Nioto knocked at Odens door several times, but the young prince ignored her, pressing their face into their pillow as they cried silently to themselves. She never entered without permission and so eventually she would leave, it was better to be alone, that's what Oden thought. Against her usual nature, Nioto did not leave, she opened the door, calling out to Oden, "Oden, love, are you in here?" As she entered, she saw the prince briefly turn to her, their face a mess of tears and running mascara, "Oden, sweetie, what happened?" She ran to their side and tenderly touched their head.

"It is nothing, I am fine," they said between sobs.

"No, sweetie, let me see your face," she firmly requested, "please?"

Oden obliged, revealing their bruised face and split lip, "is it bad?"

"Oden, love," she pulled the prince into a tight warm embrace, "I am so sorry, I couldn't protect you."

Oden rested their head against her chest and sobbed.

When enough time had passed and their tears stopped flowing, Oden looked up at their caretaker, their eyes all puffy and red, "Nioto, do you remember what you promised me the day of my confirmation?"

"Remind me, sweetie, that day was horribly stressful and honestly I had practically whipped it from my mind due to all the anxiety it caused us all," that was fair, her daughter was kidnapped after all, most parents would not remember small silly details like a promise made in passing.

"You told me that if by my thirteenth birthday I still wanted a dress that you would give me one."

She nodded and furrowed her brow, "hmmm yes, that does sound like a promise I'd make," she patted Odens head gently, "so then love, your birthday is soon, what is it you want?"

"I want a dress, Nioto."

***

As days went by Isa found a rage rise in her as though it were an all-consuming fire blazing across a dry forest. The more her fury grew, the more frequent she blacked out. She was scared, but she didn't know what to do about it. Who could she go to? Everyone she knew either abandoned her or died, she was truly alone. And even had there been anyone, how would they know what was wrong with her? Then she remembered the stranger, that young man with the bandaged face who fed her something weird. That's when it started, this was his doing! But just how would she find him?

The first place she thought to ask was Aakeries Pawn shop, partly due to Aakary being one of the few adults who would even bother speaking with her.

"A young man with bandages on his face? Sorry kid but that kinda describes a bunch of people," the old man said while polishing a recent purchase he made from some desperate soul, "I see a lot of different kinds of people, honestly most of them start blending together. I've gotten to recognize people more by what they buy or sell than their faces."

"How about a name? He called himself Vox."

"Hmmm, possibly, though perhaps there are better people to ask," Aakary put the sword he had been cleaning down and leaned over the counter whispering, "if you know the right phrase you can find assistance in ‘Ville de l’Est’, a place some call the red-light district,” he then quickly added, “though normally I would never tell children to wander there. Still, if you truly need to find someone then the network available there is your best chance."

"Red light district?" Isa had heard of it, Reks had warned her long ago to keep away from that place. It was no place for a kid, that's what Reks said, but what could it possibly hurt visiting there?

"Yes, in the easternmost quarter of the city. Seek out these markings on a building," he scribbled on a scrap of paper and passed it to the girl, "if you find a place with those symbols, go inside, if you're greeted tell them you're cold and are seeking heat, they will ask if you need fire, then you should say 'stoke the flames'," he explained it slowly and deliberately, making certain his words were clear and precise.

"Then what?"

"They'll take you to where you need to go, and you may be able to find answers there."

She thanked him and left, taking her time as she strolled the streets. The past week had been among her easiest when it came to food, that wallet she snatched off the rich lady was absolutely packed with Ides, and while her cards were frozen, the paper money was enough to last at least another week. That being said, she considered trying to pilfer some more money as she made her way towards the red light district, only to think better of it as she began to notice the sideways glances shot in her direction by everyone she passed. Beady little judging eyes followed her relentlessly, there was no escaping detection for her anymore. Anonymity was a thing of the past.

Block by block she walked, the crowds of people around her growing denser, smellier, and fat less friendly the closer she got to her destination. Only a few streets south of there was the once wealthy neighborhood that Jojo's Boutique had once occupied, though even that street now looked as derelict as the one she now walked. Each step she took she risked tripping on broken pavement, stepping on a discarded syringe or shards of glass. In some ways it reminded her of her old home in Valha, an unhappy thought that made her shudder. Her memories of that hell were best forgotten, though she knew she could never truly escape them. 

