So, here we are again. I don't know when exactly I will be uploading this, either in the middle of July or the beginning of August. However, I can say that this little plot bunny has grown on me a bit. Now, I know that the introduction to Rowland was nothing grand or as mysterious as I might have liked. However, I think that I will nail it with Serafall's. She plays a key part to this whole story and I hope that you will enjoy her younger form as much as we do in canon.
Now, something I am going to come clean with. The character of Rowland is partly inspired by another character with a similar backstory as our lovable rogue. That would be Konrad Curze from Warhammer 40k. If you know who he is then you have a guess of where this story will be going. However, Serafall is going to act like a foil to the darkness in Rowland. If that saves him in the end is still up for debate, however. We'll just have to see if our favorite magical girl can pull through for the Night Scourge. Now, on with the show!
(Serafall POV)
She stared out the side of the carriage as they carried on towards their destination. There had been rumors flying about as soon as the banners were raised, and sides chosen. The Phenex threw their lot in with the Anti-Satan faction, the Belial with the old pro-Satans. And so on and so forth. If anything, it was starting to make her head hurt a bit keeping track of all of them.
I just hope that I can come through on my part. Serafall thought, looking through the pile of papers that she was tasked with bringing to her meeting. Sirzechs and Ajuka had already written off this mission as useless, the latter running the numerous calculations to tell her exactly how close to zero the odds were. However, as a Sitri her pride was riding on this.
If she were able to sway the lesser families to their side or convince them to back out then that would mean less lives lost. The Devils already had a low population thanks to their longevity and low birth rates. The constant wars would be the true death of them.
"Kazgath, are you there?" Serafall asked aloud, looking towards the wall behind her, a little metal screen the only thing of note on it. Said screen slid open, an elderly looking man turned around in order to see her. He had his hands on a pair of reigns for their steed but he seemed accustomed enough to driving that the distraction did not hinder him.
"Yes, Lady Serafall?" The elderly devil asked, bowing his head as he answered. "How may I assist you?"
"What can you tell me about our next destination?" She asked, smiling back at the man. Kazgath had always been a servant of the Sitri family as long as she could remember. The old man's face always a welcomed one. "If I recall correctly, we were heading towards Nokkzus correct?"
"Nokkzaruz my lady." The servant responded, a small grimace on his face as he turned back to the road. "I still don't think that it is a good idea to let you go there. If you would simply allow me to do it in your stead Lady Serafall-"
"And I have told you why I cannot do that." Serafall said, pouting a bit at the suggestion as she turned her head to the side. "If it were something simple then we both wouldn't have to go. As it stands were we to just send you I fear that the Eligos would take that as an…unsavory suggestion."
What she meant to say was that it was an insult. She loved the old devil like he was her blood, but he was still a low ranked devil. It didn't matter how strong, how useful or how many years he had served the Sitri faithfully. He was still just a servant. Though it left a bitter taste in the heiress's mouth.
"I understand my lady." Kazgath said, his face blank as he nodded. "Well, what I can tell you of Nokkzaruz is that it is undoubtly one of the worst places to live in the Underworld."
"Even worse than the Grigori controlled territory?" Serafall asked, a small amount of teasing sounding in her voice. She looked up with a hint of playfulness in her eye. That died as soon as Kazgath looked back with a dead look in his eyes.
"There are some there that no doubt believes so." Kazgath admitted, mushing their steed ever onwards. "It is a place where the wealthy kick the weak down and the weak will climb over the bodies of their fellows to become strong. A good deal of the more unsavory things in the Underworld can trace their origins back to the 'Dark City of Necromancy'." He added, stressing the unofficial nickname of the Eligos capital.
"Surely you are joking Kaz?" Serafall asked, looking a little uncertain. The elderly devil had never acted this way before. He was always the kind to offer a kind word or a bit of encouragement no matter the situation. Looking at the intimidating devil now, it was like looking at a completely different person. "There must be some good people there."
"I would like to think so." He responded, "However, from what I have heard that they have been increasing the workload ever since the Bael clan raised up in rebellion. Drugs, illegal armaments, human slaves. I doubt that much good can come from such a place."
Serafall paled a bit at that. While such sinful things were not out of the norm, even she could not help but feel a bit of sympathy. Slavery was not something that she could easily tolerate. The idea of being caged, of your freedom being taken away, of being forced to serve the person who was responsible for it.
She shook her head. Now was not the time for such thoughts. She had a mission and she had to focus on that.
