Drake fell to the ground, dropping Vanish from her shoulder. Her vision blurred as the oxygen within the chamber they entered was sucked from her chest. A thrum of mana in the room vibrated everything, until she heard a slow exhalation.

Air returned to the room, and Drake slowly felt her vision clear, but still found herself unable to move.

Out of her peripheral vision, she saw a delicate skeletal frame sit up, and even without the use of lungs, Drake could hear the seeming monster continue to exhale as if a giant was breathing slowly.”Woah, said Aurora in drake’s mind.

What is happening, I can’t move, Drake asked Aurora, knowing the guardian would more than likely be unaffected by whatever

Its like a mana wave has started to flow through the entire manor, every bit of destruction that just took place is being restored to a state of polished perfection, wiped away as if it never occurred.

For a moment what Aurora was seeing flooded Drake’s mind, and She gasped in amazement, watching as time seemed to reverse within the manor.

Much of what she ignored while rushing through the home was shown to her. Jade statues rose from the ground from the end of nearly every hall. Various mythical monsters depicted in mighty poses fixed to look as if they’d just been constructed that instant.

The white walls were infused with mana, making them far stronger than they’d been just a moment prior. Light filled the home as chandeliers made from solidified aura manifested above every unlit area.. Fountains that long dried up began to flow once more. All of the changes shown to Drake by Aurora so natural that the pair could sense the manor was being rejuvenated to its original state.

The rune work in this place is remarkable, said Aurora seeing details that went unnoticed through their shared vision. After a moment the sight before Drake’s eyes disappeared and she was finally able to move.

She turned her head to see the obsidian skeleton look her in her eyes, and then toward Vanish. The eye sockets were empty, until they weren’t. Two eyes slowly grew from thin air to hold silver irises.

In a matter of moments a beautiful dark skinned woman sat before them. Her skin came back first, followed by her long curly black hair; her body filling out to show a proportionally unrivaled physique. Her nakedness was covered a blink before they could be scandalized by a black set of sleeveless robes; and her eyes narrowed, her lips pinching together just before she spoke.

“So which one of you is my heir…?”

…

From aurora’s perspective the situation was incredible to behold. From the moment the figure sat up, everything froze. The assassin and Vanish’s martial artist minion were frozen amidst crashing through the wall. Both mid air, drifting slowly as if they were cocooned in honey. Chunks of the wall drifting through the chamber they’d broken into as if gravity had no control in their environment.

Aurora watched as the combatants were pulled into the chamber, as the marble chunks of the wall behind them flowed back into place.

The skeletons were then pulled apart and set down, made to stand at attention like the guards that protected her home.

The entirety of the home they’d invaded was not only restored but enhanced. Aurora was captivated by the finesse and intricacy of the magics being used. Only to be surprised as the once skeleton, now woman, looked at the stunned drake, the crumpled Vanish, and Aurora as she floated just behind her charge, a question Aurora never expected.

“Which one of you is my heir…?”

…

Lilith Constantine sighed, looking at three wide eyed children. She had no idea how long she’d been asleep, but knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t have been awoken if a BaneBorn hadn’t stepped through the threshold of her chambers.

“If I scan you, you may die, would any of you like that?”

All three shook their heads slowly.

“So start answering my questions.”

“We don’t know who you are,” said the girl in the middle, and Lilith’s aura told her that this child was of the Omni, but she couldn’t tell if she was a demon, a transcendent, or of the mythical bloodlines, too many opposing energies touching Lilith’s aura at once for her to distinguish what exactly she was looking at.

“I am, Lilith Constantine of the BaneBorn Legacy,” responded Lilith.

I wonder if these youngsters will even know who I am…?

“Oh my maiden, we’re fucked…,” said the floating girl with a gasp. Of the three there, Lilith saw this child as the biggest mystery. The girl seemed bonded to the one next to her, looking almost identical to the one wearing skeletal armor.

“She is the lost queen of the death schools, an ancient academy that was banished from Imperial,” said the girl.

“So you do know me,” said Lilith, looking toward the floating girl.

The other children looked at each other, confused momentarily, but both ended up shaking their heads.

“No ma’am, but my friend here is named Vanish BloodBane,” said the girl in the middle, straightening as Lilith looked back toward her.

“Your ally seems to know who I am, but Vanish is a family name, if this boy is my kin, why do you also smell of my blood child,” asked Lilith, gesturing to the floating child before pointing at the demon eyed girl in the middle.

“Umm, I’m unsure, but I—“

“My ears are runically inscribed to hear lies child, even of omission, try again.”

“I have a vampiric bloodline and was forced to drink the blood of my companion to stay alive,” said the demon eyed girl, confused as to why she honestly answered Lilith’s question. The shock obvious as her brow’s rose and the words fell from her lips.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Far too low of a rank to keep information from me child.

