"Who's mommy little bitch?" Clomere quizzed, her fingers combing through Diana's now black hair once pink. Her eyes still pink however the gleam they once had was gone. Now was something shaped by the monsters of Redfall, the horror of rot and mycelium personally.
"Me." Diana chirped as Clomere cupped her face, her smile playful as Clomere then processed her to give her a treat. "I think it's about time to have her walk on her hind legs, don't you think Magdalene?" Crimson chimed in with a smile as she went on with her meal.
"It would be best to have her do more than just idle around, after all Arcania is going through a very big change." Floraison mused, agreeing with Crimson. The air light as the group was now feasting on their breakfast. The doors soundlessly opened revealing Lyssara and Dagna's figures, their faces haggard as they took their seats.
"Four days? You two really are heavy sleepers." Callista taunted as she took a sip of her wine. "It's the game, the difficulty spike from the first level and the second is way too large for us to overcome. We've been going at it several times over and we still haven't managed to get past the flower section."
Lyssara groaned as she rubbed her eyes, still adjusting to the light. As for the wraiths, they still hadn't found a suitable way of dealing with them. Running was basically a timer when spent spelt their doom, confrontation was tantamonoius to suicide and that had nothing to do with the first elite of the floor.
They had scouted other paths hoping to avoid the elite, regardless of all sides, they either met the massive walls that they couldn't fly over or the ocean of flowers waiting for them.
"It's a matter of soul dear, you two have a weak soul for the second floor. It also explains why you two are so weak when facing the wraiths as well." Jarren spoke, his tone calm as he glanced at the two ladies who were now digging in their meal. "Well how will we get our souls stronger?" Dagna asked, still baffled with what the game wanted from them.
She had thought that it would be a matter of strength and a bit of intellect but factors that she couldn't control like soul stunned her. "You have to do personal quests or artifacts from the game. Given that you've already completed the first floor, the vendor won't be available till you get past the second elite of the second floor."
Lyssara's and Dagna's eyes lit up hearing about the vendor. 'Do they know about Eamon or are they ignorant of his presence?' The two thought, their motions grinding to a halt. "Do you know Eamon? The vendor?" Dagna was the first to ask, skeptical of the acclaimed horror.
"Yes, we do know him as a puppet to help you two with progressing in the game. Is there a problem about him?" Jarren asked as his gaze drifted to Callista who sensed it and shot back. "There's... nothing wrong with him, just wondering how he worked is all." Lyssara chuckled, her tone nervous making the air turn awkward.
"Come on then, stand on your legs for me." Clomere stated as she allowed Diana to finally stand on her legs, the scene making the two girls pause in thought. 'Does that mean she will be a player as well or not?' Lyssara couldn't help but wonder as she went back to her food.
Bending facing Clomere who was seated, Diana felt the collar around her neck loosen before unceremoniously falling to the floor. It had taken time for her to reach the stage that she was at with Clomere but it was progress nonetheless. 'I just have to make sure that I don't upset her.' Diana swore in her mind.
The thought of revenge for the humiliation or death of her father were long quelled, the games Clomere put her through made sure that there was no chance for any form of rebellion left in her. She was meant to be nothing more than Clomere's pet, obedient and willing to yield to her masters.
"About your souls, I apologize dear but I've been eyeing a close family member of yours." Clomere giggled mischievously, the two sharing a knowing glance. "You two, could you ever be so sweet and help with getting some very important people for me? It won't be that much of a bother for any of you."
Jarren proposed, his tone absolute as if he was sure that they would take it regardless. "What is it?" Dagna was the one to ask. "It's about my parents and Kaelin. Lyssara will take care of Kaelin, having her brought over and I'll personally go with Dagna to my parents." Diana let the words fly past her as she sat on the same table as the rest.
Her position next to Dagna who was busy with Jarren's words. "I think that it would be best for me to go with Dagna." Clomere smiled, the air around her twisting into something malicious. "And I'll handle Lyssara." Callista added on before placing her cutlery down. "Besides I wanted to test my new toy, Isen."
Isen, the man that had been tasked to accommodate her back then in Redfall during it's fall was now turned into a husk. A puppet that they could toy around and prod to their content. However they had grown weary of him and moved onto other projects. "Besides dear, I need you here to help me govern. Redfall does need it's king after all."
Magdalene mused as she put down her goblet. Jarren didn't object with the matter. "Clomere, Diana has been here for so long, I think that it would be best to have her go for a walk." Clomere didn't refute as she gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "As for Caerthalas, I'm sure that they won't be able to last no more than a week during the war."
