When Maria awoke, she was alone. She arose from the sofa and rubbed her eyes, feeling no worry. She could feel, she knew that Sin was around, a certainty that filled her with confidence. On the table she found a stack of clothes and a little tray of crackers that Sin must have procured from somewhere within the stronghold. After stretching her back Maria began to undress and slip into the new clothes, albeit with a bit of hesitation due to their age. Just as she had put on the tights the door closest to her opened and Sin stepped out, stopping for a moment as she saw her master. Both stared at each other and Maria turned a bright red, Sin quickly lowered her head. "Good morning, my master. I hope my leave did not disturb your sleep, I felt it best to swipe through the stronghold early." Maria quickly began to dress, thankful for the prudence of her new skirt reaching down to her knees. After putting on the vest she looked down at the corset, biting her lip. "I am not sure I, is that necessary?" Sin looked up to her, a weak smile on her lips. "If you do not wish it to be then no, though I felt you would prefer a look more reflective of your status. It was hard to find something here that still resembles modern clothing, so I had to adjust a little." It was first then that Maria noticed the needles, scissors and thread that were still scattered on the table next to her clothes. She batted her eyes. "Thank you, Sin. I suppose, I can try, if you could help me?"
Her servant quickly stepped up to her after her words, beaming with satisfaction. "But of course, my master." She began her work quickly, tying thread after thread. "Please say if the grip is too tight, my master. A little discomfort is acceptable, but you needn't force yourself further." Maria gave her a nod and began tipping her fingers together, staring at the wall awkwardly while her Servant worked. Finally she found the courage to speak against the silence. "Did you, find anything while looking?" Sin did not lift her head, her gaze still fixed on the ribbons. "Many things, my master. Not much that is helpful, sadly. Your ancestor built quite a library here, which would be of tremendous use to us if we had another ten years to train you." Maria tried looking back at her, a look of surprise on her face. "T-ten? Can't I just learn something simple?"
Sin tied the last string into a neat bow and stepped back with a sigh. "I can teach you how to see, and how to connect to the power of your blood. But for even an apprentice to weave a spell they first need a training in theory, which could easily take a year even for one as gifted as yourself. Attempting to cast without this knowledge could kill you in the best of circumstances." She shook her head. "Shamans are capable of using their power without the guidance of magecraft, but as a beast I cannot teach this, it must be taught by a master of their craft, no. Our best course of action is for you to take command of me and the other beasts, the authority is in your blood, it is absolute." With that Sin turned her eyes to the northern wall and again and her eyes narrowed. "Which is why we should see what is past there. Please follow me, my master."
Maria quietly followed Sin along across the room to the wall, with Sin staying a few steps behind her. "There should be an entrance somewhere, my master. It may react to your touch." She stepped closer to the wall and ran her hand across the stone, feeling nothing out of the ordinary. For a moment she looked back at Sin for reassurance, then continued to trail her hand across the surface. There were fine lines etched into the rock, forming patterns . Maria could feel them even if she could not see. Quickly she began to trace along the lines, walking up down the wall. Finally she took a step back, looking all across it. "It's not, there. Instead." she turned and walked into the middle of the room, to it's centre where the separate areas converged. Slowly she crouched down and laid her hand on the very centre, closing her eyes. "It is here, Sin. What do I do now?" Her servant slowly followed her, looking not much more confident than her master.
"This gate was built to not just keep out her majesty's enemies, but me as well." She laid a hand on her temple, staring down at the ground, brows furrowed in frustration. "I cannot see a mechanism either, no." Her last word was but a gasp as she sat down on the ground and let out a growl. "Of course it is her." Her tone caused Maria to take a step back, a sense of dread filling her chest. Not once had she heard Sin this enraged. "This is a blood gate, it only opens, well, I am sure you can imagine, my master. Her majesty rarely relied on these, but one of us was very enamoured with the concept." Sin reached down and ran her hand across the stone flooring, until it produced the sound of a mechanical click. A single sharp needle stuck out of the centre floor tile now, and Sin stared back at the wall in disgust. "To harm your master for bothering to see you, abomination." Her voice trailed off until she managed to regain her composure.
Maria sat down next to her servant and laid her finger on the needle. It was sharp, causing her to shiver and bite her lip. "So I just need to..give it blood, right?" Sin's attention was held by the door and what awaited them behind it. "Yes. Blood is power, my master. I would not advise to do this, but that cursed wretch is not your enemy. No matter how unruly and repulsive she is." Just as she finished her sentence a yelping sound caused Sin to spin around, her body trembling with rage.
Maria was holding her right index finger in her hand and the needle was now bloody. With another click it vanished into the ground again and a warm red light began to shine from the tile. This light spread across the ground in a stream towards the wall, where it filled out the countless lines Maria had felt cover it. Now they shone in crimson, an intricate weave of vines that appeared to be moving, until they finally did, disappearing into the ground and giving view to a second chamber that appeared empty, save for a single, white tree.
