Vina stared at the closed stone door behind her in shock. “Ebba knows”, she said to herself over and over again. She knew Ebba could read runes and both of her sister’s names were carved onto the door. She had only disconnected the names from the design; she had not destroyed them. Vina was shaken out of her paralysis when she heard a sound.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Something was hammering the stone doors. Vina placed a hand on the door and felt it shutter under some unknown force. Vina stepped back “Is she… breaking it down?” she said aloud. Vina didn’t know what to do next. She didn’t know what Ebba would do if she managed to get inside.

Vina ran down the hallway and into a well lit chamber. The same blue sconces were hanging on the wall. She didn’t take even a second to look at them as her shadow vanished behind her. In the chamber was a table formed of stone and on it were two sealed leather wrapped letters. Beside the letters were two small wooden boxes. The boxes were so small they could have been designed to hold a ring. On the top of one box was the letter A and the other had the letter E. Vina looked quickly at the letters and found one was sealed with runes. Vina rapidly opened the unsealed letter and began to read. She struggled to focus as the booming echoed and reverberated through the cave she now stood in.

"Dear Etana and Annalina,

It is to my great pride that you two have made it here today."

Vina stopped reading when she heard something different. The booming noise changed and there was a loud CRACK! Vina looked at the doors down the hall and could see a large fracture running through them. Vina skipped the rest of the letter and only caught the final sentences.

"On the table are the two gifts that your father has prepared for you. Please do not worry too much, your other sister has hopefully already received her gift."

The pounding noise was growing louder and more frequent. Vina couldn’t focus on the letters, so she stuffed them and the boxes into her backpack. She looked around desperately for a way to escape.

The doors shuddered from the assault and Vina could see another crack forming. She ran to the walls of the room, hopeful Priya had left a way out. She activated Observe and ran her hands along the smooth interior. Nothing lit up in her eyes. Vina’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “There was no way out of here”, she thought. She had risked discovery every time she came here and this time she had lost.

She squared up her shoulders and faced the door. “Should I fight? Can I fight?” Vina asked herself. “I need to protect my sisters”, she said softly to herself. “Priya wanted us to be kept hidden from The Watch”, she thought. Her mind raced so fast she couldn’t keep her thoughts consistent. Her mind briefly went to the boxes in her backpack, but she had no time to investigate those further. Vina drew her thrusting sword and cast her backpack to the side. She activated Blood Dance, mobility, and waited.

The door suddenly broke into pieces and was flung inward into the room. Vina raised an arm to protect her eyes as the fragments settled around her. For a moment Ebba stood in the entrance. Her hands were clenched into fists and Vina could see the once flawless steel gauntlets were now shredded. Her bare knuckles showed through the armor, dripping blood onto the stone floor as she breathed hard from the effort of destroying the door.

Vina opened her mouth to speak, but Ebba beat her to it, “What are you doing here, Vina?” Her tone was deadly serious. She remained standing in the door as Vina tried to gather a response.

Vina’s thoughts scattered as she felt the danger she was in. Her brain only screamed at her to run. “I found this place and I wanted…”, her voice floundered as a window appeared in her vision.

Deception Detected. Ebba knows you are being deceptive.

Ebba shook her head, “Vina, I saw the names on the door. I don’t know who they are, but this is your last chance before I find them. Since the moment I bonded with the Aspect of Truth, I have been unable to lie. I have told you the truth every time we have met. I need you to start telling me the truth now.”

Vina’s eyes narrowed as she heard Ebba’s words, “You can’t lie?” she echoed. Her mind raced through every interaction she had ever had with Ebba, and couldn’t find an instance she caught Ebba being deceptive.

“No, I cannot. Trina’s aspect prevents me from doing so. Everything I have told you has been the truth. Unlike you, you have lied to me every day since we’ve met.” Ebba said, some disappointment coming across in her voice.

Vina’s arms sagged, unable to hold her weapons up anymore, “Why didn’t you say something?” she asked. “Why would you tolerate that?”

“Because, Vina, I see something special in you. Trina has marked you as a Traveler and no one in this world has the blood runes skill. You are important, even if you are suffering from your life experiences. I see you and I hoped someday you’d trust me enough to let me in. Please let me in. Who are the girls written on the doors?”

