There was a great many things I wished to speak to her about. Yet my face of surprise was replaced by melancholy. Why must I suffer so?

“Come, Yurva,” she said, “we have much to speak.”

She took me away from the palace, flying me high into the air. We made to the empty farmlands in the distance. There, we came to a small hill and seated ourselves.

Her face was stern, but she didn’t seek to admonish me. I avoided her gaze, afraid of my mind and the punishment that would result.

She sighed, and said, “So you have gone to the pleasure district I see.” I nodded. “And why is it that you had gone there?”

I stammered but said, “I didn’t know that was where we were heading.”

“Who all were with you?” she said, leaning to me.

“Varey, Druzash, and,” I hesitated, but said, “a demon name Tremang.”

“So it is as I feared,” she said, looking to the ground. I lifted my face to see her hold a smile. “I know of what you faced in your path to Yudhruman. It seems the Demons have kept close watch over you. For Daryurah will not allow you to escape from his grasp. I do not yet know what his plan is for his forsaken ilk, but it is not above him to use them for his own ends. They will, after all, become the wardens of the Lower Realms.”

“But wasn’t my judgement misplaced?” I said. “I had sought to understand more of this prince, for I knew we would face him in the matches to come. But I also suspected a sinister force to hold in him. One that resembled the Demons. But I couldn’t make sense at the time that that was what I felt.”

“You could say you made a mistake,” she said, shuffling some pebbles in her hands, “but without the foresight that folk greater than you possess how well would you have known to avoid the path you chose.”

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I remained silent.

“I could punish you if that should make you feel better, for you did indeed hold a certain lack of discretion, but that would ultimately stunt you in understanding the trials you face.” I looked to her. “Do not seek to mend mistakes or injury by giving into self-abasement. Your mind has grown strong against the lust in you, but not so much when placed in the hold of lascivious characters. But even should you give in, so long as you did not force the encounter, your Kharyah shall hold. Even the greatest among us fell to the temptations of the heavenly denizens!”

“But is it not wrong to engage in such acts?” I asked. “You said you knew where I came from. Do you then know of my position as a priest in the old world?”

She smiled. “I do, and all the terrible things you wrought in that position!”

“Then should the temptations that came through me be even justifiable in this circumstance?”

“Why should they not?” she said. I looked to her dumbfounded. “Think not the great among the Marhan act as like rocks. They have their own desires and inhibitions they control, for that is the nature of all those that exist at and below Ishvhamar.

“Divorce your current self from the actions that occurred prior. A second chance was given to you. Your memories were kept by your will. The actions you have taken prior, though they may reap great suffering in this life, are only there to have you pay your dues. Be thankful for it, for otherwise the Hells will truly be a destination. I seek to give you guidance, not to lord over you, as you seem to understand our relation.

“The actions of the people remain as they are. The pleasure districts will continue you to be as they have for every continuation of the cycles. When the minds of men seek the pleasures of the world, regardless of the age they live, so too will these institutions continue to arise again and again. But that is not a thing you should have to wrestle in your mind. Let the people be as they will, and do your best to act in accordance to what is befit for your station. All I will say is, have greater discretion in such activities at your current form. For you are still a child.”

I blushed, and she laughed. “A great problem it would have been should you have engaged physically as those fallen aristocrats had, but I suppose this demon, Tremang, was teasing you three to such things!”

I smiled. No matter the circumstance, my master always sought to uplift my spirits. She understood my journey should be one of joy, even if much suffering were to come.

I rose and bowed. “Thank you for clearing these doubts, O master!”