There was no denying it. Ultium was the main threat that Carmilla was feeling in this cozy, yet limited place. Closer than ever were also Bagus and Itrosh, surrounding her with an itch to go onwards. Her flanks weren't open, but she could force it anyway, giving her a chance to escape.
Could she manage it or not wasn't an issue, for Lisa and Murai were ever so close.
Carmilla planned to use this opportunity and get going.
David wasn't a problem. Neither was Murai, who was still glaring at her like a gem hanging on an unnatural magical hand. Lisa was taunting her with Murai's body, followed by the annoyance of a great target. Unfortunately for him, no matter how he understood his body or wished to grasp the Laws of reality, he couldn't touch this woman. At the same time, he didn't have to consider her all that much, thanks the the unique opportunity that came like a lighting.
He had bodyguards. Literal saving graces that might give him an unnatural lofty heart.
Alas, Murai wasn't happy no matter what, as this might be temporary and his life wasn't really his. A lot of things could kill anything, anyone, any juncture or world.
It was not for balance. It was just to crash reality and touch storming dust that might be some individuals in the vastness of space.
Murai wasn't thinking too far, albeit he often did, and it always hurt. He was in a small corner, devoid of the previous greatness of some of his lives.
He was little; for now.
And this Carmilla before him reeked of an early End. Arrogance dwelled excellence and power.
She was like a nice actress if words were the only concern for everyone involved. They weren't. Almost everyone was aware of how pitiful and playful this sounded. Be it Lisa who took this situation for a game, or David, who knew about Lisa and Carmilla and how this whole situation could only worsen because Carmilla had some questionable plot.
They didn't have a lot of acts ready.
Expecting this first Lawful ''scout'' to appear and do something like talking and offering nothing might be even suspicious and wrong at the same time. It wasn't right. That was what he Read and felt, and Lisa didn't want to even think about him. She just observed what David had to say.
Frankly, he didn't expect Carmilla to make a move when she was all alone. It was either confidence or... it was stupid naivety, close to half-sincerity, or she was more confident about her ability than anyone else.
David wished to laugh, but he bet on sheer stupidity because she walked to her death if she thought she could get away from this. He wasn't some sorry idiot any longer; he was brutal and ready to get what he wanted.
Her words weren't trustworthy from those principles alone, while her Pledge idea was nothing more than an excuse without any merits.
David knew the rules of this game she was trying. He could work with words alone if that was up first, and this role would not hurt him.
Then, the situation shifted once more with Itrosh hissing aside, grabbing her dagger and ready to use it, whereas Bagus was swirling his tail like a whip. David rather made up his move, giving Ultium a small look to wait.
“You should remain calm, Carmilla. If you wish for hope, sincerity can speak thousands of words between reason and doubt. You want a change, eh? That's funny. There are many other ways to go onwards and some Diamond Badge isn't a laughing matter. I wouldn't help with that whatsoever. Give me a single reason to not doubt you. It isn't about your human status. Anyone sane would get this idea and world. Humans in this sort of Hell don't appear like those from the Surface and neither I nor you could deny that.”
Carmilla kept her eyes sharp and didn't smile. She tapped her left foot on the stone, wondering if her motives and moves were correct. They should still work.
“I get that a lot. Humans or demons or devils. Who gives a shit what race or mind is about, right? That's just a shitty justification to call others different. You do the same thing. A human boy who took this Hell as a storm. Not a shelter. I was better yet where have we ended? What an odd situation we found, didn't we?” she laughed.
“Trust is a start.”
“Excuses. Power is trust.”
“Then I have all the trust I have.” David spread his hands, gesturing to his whole party.
“Trust, huh? How about a Pledge?”
“Not enough.” David refused her without hesitation. “You know how the stakes work. Conditions are timely when they matter and you don't matter.” Taking her wasn't worth it in the most fundamental principles.
She was way too unknown.
Pledge for Helpers was a one-way contract. There were no shortcomings upon failure in most cases, as long as one kept their life intact, of course. Some betraying or fleeing away was possible, lowering the potential number of Helpers until a new Part would start, which meant a huge disparity in trust and worth.
There were no shackles for the Helpers, unlike for those they pledged for. Reason or Origin, two Sides, their Helpers were essential tools that could break, die, stab backs, leave without speaking, and so on. It was a dangerous position to think about, and many Sides did want to grasp them like tools and nothing else. Some worthwhile rewards were hiding underneath this madness that fewer would leave behind.