The carriage ride was quiet for the rest of the trip. Kazgath could tell from his mistress's silence that she was heeding his words. He knew that breaking her innocence, if only a bit, would do some good for her. He would allow her the time that she needed in order to contemplate their meaning.
As for the young Sitri girl, her mind was too focused on the things that were to come. If she were to fail her then that would mean another enemy to add to the lists. If she could persuade or even convince the Eligos clan to stay neutral, it would help with the war effort tremendously.
Serafall stared out the window, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. She had a lot to think about.
When the two reached Nokkzaruz, the first thing that Serafall noticed was the smell. The place seemed to reek of filth and sewage. While the city's stench seemed to fill the air it looked more impacting than just polluting the air.
She could hear Kaz yelling at a few of the guards as they reached the gates. It seemed that everyone was tense nowadays. Even more paranoid and cutthroat than the clans were before this whole war.
Nobody wants to lose anything else I suppose. She thought, poking her head closer to the window in order to eavesdrop on the conversation better.
"…And I am telling you sir that you have to pay the tax." One of the guards said, a rough sounding Devil. "You're not exempt from it just because you serve the Sitri."
"Oh?" She could hear Kaz replied, easily hearing the blank look he was giving based off of his tone. "And for what reason do I need to pay a tax?"
"Why, for the pleasure of visiting our fine city." The guard said, she could feel the smug coming from his tone if it were a physical presence. "We can't just let anyone it after all. You understand, times are tough and the people of Nokkzaruz need to survive. Surely you can find it in your heart to offer up a few coins."
"Kaz, just give them the coins." Serafall whispered, her servant turning his head a bit to look at her from the corner of his eye. She could tell that he was willing to fight this for what it was worth. She didn't want to deal with such scummy people either. However, they had more important things to attend to.
Kaz gritted his teeth, sighing after a second as he gave the guards a hard look. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a rather heavy looking bag. He quickly pulled out a few gold coins, handing them over to one of the guards.
"Thank you kindly." The man said, stuffing the money in his pocket. "Is there anything else that you will be needing?"
"Yes," Serafall replied, sticking her head out of the window. "Would you by chance know where we could potentially stay the night? Any good inns you fine gentleman would know of?"
The guard seemed to think for a minute, staring up at Kazgath for a second. He tore his eyes away from the butler, looking at the girl. "If you want somewhere you can rest, and you won't get robbed then you should go to the Ebony Dagger. I know it sounds odd, but the innkeeper is a decent man. Tell him that Captain Vurgrak sent you. He'll get you a good room and some warm food."
"Thank you sir, we'll do just that." Kazgath said, giving a nod to the guard. Serafall could tell that he was still a bit upset over the whole affair. However, it seemed that he was willing to let it go for now. "Have a good day." He added, looking over to the other guard who stood near the post.
Said Devil giving a brief look at the butler before turning back to the post. His hand lit up with a magic circle, the gears operating the mechanism pulling up the giant set of doors. He waved the carriage through after that, his superior losing interest as he returned to the small little guard post that he had exited before their arrival.
"Why did you stop me Lady Serafall?" Kazgath asked, gritting his teeth after they were through. "Those men were obviously shaking us down for what we were worth."
"You can't argue with everyone Kaz." She replied, a disappointing look in her eyes as she gazed back towards the now closed gates. "We don't have the luxury of picking a fight right now. We have more important matters to settle as is."
The butler nodded at the statement. She could tell that he was still a bit upset. However, it seemed that he was willing to ignore it for his sake. Now that she had dealt with that whole fiasco Serafall turned to look at the city. What she saw made her feel disgusted.
The place seemed to be filled with an edge of grime no matter where she turned her head. Here and there were a good number of beggars, their eyes looking up pleadingly for a little bit of charity.
She watched as one boy, probably no more than five or six, was grasping onto a man's pantleg. She could see that he was pleading for something, food or a bit of coin. She was a bit horrified as she watched him get backhanded by the Devil who didn't even look twice at the urchin.
"Kaz, stop the carriage." Serafall said, her voice no louder than a whisper. The air around their carriage dropped a few degrees. Her body was shaking in rage at the sight. How could he just do that? She thought, glaring at the man's back as he casually walked away.
Kazgath looked at the scene, his face blank as he drove on. "I don't think that is wise Lady Serafall."
"W-What?" She asked, stunned at the answer. Her eyes snapped back to her butler, shock clear to see in her face. "What do you mean Kaz? He can't just get away with that!"
