Lastria

On their way to Senjira in their tent when they were both taking a bath together since they could both fit in the bath as it saved time rather them taking turns to bath, together with the fact that they were both boys and young. Sheyken since he was tired had forgotten about the dragon on his back had undressed while facing his back to Falgur.

"Wow!!!"

Hearing those words Sheyken knew his mistake and quickly turned to face him and hide his back.

"This is not fair, you call yourself my brother but yet you have a cool outfit and also something that cool on your back!... No, no, no. no, you have to get me one of those! It looks so realistic, what is it?"

Sheyken was shocked. He was the only one who was not scared or panicked after seeing his back and well, acted as a normal kid would act after seeing a tattoo. After the thing in his back had scared Arloch and even himself when he first looked at it, he did not know whether it was because Falgur was still a child or was just ignorant of what was on his back such that he acted that way after seeing it. He explained to him that he was born with it but did not tell him the whole truth. Falgur was dejected and disappointed as telling him he was born with it meant he would never have such a cool thing too.

In the tent as they saw the scene of dead bodies and others being chained to the floor, after thinking that even seeing an almost real dragon did not scare Falgur, he did not know what to think about him as even now, he looked unfazed with the dead bodies he was seeing. Sheyken was finding it hard to think that a child would act this way but he still did not understand what was normal to children of this world. He put his concerns aside as Falgur being calm and ready for anything meant he did not have to worry about his state of mind in this situation.

"Well, well, just when I just finished my ritual, I see such youth in my presence."

The voice was chilling but nothing like Flosbris bizarre playful, but yet so nerving tone. It would scare any ordinary grown man or let alone a kid only if they had not met the playful nightmare that was Flosbris. Even Falgur was unfazed by it, still looking at the woman expecting a fight anytime.

'Ritual?'

Sheyken thought to himself. He looked down by the bed and where the bath was. He could see a mana stone that looked like it had no mana left on the bed but saw nothing by the bath. He only noticed symbols he did not know drawn on the floor around the bath but were hidden by the blood that was coming out of the dead women on the floor.

"Awe I see you two are not a bit put out by the mess I made. You must be too scared."

She said as she went to the desk that was behind the bed. It had a small mirror and looked like the ones a model would use to put on their makeup. She set down and started to apply something that looked like cream on her face while paying little attention to the two boys.

"You know, once you start killing children, you are fair game to everyone. Even a guild master would take pleasure in killing you, but after the two of you have seen my ritual, I am afraid I cannot let you go. You two shall die here, even though I would hate to cut such youth's lives short."

She said as she was applying the cream on her legs as she lifted one up like a ballerina while she sat. Sheyken and Falgur were still standing without moving and looking at her while she tried to act like she was the evilest thing or person the two had met. Sheyken was slowly but surely started to pity her act.

"Before I end your lives, let me ask you this, what would you give to stay so young innocent, and beautiful?"

She asked as she had finished applying the cream to her body and turned around to look at them. They both stayed quiet and looked at her still unfazed. She failed to see the determination in both their eyes to kill her as she mistook their glare as kids being scared and putting on a brave face.

"Oops, where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Lastria. Welcome to the quarters of the Gores Initiates."

She said in a still well-manned tone like she was a noble as she looked at the boys, expecting some sort of reaction from them. They still just looked at her and were now getting annoyed. The only thing stopping them from going on the attack was that Falgur was following Sheyken's lead since it was the first time he was in a situation like this and Sheyken was waiting, and hoping that Lastria would reveal some more details about her and her crew. He mocked the name 'Gores Initiates' in his mind as he thought that even he had a better naming sense.

'What is wrong with these kids?'

Lastria thought. She thought she would have some fun while she dressed up with them and then kill them thereafter, but she now thought they were just too frozen with fear. She thought of telling them about herself as she could not tell the other Initiates around her her life story. Two kids who had no choice but to listing to her and who she was going to kill were the right kind of human beings to tell it to and start the day with a load off of her shoulder in a way. She turned around to put on some lipstick and start dressing up.

"You see kids, when you are turned into an Initiate, your life is shortened as you get more power until you bond."

Sheyken wanted to hide his face in embarrassment for her as he did not think she would be that stupid to tell them her secrets just because she thought she could kill them in the end.

'No way! she cannot be one of those villains that reveal everything to you. I mean. the ones I've read about and thought they were just too stupid to be real? .... like really?"

He could not believe him not rushing and attacking earlier on was paying off. Lastria continued.

"So, think about what happens when someone turns you into an Initiate and you have just started your menopause."

Sheyken was now unhinged and laughing so hard in his head even though the scene did not call for it. He hated Initiates so much right now that hearing one start her story like that was just too much for him. The way she said it too carried a lot of the blame for the smile he was now showing.

She had no reason to say that word but it also carried the wait of why someone would do what he thought she was doing. If it was any other woman, he would feel sorry for them as he knew it was a touchy subject for some.

"Just imagine being left to your own devices and each year essentially being like you losing 5 years or more of your life. So, I had to do something. I gave up everything I had just to acquire this ritual from a passing merchant.'

It seemed Sheyken was getting more information than he thought he would get.

"It required the blood of girls you yourself considered beautiful, no matter their age. So, I started with the ones living on the street that were beautiful than me. No one gave a damn when they disappeared but this ritual started needing more and more blood to work so I had to take more drastic measures."

She said as she stood up. She now looked like a taxes girl about to go on a horse ride. She was wearing tight white pants with black boots and a tucked in white short sleeve shirt that went well with her slender body and still revealed her delicate-looking arms and skin. She completed her look with what looked to be a spring sleeveless vintage slim vest coat that looked to be made of a kind of beast hide.

Looking at her now, Sheyken had to admit that the old but young-looking lady had style. Since even if she would have been a normal lady, she was not Sheyken's type since she had nothing on Ningal's level. Sheyken took time to look away from her and looked at the other women who were still alive in the room. They were all facing the tent's walls now, like they did not want to see her or were not permitted to look at her. Falgur could not help but gulp again as he looked at her.

"You see, even though you are young, you useless to me. It is a shame you will have to die for nothing."

Sheyken turned to look at her again and saw that she was now carrying a small bell. He still did not move as she rang the bell twice.

Sheyken let out a smile. Falgur who had not yet looked at Sheyken from when they entered the area looked at him and saw that he was smiling. Knowing that he was smiling because her ringing the bell meant that they would not have to go tent to tent to find all of her buddies, he turned and looked at her too and smiled.

'What is wrong with these kids, have they gone crazy with fear of dying?'

Lastria asked herself as she saw two kids smiling just before their assured deaths.

In the corner of the room, Salina who had cast her invisibility spell and followed the kids in the tent had stopped herself from intervening after seeing the two kids smile.