Vina felt tears well up in her eyes at Ebba’s honest validation. “Are you one of the twelve?” she asked.

Ebba turned her head for a second and then spoke, “Yes. I am the Eleventh of the twelve. Why does it matter?”

“If you can’t lie, tell me The Watch would let Priya and her children live free and safe from interference”, Vina said.

Ebba opened her mouth for a second, but she closed it again after shaking her head. “I can’t tell you that. Priya betrayed The Watch along with Shan. Her children may have valuable aspects we need in the war against The Darkness. Are you her daughter?” she asked.

Vina sniffed back a sob, “Now you understand why I can never open up to you.”

Ebba took a step forward and Vina raised her weapons defensively, “This won’t end the way you expect, Vina. I can compel the truth from you, at the risk of your life. Please don’t force me to do that. You can still do so much good in this world.”

Vina shook her head, “I can’t…”

Ebba suddenly accelerated toward her. Vina had seen the charge skill before with Etana, and she had no choice but to listen to Mobility to avoid the attack. After she moved to the side, she thrust out with her sword, but Ebba deflected it with her still armored forearm. Ebba made to grab for Vina again and she avoided as best she could, but Ebba was too fast. Time and time again, she was forced to activate mobility to avoid being caught.

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“Blood Weavers…”, Ebba muttered. She slammed a foot down into the stone floor and Vina was knocked off balance by the shockwave. Ebba did not hesitate and rushed forward again, her blood covered hands reached for her. Vina used mobility once again, but her eyes warily watched her stamina bar emptying quickly. She dove to the side and Ebba continued on past her. Vina got to her feet and ran to her backpack.

“I can’t fight her. She’s too fast.” Vina’s mind raced in realization of her powerlessness and memories of the man outside Termily filled her mind. She grabbed her backpack and tried to flee out the door. She took only two steps before Mobility told her to drop to the ground. A blast of wind flew over her back. Vina sneaked a look over her shoulder and saw Ebba’s fist was still forward as if she had punched the air itself. Vina gaped in awe as Ebba brought her fist back again. Her mobility skill told her to roll to the side and she listened.

Ebba’s punch flew forward once more and Vina saw something impact where she had been with enough force to crack the stone floor. Ebba crouched down and jumped into the air. Ebba easily cleared ten feet as she launched herself toward Vina. She tried to get out of the way, but her body seemed to respond slowly. She looked at her stamina bar and saw it had almost bottomed out. She knew she wouldn’t make it out of the way in time.

Ebba landed over top of Vina forcefully enough she could feel the floor shudder. “Are you all out of stamina? I’m sorry we have to do it this way, Vina.” Ebba grabbed her armor and tried to rip it apart. The armor resisted and Ebba gritted her teeth, “Those lying Kaliters…” She used both hands and with great effort tore the scaled armor open. Before Vina could protest, Ebba slammed both hands directly onto her chest. Vina had a window pop up.

You are afflicted with Geis of Truth. If you are asked a question, you will be forced to answer. You have a 1% chance of lying successfully. Attempting to lie will cause you pain. If you succeed in lying or not giving an answer, you will die. Geis of Truth will expire in 5 minutes.

Vina felt something solid move into her heart. The foreign sensation took her breath away, but before she could process it, Ebba spoke.

“Who is your mother?” Ebba calmly asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Vina’s throat and mouth moved without her control as she croaked out “I don’t know. Priya.” Two truths were ripped out of her with one question. Vina did not know her birth mother, but she had accepted Priya as her actual mother.

“Who are Annalina and Etana?”

Vina’s Blood Sense suddenly detected a foreign object in her heart. The skill seemed confused at what it was detecting. “They’re my sisters.” Vina said as she tried kicking her legs and pushing Ebba off her body. Ebba seemed completely immovable.

“Why are you actually in Termily?” asked Ebba.

Vina’s blood was boiling in rage and fear as the words were being pulled out of her. Blood sense was also telling Vina about the blood dripping from Ebba’s hands on her chest even as her own blood searched the thing in her heart. “To find and protect my sisters”, she groaned.

