[Plot] King Chameleon Reigns in Absentia

[Nika Novak]

<"The Decadent West has taken away what was left of your honor, Vertex, to suggest such a thing. It is a shame.">

[Nika Novak]

"<At least I am accepting my punishment while you sit here, hedging your bet that your side will come out on top and pardon your pathetic self. If you even remember who your real self is.>"

[Nika Novak]

<"You could be celebrated as a hero, you know. You were the one who alerted Prince Alex about the Princess' perversions, which led to other investigations, which have galvanized our movement. You could be considered the savior of our people.">

[Nika Novak]

"<And be venerated for my greatest failure? What honor is there in that!>" she spits. "<I tried to steer her from her proclivities, but now you've drawn a line in the sand. You want me to pick a side 'King' Chameleon?>" she asks with venom in her voice and suddenly there's a glinting metal bolt, held in the crease between index and middle-finger by her thumb. "<Do you really? Because I will fight this war if that's what your masters want. I may have failed my oath but that neither weakens nor undoes it.>"

[Nika Novak]

<"It's my understanding that you've been released from that oath. That you have been shunned by the Karkovs, and that it is merely by the grace of the Crown Princess that you are not rotting in a tower somewhere. You picked your side ages ago. If you do not like your choice, that is your own business.">

[Nika Novak]

"<Some of us don't turn with the wind, just because we're free to. She may have released me but I've accepted her choices because I respect the authority of House Karkov. I don't need their permission to be loyal, something I wouldn't expect the attack-dog of opportunists and schemers to understand.>" she snaps and the bolt flies from her hand with an underhand throw, nailing Chameleon's hand to the wall of the cell.

"<Consider this my declaration of war against Houses Svozilov and Toman.>" she says, backing out of the cell.

[Nika Novak]

The Chameleon groaned, as Nika's bolt pierced her hand.

"Guards! Alarm! The prisoner is escaping!" she shouted in English.

[Nika Novak]

"Yeah, that'll definitely work." she says, holding up another bolt, this one simply to demonstrate her power holding it in mid-air above her palm while she re-enables the forcefield with her other hand.

[Nika Novak]

"A clever ruse, copying someone else's powers. It will not work. Guards! Alarm!"

[Nika Novak]

"As the locals say. Piss off." she says as she walks out.