Devil and Candlemaker
"Everyone knows about heroes, adventurers, nobles; people that matter. No one remembers the name of those shunned, or their descendants. Especially when their crimes were severe enough to sell them to Melromarc's enemies. Don't worry, though. Master has only one directive for me: serve the Shield Hero, kill any that wish him harm." F/F romance, slavery, dark themes.
All warnings placed in chapter 1 are in place for the duration of the story. I won't bog this down by placing anything more than chapter-specific warnings here.
Second Arc—Everything is a game, you need only decipher the rules
Chapter Twenty-Two—Second Chances
8-8
I fall.
Wreathed in light, so bright it hurts my tightly shut eyes.
I fall.
Downward, away from all I once knew. My arms are ever around the tense and panicked baby in my arms.
I…fall.
Feet slam into the ground. Light eases, only to be replaced with a throbbing pain; with my hands occupied keeping my Luna safe, I break my fall with my face.
"Mistress!" Hands grab my shoulders, arms snake around my waist. I'm pulled up, just as Luna's frightened cries tear at my heart. Little hands clutch my armoured shirt, holding on with all her gentle strength.
"There there." I make a soothing, shushing noise, like a whistle too breathy to be considered music. "Oh oh oh oh oh. There there. Mama's got you."
A hand swipes at the warm liquid blinding me, clearing my vision enough to see Stellar using her mage robe's long hem to make less of a mess of me. Her eyes swim with all kinds of emotions, none too pleasant just now.
"Mama's alright, baby." My trembling hand reaches out, cups her cheek as I thumb away her tears. "Nothing to worry about. I promise."
"All the same." Lyraynna unstops a vial and splashes a few drops of red liquid on my face, oh so careful to not cause more harm. The rest of the vial is poured into me, one pained gulp at a time.
Status menu pops up; the usual electric blue now snowy white with arctic blue snowflakes dancing about. Odd. I call up my stats. Level one. All my skills, gone—without exception. I've my weapons and gear on me, though none off any indication as to what to expect just now.
My HP is a delicate eight of eight—the health potion might well have saved my life. My MP is seventeen of seventeen, and SP twenty of twenty. Mage type, hmm? I check statuses—bleeding blinks out, leaving only Fan Hero in the list.
With a flick of my right forearm, my dragon fan slips into my grip.
X-X CAUTION! X-X
Agility requirement not met. Strength requirement not met. Dual Fan mastery level requirement not met
X-X
I blink at the 'okay', and it disappears. So I was right, then. All my gear is beyond me, for now.
X-X SKILL! X-X
Copied Twin Dragon Fans (form locked)
Agility requirement not met. Strength requirement not met. Dual Fan mastery level requirement not met.
X-X
I blink at okay once again and it goes away. Forearm raises, fan slips right back into my sleeve, but…
Ah. To either side of me, a pair of basic twinned battle fans, looks to be a hard wood frame with simple paper strung between the ribs. I pick both up with one hand, my other still quite occupied with petting Luna to calm her down. On one side of her, is an oval sapphire, gleaming in the room's dim lighting.
Both fans stow in my hip pouch, for now. Will deal with them when I've a moment.
Lyraynna helps me to stand—my hand slides around to my armour to support Luna's weight.
Hmm? My breastplate is more forward than it should be.
"It's too tight!" Not taking any risks, Lyraynna slices armour's straps, dropping my breastplate and revealing a large tome that somehow found its way in there, bearing a curiously smoky grey gem I can't identify. "Ah…Mistress, forgive me!"
Lyraynna prostrates herself, for some reason, with her dagger clattering to the ground, clearly discarded to not anger me?
Luna's cries ease to a grumpy sniffling. That's what had her upset—well, that and waking to all this insanity.
"Rise, Lyraynna. I will not have you grovelling for fulfilling your duty."
My gorgeous bluette looks up, her blue sky blue eyes teary and her gaze soft. I motion for her to stand—she's on her feet before Grin offers me her errant blade.
Hmm. Curious, I tap my finger against it, like Naofumi did with that shield in La Matrish.
X-X CAUTION! X-X
Legendary Weapon Rule Violation:
Holding non-assigned weapon.
X-X
Electricity arcs from my finger to the proffered dagger, the shock gentle enough that it doesn't cost me any HP. I motion to Lyraynna, and Grin offers it to her instead.