Not before long she found her way to a much darker corner of the city, where decaying brick buildings rose high and blocked out the sun. It was hard to believe that any part of the city could be considered anything but slums, but that part deserved that name the most. And with the slums came Ville de l’Est and the entrance to the red-light district. The name red light lost its original meaning, as the glowing neon signs that once drew unsavory customers had long since gone dim, but the name stuck regardless. The streets were far less crowded here, as most people preferred to do their business in the cover of night, but some stragglers, vagrants, and other sorts still wandered the unpathed roads of the city's ugliest blemish. Isa kept her head low, not wanting to draw the attention of any would-be Johns.

"Find a building with these symbols," Aakary told her, but of course that was far easier said than done. So many buildings lined that dusty road, many unmarked in any obvious way. She initially thought that it was a sign she was looking for, but after meandering down street corners and alleyways, she began to notice something. Graffiti, sometimes subtle, other times blatant. They were not the tags of gangs or street artists, but deliberate symbols made to tell those who needed to know what business lay within the buildings. With this realization she began to inspect the walls of each building she passed. She noticed sometimes symbols were similar or straight up the same, but the combination of symbols didn't match. It actually was clever, she thought, a way to hide your illegal business from the Shepherds with some kind of code. She studied each wall closely, building by building, till her feet grew wary and her stomach empty. Hopelessly lost and frustrated far more than she'd like, she plopped herself down against a wall, resting for a moment.

"Why are we doing this?" She asked herself, "what if no one actually knows him?" It was an all too real possibility that the boy named Vox had left the city long ago, or even possibly died. Isa had no real way to know he was even findable, yet a part of her was still determined to locate him. She wanted answers, needed answers. And that of course was assuming he'd even know. What if he just fed her something not knowing what it would do to her? Or what if he did it on purpose? No… looking back at it, he was far too kind, too compassionate, as hard as it was to believe anyone would help her, she was certain he meant her no harm. So then that just made her current predicament all the more baffling. What was going on? Who was that howling shadow that lived deep in back of her mind? That presence she felt inside her, as if another person was trying to take control, and why did they want to kill the king?

"That some really pretty hair you got there," someone spoke up from behind her, causing her to leap up and spin around in a defensive stance, "hey don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," a young lady with dark skin and furry feline ears laughed, lingering in a doorway nearby. "Tell me, are you the demon child I've heard so much about?"

"Who wants to know?" Isa did not drop her combative posture, keeping her guard up as she spoke to the mysterious lady.

"I am no one to everyone, and everything to no one, that is unless you've come seeking something," she spoke in riddles, giving the vaguest answer.

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"It simply means I am whatever it is I am needed to be, unless you were to not need me at all," she continued to not give a clear answer.

"Listen lady, I don't got time for riddles, I'm looking for someone, so unless you can help me find them, could you stop wasting my time and just answer me?"

She gave a little wry laugh, "I am sorry love, answers never come free here."

"Pft, figures," Isa dropped her arms and sighed, "yeah, people say I'm a demon, what of it? Gonna tell me demons aren't welcome here?"

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Isa, now, would it?"

"How'd you know that?"

She smiled and extended her hand, "I have quite a few here who would like to thank you," she answered, "and perhaps another you would like to see."

"Huh, thank me? For what?"

"Come along, love, and you'll see," she invited Isa in with a wave.

Isa hesitated, still unsure what to think about the cat-eared girl, ultimately giving in hoping that at least some one there could point her in the right direction. She shrugged and followed the girl into the building. Immediately her senses were assaulted by sweet scented smoke wafting in the air accompanied by the sounds of moans and other strange noises. 

"Keep your eyes fixed forward, love, and don't speak to any of the guests," the lady instructed while leading her down the smokey hall. Isa wasn't certain what was going on there, but she could tell it was not something she wanted to know. Like a good obedient girl she kept her eyes on the lady and followed close behind.

On their way, a half-naked man stepped out of a room, greeting them as they approached, "Kara, what's this, a new girl?"

"Do not be silly, she is far too young to work here," Kara dismissed him quickly.

"Then just charge more for her, you’d make a killing off a cute face like that," he chuckled as his beastly eyes bore into Isa.

Kara delivered a swift slap to his face, before shoving him back into the room, "Lulu, give this one the Shepherd’s Special," she instructed before sliding the door shut. A moment later the man let out an agonizing scream that was quickly silenced.

Terrified, Isa stood there, her mismatched eyes wide and body stiff.

"Worry not love, we do not take kindly to those who'd harm children here," she spoke in a softer voice, coaxing a small sense of calmness back into Isa, "come along, we're almost there."

