[center][h2]Le Gang meets Le Blood[/h2][/center] -1- When Lorelei awoke, she was greeted by a barely-clothed, dark-skinned elfkin. The elf, who introduced himself as Julles (in a strange, kinda creepy way), quickly filled Lorelei in on what he’d done to keep both her and Astarte alive over the last few days, which reminded her of the fact that she’d lost an eye. The catgirl had no time to grieve for lost orbs though, so instead she quickly dressed herself and used some strips of fabric of her torn jacket to fashion herself an eyepatch. Soon enough, Astarte woke up too. The self-proclaimed goddess was a bigger mess than usual. She had a large scar over her entire right shoulder and her joint popped every time she moved it, but she was fine otherwise. Well, at least, she wasn’t in any pain. Julles explained that the antivenom that Astarte was given was much stronger than the one Lorelei had been given, and so she was likely to still be pretty high. And when you mix an insane high with a dummy like Astarte, things happen. Like forgetting how to put on trousers and developing a sudden phobia of hair brushes. So yeah, Astarte was a mess. -2- An hour later, the pair (as well as their new beast-of-burden, Shadobig the Iwak, eater of Spiders) found themselves guided through a set of rickety (but incredibly long and sun-drenched) treehouse bridges, past many treehouses in different stages of disrepair ranging from residences to workshops and even suspended gardens… Until they reached the biggest of the treehouses, one that looked a little bit like the main tree back in Sanctuary, with the central structure grown out of the tree rather than built. It was there, upon entering the threshold, that something happened that none of them were prepared for. A murky substance had spread out across the wooden floor and it seemed to absorb the light filtering in from outside. Julles, with an exclaimed whimper, about knelt over in some form of reverence before it became apparent just what that substance was- Blood. Like a stream of mist it began to flow into the elves bow, one he always had on him, one he even talked too at times in hushed whispers. Though they hadn't been around him for long, it was apparent he really was crazy. The room grew eerily quiet, Shadobig fidgeting in either nervousness or restlessness, before all at once a giant crimson hand shot out from the floor, grabbed all of them with a sickly warm touch and swallowed them into the depths before any word or action could be uttered or taken. -3- There were no sensations at first, an absence of all sight, smell, taste and hearing before it all came rushing back as they were deposited upon a floor of marble with a pale light all around. The sickly smell of iron permeated the air. Lorelei looked up with her one good eye to see someone even more sight less than she. The unassuming woman was unnaturally pale, almost milky white, with hair to match. It fell in straight lines past her shoulders and a crimson ribbon was covering her eyes. Below that was an impassive face, perhaps one of scrutiny. Her ears were pointed, was she an elf? That was Lorelei’s first question, but she quickly came to realise that the woman was more than likely no elf, but instead divine to some extent in nature. Julles immediately placated himself by bowing on his knees. Lorelei did the same. "It seems I have a bycatch." She spoke with an equally impassive voice, a hint of arrogance to boot. She looked over both Lorelei and Astarte, pinpointing their exact place. "You are different, aren't you?" She asked herself, rising from her throne and walking before them. "An older blood flows through you." She said to Lore. "And you, ancient and intoxicated." She said to Astarte. "Was it fate that brought you to me or something else entire?" She came to a stop before them. "Your names?" She asked, looking past them now. “L-” “Astarte!” Shouted Astarte with a massive grin, floating slightly above the floor, “Finally! Finally, someone can tell I’m an ancient, super-powerful, amazingly-beautiful Goddess. Told you so, Lore! Told you so, Julles! I’m not crazy!” Astarte laughed and pumped her fist up into the air victoriously. “A-and I’m Lorelei. [Feline Tinkerer] of the team.” Lorelei explained politely with her head down. With unnatural motion, the woman came before Astarte. “You are of ancient blood, yes, but you lack the defining traits of a Goddess. Mainly…” her voice wavered as she lifted a hand, as if to touch her but she quickly let it fall back to her side. “It would be improper so soon.” She seemed to say to herself before drifting back over to Lorelei. “I have not seen your kind before, either of your kind. Are you perhaps not from here?” She asked. Lorelei nodded, flicked her ears and tail and stood up. “I’m an Astalonian. I-I think I escaped my old world by mistake. I know things no one else knows, but I-I can’t remember them very well. I