"Hey, mama! Check it out!" Stellar comes running, showing off a mage's staff almost half taller than her, looks to be oaken with a fist-sized emerald perched atop. "I'm the Staff Hero, mama!"
"That you are." I pet my baby's head, beaming just for her.
"Aw-ohhh." Crayn grumbles and bemoans whatever fate offered him. "All I got was this stupid knife. Hunter Hero my foot." The weapon he wields is nothing like anything I've worked with, though…looks familiar somehow? Isn't that a fileting knife? The kind you use to clean fish? To be fair, the amber gemstone hints it's more than a simple kitchen tool, but I can appreciate his stance.
"And here I thought you enjoyed fishing?" Crayn sighs, unwilling to refute, but unwilling to agree just the same. Instead, he stows his weapon.
The room we're in is…a bit cramped with everything going on. Our filolial flock keep chasing our hounds, who are themselves chasing some mage robe-wearing men.
Ginad is too busy holding his gut, his whole face red from the cackle-fit that's overcome him.
I let loose a sharp whistle. Tallow flutters to my shoulder.
X-X
New Familiar Acquired: Tallow (unidentified species)
X-X
New Skill Unlocked: Beast taming
X-X
Sigh—there's a stack of popups mostly hidden behind the first. That's going to get annoying, sooner rather than later.
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 1
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 2
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 3
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 4
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 5
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 6
X-X
Level six? As I click it away, I look around. All our hounds and filolials stopped chasing the poor mages, and present themselves to me, though Chandelier comes right to me and rubs her head against my hand, looking for a little coddling just now.
X-X
New Mount Acquired: Chandelier (unidentified species)
X-X
Sigh. It would seem both gulls and filolials are not of this world. And all these popups…
Sigh. It's been a long day, and it only just begun. My gaze darts about, cautiously optimistic. The mages are all but plastered to the smooth stone walls, their eyes the size of dinner plates, their faces pale and sweaty just now. Sigh.
"Do forgive me, gentle sirs. I assure you, our hounds will not attack you a second time." I offer the back of my hand, and the gorgeous cuties come, each head sniffing me in turn, before heading off towards Ginad to line back up.
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Beast taming—Level 7
X-X
There's another option, beside okay. Auto-accept all level ups. I blink at that, and a bar loads, showing Beast taming as it slams filled over and over, hitting Level Ten. Sigh. At least it blinks away as quickly as it shows up.
"Do forgive us. We are overtired from our journey." I curtsey, careful to not let Luna or her book slip from my grasp. "If you would, kindly show us to our quarters."
8-8
The air is cold, frosty even. The mages' slaves are busy unloading our things from the wagon, under Ginad's, his hounds', and our filolial flock's watchful gazes, leaving us to follow the senior mage down the tower—getting the wagon down a dozen flights of stairs is going to be an issue, though I'm far more concerned with Chandelier and the flock. The senior mage we follow assured us all will be handled, that we'll have our things awaiting us after our meeting.
I trail behind Lyraynna, down the winding stairs, lower and lower. What is it with mage-types and towers?
A window gleams up ahead. I peer outside, catching my first glimpse of this new world. From this angle, I'm unable to hazard a guess at materials used, but the sprawling cityscape takes my breath away. Buildings reach for the skies, easily towering over even Lute's spire, with steep-sloped roofs each covered in snow. It makes every settlement I've ever seen combined look small.
Winter, huh? That explains the chill, but even indoors, the air is colder than the harshest snowstorm I've ever experienced. Tallow shivers, huddling closer to me to share my warmth, and Luna isn't much different, holding me even closer.
"Cold." Stellar presses against my back, seeking comfort and my warmth. Between the chill and the day we've had, it's hard to blame her—I throw an arm around her, hoisting her up onto my back. My knees threaten to buckle with each step; I descend slower, refusing both to fall and not comfort my babies.
As my now trembling legs touch lowest stair, another popup blurs my vision.
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Strength raised to 9!
X-X
Nine strength? Laughable. Even during the worst of those blood curses, none of my base stats dropped below triple-digits.
"Come, Lady Stellar." Lyraynna offers to take her, but my baby only clings tighter.
