I was both confused and conflicted at what had just happened before me and I imagined that the other girls were having a much harder time since they had been with Neyla far longer then I had. I was saddened by her passing, but through Velen I had experienced the death of many close friends and allies, so it didn't phase me at all. I could see that Steria had clenched her fist, but otherwise didn't reveal any other hints of what she was feeling. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Arya and Renae were worried and panicking looking towards me for what they should do.
I was just as lost as them, Neyla hadn't seemed to be a bad person, and I felt like she was closer to Ashara than just some mastermind of large crime, especially if she had been entrusted with her old weapons, the ones I now had. The problem was, for all I knew, Neyla could have been a liar, but then I couldn't understand why she would go so far to help me, yet, it didn't feel like the woman who'd killed her was lying either.
However, no matter how hard I desired to know what was really going on, there was really only a single option we could reasonably take, to follow the woman. Even if we were to fight, I doubted Arya or Renae would be able to live, and while Steria would be able to flee, she couldn't maintain a high speed without me and I doubted the forest would be kind to a tired person.
I smiled at the woman as I took a few steps towards her, using threads to collect some of Neyla's body parts secretly. "I didn't know that she had committed a crime against my mother." I said my face distorting into anger for a moment as I looked back towards the flesh chunks. "Had I known I would have liked to end her with my own hands. Regardless, I haven't caught your name yet, have I?"
If there was one thing I had confidence in it was my ability to blatantly lie and deceive those around me. In fact, I was so good at it that the whispered voices of the others came through my earring making accusations. I had to ignore them for the moment but I did plan on explaining myself as soon as I was done with the woman, who was now looking at me interestedly.
"I have no name, but you may call me Ein. I didn't expect you to be so practical, from what I've seen you seem to be irrationally protective of those you are close with."
I chuckled lightly at her implication. "I wasn't all that close to her anyway, and I had already repaid my debt to her, though I find it interesting that you were able to observe me at all considering the protections in place for most of the time."
It was Ein's turn to chuckle. "Stalkers have many methods of observation at our disposal, something I'm sure you'll learn soon enough. But enough small talk, you're here to meet your father right?"
I nodded in affirmation and beckoned for the girls to come over. "Of course, I wouldn't have made such a dangerous trip otherwise." My eyes narrowed seriously as I gathered the girls close to me in a tight embrace. "Your observations weren't wrong either, and I'm sure if you know how much I'd do for them, I also imagine you know just how difficult it is to keep me down."
There was a small flash of surprise and perhaps even fear in Ein's eyes as my eyes met hers. "Of course. No need to worry, no one would dare harm you or your companions. If the guests of Lord Voras were to be hurt in his territory it would be a disgrace. Don't worry, so long as the other three Dark Lords don't join together to assault us, you and your companions will be in the safest place possible." She smiled as if trying to assuage my worry. "Well if you're ready I shall lead you to the Lord."
I nodded, keeping my expressions calm, the Deception Skill, which had merged into Bastet's Depravity, was something I was extremely grateful for. I hadn't known there were any other Dark Lords in the Forest of Darkness, and I doubted that anyone outside of it knew either since every text I'd read about it had only ever stated that there was a singular Dark Lord, but I kept my face completely calm as if I knew that there were multiple. I wasn't going to let anything disturb my mask, I didn't know what was going on, or what he wanted me for, but if it was for anything other than a nice family reunion, I already had one horrible father, so I hoped that this one would be different at the least.
While following Ein I carefully set up a one way sound barrier around all the Communication Jewelry before speaking. "Try not to arouse suspicion, I don't quite believe everything she said. There's also the fact that she killed Neyla for a crime we know nothing about. Don't worry too much about her, I picked up some of her and plan to try and have a séance, or even bring her back if possible. For now, if I seem different, just know that it means my Skills are working properly."
I got positive responses and dispelled the barrier just as we entered the gate that led through the wall. A city made of dark wood and stone sprawled out before us, not that different from capital Eldora, though much more chaotic and unorganized. It was clear that there hadn't been any planning for any of the buildings, but even still there were plenty of intelligent monsters moving about the streets. From Arachne to Ghouls, and all manner of monsters I couldn't recognize.
There was only a single way to tell where you were in the city and that was the large mansion that one could see over the tops of most of the buildings, and the place that we were slowly closing in as we were led through the winding streets and alleys that were a complete mess. All of the monsters gave us a wide berth and a few even bowed their heads as we passed, something I didn't understand. It was obvious that they were avoiding Ein, and when there was one that bowed it was always directed at me, as if that person knew I was the Dark Lord's daughter. I couldn't rule out that there was some kind of Skill that allowed one to tell, but a much simpler answer came when I checked the Threads.
Each and every person who bowed had a thick blue thread between themselves and Ein, a color I had yet to see. However, a connection didn't form between strangers and even if they did, they were usually thin and nearly transparent in color, something evidenced by the fact that no one in my group had a thread with any of the many other sentient creatures in this city.
I didn't have much time to dwell on the fact as not long after I discovered it we had made our way to the front door of the mansion. It was finally time to meet Demonweb, my biological father, a meeting I was quite nervous for, I had nothing to go on for what he would be like, and I had already been married and picked up another lover, not to mention the two at the Eldur household. However, I didn't let any of my thoughts leak as we made our way through the beautifully decorated and maintained interior, before Ein stopped before an unassuming wooden door. "The Lord awaits you." she said while motioning to the door
I nodded and despite the anxiety I was experiencing, calmly and naturally clasped the doorknob and pushed it open.