Lisa knew it more than anyone else.
The Pledge was nothing but a try to tip the scale or rewards, whether they were worth it or not. It wasn't entirely about trust. Greed, plotting, and links to unfamiliar outer forces or Gods might influence the rest.
Carmilla might be everything if her little beast thought twice about his feelings.
In Murai's case, his Side was stable for a good while since he was nobody, as long as the Vermillion church wasn't in the picture. In that case, Lisa was still thinking about it from time to time and discovered no news whatsoever, and he had no choice anyway. He kept his life because of Lia anyway, and since then, they were out of sight and mind.
Ceila's whole situation was hidden so well, that not even Lorry knew about it, let alone some denizens or organizations around this Gate. Since meeting that church again, Lisa had her thoughts suppressed and took this Encounter for a shadowy hand ready to crash her whole.
It almost wasn't right. With those around her, Murai's Helpers were like hers. Their hopes were her validation and facts, and Murai's overall situation with trust and rewards meant their position was much better.
It might disregard the doubt about some voice of reason that accepted this Pledge, for it was a move that already pushed David's entire position into a corner. There was no going back, so doubting them might not matter, same as that voice.
Carmilla was like that too. Her words, reasons, and excuses might not be worth listening to at all.
So why do they keep pestering her for so long? Lisa was still patient and took care of Murai like a necklace hanging on her hand. For some reason, he didn't mind it and kept observing.
Carmilla tensed once more and knew that the words were her forte. “Fine. You speak of trust and worth. I can give you a rundown of your dreams and even something better. Do you know how many gangs are around, digging around you? You don't even know, right? So many brokers moved and changes happened, that your silly ideas and attempts might come as fake news instead. I mean, you have no scouts, so who am I to question your acts? You might ask yourself even more dumb questions.” Her obnoxious, arrogant, and confident tone could not draw Murai's patience to a halt. Lisa took her for a hissing cat, and David had different thoughts altogether.
“And how's that supposed to work?” David inquired before refusing her and thinking about Ultium's chains.
“Of course, that will go after my Pledge,” Carmilla said and changed her mind instantly. “Or later. Sure. Later. The task or reward afterward might be good if it forced Ozeki and you to overlook so much. It doesn't matter to me what comes out of it. I am sincere! That should shut you all up, including you beasts out there.” She gestured at Bagus and Itrosh behind her, and even Murai and Lisa.
There were almost no humans around. By heart, there were none.
“Excuse me, bitch?!” Itrosh hissed again, unhappily taking her mind out of her mouth. Her words were genuine, similar to Bagus, who happily remained aside, unwilling to get involved where he didn't belong. Not yet.
These women can bark, hiss, and gnaw at each other behind his back. There was no need for him to care for them. Carmilla ignored unhappy Itrosh and turned to Lisa, David, and Murai instead.
She cleared her throat, oblivious to the fact that death was around her. She began to speak some sense, which David took with surprise. A lot of situations behind the Helltrim Society were deep and complex, and she even mentioned brokers and specific missions of some private matters. A lot of things no longer followed the regular directions. Physical gathering now ruled and private or self-proclaimed scouting was next in line to success.
David thought Marthosh would be enough. It went through time and effort, wrong expectations, and he failed to recognize the unorthodox Side that he followed. Lisa urged him to do better, yet still failed.
Not like she expected something different, for as long as she had those five little tools around her, it was up to her satisfaction.
So when this woman spoke her strange mind, she wasn't sure what to think because she sounded way too reasonable all of a sudden.
Some bits even pulled some context and described what David and Lisa already knew or thought would happen.
Carmilla knew a lot of things, as she was a private scout who was able to go through this Gate in less than a day. Back to back, she was able to gather an immense amount of information without many issues. And nobody should catch her. Her work was invaluable to many brokers and companies.
Murai was livid to hear her words and how others took it. Still, he lacked the touch or voice, and he felt like third-wheeling this whole situation because Carmilla spoke to those who knew better than him. Strangely enough for him, Lisa and David remained silent, but not appalled by her tone. They figured her truths didn't matter. So what if they knew the overall picture? Could they change a lot? It's not like their options were wide enough to regard something new with some big advantage.
