An hour of walking found them at the edge of the pass, into the forests below. "Whelp, this is where we stop," Tel said. "Just keep walking down the trail, once ya get to the bottom follow the signs. If ya can't find Vera from here, ya don't deserve to live."

Ada stopped for a moment. "You're not coming with?"

"Nah, we were hired to clear out the goblins. Was the only way we could get permission to come here for basilisk hunting." Tel shook her head in exasperation. "I'd ditch it and let 'em deal with their own problem, but it ain't up to me."

"An oath was sworn." To the Ferin, that was as good as a ritual binding.

"That was before we found out they've been up here breeding like shit-smeared rabbits and it's been five years since anyone so much as tried to reduce their numbers. Everyone else is using a different route, now." Tel covered her face with her hands and shook her head. "We're gonna be stuck here for months."

Off to the side, Arakash clenched his fists and hoped his little surprise for the captain was appreciated. With any luck, the treacherous snake suffered beyond the ken of mortal imagination before succumbing.

In the meantime, Wynd continued chastising his companion. "Be that as it may, the oath was given."

Tel deflated and sat on in the middle of the overgrown trail. "If we're lucky, we'll have 'em cleared out before snowfall closes the pass. Bet yer ears they'll be right back next year."

Ada bowed to the pair. "I would like to help, but I'm afraid we have time sensitive tasks of our own. Once again, you have our gratitude."

"May your path be welcoming," Wynd said in parting, then he turned and moved back toward the project he had undertaken. He doubted mere goblins could pose any threat to his basilisk form. This would allow him to donate all of his poison resistance sarite to Yykekaitel, and focus all his abilities on speed and accuracy.

The trio walked their path in silence. One had no interest in conversation, while the other two had had their understanding of their place in the world shaken.

For Ada, it was a hopeful moment, revealing that she was stronger than she thought she was. Isylan went from at best a word spoken by tutors then promptly forgotten, to an aspect of her own history.

For Shiara, it was confirmation of truths she suspected but prayed she was wrong about.

Arakash, for his part, merely watched for a moment when their weaknesses could be exploited. On some level, he rather wished he hid is plans a little better, in order to learn what was clearly bothering them in greater detail. It didn't take long to dismiss that wish; he took his best chance for escape, and it failed, there was no point in dwelling. His priority now was to watch for his next opportunity.

With exception to Arakash, who had been there before, the impression they got from Port Vera was how big it was. Nestled up into a natural cove and surrounded on three sides by mountain, the city had room to sprawl in a way that few cities could. The architecture, too, took advantage of the idyllic seafront to craft architectural wonders for their own sake instead of the pragmatic designs of their homelands.

Entering the city proper involved passing under an ivory colored archway that could accommodate a dragon, or an army. While the design was simplistic, Ada stared in wonder at the inconceivable structure. "The Gate of Dawn. It's more fantastic than I could have imagined."

Shiara knew her history as well, though Sira told the story of their defeat at the hands of the Karanan revolution with less enthusiasm than she imagined Tyras and Karana told the story. Though they could not see it from the ground, somewhere atop the structure sat Seigard, one of the legendary artifacts involved in the rebellion. A trophy taken from Sira during the truce and set over the sight of their final victory.

She chose a different, less upsetting, conversation path. "What did they make it of? It's not metal."

"Ivory of dragon," Arakash said. A century later, and still the Siral people resented the death of their empire. "Carved from the bones of Dawnbringer, herself. I remember when the bones were still yellow and stained with blood. There was quite the celebration, though I think marching Enochra's head around on a pike for a week was unnecessarily gaudy, to say nothing of disgusting."

He was going to say more, perhaps go into details of what happened to many of the prisoners of war taken by either side, but he was interrupted by the being he felt approaching. She was in many ways like Shiara, but reliant on Creation energies and possessing much greater control of that power. Soon, he spotted the source; a statuesque woman with blue hair and eyes, wearing armor as white as her porcelain skin. He snarled in disgust at her. "We have a problem."

The woman kept her eyes on Ada the whole type. Her hair color was correct, her features... similar enough, though it was obvious where her paternity must have came from. She ignored the biting emotions in her chest; she could allow herself to feel later, when she had time to process the nightmare made reality before her. "Greetings, Princess Adageyudi, I am known as Celeste. I am to be your escort during your stay in Karana."

