(Selma Helland)

The emperor leaned back into his chair as Vlad’s story came to a close. This time it hadn’t been just a dry run down of events leading to his betrayal at the hands of his party. No. This time it was him telling it with hindsight and the knowledge he possessed about the deeper meanings behind the events he went through.

Like how gods summoning their heralds for the first time have the authority to read the heralds mind with impunity for that first meeting only. Of how Aona had used the opportunity after summoning and fixing whatever had caused his emotions to be muted to a sense among other things and then used his new found emotions to plant the seeds of affection towards her for over a week.

Using the pretence of allowing him to get used to his body as well as tell him a bit of the world he was going to go to and some of the people he’d meet so he wouldn’t feel like he couldn’t trust anyone were he was going to.

How she’d kissed him right as he was transported to allow thoughts of something more than affection to bloom in him and how she continued to manipulate him into loving her willingly. Then he told of the horrors he’d gone through in the war. Of how he’d lost his arm and the subsequent result of an infection in the wound, he described it in such a manner that it was easy to see he went through the experience. How when a summoned demon had ripped open his stomach and he’d lost about half a meter of his smaller intestines as a result pointing out that by then convenient magical healers had been brought in on the front due to the losses and injuries they were suffering at the time.

The war he’d gone through had been one of brutal attrition with battles happening nearly two times a week at the shortest to every month at the lowest point of the war. When the lull was at it’s lowest the party had taken it upon themselves to go to former battlefields to end naturally forming undead as well as a dungeon or two to continue their growth.

By the end Selma had a much different view of the world she found herself in. Looking over to Nakizh she saw she was tightly gripping her knees while her face was one of horror.

It was then that Vlad stood up, Selma noted the slight shift of Theodore to make it easier for him to move if Vlad tried something. “Emperor Augustus Alocia, this world is hostile towards those from my original world. In more ways than one.” He said with a very firm tone of voice as he gestured towards Selma. “This girl upon your order was ripped from her friends, family and her way of life. Thrust into a world were she couldn’t even communicate with those that had kidnapped her.”

Selma noted the tightening jaw of both the emperor and Nafir, both men had their brows slightly furrow as well. “That is minor however considering what happened to Miss Nakizh Goldgnaw or would you I rather call you Miss Skyla Scott now that his magic has worn off?” Vlad continued as he gestured towards Nakizh or was it Skyla now? She saw the girl look up at him with a fearful expression.

“What are you talking about?” Prince Aldren cut in looking confused but his chivalrous nature showed through as he came to Nakizh’s defence.

“Thesimus is a great example of how the deities you worship are the biggest source of harm to those from my world. He kidnapped her much like you did to Miss Helland however he also cast a spell to force her to fall in love with him and follow his orders. Now that she is free of him the effects are coming undone.” Vlad said and he looked sympathetically towards her.

“That bastard.” Theodore, Aldren, Nafir and even Leonardo swore, most likely as they could see it for the reprehensible act it was but couldn’t hold in their reaction much.

“But if that is the case why is she now free of him?” Leonardo asked after exchanging a look with Quinn. Selma ever so slightly narrowed her eyes at that and decided to try and watch the two out of the comer of her eye. Vlad’s tale had made her plenty paranoid over the motivations and schemes of the people around her.

“Because I told him to.” Vlad said simply with a slight quirk of his lips.

Leonardo looked highly skeptical as did the rest but Nakizh looked at him with a fervent hope in her eyes Selma found a bit scary. “What?” Nafir finally voiced the question. “I was there and I don’t understand it either, why did a god back down from you?”

A predatory smile came upon Vlad’s lips and Selma felt like she was a deer stuck in a cave with a tiger or wolf deciding if she could live or be prey. “Simple really.” He said as he moved to sit down again in the centre of his sofa. “One, Thesimus is many things but a fighter he isn’t, further more he’s quite cowardly as he relies more on trickery and words than actual power far more than the other gods. He knew that my threat to him wasn’t enough but there is one difference between the gods and us poor mortals.” He said and his smile widened a little.

“Gods see mana if it’s shaped by anyone around them, like so.” Vlad said and raised his hand and script began to write itself in a pale blue colour in the air above his hand. “Right now I’m also using mana materialization to allow you to see it but a god would see it without any effort after all, beings so saturated in mana are rather sensitive about it and other powers we poor mortals wield.” It was at that time that the writing script had finished and Selma swallowed at what was written.