Now, they felt some unknown side of her story might be bigger than usual. Maybe she was sincere but bad at communicating.
Lisa usually saw through lies straight away because she was an excellent liar. David understood it, as it was her sincerity. Carmilla was hiding craftiness and questionable reasons due to her job alone.
Lisa was the same. “Don't trust her that much,” Her voice sounded in Murai's mind. “I think this woman is quite a good liar, actor, and someone who seeks chances no matter what. I got a craving for some interesting ideas from her, but my senses may be wrong. What about your Soul Read? Does it work on her? How about your hunch?”
He was still prized like a fish and didn't like it. “Trust has principles. She wants something. We want something as well. Catching, Tokens, heads, or information. She can choose this feast for her hopes and she genuinely feels confident. I Read her like an idiot who doesn't know the true consequences of some action, or does she? I am more worried about Ultium behind us if I am honest with you. Besides that, she is collected and calm, and her sincerity could hide poison. Fear isn't there even if it should. Thus, she is a confident idiot who can get through us in some ways. Words might not... if I get your head enough, which I don't. So?”
Lisa appreciated his output. “Well, she is powerful enough to feel that way, and being an idiot is a nice way to put it. Not only had she almost caught you behind our eyes, she is even surrounded.”
“The fact you let her do this is another thing,” Murai said. “Why? Was this intentional? You showed that map and spoke out loud along with a bunch of eye-catching nonsense, involved me, and you even think that David could do it justice. Those Crows and this woman were watching us for a good while, shrouded and spying. Perhaps she thought you didn't notice her.”
“Intentions are a possibility. We, I, think of a way onwards, surrounded by foes that are yet to make their moves. They will, if not they already did. Carmilla is the first in line if she took this sort of bait, but it is still strange. I think she would've come to us sooner if Pledge is what she wanted all along, don't you think?”
“Bait, huh? Never mind that. My Soul Read may not work for everything useful and everyone has their emotions, souls, and circumstances. Reading others is like a bunch of noises and feelings as if I am a mop going through skin and Will. It is subjective to emotions, so it could be faked, distracted, and hardly validating. Yeah. Like you...”
“Should I cheer on you?”
“Nah. Souls are complicated. I can't Read you, nor those that have some... protections, complications, or whatnot. That much is understandable. If lies hide her words behind some truths or vice-versa, that means I don't trust her. It could be a problem that you've already established. What is this about? Do you want her Pledge? I will gouge her eyes quicker than hear her continuing rubbish.” Murai ended their small internal discussion after Lisa smirked and made no further comment.
Murai understood it was up to her anyway.
As they talked, Carmilla remained talking.
“Forces of the Province 5 to the Parched Plains are all in arms and internal strifes. Some gangs rushed for some touch and hundreds took upon this silly hunt-attempt. Military intercepted some, or some individual grudges did too, but since Levandis states her wish, her military is much more apparent, arming and training in their ways. With Scorching Light the way it has always been, there are at least thirty gangs ready to intercept your steps. Those are unknown in time, powers, or ideas. Many bid for time, you see, and are yet to be known. Guesses spread. Rumors or fake news as you've said as well. It is also true that no one knows your target, but that map...words, or some ideas might come to us closer. Is it really the Sector 45?” Carmilla pointed at the ground, giving a map no far away some look.
Her previous surge of wind scrambled not a lot of things, as David cleaned almost everything.
“How are you sure that map is correct? What if we bait you here and spoke nonsense?” Lisa said with a bewitching smile on her face.
Carmilla expected that sooner. “Why? Bait or not, you let me be without starting a fight or doing something else outright. If not wonders or some hesitations, then what is it? You might've lied. So could I.”
“So what do you want?” Bagus asked, thundering his voice and slapping the ground with his feet. Stone cracked under a crisp sound, and a flash of his tail whipped against the air and smashed some rock to pieces.
“Now, I speak some sense and bring reasons to your silly Side. Targets or not, your actions warrant some findings and a curious personality. Your target is in Scorching Light for sure. All details indicate that, so your previous conversations were sincere, yet my words still remain. Weird, but sincere.”
“You are not,” Lisa said. “You tried to stir us and catch your prey. What is there to discuss? Perhaps Ultium should've killed you straight away and done this stalling its justice, but David didn't want that. I wonder why.”