They both stood silent, Maria in awe and Sin still seething. "Let us go, my master. You should not waste more time than necessary on this rotten harlot." Maria struggled to keep up with the pace of Sin's steps who marched on without worry, her gaze pinned on the tree. Maria gazed around as well, in awe of the tangled vines that were completely covering the ground and walls, all originating from this central tree. First as they got closer could Maria see that it was a she.
Out of the middle of the trunk sprouted the upper body of a woman. Like the bark of the tree it was of a pure, ivory white, unclothed but without distinct features. Long silver hair reached down all the way to the ground, yet the scene of beauty was distorted more clearly the closer Maria got, and the more did revulsion mix with her awe. The entire right side of her body was covered in burn scars, and both her eyes were blind, with one unnaturally wide open, the other barely more than a slit, all skin around them mere thick scar tissue. The creature lifted her left arm, with a hand more resembling a claw made out of branches, her small mouth contorting into a smirk.
"So, despite your orders you came here, Sin. Did you find it proper to disappoint her master once more, even in death?" Her voice was melodic, but a malevolent sharpness swung along with every word. Sin barred her fangs and shrugged, her murderous intent so volatile that even Maria took a few steps away. "Unlike you I took steps to not only find but protect our master's heiress. Her protection is more important." Maria looked from one beast to the other, shrinking under the mutual distaste. "So you finally found one, how lovely. I hope it was worth burning me." The beast let out a long and exaggerated sigh, running her clawed fingers across her cheek. "Without training, sight or even the authority of beasts? And here I thought the great Sin always succeeds. I am glad that I can consider that another lie to add onto the mountain."
Sin took a few steps towards the tree, black flames flickering across her fingertips. "Her blood is pure, your little gate proved that, and her majesty acknowledged her claim, or she would not be here." She rose her right arm up, pointing directly at the beasts face. "So, Yggdrasil, why don't you give me a single good reason not to turn another one of your selves to ash in repentance for insulting our master?"
The beast, Yggdrasil, crossed her arms in front of her chest and scoffed. "Don't lecture me, elder sister. You are still much too late to find her. Or did your search make you blind-" She was interrupted by Sin's barking laughter, who continued pointing at her. "Perhaps you should not talk about blindness, hm? Which one of us got their eyes poked out by a commoner, huh? Or did that little tanning session burn up the last few shreds of mental capacity you had?" Yggdrasil gritted her teeth, staying silent until Sin had calmed down. "I may not have my eyes anymore, but you know that there is little I cannot see. My roots spread far, and our enemy has grown much stronger while we were forced into hiding."
These words caused Sin's grin to fade, her growling returned. "I am well aware. So why don't you tell us something useful. Where are the other beasts?" Yggdrasil laughed, and the walls of the chamber trembled. "They are the least of our worries, dear sister." Her words were dripping with sarcasm. Slowly she turned her head to face Maria. "Until our master has gained her authority there will be no point in seeking out the others."
Maria held under the gaze of Yggdrasil, and took a step forward. "I, I am the heiress! That means I rule over you, like I do Sin, no? I have the authority, the queen gave it to me!" Her words caused Sin to smile at her, though Yggdrasil did not seem impressed. "No. You may have the blood, and the authority may have been given to you. But you are not using it. Look at yourself, your strength is still hidden in your blood. Until you awaken it and can speak with the voice of a queen, I will not answer to you. Not while she has you wrapped around her finger." Her cold and measured words were enough to snap the spine of Maria's confidence. She looked away, back to Sin. "But, Sin does as I say, I thought-" Sin let out a sigh, shaking her head. "I obey under the rules I was bound by, and my own decisions."
Her words caused Yggdrasil to sigh. "There you have it, young master. When you can speak with the authority of our great late queen I will bow and submit to your punishment. I shall be yours then, but not a moment earlier. And Sin." Yggdrasil's gaze now laid on her. And not just there. Maria stared on the ground, then all around her in revulsion as countless eyes opened across the roots, on every flower. Thousands upon thousands of piercing, bright blue eyes, all pinned upon Sin. "Do not turn her astray. There is nothing I don't see. And if I see you try to turn your goals into hers then I will end you, all bonds be damned, by all five-"
"ENOUGH" The single word, spoken with such anger and fear silenced the room. Maria was cowering, staring back up at Sin. "You will not evoke them. We beasts are forever loyal, just for that assumption alone I should tear down every last one of your roots. You are lucky you are useful." Even Yggdrasil was trembling, her gaze averted. Slowly the fires of her anger began to fade, and Sin bent down to her master, reaching a hand out to her. "I apologise, my master. We should leave, this rotten useless trunk will evidently not be of much help." Maria stared at her, for the first time with doubt in her mind. She looked at her hand, then back to her face before she took it and got back onto her feet. She looked back a few times as they walked out of the room, though Yggdrasil did not return her gaze even once, still shaken and terrified.
The wall of vines once more rebuilt behind them, forming an unassuming wall once again. Maria let go of Sin's hand, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why does she not trust you?"
Sin looked back at her, with her usual, calm smile. "She has never trusted me, she has been the jealous younger sister since she was birthed. So of course she would fear that I am pulling strings, but do not concern yourself with her squabbling, my master." She bowed deeply. "You are my master, I am your servant, your weapon. I shall never lead you astray."