"You'll find that he can." He shot back, not taking his eyes off the road as he berated her. "I know that it might be difficult, but we don't have any authority here. Things like this are quite common in places like this. You cannot help everyone that you meet I fear." He added, a sympathetic tone setting in at the end. "So, don't bother with it."
"Kaz." Serafall said, looking crestfallen as she looked back. She saw the boy pick himself up, another urchin helping him to his feet. She watched as they disappeared into an alley, no doubt off to wherever they called home.
However, she could tell that the boy had something in his hands. A small little leather pouch which he clutched close to his chest. Serafall's eyes widened as soon as she realized what had happened.
"Besides," Kazgath continued, giving the Sitri a small grin. "You shouldn't just assume that others need your help milady. You'll find that they are a lot more resourceful than you give them credit for."
Serafall was quiet after that, shaking her head as she cleared the confusion from her face. "I suppose so." She mumbled, still a bit shocked at the revelation.
Kazgath continued ahead, slowly mushing the horses on their way. He looked as if he were in his element, the heiress noted. As if he had been in a similar place before. To be honest, she had never really thought of what Kaz had done before he had served their family.
He had always just been Kaz, the ever-helpful servant. The one that patched her bumps and bruises as a child. The one who would comfort her when Mother and Father were too busy with the demanding needs of their household.
"I think that we should be around the inn that guard was speaking of." Kazgath said, humming as he looked around them. Here and there he had to stop to allow people to cross the street, the lower-class Devils scurrying across as soon as they saw the intimidating driver.
They seemed to be in a residential area of the city. Here and there they could see a few stalls open with their peddlers shouting out the prices for their goods. However, most of the area seemed to be occupied by modest looking hovels. Lastly, a few larger looking buildings were spaced throughout the area. A few names that stood out to Serafall were The Rabid Barrel, The Dead Hag and The Dirty Shield.
However, Kaz didn't give a second glance to any of the other inns. From what she could tell they seemed to be decent enough places. Why could they not settle down for the night there? She was tired from having to be stuck in the carriage for the last past week.
"Kaz, do you know where exactly we're going?" She asked, poking her head out of the carriage. Here and there she could see some of the low-class Devils who no doubt called this city their home. However, as they travelled away from the market there were less and less beggars.
Shouldn't there be more? Serafall thought, a bit perplexed by this. While she could not claim to know how they lived their lives but weren't the back alleys and shadier parts of town supposed to be where they gathered? It didn't make any sense.
"Of course I do my lady." Kazgath responded, gesturing to the far end of the road. It was hard to make out thanks to the unnatural darkness and the distance didn't help. However, an old weathered looking building could be seen. "That seems to be the only inn in this part of town. Also, it fits the description from what I have gathered."
"How do you think?" The heiress asked, looking confused. "I know that the captain gave you the name but he didn't tell you what it looked like or where it was."
"Maybe to your knowledge Lady Serafall." The butler said, his voice devoid of emotion as he spoke. "However, for those that re familiar with cities like these it was plain to stipulate where he was referring. A name like the Ebony Dagger, it makes you think of something a rogue or thief would carry. Ergo it would fit perfectly in the outskirts. The fact that he stated that they weren't liable to rob us only adds to that notion."
Serafall slowly began to see what Kaz was saying. For someone that was bred into nobility, sheltered her entire life, it made sense why the lingo wouldn't resonate with her. "Then what about the other inns?" She asked, still a bit confused. "Why couldn't we stay at one of the nicer looking inns?"
"Because I am sure that someone would have tried to rob us." Kazgath said, certainty clear in his voice. "There was also the obvious reason why the captain would have said that. While I cannot speak for all the inns, the fact that he had to specify that the Dagger was clear of any past wrongdoings onto their patrons makes it much more appealing than a potential lose of all of our possessions."
"I doubt that it could be as serious as you are saying Kaz." Serafall replied, waving off her butler's concern. She quickly stopped as she saw the stern look that said butler was directing her way. It was the same look when she was a child and she had done something extremely stupid. Her confidence quickly drained at that. "S-Surely no one would try and rob an ambassador, negotiations would break down at that!"
"If it could be traced back to them or if it was even ordered by said family then yes." Kazgath explained, nodding slightly at the idea. "However, you will find that a person's desperation can cause them to perform many dangerous acts. As they say, 'Once you are at the bottom the only way is up.'" He snorted at that, trotting the horses along towards their destination.