“If you think I can just touch you and that is it then how about I get the Nashtisian council involved? I’m sure they have enough grief saved up from your interference or trickery on their part that they’d more than happily make you miserable on my behalf as a simple excuse.”

Selma could now see what might spook a solitary god not powerful on his own to fight another if a council of them would be after him. However, she couldn’t really understand what the Nashtisian Council was.

“What is the Nashtisian council?” The emperor broke the silence that had continued on for a few moments after Vlad had finished speaking.

“Hmm yes I wonder?” Vlad said with a predatory smile before he seemed to flinch and look towards one of the windows and looking rather annoyed before he shook his head and looked at the Emperor with a respectful look.

“I am learning at the feet of the council of the dead. My teachers are the Weeping mother, The devourer of the sinful, The master of the Necropolis, The Night Queen and the Defender of the tombs. The gods that followed my ancestor, the Strider in the Void, the god of death. Aona murdered him and has been using his descendants as disposable soldiers to do her dirty work and strengthen the empire she aims to build.”

Vlad stood and now he seemed to loom over them all as he stared down the emperor. “I am the last descendant of the Voidstrider. My whole family has been used as disposable pawns for a fickle bitch claiming to be the goddess of justice and this is the result of what this world has done to me.” He said as a silvery image began to super impose upon his body.

Selma stared in awe for a moment before she wanted to throw up. The image depicted a man on the average side transitioning into how Vlad looked now. A hole in the centre of his chest were rot was setting in as well as a part of his right side was just missing. His left arm was emaciated like that of a mummy just bellow the lower part of his bicep and his throat had an open wound as if sliced open. All over the body were spots of rot and others that looked like the flesh was turning to sand.

“This is my soul.” Vlad said as the people around just stared at him before the image super imposed upon his frame faded back into him. “So you see now with what I mean this world isn’t the most hospitable for those from our original world?” He then said almost haughtily and the emperor swallowed and nodded. Who could argue against his point with his evidence to the contrary even if there was a chance in a million that the three of them were something of an exception among others like them. No one in the room knew any better than what had just been presented.

The emperor looked a bit ashamed now as he looked at Selma and she could see he felt guilty for summoning her. This wasn’t the first time she’d seen it, though usually when he thought she couldn’t see it, but this was the first time it was on such clear display. “I see.” Vlad said and his face softened before he chuckled kind-heartedly. “You're a better man than most. No wonder your three children feel loved.” He said with a smile.

Selma blinked a bit. The emperor and Empress only had two children, Prince Aldren who was in the room and the ten year old Princess Bertille. The emperor and empress cocked their heads to the side at that as they looked at Vlad like he’d just told them the sun was made of cheese.

He just sighed and chuckled as he waved his hand and modern looking sunglasses made of the same pale blue of mana which made Selma kind of curious of just what was the limit of such a thing.

The two looked around a bit and Theodore looked about to jump Vlad when he said with an amused look on his face. “Look at her stomach man.” Theodore stopped at hearing that and both royalty looked down and gasped before looking up at Vlad with nothing but questions on their faces.

Vlad only raised an eyebrow in amusement. “What you think necromancers are all out to get you? Besides seeing the souls of others is a basic trick but it does come in handy if new life is to have a chance as well.” He said shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

Before anyone could act both Emperor Augustus and Theodore had closed in with Vlad with Theodore holding a sword to Vlads throat and Augustus with a knife almost plunged into Vlad’s eye. Vlad didn’t flinch but Selma, Aldren and Nakizh all flinched and drew in sharp breaths.

“That wasn’t a threat Augustus.” Vlad said more calmly than Selma thought him capable of. “If you kill me. I’ll just get angry. Do you really want to deprive your empire of the good Necromancy is capable of?” He said with such assurity that Selma could only swallow in nervous anticipation of seeing Vlad cut down by both men.

“Explain yourself.” Augustus said with a raspy voice, like his mouth had gone dry in his rapid movement.