David caught her brief annoyance, coughed, and cleared his throat. “That's not important when news isn't there for us but wider for others. We will inevitably get the picture, Carmilla. You are a bonus. Similar to our ways that go to your. Spread the word if you want. Will it change something for us? For me?! With Razmund and Ozeki around, who knows what lurks in the shadows? Those like you are everywhere, waiting for the first beat-down or a proper clash.”
“No one is like me,” Carmilla said confidently. “The rest of this insane place doesn't even see their noses. Everyone has their greed and chaotic hopes. And it is true. The other Side of yours is powerful and hopeful. Ozeki is a powerhouse that rules over some Sectors in Province 2. He also steadied his forces, brought them out, and followed Razmund's words like a tool. He is a Helper, but the kind that has a lot of backers and weight. It's not compared to yours, David.”
“Says you,” David cracked his fist to make a point.
“Right? Weird how it was allowed, wasn't it? How Levandis accepted it without giving him any notable chains, curses, rules, or benefits of doubt. Ozeki is a big dubious part, but is that all? Their movement isn't public even to me, but I sure can find them much more than your lacking boy who is hiding like a rat and done this Encounter a great turn.”
Her confidence was returning, even when both Sides exchanged lies, truths, rumors, and many threats.
She was scouting Murai's Side anyway and was confident to make this situation even better, similar to Lisa who was the same, albeit a little different in schemes and purposes. It was anxious. Carmilla hoped to get something great out of this experienced scoop.
Lisa heard a bunch of names and notable enemies from David. Then, her findings before meeting him gave her the rest.
Carmilla. Her name, backing, and business were part of the information gathering Lisa started when she arrived here. Back then, she also found out about David, which included many other names that were a little familiar to her memory. She never doubted her facts. Some of them might be essential further down the line. Like David, or Ultium.
“So, Carmilla, you didn't find much about Razmund, huh? How strange. Ozeki is one thing; a clear historical figure with a reputation, but isn't Razmund the same? Sure, both of their powers are unquestionable, but also new.”
“I meant the hidden shit, David!” She argued back, bothered about something.
“Do you think I don't know that? There are things we can't do or think right now. Guesses might work and we have our secrets as well. It's fair.” David said as he faked a surprise and humiliation with a grunt and clutch of his fist. He doubted Carmilla didn't see through him. She was way too clever for her own good.
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Carmilla didn't lose her voice. “He is careful. That guy. I don't know why. Since he forced Ozeki to retreat from his lofty manners, a lot of things don't make sense. Both are powerhouses, but you are nothing alike. There is a rumor that he fought with him to a sandhill and forced his heart into a Pledge. It worked. There was also that ideal fight against Luno, but it was a sub-optimal trial with questionable authenticity and odd shadows.”
David chuckled. “And? Ozeki. A Named Devil who was part of the First Legion. Marthosh didn't talk about him. Why? Why he should? I know plenty about it myself, so who to kid?”
“Right? Your boy is in the wrong, I tell you that. I am not lying, nor exaggerating.” Carmilla insisted, which further assured Murai's Reads and the unhindered idea that she should just disappear. Not only was he sure about her lies, but she was trying to get something else out of this conversation. Perhaps she was looking for worth across everything, hoping to get his Token, denizen's badges, heads, and even some details. Not everyone was right in her mind. It might even make sense when Murai reconsidered his ideas and the fact that he had yet to see much of this world's people.
David and Carmilla might be closer in hopes when he thought about it.
And Carmilla shouldn't even get half of her desires; it just wasn't possible and everyone in this group knew it.
But most of them believed that Carmilla could take Murai away, most likely defeat Itrosh and David, and fleeting away from Bagus and Ultium might be possible if she had some interesting trump cards, or if she wasn't alone.
Those Crows weren't part of this visit, so what if something else was around? Murai was getting suspicious that she was stalling and speaking nonsense for some ulterior motive. She had Path to accommodate this sort of plan, but her mind was not enough.
Alas, plans worked both ways, and the opposite side could crack it apart.
Since Lisa ensured she had some things to do, Murai wondered what else she, his team, or Carmilla were hiding. What about her mentions of the Pledge, or how she told them about the surroundings, scouts, and gangs waiting under some locations? Some of that wasn't surprising or weak, while some of it was straight-up boring.
David and Lisa gathered potential routes and roads to take or overlook. Finding problems alongside them was part of her plan, whereas some acts would happen regardless of those plans. Some of them looked forward to them, but Lisa did not.