Serafall fell silent as she heard the argument. She knew that while people could be and should be good, Kaz had a point. Desperation can do much to a normally good individual. She had seen many such devils give into it and allow their need for sin to override any notions of decency and common sense. She shuddered to think what could have happened to force someone onto such a path of self-destruction.
The two kept silent on their trip, the servant out of his need to keep vigilant as to warn anyone who thought it was a good idea to try their luck with them. The heiress was silent as she pondered on what her servant had told her. She would admit that she did not know what kind of up bring the elderly devil had. However, what it was it had hardened him to the point where even a place like this could not faze him.
The carriage came to a stop as soon as they were close enough. Kazgath stepped off the bench he had been occupying for some time. He stretched a bit as soon as he was off, the slight popping of his old bones sounded good. It was good to finally be able to move though he would not admit it.
The servant stepped forth towards the carriage door, holding it open for the Sitri heiress who stepped out as soon as the door was opened. She looked about the place, nodding slightly to herself as she smiled up at the sign.
It was an old and worn bit of wood, swinging there on the rusty iron pegs that held it up. One could barely make out the emblem as the paint had started to chip off long ago. However, the hand which held a pommel of some sort of weapon, no doubt a dagger, should still be seen. The curvy letters that were etched below the image, however, was clear to see.
The Ebony Dagger was two stories high and it was amazing that it looked so well. At least in comparison to the other buildings nearby. While the inn seemed to have seen better days, one could see that somewhat regular maintenance was done to keep the place looking much better than the surrounding building. The faded looking wood did not have the cracks lining it the building's neighbors did. The steps looked like they were recently dusted, and the lanterns looked like they had not been purchased that long ago. All in all, it was as good as any of the other inns in Serafall's book.
However, it wasn't just the building itself that stood out to her. It was the air around it. While the rest of the city seemed to be drowning in despair and anguish, this inn seemed alive. Merry cries could be heard and if she wasn't mistaken, she could hear the sound of a few drinking songs. Huh, maybe that captain was onto something. She thought, stepping forward towards the building, Kazgath following closely behind.
Serafall pushed open the door, her smiling returning as she saw the inside. There was a roaring fireplace in the corner of the room along with a lantern here and there to help light the main room. Most of the tables seemed to be packed and those that weren't were already occupied by a lone figure. The main bar was simply packed and the man running it seemed to be constantly refilling drinks, be it there or at one of the tables.
She giggled as she watched the man almost trip, only to catch himself at the last moment. He didn't even spill a single drop of ale from any of the mugs he was carrying. The heiress had to admit that she was a bit impress by that.
Seeing as he was the only worker that seemed to be there, the pair approached the bar. Here and there they could see that some of the bar's patrons had taken note of them. They were no doubt wondering why two highly dressed noble looking individuals were visiting such an inn. They no doubt assumed that the upper class did not partake in the same pastimes that they did. And normally, Serafall would have agreed. However, they were on a mission and that took precedence. It had nothing to do with wanting to take part in some of the fun such activities were. No need to upwind or try to break away from the façade of being a noble. No Serie.
"Excuse me sir, could we get some assistance please?" Serafall asked, stuffing herself between two large burly men who were leaning against the bar.
They gave her a quick look, narrowing their eyes. However, they quickly backed away once they noticed Kazgath giving them an even icier look. It was as if he were daring them to say something to his charge so he would have a reason to strike them.
"You'll have to give me a quick second miss." The innkeeper said, bouncing behind customers. "I'll be with you once I am done with this patch alright?"
Serafall nodded at that. She could tell that the man was busy. No doubt he was the only one working currently so it would be hard to simply drop everything at once. She was okay waiting, leaning against the bar as she softly whistled to herself.
It was hardly even a minute before the man was back with her. Now that Serafall had a second to really look at him, she had to note that he looked fairly handsome. His long black haired was hung loose, his dark blue eyes looking her up and down for a quick second, his alabaster white skin noticeably pale even when compared to the other denizens of Nokkzaruz.
"My lady?" The innkeeper asked, bowing his head slightly. "What is it that I can do for you? We have food and drinks if that is what you are after. Unfortunately, it is just me running things so it might take awhile to get around to anything. As you can see," He said, gesturing to the bustling inn. "I am completely swamped."
"That is quite alright." Serafall replied, waving her hands as if to ward off his worries. "My butler and I were actually directed here by one of the guards. He said that the Ebony Dagger was one of the better inns to go to in town." She added, hoping that the compliment would make him feel better about the situation. He was no doubt exhausted from all the work he was doing. It was amazing that only one man could do all this.