"Greetings, Lady Celeste." Brushing off her surprise, and Arakash's opinions, Ada clasped her hands together and tilted her head for the Karanan official. She wasn't certain what rank the woman was, but the decorations on her armor spoke highly of her station. "You have my gratitude as a guest of your fine city. These are my protectors, Arakash and Lady Shiara."

Shiara balked at the implications, but stumbled over her words in front of the statuesque beauty before her. "Uh, right, I mean, pleasure to see, I mean meet, you... but I'm not a lady. No titles or anything." She could feel skin heating as she continued making herself look stupid, but she couldn't stop talking.

Arakash was less enthused, though there was little he could do but voice his objections. "Interesting, I didn't think your kind could lie, however poorly."

"My apologies, Celeste." Ada turned away and glared at Arakash. "Stop. Now. That's an order."

In this situation the binding allowed him to ignore her command; indeed, it compelled him to do so. "Think about it, Princess. She recognized you on sight without any sign of who you are. You're in commoner clothing, have no royal guards, and are carrying no sigil of your country. Doesn't that seem unusual to you?"

Shiara, still stumbling over herself, snapped to realization. She took a defensive stance and prepared to become her elemental form. After her experience with Arakash manipulating her feelings, she wasn't going to give someone else a chance. "That is suspicious. Who are you, really?"

Celeste sighed, and held her hands open in the sign of peace. She had hoped to avoid this situation, but the nature of the Princess' guards could not have been anticipated. What secrets did Tyras possess that allowed them to hold the loyalty of such beings? "Very well. I saw no reason to reveal it, but I am a Daeva. Our perceptive talents are well known."

A Daeva? Shiara had heard about Daeva, though given the nature of her education, she wasn't certain how accurate it was. Nothing mentioned the sense of serene power she felt, nor the perfect features. "I don't believe you." Even as she spoke the words, she knew she was lying. From the look Celeste gave her, she knew as well.

Celeste allowed her facade to crumble, casting off the idealization of her birth-form that she wore at times, and embraced her divine blood. Delicate scales of blue and silver replaced the skin of her hands and arms, trailing up to her elbows as if gloves, though most of them were hidden by her armor.

The scales on her face, lighter than those of her arms, started at her eyebrows and spread outward along the bone-lines of her face, highlighting cheeks and jaw, framing her mouth and now solid blue eyes. From her back sprouted a pair of large pair of translucent wings comprised of small, fine, blue scales and supported by an elaborate network of veins. Two similar but smaller wings sprouted from her lower back.

Now that she had manifested her true form, those nearby stopped to gawk at her. Daeva were well-regarded in Karana, but also rather rare. Ones wearing a uniform were more of both. Still, they did the smart thing and stayed at a distance. As curious as they might have been curious the nature of this confrontation, it was never smart to interfere with soldiers during their duty. Best to keep one's head down and go back to business.

Now that there could no longer be doubt of her words, Celeste spoke again. "I admit, your highness, it troubles me that you associate with a Noctrel. Surely you did not realize what it was." She hoped as much, but given the girl's... heritage... she only hoped. "Now that you know, you must realize that the only proper thing is for me to destroy it. With your permission."

Ada hesitated. The offer was a tempting one; to be rid of her rebellious demon with a single word. The power and responsibility were in her hands. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then made her decision. "You may not. Arakash is a valuable servant and necessary for my protection." Her words were chosen to hide her opinion on the nature of said servitude.

Celeste wasn't surprised by the statement, only disappointed. This was merely the latest chapter of a long tragedy. "I give you my oath that I will keep you from any harm during your stay in Karana. This creature is dangerous and must be destroyed."

"Ada, I think we should take her up on the offer." Shiara considered Celeste to be much better company than Arakash, and not just because she was so unbelievable beautiful. It was also because Arakash tried to control her mind, then kill and eat her.

Arakash didn't care for the exchange as it was going. Given time, he had little doubt Ada could be influenced to allow his execution. There was nothing in his binding oath to force him to sit back and watch. "It's moot, Daeva. My claws have been blunted. I am no threat to anyone for the time being."

For the first time, Celeste addressed Arakash. "Your kind are deceivers to the core." If she could not persuade the corrupted princess, perhaps she could provoke the Noctrel. "I would never trust your words."

"Yes, and that has always been a fascinating weakness." Arakash crossed his arms. Recognizing the Daeva's obvious ploy in spite of his powers being useless against her, he kept his gestures as non-threatening as possible. "Daeva have the power to detect truth and honesty. Why does it never seem to work on my kind?"