I shake my head, no. My gaze flickers to the unknowns surrounding us—soldiers, though curiously wearing white puffy uniforms meant for the snow. Camouflage, perhaps? Their weapons are questionable as well—wooden sticks affixed with strange metal barrels. Lyraynna nods, understanding perfectly. She looks to Zaan, and the pair of them take to my flanks, no doubt nudging Crayn to walk between them.
The walls down here are just as smooth as the stairwell. Just as impossible to guess at the building material—stone, to be sure, though that's a broad category.
As we tread down the wide and tall corridor, our people fall in line behind me. The floor is draped a vibrant red—redder than most dyes I've yet experienced, like fresh rukors.
"This way, Heroes." The senior mage holds out his bony hand, grabs some strange slit in the wall, and pulls it back? A door-shaped hole reveals itself. Almost like those sliding doors in Q'ten Lo, but seeming of stone?
"Mistress." Deela comes running to me, before we enter. "Please." She oh so carefully untangles Luna from my embrace; I help arrange Luna so that Deela can hold her and easily keep the tome touching her. Stellar sighs, knowing that means her piggy back ride is over as well.
I turn my full attention to the hall before me, curious at the…sound wafting our way. It's not bad, per se, but certainly not something I've heard before—like someone choked on something and speaks through it to the rhythm of a plucked instrument that I almost want to say is a poorly played shamisen?
Hmm. Strange world, naturally the music follows suit.
The smell strikes me as completely off. It was there in the corridor as well. The lights. They aren't candles—no candles I've ever seen, at least. The sconce on the walls, they're hung wrong. The thick glass to keep the flames confined, hangs down—surely the heat of the flames will…They've clearly not been installed this day, and likely not recently either. I'll assume they know what they do.
Feet take me into the hall, the draping halting to reveal the smoothest polished stone I've yet seen—even compared to Little Tower's. Warriors dance about a central bronze fire pit, showing off their skills with strange-looking bows and swords and spears; their leather and plate armours looks far too clean to be anything but ceremonial.
At the far end of the hall, steps lead up to a dais where a man sits on a gilded gold-looking throne. I ask to rest, they take me to their king. Brilliant.
I walk ahead, my people falling in step behind me. Our approach halts the music, the warriors halt mid-dance and move well out of the way. The man on the throne, and the woman at his side, look at me with great interest, though greater curiosity at those I lead.
The king claps. The fire outs, but the room brightens? Those strange sconces on the wall flare to life, each brighter than a dozen candles, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling also flares to life. Strange magics they bear, but not entirely unfamiliar to me.
I curtsey, tilting my head to one side as my arms make a wide sweep.
"The," the king looks to the senior mage, "Hunting Hero?"
"Please, Great Khan." The senior mage prostrates himself on the stone. "We do not understand how it happened. In our attempt to summon the one, we got all Four Cardinal Heroes and an entourage. Including a wagon and creatures like I've never seen." I'm unsure what to make of any of this. 'Great Khan' is a term I am entirely unfamiliar with—likely his name or title—yet logically I shouldn't understand their tongue. I look over my shoulder at Deela, unsurprised to see a lack of recognition in her eyes.
"You there." The king nods to me. "You seem too at peace with all this. What do you make of these circumstances?"
"I am uncertain, Great Khan." I offer a patient smile. "I am aware of the role of the Cardinal Heroes in my world, though I dare not presume to speak for yours."
"Hmm." The king strokes his stringy beard. With the bright lighting, it's far easier to make out his seemingly tanned skin and Q'ten Loan features. Most curious a mix, given everyone in Q'Ten Lo is fair-skinned. "You speak of the Great Calamity, yes?"
I nod.
"Yes. Most fortunate. And yet, most troubling." The man makes to stand, his movements slow but sure. A warrior of some repute. "Please. I am Ong Choros, Great Khan of my people. I welcome you to our world, Miss…?"
"You may call me Candlemaker, for now." I curtsey to him. "I would hear of your intentions before I offer more than that."
"Cautious," King Choros chuckles, easing himself back into his seat, "but not obtuse in her hesitance. Words carefully selected. Though your mannerisms are unfamiliar to me, I think it safe to presume you are of noble birth. Correct?"
I smile, teasing a throaty chuckle from him.
"Yes, I thought as much. You are used to royal courts as well. And your stance shows you are no stranger to battle." King Choros strokes his beard, laughter in his eyes. "Tell me, Lady Candlemaker. Why would I offer more than I am offered?"