“Your third child won’t make it to it’s birth, and if it does it’ll be frail and I highly doubt it’ll ever grow to maturity.” Vlad said with a tone of voice as if he was reading out a boring passage out of a book. Before the rage that was palpable from the emperor could go anywhere he continued. “But that is not from anything on my part. What you saw was the child's burgeoning soul where mana and life force come together to form a soul. Your wife’s belly will begin to expand in a week or so if my guess is correct but didn’t you find it odd? How faint it was?” Vlad asked and the emperor backed away a bit and gestured to his eyes.

Vlad simply smiled a little and nodded slowly as the glasses came back onto Augustus's brow and he moved back to his empress and knelt staring at her belly.

“Why is it so faint?” He asked his voice still sounding dry but now there was a choke of emotion in him. Selma had found out from Aldren that his parents wanted many children but even after many tries they’d only had him and his sister and both had been a difficult birth. Many had been stillborn.

“Because fate’s a fickle whore.” Vlad said simply but he nodded again as if in saying he was wrong at the glare Augustus gave him.

“I do not know the true cause but, and this is where necromancy can do some good, I can feed that burgeoning soul, strengthen it to give it more of a chance at life.” Vlad said much softer now like he was half consoling the royal couple as Empress Sabirah had gripped onto Augustus’s shoulder as if seeking support from her husband.

“Necromancy is the vile practice of playing with the dead! What does it have to do with life?! It only seeks to pervert life!” Theodore snarled, Selma was sure now he hated Vlad for his sons death and the logical explanation he’d given didn’t hold up anymore from the man’s grief.

Vlad sighed as he placed a finger to Theodores sword and pushed it away from his throat only being given an extra centimetre from his throat instead of just about touching the skin on his throat. “No, while Necromancy focuses on the manipulation of the dead and spirits yes. It also focuses on life, allowing me to strip off the parts of a soul that usually dissipate before it’s departure and use that energy to my purposes. This energy can be used for many different purposes, such as healing and in the case of the child in the empresses belly, giving the soul the energy it needs before its forming. Most classes have an opposite don’t they?” Vlad said and Theodore took a step back as he looked at Vlad warily.

“Take you and me for example. I am a death knight as well, the natural opposite to your paladin class right?” He asked and Theodore’s jaw clenched as he visibly stopped himself from chopping Vlad’s head right off.

“You might think that a healer oriented class would be the necromancers opposite correct?” He then asked and at most of them nodding he tisked at them a bit. “Wrong because there are two distinctions to necromancers, the white and the black necromancers. A white necromancer is one that carefully safeguards the souls of those that depart and care for their mortal coil. Raising only those they have both gotten permission from as well as their family as their own minion. They can also allow spirits of the recently departed to have one last moment with their family before departure which I think would be well received by those that have loved ones incapable of communicating with them and are dying.”

Selma had to admit that was a rather amazing thing, being able to talk one last time to a loved one that had been in a coma or had been slowly dying of cancer or the like might help heal or comfort people. Vlad wasn’t done however. “They can also gather the natural soul energy in the environment to heal others, capable of seeing if a new life is on the way and I believe with the necessary knowledge they need of biology would make them excellent doctors as well.

The raising of the dead, plagues, curses and damned armies that you usually associate with necromancers is the domain of the black necromancer.” Vlad finished and Theodore still shook a bit as he stared hatefully at Vlad.

“Did you see the scar on my neck?” Vlad suddenly asked Theodore directly as Augustus and Sabirah began to confer between themselves.

Theodore blinked a bit. “On your soul?” He asked still angry but now seeming just a bit confused at the sudden change in conversational direction.

Vlad nodded. “That was when Chernabog, the god and ancient of the deep-woods, cut my throat. I killed your son or rather ordered his death but it was a mercy. Did you want your son to live the rest of his life trapped as a tree in his own mind? Or worse?” He asked and Theodores jaw clenched hard as if he was about to swing his sword before he sighed a little.

“I did bring him back to you didn’t I? I healed all damage done to the body but if you want the one directly responsible for his death… I can call out the specific minion for you to have your justice?”

Theodore looked at Vlad and something passed between them that Selma didn’t understand but then Theodore sheathed his sword and sighed. “In recompense I can see if I can’t help your son break through into the magic knight class.” Vlad then said and Theodore blinked and seemed about to ask how Vlad knew but the man tapped at the side of his face as if pointing at his eye and smiled.