However, the innkeeper's smile dropped once she mentioned the guard. He narrowed his eyes for a brief second, the look in them darkening as if the color in them had gone pitch black. However, the look was gone as quickly as it appeared. "I assume that it was Captain Ekrah?" He asked, his voice displaying a bit hostility towards the man.
"I believe that it was." Kazgath said, his eyes scanning over the bartender. No doubt he had also seen the look. "Is there a problem sir? We will still be able to rent a room at your inn?" He asked, his voice brokering no notion of not being able to do so.
"You can still stay here, do not worry about that." The man replied, shrugging at the comment. "I just have a problem with Ekrah, that freeloader thinks that he can simply walk into my bar and order drinks then not pay for them. I set him straight once before and he hasn't forgotten it. I trust that I won't have the same problem, will I?" He asked, eyeing the two with a bit of suspicion. "I don't care if you are nobility or not, everyone pays the same rates. I don't handle out free room and board to anyone, that is a quick way to get robbed in this town."
"Oh, I see." Serafall said, smiling to try and put the man at ease. "He didn't mention that to us." She said, looking up as if to ponder the thought. "We'll pay of course, that seems only fair. How much for a two bedroom for the night?"
The innkeeper looked pleased at her response, his former smile replacing the neutral look he was giving them. "That will be ten silver pieces, that includes the meal and a few drinks. I trust that that will be satisfactory?" He asked, leaning back against the wall as the tension seeped out of his body.
Kazgath nodded at that, stepping forward. He reached a hand into his jacket, withdrawing a small leather pouch. He opened it up, taking out two golden coins which he handed to the innkeeper. "Will that be enough?" He asked, raising an eyebrow to the man.
The innkeeper looked down at the coins, a little surprise showing in his face. "More than enough." He said, reaching behind his desk. He rummaged in there for a few seconds, cursing a bit as he looked for something. He pulled out a small leather journal, opening it up as he presented it to the two. "Write your names down and how long you plan on staying." He explained
"And sorry for forgetting, welcome to the Ebony Dagger. The name is Rowland Moechor, it is a pleasure to meet your acquittance." The man, Rowland, said as he took a small bow. It looked out of place in the small and, some would say, cheap inn. However, Serafall only giggled at the act as she wrote down their names.
"The pleasure is all mine." The heiress said, smiling a bit more brightly as she curtseyed though that was hard to do in her riding clothes. Let it be known that it was hard for a lady to introduce herself when all she wore was a pair of leggings and a nice tunic. "My name is Serafall Sitri," She continued, gesturing towards Kazgath as she spoke. "This is my butler Kazgath. We are honored to stay in such an establishment."
Kazgath nodded at that, giving the barkeep a bow as well. "If it won't be too much trouble Mister Moechor, there are a few questions that we have regarding the city. We are new to the area and need help getting to where we need to go."
"I'm afraid that your questions are going to have to wait." Rowland said, jerking his head in the direction of his customers. A few were looking a bit impatient as they eyed the trio, a few having their mugs raised as if to demand a refill. "As you can see the crowd is getting mighty impatient. And let me assure you that they are not the kind to be kept waiting. I would like my inn to still be standing after tonight after all."
Serafall hummed at that, crossing her arms as she pondered the situation. It looked as if she were pouting a bit to those that didn't know her. Kaz, on the other hand, looked a bit worried at the look his mistress was wearing. It was a look that promised that she was about to do something that she deemed either fun or exciting, to those around her it usually meant something dangerous.
The heiress snapped her fingers as her face grew resolved. "Alright then, how about we help you out with your little problem?" She asked, putting a hand on her waist as she grinned up at Rowland.
"Pardon?" He asked, looking a bit confused. He turned to Kazgath, as if asking for help. The old man only shook his head, already knowing the futility of deny her whatever it was that she had her mind set to. "I don't see what you could do to help."
"Uh huh, well how about we help you out?" She asked, gesturing to the slowly frustrated crowd. "I'm sure that it cannot be too hard to help you with the workload. Let us help and you answer our questions. How does that sound?" She asked, looking quite pleased at the idea.
The innkeeper looked shocked at the proposal. "Lady Sitri, I cannot ask you to-"
"That's not going to do." Serafall said, waving off his concerns. "Lady Sitri is my mother, you can just call me Serafall or Sera if you want." She suggested, quickly taking control of the conversation. "Now, what do you need done? Me and Kaz can easily help you take care of it."