Could Carmilla lie, including the hope about the Pledge? If so, did this mean the majority of truths hid more lies or hidden meanings? It was a good method under some circumstances, but where she was again, or who was she seeing?
Murai would laugh if he could, and Lisa was overlooking one fact that would give it so much light: her sona and memory touch. Then, there was David who would fix this in a moment.
Surrounded, everyone was on edge in one way or another. Both in words and actions, they were balancing on a thin thread.
A perfect lie had some specks of truth, while power could cause both of these things to be obsolete. Killing Carmilla like Murai suggested would solve only one trouble. Her. That was a normal and not bizarre idea, and despite that, Carmilla remained quite calm throughout her talk as if she was giving them a favor. Anyone inexperienced would long crack under the surrounding pressure, Anatidae, Lisa, and a devil with a dangerous heart.
Thinking of a way out should be a priority, but perhaps attacking them from the start was her biggest failure. There was no going back now, even if she screwed up something, but not everything.
The start was in Lisa's hands, and her words were awaiting. David got her approach and took the reign over this conversation because he knew this woman enough.
What was the most suspicious about this whole situation? Carmilla's intention without hearing concrete validity of what she heard. Future betrayal was more than likely if they would even take her words for truth.
Which they didn't
Both parties had some hideous truths, secrets, and problems about how Encounters worked, making them enormous. Such situations were up to crafty rules, reasons, and variables that few managed to solve for their authentic benefits. In that sense, Ceila and Lia took that idea in mind before the Encounter even started. One of them failed because the Centralis Kingdom made their moves even faster and with much more splendor and acts. Well, perhaps both touched upon much more than it appeared.
It backfired splendidly even more after they lost sight of Murai, while Iris and Timmy were both gone and outside of the picture.
Those were variables that were hard to perceive. It either moved by the rules of this game, or someone decided to take the rules into their own hands.
What Carmilla wanted was something similar, as she was seeking hope and rules that might be hers or others. Lisa saw through her without even touching her soul. The Pledge was an interesting dynamic shift that described benefits and some dubious ideas.
For someone to seek its true game, approval was required. Playing around the flanks was not unthinkable.
Getting into either Side was easy and hard depending on benefits and how lofty someone was. Sides represented danger levels and greater, yet unknown rules touched the rest. Some Gods might even let things go or touch upon Helpers depending on how perceived or advantageous they were. Not Sides. It was about the approach to politics most of the time, and if two Gods under the Encounter operated against one another, it meant mayhem and chaos.
Lisa had no idea what the present Part even meant or what went on behind the scenes. Murai or David had no idea either.
What they watched from the ground zero was enough. Right. Betrayal was reasonable since both Sides clashed against this temple, so some interest might've already altered.
Carmilla could be a hidden Side, meaning that Razmund or Ozeki sent her, or some other party wanted to get in.
Getting details was essential, so Lisa figured out how messed up this situation was quite easily and wanted to hear her story.
It was hard to see what was false or true. She had been overthinking her acts for a very long time, which would explain Murai's present dissatisfaction with her since finding facts was as hard as taking this situation as a proper meeting.
Nothing was proper.
Unlike the direct Sides, Helpers could forfeit, leave, and forget them at any time. Murai had been confused about this fact ever since David, Lisa, and Bagus talked about it. Just what was this upheaval and utter shitshow called Encounter about? Murai couldn't figure out even one single good thing about it. Lisa didn't either.
Carmilla could Pledge her allegiance and backstab them, costing them a spot, and giving something else a sudden thrashing.
Or she was all fake and Hunt was the core situation of this madness.
Murai thought he was beginning to see some truth, yet kept his silence as he observed and Read the situation. It was an interesting benefit of being sidelined like a pet.
Not every Helper should be equal and aware of everything. They were tools. Using them depended on many things, and their heads or ideas might turn problematic or quite good.
Ozeki was the same.
David might be different, and his three little friends were the same.
Almost no one in Hellscape was even sure what went behind this Encounter. Helpers were outside parties that could influence the whole mess and Levandis was clearly pissed about it, or forceful in its case, which made many denizens unhappy, and stronger forces hesitant.
Then, there was Ceila and Lia who were right below Vermillion, while what was happening with Razmund's Side wasn't simple either. Mindarch, Manager Kil, and Levandis all overlooked and let a lot of things go.
