[h1][color=Gold]Drosil[/color] and Shadar's chat with [b]Lady Renata[/b][/h1]

Drosil didn't say anything as the group conversed with the Lady of Demons, simply eating quietly, keeping to himself, and paying only some attention to everything that they were saying. One thing that got his attention was how Karin seemed to take special interest in their resident marksman being a Jasian. He didn't know what to make of that, but he kept it mind, not fully trusting their demonic benefactor for a number of reasons. The fact that she had all but labeled them pawns in her much grander scheme also didn't set well with him, but he also feared what the woman would do if she found out he was connected to the group she sought to destroy. True, it was only a passing connection and he didn't really know anything, but still, she might just kill him just on principle. 

Needless to say, Drosil was glad when the excitable demon led them all to their rooms, though he still could find it in himself to truly examine the magic that caused the hallways to shift and change the way they do. The girl's explaination of how they work did give him some worry of traveling them by himself, given that he doubt he'd be able to actually remain calm in this mansion. Ignoring all his other reason to be nervous, it was much, much too red for him to ever feel at ease. Even in the guest room he was led to, a luxurious one that fit the opulence of the rest of the abode, was plastered everywhere with many different shades and hues of red.

[i][color=Gold]This must be a rather boring house for the young princess. . .[/color][/i] He mused to himself, his mood lightening as he reached into his pack and pulling out his notebook, looking over his theories on how her sight worked and whether or not it was magically inclined. He wished to do an indepth analysis, but he had yet to ask Cyril if it would fine for him to do so. He felt that, given what he had the man assist him with, he'd likely want Drosil to stay as far away as possible from his sister at all times, and certainly wouldn't want him to perform any form of experiments on her. After making a few adjustments and notes based from his previous observations, Drosil retired into the silken crimson folds of the bed, letting himself be swallowed into a dreamless sleep.

[hr]

Drosil would spend the next day wondering around the hallways of the Mansion, seeming to be in a much better mood than yesterday as he attempted to study the magic coursing through the halls, a notebook in hand as he wrote down his observations. However, as he walked further and further into the mansion's crimson gullet, he felt the walls seem to press in on him, eyes staring down from the shadows as he made his way through. The light from the windows seemed to dim, the candles flickering a little more erratically, and shadows seemed to flit here and there, to and fro, at the edges of his vision. It made him feel more than a tad bit uneasy, and often caused him to quicken his steps. All the while, he felt like he was being led somewhere, as if the building was trying to force him to a particular point within, and since he had no idea how to fight against it's wishes, he had no choice but to descend further into the belly of this beast.

Back and forth the hallways led him, leading to haphazard turns and corners here and there. Clearly, the hallways were reacting to his unease, and had set about confounding him even more than he already was. Perhaps, due to his fear, they thought him to be an intruder and set out to prevent his movements, and considering the deal he had made not too long before they wouldn't be completely wrong...

However they suddenly calmed, leading to one long and straight hallway. Here the air of the hall seemed much calmer and at peace, though still not too welcoming; in comparison to what he had just traveled through it was still much better. This hallway would lead him past a set of double doors, but as he went by the would suddenly open, revealing what was within...

The room past the doors was so tall, long, and wide that three of the castle in the Capitol could have sat in a row within it. The room, however, certainly wasn't empty. Up above collections of lights hung, chandeliers hanging from chains of different lengths to spread light throughout the room, with candles placed as necessary. From floor to ceiling along all of the walls bookshelves stood, and rows were made of bookshelves as well that stretched just as high. Not a single space on these bookshelves were empty.

The books within were of varying ages, sources, and languages. Texts that were thought to have been lost forever long ago rested safely on these bookshelves. Not even Jasi had anything like this collection that spanned thousands of years and countless cultures and authors...

It seemed that the Lady of Demons had the entirety of mortal knowledge (and beyond) in this one library.

