Bliss adjusted her low-cut, red crop-top, having just pulled the article of clothing back on. The bunny succubus stood in front of the full-length mirror, gazing at her reflection. A red full-skirt with thigh slits clad her lower half, and a pair of black high-heels clad her feet. She stood in Maro’s tavern room. Behind her, Maro, in a state of undress, lay asleep on the king-sized bed. Said bed’s gold blanket lay on the wooden floor.

Bliss glanced back to Maro, and her white bunny ears gave a cute twitch. Her black succubi wings gave a bit of a flutter. She stepped up to the bed. Her gold eyes were on the sleeping Maro. Well, the charm looks to have worked nicely. Her white bunny ears gave another cute twitch. I guess next is finding that key. She stepped away from the bed, her gold eyes surveying the wooden floor. Where were those pants of his? Her black high-heels lightly tapped the floor as she walked.

Her gold eyes stopped on a particularly article of discarded clothing, Maro’s brown pants. Her white bunny ears gave yet another cute twitch. She bent over and picked up the pants. If I recall correctly … She began searching the pockets of the pants. Found them. She pulled out a ring of silver keys from the right pocket. Smiling, she let the pants fall back to the floor. Which key is it? She began checking key after key.

Scarlet was right about Maro labeling his keys. Her gold eyes were on a specific key labeled ‘SotD Front Door’. This key must be to that sect’s front door. I am supposed to be looking for the key to that sect’s back door though. Her eyes went to the next key. Her white bunny ears gave a happy twitch. Found it. She removed the key from the key ring. Said key was labeled ‘SotD Back Door’.

She bent over and picked up Maro’s discarded pants again. She tucked the ring of keys back into the right pocket of the pants before returning said pants to the wooden floor. Her gold eyes went back to the silver key she held in her right hand. With a smile, she headed to the door. She grabbed and then twisted the door’s silver handle. Said door swung toward her and revealed a beautiful, amber-skinned woman waiting on the other side. Said woman was Scarlet.

Scarlet’s non-existent eyes met with Bliss’s gold eyes. “Did you get the key?” The eyeless seer wore a scarlet full-dress with thigh slits. A pair of matching high-heels clad her feet.

“H-How long were you standing there?” Bliss paled, her white bunny ears twitching.

“I …” Scarlet glanced away for a moment before looking back to Bliss. “I thought you might need some help since it was taking a while, but …” She momentarily glanced away again. “I realized it would be best to not disturb you.” A soft pink showed on her cheeks as she glanced away from Bliss yet again.

She … Bliss somehow got even paler, her white bunny ears drooping. She pretty much walked in on me, didn’t she? How mortifying? Her color started returning to normal, and her bunny ears perked back up. Her black succubi wings fluttered a bit. She sighed, and then her gold eyes met Scarlet’s non-existent eyes again.

Bliss held the silver key up and smiled. “Here it is.”

Scarlet’s non-existent eyes went to the silver key in the bunny succubus’s right hand. She smiled. “Come. Let’s head to the back door of the Sect of the Depths’s base.”

***

Bliss looked up, looked up at the great, alabaster wall in front of her. She stood upon light-blue stone. She blinked, qi-lights drifting around her. Her gold eyes went to Scarlet, who stood at her right. “Is this that back door you mentioned?”

“Yes and no.” Scarlet spoke, her non-existent eyes on the great, alabaster wall. “This is a wall, but …” She tapped on part of said wall with her right hand. “This is the back door. It is kind of hard to see, but trust me, it is there.”

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Hard to see might be an understatement. Bliss blinked, her white bunny ears twitching. I am afraid I just see a wall.

Ruby Red materialized at Bliss’s left. The cross spirit’s two-tone eyes, the right ruby and the left gold, scanned over the alabaster wall. “I am just not seeing it.” She looked to Scarlet. “It just looks like a wall.”

Scarlet giggled. “It is there. Trust me on that.” She gestured to a small hole. “Here is the key hole.”

Bliss’s white bunny ears gave another twitch, and she narrowed her eyes. She studied the white rock that surrounded the hole. Even if this is a key hole, I am just not seeing an actual door here, just a small hole in a wall. She sighed but then held up the silver key. Well, if this is the key … She inserted the key into the hole. It fit perfectly. Maybe this really is the door. She twisted the key. A faint click sounded, and a portion of the wall’s face to the left of the key hole slid in and to the left. The door was open.

I-It actually worked! She pulled the key out, a huge smile on her face. She poked her head through the newly opened door. Inside, her gold eyes found an alabaster hall with no hint of guards. Her white bunny ears twitched and she stepped through. Scarlet and Ruby Red followed.

Her gold eyes went to Scarlet. “You sure this is the base of the Sect of the Depths? It seems a little empty.” Her thoughts flashed back to her experience with the Sect of Sneak and its strangely empty base.

Scarlet nodded. “This is the Sanctum of the Depths. It is only empty since we came in the back door.” She turned back to the door. “I am not sure if I had ever heard of anyone actually using the back door before. Surely someone must have used it previously though.”

“So what you are saying is we are in a part of the Sanctum of the Depths that is largely abandoned.” Bliss deadpanned, her white bunny ears twitching. Why do I have a bad feeling about this? She turned back to the door, her gold eyes going to the opening. “How do I close this, or do I just leave it open?”

“Use the key again.” Scarlet pointed to a key hole at the left of the open door.

“I see.” Bliss stepped up to the key hole and then inserted the key. She gave the key a twist. A faint click sounded, and the door slid to the left and out, closing. She pulled the key out. Her gold eyes settled on said key. It is too bad that my inventory is full. I guess I will just keep holding this key for now. Unless … She grabbed Ruby Red’s cross form and held her up to the key. Her focus shifted to Ruby Red’s gold chain.

“You better not be thinking of putting that thing on my chain!” Ruby Red puffed her cheeks out, her two-tone eyes on Bliss. She placed her hands on her hips and hinged forward, her eyes narrowing.

“D-Do not worry.” Bliss’s white bunny ears twitched. A bead of sweat rolled down her right cheek. “I will not, but …” She leaned closer to the cross spirit, who straightened up. “You mind holding this for me?” She held the silver key out.

“No problem.” Ruby Red snatched the silver key away. She held it up, held it close to her face. Her two-tone eyes narrowed. “I am watching you. You are not getting anywhere near my chain. Got it?”

Did she just … Bliss blinked. Did she just threaten a key?

Ruby Red’s two-tone eyes went back to Bliss, and the cross spirit smiled. “Can I get a headpat for being a good cross spirit?” She hinged forward, presenting her head.

“Sure.” Bliss gave the shorter woman a headpat with her right hand. She is being pretty cute right now.

Ruby Red glanced up to Bliss’s face. “Can I …” She smiled again. “Can I get a chest pat?” She straightened up, presenting her large bosom.

“Do not make me bonk you.” Bliss gave Ruby Red a hundred-yard-stare.