Quoted By:
''What!?'' A familiar voice to your left
''Ooof!'' Someone fell down the pyramid steps to land the ground.
You lept in front of the girls upon seeing the first movement from something that should have been impossible. The motionless statues representing Zerase and her daughter had been replaced by the real, flesh and blood individuals, they hadn't expected such a transfer because Ensan momentum ended in a painful fall.
You nearly, so very nearly, took this moment to leap at Zerase but her necromantic capabilities coupled with leaving Ama and Shereen completely open to Ensan retaliation forced you to stay put.
''Wha...!? What!? How!?'' Ama's voice was a choked-out whine, more a whispering, dying animal than a proper scream. ''I did open the way into the Origin but nobody else was protected against the time dilation. T-this is bullshit!''
Armin must have done something with these two.
''Where's my staff...? Shereen!?'' Ensan radiated hostility as she glared at her little sister.
''Ease and peace, Ensan.'' Zerase's imperious voice immediately calmed her daughter's agitation. ''Here stand the Embodiment of Protection, as long as we do not harm his charge, we should be safe. Should. The company you keep is truly fascinating, Shereen.'' With eight bony legs extending out of her spine and her naturally bigger body, Zerase's slithering presence was equally awe-inspiring and dreadful. ''I can finally understand Damien's perspective now, struggling so much against heroes is... frustrating. I should have retreated when my web was burnt, to think Mana melded a nature of Heat for the material world and Foxfire to burn all attachment of souls...'' The lady snake chuckled.
''Mother? Did you plan to come here too, to this place?''
''Hell no she didn't!'' Ama scoffed. ''Words of powers need a connection with the world itself to work and she's no dwarf or Mother Earth!''
''I've always believed this place needed protection to survive, but it would seem that was wrong,'' Zerase spoke, slithering toward her eldest. ''The first layer -the realm of dreams- is where I'd go to escape, not this third, deep one. It is impossible to navigate or find any connection to our world aside from the statues... Hm, I'm not seeing Mother Earth followers.''
''Mother, did you kill Hao?'' Shereen's question caused the magical limbs of the pharaoh to clicks.
''You must be speaking about that frustratingly courageous girl.'' Zerase brilliant, yellow gaze settles on you for a second. ''She still breathes, but for how long I cannot say. I've afflicted her with a necromantic rot of the soul to free myself from her grasp, I didn't have time to linger and finish her... You have a link to her, don't you?'' She asks you, silence is your answer. ''Then perhaps you can stop the process and limit the damage.''
''And Mimiru? That girl who was protecting Anais?''
The pharaoh remain silent
''Answer the question!'' The little witch order while hiding behind you.