As soon as Drosil beheld the Library before him, all of his fears and doubts were swept away as he stared around in utter awe. The sheer amount of tomes he saw compiled within this vast room boggled the mind, and he swore he could almost here the tomes call out to him, eager to share whatever knowledge they held with whoever sought them out. In a flash, Drosil would rush over to the first bookcase he came across, running a finger across the books as he tried to find a good place to start his research.

[color=Gold]"History of Barcea . . . A study of Pyrokinetic magics. . . Bestiary of the Deep Seas . . . A moron's guide to Dragonhunting. . .  AHA!!"[/color]

Pulling out a rather thick looking tome, the weight of which seemed to nearly topple the mage's slender frame before he regained his balance, he set it down on a nearby table, looking over it with barely contained glee. "Summoning Mysterium: A kind to higher level Summoning magics. I've been looking for this study for ages, so long that I'd almost given up hope. And yet here you are." 

Drosil took a moment to bask in the presence of the ancient tome, before slowly and carefully opening it. Soon, he'd become lost within the complex diagrams, theories, and recipes for a grand amount of summoning spells, as well as catalysts to bring forth specific beings rather than just the closest one available. He'd become so engrossed with his studying that it would be quite difficult to garner his attention while he was reading.

Drosil may have been getting lost in a literary heaven, and he hadn't even had to die for it. However, the mass of purple crystal that suddenly smashed against the back of his head seemed to half-heartedly attempt to make him cross over. However, though it hit him hard, it shattered into fragments that dissolved away into a shiny sort of dust before they hit the bookshelf in front of him, each individual piece becoming smaller and smaller until they could no longer be seen.

[b]"What are you doing here?"[/b]

The source of this chunk of crystal that had been sent flying at his head was a magic circle that floated in the air several yards behind him, though it began to rapidly dissolve. The source of this magic circle was the woman that stood next to it while it existed, watching him with half-lidded and tired purple eyes. Everything about her, for the most part, was purple; her long hair was purple, her clothes (being a sort of nightgown complete with slippers) were purple, but at least her skin wasn't purple; instead it was so pale that the blood vessels beneath could be easily seen, especially at her thing wrists.

In her hand she held an open tome, and she snapped it shut as she continued to stare at him. The air around her was one of being offended at his intrusion, so perhaps it was due to her that while this part of the manor was calm, it was still very closed off.

[b]"Who..."[/b] In that moment, she coughed gently, though it seemed like for a moment that the cough would become even worse. For a moment her shoulders shook, and then she lowered her hand, finishing with, [b]"... are you?"[/b]

[color=Gold][i]Hmmm, so that was what was wrong with my previous summoning test. I needed to add in more restrictive binding circles in order to properly hold the beast. . . and the ones presented here would do just perfectly for that. Now, I wonder if this tome holds any specific beasts or spirits to unveil to-[/i] "AGGGHH!!"[/color]

Drosil held his head in pain, turning around rapidly to stare at his assailant with narrowed eyes. While she asked him her questions, Drosil took her in and marveled at how positively purple this woman was and how this automatically made him dislike her. While red made him feel uncomfortable, purple was a color that made his skin crawl. However, before he said something rude and got pelted with another crystal, he calmed himself, taking a few deep breaths before responding to the woman, still offering her a rather poignant glare.

[color=Gold]"My name is Drosil Maeneld, and as for what I'm doing, it's obviously reading. If you're wondering why I came here, then ask the Mansion, as it led me here while wondering those damned hallways. . .wait, can you actually communicate with the building?"[/color] Drosil glare suddenly changed into a more thoughtful and intrigued look as he went off into his own mind again, following this train of thought as he made his way from his seat and around the table, mumbling to himself as he did so, his eyes shifting to and fro as if looking through imaginary diagrams that only he could see. [color=Gold]"It seems implausible, but what is magic for if not making the implausible into fact, plus it would explain why I felt as if the eyes was being watched where I went? Moving on from that, perhaps I should do some studying on the outside, see if there is anyway for me to replicate this pocket dimension on a smaller scale. It would be an excellent way to carry things around without having to worry about the weight, as well as storing interesting specimens without fear of them expiring if I can add a preservation effect." [/color]

The woman seemed utterly disinterested by what Drosil had to say, even if she asked him who he was. Furthermore, she didn't seem to care about anything he had to say when it came to his theories and research either, her gaze still level. Without care for the fact he was speaking, she calmly said, [b]"Ah, so you're one of her guests. And..."[/b] Here she deeply inhaled, eyes briefly shutting before she continued to speak. [b]"You talk too much too. If you must paw through my books, do so quietly."[/b] With that, the woman turned, beginning to walk away with slow, almost faltering steps as she held her hand out against the shelves to support herself.

