>>5201515>>5201583>>5201631>>5201656>>5201817>Welcome her properly. She’s still somewhat of a lady, if only on the inside.“Very well.” You place a hand on the doll’s shoulder and lean in–with the other, you wipe the stain of blood from her porcelain features. Her eyes widen. “And keep yourself tidy. You’re a lady, are you not?”
“I.. yes.” Noelle lowers her gaze. “Of course.”
“Quite well. Then let us retrieve our goods and depart.” The dhampir turns. As you move forward to walk alongside her, she lowers her voice. “..My. How very debonair. I did not think you capable.”
“What?” You scowl–what nonsense is she on about now? “I wiped the blood from her face because she was filthy. I’ve done it for my sisters many times before. Was that somehow offensive?”
“Oh, I see. I retract my compliment, then.” Ava rolls her eyes. “You’re just a clueless oaf.”
You continue your journey in lockstep with the doll and dhampir. The hours tick by as you clamber over step after step before you, the abyss beneath you seemingly ceaseless. The dhampir, at least, speaks to you with less venom in her tone than prior; the doll, however, hangs back from you and seems to shrink from your mere glance. It seems you actually have offended her..
“We’re close to the bottom.” The dhampir waves to a division in the steps–one, in your present direction along the wall and one that seems to go backward. “However, the routes split from here; one is more dangerous but shorter. The other is longer, but it should ensure we run into few monster along the way. What say you?”
More than safety, you catch strange sounds up ahead–from the more safe route, the same wails from before, and from the dangerous one, the beat of horse hoof.
>Follow the safe route with the wailing.>Follow the dangerous route with the horse hoof.>Write-In. 