"It is you who summons, Great Khan. Is it not?"
"Indeed." King Choros nods all the more amused. "Very well. I ordered the summoning of the Hunting Hero, because a Great Dragon threatens my kingdom and my people. The Dragon's Hourglass lies still, thus the Great Calamity remains mythical to us and ours."
"I see." Hmm. Then there's time to train my babies. "Militarily speaking, how dire is the need?"
"Hmm?" Eyes narrow, lips twitch up though he's quick to hide it behind a beard stroke. "Severe, though not immediate. It ravages the kingdoms to the south east, with little sign of stopping." His gaze wanders to my people. "It would seem you travel with your children?" He offers, thus he needs in turn. Fair.
"I do." I beckon, getting Crayn to one side and Stellar the other. "My son and eldest, Crayn. My elder daughter, Stellar."
"Book!" Luna announces she's lost her patience at last.
"And my younger daughter, Luna." Deela comes, offering by baby with her tome—King Choros's eyes widen at seeing it. "Yes, Great Khan. We are the summoned Four Cardinal Heroes. I'm sure you understand my hesitance."
"Indeed." Great Khan nods.
"We travel with my personal guard. I apologize for the scare we gave your mages. It was…most unavoidable, I'm afraid."
King Choros looks to his senior mage, still prostrated. "You are no doubt tired from your long journey, Lady Candlemaker." He claps and four unarmed women swoop in. All Humans, all the same lightly tanned complexion with Q'ten Loan features. "Stay tonight as my guests of honour, that we might discuss this more in depth after you've rested."
"Nuna book!" I tap little Miss Impatient's nose.
"You have my thanks, Great Khan." I curtsey.
8-8
The circular room is sparsely decorated, with only a large bed opposite the door. Yet, it's the most extravagant room I've ever been in. The door is of the same stone as the rest of the place, though gilded with intricate orange patterns interwoven with brass. The bed is of a far brighter yellow, like midday sun, yet somehow softened with maroons and earthy browns.
The servants King Choros sent take out linens of the softest and smoothest silk I've seen from the dozens of drawers beneath the bed, carefully making it for us. Deela has Stellar and Luna in the next room bathing them, so that they may rest.
As for me? I stand on my fists, legs resting against the wall as I do push-ups, with Crayn seated on my feet.
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Strength raised to 10!
X-X
It's slow going, to be sure, but with my people beside me doing much the same, we'll be ready before it's needed—hopefully.
A knock at the door. One of the servants goes to answer, tense at how all my people watch her just now, myself included. She opens the door, confirms who it is, and closes it, before returning to me, bowing almost horizontally.
"Lady Bolormaa, consort to King Choros, to see you."
I shift all my weight onto one fist and beckon for her to enter. The servant bows again, retreating towards the door as she holds her posture.
The door slides open once again, and the same woman from earlier enters, her face perfectly neutral. "Forgive my unannounced visit, Lady Candlemaker. I wished to see if you are settled in."
I continue working out, both fists on the draped floor once again. It's strange, really. Some things in common with Q'ten Lo, but so different. Not alien, per se—other than those strange sconces.
Knees bend, slow and steady. Understanding, Crayn jumps down, careful to not make a sound. Bending over backwards, my feet plant on the ground, and I right myself, slowly turning to consort queen.
"We are most grateful for your hospitality, Lady Bolormaa." I bow to her, hands on the fronts of my thighs. If she recognizes the style of bow, she doesn't show it.
Laughter reverberates off every wall. Little feet trample my with a constant burst of energy—Luna's far too entertained with her tome as it keeps vanishing in a green flash and appearing in front of her, touching her once again. If only my baby wasn't stark naked in present company.
"Nuna book!"
Luna, quite enjoying the situation, runs around her new favourite toy, constantly avoiding it in her mad dash for me, laughing at the top of her lungs all the while. Deela, wrapped in a fluffy towel, comes running after my baby.
"In a moment," Deela says as she scoops up Luna and her tome, carefully sitting on the oversized bed and undoing the top of her towel, to nurse her. Luna doesn't even think to complain.
"Alright." I clap. My party—other than Hope, who's already sleeping—ease off their fists and hurry into the bathroom just as Stellar exits, in her night robe.