Uncertain if it was wiser to turn back around and run away, or go deeper into this possible wolf's den, Isa found her body moving forward on its own accord, as though the shadow inside her had commanded her feet to walk. They continued down the hall, then took a turn up three flights of stairs till they entered another hall, one that was far cleaner and well kept than most of what she had seen of the red light district thus far.

The lady knocked on one of the doors and called out, "Kain, Lin, are you there?"

A brief moment later the door opened slightly, a young silver haired boy, not too much older than Isa, popped his head out the door, "oh. Hey Kara. I'm here, Lin's out though, what did you…" he paused mid-sentence the minute he noticed Isa standing behind Kara then flung the door wide open and practically jumped onto the girl, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

"Gah, what the hell?" She tried to pry herself away, but the young demon boy held her tightly, "who the hell are you?"

He let her go and sheepishly held his arms, tapping his toe to the ground as he spoke, "I guess you wouldn't recognize me, we only met a couple of times, but I never could forget you."

"Okay, so who are you?"

"You saved me four years ago, actually you saved a bunch of us, from Loche," with that context he did in fact look familiar to her.

"You're the boy I had to practically drag outta that damn train, aren't ya?" He looked far healthier and certainly less scrawny than back then, but the more she looked at him the more certain she was that it was him.

He nodded with a shy smile, "I didn't think I'd ever get to thank you, the others said you were dead. They said Loche killed you after we escaped," without warning he hugged her again, "but you're alive, so thank you so much for saving me!"

Isa awkwardly placed one arm around him, returning his hug, "yeah, no need to thank me, really."

He latched on even tighter, squeezing her in his deceptively strong arms, "I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you, of course I need to thank you!"

Kara stood back and watched, a bright smile fixed on her face, "of the boys you helped save that day, three live here with me now, and all of them remember your little act of heroism," she laughed sweetly, "in fact you can say that you're a bit of a local legend around here."

A local legend? Isa doubted that, no one liked her, nobody cared about her, she was a demon after all. Though, her heart felt perhaps a little fuller as the boy clung to her singing her praise.

"If you have the time love, you should stick around, there are others I know who would like to see you," Kara offered, "perhaps we could make you a meal as you wait?"

Isa sighed and gently pulled herself from Kain's arms, "I really gotta find someone, but I appreciate it," she declined with a heavy heart, "but maybe you can point me in the right direction? I was told to find a building with these symbols on them," she showed the paper to Kara, who took it and studied it.

"Yes, of course, the business you seek is run by an acquaintance of mine, though I must ask what you would be doing at such an establishment?"

"I'm looking for someone, I was told they might be able to help me find them."

"Hmmm, that is certainly something they'd be able to assist with, though their services don't come cheap," Kara wrote something on the paper then handed it back to Isa, "though I suppose given that you're the legendary ‘Odd-eyed devil Isa’, I can call in a favor as my way of thanking you. Show them this when they ask for payment."

"Odd-eyed devil?" So that's the name people were calling her. She wasn't sure if she hated or loved it, but it was at least a memorable moniker, and a far better one than 'Silver' or 'Loche's plaything'.

"Kain, could you be a dear and show Isa here the way?"

"Of course!" The boy more than eagerly responded.

"Thank you, love," she patted the boy's head, "a man named Jake Mccorey will most likely be manning the fort, he’s a bit gruff, but he’s kind. Tell him the passphrase and he’ll make certain you get an audience with the boss,” she brushed her hand over Isa’s cheek, “Isa, it has been a pleasure to finally meet you, please, do come back sometime. I understand how rough it is on the streets, just know that you’ll always be welcome here."

"Yeah, I'll think about it," Isa smirked, "but next time can I come in a different entrance?"

"Of course, I apologize you had to see all of that," she laughed, "take care, love,” she smiled and quickly added, “and I will be certain to give Josie your regards."

Josie? Isa had no idea who that was, but instead of questioning her she just nodded, "thanks," and with a little farewell she left, Kain taking her by the hand to lead her on her way.

"So what happened after you all got out of Valha?" Isa asked the boy as the two walked hand in hand down the streets of the red light district.

"Some of Loche's guys chased us, and not everyone got away," he said, a touch of pain in his voice, "but Lin and Kryst did manage to escape along with me, Tristan too!" he perked up, squeezing Isa's hand, "I really can't thank you enough, I would have died if I had stayed."

