The conversation was tame during dinner and the clean-up of the meal. The so-called noble was dodging their questions with practiced ease that only served to make her more curious and wary in equal measure.

Fion revealed that they would soon be deep in the Gausi Plains which served as some of the fertile farmlands and grazing lands for Votara. There were some signs of recent conflict as he drove Skully into the plain. The road there was lined by fallen trees as well as burned-out homes where a battle had happened recently, or so he claimed. They also passed several abandoned farms that were completely overgrown with weeds now that all of the farmers were gone. He said that many people who lived near these areas were being forced out due to fear of attacks and desperation.

Serena felt bad for them because they were just trying to live normal lives while others were killing each other off like animals fighting for territory or for some whim.

It reminded her too much of her kindred and sickened her.

She had been worried about if they would be protected for the night as she settled down to sleep. That was soon joined by exasperation at the reveal of a new screen.

You have discovered the Gausi Plains. This large expanse of fertile grasslands and soil served to provide rich farmlands and grazing lands to ranches. Much of the food that is sourced in the country comes from here. It's not uncommon for criminals or monsters to roam through the plains in search of prey as well as raiding small settlements or villages when their numbers are high enough. There are several farms and villages in various stages of abandonment that may offer shelter or supplies. There has been some recent conflict between two different groups. While it appears that most people have left, some people remain within these areas, either in hiding or unwilling to leave behind their homes or property, but this can't last forever. There have been whispers that some of the remaining noble families have been plotting and arming themselves, though for what is unknown.

If things have gotten to this state, then Serena had only a few thoughts on that. If they were that desperate, they might attack the crown and capital directly. She hoped they would talk things out or send an emissary first to discuss terms, but she doubted they would go through the motions.

If they were smart, they would poison and sabotage the capital in a long-term plan. Tainting food shipments or the water supply was a common way, but depending on how advanced or specialized people could be with classes and knowledge, they could do airborne afflictions.

Hell, tossing the disease-ridden corpses into Mythras would be effective. Wait a while then charge and slaughter whoever was still breathing as needed.

No, they would likely be charging blindly to try their luck against Mythras given the conflicts in this otherwise peaceful area.

This is going to be another headache.

With that wonderful thought, Serena slipped into sleep and soon met with something even more unsettling than ending up at a siege.

Serena had fully expected to appear in the shadowy library where she had encountered the equally shadow-covered figure of Ravana. She certainly didn't expect to wind up in an abandoned city. It looked like it hadn't been lived in for years. The buildings were mostly made of wood or stone but were built by many different cultures over time. They were also very tall for such an old place. Several large towers had fallen now or were leaning dangerously towards each other. Most structures were broken or missing doors or windows entirely.

She walked through what appeared to be a central plaza surrounded by shops, houses, and small temples before heading deeper into the city.

The further she went, the worse things seemed until finally, she came across a building that was completely collapsed, though it wasn't so much a single structure as multiply connected ones that all fell together.

There was no sign that anyone was left here except for her, and there was nothing alive anywhere else within sight.

The key word would have been alive.

In the darkness, she saw hands reaching out as if trying to escape from something, and her mind went back to the fall of the Hidden City. What had been three million souls lost to the shadows, but that would have been for the higher castes at least. If she had included non-human lineages and descent, slaves, lower castes, dustlings, or short-lived species among many others in her observation, the death toll and amount of points she had for the Heart of Darkness would have been much higher.

Ravana had been scammed hard, likely by her brother, as alarming as that was to consider. That would mean that Veles had done this purposefully for some reason, but he also didn't indirectly wipe out everything.

She didn't know whether to be complimented or scold him. There would be time to decide what to say and do by the time she found him again.

Serena refused to believe that she might never see him again.

Still, the city's design reminded her of the Hidden City as well. Perhaps it was a dark distortion of what could have happened?

In truth, Serena wasn't sure where she was pulled to when she communed with Ravana. It seemed someplace outside of time and space in a way, and as she was about to look up at the sky in hopes of answers the scenery changed.

In a swift motion that disoriented her for a moment, either she appeared elsewhere or the world did. It likely didn't matter as she stood before Ravana once more. The shadowy menace had his back next to her, his cowl-covered head reading a floating book that we're one of several. Every few moments the page would flip, or flip back as if he needed to check on something.

The area she had appeared in was a quiet reading nook surrounded by bookshelves filled with leather-bound volumes that reached all around them. There had been two comfortable chairs set out facing each other across from a small table with a lamp between both of their seats. A fire crackled away somewhere out of sight while they sat there together in silence.