I was both confused and conflicted at what had just happened before me and I imagined that the other girls were having a much harder time since they had been with Neyla far longer then I had. I was saddened by her passing, but through Velen I had experienced the death of many close friends and allies, so it didn't phase me at all. I could see that Steria had clenched her fist, but otherwise didn't reveal any other hints of what she was feeling. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Arya and Renae were worried and panicking looking towards me for what they should do.
I was just as lost as them, Neyla hadn't seemed to be a bad person, and I felt like she was closer to Ashara than just some mastermind of large crime, especially if she had been entrusted with her old weapons, the ones I now had. The problem was, for all I knew, Neyla could have been a liar, but then I couldn't understand why she would go so far to help me, yet, it didn't feel like the woman who'd killed her was lying either.
However, no matter how hard I desired to know what was really going on, there was really only a single option we could reasonably take, to follow the woman. Even if we were to fight, I doubted Arya or Renae would be able to live, and while Steria would be able to flee, she couldn't maintain a high speed without me and I doubted the forest would be kind to a tired person.
I smiled at the woman as I took a few steps towards her, using threads to collect some of Neyla's body parts secretly. "I didn't know that she had committed a crime against my mother." I said my face distorting into anger for a moment as I looked back towards the flesh chunks. "Had I known I would have liked to end her with my own hands. Regardless, I haven't caught your name yet, have I?"
If there was one thing I had confidence in it was my ability to blatantly lie and deceive those around me. In fact, I was so good at it that the whispered voices of the others came through my earring making accusations. I had to ignore them for the moment but I did plan on explaining myself as soon as I was done with the woman, who was now looking at me interestedly.
"I have no name, but you may call me Ein. I didn't expect you to be so practical, from what I've seen you seem to be irrationally protective of those you are close with."
I chuckled lightly at her implication. "I wasn't all that close to her anyway, and I had already repaid my debt to her, though I find it interesting that you were able to observe me at all considering the protections in place for most of the time."
It was Ein's turn to chuckle. "Stalkers have many methods of observation at our disposal, something I'm sure you'll learn soon enough. But enough small talk, you're here to meet your father right?"
I nodded in affirmation and beckoned for the girls to come over. "Of course, I wouldn't have made such a dangerous trip otherwise." My eyes narrowed seriously as I gathered the girls close to me in a tight embrace. "Your observations weren't wrong either, and I'm sure if you know how much I'd do for them, I also imagine you know just how difficult it is to keep me down."
There was a small flash of surprise and perhaps even fear in Ein's eyes as my eyes met hers. "Of course. No need to worry, no one would dare harm you or your companions. If the guests of Lord Voras were to be hurt in his territory it would be a disgrace. Don't worry, so long as the other three Dark Lords don't join together to assault us, you and your companions will be in the safest place possible." She smiled as if trying to assuage my worry. "Well if you're ready I shall lead you to the Lord."
I nodded, keeping my expressions calm, the Deception Skill, which had merged into Bastet's Depravity, was something I was extremely grateful for. I hadn't known there were any other Dark Lords in the Forest of Darkness, and I doubted that anyone outside of it knew either since every text I'd read about it had only ever stated that there was a singular Dark Lord, but I kept my face completely calm as if I knew that there were multiple. I wasn't going to let anything disturb my mask, I didn't know what was going on, or what he wanted me for, but if it was for anything other than a nice family reunion, I already had one horrible father, so I hoped that this one would be different at the least.
While following Ein I carefully set up a one way sound barrier around all the Communication Jewelry before speaking. "Try not to arouse suspicion, I don't quite believe everything she said. There's also the fact that she killed Neyla for a crime we know nothing about. Don't worry too much about her, I picked up some of her and plan to try and have a séance, or even bring her back if possible. For now, if I seem different, just know that it means my Skills are working properly."
I got positive responses and dispelled the barrier just as we entered the gate that led through the wall. A city made of dark wood and stone sprawled out before us, not that different from capital Eldora, though much more chaotic and unorganized. It was clear that there hadn't been any planning for any of the buildings, but even still there were plenty of intelligent monsters moving about the streets. From Arachne to Ghouls, and all manner of monsters I couldn't recognize.
There was only a single way to tell where you were in the city and that was the large mansion that one could see over the tops of most of the buildings, and the place that we were slowly closing in as we were led through the winding streets and alleys that were a complete mess. All of the monsters gave us a wide berth and a few even bowed their heads as we passed, something I didn't understand. It was obvious that they were avoiding Ein, and when there was one that bowed it was always directed at me, as if that person knew I was the Dark Lord's daughter. I couldn't rule out that there was some kind of Skill that allowed one to tell, but a much simpler answer came when I checked the Threads.
Each and every person who bowed had a thick blue thread between themselves and Ein, a color I had yet to see. However, a connection didn't form between strangers and even if they did, they were usually thin and nearly transparent in color, something evidenced by the fact that no one in my group had a thread with any of the many other sentient creatures in this city.
I didn't have much time to dwell on the fact as not long after I discovered it we had made our way to the front door of the mansion. It was finally time to meet Demonweb, my biological father, a meeting I was quite nervous for, I had nothing to go on for what he would be like, and I had already been married and picked up another lover, not to mention the two at the Eldur household. However, I didn't let any of my thoughts leak as we made our way through the beautifully decorated and maintained interior, before Ein stopped before an unassuming wooden door. "The Lord awaits you." she said while motioning to the door
I nodded and despite the anxiety I was experiencing, calmly and naturally clasped the doorknob and pushed it open.