"Seriously, you don't gotta thank me," she slipped her hand away, "honestly I kinda wish I had the nerve to do that sooner…" She never truly knew the boys beyond their identity of ‘Loche’s harem’, for the better of the few years she spent in Valha they were more like objects than people in her mind. Knowing their names now though re-humanized them, and allowed the weight of what she did to sink in just a little more. They were people, boys, not too different from her, and they were alive because she set them free. “I don’t want you to go thinkin of me as some hero, okay?” 

"You were a kid, we all were, and I guess still kinda are," Kain laughed, "besides, everything is better now. Kara and her brother found us digging through trash looking for food scraps and they took us in. And Josie too, she also had been a lot of help for us. Thanks to her we all got nice clothes to wear."

"So who exactly is Josie?"

"Our big sister, well not blood related, but she is our sister now. She ran away from her home not too long after we escaped Valha."

"Oh yeah? Musta been a pretty rough home if she ran away to the slums," it was honestly hard to believe any home would be worse than living on the streets, though judging by how healthy and happy Kain was, the home Kara provided was clearly a good one. 

"Hey, you should stay with us, I bet Josie'd let you share her room!" Kain offered, his mismatched eyes bright and glittering with excitement.

Isa shook her head, "I really shouldn't. Honestly it's not safe bein around me for too long."

"What do you mean?"

"There's somethin wrong with me and, well I don't know what it is, but I just feel like it's dangerous."

"What's wrong? Why would you be dangerous?"

"I’d really like to know that too," she couldn't explain it, and didn't feel like she should trouble the boy with her burden. She needed to find Vox before she could even consider getting close to anyone ever again. 

Kain continued to tell her about everything he'd experienced since she saved him, till they arrived at a small concrete building with the same symbols as her paper scrawled into the wall. "This is the place, do you want me to come in with you?"

"No, it's okay, thanks Kain," Isa smiled and gave him a small pat on the shoulder.

"It was good seeing you, please be careful, and also come see me again sometime," Kain hugged her again, bringing a sincere smile to her face.

"Okay, I will," she did not want to give any empty promises, though she also didn't know if she could honestly deliver on those words. They hugged and went their separate ways. "Alright, just gotta remember what Aakary told me to say," she nodded and stepped in through the doors.

The interior was just as unimpressive as the exterior, nothing more than a few crude wooden tables and benches, and a counter in the far corner where a man slept with a two-gallon hat over his face. A small spattering of people sat at the tables, their eyes following Isa as she walked across the creaky floorboards. Music crackled over an outdated speaker system, setting an oddly eerie feeling to the room that was intensified by the terribly dim lighting fixtures that flickered overhead. What the hell kinda place did they lead me to? She thought, swallowing the lump in her throat as she stepped up to the counter. She saw a little service bell and considered ringing it, but decided speaking up would be less awkward.

"Excuse me," the dozing man continued snoozing, so she cleared her throat and raised her voice, "excuse me!"

"Huh?" He lifted his hat and spied Isa standing at the counter, "oh a kid? Scram, this isn't a place for children."

"Umm.. are you Mr. Mccorey?”

“I’m Jake Mccorey, what’s it to you kiddo?”

“I… I'm cold?"

He cocked a brow, "Oh? Are you looking for heat?"

She thought for a second then answered, "stoke the fires."

A grin cracked across his scruffy cheeks, "aight, Shawna, sho 'im around back!" He called out as he leaned his head back.

"I'm busy, pah!" Someone yelled back at him from another room.

"Well stop being busy and get out here, this kid here's shivering!"

A moment later a teenage girl stomped her way into the room from a door behind the counter, "damn it pah, can't you help him?"

"Nah, I'm busy," he grumbled, returning his hat to his face and crossing his arms.

"Busy my ass, honestly, show a little backbone and run your damn business," the teen ground her teeth and smacked her father's hat off his face.

"Imma pretend you didn't do that," he huffed, "it's my off day, you gotta pull your weight too kiddo," he bent down and fetched his hat, once more assuming his sleeping position.

"Gah, fine, so where is he?"

"Right In front of ya, kiddo."

She looked at Isa and smacked her father again, "thatsa girl dumbass."

"Sounded like a boy," he grumbled, "whatever, don't matter, money is money no matter the client."

The girl let out a long exasperated sigh, then snapped her gaze to Isa, "aight come on, let's get ya warmed up, or whatever…"

Isa nodded without a word and stepped behind the counter, following Shawna as she guided her into the back. The room behind the counter was perhaps as unassuming as the room outside, just a poorly stocked kitchen that hardly seemed in place with what she'd seen outside. Shawna directed her over to a brick oven, telling her to climb in . 