It was then Drosil heard a giggle from quite near him, in the opposite direction of the strange purple woman. It was the Lady of Demons herself, leaning against the bookshelf with a small black book in her hands, flicking through the pages almost lazily. [b]"I see you've met Resalia Narratio. I'm not surprised at all. You two are cut from the same cloth... Ironically enough, you just happen to be cut from a louder patch."[/b] She closed the book with a slight snap, moving from the bookshelf done. [b]"It's entirely possible that Resalia Narratio is the smartest person in the world... Well..."[/b] Her smirk grew then, slightly. [b]"Besides myself."[/b]

Drosil didn't hear his assailants words, currently buried inside his own mind as he continued his circling gait around the table, mumbling to himself a number of infintily branching theories regarding the nature of this mansion and the realm in which it resided. However, the smooth voice of the Lady of Demons slip through the internal cacophony like a knife through Drosil's ribs, freezing him in place as he felt an icy chill crawl up his back, his hands clenching into fists as he felt that same confusing mix of fear and arousal explode from the hole in his soul. He didn't really respond at first, his hand slowly unraveling in order for him to somewhat clumsily clutch a nearby chair, in which he soon sat himself down. Looking up at her, he couldn't help but feel his breath catch in his throat, memories of wandering hands making their way through his form, his vision taken away momentarily to bring him back to his darkest moments. The fear and helplessness from them were so similar to how he felt in this moment, he couldn't help but think back to his first and worst mistake.

After a minute, which felt like an hour, he managed to actually say something.

[color=Gold]"H-hello, Madame Renata. To what do I owe this . . . pleasure?"[/color] The hesitation in his voice was easy to notice, and his flustered, fearful state was evident sense he hadn't said that line in the common tongue, but in a jumbled mess of the languages he did know. After he realized his mistake, he repeated himself in the common tongue, doing his best to keep his voice and hands steady. He offered a small bow in apology, not trusting himself to speak as he looked at everything in the library but the woman he was speaking to. 

[b]"This [i]is[/i] my library, Mr. Maeneld, and I do make a happen of browsing through it every so often."[/b] Her tone was one of light amusement, and the gleam to her red eyes matched it. For a moment she watched him as he sat in the chair, before she began to step forwards to get closer. [b]"It seems to me that you are quite intimidated by my presence. I wonder what the reason for that could possibly be...?"[/b] Though she phrased it like a question, Lady Renata said it like someone who already knew the answer.

[color=Gold]"R-right, I s-shouldn't be surprised. Sorry about that."[/color] Drosil said, moving away slightly as Karin neared him. As she asked her question in that knowing tone, Drosil considered not answering, figuring their was little point in saying anything to such a being. Still, Lady Ambrosia's words crept into his mind once more, saying how this woman would be the best to help him. Even if he feared her for more reasons than one, getting rid of just one of those reasons would be worth almost anything. Even now, he held his chest as the other presence began to seep into him, memories and emotions flailing wildly within his mind. Taking a breath, he began to speak again, making sure each word was steady and proper.[color=Gold]"Well. . . You're presence and demeanor bring to mind many unpleasant memories from my dealings with another of your kind, though I'm not sure if you know of her. Her name is Lilith and when I first summoned her . . . we made a pact. I do whatever she pleased and she would teach me how to better control my magic, as well as my own studies."[/color]