With unknown Gods touching upon this madness, just who watched this in hopes of more mess? Some of them. Not all of them.
There were rumors that failure on the Encounter's direct Side came with punishments and curses. Rules weren't clear in this forceful task while meddling with this work wasn't fitting for some outsiders. It was rumor alone.
It shouldn't be life-threatening. Malicious or painful? Sure, but not lethal like Wrath or Trials of Gods.
Sometimes, there were crafty, impatient, and quite resolute beings who would work against any odds or meanings, angering Gods and taking the situation of the Surface for what it always was. The Old World was like a shadow lingering under the Surface, giving ideas, cultures, and stakes of the old to the future. This sort of approach was dangerous and lofty at the present age because Gods didn't want it.
Behind them, it was always feasible to meet these sorts of mundane, crazy, and devious beings who despised the monarchy and rule of Divides and proper Godhood.
Murai would understood this fact if he was even half of the man he used to be.
Against him was a child. A master in surveillance, stealth, and speed. Carmilla was above Level 70 for more than a decade already, thus experienced and familiar with the rules of the Surface and Hells. She lived in this temple because she wanted to. Not because she had to. Those born here were often desiring something else, for it was the dream of many to escape this place.
Growing accustomed to mediocrity wasn't right, and finding a way out was harder than it looked like. Power was a necessity to be free of the clutches of this world. And even with it, one might not be truly free anyway.
Carmilla remained talking, giving Lisa and David most of her attention. Her aura was calm, and so were her acts, which put more doubts into her overall picture.
David played along with her words, speaking and listening, while Lisa was the one with the last choice.
The most important part of being clueless was acting as if you knew everything. In situations with high interests, craftiness was essential. Even more so when lies were hard to distinguish from facts and vice-versa.
Sometimes, meeting this sort of person was a great key to the world or self-doubts.
Lisa and Murai had their differences, and internal discussion, where one side was getting more and more annoyed, while the other was getting restless because the other side was right.
“Stop this already. She is wasting our time,” Murai suggested.
“Or waiting for something?” Lisa proposed.
“That's the same thing! There is no point. Nobody is around. These mountains are lifeless. Also, why care about her at all? Do you really think you can get something good out of her? What even, or why?”
“Useful folks are sometimes enemies or clueless fools that might not be entirely foolish. Overconfidence means doom.” Lisa said as if everything was simple.
“Am I a fool then?”
“Shut up,” She barked to his soul, but then, knew her needs and plans. “We seek truth and you know that. Fish don't need to know they will get caught. It is the start before the epilogue. We are almost there.”
“Epilogue... What a speechless and unnecessary word. Just go to her head and call it a day... I am getting fed up with being caught like a fish.”
Lisa wanted to say something back and felt his sneering idea that was borderline taunting in arrogance. She scoffed at him before finally admitting her blunder. Souls were complicated, but even in her current lifeform akin to a Child, she had one way to handle this. Soul Renders had their odd limits, similar to every beginning of every race. However, hers was unique, but not unique at the same time. Everything had its beginning, her race was the same.
The peak of her hopes was far away, hiding in the obscurity of her hands, and something should help her. Memory Extract was a bizarre way of sona that was penetrative and similar to invading ghost-like properties of dreaming creatures, things hidden in the Void or Chaos Space. It was a powerful way to invade others, get something back, and feel the rules of the soul.
Lisa couldn't do it true justice for her own benefit of doubts and personal reasons. But she could do enough, she believed. A quick glimpse or a forceful grab of memory fragments could come a long way if the opposite side was so smaller than hers. It worked with those messiahs; never with Murai. Each had clear differences and weights like a planet and a boulder.
Soul fragments were part and personal objectification of a soul.
Memory fragments held memories not only about the soul, but of all kinds of acts, words, visions, and pictures. Lisa discovered this ability not that long ago, right after she got her first long-term sleep, yet never put it to good use.
It might be dangerous or useless if Carmilla had some soul protection. Considering she had some Law under her grasp, affecting her flesh, her soul might not be so regular.
Lisa was tiny, sona wasn't any crazy as her ideals, and her race left many desires in the dust or forgotten depths of her soul. It was about power. Her current body lacked so much, that putting even her basic to good use took a lot of effort. Barely cracking her physicality gave her immense heaviness, while Murai in her hand wasn't so good either.
