After the name was brought forth the guards barred their path no longer, instead, they were escorted inside the city, anyone who was Aminta's guest needed their due respect

And if they were lying, well, that's also why there were so many escorts

Going beyond the gates and quickly into the large building the group moved unhindered, not because of the guards though but because there wasn't a soul in sight

Empty large streets made of wood, blooming flowers of all colours acting as light, and plenty of houses and shops that made one feel as of they were outside and not inside a building

"This is amazing... but is there no one living here?"

"On the contrary, the place is overfilled, but the nocturnal sentient creatures are the minority here, since most of the residents are asleep no one would wander around night aimlessly either"

Ellis nodded at YuJu's explanation and continued to marvel at the astounding interior of this massive infrastructure

The trip was longer than Ellis thought, they walked in a very ordinary speed that, to her who could go like the wind, was agonizingly slow, coupled with the fact that they had to go all the way to the third floor walking made the trip last an entire thirty minutes, a pretty unnecessary waste of time

It was only her who thought that way though as everyone else knew this time was needed to prepare for their arrival, after all vampires weren't a friendly race if things went south only adequate preparations could save them from these possibly devious two

"We are here esteemed guests, may I know who's arrival I am informing the commander of?"

The leading owl who was now escorting them said

"Tell her the red guards finished their mission, retrieving the wings she requested"

The owl nodded and flew inside the spiked building that stood before them, one that looked like a small fortress rather than a guest house, blocking the way further up to the fourth floor

The escorts got prepared to walk the two inside and surround them in the process, they knew who was about to greet them wasn't Aminta, that would be utterly ridiculous, instead it was one of her commanders, Latvia, who was going to spearhead this 'welcoming'

Sure enough the owl came back pretty quickly but with a panicked face once again, just like the first time when YuJu mentioned the dreaded woman's name

"Dear guests, I am sorry for the delay, I shall now escort you to the fifth floor where she resides"

The owl's words made the other guards startled, what was going on here? Were these two really guests of Aminta? That could be the only case else why would she invite them straight ahead to her own residence

YuJu merely gave a nod and followed without showing any of the relief nor surprise they expected, as for Ellis, she was wearing her usual expressionless look, whatever they were saying she did not understand and wouldn't be bothered with

The group thus walked up to the fourth floor at the same pace arriving in front a large flower

Large would be an understatement in normal times but with the massive proportions of everything here this flower which was three floors high was merely so-so

But what it lacked in size it made up with elegance, the rose-like flower had fiery glowing petals giving off a dangerous aroma with thorns sticking out of it acting as gates, the petals made a natural entrance into the interior naturally, as if it was born to be a building

The owl stopped here and flew back to join the now retreating guards while new creature emerged to great them

Just like the treant the one that was welcoming them was also of the treant variant, except it looked more like a burnt black tree than a living on, the only other colour in this charred being was the white beard like a trail of vines going down from the carved face

"Guests from afar, please follow me"

The tree invited politely, not like the two beasts hiding amid the shadows of their path of retreat, their presence was noticed even by Ellis who sent them a glare

"Lead the way Verbrand"

YuJu replied to which the treent paused for a second before walking in with them in tow, his expression unchanging as it was merely a face carved on dead wood

Crossing the entrance and going into a conference room YuJu's eyes darted toward the figure on the far side of the room, standing there among her generals and guards looking at him warily

"..."

The room then descended into silence, everyone was expecting him to introduce himself but he just stared at her for the longest time, as if dazzled by her appearance

While it was indeed truly beautiful, for her looks were that of a human wearing a gown of flowers, red blossoming eyes and sharply pointed ears with a small twist, her velvet skin went well with the scarlet hair and those ruby tattoos covering her body making her figure indeed a stunning one, but he wasn't spacing out for that, it was the longing he had to see her once again that brought his mind to a halt

The atmosphere soon turned heavy though as everyone vigilantly looked at him, guessing at his weird action and causing him to snap out of his daze with their heavy leaking energy

Giving out a cough he started his delayed introduction

"Long time no see Aminta"

Or so they thought but he merely greeted the rosy woman rather intimately

"And who might you be nightling? I recall not meeting a single one of your kind"

While she wanted to actually ask about her red guards more than her interest in his identity she still couldn't bring herself to, his way of looking and speaking to her bothered her with how familiar he sounded when she knew nothing of him

"You have indeed not met my kind before, but I'm not what you think"

He said removing the cloth covering his green eyes, this caused his round ears to also be exposed

"??"