"Mama?" My baby comes to me, and tugs my hand to keep my attention on her just now. "Read us a story?"
My chest quivers with mute laughter.
"Mm mm!" Luna makes just enough noise to show she wants the same, but not enough to interrupt her warm meal just now.
I mutter under my breath. It's been decades since I've needed the words to my most commonly used spell.
X-X
New Spell Unlocked: Clean Target
X-X
New Skill Unlocked: Grooming
X-X
New Job Unlocked: Courtesan
X-X
Sigh. So many popups. What's worse, the spell actually costs me four MP. It's not cost me anything but focus in…ages.
"Mistress?" Lyraynna comes to me, eyes begging. Sigh.
"I've not the mana for everyone." I mutter the words once again and clean her. Of course, Zaan doesn't want to leave me with all these unknowns around us just now—I magically clean him as well.
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Grooming—Level 2
X-X
Spell Mastery Level Up: Clean Target—Level 2
X-X
"A hand?" I look to Lyraynna. She helps take off my sparking rings, my gloves, my pouches, my weapons, my earrings, my tiara, my necklace, and my armour—each time, a Caution message pops up, saying I've not levelled appropriate skills/stats to equip the item. Everything, save my wedding ring, is carefully lain in my rucksack, with Wick snuggled up beside it and Tallow perched atop.
With everything mostly handled, I ease onto the bed. Stellar is quick to join me, with Deela snuggled up to my other side—with Luna still working in her meal.
"If you hurry?" I give my Crayn, my little man, a cocked eyebrow. He grins and rushes into the bathroom. He's back barely a minute later, wearing only shorts—when he's closer, he smells of the same oils as Stellar. Hmm. I cast the cleaning spell on him just the same.
Lady Bolormaa just stands there, eyes drinking in every detail. She's no doubt here to spy what she can.
"Once upon a time," a hushed silence falls over the room, even from the bathroom, "far, far away, was the Kingdom of Lyght. A happy place, where no one ever went hungry. A kingdom filled with laughter and song and dance. There, once lived a young warrior, named Princess Luna."
"Nuna!" Someone can't miss her introduction, even while nursing.
8-8
Fans dance—flick open, slice, flick closed, thwack air, flick open throw, circle back, snap closed, thwack air, and start from the top. Even as I'm going through the motions, my legs flash through kicks at a depressingly sedate pace. None of my attacks blur, no whistling wind, nothing. Just…
There's been a steady influx of updates as fighting stance mastery, skill mastery, fan mastery, and unarmed mastery steadily build. More importantly, however, is the sole string to a world I no longer call my own.
Naofumi: "You made a mess of their cathedral. Queen's people are still tallying to dead."
Me: "First Princess? Pope? Bishops?"
Naofumi: "All deader than King Siltvelt and his army. You're scary when you're motivated. What about you? New world okay? They treating you right?"
Me: "No Aultcray introduction, if that's what you mean. And no sign of that one."
Naofumi: "Gotta go. Queen needs a meeting."
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Agility raised to 10!
X-X
Sigh. Depressingly slow as it seems, I just keep dancing in the stillness of our room, so silent none around me seem to notice.
X-X Stat Boost! X-X
Stealth raised to 7!
X-X
Sigh. Just keep dancing, Sorrow. Just keep dancing.
8-8
First chime. Seven in the morning, though it's impossible to tell. No sunlight breaches the thick drapes—the curtain drapes. I still dance.
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Constitution raised to 18!
X-X
Sigh. It's better than it was, Sorrow. Stop sighing every ten paces.
I mutter the words, casting the cleaning spell.
X-X
Skill Mastery Level Up: Grooming—Level 4
X-X
Spell Mastery Level Up: Clean Target—Level 4
X-X
X-X Stat Boost! X-X
Magic raised to 21!
X-X
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Intelligence raised to 14!
X-X
At least it's to a point where the spell costs one MP to cast. Sigh. It's always the little things that trip you up. And those popups are mostly just announcements now—barely more than text floating in my vision before fading, as opposed to those annoying blocks I needed to blink away.
Raising my arms, my Fans slip down into my sleeves for safekeeping. I walk over to the drapes and tug them open, letting the early morning light in.