“I see, that still doesn’t explain why you smell of my bloodline, drinking the blood of another doesn’t cause changes to the soul,” stated Lilith.

“My bloodline takes on the properties of the blood of those I drink, what the fuck is happening right now?”

“I told you that bloodlines must be more than what we are lead to believe,” said the floating girl. No one else spoke up and just as Lilith was about to ask another question, the floating girl spoke again.

“Don’t tell me to shut up, your the one spilling all of your secrets every time she asks you a question!”

Lilith chuckled.

“So you two are mentally communicating, that is interesting,” said Lilith, and both the demon eyed child and the floating girl’s eyes widened simultaneously.

“I don’t know what,” tried the demon eyed girl, but the lie was stopped before it could even be spoken.

“Can you hear me talking right now,” asked the floating child. Lilith nodded, her brow furrowing.

“What, should I not be able to see you,” asked Lilith in response.

“I have no clue, neither one of them can see me.”

“They must be unranked, their eyes cannot process spirit energy, no matter child, I can change that,” said Lilith, shifting the runes of her home to support the spiritual realm and traveler’s from beyond with a simple wave of her hand.

“Woah, that felt weird what just happened?”

The demon eyed girl jumped at the appearance of the floating child, and Lilith laughed.

“Aurora, is that you?”

Ah, her name is Aurora, like the celestial beauty. It suits her.

“Oh wow, you can see me now, that’s amazing, weird, but amazing.”

Lilith ignored the pair as they began to discuss simply being able to set eyes on one another. Her own gaze drifting over to the boy named Vanish.

Named after my brother, but your predecessor had the eyes of a warrior. Why do you seem to be utterly taken by fear boy?

“Why do you not move child,” asked Lilith, staring her descendant down; his eyes flittering back and forth between various stages of fear and surprise.

Both Aurora and the demon eyed child stopped speaking and looked back toward Lilith. The demon eyed girl, put a skeletal arm she held behind her back to be taken by two other magically infused minions Lilith hadn’t noticed before. The hands moving of their own accord, Lilith noticing the skull held in the now sheathed weapons grasp. She felt a familiar power coming from the skull, but dismissed the questions that flooded her mind when she saw it, as the demon eyed girl lifted her descendant, holding him upright, crouching behind him to ensure that he didn’t fall.

“Ah, hello, it is nice to meet you lady Constantine, I apologize for my lack of decorum, I currently have found myself unable to move after breaking my spine from what my status says, and since then, I have been like this,” said the boy, before black energy wrapped around his arm and the limb moved as he gestured at hisself.

“For one of my elk to be paralyzed is trivial, why have your parents not fixed such a simple ailment, problems of the bones are nothing to a BaneBorn,” said Lilith. Her descendants eyes began to dart around, the seeming nervousness making Lilith feel agitation at the obvious weak character before her.

“Speak child…”

“My parents don’t have skills related to that of healing nor necromancy as I do, my mother is a fisherwoman, and my father is a farmer, this happened to me very recently, and since I was sentenced to be sacrificed and only barely escaped with my life, I’ve had no way to fix this that I know of.”

Shock filled Lilith, and she knew something was wrong. Her descendants would never become fisherman and mere farmers.

The words must be accurate however, as none of her family line would have allowed for a meek personality to bloom within their children.

What has happened while I slept.

Lilith must have worn her feelings of disgust on her face in that moment, as the girl’s shared apprehensive glances, and Vanish looked away unable to look Lilith in the eyes. Once more the demon eyed girl spoke, bringing Lilith’s attention back to her.

“It seems that you may be able to help him, as long as it is not a burden on you, may we ask that you restore him—“

Lilith waved a dismissive hand through the air before herself, rising into the air, sitting on the rim of her coffin before she crossed her arms.

“I would, but with how weak he seems to be, it may be better that he overcome this issue himself, power isn’t given to those without drive and capable hands.”

The demon eyed child smirked, giving Lilith a nod, patting Vanish’s shoulder.

“If anyone is up to the challenge its Vanish.”

“I see, he will need to be if he is going to earn my Legacy,” said Lilith.

“What,” said both Aurora and Vanish at the same time. The demon eyed child looking between them both, apparently unsure of what Lilith spoke of.

“What am I missing here guys?”

“An Ancient is trying to give an inheritance to Vanish, just shut up and listen right now Drake,” said Aurora. Lilith rose to her feet, and pointed a hand at Drake as she looked toward Aurora.

“Did you just call her Drake?”

Aurora nodded.

“As in the child of dragons, do you mean to say she is related to Carter?”

“How do you know my last name,” asked Drake.

…

Drake was now confused. Why this seemingly powerful woman knew of her family, made Drake’s mind thrum with an intuition that spoke of danger. She watched Lilith grow pale for a moment, and then compose herself. The appearance of being unsettled didn’t suit their host, which made Drake think of a hundred questions, but she didn’t know if she was treading on rough terrain or brittle glass.