They all knew that sooner or later that Caerthalas would be in their grasp, it was a matter of when was the question. "Magdalene..." Dagna's words cut through the air attracting the gaze of all. "I was wondering what would happen to Durahelm when Caerthalas is taken care of."
Dagna wasn't apathetic of her sister or father even after what she had gone through. A few modifications to her body fancied her but not enough to sway her to forget her family in an instant. "Durahelm..." Magdalene let out a hum, her index balancing a fork as she closed her eyes. "Naturally it will be assimilated into Redfall similar to the rest however Thagrim will still maintain a large influence over his court."
Dagna had to take her words for it, after all the possibility of her using the Hine was still high. She had seen how they operated, how they planned. To them resistance was something to either pass the time or to be eradicated and Dagna strangely hoped that for Durahelm that it would be the former. 'If they choose to make my family husks for Redfall, there's nothing that I could do.'
Dagna grit her teeth as she glanced at her new body. She already had a problem with the game that these monsters made, fighting them would only result with her defeat not to mention they could make her a puppet for them to toy with. She subconsciously glanced at Lyssara who understood what she had in her mind.
"You can only hope..." Her whisper audible to everyone and yet they pretended not to hear. "Isen! Prepare my ride!" Callista shouted in an instant a figure appeared behind her. As if birthed off a black hole then spit out, Isen remain calm with his mechanical body out in full display.
At the center of his chest a small golden black resided, glimmering and devouring all the light that interacted with his figure. "Of course Miss Callista." He said respectfully before taking his leave warped in space out of the scene. 'Is that what is meant for me?' Dagna couldn't help but wonder as she let out a nervous gulp.
Once everyone was done with their meals, Clomere, Diana and Dagna took their leave heading for Calledra while Lyssara and Crimson headed for Reuthar. Jarren was now left with Callista, Magdalene and Floraison back in Redfall. "So about the war, I think that it would be best to offer an example to the wastelands of what is in-store for them."
Callista's smile dark as numerous thoughts swirled in her mind. "Clomere said that she wanted a lot of blood for the rogue abominations still lurking at the borders of Durahelm and Calledra. Maybe the war could be of some use to us." Jarren's finger tapped the table, already seeing the direction of the game in preparation.
"As for the wastelands, most of the demon forces have been majorly corrupted with Hine however there will be those who bother with resistance." He stated blankly as his head was supported with his palm. "A lot of bounties are already been put out for such individuals, not to mention the Hine is showing it's use."
Callista said, her feral smile persistent. "Yes but what about the demon king. It would be rather disheartening for him to die a casual death." Floraison posed, her daughter though startled that it was her own mother sighed that she would come up with such a suggestion. "I just want him gone, how it's done is up to you." Magdalene mused, her face buried with her hands as she let out a desperate sigh.
"Then in that case it would seem that I'm going to be busy for a while." Callista in a blink of an eye disappeared from her seat. Now with the mother and daughter pair, Jarren finally eased. "As for Earth, I've already made the gates to tear a rift through the veil of reality thanks to Clomere."
Something he had been planning for some time now. He had a leisurely use of earth, Magdalene had other plans for it. "As for the newly forming states, what do you have in mind for the resistance. After all I'm sure that not all will be ready to kneel to Redfall." Rising to his feet, Magdalene's body tensed as she saw his approaching figure.
"I could use Hine for that." Jarren paused behind her, his serpentine smile present. "Don't you think that would be too easy? After all look at Redfall." Aware of what he meant, she cleared her throat as she tried to mask the flushness of her cheeks. "I already have other plans for it if you want to hear them."
Jarren's hands began to slide down her red cheeks before slowly tilting her head forcing her to face him. The two locked in a gaze, the earlier tension had now shifted into something more tender. "I'm all ears, my queen." Something about his words sent her eyes into a flutter storm, her mother on the side giggling at the sight.
Jarren let go of her chin before having her stand up and seating at the end of the table. Gesturing at his lap, she wore a smile she couldn't take off as she made herself comfortable. "I was thinking of fear as a means. Crimson says it's rather effective and it bears the risk of a rebellion to help spark things up from time to time."
Rebellions weren't a problem to them, if anything they looked forward to it as it proved that there was a form of will with the people, a will that they would take their time slowly and utterly dismantling till it was nothing more than obsolete devotion to Redfall. "Not bad, now for your so called diplomats and the people, how will you go about it?"
Her legs quivered as she felt his hand roam on her thighs, slow and passionate as his smile went on. "I... given that Calledra wasn't that badly damaged, it would be best to have it as a place for the elites, and Reuthar for the lesser classes." Jarren narrowed his eyes, intrigued with her means of going about it.
"Interesting. All very interesting."