[color=Gold]"However, her help was not without cost, as it slowly began to corrupt me. It was thanks to my brother that I was able to see them before she had me completely within her thrall. Still, the day I tried to send her back . . . she simply laughed and . . . and-"[/color] Drosil tried to go on, but as he was assailed with memories of that day, his body began to shake near-uncontrollably. It took him three tries to cast the focus spell, forcibly aiming his nerves as moved past his trauma. [color=Gold]"Anyway, I was lucky to have a teacher come in and force her to return to whatever realm I had brought her from. I was nearly expelled from the University for that. I think it took me two years before I could look at a woman without shaking in fear, and a few months after that before I could talk to them normally. However. . .your presence is too similar to hers for me to feel at ease, in fact, it's so much greater that I fear to even directly look at you right now, lest I lose all ability to think or talk in the terror that will follow."[/color]

[color=Gold]"Also, if I may request some assistance of you, I was told that you'd be able to help me remove the mark the demon has left upon my soul. While I was able to keep it in check before, recent events have led to me having less control than I had before. I can feel her magic seeping into me with each and every day, violating me over and over. I. . . just want it to stop."[/color] As Drosil neared the end of his speech, he was near in tears, his hands clenched so tightly that blood began to stream from his fists. All as he spoke, he felt the presence within him swell tauntingly, phantom fingers tracing their way across his form with mocking slowness.

The knowing look remained in Lady Renata's expression. It was if she was hearing the same story she had heard many times told to her again. Even as he spoke she looked off to the side, beginning to browse through the nearby books and almost carelessly pulling one that caught her eye of the shelf, giving it a glance before yawning slightly and placing it back. She continued looking over the bookshelf, even as she spoke.

[b]"I know of many Lilith's. It is a common demon name, not unlike how common human names include, say, Edward and the like."[/b] She waved her hand slightly, as if she believed herself to  be off track and wanted to focus on the task at hand. [b]"Your problem is one that have plagued many mortals throughout the ages. Well, I say plagued in this case. For many, it comes as an advantage; just look to both... Blackwood and Turner..."[/b] Briefly, she gave a sigh, as if regretting some sort of decision before she began speaking again. [b]"Depending on the power of the demon in question, removing this connection has varying levels of difficulty. You could never do it on your own, that much is certain..."[/b]

She brought one hand up, slightly resting it against the side of her face with one finger extended, where she tapped against her cheek with a slow beat. Slowly, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Her smile continued to creep across her lips, as if she found a great sort of amusement in this affair. [b]"But, for me, it is a matter of a little consequence. It will hurt both you and her a fair bit though, but which one more... Well, that's just something we'll have to find out if you truly want to go through with this."[/b]

[color=Gold]"I'm not sure if this helps, but she's a Succubus with specialization in Domination Magic. As for the pain, I don't care how much it hurts, if you can do it, then do it."[/color] Drosil's eyes hardened as he managed to look at Karin, his gaze holding on her with determination, even though it was clear that it was taking an lot of effort to hold her gaze. While part of him couldn't help but feel anger at how flippantly she was treating his situation, he had met many spirits that had lived for as long, if not longer, then the demon and he knew that such mortal worries no longer truly affected them. They had seen the pattern of life for so long that such stories were boring to them. He didn't expect empathy or compassion from this being, but if she could help rid him of the stain on his soul, then that would be enough for him. 

He'd hold this gaze for a while longer, before he turned away taking deeper breaths as the presence in his soul suddenly became over-whelming. Flashes of purple and violet energy danced within his eyes, before he suddenly focused a large amount of magical energy into himself, closing off the otherworldly influence for now. Still, he heard voices echoing in his heads, offerings of power, knowledge, and purpose.

[b]"Ah, you [i]would[/i] be the one to tangle with a succubus..."[/b] This seemed to bring the Lady of Demons even more amusement, but once more she waved it off. [b]"Very well then, since you appear so resolved I don't see why you won't survive this. Shall we, then?[/b]

Before Drosil could respond, the Lady moved. Perhaps she didn't want to give him time to back out of his decision, or maybe she just decided to get it out of the way then and there. Whatever it was, she moved so quickly that it didn't matter if Drosil blinked or not; Lady Renata may have teleported for all anyone knew, with how she suddenly appeared in front of him. Though they weren't touching, she was still close enough that he was able to feel the cold radiating off of her. In that moment, Lady Renata's smirking sort of smile changed into a complete grin.