“Priya has three daughters?” Ebba asked in shock as she finally absorbed what Vina was saying.

“Yes.” Vina said. She found if she answered proactively, it would cause her much less discomfort. Her Blood Sense skill seemed eager to figure out what was in her bloodstream.

“Is Priya still alive?”

“I don’t know.” Vina answered voluntarily. While Ebba’s two hands pressed down on her chest, Vina tried reaching for her weapons, but they were too far away. She brought her hands up and tried levering Ebba off to the side. When that didn’t work, she grabbed Ebba’s neck.

Ebba just smirked as Vina's fingers tightened around her neck. “You aren’t strong enough to do that.” Vina realized she was right, but she didn’t have any other ideas.

“Why did you lie to me about the blood rune meanings?”

“Grr! Because Priya’s notes made it clear The Watch cannot be trusted.” Vina felt the object in her heart quiver when Blood Sense recruited some of her own blood to examine what was inside her. The skill suddenly did something she had no idea it could do. It marked what was in her chest as hostile. Vina felt her blood gather around whatever was there.

“Where are Priya’s notes?”

“They’re with my sisters.” Vina felt pain as she only spoke half the truth. The pain forced her arms to drop from Ebba’s throat as she cringed. “Some are in my backpack!” She reached to where her backpack lay as if to pull one out.

“What was on the stone table?” Ebba asked.

Vina grimaced, “Two letters and two gift boxes for my sisters.”

Vina felt something shift in her chest as her blood attacked the foreign object.

“Who is helping you, Vina?” Ebba growled as she leaned over her, looking into her eyes.

“Ebba is helping me”, Vina said, a tear of pain rolling down her face as the truth was pulled from her.

Ebba’s eyes softened and her hands let up on their pressure, “Vina… I…”

At that moment Vina’s blood broke through and the object in her chest disappeared.

The Geis of Truth has been broken. You may now speak as you wish without consequence.

Vina didn’t hesitate. She pulled her runed box of blood from the backpack with one hand and pressed the activation rune against Ebba’s bloody knuckles. She held it there with all of her strength.

Ebba immediately relaxed and a slight smile appeared on her face. Her weight held Vina in place, even as she felt Ebba’s warm blood cascade out of the box and over her own body. Vina cried when Blood Sense gave her no choice but to feel life slowly leave her former mentor’s body.

~~~

Vina lay still for the few minutes it took Ebba to bleed out, every moment wanting to take the box away, but too scared to do so. Finally, Ebba’s face went pale and her body fell limp on top of her. The weight of Ebba’s body and armor pressed against Vina and she struggled to slide out from underneath.

You have slain Ebba Verax - Eleventh of the Twelve of The Watch, Level 62 Knight Captain You have earned 150,000 experience points. Due to level gain limitation, you are limited to gaining only three levels from a single kill. Reducing experience points earned. You have earned 38,000 experience points.

Vina Level Up: You reached levels 7, 8, and 9 and have 9 more attribute points to allocate. Your agility has increased by 6, your dexterity has increased by 3 and your mastery has increased by 3. You have gained 30 health and 15 stamina. You have earned three class ability points. You have earned three skill specialization points.

Vina managed to get herself to a sitting position. Despite being completely wet and sticky from Ebba’s blood, she wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged herself tightly. She rocked back and forth to comfort herself from the murder she just performed. “It was self defense”, she told herself. “She was going to kill me.” But she knew that wasn't entirely true. She had done it to protect her sisters.

When she had enough stamina recovered, she reached into her backpack and pulled out the lantern, hugging it tightly. The blood red runes felt comforting, but soon the lantern began to drink Ebba’s blood.

“Stop that!'' she commanded the lantern, but it didn't obey her. Vina angrily stood and threw the lantern a short distance away, trying to remind herself what Ebba said. “The lantern is not alive”, she whispered to herself, but she felt no control over it now.

Vina turned to Ebba’s body and spoke to her, “I’m sorry, Ebba.” She took the box, still filled with Ebba’s blood, and placed it back into her backpack. Before she could do anything else, blood sense warned Vina of someone else in the hallway.