"That is hardly a mystery." It didn't seem possible a Noctrel wouldn't know the answer to that question, and Celeste saw no reason to hide that fact from her audience. "Even when you speak truth, the malice and cruelty laced through your very essence makes it sound a lie in my ears. Why ask a question when you already know the answer?"

"It was for their benefit, not mine." Arakash gave a brief tilt of his head toward Ada and Shiara. "And you don't get to speak of 'truth'. You lied to them."

"I cannot lie, save when necessary to protect innocent lives. It is part of my very being." Again, no great secret, and one she hoped would raise her credibility with the princess.

"You said your name was Celeste. We both know that is untrue."

"I said I was known as Celeste, which is true," she corrected. She was beginning to see the danger in allowing a Noctrel to speak. They were insidious, clever, and relentless. "I never claimed that to be my Name."

"So, what is your name, then?" Shiara hadn't gotten over having a Daeva before her, but seeing that there was a potential threat to Ada, she was more inclined to support her princess than this stranger.

"I refuse to answer that question." Celeste hoped she could correct this situation soon, so she offered another small secret. "One who knows the Name of a Daeva and the proper rituals can command or destroy us. Would you be willing to give your name if it meant your enslavement?"

Shiara gave a brief, conflicted glance at Arakash. "Sorry, I wasn't aware names meant so much. I wouldn't want you to risk being hurt like that."

Arakash huffed. "As if Daeva aren't already slaves."

"I am no such thing." Celeste stood her ground, daring the demon to challenge her.

"It is physically impossible for you to so much as fib, and all the other crippling aspects of being. Your creator made you to be perfect servants. For all your gifts, freedom was never meant for you."

"By that logic, you could claim humans are slaves to food and water," Celeste countered. "That we are all slaves to time and entropy. All beings have limitations, I see no reason to resent that I'm no different."

"The difference between a hound that cannot slip its leash, and a hound happy to be leashed, that's all I see." Never before had Arakash had the opportunity to mock a Daeva to her face before. It seemed doubtful to him that any Noctrel ever had. The normal interactions involved running, screaming, and death. "But I'm sure my own slaver has some insights on to weaknesses of Daeva that you're resenting right now, no?"

All eyes turned to Princess Adageyudi, expecting the answer. "Umm, my instructors covered the power of Names on entities of Order, and their connection to law." Her eyes widened when she recognized the loophole they were caught in. "It wasn't politeness when you asked permission. You cannot harm him without my permission, or some specific justifications."

"That is correct." She did not resent her limitations; she resented those who would exploit them for personal gain. "He is your property, and I swore to protect you and yours until such time as your diplomatic visit has concluded." She steadfastly refused to look at the demon, though she knew he was smiling as she spoke.

Ada considered her response. "I shall endeavor not to abuse the privilege. Can I make a request of you?"

"You may. But I may still refuse to follow it. Know that my primary loyalties are not to you." She was fast regretting the situation as a whole; she'd allowed her feelings to interfere with duty, and now everything had become a mess. She should have allowed someone else to volunteer for this assignment.

"I would ask you to watch Arakash while we're here," Ada said. She hated to admit her problem to anyone, but if anyone could be trusted, it was a Daeva. "He has been trying to find ways to break the controls placed on him, and..."

Celeste hid the surprise and relief. "You needn't have asked, Lady. I assure you that I shall destroy him if necessary." That was one oath she could make without hesitation or regret. Perhaps this was a sign the situation wasn't as hopeless as she had thought. There was still a chance for good to come from tragedy.

Ada was starting to wonder if perhaps she made a mistake. Still, there was nothing she could do about it now. It wasn't a perfect solution, but a Daeva was far better equipped to deal with a Noctrel than any human could hope to be. "And please, would you lead us to a place to rest? It has been a difficult journey."

"Very well." At least that request was expected. "Karana has made arrangements for your arrival."

"We... might need to change some of those plans," Ada said, thinking back to the numerous assassination attempts. "For everyone's sake. I'll explain on the way."

Shiara started following after Ada and Celeste, but stopped for a moment to taunt Arakash. "I'd say I almost feel sorry for you, but you don't need to be a Daeva to know that's a lie."

Arakash said nothing, but Shiara hadn't expected him to.