"Where have you been?" you may ask me, and I say I'm on holiday so I haven't had the time to write. I'm also going to be missing for another three days after this because I'm going to another city. So this is technically the only time I'm going to be able to update (maybe.) Hope you enjoy the chapter.

For what seemed like hours, Zeruna spoke with Aema, or Amy as she said her name on Earth was, about the differences between their worlds. Aema's Earth was like another dimension — like something out of a dystopian sci-fi book. Dark, gloomy, depressing. Aema lived in Sector 04, City 04B and the year there is 2088. 55 years before Amy's death, there was a devastating nuclear war that only added to the heavy pollution choking the Earth and its people. This caused many to turn to the option of escapism in the form of web novels, games and movies. However, much to Zeruna's disappointment, full-dive roleplaying games are still a long while away.

But that wasn't the most intriguing thing, upon her death, Amy was confronted with what could best be described as a character creation screen. Although the race option was frozen to High Human, everything appearance-rise was fully customisable. She decided to take on the appearance of the main character in her story. The character shared the same name and personality as her. She described the story as being extremely popular; however, there would be little inconsistencies with her described numbers.

Aema also expressed interest in Zeruna's world. She is mostly mesmerised by the fact that there hasn't been a world war in over fifty years. She also asked questions that would normally make people burst out laughing like: "Are rhinos and elephants really real?" Even a child would know the answer to that question, but to Aema, it was if a messiah delivering the holy words of God. Zeruna left out the change in gender that she experienced during transmigration to avoid unneeded conflict and numerous annoying explanations. Some things are just best-kept secret.

(Tina) [Mistress, I have finished cleaning up the cavern of its monsters.]

(Zeruna) [Excellent, teleport to me. There's someone I'd like to introduce you to.]

It doesn't take Tina a second to follow through, she almost immediately appears before Zeruna and bows for a moment. Tina then looks over to Aema with a slightly puzzled look. Her red and purple eyes glow blue as se appraises Aema for a quick moment.

"A High Human? I thought your kind was but a myth."

"Oh mah gaaaww-"

Swiftly, Zeruna forces Aema's lips closed, cutting off the girl from blowing Zeruna's eardrums with an unheavenly scream of excitement. A wave of fear rushes over Aema as a scowl from Zeruna ruthlessly suppresses her excitement.

'It's like looking after a child. She's way too childish and reckless. To begin with, she gambled her life as soon as she started a conversation with Zeruna, me. The character I roleplayed as is also the character she wrote, therefore, she should know of my explosive attitude. I imagine it is just her shock of being transported to another world.'

"This is Aema Caelesi, an old... friend of mine. I had long thought she had perished like Vidir; however, she was under the possession of Vampire Lord Caspian."

"So that sicko's the source behind this miniature wave," Tina comments to herself. "Ah, forgive me Lady Caelesi, I am Tina Tina Tina, master of all things magic. You are a friend of my master, and thus, you must be treated as someone of her caliber."

"Hello, Rev- Tina!" yells Aema.

Zeruna practically swallows her tongue as soon as Aema nearly said Revillia. That is a no-go. Tina never knew the name given to her by her father or mother, only that it was different from the name given to her by her uncle. Revillia, a beautiful name for anyone; however, to Tina, it is a name that was yelled at her by her uncle whom she had no respect for. By rejecting the name Revillia, she rejected her uncle and her past — at least in her head.

Luckily for Aema, Tina takes a deep breath before talking. She is calming herself down. "Please call me Tina, unless we are with the Sparrow Knights. When we are with the Sparrow Knights, call me Merille."

"Of course," replies Aema. "Now what?"

"Get some clothes for you," Tina snickers.

It is only now that Aema realises she's naked, almost immediately, she covers herself up with her arms and stands up from the carpet on the ground. She looks around for anything to wear. Zeruna once again goes into meltdown as she re-notices the fact that Aema is naked. Zeruna spins herself around out of respect of the completely clueless author.

'How could I forget that!? Did I get too invested in the stories about her world that my brain instantly disregarded that information!? Seriously, am I that oblivious to my surroundings?'

"Ummm, Zeruna, do you have any spare clothes with you?" she asks.

"Y-yes!" Zeruna blurts as she puts her hand in a swirling portal and pulls out a long blue dress with black frills. "Put in on quickly!"

"Okay, okay," Aema says.

After Aema dresses herself, Zeruna turns around to see the brown-haired girl in the blue dress. It doesn't entirely fit her: it is clearly made for the body of 6'3 tall female, not a 5'7 female. It is also quite loose around the chest area. The dress suddenly glows before fitting itself around Aema, perfectly adapting to her proportions.

"At first I was worried that it might not fit, looks like the dress took care of that for me," mumbles Aema.

"Aema, do you have a weak stomach?" Zeruna questions, her voice suddenly adopting a serious tone.

"I don't think I do, why?" she responds.

"Because this Vampire Lord Caspian has a dark way he's kept himself sustained within the Sevis dungeons," utters Zeruna.

"I was wondering about that too," adds Tina. "How could a Vampire live so deep inside the dungeons where no sapient organism can reach? In my mind, there is only one possible answer for a Noble Vampire like him."