Theodore frowned a bit and then narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. “We’ll see if you can and if his highness decides to spare you.” He said and moved to sit back down. Selma was still amazed that the table between them all hadn’t been shattered or even wobbled throughout the whole ordeal.

“What is it that you want?” Augustus then asked with an air of authority and near command to him as he’d stood back up and stared at Vlad. “What are your terms?” He asked then finally.

Vlad looked at the Emperor for a few long moments, likely weighing his options and trying to read the man before him. “Magistrate Nafir granted me housing and would help me heal my soul if you allowed me to stay here in Alocia. In return I was to teach at your royal magical academy, my mana control is apparently on a level not seen usually here and he wanted it taught. We’ve already gone through a few of the terms I wish for while I teach there and the level of education on mana arts that I’ll not pass on.” He spoke and then leaned a bit forwards peering curiously at Augustus and his wife.

“For simply staying here in your empire without needing to look over my shoulder or have to be very careful with everything I do while furthering both my own and my… well frankly I look at both of them as my adoptive children at this point.” Vlad then said as he shrugged his shoulders and looked a bit helpless at being in that situation.

“In turn I can offer my aid should you need it after I give the treatment that could allow your third to be just that, your third child. I can’t promise that the child will be born healthy and hale or even survive but I can increase it’s chance at life.” He now put his cards on the table for the emperor to understand his point. “Besides, I’m sure I can be of use to Count Beghal and Duke Barwell in their jobs.” He said with a knowing smile.

“H-what?” Quinn asked quizzically, he looked genuinely confused at Vlad but he still held the same look of intense scrutiny he’d had since the beginning of the meeting.

“Count Quinn Beghal, personal servant of Emperor Augustus and spymaster of the Alocian empire.” A gruff voice reminding her of Vincent Price suddenly spoke up and it took her a moment to realize it had been one of Vlad’s Raven’s sitting on the left side of him.

“Duke Leonardo Barwell, master of the roads and in charge of the internal security of the Alocian empire.” A feminine and motherly voice that sounded like it should come from a buxom housewife instead of the raven on Vlad’s right side.

“I have ways to gather information you two don’t.” Vlad said with a smile.

“You’re like Odin.” Nakizh suddenly said, blurting it out into the silence and Vlad smiled at hearing that. His look told Selma that, that had been his aim from the start and she began to suspect that perhaps he was Scandinavian in origin or was simply a fan of Norse culture.

“Why thank you Miss Nakizh.” Vlad said as he bowed his head. “Though I use a scythe and sword, not a spear… and my horse isn’t eightlegged.” He then said as he looked a bit thoughtful. “The eye wasn’t planned either but works, right?” He then said with a smile at the girl who nodded a little shyly if not dully.

Selma hoped that whatever Thesimus had done to the girl would heal with time. She couldn’t even imagine just blinking one day and realizing the relationship with her lover had been just a spell cast on her from the start.

Augustus stared at Vlad for a few moments more before he retrieved an orb and placed it on the table.

Vlad looked at it and smiled before he picked it up and before them was displayed a character sheet. He was displaying his full Character sheet now. She gulped a little at the sheer number of skills he had, despite the fact he was only at a combined level of thirty seven which made Leonardo curious and leaned forwards to ask.

“Why did you come to this meeting if there was a chance you’d die, temporarily granted but your children would also be in danger?” He asked.

Vlad’s expression turned almost to one of a very angry animal about to strike before he restrained himself and with a flick of his hand a facsimile of a mannequins head appeared before him and he placed his finger on the back of the head.

Everyone in the room stiffened as they felt like a finger had been placed at the back of their head right at the same spot Vlad had touched. “I’m rather confident I can make my death a very costly one not to mention would you really want me angry enough to take the time to really plan this empire's demise for such a treatment?” He asked his voice as cold and logical as the grave as he stared Leonardo down enough to make the man adjust himself a little on the couch, to get a little further away from Vlad.

Selma couldn’t blame the man, Vlad wasn’t someone who, when he grew this intense, could easily be threatened especially since death was like a revolving door for him apparently. No one wanted a man that could live longer than yourself, was patient enough to really get his vengeance done and didn’t fear nor could be killed easily as their enemy.

The reaction of the emperor and knight commander who she knew were both well over level two hundred being the same surprised her, she’d thought if someone had a high enough level advantage against you that was it, but apparently her assumption might be wrong.