haven’t been able to repair all my t-tools because of that.” Astarte tried to make conversation with Julles in the background as Lorelei spoke with the stranger, but kept getting ignored so hard she eventually laid face down on the floor. The woman tilted her head. “Interesting.” She commented, folding her hands. “Few there are who can remember a different time before this one. Very few. Consider yourselves lucky or cursed. Either way, you’re here now and I doubt there’s any way home.” She said with bitterness in her voice. “L-Last place got blown up by not-demons and homuran ambition. Also by P-Prime cannons and Recusant fire. There’s nowhere to go back to for me. And Astarte d-doesn’t even remember what kind of Goddess she even was, so…” Lorelei sighed. “Why are you wearing that blindfold, anyway? Spiders pop your eyes t-too?” The woman gave a coy smile. “Not exactly. If I attempted to explain it, you would probably end up like that one.” She pointed to Astarte. “Was it a spider that stole your eye?” She asked, seemingly with concern. Strangest of all, behind them, the white throne of ivory slowly took on the dark shade of crimson, until not a trace of the white remained. The woman seemed to relax a little, her posture slouching. Lorelei might have been missing an eye, but she noticed the change in the environment and stole a quick glance at the exit. “They came out of nowhere like, ZOOM! And WHAM and SLASH! Before I knew it my shoulder was split open. Their venom is crazy you know, it feels even worse than the pain you get from peeing your pants while doing Wind Stance katas! Trust me, I would know. Not that I peed my pants or anything, resulting in Hills making fun of me for a whole month… Yeah, that wouldn’t happen.” Astarte chimed in from the floor. “I fought them off l-long enough for Shadobig to save us, and then Julles came to our aid as the venom k-knocked us out.” Lorelei explained, lightly caressing her eyepatch. “I-I dont wanna waste any more of your time, Lady…?” “My name is Wyn.” The woman said, the aura of arrogance and impartiality gone from her voice, replaced with a reserved quietness. “I am sorry to hear of your harrowing battle. But it’s quite alright, I did bring you here, after all. So no time is being wasted. Oh…” She furrowed her brows, as if in thought. Then she looked between them before landing on Julles, where her face lit up. “Ah, of course. That bow… That’s why I brought you. It would be better if I took it for safekeeping. It’s dangerous.” At that, Julles tensed up, his grip on the bow tightening as beads of sweat immediately began to form all over his body. Without lifting his head, he spoke. “Crimson Arc wishes to travel, Lady Wyn. She does not desire to be kept in a box, or a shelf, or a display.” Lorelei and Astarte both raised an eyebrow at the fact the dark elf had given a name (and gender) to his bow. Wyn also raised an eyebrow at this statement. “It went by another name once.” She muttered, “Is it th- her desire, or your own?” she asked, lips pursed. “She gives me guidance when the gods do not. I merely take her where she wishes to go. Her desires are my desires… She is the only reason I saved the two foreigners. Please leave her with me Lady Wyn, I will guard her with my life.” Wyn was silent for a time, as if contemplating his words. “You’ve given her your own blood, haven’t you?” she asked at last. “She craves it above anything else. The life force that all hold dear. Did you… Did you feed her their blood as well?” Julles merely nodded in response. Huge freak alert, Lorelei thought with a small twitch in her eyebrows. “The intent may have been noble but she is only an addiction.” Wyn rubbed her brow. “I think it would be best if I leave this matter to the two of you. Lorelei and Astarte.” She vaguely looked between the two. “He has used the bow upon himself and the both of you. I can only surmise the reason you are alive is because the venom was sucked from your veins. That said, it is a dangerous tool. So, shall he keep it to safeguard it, or shall it be given over to me?” “Easy! He keeps it. He saved our lives with it, plus I don't even remember feeling like anything was being sucked out of me so it’s all good!” Astarte said with a giggle. “You were unconscious for it all…” Lorelei muttered. “Anyway, any t-tool worth using is dangerous to some extent. Like j-jackhammers.” “So be it. You may keep her, Julles. Upon this condition; Never take life without cause, no matter what she whispers. Do you understand?” “She has never guided me astray. I understand.” Julles nodded solemnly. ‘Good. Then this business is concluded.” Wyn smiled. “Now let’s fix you up properly.” She said, walking over to Astarte. She bent over to look down at the girl, then touched her forehead. “Your blood shall be replenished and any lingering toxins will dissipate. Plus you look dreadful, do not take offence but it is simply the