times.

"I’m also a shape shifter Your Majesty," the knight said instantly making Lord Newton halt in his tracks. He turned around to face the Knight but found the maids giggling at him. Oh, he had almost forgotten he was Griffin. The same Griffin who women vied to fight for his attention, however cold he was.

"It’s not the right place Your Majesty," Kael said reminding him that they were still on the hallways.

"Where would you like to have your supper, Your Majesty?" Another maid who was Griffin’s personal maid , interrupted.

"Serve it in the garden," he said surprising the maid. She had to blink twice to confirm that it was indeed Griffin who had said that.

"I said in the garden," he repeated thinking she had not heard what he had said. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Yes... of course Your Majesty. Consider it done, " she said and left to execute her Liege’s order.

"That was good," Kael said after a while of silence, but the look he got!