“I’ll accept but I want to add in my own conditions.” Augustus said before the meeting turned into a negotiation between Vlad and the Emperor. Both negotiating on equal terms instead of one having the upper hand over the other.

In the end for slightly elevated tutelage for the royal family above what he’d provide the academy along with their most elite royal knights and mages, Vlad and his children would be guaranteed protection from the other nobles of the empire. Augustus even threw in two rings to change the Necromancer class name into spirit doctor as they’d decided on calling white necromancers. Vlad’s ring also changed Death knight to shade knight as he was a shadowmancer as well.

Leonardo gave forward another ring that would make others see Vlad’s noble class as a normal one, since some had holy, dark or some element before the noble title for a class if they were nobility and talented in some element of magic or of some other power.

Vlad also would help keep information that the emperor would need to know coming to him in aiding both Quinn and Leonardo for their duties. Vlad was also allowed to create undead that didn’t outwardly appear as such, to name a few living armours, death knights and spectre types that could go invisible were allowed as long as they weren’t turned towards the empire and instead served in it’s defense if asked for.

Then they went over the terms Vlad wanted for his employment in the royal magic academy and Augustus laughed at them. He was smiling ear to ear as he readily accepted and even added a few more ideas into the mix with Nafir and Leonardo both participating animatedly with Theodore sometimes chiming in and even Quinn and Sabirah threw in a comment or two.

Then as it all came to a close Vlad asked if it was possible for him and his family to sleep in the palace as night had fallen as he wanted to do the spell as the royal couple had called it the next day. That was agreed to and Theodore wanted to see what Vlad might offer in pointers to his sons and the other knights during tomorrows training which he readily agreed to.

Selma noted that the look in Theodore’s eyes wasn't that of forgiveness but rather grudging respect for someone that might be equally as experienced as himself. She doubted the two might ever fully come to common ground but perhaps Theodore might decide to leave his son to rest but she doubted he’d ever forgive Vlad for what he’d done.

An hour later Selma was walking with Nakizh down a corridor towards where Vlad was staying. His daughter and the princess had really hit it off somehow and were having a sleep over while Morice had retired to his quarters after perusing the royal library for a book or two after getting permission from Nafir.

The girls were a bit nervous, both knew that Vlad was rather unhinged but he did show he made the effort of keeping himself in check somehow. Nakizh had stayed close to Selma since the meeting and the two had decided to go visit the only other and much more experienced reincarnator they knew of for advice.

Thankfully after the two girls had been allowed to be alone for half an hour Selma had seen how relieved Nakizh had been when she said that she and Thesimus hadn’t gone farther than making out.

Knocking on the door they waited for an answer but none came and the two looked at one another. Raising an eyebrow the two knocked again and this time without an answer they opened the door slowly to reveal the apartment sized suite Vlad had been given to rest in.

Small crystals were placed in the ceiling whose light could be set at will but to her surprise the colour which usually was some sort of yellow was now a vibrant colour scape that made her feel like she was underwater as they entered the room.

The luxurious aparment had a huge central area which lead on to another chamber which would serve as the bedroom with the bath opposite, both without any doors instead semi see-through curtains hung over the opening of each. Both closed the door behind themselves and walked a bit farther inside, seeing the small dip in the floor in the centre of the central chamber making a slightly lowered seating space or in this case a huge place to simply lay down and laze around on as it looked like a huge sofa.

Both looked over to the balcony that connected to the apartment and saw Vlad sitting on the railing in one corner holding a long thin glowing object in his hand. As they got closer they heard him talking lowly and other voices were responding to him.

As they got to the large glass wall that looked out onto the balcony they saw he was dressed in a simple bathrobe type garment and holding a glowing pipe reminiscent of those asian type pipes she’d sometimes see in the movies.

It was just about slightly longer than Vlad’s forearm and was a thin cylinder with a mouth piece on one end and on the other a small bowl and she suspected a hole at the other end since Vlad held a finger to the end. A hunch proving right as Vlad took a drag and released his finger to take in oxygen along with the smoke he’d forced into the pipe.

He was talking to his Ravens who were standing on the balcony railing in front of him. They seemed slightly bigger to Selma, more regal somehow. She noted the glint of three crystals poking out a little on their chests. When the two entered and the ravens trurned to look at them along their master she saw their colours. From left to right it was obsidian that somehow managed to be blacker than the raven’s feathers, then a slightly deep purple with the final one being a dim light blue, something she wasn’t sure was supposed to be possible.