Her hand suddenly shot up, swinging upwards vertically. Swung in such a way it seemed to lightly brush up Drosil's torso, the touch was so faint he would have difficulty telling he had been touched at all. She ended her motion with her hand above her head, before lowering it and drawing it back. In that moment Drosil would feel an intense pain explode into his chest in a line, and if he looked down he would realize he was looking at his own ribcage, neatly sliced open to reveal what was beneath.

Before his innards had the time to shift and begin to fall out her hand shot forwards, plunging into the wound. Beginning at her hand a sensation of complete and utter cold began to spread through him, and though it numbed the pain into insignificance it was like being literally turned bit by bit into ice. From the initial slice and thrust of her hand, there was surprisingly little blood; it was as she began to shift her hand around that globs began to fly, splattering him, the nearby bookshelves, and the Lady of Demons herself.

[b]"Hold still for a moment, and this should be done quickly."[/b]

Drosil brow furrowed into a brow, and he was about to ask what she was insinuating with that, but then he noticed her presence closing in. Whatever suppression he had used before faded as she came close, licks of violet energy flaring somewhat wildly around him as he felt the demon's hand briefly pass over his chest, seeming to make only the briefest of contact. His body already clenched from both the preparation and the fact that he was focusing to keep the otherworldly presence from taking him over, the sudden spike of pain from his chest caused him to let pout a single shout of pain, only for it to quickly contort into a strange and inhuman sound as Karin plunged her hand inside his body, the feeling of the foreign grasping object lost as he felt a deep and lasting cold spread throughout his form. 

While the pain had left him, the sight of his blood flying all over the area as the demon began to do something to him that began to really unnerve him. He hadn't known what to expect, but to have himself be violated by another demon was almost too much to bear. While he couldn't stop the screams as they ripped their way through his body, his lungs pressing tightly against the inside of his open ribcage as his diaphragm struggled to compensate(probably spreading his split ribs open even further as a result), but his body remained as still as could be expected. His fingers gripped the arms of the chair he sat in so tightly, his knuckles were turning bone white and his fingernails were bleeding as they were stretched off their foundation. However, throughout the whole ordeal, he never looked down or at Lady Renata. He knew that if he did, then he'd probably loose his ability to hold on, and from then it would only be a short hop down the well into the afterlife. His voice would grow hoarse, and while he couldn't feel any pain, the cold that permeated his form was a poor substitute, barely tolerable in it's numbing affect then the initial flash of pain. His thoughts were slowing down with every passing second, as it got harder and harder to keep himself ahead of the reaper's grasping hand. However, whenever it seemed like he'd lose his nerve and just give up, he remembered his passion, his dreams, the burning ambition that had already taken him so far. 

[color=Gold][i]I can't die here, in some demon's library, pathetic and worthless. I have yet to learn even a fragment of this world's secrets, and no matter what I have to do or what I must endure, I won't die until I know [b]EVERYTHING[/b]![/i][/color]

Sometime during the process, Drosil would cease screaming, his eyes gazing sightlessly at the roof above him as his mind emptied. Gold, Green, and Violet would swirl together as he viewed the magical energy that was flaring around him ever more violently, reflecting the colors manifested as they seemed to cycle in and out of his body. From time to time, the purple would suddenly begin to pulse in an erratic fashion, causing the pattern to become altered as it sought to close in on Renata, only to get brought back into the fold by the other two colors, rolling around and absorbing the magic back into the roaring flame, subduing it once again.

Despite how she had suddenly and brutally attacked Drosil, for lack of a better word, Lady Renata remained quite calm. Back and forth her hand went, and if weren't for the cold he surely would have died from the shock that would have come from a combination of having his torso split open and then his organs shifted through. While Drosil's gaze remained upwards, the Lady of Demons' remained narrowed and focused on the split in his chest, while at the same time looking beyond it-

And then, suddenly, she once again grinned.

