Ziara looked down at her body and was still surprised at the changes that occurred. She had a complete transformation from her previous emaciated body to one she didn’t recognize anymore. She had grown almost five inches in height and legs and arms had grown stronger and more defined. Her chest had grown larger so much that she had to steal a blanket and use it as a cape to hide the growth. Her body was still covered with muck so her facial features couldn’t be fully disclosed, but one thing hadn’t changed and that was she still bore the cursed clan’s mark.

She had been living out on the streets for so long, and no matter how she tried to survive. The marks made her a target of gang bullies and the residence of the city wouldn’t lift a finger to help her. She admitted it had been a little better in the last few days, because even with the cursed marks people had shown less disdain for her, but was still an open prey of the gangs. She just had been strong enough now to avoid them for the most part.

She had been constantly on the run especially now that her body had changed, and she seemed like a new person. The gangs hadn’t ignored her cursed markings and several them followed looking for an opportunity to corner her and steal everything she had. She had been targeted a few times by a specific group previously, and it was one of the reasons she had been left almost dead in that alley before he had come and healed her a little over two days before.

She still wasn’t sure if it was a passing spirit or a god that had healed her, but she did know that it was the first to aid her when she called out in need. She had almost given up hope of living at all when he put his hand on her and healed her completely. She still remembered that warm and comforting feeling she had and Ziara couldn’t help but wished she could stay with him forever. She wanted to feel loved and wanted, and he had given that to her even if it was for only a short time.

She had run into the gang that personally hunted her just earlier that morning when she went to steal some food to keep up her energy. The gang was led by Bruel a intimidating wolf beast kin and members of his pack. She had taken numerous beatings at his hand, and was lucky that they seemed to be looking for her in her previous form and didn’t catch her in an alleyway she frequently stayed. She currently had found a spot-on top of the roofs, and nobody had spotted her up there.

Ziara had stashed a few dried pieces of bread and some fruits she had stolen from a vendor while they were distracted the day before and she had almost got caught. She wasn’t as small and unnoticeable anymore, but she could run faster and climb the sides of the building much easier. She was currently perched on the roof as night was starting to descend on the city. She had decided tonight was the night she would try to pray to the spirit or god that had helped her and thank him.

She had spent the last two nights deciding what she wanted to do, and a little fearful that if she started praying to him that she would tie herself to a being she truly didn’t know was good or evil. She finally decided it didn’t matter, because if that being was evil then that being was still the only one that ever did something for her and saved her life. This meant that her current life was that beings already, and now she was determined to thank him whether it was good or evil. She only knew that he had not only given back her life but her dignity as well.

As the night slowly overtook the city and the lamp lights were lit. Ziara lay on a slanted tile roof near a chimney and took out the rune necklace she found after he had healed her. She placed it between her hands and closed her eyes and whispered.

“Merciful god. I a lowly and cursed person thank thee for saving my life and giving me strength. I have nothing to repay you with, so I give you my heart and soul to take into your hands to do with what you wish. Never in my life has anybody ever taken mercy on me and given me a spark to live, and that spark now belongs to you to do with what you desire.” Ziara pledged.

Ziara laid there trembling knowing that such pledges, especially to high sprits or gods, were not light things. Her race had once been cursed by a god because they had broken a pledge so she knew that she might be causing herself a horrible outcome. She couldn’t stop thinking about how she was given a new life even if it would be brief and that feeling had stoked the fire of wanting to live for something rather than dying for nothing.

She was just about to give up on being responded too, when suddenly she felt a warmth on the top of her head that spread through out her body down to the toes. It was a gentle and loving feeling that she had first felt only a few days before. The feeling was something she longed for and she felt somebody was holding her warming up her cursed soul.

“I have heard you and will not abandon you. I have sent somebody to find you and to help you. Both of you can live your life the way you desire, and can chose to help each other. I will not tell you what to do, but let you choose your own life, wants and needs. She will come soon and whether you go with her or not is your choice.” A warm whisper entered her mind. “Your life is for you to decide what you wish to do with it and I only wish it is a fulfilling one. I will be watching.”

Ziara couldn’t help but revel in the feeling of his touch, because it gave her the love and caring she had never had before the last few days. She felt the warmth right down to her soul, and tears couldn’t stop from rolling down her cheeks. Even when the warmth slowly faded, she could feel it still stay in her heart and soul warming it, and she didn’t want to give it up. She realized at how empty her heart and soul were before and her determination rose once more.

He had told her that somebody would be finding her, and it was her choice if she wanted to go with that person or not. She was determined to go with her if it meant she was doing something for him. She knew him as Mercer, and knew the rune that was given to her was her way of talking to him. She gently touched the rune and could only smile as she cried in the dark.

_____ _____ _____ _____

Cora could feel the energy of her master flow into her rune necklace, but this time it was different than before. She felt the connection between her rune necklace and another in the city farther to the west from where she was at. She knew instinctively that it was the person her master requested her to help, and why he left it up to her she wasn’t going to deny her new master that request.

She had been cultivating since she had spoken to her master before, because her mana was still to low to effectively do what she wished to do. The interface helped gauge her progress, which truly helped during cultivation. She could manage using up and growing her mana pool, and yet have enough to sustain her two servants from returning.

She looked out and saw it was dark in the room, and knew Ket and Simala must have already returned. She was starting to feel a little hungry now and she rose from her cultivation position and slowly walked to the door and opened it. The living room was lit with lamps and the moment she came out and Ket and Simala came to her immediately. She smiled at both and said. “Report!”

“The paperwork for residency is actually quite simple with enough coins.” Ket said. “The paperwork is being processed and should be completed with in the next few days. Our pass has already been updated allowing us to stay, but to purchasing of buildings can not be completed until the process is done.”

“Good.” Cora said. “Were you able to get the other things Simala?”

“Yes, master I was able to get most through the inn, but the things I couldn’t I was able to go out and get with a currier. The cloth and materials you requested are already in one of the spare rooms.”

“Excellent.” Cora said. “Lets all have something to eat and tomorrow morning Ket and I have to go look for the little one that master has chosen. It is vital we contact her and offer her aid.”

Cora walked over to the fireplace which was lit with a low flame and sat down closing her eyes as she waited for meal. She knew that her master wanted her to follow her own path and choose what she wanted to do and how. She had never had the option to choose her path, and honestly didn’t know how. She grew up one of tens of thousands of elemental succubi, which only goal was to be used as tools. She was used only as a tool using sex and manipulation to gain intelligence for her master.

She never had a choice who her target was, and none of her children she bore in the process could be with her after she birthed them. She had no attachment except for obedience to her master, but now it was different. She had no underlining order to fulfill, and she was able to choose her path. He only asked her to do some things for him, but never ordered it. He just wanted her to live her life out and make decisions for herself, and by doing that he surprisingly won her heart completely. She truly wanted to please him and make him proud of her, and for the first time it wasn’t a compulsion set by her master, but a need set by herself.

She still wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but no matter what she was going to make sure her master gained at least as much as he spent to give her this opportunity. She knew how the game was played, because she slept with many from sanctuaries during her time in her previous life. She would do what ever she could to promote his name and gather a following here in the city. She wasn’t sure about how she was going to do that, but before she left her master would have followers in both bloodline and faith.