“A-are we interrupting?” Selma asked a little nervous now that she saw the eyes on her.

“Hmm not really?” The male Raven said and shrugged. She’d thought it was a ventriloquist trick when he’d talked in the meeting but now she was rather certain the raven could just talk.

“Oh? Your masters orders mean that little hmm?” Vlad asked with an amused smirk as he looked at the Raven who spoke. “Anyway go on fly off and try out the changes I’ve made to the two of you. And Dust.” Vlad commanded and right before the male raven took flight he addressed him, so he was named dust huh?

“Do something nice for Ashes, eh?” Vlad teased and the raven snorted at his master before flying off.

“Ashes and Dust… kinda morbid right?” Selma half mumbled out loud and thinned her lips in panic when she realized she’d spoken aloud.

“Well I’m pretty much morbid incarnate given my classes if you ask anyone wholesome.” Vlad replied making air quotes at wholesome. He then softened his expression and gestured for the girls to take the seats near him. Making Selma wonder why he chose to sit on the balcony railing with such a quantity of seats available.

Selma noted when they had taken seats just a few steps from Vlad that his long black hair that had just lain straight down was still damp as a few droplets were still in it. Had he just finished getting a bath? Wasn’t he cold? The nights so close to the desert could get downright frigid at times.

A soft breeze blew and she held in a shiver at oddly cold breeze, making her think of the cold mountain winds that sometimes blew in rare breezes in the middle of Sumer in Switzerland. Vlad closed his eye and looked to enjoy it.

“It’s kinda funny but I used to be such a… I guess the literal translation would be cold coward when I was still human. Now I miss it, that refreshing iciness that a nice cool breeze can bring.” Vlad said and it took Selma a moment to realize he’d spoken in English, a language all three of them could speak without having to fear of being overheard even if they were being spied on.

“Th-thank you… For freeing me… Vlad.” Nekizh said as she mustered up the courage to say what she’d come to say.

“No need to thank me Nakizh.” Vlad said but both him and Selma noted the slight cringing that she did at hearing that name. “I take it that Thesimus volunteered that name?” Vlad asked and at her nod he continued. “Then why not use your original name?”

She scoffed a little. “Skyla? Who’d take me seriously? No one back home did.” She said a little sadly but with plenty of a grumble too.

“Hmm so new you needs a new name...” Vlad said as he placed one finger to his chin before he took another drag of his pipe and blew the smoke out his nose. “Hmm might I suggest Pamella? As you are a Satyr and the most famous of them back home was named Pam, I think at least.” He said and Selma had to admit it was a good sort of on the nose type of name.

Nakizh shook her head. “No I think I’d rather be...” She paused as she thought some more. Selma on the other hand began to get a bit curious as the scent of what Vlad was smoking was oddly familiar. She had noted that Vlad had asked for a specific herb to serve as his tobacco which had made Nafir thoughtful after giving Vlad a small pack of it.

The scent was earthy and slightly thick yet also had a minty sort of tang to it. Selma was brought out of it when Nakizh finally spoke again. “Freya. Yeah I think I like Freya as my new name.” Freya said and Selma had to admit she liked the joy the girl had on her face, instead of the sad or near self loathing look she’d had been having over the day.

“Hmm Freya… I like it perhaps I might suggest Welcer as a last name?” Vlad then said pointing at the golden brown colour of Freyas hair and fur as well as to the fact she had the class of dancer. It had taken her a minute to realize the name was a mix of wealth and dancer but Freya had to have it explained to her as she wasn’t making the connection.

“Yeah… Yeah I like it Freya Welcer.” She said and smiled a bit genuinely for the first time. Then she sniffed the air and looked questioningly at Vlad. “Is that weed?” At the mention of it Selma realized what that familiar scent was. Her room-mate in collage had been a bit of a smoker so she knew the smell, she’d never mustered the courage to ask her to let her try a bit as she’d wondered about it but she never had.

“Yeah, can you image the people here don’t smoke it.” Vlad said with a playful smile. “Instead they add a bit of water and tiny mana crystals they crush into paste and apply to their gums. It’s like turning an apple into cocaine.” Vlad continued with the face of someone having given up on trying to do something. Like how some people got when arguing with someone that they realized wouldn’t listen to what they had to say so why continue banging their head against a wall.