[b]"Excellent."[/b]

With that, she seemed to clench her hand down on something, before suddenly ripping it back out. The force of the movement nearly ripped out everything from inside of him all at once, but instead just a large amount of blood that flew out with her arm; if he had been actually looking down, however, he would have realized that it was actually the blood holding his organs in, stopping just a moment briefly before flying in all directions.

The magic that Drosil focused on above would shift then. The Gold and Green would remain as they were, but the Violet was removed from the mix entirely; instead, it was suddenly pulled out towards the Lady of Demons, despite the best efforts of the two other colors. However, this was what the Lady of Demons wanted, as after the Violet swirled around her it suddenly concentrated into her clenched hands, slipping in between her fingers.

All at once, all of the blood involved in the entire process began to move. That included the blood that had splatted on him, her, and the books, bookshelves, and floor; all of it began to rise, drop by drop at first, before rapidly beginning to combine together into larger and larger orbs. These were very rapidly attracted to the Lady of Demons, wrapping around her arm. So thickly it wrapped around with such a volume that one could barely see her pale arm beneath it, and yet it all suddenly began to gather around her hand, before slipping in between her fingers as well.

Everything around them was perfectly clean, so much so it was like it had never happened. The only evidence of this was the split still down Drosil's chest, but even that began to disappear. His own blood was still at work, rapidly congealing and sealing up the wound, hardening quickly into a very dark and almost crystalline substance. Beyond this strange scar and the tear in the front of his top, there was no evidence of the encounter at all...

Until the Lady of Demons opened her hand, of course, slowly bringing it up. In between her forefinger and thumb she held an orb that possessed a certain sheen to it. It was dark red and black, but every so often there was a purple glow within... A purple glow that was being maintained.

The grin was long gone, and instead she was once more smirking her smile.

[b]"Now then, why shouldn't I crush this here and now...?"[/b}

After the extraction was done with, the light would slowly enter Drosil's eyes again, before his body suddenly shook as the feeling returned. He grasped at his chest, looking down to see the strange crystalline scar. Just thinking about what happened made him want to throw up, but he was able to control his urge as he looked up, hearing Karin's question and thinking if he had a reason to keep such a thing around. . . and strangely enough, he found one much faster then he expected. Standing up a bit unsteadily, he felt a strange emptiness inside of him, as if his insides had been carved out while he was under whatever trance he had been in. It was a disturbing feeling, but it was better than having that tainted magic within his soul.

[color=Gold]"I need it . . .to get even . . . and to better my own magic. Foul as it felt, I can't deny the usefulness of having Domination magic to help control the stronger summons, not to mention that I can also find a way to resist it myself if I study how it works."[/color] His voice was tired, but determined, with hints of a fiery rage burning underneath his logic. He'd been fearing Lilth for so long, but now he had a chance to actually study her magic, to fight back without any worry for how it might effect his soul, and all that fear turned into anger. [color=Gold][i]She still has the other half of my soul, after all[/i][/color]

A chuckle left the Lady of Demons, her slowly looking over to him out of the corner of her eye. [b]"I wasn't speaking to you, Mr. Maeneld, but to her."[/b] She raised the orb slightly, her gaze going back to it. However, without warning she suddenly tossed it in Drosil's direction with a light, almost dismissive toss; the tips of her thumb and forefinger remained red with the blood, her slowly lowering her hand. [b]"Very well then, it will be my gift to you. If the seal ever starts to weaken, which it will since I won't be around all the time to maintain it, simply place it into some of your blood for a little while and it will be fine."[/b]

Drosil caught the orb easily enough, looking down at his clothes with a bit of a sigh as he fingered the large cut in his cloak. When he looked back up at Lady Renata, looking vaguely annoyed. [color=Gold]"Thank you, Madame Renata. You wouldn't happen to know a safe place where I could test out the power of this without disturbing the others . . . or causing too much damage to the rest of the mansion. I'd also like to take that book with me as well, if you wouldn't mind?"[/color] 