"ALDUE!" roars Zeruna.

The Vampire wakes up suddenly, scrambling to his feet. He attempts to flee but is pulled face-to-face with Zeruna. He tries to wriggle free of her Psionics only for them to tighten around his body. Zeruna motions to her fangs then to the drained body of the girl from earlier. Aldue gulps.  

"All of them," Zeruna demands as she adds a Psionic leash to the man to prevent him from escaping.

A chill shoots down Aema's spine as she looks to Zeruna's whose face has gone from approachable to a stern and cold look. The Dark Elf doesn't even take her eyes off of the door. Multiple times, her eyes glow purple briefly, probably the result of Aldue trying to flee. There is a long drawn out silence until what seems like hundreds of footsteps can be heard as well as quiet weeping and frightened murmuring.

The door opens with Aldue at the helm, behind him is a crowd of various females. All wearing dirty brown rags and nothing more, similar to the human girl who was here before. Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Beastkin, and an Orc — all who've been trapped in this castle for years and years. Some of the girls have empty and emotionless eyes while others still have a glint of hope. It is clear to anyone that some have lost the will to live. From the way some of the girls are crowding around the female Orc, it is easily to guess she's the leader.

Orcs in Chroniks were the seventh most physically powerful humanoid races that live on the surface, exceeding the strength of most Dwarves due to the height difference between them. They are only exceeded by High Humans, Dragonborn, Ogres, Minotaurs, Vampires, and Trolls. Vampires and Dragonborn had gone nearly extinct, and High Humans disappeared more than three millennia ago. Trolls lived solitary lives and aren't intelligent enough to form communities exceeding twenty. Minotaurs are killed by subjugation forces and forced to live in the darkness like Trolls. It makes sense why the other females look up to her.

The Orcish girl steps forward, a concerned look on her face, but before she could utter a single word, Zeruna cuts her off.

"You are free to leave, it'll take you approximately one hour to run into adventurers."

"You are Zeruna Black, right? Some my Elven friends say you're a tyrannical maniac. You're not gonna do the same thing that bastard Vampire did to us are you?"

"History depicts me much crueler than I actually am," replies Zeruna."As I've said you're free to go. However, I can clearly see there some who have gone through so much that they've given up on life. I understand why you feel as such, so I give you an alternate option: a way out in the form of death. It will be painless, I assure you."

The low-level muttering instantly ceases.

"Those who wish to fall into the sweet embrace of death step forward and your wish will be granted. If you do not wish to die then please leave the throne until I tell Aema to collect you."

Aema stands there dumbfounded as she looks to the person she had just got acquainted with. A few moments ago, she was really sweet and curious like a child listening to stories from their grandparents, now, she has almost become the very character Aema wrote.

'Maybe she really is Zeruna?'

Approximately nine girls stay still while the rest leave the throne room in a crowd. It leaves only Tina, Zeruna, Aema, Aldue, and the nine girls behind in the throne room. Zeruna sighs, expecting less to want to die; however, she proceeds forward. She signals to Tina who bows before a spell circle appears around her. The only difference is that the spell circle is purple instead of the azure blue it usually is.

This isn't the average magical incantation, it's curse magic: considered one of the most dangerous things in Chroniks if you had no resistance to it. It can be casted like a spell, or it can be enchanted onto weapons.

Aema watches on as black, tattoo-like tentacles run up the girls bodies, converting the surface of their skin pitch black. However, none of them react to their own demise as they silently drop to the ground. Her hands begin to shake and her stomach twists as she watches Zeruna move over to bodies and drain them of their blood; spending less and less time at each person.

The Dark Elf rips her fangs from the final female. For a split second, Zeruna's bloodshot eyes scan Aema up and down like a feral beast assessing their prey. Zeruna clenches her fist and brings it to her chest.

"May you rest well," Zeruna says, praying.

"Y-you killed them?" Aema splutters.

"Indeed, they had no life in their eyes. They've probably all been down here for decades being used as blood bags. I'd want the same thing. That Caspian, he most likely used an item to give them the Blessing of Longevity. Am I right, Aldue?"

"Yes," the vampire murmurs, his body facing away from the three.

"That curse spell gave them a painless death," Tina adds. "It is mercy."

"You're trying to justify killing innocents," utters Aema, much quieter than before. "You lack empathy."

"No, you're wrong," returns Zeruna. "It's because I understand their feelings that I granted their requests. Wiping their memories, in my opinion, would be disrespectful and would bother me more than ending their lives."

"It is likely that if I didn't end their lives, they would've done so the first chance they got," Tina comments.

Aema admits defeat in the form as turning her head to the ground, she only believed in justified killings. Humanity in future was constantly constructed as a merciless dystopia by past fiction, killing anyone who would protest against the central government; however, in reality, the central government is democratic and freedom and creativity are encouraged, not suppressed. Crime was at an all-time low, and what remained of the world was more united than ever.

Zeruna's and Tina's ears perk up as there is a quiet click noise. Aldue spins around with a look of desperation upon his face, "My lord, I will send you lady to you in heaven," his words are followed by the sound of something firing.