“I added a bit of a medicinal tobacco to the mix but I’m surprised you realized the scent.” Vlad finished and he looked at Freya with a knowing but highly amused expression.

Freya blushed a bit under the amused scrutiny and then spoke. “I used to have a joint every so often back home.” She admitted before she eyed the pipe. “What is the pipe made out of though?” She then asked, a question Selma had been curious if she was right about the answer.

“Mana, This is about the extend of which I’ll teach to the royal family. Able to make objects that can serve such a mundane purpose will be the extent I’ll teach. I won’t teach them how to do this though.” He said as he noted that the tobacco and weed combination in the bowl had went out. A small ball of blue fire appeared above his raised index finger and he used it to light the plants up again and took a few puffs and relaxed back into the balcony wall he used as a backrest on the railing.

“So you can add effects to mana too?” Selma asked thinking she figured it out.

Vlad simply gave her a smile and a finger gun gesture. Freya smirked a little as she looked at Vlad. “Hey isn’t the rule puff, puff, pass?” She asked with a slightly more confident manner. Vlad looked at her and snickered before he stood up and handed the pipe over as he took a seat near the two girls.

“Sneaky little thief.” Vlad said as he leaned back into his chair as they now were in a sort of circle around one another as they sat with a small table between them. Vlad took out a few cups and placed them down before pulling out a waterskin and pouring them water to drink before putting the waterskin back into what Selma thought was the ether again.

“You want some too?” Vlad asked with a question and Selma smiled a little nervously.

“Never had any really.” She admitted.

“It isn’t for everyone, I can put it out if you feel uncomfortable.” Vlad said as he looked over to take the pipe back as Freya let out a long exhale of smoke straight up into the air.

“N-No.. I’d like to try it but I never got the chance to. Didn’t really have people around me I could trust to do it with me, you know?” Selma said, scratching a bit at the back of her head out of nervousness.

Vlad looked at her and then smiled kindly as he offered her the pipe. “We’ll take care of you. We, earthlings got to stick together right?” He said with a roguish smirk on his lips and then raised and lowered his eyebrows in a suggestive way.

Selma looked at him with narrowed eyes but took the offered pipe none the less. After Vlad showed her how to she took a small initial drag. She’d suspected she’d start coughing right away but that didn’t happen until the fourth small drag she took.

“Hey easy, easy. Here have some water.” Vlad said as the pipe was taken away from her hand and a cup of water was put in it’s place. “Just relax and don’t try to take in more than you are comfortable with.” He said almost in a scolding manner.

They got comfortable and chatted, the girls asking him for advice on a few of their concerns in this new world and he gave a few tips on how they might find out more information without being noticed. It was a night spent in companionable company between the three.

Selma decided to tease Freya on her crush on Vlads apprentice and Vlad had joined in a little but his was much more curious and even encouraging teasing. In the end both girls had grown tired and left, Selma a little unsteady on her legs as the effects of the weed still affected her but they made it into her suite and both women fell asleep in her bed.

Selma had one of her more restful sleeps since coming to this new world. Mostly due to the fears Vlad had told them not to worry about and the fact someone in a similar situation was sleeping next to her. She took comfort from that and when she woke up she found that she and Freya had somehow become entangled in their sleep but instead of flinching away Selma simply conked out right away again. It was a type of safe warmth she’d missed since coming to the world.

The gnawing worries and anxieties somehow lesser now than before.

Vlads visit to the palace ended around mid day after he’d joined the knights in their training and performed the spell for Empress Sabirah’s unborn child. She’d worried a bit when Vlad, Quinn, Theodore, Nafir and Augustus had a closed door meeting between themselves about something but then he left with Nafir escorting him to his new temporary manor in the city. When he left Freya stayed for a few days more before she left as well.

Selma felt she needed strength for herself. She needed to level up so that it wasn’t easy to just use her like Vlad had been. In the end she convinced the emperor to allow her to come under Vlad’s tutelage as well and began to commute to his manor every other day with Aldren and Theodore’s sons, Alexander and Andrew after the later had heard how skilled Vlad was in magic. Both young men however showed they weren't all that thrilled about it.