The Lady of Demons gave a slight wave towards the book, nodding. [b]"Very well then, just remember where you got it from, and put it back when you're done. Otherwise, Resalia might spend all of her energy hunting you down for it. And when it comes to where you might test, just take it outside into one of the farther gardens. With that said, I would like to speak to your brother right now, so if you wouldn't mind."[/b]

Drosil nodded somewhat absentmindedly, picking up the book and reading through it a little before setting it down, his form becoming cloaked in choking shadows as he gave over control to his brother. As Shadar's form came into existence, towering above the Lady Renata with his immense size, he had no words for the demon. Just an expectant glare that demanded answers. However, it would be noted that the fact Shadar chose not to speak was a sign of how he knew not to mess with Lady Renata, a sign of plausible respect at best, and an acknowledgement of her power over him at the very least.

Patiently the Lady of Demnos watched the change occur, her smile growing some as her eyes narrowed slightly. She certainly had to look up a decent bit to make eye contact with him, but despite the almost ridiculous height different Lady Renata wasn't bothered in the slightest. So much more than height went into her presence, after all.

[b]"Ah, and here's the more competent of the two twins. Welcome, Mr. Maeneld. It's about time we met."[/b]

"What do you want, Lady Renata, I'd rather get to the point. And if you plan to split me open like you did my brother, I'd rather you not."

 Shadar wasn't one for pleasantries, especially when he faced with her type, aloof and acting as of anyone they saw was their own personal toy. She was like every other infuriating noble he had ever met, but this particular noble could probably crack his shell open like an egg, so he'd refrain from his usual form of insults and blunt language with her. 

[b]"Oh, just a few questions. I don't plan to take up too much of your time. To be honest, I don't need to speak to you all that much. You are already at the level you need to be to survive the immediate coming days, so I have no reason to give you any sort of boost. So, consider this a sort of consolation prize."[/b]

She reached to the side then, to remove a book from the shelf. It was larger than most of the other books, but thinner; to Shadar's eye, it would immediately be clear it was a black sketchbook, seemingly nothing special about it... but considering it was coming from the Lady of Demons, that simply couldn't be the case.

[b]"I've noticed that you have a habit of recording the sights you've seen in a way a few can. I wish to supplement this skill you have. This sketchbook is special, so I wouldn't waste the pages; if you use ink mixed with blood of the subject, you'll record more than just an image; movement, perhaps even a phrase or more if you build up the skill to do so. Of course, that means the subject has to trust you enough to provide a little donation... Or it's someone you simply take it from. I leave that choice to you."[/b]

With that, she held it forwards. [b]"Entertain yourself with this little luxury until the time comes you actually need something from me."[/b]

"Hmm. . . Interesting. A bit morbid and disgusting, but it should have some use. I'd ask for specifics, but what's life without a few surprises. I'll accept your gift, and hope for the best. Now then, unless you have any other business with me, I'll be on my way. I don't get to walk around to often, and this dimension looks like it'd be interesting to explore. A bit one-note with the color palette, if I say so myself, but everyone's got their tastes and it's not my place to judge."

[b]"That it isn't, Mr. Maeneld."[/b] Giving a nod, the Lady of Demons continued to smile as she turned, walking from Shadar. [b]"Do enjoy your exploration."[/b] And, with that, she disappeared around the corner of the bookcase.

Shadar let out a grunt as he made his own way out of the Library, wondering if he could find something in this world that wasn't just slathered in the same garish red coloring.

"I really, really hate this place." He muttered under his breath, wondering whether or not their was anything living in this plane ,besides the Lady and her guests, lurking in those gardens. He wouldn't put it past the demoness to put some monsters in his path to test him, preparing the lot of them for whatever grand game she had in place. [i]Nobility always love to play around with those they consider as lesser men, playing games with others and treating the lives of other people as pawns for there own ends. *Hmph* Like hell I'm going to use her cursed book. I'm not going to owe that demon bitch a damn thing, if I can help it.[/i]