5 days went by since the initial meeting, Zerinia didn’t sleep, eat, drink or do anything a human requires in all that time, and yet, she functioned at such maximum capacity, it was as if these tasks that were once essential to basic survival, now obsolete activities one did for fun.
On the sixth day, Zerinia sat on her throne and stared into space, thinking to herself as usual, “Do I stay in this world? I would try to go back, but what is there to go back to? A boring human life? I died back there, so my old body is probably nothing but ashes anyway, but here, I things can be different…even if the vampire queen part is going to need some getting used to though.” As she silently weighed the pros and cons in her mind, she barely noticed Lenore walking towards her with a folder in hand, cutting Zerinia’s thoughts short abruptly.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you, Lady Zerinia.” She said with a friendly tone, placing the folder onto Zerinia’s lap before climbing onto the thrones arm rest, leaning her head into her fellow Vampire mistress’ shoulder, making herself comfortable, both of them felt a friendly warmth with one another, like that of good friends. “No, I’m just thinking, nothing important…what’s this?” Zerinia said, picking up the folder and flipping through the pages.
“Oh, just some folder Nanilk gave me, he said something like ‘Make sure to give this to Lady Zerinia immediately, if you lose it, I’ll be sure to have you explain yourself to her personally’, just some grumpy stuff from him.” She quoted the Lich with a fake grumpy tone and expression, trying and failing to fake a manly, deep and intimidating voice that Nanilk usually spoke with, causing Zerinia to smirk and chuckle slightly at the terrible impression.
The cover of the folder read ‘For Lady Zerinia Valenhart, Report on the Zarumogol Scouting Expedition,’ flipping through the pages, Zerinia could see a detailed report on the discoveries made by the Zarumogol from within a 100-mile radius from the castle and estate. The report described a large forest nearby with a Lizardfolk tribe northeast of the forest, Zerinia merely nodded as she read, nothing else seemed to be of much value other than types of trees, the fruits they grew and minor landscapes.
“I heard Lizardfolk are a pretty solitary species, like to keep to themselves…what do we do about them?” Lenore asked, properly sitting up, Zerinia merely smiled while closing the folder, “We make contact, speak with the lonely lizards in there and perhaps we can go from there.” She responded, slowly standing up while holding the folder out towards Lenore, turning to the door and walking to it slowly.
“Do you wish for me to accompany you?” Lenore questioned, the idea didn’t seem that bad, “I’ll be doing this expedition alone, take the report to Velkira in the library.” She said before leaving the room and soon after exiting the castle, leaving Lenore in the throne room alone.
Sunlight shone down onto Zerinia’s porcelain skin, it was a nice, inviting and comforting warmth, but she wasn’t concentrating on that, her eyes were glued forwards as she traversed the forest around her. Trees tightly hugging one another, making seeing through the forest difficult, but with her vampiric eyesight, seeing on for miles ahead was more than simple, “Hmmm, I knew vampires had good eyesight, but this is something else…the Lizardfolk village should be up-"
Before her thought finished, an arrow flew through the trees, aimed for the side of her head, but Zerinia’s supernatural reaction speed helped her moved back with ease, something no regular human is capable of. The arrow quickly after embedded itself into the tree next to her, it looked above average, with no particular patterns, Zerinia inspected it and identified it wasn’t Lizardfolk, so what did it belong to? A question that festered her mind but answered almost immediately.
A dark elf girl soon stepped out, her young features stuck out clearly in both the small amount of shade and thin rays of sun that cramped together on her face, her clothes were dark and worn down, eyes orange and black hair that reached her shoulders. “You’re a good shot…if I couldn’t react to it, you would have hit me.” Zerinia said with an inviting smile which was met with the elf’s serious silence, which seemed to stretch out uncomfortably.
“My name is Zerinia Valenhart…what is yours, my friend?” The dark elf contemplated before speaking; “Maura…just Maura.” Her voice was cold and tired, her expression unchanging, “You hungry?” Zerinia asked, taking out a pot roast from her inventory, the smell of the warm food pierced the air and heat radiated from it like radiation from the sun.
The dark elf, Maura, watched the food like a predator watching its prey, her eyes lit up for a split second before she caught herself, her stomach rumbled at the thought of finally eating something, exposing her thoughts to the strange woman in front of her. “She pulled that out of thin air, that shouldn’t be possible…but that food, it’s not poisoned, I can smell it from here…maybe this woman isn’t bad.”