truth.” Her voice became playful as cuts, blemishes, marks and any other disturbances disappeared from Astarte’s skin. Even her hair seemed to grow lush and vibrant. When this was done, she walked towards Lorelei. “Would you like the use of your eye back?” “Y-Yes please.” Lorelei said and pursed her lips. Wyn touched her forehead, the changes that took place in Astarte recurring upon the cat girl. As her skin healed, her fur took on the same lush tones as Astarte’s. It was an instant beautification the likes of which they had not known. Even still, there came a slight pressure in her forehead and then a sudden pop- her eye had regrown. “There. One should not be blind, even partially blind, if it can’t be helped.” Her hand touched Lorelei’s face before it dropped back down at her side. “Is there anything else I might be able to do for you?” Lorelei kept her eyes closed as she took off her eyepatch and stuffed it into one of her belt pouches. “Y-You’re a Goddess, right Lady Wyn? Could Gods bring my people b-back if I garner enough favour?” “I am but you must keep it a secret, for your own safety.” She muttered, “To bring back a people would be a heavy task, Lorelei. Even for a God. If any could do it outright… It would be she who called us here. I have never met her, nor do I know where she exists upon this plane. Perhaps…” Her voice dropped off and she turned back to the crimson throne. She raised her arm and a shallow dish lifted from the floor and hovered over to them. “This is an artifact that allows one to see what they desire most in the given moment. Maybe if you think of your people it can show you something? Or it may not. You should know there is a price to pay. A drop of blood, if you are willing.” The Goddess said in a hushed voice. Lorelei pursed her (strangely smooth-feeling for once) lips and pricked a finger with one of her claws, letting the drop of blood fall into the bowl. It shimmered for a moment, before settling on a foggy reflection – One that looked like what she recognized as a photograph, one that actually used to exist, where she was little and a large cloaked man held her. Many people with blurred faces stood to either side of them in many different poses. Lorelei rubbed her eyes and looked away. “It d-didn’t show me my people…” “Then it was not your people you desire most.” Wyn’s sad voice came. “I am sorry.” The catgirl sighed. She had no idea who the people in the reflection were, but they must have been important. If only she could remember them… “Thank you f-for all the help and the gifts, Goddess. I’ll take b-better care of my eyes and Astarte from now on. We really g-gotta keep moving, though- There’s a famous s-smith in the Lonesome Masters’ Hold that I n-need to meet, and we’re already running late…” “So yeah! We’re shooting on outta here! I wonder if Hills will be there? She’ll be so jealous of how I look now!” Astarte laughed evilly as she floated towards the exit. Lorelei nodded her head at Wyn and followed Astarte. “I’m afraid you would not truly be able to leave this place that way.” Wyn said sheepishly. “We are deep underground, far beneath the light of the sun.” She rubbed her hands together awkwardly. “But… There is another way, you might enjoy. Have you ever heard of the Shadow Bazaar?” “Huh?” Lorelei’s ears perked up. “Big Smoke mentioned it a couple times!” Astarte perked up as well, both girls were interested. “I thought it was just an Umbra word for toilets, though. You’re telling me it’s an actual place?! A not-stinky place?!” Wyn nodded. “To enter, you only need shadow…” She whispered, producing from her hand a small pouch that she outstretched to Lorelei. “And something to trade.” [hider=Summary] Lorelei and Astarte are making their way towards a meeting place with Wyn after waking up thanks to Julles’ magicursed treatment of their wounds. In a hall-like room they meet the goddess and introduce themselves to her, they exchange some information, Wyn allows Julles to keep the BLOODBOW (called Crimson Arc by him) and eventually Wyn heals the girls’ permanent injuries and beautifies them in the process. Some minor stuff happens,and finally Wyn tells the pair about the Shadow Bazaar. [/hider] [hider=MP] 5/5 -1MP to teleport the Lorelei gang to Wyn’s realm. -3MP to claim the Beauty Aspect (Summary coming soon to a theater near you.) -1MP to gift Lorelei a pouch with a strange seed (A champion). -1AP to Bless both Lorelei and Astarte with beauty untarnished. Scratches, cuts, blemishes and any other skin ailments fade away with time and all outward ageing stops. Their physical appearances will never lack luster even on the worst rainy days. -1AP to Bless both Lorelei and Astarte with reinforced blood. They are immune to toxins, poisons and other physical ailments that would kill any normal mortal. Their blood also slows them from ageing inwardly, making them effectively very long lived. 1MP/3AP remaining [/hider]