The view is stunning, to be sure, overlooking the city with the sun rising in the distance—I assume that's east, or at least east-ish. We're not as high up as the tower window, but I'm no closer to viewing much of anything regarding the city. It's just a mess of shapes in the distance.
X-X Stat Boost! X-X
Vision raised to 11!
X-X
X-X Base Stat Boost! X-X
Wisdom raised to 9!
X-X
My vision sharpens slightly. Not enough to make out too much, but enough to show a slight difference. Fuck me…
A knock at the door fills my vision with popups of my people's Awareness levelling up, including my own.
"Lady Candlemaker. Great Khan requests your party join him for breakfast."
8-8
Meats. Plate after plate, dish after dish. It's all meats of various cuts, designs, and types, with barely anything else on offer—save a few dishes here and there with salads, mostly placed near my party. The room here is circular, as well as the low table we sit to, with large windows opposite the room's sole door, drapes wide open to display the cloudless skies and let in enough light that those strange sconces lie dormant.
Curious, the same dancing warriors from last night join us, all on Great Khan's side of the table—each without their weapons. Utterly and totally unarmed in our presence. I don't understand it, but it speaks of a trust I can scarcely put into words. They aren't even glaring at us when we are so clearly armed to the teeth.
No, instead of hostility, they all smile and keep piling the humbly seasoned meats onto our plates. Never once is our plate allowed to remain empty for than half a breath. Even the Great Khan and his consort keep offering me more food, only ever with their right hands holding a fork.
Communal silver plates are all ornate and utterly breath-taking; milk is poured from golden jugs with dragon motifs into silver goblets with the same design. Yet with all this would-be extravagance, while sitting to the finest low table on the most comfortable animal pelts, it feels intimate. Like a meal one shares with family.
"Young Luna should eat more meats. To grow strong!" Great Khan makes a showing of flexing his right arm and patting his bicep to highlight his point.
"And be sure you drink lots of Milk." The way Lady Bolormaa says it, you can hear, actually hear, the value they place on milk, even as she carefully pours my goblet half full once again—only ever half full.
Having my fill, I take a silk napkin and dab my mouth and lips clean. I take a moment to help my darling Luna look her best as well, since she decided my lap is the best seat for her. Stellar and Crayn, seated to either side of me, are quick to follow my lead—though my little man decides to sneak in another few nibbles.
"Yes. It is about that time." Great Khan nods, looking to his warriors and smiling.
"I've assessed mine and my people's skills." My words instil the room with a hushed silence, akin to a church library. "We are far from ready to assist you with this dragon."
"Of course." Great Khan looks at me like that's the most expected thing he's ever heard—bordering on calling me an idiot for implying anything else is an option. "No Cardinal Hero is summoned ready for such. No, we hope to aid in your training so that you may be ready when it comes."
I nod, agreeing.
"What I offer is this. If you and your party were to take up residence here in Ulaan, I can introduce you to the local Adventurers Guild for work, in addition to a monthly stipend of three-hundred-thousand tugrik."
I cock an eyebrow.
"Three medium silvers a month," Lady Bolormaa translates. Hmm.
"How much for a room at a local inn?"
"One small silver a night," one of the warriors offers, barely having to think about it. If the buying power is similar to what I'm used to, we would live comfortably even if we take no jobs from the Guild. More importantly, that means Great Khan accepts that we can walk away right now if I so choose.
Hmm. I would need my people to grow strong before I can risk even announcing to the other kingdoms, or whatever countries are called here, that we've been summoned.
"Allow me and mine unlimited access to the Dragon Hourglass, and I assure you we will reciprocate your generous hospitality."
"Done!" Great Khan slaps his meaty hand on the table, all smiles. He was willing to offer more, though that would entail greater dependence on his sponsorship. No, this works far better for us.
8-8
End Chapter Twenty-Two
8-8
A/N: For those wondering. This kingdom is a bit of a mix between what little I know of Mongolian culture/architecture/etiquette and some more fantastical elements that will become far more apparent over the coming chapters.
Yes, Candlemaker/Sorrow was really that powerful before, and yes, she's going to be annoyed with how relatively weak she is now.
Wheel0fDawn, I assume this answers your question XD
zimnog, I'm glad you liked it. I'm just used to people jumping to conclusions as to what I mean, what I base things off of, and what I'm trying to say. So I'm just being careful with those disclaimers.