Both Zerinia and Maura sat on logs in a small clearing where trees refused to gather, Maura stuffed her face with the meats and vegetables while Zerinia sat there quietly. Silence stretched on for an abnormally comfortable amount of time before Zerinia finally spoke up, “So…how come a dark elf is all the way out here by herself, no one around?”
Maura responded without looking up or even stopping to consume her meal, “I left my kingdom…never really got on with anyone there, I prefer the solitude instead of being forced into committing atrocities like all of those like the others.” She said so casually like she was commenting on the weather. “You know Zerinia, there’s something interesting about you…you wear the clothes of a royal but have the skills of an adventurer…so what are you? Some kind of royal with special training?”
The question hung in the air like a bad omen, Zerinia thought on how to answer it for a few minutes before answering. “I am…something like that, something many would call ‘a monster’…I’m someone with both power, wealth and status.” Maura processed these words, as if silently starting to understand what was sitting opposite her.
“I see…so why are you in these forests?” She said, finally finishing her meal and placing it next to her, Zerinia merely stood up and looked out into the distance. “I wish to go to the Lizardfolk village, as to establish connections, if you will.” She said then looking over to Maura, a small kind smile on her face, “So, you are coming with me?” Maura stopped to think, the months of isolation and loneliness, the possibility of not being able to see this kindness for centuries to come. “She’s inviting me to join her, but the Lizardfolk are dangerous…but this isolation…I would rather die than continue this boring life.” Maura stood up and smiled with resolve in her eyes, “Darn right I’m coming with you.”
The both of them wondered through the forests, Maura following closely behind her new friend, completely oblivious to what she is or powerful of a monster she is too. Abruptly, Maura heard footsteps closing in all around them, but before she could speak about it, she found herself and Zerinia surrounded by Lizardfolk, spears pointed at both of them. Maura held her hands up immediately in surrender, surprised and afraid, however, Zerinia didn’t follow Mauras action, “Wood and stone, copper, maybe steel here and there, none of them nearly enough to danger me, maybe I could use some defensive spells to protect Maura and then use an area damage based attack and wipe them all out in an instant, maybe go overkill with a meteor or something.”
Zerinia thought to herself, while Maura stared at her in shock and embarrassment, “Zerinia! What are you doing?! We’re supposed to be meeting them to talk, right? I didn’t think you came here to die!” There were a few beats of silence before a male, yet elderly voice spoke out from within the crowd, stepping forward was a Lizardman, aged by time and battle and his eyes tired yet watching the two creatures.
“Step aside you fools…my apologies ladies, my people have been most paranoid lately due to conflicts with an Orc tribe west of here, please do forgive our hostility.” Before Maura could respond, Zerinia spoke up instead, “It is of no worries, my name is Zerinia Valenhart, this is my friend, Maura…we apologise for trespassing into your lands, as we were hoping to speak with you.” The elderly Lizardman smiled, his hands moved behind his back, as if to support his posture,
“Ah, I see, no worry my friend…my name is Kaa, I am the leader of the Mirkwater Lizardfolk tribe, but that’s not too important, you have come to speak with us, yes? Welcome indeed, let’s speak.” His voice was a genuine kind that hid a great tiredness underneath it, one Zerinia could immediately identify. “Conflict with the Orc tribes?” Zerinia questioned, Kaa’s smile fell and his tone revealed the wariness that he had once tried hiding. “Yes…they have been sending multiple attacks for ages now; it has greatly affected our people.” He said more to himself than the strange visitors.
Zerinia let out a long, quiet sigh, pitying the old man dearly. “Perhaps I should investigate this problem myself as to stop whatever it is that troubles you,” Kaa’s tired eyes widened slightly, as if such a kindness was stupid, “You would do that for us?” Zerinia nodded, Maura became shocked, she had a normal bow and a few arrows, no way she could kill an Orc, let alone multiple. “Of course, a token of good will to show we mean only peace,” Kaa’s smile returned, genuine this time that someone would openly say this.
“Thank you, Zerinia…I must warn you to be careful on this journey, Orcs are a brutal species so allow me to send my son, Rango, with you.” On cue, a young man around 21 walked forward, he looked like a human completely in ninja wear, his body muscular and clothes different shades of green, his hair short and black while his eyes glowed a leafy green, Maura stared for a few seconds before looking away, stopping anyone from catching her blushing.
“You would send your son with strangers like myself on such a dangerous mission?” Zerinia questioned, genuinely curious about why Kaa would trust her so much, “Absolutely, he is our strongest warrior and one with the most kills amongst any of our people.” His voice beamed with pride while the young Lizardman remained silent. “We should get a move on then…” He said, his voice firm and serious before beginning to walk, Zerinia and Maura followed behind him.