Calm down Drake, just slow down and see where all of this is going…

“What plans do you have for my descendant child of Omni?”

Drake pointed at herself, baffled as to why such a powerful individual would ask her such a question, and Lilith returned the gesture with a simple nod.

“He saved my life, not once but twice, I am indebted to him for as long as I live and breathe, my only plan is to help him whenever he needs me too.”

Some of the strain that Lilith’s face had taken on, melted away from her features and Drake couldn’t help but smile at the relief shown by the beautiful woman.

“And if he needs your protection for him to conquer the homeland of his ancestors, shall you support him even then?”

Drake shrugged.

“I don’t see why not, he helped me escape being executed, or was that a sacrifice,” asked Drake, looking at Aurora. Her now visible guardian nodded in response.

“My only objectives lay with ending those who forced Aurora and Vanish to walk to their deaths for no other reason than to feed demons, and speak with the gods who sent me here.”

“Hmm, and this path is enough for you, you do not search for the power to bring down the heaven’s as your ancestor does?”

“Umm, no, I don’t know who you are speaking of if I’m being honest, I am new to the realm of Imperial, this is only my second day in these lands, or is it the third now, I’m unsure the sun works oddly in this dungeon.

Lilith smiled.

“That it does child, but if you have made it up this mountain and into my home, you must at least be an Adept, so we can easily get you admitted to Reliquary, what rank are you two,” asked Lilith, looking away from Drake, and then between Vanish and Aurora.

“Umm, no, definitely not Adept yet, all three of us are unranked, I’m not even sure that Aurora can rank up, can you,” asked Drake looking up toward the floating young woman. Aurora shrugged, but Lilith could do nothing but stare at Drake.

“What, did we do something wrong,” asked Vanish. Lilith shook her head and gestured between Drake and Vanish.

“She obviously at least has four minions, and the ties I can see connected to you at least are tethered to two or maybe three of your own,”

Drake nodded, and Lilith’s eyes widened.

“Are you two achievement hunters?”

Drake couldn’t help but smile at the question.

“I knew it…,” muttered the girl underneath her breath. Lilith’s face shifted, and Drake responded to the woman’s original question to the best of her ability.

“Sorry, I just knew that their must be more than just the one achievement me and Vanish got for defeating a Denizen while being unranked, we didn’t know where to start, but I planned on staying level one for as long as possible,” said Drake, unable to keep the smile off her face. She immediately wondered at what types of Achievements that could be gained, and now hoped Lilith could set them on the right path.

“There are countless achievements for unranked,, the amount of available achievements as you rank up drops drastically until you ascend and the process starts over,” what have you done so far, it must be something substantial if you are able to control this many minions without ranking up first?”

“Me and Vanish managed to kill a Beginner rank before we entered the dungeon, and since then even killed a Novice, but didn’t get an achievement I don’t think?”

“Ah, Unranked Slayer of Monsters, that explains it, but you should have definitely gotten an upgrade to your first achievement the moment you killed an Novice though,” stated Lilith.

“We did, this psycho doesn’t even read her notifications, unless it is to scan a new minion or select upgrades,” said Aurora. Lilith chuckled at the glare Drake sent toward Aurora, and then spoke the words Drake had hoped to hear since the woman identified herself as Vanish’s ancestor, and didn’t seem ready to kill them for disturbing her sleep.

“Well I do have a library of documented achievements, and getting you as many as possible before I take Vanish to Reliquary may be necessary,” said Lilith.

“I’d truly appreciate being able to use these resources to gain as much of an advantage as possible before we travel any further into the dungeon, we have barely escaped with our lives many times already, and I’m sure if we came across the child of a god as we are now, we’d end up as nothing more than a free bag of experience for their path to ascension, but this is the second time I have heard you mention Reliquary, what is that?”

“It is the school for young Godlings child, my family once ruled the academy, it is our seat of power, until it was taken by your relatives…”

“My relatives, or Drake’s,” asked Aurora.

“Hers,” said Lilith, pointing toward Drake.

“But how is that possible, her family is from earth, and her soul was brought here by gods,” asked Aurora.

Lilith began to chuckle at first, then her laughter grew to an astronomical level of boisterousness.

“Oh, fix your faces children, I’m sorry that was just funny, by your expressions you must not know,” said Lilith, struggling to stop herself from bursting back into laughter.

“No, we don’t, what are we missing?”

“Earth is a slave planet for banished gods, if she is from earth, we have a lot more problems to deal with than simply getting you three up to snuff to attend Reliquary, it was just a bad attempt at a joke was all, but I commend you for keeping such straight faces…

The room went silent. Drake and the others processed what they’d just been told, and Lilith seemed to be processing that they weren’t joking about Drakes origin.

“Wait, are you three being serious?”

Drake nodded, and Lilith looked as if she was going to feint, putting a hand to her forehead.

“Death below save us…