Once again Rowland looked to the elderly devil for help, only to be given the same look.
"I suggest that you simply accept the situation." Kazgath said, stepping forward. "When Lady Serafall sets her mind to something she cannot be detoured. I trust that it should be too hard to help you Mister Moechor, as long as you promise to return the favor that is."
The bartender looked between the two high-class devils, pondering the bizarre situation. He looked to the crowd, some of his patrons shooting him dirty looks only for him to glare back at them. It wasn't his fault that this was happening. He looed back to the two, sighing for a second as he did so.
"I don't think that will be too much to ask." Rowland said, his shoulder drooping as he gave in. "I know that city and her inhabitants very well so I tryst I can answer anything you might want to know. Do either of you know how to cook?" He asked, deciding to simply go along with what was happening.
Serafall nodded, putting a hand on Kazgath's shoulder. "Yep, Kaz knows how to whip up any dish you can think of. Just tell him what you want and he'll take care of it." She exclaimed, the butler nodding at the praise.
"Alright, I'm running a bit low on meat pies so if you could jump in the kitchen and help Rizamor then I would appreciate that." He replied, pointing to the door behind him. "Just tell him the situation and he'll direct you from there."
"That should be easy enough." Kazgath said, stepping past the bar and into the kitchen. He seemed sure of himself which put Rowland a bit at ease.
The barkeeper looked to the heiress, still a little shocked. He eyed her up and down again, the act normally something that would have made Serafall a bit more insecure. However, she didn't detect any malicious or deviant thoughts in the man's face. It was as if he simply didn't know what to make of the situation and went along with it for the hell of it. She could appreciate that.
"Do you think that you could set out orders for people?" Rowland asked, his hands already starting to fill up glasses. "If you want to help then that will be the best way." He said, a little doubt in his voice. He probably thought that a high-class devil would be too proud to serve food in an inn.
Normally, he would be right. However, she was Serafall Sitri and she never allowed any expectations to keep her from what she decided to do.
"Heh, I think I can do that." Serafall said, rolling up her sleeves as she stepped behind the bar. She smiled as she slipped on a nearby apron, pulling her hair back as she picked up a mug and set off. She would never admit it, but that man Rowland has sparked her interest.
She didn't know why but there just seemed to be this air around him. While it felt dark and foreboding when she felt it, it also felt a bit sad. Like he was someone that was used to having to deal with things on his own and just went from there. Even the way that he had responded to her request was taken with the same level of apathy.
Well, I'll just have to show him that not everyone is completely without heart. She thought, smiling as she set off to work. This war had caused enough damage to the people of the Underworld. If she could help even one of them then she would consider it a worth while endeavor.
Little did she know at the time, but that one exchange would bring those two together for a lifetime. Looking back she would giggle at the memory, warmed by how changed Rowland had become over the years.
Yes, this would be remembered as the first encounter between the Leviathan of Sitri and the Vengeful Specter of Eligos.
END
Now, I know what you all are thinking. This situation seems totally illogical. And you are completely correct in thinking that. However, you would also be forgetting one important thing:
Serafall does not live by anyone's expectations. She does what she wants and damn the consequences. This woman literally running around in a magical girl costume and acts like the anathema of what a 'proper' Devil King should. So I don't find it particularly shocking she would go 'Huh, this guy needs help. I feel a bit drawn to him for some reason, I think I want to stick around and see what his deal is!' Can anyone say that they are truly shocked by that being her mind process?
Now, onto my footnote for the chapter. I love these things and I will not stop writing them. As always, I will recommend that you read them as I do drop hints in them.
Kazgath: The name Kazgath Falthaom is one which causes the enemies of the Underworld to feel a shiver down their spines. Known as the "Ultimate Pawn", Kazgath has been able to make a name for himself over the years as a trusted servant of Lady Leviathan. The only member of her peerage to have known her before meeting Lord Rowland, he is the only one among their ranks to both denounce the Night Scourge as well as to compliment the man. As he stated before "While Mister Moechor was a good man, I think believe he was very misled in his actions. Though I think a good part of this can be put upon his environment growing up, that still does not excuse many of the acts he chose to pursue. However, never let it be said that the man did not have a sense of justice. His however, could easily be led to simple insanity had we not crossed paths when he did. Indeed, I believe that Lady Serafall was the only one that was able to get through to the man. Had she not then I believe that his fate would have been to rot in some ditch as just another unfortunate soul. And I believe that would have been a true waste of his potential."