Everyone in the room did a double-take, his body figure and characteristic fit everything a vampire was yet he actually wasn't? Furthermore, they never heard of an anthropoid figure with ape-like ears

Their questioning eyes turned to Ellis and noticed her removing the cloth on her fangless mouth, as for the ears under her hair they guessed must be the same as the man before them

"Just who are you? DId my red guards send you with a message?"

Now much less vigilant against him who wasn't of the wretched race she questioned full of worry, only her red guards knew of the mission's details, if the mission was known to an outsider and they couldn't even come here to tell her themselves then there must have been something wrong that happened

"Not quite, perhaps this should be a clue to my identity"

As he said so an outline of two intertwining barbed petals housing a strange flower formed on his forehead

Aminta instantly flinched upon seeing it, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the rest causing them to instantly spring into action

Two of the general moved in sync, both rushing at YuJu while three guards aimed thor arrows at him, two shadows, on the other hand, moved to slash at the confused Ellis

She wasn't the only one in her feelings this time though as the attackers were also wondering why no one else has moved to capture or kill the man

"Stop!!"

The energy-filled shout caused them to hastily stop their attacks and turn to look at her in wonder

Aminta, as well as the rest of her general, were still standing in their place, everyone had a different expression on their face but other than the dead serious Aminta everyone else looked much more relaxed, forget capturing, some of them even looked like they wanted to have a friendly chat with YuJu

"All of you out"

Aminta ordered, and most of them followed without question

"Now!"

She added making the hesitant ones also follow suit

The atmosphere was weird but not bad, even Verbran was silently cackling to himself while existing

"You wait outside too Ellis"

YuJu asked of her, handing her the cage

Seconds later the conference room was cleared lest for the two of them who were staring at each other

Just like when he entered though she also stood there silently, her expression seizure and her eyes betraying a turmoiled mind, even so she still looked very composed

'As resilient as ever'

He thought praisingly, this was indeed the ever adaptable Aminta he knew

"Who, just who in the world are you"

He heard her ask, it really was the only thing she could think of

"My name, is YuJu, as to what I am to you, that should be something your more aware of than anyone else"

His answer was dissatisfying but she didn't lash out, getting angry would not solve anything, if he wanted to play at being mysterious she didn't mind indulging him a little

"Indeed I know, but that is exactly why I need to understand who you really are, for if I don't know you how are you what you claim to be?"

"You will have to take my word for it?"

"Impossible"

"Then you can only place your trust in the bond that is impossible to replicate"

"...."

The debate wasn't going anywhere with his rebounding answers, still she needed to know what was going on and he needed her to trust him once again without having to explain his circumstances

"FIne, I trust the bond, but that does not mean I can help you without at least knowing anything therefor you need to give me a clue"

"Hmm, let's just say I'm the ace up your sleeve, why you can't recall me or why I appeared now is not important, what you need to know is that I am here to help us get what we always wanted"

'And repay the debt I owe you'

He completed in his mind

The conversation came to a halt here, perhaps it would seem like nonsense to anyone else but they couldn't be more certain of what was happening

"I see you have tricky circumstances, I understand, though I cannot support you as I really should with how everything remains unclear I will at least do my best to help you within 'normal range'"

"That would be enough for now"

She nodded to him and called for the guards outside to escort him to a gust residence and provide him and his follower whatever they needed while she headed alone into her office to ponder what to do with the situation at hand