Isa stood at the door, and looked over at Shawna, and the door again, before looking back at Shawna one more time, "you want me to climb into an oven?"

"Said we'd get ya warm right?" She tapped her foot and waited for Isa to make her move.

"But, it's an oven."

"Yep, and you need some heat," she argued as if it were basic logic. 

Isa looked one last time at the oven door, then shrugged and opened it up. It was an oven, definitely an oven, they had to be playing some cruel joke on her because that was in fact an oven. Still, Isa did as she was told, unsure if she was wasting her time or being led to a trap, but she crawled in.

As soon as she was inside, Shawna closed the door behind her, nearly sending Isa into a panic attack as she heard a loud grinding noise from beneath her. Fearing the worst, she could almost feel a black out coming, though perhaps at the last possible minute before she'd have lost control, the floor of the oven began to lower. An elevator? Inside an oven? Who the hell thinks of stuff like that? She screamed her question internally as her breathing began to return to normal. After a couple minutes the elevator stopped and a little bell chimed. All too eager to get out of the small enclosure, Isa pushed the door in front of her open and climbed out into a dimly lit tunnel. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the inadequate brightness of the line of mining lights above her, but once she could see she noticed a young man approaching.

"Ah, thought I heard the dinner bell chimed," the man stopped a few feet ahead of Isa, the lighting making it nearly impossible for her to make out his features from that distance, "so kid, you need some heat?"

"Umm, yes, stoke the fires?" She answered nearly stuttering.

"Come on then," he turned and waved for her to follow, leading Isa down a winding tunnel.

The stranger guided her down a couple twists and turns, all the while she tried studying the path so she could remember her way out if she needed to escape. She began to notice the same kind of symbols as in the red light district etched into the walls, and on wooden support beams, marking their path. It seemed as though these tunnels could possibly connect the whole city, or at the very least lead to the catacombs. The dreadful thought that she'd be lost down there crossed her mind more than once, but she ignored it so as to not trigger another blackout. 

After what felt like an entirely too long of a walk, they came across a chamber with three doors. The man stepped up to the one on the far right side of the room, and knocked in a pattern.

Another man spoke from the other side, and the first responded, then the door opened, "alright kid, come on in," he chuckled and gave a little fake bow.

Entering through the door, Isa found herself in a large concrete room occupied by several unsavory looking adults, all huddled amidst tables, playing cards, marking maps, and discussing things in hushed tones.

"Ah, would ya look at that," a giant man placed down his hand of cards and walked over to greet Isa, "welcome to the fire pit kid," he extended his massive meaty hand to her. Isa reached for his hand, expecting a shake, but instead he took her arm and examined it, "no branding, that's good. Lucky you, most demons I meet typically are marked."

"Marked?" 

"Best you don't know kid, it's a life you don't wanna live," he grunted. "So, what brings a little demon down to our little hole in the ground?"

"I'm lookin for someone, was told I might be able to find answers here."

"Well you were told right, ain't no one know this city better than good 'ol Ayshack," he pounded his chest proudly, "walk with me kid and tell me about this person you're tryin to find. He put his hand around her back and urged her to walk alongside him. Even had she wanted to resist, there was no way she would have been able to contest the strength of his oversized arm.

"I'm lookin for a guy with golden hair and a purple eye. I'm pretty sure his name was Vox," she tried to recall everything she could about the boy's appearance, "he might have a scar or somethin… I'm not sure, half his face was bandaged when I met him."

"Oh, you are one lucky boy," Ayshack chuckled, "who ever sent ya my way either knew somethin, or made a lucky guess."

"Imma girl," Isa corrected him then added, "so you know him?"

"Oh, sorry, course you're a girl," the embarrassed look on his face didn't really suit his tough demeanor, "I shoulda known better, don't tell the boss I slipped up on that okay?"

Boss? She wondered who could possibly be in charge that a man that huge would be afraid of her knowing he misgendered a transgirl.

"Yes, I absolutely know who you're lookin for. That little rascal has quite the reputation down here," he let out a belly rolling laugh, "though the boss is actually pretty protective of 'im. She's the one you'd wanna talk to."

This enigmatic boss he kept referring to had connections to the mysterious boy, it almost felt like Isa had pulled on a single string and begun to unravel an entire shirt. The whole day had been her being led from one person to the next, it all began to feel very tiring, but hopefully this would be the end of her running around. Hopeful she'd get the answer she needed soon, she walked alongside the giant through a door on the left side of the room. Down a hall, past a few more doors, they came to a stop at a dead end.