"You're late," he said without looking up from whatever it was he was studying. "I was starting to wonder whether you'd have the guts to ever come."

"I would not run away from this, not when there is so much to potentially gain." She replied calmly but firmly, though she felt anything but calm inside.

Ravana turned his head towards her slightly. "I do not know whether you are brave or stupid."

She decided to let that insult slide. "Judging from your condition, you are in a terrible state. I assume you are some kind of spiritual being at present?"

He looked at her for the first time since she arrived. "And if I am?"

"How many points from the Heart of Darkness would it take to allow you to have some kind of appearance?" Serena smiled softly, trying to tone down the blow. "It is hard to focus on you when there is nothing but a mass of shadows to notice. This way at least in this place you would have a more tangible form."

It was hard to tell if he was looking at her, but judging by the tone he seemed aghast. "The Heart of Darkness does not naturally work in the manner of these points. It goes against-"

"Yes, I thought as much," Serena said, cutting him off. "Unfortunately, there are times we must play by the rules of this world. We must if we want to know how to bend them to our will. If we are still together in the chance I leave this world, I would ask for the proper way explanation for all things regarding the Heart of Darkness. For now, however, I would like to help you."

"Why?" Ravana asked sharply and without any hint of sadism, cruelty, or sarcasm that she had grown accustomed to from him.

She shrugged lightly, trying not to appear too eager or desperate. "Because we will be together for the foreseeable future and I would like to form a good work relationship if nothing else."

Ravana looked at her once more before turning back towards where he was staring at a page in his book with intense concentration. He didn't say anything more after that but she knew he was listening intently. She waited patiently until he finished reading whatever it was he was studying. When he finally turned around again, he looked at her as if he were considering something very carefully. "As I have more knowledge and experience when it comes to the Heart of Darkness, it would be best for me to handle wielding it. At least for now. Acquiring assets that are suitable to learn from is hard enough, but if you carelessly meddled with engraving something upon your mind and soul, then you could suffer a far worse fate than those who fall prey to this technique of ours. As we are currently connected with mind and soul, what befalls you or me echos on to the other."

"I understand," Serena replied calmly though inside she felt rather shaken by this revelation. It made sense why Ravana was so guarded, however. The potential for Heart of Darkness was immense in every sense of the word and at least twice as dangerous to them and the world.

He nodded slowly. "Very well. I will now use some of the gathered energy to reform an appearance since you seem to be lingering on that so much."

She watched as he began moving his hands over his body as he chanted softly. She had no idea how he was doing it but it seemed as if he was transforming himself into something else entirely. She blinked several times before realizing he wasn't just changing his shape but he also changed form completely. As he began to take form, the shadows that had made up his initial form clung to his body before changing to form clothing.

He also seemed to react strangely to these changes. Ecstatic laughter escaped from Ravana whose physical appearance was slowly revealed to her. It sounded like when he was excited to see carnage and chaos, revealing the depths of his depravity and madness for a moment even while remaining in control of his actions and demeanor. He didn't do anything more than laugh though, which surprised Serena somewhat because she would have expected him to try to cause some sort of mayhem by now.

His skin acquires a nearly translucent quality, or it could be fairer to call it ghost. Hands that ended in black fingernails that were more like claws ran through his chest-length white hair with an almost unnatural longing and eagerness. His hair was at best considered wild or untamed and at worst uncombed, but it seemed to fit him. His ears were pointed but upright, reminding her of a bat. Many beings and species had this type of ear, but with his handsome but monstrous countenance, he looked like a demon lord or something worse. Pale blue eyes stared at her in awe and the flame of madness brightened the light hue. Flashes of elongated fangs and sharp teeth peeked out of his grin that was downright childlike in its wonder.

"Well," he said finally after several long moments as if savoring each word as if they tasted good on his tongue. "I never thought I would have been able to take on any mortal guise again. I suppose that I owe you my gratitude, Serena." The sound of his voice seemed somehow deeper and richer than it had been before. It also seemed much less human-sounding but not entirely inhuman either. It was hard to put into words exactly what it was about this new form of Ravana's that made him seem so alien yet at the same time mortal. "As a sign of my gratitude, I will tell you more about the Heart of Darkness."

Serena's smile brightened at the promise to tell her more information. She always was curious and tended to hoard knowledge like others might hoard wealth, so this opportunity to acquire insight into something they both allegedly shared was all-consuming to her.