It might be strange, but Murai was as useful thanks to his Soul Read which was a peculiar ability that Lisa wasn't unfamiliar with. It was remarkable how he got it, albeit he thought it was lacking a lot, which described his questionable ideas that Lisa didn't like. Murai assumed a lot of bullshit all the time, knew about the brilliance of the greater skies, and never felt satisfaction. Lisa believed he should feel some speck of humility and often regarded him as a fool with big expectations, even though she was the same.
Maybe it was her wrong assumption making her like that, or she was plain wrong and stupid like Murai, although there was some truth in acceptance. Either way, she couldn't gift him meanings or hidden truths, for there was no time or space for that.
At least not for now, Lisa accepted. It wasn't the only thing. He had a bunch of abilities that held quite some rare starting positions with a lot of weight, so she wondered where he would go, or how some things were locked and some were so crazy.
Thinking about it was unnecessary, as his magic and mind were his limits, and this world and other things were something else. It wanted his End, so Lisa got to work and pulled protection ahead. There were fewer things to lose as far as her soul went. It was extraordinary, while her body was stronger than one would assume, even if it was weak in some regards. Her choices were stubborn, so she decided to make her move Murai stated.
Tossing Murai aside, and giving him to Itrosh who hissed in a surprise, Lisa cracked her arms in light strength and gave herself much more idealistic weight and waves. it was like a sea turning wilder, and her eyes stopped Carmilla's voice.
Even David thought she was doing something wrong.
Lisa pushed David aside, and after following their conversation for way too long, she had enough. Memory Extract had various points and ways of linking. She could be quick, forceful, and grasping like a curse. Scrapping Carmilla by her shoulder wouldn't work that well. She needed a better touch. Her head would be the best, but that might not be possible right now.
Carmilla frowned, expecting something bad, and her focus turned sharper. Even if her Law of Wind might not be that clear against this odd ghost, it was still a Law. She could unleash her power in a heartbeat, escape, and even get her prize if Itrosh had it.
This allowed Lisa to approach her much more easily than she thought.
“You are really something, talking about this and that,” Lisa said to her, smiling like a little devil. “I still have my doubts, so how about you make a deal with me?”
“Deal? Are my gatherings not enough for you? Ozeki is a massive foe, so if his forces are outside of the military strength and current happenings, what does Levandis's previous message warrant? She said to reclaim clarity, yet military strength got much more power, and gangs or this Hunt is something else. Too many acts against this party should be within the norm, and dreadful to you all. Extremes might not move, but since you crashed the...”
“Silence...” Lisa said coldly, ending her cracking hands, and moved one hand forward, palm facing the ceiling. “We know that with David and the rest, things turned weird. It is because of me too. I made this mess possible.”
“What a villainous deed,” Carmilla laughed. “King is also excellent, but you are worthy of 200,000 Hell Points, little ghost. Catching you seems like the biggest price, yet it is odd. You don't have a Token, as you are... what? Who? There is not one speck of word or shadow about you. Is catching that Anatidae the same? Nay. Its worth is different, and including that Token and you, you are a set worth many powers, points, and Laws.”
“Is it worth the effort?” Lisa asked with a smile.“Where does it lead? Back to you. All that talk that you gave us for free means nothing. Ozeki or his lackeys, what changes? We will go to the Scorching Light anyway and fight it out if we have to. If we are followed or intercepted midway through isn't important.”
“Is that so?” Carmilla perked her lips. “What do you suggest then? I am willing to work for anyone as long as it is worth it. Your Side is the same.”
“Are you Razmund's Helper?”
“No. Why would I be that?”
“Because of your offers and ideas,” David added. “I have your profile too, don't forget me.”
Carmilla frowned. “Uh.. Sincerity is so hard to tame. What else do I have to do to get your acceptance.”
“Your hand,” Lisa suggested, flickering her hand and cracking it into azure storm. Fingers increased in density and length, turning to human-sized hands. She offered it to her, almost snatching her head and arms all by herself.
“Do we have an agreement?” Carmilla asked doubtfully, thinking over every potential idea of what sort of body this ghost had. It was no fairy, ghost-like figure, or... was it something else or separate from this world? She was confused and couldn't connect some ideas.
Which shall move to her eventual doom.
“Depends on the business.”