"Gonna haveta have ya wear this," Ayshack fetched a black strap of fabric from his pocket, "can't be havin anyone see the way through, ya know?"

Isa nodded and took the cloth from him, fastening it over her eyes. A moment later she heard another grinding noise as the ground shook ever so slightly, then a boom as the shaking stopped. 

"Step forward and be careful not to trip on your own feet," Ayshack tapped on her shoulder.

She followed his instructions and timidly stepped one foot in front of the other while he guided her with his hand against her back. 

"Oh my, what have we here?" Strong yet low voice of a woman greeted her, "you wouldn't happen to be the demon savior herself, now would you?" 

"I'm not a demon and I'm not really a savior either, I'm just a kid."

"So humble, come now love, accept the praise, I don't give it to just anyone," her voice felt fierce yet Isa could sense a gentleness behind it, as well as a sense of familiarity, "Ayshack, dear, you may leave us now."

"Are you sure that's alri,"

"Yes, leave now!" 

Isa could feel the giant tense up behind her when the woman raised her voice. It almost sounded as though he were a whimpering puppy as he responded, "of course, my mistake. I'll be leaving then." He patted Isa's shoulder and whispered, "don't worry kid, you'll be fine," before lumbering out of the room and activating the contraption once more.

Once the loud grinding of the door behind them stopped, the woman spoke up, "So now, tell me love, to what do I owe the honor of meeting the famous odd-eyed demon?"

Isa swallowed then answered, "I'm lookin for someone, and I guess he's like a friend of yours? A blonde boy named Vox."

She laughed a little before responding, "yes I know the boy whom you speak, though what purpose would you have with it?"

"I need to ask him somethin, somethin important," she wanted to withhold as much information as she could, partly because she honestly knew it would sound crazy if she did share the whole truth. 

"The wanderer is a wealth of information, but of course all information comes at a price. Including the whereabouts of the wanderer."

"I can't pay, but I have this," she held out the note Kara gave her and waited for the woman to take it.

"Hmm? What's this?" 

"It's a note, a lady named Kara told me to show it to whoever helped me," she felt the woman's hand take the piece of paper.

"So, the Devil Kiss Villa is calling in their favor? You must mean a lot to her for her to pull that card," even blindfolded, Isa could sense the woman circling her, "hmm yes, yes, I see," she stopped behind Isa and placed her hands over the girls shoulders, "the wanderer is not here, it is far from the city now, on a mission of its own. I can not help you find Vox," disappointment soured Isa's stomach, an entire day wasted with no answers to speak of, "though I can help you in another way."

"I'll take any help I can get for now."

"Become my daughter," she spoke into her ear.

"Your daughter?"

"Yes, join us in the fire pit, allow me to train you to become one of our spies, and in due time the wanderer will return and you can have your answers," she offered.

"If I say yes, I'll get to meet Vox then?"

"Eventually it will return here, as it always does, and when that time comes you can get what you need."

"But why would you want me to be your daughter? What do you get out of that?"

“Not everything is about what one can gain in this life, sometimes it is about what one can give that is far more important,” it was a pretty thought, but Isa couldn’t believe that she was being as altruistic as she appeared to be. Certainly there was some sort of catch to it all, a price to be paid at a later date. 

Isa considered her offer carefully, weighing the pros and cons. Of course, as she was homeless living off of whatever she could steal, the only real thing she would be losing is her freedom to come and go as she pleased. She considered the wording of the offer as well, not to be her servant, assistant or even protege, no she asked her to become her daughter.  

“Please tell me, why would you adopt me though?” She asked.

The woman unbound the blindfold from Isa’s face as she answered her question, “because you and I are alike in many ways,” she wore a sincere smile on her war-worn face as she stood before Isa, waiting for her answer. She had silver hair tied back in a ponytail, a muscular but lean masculine frame and a perfectly healthy light blue eye. Her other eye, though scarred and glazed over, was very clearly once a vibrant pink hue. 

Isa couldn’t believe it, she had bared such a striking resemblance to someone she had seen before, yet she couldn’t remember who. Still the back of her mind felt as though she knew this woman, this fellow ‘demon’ that stood there now. She had to know, “who are you?”

“I am the spark that starts the flame of rebellion, I was once called ‘Nios’, but now I am simply known as Arasta, a name which means broken sword in the ancient tongue.”